love on a brick red couch

Winter: it ushers in important celebration days, one after the next. We have names for them all of course -- but at the core, they honor the same thing: the love of being together, eating together, sharing, playing, talking, watching the kids do their amazing thing.

Sunday nearly always has family in it, but today, it is rich with little guys and big guys, right from the wee hours of the morning.  I'm up very early. At least it must be early because no one is stirring. Not even Primrose who typically is up with the sun. Well okay! I have lots of cooking to do!

I begin with Meyer Lemon bars. I'd worked on the crust yesterday. Now I just make the filling -- lots of eggs, lemon juice, lemon rind, sugar. Add a little flour and you're done. Into the oven it goes. Oh! here comes Primrose to help!







Somewhere in there I take a pause to have a bowl of oatmeal with my daughter...






And then the house gets really full, really lively, really jovial. Snowdrop comes with her family and initially, she jumps into play with her toy babes, but she quickly abandons them, because today, there are so many real ones to keep us busy!






You already saw baby Primrose. Here's baby Sparrow!






I want an update of the photo I have of my girls with their kids. Okay! The newest version!






And now it's brunch time. Shakshuka with eggs, back by popular demand.






This is Primrose's first taste of a tart baked by grandma. We thought she'd pucker her face at the lemony taste. Nope. She likes it!






Snowdrop loved playing the Orchard game at Christmas. She is thrilled that we can play it again now.






Primrose may be too young for the game, but she is not too young to play music!






Sparrow is impressed.






Eventually, after food, naps and games, the Chicago family packs up to leave. Little girl, keep doing what you're doing -- it's thrilling to watch you grow!






In the late afternoon, there is an hour of quiet at the farmhouse. I'm glad it doesn't last long. It's too tough to go from three kids tugging at your skirts to complete quiet. I am so happy to be fixing dinner, the regular old Sunday dinner for the Madison guys!

Snowdrop and her dad...






Sparrow and his mom...






Shrimp with veggies in green mole, with taco shells ...





More lemon bars, fruits, one more new game to play and then it's done. Weekend behind us, beautiful memories remain.

Looking back now, I think how much this weekend really did belong to the kids. It's no surprise that I want to end with an image of the awesome threesome.  Here's one of my favorite shots of them from today: they look like they really are on the same team!  

We few, we happy few, we are a band of cousins!





Love, on a brick red couch.