the ballerina butterfly and cyberman

Oh, hi there!  Remember me?  No?  I'm Ruthie.  I write blog posts here.  Sometimes.  After a humongous break, thanks to busy times around here, I am back and ready to use this space again to document my family's adventures and share recipes and fun little things.  And to kick it all off, I have our Halloween pictures to share.

Rowan likes to combine ideas into one costume Two years ago was she was a fairy princess. Last year- princess bride. This year she couldn't decide between a butterfly or a ballerina, so she combined them.  Honestly?  I'm was just ecstatic she didn't choose to be Elsa from Frozen.  Not that I have anything against Elsa, but I could have EASILY lost her in the crowd if that's what she had been.  Fletcher vacillated between a Lego guy, a Minecraft guy, or a Cyberman from Dr. Who for months before settling on Cyberman.  I truly enjoy creating their costumes, but I cheated this year and ordered both of the masks that they are wearing.  The rest of Rowan's costume just involved gathering elements.  Fletcher's, however, was a little bit trickier.  I got the idea to cut pieces of silver contact paper to adhere to a grey sweatsuit, but Brian was the genius that sewed it all on so that it wouldn't peel off.  Brian is a costume maestro.  His Brawny-man costume was pretty great, too, since it involved items we already had around!

I'm completely biased, but I thought the costumes were the best I saw.  Halloween night was super frosty, so we had to wear wings over puffy coats and fleece under cyber-clothes.  But these kiddos were such troopers and completed their mission to fill up their bags with goodies.  Can I just ask why no one gives out chocolate anymore??  I don't want to steal smarties and dum-dums from their stash after they're asleep!

I hope everyone had a safe and happy Halloween night!  How is it November already?

interview for father's day III

Is Papa your best buddy or your best friend?
Fletcher: Both.

What does Papa look like? 
Fletcher: I don't really know.  

What does Papa do as an Army guy?
Fletcher: Well, um, I don't see him a lot at the Army base, so I don't really know.

What is your favorite thing to do with Papa?

Fletcher: Can I say something I used to do with Papa?  Well, Metra, which I used to ride on with Papa, is my favorite train.  (Metra is a commuter train we used to take into downtown Chicago when we lived outside the city)

If you could go anywhere with Papa where would you go?

Fletcher: I'd go to um, ahh, ummmmmmm, a factory.  No, no, no.  I don't really know.

What is your favorite food that Papa makes you to eat?

Fletcher: Bacon!

What does Papa do when you cry?

Fletcher: I forgot about that.  I forget what he does.

How does Papa make you happy?

Fletcher: *shrugs* I don't really remember.  I don't know.

What do you love best about Papa?
Fletcher: Everything!

What is your favorite place you've ever gone with Papa?
Fletcher: Everywhere that I go with Papa is my favorite.

What do you love more, Papa or donuts?
Fletcher: Papa!

*Blogger's note here: we found out later in the day that Fletcher was sick with strep, so it was difficult getting the answers out of him.  Poor guy was so lethargic and out of it.

Is Papa your best buddy or your best friend?

Rowan: Best friend.

What does Papa look like? 
Rowan: an Army guy and he goes to work.

What does Papa do as an Army guy?
Rowan: He works.

What is your favorite thing to do with Papa?

Rowan:  Hmmm.  Buy toys!

What is your favorite thing to do with Papa?

Rowan:  Hmmm.  Buy toys!

If you could go anywhere with Papa where would you go?

Rowan:  Hmmm.  To the flower store!

What is your favorite food that Papa makes you to eat?

Rowan: Pancakes!

What does Papa do when you cry?

Rowan: He hugs me.  He kisses me.

What do you love best about Papa?
Rowan:  Is about he puts sprinkles on my cake!

 What is your favorite place you've ever gone with Papa?

Rowan: To Sonic!

What do you love more, Papa or donuts?
Rowan: (long pause, then whispers) Papa.  But I love donuts, too.

you can read last year's interviews here and the year before here

mini getaway

 Back in February, Brian and I had a weekend away planned for my birthday.  We had planned for a B&B stay in the Missouri wine country.  Which is certainly less inspiring than California wine country, but suitably close and convenient.  And if you know me at all, you know my favorite type of wine is suitably close and convenient!  But Rowan came down with a viral rash and was just feeling pretty yuck, so we postponed.  And it was probably a good idea since things look a bit more green and floral this time of year.

