The Day that Was

(Pictures Taken by Hannah or Grace)

You know, it didn't really start out as a bad day. Of course, as my husband put it, we were all sleeping when the day began. I'm not even sure when the day started downhill... I just found myself in the middle of it realizing I was fighting (and losing) staying a float. This was so a "first world problem" kind of day, but for this first world girl... anyway.

I think it started south, when my eldest daughter came downstairs in shorts on a rather brisk morning. I told her that she would probably be very cold wearing those clothes and she (surprisingly) agreed to go back upstairs and put tights on underneath. Not exactly what I had in mind, but it would solve the cold legs problem. Well, the tights she chose are getting on the smaller side, so after her two attempted to get them on, I needed to help. No problem, except for the fact, daughter #2 is also needing help with tights and daughter #3 needs help with breakfast. Deep breath... I can do this. The tights go one, but they don't feel right. Problem.

At this point, the family who walks Hannah to the bus stop was going to be arriving any minute and my daughter is FREAKING OUT about how her clothes feel. I calmly (not) told her she didn't have much time and she needed to do something to fix it. She manages to get upstairs, find another outfit, and get back downstairs... new problem, we can't find her other sneaker AND its gym day! At this point our friends are knocking on the door. I'm running around the house and end up bringing down... wait for it... the dreaded brown shoes! Hannah manages to let me put them on her and even says "mommy, we don't have time to fight about this." Yes, my dear, you are so right.

So off to school, she goes. I'm sure that she is going to have a terrible day, because she hates these shoes. Oh, well. Poor 1st grade teacher... and she has a classful of these little ones!

Meanwhile at home the second two daughters, decide this is not a day to play nicely together. Screaming seems to be the language of choice. We HAVE to get out of here and Target is the destination. That stop went surprisingly well (the travel wasn't so fun, but at least the yelling was a bit softer) and I decided to push my luck at 2 other stores. The last one being the Used Book Superstore. Normally, I love browsing this place. The girls like looking at the books, but they are both feeling a bit, shall we say, testy?!? I'm looking at some of the children's books, when all the sudden I hear "Attention, there is a lost child... Attention, there is a lost child." Smugly I think, I'm so glad my girls are sitting on the couches quietly looking at books... wait... I only see one child, where's Elizabeth? I grab Gracie and run to the front of the store where Elizabeth is wandering the aisles with an employee asking her where her mother is. Yes, she would be mine.

We return to the back of the store, where I put back every book I had gathered, holding Elizabeth firmly on my hip and take Gracie's hand to leave... which she does so quietly. Nope. She starts throwing a fit about wanting a book. We leave the store with her yelling "I want a book! I want a book! I'm going to go back in! I'm going!" What mother denies her child a book!?!? This one. We get to the van and I realize... I don't have my coat (which I probably would have just left) BUT my keys are inside! Yes, I awkwardly go back INTO the store, with a screaming child and my escape artist to find my coat in the far back of the store and leave again just as quietly.

We get to the van, I buckle Elizabeth in and Grace stands outside the van refusing to get in. I get her in the van and go sit in the front seat to wait for her to buckle herself in. I wisely know that I CANNOT get into the back of the van to help her... I am barely staying in control myself. Eventually she does and we head home.

The cell rings as we are going in the door. I have to ignore it, but then the house phone rings with the same number, so I pick it up. Grace proceeds to start yelling and crying, so I send her to her room. The conversation ends... Grace does something that causes me to snatch her up, carry her back to her room, where she cries "I'm sorry! I'm sorry" and in the next breath "I'm just going to do it!" I hold her, trying to calm down myself. I know I just need to get lunch in them.

Lunch is fine. Grace finishes first so I take her upstairs for quiet time. As I'm reading a book to her, I hear Elizabeth say she's done and she gets down. Grace hears her coming up the stairs and shuts the door on her. Elizabeth stands outside the door, crying, when I open it, I hear running water! Elizabeth washed her hands after lunch (yeah her) and left the water running in the bathroom. The sink is full and running over. The floor has water all over it and it take 4 beach towels to mop up the mess.

Rest time cannot come soon enough, but unfortunately that only lasts an hour and a half before we need to get to the bus stop for Hannah. Often the girls just play during the time, but occasionally they will fall asleep. Today I heard them playing, but by the time it was time to go they had just fallen asleep. They were a MESS to wake up! Elizabeth had a dirty diaper and was screaming about not wanting to get up. I managed to get them to the bus stop on time, but Elizabeth is sitting on my lap wailing. One of the grandmothers of Hannah's school mate comes over and wonders if they can have C-H-I-P-S. I was so frazzled I had to have her spell it twice! I said sure and that settled the girls down. We picked Hannah up and headed home.

Hannah was so excited because her friend's mom had figure out a way to make the brown shoes feel better! I think I should send her flowers... Hannah has said she will wear the shoes now!

Our afternoon activity was a walk to Stage Fort Park. That was mostly nice, although Gracie was running and fell on the Boulevard. She reopened her skinned knee and she doesn't handle such scrapes very well. Her screaming brought another lady over with a bandaid. That calmed her down (why don't I pack those wherever I go?), but she proceeded to bang her nose against a friend on the slide (bled some) and skin her other knee on the way home.

