I should just stop saying sorry for being around less than I meant to be! I had surgery on the veins in my leg yesterday, which went well, though I'm a bit sore today.
I did some research for a character in my book and I learned some really fascinating thing about how certain child-rearing practices affect people into adulthood. I read a book by Alice Miller titled The Drama of the Gifted Child.
Saturday, October 26, 2013
Friday, October 18, 2013
A Little Update
I was going to post twice this week, and here I am. I can't stop fiddling with my book, as terrible as it probably is.
The kids have been home on vacation this week, so we've done some fun things together; we visited a Planetarium, the pumpkin patch, and several parks. We've had a good time. :)
There are some funny things my kids have said recently, here goes one of them (I thought I'd been storing them up, and I just can't remember!):
One day we were getting out of the car and my oldest son (12) said to the little boy (2), ruffling his hair affectionately (and rhetorically, I might add), "are you my minion?" to which Emerson replied in a tiny halting voice, "we're.....all.....minions." We laughed so hard at that. :)
I wish I could remember the rest, sigh.
One day I filled the bath for an older child and then went downstairs to work on the dishes. I could tell by the sounds filtering down the stairs that Emerson had gotten in too, which was fine with me since he was with said older child and the sounds of the two playing were so happy. I didn't even think too much about it until he came squishing down the stairs fully clothed! He even had his rain boots on, which squirted and squished out water with every step. His held his little arms away from his body, his clothes hanging on him heavily while he dripped a puddle on the floor! I laughed so hard about the boots-- they were hard to pull off when full of water! I didn't get the best photo, but here it is:
And you get to see my nice clean floor to boot. Just to make you feel like you've had a vicarious adventure today! I hope you have a great weekend. I have more photos for next week.
The kids have been home on vacation this week, so we've done some fun things together; we visited a Planetarium, the pumpkin patch, and several parks. We've had a good time. :)
There are some funny things my kids have said recently, here goes one of them (I thought I'd been storing them up, and I just can't remember!):
One day we were getting out of the car and my oldest son (12) said to the little boy (2), ruffling his hair affectionately (and rhetorically, I might add), "are you my minion?" to which Emerson replied in a tiny halting voice, "we're.....all.....minions." We laughed so hard at that. :)
I wish I could remember the rest, sigh.
One day I filled the bath for an older child and then went downstairs to work on the dishes. I could tell by the sounds filtering down the stairs that Emerson had gotten in too, which was fine with me since he was with said older child and the sounds of the two playing were so happy. I didn't even think too much about it until he came squishing down the stairs fully clothed! He even had his rain boots on, which squirted and squished out water with every step. His held his little arms away from his body, his clothes hanging on him heavily while he dripped a puddle on the floor! I laughed so hard about the boots-- they were hard to pull off when full of water! I didn't get the best photo, but here it is:
And you get to see my nice clean floor to boot. Just to make you feel like you've had a vicarious adventure today! I hope you have a great weekend. I have more photos for next week.
Thursday, October 10, 2013
Long and Lost
I have been away so long, dearest ones! Way longer than I meant to. I started writing a novel during nap time, which is normally my blogging time, and I didn't have time for both because I didn't want to take time away from my kids! I found writing to be really thrilling and fun, as the writing took me in directions all on its own, time melting by way too quickly! Maybe the novel is truly terrible, but it was very fun to write, and a first draft is done. As per my normal, I always talk too much, so it is a little long.
Here are a few other things I was able to do.
A local college rivalry football game with my husband and my oldest son. We lost, but we got to spend some fun time together cheering at the game, as well as enjoying memories of my beloved alma mater, including dinner at the track where I used to spend many hours running with the track team (kind of ironic, eating there, because I think I lost my lunch there a few times).
I went to a Gordon Lightfoot concert with my dad. Amazing. The man's voice was a little shaky but it transported me back to my old river guiding days, his voice is so organic sounding and beautiful. And his prose is so beautiful. I found out that he has been named by some as Canada's greatest songwriter of all time, a title I think he deserves. And I so enjoyed being with my dad! Speaking of music goals (remember when I made the goal to introduce my kids to good music?)-- I realized that my taste in music, which leans toward folksy-guitar music of the type played by the likes of James Taylor, John Denver, and Jim Croce was probably inspired by my dad, who used to listen to them on an 8 track player in a little work room of our old house when I was a little girl. I loved to visit him there and look at the little intricate carvings he did as a hobby.
(to listen to the gorgeous lyrics he wrote about Canada in his Canadian Railroad Trilogy see here....He was quite entertaining, putting a lot of energy into his songs even though his voice was weak with age at times...and he wore a velvet jacket, what's not to love about that?)
