Making it Up As I Go

We’ve been a little obsessed with butterflies around here recently, and today we decided to go find some in the wild. So we headed out to Ulistac Natural Area and got our looking eyes out.  Tiny also got her whistling mouth out, which translates to short high pitched screaming, but we convinced her after some tears that if she wanted a “butterfly land on my tummy” (her goal for the day) that she was going to need to be quiet.

Our first find was this fine fellow. Not a butterfly, but pretty awesome nonetheless.

We walked around in a fruitless search for a while (in retrospect, I think we were there too early) but before long we stumbled upon:

Do you see his tongue? Z was very excited about that part. This little guy hung out near us for quite some time, so we were able to get a bunch of pictures. I think we’ve correctly identified him as a Fiery Skipper.

Isn’t he pretty?

We caught a couple of glimpses of this next one, but he was a speedy little guy, and far more skiddish than the Skipper above. I think he’s a Buckeye. This was the best picture I could get of him. But he and his friend did perform a lovely game of chase around and above our heads that had the girls staring open mouthed and squealing in delight.

Lastly was this little one. Also pretty friendly, but he refused to open his wings, so I could only attempt an identification from the back of his wings. (But all of the pictures of the kind of butterfly I think he is had the wings closed as well, so maybe it’s a species thing.)

I think he’s a Grey Hairstreak.  The orange going up the wing differentiates him from the California Hairstreak, so I think I’m right. But who knows, I’ve only just started with this whole identification thing. But I can see how it could get addicting!

Z also found what she called a “spiderweb house”, which is a pretty apt description. She was a bit concerned about the bugs that would get caught in it, because “the bugs are my friends!”.  Yes, they are.

And that was our butterfly adventure. The girls want to go out again soon, so I’ll post  pictures if we get some more.

Today I am grateful for a great many things. Here’s a partial list, in no particular order.

My sewing machine decided to cooperate this morning so I could FINALLY finish the baby blanket I’ve been working on for months. I’ll be able to give it to my friend tomorrow, before her baby is born. Seriously, it’s just a simple little blanket, my sewing machine just refused to cooperate any time I tried to work on it.

Delicious marinated mozzarella and fresh tomatoes from the local farm/veggie and fruit stand for lunch, with toasted sourdough bread. SO good.

The local farm/veggie and fruit stand. Lindsay showed us this little local secret the other day, and I am SO grateful. The girls have gobbled down plums and peaches and strawberries, and I’ve been downing squash and tomatoes.  The whole family has been enjoying the corn. It’s cheap, it’s delicious, and it’s nice to be able to support a local business and know exactly where the food is coming from. Z even drew a picture for the lady who works there as thanks for the deliciousness of the plums.

Time at the park with friends this morning. The girls got to play with their friends, including their all time favorite person Rachel, who is finally back from her trip and always willing to push them on the swings.  She had six kids on six swings at one point- it was quite a beautiful thing to watch.  I got to talk to some other moms and participate in the most sanity saving of all types of conversations – the “my kid does that too, it’s totally normal” discussion.  I’m grateful for good friends, and for the opportunity to be a part of setting up the kinds of activities where those discussions can take place.

Answers to prayers. I’ve been trying to figure out why the plan we’ve had for 4 year old preschool just wasn’t sitting right with me, and I’ve been praying about it for a couple of weeks now. And yesterday the answer as to what we should do cracked right open and lay there in front of me- a glorious gift. And it will be so much fun.

Valerie, with whom I’m doing 4 year preschool. I am so grateful that we’re on the same page, that I could say, “Let’s ditch all of our previous plans and do something completely different”, and she said “Absolutely! Let’s do it!”. I also love that she found a source for supplies to make sugar skulls for Los Dias De Los Muertes.

Z slept in until almost 7 this morning, and then just came in and cuddled quietly in bed with us until almost 7:45 when Tiny woke up. The sleeping in and the quietness are nothing short of miraculous.

What are you grateful for today?

