Birthday Week!

Nature walk (complete with backpacks full of self-packed snacks and other necessities)

WHEW.  What a week. With Juniper's actual birthday on Tuesday (July 30th), and her party on Sunday (Aug. 3), it was a long, celebratory 6 days. It involved a lot of excitement, and more eating out than we should have.  I kind of feel as though Clark and I managed to pass some sort of convoluted "parents of a 5-year-old" test.  But pass we did! So, without further ado, here are the details:

TUESDAY, July 30: Juniper's actual birthday. 

1) It began with a brand-new birthday crown, presented at breakfast.  (This also meant that we had to dig out Linden's old birthday crown, of course.)

(Royal) Birthday oatmeal

2) Post-breakfast, Juniper got to open two presents - one from us, and one from Mary and Bob (my parents)

A card with a brilliant stick-family portrait

From us: a custom-made pencil case, and a whole lot of art/school supplies. Clearly I had a ball making/ shopping for it all.  I also  might be guilty of indulging my unhealthy love of school supplies through my daughter

... and the highlight?  A real digital camera from Mary and Bob!

3) Fancy dance party, of course.

Wild twirls

Quick hug break

4) Linden heads to daycare, and Juniper and I go out for a nature walk/photo-taking session. 

A possible fairy hole

Pond shot

Bees and flowers

5) We head to the Village Café (Juniper's choice) for a girl's lunch

Mango-banana smoothie (complements of Sarah!) and a grilled cheese

6) Off to the pottery studio (after about an hour, Clark picked her up and brought her into work for the rest of the afternoon, but I don't have pictures of that)

Working on some important documents with her new art supplies

7) We pick Linden up and go out for dinner.  We had told Juniper a few days earlier that dinner was her choice, and so naturally her knee-jerk reaction was Friendly's.  

"That's great, if that's what you want", I told her.  

"There are also other places", suggested Clark, a bit later, trying to test the waters.  

"Well..." Juniper thought for a bit.  "We could go out for Thai, but would we be able to go out for ice cream after?"

"Yes!" exclaimed Clark

"And could I get my OWN ice cream, no sharing?"

"Yes!".

And that is how we managed to dodge Friendly's.  However, while at the Thai restaurant, we ordered crispy spring rolls, thinking they'd be a nice treat for the birthday girl.  When Juniper picked one up, however, she looked at it, wrinkled her nose, and said,

"I don't know... it looks like a penis"

Clark and I both looked up in shock, and neither of us managed to respond.  Thinking we hadn't heard her, she repeated loudly, "IT LOOKS LIKE A PENIS".   She didn't eat it after all.

Sigh.

The birthday cones. Juniper had her own, of course, and Linden had his "own, to share with mama and dad"

Fast Forward to Sunday, the big birthday bash.  I was already trepidatious about throwing my first real kids' birthday party (which wasn't at my parents' house or the farm) , but decided that it would be do-able if we held it at the park.  That way, the kids could spend most of their time running around and playing, with pit stops for snacks and cake and big bubbles as the mood hit.  No biggie. Early on in the week, however, the weather forecasts started looking iffy.  We had decided to go the the park rain or shine (putting a tarp over the food in the case of rain), but as the day drew near, the forecasts had upped the ante to thunder and lightning. So, of course, we sent out a mass email, and did a last-minute switch to our house.  This was EXACTLY what I had been trying to avoid in the first place (our house is really quite small, and therefore not super conducive to big groups of people).  It also meant a whole lot of last minute everything - namely, cleaning, decorating, rearranging the living room/dining room,  and coming up with indoor activities (and shopping for supplies for said activities at 9pm the night before).  

And you know what?  In the end, it was actually really quite fun!  The rain held off, for the most part, so we still had a whole lot of bubble fun outside (thank GOD - it would not have been very fun with everyone sardined in the house for 2 hours).  Inside there was a "stained glass"-making station (tissue paper and confetti sandwiched between mac tac), a table with a massive batch of freshly-made play dough, and an on-going dance party.  And loads of food. Plus, all that pre-cleaning was really a very good thing to have been forced to do.  There were a few hiccups (food I forgot to put out; a bra hanging on the bathroom door that I only noticed after everyone left...), but overall, I'd say it was a jolly good time, and a big success.  Final tally? Including the four of us, there were 33 people here.  THIRTY-THREE. Here are some photos:

My tree cake!  Complete with jelly fruit in the leaves.  It wasn't quite as polished as it was in my head, but I was pleased with it in the end.  I thought there would be loads of left-overs, but it was completely devoured - not a single crumb left. 

