A Blue Birthday!

Monday night's birthday party was so fun, low key and filled with blue delicacies. Blue cake, blue frosting, blueberries, blue lemonade. On one of the hottest days of the year, an unexpected 'gift'. A fiber-optic cable was cut at work, so we got to take the afternoon off as our internet access was down.

We got to spend a bit of the afternoon and evening creating and eating homemade pizza (with chicken and broccoli) and laughing about this little boy whose so crazy about the movie Cars that you'd think his birthday was sponsored by Pixar. (But I guess it's our family who is sponsoring Pixar?!).

And we almost got today off too, but then at the last minute got called back into work.

July is our busiest time of year, and now with half a day of work piling up on an already tight schedule, I'm not planning on being home on time for the rest of the week.

So, as I'm digging out of my own casim of work. Work! Freelance jobs! Housekeeping! I'll be a bit absent here this week. Back next week, hopefully renewed and a bit less buried.

Today, Today

This morning, Truman ran into the kitchen this morning while I was putting the cinnamon rolls in the oven and exclaimed, "I'm four!"

Then, "Mimi, can I have some FOUR-year-old-juice and watch some FOUR-year-old-TV?"

And then a perplexed look clouded his face. "O wait, I'm not four until I get home from Wendy's."

I gently explained that he was indeed four all day long! And that he did not have to wait until we picked him up from kidsitting.

But as I held him today and gave him FOUR good by kisses and FOUR goodby hugs, I whispered a Thank You in my heart.

Because this is where we began with him:

this moment:: Little Fish

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. ~Amanda Soule

 I met Isabel's swim teacher last night, she was the checker at our local grocery store. 

She said, "Hi Truman!" (he shyly peeks from behind me!). She said, "I loved having Isabel in swim lessons! She's such a fish!" 

Ahhh, it is true. 

Wishing you lots of swimming this weekend. We have a heat index warnings today and tomorrow. Via baby er kiddie pools and icy lemonade! Sunscreen!

the summer we sent letters:: photo projects

I've been working hard a writing little love notes to my friends and family. Not just because, I'm trying to write letters this summer. But because I want to remind them how much I appreciate them.

I came up with two fun photo mini-projects that could help you get on your way to writing more letters.

Turning Lemons into Lemonade: 

I had ordered a few new photos from snapfish and for some reason, about five of them were blank or like this beautiful picture of the little man, just a half photo.

Some creative thrills with Sharpie and save this bum photo from a life in the garbage.

A Postcard for Papa:

The second mini-project was just a way to send this lovely little memory to Papa, by way of homemade postcard.

Here's a simple step by step.

You'll need: 
Photo (make sure it's not the *only* one you have. If it is an original, make a copy to use.)
Water color paper (or thick card stock)
Acrylic gloss medium (mod-podge or glue will work too)
Old paint brush (for applying the gloss/glue)
Fine point permanent markers for drawing

Gather materials!

Brush a thin film of glue onto the water color paper.

Carefully place photo on top of wet glue. And press down firmly.
If you are worried about finger prints, use a washcloth to help you.

Let set a few minutes for the glue to adhere but not quite dry, then
trim the watercolor paper to photo size.

Place between two books and scratch paper to dry for 20 minutes or so.

Draw on you little love note.

I used a label cut in half for the address portion.

Address and stamp your postcard is ready to mail!

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Have you been sending letters too? Do you have a project or a great idea you'd like to share for the summer we sent letters?

Next week Thursday, we'll all link up and show what we've created!

Yarn along:: Water Color and Washcloths

I've been knitting a little bit, just little bits and baubles for a few friends upcoming babies! I took a detour this week with washcloths. I was inspired when my twin sister started crocheting washcloths for her family.

I'm also reading Water, Paper, Paint. Run to buy this book. It probably deserves a whole post of it's own.

Today's post is short and sweet-- to see more Yarn + Reading visit Ginny. 

Tasty Tuesday: A Summer Table

Is there anything better than fresh summer produce? I feel like in these months where the gardens are bursting and farmers' market is bustling we are blessed with the most delicious, simple meal.

This is our typical summer dinner. Meat on the grill, roasted veggies or simple brown rice, lightly salted tomotoes, cut up raw fruits and vegtables.

On this particular night, celebrating Father's Day. We had T-bones... Catherine Newman's recipe for Ausparagus with Lemon and Parmesan (made three nights in a row), roasted potatoes, tomatoes, apple, sugar snap peas, carrots. In the words of Truman, this dinner was 'Nice and Fresh!'

