All These Things That {we've} Done

You know The Killers? I like them. (Title inspiration; I'm thinking of you, Kate :)

Anyway...it's been a happy, busy few weeks around here. Last Saturday we did haircuts. I hate giving haircuts, but I love freshly shorn men & children. And this was a banner week at the barber shop - the little lady came in for the first time in her life! We think the results are almost too cute to be legal.

I love being able to see the back of her neck all the time - it is so soft and sweet. I miss her curls, but there's not much we could do in the way of a haircut that could make us love this girl any less.

Henry lost another tooth - pulled it out himself! The tooth fairy left another dollar - but this time it was all in coins, three quarters, two dimes and a nickel. Oh, what a tricky little pixie she is, keeping us on our toes with variety!

We held down the fort while my parents were out of town - we had fun taking care of Halley and all the animals. I loved the morning chores at the farm more than I thought I would - feeding chickens, horses, the dog and the cats. The morning light was bright and beautiful, the anxious clucks of hungry hens and the whinnies of the horses were the just the right sounds to greet the day. The kids were cheerful and willing to help; I felt grouchy and resentful towards school and whatever other engagements cramped our time. I just wanted to linger outside in the fresh air, let the kids chase the chickens, and feed the horses apples and carrots, and swing on the tire swing, and laugh. I hope we can have a little farm of our own someday. That is the life my heart really reaches after - one that requires rubber shoes and smells like manure. It surprised me how much I loved it. I don't think of myself as an animal person - mostly because I never want to share my home with a creature that sheds, or is a potential carrier for worms or fleas (*shudder*), but as it turns out, I really do love the animals as long as they're outside.

Also - I think I'd like to learn to ride a horse.

Here's why: I'd describe Henry as a cautious boy, hesitant about anything that seems precarious (except for water -- I cannot keep him away from water!) And the horses, he's not cautious or hesitant around them - he seems totally comfortable and at ease. He touches them playfully and confidently. I want to encourage this. And I want to be able to ride with him. This is going to take some fear-conquering for me because horses do make me nervous! I'm hoping my dad and Uncle Rob will help facilitate this desire to get {back} in the saddle. I want to encourage my children to pursue interests that are outside the predictable flow of the mainstream. I want to expose them to different ways to use their bodies, explore the natural world, express their creativity, make music. I have a sneaky plan to expose them to carpentry and woodworking by cajoling their father into making a dining room table for me. I keep sending him not-so-subtle e.mails, with subject lines that say: something like this.

And then I attach a picture:

He thinks I'm nuts. But the other day he sent me this text: I love you. So much that I'm actually trying to figure out how I could possibly make you a table. *head scratch*

Sweet, huh? I'm wearing him down. The crazy is contagious :)

And speaking of carpentry - Henry built a bird house last week, with some help from Uncle Rob and Dad. I think it's the perfect addition to the backyard and the birds are crazy about it! We watch them eat their breakfast while we eat ours. Every day Lily says, "Oh, look at dose cute bowdies!" And then her face turns forlorn and she laments, "I wish we could hold dose bowdies."

Hmmm, what else? Henry and I have been playing with glitter and paper hearts in our spare time. It's been so fun. My favorites are the ones he writes on - his clumsy, asymmetrical writing is so charming and then you sprinkle it with glitter and it's off the charts precious. See?

I love these little faces; they bring me immeasurable amounts of joy. I kept Henry home from school on Friday because I wanted a whole day with my kids - uninterrupted, to do all of whatever we wanted to do. I pushed them on the tire swing for a half hour. We ate snacks on the big rocks in the back yard. We brought some carrots up to the horses. We jumped on the trampoline. We made valentines. We practiced writing some of the tricky letters and did a really fun activity with numbers. We were together from the time our eyes opened in the morning 'til they closed that night (except for the hour and a half when their father and I slipped out for an evening walk). It was the best. They are sunshine.