Calder & Company

Little hands...are VERY busy.

I don't usually write about the travails of daily life, but this morning was such a shenanigan.  We are trying to have baby C.C. sit at the table occasionally (goodbye high chair) and today he decided to whip his spoon across the table.  Well that spoon, just so happen to hit Z.'s full glass of milk and knock it over.  With all the entropy of mornings, Z. never had his milk. 

Ho hum, so I let him drink something in the car on the drive to school and low and behold, he spilled it.  Drat, double drat.  (He stated the mess was due to my 'bumpy' driving, ok).  Anyways, I couldn't let a 7 year old go to school with wet pants (it looked like he wet his pants).  So he was sad, and late to class this morn after we ran home for a change.  I hated to see him sad, and tried to cheer him up.  Ok, so I guess it can be a three ring circus some days...you just can't plan for everything. 

Not to mention the curious hands of sweet babe.  He is just at that height where he can grab things on the nights stand, or any counter-top.  Most days, his ultimate aim is to get my coffee cup.

As you can see, he doesn't really look at what he is grabbing, just goes by feel.  His curiosity has no bounds.  Even though curiosity can make me crazy some days, I am glad those little fingers are exploring.

Here is lovely book that Z. made for the babe a few months ago on a rainy day. (Titled "Things in my home")

I just had to share some of the inside.  I enjoy seeing what kids think are important.  Toesies are a lovely thing.

A Visit To The Art House.

A visit to our favorite art place.  The boys love to "bop" from project to project until they settle down and decide to focus on one medium.  Watercolor is usually their favorite, but this day they painted rocks.  Isn't the "stick" house wild?  I especially like the gatekeeper...

 

The Best Part About Summer.

    The best part about summer is slowing life down and enjoying the changes in nature.  For me, a sort of carefree feeling occurs when the sun shines long hours.

    I enjoy watching the children while they find bugs, worms and new plant life.  Just exploring their world.

    As a child,I remember laying on the sidewalk watching the ants.  Where they were going, what they where carrying, and how the small pebbles that I put in their way never slowed them down--drat.  I had no other concerns or cares.  Just watching.  Perfect. 

    I smile when I see my own boys watching the water intently.  Searching the grass for life.  Peeking under rocks and looking at tree bark (or lack there of as seen below).

 

Just looking, thinking, smelling and hearing their surroundings.  Not even talking to each other.

Only watching the world to see what will wander into their space.  Aha, a giant snapper.  Quite a beauty with all the moss growing on his shell.  All were intrigued. 

Summer Berry Bonanza!

We are always anxious to get to the berry fields to harvest fresh strawberries.  At times I have the notion to quick run over and get some berries alone, but the boys would be positively mad at their mum if I denied them the chance to pick berries.  Oh no!

Sometimes the boys attribute this venture for strawberries as looking for 'giant, reddened treasure'.  Calling out when they find the biggest and most perfect specimen.  I can't tell you how many times I hear this statement, "Hey Look how big this one is, quick come and see it..."

So this year was a great year for giant, sweet strawberries, and as I was going through my strawberry recipes in my mind, I decided to make Old-Fashioned Strawberry Shortcake from a recipe in here (mine is an older version).

Fabuloso recipe, and now will be our annual treat, (although one boy only really just wants the whipped cream).  Also, I meant to take a photo of the treat, but they were eaten too vigorously!  Needless to say, we are going back for our next round of berry picking today.  Joy, Joy.

Baseballs and Soccer balls.

Just wanted to do a quick post about the myriad of sports the boys are engaging in these days.  We started soccer and baseball back in April and so here is our what has been going on in our world.

N. is a Yankee and Z. is red Pirate.  The boys love to be the catcher.  (I think it is mostly the gear.)

Here is one of the few soccer photos I have taken. Guess I need to take my camera to the next game.  It is a juggle taking the babe, both boys and balls, chairs, drinks and snacks and not to mention if we are providing snacks for the team.  Yikes.  Our guys are both on this team and Z. is number 9. This is six and seven year olds (we just slipped n. onto this team even though he was not of the right age).

Nature up close.

Busy sewing and gardening at our house these days.  The boys are busy working on an elf garden, complete with mini elves and plants.  They are waiting for the mailman to bring the "Chip and Dale" bridge for their design.  Can't wait to see and share the final project. 

The birds are very active around our house this time of year, and we often pause to hear the lovely sounds they are making.  The boys enjoy watching the window for different species of birds.  This year we added an Oriole feeder and new Bluebird box to our landscape. 

This year, a robin made a giant nest on top of one of our outside lights.  This is the first time this has occurred and unfortunately, it would have to be removed.  I only wish we could have caught it before she meticulously designed her abode.  We had to relocate the nest due to risk of fire hazard (it nearly killed me to move it, so glad hubby was home).

