Morning

Well it's apparently too early for my computer to upload pictures so we just won't have any today.  Sorry.  they weren't really going to have anything to do with the words anyway, so we'll just go with it.

It's not really even that early any more.  I woke up at 5:45 today, and, once I got over my disappointment at not sleeping in, I remembered something:  back in another lifetime, way back before kids and husband and other people's schedules, I was a Morning Person.  Working as a baker required me to be up, dressed, fed, sensible, and in the kitchen by 6 at the very latest.  Often I would schedule myself for a nice run or bike ride before work, too.

But that was a long time ago.  These days, if I can pry myself out of bed before the kids burst forth from their room on the stroke of 7:00 I 'm doing good.  But today...it all just worked.  The sun has come out again after a week of cloudiness, and I decided to try to walk this baby out.  That didn't last very long--despite being the end of May, the ground this morning was covered with a thin layer of frost and I found that I was not dressed at all appropriately.  While it did last, however, it was lovely.  Maybe it's just my imagination, but colors seem crsiper and smells more distinct first thing in the morning.  There are so many shades of green right now and I love being able to actually distinguish between the smell of the fields and the trees (and without the odor of the industrial chicken barns  which don't seem to come into their own until later in the day).  No mosquitoes.  No chattering girls.  Just glorious peace and calm and bright cold air. 

But, recall, it was freezing, and so here we are rambling about it over a very strong cup of raspberry leaf tea.  It really is time to get this baby out--an event which I have no doubt will bring many more bright early mornings with it.  I just need to remember that I love them...

{pretty, happy, funny, real}

{pretty}

We made fairy gardens a little while ago.  They really deserve their own post, but it hasn't happened yet, so...This is Sophie's before the wind and the cats destroyed it.  It WAS very pretty.


{happy}

 Sasha inexplicably fell sound asleep at 4:45 the other night, leaving Sophie as an only child for the evening.  Oh, the novelty!  We decided that she should have a special bubble bath in Mama's tub with no big sister around to steal all the bubbles.  She was pretty pumped.  (And, I would just like to add, having only one child at bedtime is SO EASY.  Goodness.)

{funny}

Sophie's new favorite expression is "I mean it, Punk!"  And this is how she looks when she says it.  I know that I should Not encourage this sort of thing, but she's 2 feet high and it's so funny.


{real}

Not long ago, I spent several days potting dozens of garden seedlings for what I believed was going to be Anthony's spring hobby.  Upon completion of said project, I erroneously thought that my part was done.  Apparently I was also supposed to be in charge of watering them and keeping them alive.  (Sigh.)  I will be catching flack about this for years to come. 


                    ~capturing the context of contentment in everyday life~

{pretty, happy, funny, real}

                                      ~capturing the context of contentment in everyday life~

 {pretty}



Anthony and the girls surprised me with two beautiful baskets of petunias for Mother's Day. 

                                                                           {happy}



Sasha being perfectly happy wearing a new dress and having her hair french braided by Grandma Ruby, all while reading her new I Can Read It book.  A perfectly happy mama snaps the picture.


                                                                             {funny}
                                                 


After getting her ball in the net, Sasha needed a little rest.  In the middle of the field, in the middle of play.  I suggested that next time the sidelines might be a more prudent place for a mid-game nap.

                                                                              {real}



There was a lot of broken crockery this week.  Sophie broke the lid to Sasha's best china tea pot.  Mama broke Sophie's brand new glass with the cow on it.  Sasha broke Mama's willow bowl.  Lots of tears all around.



Books, books, books.

As a general rule, our local thrift store has a fairly pitiful selection of children's books...at least of those of a calibre that I am willing to add to our collection.  But I've got to say, yesterday we struck some serious gold.

It started innocently enough with a book of Frogs and Polliwogs.  But then...wait...a second book with polliwogs?  Off and running.

Next it was a trio of beginning readers published by Sonlight Curriculum.  Since I'm currently obsessed with all things homeschooling (and am trying to convince my husband to join me in this) I snatched those right up.  Sasha is already reading and thoroughly enjoying them.  Score!

For my little Sophie, who is obsessed with dancing and all things ballet, we have a beautifully illustrated book of stories of several classic ballets.  So pretty...and will be good for me, too.

I remember my mom reading these books to my brother and I when we were kids.  I loved the pictures of the germs in the Louis Pasteur one.  Great early biographies complete with good values.  Love these.

I also brought home a stack of classics--The Jungle Book, Swiss Family Robinson, Pinocchio, Tales of Uncle Remus.  Then there were some coloring and early penmanship books (with the stickers still there!), some history books (including a book of activities about Ancient Rome!), and a whole whack of other fun and beautifully illustrated stories. 

There was also a copy of the Berenstain Bears in the Dark which we have read no fewer than 10 times since I gave it to them at bed time last night--what better way to pass a very windy Wednesday indoors?  Yes, we love us some Bear Country stories here. 

In the end, the whole lot--two large shopping bags full--cost less than $17.  Add those to the new puzzles I picked up at the dollar store and I think I've got a handle on the Basket of New Diversions I'm putting together for once I'm confined to arm chairs with a nursing baby in a few weeks (or days, if we're lucky). 

Victory is mine!