Happy Mama's Day

This Mama's Day, we did a lot of celebrating. With these two little ones,

   

the best mom in the world as my mama...

 and a wonderful and loving mother-in-law, 

what is there not to celebrate? 

Nothing. I am so very blessed. 

When something is difficult in my very blessed life, it's very much a "first-world problem."

You know the kind: stressful mornings get out of the house to be on time for work/school, health insurance premium and deductible going up, rift with the boss/ coworker, broken wash machine...

And then I hear about a woman-- many women--who die in childbirth because they didn't have access to anything sterile when it came time to cut the umbilical cord. I hear about a child who is blind due to an infection that could have been prevented if there had been some gauze in the room when she was born. And I feel like a jerk for complaining about, well, anything.

Thankfully, there are people out there who don't sit around feeling like a jerk... they take their OB skills and volunteer in places like Papua New Guinea (where one in seven women die in childbirth), and introduce the concept of hand washing, a sterile razor, tying the umbilical cord, wiping the infant's eyes and birthing on a clean surface. Then they provide the tools to make it happen (gloves, soap, twine, razor, gauze, plastic sheet). Then they leave the kit with the mom-to-be and her birthing attendant and head back to their First World practice and hope they've saved some lives.

Tonight, we celebrated Mother's Day by packing 100 of these Birthing Kits to be sent to one such amazing doctor in Australia. Friends came over and folded plastic sheets, cut soap, measured twine and stuffed 100 ziplock bags in the hope that a mama and baby-- or 100 mamas and babies!--will be safer, healthier and loved by strangers here in Oregon. 

Here's a picture of one of the kits, alongside a picture that Winona drew to put in the box: a mama, a baby (with music notes coming out of her mouth!) and a picture of one of the kits-- under a sunny sky. 

Happy Mother's Day, to mamas everywhere!

Mama's Day Nursery Rhyme Performance

The little monkey made her performing debut this week... at the Y's mama's day party. I'm learning that I need to start recording a little earlier--that's two performances in a row that misses the first few bars, but here she is: Jez Monkey! 

Talent Show

I was a little slow on the uptake of pressing 'record'---whoops!-- but this gives you a good idea of Winnie's Talent Show performance on Friday night. She was the first kiddo on stage... and she rocked it. Poise, confidence and although she started a little higher up the scale than is her total comfort zone, she pulled out a great performance!!! Brought down the house. :)

Weekend-O-Rama

And, by that, I mean about as mellow as they come. 

We took a walk to a friend's house who was turning 30-something and celebrating by serving cake all afternoon to anyone who stopped by. Yes, please! 

 We painted rocks while mom planted beets and unleashed some serious wrath upon the ivy.

 We watered stuff. (VERY helpful. :)

 And then did some more of this...

We were having so much fun together and so enjoying the weekend, that  mom didn't even make us take a nap/ quiet time. That's unprecedented, folks.

She put us to work, instead. We're painting the front door blue!

 "After" pictures will be posted when we finish the job. 

There is a big ball of yellow up in the middle of a blue sky. 

Temperatures are soaring to heights that have inspired me pack up the wool hats and replace them with sun hats. We just got back from a fabulous family bike ride and the girls are, well... see for yourself:

Swimsuits and lemonade!

 Garden picnics!

 And a new bike!  No Training Wheels...I can't quite do it, yet,  but soon!

In other news, I LOVE to help cook. Like.... really, really love it. I will stay focused on a task ("grate the cheese" or "cut the avocado") for great lengths of time and then ask, "Can I help? Can I help, please?"

                                         
Pretty soon, I'll be sending Winnie to the store on her bike to get the ingredients for Jez to make dinner. But, alas, not tonight. Off so see what's for dinner! :)

Hoppy Easter

 If she'd had a halo on, I would have thought I'd died. 

Turns out, it was not an angel, but an easter bunny...at 6am.

 A really sweet, incredibly excited Easter Bunny. 

                                                

"You got me up at 6am for this?" 

Actually, she was very excited. Because Winnie was...and because there was chocolate involved. Chocolate that mom let her eat. At 6 in the morning. 

(Have I mentioned that our day started early?)

 These shots were taken much later in the day... after some forced naps. We had had two big parties the day before and in case it hasn't yet been made clear, our Sunday started early, so after the Easter festivities were over (by, um, 7:15), we had breakfast and about two hours of meltdowns and bickering before we took a little Easter QUIET TIME! Everyone woke up in much better moods. So we donned our bunny ears and...

 went...

ROLLER SKATING!

Because nothing says "SPRING!" like carpeted walls, day glow clothing and the smell of nachos.

It was actually hilariously fun (and absolutely like stepping into 1981). Winona loves skating... and got quite good on that rink with the skating Easter Bunny. She can't wait to go back. I can't wait to buy her some roller skates so we never have to.

We came home and busted out the grill for its inaugural 2012 run. While the burgers grilled, we had a little deck jam.