Bubble fun

IMMEDIATELY post-pop of  a particularly huge bubble

A high-riser

Play-dough station

Dance party

Cake time! (look at that cheeky monkey, smiling at the camera!)

Some balloon fun with Helen, at the tail end of the party (all the kids got to take home a balloon, and a bag of play-dough, if they wanted to - who needs a treat bag?)

I should also mention how sweet everyone has been to Juniper on this special week. She was given some really wonderful surprise gifts (especially from some of the amazing pottery ladies that she has grown to know and love over the last few months), and some lovely, thoughtful, hand-made cards from everyone who came to the party.  We're pretty lucky to know such amazing people here!

Juniper, opening gifts and reading cards post-party

"What is that really shiny thing she is wearing?", you ask?  Why that, of course, is her birthday tunic.  I rummaged through all of my fabric to find the shiniest, gaudiest pieces that are currently on my shelves (with a special lookout for her two current favourite colours - red and blue -), and then threw them together into the splashy little number you see before you.  We both agreed she looked very much like a superhero in it.  Here is a little photo-shoot we did before calling it quits after the party day:

Holding up her "5"

Super-intense super hero pose

And, of course, hanging from a tree branch.

And finally, I will leave you with an assortment of pictures that I pulled off of Juniper's new camera.  She has had it for less than a week, but she just loves it, and feels incredibly joyful (and important and powerful, I'd imagine), being able to just take photos of whatever she wants, whenever she wants.  And I have to say, it has been a super-huge treat for me to be able to look at the world through her eyes, even in these little glimpses.  See you next week!

Happy Linden

I love this shot, blurry though it is

Before our photo-taking nature walk 

Looking down 

"Stop mom! I need to take a picture of all that blue!"

Random Ransom mailbox

Taking mushroom pictures - a girl after my own heart

More flowers

She was trepidatious about getting close to the bee, but really wanted the shot.

Out for lunch

Cool angle at the pottery studio

Working away

Whiteboard at Clark's office

Clark posing with a bean-sprout, as per the photographer's instructions

Parking lot

"Look, mom! A sign that says "open""!

I'm not sure what this is - the ground, maybe?  But it just might be my favourite shot.

Selfie

Dirty old rug 

One in a series of self-foot shots. "Footsies"?

Half-rotten crab-apple.  I also really like this one.

Mirror shot! 

Another mushroom

Linden, in cut-offs, on a bridge.

Blooms

Big rake, little helper

This week was, by and large, uneventful. We are gearing up, however, for some exciting times - in a few days, Juniper turns the big oh-five.  That means some party planning (eek!  as it so happens, I have never thrown a birthday party for Juniper that wasn't in Fredericton), likely a dinner at the dreaded Friendly's (as her actual birthday dinner will be her choice), and some crafting (a birthday crown, some big bubble wands for the party, and also likely a couple of sewn gifts). Phew!

I'm sure there will be loads to blog about next week, so for now I'll just leave you with some pictures, and maybe a little reenactment from the other day.

Impromptu Monday afternoon swim: bathing suits optional (Clark did have trunk-style undies-on, for those concerned)

Helping to make some spinach pasta

 Currently in our backyard...

Foraging for wild raspberries

And a close-up on the succulent fruit

Sadie's Sun Golds, almost ready to ripen

A random but cheerful crop of yellow

These will grow even more vibrantly blue and purple....

... and pink as the season wears on

Front yard lilies

A close-up of the beautiful bloom, but also the heavily pollinated bee inside

Juniper decided this was too teeny tiny for birds, and that it should therefore be a second fairy house

On the inside...

Juniper becomes a self-taught aesthetician, as her negligent parents were too busy to paint her nails for her

A formidable pile of afternoon reading

 And finally, I'll leave you with a little scene with Juniper from the other day:

Scene: I propose an afternoon dance party while we wait for Linden to get up from his nap. Juniper readily agrees, but then I can only find one of my stupid shoes (this was going to be a serious dance party, requiring sporty footwear).  I get more than slightly annoyed at the disappearance of the shoe.

