Out went the lights

Last night our power went out for the whole night. We ate dinner by candle light and made Valentines with wax and colored paper.

Here is part of dinner including handmade rustic bread with Texas grapefruit (Jealous, yet? I strive have one of those blogs. You know, the ones that put a pretty light on total chaos and make it look glamorous.)

Paper hearts stuck together with wax. Kids love wax. I love wax. Who doesn't love playing with warm wax? It's a texture thing.

Just a singin' and a cutting. That basically sums up my Little Bird.

And she has the best profile -- baby facial proportions that make my brain's hard wiring respond with major love and affection. It's all chemistry, at the end of the day.

Here is Xanny emerging from the Amaryllis flower. We have all watched this flower ever since Christmas rocket up and bloom the perfect color of Chinese Red.

Xanny by candlelight looking like he has something really important on his mind. At the time he was working out the philosophical problem of Chocolate VS Banana Creamy in his head. It's tough being six.

When my kids are my age, I hope this is how they remember their childhood kitchen -- covered with good food and good light. Jumbled piles of crafts, catsup and botany that feed their bodies and brains with possibilities. I hope Xan grows up to be comfortable kneading his own bread and finds a warm wife who will ignore the dishes to string bead with their kids.

Zina, I know, will be a much more meticulous house keeper than I am. She already organizes her little kitchen daily and sings while she sweeps. Always the lady, she only wears dresses and recently set aside a couple "plain" frocks that she has deemed Peasant-Princess clothes. These are the dresses void of pink tulle and gold threads and worn by all major princesses during their "clean-the-house" phase of life. How long will she remember the fun of being a Peasant-Princess? I have to say that I really enjoy sifting the lentils from the pebbles, even with out the help of magical ants. (Now, where did I put my tiara?)