Ordinary Days

Lately, this little girl is the night nomad.  She likes to migrate to whichever sibling's room she feels least "scared" in.  That is often big brother's room.  She has a little crib mattress she'll move around, but on this night it apparently wasn't enough.  So glad her big brother is so nice to her.  (and of course she insists on wearing skirts, even to bed!  very much a little girl.)

 I'm still not getting much sleep but this little boy is worth it.  I could just eat him up.

These two insisted I bring my camera when I came out to see their creation.  I was glad I did.  Sure a pretty little creation, even if it involved the death of some of my flowers. :)

Love the ordinary moments, the little ones that make life so good!  Sometimes I am tempted to wait to enjoy them, you know, when the dishes are done or when I lose five pounds.  But then those sweet little moments will be gone!  No better time to enjoy them than right now.

I forgot to report last month on the goal that involved introducing the kids to good music (I have introduced them to classical music, just not other types).  It was a lot of fun.  I rediscovered old loves, like Cat Stevens, Carli Simon, and Gordon Lightfoot (reminds me of the time when I used to work on the Snake River!  Speaking of, we took a trip to Jackson that I will blog about some day soon!  So behind, so behind).  One of my favorite new discoveries is the band Five for Fighting...as well as re-discovering the classic sound of Frank Sinatra and others like him via new-love Pandora!  I also rediscovered why I haven't done more of this in the past-- some seemingly harmless songs have messages that are too mature for little ones.  But we're going to keep on.  We have had some fun times with the music cranked up and everyone dancing that I have recently wondered how I became such a old stiff momma before this part of the project.  Happy Monday!

Hold Your Little Ones a Little Longer

I am sorry for the silence on my end these days.  This has been the craziest summer I've had as a mom.  And there have been some unexpected twists and turns here and there.  Today was one of those.  I attended the kind of funeral you hope never to; it hit me full force as I watched a couple wheel out a tiny pine casket with yellow and blue flowers on its side.  My cousin's little eighteen month old daughter was killed in a tragic accident over the weekend.  I tell you, I just wasn't sure if I could do it.  I was starting to count the number of funerals I have been to that have involved family members over the last few years, and this makes number six.  I just couldn't bear the sadness, you know?  But then I decided that it would be better to show my support, and I was so glad I went.  Yes, it was so gut-wrenchingly sad!  So different from any other funeral I have been to.  I hope never to have to attend another one of its kind again.

So, hug your children a little tighter tonight, for me.  Drink in that beautiful little-one scent.  Play an extra five minutes, be a little more patient, offer a kind word.  Tragedy can strike any of us, at any time, no matter how vigilant we are.  These little ones are such gifts.  I don't want to take this day for granted.

Little Transitions and Letting Go

I was standing in my yellow plastic flip flops on asphalt running with tarred spider web lines.  I know, because I was looking at them.  The morning sun was up, barely, casting a golden glow on the group of scout-shirted young boys, who were piling their stuff in front of a big trailer and otherwise milling around and joking with each other.  I had butterflies or something making my stomach feel all fluttery or like there was a dead weight pulling downward on my heart.  My little boy isn't so little anymore!  Going on his first campout, almost five days, away from home!  Would he fit in with the other boys?  Would he drift off into a brain coma and fall off a cliff?  Would he remember to brush his teeth and wear sunscreen?  Would he have the guts to stand up to other boys if they ask him to do something he shouldn't?

I know I sound lame.  I know it.  I mean, is the world going to end if he doesn't brush his teeth for a week?  But really, these questions are just the tip of the iceberg, that lead to deeper questions really at the heart of my anxiety this morning.  He is on the cusp of adolescence, as we leave behind a familiar path and head into unknown territory, for both of us.  What will the changes bring?