Juniper: Just wear a different pair of shoes.
Tara: No! I want THIS pair of shoes. It makes absolutely no sense that there is only one of them. The other one should be RIGHT HERE.
Juniper:  Well, mom - I guess the little people took it.
Tara: The little people, eh?
Juniper: Yeah - the tricksters.  Mary says they're always hiding things and being mischievous.
Tara:  I don't think so.  I think the only "little people" involved here are you and Linden.  You guys are always taking my things and putting them places. It is REALLY annoying.
Juniper: Well, mom - first of all, if it was one of us, it was Linden, and not me.  But also, here's the thing.  You are always putting your things in various places, and then you can't find them, and then - pop! - you'll just find it again sometime later.
Tara: (Stunned into silence at Juniper's adept observational prowess and the unavoidable truth of this statement). Well, fine then. I guess I'll wear a different pair of shoes.
Juniper: Yes, that's a great idea.

Epilogue: When Clark got home, he found the other shoe, only a few feet away from the first one, in a spot where I had looked maybe a dozen times.  Clearly it was the little people after all.

*******

And - speaking of birthdays, a big shout out to our dear friend Erin, who is celebrating her birthday this very day!  Have a great week, everyone!

Visit and Beyond

Cape Race Beach, Cape Cod National Sea Shore

Most of the pics this week are (naturally) from my parent's visit, even though they actually weren't here all that long.  On Monday we ended up up braving a not-super-optimistic weather forecast, and headed to see the dunes and the gorgeous beaches on the other side of the Cape. It ended up being really quite lovely - a little overcast and therefore not swelteringly hot, and the rain held off until (literally), just as we were making our way back to the cars in the early afternoon.  A few shots from that trip:

Happy Beach-Goer

Coming and Going (Linden would run up, pose for a shot, and then run back to the water. A true Simmonds Ham).

No, Linden - you can't go out that gate.

I'm not sure that's where that telescope was supposed to be pointed...

On Tuesday, it was mostly life-as-normal for us, and my parents took the ferry to Martha's Vineyard. WE still haven't gone to the Vineyard, but now my parents can boast that they have made the trip. Perhaps we will do it when the fall hits, and the tourists have petered off a bit.

The night before they left, my mom offered to put the kids to bed while Clark and I had a little mini-date.  Apparently, they gave her a run for her money  - Linden refused to lay down in his own bed, and Juniper insisted that she call us and tell us to come home.  Mom persevered, however, and somehow, this is how they ended up. They have actually never had a sleepover before, so we just had to take a photo of it before Clark moved Linden back to his own bed when we got home.

When Mary is in charge of bed-time

And finally, a few random shots from the rest of the week:

So many muddy garden activities, so little time.

Mr Cool in a tree

Mr Cool with his fancy big sister

In bloom at Spohr Gardens

"Mandatory make-out" lane on the bike path :)

Visitors

Linden kept demanding hugs at dinner. 

My parents are here for a visit!  They arrived early Sunday morning, and both kids were beyond excited. Sunday started out at the beach, and then involved a VERY long nap for Linden. 

All geared up...

... and headed for the water!

Juniper, on the other hand, got to make some ridiculously sugary treats in the kitchen with Mary in the afternoon, followed by some TV watching at the hotel room with Bob. Clearly, it is important to cram in as many sinful delights as possible when some obliging grandparents are visiting. I'm not sure what we'll get up today and tomorrow, but no doubt there will be at least a mini update next week.

Though nothing can top the excitement of the end of the week, there were some fun adventures during the week as well.  For instance, the "Carousel of Lights" has parked itself at Mullen Hall school for the time being, which is a pretty huge draw:

Holding hands and talking excitedly as they approach

Totally old-school ride

Mr. Stoic

All smiles!

 Juniper loves the carousel, and has now ridden it twice.  Linden, on the other hand, despite being Mr. Macho about the whole thing, secretly told Clark as he went to bed that night that the carousel had "gone too fast", and that he didn't want to ride it again the next day. Pretty sweet coming from a bonafide dare devil.

Other than that, it has been just play, as usual.  I have to say, I've really started loving the Wednesday mornings that I get with just Juniper since the summer schedule began.  It is one less work day for me, but it is a pretty rare opportunity to have some quality girl time.  We always get up to some fun adventures - biking all over, going to the Clay studio, out for lunch, to fairs and libraries and whatever seems the most fun at the moment.  For instance:

Learning to trim her piece

A delicious lunch at the Pickle Jar

Juniper's completed fairy house, nestled in beneath the tomato plant

 And, just for fun: here are a few pics from what I have dubbed "poor footwear choice" day.  Linden, in the mud in his very favourite "fancy shoes" (Juniper's wedding shoes from last summer), and Juniper, for whatever reason, in one Bogg and one dress-up shoe. It's a good thing I spent all that money on good, practical summer sandals.

