then.and.now

number.fourteen

 But what minutes! Count them by sensation, and not by calendars, and each moment is a day. 

Benjamin Disraeli

                                                                                                                                                                                                        

 Avi and Carter :: When 3 months made a difference.

Carter and Avi :: And today.

Inviting you to join me in my Monday ritual ::: link up with your own then.and.now 

Nine

We can only be said to be alive in those moments when our hearts are conscious of our treasures.  ~Thornton Wilder

My Thursday Ritual. I invite you to join me.

A few of this weeks treasures with some random musings along the way!!

 Avi and Michelle (our beloved Nanny) working in the kitchen together. I am so grateful for the laughter and love that Michelle brings to Avi and that Avi brings to Michelle. She has been traveling this past week with another family that she works with and how we have missed her. 

Creating the time to cook and eat a delicious breakfast. Soothes the soul.

Many of our community contributed to the cause to bring this magical friend to Boulder. She thought she'd stay for a week... but we've convinced her to stay until July! So grateful to all of those who helped. Melissa, we are glad you have arrived! 

Learning to wait....

. 

 ... to have moments likes these. 

Which have Avi waking in the morning saying, "Can I go to Carter's and eat popcorn"

 My silly lovely goofed so much that this was the best shot of our family at the park the other day. 

 Love!

 We have been blessed with the geese flying over our home and neighborhood so much lately. 

We love the geese!

I adore the shadow of his hair on his face!!

Nine

We can only be said to be alive in those moments when our hearts are conscious of our treasures.  ~Thornton Wilder

My Thursday Ritual. I invite you to join me.

A few of this weeks treasures with some random musings along the way!!

 Ella came over again - and her and Avi played through all the rituals of the day. Playing, getting ready for work, going to school, eating, napping, and even bathing. "I'm the mama", she said. 

 So thrilled to have our friends Chris and Sara come for a visit with their cutest one, Harrison! 

I have to honor the mama of this family. We had her home for nine straight days as she transitioned out of her full time work and into private practice. It was so great to have her to ourselves!!! And we couldn't be more proud of her bravery for making this huge leap!!

And she turned another year older!!

So we celebrated Jenny style with a little bit surprise, a few friends, and, of course, sushi!!! 

I love this series of photos. Erin is reading Jenn's birthday horoscope to her. 

I still don't know what it said -- but these pictures are priceless!

And finally, a little more Avi and Mama time. 

Nine

We can only be said to be alive in those moments when our hearts are conscious of our treasures.  ~Thornton Wilder

A few of this weeks treasures with some random musings along the way!!

 Oh... this photo. It wasn't until it was uploaded to the computer that I actually saw it. This boy. Not a baby, not a toddler, but a boy. I feel like he is 2 and 1/2 going on six in this photo.  ... and I love his eagerness to help. Trust me, there are many mornings when it is easier for me to just run outside "real quick" and do chicken chores. But having him in tow makes my heart smile... and makes him feel oh so important. And that alone is worth it. (and I think the girls like it too cause they got a lot more scratch when he's in charge)!

 I came across a montessori services school catalog and fell in love with so many of their products... but at closer look, I realized I was in love with the purpose of the products and found that I could replicate many of them by looking in my own cupboards. Avi loves it when we set up the 'pouring station'.

 On the seventh night, Avi and Ella lit the candles while Ella's mama, Laura, looks on. What is almost cuter is that they are wearing each other's shirts. They love to trade! I love how these two play together.

 Having neighbors the same age is awesome... especially when, on a saturday morning, we can spontaneously end up at the park. After running around like horses, tigers, bears, rabbits, and cats, Carter and Avi found their own special place.

 I've had a few opportunities to thrift by myself lately. It is good medicine. I found a huge bag filled with stamps and ink for $6.99!! Avi had quite the time. He liked seeing the stamps show up on the paper....

 ....but stamping all over his legs, hands, arms and face was way more fun!

 Impromptu sunday morning play date with Laura and Ella (again!) and we end up in the comfy corner table - the one with pillows - at the Dushanbe Tea House.

 I love mail. So does my wonderful friend Aimee Herman. And she is much better at making me smile when I walk to my mailbox then I do for her. Thank you friend.

And her words - so poignant, so inspiring as I have been writing a new book - in those moments after my head hits the pillow and before I fall asleep. She reminds me (always) that a lot of writing happens before the paper meets the pen. And...... the paper and pen have a date.

(these [Nine] Moments)

Where have I been? Working, Learning, Playing, Cooking, Teaching, Cleaning, Sharing, and sooo much more.

 I apologize for my lengthened absence. So here is a little bit of Thursday for Friday.

We can only be said to be alive in those moments when our hearts are conscious of our treasures.  ~Thornton Wilder

 We had an excellent Thanksgiving Holiday in the rainy but beautifully green Pacific Northwest. Portland to be exact. Grandma and Grandpa (Jenn's parents) hosted a great family gathering and we ate and laughed and played and had sooo much fun that our cameras rarely came out (a blessing and a curse). Here is Avi playing with one of Grandma's awesome toys!!

 One disadvantage to traveling by plane at thanksgiving is that we don't get sent home with any leftovers. But our friend/neighbor Allie made a 28 pound turkey and shared some of lots of her leftovers. Avi and I got to work and made (for my first time) gluten free egg noodles for our turkey noodle soup. 

