{cinderella}

     Kate and I went to Rodgers and Hammerstein's Cinderella at the Redlands Bowl tonight. She dressed up in a princess costume and picked out a fancy dress and heels for me to wear. 2 hours and 439 questions later, I decided it had been a real treat to take my daughter. Me for nostalgic reasons as I sang the familiar songs in my head...and Katelyn for "princessy" reasons as she sat on a borrowed igloo so she could see everything. I would look over at her enrapt expression and sigh at her wonderment. Silence in the seats.              
     Then LOUDLY, "Why does everyone have a partner?" Pause. "Where is the prince's crown?" Silence. "Why is that queen ugly?" Loud giggles when the king's pants fall down to reveal purple heart boxers. "That's like what daddy wears!" (minus the purple hearts) Pause. "What is that, next to Cinderella and the prince?" A well. "Does it have water in it?"
     I lean over to Katelyn and whisper, Kate! Whisper! She answers, "I can't!" You can. She makes a face and begins to loudly utter "Whooo whooo whooo." Stop Kate. What are you doing? "Well, you told me to whistle!" No, whisper. "Well, that's hard too"... Pause. "What are those chairs for?" Silence. "Are the lights on the coach plugged into an outlet?" No. "How are they working then?" Magic. Pause. Near panic...Cinderella is in the coach on the way to the ball and, "Oh no! She forgot to take the handkerchief out of her hair!"
     Intermission. As soon as the lights come on, everyone wants to meet this bright little girl who asks so many questions and is making such astute observations. She tells them all about how she's going to be a princess nurse mommy when she grows up and shows them her fancy shoes (which necessitated I carry her the whole way). The ladies next to us shared strawberries and chocolate. She thanks them for the "royal treat" and informs them that she is waiting until Cinderella's wedding to put on the crown she brought. She predicts, "Cinderella will be dazzling."
     When the music starts again and everyone is seated, she dances up and down the aisles. At one point, I look back to see her sitting by an elderly lady and motion for her to move closer to me. She dances back to me and explains that she had made a new nice friend. More dancing and pirouettes, followed by "Is Cinderella REALLY married to that prince?" No, they are just actors. "Then why did they kiss?" Because they were acting. "Well, then, I am going to marry that prince for real!" And she takes off running down the aisle toward the stage...
     Later in the evening, I ask what her favorite part was. Without a doubt, "When the prince blew me a kiss!"

{what's your topping?}

Kate hops up on the bed this morning and states emphatically, "Mom, today, I will pick out the clothes you will wear. It will be more beautiful than what you usually wear." With a groan, and knowing she will pick out a dress, I inform my 4 year old, "I have decided to wear shorts today." Without missing a beat, she says, "Oh that's okay. I'll just pick out your topping!"


Just overheard Kate telling Chad, "I know some people who only eat cake EVERY day, and THEY are still alive..."

{camping on the beach}

A couple weeks ago, we had the notion to spend the night on the beach. I pictured us just driving west, finding an isolated spot, and setting up our tent. The kids are now old enough to stay asleep through most of the night without mauling our faces too badly (Kate does pinwheels and Chad talks and kicks in his sleep). Jonathan and I got online to do some research. We quickly realized you cannot just "find a spot on the southern California beaches and pitch a tent." No, you reserve and pay $35 online for a tent spot, months in advance. There was one opening on a Friday night in June at San Clemente beach, and otherwise none until after school starts. Well, what the heck? Let's do it....And, as it worked out, we signed the sale paperwork for our house in Denver on the way out. Yay!

The sandy camping area was situated with sites along the top of a cliff with the beach below and the railroad running between. We've never camped in such close proximity to others. We could hear babies crying, friends talking, and kids laughing long into the night. But the experience was great. Standing by the lighthouse to watch the sunset, watching the Chad and Katelyn play in the sand (the water was too cold), and enjoying the campfire, lambic, and Jonathan's cigar late into the cool night was nostalgic. I have to say that I did miss Harvey the RV, but the tent sufficed. Memories, right? I'd do it again...

The most fun the kids had was pulling tiny starfish and other creatures from the root web of some beached kelp.

{date with kate}

    Kate and I went on a "date" to see the new Winnie the Pooh movie at the Krikorian theater. I picked out her outfit and she picked mine (she is pretty good at it). She was enthralled with all the workers in their tuxes, and asked as we walked into the atrium, "Is this a castle?" I cannot tell you how much I enjoyed her snuggling up on my lap, wrapped in her blankie (she's still 4), watching the movie and laughing at Eeyore's tail. I always liked Eeyore. Reminds me of my dad. You just want to hug him and give him the best day ever.

