Banana-grams play football

William doesn't slow down very often, so it is mid-sentence when he confesses he needs to use the restroom.  It leaves very little time to get there.  "I think I will build a..I-need-to-go-potty!!"  We dash upstairs, giggling all the way.  Sometimes he doesn't say anything and continues to play, crossing his ankles while standing up, bending over if he has to.  It is hard to get him to quit playing.  At the moment he is playing with banana-grams "My 'lil letters."  He is pretending one of them is Adrian Peterson running and crushing and getting touch-down!  When Wesley wakes up he will want to put 'lil letters in his mouth and I will have to find a new toy that is just as fun as football banana-grams.  Until then, there is an epic football game playing out on our couch in the form of letter tiles.

Home & Sick

     From the back of the car during a lull in conversation William lets us know, "I'm busy so I need to go home."  These are times I feel lost in communication--William's words mean something different from our words.  But I can understand feeling busy just sitting in a car.  Every minute my head runs through every possibility.  I sometimes let myself feel helpless in the knowledge of how much I want to do but how little I can actually do.  The great wide open days are quickly filled.  Being self-employed, self-critical and self-motivated can be a disastrous combination when you throw in all the responsibilities of home life.  So, although my life seems quite uncomplicated and it may appear I'm just in the back seat looking out the window, I am quite earnest in saying, "I'm busy so I need to go home."
    There was a horrible shooting again in our neighborhood last week, but no one was hurt.  Home is, for the most part, very peaceful and restful.  And it is a place of memories.  Wesley helps me relax into a chair, reading every single book in our collection.  He walks with his hands in the air, still waddling a little but secure now.  His hair is getting longer and curls in the back.  He shouts, "Bop! Bop!" and runs for a book on the other side of the room.  He brings it back to the chair and pulls himself up on to my lap.  This is home.  He curls up into my arm and tells me everything I need to know about this book.  "Dat!"  "Dis!"  Yes, Wesley.  You know so many things.  I love you.
     Here are some special times with those two beautiful boys:

A warm September day at a park.  Days of short-sleeves seem like ages ago already.

William and Wesley enjoyed some free-time before our gig at The Coffee Grounds.  They have a full stage of toys.  Sort of a musician Mom's dream-land.

Rachel Crooks at the piano.  We have a drummer now--Jeff.  He is hiding behind the post.

I attended a "Draw the Line" event and added a bit of my own art to the human line in protest of the Keystone XL pipeline.  Of course!

This is a new look for me.

Wesley enjoys an apple at our CSA farm--Common Harvest.  Unfortunately, it attracted a bee who stung his hand.  Poor guy!

The boys loved the draft horses at Common Harvest.  We fed them our apple cores.

We put together pizzas for the outdoor fire oven.  DELICIOUS!

I was so sick at this gig at Acadia in Minneapolis.  I was so sick for the whole month of October, in fact.  But it was nice to be forced out of the house.  I was drinking a lot of tea with honey to croak out a few songs that night.  It went well.

Our new drummer Jeff also plays banjo!  

My camera was broken so it's really fuzzy, but I like how rock-girl this looks. :)

Our gig at Jeromeo's Studio.  There were a lot of antiquities from East Asia to sing to.

Wesley likes E.C.F.E. a lot.  

William and Wesley are finally almost peers now and chase each other around the playground.  William of course pretends to be slow, but I love how to watch how well they can play together.

We went down Grand Ave. with cousin Everett and Aunt Aubray for Harvest Day which is pretty much a celebration of Halloween but is healthier for kids because they don't hand out candy.  We stopped at a petting zoo.

The rabbits were Wesley's favorite.

Wesley and Everett are already pals.

I hosted a group of piano teacher/moms at my house.  It was really fun to have so many kids and moms at our house playing and talking together!

The aspiring musician.

Anything can be a microphone.  His favorite vegetable, broccoli.

"The Green Park" is famous for making us happy.

One of those rare times we're all out and get someone else to take a picture. :)

We took Halloween seriously.  Zac and our friend Jeff were the best scarers in the neighborhood.  William takes cover in a laundry basket.

Rachel takes cover in an umbrella.

Mom's night out was epic.  So fun to hang out with friends!

William had high hopes for his gourd in the pumpkin decorating contest at the Farmer's Market.  

We spent over a half hour in the cold decorating this beauty.

The boys did NOT understand the point of dunking your face in a bowl of water for an apple.  Apple bobbing was a failure.  You can just pick it up with your hand, Mommy!  Silly Mommy.

A big box became a house.  Then a rocket.  Then a boat.  It's currently a car.  Zac helped create this beauty.

Dad--dream-builder!

William was planning to be a dragon for Halloween, but the dragon costume no longer fit.  He changed to Pirate, and then again to Elmo.  We settled on Elmo and Wesley became a dragon.

Everett, Wesley and William are ready to hit the street!

We travelled up north to my parents and back during two naps--Friday and Saturday's.

On the way back we stopped in Elk River and spent some time throwing rocks into the water and playing with sticks.

Then came our first snow!  It did not go unnoticed by this household!

The first snowman of the season.

My snow baby.

So, I continue to try to balance performing and teaching and being a mom.  Sometime they all go together.

     I am still keeping a comfortable distance from facebook.  I am thinking a lot about community--our need for a close community and our need for autonomy, specialization and space seem to be at odds in modern culture.  In previous generations our families lived, worked, worshiped and spent free time with the same group of people--whether or not you liked them.  Today we can be choosier about our friendships, work in a specialized field, pray in the sanctuary of our choice, and live wherever darn well you please as long as you can afford the mortgage and don't mind the commute.  Our family has become a bit insular.  We make extra effort to see friends on the weekend, but we are mostly just with our immediate families.  It's perhaps easier that way, but my heart aches for the "village."  It is wonderful to hear from those of you who read the blog and feel a connection there.  We are so happy to be just a little family but it is nice to feel like you are a part of a much bigger family all living life the best way you know how!