Monthly Archive

Journal Entry 5/19/08

As the sun peeked over the horizon and made its way through the window, onto my bed; it kissed my face. I thought of our weekend at Dan and Candace’s place. The highlight of our weekend, indeed! And how could it not be when sweet, little sunshiny kisses hit our cheeks on and off through the whole stay? And like the sun rises and sets, each kiss from our precocious little nieces, dampened our faces with moisture like the morning dew.

Upon our arrival we were enticed with a delectable menu creatively prepared by Candace, whose appetite for innovative recipes (influenced by the Confessions of a Pioneer Woman) tantalized our curiosities. She sited the recipes on her fifty’s retro, white enameled, metal cabinets. We gave our invitation of helping hands. She gladly accepted, but with our meager efforts she managed quite well; most of which could have been done without us, including a wonderful conflagration upon her busy stove top. Fireworks wouldn’t have done any justice; the excitement alone was quite exciting and entertaining! She calmly said, “What will put it out?” and I said hastily, “Baking powder! Oh, er…no, I think its baking soda!” Just like I said she could manage well enough without us.

We enjoyed a Cheese macaroni dish that consisted of green and red peppers, red onions, and…cheese! Brilliant! (That certainly didn’t give credit to the pioneer-lady, sorry about that), anyway, what ever was in it, sure pleased our palates…

…Along side this “palate-pleaser” was a beautiful, mostly homegrown salad (greens and scallions given by Grandma Brand of course) and arrayed creatively in a striking wooden, teardrop shape bowl was green and red bell peppers and…scallions! My brilliance strikes again, (she still could do better without my help). Let’s just say… you had to be there!

Oh, I did forget the stuffed jalapeños filled with…yikes; here I go again…cheese!! (Cream cheese…that is) At least they were wrapped with bacon and no doubt, deliciously HOT! I better quit while I’m ahead or am I? Uhgg, I left out the most important thing, dessert! Grasshopper Pie! There that was easy.

All in all it was very entertaining and very complimentary of Candace’s character. She enjoys the “far and outrageous menus” to which everything prepared was a palatal success, indeed!

Kinsley and Sophie, rug rats of the sort, displayed their precocious characters to the hilt. Crying and whining in a tizzy like manner, probably not even sure what they wanted or why they were fussing. They probably were mimicking what we “big” people tend to do, who knows. Their delectable nuance of character kept them entertaining at all times. Kinsley, in her own little world certainly thought she was the center of attention would carry on a “know-it-all” adult conversation; at least she appeared to have it all figured out, and maybe she did. Sophie on the other hand, puttered around with her two-inch length little legs, going from one thing to another; cloth on her head, ball in hand, examining crumbs and crying for Mama and her “binkster.”

We had beautiful walks down the city-park sidewalk, which led to the city park.

Our eyes found animated wild flowers waving their cheerful blossoms in the gentle breeze that tantalized and led them to the bubbling creek that runs through the little town.

The banks were also adorned with flowing, hair-like, tall grasses which gave a soft continuity against the rocky banks.

The activities of our stay consisted of basket ball at the park, without a basket ball— hum, “who would-a-thunk” (a Mark Jacobson term)? The only ball available was a soft soccer ball that Dan and Candace had…“Hey, whatever works!” The English family joined us there and all had a wild game of soccer-ball/basket ball game, they didn’t seem to miss the proper ball.

The playground was Kinsley’s and Sophie’s delight other than almost getting plowed on the court and totally oblivious to it all. Sophie found the slide to be thrilling and her face in an almost fright, gave “us” observing more of a thrill! Kinsley gave her Uncle Jared an exhausting time (to his delight of course) with her “peek-a-boo” games.

We headed to the Huzzah, I think or at least it was an arm of it, to slash on buoy-boards and plastic donut floaters.

It didn’t last long though, the water was too cold. Kinsley took it upon herself to release the “warm liquid kind” onto the only blanket we had to sit on. She thought what was wrong with that, it’s a normal fact of life!

Sophie examined the geological finds of ornate rocks though half her time was spent trying to balance on them which set her to get angry and think that it was her Mama’s fault or anyone who was near. My kids shivered and chattered most of the time, they didn’t want their Aunt Candace to get her feelings hurt you know.

