eggs and taters, superheroes and intoxicating books

The glass door rattled in it’s frame as Xander and Mary banged their arrival, “Open the door,” they yelled, “our hands are full of potatoes!”

“And my pockets,” Mary announced proudly, “are filled with eggs.”

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Oh we were ambitious! All summer we planned to hike Timpanogus on Labor Day, and we would be there right now, hoofing the 14 mile trail, sniffing wildflowers, laughing with friends and basking in the glory of the peak. But last night upon reports of crowds and bad weather and just plain tiredness, both families agreed to cancel. “We’ll hike Mt. Olympus instead,” we vowed, “much closer, much shorter. We’ll be eating Cafe Rio by 2.”

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And then, this morning our beds were just too delicious– “Why get up now?” “I’d rather stay home and read my book.” Gabriel spent twenty minutes lying by my side describing his dream and chattering. I pretended to listen, I tried to concentrate on his storylines, but mostly I admired his bright blue eyes, the way they sparkle and shine when he is excited. I stroked his hair and his cheek and reveled in the great joy of calling him mine.

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Xander and Mary scoured the garden for potatoes– one of the few vegetables undisturbed by the chickens– and gloried in the excitement of SIX eggs in one day. All the chicks are laying these days; our omelets runneth over.

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Miss Mary is at the age where her smile changes every few weeks with the loss or gain of a tooth. Seven year olds are constantly growing into themselves.

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As alike as two peas in a pod, I’ve often thought Xander and Mary are boy/girl versions of the same personality– bright, fiery, creative– they shift from best friends to fierce enemies once an hour. They drift from the garden to the wood pile, constructing a chair, painting it and emblazoning an X on the back, an M on the seat.

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Next they wiggly cart down the hill, attaching a rope to pull Mary behind.

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Fishing out his blue capes, Gabriel announces that he and Baby Bear are on superhero duty–“What do you need ma’am?”

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Everyone asks for cleaning help– the dishes, mopping, sweeping the porch– but he yearns for babies to rescue, fires to extinguish, flights around the earth and back.

Of course everyone helped me make the third peach cobbler in as many days. Peaches must be eaten while they are ripe. No photos of that, the cobblers disappear as quickly as I make them.

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The books that kept everyone home– my sister Ruth sent us a new series, “They’re the kind of books you can get drunk off of,” Ruth described, “well, not that I have any experience with that, but they make you forget all your troubles.”

And it’s true, I guzzled them in a matter of days and now they are working their way through the family Xander reading The Demon King, Erik has moved on to book two The Exiled Queen and Stefan is imbibing The Gray Wolf Throne.

Highly recommended escapist reading without the hangover.

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I didn’t notice until editing this photo, that Stefan was sneaking in a little scripture reading between chapters; such a Stefan thing to do.

Timpanogus will wait for us, I have my eye on a day in late September to climb that peak, but I love, oh how I love an empty day.

And I love that they love,

life at home.

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September 2, 2011
September 6, 2011

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9 Comments

  1. Annie

    September 6, 2011

    So lovely to get these glimpses of you all enjoying your glorious home–a summit in itself.

  2. Claudia

    September 6, 2011

    What a perfectly delicious day!

    Side note: I am loving having Stefan over tutoring Analisa. Brett thinks he should be paying us for her company. I call it win, win;)

  3. Tracy

    September 6, 2011

    These are my favorite posts. There is no place like home.
    xoxo

    P.S. Look at how long Miss Mary’s hair is getting!!!

  4. jen

    September 6, 2011

    i love that your family has such fun with each other!

  5. Tasha

    September 6, 2011

    Hiking is wonderful, but nothing is quite as beautiful as letting the day unfold and doing exactly what your heart wants to do.

    BTW, you should look into the Alcatraz Smedry books by Brandon Sanderson. I think your boys would LOVE them.

  6. Lisa

    September 6, 2011

    Truly was the right decision…although I missed your company and sniffing those wildflowers. Sometimes though it’s just as wonderful to smell the flowers growing at home.

    I loved Mary’s pockets filled with eggs…adorable!

  7. Today's Gift

    September 6, 2011

    What a wonderfully perfect Labor day weekend!

  8. Cath

    September 6, 2011

    I love the wild abandon of your plans for this glorious day. Everything about it says, “I am comfortable at home.” I especially loved the thought of you taking in Gabe’s eyes while he shared his dream with you. You are a blessed woman. xoxo

  9. Rachelle

    September 9, 2011

    Oh how I love an empty day, too! No place to be, nothing pressing… and READING.

Comments are closed.