 It was okay. The noodles turned out pretty good for a rushed first time. But I used a few different recipes from the web and it was under seasoned. I froze the leftovers so I will add more seasonings before we eat the next batch. The cute part was watching Jenn get seconds and thirds the whole time saying how under seasoned it was. And she was probably on her thirds when she realized that when I said the gluten free noodles were homemade - that meant Avi and I made them. :)

 I have been struggling to balance it all. And even though my bedtime has been uber late in the past several months, I still wake up early. UGH. But I do get to see magical mornings like this! 

 Avi and his/our friend Ella playing together. We hadn't seen Ella and her parents in sooo long that Avi said he wanted to "go on the Ella plane".  It broke my heart and made me smile all at the same time - what else could be the reason we haven't seen her except that she must have moved so far away, we'd need to fly on a plane, he reasoned. (Less than five miles to be exact). Making this play-date happen (and later dinner with her mama too) was sooo much sweeter than this photo could capture. 

 I am in love with my growing boy. His language continues to grow and amaze me. "I think.... shall we go feed the goats?" When the goats didn't come to his calls, "Come here goats. It's me, Avi" (a rarity, they always come), he decided to pocket the bait. 

 If one flies often and looks closely, they might recognize that this photo was taken on an airplane. But I wasn't traveling back from Portland. This flight took me to Salt Lake City, Utah for a Training/Class through the VRS Interpreting Institute. I flew out (alone) on a Thursday and came home that Sunday. The longest trip I've had away from Avi thus far. It was bittersweet! Freedom and heartache all at once. (Yes, that is a Vodka Soda I'm drinking)

 On Saturday, after being in training all day, a handful of us took the train into Temple Square to see the lights. I had forgotten that saying, "When in Rome..." as I asked the hostess of a restaurant on the roof of the Joseph Smith Memorial building if they had a bar. 

 But the training was amazing. I came away from it with a whole huge heap of ideas to use in my class, a new found desire to get my Ph.D., and a gaggle of amazing interpreter educators from across the country that I can now call colleagues and friends...including the amazing Sharon Neumann Solow (above).

Coming home was such sweetness. My boy seemed changed. His face, his voice different. Taller. And when I arrived he said, "Ema, you all done with Salt Lake City!" Here he is helping me with dinner. Messy but worth it!

I want to apologize in advance for any future absences that might occur. I'm winding down my semester (read: lots of grading) and trying my best to sit down at the sewing machine to finish (and start) some holiday gifts. Chanukkah begins at sundown this saturday. I'm not ready for the holidays. It was 75 degrees here on Wednesday. Where is the snow? Where has the time gone? On December 25th, Avi will be 2 & 1/2. Where has the time gone? 

I will post as I can... and know that I'm missing reading all your posts as well. I hope to be catching up soon!

(these [Nine] Moments)

Yes, once again... a little bit of Thursday for Friday! 

We can only be said to be alive in those moments when our hearts are conscious of our treasures.  ~Thornton Wilder

 A walk up to the grocery store: leads to an impromptu play date among the curly hairs!

 Everbearing Strawberries: and our daily visits to the patch to see which ones have ripened. 

 My best helper: gathering weeds & dumping them 17 times in 10 feet before reaching the compost bin.

 My best indoor helper: shortening the pole on the swiffer to make it just his size. Avi loves to mop!

 The too do list: at least this reminder on the counter is nice to look at. 

 Two of our neighborhood deer: they even know to cross in the crosswalk. 

 The neighbor's cat: and Avi trying so hard to make friends - squatting down and calling out, "Here kitty cat"

 The results of picky chickens who don't eat the sunflower seeds in their scratch: and the bees!

 Chicken sitting for my sister's two chickens: meet this lovely and her floppy comb. 

A play date that bleeds into nap time: God was on my side!! 

NINE

We can only be said to be alive in those moments when our hearts are conscious of our treasures.  ~Thornton Wilder

A few of this weeks treasures with some random musings along the way!!

Oh how I love thee... let me count the ways! 

I just can't seem to get enough of him! Since I've started back at work I find that our time together is more balanced. Playing together instead of me feeling like I'm always saying, "in just a moment". Parenting is hard work. Parenting and keeping the household - harder. I love the days when I can text Jenn before she arrives home from work with the warning, "the house is messy". Then there is no cause for concern. (But who is getting dinner on the table? oh yeah, me!)  It's all about balance and I'm finding more these days - even with less time. 

 My neighbor Sara said it best about our boys: "two year olds for hire"

 Riding high with mama in the Boba: sharing his farmer's market carrot with Ema.

 This sweet sign: and meeting baby Linden, who it's for! Welcome to the world little man!

 Trampoline fun with Avi: and his hair!! 

 This smile. Period.

 Apple harvest: time to start making applesauce and pies and crisps and and and...

 Wednesday's forecast high of 61, overcast, rain: long sleeves, long pants, socks... first time this season!! I hear people saying that summer is over.... NO!!!!  It's late summer!!!  And it's one of my favorite parts of summer. 

I found some patience this week in the kitchen: and Avi used his mad skillz to help make his french toast. I love that I can find the places where I can allow my 2 year old to be at the hot stove. It is with guidance and supervision that our kiddos can learn where to touch and where not to touch. Things that are "hot" or "dangerous" don't always have to be off limits if we can find the patience and time to really be there.