Nathan took it upon himself to use Sophie’s floating ring and had a cute ride down some cute little rapids. He looked like an over-sized spider that found a nice spot to spin its web. Kind of gross with those hairy, spindly legs hanging out over the sides; if I had a fly-swatter I might have used it!

Gage and Glen, once back at D& C’s home, continued their racer-like bike rides down the sidewalk, dodging each other before a collision took place (I had to resign myself to whatever course it took, luckily nothing happened and they got to enjoy their uninterrupted fun).

Nathan and Eric took to mowing for Dan. I think they felt sorry for him; poor guy, he needs a break here and there; he’s a busy man you know! Ahh, gee (that’s what the kids would say)!

Nathan and Natalie were big helps in the kitchen washing dishes and mopping floors and at best helping with their tiny little cousins demanding needs.

We all found it a delightful weekend and a break from the monotony of our lonesome hill. Tears ended the stay for the little guys and following the next day, Gage didn’t unpack because it made him sad; he even said he was going to keep his toothbrush in there too, and didn’t see why we couldn’t just go back. He’d be ready if we had a change of mind.

To sum it up: “If you stay out in the sun long enough, you’re bound to get sun-kissed and better yet, if you stay out in the sun long enough with you nieces, you are bound to get the ultimate sun-kiss… ” — Aunt Paula of course!

On Sunday we spent some time with Dan’s brother and his family after church. We had a great time, listening to music, laughing, admiring the scenery on their beautiful property, going out for ice cream, and avoiding a tornado.

All day it had been stuffy, with about 200% humidity. We all agreed that ice cream would be an appropriate ending for the day. Just as we were about to head into town, a storm began to roll in.

But once you’ve told six children that you’re going to buy ice cream cones, you don’t let anything deter you. Even the possibility of major, tornadic storm.

As we were finishing our ice cream, the storm really began to blow in.

Dan and I had to get gas before heading home, but after two of the gas pumps didn’t work, it took us so long to get out of the gas station that we decided to go South, back to Eric’s house, rather than forging North, into the storm. Little did we know that we were driving right into another bad cell.

After driving a few miles, we heard on the radio that a tornado had been spotted on the county border (about six miles ahead of us, in the direction we were heading). Behind us, the tornado siren from town was going off. We tried to press on, but the wind was rocking our two vans so violently that we ended up puling off the road.

Unfortunately the people who lived in the house where we stopped have never, ever won any awards for politeness. The woman came to the door and told us we were fine - and that there was no tornado. She then told us we could wait out the storm on her porch, shouting over the roaring winds and tornado siren that “this is no tornado”. She even had the audacity to claim that her dog wouldn’t poop in a tornado. What sort of person would turn down a family with several small and terrified kids in that situation? Poor Gage kept crying “I don’t want to die!”

In retrospect, we were probably not in any eminent danger, but we’d rather be safe than sorry. The story about the family killed over Mother’s Day weekend when their vehicle blew off the road kept flitting through our minds, and we thought we’d play it safe by stopping. So much for Missouri hospitality!

Kinsley on the other hand, approaches live with much more thought and imagination. Many of her conversations begin with phrases like: “it seems to me…”.

As one uncle puts it, she’s the Dreamy One. Another phrases it “so many phobias, so little time”.

She preferred to stay closer to the ground on this particular evening, and pretended that she was eating “out”. We were cued into this game when Kinsley told Dan that she “had ordered already”, and was now “waiting”.

On the few occasions when she chose to slide, she was very careful to hold on to each bar in the railing on her way up the “stairs”.

Once she had reached the top, she thought carefully about her descent.

And often had to be coaxed down.

Once we left the park to walk home, she wanted to sit and “soak up the sun” in a safe place - “are there no ticks here, Papa?”

Sophie, who had no patience for this, decided to get on with things.

That’s pretty much Sophie’s approach to life. She goes and goes and goes, like the energizer bunny on speed.

