Tea for Two

Together they sat.
Two red chairs pulled up to one make-shift kitchen island.

A white satin ball gown with jewels enveloped one seat, while a hot pink lace tunic
(accessorized with striped toe socks no less) perched respectively across the corner.

Small beflowered teacups with matching saucers littered the surface in front of them,
only two privileged for use.

The conversation I per chanced to overhear sounded antiquated - there was chatter about "the
time she fainted", and "the good old days" back when they were eight or ten years old - but
numerous irruptions of giggling and the youthful tinkle of laughter (which often evolved into
explosions of snorts and guffaws) gave away the truth.  And as indecorous as it would be,
I really thought I might witness tea coming out of someone or other's nose!

The scene was reminiscent of a Norman Rockwell or Carl Larson painting and I think either
would have gladly whipped out their pens and brushes for pleasure and posterity.

My own tool of choice for recording this party is evident.  Not paint nor pen nor graphite scrawl.

If I'd happened to own a silken  garment of my own though, I might have been sitting on the
other side of the camera lens, pinky finger extended and teacup raised.

Perhaps when an event of such nature pops up again I'll be more prepared.

Even a good pair of candy-striped toe socks would do the trick :-)

My Pixie

She dresses herself with care.

She wears sparkles on her feet and pearls on her dress.

She knows what those glitter shoes can do and they take on a life of their own.

She dances on sunbeams.

Afterglow

Sitting in the semi-darkness with my feet up on the coffee table,
white lights sparkle softly over my bed and behind me on my
"Every Day is a Party..." sign.

It's ten o'clock at night, but things are just finally quieting
as two big fellas turn down the volume of their boyish laughter,
and two toddlers find their eyelids too heavy to continue in their
after-being-tucked-in hooliganism.  My littlest chub has been
sleeping peacefully for a while.

This afternoon I taped an invitation to my big girl's bedroom door.
"Come join me for a Girl Date tonight!"  it said, and promptly
at 8:00 they did.
First we painted nails - so unique from one another, my girls.
One wants light pink, one wants red on her toes and glittery green
on her fingernails.  My eldest wants only a bit of glitter on her toes.
She doesn't like to be noticed.

After that, we made chocolate muffins  - one minute each, in a mug -
then topped them with yogurt and raspberries.  I offered a dollar to
whoever finished the whole thing.
Only Olivia.
The other two will have a lovely breakfast of left-overs in the morning :-)

Finally, all hunkered into my bed (which I find, now barely fits four of
us at the sizes these young ladies are!) plus the addition of three dolls who
joined us for our date, we watched a short Shirley Temple.

Now they too, are tucked.

So the sign over my loveseat ~ "Every day is a Party..."
apparently it's true.
At least it was tonight.  Or it can be if I make it so.
Not only that, but even after the "guests" have left my room and it's
less giggly and more peaceful, I believe there's a bit more party to be had.

Shall it be a movie?  Maybe a little bloggy chatter?  Or perhaps...
perhaps I'll pick up a pencil and whittle away at a new piece of artwork.
Whatever, it will be lovely.
I have my twinkle lights and a candle and the day's not over quite yet!
And don't you know?

Every day's a party :-)

~A work in Progress~

Aloria Says...

"Dis is a Girl and a Wollypop"

Seeing Red... in double

Precious friends are staying with us.
It's like having a couple more darling sisters around the house.

One morning...
We had twins.

One with red curls named Libby
and one with blond pigtails named Lori.

"What do you think of our book collection?"

says one to the other

"I believe it's coming along quite nicely"

a tiny sweet voice replies.

"Perhaps we should select a title and sit down together?"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

And that's the fun I've been witnessing around here lately :-)

Maybe the best Weekend picture

Doesn't really need words, does it.

Twins... 5 years apart.

Two Heads are Better than One

This is just the sweetest sight that ever my eyes beheld!

I see it often, in many varying combinations.
Sometimes a big brother and little brother,  sometimes a big sis and little brother,
often a big brother and lil' sis.

There's something about having company while
you drudge through the ol' 'Rithmatic, and every little bit of interaction from
those adoring big siblings toward their equally adoring lil' siblings is money in the
friendship bank!

Who knows - maybe more work gets done too?

