Happy Anniversary sort of...

Michael and I took off on Friday to celebrate our anniversary. We can basically choose any day at the end of February because we got married on leap year. Heading down to Phoenix sans children was quite the treat. We should definitely do this more often. On Friday afternoon we went to the Mesa temple to relax and reconnect with all things that are truly important! Then we checked into a hotel and went to look for a yummy place to eat. After 45 minutes of trying to make a fantastic choice we went to Famous Dave's . Michael loved his ribs! Our waiter was wonderful and gave a us free bottle of BBQ sauce since it was our first time there.
Back at the hotel we got to watch real tv which meant HGTV home design shows. The next day we thought we would spend a little time going places that don't exist in our hometown. Like the BassPro Shop, this place is bigger than our local mall I swear. The best part was purchasing some caramel peanut fudge and sugared cashews!
My friend Melissa texted me and told us to check out this amazing organic farm. It was just up the road. Amazing isn't the word really...it was like I imagine Eden to be. The food was just sprouting up all over the ground, the birds were singing and it was like being in a different universe. If you are down in Scottsdale head over to Singh Farms on Saturdays for their market. I purchased the most beautiful cabbage I have ever seen!
I wanted to go to Anthropologie. Not that I have ever purchased anything there. someday maybe. I like to go just look at their design concepts.
My sweet husband is just like a woman when it comes to a good mall!!!!
I wanted to see one store. We spent hours there going from this place to that. Pottery Barn, Williams-Sonoma, Crate and Barrel, Microsoft etc.... finally I told him I was pretty much done. So we headed home to our children after we stopped for lunch. Grateful for our little pocket of time with just each other ( and 10,0000 shoppers).
I just love this fabulous husband of mine. He is kind and loving. These years are passing like a blink. It is so easy when you are married to someone this wonderful. Happy un-Anniversary dear!!!
PS>>> Happy Anniversary to our dearest friends Tammy and Monty! Someday we will celebrate together!!!

common sense

I absolutely love Maliea's view of the world. Today she came out of a public restroom in a food establishment. The conversation went like this:

Maliea: Mom can I ask why they have that sign in all the bathrooms about employees must wash their hands before returning to work?

Me: Well it is a state law that the sign must be posted in the bathroom as a reminder.

Maliea: Mom isn't that kind of a no-brainer? I mean everybody washes their hands right?

Wouldn't be great if Maliea was correct!!!!

Rose windows

Quayde has been studying a little about cathedrals and the art of the Renaissance. So today we thought we would try and create our own versions of the windows. We got out this book to use for a patterns. These patterns are a little more intricate than window stars. I am eager to do a few of the harder ones just on my own later.

The book uses tissue paper but we have a lot of kite paper so tried that instead. It is very similar to making paper snowflakes.

You cut out several circle patterns and then they are layered one on top of each other.

I think that using the tissue paper instead would afford the use of an iron to lay the paper flat. As it was I was worried that maybe the kite paper would melt if we used an iron. We pressed them out a little between a book, then used clear tacky glue to attached them to a white piece of kite paper. We spread the paper out until they were flat and waited a few minutes to glue the next piece on top.

Our finished Rose Windows look so pretty up against the light! I definitely want to make more and I think Quayde and Lydia do too!

Ren Faire 2010 pt 2

Yesterday we spent a long fabulous day at the Ren Faire! One of my absolute highlights only lasted about 1 minute but... as Lydia and I were coming out of the privy, Beth from Road to Joy recognized us!!! Oh... it was so great to meet in person even if it was just for a moment. They were in line for the privy and we were leaving. Her girls look tired and like they had been having a great amount of fun. We waited for them to emerge but must have lost them in the crowd. The one thing you don't get from 'getting to know' people on their blogs is the energy that surrounds them. Beth just radiated happiness!!! I really want to get together with her without the privy part. I am sorry that I didn't find them again to visit more.

As we were coming into the faire, the King sent a messenger to us to tell us he wanted an audience with Lydia at 1:30 pm at the royal pavilion. Well..... there he made her a lady of the court, presented her with a certificate and said she had already proved herself brave and strong. He introduced her to the crowd and then spent several minutes just visiting with her alone. It was very cool! I think Thayne's favorite part was going through the giant maze. He found his way through quite quickly. He also got to joust and play with boats. Quayde brought his best friend Zack with him and they and the older girls took off on their own for most of the day. We only saw them here and there throughout the whole afternoon. Michael says he liked it all!

We ate turkey legs, sat astride a giant horses, watched nuns that were silly, got our face painted, swung in a swan, rode a camel and elephant, listened to magical music, were in awe of jugglers, and had an amazingly full day full of lots of other adventures!

Renaissance Festival 2010

Got chalk?

Most of us 'Waldorf' moms have chalk stubs! Lydia and I worked on using what we had to create something beautiful this afternoon. I took some pictures today to create a little tutorial to show how Lydia and I made marblized paper. When I just went to get them off of Quayde's camera they were all gone but these. :(

So what you need to do is get a pan of water, some watercolor or other thick paper, and your chalk stubs.

