Saturday, April 25, 2009
Monday, April 20, 2009
Spring....Finally
Playing in the dirt.
Playing with paint and pots.
Pink is the best color.
Planting sunflower seeds for The Great Sunflower Project.
Catching caterpillars.
These great photos are courtesy of my resident photographer and you can see more on her photo blog. I am thinking photography just may be in her future, at least as a favorite hobby.
Sunday, April 19, 2009
Love Always Hopes
Yesterday my three-year-old and I headed to the local home improvement store to purchase flowers and soil for our garden. Since it was just she and I, we took our time enjoying the beauty of everything in bloom and filling our wagon with pots and two very large bags of garden soil.
On the way to the car, I was pulling the fully loaded wagon with one hand and holding tightly to her with the other, my eyes scoping out the parking lot for potential dangers as always. I seem to scope out parking lots and other places for hidden threats without really thinking about it. It seems that too often the local news is full of stories of people mugged in parking lots in broad daylight, homes robbed during waking hours, and shootings in and around restaurants just down the road.
But on this day, a glimmer of hope.
I left the wagon near the back of our small suv as I helped my little person into her car seat when I hear a man from the back of my vehicle say, "Excuse me, ma'am. Can I help you put these bags into your car?"
Now my first thought was, "Help me, Lord."
My initial response is generally to say no to any stranger because I have learned that trusting strangers can be hazardous. So I looked up from buckling the car seat and responded, "Ya know, I think I can probably handle it," and then immediately followed with, "but that would just be incredibly kind. Let me finish buckling her."
He smiled.
As I walked toward the back of the car to open it, I was still praying, still cautious, wondering what expectation he might have. As he leaned over to lift the heavy bags, I said, "Ya know, folks just don't seem to be so kind anymore. Thank you very much."
His response, "You're welcome. You have a nice day."
He wasn't overly friendly or chatty. He had no expectation. He was simply kind.
In a world that is increasingly violent and uncaring, a simple kindness reminded me that love always hopes.
On the way to the car, I was pulling the fully loaded wagon with one hand and holding tightly to her with the other, my eyes scoping out the parking lot for potential dangers as always. I seem to scope out parking lots and other places for hidden threats without really thinking about it. It seems that too often the local news is full of stories of people mugged in parking lots in broad daylight, homes robbed during waking hours, and shootings in and around restaurants just down the road.
But on this day, a glimmer of hope.
I left the wagon near the back of our small suv as I helped my little person into her car seat when I hear a man from the back of my vehicle say, "Excuse me, ma'am. Can I help you put these bags into your car?"
Now my first thought was, "Help me, Lord."
My initial response is generally to say no to any stranger because I have learned that trusting strangers can be hazardous. So I looked up from buckling the car seat and responded, "Ya know, I think I can probably handle it," and then immediately followed with, "but that would just be incredibly kind. Let me finish buckling her."
He smiled.
As I walked toward the back of the car to open it, I was still praying, still cautious, wondering what expectation he might have. As he leaned over to lift the heavy bags, I said, "Ya know, folks just don't seem to be so kind anymore. Thank you very much."
His response, "You're welcome. You have a nice day."
He wasn't overly friendly or chatty. He had no expectation. He was simply kind.
In a world that is increasingly violent and uncaring, a simple kindness reminded me that love always hopes.
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Where Are You Springtime?
Kelsey loves the song Where Are You Christmas? and sings it all the time. This week as she was singing, I couldn't help thinking, where are you springtime? I mean the temperature just doesn't feel like spring to me and the winter has been so long. So yesterday, we wrote new words to our favorite song.
Where are you Springtime?
Why can't I find you?
Why have you not come back?
Where are the flowers you used to bring me?
Why can't I feel warm sunshine?
My world's not changing,
Time for rearranging.
Does this mean Springtime's coming soon?
Where are you Springtime?
Do you remember
the warmth we used to share?
I'm not the cold one,
See I need sunshine
That's why I need the season to change.
Oh, Springtime is here
Everywhere
Oh Springtime is here
Despite the cold
If there is warmth in your day, flowers in your yard,
You will feel like Springtime all the time.
I feel you Springtime.
I know I've found you.
You're coming back again.
The joy of Springtime
Stays here inside us,
Fills each and every heart with warmth.
Where are you Springtime?
Fill my heart with warmth.
I doubt we will be nominated for any awards, but we had fun changing the words and singing the song. Hopefully it made you smile too.