I keep trying to write a post, but it’s not happening. It’s all about how I feel like I’m a bipolar introvert/extrovert, and how lately all I want to do is cancel everything that I’m planning and hole up in my house (retrench is the word that keeps going through my head, but I’m not sure that it’s the right one).  But then I hear about something like new people who moved in a couple of months ago and don’t have any friends yet and I find myself planning a lunch BBQ before I realize what I’m doing. Because I feel a responsibility, yes, but also because I want to. Because as much as I like just being by myself I like being around other people too.  I like knowing that I have friends- because I don’t always know that- and I think it’s important for other people to know that they have friends. Also because I just found out 3 more of my friends are moving, so I better not get too reclusive or I’ll end up with no friends at all.

It’s also about how I realized that I need to re-evaluate what I really think is important, and how I need to stop conflating the things that I find inspiring in other people’s blogs with their whole life and approach to doing things. Our fall schedule is still eluding me, and trying to do things other people’s way isn’t helping.

There are also some thoughts floating around about how taking on a lot of things is kind of like riding a bike for me- you know how when you pick up just the right amount of speed on the bike you can balance and go just fine, but if you slow down you topple over? When I have enough things on my plate, the momentum keeps me going. It’s when I don’t have things going on that I just sit still. No productivity whatsoever.  Which is part of why I keep resisting the feeling that I need to cut back on what we’re doing this fall- but the feeling keeps nagging me. Inspiration, or introversion? Who knows?

So there you go. Fascinating, wasn’t it?

Outside my window… it is overcast and cold. That should burn off in a matter of hours and be gorgeously sunny later in the day. I love it, it reminds me of living in Santa Cruz.

I am thinking… about our fall schedule and whether I want to be a recluse.

I am thankful for… the power of Primary songs to soothe the savage beasts who live in my house.

From the kitchen… Eggos with syrup. The breakfast of champions!

I am wearing… PJ pants and a t-shirt. I’m still pre-shower.

I am creating… an hopefully to-die-for baby blanket and matching banner for a baby shower next week.

I am going… swimming later today.

I am reading… Johann Cabal the Necromancer by Jonathan L. Howard. It’s fantastic.

I am hoping… my sewing machine co-operates with me today.

I am hearing… the girls singing as they eat.

Around the house… there are piles that need to be put away.

One of my favorite things… that Tiny only just now realized that her bib (which she has been wearing for quite literally almost 2 years) has The Cat in the Hat on it. “MAMA! Bib! Look at it!”

A few plans for the rest of the week: swimming, Tiny’s birthday party, cleaning, sewing. Woo hoo!

A picture:

We got back from a whirlwind trip to Utah a couple of days ago, and while it was beyond wonderful to be there, it is so nice to be home and back to some semblance of a normal schedule.

While we were there we got to see so much family, and Z made some new friends:

Aren’t they just completely adorable? I LOVE it. This was as we were ready to leave, and there was sadness about that.

I also got to see my wonderful Aunt Cindy (yay!) who I won’t post a picture of because she doesn’t like it, but she is beautiful – and my SO SO loved Uncle Larry, who I WILL post a picture of, if only for my momma, because apparently I got some of his being-in- pictures genes.

Heehee.

I got to see tons of other family as well, but I’m relying on getting the pictures that my mom took, so I didn’t take too many.

We also got to see our good friends, the Stiers, and that was so lovely. I so wish they lived closer, if only so that I could look at and snuggle their gorgeous kids every day. I mean, look at them.

And seeing Ben and Jess was completely wonderful too.

We also got to see the traitorous Becky Shipley and her adorable kids- it’s only been a month since they moved, but it seems like years, and it was wonderful to see them. I didn’t take any pictures because I was too busy hugging.

On to actually random things:

I have 3 quilts that I want to make REALLY badly right now. REALLY. As in so badly that I have to stop myself from going to the store and buying fabric immediately. I mean, look at these:

Aren’t they gorgeous? The third will be a patchwork made of 5 inch squares from reproduction 1930’s fabric- such gorgeous prints, they just make my heart happy.

The clean clothes from our trip have yet to be put away. Somehow I don’t think that Z or Tiny are going to do it. Dang it.

