Oh the things I have to update you with! I have a few posts in the hopper but I’m going to jump right in with a big one. My mama friends and I are starting a small little part time school! A forest school, a 100% outside in the weather (no matter the weather!) school. Right now we’re meeting two days a week, four hours each day, at a local park that suits our needs (near the water, and a place to make fire!).
Today was the first day.
That’s Tuesday in the brand new rain gear (green jacket). She got a new backpack and pocket knife as well. As an early birthday present we took her to REI and let her pick those two things out. (some of these photo credits go to another mama friend, fyi)
Tuesday using her knife for the first time.
This is a small inlet of the Willamette River. Giving you an idea of where we let the kids wander.
“We should try roasting an apple!”
My friend! Her baby slept through it! Oh they were having a blast in this mud…
As you can see!
I’ve set up a little blog for Pax here, and we have a Facebook page that you can like if you like (ha!).
I should back up a little bit and mention how this all started. In December a friend posted about an outdoor kindergarten program. Another friend and I mentioned that we loved the idea, and had been thinking about it (here is a link to watch a short clip about outdoor kindergarten). We thought we might join with an established center, but decided a more free to play sort of structure was what we wanted. And since we’re homeschoolers we (the parents) really wanted to be involved in all the details. So we jumped in! I’m busy researching insurance, 501 (c) (3) status and a bunch of other things (yurts!). We may not know exactly what we’re doing all the time, but I can say one thing for sure; this might have been the best day of Tuesday’s life, and I love that.
No, excuse me, I have a bit of laundry to do.
Celebrating crafts, kids and the everyday through photographs.
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Ah resolutions. I don’t always make them, and I don’t always follow through when I do. But I’m feeling particularly enthusiastic about this coming year. By the end of the year I won’t have any kids in diapers and they’ll both be sleeping through the night (a girl can dream)… the world is my oyster!
The first thing I decided to do this year was have a word to keep in mind as I move through the year (inspired by Ali). My word is smile.
I know, look at these two! How can I not? But I get frustrated, I’m tried, and I just feel myself drooping. I wrote in my scrapbook about my word, “I want to do it more, all the time. I want my girls to know how happy I am with my life and them. Even when they are old I want them to think about how I was always happy and smiled through good times and bad.”
Now on to resolutions.Loose 20 pounds:Sounds lame and like a million other people’s resolutions. But I need clothes to fit. And I need to gain some strength. It will only get harder as I get older. (Currently 146 pounds)Blog more:Mostly to keep track of my family. But also to share my crafty pursuits.Get out the DSLR:And shoot the shit out of my life. I can always edit down. These moments are fleeting. Also I should probably take a few pictures of Bj and I as well, we’re in a very few!Go outside:Can I go for a walk a day? Well I should be able to go for one a week at least, preferably with the whole family.Be together:Not just in the same room. But actively communicating with each other. It’s hard when we always have so much to do to, “divide and conquer” Instead I want to take on tasks together and enjoy our leisure activities as a family, even if that means giving up “me” time.10 minutes x 3:I’m going to make this happen. Ten minutes for each person in my family giving them all of me for that time. At the end of the year that will translate into 61 hours for each of my wonderful people. I can’t wait to see how it changes our relationships.Use it or loose it:Caul through my supplies, clothes, books and only keep what I need.Spend with a purpose:Keep financial independence in the forefront of my mind, not what I want now, now, now.Turn off my iPhone:I use it way too much, it’s like a growth. When I want to spend quality time with someone or really get something done I’m just going to shut. it. down.A couple other fun things. I love how my friend Nora does a monthly highlights post about her family, and a snapshot of them. Nothing fancy, but they have at least 12 pictures together for the year. I want that for us! Another fun thing I may implement; I’m a pretty big reader. When I used to sit down with a novel I also had a little notebook and handheld electronic dictionary (back in the olden days). I wrote out longhand every word I didn’t have a perfect grasp of and it’s definition, as it pertained to what I was reading. I remember filling up pages reading Moby Dick! I think this would be fun to do again. I love words, and it would be great for Tuesday and Bennet to see me doing. Never stop learning, right?
I’d love to read your goals, dreams, and hopes for the year. Leave me a comment with them, or a link and I’ll check it out. Here’s to a great 2014. -
I really feel the need to do a year in a review, since it was probably my slowest blog year in the last 8 (almost 9!) that I’ve been blogging.
January
Celebrated Tuesday’s forth birthday with a car themed party.
Oh how they’ve grown! I loved the way we set up the dining room on Tuesday’s actual birthday too, we are definitely doing the photo strips again. And it will be the third year of the quiz.
February
I spent February blogging just in pictures, one of my favorite things to do lately. Rainbow Rice was my most popular post.
March
We went to Alaska to visit our friends, where we got to ride on a one horse open sleigh.
Bennet had her first bite of solid food, and a little bit of dirt too! Also I made this super cute bear sweat suit.
