Simply Bamboo

Yesterday we skipped our usual lessons and headed to Jaffray for a feild trip. Once there we popped into the local house o coffee to ask where Scott Buxton lives. We arrived at his home to find him outside his Simply Bamboo workshop preparing large sticks of bamboo to be made later into digerydoos. When he was finished he showed Levi and and Hannah around his workshop and even had Levi playing a flute by the end of our trip. We learned all kinds of interesting things. For instance, some types of bamboo can grow fast enough to watch it happen. Another interesting tidbit that I didn't know is that bamboo is a grass not a tree. Before we parted, Scott and I traded CD's of our music and he challenged Levi to learn some scales by Christmas. Levi has been playing or begging to play his new flute ever since.

Crying over spilt milk

Two litres of milk was rescued from the prison of it's jug this morning by a thoughtful two year old. The milk made the most of its new found freedom by making as much ground as it could across the Marriott family's unsealed, tile floor. Soon after, the milk was recaptured by way of bath towels and scrubbing by the frazzled, sleep-deprived mother of the two-year-old accomplice. The Marriott family is said to have survived the incident, but they wish to remain in isolation while they recover from the emotional morning.

The leftovers

Since my biggest sister beat me to the posting of wedding details I shall direct you to read her bloggity blog as well. I will only add on a bit.

First, my left arm will never be the same after having sacrificed much this weekend. After slicing off part of my left fore-finger whilst trying to cut satin for the ring pillow, (good thing it was red) I took a trip to the ER where I received a tetanus shot in my left shoulder..ouch! (still ouch) The next day, whilst sewing said pillow, I stabbed my left thumb hard enough to need a second bandage. The morning after that, I attempted to iron the little man's shirt and not only did I put an iron print in the shirt (the tuckable part, thank goodness) I also burned, rather badly, the inside of my left arm. Was it worth it? Every bit.

The second story I shall add upon is what Dad did for us girls during the father daughter dance. Before the dance he handed each of us an envelope and told us to open it half way through the song. Part of the song says "I'll stand guard like a postcard of a golden retriever". In the envelopes were postcards with a picture of our old dog, Sandy, on them. Well, Erin and I teared up and, of course, in good Dalton fashion, Dad started howling dramatically imitating his emotional daughters. It was good.

Well, Leah's married, we laughed hard and cried hard, we stressed-out, we sang, we danced, we threw up our jazz hands, we played, we drank, and we ate. Good times. Goooood times.

My family adventure

Three dresses, neclaces, and pairs of white shoes prepared, along with one sweet little white shirt, black shoes and pants and tie, the children have had a full day and I just hope they sleep. Tomorrow, we will get our hair done, paint our nails and have a tea party with auntie Leah before the main event. These are some pics of the day.

Regarding the training of potty use

The discovery that one's very small child has decided to potty train themselves seems at first to be an optimal situation. That delusion lasts about as long as it takes to clean up the first floor puddle. Of course a child this small simply cannot be convinced by any reasonable parent that they, in fact, are not potty trained. The attempt to re-dress the leaky areas of said child's anatomy is met with rather disruptive and eruptive denial. The attempt to direct said child toward the loo before leakage occurs is met with the same. What, then, should one do if they are saddled with a leaking child who insists on sitting on the toilet for 1/2 hour before hopping off and promptly relieving themselves on the floor? My simplistic response is as follows; prepare the coffee early, cover irreplaceable and stainable furniture (if you have more that one child you are smart enough to have given these away by now) and have hand towels at the ready in every room. If this does not protect some semblance of sanity then I am not certain sanity has any hope of being saved.

Parade pics

Yesterday at the Sam Steele Parade the kids had a blast on our church's float. Here is a couple of pictures of this fun event.

Father's day

This morning I woke up with a shock realizing in all the hubbub of this week, I had forgotten what day it was. Inexcusable was the fact that I was still in bed while the Father of this house was up caring for children in his usual unselfish, amazingly loving, way.

Worse is the fact that I also forgot to celebrate my own dear Daddy who almost wasn't here for this Father's day. Because he is stubborn, and because he is strong, next week he will dance at my sister's wedding. He is still here and today I am reminded of the overwhelming gratitude of last summer. I am reminded that the Fathers I love are as mortal as I am and yesterday was the last day we were guaranteed. So, I am sorry I let the busyness of my life interfere with remembering how incredible the roles you two play are. I love you deeply and gratefully. Happy Father's day!

Best picture ever taken

This is one of those indescribable moments. Baby alseep on a guitar case. Who doesn't melt?

Babies!

Just when I thought my baby days were over three more have arrived as of 2am this morning. They are gorgeous and at the moment snuggled up with Mama in a box beside my bed. That is not where dear Sparrow would like to be but her choice of birthing place was less than ideal for the safety of her kittens. Her spot of choice was Hannah's pillow. Right there in bed with the two children most likely to put her kittens in their pockets and take them outside to play. So being the more experienced mother of us, I put her in a safer location downstairs where she whined until someone sat and watched her nurse her babies. Finally in an effort to compromise we hid the box in my room where I have been making an appearance and rubbing her spouting "good girl, what a good mama you are." I guess all new moms need encouragement....

Back online!

Finally! The internet is hooked up and fixed! I didn't realize how stabalizing this part of my day was until I didn't have it for two weeks.

Things are coming together nicely here, routines gradually falling into place, children settling into their new digs. We have had guests pretty much every day since we moved in and it feels good. The extroverts in us that have been reigned in for so long are streching out, brushing off the cobwebs, and working out the kinks. Dinner has been cooked on the Barby every night for a week. Roasted veggies made me salivate for hours last night. Bliss!

The secret magic moments of my day fall in the morning and at nap time, when all the house is quiet and I am utterly alone with myself. Sometime I putter around doing household chores, sometimes I read, occasionally I venture outside (when it's not raining) and do yard work. Whatever the activity, I am unbelievably grateful for the room in which to do it.Life has really taken a nice comfortable turn and I dearly hope we get a chance to rest here an catch our breath awhile.

Home Sweet home

Being able to wash clothes in the same building you live in really makes you settle in. We have no door knobs upstairs and we still have quite a bit to move over from the trailer but our new house is swiftly becoming home. The morning light in my kitchen warms me up from the inside out. Most days we have had our lunches outside on the deck while the kids frolic barefoot in the soft grass on the back yard. Today we bounced around a few garage sales buying necessities like garden hoses and less than nessesary items like orange serving dishes suitable for potlucks of all kinds. Now we are back at the trailer packing up some more of our things. It has been a pleasant saturday so far and I look forward to ending it with a cooler on the deck with my husband.