Elodie Farms Visit

Just about every week our Dream and Discover homeschooling cooperative participates in a field trip organized and orchestrated by the talented super-mom, Nancy Walters. This week was a lovely little jaunt to Elodie Farms up in Rougemont, NC.


Elodie, owned and operated by fellow Durham Farmers Market vendor Dave Artigues, sits on 21 acres in the Piedmont of NC and is the home to a herd of 50 plus goats.


Dave graciously welcomed us to his 100+ year old farm house and introduced us to his goats, paint horse Sadie and his miniature guard donkey. Dave had a wonderful talent for speaking to the kids directly and with just enough detail to keep everybody interested without making things too complicated. He was ever willing to answer the endless questions and patiently listen to the numerous comments and anecdotes our group of avid young guests seemed to come up with. He started off in the pasture and then took us through the milking room and the cheese kitchen giving us a rudimentary explanation of the cheese making process.

All of the adults oohed and aahed at the lovely finished cheeses Dave pulled from the fridge and admired the parmesans and cheddars Dave has begun making.

We then returned to the pasture and got to feed the goats and other animals. Dave had recommended bringing pretzels as a snack for the goats and we had a large bag of with us that was soon gobbled down quite appreciatively by goats and horse and donkey alike. Dave also brought out a bag of leftover Halloween candy Smarties that he said the goats loved and this was indeed the case.

We ended our trip with a lovely picnic spread on the lawn under a huge old oak tree and feasted upon several varieties of goat cheeses. Dave gave me a tour of the dining areas within the farm house. They've converted the entire lower floor of the farm house to beautiful and intimate dining rooms for their monthly "Dinner On The Porch" events featuring the finest chefs from some of the Triangle’s favorite eateries. Can I dream that Paul and I will get to attend one of these lovely events sans children at some point within the next decade???

Emily and Bethany explored the farm and its impressive old trees (complete with swings) while Maddie and I rested in the porch front rocking chairs.
The day had started out a bit cool, but the sunny skies had helped to keep us warm. As the afternoon progressed, the clouds moved in and the temps plummeted. We finally gave up the battle to stave off the cold and piled into our cars to head back home.

Bria's Birthday

Emily, Maddie and I were honored guests at our friend Bria's 8th birthday party today. The Winslow-Trevathan family lives in Chapel Hill, which is a little bit of a haul for us, but Maddie was in a good traveling frame of mind and we made the drive while maintaining the sanity and peace of all on board. I am always amazed by the parties that Zemo and Lauren host for their children. From the moment you walk in the door it is quite obvious that the celebration of their children's birthdays is a very serious event in this family. So much thought and consideration go into crafting the perfect celebration for their kids. From the meticulously crafted cloud cake to the wall sized birthday murals to the indoor balloon volleyball game with all participants in full dressup gear to the incredibly well orchestrated children's games, Zemo and Lauren devoted themselves completely to celebrating Bria's presence in their lives. We were happy to participate in the celebration and show Bria just how much we appreciate and love her.

Halloween

As Em' contemplated her costume options for this year's Halloween festivities, she briefly toyed around with the idea of going as "Captain Underpants" a la Calvin from Calvin & Hobbes. (Note that it is my relief, not hers, that put the emphasis on the word briefly.)
It is with great relief I tell you that Em finally settled on appearing as the incredibly vain and self-centered Daphne from Scooby-Doo, complete with hot pink mini-dress, go-go boots and a fiery wig. Thank goodness that Cap'n Underpants' threat to the wholesomeness of Halloween was averted at the last moment. Daphne is pictured above with best friend Hermione (aka Bethany).
Maddie has two fabulous mommas to thank for her evening attire. Jennifer Dewolf had a day of Halloween inspired tie-dye madness and just happened to have a white turtleneck onesie leap off the shelves at her screaming "Maddie, Maddie, Maddie". This photo does not do justice to the cuteness of this jack-o-lantern top. A million thanks to the divine Ms. Dewolf. And not to be outdone, Deborah just happened to have the perfect head topper to complete Maddie's ensemble. A handknit pumpkin hat that Deborah had made for her own son, Jo-Jo, last year. Always the generous friend, Deb was more than happy to see her lovely creation pulled back out on the runway.

