They came back!

This past week was a little weird.  Gwyn and Celee went off to a resident Girl Scout camp so Lyla was an only child for the week. It was quiet for the most part and Lyla got her way more often than usual but we all missed the older two.  She did get to go to art club by herself .  She also helped me make peach jam.  Anything where you get to mash food is fun.

     We covered for another zoohelper this week who was on vacation and Lyla's friend got to come along. I was a little worried that I'd end up doing all the work without Gwyn and Celee there, but the little girls did their work well!  Lyla even enjoyed cleaning up the poop, cause she's a big girl.

     Lyla and I also went to the dentist this week.  She was crazy nervous for some reason.  She's been to the dentist before and even had a small cavity filled, but she was really upset this time for some reason.  But she got to wear the sunglasses and pick out a princess toothbrush.  She even let them take x-rays.  So it all ended up being fine once she got in the chair.  And no cavities!  I on the other hand apparently have the teeth of elderly people and an ugly crown.  Yay for me.  I also got the impression that the dentist thinks I'm bulimic.  Which I am not.  But thanks for continuing to ask several times.  Great self-image booster - My teeth look like an elderly bulimic.

     I decided to make these little felted animals for the girls while they were gone.  We had checked the book out from the library and bought the materials, but never had the time to start them.  They came out kinda creepy.  Just for clarity's sake, it's a koala, dog (I was going for a husky), and a cat.  I wasn't too impressed with the outcomes so I tried to make Lyla a Rainbow Dash. I think it looks much better than the attempted realistic animals.  After the girls got home they requested a Fluttershy and others.  I made the Fluttershy and a Minty, but I ran out of the right colors for the other ponies.  So now I had roving wool to find and My Little Pony orders to fill.  ;)

     We went to pick up Gwyn and Celee at camp on Friday.  They had such a good time!  Thank you Camp Conowingo!  The camp counselors had posted pictures each day and I sifted through them all and found some with Gwyn and Celee.  They got to ride horses, climb a rock wall, do archery, canoe, swim, crafts, games, holiday celebrations and a whole lot more.  Gwyn said the bows were crappy that they had to shoot with, but everything else was super fun.  They both made some new friends (although I don't know if they know each other's real names because everyone used "camp names" all week).  Celee even chose to sleep in a tent with other girls rather than in a cabin with Gwyn, so I know she made new friends and got to do some things on her own.

     Saturday we finally got to do our trail ride at Happy on Hooves in Hampstead.  I had bought a groupon back in April I think and after we got rained our on our original date, had to wait until July to finally go.  This was the first time that Lyla has ridden without someone holding a lead for her.  She did really good!  The horses are used to going in order so she didn't really have to "control" the horse much, but it was good practice for her.  She looks so tiny up on that big horse!  We rode for a little less than an hour down some wooded trails.  I would definately do it again.

     Everyone was back to work this morning on the farm.  It's so pleasant out there.  All the animal noises and a cool breeze.  I could stay out there all day.  The geese are a pain though.  Just look at this one - he just looks like trouble.

     The girls found some baby rabbits out at the farm and we managed to catch one.  These aren't the zoo rabbits.  They are the offspring of rabbits that got loose from the zoo a year or two ago.  We have a friend whose pet rabbit died last week, so we're bringing her this one.  I *think it's a girl.  She's sooooo cute!  They are all having a great time with her for today until we give her over.  I keep telling them to be patient.  We'll have enough animals soon enough.

 
     On that note, I'm feeling a little nervous lately.  We got the notice that we have to tell our apartment manager whether or not we want to renew our lease within the next week and a half.  That's about a month earlier than I had expected to need a decision like that.  So prayers for discernment are always appreciated.  I know God has a home for us.  I just want to make the right decisions in the meantime.  So we've talked to a lender (that was promising) and we've been referred to a realtor, and I already know of several interesting properties on active listings right now, but we need to know if the timing is right.  I feel like I'm needing a "handwriting on the wall" moment.  I know it's ok to pray for what you want, I just want my heart to want what God wants and to be content with the blessings and timing He already has planned.

