All Weekend Long

NOLA's 2013 Jazz Fest kicked off Friday and what was going to be a peaceful, kid free visit to the Fest on Saturday afternoon for Christian turned into a family affair. Luz had been begging to go all day - dreaming about mango freezes and strawberry lemonade, but James was initially content to spend a quiet afternoon at home with me.  At the last minute he worried that he would be missing out and changed his mind, so we all headed out there for a beautiful afternoon.  There are many NOLA favorites in my life, but sunset at Jazz Fest is very close to the top of that list and I got to experience a beautiful one on Saturday evening.  After spending the entire day outside - starting with a 7:30 a.m. run/bike/dog walk outing, followed by a few hours at the park for James' t-ball practice, and ending with JF - the kids crashed the second their heads hit their pillows.

Today was another long and fun-filled day.  We headed to the Northshore to pick strawberries with some friends.  The strawberry fields were covered in mud thanks to a  torrential downpour, but the kids were not deterred.  We ate our weight in strawberries as we picked and came home with 12 pints. I am curious to see how long it will last us.  The kids loved picking strawberries and playing on all of the toys in one of the most bizarre playgrounds I have ever seen. There were castaway swing sets and merry-go-rounds that have been outlawed for years - the land of the misfit play sets.  There were see-saws and a zip line and a gigantic dome-like, in-ground trampoline that is a total liability.  Of course the kids loved every minute of it...and I have to say, I enjoyed it too.

Luz, enjoying her ice cream snowball:

Staring at the clouds, listening to Andrew Bird:

Picking strawberries:

My girl, so grown up:

In the fields:

Strawberry mouth:

James, zip-lining:

Having fun, despite the potential liability:

I'm Still Here, Really

I apologize for the relaxed approach to blogging I have been exhibiting lately.  Facebook and Instagram are so easy and, well, instant, that I end up sharing everything over the course of the day instead of an in an end-of-the-day post.  I am going to try to keep up with the blogging, at least for a little while longer, so that I can maintain a journal of the adventures of Luz and James.  That said, if you are in need of more consistent updates, follow me on Instagram and Facebook and occasionally on Twitter.

The last few weeks have been filled with school and work and fabulous weddings and soccer and softball and school fairs and bike riding and long afternoon walks with Noah.  Work has been busy for me and even busier for Christian as the end of the year approaches.  It is hard to believe, but we are already mapping out the summer, filling empty days with camps and classes and trips to Atlanta to visit Nana and Papa.  When I was a kid, at least when I was a little kid, I went to camp but I know that I had more than a handful of unstructured summer vacation days.  It just isn't the same these days.

These days Luz is obsessed with an old Razor scooter I bought on a lark for $5 at a garage sale.  Christian refurbished it as much as possible and she rides it all the time - to and from school, all around the neighborhood - I wish her approach to the two-wheeler was as enthusiastic.  She finished out the soccer season with 2 victories and 2 goals - which meant lots of smiles and a BIG feeling of accomplishment.  It was a great season for her, mentally and physically.

James is obsessed with his bike and will probably be tooling around on a two-wheeler long before Luz. He rides it every afternoon and all weekend long.  I love seeing something like that catch his attention as much as Star Wars and playing the Ipad.  He and Luz are both looking forward to Jazz Fest, the start of the Carrolton softball season, and summer vacation.

Happy Easter

I still have trouble adjusting to the idea that Easter is just a weekend these days and that Holy Thursday and Good Friday are special, particularly for Catholics, but business as usual for most of the rest of the country.  I suppose it was the 14 years I spent in Catholic school, enjoying a Spring Break that aligned perfectly with Easter that has set me up for disappointment each year when Holy Week rolls around.  So, while Christian and the kids were lounging around in pjs, watching cartoons and enjoying some incredibly beautiful weather, I was working.  But, I enjoyed a peaceful Saturday and Sunday in the country, visiting with family, eating crawfish, and relaxing.  The only stressful moment came when I realized that the Paas egg dye stained...what, you say...seriously, James' hands are still green hued.

The kiddos, with sweet baby Walker, getting ready to hunt for eggs:

Lucy and James enjoyed a few rides on the newest addition, Buster: