Snoodle

Funny Bunny

Today, our rabbit, Sweet Pea, helped to pack Nora's lunch. 

(Thanks, David, for snapping a photo before hiding it in her backpack!)

timothy hay, fiesta max, grainola bar, yogurt treats, and pellets.  Yum!

Hope you had a little foolish fun, too!

Take Me Out To the Ballgame

I come from a big family of baseball fans.  Yankee fans.  Hardcore.  They have Yankee watches, Christmas ornaments, Yankee credit cards, towels, doormats, slippers, socks, boxers, mugs, so many books, baseball cards, hats of all kinds, one license plate, countless shirts.  We plan family get togethers around games and consider those who have <gasp> married a Sox fan "mixed marriages".

I was a theater major.

While it's true that as a wee toddler, I would yell "Go Go Rankees!" from my crib, I never really caught the fever.  It wasn't for lack of trying on my family's part.  They tried to teach me the game.  They really did a lot of explaining, and I'm sure they did a very nice job.  But all I really learned is that when the runner guy is stuck between two bases, it's called a pickle.  I thought that was really funny.  I still like the sound of a game on the radio.  It's lovely for lulling me into a nice nap.  So, it's become a bit of a personal amusement to call the October classic the "Super Series" and drive my family crazy.  Perhaps it's the mischievous nature of being the youngest child.  My twin sisters and brother were All Stars in Little League and went on to be great softball players and Little League coach...  Did I mention that I was a theater major?

The summer before I went to fist grade, my father, working on constructing a bank, fell off the staging.  He broke his neck.  Miraculously, he survived.  Miraculously, he can walk.  Miraculously, he went on to continue working for many years later.  As you can imagine, it was life changing.  One of the changes was toward strengthening his faith which is why, as the youngest child by eight years, I was enrolled in Catholic school for that first grade year.  It did, however, slow him down from his baseball coaching.  And it was impossible to play catch with me while in traction.  So, the baseball bug never bit me.  I was okay with that.

But recently, I've begun to notice that my darling daughter is having a difficult time throwing.  [Oh, it's taking all of my energy not to say "throws like a girl."  Oh, er...]  She's not great at catching either.  And when friends came over to play a little wiffle ball, she smacked herself in the back of the head with the bat.  Something had to be done.

So, when my brother called to say that he had two extra tickets to our local minor league team, I pounced!  I had never been to a professional game before.  I was thrilled!  We had a marvelous time.  Nora even payed attention a little bit -the adorable antics of her 2 year old cousin was a bit of a distraction!  Our team didn't win.  But what a delight to sing "Take Me Out To the Ballgame" in the actual crowd (NOT the audience!)  I learned about the rarity of triples, to watch the players and not always the ball, to do the wave, and how much fun a live game is.  There may be hope for Nora yet... even if she becomes a theater major.

The baseball tee is in the backyard, and she's been singing Centerfield all day.

The Return of Mr. Bear

April 16

Dear Dolphins

On Friday me and Mr. Bear went to joans and we got smele markrs.  Befor we did that we went to the siins fair.  Love Nora

Nora

On Satreday my mom fixd Mr. Bears nek and bow tiy.  me and mr. Bear went soping.  me and mr. Bear plad a game.  Mr. Bear mad now frens named Jane and Lula.  and Dade was vare laze.

 

On Sunday me and mr. Bear made waffles.  in the afdernun we went to mass.  and wene we were going to mass I herd a woodpeker

Leaving the Nest

While August has just begun, yesterday we officially celebrated our farewell to the Preschoolers who are on their way to Kindergarten.  Eleanor has been at the center since she was only weeks old along side many of these graduates... and me.  When she started at the center at only a couple of months old, I was one of the Preschool teachers.  It has been a delight to be so close to her while working.  I've been available to nurse when she needed, kiss any necessary injuries, play while we're outside, receive still wet art projects.  There have been times when I've had to ignore tantrums that I've heard coming from her classroom or make sure that she tells one of her teachers if she's going to play in my classroom.  It's certainly a different way of parenting.  Balancing.  Letting go.  I'm so grateful to all of her teachers with their different personalities and interests for helping to nurture my daughter while appreciating my own parenting style. 

Wow, that's, um, some cake!  Yes, it does read "Congratulations Kindergartiners" with an i.  You may not be able to see because it's crawling over the edge piping.  I'm not sure if it's Cake Wreck worthy, but it made the grown-ups laugh.  Fortunately, none of the 'Kindergartiners' can read yet.

They were also too busy pelting each other with water balloons.

We wanted to give a little gift to the Preschool that would be useful and remind them of Eleanor.  So, we had to go with the sheep theme.  I made 'three bags full' of wool using this tutorial.  Before I sewed on the lining, I appliqued the sheep using lite steam-a-seam 2 and zig-zagged around the edges.  I was stuffing the wool: black, white, and colorful (hence the different colors of sheep) while we were heading out the door to go to the party.  So, I didn't get a chance to take a great photo.  Though, I think this is enough to give you an idea of what the bags look like.

We also gifted a copy of Pelle's New Suit, one of our very favorites.  If you look closely, you can see that Eleanor is sopping wet while sitting on her teacher's lap.  Now, that is the kind of devotion that I hope every young child has the opportunity to feel.