I've been trying to figure out how to write about this experience. Words don't do it justice. And the pictures we took were few. So, with permission from others, I compiled a slide show. It gives the feel of the conference, at least a touch of it. The LIFE is Good Conference is far more - and more fun than should be allowed. The Vibrations and Amy Steinberg actually gave a concert...so having their music a part of the video is a must. Here we are:
Here is one that is more personal to our family and friends from home...it's a bit shorter, too... I've included some pictures from our stay with friends in Corvallis, OR. We were able to stay at the Gold's house for 5 days! We saw the Hessels, Cabatics, Golds, Lugos, Waynsforths (before they headed home to England!), Diana and Hayden and Scott, and the Holcombs (at the park before they went home to CO). Anyway, good times.
I have a cd case that needs some decoration. It's a bright blue color. What should I put on it? Flowers? Dragonflies? Vines? Frogs? Peace signs? Spots?
Right now there is laughter so true that it is making tears. I love it when Kade laughs. At first it is kinda loud. Then as he lets himself go it gets really quiet...and pretty soon there is a huge intake of breath and it's back to the almost silent laugh. Such great sounds to hear.
Ben arrived on Sunday - much to our delight! We were able to gather a few friends, by his request, and had a bit of a pool party. James Colburn and Jayne (Robyn was ill, sorry to say), Flo, Marc, Camille and Juliet were here, as were we five and Hannah. We had a great time talking and visiting and swimming and talking some more. We threw together some pizzas and headed down for some food and water sports. All in all, a great time. Ben had some checking in to do down in San Diego, but Jeff went down with him, so we knew we would see him that night as well. The kids love him. Kade still talks about the visit often.
Ben was actually here on business, so we missed him for a few days. We made up for the time, though, as we got to share some of the kid's favorite places with him on Thursday and Friday. Thursday we took him out to eat. It was, actually, part of the deal Kade made with him in order for him to have his shoe back the Sunday before (Kade was holding it hostage so Ben couldn't leave). Kade was promised a dinner at Hot Dog on a Stick. So, this is how we spent our evening! Kai, of course, loves Panda Express, so that's what he had. We were able to spend some quality time together as a group and it felt as if Ben was just part of our family. We feel so fortunate!
Here is proof he was here and that we wore him out completely!
These are from Friday night. We were able to have him over then, too. Heehee! It worked out perfectly. Jeff and Ben were to be at the airport early in the morning, so we were able to drive them down to catch their planes. Ben was on his way home. Jeff on his way to Scotland.
Thanks, Kelly and kids, for letting us steal your Ben. He certainly brightened our lives. We will ever be grateful for the Steven Lynch introduction. Thanks, Duncan, for the cool Naruto headbands. The boys were very happy you thought of them. They love 'em.
park day! We are just about ready. Need to eat a touch then we can go see some friends. Hopefully there will be some who will share this time...they may be on the road, though...
I have so much more to post about. I am feeling more like getting it down here...so will eventually.
After we got home from our road trip, we slept! By Thursday we were ready for some friends and fun. So we headed out to Gardenia's to take a class. Gardenia is great at finding cool things to do...and to help her she has her brother, Luis. Luis is offering many classes on native american art forms. This particular Thursday we made rainsticks. The boys want the end product, but really aren't crafty if there are friends they can play with. I look at this as a great way for me to provide them with cool crafty things I truly enjoy making - and they truly enjoy playing with! Kai stayed and listened to Luis talk about the rainsticks and how they were used in different native groups, as did Kade. Kade started his then flew off to play. They turned out great, though. We made them out of cardboard tubes with pipe cleaners inside to break up the fall of some beads. Simple, easy and fun. We ended up decorating the outside with wooden beads and feathers. Too cool. Loads of friends and fun - a perfect mixture!
