Grass stained knees

beach trip 2011

This year our family beach trip took us to Carolina Beach. 
Our house was canal facing and this was the view from the back decks. 
I think the reviews were mixed on not having a house ocean side, but I really liked the canal and all that it offered, lots to see with completely gorgeous sunsets.

The littlest cousins, what a bunch of cute trouble!

Fisher folk...

Samuel was sooo excited to haul in this sand shark!

In defense of this picture, do you know how hard it is to get 6 people to smile at once??

Yay for fun times in the sand and surf!

Vermont

Waaaaayyyyyyy back in June the big brothers and I took an unprecidented adventure, just the three of us. 

We flew to Vermont to spend 5 days with our very favorite friends. 
I had never been to Vermont, but the ways I had always heard it described sounded like paradise to me, and it did not disappoint! Of course spending 5 whole days with some of the best people on the planet doesn't hurt either.

We hiked in the woods... 

We visited the wonderful and legendary Shelbourne Museum...

We took a trip to the swimming hole, AKA a glorious and FREEZING, rocky river flowing down from Green Mountain National Forest...

We had a special tour of a spectacular little organic farm in East Middlebury... 

It was a completely dreamy time.
Caleb and Harry share such a special friendship, hand in hand is how these buddies spent almost every minute of the visit. Love those guys so much!
Seeing these pictures makes me want to go back and do it all again. Right. Now. 

kitten love

Two days after returning from our wonderful Road Trip we brought home this sweet little guy.

He was officially named Clancy Claws Anderson by the big brothers. Finn however, was unable to pronounce Clancy and called him "Pantsy", which gave way to the nick name "Clancy-Pantsy", which was further shortened to "Clancy-Pants". Lately he is often called just "Pants". Isn't it funny how nick names come about and take on a whole life of their own?

 
 

If you had asked me earlier in the spring if we would be adding more pets anytime soon I would have laughed pretty hard. Sometimes animals and even people just have a way of joining your family. 

It became more and more clear with the arrival of the ducks that Samuel was old enough to assume the reponsibilty of taking care of a pet. It didn't take too long to realize that he was also wanting to cuddle and love on those ducks much more than any duck would like to be handled. It was at that point that we realized he might need a pet who would actually enjoy that brand of attention. As luck would have it one of our good friends had a cat with a litter of kittens earlier in the spring. It seemed like a natural solution. 

It turns out that Clancy was a natural fit for our household. He was welcomed warmly by the old dog and cat. He has definitely become Samuel's special pet but also shares his love with the rest of the crew. 

This is how he travels throughout much of the day. Always in the arms of a little person.   

The Grand Road-trip Adventure of 2011: Day four

Our Nation's Capitol was the final stop of our road trip. 

The truth is we were all dog tired. 

We visited the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History, ate lunch in the National Gallery of Art sculpture garden and rounded out the afternoon in the Air and Space Museum. Phew, it was a power packed way to end a very busy trip.  

Thus concludes the photographic evidence of The Grand Road-trip Adventure of Spring 2011.

The Grand Road-trip Adventure of 2011: Day three

Day three of our adventure took us to the banks of the Potomac River to George Washington's home, Mt. Vernon. 

It was another magnificently HOT day.

At this point, it had been three days since the littlest people in our party had taken a nap, hmmm...that's a hairy situation any way you slice it. 

I think because it was Memorial Day weekend, there were some extra festivities going on. The whole place was crawling with teenage "historical interpreters", (which means lots of fancifully dressed young people milling around, much the way they would a shopping mall, the girls waving fans instead of cell phones and the boys strutting around preening their peacock feathers as nonchalantly as possible, announcing absurdities like, "let's get out of this blistering heat."). That part was amusing to me if no one else.

We enjoyed the scenery. It is a beautiful place indeed and it was amazing to walk around "imaginating" (as Caleb would say) what it was like and just who would have been walking the very same paths back in the day.

