4(0) Times The Fun

The Mister turned 40 this year and though he deserves a lot of fanfare, he didn't want any extravagant party to mark the day.  Just a dinner at home, corned beef cabbage for supper and his traditional white cake with peanut butter frosting.  His parents came for supper and so did his twin brother and his family.  I did buy some fresh flowers (the first time all winter) to make things more feasty and special.  And the red Pioneer Woman christmas goblets I got at 75% off after Christmas elevated the meal too...though it did give off a certain Valentine vibe.  (The day after was Valentine's Day, so it wasn't totally inappropriate.)  Matt's twin brother John favors a chocolate with peanut butter frosting cake so I made one of those as well so that he wouldn't feel left out.  I never got a picture of the cakes  in the daylight because of the haste of getting ready for company but they were perdy (in a grown up sort of way).  No hard plastic animals, tractors or pudgy pigs for him.  No sirree.  Not now that he is all growed up.

I wanted to mark Matt's 40th year with a gift more meaningful than most.  Coincidentally, this also happens to be the 150th anniversary of Newmans owning this land so it seemed fitting to honor both somehow.  Matt is very much a person who values heritage and takes great pride in his roots so I thought a sign of some sort would be special.  My brother in law Bob made the wooden sign in secret for me and I spent several days woodburning it.  The smoke burned my eyes and nostrils and I was overcome by fear of ruining the whole thing at every turn- but in the end it came out nicely and I think Matt appreciated it.  I knit him a hat too (and an inverted one for his brother that was never finished in time, and so will be a gift for another time) using yarn that he had bought me at Christmas.  

He is the one who knows all my dark secrets and loves me anyway.  He is the one who can make me laugh with just a look and knows all my tickle places.  He is the one who gets the children all riled up in the living room just by getting down on the floor.  He is the one who leaves in the dark of morning and comes  home in the dark of night and gives his family those precious few minutes of his day that he could snatch away for himself.  He is the creator of the baby rocketship and ear tugging as a form of affection.  We outnumber him 6 to 1 and yet he stretches to meet our needs and fill us up.  He gives up 'stuff' for things much more important.  And 40 looks pretty good on him  ;-)

A Mossy Wood

that's a porcupine quill, by the way

 

 

we wound up in the lair of some panthers

wild and ferocious

but becoming Bagheera pretty quickly

Ineke's first experiences with moss. 

 

You'd never believe it from the pictures, but before the crazy snow dump of last week, we had some glorious mild, spring-like ditch the dining room "school" table and get your notebooks and rears outside and enjoy the day sort of weather.  And, ooooooh, was it nice.

I strapped Ineke on my belly (I really need a backpack-trust me, the girl doesn't quite fit her Moby like once upon a time) and the kids grabbed their science journals and we headed out.  Last year Ineke was so small, she spent her woods walks strapped onto Mama.  But THIS year, I set her down to explore.

FREEDOM!!!!!!!!

She was ecstatic.  She was overjoyed.  She was awed.  She screamed when she was put back in for the hike home.

Also, there was a giant leap from last year to this year in her comprehension.  I saw immediately that she had discovered, in a moment, that there was a world outside of the house.  That there was an "outside".  It was written all over her face.  Her eyes shone a new sort of glimmer.  It sounds like I am making this up- that I am being overly dramatic.  And maybe it seems that way but it also happens to be true.

After that woods walk, she began climbing up to windows to peer out and racing through a door as soon as it was opened.

Children give you many things, but the thing I am always struck by is the great joy that *I* get by living vicariously through their first moments, their first experiences and the amazement and the awe and the joy and the hilarity of such a world.  The crunch of the leaves.  The moss that ripped off of stones when she tugged.  She softness of a carpet of green.  The wind in her face.  I've experiences these things thousands of times, hundreds of thousands of times.  And I delight in them and sometimes, they even stagger me.  But it is different with children.  When children experience those things all you must do is sit back and watch.  And it literally fills you up.  Bubbles out.  Runneth over.  What a gift children bring to this world.

I hope to keep these posts coming; I have some incentive for the next few days at least.  We'll see how long it lasts!

Rooaarr

Having a rat infestation in our chicken house, we got rid of the majority of our birds (many were very old anyway) leaving us with a shortage of beautiful, homegrown eggs.   How kind, then, when a girl at church shares in her plenty.  And not just that, but arranges them so beautifully so one can't help but stop and admire.

What is the very first thing one does when, after many weeks of neglect, she tackles the major messy room of a house? Putting it to rights and creating some semblence of order and spaciousness. Why, she messes it all up again with a sewing project!

a modified free bloomer pattern-turned-romper.  Added a rectangle and straps and 'upsized' but not well enough.
Found here. 

Behind the pretty flower frame, a chatty girl cleans the sink.

The end result is beyond precious (in my opinion) but unfortunately about two sizes too small for my growing girl.  But is that lacy ruffle bum not the cutest thing ever?!?  Unfortunate, too, that it used up almost all of the handmedown fabric so I can't make a bigger one.  I just loved that fabric and lace combination.  I'll tuck it away for some baby somewhere needing a bit of sunshine.  And the next romper I make will use a real pattern.

copycat Olive Garden Fonduta with toasted homemade french bread.  Oh.My.Word

The March lion came padding along, with the ferocity of snowflakes shaking from his mane.  It put a halt on everything, this sea of white.  It made things quiet, echoey, slow, cozy.  Beautiful.   And then, when the storm was over and all that was left was a world of white- the husband got busy making mountains and the children got busy clamoring up them.

I am in a rut.  Maybe I've been in a rut for a while.  Maybe that is why I go for a month or so before coming here for a reprieve.  I feel constantly pulled in different directions and simultaneously standing still.  I feel like I am working tirelessly but accomplishing very little.  I wonder if what I am accomplishing is even worth it or if my priorities are skewed.  I think I need a fresh start.   I think I need a change of scenery.  A new perspective.  Less of some things, more of others.  Wisdom to know which is which.

I think I need spring.

Who's with me?