May Album

This month, we were visited by Matthew’s parents, who provided some fun Oma-and-Papa time at the park and the zoo.  They also jump-started the evolution that is taking place in our backyard.  Hooray for Oma and Papa!  

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smith & bybee

Here are some photos from our adventures today at the Smith and Bybee Wetlands Natural Area.  The forecast finally called for a few dry hours today, so we hit the road for a small hike near the confluence of the Columbia and Willamette Rivers – still within the City limits.  We scoped out two very cool observation areas, a few rock sculptures to climb in, and we still managed not to scare away these two blue herons with all of our exuberance.  Can’t beat the free amusement and much needed fresh air!

 

        

Tulips!

This year, we are enjoying 200 tulips in the front yard. 
Yay, spring!
    

hunt for cascarones!

This week in Dean’s classroom, we dyed eggs (4 dozen!), then spooned confetti – a fine motor skill – into each egg.  Finally, today, the only sunny day this week (and if the weather reports are correct, the last one for a while), we walked to the park and hunted for cascarones!  Instead of the traditional cracking of cascarones on each other’s heads, we showed the kids how to crack them in their hands and toss the confetti up into the air.  It seemed like a better option for 3- and 4-year-olds.
 
I‘m still not sure exactly why we do this.  But it’s the first time I started searching.  Stay tuned.

March Album

Lots of time was spent indoors this month with the rainy weather, but we did get a chance to visit Nehalem Bay with some friends.  Our first yurt trip as a family of four included roasting s’mores and playing pirates in the rain.  More beach adventures to come!   

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good day sunshine

I hardly write when I'm not pensive, so I thought it was time for a snapshot of happy.  Though my heart is still a little heavy from this week, today was a rare beautiful sunny day with the promise of spring - summer, even - an anomaly for March in Portland.  It was so pleasant and warm, and the kids had fun playing in the dirt as we worked in our garden. 

Matthew and I finally tackled what we call "the mound" - a large planting bed out front - with river rock, boulders, and more plants.  The yard is alive: our cherry blossoms resemble popped corn, and the daffodils and candy tufts reach toward the sun, stretching and growing and multiplying, with 200(!) tulips on the verge of painting the entire front a deep crimson.  The celebration of spring is a welcome and much needed distraction.

Remembering cascarones

This Easter I am teaching Dean's classroom how to make cascarones.  I can't wait to share this family tradition - it's amazing how little is known throughout this country about this funny little custom.  Even during my college years at Texas A&M University, it was surprising how few Texans had ever heard of cascarones - except for those from San Antonio.  One of Dean's teachers lived in Houston and she said that she had never heard of them.  She asked if there were any books on them.  I told her I would check.  So I have been scouring the internet in search of a book that could help explain cascarones.  To be fair, there are a few children's books that discuss or mention cascarones, but not quite how I would explain them from my own memory and experience.  Then again, I started thinking: we never really discussed in my family what the origins were.  I guess I never questioned it.   

Why did we save eggshells during Lent, decorate them and fill them with confetti, then find and gather them on our Easter Egg hunt, where Mom and Dad (or the Easter bunny) had tucked them into all the hiding places in our backyard, only to crack them on each other's heads?  Where did this come from?  Moving around the country during my formative years as an Air Force brat, I slowly realized that other families just didn't do this.  Then in San Antonio, where my family ended up "returning" (for my parents it was returning, but I am only beginning to think of San Antonio as home - more on that later), cascarones are everywhere - not only for Easter, but during Fiesta Week to celebrate the battle of San Jacinto and Texas Independence.

So back to the book.  I am still unsatisfied from my search.  So now I am adding "Write a children's book on cascarones." to my never-ending list.  I'm actually pretty excited about this.  For Dean's class, I'm just going to have to wing it.