Summer Day

I love summer time.  Warm sunshine, long days, relaxing in the backyard.  I finally feel like it's July; only tomorrow August comes.  This whole having a child makes time fly.  Oh well, maybe at this rate, summer will last until October...

Today was a rare day at the Snyder house; we had absolutely no plans.  I can't remember the last time we could simply be a family.  We putzed in the backyard, explored downtown, and reveled in the late afternoon sunshine. It was wonderful.  As I watched Lillian run around naked in the backyard, helping Daddy by lugging around a huge garden bucket, running in and out of her play house, enjoying the sunshine with me on the back wall, I thought, "This is a day I will cherish until Lillian is grown."  And I carefully tucked away all the earthy smells, the little puppy licks, soft skin, and gentle hugs this day had to offer.

  (Who cares for this child anyway?  Don't they put clothes on her?)

After Lillian went to bed, Dan coaxed me onto the rooftop to watch the setting sun.  This is no easy step for someone who is as deathly afraid of heights as I am.  This was a big HUGE step for me.  After three attempts, I finally overcame my fears of tumbling unabated to the ground, and cautiously climbed the ladder onto the roof top.  Clutching the shingles of the roof with all the strength my fingers could muster, I made it!  The whole time I  thought, "How am I going to get down?  Why did I do this?"  When will this sun ever set?"  In between these doubtful thoughts, I had to admit it was a beautiful sunset.  I was glad I did it.  And.... Dan was right.  I survived the scramble down, and after happily scratching my dog behind the ears, and reassuring her that I was all right, I went inside for a big helping of ice cream.

And for those who care, here's a picture of my clothes line inverted umbrella.

How to Sew a Button

I'm reading a book called "How to Sew a Button: And Other Nifty Things Your Grandmother Knew."  This fun to read book inspires my domestic-wish-I-lived-in-1950 side.  It makes me want to bake a pie and watch "I Love Lucy."  My goal is to eventually do all the ideas mentioned in the book.  Thanks to my handy husband I now have my first chapter checked off... how to make a clothes line.  There's just something refreshing about hanging up your own laundry, smelling the fresh air on your clothes, and shaking them as you'll pull them down.  I really love seeing Lillian's colorful diapers hanging in the sunshine.  To keep my distracted self focused, I'm going to pick one chapter a week to accomplish.  Wish me luck!  


What we've been up to lately....


Summertime in the backyard...

Dan on vacation in Lodi.... 

Lillian and her Papa (Probably one of my favorite pictures... ever)

Lillian loves her Zoe dog... so precious!

Missing those two... our dear friends are on their way to Laos.

This picture reminds me of all the reasons I love being this adventurous girl's mama.... love her!

Diaper Baby and Dog...

Cheesy Smile!

This is what happens when Lillian and the dog are left to their own devices in the backyard...

A Special Hike

So I did something I haven't done in a couple of months.  I tucked Lil into the blue Kelty backpack, grabbed the leash, and hiked the open space behind our neighborhood.  It was a special hike... Zoe's first time out.

Seeing all the endless yellow grass made me think of the Lucy dog.  The last time I was there was with Lucy.  It's funny how a four legged creature can become so much a part of your life.  Seeing Zoe zipping through the grass made me think that Lucy would have liked this new little friend.

When we brought Lucy home, there was no question as to what her name would be.  I always wanted a dog named Lucy... Dan vetoed the name for a future child.  But after Lucy we brought home a little nameless dog.  We went through a list of names and finally settled on Zoe... Dan's choice.  It turns out Zoe means life.

So as I was missing my dog today, I was reminded how thankful I am to have this crazy, wiggly-bottomed-full-of-life dog.... new life.  That is sweet.

Little Girl

I may be getting carried away.  Two posts in one day?  Oh well.  I love to write.  I've been itching to write. So here I go... again.

When did Lillian become a little girl?  Every morning since she was born, I have picked up the same baby out of her crib, but slowly, invisibly, between the good nights and good mornings, she has turned into a child.  I love that she's a little girl.  She does little girl things all the time... like try on all her shoes just for fun and carry around random bags.  She's a little explorer too.... climbing walls and tables, you know, just the really unsafe structures in our backyard.  Her legs are speckled with random bruises and scratches.  It's all about survival at our house with the new pup thinking Lillian is a puppy too.  Here are some snapshots of our newest adventures...

The only safe spot in our house in the mornings.  Lil's friends have moved up with her. :)

Taking pictures with mom.

My little gardener...

Say "Cheese"!

Lillian loves her new water table.

So we added a little yellow friend to our little house of dreams.  Three weeks ago, our dear Lucy died.  Gone in an instant.  I know she was just a dog, but she left a loss deep inside.  A tangible loss as thick as her yellow coat around her neck, the softness of her ears, her dog smell, her long pink tongue.  Gone.  One week later, we brought home a new puppy, an unknown friend.  She didn't smell the same.  She didn't play the same.  Her tail didn't stand up and wag the same.  But somehow in her quiet ways, the way she curls up on my toes, waits expectantly to see me at the door, travels so closely on the heels of my feet, she has wound her way into our family.  Softly, slowly, she is becoming our new, dear yellow friend.

Yay Blog!

I'm so excited to have a blog up and running!  This is mainly a way to keep in touch with family and friends we wish were closer, but if you care to catch up on the random adventures of the Snyder Clan you're welcome too.  Enjoy!!