Giving Rides

I'm just going to pretend I've been blogging regularly and jump right in with a story from something that happened this month: I took Arwen out on a practice drive, because she needs some 30 hours of driving logged to get her license.  We made it to the grocery store and were headed home.  As we pulled out of the parking lot Arwen looked to the left and pulled out making a right turn onto the street.  

 In theory, all was fine.  In reality, she had looked left from the stop sign at the exit to the parking lot. The stop sign was placed before the sidewalk.  So, once we were in motion from the stop sign, there were probably 8 feet to the actual road.  Having glanced left from so far back, I anticipated a pause at the actual street to look FAR left and confirm that there were indeed no oncoming cars.

Now, there were no oncoming cars.  But I was very surprised at the lack of pause and lack of clear view before gunning it onto the street.  These are things that sort of take you by surprise when you are teaching your first child to drive.  So, I tried to explain this to Arwen, quickly and earnestly, which came across as....angry yelling.

"If you want a ride Just ask us"

Arwen was confused, because she HAD looked, and indeed, there were no cars.  But I was adamant about driving this lesson home (no pun intended.)  So, my voice grew more...earnest.  Poor Arwen was now stressed, and still driving, now, through a red light!  "STOP!!! RED LIGHT!!" I screamed, well past the white line.

Arwen screeched to a halt.  It was at train tracks.  And Arwen thought we were going to be hit by a train.  She pretty much had a panic attack and made it home, refusing to let me speak and refusing to ever drive again.  Yes, I had scarred my child for life.

Luckily we have a close and loving relationship.  Luckily I realized that I totally played a role in the very difficult, um, driving lesson that afternoon.  We spoke at length about every detail of that drive.  And then we devised a new plan.  We would start from scratch, first in parking lots, then on quiet back roads.  We'd work our way up as if starting from zero and we wouldn't attempt intersections or tricky driving situations until we were VERY ready for them.  

Legolas and Bilbo were offering "rides" the other afternoon.  Piggy back rides.  I think that those are much more my speed!

7QT Happy New Year!

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I asked Galadriel to snap a pic through our car window: can you see the red fox eating a rabbit?!

It was super pretty, I'm sorry the picture is too burry to really see.  I have lived in this house for 10 years and I STILL marvel at the wildlife that we get to see, city girl that I am.

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Today I hit the local gymnastics gym with my sister and her twins.  This was the first time I have been there this winter, the first time since I was there LAST winter, the day BEFORE the twins were born via emergency c-section.  My sister was having contractions and scaring me to death.  My brother-in-law stopped in to check on his wife during his lunch break.  We were all on pins and needles (all except my sister, who was in denial up to the very moment of c-section!)  And today, watching these little peanuts scoot around on mats on their bellies, it all came back to me.  What an occasion!

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Winter sunshine in the schoolroom

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Lunch out with my girls. 

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Someone decked Reina with holly on Christmas.

 Cute, but hard to catch with the camera!

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Bonnets.  Being cooped up for long cold winter days, we get reeeeal creative.  Galadriel discovered that you can create fetching bonnets if you put scarves over baseball caps.

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Someone is 18 months!  

I told myself that I'd stop tracking his age in months at 18 months.  Now I'm thinking I'll stop when he's 2.  Can you put up with me until he's 24 months old?  I hope so!

Sammy has a favorite blanket, which I think is the cutest thing in the entire world.  He won't let anyone else use it, and he gives it hugs.

 He also has a favorite hang-out.  It's in the little space in my husband's kneeler.  He loves to crawl into that little hole and play.  I'm out of time or I'd gush more profusely!