Friday, March 28, 2014

Things to Smile About


Warmer weather.


 Pretending like you are watching a beach sunset.......


.......from your driveway.


Taking pictures secretly......and then getting busted!


Family visits.


A fantastic aunt who showers Lucy with books......


.......and makes reading so much fun for her! 



 Cousins who love love love each other.


A family who enjoys being together.

 
Indoor gardening.


Daisies. 


Bean sprouts.


A daughter who nurtures so naturally.......


........and who gets so much joy from seeing the results of her efforts.

kiss. kiss.

Thursday, March 20, 2014

The World of Make Believe


One thing that has become very clear to Brian and me as Lucy has continued to get older:  girlfriend has a creative mind.  She likes to live in the world of make believe.  Before I share the latest story to demonstrate this, a little background information may be necessary.   


When Lucy is presented with various options for what she wants to play, she inevitably will choose fantasy over any type of structure (like a puzzle or board game).    She loves to play dinosaur or Simba (from Lion King)  with Brian, and baby or school with me.  Which, by the way, we are not trying to promote these stereotypical male/female divisions in our play with her---it just has occurred naturally, I swear!   If Lucy had her choice, she would live in this world of make believe 24-7.  (Is this normal? Do we need to seek immediate consult?)

Brian showing Lucy the remnants of a (dead) tree he just dropped.
So, the latest example?   It began with our typical school play.  Lucy is Mrs. Hofmeister (my sister, who is a teacher).  I am the student.  Teacher Hofmeister decides it is story time.   She uses one of her piano books, and makes up a story as she goes along.   And here is a rough and brief (it was a long story) synopsis of how the story went: 

Santa has a tooting problem.   He decides to get help from Scooby Doo.  Scooby brings Santa a Scooby snack (I guess to help with the tooting problem?).  Santa then dies (from the Scooby snack?).  But, ---teacher Hofmeister clarifies-- that he does not die “on the cross.”   Santa eventually wakes up and is not dead after all (a reference to the resurrection?).  All is fine and Santa is able to deliver toys to the children.










Like me, probably you never guessed that Santa, Scooby Doo and Jesus could all make it into the same story—did you?  And, like me, maybe you are wondering if I have a morally confused child?   I really am not sure here on any of this…  feedback?   





I guess one thing I know for sure that this illuminated for me: Lucy is certainly getting lots of information about various people and images in our culture, and from our history.   And maybe sometimes it is a bit confusing in her little mind how to sort through all of it and make sense of it?  And maybe playing in this world of make-believe helps her process it and figure it out?  

Yeah, we’ll go with that for now.

Getting ready to go to "Muffins with Mom" at our church.
Helping make vegetable soup.
Notice the apron.  My mom made it for Lindsay many years ago;  I treasure when Lucy wears it.
Now, onto the world of reality....

My Dad was visiting his sister, my Aunt Buzzie, in Columbus and Lucy and I decided to take a day trip up for a visit:
Lucy loves her Papa Buzzelli!
and Aunt Buzzie!

and our familie's lifelong friends:  Jack and Jackie!


 
It was a wonderful visit, and so good to spend time with Aunt Buzzie!

Color in this pic is weird, I know.   But that is green icing...

Lucy was enjoying a cupcake on St Paddy's day!
Carry on creative Lucy..... Carry on!

Saturday, March 8, 2014

Birthday Boy

For several months out of every year, Brian and I have a running joke:  that he is married to 'an older woman.'  That’s right:  I am a cougar.  Who knew, right?  Even though I was born in 1970 and he in 1971, and there is only about four months that separate us, I am still wiser older, right?  Those four months bring opportunity for a bit of  added humor to our household every year.   But alas, our fun time has concluded-- Brian just turned 43.   He joined the ranks of his “older” woman.  

We had a great time during our annual visit from Aunt Bridget, to celebrate hers and Brian’s special days.   And this year, Mamaw Barnes joined Bridget;  it was a great celebration!  Lucy was in her element, as she always is whenever family comes to visit.  She loved every minute of it!

Bridgey's birthday dinner


Getting ready to leave for school...

Mamaw went to school with Lucy......this was great fun for her!


Lucy helping Daddy open gifts!

I made a photo/memory book...

Lucy enjoys getting it out and looking at the pictures.


Our future photographer?


Getting ready to go out to dinner to celebrate Brian's birthday.


We went to a hibachi grill.

Lucy has been before, but is captivated every time.

If only I knew how to take a picture of fire and people with my camera..this would have been a great pic!

The cupcakes were stale....biggg letdown!

The picture of a content man?  yes?
Have a great 43rd year Bri!!!