Won't You Be My Neighbor?

We recently had "The Simple Faith of Mister Rogers" by Amy Hollingsworth recommended to us. I picked it up through interlibrary loan and began reading it this morning. I am having a hard time to not just read the whole thing through in one sitting, it is so pleasant. But Mister Rogers never did hurry through things, so I think I'll take my time with this book.

And I strongly recommend it for a good summer read.

Up for Air

The past week has been spent working on the kitchen. There have been moments of great enjoyment, moments of great frustration, and moments of immense impatience. Today all the work came together. The cabinets and the microhood went up on their new wall. All that is left to do is get a light and outlet done the electrician, and some small finish up touches.

The main thing is that we are no longer living out of crates and boxes. The cabinets were hung early enough so that Caleb and I unpacked and put away everything. So I feel like I can just enjoy the rest of the process of finishing up.

Caleb and I even had time to make cookies in our new oven! It's amazing how they cook when the oven works correctly. I had a really hard time believing they were done because the top wasn't almost burnt.

And I made tacos for dinner. Amazing how well meat cooks on a stovetop that cooks correctly. I felt spoiled... and then amazed at what we had actually been living with for the past year and a half. WOW!

The kids have been phenomenal this past week. They have learned a lot by watching me. And they have had a sudden harvest of creatively playing with each other... which I think both the stress and necessity of the past week have given them.

No pics up on the blog about this... I'm going to create a page or journal on our website to show the whole process and will post when it is up.

Overall, I'm very pleased and very proud of myself.

And I'm very excited to be coming back to the land of the living (if that's what you call being online) as the next week starts.

Tomorrow, I expect to indulge in some computer time, and to finish the pajamas I started for Anna and Caleb, pre-kitchen.

Kitchen Renovation

The wise woman builds her house,
but with her own hands the foolish one tears hers down.
Proverbs 14:1

I read this the other day (on the 14th) the day after I ripped out a bunch of my kitchen.

I wonder how I should take this?

I was cleaning through some files last week and found this cartoon. If my memory serves me, my sister gave it to me before we ever had kids. In light of our past year of dance lessons, I think it's pretty funny.

Ohh Noo Sudokooo

I've been told, I've been warned, I've been encouraged... Emily, you will really enjoy Sudoku puzzles.

I looked through a book of the puzzles at my Mom's house over this past weekend.... hmmm.. that does look kind of fun.

Then as I was 'quickly' picking something up at Wally-World, there was an end-cap display of Sudoku puzzle books for $1.

I tried one this morning. Then two... three... four.

I think I'm hooked. (Of course I'm still in the "very easy" section of the puzzles, too. I'll let you know how I feel when I'm upgraded to "Easy".)

Play-doh where??!

As I was loading my washing machine this morning I hear Caleb's panicked voice coming down the stairs....

"Mom!"
"What, Caleb?"
"I have play-doh stuck up my nose!"
"How did it get there?" as I continue to load the washer and marvel at his flair for drama.
"I don't know..."

So consider this a national security post. There appears to be an attack of play-doh pellets that will lodge themselves into spots where fingers spend any amount of time. You may want to close your windows and doors until this vile attack is announced as under control or over.

I was playing with Adobe Photoshop this afternoon, looking for something creative to do with Anna for thank you cards for her birthday. This is the 'photocopy' filter that you can use.

I'm becoming more and more infatuated with my kids this summer.. they are really so beautiful. How many times have I thought 'if I could draw I would draw that'... even their muscle sculpture fascinates me.

This picture is taken at Shaw's Wharf and Lobster Pound in New Harbor, Maine. We got to eat outside and look out at the Atlantic Ocean and Monhegan Island.

How to waste a day...

...in three easy steps.

Get the idea that your computer will be better suited to you in a different place (you don't have a laptop).

Move the computer (and all the peripherals).

Decide that that idea was not a good one.

I'm so frustrated. I just want to feel like I fit someplace.

Almost a week past...

Since my last post....

We've had our birthday mini-golf trip with Anna, we had regular kinship, we had a special BBQ/kinship on Friday night and Danny and Linda arrived from Long Island.

Over the weekend (with Danny and Linda) we went to Shaw's Lobster Pound for real Maine lobster (I had steak) and went to an aquarium in Boothbay Harbor (can't recommend it... cool exhibit but not worth the price of admission). Celebrated our 11th anniversary on Saturday evening by going to the local blues bar sans kids (thank you Carrie for the babysitting gift).

In the middle of the night, Marc got really sick, so on Sunday with four hours notice I led the whole church service and preached! Danny and Linda hung out most of the afternoon, then we had to say good-bye to them.

Today we've gone to Home Depot and bought a new range (ours have ceased to work the way they are supposed to), moved my computer from the basement to our main living floor (out of the dungeon) and Marc is now mowing while I am trying to make this computer corner not dominate the dining/kitchen area and look nice and feel comfortable.

Another Sofie story

Yesterday, when we were outside, Sofia watched a bird fly and land in the neighbors yard. Upon successful landing, Sofie threw her hands in the air and started clapping.