What is your favorite summer produce? Do you dinners change in the summer?

*Linking up via Trailer Gypsy to:

FTLOB
All The Small Stuff
33 Shades of Green

Mud Baths

Saturday, while Eric was at the grocery store and I was finishing the last of the vacuuming. I got a knock on the back door. And I was greeted by this.

Muddy-muddy children.

Laughing with delight at their filthiness! They were 'playing in the sprinklers' with their beloved next-door neighbor friends and after an hour or so, this is what it evolved into.

And instead of get angry at their mess, I grabbed my camera and a towel for their track-making feet!

And we laughed together while they regaled me about their mud-slinging adventures.

First they got to rinse off all the grass and mud. Then we washed the tub. And then they took a real bath.

And I got the mud out of their swim suits. Hooray for me! And they are still talking about how dirty they got. Hooray for them!


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Just a reminder about Revisiting Sanctuaries, spots are filling up. So join today!

Weekending

Friday night dinner with around our kitchen table with friends.

Saturday morning park date and donutless-bakery date. Heat-induced-mild-crabbiness from 5 kids.
Lazy, quiet time afternoon. Cool sheets, special snacks and a oasis from the heat afternoon movie.
A mud bath with the beloved neighbor kids.
Mama cleaning the house. 
A rinse off bath then a bubble bath post mud bath.
A late night visit from two of my favorite women-- while our Men were out together.
Sangria and coffee plus waaay-past-bedtime-children-wrangling. 

Sunday morning quiet with a visit to church.
Pork ribs, cheesy-rice and fruit salad for lunch. Simple. 
Another lazy quiet time-- a stack of books with my boy. 
A visit to our favorite pond, meeting some favorite friends by happy accident.
Hours wading in the water-- splashing, laughing.
A quick picnic.
A sunset drive home.
Time for bed.
Laundry to wash, dishes to be done.
Reading out loud, knitting away.
Waking up to a thunderstorm-- snuggle down into safe warm bed for sleep.


How was your weekend?


Joining Amanda.

Sketchbook Saturday Morning

There is something that our family loves to do. We call it Sketchbook Saturday Morning.

We sit around a table, mostly at our corner coffee shop-- we bring our sketchbooks and a pile of art supplies. Then, we spend an hour or two in conversation and giggling, drawing, coloring or painting and eating baked goods, drinking coffee (or hot chocolate).

It's a precious time during the week. It's technology free (we are most of the time anyway) and just a time to connect to each other. The conversations that we have while our hands are similarly occupied are at times deep and knowing-- but at others silly and wistful.

On our camping trip, we spent our Saturday morning at the picnic table drawing with Mommy's special pens (THEY WERE SO EXCITED)-- until it was too hot and we moved to our chairs in the shade.

It is a surreal feeling having the kids sit next to me drawing and painting. Learning to enjoy the things I love.

Do you have a technology free day/activity? How do you like to share your passions with your children?


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A special Thank You to Kerry for her lovely post. Go visit her to get a code for 10% off Revisiting Sanctuaries. 

The rules we live by::

Newsday on a Tuesday!

My brain is kind of confused about what day this is-- but I'm glad to be back in the swing of things and refreshed.

We spent the long weekend camping. We needed a break. A break from everything. I think more than anything we all needed some good food, sleep, fresh air and physical exertion. Funny. I already know this is what we need, I just need to remind myself once in a while.

Before this weekend, we had a crazy crazy few weeks. My family visited and it was so good to have them! Then two weeks of running around... plus the Isabel had swimming lessons (She passed Level ONE!).

And when we got to our destination, it as if we went from running crazy to a complete stop. And um... it didn't go well. I think we spent the day and a half detoxing the crazies out of our life. But once that detox was over-- we finally had a really good trip. I feel so bad for our camping neighbors who heard,"Truman, lay down. Truman, it's not time to get up yet. Isabel, no more crying..." Grr... I digress. We made it, and we have some great memories too!

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I just want to let you know a couple things:

Revisiting Sanctuaries is FINALLY going to start. Sign ups are now through Wednesday, July 13th. It starts July 18th. Please join us! If you want to see what the class is about you can read an excerpt here from Rhythm of the Home.

Rhubarb Sangria--- amazing, I posted it over at What am I Cooking?


*Um, yes, I haven't uploaded my pictures yet. This photo was from our last camping trip! 

This Moment:: Walking in the Rain

*Our wet weather walk on Summer Solstice.

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. ~Amanda Soule