Through the Looking Glass

Tomorrow our second oldest, and only daughter graduates from High School. Talk about a wake up call on how quickly time marches on...My emotions are all over the place and I better bring a box of tissues to the ceremony! I will be taking a brief hiatus from my blog so that we can celebrate and then get ready for her Graduation party. 

I love themes and when she and her brothers were younger, I would have theme days at home where maybe it would be "strawberry day" one day and then "whale day" the next. I would get books from the library on whatever the day would be centered around and we would do a craft or an activity as well as a food that went along with the theme. If time allowed, or it was feasible that activity would include going somewhere. For example we would go strawberry picking or to the aquarium. Now do not roll your eyes, it would not be every day that we did this, but I think my teaching background combined with my love of books and projects spurred this on. 

Well, this will be my last Theme Day for Kelsey before she heads off to create her own life in college. Her Graduation Party is going to be centered around an Alice and Wonderland theme. I thought what better way to celebrate than "through the looking glass?"I will be sure to post pictures next week as well as some instructions on some of the decor and yummy treats that I will be working on to celebrate.

 I will be filled with both pride and sadness at this event tomorrow. How did I get to this point so quickly? For I only graduated a couple of years ago...or so it seems! 

Inspiration

Wow! I was making a run to some of my favorite Plant Nurseries and Farm Stands West of here, out towards the Amish Country, when I crested a hill. At the top, these colors were laid out before me in all their natural beauty. It is one of my favorite color combinations which is so vibrant and subdued at the same time. I had to use my cell phone to take a picture! I then went on my way and in every direction I was struck by the natural beauty of the rolling farmland which seemed to be ever more magnificent highlighted by the bright blue sky. I had to stop in the middle of the road and poke my cell phone out the window (good thing the roads are not busy at this time of day) to take another picture to try and capture the moment.

Can a day get any more beautiful than this???? Only when it is combined with a few forays into some favorite antique stores, some juicy ripe strawberries that taste like the sun has touched them, and wafting in the sensory delight of rows upon rows of blooming plants! Due to the fact that I had been able to block out the whole day to spend in this area, which is a rare occasion, I loaded up my Suburban until it was bursting at the seams. When I got home, while unpacking the car, I had to snap some pictures of the bounty. For again it was a delight for the senses as I opened up the trunk of the car.

I had found flowers of beautiful hues, juicy red ripe strawberries and tomatoes, Spring asparagus, Ball canning jars with hues of the ocean, a funky purse, old cheese boxes, an old book with beautiful Currier and Ives printing plates and even a jug of homemade root beer for my boys! Yummy, delightful things to be enjoyed later today, or items to be stashed to be made into something interesting tomorrow. 

A day full of inspiration! What more could you ask for?

The Pitter Patter of Little Feet!

It certainly has been some time since we have heard the pitter- patter of little feet around here! With four boys who range in age from 10 to 19, those footsteps that we hear resounding in the halls are almost always running and do not sound like a pitter-patter, more like a thunder clap. Our daughter's can sound the same depending on what mood she is in.

Anyway, the other night...the children were nestled all snug in their beds while visions of the end of the school year, danced in their heads............

When what to my wondering ears did I hear...but the pitter patter of little feet running cross my floor. I darted up in bed since I awaken to the slighest air movement in the room, as my children say, and thought to myself that I must have been dreaming, for they did not repeat themselves. 

Back to sleep I fell, while the visions of the end of the school year that danced in my head were a little bit different than those of my children. Again, I was awakened by the same sound of little feet...did not hear anything upon listening intently...so back to sleep again for the third time. At this point in time as I awaken again to the same sound, I most certainly feel as if I am loosing it! Our dog Willow validates that feeling by continuing to sleep peacefully. Have I mentioned that she is a Border Collie who has the energy level that rivals that of my four boys and my son's entire Third Grade Class? If she had heard something she would have been up and at em! So...in order to confirm the fact that I am not loosing it...I wake my husband...so he can listen to the pitter patter that stops every time I wake up. Have I mentioned that he does not like to be awakened from his slumber??? He placates me, ever begrudgingly, and we listen together in the dark. FINALLY we hear it and it sounds as if something is running across our hardwood floor in OUR bedroom...larger than a mouse...smaller than my kids. We awaken Willow and she dutifully gets up and goes directly to the radiator where she looks as if she is on the trail of the Baskerville Hounds. We see nothing but assume that something is hiding under the radiator. To make a long story short, we continue on in this fashion until somewhere close to when the sun rises with no sightings of what is making the pitter-patter. What a lovely morning we had when the alarm went off to wake us up after finally falling into a deep sleep! 

Upon going to bed the following night, we have Willow sleep on the floor instead of the bed. She certainly will catch the offending creature tonight...Same scenario except this time we both dart up in bed the first time we are awakened.

When what to my wondering eyes did appear when I turned on the light...but a baby squirrel trying to scurry from our sight. ( The goofy dog, had moved over to her bed and was out like the light that used to be off) Well...at least I am not going mad...but what to do about the baby squirrel??? there is never ONE baby squirrel!

What was the purpose of this story you ask?

Well this story introduces a topic that I will discuss in a later blog...entitled  Murphy's Law. I will let you  sleep on it!