bald is out

Bald is out. Now he is growing it out so he can put it in a pony tail. It bothers him (it must feel weird) when we rub it. But gosh does he look cute.
one pony, two pony, we're having some interesting hair days at my house.

unexpected lessons

it's been so long i had a hard time remembering my password!!!
been to new york and back. Kids milked cows, drove and rode tractors. Saw cousins.
heard again from Alex: loves India; hates Jaipur (too touristy??? !!!!)
My kids have gotten out the sewing machine (it's about 20 years old, but works great). They have been stitching on fabric; just shapes. Hosni made this long piece of white fabric and sewed it into a hat. He wrapped it around his head like a turban. Then he wanted to alter it to make it pointy.
He was discussing how this would happen with Josh. I was in the kitchen cooking dinner. I heard Josh say; well I don't think a pointy cap would be good. You know a long time ago people were bad (really bad) to other people. It's better now, but it still happens. They were mean to people because they were black. They picked on them. It's called racism. They wore pointy hats like you want to make. So, we don't believe in racism, so you can't change your hat to pointy. It looks cute like it is"
Hosni came into the kitchen and told me the conversation (which I heard anyway). And he said, so you know that's bad right. But I LIKE pointy hats, why can't I make one? Is that true? I said; yes it is true. They were called the Klu Klux Klan and no you can't make your hat into a pointy hat. It looked so cute when you wrapped it (around your bald little head) around your head.
But as he walked out of the kitchen I thought; amazing out of sewing some designs on white fabric and making a cap comes a lesson about the evils of racism.
and then I thought: Josh needs to be a teacher. I keep thinking about how good he is when he helps the little ones with their homework. maybe I can encourage it. Right now they think they are going to be fashion designers. (My sewing machine has NEVER gotten this much use)

We planted a lot in our garden and hopefully will get a community garden plot.

My kids school had a silent auction: we won a "fairy door" and a lot of organic seedlings (eggplants, peppers) etc. So I need more gardening space.

The summer is going to be a wet one in my back yard. Already the slip-in-slide has been out (two days), the hose attached to the slide (because simply running down the slip-n-slide is NOT fast enough), a whole bottle of dish soap used (to make you go faster on the slip-n-slide), and a lot of neighbor kids in swimsuits playing. The back yard was a huge puddle. I said no to the pool.

The back stairs are finished

Well Gabby is up for her nightly I need my mama and the kids are already begging for the airconditioning. hopefully no heart pain tonight.

traveling, seeing old friends

My two youngest children and I just traveled to my hometown (well at least where I lived from 13 on). We stayed with my best friend from high school.

It was a long drive; which threatened to be longer when my daughter asked about 5 mins into the 7 hour drive; "are we there yet? how much longer". I said, we can turn around and go home and than the drive would be over. She decided it would be worth the trip.

About hour 6 1/2 we passed a little farm by the side of the road. I pointed out the llamas. Gabby demanded that we stop; which we did because we had not stopped in hours. We realized that not only did they have llamas, but a zebra as well as horses, cows, and ponies.

The very first day, my children jumped onto a tractor with my friend's brother, Bobby, and her son, Luke. She said, we'll get them in a while but let's get coffee first.

By the time we got back, they were having milk and cookies at Bobby's house. Hosni had driven a little C, and a tractor. He was ready for milking. Which he did, for about an hour.

We saw lots of family, the new baby, and old high school teachers and friends. It was a great trip. We listened to The Golden Compass on audiobook on the way home. A great story even on tape.

We're going to rent a house there for the summer, where I am sure my then 8 year (still bald) son will learn to hay.

But until then, it's back to school.

I loved seeing old friends. I mean the ones that you don't often think about except in passing (HS best friEnds are not part of that group). they often radiate warmth and it makes me think about how easy it was to have friends. HS best friends are just always your friend, they are always in your heart. Part of who you are. Their families become part of you as well.

It has made me think a lot about how we interact, how some people (and I guess all of us in some respects have this aspect of our personality in the right setting) HAVE to take over and be the center of attention. I do , usually when I'm trying to make people laugh. It's like talking to people on Facebook, every wants to put their best face (some pun intended) forward. That is a whole different conversation.

skiing with the Barbies

Finally heard from Alex, in India. Of course, he's loving it. I think part of what he hoped to accomplish in India was to break his constant companion, his computer. He left it here and now it has become Joshua's constant companion.

Gabby has so many barbie's it is almost insane. Yesterday, we took the barbies and put on their snowclothes (yes, they have their own snow outfits) and skiis (seriously with boots and poles) and went outside and took them skiing. There were little tracks all over the lawn (snow) and slide. It was a bit funny, actually. We took photos, I'll try to download them.

This night, we played Starwars (which i never win and usually end up on the floor with pretend choke holds). I just don't get the game. Running around with light sabres, well that is kind of cool.

Becoming "Bulbed"

Last night was my second child's 22 birthday day. He often cuts his own hair, but last night he decided to cut his 7 year old brother's hair.
Off. Completely. Buzzed. as in Bulbed (as my kids say) meaning BALD.
My son Josh, the 22 yr old, said, "Mom, he wanted me to shave it ALL off. I said no. I didn't think you'd like that"
I guess he thought I'd be okay with bald, just not really super down-to-the-skin bald.
*
A bald seven year old. UMMM.
*
well, as soon as I got over shrieking "What were you thinking?" and "Did it occur to you to ask first? "(umm obviously that answer is NO). And after I got over the moments of panic thinking my ex-husband was going to freak and worrying he was going to be made fun of at school; I realized he looked really cute.
I mean really cute in a bald-kind-of-fuzzy way.
*
then my daughter decides, after her bath, to cut her bangs. Geez oh Pete what a night. Had to straighten the bangs out (barely).
*
The girls at daycare shrieked in horror? excitement? amazement? I'm not sure. but he had a good day at school.
* Unfortunately, he has not understood when I call him Telly Salvalis or Sinead O'Connor.
*
Lesson learned: "bulbed " hair is cute on a 7 year old. Especially when they can't take their eyes off themselves in the mirror. He LOVES his hair cut. Touched it all night long. Rubbed it in a loving excited way; loving the softness. His lesson learned; even with no hair you still have to use shampoo when you wash it!

getting started

was harder than I thought. Just picking a name took days. Searching for the Blue Stone is a reference to a book called The Blue Stone. It refers to a tale about life's possibilities, choices we make, the general longing we all have for peace, security, home, and love.

We'll see where it goes...

but for now, it goes to bed.