Visit...so far.

My Dad, Matt, Sam, Arlo and I have been so busy doing yard work and exploring we've hardly noticed an entire week fly by! Dad's been incredibly handy around the house helping out with a variety of projects from painting our metal railings a nice shiny black to helping me trim up my wild rose bush. We've managed to get some great exploring in between projects.
On Thursday Sherri took us driving and hiking in the hills above Wenatchee. We were able to see the cherry harvest at all stages including the immediate harvest with pickers camping in the woods. Very interesting.

We took Dad to Leavenworth for dinner one night and walked around the Bavarian village. It is quite hokey, but a must see when visiting the area. We had dinner and went for a walk on Blackbird Island. The weather in Leavenworth is much more moist and the woods look very different. Sam was scared of the woods and kept asking if dinosaurs lived there! It was pretty cute and imaginative of him. The woods did look prehistoric!

We've done a pretty good job of just hangin' out as well. This weekend we went to three BBQ's and managed to have nice slow mornings with breakfast on the deck or at least coffee on the deck. Dad has been enjoying the ease of our wireless network and the laptop...

A Sad One...Sorry.

In about an hour and a half I am leaving with Arlo, to drive to Seattle and pick up my Dad at the airport. He'll be visiting for almost two weeks. I am very excited to see him, but in my preparations for his visit I have found myself thinking of my mom a lot. In the form of a list, here is what I have been thinking of:

1. As I washed my face this morning, I remembered my mom washing her face with the blue wash cloths we grew up with. No soap, just water and she'd always say, "Mmmm, that feels good."
2. I think about her hands and beautiful fingernails.
3. She used to wash the white walls and trim in our kitchen.
4. She'd be hot from working outside and come inside and drink from an old metal cup. Two, three, or four cupfuls before she'd wipe the sweat from her upper lip.
5. Her powerful and intense hugs.

I just needed to get that out.

A Summer Evening...Our Independence Day

My dear friend Sherri invited us to spend the day with her family and some friends at a house on Lake Chelan. It was a magical day.

We slept in as late as possible...ummm, 5:30 a.m. and then after we'd all been fed, dressed, napped and prepared, we drove the hour north to the lake.


On the left is Sophia with a berry face and in the photo to the right of her is Sophia on the table, Saquoia standing and Trish, Sam's preschool teacher, is waving her arms as she sang "American Pie".


Sherri is holding Arlo on the right. It was so wonderful to have another great memory made with Sherri. She really has become one of my most cherished friends here. Norbert, her husband, is on the left. I also really enjoy his company and his German perspective...a very interesting man. They have two red headed sons that provide me with a peek into my future, being 15 and 12. Such great boys!

Sam played as hard as he could all day long. In the water and out, on the boat, with sand and sticks. There was no shortage of kids to play with of all ages. A boy's paradise!

Great food, friends, song...an Independence Day to remember.

Early Mornin'

Cycles of life, cycles of growth, cycles of sleep and cycles of WAKING AT THE BUTT CRACK OF DAWN AND THEN WAKING YOUR MOM, DAD, AND BROTHER!!!!!!! Sam has been waking very early, and after attempts beyond mentioning and crying and an hour of my trying to pretend he's sleeping next to me...I get out of bed with him. Ugh! This morning it was 5:30 a.m. and Arlo was awake nursing, then Sam started crying when I told him it as too early to get up, thus Arlo woke up entirely. Through his tears he said to me, "But Mommy, the sun is up". My response: "Yes true, the sun is up, but that does not mean you have to be!" So, here I am at 7:45 a.m. I have already made breakfast for us three, made a pot of coffee, folded some laundry, checked my email and my blogs....Arlo and Sam are playing in the playroom and watching "Wonder Pets". Here I sit half asleep and looking forward to the part of the day when I can pass the buck to Matt and take a nap! Happy 4th of July!

It's Official

It's official...our house is on the market and on the web...officially for sale. It feels really good to finally be able to sit and play with the boys and relax in the evenings. Last night I made the drawing below for a Mother Blessing invitation. A dear friend I have known longer than Matt is due with her first in the end of August. It was so wonderful to just sit and draw. I am hoping to be able to do a few more things I have been thinking of lately...my mother's hands, a felted wool purse, the 2-year-in-the-making knit Grommit doll, etc......

Sink Bath

Talking Arlo