Bon Voyage

Today's the big day! Those of you who are friends with me on facebook might have seen the mountain of suitcases Dan posted. I won't be redundant and post it here (for time's sake).

I actually slept well last night (and so did both kids, thankfullly!!), so I feel rested. Just starting to actually feel nervous. But that will pass. I'm thankful for the many trips we've taken to Lancaster. At least the idea of going somewhere else and sleeping in other beds won't be too overwhelming for Edwin. Last night I was thinking just how much he loves his bed and felt a twinge of sadness that he won't sleep in it for a while. It'll pass and we'll have his favorite bedtime/naptime/anytime stuffed animal/blankie.

I'll post sometime after we arrive. I'm sure you'll hear from us on facebook first.

Happy Monday, Friends!

Back Packs

Dan and I got new backpacks for our upcoming trip,

and Edwin enjoyed wearing them around the house.

(The backwards hat was his idea - he wore it most of the day. And as a side note, we passed some pre-teen boys on bikes and skateboards at the park today, and I couldn't help but think that Edwin didn't look that much different from them - just smaller and cuter.)

I was thinking it would be nice to have a small one for him, so instead of buying one, I decided to make one. I searched around online a bit and found a pattern and tutorial (I love the access to other people's ideas and creativity!) for a toddler-sized backpack. I was able to make it from materials I had on hand. Thanks, Indietutes! I added a few things from the original pattern including a back zippered pocket, front elastic pockets, a lining and velcro closure, and I made the straps wider. Edwin thought I should make one for Elena too.

(That's a sticker on the top - not part of the actual fabric. He got it today after getting a vaccine for the trip.)

Think he'll actually keep it on while traveling??

Hungry, Anyone?

I joined the masses and read The Hunger Games (and it's 2 sequels) the other week. I didn't actually know how popular the book was when I read it. After finishing it, I thought it seemed like the kind of book that would be turned into a movie, but had no clue about it. A day or two later, I learned that the movie was soon coming out in the theaters. Sometimes I just a little out of the loop when it comes to pop culture.

I can't get the books out of my mind. The premise is pretty barbaric - adolescents fighting to the death in an arena for the entertainment of the wealthy, spoiled Capitol city residents in a fictitious future nation. I keep thinking how this book illustrates the social and economic disparity in our world today. The heroine of the book comes from one of the poorest areas where families rarely have enough to eat and wear, and old age and a little extra weight gain is seen as a good thing because it implies you are wealthy, or at least have enough. Compare that to the people from "The Capitol" who spend their days frivolously, getting unnecessary cosmetic surgery,wearing crazy make up and getting upset when they can't find just the right food for a party they're throwing. Oh, and all the stuff they have is made by the residents of the poor people from the rest of the nation, the "Districts." One group lives in excess while many others go without.

Do the others reading this book see the parallels to our world? Aren't we in the US (and other developed nations) like The Capitol: we exploit other people so we can have stuff cheap and have it in abundance. I think of gasoline, electronics, clothing, etc. etc. And we are entertained by violence. Just reading or watching The Hunger Games is an example of that.

All I keep thinking is: what can I do differently, so that I can contribute less to the oppression of others?

Terrific Two Year Old

(grocery shopping)

This little guy turned 2 on Sunday. We had gone into the hospital the morning before he was born, so I was actually reminiscing on Saturday morning at 5 a.m. while nursing Elena - remembering how we had to go in ridiculously early in order to be induced.

I'm so thankful for Edwin's smiles and his ideas and how excited he gets when he sees construction vehicles and when he gets to hang out with some of his best friends. He loves to help me wash dishes and do any kind of baking and cooking. He loves digging in the sand and dirt outside. His vocabulary is growing by leaps and bounds, and it's amazing how excited I get when he says a new word or pronounces an old word more correctly. I get a kick out of how he caught onto us calling him Ned sometimes, and so that's how he refers to himself whenever he wants something or has done something mischievous.

Mama loves you, bud.