Sunday, April 29, 2007

Saturday with the Boys

photo by Robin Wilkinson

Here's a great highlight shot of my boy. After Saturday's action-packed lacrosse game, Pax, Eli and I caught some news about a multi-cultural festival on Pine Street put together by Lydi Garcia and others and we were off! It was really fun going to another part of town and visiting these neighbors we wouldn't ordinarily get together with. I knew a lot of kids because of subbing. There was music, crafts, food, exhibits about things like Habitat for Humanity and there was a huge, shallow fish tank brought in from Horn Point so the kids could get up close, dangle their hands in and touch different kinds of big fish.

On May 12 there will be the second Jazz Festival on Race Street. Kids, remember Max went with you all last May? Mark your calendars.

Friday, April 27, 2007

Blooming Trees


Damien found this tree for me to post. On our walks we see these trees but in a deep rasberry or vibrant pink-really beautiful but they flower quickly and then the beauty is gone.

Wednesday, April 25, 2007

A Dad

A dad can be hard where sometimes a mom isn't. Returning home from dance with Damien, Pax remembers his lacrosse stuff is at dance. The dance building is way down Rt. 50 now so Damien says that's where it will stay and sorry you won't be able to practise tonight and sorry you won't be playing at the game Fri. nite at the high school stadium under the lights. That simple. Pax is sobbing which is my cue to take a long walk-outathere. Pax has been forgetting stuff left and right and whereas I would reluctantly back track for him, Dame just says "Oh well, deal with the consequences." As Linnea would say, "Bam!"

Saturday, April 21, 2007

Boy Howdy


So here he is...
Eli the wonderboy!
(click on pictures to enlarge)

Friday, April 20, 2007

Sunny and mild weather...

got me in the mood to get Damien on his long forgotten bike. I was biking by myself in all the beauty thinking two would be much more fun. He saw that I had a plan and off we went up to the Quick Shop to buy Mary Jane candy, swung around the Catholic Church and went home along the water. That was fun.

Thursday, April 19, 2007

Slow-Churn

Have you seen the commercial? 2 girls and a guy sitting on a couch eating some Slow-Churn ice cream and then they jump up and start dancing to some fun music because it's low calorie or fat free or something and then they hop back on the couch and start eating again. It's so cute, always makes me smile and I can't wait to have my girls home and I would love for them to re-enact that commercial in our living room. Any 3 of them could totally copy that and it would be even funnier!
To see the commercial on YouTube click here.

Just as I feared....

I came home after teaching 7 groups of kids (each group a different grade) and did 3 hours...3 HOURS of lesson plans that will get me through tomorrow (one little day). My concentration with these kids will be in reading, writing, spelling and grammar. Right now I think I will be doing 3 hours of planning every night for several weeks-SCARY. There was so much I liked about today even though it was overwhelming. Somehow it is a scary but positive experience.

Wednesday, April 18, 2007

Calm before the Storm

A few months ago I was quick to tell a teacher that of course I would sub for her for the last 6 weeks of the school year while she gets some surgery done. Well, I have been spending some time with her and I cannot believe what is expected of me and how little time this person spent going over stuff with me. I will have 7 different groups of kids in many different grades. Each group has their own curriculum and I get a big fat teacher's manual for each group to figure out daily lesson plans. Hello? What? What the? (little joke between Damien and me. We walk around saying "What the?") I cannot afford to panic, my calm and steady sister tells me, so instead I have this little laugh going on today. I sub because I am spontaneous and don't plan much and just go and do it. This commitment is all about systems, organization, new materials every day, putting things back exactly where I got them , using these materials I have never even seen before, different closets I need to get familiar with...what the? Don't you love it when people look at you and say, "Oh it's easy-you won't have any problem." She has been teaching for 37 years!
I fall into this abyss bright and early tomorrow morning. See you in 6 weeks.

Saturday, April 14, 2007

Beautiful Ballet


We saw Chalice dance a lot last night in Coppelia. Pax and two of his friends from football were in it too. He wore nickers, knee-high socks, and a puffy-sleeved white shirt. He looked really good and was quite impressive as a dancer. Chalice wore a very feminine black and white Bavarian-style dress that was just beautiful. She and others did this dance with fans and then with tamborines that brought out her Puerto Rican flare. The whole ensemble met for a late night dinner and after-party at Snappers.
Chalice has to resolve to rest her foot now for 6-8 weeks due to a torn tendon she's been dealing with for a year or so. She has a great doctor advising her right here on Maryland Avenue.
And Pax can now concentrate on his first love, lacrosse!

