Category: Wendy

Chickens

May 25, 2010

The chickens moved outside this weekend. Although I was excited to reclaim our kitchen, I was a little sad to not hear their peeps as the evening wound down. And despite my assurances to Neko that they’d be okay, I was a little nervous myself.

So I started going outside in the evening to check on them. I’d sit down, and Fluffy would climb into my lap and snooze. The others would wander around my toes. I’d sip a glass of wine, and feel my whole body relax, muscle by muscle.

I can’t say enough good things about this whole chicken business. And neither can my blood pressure.
Sunday morning, 7:53am

May 2, 2010
Chicago: Day Two

March 27, 2010

Someone woke up at 5:30am and wondered why the American Girl store wouldn’t open like…NOW. She passed the time by pretending to be a seal and repeatedly diving headfirst into the water (sliding off the end of the bed headfirst onto the floor). I passed the time by repeatedly saying “Shhhhhh!” and cursing the lack of Noggin on the television.

By 8:45am, we scurried off to the store. She ran. I tried to keep up. We were there when they unlocked the doors. Then we gazed. And oooo-ed and ah-ed. She spent much of her time with a furrowed brow wondering what she would choose as the one thing to spend her allowance on. She finally came to a conclusion.

Then lunch at the American Girl Cafe. A special seat for Chrissa, complete with a tiny doll dish and cup. The food was mediocre, but the smiles were huge.

By afternoon we were at the Field Museum. A quiet trip where I followed her lead. No 3D films or special exhibitions. She was thrilled to see Sue, despite the frown in the photo. And we always love a Brachiosaurus bonus.

Round trip on the bus for my girl itching to try public transportation.

Hot cocoa at Ghirardelli and back to the hotel for dinner and a bath. Marc sent us fancy-schmancy birthday cake, which put her on cloud nine (is there cloud ten?). And then off to bed (reluctantly).

I am so, so lucky to have this time with my kiddo.

Gotta scoot. I have a six seven-year-old who wants me to cuddle.
Chicago: Day One

March 27, 2010

This morning I was greeted with birthday wishes and a delicious breakfast. My amazing husband came up with a few gifts I never would have imagined, which is a next to impossible task. (Can you guess what the gift on the right is?) Then off to get my oil changed, a trip to the yarn store, and a haircut.

And then I picked up Neko from school with a plan.

Most things about having three children is wonderful, but one of the hard parts is filling the needs of the oldest and youngest at the same time. When we visit a museum or aquarium, the kids all have different interests. We often end up skewing toward what the younger children need.

Over time, we hope to solve some of this by taking a bit of time one-on-one with each child. And this weekend, it was Neko’s turn. Tom agreed to keep Ellery and Shep for the weekend, and Neko and I get
to run off to Chicago for our collective birthdays (hers is on
Sunday).

Our primary mission, of course, is to visit the American Girl store. All other entertainment is icing on the cake.

Traveling with a (nearly) seven-year-old is completely different than our trip to New York a year and a half ago. The five hour drive was virtually painless. Two hours outside of Chicago, she demanded that I turn the DVD off because “too much television isn’t good for you”. We could easily bounce into Chipotle for dinner. She was amazed by the enormity of the buildings.

Our hotel room has a window seat, where she immediately climbed up and gazed at the view. My old friend Marc and I were happily surprised to see one another (me checking in, he behind the Concierge desk). He has already sent up a bottle of wine and set us up on a special program so we get extra perks.

An excellent birthday. If only I could give Tom, the kids and the dogs hugs good night, it would be perfect.
Goldilocks is in this story somewhere

January 12, 2010

My Christmas present this year from Tom was a macro lens. He got me the one I told him to get, and then I promptly discovered it was not at all what I wanted. Not enough zoom.

So I returned it. And then I rented another one to try it out, and, oh, good gravy, it zoomed so much it was like using a microscope. And it required a tripod to steady the shot. Which, when I think about documenting Neko’s nature finds, that’s completely incompatible. Too much zoom.

And then Chris found this little Sigma number, and I think I’m declaring it’s just right.

I shot this in our poorly lit kitchen shortly after ripping open the box and finding the first available small object—Lego flowers. For reference, each flower is about 3/8" in diameter.

I know all of you can’t wait to see all our summer bug finds up close and personal!
We got a tree!

November 28, 2009

December is our busiest time of year. The press is cranking non-stop, we’re shipping and printing and photographing and on and on. Needless to say, last year the days got away from us, and suddenly it was almost Christmas and we had no tree. We went one day after school on a cold and gloomy day. Hardly the holiday event I had hoped for.

This year, we were determined to get it done early. It was beautiful weather. The kids were in (mostly) good moods. We all agreed on a tree almost immediately. (We even picked one out for my parents to save them a trip.) There was even photographically documented skipping from Neko.
Launched

November 23, 2009

We’ve been meaning to do a blog for Wire & Twine for ages. We finally put it on the calendar and made it happen. We’ll do a little about Wire & Twine and a lot about a bunch of other stuff. Because, you know, you needed more ways to spend time on the internet!

See the beginnings here. Look for it to grow in the months to come…
Best laid plans

November 13, 2009

I have this ten pounds I struggle with. (Well, really it’s 20, but there’s this ten that’s actually attainable without too much effort, and that other 10 is like training for the Olympics.) I’m at the point where I’ve gained back the ten, and it’s time to hunker down and lose them again. My pants are too tight, and I refuse to buy the next size up.

We eat fairly well around here, but exercise tends to come in fits and spurts. When I can moving on a regular basis, that ten pounds comes back off. And it’s time. But mornings have been crazy and Shep doesn’t nap anymore.

So I think, “He’s four. Surely he can be trusted enough to stay in his room for quiet time.” So today we talk, into his room he goes, and I go downstairs to attempt 30 minutes on the spinning bike.

I heard an awful lot of footsteps during quiet time, but I figured we’d have a stern talk when I finished, because, oh, my pants don’t fit. At minute 23, Shep appears in front of the bike with noticeably wet hair.

“I accidentally put lotion in my hair.”

I see that, my friend. All over every strand of your hair.

I sigh. Finish my last seven minutes, and off to the shower we go.

And this is why I will never have six pack abs.
Photo shoot gone terribly wrong

September 24, 2009

I had on a white shirt and my pajama bottoms. And then Neko came out all excited that she’d put on a white shirt and pajama bottoms. Of course, then Shep and Ellery had to get in on the act.

And I was all like, “We should get a photo of this!”

Things I’ve learned:

1. Our kitchen at night has hopeless lighting.
2. I should probably adjust the settings before I hand Tom my camera in hopeless lighting.
3. Our kids never stand still.
4. This may be as good as our family photos get.
Lovely

September 2, 2009

I’m doing a project for a senior organization, so I was in their neck of the woods with camera in hand this morning. I caught this shot of beautiful Nona in the courtyard.