Happy 2013!

Happy New Year! I hope 2013 find everyone well. Yes, it's that time again, time for resolutions. I made quite a few last year, and actually followed through on some of them! So here I am making some again. Bare with me, I hope this will be short.

1. Read more, both to my kids and for myself
This is supposed to be a blog about reading to my kids. Somehow we've gotten away from as much reading as we used to do. I want to get back to reading 10 or 20 books in a day. So I resolve to read more to my kids. I also resolve to read more myself. I go through spurts of devouring books, and then I hit a book I consider a dud, and my e-reader languishes on my bedside table. I need to correct that.

2. Be more patient
Not sure what my game plan is for this one, other than deep breaths, trying to change my POV, making sure I'm as rested as I can be (and realizing when I'm not) and prayer. I've made strides in the past year, but I definitely need more work.

3. Blog more
I don't know if anyone reads this blog, but at some point in my life, I used to enjoy writing. I think this blog will help me get that enjoyment back.

4. Learn how to use my camera
I have a DSLR, and it's about time I figured out how to use it in something other than auto mode. I have no grand illusions of becoming a photographer, or investing in lighting equipment, but I want to be able to use it to its capacity, because what is the point in owning a DSLR otherwise?

Last, but not least, 5. Make a pie crust from scratch
This is probably the third or fourth year for me to put this on my resolution list, and admittedly, there are years I never even attempt this. I am intimidated when it comes to dough that needs to be rolled out. Maybe this year I will face that fear.

Yes, this list does not contain anything in regards to eating better, exercising more, or losing weight. As I'm expecting a baby in May, I'm giving myself until next year to worry about that. I know that I don't want to be stressing myself out about my body when I'm sleep deprived and dealing with a newborn.

Welcome 2013! I'm looking forward to seeing what you hold in store! Now I'm off to go read.

And We Survived Day 1

Today was Butterfly's first offical day of preschool. She was excited, doing happy dances while getting ready this morning. I was nervous. What if she missed me? What if she didn't like it? What if she didn't get along with the other kids? What if she didn't have enough time to eat her snack (Butterfly is a slow eater)? For some reason, I allowed these thoughts to run through my mind last night and keep me awake. On the car ride over to the school, Butterfly tells me "I'm not going to miss you. I'm not going to be like LLama (from Llama Llama Misses Momma)." I don't know if I was ever so simultaneously proud and heartbroken. There was the "Yes! My child is independent! She wants to explore the world! We've done a good job!" sentiment running through my head. Which was quickly followed up by the "What do you mean you won't miss me? I'm your mom?!?" I allowed that one to stay around through drop off. Butterfly and I walked to her classroom. I had a funny feeling in the pit of my stomach. No tears, just a bit of melancholy emotion. I helped her find her hook to hang her backpack. I watched her place her lunchbox on the shelf. She came and gave me a hug, and never looked back as she walked into the classroom. And thus began her life seperate from me. My husband was home with Ladybug, so thankfully I didn't have to worry about having 2 kids at drop off. While she was looking for her sister when I returned, Ladybug didn't seem to mind the one-on-one time she's now acquired with mom. We went for a walk, played outside, and had a snack. At pick up, Butterfly was all smiles coming out of her classroom. She was carrying a picture she'd painted of Clifford the Big Red Dog. Painting on the first day of class was sure to win my little artist over. I could tell school had tired her out. She was fuzzy and not forthcoming with the details of the day. Her voice was so quiet, I had to strain to hear her. But once home, a bit rested and after a yummy lunch, details of her day began to creep out. They sang songs, which she sang for us. They read a story about Clifford and in the story he tore up flowers. Butterfly and a classmate who has the same lunchbox had a bit of mix-up, but it was resolved. All in all, it sounded like a pretty good first day of school.

The End of the World as We Know It

I've been at home with the girls since Butterfly was born. We've led a pretty carefree existence, a routine versus a schedule, very few commitments, letting the weather dictate our plans once we had breakfast. Spending days outside, or reading, or pretending, or making art.

All that has changed as of this past Thursday. We had a major milestone in this house. My Purple Butterfly started pre-school! Two days a week we have to be out the door by a certain time to get her to class in time for 8:30. Of course, we haven't done that yet, because we got out the door in time for orientation in time for 9:00am. 8:30 is a bit more daunting. And here is my Purple Butterfly before her very first day of preschool.

The schedule adjustment is just the tip of the iceberg. Staring Tuesday, I'll be dropping Butterfly off and leaving her with her teachers and classmates. I'm very excited for her to start preschool. She needs all the things that preschool is for - time away from me, getting used to listening to a teacher, not being the major focus of the adult, and the part I'm most excited about her experiencing - socializing with other kids her age. I've tried with playdates, music classes, and trips to the park and library to help her socialize, but I really think she'll benefit from regularly being in class with other kids her age.

