Lord, That I May See

1.  Fall is at its peak.  The nights are cold and the leaves are bright.  Fall is such a poignant season for me that symbolizes the inevitability of change -- not my favorite thing about life.  The other night I woke up from a dream in which I was middle-aged and my children were grown and in my dream I was struggling with the realization that the changes in my life were then going to be harder and sadder ones, more letting go and less gaining.   I tried to shake the gloom of that dream off quickly, but the gray skies and the smell of autumn have kept it in my mind.  2.   Then this afternoon I spoke with my 80 year old neighbor Carol over the fence and she reminisced about autumns past  -- her friend Doris slipping though the fence to have coffee with her, going out to rake leaves in her yard and getting nothing done as she gossiped with her friends, Mary Catherine and Emma, who lived in other houses in the neighborhood.  She told me that ...

Rosebud, dancing beside me in the mall:  "Mom, I really want a iPad." I was speechless for several seconds, then I just laughed in disbelief! A little later she explained: "An iPad has Angry Birds!  I love Angry Birds."

Oh, what I would give for my own private bathroom. I have lived in a home with one bathroom for too long.  I want my own. I don't need much, just any old teeny thing.  The only criteria is that is mine .  No one else is allowed in. Oh, wait, you say, what about my husband? Nope. Unless he's offering to be a live towel rack, then I might consider it. Can you picture it?  It would be like Heaven. It would be blue and peaceful. The only hair/dirt/spit/scum in it would be mine.  And I don't really do any of that.   (Well, I guess the hair part.) I wouldn't have to clean gobs of toothpaste, or shaving cream/facial hair out of the sink. Someone wouldn't be adding a unwanted odor to the bathroom while I was in the shower, or putting on my makeup. Someone wouldn't demand that I lean out of said shower to wipe them whilst I still have soap in my hair. I wouldn't need to hide tempting green applicators at the bottom of the trash so no one takes a fancy t...

This post is mostly for my own benefit.  I wanted to recall what work I have put together for the girls in the past to help me get some fresh, interesting things on the shelves this week.  Maybe this would be helpful for others too.  If not, excuse me while I use this as my personal link-pad . . . . :) Homemade Work Homemade Work, Part II New Work More Work Smelling Work Long Time Coming Making Music Rosebud's Work Practical Life Work Some Work A Pick Me Up Post New Work on Our Shelves Work for Rosebud Occupations Necklace Making Three Practical Life Activities Third Color Box and Boot Lacing My Mom is Awesome Work We've Been Doing

by Rosebud As I described in this post , the girls have been working with the Continents Puzzle Map for several months.  Recently, I have added a couple extra activities to go along with this work. This world puzzle is inexpensive and the perfect difficulty level for Turtle.   I found a Usborne Books Picture Atlas at a consignment sale that is intriguing to both of the girls and filled with lots of detailed information. Then the girls each made their own world map out of blue poster board and colored construction paper.  This project took Turtle about 2 hours and Rosebud worked on it off and on for two days.  They are both very proud of their maps  After tracing the shape of each continent on paper, the girls used a wood-handled puncher to perforate around the edge of the continents' shapes.  This puncher is the same diameter as a pencil and develops the same fine-motor muscle groups as the child is perforating the paper. ...

Turtle: J.'s daddy lives at a different house. . . .  That's sad. Me:  Yeah, that is sad.  Thoughtful pause. . . Turtle: I'm glad our Daddy doesn't live at a different house.  . . . And I'm glad my uncles didn't leave [their kids]! Me:  Me too! Turtle:  I think J. is sad about that. Me:  I bet she is.  But I think she sees her Daddy on Saturday and Sunday. Turtle, happier: Yeah!  And maybe on Saturday and Sunday her dad comes over to her house and does fun stuff with her like our dad! Me, rather at a loss:  Yes.  But it is sad when some people's mommies and daddies don't live in the same house, isn't it? Turtle: Yeah.  They're supposed to be together -- they're married!

  #1.  Once again, some music to listen to while you read.  I kinda love this scene from Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid.  The girls like it too, thought Turtle has to run away when the bull comes on the scene.  (Gosh!)  D. rolls his eyes and calls it cheesy, but hey, I can love me a little cheesiness every now and then.  Especially in such an idyllic setting.  And who can resist Paul Newman's smile?  #2. In the spirit of raindrops falling, I also showed the girls a video of Gene Kelly doing Singing in the Rain.  I was enjoying watching bit of one of my favorite movies and then it was spoiled when the girls started getting all distressed!  Mommy, why's he getting all wet?  Ah, why's he goin' in the ROAD?  Is a car going to crash him?  Why's he splashing in the puddles??   (I swear I let them splash in puddles!)   And Daddy wonders why I don't let them watch more movies??  Need I say more? ...