As a family of 5, we returned to the Science Center today after stopping for some brunch.  The kids were so excited to show Sam all their favorite discoveries.   Emmy especially has been talking to him non-stop about the “water table”.  “Water table, ‘gain.”  I think she even woke up from a nap, talking to him about it (or maybe it was she wouldn’t settle down to sleep because she was talking about it.)  In any case, we played in the water table…’gain.  Ollie showed off the submarine.  Lily wanted him to see the robots.  Em and I lasted for 10 minutes in the planetarium Big Bird Show. Sam, Ollie and Lily lasted until the opening music started on the Great White Shark IMAX movie.   But we all caught up with one another at the miniature train display–which is amazingly well done.  I got to blow the train whistle!  The railroad was on the same level as the robots which is where I found Lily as Sam navigated the train display with Ollie and Emmy.  I just observed her-as she operates in the world–and I caught her absorbed in one of the offerings.

But then she caught me!

Even if you are tapped out from a day full of running and playing, write it down. Keep at it. The house is quiet. Good night!

And from Little House in the Big Woods:

She thought to herself, “This is now.”

She was glad that the cozy house, and Pa and Ma and the firelight and the music, were now. They could not be forgotten, she thought, because now is now. It can never be a long time ago.

Its my youngest brother’s birthday today.  We don’t get to talk much.  I don’t talk to many people but my mom these days.  And I have always, always preferred an in-person convo as opposed to one over the phone.  I know I had a phone in my room when I was growing up.  I’m sure I talked to someone.  Probably just Becky.  There’s the over-talking people as an idea pops into my mind.  There’s the silences of unknown origin.  There’s the literal distance–I can feel it whenever I talk to anyone–the distance I feel from that person.  This may be why after knowing Sam for one month I was tired of the phone talking and preferred a never-ending, never-apart talk.  (Poor man.  He had no idea what he was getting into!)  Talking on the phone doesn’t make me feel closer.  It makes me feel far apart.  And so, I have yet to call him but I thought about him all day very warmly and sent him Happy Birthday messages from the kids.  I know it brightened his day and I know we will have lots of share when we get to hang out on our CA visit.   Its all good!  Happy Birthday, Brent Joseph! xoxox

Here’s a little of what our day held!  We made a complete mess of the kitchen as we played with the spielgaben set we got for Christmas.  We ate a filling lunch of tomato soup and grilled cheese (perfect on a cold day!).  We read some more Narnia. I blew the snow from the drive as Lily and Ollie shoveled the walk.  We played Frozen monopoly.  We sledded and then they sledded some more with Bryce.  Emmy got every piece of clothing out of her dresser.  She eventually took a nap (yay!).  We did some school.  Now I’m making tacos.

All very thrilling but what makes a life!

Emmeline.  Lord have mercy.  She is such a spitfire!  Today’s adventure involved nails and makeup (similar to above, thanks to Lily the stylist).  She looked good!  A girly, girl, save for her un-pink outfit and toughie “get outta my way” of moving through the world.   So there were many surprised men when she went barreling into the men’s locker room at the gym today.  Of course, this normally wouldn’t happen but doors were propped open, giving her easy access.  And she is outrageously speedy.  I sent Ollie in after her but he would only report back to me what she was doing:

-she is going into the potty.

-she just took her diaper off (hands me the diaper).

-there’s a man in there talking to her.

Finally a nice man went in and told me the coast was clear.  I rushed in, scooped her out of the urinal, and wrestled everyone out the door.

Oh.  It was also 5 degrees as we drove home.  2 hour delay and wind so biting it hurts your face.  But the sun shone and the hot chocolate flowed!  Its all good.