Into the Laundrey basket...

what could be more fun?
all manners of shirts, capes (towels) and of course; leggings.
What can I say but: our boy knows how to entertain himself when skies are grey.

A pretty quiet week around here.

We are down to Mike and Wrenny with Current Cold Conditions (The CCC).

I was feeling abit crazy-like in terms of being housebound, and so took the kids out for a walk to a local coffe joint. Finn in the 'boggan' and Wren on my back in the pack. The snow came down pretty good and Wrenny got a fine facewash..but no complaints. I think she was happy to be out as well. Finn and I enjoyed a treat (mine in the form of a pretty excellent double-shot mocha), and then we turned back so we could still make it for church. Left Wrenny to sleep in the laundry room in the backpack, face skyward, cheeks- wet and rosy. Finn and I headed to church.
Mike and Wrenny slept.

And now on this grey afternoon, I am about to make popcorn and tuck in for a quiet night.
We are taking things pretty easy these days. Sleep has been hard to get all week as Wrenny is coughing lots between 10pm-12am and 4-6 am and so we split the time and stay up with her. Finn had to go to the emergency on Thursday at 2am because, we figured after some hours of miserable crying and his stating that "ear hurt" we should bring him in.
Turns out: whopping ear infection.
He loves his "pink med'cin".
so he is on the mend, but Wrenny...bit of a fusspot.
oh well. so it goes.
it makes for some in-house fun.
Finn and I have been dancing quite a bit...and we made pies and painted crafts.
This week Mike and I will be performing with Cara Luft.
Its been awhile since we played music together, both of us are looking forward to it.
will report on that later.

Sleepy Head

After missing his nap yesterday afternoon, Finn disappeared into his room for some quiet time at about 4:45pm. I sat in the living room enjoying the silence of the house as the babe was asleep.
After 10 minutes I realized it was too quiet.
I poked my head in Finn's room and found him thus.
Ah, the exhaustion of a recovering sick kid!!

Lethbridge Shots

I just got these pics from Nana.
They were taken at Christmas..I love 'em!!

Auntie Rin and baby Wren

The Thiessen Hepher family..Robin, Rin and Skye

On the wrong side of Grace

another day the life of a Hepher kidlet!


It was a great idea.
Get out of the house, go for a ride, kids get some scenery. I get some time with the radio on and hands free parenting (well, if you take away the steering wheel aspect!)
We drove to neighbouring Kimberley to the kids consignment store to find Finn some hockey skates. Our friends Jen, Kate and Jack came too. Now it was time for a treat. so we headed to the local coffee shop and ordered lunch, trying our best to keep the 2 year olds in line and in view and playing with toys ina decent "restaurant rules" sort of way.
Enter waiter guy.
Not keen on us.
Actually make that not keen on our kids.
He was quite open with his NOT saying it (stares and mutters) that he wished us gone.
This was my first fun outing in quite a number of sick days and here we were gobbling our food and mochas down and feeling judged and somehow guilty all the while.
trying to be quick about it all as to leave him and his store intact of the brashness, freshness and whirlwind that is childhood.

Pretty mad was I on the way home.
Jerk.
How dare he. How rude!
Must not have kids.
expletive here and there in my head (have 2 year old, must be always careful what comes out of my mouth these days-else it is used by Finn on his bunny bear).

And then I got to thinking about how quick I am to judge.
I still constantly judge other mothers, other women of all vocations..all people really.
It has been a long time since I felt this judged. And I suppose it has been a poignant reminder to me. That I wish to be of the tribe of the "uncast stone". That those judgements are not mine to deliver or consider.
And well... the food was good.
and we did find skates.

Ladies and Gents...we have a cold.

There has been snuffling, wiping, drippling, choking, coughing, moaning and smearing going on. And that's just Finn.
Until yesterday.
Now we have 2 kids with miserableness.
Finn has tried to remain chipper..with a very chapped little snot-runner..Wrenny, well, she is not too happy. After a full day of coping with a very demanding almost 2 year old "no-monster" yesterday, I have given in to "fake parenting" and provided a movie before naptime.
And a movie after naptime.
I told two other moms this on the phone today.
They said "that's what sick days are for".
I agree. I listen to the voices of my esteemed collueges.
And so, I have become the woman with the clicker.
And I for one, can live with that.
For a day, anyways.

New Camera on the Block

Nana's here for the weekend and has been taking oodles of photos on NEW digi cam.
Here are a few shots fro your perusal

Finn and Baba watching Hockey night in canada..Finn's cheeks chapping from cold..poor fella!

A study of Cat in Pink Bag (or: Maus takes over Nan's weekend luggage)

Me and my little smilin' bird!

