Hello, Bill

I know I'm late with this, but you are seriously lucky to get any kind of a post at all, right? Violet is currently sleeping (it is 4:27pm and she has been asleep for about 70 minutes) and Stella is watching a Snow White double header. Me? I am supposed to be making dinner, so don't you dare tell them I was blogging instead.

So, Bill.

Sunday morning I wanted to get the kids out of the house for a couple hours so Jason could have some breathing space. It was a complete whim to take the kids to the beach. It isn't something I generally do. At 8 am on a Sunday morning, I mean. Um, yeah.

See how deserted the beach was?  This definitely won't be the last time we go at 8am on a Sunday morning. We were out so early I even brought them to Parson's Beach, which is a nice quiet beach with a serious lack of parking. Hence the quietness, I guess.

What I hadn't realized was that Hurricane Bill was making his way up the coast. I stole a little map from Stormpulse so you can see just how close Bill was. It was perfect, actually. Just far enough away to be completely safe, but close enough to make some big fancy waves. If you look closer, I put a little red dot in our approximate location.

It is very hard to get a good shot of waves. I mean, sure that looks like waves, but nothing special.

 

But there was a cop standing on the shore telling people not to swim, and the surfers were all out there pretending to be out of earshot.

And when a big one came in, boy, did it ever come in. Careful, there, Violet.

After this particular wave came in, Stella wanted nothing more to do with the water. I can't say I blame her. I was holding onto her with one hand, snapping pictures with the other, and she was literally being pummelled by the wave. But look at that amazing shot! Scrapbook worthy, even.

 

Luckily there were plenty of treasures to be had on the beach, and Violet is now looking forward to winter at Parson's Beach. I promised her some seaglass, dredged up by all the winter storms.

And just to let you know, Stella has now fallen asleep next to me on the couch.This picture isn't from today - it's from last week, but the only thing that has changed is the dress. It's hard work being a princess, you know.

612

That is the number of items I have to download from my camera. I'm not even sure how to approach a post based on 612 photos. And that's only one camera. There's still the spare, and the video camera.


There has been an interesting assortment of momentous occasions recently, with more to come. Just this week Violet was in her first gymnastics show, she graduated from preschool and we had another (final - phew) IEP meeting to determine the future of her kindergarten career. Plus, we will shortly be going to her best friend's sixth birthday party, and we will leave on Friday for my brother's wedding, where Violet will be a flower girl, get her hair done with the ladies and have real nail polish on her fingers and toes.

So I think what you will get here is just a mish mosh of my favorite pictures with no running narrative to link them into something bigger than themselves. You will just have to use your imaginations to see how these all connect into the bigger picture that is our life. I have faith in you.

Stella makes princess crackers - cashew butter and sprinkles. And the princesses all feast on them. Or something. Please notice each princess has both 'slippers' on. Thanks, Mama.

Stella is every bit a princess. She adores throwing tea parties.

I know I'm biased. But she really is just beautiful.


Little House on the Prairie, eat your heart out.


Chef Stella makes a guest appearance at the Children's Museum of Maine.

In Violet's world, this place is called "New York Wild Kingdom". It used to be called "animal signs", so we're getting there.


Stella and Isabel's favorite part was undoubtedly the ducks. A fist full of food for a quarter.

Newly minted graduate. How cute is this.

Can you spot our favorite girl? On her right is her best girl friend, Cayden. On her left is another best girl friend, Alayna. Of course you all know that Evan is her best best friend. There will be a quiz later.

I am eternally grateful for the devoted, loving care that Jen Lang gave Violet at Bear Hugs. She is an amazing teacher, who treats all her kids like they have special needs - because in her eyes, each one is special and deserves to be treated according to their needs. Special needs kids. I don't know where we would be today without Jen.

Stella has been in gymnastics for a year. She loves it, and often during the week will ask for her 'eee-oh-tad' and go to 'imasics'. That's leotard-to-gymnastics for the uninitiated.

When Violet started gymnastics, she couldn't even follow the group for 10 minutes without wandering off. Now look. Look at the concentration.

She loves gymnastics. Look at that smile.

What we've been up to

Well, Jason had a birthday. I can't remember how old he is now. The girls decorated a cake for him. It was a vegan red velvet cake that I thought, with the exception of the decorating, left a little to be desired. But vegan cake is better than no cake at all, isn't it?

We've been playing outside. Stella was working with me in the garden the other day when she stopped, looked up at me and said "Big helper." Practically crushed my heart, the weight of love.

Lately, Stella's favorite activity is mailing letters. Is there anything there?


Yes! There is!


Maybe I should deliver it again.

It goes on like that for quite some time.

Here's something else that goes on for quite some time.


Violet is turning into a fantastic hula-hooper. She just keeps going and going and going with her thumbs in the sky. She's so cute while she's doing it. I'll have to take a movie.

And then, there are the things little girls just - do. Violet informed me that we are not allowed to pick the dandelions in the yard anymore so they can make seeds and we can grow more dandelions. Our yard doesn't have enough.


Auntie Tiffany came over the long weekend. Of course I didn't take nearly as many pictures as I should have, much to Tiffany's glee.


But it was a nice, relaxing weekend, and the girls had a great time with her. Can you tell?

Now I'll leave you with this little speck of cuteness.