mighty fine

i've been working a temp job on saturdays, and meeting with doula clients often on weekends, but this past weekend was uncommitted for the first time in quite a while. so i was able to spend some quality time with my peoples. in a blink, monday arrived. but there are some highlights to savor.

i found some organic blueberries on sale at the new fresh market. that store is full of tasty temptations. we had the blueberries on sunday morning with oatmeal pancakes, which are probably the best pancakes on earth.

tristan asked that i take this photo of him making a silly face.

he's picked up tashi's love of calvin and hobbes.  it's fun to hear him cackling at it.

on sunday afternoon we had a lovely hike and small picnic at chris greene lake. what a beautiful day! 

i didn't go too overboard on oscar dinner this year, but i did make shrimp and grits for the first time ever, a little nod to our louisiana hushpuppy. no matter what you think of beasts of the southern wild you can't deny her outstanding performance.

alas, it was a somewhat disappointing oscar ceremony. but the grits, the grits were mighty fine.

what was fine about your weekend?

first day of preschool

that's our big boy, ready for his first day of preschool. while he told us he didn't want to go there, really that he wouldn't, he was exceptionally cooperative about getting ready to leave the house. departure is not his forte, i must say, but underneath all the contrary sentiments, i think he was quite excited. 

big wet white snowflakes started to fall as we drove away from our hamlet, and the tears fell as well. not from him, who was expressing amazement at the snow. but from me. the growing certainly does happen all too quickly. and when you start to let go you wonder if you didn't hold on enough. 

 

we were of the first to arrive this morning, and tristan immediately took some toys down from the shelf, making himself at home in this new magical space. he will spend just two days a week in this sweet  preschool, where the seasons are celebrated, where the toys inspire the imagination, where there are crafts to be made, stories to enjoy, bunnies to feed, and a very regal cat to watch over everything.

i stole one more moment after i stepped outside, and gazed back in at the children and their wonderful teacher, gathered around their task of painting. yes, this will be good. another adult to help our boy unfurl, to share in the task of offering up attention, guidance, and rhythm. and more friends to sort out relations with. there were no tears as i walked away, not from him, not from me. just a sense of wonder as we take the next step on our journey.

when i picked him up he said he didn't want to leave, yet readily went to the door, walked the path to the car, and climbed in. departure is not his forte, i must say, but underneath all the contrary sentiments, i think he was quite excited to be heading home again, and quite willing to offer up some small glimpses of his day.

he said he had fun, but not too much fun. he told me that his teacher read a chapter of the borrowers to them at rest time, that he didn't nap, but he did close his eyes for a while, and he liked that. as we drove back to our hamlet in the hills, he told me he just wanted to turn around and go back to his school. and as he dropped into a deep sleep in the car seat, sandwich in hand, he told me his day was stupid. so many contradictions in this little person who loves life, who loves to laugh and play and explore, but who also knows that being agreeable might mean giving up a little bit of his desire for self determination. it's tricky business, that.

but i'm pretty sure he'll figure it out. and maybe a little time in separate spaces, a little time for perspective, for reflection, a little time for work, will help me to figure it out as well.

all heart

so i thought i would try these heart shaped thin mints as a valentine treat. wow, are they rich! strangely enough, dan came home with a box of thin mints he picked up from a friend. 

so we are knee deep in thin mints around here.

tristan used this simple toilet paper roll method to make some heart stamp valentine cards. 

i joined in the fun as well. 

earlier i presented tashi, tristan, and dan with "i'm stuck on you" valentine prize ribbons. 

here are dan and tristan modeling theirs. 

hoping that you are feeling the love, whether it be self love, romantic love, 

family love, or universal love. may it be with you each and every day.

spring in our step

weather forecasts keep teasing us with a chance of more snow, but all signs seem to point to spring.

tristan and i played red light green light while riding our bikes on the driveway 

and then took a walk to visit our neighborhood cows.

we had a nice outing and headed back home as dusk was upon us.

my back is feeling considerably better and it was a relief to be truly present for the little one. 

i saw a chiropractor on monday and will see her again tomorrow. while the cause of my recent back outage hasn't been fully identified, it seems she will help me to resolve some long term back issues i've had for nearly two decades. i definitely walked out of her office feeling more well adjusted! 

onward!

mother daughter drama date

sunday afternoon tashi and i went to see a production of the winter's tale at our local community college. it was well acted, the set was minimal & classy, and the play, the play itself was magnificent! it was powerful, funny, gripping, romantic, and very well balanced. a fine way to spend an afternoon with my budding theater student.

(the above is a clever podium i saw in the hallway during intermission)

i wasn't sure i would make it through three hours of shakespeare with my aching back, but frankly, it was the shortest three hours i've had in a while. and it sure was nice to be out and doing something special with my girl. there needs to be a little more of that! she is so very patient as her little brother demands center stage at home, but our theater would collapse without her!

You gods, look down

And from your sacred vials pour your graces

Upon my daughter's head!

~ Hermione, The Winter's Tale