Whirlwind week

Mom and Dad came in for a visit this week. It wasn't a relaxing vacation in the least, but Mom and Dad seemed to take it in in stride, and the kids loved all the excitement, but me? I'm ready to recline on the couch and not get up until next month. Am I getting old?
Monday: tire playground, hike in forest, picnic lunch; H-Mart (korean market); grocery store; thrift store; dinner at home; watched "The Nativity Story" on dvd.
Tuesday: traveled up to Lancaster, PA for fast food lunch and Sight and Sound's "In the Beginning", traveled back to Baltimore in time to eat lunch and run out the door for Jamie's swim lessons.
Wednesday: general work around the house; trip to Sandy Point State Park where Jamie got soaked even though we weren't swimming, so we went to Goodwill for dry clothing; dinner at home; clean-up for home fellowship group.
Thursday: small home improvement projects; trip to Inner Harbor to tour the USS Constellation; picnic lunch; Dot's field trip at the Walters Art Museum; home in time to relax a little before eating dinner and running to Jamie's last swim lesson.
Friday: Mom and Dad pack up and leave; Jamie is sad that we cannot go with them, but is glad to get his room back; Dot, Jamie and I meet Jim for lunch - probably the most we have seen of him all week long.

end of summer garden

Most people have piles of produce by the end of summer, but not me. This summer we have one further and further into a drought, and it has caused most of my plants to suffer. Weeds don't mind drought, and they have done well in the garden... The tomatoes have fallen to some virus or such. The squash and watermelon fell to squash bugs. I thought the potatoes has also been eaten of bugs, but it didn't bother me much. This is the first year I have planted potatoes, and I didn't follow directions (I hadn't actually read any directions), so I didn't have high hopes for them anyway. Imagine my surprise, then, when I did some work in the garden Saturday evening, and found that the potatoes had actually produced! The white potatoes had a small pile of fingerlings, and the sweet potatoes had some small, funny-looking tubers, also. It was enough for a delicious saute to accompany our London broil on Sunday afternoon, and enough to encourage me to try again next year - and to follow directions!

Learning to swim

Jamie is now old enough to begin swim lessons at UMBC here in Catonsville. He is very excited about the lessons, but doesn't fully trust his teacher, Juan. It doesn't help that they are in a competition pool, so the water is over his head. Juan has taught him a very valuable skill - if you get water in your face, just spit. It remains to be seen if he'll actually learn any swimming skills, but at least he's getting more comfortable in the water. He has made a few new friends, and it's fun to watch them play while they sit at the edge of the pool. Jamie might not like to learn to swim, but he loves his swim lessons - he cries when we have to leave. Oh, and yes, we are still warm enough to have the lessons outdoors!

What our hands hath wrought

Pets can be quite expensive, so we have tried - in our very cheap way - to DIY. Thankfully, our two projects this week have come out pretty well. Here is our newest toy - the "bird" - that Norah loves, and even hunts and begs for when we put it away. She can really jump and twist as she pounces on it! It was quite cheap, as it is simply a dowel rod, some lightweight twine, and a few feathers glued together.










Next up, the major building project! Cat trees are super expensive in the store, and we were wary of buying a used on, as it might have fleas or other not so nice guests. We thought we could do it ourselves... and we did. Some of the supplies were in our basement(sound familiar?), and some needed to be bought. Ever wonder what to do with the carpet you take up in previous home-improvement jobs? Recycle!

Things seen in Meadville

Norah

After much preparation - and way too long of a wait, according to the kids - we have finally replaced the fish. Today we headed down to the animal rescue center, and picked out a cat. Norah is our beautiful new one-year-old cat. The kids are having a hard time letting her adjust without "help" from them. (If she ate everything they wanted to give her she would be so fat!)
So far we have found out that she is extremely curious, a good jumper, and can smell the mouse that has invaded our house. Stay tuned to see if she will ever get used to the kids!

Mail Call

Do you remember getting excited whenever the mail came each afternoon? Perhaps when you were young your mom or dad lifted you up to the mailbox, and you reached eagerly for the treasure inside. Andwhat about the excitement you felt when there actually was a letter for you - and it wasn't your birthday!
There is a little person in our house who calls out, "The Mail's here!" every day, as soon as it hits the mail slot. Ah, but he is so often disappointed.
"You open the door, I get the mail. Oh, no! Junk mail. No mail for me?"