The next day, though, is what started my own personal spiral. Thursday night Hannah, Annie's friend and fellow cosmetologist, came to stay for an extended weekend. Having Hannah is great...and her birthday was this particular Friday, so we were in planning mode. The girls have class on Friday, so they headed out in Hannah's car. Annie loves to drive, so she was behind the wheel. Well, I got a call at 9:30 or so. It was Annie. The front left tire of the car had blown while they were in the fast lane. She was able to keep control of the car, signal and start to go to the left off the road to slow down and stop. While doing so, they were rammed by someone going about 85-90 mph. Not good. They had the police and a witness to the accident there. Reports were filed and the tow truck picked up the other car. Hannah's car seemed to be ok, so they let them drive it. In hind sight, I don't know if this was the best idea, but at least it turned out ok. Annie was calling from Starbucks because her phone had died and she didn't have enough charge to call without it being plugged in - and they needed a bit more time before getting back on the road to get home. Thankfully we were able to get them in to see the Dr. that same day. However, in between that 9:00 hit time and the 4:00 appointment time both girls were in some serious pain and were definitely stiff. Hannah seems to have been injured worse than Annie was, or at least Annie's body handled it better than Hannah's did. By Sunday, Hannah was in really, really bad shape. She had been to the emergency room already once (and went again before she was able to get home). The meds she was given didn't go well with the meds she is already on, so she ended up sick to her stomach and spitting up blood. Not something any of us were comfortable with...and her folks are in Stockton. Once she got home on Wednesday, her personal Dr. was able to do a lot more for her. Come to find out her jaw was dislocated and so her pain went down tremendously once it was put back into place. She also got the right meds and seems to be back up and running.
Annie is doing fine now. She's back to wearing her back braise (something she's been working on getting off of for a long time), but the healing is happening. But the drama/trauma was entirely real for all of us.
Well, WAY back in April, we took a road trip. The plan was to leave here and stop in Phoenix to stay with our friends Shan and family for a few days. Then we would go on the road again to Albuquerque. We would stay with Beth and her fabulous family while there. All this was timed perfectly for when Baba and Grandpa Jon were touring New Mexico. While visiting Beth, we would get to spend a few hours with Baba and Jon. Then have a day with friends and head back to AZ for an overnight and then back home we would go.
However, plans changed. First, though, check out the pictures the boys took while we were on the road. They are awesome. It's a bit over 6 minutes, but worth it. The music helps (so remember to turn off the music on the side bar) speed things along. It's fun to see what they found worth taking a picture of.
While on the road, we saw the sign for the Gen. Patton Museum. In unison, the boys read the sign and both immediately said they wanted to go see it. So we stopped. It turned out to be full of information I was unfamiliar with. I knew Patton trained troops. What I didn't know is that he found and built this facility to train troops for battle in Africa. There was nothing there. He had to bring water in and set the whole thing up. This museum is where it used to be. They have a small building now set up with memorabilia and Kai sat through the entire 30 minute video presentation. Kade and I kept browsing through the exhibits and spent some time looking through the gift shop while Kai was watching. Afterwards we walked through the outside part of the museum and took a few pictures. Since most of the structures were tents (if I remember correctly) the only permanent structure was the chapel...which had no roof or walls. Now you can dedicate a bench or a brick, if you so desire. Anyway, it was worth the history lesson and was a welcomed break in our drive.
When we hit the road again, I called our Buckley friends only to hear they had been hit by a fever and were pretty sick. We weren't looking forward to starting our trip by getting whatever nasty thing they had to get over, so decided to stay on the road past Phoenix and finally landed in Flagstaff. Jeff was able to find a great hotel, Little America, and we loved our stay there. It is a great, family/kid friendly hotel with rooms that have plenty of space. It was just the perfect spot to rest. Pandi took time to explore with me as we went to get extra water for the night. The next morning found us ready to head out again. So, we jumped into the car and headed for Albuquerque. Being a day early meant we would be able to join the unschooling tribe there for a park day. We arrived late, but most everyone was there. It was wonderful seeing the boys seamlessly fit in and start playing as if they had known these kids forever. We all felt welcome and enjoyed ourselves much. We spent the next few days with the wonderful Fuller gang. It was so incredible for Kevin to squeak as much time with us as he did - it was wonderful. Beth and I have no trouble passing the time and often were looking at each other and asking where it had gone! Emma and Kade were great friends. Kai went along and played much as well as played on his DS. We enjoyed many a song on Rock Band. It was truly magical. The intensity of the boys can be much, so I'm thrilled everyone seamed to handle it well. How cool is it that this unschooling tribe is so active?! We were able to meet the crew at the zoo for some fun on the structures and around the polar bear exhibit. Kade and I took a gander at the seals, too, and they were cool. The next night we hung out at the pool for an hour with the kids. In there somewhere we were able to visit with Beth's mom, Nina, and made food I saw on the TV (a great bread salad and a needed to be altered, maybe cause I tried to make it by memory, stuffed mushroom appetizer).
(Proof we saw Baba and Jon!) We obviously brought the camera. Of course, in classic fashion we didn't take a single picture of all the fun times we had. We did get a few from Sylvia which I hope to scan and get up here at some point.