Just for chuckles, here is a glimpse of our 3rd hotel room in 3 days, right before the feral children traveling with us proceeded to trash it as though they had never heard of inside voices, not throwing pillows and not jumping on beds. Deep Breathes.  

The Grand Road-trip Adventure of 2011: Day two

Day two found us headed to Richmond where we stopped for sandwiches at a favorite old deli in order to enjoy a picnic lunch and spend the day at one of the most glorious parks on the planet. I can't believe it has been 3 years since our last visit. ( I also can't believe how little the big brothers look in those pictures, eek, where does the time go?)

As it happened, it was about 1,000 degrees with 99% humidity this day. Alright, maybe it was really about 92 degrees but it might as well have been 1,000. The heat made little people's legs less able to walk and it might have made some parents a little less patient with whining children. Thankfully being surrounded by winding streams and rolling hills helped to offset the ill effects of the oppressive heat. 

After lots of hot wandering, we ended up settling down at the edge of this little steam. We sunk our toes into the chilly water and everything was right with the world. After an extended spell of sailing leaf boats and trying to reroute the water's flow with some expert dam building, we could no longer ignore the call of the air conditioned nature center. It was just the way to end our visit, watching the fish and river otters swim in the late afternoon sunshine.  

As always, Maymont proves itself to be the quintessential outdoor destination. Day Two was an excellent day indeed.  

The Grand Road-trip Adventure of 2011: Day one

We went on a road-trip adventure last week.

It was quite an adventure indeed. Four days in the car, a different destination each day and a new hotel each night, on paper, our plan sounded amazing. In reality, four days in the car, with 4 children, including twin toddlers, minus any naps, well... let's just say it was 85 parts stressful and 15 parts wonderful.  

The first day, we awoke at the crack of dawn and headed North to Staunton, VA. Our destination was The Frontier Culture Museum. This is an amazing spot that I would highly recommend visiting. It is a living history museum showcasing 9 working farms that illustrate what life was like for immigrant populations before they landed in the new world and after. There is a West African farm, a 1600's English farm, a 1700's Irish farm, a 1700's German farm, a 1740's American farm, an 1820's American farm and an 1850's American farm.

Each farm is staffed with interpreters in traditional costume, armed with stories about the people who would have lived during each respective time period. Not only that, but each building is authentic to the time and place, having been deconstructed in Europe or America and reconstructed at the museum. It's really quite amazing. 

The West African farm...

The 1600's English farm...

The 1700's blacksmith forge...

The 1700's Irish farm...

The 1700's German farm...

The 1820's American farm...

The 1850's American farm...

There you have it, day one.

Minus the brief, hard rain shower, I'd say this portion of our trip was just about perfect.

 

 

 

fresh air

So ducklings grow quickly. We have learned that for ourselves. 

Ducklings also create quite a bit of stinky, wet mess. We have definitely learned that also. 

I'll bet you didn't know that the main protein source in their food comes from dried fish meal.

Here's a fun exercise, close your eyes and imagine what it would smell like in the dining room of your home if there was a box filled with wet straw, an abundance of stinky wet poop and dead fish all marinating under the warm glow of a heat lamp.  Ummmm...now you have some idea what our house has smelled like for the last 4 weeks or so.  

Sweet little ducklings like these create a little bit of messy smell.

Big old ducklings like these, the kind that are so big that they can raise their heads and look over the side of the box, well they create a big 'ol messy smell.

This is a situation that necessitates a mama to gather up her power tools and find some plans to construct an abode for these sweet, albeit smelly, creatures to move on outside to a safe, warm, dry house, far, far away from her dining room.

So that's just what I did. I found these plans on ebay. They were for a chicken coop, so I amended them a bit as nesting boxes were not necessary for this purpose. Basically I needed a box with a front door and a side door, some vents for air circulation and that it be dry and safe from predators. 

So about 2 weeks ago I set to work on this house. The plans ended up being quite thorough, although Bill at my local Lowes lumber dept. looked them over and made a few changes here and there. He was super patient and helpful, walking me through each step making sure I knew what I was about to do. 

