Sunday, August 21, 2011

a week with Ani

Family is home, we are in the thick of transitioning - from being apart to being together and from being on vacation to being Home.  Transitions are not easy for us (are they for anyone??? got any tips???) - we all have high expectations and hopes and are easily pricked and let down.  Anika and I had a good week together, and as we snuggled in bed yesterday morning, she told me she'd like one more day just with me.  This is some of what we did with our together days...

We sewed a bag as a present for a friend - a truly collaborative effort, planning, cutting, sewing up the edges, choosing buttons, sewing them on, braiding a strap...
 Celebrating that friend with a party where she was Queen for a day!
 We hunted for bugs on our way to the garden...
 Milkweed was home for many leaf-hoppers and milkweed bugs, and of course there were plenty more in the garden itself...
UNRULY!
 Friday was our last full day together, and after I'd already laid out a plan for the day, I thought to ask what her perfect day might look like..."Well...we're going for a hike, right? and to the library? and we're going to have lunch at Casa? and we're going to get ice cream?" Yup. "That is definitely a perfect day for me." All right, then!
mystery fungus - not poofy, but pretty hard
A closer look at this rock hole revealed a sinister brew of mosquitoes...
 As we sat and ate some dried mango, we noticed several tiny ants carrying large loads, and wondered which of the ants around us, if any, would be interested in some mango.
 One little red ant immediately found the piece we put down and carried it an amazing distance before another came to either hinder or help. It was fascinating to watch.
 We also found this moss-covered tree climbing with caterpillars!

The day was perfect, the week was a welcome gift of time together.  I'm wanting to find a way to secure time alone with each of the girls on a regular basis (and as Ani told me, it is important to have time alone with my husband as well! smart kid.)  as we move into the fall...

Dinner is done with, Tolkien is booming downstairs in the living room (did you know Dan is an actor?!), easily heard over the steady rhythm of the cicadas, paintings are being painted, the day is winding down... It is good to have the house full again.

4 comments:

Kerry said...

Sounds like a good week to me. What a fun birthday party!

Dan is playing the part of....? You know that the LOTR is a huge huge favorite of mine. I want a video of Dan playing Tom Bombadil. No, Aragorn. No, Gandalf. Frodo? Faramir? Elrond? No,wait, my favorite... Sam Gamgee.

slim pickins said...

Well, Kerry, he's playing them all! It's our current evening read...you should hear the songs!! I've heard many people say they can't bear to read them aloud, but I feel lucky that he is not only willing but so entertaining...

merry said...

I'm so glad to hear the family got home safely, and that you and Ani did so well for the week!What an amazingly perceptive child she is! And queen Ari was gorgeous!!! Fun party. Now I'm looking forward to a picture of Eliza in her wedding dress - and shoes!! Love you!

kimmy said...

missing you! Send me dates for Halloween so I can start planning. Also, I accidentally went to http://www.plot55.com/.....very interesting but not your blog:)

That round shroom is a puff ball that hasn't gotten to the puffing stage yet;)

I wanna talk on the phone. call me when you can!