The next afternoon we got to spend a few hours with Baba and Jon - and ate at this really great restaurant, the Range, and enjoyed our time with the Grandfolks. We headed back to Beth's (or Emma's if you are asking Kade) and crashed...to get enough energy to head out back to the park. I was able to talk a bit more with some folk and the boys played. Saturday we headed back out of town toward Phoenix and Shan's house.
Of course, the travel was a bit fun. When we left for Phoenix there was a storm warning. I-40 was clear and dry all the way (except for a spitting of rain once). We were coming down past Flagstaff and it started to snow. We ended up going about 10 mph on the freeway. I found a great spot right behind a semi (so we could follow in his path) and ended up passing 6 accidents of other motorists who were traveling way too fast and spun out of control. We were also able to watch the snowplows work on the opposite side of the freeway...and saw the two working on our side exit off the freeway to head back northbound. Once we crossed over the pass, there was no threat of snow. I-10 was a breeze. We were glad to have made it to Shan's with so little trouble...but with nerves a bit frazzled.
By then the kids were all well. We had a wonderful time there, too. Shan and kids had dyed some eggs (using silk) and they turned out beautifully. We hid them in the park the night before Easter so when the kids were up and ready they could go on a hunt. All the kids awoke to baskets, too, which was a treat. Shan's folks had us over with the rest of the family for Easter morning food and egg hunt. By then Kade was truly tired and had some trouble with all the changes and had some expectations we weren't aware of...but we *still* had fun. Back to the house for an evening in the park and baseball in the grass. Out to diner at the golf course restaurant surrounded by beauty. We got to walk around a bit and see the pond and fish. Kade wanted to crash a reunion picture...but we managed to avoid the main shot...and made it back to the table in time to eat a delicious meal. After the dinner, Dave made a fire in the pit and we sat around and had s'mores and chatted a bit. A lovely time with great people.
We are thankful for our great friends. Kai was in hog heaven to be with older kids that enjoyed his interests. Kade was happy to be doing things with people every moment of the day. I was thrilled to see and talk with people I don't get near enough time with. It definitely filled us up with happiness.
That Monday we headed back for home. It was great to be able to see a happy face first thing! Annie had to have her car worked on, so we picked her up from the auto shop. Her bright face was a great gift. We made it home with just enough time to unload the car and unpack before I jumped back in to go get Jeff from work. I don't often have the chance to pick him up alone...so that was a gift, too!
What a trip. We saw things we had never seen. We got to further know people whom we enjoy. We had a ton of fun.
the very first time we did this. My brother sang, I think Beth did, too. Definitely McKee. What a great time and wonderful music we made a long time ago.
Jeff asked when I would be posting again. "Anytime soon?" and "Before I'm old...er?"
Well, see, I'm getting here.
It's been an emotional time for me lately. I don't post well then. I don't communicate well. I don't sleep. Put all those together and it's best that I spend my energy taking care of myself and the people in my life.
Silence means we are busy. And we have been very busy.
Peace to Carol. Hugs to her wonderful siblings and friends. Our thoughts are with you all.
but first: I came home and Jeff sent me to you tube.
OK.
Whatever.
Then I listened.
Listen from 1:36 to 4:25. I Dreamed A Dream from Les Miserables.
Now Susan Boyle has changed my life. I have listened to this too many times to count. It inspires me to follow my dream. Talent like this that touches your soul. Silent to most of us for the 36 years she's been singing...
Go listen. Then come back. I may have stopped listening to her long enough to write about our awesome trip.
Dream you dreams.
Thanks, Susan, for sharing your incredible talent.
Well, planning trips in general hasn't been my forte. I love to go, though. Mainly, I like to see new places and do new things. I think that is the spirit in which we will venture out on our newest journey.
We have had fun with Gardenia and her crew. Gardenia's brother, Luis, is organizing and giving instruction on native people's art. He provides all the supplies, talks about the reason the native people made the items and then shows us how to do them. We missed the dream catcher making, for which I am sad. However, we have cool medicine bags now. So I guess that makes up for it. Now, I look forward to getting more supplies and making some myself.
Luis read a book about the medicine bags which was his favorite children's book about the medicine bags : called Coyote Medicine Bag. It was a bit long for the littlest of the group, but still a good story.
Both Kai and Kade have the bags now. I look forward to seeing what they put in them.
Next time we will make rain sticks.
