Forgive me readers, for I have lapsed..it has been..gulp...17 days since my last post. We are slowly getting used to the new normal around here, now that I am back to work. I am in my final stages of training, and should be dealing with things on my own by the end of the week...SO much stuff to remember, technical manuals and there is the whole getting used to using a PC thing, but I really am enjoying it.
So, what have you missed...
Bug had a birthday this past weekend...she turned NINE (how did that happen so quickly?) and we celebrated with family. She wanted a pretty, girlie cake, and was very happy with what I came up with...
She had her best friend Roo sleep over and spent the following day at the mall with Roo and her Mother (who has the patience of a saint!). Perfect way to turn 9.
The big present for her was tickets to go see Little House on the Prairie the Musical...and we went last night. It was at The Fox in downtown Detroit, and it was the first time that Bug had ever been there. I thought her eyes were going to pop out of her head when she stepped inside...gasping and ohhh-ing over the ornate grand hall, which was decorated for Christmas. It was stunning, and I loved being able to share that with her. THe performance itself was wonderful. The cast, including Melissa Gilbert in the role of "Ma", did an incredible job of bringing the stories to life, with minimal sets...lots of tableau and imagination. When Laura kissed Almanzo for the first time, the crowd broke into wild applause....It was the best gift I could think of for Bug at this time in her life...theatre, and and the chance to see the stories she loves brought to life. It reminded me of when my Grandma took me to see the stories of Winnie The Pooh set to music and put on stage. I will never forget that feeling, and I hope that Bug carries the memories of last night in her heart forever.
Little House has been more than just stories for us here. As we worked our way through the books, reading aloud in the living room for the whole family, it gave us the chance to talk about living simply. Living in a time when if you wanted something, you had to make it yourself. The stories help reinforce the message that we have been trying to put into practice here over the last year. I have been trying to teach Bug (and Man-child too when he isn't busy being a teenager) things that my Grandmothers taught me...skills that have been lost to many generations. When, in the LHOTP books, they talk about making rugs and candles and everyday items, we have been looking at, and in most cases trying those skills. Braiding rugs and the newest thing..Tatting are great ways to spend time in the evening. We want to try making our own cheese pioneer style, which of course brings us around to food. Money has been tight here, and I have had to become even more creative than normal when it comes to meals....no longer do my children think that dinner needs to be a huge spread. Reading about the times when families had to go without has been a valuable lesson for my own children (and the adults too) and it makes us appreciate what we have even more.
Yes, the new normal is a lot simpler that what I thought it would be, but in the end I think it is better for all of us. It is making us appreciate the better things, like family and love..not that we did not before, but now it just seems...even better.
Just so you know it isn't just Pioneer days...we did get the chance to get all dressed up and attend a masquarade ball for a dear friends birthday...it was a great time and Bug loved getting all dressed up in her frilly smock (what little girls doesn't..and the chance to wear feathers on your face?)
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