15 minutes into our trick-or-treating adventures, the lovely Miss Maddie dropped off into la-la land and slept the night away dreaming sweet pumpkin dreams of gourds and gardens and sunlit summer days.....

Museum Visit

Em, Maddie and I traveled to downtown Raleigh today to the NC Museum of Natural Sciences. Em calls it "The Dinosaur Museum". It's one of her favorite haunts and she'd been asking for weeks if we could make a trip. It's interesting how the dynamics of field trips are different when it's a trip with friends versus a trip with just our family. Today, Em was drawn to the snake exhibit as never before. She spent about 10 minutes photographing the various animals on display and then we spent a good bit of time reading all of the signs and explanatory boards that were available. I don't think Em has ever done that before. One item of snake lore that really intrigued us both was the difference in pupil shape between the various snake species. Did you know that most of the venomous snake species of North Carolina have vertical slit pupils while the non-venomous snakes have round pupils? The next time you're eye to eye with a snake and can't tell whether it's a venomous copperhead or an innocent little water snake, this tip should help you out ;-)

After the inevitable visit to the Acro Cafe for some sugary treats, we usually head to the Discovery Room. One of the things we love about the Discovery Room is that as you enter, you are explicitly instructed that EVERYTHING is meant to be touched. They had a fabulous Luna Moth costume in the dressup area that Em was quite smitten with. Now that would make a fabulous Halloween costume!


Maddie was reaching the end of her rope by the time we had explored for a few hours so I was quite relieved to find the huge padded rocking chair in the Discovery Room available and waiting for us. While Em tried on various costumes, Maddie and I snuggled and nursed and the little one soon dropped off to sleep. Em joined us in the toddler area corner and read books aloud to Maddie and me while Maddie took her power nap. It always tickles me just how happy Maddie is upon waking. She's full of grins and giggles and an absolute delight to be around once she's had a chance to recharge her batteries.

A lovely, low stress visit for me and my girls!

Pumpkin Picking

The cabin crowd went on a field trip today to Clapping Hands Farm. We would have loved to join in as we've had a blast at Louise's in the past but that's quite a haul for us (about 60 miles one way) and Maddie doesn't do so well on long trips. So, we opted for a more local outing to the neighborhood pumpkin patch. Em had a ball selecting just the right pumpkin for each of our family members. (Maddie sported her new knitted sweater and hat ensemble that I had started during our vacation to Ocean Isle. What a cutie pie!)

Em Loses A Tooth

Em lost her 3rd tooth last night. Quite the exciting event around these parts. She woke me several hours after Maddie and I had gone to bed to share the good news. Our family likes to believe that the Tooth Fairy retrieves these teeth and bestows them upon teething babes. Is it just a coincidence that Maddie is cutting 2 teeth this month? I think not!

Maddie-Lu at 6 Months of Age

6 months!!! Wow! Our little baby is growing right before our eyes. Here's Maddie with her good friend, Bria, enjoying a lunch al fresco at the cabin on her 6-month-aversary

Maddie is sitting up on her own, with only the occasional topple. She's cutting two bottom teeth this week. She's almost a whopping 15 lbs in weight (pretty soon, she's going to overtake Sassy-Cat). She's eating solid foods and cutting back on the frequency of nursing.
Maddie's favorite foods?? Just about anything, especially if somebody else is eating it in her presence. There are very few things Maddie has tried that she hasn't absolutely loved. Peaches, apples, bananas, sweet potatoes, carrots, oatmeal, peas, winter squash... even refried beans have been eaten with gusto. If it's not shoveled in quickly enough, beware the growling baby! Way different from Em's first adventures with food. If I remember correctly, Em was almost a year old before she really became interested in solids.