While at Gardenia's, Kade was racing and his knee popped. He landed pretty hard on the floor, in pain. I don't know what exactly made it pop, but it was definitely sore. He finally managed to gimp around and stepped outside...right on a bee. He had been looking forward to playing with his friend Cameron so much and it was sad to see him experience things that made him ask to go home. He asked not to go to the doctor, so we waited. The next morning he was still gimping and was still in a bit of pain. I asked again and to the doctor we went. Thankfully, the x-rays turned up nothing, but he did hurt it. The Dr. advised him not to run until he can walk comfortably. He hasn't run yet, but is definitely getting closer.
I have found a good way to treat the bee stings! Lavender oil directly on the sting and Apis homeopathic treatment. It worked well incredibly fast. Yeah!
We celebrated Kai's 10th birthday at Moonlight beach with our family and friends. Kai has 2 other close friends who turn 10 - Violet on the April 2nd and Robbie on April 1st. Well, we all decided it would be cool to celebrate together at the beach. And celebrate we did! We invited our families, a very small bunch of mutual friends and their family members and enjoyed the company. Jeff ended up being pounced upon by the lot of kids, they played in the sand, they played at the playground, they sang the birthday song and blew out some candles. We are definitely blessed. Here is a slideshow made from the pictures friends took (thanks!). The slideshow has music, so pause the music on the side bar and enjoy.
As an aside, there was another group at the park right next to us that had a few teens playing guitars and singing. Great sounds and fun to hear. Goes well with the music! And, it's just a tidbit I don't want to forget.
You can visit Mandy's blog to see her version of this special day for Violet...here. She talks about stuff I didn't mention.
We celebrated our family gift time on Saturday night. Auntie Mary was here, too, and that made it extra special. He got everything on his wish list and a few things that surprised him. He had asked for a game cube and 3 games and two sets of Grandparents made that happen. With his gift card he just ordered 2 more and a book. Kade gave him a set of board games, which Kai thought was cool. Annie got him a skate board with lessons. Jeff and I gave him a Japanese style bowl/cup/dipping sauce set (that Pete hand made). The bowls have notches for the chop sticks and the set is beautiful. Baba and Grandpa Jon also got him a zafu and now he has a great Japanese themed set.
Pretty much, he's a very contented boy. I'd include more pictures, but he chooses not to have them taken often. They'd show him with a contented smile.
"I really want to enjoy these next few days. It is the last time I will live in single digits."
It took a while for my withered brain to understand this...but I eventually did. I don't ever remember thinking thoughts this profound...especially right before I turned 10!
If you are Kai, you see them as something that smells good and goes well in some drinks.
If you are Kade, you see them as a tasty treat, something that makes good ice cubes when juiced, a fun item to manipulate and great for experiments.
I see them as one of the ingredients in an awesome raw cheesecake - preferable combined with a bit of pumpkin. Lemon also makes a great ice cream flavor.
Here, however, lemons make lemonade. And this lemonade comes with a booth. Better yet it is an acknowledgement. And, thanks to my friend, Jean, I get to post it here.
When I first saw this picture I thought of Lucy. It reminds me of her booth.
But, in a good way.
I'm definitely not Lucy. And there definitely isn't a charge to see my ramblings!
I'm glad my ramblings give a positive vibe.
Thanks, Jean, for this gift.
I'm changing the rules a bit. I'm going to privately acknowledge some blogs. Go ahead and privately or publically acknowledge some of the blogs that inspire you to see your life in a happier way and help ease your journey.
The original rules are these:
1) Put the logo on your blog or post. 2) Nominate at least 10 blogs that show great attitude or gratitude. 3) Link to your nominees within your post. 4) Let the nominees know that they have received this award by commenting on their blog. 5) Share the love and link to the person from who you received your award.
The blogs I follow and the ones I have listed on the side bar are all gifts for me. There are others out there too that are just as influential. Thanks for the positive views on life, my friends!
Jeff related this to me today and I just have to share it.
Jonas and Jeff are hanging out together. Jeff was sitting on the floor and Jonas, who is 3, was talking with him. Jonas, apparently was standing up at the time.
Jonas : You have a head. Jeff : Yes, indeed I do. Jonas : I don't have a head. I have hair.
Hee hee. Out of the mouths of babes. I love my bald headed man.
I just pulled this from facebook. I am amazed at how relaxed, articulate and humorous Obama is. I know they say Reagan was an orator, but he was nothing compared to who we have now.
Grace. Respect.
Anyway, watch if you wish.