Scrap off chalk into the water. We used reds, purples, pinks, blues. When the surface of the water is coated with sprinkles of chalk dust, swirl the chalk around and then gently lay your paper down. Lift the paper up and let the water run off. Then let dry.

It makes wonderful designs or sploches depending on your chalk dust.

We are going to use the paper to make little valentine's cards for the family this weekend.

Hope you try this and it turns out as pretty as ours.

Lydia, Me and Smeeks

Today was a doctor's appointment day. Most of Lydia's doctors reside in Phoenix which is a 2 1/2 hour drive with two stops for the potty. Then waiting room time and then waiting in the exam room time........ for a five to 10 minute appointment. Not so fun.
Just down the street from Dr. Shindell's office is this quirky little novelty / candy store.This is so much more fun!!!!!

They have this great photo booth with props you can wear. It really takes an amazing little picture as long as you are not moving too much because you are laughing so hard.

They sell all kinds of fun candy. From the old fashioned, the obscure and even real Wonka bars.

Really weird toys, all kinds of flavored toothpicks and do you see that little smurfette bag in the corner there. Love her..not her price tag.

We came home with memories of a fun time, photos, gummy snakes (2 foot long ones), chocolate ladybugs, giant pixie sticks, chocolate and regular caramel, and lollipops.

YUM!


Smeeks is a special treat. They are not for the tight budget by any means but so much fun when you really need a little something different! Lydia reminded me several times that we should make sure that we shop there for Christmas. She really was so delighted to pick out things for herself and her siblings. I am so glad we took a little extra time today to enjoy being down in the Valley. Most of the time we are so rushed to get home. There was a lot of really bad accidents on the freeways today so this was a wonderful place to stop before fighting traffic to get home.

Chaiya's hair

One of our family rules are that you can't dye your hair until you are old enough (18) or mom says you can. Chaiya and I were debating on if I should dye my hair. I am starting to get a little bit of gray hair and I haven't dyed my hair in 18 years. So while we were checking out the hair coloring section ...I chickened out and Chaiya went for it. She choose this great auburn color!

She of course looks fantastic in it and I think she is loving her new look. Here she is cracking up laughing because my camera skills leave something to be desired.

The boys!

Just in case certain grandparents want to see their grandsons..... Can't tell that these two are brothers at all...can you? Same smile, nose and disposition!

Quayde can be a good example (above) and a bad example (below)

They really adore each other.

My poor little son! His mean daddy took this picture, as you can see the 'needs' have shifted but we still have a little bit of the old raggy purple one.

My boys... my joy and my gray hair!

Ahh Winter

Last night Michael and I were driving back to our cozy home from a delightful meal that included red sauce and Anaheim chilies and the snow falling was mesmerizing and almost peaceful. Winter and I have never been friends. I need sun and warmth and I am sure my sisters in Alaska think I haven't a clue about Winter. I wish with all my heart that the little AZ Sun in a Can that they sell at the tourist places; really worked. I would send them a case!
This morning I noticed the earth has shifted. My north facing window had a little more early morning sun. It makes me happy.
This year we have had a lot of snow. The backyard has small patches here and there that have never melted from that first big blizzard we got back in December.
I have been more a peace this year with the cold. I still don't like it at all but I am okay with Spring taking its time.
That being said.... I can't wait to go to Phoenix with Lyd on Tuesday and feel a little warmth.
I feel very cautious about 2010. Last year was fast and hard in ways I didn't expect. The good years are the ones where we don't have to be in the hospital with anyone. Lydia's appointment is on April 5th to talk about decannulation. Caution my heart!
Today found Lydia chasing Quayde and Thayne around with a toy hammer. She was Thor, They were Loki and a Jotun. She has really taken Norse myths to heart. Imagine..my little dwarf girl threatening her brothers and you can see how funny this all is.
Tomorrow I would love to find some time to needle felt some little root children. We are in desperate need of a new nature table scene. Here is to a new week and new adventures!

Quayde this week

Okay take two.....

It seems like my brain hasn't quite been working quite right.. I could blame blogger but it is totally my fault. You see I have a few blogs. One is for everyday life, one is for work etc... If you don't post on the correct blog things can get confusing.

So.... here is Quayde He has been learning about the Renaissance time period and having a great time of it. This picture is of him carving stamps. He learned about all kinds of printing from the Chinese wood block , Gutenberg and what we use today. I love seeing the connections he is learning to make and how his eyes light up when he 'gets' something. It is one of my happy joys of homeschooling.

Quayde is going to have the opportunity to go scuba diving in the Pacific ocean this summer. He is working on his certification through his boy scout troop. Now.. those of you who know me well and know how I feel about water... I am totally cool with this. My momma heart is good because Michael is certified! and he will be able to be with Quayde the whole time. I am loving how my kiddos are exploring and finding new adventures as they are getting older.