It came together pretty easily. I measured and drew cut lines on Friday evening. Saturday morning, Papa held the plywood while I ran the circular saw and everything was cut by about 11:00. By Sunday afternoon the whole house was together and the roof was shingled. 

All told, I spent about $200 on materials which seemed like a fair investment considering online searches for pre constructed houses ran between $500-$700.  

The hinged roof swings up for easy cleaning. The floor is linoleum tiled for easy hosing out. Just cause I can't smell it anymore doesn't mean the mess isn't still being made.  

Here it is, in all it's glory, in it's spot in the backyard. We won't mention how much the finished product weighs and how challenging it was to bring it from the driveway down the long, slippery hill that is our yard. (Thanks for your help Uncle Eggies!)

The ducks have been sleeping here for almost a week now and we are all much happier to have fresh air!

from his perspective

Caleb has really taken a shine to grabbing my camera lately. At first he was very good about asking permission, usually while I was also busy with it, which was a bit frustrating. Recently, I think he has been using it more and more on his own, which surprisingly doesn't really bother me. I guess lots of time and lots of kids really does mellow a mama out, no?

Anyway, I was unloading and uploading what was stored the other day and came across a whole bunch of shots that I didn't remember taking and realized they were actually taken by him. I find it interesting to look through these photos, to see the view through the lens from his perspective. Some of them are really quite good, I think. 

I love to see the product of my children's creative juices at work. They each have so many unique and special gifts. I dare say we might have a budding photographer on our hands. How exciting would it be to have someone to share that hobby with!

a boy and his ducks

Raising ducklings has been on my wish list for a while now. For the last few years it just didn't seem like the timing was quite right: newly pregnant...no thanks, 1 year old twins... nope we'll pass, but this Spring felt like things had evened out enough at our house to add a little something extra to the mix. I also hoped that when we decided to take the plunge, at least one of my kids would be just the right age to fully embrace the responsibility and the magic of falling head over heels in love with another living creature.

As it turns out, 8 IS the perfect age for such an endeavor. 

 

My guy is never far from his ducks. 

Almost any time of day this is where you will find him, outside sitting with them and chatting softly, or reading a book or just observing as they wander around the yard. I have to admit, it is surprisingly relaxing to sit for a spell and watch them waddle around and splash in the tub. 

Isn't this funny? Horton is jumping clear off the ground as he is hand fed worms. Look how the others are waiting patiently for their turn.

So in case you were wondering, I'm here to let you know that 8 is a magical age for raising ducks. I'm so glad we decided to welcome these little guys into our family this Spring. I think we will all remember it as a really fun adventure but I'm pretty sure it will leave a special imprint on the heart of this boy in particular. 

mothers day

When it comes to feeling celebrated and special, my crew, led by my exceptional husband, does an exceptional job each and every year. This Mother's Day I woke up and wondered down to the kitchen to find this sweet message drawn by Samuel on the chalkboard wall. A few minutes later Papa and Caleb came in from the store and presented me with balloons and not one but two bouquets of fresh flowers. 

I was instructed to go back to bed to relax while they worked together to make a yummy breakfast for all of us and that's just what I did.  

 

"Take my picture Papa, Cheeeeesssse".

What a cutie.

I'm not sure why this would feel surprising, but regardless of how hard Jon worked to make my day relaxing, for most of the day, I was as busy as ever. I guess there really isn't much idol time when you are raising 4 small children. There was a sunny, quiet moment, in which I stopped to catch my breath. 

These guys and I relaxed together while Papa prepared Fillet and lobster tails for dinner. I'm a lucky girl, I know.

Oliver said "Finny, sit on my lap". So he did and they laughed and rolled all over the couch together.

These sorts of moments are scattered throughout the loud, crazy, dirty, hectic, sometimes frantic bits of our everyday life. When my children are laughing and the sun is streaming on their beautiful faces, I feel completely whole and I say a silent prayer of gratitude for I know that I am blessed. 