***The flack he got for one sentence in this is a bit much, in my honest opinion. Do they actually believe he has little respect for the special olympics? Was it a wise choice, probably not. Still. I think it is sad when we hold people to such a high standard that they never have a chance to be human and err. Just my $.02***
So we went inland to Mandy's house today. We met Renee and her crew, too. These are the three about to be 10 kids...Violet, Kai and Robbi. We have a great time with our friends. We were talking about how they can play for hours and hours and still be going strong. It's tough for Kade to leave this home...and so we are making plans to spend more time there. We all like it there!
While there we talked a bit about the birthday things. We made a few of these cool kites, too(which we had to play with today!).
Materials:
8.5 x 11 paper (we love color, so use construction paper) Pencil/pen ruler tape (we use box tape) skewer (trimmed to 8". We have found pruners to work best for the trimming) string (10 feet - more or less depending on space and the size of kids) a plastic bag (cut in a circular long single piece. Put knots in the bag every foot or so. Measure out 6' for the tail.) small piece of cardboard (we used a close pin) hole punch
1. Fold the sheet of paper in half widthwise. Place fold to your left. 2. Keeping the paper folded, measure 1" in from fold and mark it (A). Measuring along the bottom of the folded sheet measure in 2 1/4" from right (the open edges side) and mark it (B). 3. Place the ruler so that it connects (A) and (B). Using the ruler to help guide the crease, fold the top piece of paper over. (This leaves one half unfolded and the folded part as an angle.) 4. Tape along this new fold, securing the fold and making a lip underneath. 5. Place the skewer perpendicular to the taped fold and connecting the two corners. Tape into place. 6. Tape plastic bag tail to the bottom of the kite. 7. Flip over the kite and fold the flap back and forth until it stands straight up. 8. Fold a piece of tape over the flap about 3" from the top of the kite. Punch a hole through the tape 1/4" from the folded edge. 9. Tie one end of the string through the hole. 10. To make the string winder, tie the other end of the string around the middle of the cardboard, securing it with a strip of tape. (We just tie it to the clothespin and wind it on there.) Take it out for a spin!
Well, this one is personal, so if you aren't into that kind of thing...skip to the cool post about the Original Egg Game or the one about the San Diego Conference.
For a few years I have been noticing things changing in my body. It started with the hot flashes and night sweats. Not every day/night, but enough for me to say - WAIT! Now, I'm not sure if the weight gain is from not being able to exercise forever or if it is due to this process my body is now going through. I have noticed other signs as well, that are probably too much for the www, so I wont talk about those.
I am one who doesn't mind growing older. I welcome the wrinkles. I don't mind the grey (although you can't see it anyway, for which I am slightly bummed). This new stage of life isn't one that I dread or fear.
What I didn't expect, though, and don't particularly enjoy are the massive mood swings, the full blown weepy days and the hazardous absentmindedness that I definitely go through. I am not fond of being a hazard. I don't like being in the car and forgetting where I'm driving to and have to drive along hoping I remember before I get to the exit at which I'm supposed to get off. OK, so that may be a tad exaggeration, but not by much. I definitely forget what I'm saying in mid conversation. I definitely have to think about where I have put things. Not good. I also feel that the mood swings from elation and joy to rage are also huge. Sometimes I can even feel my face flush with the power of my emotion. So far, I have not focussed this on the kids or Jeff, and rush into the bathroom or outside to breathe a bit. However, my voice can still be heard by those precious ones and the tone is not very pleasant. I also find I'm not reacting to things well. This can be hurtful, too. Now, thankfully, it isn't often all day or even every week. But enough for me to take a good look at myself and say, girl you gotta get some help!
So, if you know me, you will know what a huge step this is. I did end up at a Naturopathic's office. Thankfully, Jeff is willing to go with me. This is grand because he has the outsiders view to offer. He also can remind me of things I meant to talk about (see afore mentioned absentmindedness of the previous paragraph!) and he can help me in my quest to do what Dr. Dunn suggests.
I have other things going on, but have found out they may be all interrelated a bit. I have lower body temperature, which implies thyroid stress. I know because of the RSD my body has been under a ton of stress and if my memory serves me right the adrenal glands are incredibly active during times of stress...as well as produce the bodies natural form of cortisone. So, my adrenals have been under massive usage for a long time. Now with hormonal changes, they are being asked to do even more...and they are not responding as well as they might.
All is better, now, though. There is a great little cream I'm using. I still go through times of major trouble keeping on task and staying focussed. But at least I am not all over the page as far as moods go.