Wrenny and her Nana
Laughing girl.

My Latest Gig

The last 2 days I have been hanging around with 13 old men.
Older men.
I got to be the sole "estrogen factor" at our friend Gord Askey's CD release parties in both Kimberley and Invermere. Last night Gord and his wife Lynn had set up their 5th wheel beside the concert hall in Invermere.

We spent the Saturday in Invermere before the concert with Steve, Leanne, Shawna, Meg and Jasmine at a condo unit in Radium that Gord had booked for us. We went swimming and hung out nibbling on appetizers and sipping Port. Finn had a hoot playing hide-and-seek with Meg and Jasmine: while Wrenny, still sick and snuffly had a 3 hour nap in one of the 3 bedrooms. Once the concert started rolling at 8pm, all went tickety boo. Finn and Wrenny stayed in the 5th wheel with Shawna's daughter Meg and Steve's daughter Jasmine during the concert. Except for my zany yet prevalent nervous Mama tendencies, all went very well. The scotch helped. I realized again last night, why it is I am not good at performing live music and being a breastfeeding mother. It is just damn stressful. I don't relax well and always feel torn.

After the concert, the band went from a bluegrass to an electric country swing set, and we danced a little later into the night. This morning we all had platefuls of pancakes, ham with mustard, eggbake and strong coffee cooked on a woodfire stove at Gord and Lynn's.
A lovely weekend indeed.


Steve, Gord, me, and John Cronin (played with Ian Tyson for 7 years!)

Myron (played with Ian Tyson for 10 years!), Fred Milette Gord, Kevin

Our Steve Jones inhis bluegrassin' element

Breakfast at the Askey's

A little rollerskating at home

Wrenny's big grin



Yesterday we discovered a bag from our Christmas in Lethbridge.
There were rollerskates from Skye in it.
They are a big hit..as seen above.

Home Again

The boys in row 12.


The girls in row 13

Suitcases are still sitting in the living room;open-unpacked..but we are home.
It was a long trip home-Wrenny was a little less tolerant this time around..crying off and on throughout the whole trip..but we are safe and sound and happy too. everyone happy to sleep in their own beds. What fun-five days we just had...I am soo very glad we got to go. I wish Colorado was not so stinking far away. bah.

Tomorrow night I start a course at the local Retreat Center on "Finding God in the everyday" run by some local Benedictine nuns. I am excited as a few other women (my friend Jen, my midwife Jane and 2 other moms I know only a little bit) will also be taking it with me. It has been a while since I enrolled in a course.

Well, Wrenny has wowed me today by rolling over for the first time! I wasn't even watching..just looked up and there she was-with a look as surprised as my own.
Next week-she'll be graduating from high school!
slow down, kiddo!

Last Day in Wellington

The unique eating combinations of my brother..pictured here: beer and cheerios
(he says they are all grains...)
Visiting the horses..Finn and Zach
Cousin sandwich (Zach, Finn and Evan)
Finn's new coat (a second hand find at the local thrift store in Ft Collins..$4!!)


Today included a lovely lunch at the "Chocolate Rose" in Wellington (pop. 3500) with my awesome sister-in-law! Christian and Mike took all the kids to a little farm and a walk as today was the first day in a long time where the temp was at alomost 0c for a time. It has been a while since the kids got a good romp outside.

Mike and I also got to go out for a dinner at the local Mexican restaurant tonight, while the kids stayed with Uncle and Auntie. So we are feeling pretty spoiled!! Another very cool event today was WRENNY LAUGHED for the first time! Really chuckled..over and over as Mike was tickling and kissing her. We were delighted! This coincided with Evan making his first real deposit in the toilet. A very eventful day indeed in the land of childrearing!!!!HA.

Finn has LOVED hanging out with his cousins and wakes up asking for the boys by name from his crib. He will be so sad to leave these buddies behind. He's not the only one!

Saturday's Adventures

Here is what we have been up to .....

Skating at ROLLERLAND!!

With Josh (7 years) during the limbo competition.

Evan (2 1/2 years) and Wrenny hanging out


Finn falls asleep in Mike's arms at the rink.


Pizza Night with all the little guys (Hubby's at a gig-Wren napping)

Please Come to Denver in the Winter...

Finn's lookout at the Spokane airport
Wrenny's sleeping quarters..
in the guest room closet in our roomy suitcase
(don't worry-the lid is tied up so it won't close on her!)


