9-10 August

WEEKEND DIARIES

This summer has been a really cool one. The nights have often dipped into the fifties, and many days have just barely hit 80 degrees. Humidity has been low, the sun and breeze abundant. This summer has been perfect. 

I expect I might feel differently if I spent the year looking forward to long days at the beach,  Corona in hand, reading fluffy novels and relaxing. If my house had central air conditioning. If I didn't travel in a party of four dependents and a double stroller (I love my double, but after flying adult solo to almost every soccer practice and game this summer, I am so tired of loading it in and out of the van...). And I love wearing shorts with long sleeve tops sans sweat. If this is summer, it can go on forever.

But the season is beginning to change. The insects sound different, more insistent. Fallen maple leaves have scattered themselves across the driveway, summer green giving way to tinges of red and yellow. A hint of sadness is in the air, a hint that gains strength when the clouds momentarily drift between sun and earth, or when the air grows still just before dusk.

I was contemplating these things on Saturday, when we came across a bunch of children's Christmas books on sale at the local library. At 25 cents a pop, I snapped up twelve of them. The plan is to put them away until December, and then incorporate them into our Christmas preparations. 

In some strange way, finding those books gave a counterpoint to the melancholy of summer's waning. Thoughts of white twinkling lights, the subtle scent of evergreen, bright warmth against the cold, strong spicy beer, the ever new joy of Emmanuel.  And suddenly that gnaw of imminent decay had lost its bite. 

Have a great week, everyone!

2-3 August

WEEKEND DIARIES

Can you believe it's August already?!

What's new for you? 

We've been spending a lot of time outside. Playing at the playground. Soccer practices and games. Scootering at the river, and running. Yes, I've started running again, or more accurately, run-walking. It's hard to keep the pace consistent when I've got a babe and three little scootering fools in tow, but its still enjoyable. I don't keep track of pace, time, or distance. I just want to enjoy the exertion of it and the pleasure of the process rather than turning it into a competition (with myself).  

I used to be hardcore and crazy when it came to exercise; I've avoided "working out" for five years because I'm so wary of getting sucked back into unhealthy attitudes. Maybe it's a blessing that the kids force me to be flexible... You can't get too competitive when you are constantly stopping to pick up acorns and other "treasures" ("Mom, look at this chapstick I found." The chapstick that was actually a used tampon. Even in the cleanest park, a mom has always got to be on her toes!)

In addition to our fitness endeavors, we've been enjoying the flavors of the season - fresh cherries, apricots, peaches and nectarines. Watching nature up close: a robin built a nest, laid her eggs, hatched her young, and raised them up to flying age all in a hanging basket on the porch. Life is truly amazing. 

Also, there have been some less fun activities, like trying to save the book collection that got too damp in the basement. Not wet, just damp. The process of removing the mildew from so many books is so overwhelming that I wept. Maybe more than once. I've realized that the collection of books that I love needs to be severely culled. There are just too many to thoroughly dry and de- mildew. Sigh.

Have a great week!

Look, me in florals. I do get out of the all black now and again. And I still look the same :)

14-15 June

WEEKEND DIARIES

Better late than never, right? Wow, this week has really gotten away from me! We had Fathers Day. We had a little boy turn four. We had a fiasco at the DMV over a clerical error that occurred three years ago (that is still unresolved - ridiculous bureaucracy). And a baby that's starting to do things that aren't so babyish, like not sleep the day away, and some of the evening and night hours, too!

Nothing stays the same, except change. And maybe possibly this cliche. Have a great week!

"I'm going as fast as a snail!" she shouted with glee.

Brothers.

I've been playing around with cocktail recipes (but you already knew that).
I've got another good one to show you sometime soon.

Baby feet. The toy that never gets lost.

Someone refuses to take naps since she moved out of the crib and into a toddler bed. It's been a rough transition.

Lately

It's June now, so I'm going to get back into Weekend Diaries, but I posted something else on Monday. So I'll just go a different route and call this "Lately" and it will be kind of the same thing.

I was looking back through the blog the other night and I had a realization that sort of surprised me: I really appreciated having certain images and memories frozen in time here on the blog. Singled out from the flow of days and the hundreds of random pictures on my phone, these captured moments brought a smile to my face. 

