Water Beads

 It has been fun to have these beads. You should hear Margaret squeal! Even Kelly gets them down to feel them. I was delighted when John noticed that a bead arrangement looked like his Ukulele cords. Seeing children connect things like that makes parenting so delightful.

Bed Time

Keep a poem in your pocket
and a picture in your head
and you'll never feel lonely
at night when you are in bed

The little poem will sing to you
the little picture bring to you
a dozen dreams to dance to you
at night when you're in bed

So-
keep a picture in your pocket
and a poem in your head
and you'll never feel lonely
at night when you're in bed.
            
By Beatrice Schenk de Regniers


Sweet Dreams
 I wonder as into bed I creep
What it feels like to fall asleep.
I’ve told myself stories, I’ve counted sheep,
But I’m always asleep when I fall asleep.
Tonight my eyes I will open keep,
And I’ll stay awake till I fall asleep,
Then I’ll know what it feels like to fall asleep,
Asleep,
Asleeep,
Asleeeep…

By Ogden Nash

Washing the Dishes

Another phrase for playing in the water.

Jenny Kissed Me

I had read this poem several times in my younger life and I didn't really see why people liked it. I think I thought the rhyme was dumb, the content ordinary and the ending incomplete. I am not sure what has changed in me, and I don't know when, but I know it is for the better. I get it and love it. The rhyme is lovely and it is so far from trite.

Jenny kissed me when we met,
Jumping from the chair she sat in;
Time, you thief, who love to get
Sweets into your list, put that in!
Say I'm weary, say I'm sad,
Say that health and wealth have missed me,
Say I'm growing old, but add,
Jenny kissed me.

 By James Henry Leigh Hunt

April Rain Song

I feel like we are still in April, so here is a poem.

April Rain Song

Let the rain kiss you
Let the rain beat upon your head with silver liquid drops
Let the rain sing you a lullaby

The rain makes still pools on the sidewalk
The rain makes running pools in the gutter
The rain plays a little sleep song on our roof at night

And I love the rain.

by Langston Hughes

 

It also makes tulips hug.

Curlers

This is Margaret's first time having curlers in her hair. She didn't keep them in long enough to let them dry. It was a fun attempt.

It makes the apples taste better when you eat them out of a bowl you made yourself!  

Other kinds of trouble! I think she thought the cornstarch was the powdered sugar.

Maple

This is the infamous maple tree Clara fell out of. I can't blame Clara for wanting to be up close. This is what it looked like at the time. It is amazing to me that in one day it can have so many different kinds of beauty.

Pink Cast

I talk about patterns a lot. This is a recurring one in my life. Sadly it seems to be happening in Clara's as well. The poor dear fell out of a tree. This is a link to her first break. This and this are posts about the first time as well. I took this photo before school in her nightgown because I knew she would come back with it signed.

Go Blue Sharks!

Soccer games are so adorable. John is a good runner and blocker. He was excited to take the snack. Capri Suns and applesauce. Add in some big fat lens flares and we can call it a day.

Upon Julia's Cloths

We love hand-me-downs. Clara particularly gets a kick out of seeing Margaret wear cloths she used to wear. All the clothing in these photos are hand me downs, right down to the socks! I am sentimental enough that I can even remember who gave what. So I can, and will name names. (This is not all encompassing of every article of clothing ever given to us, these are just the names of the people that gave us the clothing you see here.) A big thanks to Aunt Libby, Trisha Greavs, Erica Connect, Aunt Julie, Aunt Brandy, Aunt Lisa, and Katrina Witt for helping us through the time we couldn't afford to buy all that we needed. It is fun for me to have you connected with our memories. Your taste is so good and generosity appreciated.
Here are two poems I enjoy on the subject.

Upon Julia's Clothes
 

Whenas in silks my Julia goes,

Then, then (methinks) how sweetly flows

That liquefaction of her clothes.

 

Next, when I cast mine eyes, and see

That brave vibration each way free,

O how that glittering taketh me!

 
By Robert Herrick      
  

Hand-Me-Downs  

I’m always wearing hand-me-downs.

I don’t get stuff that’s new.

My mom won’t take me shopping.

I don’t know what to do.

The dresses always fit me fine,

but high heels give me blisters.

It’s not that easy growing up,

a boy with older sisters. 

By Bob Zanger

My Yard Black and White

They are in order of my preference.

What Goes Around

 Comes around. Now it is Margarets turn to cover John in every blanket she sees. Just to be cozy!
This is a link to the last time.

My Yard Color

Dad's House

By Sunday afternoon we were back in Salt Lake and having another party!

Undaunted

 Oh the struggle against great odds, to meet enemies undaunted!
-Walt Whitman, A Song of Joys

This is like my post last year. Check it out.