Maps

Tonight we did our usual bedtime routine. However, the unusual part was that I put Blueberry to bed (this is usually Mr. SillyPant’s job – but it’s a late night for him). Blue is potty training, and bedtime visits to the potty have become his preferred ‘stall method’ for bedtime. Tonight his requests were particularly polite and were even “potty productive”.

I’m in a pretty good mood tonight (SHOCKER!)- so I just went with it with an unusual amount of  patience and even a fair dose of delight. We spent quality time in the bathroom discussing our bath curtain, which is a world map. The map is cool – the kid is a riot.

Here is our discussion – -

Mommy, where does Flower live? There, in Hungary.

Mommy, what is that place? Romania.

Hungary? Flower goes to school there! I lived somewhere too. I had a duck blanket there. Where is that? Ethiopia. It’s right here. Ethiopia is in east Africa. I remember when Daddy and I sent that duck blanket to you so you could have it while we were coming to get you in Ethiopia.

What is this place? Russia.

What is this? More Russia. Look here, this is Thailand. Your friend Dew Drop is in Thailand right now on a vacation with her mommy and daddy.

What kid is taking care of Dew Drop’s chickens and goats? What did I throw there on the chickens Mommy? Tomatoes. You threw tomatoes over the gate and one hit a chicken.  I think Dew Drop’s Grandma is watching her animals.

Yeah! I threw tomatoes and one hit the chicken! Yes, but we don’t try to hit chickens with tomatoes. We use gentle hands with animals.

Mommy, here is Hungary again! (Pointing). What letter starts Hungary? “H”

H is for Flower.

 

Beastly

Flower left this morning. We had 4 months of her sweet presence. Our home feels like we are missing someone now. We don’t question the missing – it’s here and palpable.

This morning I went downstairs and wake her up to say my final goodbye. I had to work, she was still sleeping.  I sobbed into her warm shoulder, holding her tightly in my arms as I whimpered my goodbyes.

This video sums up the completeness of her immersion in life here; in life with her friends and life with us.  Sledding down our local hill, famous for its steep icy slope, did not disappoint. Flower, if you’re reading this, “IT WAS BEASTLY!”

Come back soon our sweet little Hungarian Princess!



Our Clan’s Canaan

Our tree is fun. Down home rockin’ fun. We have a silly tradition we started when we moved into this house; the kids find the biggest, roundest, most over-the-top tree they can find and then hope we say yes. And, they spend the HOURS we search for a tree playing, rough housing, snapping pictures, tumbling on the ground, and quite literally frolicking in the snow. It’s holiday cheer wrapped up in family lovin’….amazeballs fun. (And there aren’t many of these deliberate expressions of headin’ out for this kind of ritual fun – so I totally dig this tradition). Cathedral ceilings help with the mission of impossibly huge trees.

It’s a sweet tradition, and it’s one that started when Mr. SillyPants and I bought this house together for our family.   This year’s tree came early – because this year’s tree needs Flower to enjoy her for as long as she can.  Flower leaves us just before Christmas - so we’re doing it all a little early this year. We’ve never gotten a tree on Thanksgiving weekend – but this year we took advantage of the clan’s presence and picked a big ’ole Canaan at our favorite tree farm. We missed the snow play, but we made up for it with extra doses of silly running around and picture taking. I think it might have been a bonus for Blueberry to be able to run around – snow will probably still be a challenge for his under 3 legs this year. So – total thumbs up on this timing! And, double thumbs up on the tree.

A word about the tree farm: I always cry as we arrive. We are very loyal to this farm because they were so good to my mom. Our family retells the story of Mom’s last Christmas every year as we pull in the driveway. We repeat the details:  mom always came with us – she asked for a tree topper that last (unknown to us) holiday – they took her name and number and said they’d call if they had one – we all thought they were being polite – the surprise we felt when they called Mom - Mom’s call to me because the snow was pouring from the sky and she wanted some help getting to the farm and hauling the tree topper -  Waffles (who was a mere boy, but also Grandma’s sweetie) volunteered to help Grandma and did all the hauling and lifting of the tree topper for his beloved Grandma – Grandma loved her tree and was so proud to host a CA family and WI family holiday, the very one where Mr. SillyPants met her, my sister’s family, and my kids – a year later when we arrived without Mom we shared our story of loss and Ms. Tree Farm cried along, having just lost her best friend to cancer as well.  I cry at this place, and my kids and Mr. SillyPants feel it with me with tears and memories. It’s always good. It’s always rich. We bring Mom along in our hearts.