One consequence of all these new developments, Maddie's no longer sleeping through the night. For a while there I had been spoiled with a baby that would sleep a good 4 to 5 hours in a row during the night before needing to nurse ever so briefly and then return to her slumbers for another couple of 2 hour sleep sessions. Nowadays, I'm lucky if Maddie sleeps 3 hours in a row before waking and thrashing about fitfully, sometimes she's awake for up to 2 hours at a time. After that initial 3 hour sleep session, she's often up every hour or two. I believe it may be the discomfort of bowel movements now that she has started solids coupled with the ache of her gums. Throughout the night, I can hear her smacking her lips and/or straining as if to have a bowel movement. I'm sure this too shall pass, but it sure is tiring me out.

Moments

How do I capture these moments that fill our day? How do I truly capture them so that I can experience them again to their fullest in every cell of my body with all of my senses? All of these images of Maddie, Emily and Paul flash before my eyes in a single day. Instances and glimpses that even as they happen, I know are special and magical and yet I fear I will forget them. I will forget their power, their strength, their vibrancy, their ability to make my heart ache with joy.

Moments:The curve of Maddie’s sweet round cheeks nestled to my breast, her tiny little hands clasped together and held under her chin or grasping my finger as her little jaws work up and down, up and down.

The feel of Maddie’s body as I pick her up ever so gently and cradle her to my chest. Hugging the length of her, pressing her to me, burying my nose in the scent of her downy hair. The smell of Maddie’s skin and hair.

That oh so sweet soft spot on the back of Maddie’s neck.


The beauty of toes. The miracle and absolute perfection that they are.


The clasp of a newborn's hand. The amazingly strong and trusting grip. A tiny hand, perfect in every way, reaching out to clasp your finger or explore the features of your face.


The hiccups and snorts and protests of an unhappy baby. For whatever indignity she has suffered, she feels it with every bit of her body and proclaims her sadness for all the world to hear.

The weight of her. For all its tininess, what an immense life can be held in your hand.


The folds of skin, the delicious folds of skin, dimpled baby butt and baby fat bracelets that ring her wrists.

The lift of her eyebrows as she studies the world and expression after expression transforms her face one after another.

The sleep smiles, those achingly sweet and brief little sleep smiles that play across her face as she dreams.

Emily, trying to hold her own body back and “be gentle” as she experiences excitement and emotions for Maddie that are so strong Emily’s body literally shakes with them.

Emmie and Maddie waking together and gazing into each other’s eyes. Smiling and talking and touching each other the whole while. Emily’s sing-song voice as she makes up songs and rhymes and poems about Maddie.

Maddie in her bath kicking and squealing with delight as she learns how to splash and play. Her face at times a study in seriousness, at other times the brows shoot up and eyes open wide as she marvels at what she has done, the next moment a squeal of delight and laughter bursts forth.

Maddie draped over her daddy's arm. Asleep, completely trusting, absolutely safe.
Maddie in her bouncy seat “talking” with me while I prepare food in the kitchen. I slice a cantaloupe and after each swish of the knife, I look over at Maddie and we make faces at one another or blow bubbles. Her face lights up and she explodes with sound. A yell, a squeal, a mile wide smile while the kicking of legs and flailing of arms help her body to express its joy.

That first morning smile. I’ve left the bed in the early morning hours and come back to find Maddie awake and contemplating the play of light in the room. Eyes wide open, body for once peaceful and calm. Once my face comes into her view, a smile of delight transforms her face and her body once again begins its motions, windmilling arms, kicking legs, arching back. All an expression of joy and happiness to see me. I feel so lucky to have this love.

Moments, moments, they are all just brief flashes of life. Will I remember them? Do I remember these same moments from Emily’s infancy? Sometimes I think I do, but somehow I’ve put Maddie’s features over them all. But what if I forget? What a loss that would be. Is it enough to experience the joy right this moment, all its intricacies and hidden pathways and accept that if it does leave my conscious memory, my body and soul will still remember the experience of it? Will I at least be able to recall the feel of these moments if not perhaps the details in all their glory. Oh I hope so. What else is there to life?

