Big Bend- Window Trail

What we learned on our (supposed to be 3 mile, really secretly 6 mile) hike:


Always start a hike by following people who know what they're doing. For instance, notice the socks. I myself was not wearing socks and came to deeply regret this.


Watch out for bears. Also be aware that while your husband's boy scout hat is fun and ironic in Austin, it will cause varying levels of confusion and possibly anger when worn in a National park on spring break.


Don't drink the water. Even if you didn't happen to bring quite enough. Congratulate the littlest hikers on taking tiny sips and managing to make their meager stores last. Feel like an awesome parent.


Don't slip in the water.


Enjoy the shade, when you have it. And finally, although there are no pictures of this part, finish the whole thing with lots of ice cream back at the ranger station, and an eventual soak in the hot springs by the Rio Grande.

projects

Wren's best friend from school is not going to kindergarten with Wren next year, and this is causing some sadness in both our houses. Her birthday was a few weeks ago, and Wren and I came up with the idea of making her a pen pal kit for the summer.

Wren wrote her a letter to get started, and I sewed this little wrap, based on the SouleMama Gratitude Wrap. We put in some fun stationary, addressed to Wren, some stickers, some fancy new pens, and a book of stamps, and I really hope this helps the girls keep in touch this summer. They are both learning to write (slowly and carefully) and so this should certainly be fun. I'm also hoping Wren can go to a dance class with her friend this summer. She is such a loyal kid, and although she's really looking forward to kindergarten, she's also just not sure about all these huge changes looming on the horizon for her. She seems so placid and easygoing that it can take a special effort to really gauge how she's doing day to day. I need to do better at remembering.


And this is an in-progress knit, that I've since finished, for one of those looming changes. Jane is less ambivalent about change, and has actually cut one of the baby knits to pieces. This diaper cover survived though- I found the pattern on Ravelry and it was simple and fast and I'll be making more for sure. I've hidden it on a high shelf though, so I'm not going to risk getting it down to photograph. My poor Janey. If anyone has the strength of personality to handle being a middle child it's certainly Jane.


And lastly I have this little baby kimono, made for a very wonderful, very pregnant friend. I wish I'd put something in there for scale, this thing is tiny. There's another one, with cherries on it, that came out looking like it was a very weird color in the pictures. This is the Habitual kimono and it was super fun and easy to make. I had already cut the pieces for the Heather Ross kimono, and then I lost that book and all the pattern pieces two nights before the shower, so that sucked. Amy at Habitual saved my life and sent me her pattern and it came together just in time. Thank you!

My sister in law Sarah gave me a huge bag of perfectly assorted, washed ironed and meticulously cut fabric squares that has since been sitting on my sewing table waiting for me to do something with. And there's the stack of antique inherited quilt tops, each partially pieced, waiting to be finished. And of course my white work quilt, languishing in the closet waiting for me to find my thimble.

So I'm thinking, aside from various baby projects, and moving of course, this might be the summer of quilting...

Who's in?

No really. Come on guys! It'll be fun!

Spring trip to Beaumont

Blackberries on the fence.


Jane, making herself sick. Nonetheless, she still managed to put away quite a bit at that evening's fish fry.


The girls checking out my old treehouse. My dad built this for me and my sister, and he and Shawn recently remodeled it (and painted it pink!) for my girls. Two hurricanes in two summers had not been kind to the treehouse, but it's all fixed up- new roof, new screens, new flower stencil over the door. The girls loved it.


And Ramona was definitely a fan of the sandbox. Jane had to kick her out when she wanted to play.

Even for a fast weekend trip, it was really lovely. I can't believe I left my jar of mayhaw on the kitchen table- I will be reclaiming that for sure. And it was wonderful to see my mom and grandmother and sister, even if Anne spent most of the time under her bronco, trying to figure out how to make it not strand her somewhere between here and Colorado. Everyone please hope and pray that she gets a job in Austin this week, so we won't have to put her truck to the cross country test!

blankets for the girls

I haven't really been that busy crafting. I just keep forgetting to blog, so it looks like I am super productive when I cram a bunch of projects into one post.


This is the duvet cover for Jane, in the early stages. In the last post there was a picture of Wren's requested rainbow cover, and I finally finished them both. We got the bunk beds back in March, and it's really great that both girls finally have twin size blankets for their beds. Not that they EVER sleep with their blankets. It could be snowing in their room and they'd both have kicked off their covers. But at least I finished them, however slapdash and wonky they may be.


Someday I'd really like to sand and paint the bunk beds. I guess we'll be taking them apart this summer, when we move, so that might be a good time to tackle it. I am thinking a really bright red would be nice...

And they still have their baby quilts across the foot of their beds. I should probably pack those up somewhere, so they don't get destroyed by the usual style of tent building that goes on here. I can't really do it though. I just can't believe my baby Wren is in her last week of school and next year is Kindergarten. Seriously.

Sentimentality does not keep me from being psyched about her awesome bowling fieldtrip on Friday though. I hope Dart Bowl is ready for the pre-K invasion. I've already given Wren some change for the cigarette machine.

Hello Again

Wow. A month. That might be a new record in ignoring the blog. It's been quite a month though. Going in chronological order, I'd have to start with our Big Bend trip, and then Easter, and then the spring birthday presents we've worked on, but I think all that might have to wait. Instead, here are some moments from our relatively low key weekend...


Right now the kids are ODing on PBS kids and I have mountains of laundry to do and miles of errands before I sleep. Did anyone else memorize that poem in sixth grade? I think I might prefer Mending Wall, but that's just my introversion talking.


Speaking of fences, we are finally entering the world again, after this crazy month. We are going to be hospitable, and have friends over for dinner tonight. I am making ziti, because I've made it a billion times and I know how hard it is to mess up.


We've been living with the windows open again, here at the tail end of Chase and Wren's allergy season. I love these spring rains, and this last breath of cool before summer really flattens us. And I am already really really looking forward to next fall.


Mid October, to be exact.