the 2 sides of Lola Gray

I just love these two photos of Lola Gray – quiet and thoughtful one moment, silly and smiling the next . . .

Daddy, can we keep him?

do not be afraid of the mess

Today the children and I finally made playdough cookies! Turns out the concept of rolling and coiling was far too advanced for Lola Gray. Fletcher got it, though his cookies didn’t quite turn out like those in the beautiful photos on the blog where I found the recipe. No matter. They tasted just as yummy. And we all had a ball making a huge mess on the kitchen table!

 

seriously?

I mean, I know I’m a bit scatter brained . . . but this takes the cake.

This afternoon Raymond took the kids to a birthday party in Hilton Head. I couldn’t go because I was still in class when they left Savannah. Hate to miss the party, but the opportunity for some quiet studio time is hard to argue with!

So I’m upstairs working away, when the dog starts going absolutely nuts barking at the front door. I yell at him a few times, but he just keeps barking. Finally, I run down the stairs in a huff and throw open the door to prove to him that no one is there. Only . . . there is someone there. Amy. THE BABYSITTER!

Raymond and I, who rarely go out without the kids, had arranged a babysitter so that we could go to the Jepson for cocktails and to see The Moth. And I was so excited about it! Right up until the time I totally forgot about it. Suddenly I find myself blubbering to Amy about the fact that not only did I forget she was coming (and I only arranged this days earlier!) but the children were not home and were, in fact, an hour away at a birthday party! I felt like a total idiot. I mean, seriously? It has come to this?

Amy graciously agreed to come back tomorrow night, so we will get to see a movie and have a little adult time. But I still feel like such a moron! Ugh.

Picture that!

Want to know the difference between me and professional photographers? Well, just take a look a these amazing photos taken by Jason & Veta Bateham of Azelle Photography! Recently, Jason & Veta made a generous donation to the auction we are planning for the Ferst Foundation for Childhood Literacy. I love the modern angles and amazing sense of light they capture in their photos, so when Veta contacted me and asked if we would allow them to shoot our family for the cover of Savannah Home & Family magazine, we jumped on the opportunity!

Jason & Veta came over last night and the session was super fun and easy. They were very natural with the kids, who were more than eager to show off for them. And the most amazing thing? They had photos from the session up on their blog within hours! Wow! What is it that makes the light and the color so amazing in their photos? I obviously have a lot to learn!

There are more amazing photos posted on the Azelle blog, but here is a taste. I think the one of our stinky pooch is my favorite!!

Sunday, late afternoon

The weekend was so hectic, I was afraid we might not be able to take advantage of the National Parks Service fee-free weekend. I thought we would be delivering our 2 roosters to their new home . . . but . . . .we are still working on that. No worries! It gave us the chance, late Sunday afternoon, for a quick visit to Fort Pulaski.

The weather was perfect, breezy and warm but not too hot. The kids ran around the fort for a bit, Fletcher tracing the “path” created by the old canon grooves in the fort floor and making up a game to see what had caused the marks.

Then on to my true objective, the 1.5 mile path through the coastal forest, emerging at last onto the oyster beach at the mouth of the Savannah River across from the Cockspur Lighthouse. The tide was high at that time of day, so we were not able to venture as far as we had hoped, but that didn’t really matter. Coming out of the trees and seeing the expanse of beach, covered in dried seagrass and bleached white oyster shells, marshy green vegetation and quiet blue skies . . . it takes my breath away every time.

We watched a huge freighter heading out of the river and towards the sea. We collected shells. We examined barnacles clinging to seagrass.  We saw seagulls and fish, snails and skittering crabs. We breathed deeply of the warm, salty air and dreamed of the day when we will have a boat and can sail across to Cockspur Island and the lighthouse.

The walk back was a long one, none of us really ready to leave. But dinner, and bed, were calling us and it was time to go. I have a feeling it won’t be long before we are back there again.

Date Day

Saturday morning we went swimming with our neighbors. Oh how I wish we had a pool! The neighbor kids are all fish, totally swimming unassisted – even the one-year-old! We really need to do swim lessons with Fletcher and Lola Gray. Lo is such a waterbaby, and generally pretty fearless, so I think she will take to it pretty easily. Fletcher is much more cautious, so it might be  a little harder with him. . . . but as long as they have their floaties on those kids go non-stop. They had so much fun playing with their friends, and Raymond and I even spent some time just kicking back on lounge chairs! Luxury!! I’m hoping they will invite us again.

The afternoon was “date day.” Raymond took Lola Gray to see a production of The Wiz at the Lucas Theater. In his position as Cultural Arts Commissioner he gets free tickets to some community events, and thought this was one she would enjoy. While they were out, Fletcher and I got snacks and curled up on the sofa to watch the first Harry Potter movie. We read the book to him a few months back, so he was excited to see the movie. Really excited. For the first part of the movie he was cracking me up because he kept saying “This must be chapter 1: The Boy Who Lived!”  “Oh! This is chapter 3:Letters from No One!” Then he got a little upset because the scene in Diagon Alley at Olivanders Wand Shop did not proceed in the movie exactly as it did in the book. After a while he let go of comparisons to the book and just enjoyed the movie. 

Lola Gray also thoroughly enjoyed seeing The Wiz with her Daddy. The show was over 3 hours long, but Raymond said not only did she watch the entire thing, she watched it from the edge of her seat and was totally mesmerized! She even shushed the people sitting next to them for talking during the performance! When they got home (after ice cream at Leopold’s) I asked what her favorite part was and she said “all the singing and dancing!” and then gushed on and on and on about how wonderful everything was.

I asked if she would like to go to another play one day and she answered “Mommy, when I am bigger I want to go to another play and be IN it!” OK. I think she would be wonderful at that! She then turned to Fletcher and told him that he could be in the play too, and he immediately said “No, no, no. I wouldn’t want all those people looking at me.” That’s not surprising. Raymond suggested maybe Fletcher can direct!

An important skill to learn

cock-a-doodle-do

No question about it. We’ve got roosters.

Two of our three “girls” are just not so much girls. Their beautiful plumage, tailfeathers growing ever longer and more colorful, has been giving us clues for a while now. This morning we got confirmation at 6:30am.

Cock-a-doodle-do.

Ok. It didn’t sound quite like that. But they were making a heck of a lot of noise as the sun rose. Not cool. And, frankly, against the law in our urban neighborhood.

Time to find new homes for our “girls.”
I have a feeling that might not be so easy . . .

Anyone want a rooster? Or two?

cukes

  

  

We grew cucumbers! I love gardening!!!!