Honestly, the teen years scare the beegeezes out of me.  Mostly because I remember my own struggles to find out who I was, search for peer acceptance and eventually find self acceptance, and see my own place in the world.  Those years of acne and braces, sorry, wouldn't go back, not in a million years.  Painful.  But they also taught me a lot, so I wouldn't take them away, either.  Maybe that is the elephant in the room that I'm ultimately afraid of.  Pain.  I don't want to watch my kids suffer.  Who does?  But some pain, well, just like weightlifting breaks down muscle cells in order to rebuild them in a stronger fashion, so to hard things make us stronger.  When the kids are little, protecting them is a full-time job.  But as they grow older, that protective role sort of fades, and one mut

Some more experienced mothers helped me feel better on this morning.  And then the boys all took their hats off and said a prayer, as the morning light wrapped itself around us and I felt myself suddenly knowing it would be okay.  Not only would it be okay, but it would be good.  It sure helped that the boy praying prayed that the boys would be safe, listen to their leaders, and work to include all of the boys (I wanted to give his mom a hug right then and there).  And you know what, it was a fantastic experience for him.  I will admit that I did have a little empty hole in my heart all week.  I really, really missed him.  So did the rest of the family.  It wasn't the same around here without his happy, pleasant personality.  (and he helps me a lot more than I realize!)

So, I decided that often the growing pains experiences of parenthood come with transitions-- when children who have been home all day go to school full-time, when they leave behind childhood and eventually leave home.  These days are painful because we  must find a new way.  The old path was good, it was beautiful, filled with gorgeous memories.  The new path is unknown, untried.  It is more challenging, with more experiences that allow for growth as well as opportunities for bigger slip-ups.  And a parent treading this road must go from holding a hand, to a gradual change to encouragement and cheerleading.

This Month's Goals

Making some progress on this month's goals!  (it's a miracle)  It is kind of funny that I have been congratulating myself on getting to this at the beginning of the month, instead of waiting until the end, and yet, I see that the actual completion of this project has begun to stretch out to the middle of the month already!  That's okay.

We are swapping out job chart systems.  I've tried to take into account my own challenges (I need simple, low maintenance job charts) as well as my kids' (after books like this one) in starting this new system.  They will be given laminated, re-usable "routine cards" they need to complete before breakfast and dinner, and they'll each have a daily job that will change each week.  The tags (which have a magnet on the back) above are supposed to have their names or initials written in chalk, but it just didn't look good, so I'm trying to figure out something else.  And we're going to start allowance.  I've got all of this 90% done, lets see if I can actually finish it in the next few days!

I bought materials for this stuff at Hobby Lobby, including the magnetic chalkboard. The tags are made from jewelry charms.  Sort of shooting from the hip over here.  Sometimes it turns out cute, and other times it doesn't.  (when this project was half way finished I wondered what in the bleep I was thinking!  The magnetic chalkboard what hard to cut!  There was crafting mess spread to kingdom come!  And it looked...not very good.  But then it started to look better, whew!)

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Will be guest blogging on another blog probably some time this week, I'll let you know! 

Sonoma Coast and Glass Beach

After we left Point Reyes, we drove north along the California coast through Sonoma Coast State Park.  At some point, in order to avoid disappointment, we told the kids that we were on an "explore the beach" and not a "swim in the ocean" vacation, because of the cold and dangerous surf.  They took this well,  and seemed to enjoy the beach-combing and tidal pooling.  We collected a lot of rocks and shells and sundry other items on this trip, myself included (I swear I'm still finding rocks and shells in my laundry!  but it was worth it).

 The pocket-filling begins.

 >>>>>>End Sonoma Coast State Park, Begin Glass Beach. :)

 Someone told us that we could scoop up the glass by the handfuls.  The whole beach was like this.  Super cool.

 We found lots of little crabs on this beach!

I scheduled our trip a little too tight, which is a temptation of mine!  Its hard to resist seeing as much as possible.  But it is also nice to be able to relax and enjoy the places I'm visiting!  Do you like your vacations slow and relaxing or do you like to see as many sights as possible (or a mixture of both!)?

