My cousin Gail made these for me.
They are so simple. And so perfect.
They arrived without warning — a delightful surprise. They’re really pretty and really soft. And you can do just about anything with them on, including type on the computer in our winter-cold house.
I love them.
Unfortunately, I did not get to wear them this morning, because Ellie appropriated them. I’m either going to have to knit a pair for her or share. I think I’ll cast on.
I know from experience that it is true that children tend to surpass their parents. My oldest child is smarter than I am (and is kind enough to remind my of that fact frequently — the joys of living with a 17 year old). So it should come as no surprise that the real artist in the family is my nine year old. I thought I would share a recent drawing of hers that was published in a local newspaper article on fantasy dinosaurs.
I’m not sure if you will be able to read the small print here. It says: Trendy Triceratops. It is totally addicted to candy and is the mother of fashion. Sigh. That’s my girl.
No commentary tonight, just a few pictures for Dad. We left around 7:15 this morning for Disney’s Hollywood Studios (the renamed MGM Park), skipped the lunchtime nap, and didn’t leave until after the big Fantasmic Show ended at nine. Shockingly, Ollie is still awake, running around in his new Chinese PJ’s with a sword playing Power Rangers (you’ll see why below). Tomorrow, Epcot — Princess Lunch, Honey I Shrunk the Audience, and who knows what else. I’m going to bed!
Kids are so full of surprises. Who knew that after getting up at 6:00 and going, going, going all day at Animal Kingdom (that included three times on Kali River Rapids — coming out soaking wet each and every time) my little angels would come home around 4, spend a couple of hours in the pool, and want to go back out to Epcot for dinner, which turned into staying for the Illuminations fireworks and light show, before coming home. We had a wonderful dinner in Japan, after waiting in line for about 40 minutes, yet the kids were still graciously sharing the best parts of their dinner with each other. Ollie is fearless, and Ellie nearly so, yet she was terrified of the Bugs Life 3D movie at Animal Kingdom. And sweet Ollie, after seeing Illuminations, kept saying over and over "Dad and Woo and Ted have GOT to see this." He was still saying it when we got home an hour later!
A few pictures (with apologies to all my art and knitting friends, this is the easiest way to let our family see what’s going on).
We had a blast at Animal Kingdom despite the rain and surprising cold! It was hard to get pictures there, but lots of fun.
By the time we left, we had totally different clothes, because of how incredibly wet we got riding Kali River Rapids, which was way too short, but incredibly fun.
It was thankfully dry by the time we headed out to Epcot (Daddy, notice Ellie’s new tee, which says "Little Miss Attitude").
Epcot is so pretty! Lots of flowers and topiary.
Ollie fell in love with "God’s golf ball."
He also sucker-punched me into buying this ridiculously silly hat for him. But the big hit of the night was a cheap blanket we bought in Mexico, because by the time it got to fireworks, it was pretty near freezing. The blanket really made out night. Ollie and Ellie are all snuggled up beneath it (with Eyeore). Our wake up call tomorrow is for 6:15. We live for Disney Movie at 7:00. Amazing.
Disney. It’s so wonderful. Especially seeing it through the eyes of Ellie and Ollie who have never been before. I was a little bit nervous about taking Ollie on the barnstormer — a small rollercoaster — only to have him sit next to me the whole time, repeating over and over "I love this!" And that was pretty much how the whole day went. Here are a few quick pictures.
This is the boatride out to the Wilderness Campground for the Hoop de do Review last night.
We got up at 0’dark thirty to head off for the Magic Kingdom. Look, it’s still dark! We were at the very front of the line, which was incredibly cool.
We rode the tea cups (and lots of other rides).
Got our faces painted.
And met Pooh, Tiger, Piglet, and Eyeore!
By the time we got back to Main Street to see the parade, it was A LOT more crowded than when we entered the park at 7:00 am.
The parade was wonderful, too! After a nap and a swim at our hotel, we headed out to Downtown Disney for ice cream sundaes and a little bit of shopping. The Judge is going to be overjoyed when he sees all of Ollie’s new weaponry, including a pirate sword and a very cool wooden pistol that beams a pirate silhouette in the dark (how do they come up with this things?)
Ellie, who was a trooper all day, finally gave up on the bus ride home.
And Ollie was right behind her.
It was a fabulous day. We’re off to Animal Kingdom in about seven hours. I hope I survive!
We’re off tomorrow morning! I’m taking our two little kids for their first visit to Disney. There is a lot of excitement in our house tonight.
I’ve got to finish packing. The clothes were easy, the knitting is hard. I think I’ll take yarn to start Juliet.
I found one of my favorite yarns, Rowan’s Soft Tweed, a wool/silk blend, on sale for 60% off, so I picked up enough gray for this sweater, with some lavender and oatmeal for Meathead hats and perhaps a baby sweater.
In addition to Juliet, I’m taking my Shibui socks, and maybe my Manos shrug. I’m hoping for a little bit of time for mommy to relax, amidst all the excitement. I’ll see y’all next week!
This week’s hostess on the Gothic Arches art challenge is my friend Karen Owens, so I knew I would have to play. Karen’s theme is transitions, which seemed to put my muse into overdrive.
For me, transitions seem to be all about family lately. Watching four children grow up, especially the oldest two who are in the process of sprouting their adult wings, is a pretty engrossing transitional process for any mother. This arch is about a not-so-mythical person who seems to dominate my art, not always as explicitly as here though, where the piece is named for "King Baby" who in one way or another has ruled my world for the last 17 1/2 years. My youngest is at the end of his babyhood, which is an enormous transition in my life.
Five has always seemed like a banner age to me. It’s the end of babyhood, the start of school and reading, and really one of my favorite transitions that children go through. Good Egg Five is dedicated to this transition, which my youngest is going through this year.
Mary and Enid is all about the relationship between siblings. It’s hard when older siblings go away, and also hard to be the only girl, especially with teenage brothers. This arch is really about wish fulfillment and Ellie’s desire to have a sister, to go along with all those brothers.
This is Ellie Gets Her Wings, because, well, she has. It is incredible how grown up she is and how sensitive, thoughtful, playful, and spiteful can all be mixed in together. I really enjoy watching her grow up. I’m not sure if you can see the detail in the scan, but the inverted postage at the bottom is some pretty Russian stamps of ballerinas that came to me on a parcel years ago, and that I’ve saved for just the right project. Ellie has the heart of a ballerina, and although I have mixed emotions about her pursuing it seriously, her work with a professional company last winter was a huge part of her transition to growing up.
This is my last arch (I warned you all that Karen’s theme made me sort of prolific), determined girl. One wish I have for all of my children, no matter what they choose to do is that the will know their own minds, follow their own dreams passionately, and feel like they have the ability to be the person they want to be, not little cookie cutter versions of what they are "supposed to be." I hope their transition to adulthood will involve the freedom of flying to be themselves.