Brodie Sendoff

It seems like a good portion of the first half of this month has been devoted to bon voyage celebrations for our beloved Brodie family. Pot lucks, honey extraction parties and cabin get-togethers have filled our evenings and weekends.
Earlier in the year, Chris Brodie was named a Fulbright Scholar and he and his family will be traveling to Oslo, Norway for an almost 5 month stay. We LOVE this family and will miss them dearly, but what a grand adventure they will be embarking upon. I'm sure there will be plenty of stories to tell and memories made that they will all remember for the rest of their lives. Oslo, Norway is one of the most beautiful as well as most expensive cities in the world. The Brodies will be adjusting to life in a 900 square foot apartment for all 5 of them. That alone should lend itself to many "amusing" stories to look back upon ;-)

We've known the Brodies for just over 2 years now. They are one of the founding family members of Dream and Discover. Emily has a huge affection for the boys, Alex (8) and Aidan (5), which has been returned in spades and has created for an interesting love triangle at times ;-) Caroline, now 2, adores Paul and shamelessly flirts with him at every opportunity. Chris is a former AT thru-hiker and that alone has guaranteed that Paul and I consider Chris a kindred spirit and someone whose presence we greatly enjoy. Jennifer was my doula for Maddie-Lu's birth and is very dear to my heart. There's no way you can share the experience of something as miraculous as the birth of a child without creating a life long bond with one another.

Brodie Family, we will miss you. Be safe, enjoy and think of us often as we will you!

Class Picture

Earlier this week we attended a celebration at cabin to bid farewell to the Brodie Family. There were some 14 families in attendance. We spent the afternoon sharing good food, playing games, making music, dancing and enjoying each other's company. At one point we had the children all gather together so we could take a photo to send to the Brodies in Norway. It struck me as Judith and Jennifer were trying to corral all the kids into one place for a few moments so they could snap a picture, that this was probably as close to a "class photo" as we were going to get as homeschoolers. So, here's a picture to enjoy of Emily's "classmates":


A memorable afternoon and a great end to a fantastic "school year"!

A Typical Week

In looking back over our doings of the week, it hit me this afternoon just how filled our lives are with wonderful outings, explorations, discoveries and plain old fun. As I list in my mind what we did or the experiences we had, it seems incredibly busy, but this is a typical week for us and there's actually a lot of "ease" built into our lives since we don't have to be at a particular place (school, the office, etc) at a specific time every day. Most days we wake up without alarm clocks. We prioritize and choose what we are going to do, accomplish or explore each and every day, and each and every day it can be different. Granted, Paul and I have to get our work done for MoonDance and After Hours, but we seem to still manage to keep a good bit of flexibility and fun in our lives.

Just a brief summary of some doin's around here:

Monday: Paul takes Emily and Bethany (Em's best friend) for a cabin field trip to the Eno River. Despite the rain, the field trip is a go, albeit with a smaller contingency of attendees. They get to explore the waters of the Eno River with the help of one of the park rangers and come home wet and happy talking of kick nets, watery creatures, snails and more.

That afternoon we are visited by a family friend, Brittany, who may be relocating to Raleigh. The girls got to admire Brittany's employment portfolio, and admire it they did! Britt is a professional baker and her portfolio consists of page after page of amazing decorative cakes and confections.

Britt wasn't able to escape fast enough though and was roped into the hideaway for some book reading. (Those are temporary tattoos on Em's face.) The evening is capped off with a sleepover for Em and Bethany. A much looked forward to event!

Tuesday: The girls start their day with an adventure. They don backpacks, throw in some snacks and water, grab their compass, and head out the front door to explore the neighborhood. They only make it as far as the corner (they're not allowed to leave our dead end street), but you'd never know it based on their excitement level. After that, we head to cabin for a day of fun and play with our Dream & Discover pals.


Wednesday: A trip to Marbles Kids Museum in downtown Raleigh with 2 other cabin families. Marbles is a hands on interactive kids museum. This month they had a traveling Olympics Exhibit where the kids could try their hands at various sports (ice hockey anyone?) and learn a bit more about the Olympics. Emily and pals spent a good bit of time building structures with over-sized Legos; donning kimonos, getas and obis in the 2-B-Me Gallery while learning a bit about Japanese culture; oohing and aahing at the feeding of the shark in the Splash Zone; and playing chess on the giant floor sized game board. Emily and I were the last to leave and were sad to close down the museum right in the middle of an involved game of running a restaurant and hotel in the Around Town! exhibit.

