Happy Father.

Caught you just after working on your motorcycle. It goes without saying. You're simply the best.

And to my dad: ditto, and I miss ya.

Done with Kindy.

Isn't the above photo hilarious? Kids are going every which way, you can almost see them moving like they probably do nonstop. Poor teacher... I don't envy her job! 

Ruby finished kindergarten. I think I was in denial the whole year that she was even in school. She would come home and in my eyes, she's still a calm, artsy little 3 year old practicing her letters. Seriously? First grade? Whatever, it's probably not happening. Heard time's going to stop soon, so I'm just waiting...

Summertime.

Worry, apprehension

Set aside for months

While things grow

The ends of their hair

Curl around my neck

Pull me to them

A flurry of pervasive emotion

Albeit 

With gentility

I gaze and can't stop

Or comprehend

What's to come

I can only see now.

Bless-ed today.

Sunday Photos.

I look at these photos and again, am astounded by my four things. This weekend billions of people swirled around the planet like ants, needing, doing, living, dying. Us and our littles ones were here. On our little patch of rented grass, living. We planted a garden, sang some rounds, ate watermelon, used bandaids, ate chocolate cookies, moved some furniture around, cleaned the carpets and spent time with Nana and Papa as they visited this weekend.

I feel lucky to be born in this country to my family. It's a rich life with abundance at my fingertips and four little girls dripping in chocolate crumbs. I'm lucky and grateful.

Mmm.

Starting the summer with chocolate cake is a good idea. As the frosting mixed with dense chocolate cakey goodness slides down my throat, I can't help but be hopeful: that having my girls home all day every day will be as good as it seems. That there will be peace and progress and accomplishments.

:::Fingers crossed:::

More of Jake's excellent video-making skills...

Sprinkler Movie June 3rd, 2011 from Jake Smylie on Vimeo.

Dee-LISH.

Mt. Everest's got nothing on Tada. Neither does Raspberry Cheesecake.

Sunday Photos.

This weekend was:

7-11
Cleaning
Errands
Cooking
Playing
Not sleeping
Sandwiches
Chocolate
Building backyard swings
Tada kissing and rocking baby dolls
Digging backyard mudholes
Forcing mud down the shower drain
Running from bees
Turning on the AC

Some days are up down and all around, I am busy and don't think clearly. But sometimes I stop. And look out the kitchen window. My two oldest girls are swinging in the sun, in opposite directions. Different weights, different sizes. They find their own rhythm. One looks ahead and the other looks straight up to the sky.

Their legs move differently and they have a distinct, unique sense of their own momentum. One lets her hair cover her face and the other is constantly pushing it back behind her ears.

I want their individuality to sing, to reach a fever pitch. I want who they truly are to bubble up inside, to boil, to burst, filling the air with droplets of emotion and dreams.

Always to be kind, always to care for each other and for the rest of the world, and always and above all, to their own selves be true.

A Little Trim.

It's June and I'm wearing a sweater and socks. If the weather won't change, then I will!

Choppin.

Thanks Jake for taking these. Even though when I look at these photos my mind runs a long list of, "I don't like this about me and I don't like that about me", I think there's something beautiful about little old me with my hair all undone, in the kitchen preparing food. And Jake captured what I look like when I'm concentrating on something and laughing at his joke at the same time. That's definitely something I do about 100 times a day.

Ah, look. It's adult me. I always used to wonder what she'd be like.