 The grounds of the wineries were lovelier than I expected, and the tours of the cellars was downright delightful.  At the risk of shocking you, my favorite part was the actual tasting.  Which is why I don't have any pictures of that part, besides a quick selfie from my phone.

 The cellars were covered in black spots where portabella mushrooms were grown in lieu of casks of wine during prohibition.

 The town was quaint and pretty, but it also felt empty, which was surprising for Memorial Day weekend.  But we enjoyed the quiet away from the kiddos for a couple of days.  Brian still managed to make friends everywhere we went, despite the thin crowds.  He's such a social guy, and is so friendly and curious about other people, while I tend to take a while to warm up to others.  He balances me out so well, and getting away together was a great reminder of just how much I need him around.

 We ate good food, drank decent wine, and reconnected on our quick trip away.  You can't really ask for more on a weekend trip.  Brian even found a dog or two to love on.

If you ever find yourself in the middle of Missouri, Hermann is a great little German town just to the west of St. Louis.  But if you're listening, Army, a duty station near Napa wouldn't go unappreciated.  Just saying.

11

Last Saturday was our 11 year wedding anniversary!  I can't believe how quickly the years stream by.  I know I say it all the time, but I'm pretty sure I'll look back on my 30's and wonder where the heck they went.  Days spent cooking, cleaning after littles (getting bigger), school drop offs and pickups, overflowing laundry baskets, and carving out time with the kiddos make the days feel so long.  But the years are short, my friends!  These short years have been the best, though, and every bump and bend in our marriage has just made it stronger.  The early days of surprise and learning about each other have made way to a softer, more love-worn knowing of each other.  And that's what makes this marriage my soft place to land.   It's been a blessed 11 years.  It hasn't always been easy, and sometimes life has really battered our souls.  But we've been lucky to have each other.  Here's to many more years of hardship and happiness, pain and joy, loss and love, and the wisdom to see the beauty in it all.

birthday man

It was Brian's birthday the other day, and he spent it like any other adult does.  He went to work.  But, Fletcher decided we should surprise Papa by showing up at his work with balloons.  He's pretty much the most thoughtful boy ever.  So we did just that, and even took him out for a very fancy lunch at Jimmy John's.  Nothing but the best for Papa!  When I asked what kind of cake he wanted, he told me a Batman cake (he was joking).  Rowan insisted that a princess cake would make Papa happiest, but Fletcher thought a Dr Who cake would be the best.  What can I say?  I'm a people pleaser.

We all love you, Brian!  Hope your birthday was even a fraction of how special you are to us.

the ball

Over the weekend, Brian's Army base hosted a Father Daughter Ball.  Knowing Rowan's intense love for pretty dresses and dancing, we knew she'd love to go.  I actually thought it was all a little silly, all this fuss for a 3 year old.  But then Brian told me that the idea behind these balls is for the little girls to understand the way they should be treated by the men in their future lives.  Now that's an idea I can get behind!  We waited to tell Rowan about the ball a week before, and then made a calendar for her to cross off the days.  She has never, and I mean NEVER been more excited for anything!  It was so sweet watching her and Brian together, getting ready and posing for pictures.  Brian and Rowan even picked out that dress together when we were in Chicago.  It's a good thing for my purple-sparkle-loving girl that I wasn't with them at the time, but as it turns out, it did look pretty on her.  Even if it's not my cup of tea, it's definitely hers!

And I could not narrow down the pictures any more than this, so forgive me for the self-indulgent amount of pictures.

 

 She looked quite sweet, and I do believe that husband of mine gets more and more handsome each year that passes.

Fletcher and I had our own Mama-boy date.  We went to see the Lego Movie (my first time, his second) and then went out to dinner together.  It was a treasure for me to spend time alone with him, hearing his thought and conversations uninterrupted by Rowan.

I look at these two kiddos and realize just how good we've got it.  One day I won't have to remind myself daily of the blessings in my life, but for now, these gentle reminders are doing my heart so good.