Tractors, mud, and fancy white shoes

Why choose one type of inappropriate footwear, when you can choose two?

On the move

Finally, I thought I'd end with some recent Linden quotes:

(after surreptitiously pooping on the potty, wiping his own bum, and then washing his hands, all while he was actually supposed to be napping):

 "Oh, hi mom.  I pooped!  And I wiped my own bum.  I got poop on my fingers, but I washed them off."  (looking into my eyes, and with a very serious tone): "WE DON'T EAT POOP.  Only food."

(To my mom, at supper):

"Mary, could you take off your glasses, please?  I want to see your nice brown eyes."

(Talking with Clark, directly after waking up from a nap):

Linden: "Where are mom and Juniper?"

Clark: "At the pottery studio"

Linden: "No they're not.  They are RIDING A WHALE".

Have a great week!

Canada, Independence and Arthur

This new digger goes with Linden everywhere

I have to say, this first week of July was a doozy:  Canada Day, Independence Day, and a good old fashioned hurricane. Unsurprisingly, Canada Day came and went on the Cape with very little pomp and circumstance, though I did send both kids to their respective schools wearing Canada Day shirts (compliments of my mother), and bearing Canadian flags (also compliments of my mother). Juniper was too shy to do much other than timidly mention why she had brought the flag in, but Linden boisterously waved the flag around as soon as he got to his classroom, and launched into a rousing rendition of "Happy Father's Day to You" (sung to the tune of Happy Birthday).  Clearly the significance of the day was lost on him, but at least Clark and all the other hard-working dads in the world got a shout-out.

Last year I got a nice picture of Juniper and Linden in their Canada Day shirts.  This year I was lucky to snap this shot before the shirts were irreparably covered in mud.

As it so happens, Independence Day and Hurricane Arthur arrived on the Cape simultaneously.  We got hit with pretty strong wind and rains (enough to bring a tree down in our yard and lots of debris scattered about), but nothing compared to the East Coast of Canada!  I suspect I will have comparatively very few readers on this particular post today, as most of the people I know around the New Brunswick area are still without power, and will be for some days yet. 

Having Arthur hit us on the 4th, however, did mean that most of the Independence Day festivities were postponed around these parts.  I have to say, we all had a pretty fabulous day none-the-less.  A lovely breakfast at the Village Café, a play date in Oliver and Owen's inflatable pool, and a wonderful dinner at the Saitos' house to round it all off.  I even brought a "patriotic" salad - greens, topped with an outside ring of strawberries and beets, and middle ring of feta, and an inner ring of blueberries.  Red, white, blue, and delicious!  We ended up singing songs around the piano, only to find out that a "classic" American tune (called, appropriately, "America" or "My Country, 'Tis of Thee") is none other than "God Save the Queen", with a whole new set of very patriotic American lyrics. Clark and I had a quiet snicker about that, and offered a rendition of the original.

Best part of the hurricane for Linden? Getting to hold his own umbrella on the way to dinner.

 Other than the one day (and mostly evening) of stormy weather, the rest of the week was beautiful. One of the highlights was when Juniper and I took an afternoon and biked into Falmouth for the Farmer's Market, a big library book fair, and some open studio time at the Clay Center. The only thing that made that afternoon even better than it already sounds is that Juniper biked the WHOLE way there, on her own bike.  That was not a small feat - it was over 2 miles of biking. She completely freaking rocked it, and felt pretty awesome about herself when we got there.  Then, on the weekend, we all biked into Woods Hole for a carnival, and she insisted on biking on her own bike again.  We went pretty slowly, but she did both the way there AND the way back.  Pretty amazing!

Check out that look of satisfaction!

 Last night was the perfect end to a great week - I packed a supper, and we took off to the beach for an evening picnic and swim. Homemade bagels, cream cheese and smoked salmon, followed by fresh fruit and yogurt for dessert.  A-maz-ing.  It turned out to be pretty windy and wavy at that point, but we were undeterred.  That was actually my first beach swim of the season, and I can't believe I waited so long! We have discovered that the key to success for doing the beach thing in Falmouth is to hang out on the rocky portion.  That way, we don't have to contend with all that bothersome sand (seriously - sand in everything!), or the hoards of people. Glorious!

Showing off the bagels and smoked salmon

Excited to hop in the water!

Trying to warm up afterwards.

Here's to hoping everyone weathered Arthur safely without too much distress or destruction, and (especially to my NB friends and family), that you have power up and running soon!