This has caused me to not write here much. I am most sad of this for it means I don't have what we've been up to. For life truly doesn't stop because my body is going through some adjustments.
We have had friends over and we played as well as made a cool heart pizza. I have made more food than I can even talk about. The three kids and I have gone to park day and frozen our tuckies off. While there we played some games, chased some kids and did our best to stay warm. We have celebrated a birthday of a good friend and enjoyed the celebration with Cameron's big family. We have made experiments with everything imaginable. We have brought home yet more cool rocks. We have dressed up and pretended to be all sorts of crazy things. We have won the Lego City part of Lego Star Wars on the Wii. I was able to help do it! Then we made a new record of doing it...and are trying to get to under 30 minutes. We have played the DS, Wii and a couple of board games. We have colored and played with clay. We have spent some time together swimming and being a family. We have had Rus here to have fun with. We have had hair dying in our home and look awesome! And...Jeff and I went on another date. How cool is this? Very.
There are thoughts and plans to see family this weekend coming up. There's a trip to NM via a stop in AZ in April. There's a conference coming up in May. Let the busy travel time begin!
PLUS, who could forget that Kai is turning 10! We are going to celebrate on the beach with 2 other friends who are also turning 10.
Conference Diva, Flo, let us share this with any who wish to read. I honestly am thrilled and can't wait to see our friends here and share our slice of heaven.
***
Have you heard? There's an UNSCHOOLING Conference this Sept in San Diego!!
This is your opportunity to mix it up with other unschoolers in a swirl of trust, support and celebration! Our fabulous speakers are ready to inspire with radical thoughts, ideas to end resistance and wisdom to make your unschooling life the best that it can be. I can feel the energy and excitement already as I picture the day at the beach, the wildly entertaining talent show, the dancing, the funshops, round-table discussions, unschoolers happy and free, kids trusted and loved! It will be amazing! Did I mention the beach, lounging by the pool? And surfing lessons? Yeah, those, too.
I'm especially excited about Roya Sorooshian. She's a grown unschooler who will be one of our main presenters- an absolute delightful person who is living a joyful, productive and busy life! Come see what unschooling looks like when it's all grown up. :) And her mom, Pam Sorooshian will be speaking, too, sharing the wisdom she's gleaned through her many years of unschooling. Other speakers include Jeff Sabo, Miranda Demarest, Rain Fordyce, Beth Fuller, Erika B Perkins and Sandra Dodd, all ready to deliver positive, inspiring unschooling messages. You will be refreshed and renewed!
My favorite funshop? Hard to choose. Team Twilight? HSM Dance Party? Knitting? Oh, I know- International Candy Tasting!
This conference is where you'll pick up lots of good vibrations and lots of unschooling friends. We can never have enough, right?
Kai's quotes usually require a bit of introduction or at least some background information to be fully understood. This time, though, not so much...
Jeff and Kai were watching the UCONN Huskies basketball team on tv together this morning and Kai says to Jeff, out of the blue:
"I think I'm starting to come around on this Kade guy."
This is sweet. I laughed because Kai is so obviously fond of his brother. At least to us who see him interact with Kade on a daily basis. They don't always get along (who does?) but they do most of the time.
It shows, too, that Kade is getting older and is able to keep up better. Not physically, for Kade has always believed he can do what Kai does (and most times is right). But mentally, too. It is so cool to see their relationship change as they mature and grow. It's totally fascinating and heart warming.
Tonight Kade and Jeff read books together before Jeff went to sleep. When Kade came out, he wanted to write a story, too. He let me type it here for you to read too!
How I Found Pandy by Kade
Pandy was walking along in the jungle. But then a tiger came. So Pandy ran as fast as he could. ZOOM! Pandy was scared. The tiger was right behind him. Then I swooped in and grabbed Pandy and took him home.
OK, so one of the things Jeff asked me is why I have over 200 messages still in my inbox. Well, I guess it's because I still wanted to keep them to respond to those...but it seems more likely that I wont get to them. In this new view of those looming messages...I am going through and figuring out what I truly want to save and what I don't. I found these pictures first off. A blast from the past year at the Live and Learn Conference and the LIFE is Good Conference.
I'm thankful to the wonderful women who sent them to me!
How I love my man. More than just for his acts of service. Yesterday he was working from home and working on our home. We came back from our Mardi Gras party and found the house in complete order and taken care of in a way that it desperately needed, but that hadn't happened for a bit. I am so thankful and appreciative.
