So lovely, so simple, so right. 
It isn't often that the gift you think will be perfect actually is.
 But this time we had a winner. 
A simple wooden train was all Simon got for big day. 
Each of the six cars was individually wrapped and each got a wow from Simon. 
He has already shown us how trains can fly and how to transport stolen jewelry. 
You can even use an engine to cast spells in a pinch,
and a box car is perfect for running off the nasty family cat.

It's good to be slowing down and not burying our child in stuff.  
He is so full of himself, so joyful and easy. 
Can you tell he's asleep? 

Posted in: on Thursday, August 27, 2009 at at 7:04 AM 3 comments  


 I am coming out of (I hope) a strange malaise that took hold of me this summer.  I didn't garden much and I didn't relax and enjoy it as much as I should have. To many distractions I suppose.  In an effort to narrow the scope of my life I stopped reading the blogs and I am trying to limit my time on the computer because it tends to suck me out of my life.  It was a busy summer, too busy.  The weeds took over the garden while we were in California and we never went back into it to reclaim it. The blog got completely neglected. The house -- never mind. 

 But I see order rising out of the chaos. A two year old who will not always be two and destroy everything we do. No task is complete until Simon has undone it. 
Four children and homeschool was alot to bite off and I am so glad that first year is behind us. The children are back at school across the table from me. Finding all sorts of comfort in having a routine once again.  Even if that means math work.  

We will be celebrating a big birthday today for Simon.  Becoming a two year old is something he is taking very seriously.  Lots of hitting, throwing, spitting, biting. So much lovely time spent on the timeout stool.  It's my time to shine as the piranha of the playground.  There are just to many mothers out there in the world that only have one sweet docile little girl.  My son narrows in on those singletons like a heat seeking missile. On minute they are telling me how cute my son is the next they are glaring at me like no on ever hit their precious little angel on the head with a plastic bucket before.  I mean really it's not like I go around the house showing him these things.  Nor do I shout "way to go!" when he wields  the toddler equivalent of a lead pipe! It's not my fault they have wooden dowels for beating drums with at the museum.  If the museum had ask me I would have told them plainly "this stick thing is asking for trouble." Then again so is sand, places where children can climb above other children and thus kick them, and all water features ANYWHERE.  What can I say he's a "pistol" and until I'm guessing he's 13 we are going to just have to play at home. Where all the good stuff has been taken away or broken. Who knew if you threw a Melissa and Doug puzzle hard enough it would shatter? Until yesterday I would've said no way

As luck would have it he has started talking and everything he says too sweet to kick him out of the house.  I had no idea Harper, shoes and neea (aka Ryland)  could so sound so sweet. Well here's to my last round of the terrible twos. I think I am sufficiently unprepared for how bad it will be. I am certain I don't recall it being this bad before. 
 Like labor it'll be over eventually at least. 





Posted in: on Tuesday, August 25, 2009 at at 8:03 AM 1 comments  



Summers coming to an end here. The garden so completely neglected it has turned on us and breached it's borders. School starts in a week and the pace of a routine will be greatly appreciated.  I have floundered and flopped since swim team ended. But now there will be lunches to pack and lessons to give, a gym membership to use, stews to make.  I have made these bags for Ryland's lunches but they are working great keeping the fruit flies out of our tomatoes. 

It's a simple muslin bag with  a drawstring closure. 
I added the toggle to make it easy for Ry to use. 
Less chance of it getting a knot. 
Now I have to make a ton of them because they are going to be so useful.

It is either too hot or too rainy to go outside. So we pillaged the 
thrift stores and have comfy new pillows and dozens of new books and 
mystery yarn to snuggle down in our giant open air fort. 



We ran over to the fabric store today, while to two bigs were at tennis camp, 
and might if all goes well have new Ryland skirt to share tomorrow. 
She had hoped for a kimono alas the pattern was definitely not on sale. 
Simon's picture is probably posted in the break room at JoAnn's now. 
There are worse places to wreck havoc I suppose. 
But as I only have two fabric stores in town I'd rather not be banned from them. 
At least we gave the  staff something to do should they 
find themselves with down time.  Of course some of the more tricky places he hid 
things will take moving the store to find.  
Maybe inventory will reveal where he hid my pack of bias tape? 
Oh and as an aside not that anyone NEEDS to know this. 
Fresh blueberries are NOT the snack to bring to the fabric store. 
Hmmmmm. 


Posted in: on Thursday, August 13, 2009 at at 11:13 AM 1 comments  

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