How are the ducklings?

I get asked that question a lot lately and the answer is, "the ducklings are great!" And they have been a source of constant entertainment since arriving.

The first few days the brothers sat vigil by their box...

Come to find out, so did the cat, but he waited until everyone else went to bed. 

Not to worry, after seeing this the first night we double gated the dining room doors so he couldn't get in. 

The dog was introduced to the ducks and not surprising, he was unimpressed. 

 We began bringing them outside for fresh air for short periods of time about two days after they arrived.

About two days later, on a particularly warm afternoon, we let them take their first dip in the water. A painters rolling pan was recommended as the slope allows easy entrance and exit. 

It didn't take long for all of us to get tired of having to sit outside with them for several hours at a time chaperoning ducklings in a cardboard enclosure. So last week I built them something that we felt safe leaving them in unattended and they also graduated into a bigger tub for swimming.

In the last few days, after realizing that they will not scatter and prefer to stay close, we have begun letting them roam the backyard freely...which is really fun because if you call "duck duck duck" they will run and follow you all over the yard.

Here they are in our raised vegetable bed, where they prefer to spend most of the day...and where they have gobbled up lots of my plants. The lettuce was quickly mowed to nubs, the snap peas are withered to nothing and the pepper plants now stand leafless. The tomatoes are beginning to loose their bottom leaves and today I noticed that they are developing a taste for parsley, but there aren't any bugs running around the garden, so I guess there's that. 

Here are two other funny ducks running around the backyard...

Looking at the progression of these photos really shows just how fast the ducklings are growing...

It only takes 9 weeks for them to reach full size. Isn't that crazy?

Thankfully the same can not be said for this dude...

I must say that I am surprised at the amount of personality displayed by these creatures. They want to be close to us all the time. If we are in the house and they hear us from their box in the other room, they peep like crazy for someone to come say hello to them. If we leave them in the backyard happily grazing in the garden it doesn't take long to find that they have traveled across the yard and up the back steps to the back door, peeping to see where we have gone.

This is how we spent our time a few days ago, reading a chapter book together in the backyard. *Note that I was reading to the big brothers and the ducks joined us, lest you think I was in the yard by myself reading to ducks, I might be "the weird duck lady" as Jon likes to call me, but I haven't gotten that weird! 

 So, the ducks are great and growing quickly and I'm anxious for them to feather out so they can move to their outside abode and vacate the box in the dining room which has become quite the stink bomb, regardless of how often it gets hosed out!  

 

 

Look who's gettin' big...

Spring has been a time of milestones for my middle guy. 

He lost his first tooth a few weeks ago. **sniff**

He also toughed it out and mastered the two-wheeler. He was quite determined in order to finally be able to ride bikes with the big kids on our street.  

My little guy is growing up. It's bittersweet, this getting big thing, but I sure do feel proud of him!

early morning excitement

So it's time to let you in on something super fun that's going on at our house right now.  

Last Wednesday morning at 6:30 on the button, my sound sleep was interrupted by a phone call that we had been eagerly awaiting... it was the post office letting us know that our "chicks" had arrived. Well, the peeping inside the box was actually 4 ducklings, not chicks, four Mallard ducklings to be exact.

Samuel and I got dressed and made our way down to the post master. My guy was bursting with excitement walking into the lobby. Sure enough, there on the counter behind the front desk was indeed our box and the sound of those little guys in there, peeping their heads off, it is a moment that I will probably remember forever.  

Here is a glimpse of the deluxe accommodations that hatch-lings enjoy on their way through the mail. Our ducklings made the journey all the way from Iowa. I called before I placed my order, curious if North Carolina would be too far of a trip. The nice lady assured me that they send birds all the way to Alaska and Puerto Rico. 

Here they are in all of their peeping sweetness, two males and two females...

