Mark and Ashley's Wedding

I didn't get too many shots at Mark and Ashley's wedding a couple of weeks ago - the kids were too busy dancing up a storm and running around. I don't think I even got a picture of the newlyweds. But we had a great time celebrating their special day and catching up with old friends.
The kids played under the table during the ceremony, though this is the only shot I could get of them under there - on their ways out.
Lena was a social butterfly, flitting around the room, greeting all the guests and cutting a rug on the dance floor.

All that dancing and socializing make her tired, so she relaxed with Papa for a while.
Sam got all his dancing out before people got there and was good as gold through the whole thing.
He even helped Grammy snap a couple of pictures.
The evening was lovely, the ceremony was touching, the reception was fun, and it was nice to get dressed up and go out with Rich's parents. Thanks, Mark and Ashley, for making us part of your special day! We love you!

With All There Is, Why Settle for Just a Piece of Sky

I’m a sap. I’m a dreamer and an idealist and a big juicy sap which, if you ask Rich, is evidenced by my love of Yentl.

I believe that a dream of what a person wants for their life can set them free and inspire and motivate them to do the work to make that dream come true. Nothing more complicated than a dream can do that.

But I also believe that a person’s dreams can be squashed by other people who, for whatever reason, tether and break that person instead of supporting them and their goals and dreams.

Watching Yentl always reminds me of that and of what I want for my kids – to dream, to want, to learn, to appreciate, to risk, to love, to understand the importance of education. I want them to know that not so long ago, many people not only didn’t have the opportunity to learn, but many people weren’t allowed to learn. I want them to remember that and to not take their freedoms for granted. And to know that where their dreams leave off, education and knowledge can take them the rest of the way, can fulfill those dreams and allow them to soar to any height they can imagine.

Yentl is an only child of a widowed Rabbi who secretly teaches Talmud to Yentl, because girls were not allowed to attend school in those days. Yentl’s passion is learning and it’s the one thing at which she excels. But, when her father dies, she is alone and not allowed to continue her secret education. So she decides to leave the village disguised as a boy to get admitted to a school far away so she can continue studying the texts, traditions, subtleties and complexities of Jewish law.

It’s a tragic and funny and deeply inspirational movie. I pray that my children can see through my lame-o sappiness and appreciate the profound meaning behind it, especially in these words Yentl sings at the beginning of the movie.


Where Is It Written
(Prayer: God, our merciful father, I'm wrapped in a robe of light, clothed in your glory that spreads its wings over my soul. May I be worthy. Amen.)

There's not a morning I begin without a thousand questions running through my mind, that I don't try to find the reason and the logic in the world that God designed. The reason why a bird was given wings if not to fly and praise the sky with every song it sings. What's right or wrong? Where do I belong within the scheme of things?

And why have eyes that see and arms that reach unless you're meant to know there's something more, if not to hunger for the meaning of it all. Then tell me what a soul is for? Why have the wings unless you're meant to fly? And tell me please, why have a mind if not to question why?

And tell me where- where is it written what it is I'm meant to be? That I can't dare to have the chance to pick the fruit of every tree, or have my share of every sweet-imagined possibility? Just tell me where, tell me where?

If I were only meant to tend the nest then why does my imagination sail across the mountains and the seas, beyond the make-believe of every fairy tale? Why have the thirst if not to drink the wine? And what a waste to have a taste of things that can't be mine.

And tell me where- where is it written what it is I'm meant to be? That I can't dare to find the meanings in the mornings that I see. Or have my share of every sweet-imagined possibility? Just tell me where - where is it written? Tell me where- or if it's written anywhere.

It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown!

No, it's just some regular pumpkins and my two little pumpkins at Freeman's Farm this weekend.
We had fun at the market, buying some chocolate covered blueberries (yum - the kids and I gobbled these up), gummie grapefruits (eww - that was a Rich buy for sure), and some other goodies.

And then it was onto the pumpkin patch to get some good carving pumpkins and take some pictures. Sam's pumpkin picture turned out a bit fuzzy, but beautiful. He's always been a good picture taker. I only had to take this one shot to get a great one of him.
Lena's pumpkin pictures, on the other hand, did not go so well (see below). She would only make eye contact immediately after I had snapped the shot. These are the only two keepers out of about 10-15 shots...Lena was just not in the mood today.

Throughout the day we visited a cow, a tiny horse and some bunnies and played in the leaves.



We took a timeout by the fire and tried to get a picture with everyone looking at the camera...but that didn't work out.


The last pictures of the day were some shots on the haystacks, which turned out to be the epitome of my kids...

Sam the serene.

Lena the lively.

After a nice long hayride, complete with kettle corn, we headed home. A perfect fall adventure for the Cole family!

Sam's First Picture...of Something

Sam likes to draw. It's mostly just lines and circles and colors and scratches, but last weekend he drew his very first something. He was scribbling away on the magna doodle when suddenly he turned it around and said "Wook (look). Moon!" with a big ear-to-ear smile on his face. And look, it's a moon (kind of)!


Later that day, he took it a step further and drew the sun (with only a tiny bit of help from me) complete with a face and everything. I was so proud.

I worry a lot about whether he's where he needs to be with his talking and other skills. I don't want him to be behind because I don't know what I'm doing as a mother. But lately he's talking about everything and saying lots of new words every day, showing interest in what things are and why. And that relieves my worry a bit.

My Sam is growing up.

September Wrap Up

I was busy at work this month and had no motivation to blog during nap times and at the end of our long days. So I've been slacking. But I haven't been too busy or unmotivated to take photos of my sweet, sweet babies. Here are just a few.

Sam approaches with a stick.

Sam smacks Lena in the head with the stick.

Sam apologizes and kisses Lena's boo boo.

Lena's one remaining tear...and a nice red spot evidencing the attack.

Our resident baby bunny is growing up, thanks to our sweet potato vine it's been eating.

Sheriff Sam.

Lena...in leg warmers.

Piggy Tails.

Lena finally has enough hair to put into piggy tails. I've been waiting for this day for a long time. Just look how sweet she is.


Sam wanted piggy tails, too.

How many piggy tails? Two!

Sam got a kick out of that.

Sam Pooped!

Yes, yes, yes.

Amen.

It's happened.

Sam has made that all important first poop on the potty! Just like a big boy. He cried really hard the whole time he sat there, but he told me he had to go and was dancing all around. So I put him on.

He was scared to death, the poor thing. I hugged him tight while he sat on the potty and finally, through the sobs and tears, we heard a plunk. Then he suddenly stopped crying and smiled. "I poop, I poop!", he yelled. And I started crying (of course) and yelled right along with him, "You pooped, you pooped!". Lena came running in and started clapping. It was a funny, special moment

After we cleaned up, we put a sticker on the empty potty chart and he stood proudly beside it. Finally. My big boy...