Equipped Explorer

The birthday week continues.  I finished this bag for Eli today.  I had wanted to get it done before his birthday but didn't and thought a few days later would be okay.  One night last week I thought of staying up past midnight to finish it but couldn't quite muster up the energy.  As it was I squeezed in getting it done.  A little bit here and a little bit there.

As I went to wrap it tonight I thought, "Oh dear, I don't think he'll like this.  Maybe I should have found some cool patch and not done embroidery."  But guess what?  He loved it.  Of course it came with all kinds of little goodies that Emily and I had picked out.  A compass/whistle container, mini pens, notepad, small watercolor pad I made, watercolors and a few other things.  He started a journal in the notepad and wrote a title on the watercolor pad.  He's ready for exploring. He tried it on and the length fit perfectly.  I got this pattern from the book Rhythm of the Family by Amanda Soule of soulemama.  I have some fabric left and was thinking of making a bag out of it for myself.  It's really soft yet durable.

Simply Celebrate

On the morning of Eli's birthday party he got a letter from his big brother across the country.  A long letter with some bark from the native trees and a local rock.  He sat and carefully read that letter.  When asked if I could read it he quickly replied, "No.  It's for ten year old boys."  He added the "boys" to ensure that I wouldn't say that I've been ten before and therefore am authorized to read it.    Also, there was a big box with a super cool, new Lego set.  Can't beat that.  Well, maybe having
  him here would be that.  He did get to talk to him on the phone and as he did he walked around the house kicking a ball.

When I asked Eli what he wanted to do for his birthday he kept answering the same thing, "Hang out with my friends".  I would ask if he wanted to go to the beach, have a fire, go skating or mini-golfing.  Nope.  Just hang out with friends.  So that's what it was.  There was a lot of laughing, tag, running and wrestling.  One of his presents was a big, big box and in the box was another box and another and so on.  All wrapped.  Then in the smallest box was a brick and next to the brick was a beautiful gold envelope and in the envelope was a special season's pass to the local amusement park.  We laughed and laughed.  A rousing game of night tag was followed by sugarless mixed berry pie.  Just as requested.  It was surely delicious! 

Happy Birthday to Eli

Happy Birthday dear Eli!  Eli celebrated his birthday at school and then got to go to the skate park to celebrate another friend's birthday but was also fun for him.  Wow! My youngest is a decade.  Seems like just yesterday we were exclaiming because he was five and could hold out a whole hand to show his age.  Now it's two whole hands.  He's already celebrated with his aunt, uncle, cousin and brother who all visited on the weekend.  Wow! A lot has been packed into that decade to produce this kind, compassionate being.    In his new yellow shirt he is talking to Grandma and Grandpa.  I love to watch Eli on the phone.  He puts it on speaker phone.   He's pretty subdued while talking to Grandparents.  While talking to Ian he was wearing his blue bathrobe and spinning around in the kitchen.   Among some of his gifts was a potato gun which seemed just right for a 10 year old and the book Rascal, which I hope we read together.   Look at the glow from all those candles!

Surely Sweetness

Eli wanted to make his own sugar cookies to bring in to his class for his birthday.  I offered to help him but once again he was determined to do it himself.  "No, Mom.  I don't need your help.  I can do it myself.  I learned from my mistake." So he measured and stirred.  I had a meeting that night and when I came in the door there he was again.  Pan on the floor cutting out cookies.  Circles this time, from a canning lid.  The first batch was plain white.  I reminded him of the vibrant colored sprinkles we have.  So then he generously adorned the rest of the cookies.  The class loved them!  

Salty Sweetness

Happy Valentine's Day!  Eli exchanged valentines at school and made some for everybody in his class.  Emily made some for a select few.  We had all day daycare yesterday and I painted some more hearts to adorn our door.  It was a rainy day and I got to do my own project in between snacks and stories.  If you can't beat em join em.

Today Eli was really excited to make a batch of sugar cookies for dessert.  He insisted on making them himself and wanted no help.  He got out all the ingredients and mixed, stirred and measured himself.   I glanced at the batter and told him it might be good to stir in the clumps of butter.  To no avail.  We just had to make sure we didn't step on the cookie sheet on the floor.

We don't have a working mixer so everything is mixed by hand which takes a bit of work.  When he started to roll it out, it looked quite sticky.  I suggested he might want to chill it.  When I came back into the kitchen it was sitting on the counter with a towel over it.  Like brother like brother.  But this wasn't bread so I reiterated "chill" and carefully put it in the refrigerator.

Then he proudly rolled the cookies out and decorated them with sprinkles before they went in the oven.  When he had his beautiful plate arranged I poured the chamomile tea.  He took a bite of a cookie.  "Huh, these cookies are a little salty."  I took a bite.  "Huh, they sure are."  Then he looked on the counter where he made them.  Sitting next to the bowl was a 1/4 cup measuring cup sparkling with grains of salt.  "Ahhhhh.  The recipe said a 1/4 teaspoon."

Weekend Away

This weekend we went on a small getaway up to the Sierra Foothills.  As we were walking on this path Eli stopped and noticed these little trees growing opposite of the large trees.  He stopped in his tracks, "Look at these baby trees.  They came from these trees (large ones on the other side of the path) and they are growing here because people don;t walk on them."  His delight in this discovery made me think of an essay by Barbara Kingsolver.  I am reading her book of essays titled High Tide in Tucson.  This essay is called, "The Memory Place".  She is writing about exploring the country in Kentucky as a child.  Eli's gasp and stop in his tracks made me think of this part.  "I can't imagine that any discovery I ever make, in the rest of my life, will give me the same electric thrill I felt when I first found little righteous Jack in his crimson-curtained pulpit poking up from the base of a rotted log."
I love that.  That's what it's all about.

Sweet Mail

When you mail valentines across country you have to start a bit early if you want them to arrive in time.  We did just that.  We each made our own unique valentine to send to Nate.  I even painted an ocean rock which I thought he might appreciate.  I've been having fun painting hearts on some flat rocks I found at the beach.  I also made this string of hearts to hang in our window.  They were inspired by Maya*made and her heart garlands that she makes in various forms.  I used a potato stamp and acrylic paint and stamped them on newspaper.   Then I hung them on a satin ribbon.  As I was hanging them at about midnight I deemed them Dude Girl hearts.  Tough, made out of newspaper, yet adorned with pretty paint and hung on a satin ribbon.

Winter Veggies

Well, I had lots planned for this garden but didn't get it all put in yet as you can see.  I have things purchased and waiting patiently to spread their roots.   But actually the bare dirt does reflect action.  I cleared all the weeds and even got Emily, begrudgingly, to help a bit.  In her bare feet.  I told her it might be easier with shoes on but that was too much work or something.  Anyway, I have lettuce, spinach, cabbage, chard and broccoli waiting.  Then in seeds I have carrots, radishes, kohlrabi and beets.  I have to make  trek up to the horse farm to get manure and then we can roll.  I think I need Nate's help around here when it comes to gardening.