April
Visited the tulip fields as a family:
Tuesday got her hair curled by grandma. Super warm weather meant lots of sleeveless walks and picnics. Bennet got her first tooth.
May
I made a bunch of baby food (then Bennet decided after a month that she was so over being spoon fed). I made Tuesday a cute swimsuit. We took a short family vacation for Bj’s birthday to the Oregon Coast, and the Oregon Coast Aquarium (might be becoming a tradition?).
Got a new front door.
June
Tuesday had her second dance recital. Made a bunch of teeny tiny trainers (and a tutorial here). Edited my kitchen, picked strawberries, hiked Forest Park. Kids science association first meeting. Played in fountains.
Made skirts for myself, and a prairie girl dress and bonnet for Tuesday.
July
More fountains. Homeschool hiking group trip to the river, every meal on the front porch, forth of July with matching mama, baby, girl skirts (I never did share this did I?)
I sewed some other clothes for the girls too. Bj made this cute toy for Bennet. Playing outside everyday, and lots of gardening. Bennet walking! Sister’s Outdoor Quilt Show, the Salem Art Fair. Bennet is one! My dad and I built a Montessori map cabinet. Bean picking with Salem Harvest. Homeschool playgroup by the creek. Visiting nana and pops. Tuesday dressing up as a postal carrier. I finally made myself some leggings. After 8 long months mama can eat soy and dairy!!!! And Bennet was totally fine with it!
August
Worst bug bites of my life! Re-doing the dry-loc in the basement and repainting the walls. Finally finishing up the french doors, painting, etc. Thrifting: buying and selling at our own garage sale. Pacific NW quilt guild meet-up in Portland. Swimming in my mom’s pool. Beginning the summer canning. Started having B, my mother’s helper come twice a week for a few hours. Outdoor play kitchen everyday.
Mama’s birthday at the fair. Camp out at my grandpa’s.
September
Repeat most of the summer months: swimming at grandma’s, playing outside, gardening and eating outside everyday. Add in a massive corn pick with Salem Harvest, and a ton of corn canning, including learning to pressure can.
Harvesting the sunflowers we watched grow all summer for the birds for winter. Harvesting our first (and most expensive!) potatoes. Canning, canning, canning. Freezing too. Dance camp for Tuesday. Summer colds. Pumpkin stuffed with everything good. Visit from our Alaskan friends. Did I mention the canning (of course I had to rope my mother in law in for at least a day or two of it)? Rendered my own lard for cooking. Decided to get back on my bike and pull my girls anywhere close enough to make it. A bounce house birthday party at a farm on a rainy day. Bennet’s first pig tails. It was no-spend September and one of the best months of my life.
October
Painted with Bennie for the first time. New dance class at a “real” dance studio. More canning (shocker). Hood River with my mom and nana, who met us there.
Drawing with Bennet, hey she’s right handed! More homeschool days at the creek. Impromptu beach trip with gramps. We bought an electric car! Pumpkin patches. A Susan Enan concert in a friend’s home. My high school BFF moved back to Oregon and had a new baby, I can drive to see her for the first time in years. Counting to big numbers the Montessori way. Jury duty, Zumba, bean bin. A garden gnome and mail carrier.
November
Harlem Ballet with Tuesday. Taro and his family came to visit! From Japan! And I never blogged about it!
Fall leaves that were crispy because it wasn’t wet (trust me this is very weird). Sorting all my fabric, and starting too many new things. Lots of bee blocks. Tuesday setting up things and Bennet getting all up in her business. Bubble painting. Short haircut for Tuesday. Thanksgiving at the in-laws.
December
The month started off with high temps and bad colds and is ending with vomit laundry and upset tummies! Epic estate sale scores. Snow! Soups from scratch. Christmas pillows and finally finished an advent calendar. Letting the girls paint wrapping paper.
Tuesday dictating her own books and illustrating them. And writing her own Christmas carols in a made up language and insisting we go to the neighbor’s to sing to them. Getting Tuesday to sleep through the night again. Night weaning Bennie. Re-organizing the girls’ room and building a bunk. Watching choirs at the state capital. Solstice celebrations with the neighbors and then a nighttime lantern walk with homeschool friends. Christmas with my mom’s side. And barely making it up to post-Christmas at the in-laws (and barely making it back, ugh, the puking). The good news is that Bennet should be diaper free in a few days… yay for a big win!
That’s a wrap!
I realize there is lots, LOTS I didn’t blog about. There always is, but this year I really didn’t get much of it in this space. I’ll save goals for another post, but I think that will be one. One big thing I never mentioned (because this blog is all me, me, me, ha!) is that Bj left his job and started at a new local-ish company, did a one hour (minimum) commute (one way) for a few months before going back to his old job, in a role he loves. Back to him working from home, and we love it! I know that makes it obvious that the blog just touches on some aspects of our lives. I hope to keep recording all the fun things we do here for a long time.
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