*****
"Mom come see, come see," Olive runs into the laundry room and tugs on my skirt. "Come see Mama!"
"What Babe?"
"There's fairies in the air! Come see!"
"Fairies? really?"
"Yeah, come see! There's fairies flying everywhere!"
I'm bent over, stuffing clothes stained with marshmellows and barbecue sauce, dog hair and pine needles, into the washing machine having just returned from four nights camping in Seward.
"Hold on Sweetie, I'll come in a sec." Olive gallops out the back door.
"There aren't fairies in the air," Elias says without looking up from the numbers on the washing machine.
"She's pretending Bud. She sees all the cotton flying from the Cottonwood trees and in her imagination it looks like fairies.
"Oh. But they aren't really fairies."
"Come see." I take his hand and we walk together into the warm Alaskan sunshine, the air filled with summer snow.
"Fairies! Fairies!" Olive dances around the yard. "Can we catch them?"
"We can try."
Olive runs after the cotton, her arms in the air.
Elias looks up at me and smiles.
*****
*****
After another camping trip in Seward, I water our front flower garden, parched from days without rain. I hear the front door open but don't turn around till I hear, "Mom, I just peed right here."
Olive squats beneath our lilac tree, her bare bottom facing Logan Street. "Olive we're home now, you can pee in the toilet."
"No, I don't want to." She says and pulls up her shorts only to run back inside to watch Dinosaur Train.
Ten minutes later, she leaps out the front door again, and I look up in time to see her spit in the grass. My three-year-old daughter gives me a proud grin and says, "That was me. I spit."
That's my girl.
******
PS. And of course I need a picture with Elias. The two may not realize yet, but they are each other's best teachers
PPS. It's been one helluva summer.
PPPS. But I'm back.
Yay! Great to see you back.
Posted by: Dayna | 08/09/2013 at 03:05 PM
So glad you are back. Missed reading your blog. Hope you had a great summer. :-)
Posted by: Jenn | 08/09/2013 at 04:34 PM
I missed you!!! sending you a big warm hug and looking forward to your gorgeous words spinning though my mind all fall. xoxo
Posted by: Louise | 08/09/2013 at 05:51 PM
Great pictures! It has been an awesome summer! We'd love to see you & the fam soon! Ready for work?
Posted by: Stacey | 08/09/2013 at 06:14 PM
Very glad to see you back, but glad too you had a break and very glad about the real vacation.
Posted by: Sarah Lynn | 08/10/2013 at 02:55 AM
Welcome back. Thinking of you. Xo
Posted by: Sloane Rhulen | 08/10/2013 at 07:54 AM
You were missed.
Posted by: Jenna | 08/10/2013 at 07:41 PM
Great Pictures ! Glad you're back !
Posted by: Mary Ellen | 08/10/2013 at 08:07 PM
you have been missed! Your kids look so big in those pictures! xo
Posted by: fleming | 08/11/2013 at 12:08 AM
So happy for a great summer for you and for your return!
Posted by: Kimberly | 08/11/2013 at 06:00 PM
The funny thing is I've been writing to you all in my head all summer long so i feel like I've kinda been here all along but then I realize i haven't actually put any of my thoughts into print. Feeling refreshed and ready to return. More real soon!
Posted by: Christy | 08/11/2013 at 07:08 PM
welcome back :)
Posted by: nerissa | 08/12/2013 at 03:24 AM
YEA!!! So glad you're back. Missed your writing and your beautiful kids.
Posted by: Kate | 08/12/2013 at 01:13 PM
It looks like I'm a little late to the party, but I'm so glad you're back!
Posted by: kc | 08/26/2013 at 07:10 PM