Happy Easter

(I didn't realize until I put these together just how focused these kids were on their morning Easter basket surprises!)

Our two 'popcorn' trees are bursting with blossoms, and our tree lined street is just starting the neon stage as the leaves get ready to start the new season. We've had a busy week of activities -- a capoeira performance at the school, and a Kindergarten club orientation night, Jordan helping with blessings at the hospital, condo rental work, soccer practices, a date + babysitter (!)…and  a whirlwind weekend hosting a baby shower for Jenny, a Brazilian picnic (expertly made by Jordan), a little Easter program for primary singing time, an Easter celebration with some neighbors/friends after church, and an Easter dinner with friends tonight - phewph!

Now we're feeling ready for a quieter, warm Springtime week to  enjoy the sunshine and blossoms and our little ones.  

Ellie's quiet time activity

Ellie's quiet time creations today

Can't decide which one you want? You want Ellie's invention, the all-screen --

"It can do anything - it can take pictures and you can watch movies and you can call people and you can go to work with it.  It can do anything!"

fresh start

My poor raspberry patch! It will be beautiful again soon, I know!

A friend asked us for a few raspberry starts from our garden, so I finally went out to the patch yesterday to see what kind of state it was in. And goodness, it needed a lot of work. Though I've looked at it every day right there beside Jordan's office shed, I was still so surprised to see what a mess it was and how sadly neglected it had become! I have a feeling that I may continue to find more little corners of my life in a similar state in the coming weeks and months.

Little Porter has finally started to sleep just a little bit better, and though not quite like the spark I remember feeling in the past, I do feel like I'm just waking up a little bit more. With a definite back and forth in 'I can do great things' and 'oh, I wish I could do even just the little things.'  But what a perfect time with the beautiful Spring world around, also waking up slowly, maybe even a little cautiously too.

I just read a wonderful post yesterday from a favorite blogger. And once again, I felt like she'd gathered up my thoughts and wrapped them up beautifully with her own words.  It gave me just what I needed to recommit to this little space of my blog that I love.

Spring is coming (more evidence)

A February game of croquet (with Lubbock-style grass :)

Jordan and the kids are outside playing croquet - a follow up activity after our kitchen floor mini movie ('Up' in Portuguese) and pizza party. (I eat breakfast on our dining room floor every morning too, because it's much easier to sit beside Porter on the floor than to hold him at the table :)

Jordan also took the kids for a bikeride to Lee's for his lunchbreak today (a late Tuesday flowers errand), and on another walk/bikeride after work too!

We never know quite what to do with ourselves when it's too cold for adventuring, so now we are just loving these warm days!!

Spring is coming

2 cute kiddos, Spring 2011

The last few days Ellie and Owen have been chanting again and again, "Spring is coming! Spring is coming!" And it certainly feels true! Tiny little green shoots are making their way up in our front planter, the grass is snow-free (I still can't believe this! Our neighbor was out mowing his lawn today - so crazy!), the kids have played outside for 3 days in a row (without jackets!), we've taken a few family walks, and our thermostat almost hit 6o degrees. Whoa. These are exciting days :)

'preschool time'

(A rare official 'school time' activity)

I thought for Ellie's last year of preschool time, we'd be doing something very structured and well planned with daily learning objectives, art projects, a nice mix of group/independent work...

we haven't :)

and it's been just fine. Preschool this year has been reading stories while I feed Porter, and listening to Ellie read stories back to me. Or making lunch while we talk about 'What would happen if...' Math questions while I do her hair in the mornings, "What if it were 6:41? How many minutes would you have before bedtime?" An occasional real 'school time' activity where Ellie pretends she's 6 and usually plans a great 'show and tell' and we do some little activity or game. More often, it is practicing fractions while we bake muffins,  answering "How do you spell..." questions while she writes sweet notes at the kids craft table,  some Portuguese practice (from Ellie, "Let's pretend we live in Brazil and we have to say all the words that we know in português"), playing Zingo or doing puzzles with Owen, and on the spot 'homework' while Landon works on his after school checklist. 

I was reminded of the funnyness of our school time yesterday when Ellie brought me a paper plate and asked me to make her homework. And I fielded questions from Owen and Landon,  juggled Porter from knee to knee, trading places back and forth with my pencil and plate while Ellie closed her eyes in front of me waiting for the homework surprise and  I made that plate into a two-sided, draw-a-sun worksheet. One side with a 10 in the middle and math questions around the edges: draw a line to the equations that equal 10. The other side had 'ing' in the middle and Ellie drew a line to the letters or letter combinations around the edge that could make words - bring, king, thing... 

Most of all, Ellie just loves to be close to Mom. Yesterday morning Porter took a great nap and I took the chance to clean out the laundry room. Ellie followed close behind as I took trips around the house putting things away. "I love to be with my mãe" she said "We could play hide and seek and you could be the hider and I would always find you!" And truly, wherever I am during the day, little Ellie  will find me. I'm grateful for these days when she is so happy just to be close by.

A Fond Farewell

An Animoto clad Porter, 6 months old and happy

Jordan almost didn't work at Animoto. A tech recruiter had sent him their way, and after a round of interviews, I'd tried to convince Jordan not to worry about finishing up the programming samples they'd given him since we were most definitely not planning on a move to New York.  But he did finish those problems and he wowed them enough that they decided to try out remote work and offered him a job. Jordan's dream of working from home came true and he jumped in, excited as can be.  They flew out our family (of 3!) and while Jordan met the team for the first time,  I explored the mile-square city of Hoboken and enjoyed a few NYC sights with 2-year-old Landon and his trusty monkey pack. And so began our new adventurous life with Animoto... a path that we never would have imagined for ourselves and one we have felt again and again so grateful for.

And now, after an intense round of applications and interviews,  a new adventure awaits. In just a couple of weeks Jordan will start his new job at Bonobos. Another great NYC company and we hope another new and wonderful journey for our family.

from Jordan's farewell response to the company

When Animoto hired me I felt like the luckiest person in the world.  Now, five and half years later, I still feel that way. :)  Animoto has changed my life in a million wonderful ways and of course "Animoto" means all of you!  I don't know if I've ever met anyone who has been as happy in their job as I have in mine, and that's because of how patient, kind, helpful, and brilliant you all are. 

Thank you all for putting up with a guy who has at times worked out of a treehouse. ;)  From phone conferences, to "JordanTV", to Google Hangouts, I so appreciate everyone's willingness to go the extra mile to make Animoto feel like home even from 2,000 miles away.  And thank you in particular to Brad, Jason, Stevie and Tom for founding a company with a culture that has been as awesome as its product.  I wouldn't hesitate for a minute to recommend Animoto to anyone looking for a fantastic place to work and I know you will all keep it that way. 

My family and I will continue to be loyal Animoto users, so please keep the stream of great improvements rolling in!  Also, my parents still live in the SF Bay Area and my next job is still in New York so expect some visits from me every now and then! :D 

Thanks again for everything and please do keep in touch. 

Best,
Jordan