Playin Hooky

I recently kept Amara home from school and she, Havana and I went to Six Flags for the morning. School is important; Amara loves learning and has a healthy social life there. But making memories with her sister and her mother, are equally important. At least they are in my book. And, if she had gone to school, she would have missed her sister's first roller coaster ride, which was a very momentous event.

Havana has always shied away from faster rides. That she gave the roller coaster a shot today was a big step. How did she like it? She loved it!! Yeah Havana! 

Amara made sure to make this ride spin as fast as it could! 

With season passes, we have well used our time and money. Six Flags is less then twenty minutes from our house. It's close enough to go for a few hours in the morning (no lines, which makes the whole day even better) and since we can go whenever, we don't feel like have wasted our money on such a short trip. It's also much less overstimulating that way. We go, we ride the rides, visit some animals and we are good.
I think we will be making a bunch of trips this summer which is something we are looking forward to.

Daises to Brownies

 

Last Friday evening, nine of our Girl Scouts bridged from Daisies to Brownies.

It was a meaningful ceremony for all the girls and their families. We witnessed our growing young ladies move up to new and exciting things for their Girl Scout lives.

We didn't just witness our troop, we saw others who were bridging as well including one Scout who started as a Daisy and graduated into an adult Scout. That we all got to witness such a milestone was moving to all.

So goodbye blue vests and hello to the brown. We now have 9 new Brownies ready to go!

With our new brownies. My co-leader and I are quite proud!

***7***

Happy 7th Birthday to my Beloved Amara Pearl Josephine!

Birthday Week!

Amara turns 7 on Friday but we started the celebrations on Monday. Amara shared a most delicious black forest cake with her Girl scout pals. (The Chinese bakery at Ranch 99 makes a mean black forest.)

Little Ms. Reader

When I was a child books were my refuge;
My escape;
My healing place;
My dream place.
My magic place.

As I grew up I packed away;
Some of those books that touched me more deeply;
Than others;
For the day when my daughters would read them.

These treasures remain safe in a box;
Still some years from freedom;
But in the meantime;

It makes my heart smile;
That my oldest sweet girl is finding her way;
Through books and their stories;
Their ability to teach and heal;
bring humor and magic;
Encourage dreams;
and oh so much more.

Ah the joy, of the written word.

Habitot to Hab-i-not! (saying good bye to out grown places)

Habitot, a children’s discovery type play place, has never been on my favorite list. I am not that fond of the low ceilings and dark lighting. But when Amara was little, we went about half a dozen times. She enjoyed it and hey, that’s what mattered right? Havana went when she was just a baby and when she got big enough to enjoy play places, I opted to check out other scenes. We did tot music classes and little people gymnastics and  toddler story times. But all of those things are becoming things of the past. Amara has long outgrown these things and now, well, Havana is too.

And that makes my heart feel heavy. I love that they are growing up but I really loved the first months and years of their little lives. I loved hikes with the jogging stroller or ergo when they would fall asleep to the soothing movement on the trail . I loved when their eyes would light up at hearing their favorite songs at Beth’s music class or how giddy they would become during bubble time. I cherished reading board books that we borrowed from the library and how their whole being would radiate at new things and simple things like cardboard boxes or pumpkins at the patch.

I will miss these baby and toddler things. I do miss these things. I felt this absence in the core of my being as I watched Havana flutter around Habitot for what would be our last visit. She towered over the other children; toddlers and babies who needed constant observation from their parent or guardian. Tots and babes who were still so dependent on their grown up. Tots and babes who were not yet able to flutter about and do bigger kid stuff. I could remember, I could feel, what Havana felt like in my ergo at her first visit there; when she didn't want to be put down. I could remember what it was like to play with Amara at the train tracks, juggling a baby and a two year old; and to share in bis sister's delight over painting on her own.  

There will be new things throughout their lives; new joys; new thrilling discoveries; but it will never be quite like was when they were still new little beings and so new to this earthly realm.

So with that I say goodbye to Habitot as I share photos of our last visit.

Havana is quite interested in art these days and she has been displaying some talent.

Havana requested I paint her face.

And insisted she do mine!

Then I had to keep the makeup on while we went for lunch! In Berkeley, I doubt I stood out much!

What better way to end our day than a slice of sicilian?! That is something I better she never outgrows!

Teeter Totter

The Old Oak Tree

Magnificent
Graceful
Powerful
Strong
Full of Life
Divine
Earthly
Oak Tree

 

Evening Swing

What better way to end an enchanting Spring evening than with a hike and a swing at the old oak tree?