Speaking of Moms….this picture is for our Hungarian family (Flower’s family). Flower’s mommy made this ornament for our family in 1997. It is handmade. Mr. SillyPants and the kids pulled it out and handed it to Flower. Caught off guard, I wept huge unanticipated tears. Flower and I embraced. We remember. Love remembers.

Frolicking next – promise.

Wordless Wednesday

Apple(s) of my eye

Wordless Wednesday

Egeszegedre

Huh? Hungarian, for “to your health”.

We enjoyed the world famous Hungarian wine, Aszu, with a toast to our Hungarian daughters.  Love our Flower and Smoothie. You are welcome here as family, always and forever.

Batter up

 

I have a new kitchen mate – and I think she can handle wielding a knife. 2 lovely loaves of banana bread are in the oven . Honestly, I am sure they will BOTH be devoured by breakfast tomorrow.

We don’t plan on having any mishaps….promise!

Bountiful Bikers

We rode the rails to trails today. See for yourself

Flower loves to bike

Mr. SillyPants and Blueberry tear it up

We found a snapping turtle nest with the babies HATCHING that very moment. I am so not kidding. It was a once in a lifetime event. I biked up to the girls who were running at me yelling, “Stop, Stop!” They had seen 2 little turtles on the trail and then we discovered over 13! We left before they all emerged. It was truly miraculous.

Friends Forever

Friday Funsies (Blue loves to end words with “ies”)

I am so dang busy – with barely enough time to blog – but plenty to blog about! So I’m going to give it to you in little vignettes of fun.

Twinkletoes is back at college. She’s made the cut into a very prestigious biology program (read:nerdy). Today she shared that in one of their classes the get to know you exercise included sharing a nerdy moment. Hers? “I took the book Elegant Universe to read on the beach.” I love my Twinkletoes.

Flower has arrived and is settling in quite well. She’s a tall, silly, smiley, and sometimes reserved little/big girl. I’m remembering now that 12 year old girls are both littles and biggies – so I’m straddling the age range here with Flower. It’s new, it’s different, and she’s fabulous!  2 days of school under her belt and she came home from school today to with this feedback: 

Me: How was school today? 

Her: So good!

Me: Tell me why?

Her: All the peoples are so nice!

Flower has had some new experiences. We’re documenting and sharing for her reading family and fans in Hungary!  Flower’s sister, Smoothie (her favorite from years ago is the Vivanno at Starbucks)  is here too. She’s helping Flower settle in and grabbing a little time to herself during our rare but cherished ‘empty house moments.’ She is Twinkletoe’s age-mate – and I love this girl like my own. Yep. True. I’ve just reminded myself to take her to Starbucks tomorrow and then I think I’ll spoil her with a pedicure. Smoothie deserves some TLC. I intend to provide it. She’s a remarkable young woman. I’m lucky to have her and her sister here. 

Waffles has embarked on  his last year of high school with a surprisingly challenging senior year course selection. Hmmmm? Last week he got a real treat when Honduras called (his host brother, to be precise) to let him know…THE SOCCER JERSEYS ARRIVED. Totally cool moment for him. You know what ‘senior’ implies, right? College apps. Yep, that’s going to be the story of the fall season – college apps.

Speaking of seniors, Songbird is a senior in college. She’s busy – busy – busy. She’ll graduate with a double major in anthropology and biology – and I imagine applications are in her future (and I know there is quite a bit of dancing on her ‘card’ too).  I know for a fact she’s missing her dear, sweet, beloved Ecuador something fierce. I hear her say she’s going back. Next summer.  I think she will/is/can/must.

Clementine (D’s “childwhisperer”) is back at school too. He was around A LOT this summer, and we’re already missing him. I admit it, both me and Blueberry are missing ‘our Clementine.’ Blue told someone today, who asked how Clemetine’s doing, “He’s my Clementine!” Clementine is in his second year of college. He’s rockin’ it. On the other hand, my recycling isn’t making its way into the garage nearly as often, and Blueberry isn’t getting his fill of high lifts and tummy tickles.

Speaking of Blueberry, he’s pretty well into his ownership of all of us and everything around him (see above comment). The kid is growing like a weed, commanding everyone around him, engaging the world around him, and making a serious mess everywhere he goes. LOVE HIM!

Mr. SillyPants and I are busy keeping all the threads of our home together. It’s the work of love. It’s the work of family. I’m so happy I’m doing this work with him. (I think we all are!).  There is more to write, but right now I’m keeping kids front and center. It’s enough (but not everything, know what I mean?).  Keep an eye out for “those” posts – cuz they are comin.

(our self portraits are always an examination of nostrils and eyeballs…and they make us laugh!)