Baskets

 

Confetti eggs

 

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Life of an almost teenager

 

Phone in hand...it may be permanent 

Selfies, video's, musically's

Texting, data, Snapchat

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A different view

 

"It looks so different" one said as I turned onto this street we travel countless time in a day.  As my eyes took in this new view I couldn't help but add that I wasn't too excited  by this new look, that this view made me sad. As we drove down that now tree less street one asked why were all these changes happening.  I pointed out the condition of the streets and tried to explain infrastructure and all the stuff below the surface that we don't think about in our day to day  routines but are so necessary for those routines to go smoothly.  And as I  looked at puzzled faces I reminded them of the time we had done some much needed major home remodeling that had scattered our normal routine and had filled our days and home with chaos that most of us had not enjoyed, but when it was completed  and we had settled back  into that new space enjoying the beauty and convenience it now gave us we quickly forgot the disruption. "So eventually we will enjoy all these changes?"  One asked.  "Maybe we will just adjust to the changes" another offered.
 I'm not a fan of change and yet currently in my little part of the world there is a lot of change happening.  Road construction has cut a path right through the center of our city and traveling anywhere now requires a zig zag route that seems to change daily.
Slowly we are learning to accept that these simple tasks require more time and patience.
 The other night as I headed to dance to drop one child off, late of course, I discovered that my usual route was blocked by barricades and as my eyes took in the reason why ... building restoration on the church located next to the  dance studio... I grumbled as I made the turn to circle around to another entrance all the time calculating just how much later we were going to be and as I parked and urged the child to hurry I felt frustrated by all these detours and delays being pushed into my days.
Later as I returned to pick this child up my route had me driving towards the church undergoing repair and as the sun reflected off the scaffolding and brick I  could see a glimpse of how  beautiful it was going to look when this job was completed.
 Another day as our detoured route took us through a neighborhood we usually don't travel through, while stopped at a stop sign my eyes lingered on a home and when one asked what I  was staring at I said "I've never noticed this house before, it's yard and space are so beautiful."  A space I may not have noticed, had road detours not altered my well worn path.
As we drove down that now tree less street one quietly said "I'm going to miss all those trees" "Me too" I said.  "But when all this construction is completed new trees will be planted and one day you will drive down this street and you will see a glimpse of how you remembered it before the construction changed this view,  eventually this view  settles into familiar."
Change brings new views and new discoveries and even though I'm not a fan of the chaos and disruption that comes with the change I know I always appreciate the new spaces that are created.
And so as I navigate these changes in my part of the world, I'm sure I will continue to grumble often,I will continue to arrive late frequently, I will also try to catch glimpses of the beauty amongst the chaos.

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Easter

 

Easter Sunday, family, sunshine, good food, putdoors....God is good all the time.

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Piano recital

 

 

Sunday was her first piano recital.  She was a bit nervous but excited to show us what she has learned.  Grandpa came to watch too, he teased her about wanting to bear what she learned to see if ideas worth his time taking her to lessons each week.  I think she surprised him by what she knows.  

Late afternoon

 

A glimpse at how she does late afternoons....she has been home from school for awhile, her time until now has been spent playing with daycare kids but by now they've all left for the day and this is how I often find her when I glance out the window, on a swing,  her shoes kicked off, backpack nearby, drawing paper in her hand,  water bottle filled with ice and lately her Rubiks cube, lost in thought. It amazes me how she creates these spaces of calm surrounded by the  things she loves.

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Coloring eggs

                       

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Peeps

 

She has never tried peeps.  I'm not exactly sure why she would want to.  Today she tried them for the very first time.  "These are really good, I can't believe I've never tried them before" was her response.  I simply do not understand the appeal. #peepsaregross

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Dance competition

                 

Yahaira and her dance team participated in a dance competition last weekend.

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5th grade activity night

                

Last Thursday was the annual 5th grade activity night sponsored by the PIA group.  It also happened to be a night that found me out if town so Rosie's aunt Linette stepped in to take her.  They played basketball, volleyball, floor hockey, danced and participated in scooter  races.  

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Another fairy garden

                      

 

Another small space spilling magic and wonder into our days...

Changes

                          

 

A lot of changes happening in my space in the world this summer.  A major road construction project on a state highway that runs through town began the beginning of April. At first little things changed, road construction signs began to appear, park playground equipment disappeared, markings on trees hinting  at what was to come.  The first week of construction came in with a bang as tree removal started and where once there were tree lined streets now it looks empty and shocking.  A path from one edge of town to the other.  Stoplights were removed on Main Street signaling another big.change, as that space prepares for round abouts, and traveling from east to west has just become a creative adventure in neighborhood exploring now that every direct route no longer exists.

Vince Gill concert

 

Beckie purchased a ticket for this concert for my birthday.  What a fun evening listening to amazing music.  It doeant happen often  that I get to spend time without little people.  

Softball season has started

            

                 

Her first year playing junior high softball.  She has played summer softball since kindergarten.  She wasn't too sure at the beginning of the season about playing on the school team, she said often she felt like she didn't know anything since her coach approached things so differently than her former coach had.  Last night was her first game of the season and after she seemed so much more confident.  "That's  how I remember softball"  she said after the game. 

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Fairy garden

   

 

I purchased this bird bath after seeing a picture on Pinterest where they turned one into a fairy garden.  We have had a fairy garden for 3 years now.  Reyna discovered a fairy house while shopping at Joanne Fabrics.  She wondered who lives in a such a tiny house and I suggested that maybe fairies do.  I said that perhaps if she brought it home and set it somewhere in our yard a fairy would move in.  She searched the yard for the best place and set the house up and then watched, waiting to see if a fairy moved in.  When the first thing appeared, a little wood bench, reyna was so excited that a fairy had decided to move in.   Throughout that summer little things would be added to the fairy space and every time Reyna's excitement grew and she would spin stories about the fairy and what she does when Reyna wasn't around.  The next summer reyn a moved the house to a new location and more things were added, a pond, and tree stumps, ladybugs and books.  Ducks and chickens, trees and mice.  So this year, the third summer of our fairy garden I set up the bird feeder and a few days later while Reyna was at school I unpacked all the fairy stiff from previous summers and moved the fairy in.  Reyna had been checking the old location since the calendar announced spring (we pack everything up before the snow falls, since winter's here can be long and tough on things, Reyna decided the fairy moves to a warmer climate for the winter and returns with Spring) waiting for her fairies return...I could hear her shouts of excitement when she discovered that the fairy had indeed returned.  Every morning before she goes to school she checks on her fairy and garden.  I will never grow tired of listening to the stories she shares about her fairy.  Little  ones simply have the best imagination!

             

                       

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