Meadville

This weekend we traveled up to Meadville to celebrate Grandpa's 90th birthday. The kids were thrilled to stay in a hotel Friday evening, and Jamie thought Super 8 was our new home. After a pitiful "Continental breakfast" on Saturday morning we headed out on the road. We neared Meadville around 9:30, much too early to go directly to Grandpa's. Hooray for side trips!
Pymatuning has been fixed up, and is much nicer than I remember from my childhood. The refreshment/souveneir stand was open for business, and we bought the requisite bags of day-old bread. Dot showed restraint, carefully breaking up the buns into smaller pieces, and her bag lasted the whole time we were there. Jamie, however, quickly threw whole buns into the water, and spent much of the time without anything to feed to the ducks and fish. (Apparently he is cute enugh that older women will give him free bags of bread, though, so he recovered at the end.) The fish are still large and numerous, and willing to fight for their food. The ducks provide more fight, color and sound, which Jamie really enjoyed. However, the wind was blowing the cold air through our clothing, and we were turning blue.










Back to the car, and onto Meadville! Of course, we had to stop at Cutters. Unfortunately, it's not as tacky as when we were young, and there wasn't much there to interest us. We did buy a "flipping frog" and a pig mechanical pencil, though; our bill was less than a dollar, so I guess it was worth the money.
We finally headed up to lunch with Grandpa, although Jim decided not to infect the whole retirement home with his cough- he headed out to KFC. It was good to see everyone who was able to make it up for the party. (The staff bent over backward to keep Jamie and Dot happy at lunch - I would have left a large tip if we had been at a restaurant! ) Once we were done, though, and most of the other residents had gone back to their rooms, Jim came in for cake and conversation. We enjoyed the few hours we had, and I am sure we wore Grandpa out thoroughly. I know I'm up for a nap this afternoon!

latest home improvement

We took advantage of extra time off this weekend to do some much needed home improvement. This task was supposed to have been completed earlier this summer, but someone got sick with a sinus infection... (no hard feelings, really!) After some general cleaning, we began to move furniture - and lots of books - in order to tear up our badly-stained-no-longer-cream-colored-carpet. We were very relieved to find that the wood under the carpet was in fairly good shape - a few paint marks here and there, but nothing to worry us right now. In a year or so, or when the kids stop spilling, we'll take the time to sand and refinish the wood. For now, though, we've thrown down the area rugs and will live with the wood the way it is. It looks a whole lot better than the carpet did!

Fair sewing results

Woohoo! What a great day at the fair yesterday! We found out that all our sewing won ribbons! Dot's purse even won first prize in it's catetgory! Hooray!
We also spent a good amount of time looking at animals and collecting "treasures." Who doesn't want new pencils for school? And stickers? Posters for your wall? Lots and lots of coloring books?

another year older

Dot knows enough to make a big deal of her birthday. Jamie didn't, earlier this year, and was somewhat surprised about all the fuss being made by Dot. He still doesn't understand why he doesn't get birthday presents now, and why he doesn't get a party (which Dot isn't getting either, at least in the traditional sense). Oh well, he also has trouble with the whole idea of aging anyway. When talking about birthdays in the car, he found that he would be turning 5 on his next birthday. His response? "Oh, no! Not again!"







For Dot, we ate a summer meal of hamburgers and peel and eat shrimp, along with corn on the cob. Marble cake for dessert - which Jamie so eagerly helped to decorate. Later we will be going to Chuck-E-Cheese's, not for pizza - to play lots of games with a friend or two.
Presents included a previously loved American Girls doll (Samantha), some books, a very highly desired (and also previoulsy loved) study Bible, a few craft sets, and a dinosaur hat.

Fair sewing

My sewing entries for the fair are completed! Dot, on the other hand, has quite a bit left to do on her items. I'll post photos of them when she has them done. Here are mine:
a child's day dress











a child's two piece outfit











and shorts for the boy who wanted the striped pants (which he can't have because they are *girls* pants!).











These won't be entered in the fair, because I didn't get them registered. I didn't know I would be making them!
Also made, but unpictured, a pair of women's trousers.
I've never worked so hard on my sewing before. I finished every seam, and reinforced quite a few as well. This makes things look nicer - and keeps edges from fraying. In ready-to-wear, you have seams that are serged. I do not have a serger (they are still too pricey for me), so I have to go to a lot of extra effort to finish my seams. So much extra effort that I don't usually do it! Call me lazy, I don't mind.

