Monday, July 25, 2011

Monday Morsels

We've had a crazy busy few weeks with lots of travel, visiting with good friends, and now two birthdays and an anniversary approaching.  

Morsels from the past few weeks:

We spent some time with friends at a lake home belonging to their family.  The camp was built by our friend's grandfather and still contained many of the toys played with by his mother as a child.  Among these were a set of Barbie and Ken dolls circa 1950's with original clothes--such a hoot, and these adorable little village and farm pieces.  I'd love to find a set like this for my kids.  All the kids had a great time with them.  


 Kale carried around one of the tiny tractors for the entire weekend, and Wylie and Juniper set up several villages, Wylie narrating a tragic story, "Suddenly one day a terrible storm raged over the village of Auchnol.  Lightening flashed, waves swept the land..."
(Auchnol comes from a fantasy book we've been enjoying on CD, "The Cabinet of Wonders" by Marie Rutkoski. I think I like it as much as the kids do.)


Wylie enjoyed the kayaks for the three days we were there and has become quite skilled at maneuvering them.  He was a bit of a late bloomer in large motor coordination and I love to see him coming into his body and developing a comfort and even pride in his physical ability.   Not to mention the joys and freedom to be found in riding your bicycle well, or paddling a kayak solo across the water.  Love it.  



We've been taking advantage of the summer daylight for playtime after dinner, and some time for me to work in the garden.  I'm not sure what it is about this time of day, but I remember even when the kiddos were little how nicely they would play outside together in the summer after dinner.  



We had a small campfire one evening last week while Rob was out, and after the kids lost interest in playing with fire I headed to the garden to do some weeding and watering and they set off, involved in some ongoing play.  After a while I went to check on them and found a band in our back yard.



Another day last week I was hanging laundry and stopped for a few minutes to answer a phone call.  
When I returned to the deck I this is what I found in the laundry basket:


A few other things often found around our place: 

Random wires and mechanical parts in various stages of dis-assembly.
Chickens in the bushes

Iced tea stands  
Iced tea is less expensive to make than lemonade, and apparently rather lucrative--especially if you are two cute kids and you ask for donations only.  They brought in a bundle.  
It has since become a regular affair here on hot days. 

In the garden we've been loving the fresh herbs, and tons of flowers:  




Interestingly enough the plants that seem to be doing the best are these rouge pumpkins from last fall's 
Jack-O-Lanterns.  

November 2010


July 2011

 Juniper will be 6 this week, and she too is really coming into her own, though in a different way than Wylie.  She's always been athletic and competent physically, as well as strong willed and creative.  However, she went through a couple of years where I felt like her individualism, and her sense of self was a bit lost.  There was a lot of wanting to fit in with her friends --ie. wearing mainly pink, only pretty, and preferably Disney princess paraphernalia at the expense (or so it seemed to me) of her own interests and style--it happens so young.

So I've been quietly rejoicing this summer as I've seen  a bit of sass and spunk sneaking back:
The occasional hands on her hips, the incorporation of black into her wardrobe, tree climbing, mud stomping, and belly laughing.   And I've always loved those quiet talks at bedtime when the kids are able to say exactly what is on their minds.  Such as, "Mom, did you know there are 5 different words for vomit".
Gross yes, but way better than Disney princess in my book!




Happy Monday.



1 comment:

  1. I love these pictures! I'm so excited to see all of you. Juni and Audrey are going to have so much fun together, and Kale and Wylie too I'm sure. Juni's haircut is adorable!

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