Sunday, July 01, 2012

Bits and Pieces of Our Days

Saturday night movie with Atticus: Everything Must Go. On Netflix, you can find it listed under comedies. That's comic. Not a comedy. Will Ferrell is seriously good, movie is seriously touching. Netflix also calls it "Understated" and that is accurate. Don't watch it if you're looking for a fun date night -- watch it when you want to see a character study, a reflection on letting go, a brief portrait of human interaction and friendship.

*****

Atticus sent me this link -- it's two little girls explaining why one (the five-year-old) cut the other's (the three-year-old's) hair. So cute. I especially loved that they hid the hair under the radiator and that they justify the haircut by saying that everyone does something like this once in their life, or three times, or two. Or three.

*****

The girls attended Totus Tuus recently at our parish, and we also had the fun of having the team (eight college kids/young adults) over for dinner one night. A fun week for the girls, and so lovely to see these sweet, faith-filled young adults give their summers to this work. Avery, Amy, Andrea, Colleen, Ben, Nicholas, Jake and Dan -- you guys will permanently be in our prayers.

*****

Did I mention that Betsy is driving now? Did I mention how weird that is? Atticus said that when he watched her drive away the other night, all he could think about was the Christmas when she was three and a half years old. For reasons I don't remember, we stayed home for Christmas that year, and no one was able to come visit, so it was just the four of us. Betsy got a new baby doll set -- baby, cradle, high chair. A humble little set that I remember costing about $15. She played with it all day long. Anne-with-an-e spent the whole day playing in the Little Mermaid tent that Santa left. Atticus and I spent the day listening to Christmas music, napping, eating, watching the girls play, and sighing contentedly to one another. We both remember it as one of the loveliest Christmas days ever.

And now two of my three girls drive away.

In five years, we'll start teaching Ramona to drive.

Did I mention how weird that is? Good. But weird.

*****

Did I mention that teaching my daughters to drive might be the single scariest thing I've ever done in my life?

No, strike that. The scariest thing is actually letting them drive away by themselves after you've taught them to drive. Scary. But good.

*****

More vacation pictures:

Girls on a plane


Platypus on a plane: 


Girls about to head into Hogsmeade: 


Girls at The Three Broomsticks: 


Hogwarts!


Ramona and friend, chatting near dolphins at Sea World: 


At the delightful Seuss Landing: 


Daytona Beach: 



The ticket that Atticus won at Disney World, in 1987. 
They told us it was good for one all-day admission and that it would never expire. 
Mickey Mouse was true to his word: 




4 comments:

The Bookworm said...

Wow! Betsy driving! Rachel still can't drive away on her own yet - you have to be 17 to start learning in the UK, and she still has a tough 40 minute practical test to pass before she can drive solo. Hopefully in a month or so!

I am so impressed that you could still use a complimentary ticket from 1987. (Oops! Just typed that as 1876. That would be miraculous!).

We are planning to do Harry Potter set tour in the autumn. Apparently it is amazing - you get to see everything from the 1:24 scale model of Hogwarts to Diagon Alley. It is also pretty much sold out for the summer, or we would have gone then.

Nancy said...

Brian had to get his license minutes after the place opened on Monday the day of his 16th birthday and he had to drop me off and drive to school. I swear I was more upset than when I took him to kindergarten!

Karen Edmisten said...

Nancy, Lizzy was there first thing in the a.m., too. :) We thought she might camp out there the night before, but she resisted. :)

Bookworm, the HP set tour sounds amazing! I wish we could join you for that. And, on the driving, age 17 and a 40 minute test sound like great ideas to me. :)

tanita✿davis said...

WOW. Lovely pictures - and I'm a little gobsmacked at the idea of Ramona driving!!!