Thank you Canada!

     This week was a mix of unusual somberness and usual business.
Jason's grandmother that lived with his parents, Ada Stockham passed away on Monday.  She died in Mississippi, but was buried in Texas so the funeral wasn't until Friday.  Jason was able to fly out on Thursday to go to the funeral and spend time with his parents and his aunt.  "Mamaw" was a hard woman to get to know, you never really knew what she was thinking.  However,  I like to remember the season of our lives when we lived with Jason's parents for about four months.  I drove a school bus route then and I took Gwyn with me each afternoon for the short route.  Celee was just under one year old and took long naps each afternoon.  So I would leave with Gwyn to go drive and Mamaw would come over to be there when Celee woke up and hold her until I got back.  Those were sweet times and the fondness that Mamaw had for Celee no doubt came from those afternoons together.
     Back in Maryland, this was the first time I have been here without Jason. (I'm usually the one that goes on trips) It was a bit weird.  There were some bouts of meloncholy, but for the most part we stayed busy.
     We went to Art Club and the girls made really neat woven and painted flowers,  I love mixing textiles and paint!  They get to finish them next time and I can't wait to see how they turn out.

     I gave up on finding time to make and keep an appointment at a proper salon for a hair cut, so I resorted to a Hair Cuttery.  Lyla decided she wanted hers cut too, and she wanted bangs.  I think it turned out soooo cute!

     The temp this week got up above a hundred.  I joked with my mom that we were hotter than they were in Miss.  So we swam quite a bit this week to cool off.  This is one of the things in my "things I like about the apartment list" that I remind myself of when I'm feeling snarky. We can go to the pool!  The girls have met some other kids that play at the pool too and that's always nice to have a a group of kids to play pool games with.

     Saturday was supposed to be cloudy and rainy, so the girls and I decided to go to DC to the American History Museum. We decided to drive to a Metro stations and take the train in to avoid parking in DC. The girls were super excited to take a subway for the first time.  They also get really excited to have their own cards for things.

     We had fun seeing so many different things from US history.  We got to listen to an actor play John Brown in a mock trial with us as historical jurors.  This was especially cool because the girls had already learned a little about John Brown's raid from our trip to Harper's Ferry.  So even Lyla kept up with what was going on and was able to ask questions. We rode a 1950s Chicago bus.  We got to see the actual remains of a ship sunk by the British during the Revolutionary War. After we were thoroughly museum blazed, we went outside to the Mall and discovered it was very sunny and hot.  The girls (and I) were in a pretty foul mood, so we got icees to combat the afternoon sugar low.  We weren't sure what we wanted to do after that so we walked to the Capital since the girls had never been to that side if the Mall.  We all had red and blue mouths after the icees, so a silly pic in front of the Capital was the best we could do.

     Afterward, we got lost.  We got off the Metro at Federal Triangle and I was pretty sure there was a station closer to the Capital.  Well, we walked a few circles, followed wrong directions from a street vendor, and finally ended up back at Federal Station from the back way.  We were so exhausted and hot!  At one point in our walking Celee asked what all the red flags were for and glory be!  it was the Canadian Embassy which happens to have a water feature out front.  You can't drink it of course, but we all put our hands in.  Gwyn and Lyla put it on their heads.  It was just what we needed to walk the final bit.  Lyla really wanted her picture with the lions outside the Capital City Grille on the way.  So thank you Canada!  That's a fine water feature ay!

     Sunday afternoon we took Gwyn and Celee off to Girl Scout camp.  This is the first camp either of them has been to overnight week-long camp.  I can't wait to hear what all they've done!

     Lyla gets to be the only child this week.  It's already working in her favor.  I've discovered I'm in a much more amiable mood with only one child's noise and requests at the store.  I found myself saying, "Sure! You can have gum.  Why not get ice cream sandwiches?". She wanted to try tofu hotdogs, so sure, why not?  After I fixed her two she made a fancy hor dourves out if them.  Not a bad way to make tofu hotdogs look more appetizing.