More Than Turkey Today

My first grader celebrated a Thanksgiving Feast at her school this week and, as a childhood rite of passage, she dressed up as a pilgrim.  Her class and the "Native American" kindergartners played primitive games together, read stories, and shared a semi-authentic first Thanksgiving meal (i.e. mashed potatoes weren't on the menu as potatoes hadn't been cultivated yet).  It was a wonderful morning.

This Thanksgiving, I hope that we can all collectively count our blessings and acknowledge that today is about much more than the food on our plates.  We celebrate because of the brave souls that sought religious freedom nearly four hundred years ago, enduring a tyrant king and an unforgiving ocean, fighting disease and starvation, and accepting help from those so unlike themselves.

Today, I'm thankful for the heat in my home (it is freezing outside!), my man upstairs brining the bird, the family arriving later this afternoon and tomorrow, and the church that I will freely and openly attend this Sunday and any other time I want. And I am thankful for my little pilgrim helper, who decorated much of our house yesterday all on her own.  Happy Thanksgiving!

Off to the Races

This last October 30th marked four years that our family has resided in Orange, Virginia.  How fitting that yesterday, Graham and I also made our fourth trip to the annual Montpelier Hunt Races, held right in Orange County.  Being Kentucky people, horse racing feels like home, but the Hunt Races certainly have a Virginia flourish.  The day-long series of steeplechase races is held at Montpelier, the lifelong home of James Madison, our fourth president of the United States.  Many years after the Madison family left Montpelier, the estate was purchased by William duPont, whose daughter Marion duPont Scott, an avid horsewoman and equine philanthropist, began the tradition of the Hunt Races on the family property in 1932.  Always the first Saturday of November, lifelong Orange residents tell us that they remember Ms. Scott opening up her property free of charge and riding around in her carriage to greet her guests before the races began.  After her death in 1983, the family transferred the property back to the National Historic Trust for Historic Preservation which has been instrumental in reviving the Madison-era home.  Yet, the races still run every year in honor of such a great tradition beginning nearly a century ago. 

Marion duPont Scott jumping side saddle.  Amazing.  (Picture courtesy of www.montpelierraces.org)

And we're off!

We couldn't have asked for a better day to watch the races.

My friend Janean pouring up some Apple Pie Moonshine (made legally and locally by Belmont Farms Distillery). 

Toasting the day.

The bets were on and Graham's horse, Manacor, won!

  Got a little clod of dirt in my drink as a souvenir of this close encounter.

My lovely friends.  Hats are optional but oh-so-appropriate as my friend Serrine models here.

Crybabies

Since Henry and Harper turned 3 last week, I have been a bit more sentimental about the last several years of our lives.  Our children have changed so much and we have always welcomed each new phase with open arms.  Yet, one thing that has remained constant- though now for reasons that they can usually express- is the crying.  Let me just say that a crying 3 year old is just as loud, and certainly more obnoxious than a crying infant.  Now double that.  So, in an effort to share a little glimpse of our daily lives, here is the official crying record from yesterday.  I hope you find the compilation as humorous as I do this morning.

Record of Crying: October 21st, 2013

7:10 a.m.- Harper didn't get to open the aluminum top on her Yoplait.  Tears.

7:15- Henry was only allowed five shakes of cinnamon on his cinnamon sugar toast.  He wanted more shakes.

8:04- Serious tears because Maddox didn't give Henry enough kisses before she got on the bus.  Full disclosure: she gave him no less than six kisses.

8:30- Henry was not allowed to have a second cup of milky.  He took offense.

10:00- Temper tantrum (biggest of the day).  Harper was made to take off her princess nightgown and get dressed.  She writhed around in the floor, kicked, and screamed.

10:45- Henry refused to share the cozy coupe with Harper.  Angry tears.

11 a.m. -1:15 p.m.- PEACE (nap time)

2:45- Henry became incensed when told not to kill a spider outside by smashing it with his foot.  I told him that a spider was one of God's creatures.  He told me it most certainly was not.

3:30- Maddox is home!!!  Happy times. . .

.

. . .Until the train game on the slide didn't go as planned.  Older sister shed a few.

 4:45- Daddy is home!  Sounds of wrestling and laughter fill the house.

6:30- Henry and Maddox knocked heads in the toy room.  Henry busted his lip.  Worst injury of the day.  Needed some Mommy time.

