Dance party

my girl

here is Eva, sporting some inherited candle holders as earmuffs. I love those crazy eyes.

thanks for all the kind comments about my hair. I am just loving it too! The sun is peaking through. We may head to the park for a picnic supper. Lance is in the end of the semester craziness and is staying at school late... I don't think he'll miss the cracker, cheese and apple park supper. :) better get that rolling. bye. Aimee

haircut

I got a haircut a couple of weeks ago. And, as you know from the last post, getting photos of myself can be tricky. But then I realized I have a camera built into my computer. So after a few tries, and some terrible photos, I got some to share with you. Here I am

.

I was there

I've come across a few self-portrait snapshots lately. A photographer has to take a few of herself now and again, to prove she was there. And sometimes you've got to get creative...

in the front yard in the fall

on the ferry to Coronado

after styling my hair for Jane's wedding

Wedding dance replay

Eva and Elijah were quite taken with Jane and Jason's wedding. Particularly their dance. Many times a week they recreate the event. Can't you see the resemblance?

music for feeling

Lance posted on the Lent Project today. He included a link to a song composed by Arvo Part. I'm not sure if I've heard anything more beautiful and spacious. When you have a few moments for sitting and breathing, listen.

the Lent Project

Botanical building at Balboa Park San Diego

Visiting the botanical building at Balboa Park was one of the highlights of the trip for me. So much beauty. So much life. What a treat. Melanie, after wandering the building, and enjoying the "touch and feel and smell" section - great to have permission to be tactile, and doing her best to resist touching and feeling the carnivorous plant display, found a sunny spot to wait while I soaked everything in. Bernell, we would have loved to have you with us!!

Murky

Coronado bridge

Anders

catching up on sleep

This morning I came into Eva's room, climbed up her ladder a bit and looked at her lovely face. She was nestled under her blankets with her face in her hands. Looking at me she said softly,

"Mama is it okay if I just have a little more sleep"

"sure" I said

"oh thanks. I didn't have a very good sleep last night," she continued, "I had to nurse my babies a lot in the night"

Well, she has my sympathy to be sure!

On the same note, I wonder if I am the only one who likes my kids' morning breath. Even though in actuality the smell isn't great, it is the feeling I get when I see their sleepy snuggly selves, all cozy and sweet after a long (hopefully) night - it must change the smell! I love those little ones.

Jane

shadow, light and journey

This photo is from my San Diego trip it was taken in Balboa Park.

breakfast recipes

this morning we hosted a breakfast meeting for a group from church. To go with other items brought by the group I made mini quiches. This was a pretty last minute decision and I had all the needed ingredients on hand. They were super quick and easy to whip up. Here are the two recipes I used:

whole wheat olive oil crust - the olive oil crust results in a crunchier crust than a traditional pastry - also it is so much faster to mix up and it has its own delicious taste

and

brocolli and Mozzarella quiche

I rolled out the crust and cut it (with a small bowl turned upside down) into little circles and then pressed them into muffin cups. Spooned in the quiche mixture and baked for about 25 minutes at 375 F. It made just over a dozen little quiches, and there was extra egg mixture so I just baked that in a small pan separately with no crust.

The results, if I do say so myself, were delicious. :)

mystery

Mystery is a truth which lies beyond us. It can be entered into, explored, inhabited even; but it can never be exhausted or fathomed. Our age dislikes intensely the idea of mystery, because it directly exposes our limitations.

Cardinal Basil Hume

really???

lies are not always easy to spot. But today I have came across two that were so outlandish that I had to share them with you.

from a flyer in our mailbox advertising a local psychic reader:

"HAS THE POWER TO LEAD YOU OUT OF THE DARKNESS AND INTO THE LIGHT...come see her today for contentment tomorrow... She will remove any sorrow your heart has felt"

I only know one person with the power to lead from darkness to light. And the claim that she removes any sorrow seems an insult to any one who is suffering. Unbelievable.

And second, I came across a website today for the West Coast Girl All Canadian Pageant. It came up on craigslist and I followed the link. Throughout their site they claim that their pageant is about natural beauty - inside and out. That personality plays a big roll and is where the majority of a girl's points come from. How is this personality seen? The girl (age 4-18) introduces herself and answers one age appropriate question. Yeah, that will give you a picture of the girls personality - which you can then JUDGE?!?!?! Here's an excerpt from their FAQs:

Q – If my child does not win, will she feel down and upset?

