Lazy Weekend

Jessica and I worked out something where we each get a Saturday off a month, giving us a proper weekend for the first time since the store opened.

K went to work on Saturday so the kids and I chilled out.

Ate breakfast on the porch.

Then headed into O-town, where we hit up the library, went out to a restaurant (children were completely wowed by that, proof that they lead a very routine and small-town life). My little poppets were surprsingly good company. Annaliese says "fixing to" in conversation, which amuses me.

And I bought two things: a croquet set, and this:

Hand-stitched quilt in perfect condition from the 1930s.

I love it. K thinks it's a "hideous collection of rags." Vote?

The children fell asleep together in their Princess Tent (Caspian pictured) and slept for over 2 hours.

Beef stew is on the stove, apple pies are in the oven, and the store's books for the week are done.

Pretty thrilling!

pictures of my birthday daffodils

for Mum.

I love them!

For my none-facebook friends... check out www.btcgrocery.com, it's up and running, a few tweaks left to make but pretty darn cool! thanks danielle!

Cheers

for allergies, and sinus infections, and getting over them!

for caspian, who can talk so clearly sometimes we think he's annaliese!

for annaliese, who can write her whole first name and does so because she loves to!

for k, who has been unflappably good-humored and funny and great company and who took a walk with me today!

for my daffodils, which, at any moment in time, are going to bloom this year!

for spring break! because-- who knew-- people eat more and bring family by over spring break!

for... SPRING.

LOVE ME SOME SPRING.

The Commencement of Coughlin's Wood

For his birthday this year, I gave K. a wordy and fancy certificate that promised I'd plant thirty native trees on our bland and steep slope. I would try to give you latitudes or something, but every time I say north, south, I'm wrong, so let's put it this way: if you stand in front of our house on the street, the garden and the orchard are on the LEFT and this bland slope is on the RIGHT.

The trees are not here yet but with 30 of them coming, it's past time to get started digging.

But first we are doing some planning.

And that is what this morning was about.

Caspian's Big Boy Bed

But first, fuzzy peach blossoms. I am intensly proud of my orchard. We have a shot at getting some fruit this year. Keep your fingers crossed.

Caspian transitioned to a big-boy bed without a lot of warning. It was K's call, and it was sudden, and though we had the bed and the mattress, we didn't have the bedding, so he's been in a motley mismatched set of everything-- including several pink baby blankets-- for awhile.

No more!

Behold, blue flannel with snowmen and a sunny duvet, courtesy of Nonni (as are Annaliese's flannel blue sheep in the corner.) Between their tricked-out beds and the Princess Castle in the corner (courtesy of auntie Caitlin), these kids have a really nice room.

Adjacent to the parents for yelling. Elephant humidifier for their wee noses. Desk for their crayons, and currently, handfuls of muesli.

Bookcase full of books and stuffed animals.

They also have a ladybug who projects stars on their ceiling at night as well as a "celestial body" nightlight that shines a very accurate picture of a planet or the moon (honestly, I don't know).

I am lucky to have them. And they are lucky to sleep cosy in flannel, surrounded by gifts from family and friends.

It is garden time, and spring time, and I'm finding it's a season that brings out the best in all of us. The kids are happier-- why? Older, playing outside, I don't know. I'm more patient; it's easy to engage with the kids in doing something when it's seeding tomatoes, or planting a rosebush. At this very moment in time there are two fresh eggs, nestled in premier potting soil, sitting in a flowerpot outside. K's always a great dad, but he too seems inspired by the weather, taking the kids on monster walks, from the house to the lumberyard to the store, stopping to talk about what they see, instead of popping them in the car. And our house is lovely-- windows and doors open, fresh air flowing, shining in the spring sun.

Everything is just nicer.

My pansies survived the winter and have come back beautifully.

Plum trees are budding out. Peach trees are about too.

Yesterday afternoon I started dinner before the kids got home so everything was easy to assemble. We had frittata (with our eggs) and baby bella mushrooms with baby garlic, fresh ciabatta, and a spinach, strawberry, and toasted walnut salad.

Today it's raining and we're all end-of-the-week grumpy so I think we might have apple pancakes for dinner.

On that note... have a good weekend!

Spring is Here

And I have the open windows, daffodils in a vase, and budding fruit trees to prove it.

Off to get the bebes and stay outside.