We had a nice time with Sue, Steve, Maddy and Harry yesterday. Upon arriving, Saylor caught a lizard that was sunning itself on the south wall of their house. He admired it for a while, and then returned it. I had to 'bribe' him with a promise of going to look at and probably buy he and Stone lizards today. My sister and I had newts when we were younger and they were fun to have. One of ours escaped it's little home and I found its skeleton months later in the laundry room and felt so bad about that. At least here, if they do escape, they'll hopefully just join the other lizards of California and have a happy life in the wild!
We made 6 loaves of zucchini bread while we were there and got to bring a couple home with us. Well, actually Sue and Maddy did most of the 'making', but I did put them in the oven and watch the timing for the baking, as Sue had to leave for a bit to meet a client for a massage. Aside from making the occasional pouch of cookies, we haven't done much baking, so what a treat to have some delicious and very healthy zucchini bread! Yummy!!!
Steve and John helped the kids make oars to be used with the canoe that they are hoping to bring along with them when they come here for a visit again. While we waited for the coals to get hot for the burgers and dogs, we had an impromptu drum circle. It's always amazing how beautiful and musical it really ends up sounding!
Of course the kids each exhausted a pair of pants during their creek play of floating boats and watching lizards (plastic ones) bob down the way. It's the perfect water play, because the creek itself is only about ankle deep, maybe a bit more, when the kids stand in it. Helps to subside the fears of having someone 'swept away', the danger just isn't there, so instead, they get uninhibited creek time!
We got home just in time for John to brew up his coffee and head to work. The boys and I read for awhile, then Stone wanted to write, so we all got out papers, pens and markers and wrote and drew pictures together. Stone drew a sad face with blue tears coming from his eyes and said that's how he was feeling. ....BECAUSE...he and Sage had an unfortunate head dive off of the chair and onto the floor. They were playing and laughing, and they were both in the chair, and Stone tried to pick Sage up, but then lost his balance and I looked up from watching Saylor play with the calculator, to see them both heading for the floor. They were both crying, and I did my best to scoop them both up, Saylor helped. Stone felt soooo bad that he "couldn't protect Sage and keep him safe". I hugged him and loved him and assured him that it was ok...accidents happen...
Saylor made eggs for he and his brothers while I made hot chocolate for Saylor. They watched Looney Tunes for a bit while I re-e-mailed a bunch of legislators about the nurse midwife homebirth legislation. Out of the blue, Saylor asked me if people can ever run out of tears? I did my best to explain what I knew. Then, Stone and Sage were zonked and so we all headed to bed. Saylor asked me another out of the blue question about how many layers of skin we have. We'll be looking that one up today. It's fun to be alongside my boys watching them think and discover and figure things out! They're so stinkin' cool!
1 comment:
Karen, I laughed when I read you skipping right over the conflict over the lizard and the sundry other battles of will between the kids. Conflict of any sort always sticks out in my memory/awareness with far more prominence than it ought to; it so skews my experience of life to be so conflict averse. Something to recognize and work on... But it's tremendously easier to be with parents who are not jumping up to mediate and force resolutions on the kids! You guys are great and we really appreciate spending time with you!
Sue
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