Jezebel is pictured here pouring her HEART into "Where is Love?" from Oliver. She had her eyes closed, head thrown back, lungs belting... the whole song. Our neighbors are grateful that it's a short one.

And then, to bed. 'Cause we'd been up for a looooooooooooooooooooong time. Happy Spring, everyone!!!! 

Happy Birthday, Daddy!

There is no quietly sliding through a birthday with these two little party animals in the house. Not that we would want to, of course, but when Mike says, "All I want for my birthday is a family dinner," Winnie hears "Balloons! Banners! Bands! Music! Decorations! Confetti! Friends! Games! Clowns! PRESENTS! AND IT ALL HAS TO BE A SURPRISE!!!! 

Mama. We need. to. start. planning. NOW!"

So, the balance for me, of course, is to do just enough to satisfy the wee ones' need for PAR-TAY, and actually celebrate MIKE! 

Turns out: a cake goes a looooong way to still their beating party hearts.

 Making the cake was pure heaven. 

Winnie insisted that she make Daddy's Birthday Crown, and Jezebel made him a mask. (I'm hoping that doesn't become a tradition for her, it's a little creepy. Maybe next year I'll suggest the Birthday Cape or the Birthday necklace instead...???) 

 Ok, seriously, Jez. The cake is all gone. 

It's like partying with frat boys.

Happy Birthday, Mike! Confetti! Bands! SURPRISE!! 

We love you!

Happy Spring!!!

Spring has arrived! Buds are blooming...

 animals, frolicking...

...and we're working out in the garden! 

 

Reality check: The first day of Spring brought with it a FREAK snow storm, with HEAVY, WET snow that did lots of damage around the whole city. This was the end of our driveway for two days. Stayed home on Snowmageddon Day 1; walked to work on Day 2. 

 Trees have since been removed and the snow has since melted... but sheesh, what a freak show.
In other news:
Jezebel had a serious case of the "I hate this snow stuff." which could be attributed to the outbreak of hives she had that day (we thought it was Chix Pox at first)... or it could be attributed to the fact that it's really cold and wet and requires ungodly amounts of layering. The hives were diagnosed on Friday morning, and pretty much cured by now. Allergic rxn to something: strawberries is our current best guess. (FYI: should you ever be snowed in during a skin rash outbreak, ground oatmeal, witch hazel, tea tree oil and aloe gel mixed together make a fabulous salve for the skin. :)
Tomorrow starts Spring Break! All that means for us is that we get to sleep in one glorious hour or so later and take Winnie to Y Spring Break Camp instead of school. I'll consider it a great week if we can get through it without any more snow or hives. :)

Fun with Grammy!

And, as a spectacular curtain call to the Peter Pan era, Grammy came to visit!

Leprechauns!

This morning, we woke up to some St. Patrick's day puppets and a card from the wee folk saying they wouldn't be seen or caught, but they did leave us some treats... We had only to follow their green footprints to the goodies! Happy St. Patrick's Day, all!

Peter Pan Flies to the Big Times!

Tonight, it's the Big Stage! 

 

I'm excited. And a little bit nervous. 

Grandma's Visit!

One of the best parts about being in a show is that Grammas come to town! Last weekend, Grandma was here... and we had a fabulous time!

Even though the sun only came out for about the 36 seconds it took to take this picture. 

 But that's okay. We were busy playing games, reading books, and performing! 

Life Imitating Art

Oh The Places We Go

Some days, just the thing that one may be needing,

Is a party to celebrate the wonders of reading,

And what better inspiration, what better muse

than Teddy Giesel, whom we know as Seuss?!

Last week was his birthday, 

and we had such fun!

We dressed up each day and

 when it was done, 

We came Friday night to our school for THIS fest:

And wanna guess what we liked the best?

Eating lollipops.

But the activities were cool, too. We got seed packs, and promised the Lorax we'd plant them.

We had our faces painted and did a Book Walk. We shot hoops and went "fishing" for booky prizes and saw lots of our friends from school. It was a fun week of celebrating Seuss: the man who has probably single-handedly inspired more readers than any other one person in the history of ever. 

Then on Saturday, we broke out the bling and headed to the big city. 

 

(Don't worry, I was a passenger when I took this picture...)

Jason was driving us to the theater where he would perform and I would watch a fantastic show!

 It was not a kids show, however, so the short ones stayed here: with our Gammas and Gamma Cousins. Girl Pandemonium is the only way to describe 5 girls between the ages of 1 and 6--or 8 girls between 1 and 36, depending on how you're counting your girls.

                                                   

A brief but wonderful overnight, and them home to a gorgeous afternoon, where the wee ones played outside while Yard Spring Cleaning began! 

                                                 

Now, our attentions fly away to NeverNeverLand-- with a full week of rehearsals and a SHOW on Friday night! Yeah! AND! Grandma will be here this week!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! We can't wait!