Chuck D & Mr. T

Everyone loves a parade.

Charlie, Teddy and I collected shells and crab parts from the beach and them washed them in buckets and left the out to dry. I hope the children all like little bits of natural history and are curious.

Lapland.

Teddy is a big boy sleeping in a big bed but still calls out for mommy and need cuddles or says “Make me warm.” I love it so much. I could cuddle him all day. I look at his face and it is just so cute.

Teddy competes for lap space with his sisters and I can always fit them

all on but they all like their own time on my lap and don’t eat to share. This morning Teddy was crying and whining and I told him he couldn’t sit on my lap until he could stop whining. He stopped sat down on my lap and explained to me “can’t not let me on your lap. I can sit on your lap all the time. You let me.” Those are his orders. I will have to do it.

I could not be happier to be on the vineyard. Charlie and Teddy were so thrilled to be flying up here. Charlie asked for days when we were leaving and had his tennis racket ready to go.

All four were great on the plane- the girls first flight. The day we arrived the boys swam, played with their cousins, plaid tennis, went in the kayak, ate dinner with the family. I asked Charlie what the best thing he did all day was and he said “flying about the cloud.”

Scottie and Nell turned one! I can’t believe my teeny babies are one. I’m so happy for them that they are growing and learning things and every day engaging more and becoming bigger people. They are so beautiful and smart and funny and cuddly and silly and sweet. Both of them. It’s amazing.

I woke up the morning of the 1st to the sounds of Teddy and Charlie going into the girls rooms and singing happy birthday. It was so sweet. Nothing could have made me happier and I could tell the girls were thrilled by their squeals a because they are thrilled everytime one of their brothers enters the room.

We made pancakes for breakfast and they worry party hats and we sang happy birthday about 5 times. Charlie and Teddy have them the dolls they wrapped themselves and Scottie and Nell each kissed their doll first thing (with their big open mouth slow motion kiss).

I made each girl a cake- sponge cake with a layer of strawberry and iced with buttercream and cream cheese icing. Huck ate one half of one of the cakes and when I caught her Nell happened to cry and Teddy said “her crying cause Huck ate her cake,” then patted Nelly on the back.

Scottie gobbled her cake anthusiatsically but Nelly didn’t eat hers. Scottie leaned over and took it.

At the end of the day Charlie said “that was a great birthday.” So cute.

The boys keep asking me to sing the Star Spangled Banner. I am only too happy to comply. Teddy puts in his request as “Sing America space song” (which he calls because of the “rockets red glare” lyrics).

People ask me all the time if MJ already coaching the boys or somehow pushing them into sports. So silly because MJ so wisely doesn’t. He plays sports with them if they ask
him to and answers questions they have but he so rightly knows that they are little and he it’s not good for them

To be pushed into anything and that they will get burnt out if they start too early and that it would be frustrating for them if they were always trying to do things that they are not old enough to do- like run while cradling.

Tonight we went to MJ’s lacrosse game. The boys were thrilled. So was I. Watching him play makes me happy beyond believe. I love watching him. He is so graceful, so fast and plays with kids who are playing in college. He also has the most excellent sportsmanship of anyone I know.

I always am thinking about ways to make our house more enjoyable and comfortable for the children. In reading about children and design it seems that there are many out there who either want great design with no indication that children are around or are willing to give into I attractive surroundings with the mistaken belief that kids dont care and will
Mess up anything nice or it is too frivolous to make an effot. I couldn’t disagree more. Children love and deserve nice surroundings, created with them in mind but not to the exclusion of adult comfort either. I read this quote that makes sense “The point of decorating is to crate the background for the best like you can have…decoration can be life-enhancing. It can make dinner parties more fun, kids happier, relaxing easier, talk more intimate, quests at ease. Making a charmed and happy home is a noble endeavor. The simple
Secret is making sure that every decorating decision contributes to the creation of beauty and comfort. Beauty to uplift our senses (to transcend the mundane) and comfort to make us feel taken care of (to embrace us in the mundane).” So correct. Though I never feel anything in our house is mundane. It is so much fun being here even with the chaos which really isn’t chaotic And I hope the children and MJ see beauty in everything from pillows, to our flowers, to their artwork around the house, to little quotes and notes about, to pretty packaging on cookies and the dish soap, to the forks they use, the hairs they sit on, to Hucks collar and their toys.”
Further “Good decoration solves problems elegantly. A stylish home is highly functional and reflects the best possible look for your life, budget, and mode of living (even your peculiarities) and the problems and advantages of the place you live in. This will lead to a home that enhances your sense of well being, that inspires you and looks after you.” I also like what Elsie de Wolfe said “What is the goal? A house that is like the life that goes with it, a house that gives us beauty as we understand it…”

A family’s house is so important because it’s where they are to be safe and happy and comfortable during their life. Is a smaller house better so that life is more intimate and everyone interacts more with one another and so that I can hear where the children are and so that I have fewer belongings and furnishings to have to take time to care for? Or is a larger house with more space for the kids to move around and more space for them
To have time alone better?