29: Chaos and Perfection

This book is overdue at the library. I thought I had renewed it, but I got an email today telling me otherwise. Turns out there was a hold on it and the online renewal never went through, but I didn't notice at the time. Overdue books are not my thing. I check the receipt when I leave the library, I post it on the bulletin board when I get home, and, so as to absolutely avoid all possibility of a late return, I write the due date on the calendar. But with the constant swirl of movement, chatter and emotion of two small children, these things slip by me, unnoticed until it's too late.

Just the usual in our house. Why the kids were pulling books on home renovation and nineteenth century art off the book shelf is beyond me. I don't question it, I just put them back on the shelf. Eventually.

These are the beads from the birth necklace made by my friends and family before the birth of my son. Today he decided he wanted to wear. Once he had retrieved it by climbing on top of my dresser, my daughter pounced on it. You see the results here of the ensuing tug-o-war.

The door to the POD that arrived at my neighbor's house this morning. Silent and still, machined lines and color. Calming. I take a moment to myself while my husband finishes getting dinner on the table, then back into the noise and motion and scattered bits of everyday life of my family.

28: Order and Imperfection

27: Kite Festival

After waiting an interminable four days, the kidney bean has finally made an appearance above the cup. The long-awaited group portrait is complete.

We planned to go to the Dorey Park Kite Festival today, as we have every year since we first discovered it when our oldest was a toddler. However, the hosting county is celebrating its 400th anniversary this year, and every event on its schedule is Bigger and Better this year. So after waiting in traffic for 20 minutes, we realized we would be spending the greater part of the day in our car and switched gears.

We stopped for ice cream and hit a nearby park, where we joined a handful of other crowd-avoiding kite flyers.

Visually impressive and the first family event of the spring, the kite festival has come to signify freedom and beauty and hope to me. I was greatly disappointed to miss it this year.

But at the end of the day, we had ice cream, kite flying and a lovely afternoon together as a family, not to mention an entirely unexpected collection of blue photographs. Next year the county will be 401 years old. Here's hoping they aren't planning another big birthday bash.

26: Still at Home

Like some other families, our income has decreased as we've added to our family over the last few years. It feels at times like we are moving backwards. Isn't the American dream more, more, MORE? But we're working hard at focusing on the big, long-term picture. And through it all, despite the tightness of funds, I love the black-and-white, straightforward nature of keeping a financial ledger.

There is something about barrettes that is deeply significant of "daughter" to me. It may be growing up with three sisters, who wore many of these very barrettes in their hair. Or it may be the greatest signifier of gender difference between my two children at this point, when my daughter (the younger) is wearing so many of her big brother's hand-me-downs. I wonder how long this will be the case.

The puzzle renaissance has turned into a full-blown mania. My son completed his first 100-piece puzzle today and I was shocked, yes, shocked at how quickly and easily he put it together, with much less guidance from me than expected.

On the other hand, this model airplane, a gift from a visiting relative, was put together almost completely by yours truly. At first I thought he might be able to "click" this model together himself (as claimed on the box). Once we opened it I lowered my expectations to helping me click it together. In the end, I think by "model", the producer of this particular model meant "toy your parents put together for you."

25: Sick Day, Reprise

My turn as the patient.

The bean sprouts, day 3.

24: Sprouts and an Homage, Part II

We took a sneak peek at the pintos and kidneys (not shown) this morning. They'll be ready for their group portrait soon!

A few more shots from the neighbor's house. I found the idea of photographing the room through the mirror fascinating. I'll have to keep that in mind for the future.

23: Sprouts and an Homage, Part I

My husband and son re-created the classic botany experiment: wrap a bean in a paper towel, keep it moist, watch it sprout. They subjects of the experiment include pinto, kidney and black beans. The black was first to make an above-the-cup appearance. I'm hoping to get a group shot in the next few days.

My next door neighbors are moving soon. They conveniently painted one room blue, so I'm taking this last minute opportunity to document some of my favorite spots in the room.