When I plan a trip, I love to use the Frommer's travel guides.  We learned to love them while we lived in England.  Maybe because I have a hard time making decisions, I like the fact that Frommers, for big cities anyway, will give attractions a "star" rating.  This helps me prioritize because of course I can't choose it all!  I also try to see things in terms of what I value (love me a good art museum!  I wanted to do a museum in SF so badly!  But it didn't work out).  And, particularly with kids, I think vacations are an investment in their education.  There is something about experiencing things that teaches me about a particular subject so much more profoundly than just reading about it in a book.  So I try to keep this in mind too-- which activities will enrich my kids the most.

Point Reyes

We left San Francisco on day three and headed northwest toward Point Reyes National Seashore.  We stopped at the visitor's center and did a little hike to see how far the fault line jumped during the San Francisco earthquake.  Pretty amazing.  Then we drove out to see Point Reyes Lighthouse.  After the Golden Gate bridge, I was prepared by making our jackets accessible beforehand.  Much better. :)

 The beginning of my obsession with the beautiful moss (?) hanging from the trees.

 Pit stop.

 End visitor's center, begin Point Reyes lighthouse walk.  :)

 Hm.  I wonder which way the wind blows most of the time here? :)

 The whale!  Can you see it?  It was so gorgeous.

There were a lot of steps (390?), and a lot of signs warning of the number of steps, but the kids were troopers!  We even saw a gray whale.  My first and only whale sighting, it was a spiritual experience, I tell you.  I could have watched it all day.  But not that day, because we had a lot of driving ahead yet.  

How was your weekend?  We enjoyed our first relaxed weekend in probably about six weeks!  It was great. :)

This Month's Goal Round-Up and Some Work Party Fun

This month's goals were so fun.  The one where I try to be more playful/lighthearted was just the best.  I enjoyed it so much.  When I hear my kids giggle/laugh I remember how much I love hearing that sound, and want to sear it into my memory for all eternity.  Something about the uninhibited-ness of childhood transfers over to those beautiful giggles. I've noticed that the littlest boy has been in general easier-to-laugh than before, which has been so fun to watch.  This goal has been a favorite of the project so far, and really easy to do.  It even helped lighten up otherwise serious situations, like before-dinner whinies.  I'm kind of sad to see this goal go and hope I can remember to continue to use it.

(In the second photo I was being silly and it was fun to see their faces light up)

As for my health goals, not happening.  But I did make some progress on this front, if in an unexpected location.  As some of you know, my knees have been bothering me for a couple of years due to a fall I took.  My cartilage was probably cracked and will take a while to heal.  It has been frustrating that I can't run, as I've realized what a lifeline running has been to me.  But I have come to a realization, and that is, that even when my knees eventually heal, I still won't be able to run forever.  So I've decided to start biking and swimming on alternating days.  I am a total klutz on a bike, so we found a discount on a good middle of the road bike so we can do family bike rides, too.   (as for the weaning, I've started cutting back, though it is really hard.  I plan to be 100% done some time this month, and trust me, you'll hear about it) :)

This month, I'm going to overhaul my kids job charts and make some routine cards.  We are going to try a completely different system.  Our old system worked just fine, but sometimes it's nice to have a change, for everyone's sakes.  And since novelty assists the ADD brain, we'll see how things go!  In addition, I'm going to start giving a mild allowance that is not tied to chores.  Again, I'll let you know!

So, enjoy these photos from a work party we attended this week.  It was our favorite work party ever-- they rented out the zoo!  It was great fun.

Oh, and PS, I really will get our vacation photos up some time, it's just that many of them have this annoying spot (my lens must have had a spot on it) that I feel the need to edit out or else I'm afraid it will be super annoying.   :)

Big bro isn't pictured in these photos because he is at scout camp!  Kind of hard on this ole heart of mine to send him away for so long, but I hope he is having fun and growing.  There sure has been a little void around here-- we all miss him a lot.

 The kids loved the carousel so much we rode it five times!  Super fun.