I guess I'm surprised because I am an intensely private person in some ways, and this type of blog post offers a little peek into my private world. A world that is not one of ideas and how to's and what to wear's, but little people and ephemeral phases, homely routines.  Just plain life that necessarily holds frustration, impatience, conflict and failings, right alongside all of the beauty and goodness.

Not to wax sentimental, but the just plain life moves so quickly. It really does. It changes and people change and that's great and that's the way it should be. But I think there's nothing wrong with being a bit wistful for the moments past. Maybe it will remind me to be more gentle, more patient, and more grateful. And don't we all need a little reminder from time to time?

A rest in the grass after running ahead of the rest of us.We don't call her the "Fastest Feet in All the East" for nothing!

The Self Portrait Project is still limping along = a new profile pic. 

Reason #105 kids are great: They make the best micro-bouquets. Endlessly.

Almost five months already... And yeah, we did hit a home run on this one!

"Mom, I found a buttercup!" Or a yellowed piece of parsley, but I won't burst your bubble.

26-27 April

WEEKEND DIARIES

I'm not meaning to make this a habit, posting Weekend Diaries on Tuesdays instead of Monday. It just happens. When the baby was born, I made a resolution to put all things home first. In the past few months that has meant fewer blog posts in total, and more blog posts about the everyday things that are going on here. The food we're eating, the books I'm reading. More photographs from daily life.

It's been good. Freeing. I'm not feeling that anxiety that too often accompanies blogging. I don't care much about my stats. And I'm excited to take the time to grow as a writer and photographer rather than feel (self-imposed) pressure to post, post, post!

You also might be wondering (maybe?) if I've abandoned my activities as a personal stylist. Well... as all of you who own their own business know, it takes a lot of time and effort to get a new venture off the ground. After much thought and prayer, I've discerned that various factors in my life right now prevent me from jumping in wholeheartedly, in the way that success demands. Though it's hard to see a dream stall or change, I am truly grateful for all that I've learned in the field. And most importantly, I look forward to seeing how I can use this knowledge for the good of my fellow women in the future. Nothing is lost or without reason.

I won't talk your ear off anymore. The pics pretty much hit the highlight (in the children's eyes, at least) of our weekend- a visit to the zoo. V was most excited by the "panda" (a river otter), a monster (the big horned sheep pictured below), and the "sheep," which others know as gazelles. 

In other news, Edmond "grew out of his blanket" according to Damien, and the kids tried grapefruit for the first time. The girls couldn't believe that there was fruit that color of pink. Ahh, to have the wonder of a child! 

19-20 April

WEEKEND DIARIES

Happy Easter, everyone! Swinging in late with a Weekend Diaries post... Things are just starting to slow down from the holiday weekend. We didn't do any traveling or have any houseguests this year, but for some reason things seemed as busy as if we had. And I barely took any photos. No family pictures. No snaps of the girls in their matching dresses. No outfit photo for me (maybe I'll re-create it  for you at some future date). My hands were too full, metaphorically and literally, to hold the camera.

We were all a little dazed and confused when V woke the whole house early Easter morning.

At our parish, people bring flowers on Good Friday to throw on Christ's grave (represented in the church).
On Easter, parishioners are invited to take some home from the empty tomb.

Pre-color.

Post consumption. I was surprised how much my kids love boiled eggs.

Modeling for a friend who is selling these beauts on e-bay. Anybody interested?

I know it's only a stage, but holidays rush by at full tilt. Baking, cooking, gathering with family, special clothes, small gifts. Not to mention the usual feeding, clothing, diapering, and general maintenance of all of our little dependents. 

Saturday was spent with final Easter preparations. Every year my sweet husband runs his secret errands in the morning. Now that we've been married a few years they aren't so secret, but even more appreciated and cherished. He always picks up blooming spring flowers  - lilies, tulips, hyacinths, or azaleas, at the the market. Chocolates from one of the many local candy stores, and other special treats to eat and drink. 

In the afternoon, we usually make it to Confession and then I run out to finish my last minute errands.  This year's included a new shirt for me and some final Easter treats for his basket. After a late-ish dinner, I put the kids to bed and got ready to prepare the kids' baskets. And then Damien woke up crying with a sore throat. And again fifteen minutes later, and again a bit later, and then again. Throughout the night.

