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.

The girls are laying on the floor playing with the little ceramic figures they got when we visited Papa Joe at his store yesterday. Z got a Tin Man from The Wizard of Oz, and Tiny got a Tinkerbell. Chances are they will be broken soon (at least the Tinkerbell- the Tin Man seems a bit more stable) but they really want to play with them rather than just let them be on the shelf. So, we will learn a lesson. Or we won’t.

I’m surrounded by half done projects, many of which I’m hoping to get to today. The most pressing is hot gluing the velcro back on Tiny’s church shoe.

My kitchen needs cleaning and my floor needs vacuuming. Luckily those are easily enough done.

I’m weighing going to the produce stand today vs. going swimming with friends.  We can’t really pull off both (they’d have to happen at the same time). If we go swimming then I’d have to pack lunches. That may have just made my decision for me.

Tinkerbell just broke.

It’s time for me to go jump in the shower and then do Z’s reading lesson and then run to the store to get pull ups and milk. And bananas.  I read a random blog post a week or so ago about scheduling, and this random family (it really is random, I got to it through a link from a link, so I have no idea who they are) only runs errands and goes grocery shopping once every month or so. How is that remotely possible? Really, I don’t mean that in a snarky way; I’d really like to know.  I feel like I’m running errands every day. So my goal is to work on that. But today, I’m headed to the store.

I have a post percolating about the abundance of miracles and manifestations of spiritual gifts I’m seeing around me lately, but that is a post for another day. For now, suffice it to say that I am grateful.

I’m seriously considering participating in an at home business. Much to consider.

What’s going on with you at this moment?

It is pretty chilly outside, but not enough that they’re complaining. The cool air coming in the door feels really nice.

Cape Verde music is coming through the speakers. I got a bunch of world music CDs from my mom (one of the perks of having a preschool teacher as a momma) and I’m trying to switch it up in the morning as the girls are playing. Some times it’s Disney princesses, some times it’s African lullabies. I figure it should be good for their brains, right? But I’m really liking this music today, it’s kind of slinky.

There is fabric everywhere. I’m aiming to have my etsy store open at the end of the week…. lots of sewing going on in these parts.

My breakfast is cooking. I’m having soft boiled eggs and sourdough toast. It’s probably my favorite breakfast ever after biscuits and gravy. I don’t make it all the time though, because 1) I don’t always have sourdough bread in the house, and 2) it takes  a while. My eggs have to cook for 7 minutes to be right. I’ve always heard soft boiled eggs referred to as “3 minute eggs”, but 3 minute eggs are vile, all runny and gross and barely even warm. 7 minutes gives them just the right amount of firmness vs. runniness.  And the eggs I just made, (they just finished) are pretty close to perfection. Yum.

Z just walked past and said, “This is neat music, momma”. Score 1 for me!

I need to decide what to do with the next 1/2 hr. Friends are coming over at 10:30 so the girls can play and the grownups can plan preschool… do I call my sister, sew, read, putter around the internet? So many lovely choices. Whichever I choose, I think hot chocolate is in order…

What’s going on with you at this moment?

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?

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?

There are 4 huge mylar balloons – a Disney princess balloon that talks (that is left over from Zoe’s birthday, but it’s still good so we’ll count it), a new Disney princess balloon that looks like a 3 tier cake, a Winnie the Pooh balloon, and a Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse balloon. Let it never be said that Tiny’s not indoctrinated in the way of Walt.

The girls are playing with new Littlest Pet Shop and Jungle in My Pocket toys. They completely fit the stereotype of girls liking miniature things. But as the song says, “miniature things are neat!”

WonderPets is on the TV.

A FurReal panda lays abandoned on the couch. Zoe thought so long and hard about what to get for Tiny, and she decided on this because Tiny LOVES pandas, and Z thought it would be so fun for her to have one that moves. Tiny is TERRIFIED of it and refuses to even touch it.  Poor Z just cried and cried because “I didn’t get her the right present after all”.  But isn’t that the way with gifts sometimes? It IS the right present, and Tiny will warm up to it in time. Or she won’t, and it will be her loss.

Tiny keeps running around saying “My birthday!” and then singing Happy Birthday in a manner eerily reminiscent of her Uncle Jeff impersonating Nancy Sinatra singing “These Boots are Made for Walking”.  (For those who have not had the pleasure of witnessing that- imagine someone drunk off their duff.)

I should get people eating breakfast. Then it’s off to pick up a birthday cake (princess, of course), and get ready for a PARTY!!

What’s happening at your house at this moment?

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:

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.

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 crazy huge magnolias around our complex.
My new teacup ring. (B is full of win!)
The girls painting.
5 new patterns I won (!). Fun new sewing in my future!
My awesome new desk, the only upside of my lame best friend moving. (Did I mention that she’s lame? She is. And I miss her already.)

But the rest of the things make me happy.

What’s making you happy?