    After the cute movie, she insisted on looking behind the screen to see the people who "said the voices." Fortunately for me, their was an EXIT door from which they could have already escaped ;-) Afterwards, we went to Panera to share a flower cookie. Her incessant chatter was worth every minute, and I got to hear many of her dreams and 4 year-old thoughts...even that it is her "dream come true that she gets to go to a butterfly school named after Barbie." (the Mariposa monarchs-Chad is not so elated BTW)

    On our previous date, Kate played hooky from preschool, and we went to an English tea room. She was dainty as possible and talked in a soft high voice the entire time.

I do so love these outings! I see a side of my little girl I don't often see. One that isn't fighting or bossing her brother. One who describes situations with made-up words, and has the whole world at her fingertips. My very own Ramona Quimby;)

{extrinsic excursions}

A large hollow tree we found

I think subconsciously, this family has been seeking similarities to Colorado in our new California habitat. And sometimes not so subconsciously. Even before we moved here, Jonathan had mapped out a hike to a hot springs nearby. You know us and hot springs...Anyway, now that the kids are finally able to consistently put one foot in front of the uphill other (albeit with whining involved), the special hikes that we were saving for "later" in Colorado are now too far away. Yesterday, we decided to go on a hike that we'd been hearing about. I have to admit that I was a little skeptical. I like hiking around and toward water, but looking around southern California, the land is parched this time of year.

Jonathan soaking his head after the hike

We parked at Big Falls trail head and had a picnic on an enormous riverbed rock. The riverbed was very wide (evidence of huge spring run-off) and littered with light gray sparkly rocks, with a small stream running down the very middle. We easily crossed the stream and started the hike. What followed was surprising. Steep, rocky switchbacks all the way up a mostly shaded trail. Passers by would remark how impressed they were with Chad and Katelyn making the hike. Others would answer the "how much farther?" question with "what waterfall?" This was disheartening indeed. However, in time, we were rewarded with a waterfall-we had to follow the sound off the trail. Nothing like Treasure Falls in Pagosa, but amazing for the dry area surrounding it. Above the falls was an area of huge trees and a small ice cold stream with a sandy bottom. Refreshing indeed to dip in our hot dirty feet...with much splashing involved. The kids did not want to leave. We met up with a group of teenage scouts and leaders all carrying large signal mirrors in their packs to shine to other scouts on other California peaks the next afternoon. Their record so far is 178 miles.












Back in the Valley of the Falls, we stopped at the General Store. There, in a sub-room of the store, we were surprised to find a collection of 160 different types of bottled root beer and specialty sodas-all with natural cane sugar. We've never seen anything like it. Later at home-after showers and naps (the kids fell asleep immediately), we enjoyed a cold, thick Olde Rhode Island molasses root beer.

{summer music}

We have made an exciting discovery. The Redlands Bowl. Our very own town of Redlands has sponsored concerts in the bowl twice a week during the last 75 summers, no admission charge. I must say, it is a delightful and bonding experience as we sit and listen to the music, eating from a picnic basket, surrounded by other community members as the sun goes down behind the line of stately slender fir trees. Last week, we enjoyed Highland Way's Scottish and Irish tunes and the LA Children's Chorus. The first time we went, they had all the kids come on stage to sing the National Anthem. Katelyn especially loved this chance to shine. This week, we look forward to the US Coastguard Band, which (added a week later) was simply moving.

Redlands Bowl

{lemons~lemonade~lemon meringue pie}

     If you were to walk into our house right now, the scent of fresh lemons permeating the air would hit your nostrils, and you would exclaim, "Ahhh." One of our neighbors has 4 lemon trees, loaded with the large fruit. I've always liked lemons, but shied away from the expensive fruit, whose organic juice at the store is a treat to be used one tablespoon at a time. But this! More juice than I could imagine.