It took about a day for the big brothers to decide on their names. The boys are Horten and Gribsley, the girls are Daisy and Blossom. Crazy enough, they have distinguishing characteristics and personalities to match that really do allow us to tell them apart.

It has been so exciting to have them with us. They are growing by leaps and bounds. I'm sure there will be a few update posts to share over the next few months as our duckling adventure develops. 

spring break

The neighborhood kids are all off for Spring break this week, so by extension, we are as well. I've learned enough by now to know that it makes very little sense to try to cajole small people into sitting down for lessons while their friends are all out the window happily playing .

 I'm feeling super off the hook and relaxed knowing we have 5 straight days of not needing to accomplish anything in particular. This morning after breakfast was all cleaned up, we grabbed our gear and headed down to the pond.  

Hurray for Spring and a long stretch of days to exhale as a family and just enjoy being with each other. 

I hope your week has gotten off to just as wonderful a start!

like a warm breeze...

I am going to fight the urge to wax poetic and talk about all the ways our little blog has been in a deep sleep through the long cold winter, and like this tiny bud above, the warmth of the sun is bringing it back to life.  

In all honesty, the dry spell here has been unprecedented and unacceptable if you ask my sister, and I will spare you all sorts of excuses as to the whys, because at this late date, who cares really, right?

So spring has arrived, it actually came quite a few weeks ago to our part of the world, and lots is going on but before we start focusing on that it is necessary for me to document what has been happening in the mean time. Feel free to skip this part and check back in a day or two. For anyone who cares about the last several months (Mom), scroll down the page and take a peek.

P.S. Happy Spring. Isn't it great to feel a warm breeze again?!  

in which we discover the beaver dam

It was another warm winter day that we ventured out with friends and walked in a new direction in search of evidence of the beavers who have changed the flow and depth of the waterway we know  so well. 

It wasn't long before we happened upon their lodge, which was quite an impressive sight to say the least. 

Not too much further down the trail we came upon the dam...truly amazing work on such a grand scale for such small creatures. 

It dawned on me this day just how big the babies really are. They walked independently for the whole hike through the woods, stopping along the way to stir the shoreline with sticks and peer into holes and fallen logs. They have really found their comfort zone in the woods, exploring and taking in all the wonder to be found. 

It's bittersweet, this growing up of the little people in our home.

winter co-op

We gathered to visit and exchange valentines with our buddies in the woods. 

February proved to be unseasonably warm and sunny and this particular day was no exception.

Even the smallest friends exchanged. I can't think of much that's sweeter than toddlers passing glittery handmade hearts about.

Hurray for warm winter days. 

Hurray for friends in the woods!

farewell

In January we said farewell to our very best buddies.  

It is nearly impossible for me to articulate how much we love this family and all the ways that we meshed so well. Our boys were so close in age and shared such similar interests. The mamas just felt totally comfortable with each other from the very first, and never, ever stopped chatting and laughing together. Countless afternoon play-dates ended with somebody's Papa walking through the door wondering what was for dinner and us just realizing that 6:00 had sprung out of nowhere. I for one, had not found such a like minded friend since my besties from high school. Even more important was the discovery of a mama who parented in such a similar way as myself, who I felt completely comfortable bouncing ideas off of without any fear of judgement or needing to offer explanation. She just got it. Ya know? What a gift to find a friend like that!

While we were thrilled with their opportunity to relocate to the place they had always dreamed of living, we were nothing short of heartbroken to say goodbye to these special beauties whom we had grown to love so very much.

These photos are from the day that we all gathered to help finish the packing and loading of their stuff.  

There was a little birthday cupcake celebration in the midst of the nuttiness. This picture makes my heart hurt with how much I miss seeing those little faces! 

Group hug for the camera while the scurrying and packing happened all around.

The overwhelming task of lugging boxes, disassembling furniture and packing pods to the gills in the span of about 4 hours allowed for a generous amount of denial about the goodbye that was inevitable.   

