The Big Day

Yesterday was her first day of kindergarten. And she loved every minute of it!

She skipped/ran all the way to school. The four of us walked together, what a treat!

We were almost late because Truman had a bit of an accident and had to change his clothes before we left. So we were the last ones to walk in. She put her things away and sat down at her desk. She used her crayons and barely said goodbye.

She just loved her little desk, her little locker and her school. I am so, so glad. She loves school and she looked like she'd been there for years. I didn't cry because it was so natural, it didn't feel like we were doing anything different. Weird huh?

O Lord, you should have seen her outfit though. She's amazing. She was definitely the most dressed up (read: flamboyant!).


*My computer bit the dust. I will probably go MIA for a while!

Greetings from the Left Coast

I am sitting at my sister's desk, my family is all in this room in certain states of reading and waiting. That's how this weekend has gone, talking and eating, reading and waiting.

My grandma who's been on the cusp for quite sometime took a turn on Friday and I was on a plane Saturday morning. It's been a whirlwind, but so good, so sad and just so.... everything.

I didn't bring my camera, so I'm choosing to rely on my memories for the beauty that surrounded me this weekend.

Brushing and braiding Grammy's hair, painting her nails, painting watercolor pictures with her. All these little bits of beauty, made this sad weekend fuller, brighter.

And the fact my sisters (all four of us) and my parents were all present at dinner. Just the six of us, I'm not sure when that has happened in the last ten years. It was a gentle gift.

Dreaming:: South of France

A few things have my mind sailing away to a place I've never been...
Sara Midda's South of France: A Sketchbook

(via not your average ordinary, images from google books)

And a a song:

The Family Studio

The playroom has become an evolving space-- blocks and tinkers, cars and dolls are now on new shelves in the closet. Books are in the huge closet too. Actually those shelves took care of most of the clutter in the room.

For years, I've been wanting to have a family studio, some place where creativity and homework can collide. I wanted all of us to have a desk (Eric shares my drafting table with me). I used this tool storage for art supplies (you might remember it from here).

 

This is Truman's desk, he chose this poster to hang above his little space.

This is Isabel's desk, both desks were rescued from the elementary schools trash bin years ago (before kids!).

And my desk is getting a lot of use-- I've resolved to paint a bit every night. And so far, I've kept that resolve!

It's been a while....

Hello Beloveds!
I've been having a wonderful end to a busy summer. So busy, I haven't had time to stop by here to tell you all the wonderful things we've been up to.


First off, a few weeks ago the Elders and Youngs came over for barbque. Actually the Young Ones had a sleep over too!

I find it odd to explain to people, we met Kerry and her family through blogging (Rebekah and I met my first day of college). Because it seems that our friendship developed through email and then finally through meeting face to face... it felt like we've been friends for a long time. Having my two girlfriends sharing sweet tea together at our kitchen table watching all the kids run in and out in new "spy costumes." It seemed the kids felt they'd been friends forever too.

And so a good evening is sometimes marked by the lack of pictures. I seem to only have a few blurry pictures of the costumes.

But here is the water play from the next morning!

And the coloring!