Ootischenia – The Be Good Tanyas
Just Breathe – Willie Nelson
Sorry You’re Sick – Ted Hawkins
23-Question Mama Challenge
Happy Mother’s Day! I found this link on one of my favorite blogs — A Cup of Jo, and thought it would be fun for Mother’s Day for Andrew to ask our boys their candid answers to “23 Questions about Mummy.” I was nervous about some of them, but here is what they said:
- What is something Mama always says to you?
Good morning (Milo)
Candy (Oliver)
Go to time out (Emil)
- What makes Mama happy?
Us doing the right thing to do (Milo)
Going to McDonald’s (Emil) - What makes Mama sad?
Us not doing the right thing to do (Milo)
Going to McDonald’s (Oliver)
Not doing everything to do (Emil) - How does your Mama make you laugh?
She tells funny jokes (Milo)
By saying funny things (Oliver)
Tickles me (Emil) - What was your Mama like as a child?
Friendly (Milo)
She was happy (Oliver)
Going to die (Emil) - How old is your Mama?
36 (Milo)
36 (Oliver)
20 old (Emil) - How tall is she?
5’5″ (Milo)
98 (Oliver)
1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10 (Emil) - What is her favorite thing to do?
Work on the blog (Milo)
Making us feel good (Oliver)
Blow your hair (makes blowing noise) (Emil) - What does your Mama do when you’re not around?
Work on the blog (Milo)
Go and get a coffee at Blueprint Coffee (Oliver)
Nuffin. Just work on the computer. (Emil) - If your Mama becomes famous, what will it be for?
For discovering something new… like discovering old writing from the ancient times, from our ancestors (Milo)
Writing! (Oliver)
Poop. (Emil) - What is your Mama really good at?
Jumping on the trampoline (Milo)
Writing! (Oliver)
Nuffing. (Emil) - What is she not really good at?
Yelling (Milo)
Climbing (Oliver)
Doing flips. DOING FLIPS! (Emil) - What does your Mama do for a job?
Blogging (Milo)
Writing! (Oliver)
Peels stickers (Emil) - What is your Mama’s favorite food?
I have no idea… oysters and clams? (Milo)
Salad (Oliver)
Yuckies. Meat. Meat of a dinosaur! Bones! (Emil) - What makes you proud of your Mama?
Her smile (Milo)
That she has a job (Oliver)
Get ready in the morning so fast. No. I get ready. (Emil) - If your Mama were a character, who would she be?
Like a video or a book? I don’t know… Elmo (Milo)
Darth Vader (Oliver)
Princess Leia (Emil) - What do you and your Mama do together?
Jump on the trampoline (Milo)
Jump on the trampoline (Oliver)
Go to the Science Center with Omar (Emil) - How are you and your Mama the same?
We’re not really. I don’t know. We’re both not very flexible. (Milo)
We both have brown eyes (Oliver)
She combs her hair. (Emil) - How are you and your Mama different?
I have blond hair, she has brown (Milo)
Age (Oliver)
Because we are family. (Emil) - How do you know your Mama loves you?
She kisses me (Milo)
‘Cause she hugs and kisses me! (Oliver)
Because she (unintelligible) (Emil) - What does your Mama like most about your Papa?
He’s funny (Milo)
He drinks beer! (Oliver)
Going to sleep (Emil) - Where is your Mama’s favorite place to go?
Blueprint Coffee (Milo)
Blueprint Coffee (Oliver)
Pass gas. Um… the Science Center (Emil) - How old was your Mama when you were born?
28? (Milo)
30 (Oliver)
Um… how old she was right now? (Emil)
Oh boy. Some funny stuff there. And just for the record, if I become famous, it most certainly will not be for poop. Enjoy your Sunday.
In the Garden
Our garden is coming along nicely! This year we got our acts together early enough to plant seeds instead of plants, which saved a ton of money and will hopefully ensure hardiness of the plants.