The way she took to the slide at the park didn’t surprise us. Actually, the surprising part was how she got to the slide. We were at the basketball court when she decided that the slide looked fun. She took off running toward it, got to the edge of the court, noticed the one inch step down to the grass, stopped about three feet from the edge, sat down, scooted all the way to the edge and carefully scooted over that little lip and onto the grass, where she continued her dead run to the slide. That little bit of caution was the only bit we witnessed for the rest of the evening.

She would climb up to the top of the slide (however she could get there) and essentially hurtle herself down it, in any position. At the bottom she would shriek with laughter and shout “Faster! Faster!”

Baby Feet

Tell me, what is half so sweet
As a baby’s tiny feet,
Pink and dainty as can be,
Like a coral from the sea?

Talk of jewels strung in rows,
Gaze upon those little toes,
Fairer than a diadem,
With the mother kissing them!

It is morning and she lies
Uttering her happy cries,
While her little hands reach out
For the feet that fly about.
Then I go to her and blow
Laughter out of every toe;
Hold her high and let her place
Tiny footprints on my face.

Little feet that do not know
Where the winding roadways go,
Little feet that never tire,
Feel the stones or trudge the mire,
Still too pink and still too small
To do anything but crawl,
Thinking all their wanderings fair,
Filled with wonders everywhere.

Little feet, so rich with charm,
May you never come to harm.
As I bend and proudly blow
Laughter out of every toe,
This pray, that God above
Shall protect you with His love,
And shall guide those little feet
Safely down life’s broader street.

Edgar Allen Guest

From Beauty and the Bath

After “swimming” in the wading pool, Sophie fell asleep in the warm sunshine. As she lay against my chest, I just wanted to inhale her. She smelled of sunshine and sunscreen. Her skin was all rubbery and soft, like a stress ball. Which is good, because she tends to make me need a stress ball.

After admiring her tangled, strawberry blond curls, and her sweeping eyelashes, Natalie photographed the sweet, sleeping fairy.

See that chubby little wrinkle on the back of Sophie’s knee? That is Dan’s favorite part. It is pretty gooey, don’t you agree? I think it may be the only bit of chub on either daughter.

“They always had flowers of some kind on the dinner table . . . it gave the one little festive touch now that showed a woman had been at work trying to make things beautiful.”

~Grace Livingston Hill

We filled the girls’ wading pool over the weekend, which has thrilled both girls beyond all imagination.

The water seemed especially photogenic (if water can be photogenic), and I think I actually took more photos of the water, than I took of the girls. Poor neglected things.

Nathan entertained the girls (and myself) by “squeezing the water”, as Kinsley phrases it.

At first, there was some concern about the cold-ness of the water.

But, they eventually overcame that, and managed to have a grand time.

The water also served as a very nice reflector for photographing small water fairies that happened to be in the pool.

Kinsley wants to spend every waking moment out in the pool, now.

I recently learned that I have been obsessed with something before I ever knew it existed, That is, if you can know that you are obsessed with something even if you aren’t even aware of the real existence of the object of your obsession? I don’t know if that makes any sense, so I’ll stop the commentary.

“Bokeh (from the Japanese boke ボケ, “blur”) is a photographic term referring to the appearance of out-of-focus areas in an image produced by a camera lens. It is pronounced (Boke-aay)”

Read more on Bokeh from Wikipedia.

I recently learned this term from Miz Booshay, who was guest blogging over at the Pioneer Woman’s Photography Blog. Somehow, learning that there is a term for “that nice, blurry background” which I love so much, was exciting to me (I’m fairly easy to please).

While I have a lot to learn before I can grasp the technical side of Bokeh, I am content to know that the idea exists, and have begun to notice it more in my photos. I find that I get much more pleasing bokeh when I use my 50mm f1.8 than when I use my 18-200mm 1:3.5-6.3, which I think makes sense.

Would it be possible to see these photos and not notice the pleasing, twinkly background?

Cheerfulness is a Beauty which every body admires. A cheerful spirit is a continual feast. It smiles its way through life. It wins crowns for its possessor. It makes and gives happiness. All sunshine and flowers is a cheerful heart. It shines in perpetual spring. Its birds are ever singing, and its joys ever new.

