blue sky, outside and strong girl

Really? It's been that long? February 17? Wow. I feel like I went underwater there for a bit, and have resurfaced, thank you very much.

We went to the library a week ago Friday and then down to Hemming Plaza for lunch al fresco and a bit of the old urban experience. We'll take it where we can get it here. It was one of those magically beautiful winter Florida days, blue blue sky, warm sun, cool air, perfect. The children couldn't have been more beautiful, more fun, or more darling if they'd tried.

Today my darling children took the art table out back for some al fresco painting and drawing. It was, of course, another perfect winter Florida day. I was talking to a friend of mine up in Iowa City and I said, you won't believe this but it's like 75 degrees here. I forget how warm Florida is compared to most of the rest of the country. She, however, did not. Anyhoo, we were busy doing chore type stuff, just having a home day, and Magdalena and Augustus were having the ultimate day of free play. The art table soon became a soaked by the water colors, and then it morphed into an experiment involving tensile strength, water and butcher paper, then a clean up project, all with zero input from the mama.

I was with a friend back in NM and he asked me, as he watched M. and A. run around giggling maniacally and having a ball with each other, "do they always get along like this?" to which I answered, yeah, basically. Don't get me wrong, they do fight a bit, but for the most part, they are best friends. Magdalena announced the other morning, as she hugged Augustus on the couch, that she loved him the best of all. Better, she made sure to qualify, than me, than papa, than abuela, than anybody. Yep, that was the verdict, Magdalena loves Augustus best of all. To which I say bravo.

And finally, what Magdalena has dubbed "strong girl". As in,"mama watch. I'm doing strong girl". Which is her shimming up the door jam, a la a rock climber in a chimney, until her head reaches the top. My oh my, but what a strong girl.