Tyler's New Job

Tyler is the new winemaker at Pax Wine Cellars. We are so thrilled for this opportunity and he has hit the ground running since harvest is upon us.

Personally, I am really enjoying seeing all of his talents and abilities be put to use. It is fun to watch someone you love and respect really excel in what God has called them to do.

Go get 'em, Babe!

New Preschool

Moose just started a new preschool and he LOVES it. The first day he was so excited to go and meet new friends.

When BiggiE and I went to pick him up, Moose ran up and hugged me and exclaimed, "Mom, I'm in the YELLOW group!" All the way home he told us about circle time, the story of a new duck at school who made a friend, and how he was concerned about the sand bees outside. He wrapped up his recounting with, "I want to go to preschool again!"

I felt choked up with gratitude because of the stark contrast already between preschool this year and last year. I felt unsure about his preschool last year from the beginning. Instead of heeding my reservations I wrote them off as overthinking the issue and we plowed through the year. The situation never improved and it was never the right fit for Moose. I felt such relief when we finally pulled him out in May. I only wished I had done it sooner.

The moment we walked into the new preschool Moose clearly felt comfortable. At the open house last week he walked up to a few kids and said, "Hi, I'm Moose." We're all looking forward to a great year.

This Family Devours Books

Neither one of the boys is reading yet, but somehow Moose managed to devour this book during his rest time.


Let me just say for the record that I have some latent librarian gene that only comes out when a book is vandalized. Seeing a book in the above state enrages me.

Moose shredded several pages of a book about one year ago, so maybe it is a once-a-year school-is-starting-shred-the-books-before-they-shred-you ritual. I don't know, but I am seeing red about they way he read this book.

The Thomas Family Band

Tyler took this little clip of a new band that has recently formed. It looks like BiggiE's on the lyrics and Moose is handling the music.

So far, our forcing of our musical tastes on our children is working just to our liking because they both love The Danielson Familie and Half-Handed Cloud.

(Side Note: It cracks Tyler and me up how BiggiE notices the light and is drawn like a moth.)

Wordless Wednesday -- S'mores

3-Year Tomatoes

We have our first tomatoes! It only took us three years.

We're fortunate to have a little backyard at the house we rent: a 6 x 10 patch of grass , a grape-covered pergola, and some room leftover for a garden.

Tyler has raised some delicious lettuce, garlic, herbs, peas, etc. I can't take much credit for our produce. My contribution to the garden is sporadic watering. Water stress is great for making good wine grapes, but doesn't usually improve strawberries and peppers.

All that being said, we have struggled with tomatoes. California is renown for delicious tomatoes, but they have eluded us. The main problem is the lack of all-day sunshine in our backyard -- great for people, not so great for tomatoes.

This year Tyler found the perfect spot for tomatoes and we have so enjoyed their sweet, flavorful yumminess.

Which "Princess Bride" Parent?

As I watched The Princess Bride this week with my friend's eight-year-old daughter, I had the uncomfortable realization that my parenting has recently sounded a lot like Vizzini. I don't demean and belittle like Vizzini, or threaten to "find myself a new giant" -- it is more a similarity in tone.

You may remember the scene when the exasperated Vizzini tells Andre the giant's character to finish off the man in black: "The minute his HEAD is in view...HIT IT WITH THE ROCK!" Now transpose the scene to my kitchen: "Take the TOWEL off the refrigerator...AND CLEAN UP THE MILK!"

Before I had children, I always envisioned I would be more of Wesley-type parent -- dashing, adventurous and calm under pressure. I still cling desperately to the notion that if my kids were to lament that we will never survive in the fire swamp I would wrap my arm around them and say, "We have already succeeded. I mean, what are the three terrors of the fire-swamp? One, the flame spurt - no problem - there's a popping sound preceding each. We can avoid that. Two, the lightning sand which you were clever enough to discover what that looks like, so in the future we can avoid that too."

Recently, I have been working with both boys, particularly Moose, on using an appropriate tone of voice. As I correct him for sounding rude and disrespectful I realize that my tone with him has not exactly been the model of love and respect.

My friend, Michelle, has always said she tries to be very careful with the tone she uses when she says her children’s names. She said she was convicted one day that if someone yelled her name with the same tone she was using when she called her children she would be crushed.

I was reflecting on all this harshness this morning during church and was so thankful for the kind of parent God is to us. He may be firm and unwaveringly truthful, but He is always compassionate and loving in His dealings with me.

I pray that our Perfect Parent would make us like Himself, instead of the pestering, nagging, never-satisfied Vizzini.