Super Rachel Zana's Spot

Picking raspberries each summer has become an annual tradition ever since my first trip to a raspberry farm when we lived in Wisconsin.  Although raspberries are my favorite fruit, their presence in my life up until that point was quite sparse.  I remember how giddy I was the first time…

Be assured, my dear readers, that there is no end to the number of silly faces this girl can make.  Making crazy faces, pestering her big brother and sister, singing songs wherever she goes . . . this is what makes The Banana’s wheels turn.  She is having a busy…

Beware:  there are lots and lots of images to follow, because the light at the sandy beach Saturday evening was amazing, and all of the kidlets, who hadn’t been to the sandy beach yet this summer, were having an absolutely splendid time.  It was a great night to be at…

I’ve read many times in early childhood books about messy painting projects that involve enormous pieces of paper and tossing objects dipped in paint at them.  I’ve always meant to do that with the kidlets, but when I saw the idea of using those terrible little textured balls that are…

I have lots of pictures to share from this evening and I’ll do that soon, but let me just say that Squirmy was in his element at the sandy beach.  There were wide open spaces to explore, sand to move around and toss into the air, and lots of commotion…

Last evening we zipped up to a different beach than we usually frequent.  It was calm, peaceful and lovely until the kidlets got there to disturb the peace.  While they were traipsing around in circles loudly pretending to be zombies (no, I have no idea why . . . and…

These were taken more than a week ago now, but I haven’t taken time to share them.  I love so many little details in these images:  the wet pants legs on Dr. Peds (he came from work and was still on call), the change in Mr. SP’s posture between the…

This July I am loving: Squirmy’s squishy baby cheeks that I know will soon disappear slowly over time.  They happen to be the only squishy, pudgy part of his body.  He’s such a lanky thing.  But aren’t those cheeks round and full and lovely in every way? The Banana’s incredible…

This afternoon The Banana and I were reading a book.  In fact, it was one of the Mercy Watson books by Kate DiCamillo.  Mercy Watson is funny, and The Banana loves reading about that porcine wonder.  At one point I stopped and asked her a couple intuitive questions about the…

Today I went to a funeral, a funeral that was a joyous and touching celebration of an amazing life, well lived by a very real person.  I wore my fancy necklace.  When I came home, The Banana snuggled up next to me and touched the necklace and said, “When this…