Revisiting an old favorite.
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A Boy and His Blob
A while back I bought a game for the Wii called A Boy and His Blob. We pulled it out recently, and it turns out the kids LOVE IT. Particularly Shep, who is clearly going to be our video game junkie.
When the video game is off, Shep has been wandering around the house sighing, and wishing he had his own Blob. So while Shep and Ellery were at school, Tom and Ellery ran to the fabric store and got the makings for blobs.
By the time I got home from work, Tom had booked time with the sewing machine, and there were three blobs bouncing around our house. And three VERY happy children.
Photos by Tom
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Dare you not to smile
I don't know what it is with this kid drawing on her feet, but it makes me all kinds of happy.
Photo by Tom
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Sheep!
We headed over to Duncan’s house for dinner. The sun was about to set, so the kids squeezed in a quick visit with the sheep. (Which, wheeee! Sheep! I’d have a whole farm full of animals if Tom weren’t here to keep me in check.)
Then there was this great ramp, which was excellent for running and leaping.
And the hairless rat, which Neko held the entire time we were there and tried to smuggle into her shirt and take home.
For the grown-ups? Moroccan stew and good company.
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Winter walk
We’ve been inside too many days in a row. Folks are getting restless, grouchy, and mean. I’ll even put myself in this category.
Mid-afternoon, I decided we needed to get out, but the only one I managed to round up was Neko. (Note to self: next time a breath of fresh air should not be optional.)
She went flying out the door.
Together, we took stock of what you can see on a muddy winter day. Fresh deer tracks. Waning sheets of ice. Melted snow finding its way from the fields to the creek. Patches of green (if you look carefully). Perfectly round holes in the hay, doorways to the winter homes of many furry friends. The occasional milkweed pod that never set sail.
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Groovy smoothies
As of late, Shep has really been into the show The Fresh Beat Band. Don’t get Tom started on the topic, trust me. It’s a bit like nails on a blackboard, but Shep loves it.
One of the places in the show is the Groovy Smoothie shop, so the website contains lots of smoothie recipes. This afternoon, Shep demanded we make them. Of course, we didn’t have any of the right ingredients, but we kind of made them up.
A bonus? This is an excellent way to slip in protein powder for a child that…ahem…barely eats a single food with protein. (Shep, I’m looking at you.)
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Birdhouses
The kids were home from school today, in celebration of Martin Luther King, Jr. Because they’re so young, this is a tricky holiday to talk about. I’m not sure it’s quite time to introduce the nitty-gritty of the topic, but we should talk about the man himself, and his message that showing love, respect, and kindness to all was the best means to an end.
Early in the afternoon, Neko came wandering into the living room and said she’d noticed two birds on the leafless tree outside her window. “They need a birdhouse,” she decided.
And that seemed like a great way to begin a conversation. We talked a bit about thinking about others, and how to help make sure they get what they need. We can help give the birds shelter and protection, and in turn, they help our eco-system by controlling the insect population and disseminating seeds. When we take care of each other, the world we share is a much better place.
I happened to have these birdhouses in my stash, so each child spent the afternoon decorating their house, and as the sun began to set, we hung them one by one. Three little people, making their contribution. A small gesture of kindness, but full of spirit.
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Gone skiing
Our district had one of those weird days off to file paper or something of that ilk, so Nancy and I took advantage of the day to take Neko and Mary Beth skiing.
Since most folks were still in school, the slopes weren't very crowded. The girls were skiing down the green hill by the end of the day thanks to a guardian angel ski instructor named Bill, who had the patience and demeanor you find in few folks, but was just what we needed.
(The song in the background can be heard sung quite loudly around our house by Neko, thanks to the school music program. I love when kids learn to sing “real” songs!)
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Goldilocks is in this story somewhere
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!
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