     First, Jonathan made some yummy strawberry lemonade (with fresh strawberries from the Farmers Market this morning), while I set to work making a lemon meringue pie. I love working with him in the kitchen (although he doesn't want anyone to know that he does). We get to talk. So, I told him of my disastrous first attempt at making a lemon meringue pie when I was 11 years old. I have to redeem myself after all. Discouragingly, Jonathan couldn't help but interrupt me with information about how his grandma Farney made the most extraordinary lemon meringue pies, and how it would be hard to ever come close. "She sold her soul to the pie devil," as he described the sheer divinity of the flavors in her pie. But let me get back to my story...
     Mom was pregnant with Megan, and on bed rest. As the only daughters, Michelle and I were attempting to feed the family with something out of the ordinary. We wanted dessert, but not that awful store ice cream in the 5 quart container that dad bought so frequently. We had no fruit for pies, but we did have Realemon juice...and eggs...and I had just learned how to make a pie shell (patchwork and tough as it usually turned out). The recipe for the filling called for lemon zest. Well, what if you had no fresh lemons? After digging through the cabinets, I found some dried lemon zest. I reasoned: if it's dried, then you need more. Right? So I added plenty more for good measure. When I got to the meringue, and saw that the recipe called for 1/4 tsp cream of tartar, I put in cornstarch thinking "they are both white and powdery. The same stuff. Right?" To make matters more complicated, I put in a 1/4 cup of it- the amount the filling had called for. The pie came out beautiful. My dad was dazzled. He loved pies after all, especially made by his little Amelia Bedelia and her assistant. And this was no ordinary pie!
    The anticipation throughout supper was more than I could bear. At last, it was time for dessert. Alas, the meringue was so tough, we couldn't cut it, let alone bite into it. Dad was able to peel it off the pie without it falling apart, and I have vivid memories of him beating the frisbee-shaped beaten egg whites against the fence like an old rug while the whole family stood around laughing. We could still eat the lemon filling, I dejectedly consoled myself. Or not... The extra zest made it too sour to eat. Fail.
     Jonathan and I are smiling as we sit down to eat this pie. Perfectly sweet and sour filling from fresh-squeezed oranges and lemons, covered with melt-in-your-mouth meringue. At least in close competition to grandma Farney's. I have redeemed my pie-making abilities. We also took a piece to our neighbor;-) You can find the recipe here: Citrus Meringue Pie
     Sometime, I'll have to tell you about the chicken pot pie that I also made when I was 11.

{wishbone}

Chad took this picture of himself

When I went in to kiss Chad good-night, he looked deep in thought. "Mom, why don't dreams come true these days." I asked him what he meant. He said, "Well, I really want a dragon that makes himself invisible. Is that so hard?"
"Well, yes, Chad. That's pretty much impossible. But we could get you a lizard." I responded to his frown. "Dreams do sometimes come true. If they are possible and you work at it. Like my dream to get into school."
Chad corrected, "No, Mom. That was the wishbone."
"Come again?" I wondered.
"When I was 5, we both made a wish and split apart the wishbone on that chicken. Remember? You got the long end. That's why you got in."
"Ahh." Then I wondered, "Chad, what was your wish that time?"
He answered, "A baby brother."
I stand amazed at his memory and reasoning over something that happened almost 2 years ago. By the way, Chad has told me he would like the dragon for Christmas. He's thought about it, and has decided a new baby would cry too much.

{proud to be an American}

...listening to that song on the I-pod while watching 3 different fireworks shows from Panorama Point (just down the road from our house), surrounded by patriotic individuals from all nationalities and walks of life... Can't say I didn't get a little overwhelmed. This was the first 4th of July away from South Fork, where we went every 4th for the past 6 years in a row. 

I approached this holiday wishing we could just re-appear there in the Rocky mountains with our chairs, blankets, and jackets to watch the show right over our heads and hear the roar echo in the canyon after we had eaten ice cream at the Firehouse in Creede, CO. Fun memories to be sure. 

This year, we got to make new ones, and had a blast. Some friends invited us to their home, where we mingled with other couples, enjoyed some great food, and watched the kids swim in the pool for hours to their hearts' content. And the holiday now has even more meaning to me. My brother is serving in the Airforce, and my brother-in-law goes to basic in the Marines this month. I am proud of them both. And I realized as I sat and looked at the view below...we ARE in the mountains-just different ones, the fireworks were awesome, and we didn't have to bundle up;-) 

{abstract}

"Kids, I have a game for you!" I said, eager to keep them occupied and quiet while we waited for daddy to get done with his work. 

"It's a silent treasure hunt. I want you to go all around the house, find circles of different sizes, and bring them back here." 

They excitedly went exploring. Soon, I was surrounded by interesting sundry items including a funnel, applesauce in a plastic carton, a frisbee, binocular slides, an eraser, and a kaleidoscope. I had to tell Katelyn that ball shapes were not included...

I then told them to arrange the circle shapes on paper and trace them. Painting the pictures was most fun. When they got out of the lines, I told them it was okay since it was abstract art (had to explain that term). Altogether, the activity took almost 2 hours with only one casualty when Kate spilled Chad's paint water on his clothes. They were pleased as punch when I hung the art on the fridge. 

Then daddy was done with work, and we were off to the pool on this scorching hot day.

{dress up}

I am just tickled pink when Chad and Kate come parading out of their room exuding creativity and spunk. Here is a sampling of the fun we have during play time. Oh, the magic of being kid-ish... I just can never figure out what they will next appear as. Fond are the memories I have of my sister and I playing dress-up in Gran's closet...and Bruce whining that he wanted to play pants-up...When did we grow up exactly?

In my bridesmaid dress

Wearing one of my skirts

Halloween 2010

Dressed up to go sledding down the stairs

As a mad scientist

Little green leprechaun 

Playing cowgirl and cowboy

Scuba gear from Aunt Michelle

???

Miss Piggy at the Wildlife Experience