a glimpse

What busy days!Thursday was nice and warm but busy. We had a lot of fun playing outside but we also got a lot accomplished. school work-done...laundry-done (washed, hung to dry on the line, folded, and yes, even put away) dishes-done, art class-done, playdate at the park-fun and done. Busy, busy, busy. Yesterday it rained but was still pretty warm...in the 50's. While it was cloudy in the morning the girls and I went on a scavenger hunt walk.

We walked a different route than we normally do so we saw new front porches, new yards, new blooming flowers. It was really nice...yes, we got sprinkled on a few times, but we survived. After playing outside for a while we headed back inside to do some hands on fun...kinda schoolish, but not. The girls spent some time sorting dried pasta, pretended to cook the pasta and feed it to the dolls, spilled the dried pasta all over the floor(eeek!) and cleaned it up, then I added a little yarn to the pile and they worked on making some pasta necklaces...it was nice to see distinct patterns being made and patience being practiced.

Then on to the joys of tinker toys. Not just any old tinker toys like the ones we had...these are special girly pink and purple tinker toys. I can see the girls thinking about all the things they can create. The final product, after much creating and recreating, was a tent for the doll. Oh, not just any old doll. That's Tallulah in that tent taking a rest from all of her camping fun with a full belly of yummy cooked pasta!

Amongst all of the playing I managed to enjoy some quiet time with them reading some new books from the library. A favorites right now is a new poetry book...this one. They like to take turns picking out poems from the table of contents page then looking at the great pictures that go with each poem. Another nice thing about the poetry book is that it is reinforcing miss E's progress in learning rhyming words. Also, not all of the poems rhyme so miss O is being introduced to other forms of poetry. I know, I know, not all things have to be about learning but life is learning. And no, I don't stop in the midst of building a doll swing set out of toys, or making fancy baubles with dried pasta, or snuggling on the couch reading funny stories to say we just covered this objective or you just mastered that skill. It just happens and I smile. I smile because I am blessed with two beautiful daughters. I am blessed because I have been given the opportunity to stay home with my girls and teach them and love them and lead them. I am blessed because I am the one that gets to be here when they struggle through something new. I can guide them and teach them the way that they learn best. I am here to see the look of accomplishment in their eyes and hear the excitement in their voices when they learn something new...and completely "get it." I love this life that I have been blessed with...my husband, my girls, my home.

...and yes, there is time for me to learn new things,too. Currently, I am working my way through a scarf pattern to match my pink hat.