Enlightened and Loving It

When I read the news today that Prince William and Kate Middleton have finally gotten engaged, my first thought, and I'm sure the thoughts of all of Britain if not the entire world, was "Well, it's about time."

I would love to be more excited for them, I really would. And after watching their interview, it's obvious that they're both very well grounded and she seems like she'll do a great job. But it's hard to get excited about a couple who have already been dating for 8 years finally deciding that it's time to commit.

But my second thought, more of a realization really, was that Bryn is exactly the same age now that I was when Prince Charles and Lady Diana announced their engagement. And I can't imagine Bryn even caring, much less dreaming, of the royal wedding that will take place next year.

I can't imagine her scouring magazines and cutting out every clipping imaginable, or waiting for the evening news entertainment segment with her hand on the record button of the VCR just in case a story might come on about the new royal couple.

I can't imagine her getting up at 5am on a hot July day to watch the wedding live on TV, not wanting to miss a second of the beautiful bride swathed in tulle and taffeta, riding in a glass carriage and emerging like a butterfly onto the steps of St. Paul's.

But every little girl who was 10 during the summer of 1981 remembers those pictures and dreamed of what it would be like to be a real life princess. To us, she was magical.

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The kids were so sad that we had to miss Artisan Church's Cider Days for the first time this year. Even before we moved, they begged to be allowed to go back to Rochester for Cider Days. Which happened to be today.

So, we decided to make our own Cider Days here in CT.

We had a great afternoon at Lyman Orchards, which is oh-my-gosh-HUGE. We picked apples, rode in a hay wagon, went through a corn maze, bought some apple cider, and then came home and made homemade applesauce and apple pie!

Plus, the weather was chilly and cloudy with the sun just peeking through the clouds every so often. So, it really was like being in Rochester!









See all the photos from our day here.

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We're experimenting with low-carb cookies these days as the cooler fall days make us want hearty desserts after dinner. (But if you know us, you know that we don't really need an excuse to eat desserts.)

Bryn has "felt like doing more around here lately" (her words). She's spontaneously cleaned up her toys, helped clear the table after dinner, and asked to help with cooking and baking.

Ever since we found the Healthy Indulgences blog and Lauren's recipe for gingerbread cookies, Bryn has been begging me to make them. Tonight she asked again. I told her she could make them herself if she wanted. And she did! (we did substitute a little coconut flour for some of the almond meal to help them stay together better)

I helped with the cream cheese frosting, but only because I wanted too. She could have done it. She even took the hot pan out of the oven when they were done.

Jaron wanted to help with the rolling and cookie cutters.


Piping on the frosting


They were so tasty, like little ginger snaps!

. . . .

When Bryn was much younger, she often used to get very frustrated and proclaim, "I hate this day!"

That's how I felt today.

• I got up later than I'd like, so we didn't start school until 11:45am.
• Before 11:45am, I spent an hour making breakfast, then making another one when Bryn didn't want the first one, then bugging her to take her vitamins, then bugging her to comb her hair...
• The people who live across the street have managed to leave their garbage bin in my driveway behind my car again. I am going to hurt them now.
• I am at a loss of what to do for Jaron for math this year. I guess it's a toss up between using this new Geometry book I picked up which is about 3 years beyond his level, or ordering a new curriculum for lots of money that I have no idea if he'd like or not. After researching many options online for about 1/2 hour, I gave up and broke down in tears.
• I have serious PMS.
• At 3:45, I gave up on asking Bryn to practice her violin.
• After finally eating lunch at 4:00, I left the kids at home and went grocery shopping, and nearly hit a pedestrian crossing the street because the sun was in my eyes.
• Upon returning home, Bryn informs me that the kids from across the street had come up onto our (second story) deck, peered into the windows, and then tried to get into the sliding glass door into our apartment. While my kids were alone in the house.
• Did I mention that Jason is out of town today?
• I call my landlord (because he also owns the house across the street where these kids came from) and firmly told him that he needs to do something about this now. To which he replied, "Oh yeah, I told them not to do that before. Guess I'll have to tell them again." Yes, I guess you will. Doofus.
• Opened the mail to find several more annoying "You moved out of state and didn't send us the proper paperwork!" letters.
• Fed a hungry kitty that I forgot to feed this morning.

 

• Made dinner and ate with two happy kids while listening to the Artisan Church Musician's Guild podcast.
• Ah, that's better.

. . . .

So, I picked up a "new" reading workbook for Bryn this year that a friend of mine was giving away. It's from 1978.

Today she was given a list of specific items and had to figure out what the general topic was.

• bullet
• lightning bolt
• "bat out of hell"

*snort*

. . . .

