Raffi

Disclaimer:  I get it wrong every. single. time!  That is which camera to bring with me.  I was thinking I would be an easy wife, not too high matience on this outing.  Without my big camera and lenses I'd be able to enjoy more, help more with the girls, etc, etc, etc.  When I put the little purse camera in my bag I thought I was so smart because we'd be walking around the city looking for a place for dinner, maybe with umbrellas, and I just wanted to go light.  Wrong, wrong, wrong.  We found a cute place to eat just steps from the parking garage and the theatre, and when I walked into the theatre and saw our closer than close seats I was kicking myself for not brining the big one.  Oh well, I get it wrong all the time.  There are times I've dragged along the big one and been sweating hot, killing my shoulder, and never really even took it out of the bag.  Next time Raffi I'm bring the big lens!  So there you go... these picture are awful... just thought I'd let you know!







Found an awesome pizza place



My brave EE girl who had to eat mom's cooking from home.



Back to Raffi....

He walked on stage, strummed one chord on his guitar and the tears (happy ones) started falling.  I knew that's the way it would go.  He's pure childhood magic.  His songs sum up my feelings about these past nine years home.  I can't hear one song without a flood of memories washing over me. 





All I can say is that it was sooooo good to hear his crisp, clear, soothing voice real and right in front of me. 





We cuddled to "Baby Dear"  We danced to "Shake your Sillies Out"  and we belted out "Baby Beluga". 



The concert could have gone on all night and not been long enough for me.  I will never outgrow Raffi.  I asked Scott what I was going to listen to all those years between their childhood and grandchildren?  And he just looked at me and rolled his eyes with a smile.  (I'm sure he was thinking teach Kindergarten)

I can honestly say that I'm grateful to this singer/songwriter for his love of children, gift of music, and for spending his lifetime putting those two together.  It was a good night. 

Monday

Pick up the camera, pick up the camera, pick up the camera.  I just don't do that enough on the weekends.  It was a good one filled to brim though and not too much breathing space really.  But tis the season, end of April through June is like that here.  But I wake up with a smile across my face because I love what I do! 

The girls had their last indoor tennis lesson for the school year.  Tennis in the summer starting at the end of June is outside!  There was Anna's art school, Abigail's group viola class, a sick husband, a trip to the fabric store for new curtains but I'll be buying them (it's actually less expensive than making them), last church school teaching Anna's class, Mass, daddy in a tennis match, so the girls and I headed to the park to peek at the tulips, (oh I did bring my camera there... those pictures maybe tomorrow) playing outside, an early bath, pancakes for dinner, and creating Abigail's birthday invitations.... phew!  we pack a lot into the weekend!  Good thing I don't think about it too much or I'd be overwhelmed. 

Last Thursday night I sat down with the girls and had them write out their weekend goals.  Just some stuff that seems like it's Sunday night and they just didn't get to.  They did such a great job deciding how long they'd practice the viola each day, Anna how much she'd do on her NYC project, and Abigail reading little books to me.  I taught them how to break up their goals into little chunks and how to work them into a weekend day that can just seem to be filled with too much fun to stop and get a few responsibilities done.  Darn, I wish I had a picture of their little goals but I forgot to take one.  Pick up the camera!!!  We made Abigail write an eating goal too.  She wrote "eat an apple"  and she did... amazing I tell you!  Writing things down is the key! 

And with the temps in the 70's we had our first 'should have worn sock and sneakers outside' battle.  Remember this post with my thing about clean floors and dirty children's feet?  Well Anna who should know by know but hopes I'll change every spring/summer wore her flip flops outside to play in our still a bit muddy back yard.  When she walked in with her head hanging low like a naughty puppy I knew just what to pull out for those filthy feet.  I should have invented this one girls!  Darn!  so with a few swipes she was allowed back in the house.  :) 



Sorry about the lack of pictures but I know I'll be picking up my camera tonight cuz guess where we're headed???? And on a Monday of all nights... ohhh it feels good to do something so different!!!!  We're going to Raffi!!!  I get chills as I type that.  I hope I don't embarrass my girls too much as I cry my way through the concert.  His songs just symbolize my stay at home days that I treasure so much.  This weekend we were watching baby movies (just raw footage of when they were babies) and as I was filming Abigail eating a muffin in the kitchen and teaching her how to say the word delicious I heard Raffi in the background.  It's magic I tell you.  And I CAN'T WAIT!!!  Gotta run... so much to do before I pick up the girls, cross my fingers daddy gets home on time, and we're off!   