A – We don't have any 'losers'. Every girl goes home with a crown! We encourage all parents to bring their girls to the pageant with the attitude that this is a fun adventure for them, a way to enhance their self-esteem, make new friends and try something new. Winning the big overall prize is just a bonus. NO girl is ever a loser at West Coast Girl! Every girl goes home with a small crown and being told they did a job well done. It is up to the parents to prepare their child that they can’t always be the big winner. We want every girl to feel special & appreciated!

"We encourage all parents to bring their girls to the pageant with the attitude that this is a fun adventure for them, a way to enhance their self-esteem, make new friends and try something new."

I have no experience in the world of pageants (except watching the delightful and hilarious film, "Little Miss Sunshine"). But I don't think it is out of line to seriously question that being part of an event where you are scrutinized and every part of you is judged (for a small additional fee you can be judged in the following categories: prettiest eyes, prettiest smile, prettiest hair...) is a way to enhance self-esteem. Maybe if you win... maybe. Or maybe you just end up believing that your worth is dependent on how others judge you. A great way to make new friends - who you compete against for the title... I see a lot of tears on the horizon.

I'll stop there with my observations from today.

I'm off to bed - it has been calling me all day.

Aimee

put together????

The sun has been out the last two days - so we have been out too. Today at the park as I was pushing Eva on the swing and holding Anders on my hip I met some moms. They asked if they were both mine (a common question in our city since tons of families have nannies or people at the parks are running daycares) and after saying yes I added that the little boy making sand castles (oh he loved doing that today) was also mine. Shock and awe. The women - all with babies under a year, their first - and probably only I assume - were amazed. THREE CHILDREN. And how old are they? 3.5 and 17 months. Oh wow. You must be busy. Wow...

Later another mom joined the group - who were talking amongst themselves - and I could overhear enough to know they were talking about me.

then they turn to me,

"I was just telling my sister-in-law that you have three children, 3.5 year old twins and a 17 month old, and you're so put together"

put together???

Who knew that second hand pants bought postpartum and now a size too big, a thrifted Banana Republic zip up, and over sized Target aviator shades (not to mention baking soda washed hair that hasn't seen a haircut in a year) could lead to these city women calling me "put-together". The overstatement of the century.

But perhaps they meant that I wasn't pulling my hair out, didn't have mismatched socks (barefeet solves that), and wasn't going crazy trying to keep track of my kids...

... yeah, they caught us on a good day.

Last week I carried 50 pounds of wiggling boys for two blocks after an impromptu strollerless walk turned sour.

****

And now a few photos for the grandparents! These are from our time in Victoria after Jane and Jason's wedding.

hope you are well

Aimee

collecting, remembering and imagining

Since Grandma died this summer I have made a few gathering trips over to Grandpa's house. Gathering treasures. Mom asked right off the bat if there was anything I knew I wanted. Yes, without hesitating I knew. The tea cup with the birch trees. I have wanted it for as long as I can remember. It was the most beautiful tea cup I had ever seen. Now it, along with the matching cream pitcher and sugar bowl are mine. I smile - and sometimes laugh - when I see them in my cupboard - or use the tea cup at tea parties. The pattern is not one I would choose now. I might not even notice it on a shelf of others had I not grown attached to it at Grandma's house. I remember often peering into the china cabinet. Hoping that she would somehow know I wanted it and give it to me. Though I wouldn't choose it now, it makes sense to me why I loved it then. It is fantastical and dramatic. Bright flowers and (almost) neon pink in the sky. The scene covering the whole cup. The fanciest and most beautiful thing my 10 year old eyes had seen. Now it's one of the most lovely things my 3.5 year old girl has seen.




Some of the things, like the tea cup, I've brought from Grandpa's home to ours have specific memories. Others I don't remember ever seeing but have great history - like a cotton quilt made by my great great grandma, it is pieced on both sides... I thought this was fancy, now I'm realizing it was probably practical, use scraps for both sides, perhaps there wasn't a large piece of cloth available for the backing.

Still other items I just find beautiful - like some pale green depression glass pieces.

And then I chose some things that were very practical, some things that Grandpa was offering were things we needed. Tonight I was putting pizza slices into a tupperware from Grandma. I'm sure Grandma brought cookies, or her famous lemon bars to my folks' place in the same tupperware. And then I got to imagining. You buy tupperware at home parties. Grandma must have gone to a party at one of her friend's houses enjoyed some visiting and snacks, watched the presentation and chose some tupperware out of the catalogue. I liked having this little moment.

Grandpa is still sorting and preparing to put his house up for sale and move to an apartment. We will keep making trips out. Asking questions, learning the stories and bringing things home to be used at our house. I know that Grandpa is glad that many of the things are finding a new home at our place and I think Grandma would be pleased to by how I'm enjoying some of her precious things.

Jason and Jane February 14, 2010