It is more than just the gift of a clean home. It is the gift that allowed me to sleep in and not feel I 'had' to get things done. It has allowed me to play here on the computer. It has allowed me the ease of cooking for the boys. It definitely filled my 'love' tank. I am so thankful.
So, thanks, Jeff. Thanks for your acts of service day. Thanks for the gift you have given, and continue to give. I certainly do love you!
I gave the computer to Kade before I could get everything down...so here is the video that goes with the pictures from the last post! I love how they build these structures and then find ways in which to interact with them! As you may already know, Jeff is wonderful at modeling the 'anything goes' attitude!
Well, I think I will start with today and work backwards...
Mardi Gras. Well, for us, it hasn't been a part of our lives so far. However, we have friends who enjoy this celebration. So, off to the internet to do some researching about it and talking about what we are going to dress up as. Well, to the boys, they just love being what they love to be. Kai was a ninja and Kade was Luke Skywalker ***correction: BlackOut Skywalker***. I was, well, me - but a bit on the 'out there' side of me. I did enlist Annie's help. She had a nice couple of shirts that I wore. I had some striped tights (blue and green) (don't ask why) that worked for the funk factor. I also used Kade's face paints to set myself up with a painted design. As an aside: when at park day someone says the pink does stain the face, not only believe them, but remember! So, this is what we looked like on our way to the party.
We had a wonderful time! The boys love playing with their friends. I didn't realize it until we got home and I was taking our things out of the car that Kade had made his own mask. I was happily surprised by this. He is so creative, but when there are friends to play with it can be tough to stay still long enough to design things. What made this one even more special for me is he says I can keep it! ****Kade has now decided Jeff can have the mask. At least I know it's going to a good home!****
Forgot to mention. The party had several homeschoolers there. One woman asked me questions about what we do, how we do it, and how we make it work. I answered the best I could. It's a tough thing to describe to someone who doesn't really want to trust themselves or their kids *that* much. She mentioned she has a hard time getting her and her daughter enough physical activity. I don't know what to say to people when this comes up. First, I haven't been physically active for a long time, but hope to get back to that now that my foot is again pain free. Second, I couldn't force my kids to be still if I tried. Now, they don't really do anything that I can always categorize...except for Kai's karate. Sometimes we go swimming or something like that. However, I find we just end up doing things. For example, today Kade found the flashlight and started playing with it. There are so many options for these. The other day we played flashlight tag (note: it's better outside than in...and probably better for the neighbors if you start playing before 9:30pm). Today, however, he brought it to me and asked that I move it around and not let him 'catch' it. We used to play with our puppy this way. Cats love to do it. It's been seen on Family Guy. Chasing a light can, at least to Kade, be incredibly fun. So fun that you spend thirty minutes playing it. Yes. 30. How can I explain this to someone who thinks things need to be planned, coordinated and or committed (P, C and C) to? Granted, there may be times when my kids will want things that are P, C and or C'd, but they seem to be creative enough to find ways to be active, without me having to ever pressure them.
It was pretty funny watching Kade.
===== Food. Well, you may know I have been trying to celebrate food. For many this is an easy task. I have one friend in particular of whom I just love to watch interact with what she eats. I normally don't enjoy watching people eat. And, I really don't like watching her, either. What I do like is how much she expresses her joy of the food. You can see it in her eyes. She dabbles in everything individually first. Then starts mixing an matching. She savors the tastes and simply enjoys food.
This is such a paradox to me. My body needs food just like every other being. Yet I do struggle to enjoy it. So, watching my friend really helps me. It proves that I can love food and the flavors it brings. I can enjoy the smell, texture and flavors. It is possible. Yet, I don't always. I am sensitive to textures. I love flavor, but it has to be a certain flavor at a certain time. I have no delusion that I'll ever enjoy food the way she does. I do hope I can at least gain an appreciation for the sustenance I do intake. See? I even write about it clinically! What I truly want is to appreciate food so that I get full nourishment from it and actually get to the point where I remember to eat and look forward to it. To help get me there, I have been taking pictures of food that I like. My tastes are crazy, but I'm willing to work from where I am!
Kai picked up a sweet potato and asked for us to buy it so he could taste it. OK, no problem. We brought it home and I cooked it. He didn't like the taste, but I do. I worked at a restaurant a long time ago that had a sweet potato pancake that was so tasty. I looked on the internet and found a recipe that I thought would make something similar to what I remember. It did! Yum is what it is! Here is a picture (just to be true to my word).