We went to the library and left with 14 books. Only two of them were for me. I think it might be time for someone to get her own library card…

Now that I’m back, I’m neck deep in sorting out our Fall schedule: 2 different preschools, adventure days and playgroup, which all involve other people and their schedules; everything else I want to fit in- library trips, music and art, reading, farmer’s market, nature trips; and then all the things that need to be done to keep the house up and running.  And at heart I’m really not a schedule person. But with me it’s all or nothing, and so on the side of order we stay.

The girls are up from their naps, (thank GOODNESS we’re back to taking naps – well, at least Tiny) so off I go. More randomness to come, I’m sure.

Snagged from The Simple Woman’s Day Book via Beauty that Moves

Outside my window...the sun is just breaking through the clouds.

I am thinking... I should get moving.

I am thankful for… a quiet morning and girls who slept in.

From the learning rooms… come reading lessons and art appreciation.

From the kitchen…overflowing clutter. I need to get on that today.

I am wearing…sweats and a t-shirt, my morning pre-shower uniform.

I am creating…baby blankets for friends later today.

I am going… to the park in a couple of hours.

I am reading… Treasure of the Golden Cheetah by Suzanne Arruda, a mystery set in 1920’s Africa.

I am hoping… I will love it and will have a discovered new mystery series to love.

I am hearing…fussing. I think Tiny is kicking Zoe in an attempt to get off of my bed.

Around the house…chatter, toys, discarded clothes – the signs of my girls everywhere.

One of my favorite things… my new desk.

A few plans for the rest of the week: a playdate with new friends, playing at the pool, playing at the park, the farmers market.

Here is picture for thought I am sharing...

The girls are climbing on B while he tries in vain to get a couple more minutes of sleep. Tiny is dressed, Z is still wearing her ornage monkey pj’s that she got from a friend for her birthday.

The otherwise tidy living room is strewn with Cars, Wall-E, and Nemo comics.

2 loads of laundry are folded. I’m out of laundry soap.

It’s overcast and cold outside. We’re supposed to go swimming with our ward playgroup later today. I really hope it warms up.

I’m dreaming of fried eggs and toasted baguette.

I just made that dream come true. Woo hoo!

I may have just cooked the perfect “over-medium” egg. Yum.

I need to finish a baby blanket today (pictures to come, because the fabric is ADORABLE) and run by the store to get plates/cups/forks for a shower tomorrow. So many babies ’round these parts.

I just made a diaper for a stuffed Tigger out of a wide blue ribbon. Such is my skill.

I need to read today. I realized yesterday that I only finished 1 book in June, and that was at the beginning of the month. I’m in the middle of 3 or 4, you’d think I could finish one of them. (Although, I did finish 2 yesterday, but not any of those 3 or 4.)

The girls are speaking dolphin. It’s very squeaky. Z is trying to read this sentence as I type it. Which reminds me that we need to do her reading lesson this morning.  We’re also going to try out our new art book: Come Look with Me: Enjoying Art with Children which is awesome and I highly recommend to anyone with kids.

Off to get our day going. What’s going on at this moment where you are?

It’s been a busy week!

Monday: Bounce-A-Rama!

Tuesday: The beach

Wednesday: Picking veggies and walking the “beam” at Papa’s

Today: Went to the pool, had cousins over to visit, and finished this for my lame best friend who is moving to stupid somewhere other than here. (It’s not her birthday, but I made one of these for my girls and knew she’d want one for her kids too. And now I like this one better than the other one I made. )

And, at some point during the week: Tiny impersonated a rock star

What’s going on with you?

The best daddy I know, doing what he loves the most:

I couldn’t ask for anything more.

We love you.

Seen in our house today:

Apparently it’s never too early to start.

In case you’re curious, they’re doing:

Bow pose (or “rockinghorse” as they call it)

Downward Dog

Cow pose

Upward dog (or “iguana”)

Tiny’s own version of downward dog which consists of resting on her head instead of her hands.

Eagle pose

Volcano pose (I don’t know that there’s an equivalent in grown up yoga- this is a pose from yogakids.)

Hot air balloon (also from yogakids.)

Alligator pose (again, yoga kids.)