There is definitely good work being accomplished!  Whether it involves numbers
I can't really say :-)

It Seemed Unlikely

Improbable even, if you factor in what it would take to gather three friends without nursing babies
or pregnant bellies, three dads to babysit 13 children on the same day, oh - and ideal weather.
Combine that all with a will to learn something completely out of my comfort zone, and you have
an event requiring the sun, moon, and stars to participate in proper alignment.

I learned to ski.

Well, technically I started learning how to ski.
Or better yet, I tried.
That's pretty good for me.  I'm neither athletic nor graceful, and generally prefer sticking to experiences
in which someone knowledgeable holds my hand.
Remember that cartoon of Goofy skiing?
That's what I felt like, and I'm confident I looked like ol' Goof as well. :-)

My man - he'd like us to ski together. 
Amazing fella he is, he scheduled a class for me, watched the chiluns, and sent along a couple
of my favorite girlfriends so we'd be sure to laugh real hard.
Which we did.  Starting before we went even. 

The question came up:  "Which hat should I wear?  Maybe the right hat will help me look like
I know what I'm doing!"

And in  response to that:  "I know what you mean.  I'm looking for something warm to wear 
that isn't woodland camo.  
I want to blend in, but I don't think that's the look I'm going for."


Yep.  We laughed a lot!  There was one point when riding a ski lift for the first time, that I laughed so hard
I couldn't talk. I think J thought I might keel off the lift right there.
It doesn't take a lot to give me a big kick.  I'm easy that way :-D

After all that talk about hats, my sympathetic buddy crocheted one for me.  It made me look like a pro too, when I tried it on and wore it on the walk from the parking lot, the paying, and ski rentals.
Unfortunately my head got too hot before I set ski to decline and I went bareheaded for the duration.

  










Our instructor was a 60 year old man who kept saying things like "Whoa yeah.  You're Rockin' it!"
and then expect a high-five, which made us feel even more dorky than absolutely necessary.

Needless to say we felt a bit empty handed without husbands and children.  Perhaps more than a bit.
My identity was in question.  Here I was with two cute girlfriends, out playing in the snow for a day,
and expected to high-five a ski instructor who's name (it said on the tag he wore) was "RICHARD from
Coure de'Alene".  Where was my tag?  What would it say? "Momma Bug I-left-7-children-at-home-with
my-handsome-hunk-of-a-husband-and-what-am-I-doing-HERE!!!?"

In hindsight I think a tag with some explanation would have promoted more questioning and less assuming.
Assumptions can be more bearable in some circumstances.

Another thing, I was pleasantly surprised to find, is that it's possible to fall without breaking any bones. 
I guess I always thought skiing = falling = broken stuff.  All I got was a bruise.
And some sore muscles. 

It would be good to get sore muscles more often I think.

I wouldn't really say I'm skiing yet.  I mean, unless you define that to include the gravitational force which
propelled me to the bottom of the bunny hill (at times against my will) haphazardly, and not necessarily in an upright position (can one ski on ones bottom?) but I sure had fun!

The whole experience was enough to make smoke pour out my ears.  But despite chanting instructions
under my breath all day, and then twitching all night as I turned powdery corners in my sleep, I woke thinking
I just might like to go again.

Don't be thinking Black Diamonds any time soon Handsome-Hunk-of-a-Husband! ;-)

a study in pink

beautiful pink pixie
teething pixie not-so-smiling pixie
brother-proclaimed "best friend" and it's already so true.
talking baby gibberish that everyone wants to translate
"do you want me?  do you need this?  can i kiss you little sis?"
very gifted little girl, given cars and dinosaurs and fingernail polish,
train parts, stretchy lizard toys, rubber snake or hair brush.
every now and then "do you want a bite of my carrot? my cracker? my candy cane?"
watchful eyes are needed when your adoring fans are near.
but watching isn't work when the subject is you.
sweet, darling pixie.

Sisters

just a regular day

still in jams

hair all a muss

bright eyes

holding-tight arms

tiny clasping hands

i love you secrets whispered

giggles exchanged

smiles for momma.........

my girls

sisters.

My own Wood Nymph

She requested Cream Puffs

{Talkin' to Grama}

My Susanna Glory turned 7.

Cream Puffs and Fairy wings...

Finger Sandwiches and Tea...

Sisters and sunlight...

Cream, sugar, and a beloved cousin...

It was lovely.  Just perfect.

The girls made hair clips.

Just enjoyed.

I love you my Darling!  
Happy happy Birthday, with many more to come!