I went to a scrapbook retreat with friends from Colorado. I have gone once before, but it has been five years! I have missed them so much, they have been such kind and caring friends over the years, even when we have lived away. We ate junk food and deliciously prepared meals, watched TV in our pajamas, and our church's annual conference. We chatted, cried, and laughed and generally had a great time! I missed my kids nearly the whole time, worrying a bit about the littlest, who I've never left, even though I had such a great time. But I do think it is important enough to maintain those friendships and get a little time-- and I enjoyed seeing the kids so much when I got back.
So, it was a lazy-ish month, I guess, and I will be back to posting at least twice a week around here from now on. I need you to keep me honest as I try to get back on track with my goals!
This month I'm going to work on some goals we set as a family at the start of the school year. We decided to continue making home lunches throughout the year and decided to make sure all electronics are turned off on school nights, replacing some of that time with more consistent reading.
Clear as mud! I sure missed you and hope you are well, and sorry to be gone for so long!
Here are a few other things I was able to do.
A local college rivalry football game with my husband and my oldest son. We lost, but we got to spend some fun time together cheering at the game, as well as enjoying memories of my beloved alma mater, including dinner at the track where I used to spend many hours running with the track team (kind of ironic, eating there, because I think I lost my lunch there a few times).
I went to a Gordon Lightfoot concert with my dad. Amazing. The man's voice was a little shaky but it transported me back to my old river guiding days, his voice is so organic sounding and beautiful. And his prose is so beautiful. I found out that he has been named by some as Canada's greatest songwriter of all time, a title I think he deserves. And I so enjoyed being with my dad! Speaking of music goals (remember when I made the goal to introduce my kids to good music?)-- I realized that my taste in music, which leans toward folksy-guitar music of the type played by the likes of James Taylor, John Denver, and Jim Croce was probably inspired by my dad, who used to listen to them on an 8 track player in a little work room of our old house when I was a little girl. I loved to visit him there and look at the little intricate carvings he did as a hobby.
(to listen to the gorgeous lyrics he wrote about Canada in his Canadian Railroad Trilogy see here....He was quite entertaining, putting a lot of energy into his songs even though his voice was weak with age at times...and he wore a velvet jacket, what's not to love about that?)
I went to a scrapbook retreat with friends from Colorado. I have gone once before, but it has been five years! I have missed them so much, they have been such kind and caring friends over the years, even when we have lived away. We ate junk food and deliciously prepared meals, watched TV in our pajamas, and our church's annual conference. We chatted, cried, and laughed and generally had a great time! I missed my kids nearly the whole time, worrying a bit about the littlest, who I've never left, even though I had such a great time. But I do think it is important enough to maintain those friendships and get a little time-- and I enjoyed seeing the kids so much when I got back.
So, it was a lazy-ish month, I guess, and I will be back to posting at least twice a week around here from now on. I need you to keep me honest as I try to get back on track with my goals!
This month I'm going to work on some goals we set as a family at the start of the school year. We decided to continue making home lunches throughout the year and decided to make sure all electronics are turned off on school nights, replacing some of that time with more consistent reading.
Clear as mud! I sure missed you and hope you are well, and sorry to be gone for so long!
Wednesday, October 9, 2013
Missed You
Dearest ones,
I missed you! We had a good, busy month. My oldest son started junior high, which I touched on briefly before I left. It has been a busy adjustment but we've been weathering through it just fine.
I am feeling terrible about being such a slacker! And yet, I guess it's probably good I haven't blogged, because I worked on my book during blogging time. I just didn't want to take time away from the kids, though I think I did so after all anyway.
I missed you! We had a good, busy month. My oldest son started junior high, which I touched on briefly before I left. It has been a busy adjustment but we've been weathering through it just fine.
I am feeling terrible about being such a slacker! And yet, I guess it's probably good I haven't blogged, because I worked on my book during blogging time. I just didn't want to take time away from the kids, though I think I did so after all anyway.
Friday, September 6, 2013
Back Soon
Dearest ones,
I promise I will be back soon! I have some great photos of our Labor Day weekend. I have goal reports to make. I have funny stories to tell you. I have been busy with the start of school and...a novel I started a few weeks ago just for fun; it may be embarrassingly terrible, but it feels great to get the ideas out of my head and on to paper after sitting in my head for almost two years! I have had to sneak in some writing time at nap time, and now that I've started I just want to finish! I will see you soon.
Love to all.
I promise I will be back soon! I have some great photos of our Labor Day weekend. I have goal reports to make. I have funny stories to tell you. I have been busy with the start of school and...a novel I started a few weeks ago just for fun; it may be embarrassingly terrible, but it feels great to get the ideas out of my head and on to paper after sitting in my head for almost two years! I have had to sneak in some writing time at nap time, and now that I've started I just want to finish! I will see you soon.
Love to all.
