Cobalt Nutcracker (Day 1)

Family

The Start of Something

This photo was taken in February of '08.  We were at the Theatre of the Seventh Sister in Lancaster at the Stahr Armory.  We had gone to see a dance performance.  Since we were early we decided to take some pictures on the dark stage.  When I found out this fall that Grace's first COBALT performance would be at that same theater, I thought it was an interesting coincidence.  But as I saw her perform this weekend, it didn't feel like a coincidence.  It felt like an echo.  Like when we were sitting on the floor in the dark of that stage it was like the darkness of the womb.  Something there that wasn't yet birthed yet.  And when I saw Grace dancing this weekend, even though she was just a baby compared to most of the other dancers, I knew that this was the start of something.  Something that had already begun. 

A beautiful something.

Full of Grace.

Waffles

We’ve all been sick this week. Down with some sort of cold. Grace, Sarah, and Em are on the upswing, while I’m just beginning to succumb. This means they are getting antsy and restless right about the time I need to rest. So when I made my way downstairs yesterday to check on them I was so relieved to see that they weren’t watching more TV that I decided to humor them. They wanted to make waffles. From scratch.

I decided the kitchen would probably survive. I got the waffle maker down for them and curled back up under my covers.

Soon Grace came up and said, “Mom, I don’t know what’s wrong. I put all the ingredients together but there’s still this one big lump in the batter and it won’t mix in.”

I thought for a minute, and then I said, “Grace, did you read the directions or just put in all the ingredients?”

“I just put all the ingredients in,” she said kind of sheepishly.

“Well, I’m guessing you didn’t melt the butter.”

“Oh.”

So she fished the butter out, melted it in the microwave and stuck it back in. They came up and asked me questions about every 3 minutes…How do you measure out 2/3 of a cup? Where is the vanilla? How long do you leave the waffle in?

I honestly had no idea how it would all turn out. I was just happy they had a project to keep them busy. But guess what? They actually made waffles.

And they were good!

This morning, Grace made them again. And they were even better.

Oh, and she also brought me breakfast in bed.

I could get used to this.

Endangered Animals

I’m studying Endangered Animals of the North East.  All the ones below are on PA's endangered list.
Grace Ashley

Mammals

Indiana bat,

Carolina Northern flying squirrel,

Eastern Cougar.

Birds

Piping plover

California brown pelican,

Yellow Billed Cuckoo.

Fish

Short nose sturgeon,

Hump back chub,

Short nose sucker.

Reptiles

Bog turtle,

Blunt nose leopard lizard,

American Alligator.

Amphibians

California tiger salamander,

California red legged frog,

Mt. Yellow legged frog.

Chickies Park

We discovered a few things together today.  First, Sam loves to climb.  Second, tick season is not over.  Third, apples taste better than chocolate when you're thirsty.  Fourth--3 out of 4 looking at the camera is about as good as it gets.  And last--Mom still has a lot to learn about taking pictures in bright sunlight. 

About Trick or Treat Day

                                                       Dear Grandma and Grandpa,

We had such a fun Halloween! I was a black cat with a tail, ears, a furry leotard, everything! Emily was Ariel from the Little Mermaid. Dad and I bought her a tiara for her costume too. Sarah was a pink dinosaur monster thingy. Her costume came with little pink slippers that had toe nails that looked like marshmallows. Dad even got a costume. He was a groovy dude with a mustache, disco bead necklace, and a pair of green circle glasses. He was going to get long hair but he couldn’t find any he liked. He didn’t wear his costume to go trick-or-treating though. He says he left it at work. Mommy didn’t get a costume though. I don’t know why yet. Loredana was a person from Star Wars. She had glow stick earrings that I thought were pretty cool. Talia was a midnight fairy which I thought was a bad fairy because she had black wings and a black dress. Gabriella was super girl. She was really cute. Jade was a vampire queen with “blood” stains on her mouth. Emily, Sarah, and I got a lot of candy even though Sarah got the least. At least Loredana didn’t say “trick or treat, smell my feet, give me something good to eat, if you don’t I don’t care, I’ll pull down your underwear!”like she did last Halloween. Grandma and Grandpa, that was an awesome Halloween. Wish you were there!

Love,

Grace

Today's Her Birthday

Bugs and make-up.  That's Em right now.  I love that she's interested in both, so I indulge her.  Actually I think the whole make up thing for her is just another way she gets creative about putting paint on something.  This morning, when I came down, Em had fed her ladybug a leaf and made me a necklace.  She also had put on her new makeup.  She looked a bit evil.  So we re-did it and headed out to take some "this is what I looked like when I was 8" pictures.  I love the top one because it says so much about her.  Bugs and flowers, makeup and dresses, and always making poses.  Especially for the camera.  (Yeah, that's probably my fault.)

Orange is Em's color.  It fits.  Hard to miss.  And have I mentioned she loves to climb trees?  Luckily she's so light the branches at the top don't break under her weight yet. 

She's got my squinty eye smile. But she also looks a bit like Aunt Liz. 
You're beautiful, Em.  Just like you are.  With or without makeup. 
I love you.

Even after you spill tadpole juice all over me.
Happy Birthday!