(More pictures on Chalice's blog)

Wednesday, April 11, 2007

Red Pax


Since red has been showing up on other family blogs I thought
I'd post this picture of Pax taken with our new little Nikon.
I think Pax is watching The Sound of Music. He's on the coziest
little corner of our living room couch.

Sunday, April 8, 2007

Easter Sunday


Kate and nutty girlfriends....Kate cooking (which Lisa says I never do), and girlfriends being way too manic in the kitchen because we are around FOOD.


Saturday, April 7, 2007

Eli!

Heidi, from Sunnyside Shop, was looking for someone to watch her little nephew Eli on Saturdays and at other times. So for the last 2 days we've had a cute little chubby guy racing around our home. He reminds me of Pax at 3 but with longer hair. He is so fun. Damien is making cookies in the kitchen so he thinks Dame is magic and is just hanging out in the kitchen with him. I knew he would start gravitating toward the man of the house. In fact when Damien told me to get Eli to do something, I said he didn't have to and Eli said, "Yes I do." I forget the particulars but he already figured out who he was beholden to!

Thursday, April 5, 2007

Posie-girl

I have been at the Montessouri school this week which means I have had the pleasure of seeing Posie and Levi and Anne a lot. Anne teaches singing in French, how to play instruments, relaxation of body and mind (some stretching) and little talks about loving yourself and others. I especially liked how she talked briefly to be mindful of what you are eating at meal times. We all shovel food in at times and eat without thinking or too fast so I enjoyed what she said. Brae is big time into those thoughts on food! But what I wanted to say was how Posie really impressed me today. Three girls, all around age 11, were trying to put a dance together for the upcoming mother's tea and I noticed Posie getting ujncomfortable with how it was coming along. The one ring leader was incorporating pop music (you know, bubblegum stuff) with all the accompanying throw your hip out and your chest and shake it down stuff and Posie had had her fill though she was trying to be a good sport. Finally with a little coaxing from me she said with tears, "My family loves jazz (the meat!)and other kinds of music and my family doesn't really like this kind of music and I don't like dancing like that. My mom doesn't really want me to do that and my dad..." Well, you get the message. She referenced her family so many times in that little conversation that it made me cry ( later in the kitchen with Anne who was cooking!). It was really precious to see that budding individualism, her objections and her sensitivity.

Wednesday, April 4, 2007

Pastor Pax?

I had such a good time with Pax today coming home from school. He told me a junior high friend spoke at chapel and that he thinks he would like to do that. He said it would have to do with keeping a clean conscience and that he would write about James who confesses sins and himself. Pax said he feels like a different person from who he was last year. Instead of not caring about breaking things, for instance, now he takes ownership of what he has broken. He broke a ball pump at school today and he said "and I just told the person in the office what I did and it was fine." I suggested that maybe he had become a Christian lately and he didn't object to the idea. He wants to write out what he would say at a chapel and ask if he can give it. I really encouraged him to do that. Go Pax!

Monday, April 2, 2007

Car talk

My brother-in-law David and his son Ben and I spent a lot of time together traveling to and from Silver Spring this past weekend. Ben is 17 today. He was interested to talk about God and it was really encouraging to hear his thoughts about eternal things. His father encouraged all of us to read the Gospels and jot down questions and comments that we could talk about the next time we meet. 17 is a hard age in so many ways. Ben commented on how none of his friends are Christians. I remember leaving the carefree years of childhood and grappling with uncomfortable things like voting, driving, a changing body, algebra and the strange new world of sororities and "parties" and guys. No wonder most of us feel weird and displaced at 17. Ben seems to have a lot going for him and a lot on the ball. You should hear him go on and on about history and his adored little sister "Fuss" and his growing understanding that dating in high school is really stupid (his word). A guy who likes to talk to older people like me is a novelty in itself. I really enjoyed spending time with him and David.