Morning Birdsong: 2009

Wednesday, December 09, 2009

Fantastically Foxy

Thank you, Wes Anderson, for again making a film that is beautiful and hopeful and feeds my very soul. (Unlike Where the Wild Things Are, this movie did not disappoint me -- it was more lovely and funny and exactly what I longed for it to be.) When I walked out of the tiny theater in rural Wisconsin, I knew I somehow needed to make my children know they can do anything, anything they long to do -- if it's film or drawing or writing or music or accounting or mathematics or mechanical engineering. I want them to dream so very big and have the tools and character and faithful, persevering diligence to incarnate what they see. Please, God.

Wes Anderson with some of the exquisite models for the movie

Quinten Blake's original illustration for Dahl's book -- Blake did so
many of Dahl's books (all of them?) that I see all of his stories like this.

Monday, November 30, 2009

Our Tree

This year Atticus has been so excited about Christmas -- what it means -- Jesus is born! -- the story and the place names, the character names, the advent calendars, and the tree and presents and the anticipation of visits to his grandparents. He remembers enough to know it's a big deal.

He took decorating the tree very seriously. Atticus and I had been grocery shopping on Sunday afternoon while the younger two were napping. We were leaving the parking lot and found this beautiful little tree that was just right for us. We took her home and Brad got her up in the stand. I put on the lights and the two boys did all the trimming. Hurray! It is so very fun having children see Christmas.

Sweet Lincoln

Giving Thanks!

We took a long vacation down to my folks, leaving Tuesday night and coming back Saturday. My mom made a spectacular feast. We had some friends of my folks -- Valorie & Larry Raymond and their twin 7-year-olds Kiersten & Shannon. And another friend, Roger, joined us too. Bekah drove down from Minneapolis. Jonathan, Robyn & 1-year-old Clark live with my folks and also celebrated with us. They expected their second baby this past week and are still waiting -- poor Robyn! We enjoyed playing games for a little one night and getting to go on a date on afternoon to see the Fantastic Mr. Fox (which was truly fantastic -- I will post about it later). Brad was able read a fun kids' book -- the next installment in our Peter Pan series. And I finished a few sewing projects. Thank you, Mom & Dad! We love you (-: (Dad, sorry none of my photos with you in them were in focus )-: -- no reflection on my affection for you -- just a bad photographer and a frustrating camera!)

Bekah & my Mom!

Robyn, Jonathan, Bekah, Clark & Atticus

Kiersten, Valorie, Mom & Bekah playing Skip-Bo

Lisa, Rambling Conversation, & Great Music

Our sad attempts at Facebook profile pictures...

So I am really behind on posting -- in mid-October I had my dear friend and cousin Lisa come to visit me. She left her two young kids (Atticus & Dietrich's age) back in Chicago with her husband and came for about 24 hours to talk, to be with us, to get to know my kids better and to hear a great concert by Over the Rhine over at the Cedar Cultural Center. We've been fans of OTR since college. Lisa and I grew up on farms only a couple miles from each other, went to the same tiny school, same small church where our dads served as deacons together and switched being Sunday School superintendent. Anyway, I only get to see Lisa about once or twice a year and her generosity in coming all the way up here was just beyond over-the-top. We actually had some truly "real" and long conversations and had an entire evening at the concert courtesy of my sweet husband. Thank you Lisa (and Jason and Brad (-:)!!! I love you -- forever!

Our Niece Lilly's Pinkalicious 3rd Birthday

Our niece Lilly turned 3 and we missed her birthday party (down in Texas) )-: -- here are pictures from her party. Theme: Pinkalicious (a book series) -- Great job, Lindsey!!.