“If a child is to keep alive his inborn sense of wonder without any such gift from the fairies, he needs the companionship of at least one adult who can share it, rediscovering with him the joy, excitement and mystery of the world we live in." - Rachel Carson

Wednesday, February 27, 2013

Inside Time

Winter's day tea party by the fire

I'm not gonna lie folks, winter is getting to me big time these last few weeks. SO much time indoors, so many days that start off sunny and then by the time we bundle up to get outside it's grey and dreary and the kids are ready to go back in. I feel a little like I'm standing on the precipice of full-blown crazy here. Didn't I just wash those socks and pick up that library book from under foot? And seriously, how many times can we play Strawberry Shortcake's Housewarming Surprise Game or watch Dora Saves the Crystal Kingdom?! I am continually trying to remind myself that spring is "just around the corner" and to find joy in the everyday details...so to that end, I am posting these pictures to remind me of the beauty that can be found in the simple things, within the walls of our small house.

Wendell sleeping his way through winter, and looking particularly dapper since our fun Saturday morning spent brushing and shaving the cat.

Bright eyes

A magnet from my grandparent's fridge that now lives on ours- me at Rowan's age

Reading time

Rowan's drawing of Wendell :)

Flower fairies Rowan and I made from a kit--nice reminders that spring is on it's way!

Mermaids we made at Rowan's birthday party

Thursday, February 21, 2013

A Swinging Valentine's Day


 So Valentine's Day is not so much about romance when you have small children as it is about the love of family...Aaron and I are lucky that we have both sets of parents nearby who regularly babysit so we can go on dates, but for the past couple of years we've spent actual Valentine's with kids in tow. We had a great day this year though- a special Valentine breakfast before Aaron headed to work, and then after I picked up Rowan from school she and Retta and I played on the swings at the park and I had fun testing out my new camera. We then did something CAH-razy (by four year-old standards that is)...we met Aaron in town for dessert before supper because the ice cream shop closes at 6. We shared a banana split and then put the kids to bed and ate a gourmet meal made by Aaron at the late hour of 8:30 pm. Still enjoying a beautiful bouquet of flowers from my lovely husband and cute kid valentines scattered about the house. You just gotta love love, and Valentines Day is one of my favorite holidays..yay for hearts and flowers and swings and ice cream!


Love Bug

Just reading her morning mail

Heart-shaped marshmallows courtesy of my mom

Hot chocolate for breakfast?!


My newest love


Scoping out the Valentine's packages

Oh, those cheeks...


Love, love, love




Since Retta's too little for Valentine candy I made her a new headband



Playing in the park








Milestone: Happy Fourth Birthday Rowan!


Somehow I have now been parenting for as long as it took me to get my college degree...but this four year education with Rowan has given me so many priceless lessons about love, patience, and what is important in life. Each day I am in awe that this exuberant beautiful-inside-and-out compassionate little person is my daughter and I get to raise her. "How lucky am I?!" Rowan frequently says when she gets a sticker at the bank or is told we are having grilled cheese for supper. I'm the lucky one.

Rowan's birthday fell on the day of the epic blizzard here in Maine, so we were snowed in, which was actually kind of nice. She enjoyed a stack of four silver-dollar pancakes with sprinkles and birthday candles, a scavenger hunt to find presents hidden in our dryer, and then the rest of the day was spent playing with new presents, making cupcakes, watching a movie, and shoveling chest-height snow! Rowan didn't mind though- she loves using her kid-sized shovel, and she just kept proclaiming, "I'm having a great b-b-b-blizzard birthday!" The following day was full of more birthday hoopla- her first friend party with her little girlfriends at the YMCA pool. We did a mermaid/ undersea theme--I had lots of fun making decorations and favor bags, etc. but I realized that the kids would have been equally happy with only a few balloons to toss around. It was a great time though and Rowan seemed to really enjoy herself. We made little clothespin mermaids, played the fishing game (Aaron was the big ol' fish down on the ocean floor dispensing the treasure), ate cupcakes and went swimming. Then back to the house so that grandparents and cousins and great aunts could wish Rowan a happy birthday too. Lastly, we celebrated her birthday at her preschool, and I got to visit and be a part of her "birthday walk" ceremony, where the kids all help assemble a wooden ring that symbolizes the sun- they lit four candles around the ring and placed cards for the seasons and months around it to make the rays of the sun, and then Rowan walked four times around the "sun" holding a globe while they all sang happy birthday. Such a wonderful ritual! Happy birthday to my first-born girl, I love you more than you'll ever know. Here's to another year of laughter, snuggling, growing and learning together :)