Magic and Mayhem

We’re just back from the pageant and I’m ready for bed, but Daryl reminded me that I was 2 days behind here!  Oops!  So here, super quick, is 10 magical moments from the past couple of days.

1. We found ourselves suddenly without water on Wednesday and we all walked down the street to see what was up.  We found a giant hole in the street and got to watch them install a new fire hydrant.  We looked at the layers of earth right under the street and the pipe that leads to the hydrant.  Then when they turned on the water to flush the system later, Jack and I happily waded through the “river” it made in our street.
2. We met Grandma and Grandpa in Walnut Grove at the park tonight before the pageant and had a picnic of foods from the Laotian market.
3. Jack and I snuggled in Daddy’s chair last night and read library books together.  We read “Ten Apples Up on Top” and he filled in the blanks when I stopped and pointed to a word.  He was so proud that he was able to read some of the book with me.
4. Grandma and Grandpa came to the pageant with us and brought bouquets of multi-colored roses for the girls.  They presented them afterwards when the cast was signing autographs.  The girls are always so thrilled when Grandma and Grandpa bring them roses.  They do it every year and it makes that night extra special.
5. There is a dance scene in the pageant where (almost) all of the cast dances.  The kids dance in sets and the adults dance in other sets.  I loved watching Victoria and Anna dancing tonight.  They always look so small and adorable, and it’s sentimental because I remember every year they’ve been up there dancing.  Anna tripped and pulled down the girl next to her and there was mayhem, but that always adds to the charm for me.  It looks like real, old time children dancing — joyful and messy and free.
6. Alex was fussy at the start of the pageant so I took him and went off to the other side of the hill and nursed him.  There was a rabbit hopping along the brush, not sure what to think of this crowd of hundreds of people in its ordinarily serene home.  He hopped around for a long time and it was so peaceful and beautiful facing Plum Creek and listening to the singing and acting off in the distance.
7. The girls and I signed up for a free virtual makeover site and we’ve been making crazy makeovers of each other and emailing them.  It turns out that short blue hair with black lowlights and too much eye makeup is a good look on me. 
8. Jack, Alex, Victoria and I stood at the upstairs screen door and happily watched a line of fat little birds hanging out on the roof of our garage.  Alex dearly loves birds and signs “bird” whenever he sees one.  He hooted with glee and scared them to the telephone wire and then to the next and then to the lilacs…
9. I walked with Alex over to the playground across the street yesterday.  Victoria joined me and we talked while Alex explored.  He found a mud puddle and sat down right in it, then happily splashed muddy water all over himself.  He made a mess but it was so worth it to see how much he enjoyed himself!
10. The girls introduced me to 5 baby swallows in a nest under the eaves at the school.  We walked right up close and they all lined up and stared at us, not sure what to do or say.  The mother started getting impatient with us so we moved on, but it was a delight to see their fun little faces.

Tomorrow will be a big day.  The newspaper editor asked if Victoria could be at the Walnut Grove park at 1 p.m. so he could get a picture of her with the Greenbush Twins.  He’s interviewing her about how she contacted them online and interviewed Sidney Greenbush.  Exciting stuff!

(A better blogger would put the link to her interview here but it’s 2:30 a.m. and I’m not a better blogger.)

Then the girls and Daryl have the pageant again tomorrow night.  It should be a busy but good day.