Complimentary Colors

I had so much fun taking these photo's of Jakob.

Serious Happiness

Can you really put those 2 words together??

Yet that is how it is. I am seriously happy.

And it's not like anything is really perfect; Jakob is in a transitional phase marked by unpredictable behavior bordering on tantrums, our house is in a perpetual state of needing something, we really don't have any money, yet...still, all is okay.

I think that this deep state of contentment comes from making a really big and powerful commitment to myself (which I did right around my birthday.)
I think I just had to get serious.
And of course that made me really happy.

Cranky

I am cranky and stumped. My little guy just doesn't like to sleep. He's given up his afternoon nap most days...and of course by 5:00 he is a complete Tasmanian devil. By 6:00 I find myself wondering about how to parent well.....because even then he resists sleep like no one I have ever known. And, I'm not quite sure how to take charge of this situation. I can't really blame him for his crazy behaviour because I know it is a direct byproduct of the lack of sleep. But it makes dinner time a real drag...and I end up feeling very cranky.

Tips for how to create a new no nap schedule for an almost 3 year old???

Kuba's Chalk Art

He's a pretty fantastic drawer for an almost 3 year old!!

Vintage Winter Pants and Jacket

I bought these at a second hand store down on Cape Cod a few years ago....and I was about to take them to Goodwill when the thought struck me that maybe, just maybe I should try them on Anders and see if these were a realistic find or just a cool winter outfit from the 50's? After he willingly tried them on AND let me take his photo, I've decided to send them to the drycleaners. They really are cool....thick wool checked pants with suspenders and matching coat....now, let's see if we ever have the occasion to wear them!! They sure don't make things like they used to.

Chrysalis...

We woke up this morning to the lovely caterpillar in a chrysalis...he was hanging in a J for one day and TA DA...finally that lovely green chrysalis. The magic is underway!

What the Weekend Looked Like at Our House...

1. Friday night block/animal play.

The game started with just Anders and Kuba, but ended up with all four of us playing "school" using blocks and animals. It was really fun and was a great way for us to get a peak into Anders and Kuba's interpretation of life at school.

We had a lamb, kid, calf, colt, parrot, and baby moose that were the kindergartners, and a sheep, goat, horse, cow and steer, and parrot - these were the parents. The children walked down the hall (in a line!) to the kindergarten room where they hung their backpacks and listened to a story told by the teacher (the teacher was a horse all decked out in armor from our knight set.) The animals would then go and play outside for recess and wait in a line at the end of day until their parents came to get them. It was always a very joyful reunion!

We all had a role, but Anders was the director....or at least the one with direct K experience.





2. A Hike in The Woods

On Saturday we went for a fabulous hike in the woods with friends...it was exhilarating! The boys were off and running the minute we got out of the car.
We hiked around a beaver pond, over boardwalks and through a swamp and ended up in a field of milk weed! We had been looking for a monarch caterpillar for over a month now with no luck, and within about ten minutes our friend Cheryl found one! Not too long after I found one and both families left with a very hungry
caterpillar munching away on milkweed leaves.

Anna put the huge caterpillar in our terrarium once we got home and it has been munching happily all day long....tonight it is on the screen and we think might be a chrysalis by the morning. (and yes that is caterpillar poop on the other leaf)





3. Sunday Morning Waffles

On Sunday, the boys made waffles with Anna. They are both really into cooking now. Kuba has mastered how to crack an egg and empty the egg into the bowl, and
Anders has now become the "official" waffle maker. He was totally in charge of spooning batter into the waffle iron, waiting for the steam to stop and the light to go out, taking the waffle out, delivering it and then repeating the steps. It was a great job for him and I think from now on he really is our waffle maker.

5. HOUSE/Barn Work

Anna and I have been madly reorganizing and cleaning out the barn. We hauled out a ton of stuff, brought in 5 bins of winter/fall clothing, and began the labor intensive process of dealing with a ton of "stuff" that has been accumulating in the barn. There are boxes of dishes and glassware from Sweden, art supplies, furniture, baby things, toys, totes of clothing, etc. We want to actually use it for fun and play, but need it to be cleared out and reordered. I must have done 18 loads of laundry, washing the winter stuff of 4 people, and then removing summer clothes from drawers and closets. It was a very productive weekend!

6. Noteworthy quotes from the weekend:

Kuba and I were sitting on the couch reading, and he got up to get another book from the other room. He said " I am getting another book and I am taking my heart and my penis with me."

Kuba was sitting in the car seat and Anna was driving. He said "Mama, I really love the color of your eyeballs."