The Trumpet of the Swan

Jonah's class read The Trumpet of the Swan for their summer reading.  I read it too and was delighted (somehow I'd missed reading this classic in my own childhood).  It is a beautiful book, full of nature, fancy, and adventure.  It is a story that is good, true and beautiful is the most wonderful of ways.  It would be a beautiful story to read aloud and after I finish the Misty series with Rowan or after Daddy finishes Narnia with him, this one is next on our list to read with Mr. 4.

 And in honor of summer reading, Rowan, Isaac and I made swan cookies for Jonah to share with his class.  So much fun!

Mr. Three Loves to Dig!

Over the weekend we celebrated Rowan, our three year old!  First, we celebrated (on his actual birthday) with his cousins and then celebrated again when we arrived back on the farm this week.  As always, I picked a favorite book to model the cake after, and in the hope of keeping it simple there were lots of toothpicks and copying involved in the rather slap-dash construction of the cake.  (And for those of you who are familiar with The Little House by Virginia Lee Burton, I know it was ironic to cram as many construction vehicles around the sweet country house at a construction themed birthday party.)  I didn't even think about what should be on his birthday shirt this year and the gifts all revolved around this little man's love of digging and large vehicles.  

I do think the most wonderful thing about parenting is watching my little men and seeing the unique people they are becoming.  Jonah also loved construction vehicles at this age, but he wanted to learn all the facts and read every non-fiction book on work vehicles he could.  Rowan, on the other hand, just wants to hit the sand pile and make some new plan happen.  He's been carefully planning in his construction site (a pile of sand beside the deck) and keeps me informed as to what construction equipment would help him the most (and he's also been telling me over and over that they need to be 'big' ones).  I, in turn, informed the grandparents and I don't know that I've ever seen anyone as excited as Rowan was upon opening his big vehicles!  And, before he even ate his cake he was out in his construction site working, working, working!

He is Risen

Lent felt so so fast this year.  And then Resurrection Day took an unexpected twist as we tended to a toddler with a stomach bug.  Our empty tomb cake this year, which was meant to be for a picnic with friends, wasn't actually assembled until dinner time.  The boys enjoyed the story, and those of us who were well enough enjoyed the cake! 

Happy Easter Dear Friends!

30!

We celebrated Daddy over the course of several days, because we ended up in Glasgow on his real birthday.  And it was 30 after all!!!!  There was farmers market bacon for breakfast one day, lunch out another day and then there was a sushi night.  Because, there are few things my Jim likes more than sushi.

This 30th year is a big one with all the transitions approaching and the past few months have been stressful to say the least.  I've been so grateful for Jim's calm nature and the grace with which he has been balancing finishing the thesis, the job search, and serving me and the boys these past weeks.  It seemed fitting to stretch out the celebration!

Happy Birthday Daddy!

The boys made the mini sushi's on top with brownie circles, icing, coconut, gummies and precolored ready-to-roll icing.  Easy and fun!

Jonah insisted on 30 birthday candles - so daddy needed a little help!

Happy Fourth of July!

A day when it is fun to have American friends in Scotland.  (We actually celebrated yesterday so that the guys could work today.)  

Jonah put the blueberries and strawberries on to make a flag cake.  It is good to see him making some connection with the USA.  When asked where he is from he always replies "I was born in Canada".  And while he is a Canadian citizen and has spent four of his five years outside the USA, he is an American and I'd like to see him have some connection with our homeland.  What a funny life we lead.

FIVE!

We let Jonah choose between a party with friends or taking Grandma to the aquarium on his birthday.  I have to admit I was pretty sure what he would chose and I simply don't have the energy right now to plan a big party, as much as I love hosting children's parties.  So we spent a quiet morning at the aquarium followed by lunch at the aquarium cafe.  After naps Daddy came home early and we threw new frisbees through hoops and enjoyed the beanbag toss daddy made the night before.  

Of course, the birthday was dinosaur themed and Jonah loved helping to decorate the cake.  Opening presents is always fun with Jonah and it takes forever.  The first thing he opened was a Dinopedia from grandma and it was at least ten minutes until he stopped reading to us all and went on to the second present... it was a pattern that lasted through the gifts.

After opening presents Jonah was off to build his new lego house and Daddy and I wrote Jonah's birthday verse (a little last minute I know) before the birthday story and cake.

Year Five: 

Sir Jonah the Brave with a sword and a book;

For truth and for knowledge you'll continually look.

And where ever you go and whatever you seek,

Child of God, work for justice and be ever meek.

Birthday Celebrating

One is a fun age. I feel like Rowan is more aware and communicative daily. I remember with Jonah that this second year is a marathon of new milestones. I'm so excited; I love this age. I also love the fact that, even thought the last week has been hairy, more sleep is surely coming.

He's standing, climbing stairs and will take his first steps soon. He hugs, pats and kisses. He makes an animal noise for every animal he sees (something like a grunt) with wild enthusiasm. He loves watching big brother and hanging out with Dad; quiet moments with Mum are appreciated in a new way. Brother's little cars, the tractor, his new walker and wooden animals are so much fun to push across the floor making sound effects.