Though he rallied Easter morning (truly surprising, considering how tired we were from his nocturnal fitfulness), by nap time he was obviously down for the count. So the husband stayed home with him while I took the others to the family gathering. No one's ideal Easter, but it turned out alright. The husband enjoyed the peace and quiet, and finished some small house projects with his invalid helper. Meanwhile, myself and my small companions enjoyed our time, eating and chatting and laughing, and eating some more.  

It looks like Damien's cold is going to make its rounds through all the kids, but it's okay.  O death, where is thy sting?

12-13 April

WEEKEND DIARIES

So what's new? Things are definitely warming up here. Until it starts snowing tomorrow. But let's not dwell on that because this weekend was beautiful, perfect, really.  I even have a slight burn/tan on [only] the right side of my body from going to a baseball game on Saturday. My husband has taken to calling me "Braveheart," though Mel's character had more of a blue/white dichotomy going on. But I digress. We took all four kids to see the Bisons play, and met up with this lady and her family. And we took advantage of the $1 popcorn special. Full advantage.

We survived the first of the week's religious events - Hosanna Sunday (or Shanini). I say survived because Mass is always an ordeal for our young family of six. Add in a tradition of more formal dressing (for this day in particular), palms, candles decorated with live flowers, and a procession with children holding said candles, well, I would say survival isn't anything to be scoffed at. I have high hopes for the rest of Holy Week. 

The remainder of the day was spent putzing around the yard. Tidying a bit here and there. Making homemade brownies. These. So phenomenal.

What else? Did you know that there is going to be a blood moon tonight? I plan to get up and check it out. We shall see! 

Take me out to the popcorn. I mean the ballpark.

A trooper at the game, Edmond slept like this or in the stroller almost the whole time.

Do these even need a caption?

Girls and bubbles. Guess who has my skin tone?

Shredded red cabbage, cilantro, lime juice, salt... Yum!

5-6 April

WEEKEND DIARIES

Busy hands. It's about time their activity was transferred out of doors.

If only she had been wearing a helmet before she scraped the driveway with her face...

A moment.

Beers.

Another weekend, come and gone, just like that! I don't mind the swiftly passing days, though, as each one brings us that much closer to true springtime weather. And though the yard is mud, mud, mud, and the temperatures are ungenerously hovering below what could be considered warm, Spring is definitely in the air. The hostas are starting to poke through the soft earth and the kids spent Sunday afternoon digging around and transplanting little periwinkle vines into pots. Because it's nearly impossible to kill periwinkle.

Saturday the kids went for their Easter haircuts. At two plus years of age, it was actually Veronica's first. For all of my amazing contributions to the familial gene pool, great hair was not one of them. I was bald and shockingly big headed as a newborn and for quite some time beyond that.  Anyway, she did really well until about five minutes in, when she proclaimed, with calm authority, "All done." When the stylist kept cutting, Veronica, straight faced and utterly serious repeated, "All done." The stylist quickly wrapped things up, and Veronica looked absolutely adorable until two hours later when she fell in the driveway and floor burned all the skin off of her upper lip and nose. Poor girl!

What else? After Mass on Sunday, husband tried out for man of the year by keeping the kids busy so I could nap as long as I wanted, making steaks for dinner, and picking up some special beers. For me he grabbed a couple bottles of Zywiec Porter. If you like dark, rich, strong beers you should definitely try it, or it's cousin, Okocim Porter. 

Drinking the Polish beer took me back seven years. I was in Krakow for a monthlong academic seminar, and one afternoon I was to give a presentation on part of Centesimus Annus to a group of fellow participants and a quite prestigious academic. At lunch I made the mistake of ordering a beer, the porter, which turned out to be so huge and so strong. And of course I drank the whole thing before running back into the classroom (I used to be either really cool or really stupid, I'm not sure which...) to give my presentation. It went ok. I think. I don't really remember that part very clearly. Public speaking usually causes me low level terror, though, and that time I wasn't even nervous... So, Polish porter for the win?

29-30 March

WEEKEND DIARIES

Every Saturday is different, and every Saturday is the same. Being awakened by small children. My husband saying, "Let me run out to the farmers market for a couple things. Let's have a big omelet for breakfast." And returning with strawberries, pears, asparagus, mushrooms, sweet peppers, rye bread, pastry hearts, cinnamon rolls, cookies as big as a face, locally made breakfast sausage, chorizo, feta. And then saying, absolutely seriously, "We can swing by the market again, I just wanted to get stuff for breakfast." I love this man.