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Cool creations is what I think of when I see this:
Now, they boys immediately thought of getting the fan out and seeing if it would actually move...so there is a video coming.
Well, that's it for now. I'm going to go dye some clothes and play with my family.
I lied, I have more to post. Just not this second.
1. What is something your mom always says to you? Kai: I love you Kade: I love you
2. What makes your mom happy? Kai: Getting hugs Kade: Me
3. What makes your mom sad? Kai: Having to clean up everything Kade: Yelling
4. How does your mom make you laugh? Kai: She tells jokes Kade: she nibbles my ears
5. What did your mom like to do when she was a child? Kai: Working on the farm Kade: running races
6. How old is your mom? Kai: 39 - almost 40 Kade: 39
7. How tall is your mom? Kai: I don't know. Kade: 50 feet tall
8. What is her favorite thing to do? Kai: knit Kade: knit
9. What does your mom do when you're not around? Kai: knit Kade: knit
10. If your mom becomes famous, what will it be for? Kai: knitting Kade: us
11. What is your mom really good at? Kai: knitting Kade: knitting
12. What is your mom not very good at? Kai: guitar Kade: lifting stuff
13. What does your mom do for her job? Kai: nothing Kade: she does not have a job
14. What is your mom's favorite food? Kai: tacos Kade: burritos
15. What makes you proud of your mom? Kai: she's lovable Kade: she 'be's herself.
16. If your mom were a cartoon character, who would she be? Kai: Frankie from Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends Kade: Padame from Star Wars the Clone Wars
17. What do you and your mom do together? Kai: watch movies. Kade: swim, play and a lot of other stuff
18. How are you and your mom the same? Kai: We have the same ears Kade: we have the same eyes - not the color, though.
19. How are you and your mom different? Kai: I like Chinese food, she doesn't Kade: I'm a boy she's a girl and my hair is shorter.
20. How do you know your mom loves you? Kai: She says it every day Kade: she kisses me a lot
21. What does your mom like most about your dad? Kai: He's lovable Kade: probably the hair
22. Where is your mom's favorite place to go? Kai: She stays home Kade: The knitting store
Well, the thing with Kade is he doesn't talk about the past much. He is all about talking with you if you want to talk about what is happening now. I think he sees it like he's wasting the present to talk about the past. I don't mind this, as long as I'm with him. When he goes off on adventures, though, this is tough.
So, off he went. Picked up by friends around noon thirty. Gone. His fun had begun!
Around 10:30, we got the call. Now both Jeff and I were surprised. Even though it's only his second sleep over, this didn't seem like Kade. Jeff jumped in the car and drove to get him. It's about a 40 minute drive, but well worth it if your babe is asking for you. By the time they got home, Kade was definitely sick. The head cold had come in quick and hit him hard. Looking back on it, I think he listened to his body and just knew. I don't think he thought of it in those terms, but still, he just knew he wanted to be home.
I have no doubt we wont be hearing from him the next time he chooses to sleep over. He'll be having too much fun.
When I asked him about what he did, he responded : "Mama, I was having fun!"
He did come home with the "Guess who" game. We have been enjoying it entirely too much.
...and what's a Mama to do? It's easier with the oldest one, now 19, but still tough. The 9 year old doesn't enjoy sleeping over at someone else's house. But the 7 year old? Well, he's enjoying himself. Spreading his wings. Having new experiences and finding his way in this world.
This is, truly, what I want. I want him to soar and experience life and find his way.
It would be nice if I didn't have to say good-bye first. Then request a love before you go? He gives me love with gusto, but doesn't look back. No hesitancy. No trepidation. No thought of anything but bliss.
How cool.
My heart does miss his little patter around the house. And his giggle. I miss getting milk 17 times an hour, or so it seems. I'll miss how he burrows his head into my arm when he's getting tired.
I know he's in good hands. I have no concerns there. They are awesome parents.
Just is hard on a Mama's heart.
I am happy for him. He's going to try and sleep in the hammock swing! How cool is that?!
Do everything with a mind that lets go. Do not expect any praise or reward. If you let go a little, you will have a little peace. If you let go a lot, you will have a lot of peace. If you let go completely, you will know complete peace and freedom. Your struggles with the world will have come to an end.
About Me
Beachbum
Carlsbad, CA
I'm a quirky mama to 2 precious boys, a step mama to our sweet older child, and soul mate to one awesome dude.