Sick of summer... clothes?

Are you tired of wearing shorts and t-shirts? Are you ready for courduroy and wool? Perhaps the weather is not obliging - our temps are in the 90's for the rest of the week - but the fashion industry is touting it's fall lines, and the stores have back-to-school clothing on display. (They also have *halloween* candy out, but that's another rant entirely.) What is in store for the chic and trendy this fall? What was presented as "ready-to wear"? Apparently more of the figure destroying that has been out there recently. Yes, the "guaranteed to make you look pregnant" tops and dresses continue for this next season, but we also get this: the cropped menswear trouser.














Yes, even the super skinny models look hippy in these trousers. What hope is there for the rest of womankind?
Okay, so let's change things around, and put the volume on top: puffed sleeves.














These would make Anne of Green Gables jealous. Alrighty then, how about volume all around? And in a color most people run from:














So, jeans and a long sleeve t-shirt might just stay a staple in most people's closets. That's not to say that the designers made each collection a complete flop - there are some wearable items out there. And there's color! For more fashion shows, check out Style.com. The couture lines may make you laugh out loud!

Recycled tires

Did you play on old tires as a child? Our school playground had a circle of old tires planted in the ground, and we played there happily each recess. Someone decided that tires were breeding grounds for mosquitoes, though, and out went all the old tire playgrounds...










Happily there is a large tire playground at one of our state parks, and it is nearby! We went there Saturday morning, and spent over an hour playing. The kids love the tire swings and zipline more than anything else there, but they did climb and balance as well. They are excited to know that we will be using this park as part of homeschool - yes, playtime can be gym class, as long as they are getting good exercise.










Another great thing about this park - it is part of a larger chain of parks that follow the Patapsco river. Together they offer history, hiking, playgrounds, and camping. We have taken hikes at a few of the other parks, and did so at this one as well. The trail winds down the hill and follows a creek, where we hopped from rock to rock and watched a crawdad swim to safety under a rock. We watched a millipede cross the path, smoothly climbing over roots and stones. We walked away from the noise and busyness of the city, smiled at other hikers, and enjoyed a bit of nature together as a family. It's nice to escape every so often.

Lurking

I try not to spend too much time online - usually that is when the kids start to get into trouble. I suppose they aren't ready to be left alone... Because of this, I don't do a lot of surfing, finding new sites to explore. I stick to my regular few, and check my email. Every so often I will update this blog and head over to Facebook to check how things are going there.
However there is one site that I have found to be somewhat addictive. Craigslist has me wasting more time than any other site online. The "free" stuff gets me - it's amazing what people will give away! I've never gotten anything from the free listings, but I lurk there regularly.
What do you have in your house that is worth posting for "free"?

Am I really that old?

So, I turned thirty earlier this summer, and I didn't think much of it. It wasn't as traumatic as it seems in the media... until I received this in the mail. Apparently 30 is the new 55.

Why did the chicken cross the road?

Why, mom? Why? Why? Why?
Yup, we've entered the preschool stage of questioning everything. I understand he is simply desires more information, but his questions quickly get too detailed or ambiguous. Why did the chicken want to go to the other side of the road?










In our house the chicken poses far more outrageous questions:
Why is the chicken wearing bow tie?
Why is the egg clear? or, Where is the shell?, or Why is the egg squishy?
Why is the chicken plucked?
Is the chicken angry?
Why is the boy chicken laying an egg? (Okay, so it could be a girl, but somehow they decided it was a boy. I think it is because of the afore-mentioned bow tie.)
Which came first, the chicken or the egg? (Ours came together, from the dollar store!)

And, from the parents who have to live with the kids who play with the chicken, Why does the chicken have to squawk so much???

What to see on vacation

Okay, so it's not a normal tourist spot, but I think that it is an enjoyable place to visit. The Greenlawn Cemetary was quiet when we drove in earlier this week. Filled with many lovely historical memorials, this well kept grounds felt peaceful and interesting. I like to wander through graveyards - who were theese people? Some family plots had many small graves - sons and daughters who did not live through childhood, something that seems incomprehensible in this day and age. Some had large, intricately carved monuments, or even mausoleums, possibly with stained glass windows (Tiffany!). Some were veterans, named and unnamed.
Why do people spend so much money on the gravesite of their departed relatives? Will we remember them better with a larger headstone - or even mausoleum? Do we think of them more highly with an intricate memorial? Or are we just supposed to enjoy the beauty of the stone and reflect on life?
Mom told of the relative who claimed he wanted to be frozen and pounded into the ground - no fuss over him when he was gone. Gone are the days of simple burials. Why do we need satin-lined caskets? Will a plain pine box not do the job? Perhaps we put up such a show as a way of making our last impression, or even a lasting impression. But shouldn't our life be more impressive than our grave?
Aah, things got more in depth than I meant for today... back to the beauty of the graveyard. Old cemeteries are interesting places to visit, to reflect on life and the beauty to be found in it, to think of mortality and the chance to live forever. Even stone memorials don't last.

