Bookclub

My book club met last night, to discuss Jane Eyre. We had already read Pride and Prejudice, and to follow in the theme of women writers writing about strong women characters in a certain time period, we are reading Little Women next. I am so fortunate to be amongst my own strong women friends.

Before I left, Tate said "Oh, I hate when you go to book club!" and I asked her why, because she is truly my little shadow and I thought there was going to be a nice moment of motherly/daughterly love shared. But she said, "Because daddy never gives us dessert." Oh. Well. And then when she saw my look, she added, "and because I miss you...". Yeah, right.

Spring Break

It's been a great week - playground and library (rode our bikes there!) with friends the first day, hanging out with David at the office (hanging art!), eating at Chipotle, soccer practice on Tuesday. Wednesday was paddle-boating at the Tidal Basin, 

having lunch with good friends, and walking along the C&O Canal. Walking along the canal always makes me feel sentimental. Smith remembers so much of it, and Tate's memories are of our hikes nowadays. We saw lots of turtles, goslings (or geeslings as Tate called them), and the high water. Smith's memory astounds me - he remembers where and when I talked to him about erosion, and even what he was wearing. Tate's legs were covered in mud by the time we got back to the car, and it was definitely Slurpee time as it was almost 82 degrees outside!

Tate has been in rare form all week - spinning like a top, funny, fun, crazy. We all just laugh along. Smith was very specific about the rules for the paddle boats, in his usual rule-abinding-ness way. The kids have played a LOT of "Barbie Bionicle Lego Polly Pockets" and we've just had a nice, alternately relaxing and adventure-filled week - dog walks, soccer practice, sitting in front of the tv/Club Penguin computer. Today we'll see the movie "Rio", and Smith is going to a DC United game with a friend. I think I'll surprise Tate with a trip to the Ida Lee pool.


The kids and David planted two trees (temporarily in buckets - David said they should be planted like this for a year or two to get their roots going)












We had a large sheet of paper leftover from a cool canvas piece of art in David's office, so I had the kids lay out in "crime scene" position, then decorate their forms. Drupa Crime Scene!

An empty basket

I just finished a wrap - I started it this summer, on vacation in Yellowstone. July. I picked it up in fits and starts, and truly left it behind for a long time while I finished Tate's needlepoint stocking (Smith had his by his 2nd Christmas - it took me until her 5th to get hers done!).

So the wrap. It's beautiful, long, and best yet, I still love the color. I sometimes am so sick of something after having worked on it for so long (see stocking, above!) that I can't bear to wear it or use it. I've read others talking about handmade things, specifically knits, having a soul. I feel like that - this wrap accompanied me to Salt Lake City, Yellowstone (on many of the car trips around the park and in the backyard - see the bag at the end of the table, next to David?), soccer games, Williamsburg, New York City, our local library, my sofa while watching Weeds. In short, this wrap has SOUL. It is knit with life experiences, with our life experiences.

So one basket is empty of its project. There are more projects brewing, and I'd like to get Tate started on finger knitting - supposed to be the best way to start. And now I have just the basket to put it in!

Smithers

hi, it's me, Smith, and last night I had a choral concert. I stand right next to my best friend, Ryan.We look a lot alike. Some of the songs we did were: There's no business like show business, Zip-a-dee-doo-dah, When you wish upon a star, Me and my shadow, Singing in the rain, and finally, Pick a little talk a little talk a little and good night ladies.

Our music teacher, Mrs. Bennett, directed the show. I felt very important, especially when I announced.  

Which one is me, and which one isn't?

bye. 

Our Thursday

GORGEOUS weather here today - delightful. Tate and I hit 3 playgrounds (well, 2, but we went to one of them twice!), I took a long walk with a dear friend, went to two soccer practices with Smith, walked to Starbucks with Tate and stuck our fingers in a fountain, walked the dogs, did laundry, finished my work (yaaa!).

Tate told me today that she wants to be a nature photographer when she grows up. She likes to go in the woods, and especially likes the sound of leaves when they crunch beneath your feet. I am the lucky recipient of many weed flowers. I need to relinguish control of the camera to her and to Smith more - when she takes pictures with my iPhone, some of the shots are amazing. Most are ears, floorboards, etc, but there are always a couple good ones. One of my favorites:

Smith had a funny thing happen last night. His school library had their used book sale, and with every 10 books donated, you get one free book. So we ended up donating 60 books, and he picked his 6 free ones during his classes time at the sale. Last night he was digging through the six books, picked up a Judy Blume one, and cried out, "Oh NO!" Turns out Judy Blume's book, "Double Fudge" was actually "Doble Fudge" - it was the Spanish version! The dollar bill on the front even says "plata".

Not from today, but isn't he a cutie?

Bison and Beagles

Spud has taken over Taxes, Smith's stuffed bison from when he was about 2. The other day, Spud wanders in the house with a big brown thing in his mouth, drops it on the floor, and it's Taxes, covered in mulch. He had buried and then dug him up in a mulchy spot right next to a hosta plant. So today, I threw Taxes to Spud in the yard, and a little while later, David notices a bison head sticking out of the ground. Love that beagle.

Oh where to begin?

So this is my first post! Daunting - I started this blog a little bit ago, but didn't know what to post, so I'm jumping in with a whole lot of nothing to get this thing started.

My goal for this...to share our daily life with those who are interested - family, friends, etc. I would like to chronicle our days, our crafts, our whims, our adventures.

Let's see how this all works out!

Jill