So far we are growing strawberries (they come back in full force every year on their own), herbs (also came back on their own this year except for the basil), spinach, kale, lettuces, radishes, carrots, beets, pole beans, sweet peas, tomatoes, eggplant, a variety of peppers, and cucumbers. I’m also hoping to find another tomatillo plant this year, as ours did very well last year and we made all kinds of salsa and sauces from its produce.
The best part about planting seeds is that you have to thin the young plants, allowing some yummy baby greens for snacking without feeling bad about it! I have been enjoying plenty of baby spinach, lettuce, and baby kale during this process. 
Our weather has been beautiful this spring — we even caught this double rainbow over our neighbor’s house following a quick springtime storm. I hope you have a wonderful weekend!
Montessori-Inspired: The Thrill of the Unexpected
“There is no description, no image in any book that is capable of replacing the sight of real trees, and all of the life to be found around them in a real forest.” — Maria Montessori
When Milo got into the car last week soaked from the chest down and barefoot, carrying his dripping shoes with him, I didn’t bat an eye. Looks like you guys had fun today, I said, and that was that. We consider ourselves lucky that his is a school that encourages kids to bring sleds in the winter when it snows, rain boots and slickers when it’s raining, and sunscreen for hot and sunny days. They will go outside unless there is lightening, we’re reminded every season when the weather inevitably shifts.
Too often, children are prohibited from enjoying the wildness of the outdoors — the mud, the rain, the water, the height of a strong tree branch and the view that unfolds, the stick that can be turned into a sword, a bow, a shovel, or the base of a fort. Do not pick up anything off the ground, my child was told during public school recess when he bent over to collect a pinecone off the ground. Anything? he had asked. I cannot express the sick feeling that unfurled in the pit of my stomach when he retold this story later in the day. I also cannot express, without sounding a bit over-the-top, how a big part of our decision to move him to a Montessori school can be traced back to that sentence. That those simple words said so much more about the overall culture of the place, the misunderstanding of child development, the rigidity of the rules that had more to do with laziness than a passion for watching a child learn and discover the world around him.
“How often is the soul of man – especially in childhood – deprived because he is not allowed to come in contact with nature.” — Maria Montessori
That is why my heart filled with joy upon discovering what had really happened that day (one of many) that one of my sons entered the car at the end of the day completely filthy and smiling from ear to ear. They had, obviously, found an incredible mud puddle during their recess time.
I laughed as I looked at all of the pictures (many of the children in Milo and Oliver’s class ended up covered and jubilant by the end of the series of photos), and asked Milo to tell me about it. What did your teachers think when they saw you doing this? I asked. His response made me smile. Oh! They all laughed and some of them took pictures! They hosed us all off afterwards.
Photos showed the kids getting hosed off with clean water and bundled in towels before they headed back inside for the remainder of their school day. No biggie. Just kids being kids. How awesome is that?!
And thank you again for the amazing photos, which I lifted off the boys’ school Facebook page. These moments are too incredible not to share!
Dress That Mama: On Ponchos
I had the funniest conversation with Andrew’s sister-in-law last summer when she visited with her kids over the fourth of July. We were talking about muumuus (the loose article of clothing from Hawaii that hangs loosely from the shoulders and makes you look about as big as a tent…) and how much women love these things, but how much men tend to hate them! It has to do with seeing the contours of a woman’s body, I think. In a poncho or muumuu, you can’t. And some days, we don’t want you to! We had a good conversation about who you dress for. Sometimes it feels good to show it off, other days it feels good to… feel good! I dress for myself. Every day.
I love the soft and breezy feel of this lightweight cotton poncho, plus the back detail which is so feminine.
So far I’ve already this layered over a dress, over a long skirt, and with jeans a couple of times. I think it’ll be just the thing to pack for the beach, too!
Vintage top: Grain
Jeans: Imogene & Willie
Poncho: Black Crane
Clogs: Rachel Comey
Have a wonderful Wednesday!