Saturday, August 24, 2013
Percy Jackson and the Olympians
I was honored to write a guest post about the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series on Pete Quily's blog Adult ADD Strengths. This was a really fun series to read, full of adventure, gods and monsters, and likeable heroes. Riordan wrote the series for his son, who was struggling in school and eventually diagnosed with ADHD and dyslexia (his son has now completed a 500 page manuscript of his own). Most of the demigods in the series have ADHD and dyslexia, which makes school challenging but also gives them their great battle reflexes (and signals that they are wired to read ancient Greek, not English). Percy Jackson, rare son of the sea god Poseidon, is an endearing hero on par with the likes of Harry Potter. Read my review on Pete's blog here.
Thursday, August 22, 2013
Some Funnies
Little ones have been saying funny things right and left these days. Lets see if I can remember them!
Just this morning, my oldest son, who is almost 12 (sniff), was sitting on the floor in his pajama shorts when he casually pulled out a tooth and asked if I had a baggie in an off-hand way. Immediately Emerson, the two year old, said "I wanna try it!" and opened his mouth. What?! He then proceeded to follow K around crying for ten minutes, begging "I wanna try the toofer!" We tried letting him hold it, but he would open his mouth wide instead! Gross. We didn't want to go that far, so we placated him by promising to look for a different tooth in a different room. (thankfully, he got distracted)
He thinks "cute" is the opposite of "big." The other day we were registering big bro for junior high. The lobby had some blue terraced carpeted steps which of course drew the little boy like a magnet. He loves to climb stuff. The next thing I knew, he was standing at the top with his arms outstretched and the biggest grin on his face (and he has a little dimple! it is so cute!). He shouted out "I'm BIIIIGG!" Then he jumped down a level and announced in a small voice, arms outstretched again "now I'm cute!" Then up again "now I'm big again!" Ha ha. Today he pulled a drink straw in and out while saying, "now its big, now its cute, now its big, now its cute."
On that same line, E. likes to comment on the weather every time we get in the car. It took a few weeks for him to transition from commenting that it was cold to using the word hot. Then one day I put him in his car seat and he said to me "it's big hot." On a different day, when the weather was cooler (the one and only day this summer?), he paused for a minute before he turned to me with surprise a little lilt in his voice: "it's.........cute hot."
My little four year-old says funny things all of the time too. The other day she asked me what I wanted to be when I grow up. Then I asked her. She said: "I want to be a....horse."
One day, someone filled an entire glass full of milk for the littlest boy. What? Then said older child decided she made a mistake after all. But it was too late. He sensed that his milk was about to be confiscated, so he ran like a banshee all the way from the dining room table to the study, leaving a trail of sloshing milk and sliding into home as it were on the milk as the glass went flying (not broken, whew!). Of course, we had to take a picture. Not the best, and you can see my messy house, but cest la vie.
Happy Thursday!
Just this morning, my oldest son, who is almost 12 (sniff), was sitting on the floor in his pajama shorts when he casually pulled out a tooth and asked if I had a baggie in an off-hand way. Immediately Emerson, the two year old, said "I wanna try it!" and opened his mouth. What?! He then proceeded to follow K around crying for ten minutes, begging "I wanna try the toofer!" We tried letting him hold it, but he would open his mouth wide instead! Gross. We didn't want to go that far, so we placated him by promising to look for a different tooth in a different room. (thankfully, he got distracted)
He thinks "cute" is the opposite of "big." The other day we were registering big bro for junior high. The lobby had some blue terraced carpeted steps which of course drew the little boy like a magnet. He loves to climb stuff. The next thing I knew, he was standing at the top with his arms outstretched and the biggest grin on his face (and he has a little dimple! it is so cute!). He shouted out "I'm BIIIIGG!" Then he jumped down a level and announced in a small voice, arms outstretched again "now I'm cute!" Then up again "now I'm big again!" Ha ha. Today he pulled a drink straw in and out while saying, "now its big, now its cute, now its big, now its cute."
On that same line, E. likes to comment on the weather every time we get in the car. It took a few weeks for him to transition from commenting that it was cold to using the word hot. Then one day I put him in his car seat and he said to me "it's big hot." On a different day, when the weather was cooler (the one and only day this summer?), he paused for a minute before he turned to me with surprise a little lilt in his voice: "it's.........cute hot."
My little four year-old says funny things all of the time too. The other day she asked me what I wanted to be when I grow up. Then I asked her. She said: "I want to be a....horse."
One day, someone filled an entire glass full of milk for the littlest boy. What? Then said older child decided she made a mistake after all. But it was too late. He sensed that his milk was about to be confiscated, so he ran like a banshee all the way from the dining room table to the study, leaving a trail of sloshing milk and sliding into home as it were on the milk as the glass went flying (not broken, whew!). Of course, we had to take a picture. Not the best, and you can see my messy house, but cest la vie.
Happy Thursday!
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