Losing Teeth

I remember when Seth was 3 and he talked of having a "woos toof" because he wanted to lose teeth like Isaac. Now Theo is pretending to have loose teeth as Seth is losing them. Seth lost 4 within a week (3 of them in 12 hours!).

Cherry Picking

What a surprise to find out that the cherries on the tree right off our back porch are sweet and wonderful. The last photo is of Theo's cherry-honeysuckle smoothie.

still here

I haven’t intentionally stopped blogging, but somehow haven’t taken the time for it lately. For now, here are a few things we’ve been enjoying the last week.

Slumber parties, last weekend and this weekend again

Wonderful piano music by Oma Jean (here from Oregon for a month)

Spreading manure, weeding and PICKING STRAWBERRIES at the community garden

Isaac pulling garlic mustard from the yard and using it to make a fence around the clubhouse in the woods

Oma Jean’s nut bars

Italian Ice with watermelon, lemonade and ice

Seth’s business, where he sells pictures, pop-up cards, snowflakes, backrubs, kaleidoscopes, lemonade and babysitting services

Deciding not to go to the Andreas family reunion because of the expense, and then changing our minds

Reading “Enrique’s Journey”

Planning summer visits with friends from Germany, Mexico, and Canada

Something to sing about

The frog songs were amazing last night. The frogs looked so happy and peaceful. And who wouldn't be, sitting in a cool pond on a warm evening, watching the sunset, mating or knowing your would be soon?

Seth's birthday

Seth turned 7 on Tuesday, April 15th. Today we had 7 boys over for a birthday bash...some from his class, others from church, and 2 new neighbors who he has already played with a lot. Seth helped plan a lot of the party. We went to the Riley Creek Festival on campus and jumped and slid on big inflatables. They made rockets (and watched them shoot off with the help of the science club), ate snowcones and popcorn, and played corn hole. Back at our house, we did a scavenger hunt, played the telephone game, and ate fruit roll-ups off a clothesline with no hands. Seth planned the menu of pizza, strawberries, sun chips, juice. All morning he asked how long until the party, although once he said he can't wait until tomorrow so he can stop thinking about his party all the time. While he isn't always comfortable with lots of chaos, loud noise and attention, he had a wonderful time and I think he felt affirmed by a day focused on him, a day to be reminded that he is uniquely special, a gift to many.

great weekend

Spring weather
A bonfire
Singing and fellowship at church
Kids playing with neighbor kids in the woods behind the house
Seth’s detailed account of how useful bark and vines are in building his fort
Working in the ground, mulching garlic and weeding strawberries
Friends popping in after the kids went to bed, with Irish Crème in hand
Getting a lot of grant work done
Seth and I playing football keep-away with the neighbors we just met
A meal with friends
Looking around our new house and smiling about how much I love it

Equinox

On the first day of spring, I was remembering the poem that Seth, Isaac and I often said together as we started our homeschooling day.

Light and Love give us the power
To grow together as a flower.
In wintertime, dreaming deep,
In springtime, joys to keep,
In summertime, colors bold,
In autumn time, shining gold.
Day by day we find our way,
Guiding Angels show the way.