Anna... A Photo shoot

Sometimes I do a photo shoot just so I can make Anna feel better about the way she looks. 
Although there are a good number of asian children in her school, and she knows many, many children who were adopted and now are living in a multiracial family  (wow... that's us... so cool... I love it... anyway...) she still doubts that she's pretty.  I guess that all girls feel that way on certain days but with Anna I want to be extra sensitive about how her looks make her feel.  So I drive her over a half hour every so often for a trim (usually only twice a year) with an amazing hair stylist.  Sure I pay a little extra than the 'cost cutters' chain place up the street but it's so worth it when she walks out and says to me, "maybe my hair really is pretty."  Notice the "maybe" in there... I still haven't convinced her that she's oh so beautiful and all I ever wanted in a baby when she came home to us.  But the pretty trim helps. 



She's certain that her nose is too flat and that her mouth looks funny.  She's surrounded by a Mom, a Dad, a little sister, grandparents, and cousins who look nothing like her.  (Hey, I hate my nose by the way Anna)  She knows and hears from me all the time that she's the beautiful one.  But she doesn't always buy it. 



But somehow when the camera is on her, just her, and not her little sister she feels different.



If just for a moment she feels pretty. 



I show her the pictures later and she giggles and runs away. 

And then I tell her the only thing that really matters... the only thing she really needs to hear from me; and hear it over and over and over...

Anna, you were created in God's image.  You are fearfully and wonderfully made.  The angels rejoiced when they saw what God created.  We are blessed, mommy, daddy, and Abigail, we are so blessed that we get to view His creation each and every day.  You are fearfully and wonderfully made.  Psalm 139:14-15, Phil 1:6

Going to the Zoo

Since this little one worked so hard on her first ever at home Research Project we had to celebrate! 

Abigail was given a homework assignment over our week off and she took it very seriously.  She brought home this book (picked her own topic) and directions from her teacher to read the book with us and answer five of the questions on the web she did with the class.  That's big stuff for someone who still wears a size 3!!! 

(may she always have that little sparkle in her eyes when she does research homework)


We read the book to her and she chose the questions she wanted to answer.  We looked for the answers in her book and online (an adorable safe Kindergarten level research site... pebblego.org I think) 

She wrote a fact a day with Daddy's help and at the end of the week we went to see an elephant at the zoo!













And oh when she ever saw that elephant for the first time she was priceless. That's surely the power of learning!







Super fun day for all of us. And a real perfect weather day for us in CT



(Anna is always in charge of the map wherever we go)








Cool kids explore section





Abigail doesn't get any other homework in Kindergarten... this was really it (thank goodness) but I have a feeling that her Dad and I will be helping her through many research projects in the future!

Be Still My Heart

I guess I did pick up my camera more than I thought on our week off.  These, oh these, just out of bed, still in her jammies, hair rumpled, these are my favorites.  Be still my heart...

Little Purse Camera Post

Last week we were all home together for April Vacation.  The week before that Abigail was home sick for most of it.  I know that there are a ton of people that would love the first day back; a quiet house; time to get things done.  But I hate it.  I would much prefer the girls home with me and the noise and chaos that comes with it.  But they all got back into their routines quite nicely this morning.  There were no tears and Abigail seemed excited to see her class again.  I should learn from them and happily skip off to my long to do list.  It's not that there's too much time.  Getting everything done before dismissal is actually quite hard but I'd rather do it all with them!  Anyway... before I dash off to start a few pictures from my little camera.

In the kitchen with Mommy







Elementary school spring art show... always a little 'stiff' for a picture with the Principal





Finally Abigail is in this school and got to show off some of her art.



Seeing a classmate... priceless... I love Kindergartners



After school matching cuteness



Having her hair done for the Irish Step Recital... she brings this book everywhere and really reads it!



Shirley Temple curls



Now off to volunteer in Kinderland!