Summer 2015

We've done a fair bit.   Cookie and lemonade sales, lupe started ballet.  

Rain makes applesauce

It is Sunday morning.   The only thing better than waking up to write and drinking my coffee is waking up to write and drink my coffee while listening to the RAIN!!!  Hallelujah! Thunder and lightening since last night.   It was epic.  P and I had just gotten onto bed when we heard the first rumblings, and saw the flashes through the closed shades. I was wide awake.   We went outside to move some things into the garage.   I danced in the driveway as the sprinkles started to fall on my head.

The driveway chalk drawings will be washed clean for next weeks Sticky Manos art class.  Mayan hieroglyphs erased.

I imagine myself at a writers retreat in the North Carolina mountains, or on the porch of a Durham home.   Hot summer morning but wet outside.  In fact, that sounds awesome.  Most rainy mornings in California are cold (not today).   The rain with warmth is an east coast feeling.   Or Central America.  I love it.  I just realized I want to go to a writers retreat.   That sounds amazing.  I read about a retreat like that on Kelle Hampton’s blog.   I want to do it.  

The kids are standing in front of the front screen door and watching the weather.   Epic!  Lupe is explaining what thunder and lightening are to Liam.  They had been at the table coloring.  Lupe is taking charge, getting materials and letting me sit in bed and write.

It’s so awesome that this isn’t just a sprinkle but a real storm.   

My Facebook feed is full of people talking about the weather.  Rejoicing. Excited.  Stories of kids waking up at 1 am and parents giggling under the covers with them as they listen to the rumbles.  This shit is exciting for us Californians!  

Lupe came to tell me about the leaves of the tomato plant.She says they were curled up with a pool of water in them.  My first thought is faerie water slides.  “That’s what I was thinking!” she says.  We still see the magic.  Magic is so often in the small spots.  

Liam copies her saying “You know what.  water.  raining.   whee! Lupe…..” and more I don’t understand.  So much he wants to say.  He's not just saying words, naming his environment, but really talking.  I wonder if it is like someone who stutters wanting to get their thoughts out smoothly, without the interruption of the stutter.
We went to Ama and Apa's house and dance outside, Liam got naked.  Maybe more grown ups should dance naked in the rain.  And get our feet muddy. Dance to Uptown Funk while we jump in puddles.

Mambo Italiano

She's a dancer! After only four weeks of ballet Lupe got to perform on stage! I'm so proud of her.  And I'm excited to see how far this goes.  In the past I've let Lupe "dabble" in things.  She's done ballet before, soccer, gymnastics, etc, but then I let her stop if she's not so into it.  But at 7 years old I think it's time to stick with something for a while and have the opportunity to see that hard work really does pay off, that time and practice really do bring improvement.

So it's plies for the next year!

Backstage door.  Like a real performer!  She cried when I dropped her off for the rehearsal the morning of the show- because she had to be led back by a teacher- no parents allowed.  But she walked out an hour and a half later smiling!