local adventures

Ana got out of school on the 13th. She loved school and loved her friends.



I can't believe I have a first grader! And a reader! She is getting so big.


Since then we have been soaking up the beautiful weather and doing lots of fun stuff. Have a mentioned that I love Summer? And that I love Vermont in the summer?


Moss Glen Falls:




The Beach!


Soccer:


Indian Brook Reservoir:



Not pictured: the local farmer's market, family bike rides and gardening. And many more adventures to come.

just barely

Katie and Zach (the baby of some friends who I babysit a few days a week now) at the park. Zach is 5 months younger than Katie.

About a year ago I heard a new twist on a familiar adage. "If something is worth doing, it is worth doing well just barely." Meaning that there are lots of "worth doing" things that we do not have the time or energy to do as well as we would like, but that doesn't mean we should drop them altogether. I've thought a lot about that the last few weeks.

That is where I am at right now. My life is pretty full of things getting done just barely. All weekend I fetched Dave clean underwear out of the dryer because I just barely got them washed and dried, but didn't get around to folding them and putting them away. Basic housework is barely getting done. My family is fed, but we've been eating a lot more french toast or grilled cheese for dinner than before. And sleep. Oh, boy, am I running on a lot less sleep than I ever thought possible.

A few days ago I had a friend watch the kids while I went to a (routine) doctor's appointment. My doc is located close to the school and when I got finished around the same time Dave was scheduled to finish up a test, so I waited around for him. I sat in my quiet car for about 45 minutes and read a book. I think it was the first alone time I had had in weeks. It felt so good. Unless you count the handful of times I stayed up later than Dave doing nothing but sitting in silence. I've done that too.

I've also had a lot of those "time freeze" moments lately when I look around I realize that I am the Mom here. Mostly that thought fills me with gratitude that I have such wonderful kids. Sometimes, though, I can't believe it - like I feel different than I thought I would. That I don't really know what I'm doing but am just bumbling through things. I don't really have it all together like I thought I would.

But I keep doing things - dishes, laundry, play with the kids, scripture study, showering - because those things are worth doing - even if just barely.

a poem

My children's actions inspired an impromptu poem from me today:

Do we draw on tables?
Do we draw on walls?
Do we draw on the floor?
Do we draw on balls?

Do we draw on toys?
Do we draw on beds?
Do we draw on faces?
Do we draw on heads?

Do we draw on paper?
Yes, that is where we draw!
We draw on paper,
or we don't draw at all.

(Please, do not copy my work. I know this poem will be cherished for generations. Be sure to give me credit for it!)

to my dad, on father's day

Every so often a big C-130 flies over our house here. It makes me think of my Dad. I always watch it and point it out to the kids and say, "That is what Gramps used to fly." Then I try to imagine him in his younger days dressed in his flight suit and dropping tanks out of the sky.

A few weeks ago was a repeat of the Hope of America program that Ana did last year. Once again, the band played the songs from each branch of the military and I imagined my Dad standing up at the line, "Off we go, into the wild blue yonder."

I have always been proud of my Dad. He is smart. He is faithful and faith-full. He is funny. I remember him being "tickle monster" when we were little and hiding our bowls of cereal when we weren't looking as we got older. He has also managed to convince each of his 8 daughters that they are his favorite. (Though I really AM his favorite.)

I remember driving in the car with my Dad once and asking him what is favorite scripture was and he said 2 Kings 6:16. I had never heard that story before and it has been a favorite of mine ever since. I have always loved talking about the scriptures with him.

He loves me. He has blessed and taught me. He even sometimes rescues me. And I feel so lucky to have such an amazing Dad.

Happy Father's Day!

'tis the season ...

...for popsicles,



laundry on the line,


and a garden growing.
Ana has two more days of school and then summer will be in full swing. Plans include: a trip to NYC, camping in Maine, and of course, eating lots of Popsicle.

happy happy birthday jacky boy

My sweet little boy is 4! He's been 4 in my mind for a while, so it isn't that surprising, though I loved his little 3 year old self so much, I'm a little sad to see it go.

He got to have a few friends over for cake and ice cream yesterday.









4 things I love about this little boy:

1. He loves to make paper crafts. For a while it was coloring and cutting out pictures and then taping them to the window. Then it was making valentines. Lately he's into making paper snowflakes and writing letters to grandparents.

2. He is super into being a boy. He likes to play with "boy" toys and play with boys and do boy things with dad. Sometimes I will suggest things and he'll respond, "no, that's too girlish." Yet he still wants me to paint his toenails (blue!) and he loves flowers.

3. He often picks me flowers and draws me pictures and is frequently found to say out of the blue, "I love you, Mom."

4. He is very grateful. He says "thank you" after a good meal and this morning he said, "thanks for the new soccer ball, mom. I love it!"

He is such a sweet little guy. I am wrapped around his finger.