transition days

Let me start by saying - I love visiting family and friends.  That being said I dread the day after we arrive home - the transition day.   The day where the fridge is completely empty, 3 loads of laundry need to be done (like yesterday), and both my kids are coming off an attention sugar high.  Don't get me wrong I love giving my wee ones all the attention I can...but it is nothing in comparison with the attention they get when they are surrounded by several loved ones...and then on the dreaded transition day...I...and only I am suppose to supply all that love and attention.  And I'm not very good at that.  Yesterday Isabelle refused to play with any of her toys and I basically tripped over her every other move as she was clung to my hip.  Owen refused to nap on his own and had to be held all day (hmm...maybe that is normal...yup that is normal).  All of this is ok...and transition day is over...but phew I am happy it is over.

a lot of this...

after mama pleads with her to just go sit by herself for a minute while I use the bathroom

at one point I was able to pull myself out of the "things that had to be done"...we got a little wet on wet painting done

the results were lovely...but after painting I thought I would get a minute to sit and gather myself...I did not..and Isabelle ended up losing all her toys for the remainder of the day....in the heat of my craze it sounded like a good idea...it was not...



and well on days like those we are all just sooo sooo happy to see daddy walk through that door


Hopefully we got all the "transition bugs" out yesterday and today will be much less crazed...

guilty

As always, a trip down to RI means good times with family & friends and always good food.  We enjoyed the Easter holiday with family and were even able to sneak in a visit with some friends.  We enjoyed lamb & ham for the holiday and the following night enjoyed steamers & fried rabbit...and oh my goodness it was delicious.  For the first time I lied to Isabelle about what her food was...I just said it was chicken.  I immediately knew that was a wrong move on my part but ended up sticking with that choice for the evening.  We have always been very honest about where our food comes from and after I lied about the rabbit I wasn't too pleased with myself.  At the table she looked slightly concerned..."wait we are eating chicken?" -  I saw her mind spin a bit and I almost saw the glimpse of her brain wiring the connection to her little baby chicks she loves so so much - "yes you are eating chicken like your baby chicks" (which was really rabbit....oh my ...big mama foul!).  We had a few heartfelt conversations about our choices to eat meat and poultry and I think that over the next few weeks we will continue this conversation.  Isabelle has never been overly in love with meat products and I wonder if she will have a change of heart on what she chooses to consume.  Either way it is her decision...one that we will fully support and also educate her to the best of our ability.  And from now on I will never lie about food...it was really a poor decision on my part...yes I have oober mama guilt...

eggs falling from the sky

Yesterday Isabelle, Owen and I headed to Newport NH for a spectacular easter egg hunt.  And what may you ask made it soooo special?....The eggs literally fell from the sky!  Four small planes flew over a huge field and dropped buckets and buckets of eggs!  It was pretty neat -probably a huge waste of fuel...- but we had fun regardless!

plane carrying eggs!

Isabelle filling up her basket 

and likely what we both feared the most...she "won a special prize"

It wasn't too bad...the eggs didn't contain any candy (we had a huge work up talk about how the sugar sprite would be paying us a visit after this egg hunt...isabelle was stoked about the whole thing...she asked after if the sugar sprite would take easter erasers....).  And Isabelle really didn't want to go collect her "special prize" from the easter bunny...in so many words she said if I wanted to then I should go do it...and well since I have NEVER gotten a ticket in any of my easter eggs I dragged her behind me to collect the goods.  A disappointing pink rabbit was the prize...  both of us decided we could donate it to someone who doesn't have as many toys as she does.

Anyways, we will be heading down to RI shortly to enjoy the holidays with family and friends.  Happy Easter...Spring...the weekend...whatever you want to celebrate...we hope you just enjoy it!

{this moment}

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. 

Trying something new...something inspired by my favorite blogger Soulemama

mouth full of cat hair...

Spring is showing its true colors...in so many beautiful ways...and so many furry ways.  Our furry companions are shedding like crazy (especially Sid).  Everything is covered.  It's in my breakfast, on my clothes, in Owen's mouth, plastered over Isabelle's fleece, and just floating in the air...Yes we even breath cat hair.  I find kitten size hair balls hiding under the table ...just after I swept...and somehow they even get stuck in my contacts...yes this is a very furry spring.  Twenty six days until we move ...and lets say thirty before the cats are back to being outdoors during the day - thank goodness.

the life of toys

I have to admit...I often curse the toys that scatter every room in this house (especially if one happens to find itself under a bare foot).  But mostly I wonder what they are all doing.  I catch bits and pieces from Isabelle wondering from space to space - on epic journeys, foraging for food, taking naps, or discovering an empty birds nest and wondering what hatched out of it.  And all this is exactly what I love to see her do...use her imagination.  So I will try harder to not curse the toys and embrace them...because this is really what playing is all about.  (plus i totally gave up that cursing thing right....?!...somehow I have just replaced all those ugly words with the first letter...saying...S! D!..progress right!)

Weekending

::Spring::

discovering pine seedlings buried under winter leaves

breathing in cool air while the sun rays warm our backs

dropping sticks over the bridge and watching them be carried by a busy river