Thursday: A work day with lots of visitors coming and going in our home and in the shop followed by a lovely outing to the American Tobacco District.

Friday: Today we caught a play at the Raleigh Little Theatre with 5 other cabin families. Ozma of Oz was presented courtesy of the theater's Teens on Stage program. The RLT is one of our favorite venues for plays. It's small and intimate, so much so that they warn the audience in the front row to keep their feet tucked under their chairs during the performance. You really feel like you are part of the action, and that's a wonderful way to introduce theater to children. This particular play was not one of my favorites as it seemed that every single scene was one of contention and strife. Lots of yelling and arguing and bickering between the characters in addition to the occasional brawl. That can be a bit overwhelming for younger children, especially when you're seated just a few feet away from all the commotion.

We still enjoyed the outing though and spent some time afterwards exploring the fabulous rose garden behind the theater. This particular rose garden is one of three accredited gardens in the Carolinas and is the display garden for all new roses presented by the All American Rose Society. There are dozens of glorious rose beds perfuming the air with their heady scent, a small fountain/pond, and shady bowers, grottoes and pathways to explore.
We finished off the afternoon with a hop over to Locopops, Emily's absolute favorite popsicle palace in all the world and an ever popular hangout for our D&D crew. You can't eat just one!

A Week Of Discoveries

Maddie's been in rare form these last ten days. You look at her and can just about see the smoke seeping out her ears as her little mind is working furiously behind the scenes making sense of it all. For the past week or two, she's been reaching out and trying to grasp things. Stuffed toys, rattles, the cat's tail, human noses, and worst of all, the hair of the unsuspecting passer by. She's got a death grip that rivals belief!

Just three short days ago, Maddie made the discovery of her life....feet!!! These fabulous toys are located just below her belly button, they're soft and chewy, they seem to have a life of their own and best of all, they're with her wherever she goes! What more could you ask for in the perfect toy?? Well, perhaps we could paint her lovely little toenails a rainbow of colors to make them even more eye catching. Hmmmm... how about we draw some faces (eyes, mouth, etc) on the tops of her feet....That should take her newfound toy to a whole other level.

Last of all, the gift of voice has visited our dear sweet child and left her with a yell that can make the cat run for cover. Its volume and strength even startles Maddie at times! Each morning Maddie-Lu supervises my kitchen chores from her bouncy seat all the while shouting out instructions on how to load the dish washer, how many coffee beans to pour into the grinder, pointing out the crumbs I missed while wiping down the counter, telling me to fo faster..... Geez... it just goes on and on and on!



It's a real good thing she's so darn cute!

A Night Out

Last night, after an incredibly hectic day where it seemed like our home and businesses were sporting a revolving door, Paul and Em talked me into dining al fresco at the American Tobacco District in downtown Durham. An absolutely delicious Philosopher's Pizza Pie from The Mellow Mushroom and a couple of drafts were the perfect ending to a long day.


Located just across the street from the Durham Bulls Ball Park, the district is a great destination to share with out of town guests as it has quite the unique feel to it and is a lovely place to stroll and visit.


This is one of Emily's favorite venues for an evening out. She loves telling the story of how she "discovered" this place one afternoon when we were driving around Durham. Emily asked if we could drive on into a particular parking deck and with no other immediate obligations in front of us, we indulged her request. Lo and behold when we all climbed out of the car to do a bit of exploration, our ears picked up the sound of running water - lots of it. Following Em's lead, we soon discovered the American Tobacco District. The renovation of this historic area has preserved the look and feel of the original factory buildings, while adding spectacular modern accents such as the man-made Old Bull River, which runs through the middle of the District. In just a couple of city blocks, the "district" offers restaurants, outdoor concerts, a greenspace (where Em loves to do somersaults and cartwheels), a YMCA and art exhibits as well as many business offices.
All of the photos in this blog entry (except the one of Em shown above) were taken by our budding photographer, Miss Em.