Things are going to change for Ladybug, too. She'll get some much needed one-on-one time with mom. We get very little time as just the two of us, maybe some time in the mornings. Now, we'll have 5 hours a week. It will be intereting to see how she handles her sister being out of the house, or not being with us in the mornings if we runs errands. According to Ladybug, there are places that Butterfly should be, because she always is. Now we're going to change that.

I wasn't overly emotional on Thursday. No tears, but lots of pride. Of course, we were there in the classroom with Butterfly. We'll see how we all feel Tuesday when Butterfly walks into the classroom by herself to join her classmates.

And so goes the harvest

A good portion of the spring and early summer was spent gardening at our house. My husband did some much needed landscaping, and we planted a vegetable garden. Butterfly was such the little helper, out there in the mud and muck with her daddy, hoeing, sowing and watering. For our efforts, hopefully our front yard is no longer an eyesore to our neighbors, and we got to enjoy fresh veggies. Eating peas fresh from the vine was a nightly event in the beginning of July. We were out of town and missed the beans, but thankfully friends were able to enjoy them. Now we come into my favorite part of the harvest season - tomatoes and cucumbers. We have a decent crop of tomatoes. We planted Sweet 100s, Early Girl, Beefstake, and Orange Blossom. We've gotten one Beefstake so far, but the Sweet 100s and Orange Blossoms have more than made up for it. The Early Girl plant is producing, too. I have to keep an eye on Ladybug that she doesn't grab a green tomato and make a run for it. Yesterday I found her with a red tomato in one hand, and an orange tomato in the other, and seeds and juice all down her chin. As for our cucumbers, so far we've gotten two. They were tasty and crisp, but I was really looking forward to an abundance of cukes to make pickles from, or just to slice and eat with a little bit of salt. Thankfully, my dad has hooked me up with some cukes from his garden, and I was able to make a batch of what I consider to be the best cucumber salad ever. I will share the oh-so-easy recipe in another post. Yes, I'm going to share a recipe. When you see how easy it is, and discover how tasty it is, you will definetly thank me. Now we wait and see if we get any broccoli, watermelon, eggplant, or pumpkins.

It's Spring!

In honor of the first day of spring, I made it a point to read It's Spring to Butterfly and Ladybug. It's written by Samantha Berger and illustrated by Melissa Sweet.

Although the first line is "In April, the robin began to sing.." I found it fitting for the vernal equinox and the beautiful weather we've been having. Several woodland and farm friends spread the word that spring is here - the leaves and flowers are back, the snow is gone and the sun and rains are here!

The illustrations are large and simple enough without omitting too much detail to engage the littlest of readers, and the rhythm and rhyme will make it a continual favorite for the older readers as well. There is plenty of opportunity to make animal sounds, which makes a good book so much better in this house. There are quacking ducks, singing birds, and crowing roosters. You can talk about animal motions - swimming ducks, trotting horses, running deer. It's also an opportunity to introduce the concept of hiberation as the story concludes with waking bears. Or you can just enjoy the rhythm of the sweet little poem.

Just look at that bunny. How can you not be happy it's spring?

Pink Butterfly's new identity

Purple Butterfly chose her own identity. She likes to pretend to be a purple butterfly and to flap her wings. She likes to pretend that we're a family of butterflies, so it followed that if I would refer to everyone as butterflies. But as Pink Butterfly gets older, she is becoming more and more her own person with her own very unique personality. She's still partial to pink, even more partial to hot pink, but she's also showing a penchant for ladybugs. So, for clarity and honesty and individualism, I will now call Pink Butterfly Pink Ladybug, possibly Ladybug, L, or PL for short. Yet I will stick with an insect theme. Apparently my children are more bookworms in the manner of being book larvae. I don't think that's a term that will catch on.

Owen

Our most recent trip to the library had us bringing Owen by Kevin Henkes home with us. Owen is a mouse who has a lovey, Fuzzy, a worn yellow blanket. Fuzzy does everything and goes everywhere with Owen and is not so fuzzy anymore. But Owen will be starting school soon, and won't be able to take Fuzzy with him. His parents, armed with some encouragement and advice born from a rather nosey next-door neighbor's disapproval, try to break Owen of his Fuzzy habit, but to no avail. Finally, Owen's mother devises a solution that works for everyone.

My own kids are a bit too young to have to worry about having the conversation of where the lovey can and cannot go, but this book made me think about it. And when that time comes, we will borrow this book from the library again. Henkes does great job of writing in a way that speaks to both the kids and their parents. The words are reassuring, the illustrations fun and engaging. His world of mice tackle a lot of the "issues" little kids have to deal with.

This book has inspired me to look at the relationships my own children have with their lovies. Of course, that will be an upcoming post or two.