Afternoon with the boys

M called it pink moss

This afternoon we have been playing variations of trampoline kickball/dodge ball/soccer with a small nerf ball that has a big chunk of foam bitten out of it from when N was two and used to eat everything but the food on his plate. I am sweaty and tired and still have dinner and soccer practice to deal with…but I saw this view of our red bud tree from my vantage point on the trampoline and thought SWEET SHOT!

I'm linking up at Sweet Shot Tuesday

That's my Boy!

M had his parent teacher conference and his speech therapy conference yesterday

they said he is sweet and caring and everyone likes him

they said he is polite and thoughtful and anticipates the needs of others

they said he has a great sense of humor

speech therapy said he was brilliant (that is the word she used) and will

test out of speech next year

they said that he is a problem solver and doesn't miss a thing

my heart is full, we are so proud of him!

Becoming Me--with Boys

Being the mom of two boys has defined me, has made me realize that this is what I’ve been searching for; it has been a sigh of relief that I have finally found my place, that I have become me.

It has been a surprise being the mom of two boys, the rough and tumble and rowdy I was expecting, the balls and cars and dinosaurs I was ready for, it has been the sweet moments, the flower picking moments that have caught me by surprise.

My two boys with their unique personalities delight me and I pray in thanksgiving that I am their mom.

I'm linking this post to Sweet Shot Tuesday

Morning Routine

They have been awake for about 20 minutes I would guess. Morning sounds echo down the hallway and push under the bedroom door to greet me as I rise. Coffee is waiting just how I like and the boys have been fed and clothes lain out for the oldest. It’s a school day after all, but not for the little one. This is our morning routine. Such comfort there is in the sameness, in the ordinary.

There is an impatient energy in the air that is my husbands. Follows him around like an old friend. I have gotten used to the energy over the years; have found a way for it to mingle with my need for stillness and quiet. They coexist in harmony, but it has taken some time.

Jackets and hats in place and back-pack found. Good bye kisses and I’ll pick you up from school for the older one and a reassurance that this day started the same as the last. Routine. Mundane. But it’s ours, and we wrap it around us like a well worn blanket.

At last it is just me and the little one. We sit. Snuggle in. Wrap ourselves around each other. He pulls my face toward him with his little hands and begs me to listen. I wouldn’t miss it! This time we have together. And I try not to think about next year. When they are both in school full time and a new routine must be made.

Quiet day, yummy soup

Photo by: myrecipes.com

We are coming in on the home stretch of our spring break and today I find myself alone. The kids have spent a much anticipated day with their MeMe (anticipated by them and me) and my husband after taking most of the week off is back to work.

It is raining and overcast today and I have enjoyed my second cup of coffee and a good book. I wish I had a pretty window seat to lounge on, but I don't. There is one thing that I have learned from Calvin and Hobbes (yes, life lessons can be learned from a comic strip) and that is to wish for the things that are within your grasp and not the things that you cannot have.

That in mind, I wish that I had a nice creamy soup for lunch. Soup is so good left over. I can make it on the weekend and eat on it all week. And as you might have guessed by my earlier remark, I have some.

Nearly Instant thai Coconut Corn Soup (not loving the title, but I wasn't consulted)

soup adapted from a recipe found in Vegan Express by Nava Atlas

1 tbls. olive oil

3 garlic cloves, minced

4 to 5 scallions, thinly sliced

1 med red bell pepper I used 1/2 can roasted red pepper

2 14 oz. cans light coconut milk

11/2 cups rice milk I used almond

1 16 oz. bag frozen corn I have made it before with fresh corn off the cob

2 tsp. red curry powder

salt and pepper to taste

1/2 cup fresh cilantro I don't like cilantro so omitted this

heat oil garlic and white part of scallions for 2-3 minutes. add all other ingredients except salt and pepper. bring to a rapid boil. then simmer for 5 minutes. salt and pepper. serve.

I love this vegan soup! I topped it with the croutons that I made the other day.

What is your favorite food leftover?

Even though I wrote this a few weeks ago I'm linking it up to Home Is: over at Reluctant Entertainer.

Hey Good Lookin'

I have been having fun with my blog, check out the new header I made! I can't take credit for any of it. There are some great tutorials at sneaky momma blog design, you can check it out here!

Things we Find in the Garden

The warm weather beckoned as the four walls closed in and before long we found ourselves in our big backyard balancing on the old railroad posts that make up our little garden. Round and round we went weaving stories in the air. We are going to grow strawberries and almonds and soybeans (this all from M) and we are going to have a vineyard and grow grapes.

The laughter bubbled up as the stories grew bigger, the food more exotic, some real and some imagined. We were on our fiftieth loop around the garden and had just decided that we needed to triple the size (to fit the cupcake tree we were going to transplant from chocolateville) when out of the corner of my eye I.See.A.Snake!!!

My husband asked me later: what kind of snake was it? Is he kidding me? Did you chase it out of our yard? Really? Did you take a picture of it with you phone? Hysterical laughter from me. Did it hiss or rattle? I don’t know. You didn’t hear anything, what were you doing? I was too busy screaming: M and N RUN!!
>
In hindsight I realize that I may have overreacted a bit. The snake was probably enjoying the sunshine as much as we were (and possibly the tale of fresh produce all summer long). We probably scared him as much as he scared us. But none of that matters to me. I guess I’m not much of a farmer. I’m still a city girl at heart!

I was thinking of posting a picture of a snake for this post but all the pictures scare me. Just use your imagination!