7:15- Collective tears as the children didn't want to go to bed.  Daddy took care of it.

I realize that one day, the tears will become more serious.  Their feelings will be hurt by another kid at school.  Their hearts will break as relationships end.  They will lose someone they love.  And then, there will come a time when I don't have the opportunity to see the hurt anymore.  They will go to college.  They will move away.  They will begin their own families.  So for now, I'm embracing these years and all hot, salty tears that come with them.

Photo A Day (Week 3)

With four birthdays in our house last week (yes, I'm including the dog), I didn't find time to capture intentional pictures for the Photo A Day Challenge, but in looking back at the shots I got throughout the last seven days, somehow all the requirements were met.  

October 14th- Favourite Space:  Thirty quiet minutes spent here is not only a peaceful way to start my morning, but a sanity saver for the remainder of the day.

 

October 15th- Secret: Let's just say that I've learned my lesson about telling my children what gifts their father will be receiving for his birthday.  "Daddy, we got you a bonfire!" (aka fire pit).  "You're getting a pancake machine!" (griddle).  In the end, only this homemade spice cake was a birthday secret.

October 16th- Leafy:  Got this shot while on a family walk today.  A bright color amid leaves past their prime.

October 17th- First World Problem: A little blame, a little shame. . . "Big" sister is caught here shaming her brother for an offense deemed unacceptable.  Poor Henry.

October 18th- Still: Because loud, obnoxious outfits are still okay when you're 3 and when you're 93.

 

October 19th- Good Day: Putting that fire pit to use over a glass of wine sans children.  A good day.

October 20th- Open: A dozen little mouths opened up in church today for a beautiful song.  Their hearts seemed pretty open too. 

A Columbus Day Celebration

Sometimes you have to amp up a holiday to make it worth celebrating.  Let's face it, how many people are making a big deal out of President's Day in February or Sadie Hawkins Day in November (huh)?  Besides some kids that are happy to be out of school and a few excited bankers and postal workers on federal holidays, not many people are feeling inspired.  Yet, when I looked at my calendar and saw that Henry and Harper's 3rd birthday landed on Columbus Day, I knew I could work with it.  With a few yards of brown felt, some old world map wrapping paper, compasses from Daddy's army years, and a modified pirate cake (think the red cross from the Santa Maria instead of a skull and crossbones), my kiddos had a Columbus Day party worth celebrating.  Add to it our family, some of our best friends, and the sun after many days of rain and it was pretty much perfect.

 

 

Happy Birthday to these little explorers!

Photo a Day (Week Two)

This week's Photo of the Day Challenge gave me a lot of material to work with.  "M is for. . ." on the 11th seemed like a no brainer because I have a child whose name begins with an M.  I also thought of devoting "Pink" on the 9th to my college roommate's new daughter, Caroline- born on October 8th- as I have known that Amy has dreamed of pink for years and is over the moon about her baby girl.  (Congrats Conn Family!)  When it came down to it though, I tried to pull things from everyday life, mundane as they may appear.  Here is week two in pictures:

 

October 7th- What You Saw Today: I spent a good part of my day finishing up this book for my Book Club, coming up later in October.  Even my children  have begun saying, "Where'd You Go, Bernadette?"  A good read, full of humor, intrigue, and the multi-faceted relationship between mother and daughter.

 

October 8th- Corner: Stopped for a picture outside this old train station, now post office, and reflected on how our nation has turned the corner on racial segregation.  We have a long way to go, certainly, but the days of separation like this are thankfully over.

October 9th- Pink:  The reason the sleeve went pink is not as important to me as the little pick-me-up it provides.

October 10th- Hands: These little hands won't be 2 much longer.  Harper opens her first 3 year old birthday present here.

October 11th- M is for. . . Made with love.  And these Halloween cookies certainly were, from start to glorious finish!

October 12th- Below:  Celebrated the twins' birthday weekend at Great Wolf Lodge in Williamburg, VA.  The kids had fun crawling up the bunk beds, but Harper had trouble getting down.  Look out below!

October 13th- Watching: With family photos on the docket at 5:30 today, I watched the weather like a hawk all afternoon.  It was drizzly, but we had a great session- and some fun with umbrellas- with our wonderful photographer, Carrie Coleman!