I was so grateful to get home to Daryl. He was appropriately sympathetic about the day and proceeded to add to the day with a cut finger of his own (minor, but needed another bandaid). I had forgotten to tell him about the bathroom situation, until our downstairs neighbor came up because they had a wet ceiling. Sigh.

So this week my theme has been "Hope in the Mundane." I definitely had some of that today and Gracie was the one to point it out "Mommy, people were really nice to us today. First chips and then a bandaid."

I would just encourage any of you out there. If you see a frazzled mom, offering those chips or a bandaid or helping her daughter with her shoes may be exactly the hope she needs to make it to bedtime!

The Garden Grew

Well, it is September and the garden did grow. It is kind of fun to see what grows (and what doesn't do as well!).

The impatients really liked the area by the fence. I was really pleased how well they did all summer and continue to do into the fall!

This area just looks a little overgrown (because it is). The blueberry bushes are fighting for their space from both the strawberries and the mint. I may pull up this whole bed next year (except for the blueberries).

This is looking over the first raised bed to the jungle of tomato plants. All my tomato plants were self-seeded (I didn't plant any new plants this year... they sprung up almost like weeds) and I was disappointed that they were all cherry tomatoes. I was hoping for some other varieties as well. I'll have to plant my own next year and keep ahead of the jungle. The beans are climbing the web to the left (as well as into the tomato plants).

This is a picture of the tops of the kale plants (Daryl is becoming known as the Kale man at work). Kale grows really well in our space.

The bare spot is were we had two cardboard boxes of potato plants and beside those some carrots. Those were all harvested already by the time I took this picture. The swiss chard continues to do well. I really like to saute the chard with some onions and put it on a sandwich instead of lettuce. Yummy!

Another picture of the climbing bean plants... we are still getting beans about once a week.

The other side of the impatients flower bed. This side was a little more shaded, but the flowers still did well. I was so excited when when of my mom's calla lily bulbs grew and produced a flower here. I didn't think they would!

One of the kale plants with the herb garden in front. The rosemary we started from seed and I didn't think it would produce, but they are slowly beginning to grow. My challenge will be to keep it going through the winter.

Here is some of the harvest we got this year. This bowls has the carrots and the potatoes we got from one plant.

 Here are the green beans I blanched and then froze.

 Here are some of the potatoes (think I got about 30 from 3 plants). The girls had so much fun "treasure hunting" for potatoes. I definitely want to plant more potatoes next year.

Happy harvest! Happy Fall!

First Day of Pre-school

Can it really be?!?! We have now launched the second of our three daughters into "formal" school. Grace will be going into her fourth day of pre-school tomorrow. Our introvert is doing great. Her teachers tell us she is very social and already knows all the rules. At home, well, we are going through some transitions... probably as a result of her holding it together infront of her teachers and classmates, but it is great to see her launch out on her own.

Here are her first day of school pictures.

She couldn't understand why her visit day was BEFORE Hannah started school, but her first day of school wasn't until AFTER. We weren't sure if we could make it through the week or if we would have to call the director to let her come every day:-), including Saturday and Sunday.

 She was very proud of her bag and her red shoes.

 I love her eyes and the darling expressions she has (when she wants to).

 The sisters got in to the picture as they sent her off to school.

 Gracie was very excited about going with daddy to work. Sigh... she is growing up so fast!

 Her grin from the window was just precious!

May all your first days of school be filled with wonder and good anticipation of what God has in store for you, Grace!

The Garden was Planted

Back in March, there was some question about whether or not I would get a garden planted this year. It did happen and we are reaping the rewards... beans, kale, swiss chard, potatoes, strawberries, blueberries (well 7 blueberries), tomatoes, summer squash, cucumbers, basil, thyme, sage, oregano, mint, chocolate mint, peppers... all in a small backyard! The backyard growers program is fabulous... so glad our friends and neighbors jumped on board, and then coached us on how to do it.

Here is the garden in early spring...

I "gave" the girls the side yard to plant. It was quite selfish of me as I took the prime locations. (There, I confessed.) There was a time I had visions of working alongside my girls in the garden, but I got quite possessive of it. Not sure how to help myself relax OR figure out a way to give them some space in the main garden OR just realize that this is my special hobby... part of my "caring" for myself. Anyway, I have all fall and winter before we try again.

 The PRIME spot... good sun, good soil...

 The girls did help me plant impatients along the fence. They have grown beautifully!

 My spider web for growing peas and beans.

 Daryl built these for me when we lived in our other apartment. They did ok on our deck, not well at all in front of the house and fabulous as an herb garden.

 Another look at my spider web.

The stawberries and blueberries... wow... do strawberries go CRAZY. I ripped them out of this bed last fall and they came back like crazy. I've already pulled a lot up again and they still are spreading.

A former toybox was turned into a box for growing potatoes. Later this week, I'll show you our harvest!

So, the garden was planted. I want to take pictures of the garden now and I will post them soon!