The kids watching a show or two. Me having too much coffee. Scanning the weekend paper or finishing that book that needs to go back to the library. Showers, baths, errands in groups or all together. Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me in the car. A strong beer at four o'clock (trust me, its deserved if the errands were run en masse). An easy dinner. Children playing. Bedtime. Redbox movie time. Every Saturday is different, and every Saturday is the same.

D said, "Take a picture of this," then posed.

This book, eh, ok. I finished it but all the examining of women's dilemmas of "art versus family" and societal pressures was exhausting.
And I was left with so many unsettling questions. What is art? Why was Wiemar Germany so sexual?  Am I oppressed?
But I do like the light in this picture I took. Pat on back.

Sun like spring, snowing like winter.

"The long arm of justice."

Cooks Illustrated Skillet Penne with Sausage and Spinach (roasted red peppers substituted for sun dried tomatoes)...
Fast and delicious!

15-16 February

WEEKEND DIARIES

The pie turned out alright.

Valentine's breakfast. I don't try to fight the photo fingers anymore.

The resident artist.

Mentally running the numbers on our odds of making it to Mass on time. Not good, folks, not good.

The closest I've come to an outfit pic in awhile.
Taken on accident as I clutch phone and child and hope that we may not be too late.

I hope you had a great weekend! Ours was different than expected, but good, nonetheless. We were expecting houseguests starting Thursday, but the weather prevented their visit. We were also planning to get the kids together with their cousins, but alas, seasonal sickness prevented that. We did have some unexpected visitors stop by and my kids went... crazy. 

The cabin fever really becomes apparent when the solitude finally breaks. Imagine: "Look at me! Watch me do this (somersault, jumping off couch, wild arm flapping, and many other displays of childish physical prowess)! Look what I have! Look at this toy! Look at this movie! Look at me! Look at me!" Times three. 

For all of you childless visitors who found yourselves amidst the chaos this weekend... don't let it scare you. I only mention it because any sane person would find that level of energy scary. Not everyday is like that. And there's a positive side (thank God, right?) to this youthful glee in its more moderate expressions. It illuminates the mundane for my often stultified eyes. It reminds me that life is 'wonder'-ful. This old world becomes new any time a child looks at it. 

And any holiday is better with children. Take Valentine's Day, for example. All you need is a heart cookie cutter, and any work of your hands will be promptly proclaimed "beautiful" and "amazing," even if it is only a cheese sandwich. A fresh roll of paper, some crayons, and a little how-to on drawing hearts elicits joy and comments like, "I'm a HUGE fan of paper!" 

You know what? Come to think of it, so am I!

8-9 February

WEEKEND DIARIES

I don't always share my beer, but when I do I make sure it has an ABV of 10% or higher...

This photo somewhat captures the crazy lovely that is morning time at our house. Everyday.

Getting bigger. Still sweet.

A queen in her domain. And her stretchy pants.

I truly believe fortified cereal + citrus (vitamin c) is helping my glow return, or at least my iron.

Dry winter air has made her morning hair more of a daylong affair.

The day has passed waxing, and is now firmly into waning, even by the most optimistic of standards, so I should probably be getting dinner started instead of writing this... And I'm not vain enough to believe that anyone out there is waiting on the edge of her seat to see pictures of my kids and hear the minutiae of the weekend, but these weekend diaries are as much for me as anybody else. So I'll forge on. Indulge me in my virtual scrapbook.

We enjoyed the Olympic opening ceremony on Friday night, to the tune of a shared Imperial Stout. I thought the part beginning with the troika crossing over the arena was actually pretty great. Visually stunning, great energy, quite tactfully done if you consider the touchy areas of history that had to be covered... Stalin, anyone? Did you see it? What did you think? Also, if you missed the Russian Police Choir's performance of Daft Punk's Get Lucky, do yourself a favor and check it out.

Saturday was Saturday - errands, farmers market, the library, but this time the husband and I ran the errands in shifts, never leaving the house with each other and/or all of the children at the same time. I may be a glutton, but not for punishment. 

And Sunday was relaxing... In addition to Mass as a family, the husband watched the kids so I could take a long nap, and then he made Ming's Kung Pao Chicken for dinner. So it was a good day. 

And that's all I've got. I hope you're having a great Monday!