Bryn: Can we please start school next Monday?
Me: No.
Bryn: Why?
Me: Because we're going to be gone all weekend and I haven't set up the stuff yet. Probably Tuesday.
Bryn: But can't you set up the stuff on Monday and we can start on Monday?
Me: No.
Bryn: PLEASE?!
Me: *Sigh.* Fine. You can start school on Monday.
Bryn: Yay!

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Well, we're settling into life in Connecticut pretty smoothly. I nearly have the house unpacked, except for my bedroom because our queen sized box spring wouldn't fit up the stairs and we had to order a new "split" one. Plus the closet won't fit all our clothes. So, we're sleeping on the floor and dressing out of boxes.

I'm also still working on our elusive 4th bedroom, or as we have dubbed it here, the "Man Cave". One of the first things we bought when we arrived was a new 47" flat screen TV, which was promptly set up in the Cave along with a big squashy chair and lots of video games. It's pretty cool.

Bryn has spent many happy days at her friend Terra's house already, going with her to art classes and ice skating and meeting the neighborhood kids. She's even done some schoolwork over there (Terra is homeschooled as well). We are so grateful to Howard and Ann (Jason's boss and his wife) for making us feel so welcome!

Jaron is acclimating as well, but in his own, slower-paced way. He's looking forward to when we can get out an explore a bit and check out that Laser Tag place down on Main St.

For me, this week has been a whirlwind of unpacking, trips to the bank and DMV, finding all the stores, and buying all the things.

We're looking forward to driving to Maine this weekend to see Jason's sister and make a visit to the Covenant Church in Sanford, ME. One of the perks of Jason's job is that we can accompany him on these "church visit" trips if we want to, which will make for lots of fun weekends!

After that, I guess I'll have to take the plunge and start another school year. Have to get back to real life sometime, I suppose :)

. . . .

Bryn: Today is my last day of being a 1-digit number!

Happy Birthday Big Girl!

Bryn 3 months, Jaron 2 1/2


Bryn 21 mo, Jaron 4


4th birthday


almost 6


8 yrs old


almost 10


. . . .

I know that our household is abnormal in many ways. But my kids are currently singing a song they made up using Dungeons & Dragons lyrics set to the tune of "Keep on the Sunny Side of Life". Surely, that has to be a special kind of abnormal.

Keep to the Shadowfell
Always on the Shadowfell
Keep to the Shadowfell of life
It will darken all your days
It will crumble all your ways
If you'll keep to the Shadowfell of life.

. . . .

Last weekend my parents took us to see the Harry Potter Exhibition in Toronto. It was awesome! Props, costumes, and sets from the movies. Ahh, I could have stayed there all day. The detail that went into everything was astounding.

My favorite was Hagrid's Hut. If you were very quiet, you could hear a soundtrack they were playing of cricket sounds. Made you feel just like you were in a giant's hut in the woods.

We weren't technically allowed to take pictures in there. So naturally, here are mine...

The Flying Car


Pulling up Mandrakes (they cry when you pull them, sounded just like a kitten mewing!)


Sitting in Hagrid's chair


Playing Quidditch


The Sorting Hat (this is the gift shop version, but they did have a real Sorting Hat there and some of the kids got to sit on the stool to be sorted. Jaron landed in Ravenclaw.)


3 Happy Potterphiles


. . .

Jason and I just got back from St. Paul, MN where we attended the ECC Annual Meeting and Jason became an Ordained Minister in the Evangelical Covenant Church (ECC). He's worked long and hard for this. Congratulations, honey!

I made a very short video of the ceremony. The quality is pretty bad, but you can at least get a feel for how the ceremony went.

When they are all standing on stage, Jason is in the front row almost dead center. But when they are kneeling (during the laying on of hands), he is in the second row, in front of the standing lady with the plain white stole on. I tried to mostly take video of the large video screen because you could see him better that way.



Also, the BIG NEWS!

Jason was (finally!) offered the position of Associate Superintendent & Director of Church Planting for the East Coast Conference of the ECC. We'll be moving to Cromwell, CT in late August. We are all THRILLED that he got this job that is such a perfect fit for his gifts and talents, and can't wait to explore new areas and meet new friends.

I know all the Artisan people already know this news, but just in case there are any non-Artisan people out there still reading this blog, we have been hoping and praying for Jason's new job for months now, ever since Artisan Church decided to split up their staff and only have one lead pastor (instead of 3 equal pastors). And we are so thankful and pleased to be leaving Artisan in Pastor Scott's capable hands!

Thank you to all who prayed and hoped along with us. You guys are awesome.


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