From a text entitled Aims and Aids for Girls and Young Women, written in 1856 by George Sumner Weaver

We’ve been cooped up for so long now, with the flu, and all this rain. When we went outside this afternoon to hang laundry, I forced both girls to join me, though they were very skeptical of this warm bright stuff filling the air and sky.

Once outside, the girls blinked and looked around like cave dwelling critters. They slowly began to adapt though, and managed to have a fine time after all.

Kinsley found some columbine, and brought Sophie a fist full, instructing her that “this is good to eat.”

I spotted this in the stump of a tree which Dan cut down last fall.

…The bed-room should be capacious and well ventilated; fresh air frequently admitted; and if the season of the year permit, and there is no dampness of atmosphere, a window should be constantly open during the day…

From The Maternal Management of Children, in Health and Disease written by Thomas Bull, M.D in 1840

We seem to have acquired a nasty stomach bug, and it is clinging to us for dear life. The girls and I have been sick since last Wednesday with various amounts of fever, vomiting, and diarrhea. We finally seem to be beginning to mend, and are enjoying some sunshine and light exercise today as part of our therapy.

Thankfully Dan was able to spend some time at home, assisting with the illness, and cleaning up the results of the illness.

This statuette stood out to me when we visited the Art Museum for Dan’s birthday. It was entitled, simply, “Charity”. It struck me especially because the example of Charity in this case was a mother with two small children, and I immediately felt empathy with the statue. Then I thought again about the whole idea of allure and how it actually relates to the character of Charity, in that both require true self sacrifice.

In other words, in order to be a queen, I must simply embrace what God has given me to do, with the Spirit of Christ ruling my actions.

In WHAT’S WRONG WITH THE WORLD, G.K. Chesterton paints a vivid picture of the importance of the mother’s role:

“Our old analogy of the fire remains the most workable one.
The fire need not blaze like electricity nor boil like boiling water;
its point is that it blazes more than water and warms more than light.
The wife is like the fire, or to put things in their proper proportion,
the fire is like the wife. Like the fire, the woman is expected
to cook: not to excel in cooking, but to cook; to cook better
than her husband who is earning the coke by lecturing on botany
or breaking stones. Like the fire, the woman is expected to tell
tales to the children, not original and artistic tales, but tales–
better tales than would probably be told by a first-class cook.
Like the fire, the woman is expected to illuminate and ventilate,
not by the most startling revelations or the wildest winds of thought,
but better than a man can do it after breaking stones or lecturing.
But she cannot be expected to endure anything like this universal
duty if she is also to endure the direct cruelty of competitive or
bureaucratic toil. Woman must be a cook, but not a competitive cook;
a school mistress, but not a competitive schoolmistress;
a house-decorator but not a competitive house-decorator; a dressmaker,
but not a competitive dressmaker. She should have not one trade but
twenty hobbies; she, unlike the man, may develop all her second bests.
This is what has been really aimed at from the first in what
is called the seclusion, or even the oppression, of women.
Women were not kept at home in order to keep them narrow;
on the contrary, they were kept at home in order to keep them broad.
The world outside the home was one mass of narrowness,
a maze of cramped paths, a madhouse of monomaniacs.
It was only by partly limiting and protecting the woman that she
was enabled to play at five or six professions and so come almost
as near to God as the child when he plays at a hundred trades.
But the woman’s professions, unlike the child’s, were all truly
and almost terribly fruitful;…

…it is not difficult to see… why the female became the emblem
of the universal and the male of the special and superior.
Two gigantic facts of nature fixed it thus: first, that the woman
who frequently fulfilled her functions literally could not be
specially prominent in experiment and adventure; and second,
that the same natural operation surrounded her with very young children,
who require to be taught not so much anything as everything.
Babies need not to be taught a trade, but to be introduced to a world.
To put the matter shortly, woman is generally shut up in a house
with a human being at the time when he asks all the questions
that there are, and some that there aren’t. It would be odd
if she retained any of the narrowness of a specialist.
“

Charity, as defined by Webster:

1:
1. Love; universal benevolence; good will. 2: 4. Whatever is bestowed gratuitously on the needy or suffering for their relief; … any act of kindness.

With that, Happy Mother’s day! May you take joy in the sphere with which God has blessed you.