Why can't I find you?
Why have you not come back?
Where are the flowers you used to bring me?
Why can't I feel warm sunshine?
My world's not changing,
Time for rearranging.
Does this mean Springtime's coming soon?
Where are you Springtime?
Do you remember
the warmth we used to share?
I'm not the cold one,
See I need sunshine
That's why I need the season to change.
Oh, Springtime is here
Everywhere
Oh Springtime is here
Despite the cold
If there is warmth in your day, flowers in your yard,
You will feel like Springtime all the time.
I feel you Springtime.
I know I've found you.
You're coming back again.
The joy of Springtime
Stays here inside us,
Fills each and every heart with warmth.
Where are you Springtime?
Fill my heart with warmth.
I doubt we will be nominated for any awards, but we had fun changing the words and singing the song. Hopefully it made you smile too.
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
I Heart Faces Week 11 (No Flash!)
I took this picture of my niece playing in the sandbox last March. I love her expression as she's laughing at her cousin playing with her.
There are lots of great entries to preview at I Heart Faces.
Lovely Weekend
We experienced a hint of spring this weekend and took full advantage in the yard and at the baseball field.
Monday, March 16, 2009
What We're Reading
I have done enough whining about the winter for everyone to know that it's just not my best time. This winter has been particularly gray, cold, and blah for me. As a result, I have fallen into a mundane rut with life and learning. It's been hard to school creatively and intentionally these last few weeks, so we have just relied upon some old, faithful standbys like books on cd and board games.
I was sick in February and just didn't have the voice for read alouds, so we borrowed Inkheart by Cornelia Funke on cd and the kids have been listening to that. We've played Scrabble and Monopoly on some of the more depressing afternoons. Lindsay began a new photo blog and all the kids have been playing lots of music; some have even written their own.
Lindsay recently finished Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy and is working on Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoevsky. She is also trying to get ready for the SAT in June. This will be her first time and she is a little anxious. She is also reading America's Hidden History by Kenneth C. Davis.
Alex read The Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka and has been reading The Trial (he really doesn't care for his style, but he is reading it). In addition, he picked up Blue Like Jazz by Donald Miller. He is still working his way through Apologia Biology and reading Don't Know Much About History by Kenneth C. Davis.
Jonathan finished the Spiderwick Chronicles by Holly Black and Tony DiTerlizzi and is barreling through The Magic Tree House books by Mary Pope Osborne. After ten of these books, he gets a trip to Pizza Inn. I love that it is so easy to entice them to read when they are young. He recently moved into a new math book and we are still reading The Story of the World by Susan Wise Bauer.
We have made a couple of trips to the library for Kelsey and puzzles and Moon Sand have kept her little hands busy on the yucky days.
Hmmmm....think it helps to take a look at the things we have actually done these last few weeks since Christmas. Spring is supposed to officially arrive this week and I must say that I can't wait. Sunshine and warm weather brightens my spirit, makes me feel refreshed and energetic, and sparks my creativity.
I was sick in February and just didn't have the voice for read alouds, so we borrowed Inkheart by Cornelia Funke on cd and the kids have been listening to that. We've played Scrabble and Monopoly on some of the more depressing afternoons. Lindsay began a new photo blog and all the kids have been playing lots of music; some have even written their own.
Lindsay recently finished Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy and is working on Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoevsky. She is also trying to get ready for the SAT in June. This will be her first time and she is a little anxious. She is also reading America's Hidden History by Kenneth C. Davis.
Alex read The Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka and has been reading The Trial (he really doesn't care for his style, but he is reading it). In addition, he picked up Blue Like Jazz by Donald Miller. He is still working his way through Apologia Biology and reading Don't Know Much About History by Kenneth C. Davis.
Jonathan finished the Spiderwick Chronicles by Holly Black and Tony DiTerlizzi and is barreling through The Magic Tree House books by Mary Pope Osborne. After ten of these books, he gets a trip to Pizza Inn. I love that it is so easy to entice them to read when they are young. He recently moved into a new math book and we are still reading The Story of the World by Susan Wise Bauer.
We have made a couple of trips to the library for Kelsey and puzzles and Moon Sand have kept her little hands busy on the yucky days.
Hmmmm....think it helps to take a look at the things we have actually done these last few weeks since Christmas. Spring is supposed to officially arrive this week and I must say that I can't wait. Sunshine and warm weather brightens my spirit, makes me feel refreshed and energetic, and sparks my creativity.
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