More to celebrate

Ah, May! The month of Mary and of mothers working harder than ever to accommodate all the end of the school year celebrations, projects, events, etc...

The first weekend in May brought the talent show at the high school, in addition to a track meet and the last soccer games, and the normal weekend here and there. Our second son played the ukulele and sang a duet with his friend, a catchy tune about sitting around the fireside that they made up while sitting around the fireside, of course. They were, in my mind at least, the best act among American Idol wannabes, rockers whose screaming you couldn't understand, and amusing but adolescent skits.  Some of the other kids were really talented. Some were not. It was a fun night. I left feeling wistful that here this son has made friends and flourished at this school that we are probably going to have to pull him from right before his senior year. He's so happy here. But he was so happy in Guam, and at the end in Mississippi, and in Virginia... we've only been here 10 months and he's got a pool of friends whom I really like. So, I tell myself, it shouldn't take him long to make new friends the next time around. I pray for all my kids to grow in resilience in a positive way.

I also pray for this little person, the First Communicant. She would have been our last first communicant, my husband and I mused Friday evening as we worked on decorating her cake and mixing up eats for a little party the next day, if not for the newest member of the fam (hold on to that dress!).  I hope we covered all the catechism points we should have. I was so much more mindful with the older kids. This young lady has a wonderful teacher at school, so I'm happy about that, but she also is the kind of kid who plays happily and quietly in another room or outside during those moments when I actually have enough consciousness to give her a talk or reading to. How does she manage to slip away so silently when I'm just about ready to sit with her? Usually some other child conveniently comes in with a need or problem to distract me from the moment. So I pray she gets it.  She seemed thrilled about her day despite some unnatural smiles  for the camera.

Trying to corral the princesses

No more photos!

Happy day

And then Mother's Day. It was a beautiful day. I received the traditional breakfast in bed, California style: a huevos ranchero burrito with avocado, fresh fruit, and a yummy ginger berry smoothie. My kids could open a cafe (if only they could learn to clean up.)  Then we had a lovely Mass where all the moms received roses. I got to pick the schedule for the rest of the afternoon. Ready for an adventure after weeks of sticking close to home, I picked a trip to do the short but picturesque hike to Nojoqui Falls (not no-joke-we, as in "no joke, we might see water," heh,heh, but no-ho-way, I learned later from a local), followed by a tour of the Santa Ynez mission, and treats in the little Danish town of Solvang. And then salmon and pesto pasta for dinner at the cousins. A great day!

The pretty drive

Baby selfie in her car seat

No cougars!

Artistic photograph courtesy one of the children

The falls - there actually was water dripping!

Off the beaten path

The gang

Come to California to see windmills

From the Mission Museum

The mission gardens

Pretty Mission Santa Ynez (Agnes)

Mermaids

Solvang has a little museum dedicated to Hans Christian Anderson

The Book Loft -I rate this bookstore higher than Bart's Books. Alert the list makers.

Perfect gift for the bibliophile you love: Jane Austen Tees. (Other authors available.)
My son offered to get me one for a gift until he saw the price.

Mmm, aebleskiver a la mode.

Roses at the mission