Surprisingly, it was a goodbye that might have proved most difficult for these little dudes. Harry and Caleb were fast friends from the start and over time proved to be soul-mates for sure.  The grieving and missing of these little people has been extreme and slightly surprising. Who knew at the age of 5 that one could form such a strong attachment for a friend?  

We are happy to know that they are settled and very much loving their new home. We are thrilled that their dream has come true and we continue to go on missing them every single day. 

Counting the days until we see you again friends!

winter at home

Once the holidays were over we really had a chance to settle in at home and hang around doing what we do best...being cozy and never getting out of our jammies. 

Here are a few moments that look like most of or days through the end of Februaury...

I have come to accept that Winter is one of my favorite seasons just because of the jammie factor...does that make me a total weirdo?

holiday visiting

We traveled home to Maryland to visit for a few days after Christmas.  As seems to be the custom when we find ourselves there, we were too busy relaxing and having fun to remember to grab the camera and say "cheese". 

I did manage to grab a little bit of cousin silliness, like Samuel raiding Luca's dress-up supplies. What is it about somebody elses dress-ups? Ahh, the possibilities that lurk in that box. 

The biggest cousins both seem to have a musical ear, here they are sharing a moment on my brothers new piano.

We had a little cupcake celebration to mark the babies 2nd birthday. How much longer can I call them "my babies" now that they are 2?  Dislike.

Finally, this is my mild mannered son trying to strike fear in the heart of his Aunt Tara...what a nut!

white christmas

What? White Christmas in the South? You don't say!

Granted the snow didn't appear until the afternoon, but it came non-the-less and coated our world with magic. 

We dug into closets for hats and boots, unearthed the sled and dashed out the door to enjoy that chilly beauty up close.  Some of us found it more enjoyable than others (read. babies were miserable and couldn't understand why they had been exhiled to this frozen misery)

Winter Solstice

We spent Winter Solstice with our Waldorf co-op families. The 21st of December was also a full moon. It was also the date of a lunar eclipse.  It just so happens that it was the first time a lunar eclipse has coincided with the solstice since December 21, 1638. I'm not much of a moon and stars sort of girl but this felt significant even by my standards. 

We had a wonderful celebration, crafting popcorn & cranberry garlands and birdseed pinecones for the birds and squirells. We shared potluck dinner and walked the advent spiral together under the light of that magnificent full moon. 

Bless this candle burning bright,
Bless it's shining in the night.

Bless the boughs upon the ground, 
Bless the path that spirals round.

Bless our tread, so strong and stout,
Bless our winding in and out.

After the festivities had died down, and the friends had gone home, the children were tucked into bed and I came outside and sat in the quiet for the longest time in the midst of the glowing lanterns, under the light of that full moon, and it was magic. pure magic. 

fire engine santa

We wait for this moment every December.  It's appears without warning sometime near the dinner hour, do you hear it...I think it's a siren. 

Yes, yes that's it, I think it's coming closer. 

Quick run out onto the porch. 

Yes, it is getting closer. I'm pretty sure this is it...

Here it comes...don't cry babies, I know it's loud, but it's not scary, it's exciting. 

Yes, there it is. I see him.

It's Santa!! 

For our family, it wouldn't be Christmas without Santa making his way through the neighborhood on the top of the town firetruck.

Thanksgiving morning in the kitchen...

Yup, that's me, the cook looking cheesy as ever, at home in my kitchen on Thanksgiving morning.  in all seriousness, it's by far, one of my favorite moments of the year...it's that moment just on the precipice of the holiday season and all that that brings to our home. Pies cooling on the counter and the sounds of the Macy's parade on the tube in the next room, chopping up celery and onion for the stuffing, flowers sent by Mom smiling at me on the island, it's such a morning filled with joy and anticipation for the excitement of the coming weeks and all that leads up to Christmas.   

 This is me and my trusty assistant. The babies took turns jumping in and out of that carrier all morning. Prepping Thanksgiving dinner with a toddler on your back. Good times!