I have been very fascinated by these little flowers (or weeds?) this spring. I seem to be obsessed with photographing them, and both girls have a new appreciation for them.

I have heard that the dandelion is supposed to be a good measuring device for all sorts of things.

Weather:

“The dandelion is an excellent barometer, one of the commonest and most reliable. It is when the blooms have seeded and are in the fluffy, feathery condition that its weather prophet facilities come to the fore. In fine weather the ball extends to the full, but when rain approaches, it shuts like an umbrella. If the weather is inclined to be showery it keeps shut all the time, only opening when the danger from the wet is past.” Says “Camping For Boys” by H.W. Gibson

The time:

“The dandelion is called the rustic oracle; its flowers always open about 5 A.M. and shut at 8 P.M., serving the shepherd for a clock.” “The Child and Childhood in Folk-Thought” by Alexander F. Chamberlain

And, last but not least, Love:

It’s said that if you can blow all the seeds off with one blow, then you are loved with a passionate love. If some seeds remain, then your lover has reservations about the relationship. If a lot of the seeds still remain on the globe, then you are not loved at all, or very little. Source: “Unusual Vegetables, Something New for this Year’s Garden,” Rodale Press Emmaus, PA.

Maybe I need to make something of this obsession. Have you ever made dandelion wine? I’m considering this recipe.

“Dear common flower, that grow’st beside the way,
Fringing the dusty road with harmless gold,
First pledge of blithesome May.”
~ Ellen Mackay Hutchinson Cortissoz

Sophie has a tongue which is about four inches long. We’re not sure what to do about it. She’s not sure what to do with it. It doesn’t seem to stay in her mouth.

Kinsley seems to be having issues with her tongue as well.

They come by it honestly. Their Papa sticks his tongue out when he concentrates. Their Mama was once a flower girl at a wedding and hung her tongue out of her mouth the entire time.

It was sort of a second (or third) celebration of Dan’s birthday. We settled ourselves into the backyard for some watermelon and observation.

Sophie seemed to prefer the green stuff on the bottom of the rind.

Kinsley noticed that the melon was the same color as her new shoes.

For the first part of the celebration of Dan’s birthday, we left the daughters at my parents house and took a mini vacation to Saint Louis. This was our first outing (alone) since last year on our anniversary.

We toured the art museum, and came away with enough thoughts to last a lifetime. Maybe I’ll try to share some of our impressions later on.

After the art museum, we went to dinner at Modesto, a tapas resturaunt which we have been wanting to try for three years.

The atmosphere was very pleasant.

It was quiet, and the waiters displayed just the right amount of attentiveness. We never had to wait for anything, but they didn’t hover too much, either.

The food was spectacular. The calamari was the best I’ve ever eaten.

The bread came with an olive dip that was wonderful.

And the chorizo…mmm…

All in all, we both agree that this may be the best restaurant we have ever eaten at.

After that, we walked to a nearby coffee shop. Which was one of the best coffee shops we’ve ever been to.

We sat in the warm evening sunshine and actually visited over our coffee. It was an amazing sensation. We giggled. And took photos of each other like silly newly weds.

We agreed that we missed the girls. Then, we went home and gathered up our precious daughters.

Phase two of the birthday celebrations to come tomorrow…

To the world’s best Papa and husband - the light of our lives! Happy Birthday to the man who penned these words, five years ago:

I long to hold you all through the night, and watch you sleeping next to me as I thank God again and again for you, and pray for you. I long to cuddle with you, and watch sunsets, and full moons, and fingernail moons, and snow fall, and storms, and breakers, and fall colors, and who can tell what else. I long to work with you, my helpmeet, on all the good work the Lord has for us.

I will never be able to get enough of you, my darling. You are much more than a dream come true. No one but our loving, knowing Lord can know how much you amaze me, and how much you have my heart! May God make you fulfilled, satisfied, happy and fruitful in these revived, happy arms, by His grace.”

All of our dreams continue to come true! God has blessed me with the most wonderful man and two lovely daughters.

So I thank God for the birth of my husband, and I look forward with hope to the many years we will have together, enjoying His creation, and participating in His Life.