We have arrived safe and sound.
Happy even.
Kids travelled exceptionallly (with 3 'l's -for emphasis) well for the 12 hours we were enroute.
We were duly delighted! Today we relaxed -since 3 of the four of us are fighting colds..it was well needed and wanted. Its so good to be here in not-so-warm Colorado, with in the cozy walls of Family.

Another Day, Another bath

Wrenny in towel accesories. ..
after a rather invigorating bath with her big splashy brother.
Note the shell-shocked look in her eyes!

PHEW!

YIKES!!
We were a little worried over the last few weeks..and today eased our fears with a test.
Mike celebrated by doodling on this cup.
Note big "X" on belly!
11 months between kids would simply NOT be enough!!

A funny thing i found online today..

My Fortune Cookie told me: You are delicate as a tomato sandwich. Get a cookie from Miss Fortune

Damp-dry

We went for a walk around the block this afternoon. Finn on foot, wrenny in her carseat on a wooden toboggan. It took 25 minutes. One block. Not kidding. Finn found that he needed to do alot of snow sampling. When we got home, he was pretty much soaked. And although I was just going to change his clothes, he seemed to have another idea.
Clever little feller.

Early in the year

A few shots from the last days...

The day we returned from Lethbridge, we went to a potluck dinner at the houseof one of our musical friends:Beth. "Uncle Steve"-my bass player, did dinner duty, and held Wrenny while I scarfed down supper. we have a similar picture of him holding Finn..had to post this one!

NEw Year's eve we did a very brief version of a fondue. The night included one very spirited toddler, one tired baby, 2 befuzzled parents, a ceramic fondue pot cracking over the blue flame, tears, bad words, and one ceramic pot in the snow. We did manage to put the then-melted cheese into another fondue pot (the cheap thrift store variety) and enjoyed the night with wine and well, if nothing else..a memory of a bumbly, funny crazy year!


Wrenny is a girl transformed.
She is all about the jolly jumper-just as her big brother was. can't wait to string her jumper up in the trees, in the van, at the cabin etc. like we did with Finn. Where did 2 years just go? Actually-where did our newborn baby just go??

Girl Outing and kitchen table reform

Wrenny and I went on one of our very first "Just the girls" outings while Finn napped.

She in backpack and me in my Sorels, slogging throught the slushy snow.
Only to the post office.
She's so light I sometimes think I have forgotten her...kind of like a suspiciously light guitar case on the way to a gig. She so quiet...or maybe too-dressed is a better way of saying it. Couldn't hear her much through her scarf and snowsuit etc. even if I really tried.

Anyways, the sky is perfect.
Blue and freshly washed..after a good cry of rain and snow yesterday. Its starting up new: putting on a happy face and moving forward till the next clouds take its brilliance for a meloncholy twist. We breathed it all in really deeply. Fleetingly euphoric and glorious skies need to be celebrated. So we came back and had a big blue mug of hot green tea and 2 ginger cookies...me now, Wrenny will have them later.

And now, i have done some clearing up in the kitchen..gone through the "returning home from Christmas" clutter and am pleased with the results. Amazing what a sense of accomplishment a person can get from an emptied kitchen table! but hey, i'll take what I can get to feeling successful at the end of a day.

New year, new wine and other foresights and hindsights

Have a few minutes here before I fall asleep. I have been thinking about the january Movement..as one might call it. It seems that in this cold and slushy air there tingles a freshness: a desire for something New, yet undiscovered to happen. I have not made any "Resolutions" they are a little too grand for me. I am more of one to lurk in the shadow of these Resolutions, and put together instead a few wishes for this new year.
they are as follows:

• a good night's rest, for 3 days in a row (I know, I am aiming a bit high here)

• exploring new kinds of red wine (as heard on tuesday afternoons on CBC Radio's "All Points West" with award winning BC Wine book writer who's name I can't recall)

• at least one retreat at Marywood

• journalling regularily about the inner workings of my mind and spirit and body

• creative projects ongoing..even if they are only brewing in my mind for now..songs or lyric or paintings in the perculation phase

• knitting for my Finn and Wren

I am in the middle of a truly wonderful time in my life. Not without its weeks of fatigue and grieving of course...but it is truly the richest and most colorful my world has ever been.
I have found such incredible "lump-in-throat" moments due to these two little urchins with their rapid and inccesant growth, and in the also always-changing and crazy-flexing of my co-parent and true love, Mike.
And I keep thinking, this is it. This day will never come again.
I will never have another chance at today's rare beauty, and unique challanges.
So let me be gracious.
Let me be Kind. Genuine. Creative.
And heavy on the Mercy and the laughter.
I may be clutzy in this whole department of motherhood, wifehood, and friendship,
but dammit I sure do enjoy it.
It has been truly, a good year.