The best day ever...

I know that life is good when my son tells me that 'this is the best day ever' as I am scrubbing dirt off his feet and trying to wash out dried marshmallow from his hair. Life is full of fun and fun is always the best when you have loved ones to share it with.

This Easter - and a few past ones and for many more years coming - we went to see Uncle Dave and Auntie Cindy at Sequim. There is just something super special about their place ... probably because it starts with a ferry ride and always ends with loads of fun with cousins, amazing food, and dirty feet.

The ferry ride is always full of excitement. Having the wanderer and adventurous blood in my boys should have taught me by now that you can't travel on a huge body of water without wanting to throw rocks in it. My darling Vidor was devastated when he realized that there are no pebbles and rocks on deck. He was searching for anything, and I mean anything (which ended up being a dried up chewing gum) to toss in - just to satisfy his urge of watching something disappear in a vast amount of water.

Arriving after a 'long drive' (which is kind of a funny thing to say since the cousins drove over 8 hours compared to our 2 and 1/2), we had an amazing dinner and campfire ... who would not want to settle in and stay a while. There is just something special about the first roasted marshmallow of the year - especially when a puppy is tugging at the other and of your stick. Oh, and shoes are optional here ;o) even if it is only 60 some degrees (one of my favorite things).

Next day we checked out Uncle Dave's boat he has been rebuilding for the past few years. Being on the water, we could not pass by this beach without throwing rocks or picking up shells. The beach we usually go to in Mukilteo has only broken shells so Lutza was not really sure which direction to run and which shell to pick up when practically all of them were intact.

Finally we had enough rocks (some even made it to the van - for the ferry ride home).

It's funny how the Easter Bunny comes by the morning and has baskets full of goodies for the children and then leaves ... just to return later to scatter the garden full of eggs. Why does he do that? Why doesn't he just do it all at once? And why do bunnies lay eggs anyway??? -- Oh, little minds working, I love that our children are so pure and innocent and every thought just comes right out of their mouths. I wish they could stay like this forever!!

I hope one day they look back at these pictures and still remember that this was the 'best day ever'!!!

The week ahead

Except cross over resume and replace it with transcribing (from Creative Juices for Decor).


PS. While piddling with this post, my two boys covered the whole kitchen with a fine layer of turmeric ... they were smelling spices .... this is just to reaffirm my character.

How they became pirates

Once upon a time there were Three Little Rascals who loved to wonder on the streets of their village. They loved to poke their noses into the bakers and smell the fresh bread, feed the hungry ducks and chickens, throw rocks in the pond or sneak into the toy store to play with trains. Most of all, they loved to climb and swing and play in the grass. But the Magical Garden where they always did that was guarded by the Vicious Gray Rooster. He was a big and strong bird who walked back and forth at the entrance and stared scarily at the people passing by. The Three Little Rascals were brave, braver than the last time they were trying to enter the Magical Garden. They waited for the right moment and sneaked in behind the watchful eyes. But the Vicious Rooster noticed and he started to chase them.

The Three Rascals run as fast as they could when one of them spotted an anchored ship. They quickly climbed up the stairs and found safety on deck.

The Vicious Rooster jumped and hopped and struggled to get up, but he couldn't. The Three Rascals friendlily waved bye to the guard of the Magical Garden and set sail.

The oldest Rascal assumed her position at the wheel and became the Captain. Only once they were at open sea they realized that they were on a pirate ship.

They cheered happily because they knew that pirates don't have to brush their teeth, eat their broccoli or make their beds every morning. They wanted to be pirates forever.

But then the Captain noticed a person on shore ... in a distance a set of waving arms. "Oh no, our Momma! We did not say goodbye! She does not even know where we are going!" She quickly ordered her officers to turn the ship around and to return to shore.

It took hard work from both officers, but they managed to anchor the ship and could not wait to have their Momma's loving arms around them. They promised never to go anywhere without letting her know. That night they all ate their broccoli, brushed their teeth without complaining and snuggled up into their little beds. They had an adventurous day but they were grateful to be home after all .... maybe one day they set sail again ... one day.

You can't bite fashion legs

Oh, the joys of having children ... and having funny ones. I often feel ignorant when people talk about television shows and reality shows and all those things that you can learn through the media. But I don't watch TV ... I watch my children. Usually while I am doing the dishes and they are working off their after dinner energy rush. I love to watch the games they come up with or when they tickle each other and their giggles even make me laugh. A few nights ago, however, I graduated into a full time participant of the evening festivities. Lutza made me sit on the couch, she set the lights and told me to wait until she returned. Few minutes later this is what I see ... high-heels, hair down, lip-gloss and her purse ... LuLu is walking down the stairs and across the living room giving us a fashion show. There were many more outfits coming after this one ... each walk executed with charm and invested with all she got. Don't ask me where she got the whole idea or how does she know how to walk like she is on the runway ... but she was really good.

Of course I had to ask her to give me a kiss 'before she grows up and goes away to college' ... which led to spotting a really good bite on her leg ... just over the knee. So I took it!!! While she giggled she said: 'mommy, you can't bite fashion legs, you can't!!!' Oh, yes I can and I will bite those legs until she lets me!!

And just to wrap up the night, the children experimented with some goofy alien looks.

Spring Decor

Ahhh, spring is finally here and the few sunny days that we had already inspired me to shuffle some things around and to get down our Easter box from the top of the garage shelf.

About a month ago the children made birdhouses at their Home Depot craft hour that they custom painted on a later day. They were thrilled to see their work on the mantle along with some flowers, a butterfly and eggs.

These eggs are from years back. In Hungary we blow out eggs and color them ... then safely tuck them away in egg cartons. They have been pleasing my eyes year after year when Easter rolls around. I also made a hole bunch with some hangers that we traditionally decorate the Easter tree with.

It must be my childhood memory, but I have to have a live branch or two part of the spring decor. I got these on our latest nature walk with the children. The quest for the perfect branch has been going on for years ... but I think I found just the right one for our dining room window. Lutza is my assistant in decorating this tree every year.

This is my Hungarian corner .... just like I remembered. I love all the colors.

A one incher

Our 'relaxing' nature walk was cut short by an emergency - an inch long splinter from a wood bridge. I thought I have seen big tears before ...

My little Rapunzel

... our little Lutza as a long haired princess. Tangled is her absolutely most favorite movie right now ... the dancing, the singing, the humor, the romance .... she gets it all and takes it alllll in. This is her version of dressing up to be Rapunzel, she lets her hair down, kicks her shoes off and spins and twirls across rooms singing her favorite song. I have so much love for this little girl, I think my heart will explode. I treasure her for her imagination and innocence, I love that she is happy and free. I don't think I can ask for more as a mother! We will have all the time in the world for math and reading .... the 'right-now' this 'very moment' is what matters.