And while so many things are changing as he grows, he continues to laugh easily and is our same jolly boy. So worth celebrating!

I found this Maisy pop-up-farm book at a charity shop some months ago and squirreled it away with thoughts of a farm party. The boys played with it all day yesterday. I also brought in the barn and tractor shed I made (after I finished oogling over the wooden one at Nova Toys) and Jonah finger painted earlier in the summer. (I wish you could see the rainbow Jonah painted the floors.) We hung our cloth birthday banners and I dug out all our farm books (and oh my, there are lots of them!) and we read them all.

The cake was the white birthday cake from Feeding the Whole Family, which is yummy, but you can tell it is sugarless and I was grateful for butter cream frosting between the layers. It was probably the simplest cake I've ever iced, but it did the trick and Rowan loved his first bites of icing... ah sugar, you have entered his world.

28 on the 28th

I've been looking forward to being 28 for quite some time. In college my mentor and another good friend were discussing ages one day and agreed that 28 is the best age. They had their reasons.

I have my own reasons for looking forward to the coming year. In the next year my niece's cancer treatments will be done, I will be doing a bit more writing (more on this soon I hope), we will be traveling around Europe a bit more (Spain and London are next), I'll be watching Jim's thesis come together, and I will enjoy adventures and creative imaginings with my three wonderful boys. Oh, and hopefully I'll be getting a bit more sleep than in the past year!

It sounds so good and today was an auspicious start to this 28th year.

We spent the morning in one of our favorite places; wandering through richly colored rooms with art hanging all around! Oh, how we all love the National Gallery in Edinburgh! Some of the paintings feel like familiar friends that I will miss when we leave this place (Woman in Grey, The Spell, Alexander the III rescued from the Fury of a Stag..., ... ... ) And today I stole a few moments to myself in the tiny octagonal room with Poussin's Sacraments - my favorite nook. After the gallery we had a quick visit to the Gift shop where Jim let me pick my birthday present (A Charlie Harper Calandar for the coming year and Wonderbear - a fabulously imaginative wordless book). I then had a tasty Ceasar salad at Gourmet Grub and wandered around the shops on Princes Street. After the train ride home there was a wee bit of time for sewing while Jim made dinner. Wraps, cake, play practice, some time with Jim (and more to come when I finish this post). This is close to the perfect day. Thank you all for your cards, gifts, well wishes via email and facebook; I feel full and loved.

(And nothing makes me feel the reality of aging more than how big and independent this boy is becoming!)

Jonah's First Cake

Jonah spotted a pink and white castle cake in Christmas Fairy Cooking (Usborne Activity) and knew right away he wanted to make it and have a specific friend for tea. So we did just that.

I did a lot of the squeezing of the icing, but he directed it making windows and doors and had a great time. Though, I think adding the sprinkles was his favorite part - the roof had a LOT of sprinkles!

Woodland Welcome

I've hosted a couple baby showers in the past couple weeks. I love gathering with the other-mothers in the community (they don't all have children of their own, but care for the community's children in some way) to celebrate and welcome our newest members.

So here are a few photos of Saturday's brunch to welcome a wee babe. I found a large branch of leaves that had fallen on Hallowed hill and everything came together from there. Jonah loved placing some woodland creatures through the greens (though he really thought the new mum would like dinosaurs best.)

These meringue mushrooms were yummy, cute and easy to make.

A Magic Treehouse Birthday

I love that Jonah's birthdays have all been based on his favorite book at the time. Two was Busytown and Three was Pooh.

And for four we embarked on a Magic Treehouse adventure.

We walked to Hallowed Hill, where Daddy had organized a tree house (laundry rack hung with cloth) and some good friends with scrolls...

Our magical friends from Camelot are lost!

And we need your help to find them.

You must go to Hallowed Hill in the time of Camelot and King Arthur. In the green wood, look for bridge that runs over a creek. There you will find the first two friends.

Along the way, collect golden stars from each of the friends that you meet, and put them your notebooks.

"We wish we could go there"

They found Teddy and Kathleen, Merlin and his dog and they freed Morgan LaFay.

"That was a Grand Adventure Mum!" (if only he knew how much that one phrase, which was delivered with such enthusiasm, made all the planning worthwhile.)

Then we were back to our house for a birthday tea.

The Cake... a treehouse of course. I made three round cake tins and then cut them into squares minus the door and windows. I painted the doors and windows with dark chocolate. I really enjoyed making Annie and Jack dolls (based from the pipe cleaner man in the book Feltcraft) and the mini books for in the windows and I love that Jonah can now play with these, even thought the cake is eaten.

After the party and dinner he opened all the gifts family have sent or I made (and for my crafty readers I'll show the projects next week.)

And today we stayed in our pajamas most of the day and read new books, played new games, enjoyed new toys and then all took a nap (yep, Mum too!)