Weekend visitors

This past weekend was busy, as we had a family with 10 children visiting our home. They came down after spending the week attending the GARBC conference in Lancaster, PA., with the intent of seeing Washington, DC while they had the chance. (I don't think they travel like this too often, but, how may families - with only one or two children even - travel that much?) We fixed up lots of extra beds throughout the house, and moved our kids into our bedroom. We all fit, fairly comfortably, and had a great time with them.







I think that our kids enjoyed every minute they were here. They had so many friends! Just about every toy in the house got played with. Books were talked about and exchanged. Imagination abounded! It's too bad we live so far apart - I know the kids will miss having so many friends. (I'll miss having someone entertaining them!) Life was extremely fun and joy-filled.







I have been asked many times if I am crazy for allowing that many people come stay in our house... perhaps I am , but it's a happy crazy.

Fighting a losing battle

This week I am spending a good amount of time cleaning - on Friday evening we will be welcoming some friends for the weekend. Are you ready for this? It's a family with nine children... yeah, anywhere we can put a bed or sleeping bag will be filled. So, we've cleaned the bedrooms, aired linens, and made a long shopping list. But... having sleeping bags and air mattresses out has become too strong of a temptation to the kids. Yeah, the living room looks like a campsite, and not a clean one at that. Oh, yeah, to top it all off? Jim is on a business trip until Sunday afternoon.

In other news, Dot is finally done with math for this year! Also, the garden is producing sugar snap peas, green beans, lettuce, and yellow squash. Tomatoes are ripening, but it will be another week or two before they are ready. Cucumbers will be ready about that time, too.
Check out some of our flowers - they are beautiful, too.

happy birthday/father's day

Sunday was, as we all know, Father's day. It was also Jamie's birthday. He has successfully turned four, although he still wants to be three - because he wants to be a baby. Apparently, being a "big boy" is too much work.
We didn't have a party for him, not a real one. We didn't have time! He got lots of little parties with family and friends, and he got presents.










He enjoyed a cake, cookies, brownies, and pie. Isn't that enough? If it isn't, he now has lots of money to spend (but it will probably end up in his bank account).
BTW, he got new glasses - what do you think? He picked them out by himself.

Cultural date night

Last week was so busy that we looked forward to a chance to catch our breath on Saturday. Other than our normal household tasks, there was nothing planned! That changed on Thursday, whenI opened the newspaper. There, in the middle of the Today section, was a large photo of Peter Schickele. P.D.Q. Bach was coming to Baltimore for a live recording! What's more, the tickets were only $11 a piece... how could we NOT go? Thankfully we have a good babysitter, one who is willing to stay up late! The kids looked forward to an evening with Miss Hannah, and we looked forward to an evening out alone.

The concert was so much fun! Peter Schickele is fun to listen to on the radio or on a cd, but it doesn't compare to being there in person! There is a lot of visual comedy that is missed on a recording. The string quartet was especially good at this - you won't pick up on a lot of it on the cd.

BTW, in the first half we saw a Mom moment - the string quartet was "playing so high that the human ear could not hear" - yup, high above the strings! In the second half we saw Dad's instrument being used - the melodica. I never thought I would see one used in a "formal" setting. It just added to the fun!

If you buy the cd when it comes out later this year, you'll hear us laughing and clapping along with the audience. We are now a part of history!

back door visit

This morning I went out to water the garden, and found it to be a beautiful day. It's a perfect summer morning! It makes me wish that I did not have a mountain of laundry to do, and a house to clean. I would love to spend the day outside...
Well, life does require work, so back in the house I went. I found a little visitor on the back door screen...










We have seen a praying mantis on our back wall before, but it has always been full-grown. I have seen a baby one in our flower garden a couple of times this year, but never so out in the open. I'm glad we have them in our yard!