"These are the days of the endless Wonder..."

have always LOVED that Van Morrison Song...
And somehow it has been capturing these days of late.
I amin awe-on many levels, at the intensity and innate ability of small children to live in a realm of NOW and with it-
-glee
-fear
-marvel
-humour
-sparkle
-resilience
-freedom to be
-authenticity
-loyal and loudly proclaimed LOVE (and dislike, of course!)
-all things at break-neck learning curve.

Here is how the days have been unfolding...

to begin, a re-warmed "Oh Boy" Waffle (see Better Homes and Garden's Cook book 1964 edition, y'all) rejuvinated in the toaster.
Gotta love those "breakfast for supper " meals that leave you with leftovers that you can actually EAT for Breakfast.

A little morning drawing session with stamps and glue and colors and all things BRIGHT and beautiful...wearing SMOCKS, of course.

2 Sibs and their buddy:
Nuzzlin with Mausi
(our somewhat indoor-adapted barn cat, named for its function...not to be mistaken for its Pet-like qualities. We have decided we like Cats MORE than mice-so the cat stays, for now.)

The evening bath line up.

A little bit of stealing for the New year

I hope it is ok.

that I have stolen this pome..(i know that is not how one should spell this word, but doesnt it just look plumper that way? more mischevious?)

Anyways-i have been following this blog for a while and just read the stuff below-and wanted to pass it on

Holy Moley -it goes in the category of "ThingsI wishIhadWritten" because it wraps up in words so well this incredible zest, this fierce and sacred flame of being and learning and growing along side my kids.

Teach Me in the Key of Life
by Mimi Chenfeld

I am waiting for you
I have been waiting all my life
to spend this time
with you.

I am full of questions, adventures, wonder, curiousity,
imagination.
I am full of fears, doubts, confusions, nightmares, dreams.
I am the Cowardly Lion. I need a badge for courage.
So do you.
I am the Tin Man. So tight. I forgot about my heart.
How’s your heart?
I am the Scarecrow. Hangin’ so loose my brain feels unhinged.
Does yours?
Sometimes I’m
GrumpySleepyDopeyBashfulDocSneezyHappy.
Sometimes I’m seven new dwarfs as yet unnamed.

I love to sing.
I know the words to 2,437 songs.
Teach me through songs.
Let me paint, doodle, scribble, draw, carve, fix, sketch - DO.
I can’t keep still.
I’m a spaced-out, far-out, Star Wars, Superman, rock ‘n’ roll, disco,
punk, psychedelic, tuned-out, right-on, cool age,
electronic, stereo, video games, computerized, technicolor, ten-speed kid!
I need action!
Keep it moving!

I love to read baseball cards, album covers, TV schedules, movie ads,
license plates, T-shirts, buttons, posters, cartoons, cereal boxes,
recipes, highway signs, historical markers, magazines, picture books,
sad stories, weird poems, animal histories, lost-and-found boards…

Let me ask my questions - even if you don’t know the answers.
Dumb questions, like who started numbers?
Do caterpillars know they’re going to turn into butterflies?
Where does the white go when the snow melts?
Why does time fly?
How do we see?
What do you see?

It’s not my birthday, but every day can’t we celebrate SOMETHING?
Colors, seasons, Tuesdays, Mexico, circles, houses, maps, our names, numbers, one seed, our journals, favorite books, inventions, rivers, peace!
Can we celebrate our country on the fourth of October or the twelfth of May?
We don’t have school on the fourth of July!
Every day let’s celebrate SOMETHING!
Life - the wonder and power and miracle of Life - of being here, learning together, with all our fantastic powers.

Surprise me.
Amaze me.
Startle me.
Challenge me.
Try me.
Laugh with me.
Love me.
Teach me
in “the key of life,”
and I promise I’ll
surprise, amaze, startle, challenge, try, enjoy and love YOU!

Superhero Week

In the event that you do NOT know.it is, in fact, Superhero week.
So, if you have seen the Household Hepher out on the town with our capes..then you will know this important piece of info.

evidence below..

"SuperFly Finn" and "Supergirl" Wren showing you their muscles

The classic flight Pose

even our buddy Kayla got into the theme..sporting a fetching piece of fabric OVER her winter gear. She insisted..and she is two-and some battles are simply better left alone.

the superhero Block walk...and since all Hero's need a side kick-each hero BROUGHT their side kick..in their own tobbogan..or wine box..or whatever one could affix a string too.


It has been, a Super powered kinda week.
YOU?

Why I love being married to a Graphic designer...

homemade Wall-E outfits.
who could ask for anything more!!!!

A busy day at the Butter-Yellow House

Not that this happens very often, but I had to document it for posterity .

We had a pretty full morning this day.
7 kids and me..in just over 1000 square feet

and so's you know: all survived very well, had a good time, ate cinnamon toast and played all sorts of pretend games for the entire time. Seriously, I don't know why people dont have 6-8 kids in their family-they totally take care of themselves.
well, mostly..

finn wren kayla malayah hannah shiloh selah (what is the deal with the ending "h's!!)

Just for the record..it's ok..

The other morning-
in a chilly house with fire still at the last-night's-burning-ember-stage, Wrenny informed me that Suzie (her dolly) had cold feet.
So I told her I would knit some socks for Suzie.
this is what resulted!

Happy New year!

Another snowy day here and I love it-as my cross country skiis and have been out almost daily to the local trails..seen above (South Star-to you locals).
Finn now has some beginner skis and is impressive to watch...it goes something like this:

ski 3 steps, wobble, eat snow, look for "his friend the moon" :repeat. A good thinky pace.
Wren in backpack however...um, not so keen with this loping about!.

Went for my first-ever night ski with headlamps with some great twin buddies, and am completely hooked.
Now I need to find my Moonlight Partner some skis (He is a size 11 boot-if anyone has x-country gear to share about)

We had a great and quite unexpected New Year's Eve Party with about a dozen other friends...which turned out oh so loverly. We knew about the party for a eek or so, but couldn't find a sitter-and then the hosts said-we could bring the kids and put them to sleep in some quiet corner of their house. ..which is exactly what we did.
Beside a little bit of restless sleep for Finn at the beginning-all went swimmingly and it was truly one of the best new year's shindig's I have been to this decade.
Wow. Fun. yes, wow and fun...and "naked Grape" Shiraz. hurrah.

Then, New Years day at our fine Comrades Derek and Fabs , where inspiring conversation about simple and natural child-rearing and intentional living was had (over coffee and baileys-as if a German and a Mexican girl need ANY alcoholic supplement for discourse on matters that matter!)

And thus dawns the new year....
A quiet swoosh of a ski
A sudden thump of fallen snow from an overburdened branch
A little river of drips in the pantry from an iced and aging cedar roof
The last crunchy bits of the Gingerbread house (now candy-less)
Boxes full and at the door to be taken to Thrift
Woodpile half full
And desire for inspiration and deep, healing laughter and tears grows.
Lead on.