 

Isn't that just a fantastic nest?  It was humongous and quite heavy with all the mud she applied. 

Needless to say, we have oodles of worms around our place (hence all the birdies). And the boys all time favorite past times is: collecting worms (big surprise eh)?  Frequently, I have to sneak out to let them free of the jar.  Usually the boys will return them to the dirt, only to revisit them in the next 10 minutes to see if they are still there.  Then they decide to keep them for fishing on the lake (which may or may not occur in a timely manner).  hmmm. 

Alright then, in keeping with my nature thread, I wanted to share a photo of some tasty "Moose Lips" Nana put together with the boys (the recipe is found in this book.)  I thought they were delicious and quite fun.  (Couldn't you see these at a retirement party?")

 

Now for me, back to wrapping presents for Birthday Boy trois, and sewing some new garments...Adieu.

Growth.

Wow, I have really taken a break from the blogworld.  Thanks for your lovely emails.  Time just flies when you have three little boys.  Most days it is all I can do to stay on task with schedules (yes, I have become a schedule person) and get our family fed.  I have oodles and gobs of photos to share with you, but here are a few that were on my mind.  Mainly, as sweet C.C. is just growing and changing by leaps and bounds, I try to commit some special moments to memory.  Here are some of our special moments that I want to remember forever.

I love the way those babes cling onto your fingers so tight when they are learning the joys of walking.  It is shear happiness to look down and see his progress.

I love the way babies minds work at this age.  C.C. sees us looking and reading books, so he frequently sits down to look at pictures.  Or is he just imitating us?  Good question.  I thought he looked so sophisticated reading his books.

The same day I took the above photo, I also took the photo of him standing on his toesies.  I enjoy how babes will stretch and contort their bodies to try and reach anything they can find.

These are just a few moments in time that I want to savor in my mind with C.C, because I know babyhood is fleeting. 

Just look how much my 4 year old and 6 year old have grown. 

Aah, that is why life is so precious, because it is always moving forward, no matter how much I try and slow it down. 

She Who Laughs, Lives.

Yesterday on my drive home, another car stopped right in front of my car and had this bumper sticker that stated, "She Who Laughs, Lives".  Do you ever have days where you feel like these little nuggets of good-ness or direction are placed right under your nose?  I needed to see that bumper sticker.  I marvel at the way my children's minds work, but there are moments when I get discouraged.  I need to laugh more.  Yes indeed.

So instead of feeling frustrated, I stop and smile, and yes, I laugh. 

I laugh when N. takes apart my hands free headset for my cell phone.(Still trying to get it back together).  

I laugh when I find the babe with caramel dipping sauce behind the sofa in the living room.  (Dad helped clean that up--it was everywhere).   The babe was cute in his innocence.

I must elaborate:  we have this spot behind our sofa in the living room, which has served as a hide-out of sorts for the boys.  They run there when they are in trouble, or when they are doing something they are not supposed to be doing.  N. had been secretly eating caramel dipping sauce behind the sofa, and sweet C.C. wandered upon it, and dug his fingers right in.  Yes, it was super sticky and everywhere.  These messy moments are fleeting, and I am laughing and moving on about these things.  (I did take a photo of the caramel sticky mess).

So the next time I find this in the refrigerator:  I smile and then I laugh. 

If fact, I could do a whole series on where I find Legos in our house.  I also found another stoomtrooper behind the milk.  I am told this is Captain Rex and he was eating peanuts (hence the tool to open the peanuts can).

I can take the messes.  I welcome them.  I know this is such a short time I have with these little ones, before they are grown up.  They make me smile and of course, laugh. 

With all of the messes, I get the good-ness as well.  I especially love all the little notes my little Z. leaves for me.  I got to see this in the morning.  At our breakfast table. 

I love those little people.  Messes and all.

Castle Building.

Yes, yes we are buried in snow.  Meanwhile, the young ones have been busy making castles for their "Lego Battles". 

This castle by Z. was inadvertently destroyed by sweet baby C.C. who stumbled across it (literally).   So in essence, the dragon did not stop the babe.

   

I like how the two Stormtroopers appear to be engaged in a casual conversation.  Made by Z.  Love the blocks from Nana, and yes baby C.C. does enjoy the blocks when they aren't being used for "brigade building".  Makes me nostalgic for the days that I played with my sisters Star Wars figures.

 

N. just putting on the last few touches.  This castle was being guarded by Batman.  Beware!

 

And our most colorful castle...compliments of Z. and Brio. 

So up next is: alligators and the big storm at the Seashore.  Adieu.