Swell Notes

Dear Running, you are nothing but a pain in the meniscus.

2012-03-06T17:28:00.000-08:00

When you are feeling broke, everyone else is getting promoted or going on vacation.

When you are watching what you eat, the rest of the world starts baking and indulging.

When you are lonely and single, everywhere you look you see sickeningly happy couples.

When you give up caffeine, every parent is sporting a starbucks cup at after school pick up.

When your child throws an ugly fit in the library, you are surrounded by smiling, whispering, children.

When you injure your knee in January, the entire planet decides that February and March are for running.

It has been decided that these months are for running, happy running. Not the type that leaves you scowling in the rain checking your time every 3 minutes. Rather lovely, endorphin filled running that leaves you in love with life. I want to be filled with endorphins, flying around the city. Alas, I am walking dogs and trying to ignore the dull ache in me right knee.

I don’t know how this happened. Maybe it was running, maybe it was another fitness adventure. Blooming with the new year, a dull pain emerged in my outer right knee. Naturally, I ignored it and relied on my bodies super healing powers to take over. That didn’t work, so started icing after working it. But, the irritation became mild pain. Once I started (lightly) training for a ½ marathon at the end of January, it stubbornly dug in it’s heals. I dug in mine too. Knee postured. I stuck out my tounge. Jab-cross-jab-hook-strike. OUCH!!!

Post runs left me unable to walk down stairs with out clutching the side of the walls. I couldn’t cross my legs when seated with out irritation. Going from seated to standing was reminiscent of my arthritic grandfather rocking out of his armchair. My knee threw up it’s arms in victory and started singing that horrible “We are the Champions” song by Queen. I gave it a raspberry and put up my feet.

I woke up with remorse for my poor behavior. But, it was too late. Knee was giving me the silent treatment. I think that I went too far this time. I am not sure that we can ever trust each other the way we used too. My doctor says that knee's affliction is an irritated meniscus. It’s probably not a tear, but it won’t heal without rest. In fact, it will get worse without rest. Just to be sure I tested that out a couple of times. He was right, athletic impact made it worse. It has been over 4 weeks of nothing but yoga and other low impact activities, and still my meniscus is holding a grudge.

Last week I celebrated my thirty-seventh birthday. I think I have finally learned a lesson that I should have learned at twenty-one. I’m NOT invincible. Hurt happens, injuries happen, disappointment happens. My body will age. I hope to repair the damage I have done. I suppose that leaves me to wait and listen.

I lied.

2012-01-17T16:19:00.000-08:00

I didn't mean to, but I lied. I lied thrice.

Lie #1
" I am a terrible sewer. I am not a sewer. It just wasn't meant to be" (July, 2011)

Here I am, six months later and totally committed to a massive undertaking. I am in the process of planning, designing and SEWING a spring wardrobe for myself. My machine is unpacked and I have staked out a nice little corner of our playroom for my mini studio. I have started compiling designs and ideas into a design book and rekindling my love affair with fashion. It turns out that it is as strong as ever. It's probably a little stuck in 2000, but there none the less.

I am severely limited by funds. Buying fabric and patterns is way more expensive then just buying the stinking garment. Still...I have dreams that won't die. In some cases, I will have to refashion thrifties and items that I already own. But, recycling has it's merits too!

It turns out, I am not as horrible of a seamstress as my previous rants would lead you to believe. Impatient? yes. Over ambitious? yes. Sloppy and rushed? YE-AH-SS! Horrible? Surprisingly.... no.

When I told my children about my crazy plan they were really encouraging. Sometimes, I realize just how good I have it. When I through out a seemingly unrealistic pipe dream at my kids, they always amazingly supportive. I am so fortunate to have them as my sounding board. At those times when I would kill to be having an adult conversation over breakfast rather then listen to random sports trivia that is being pelted at me like a paintball gun, I will remember this conversation. Upon sharing my dreams to become a good seamstress. Jack replied: "Mommy, you ARE a good sewer. Remember those pj's you made for us? You can totally do it!" Not a bad sounding board.

Lie # 2
"I'm kind of over running" (October, 2011)

Turns out I'm not. In the past I have certainly been a "fair weather" runner. Which, basically limits me to run between March and July, take a break in August and wrap up the year in September. Our unseasonably warm winter break landed me back on the track and thinking about signing up for a race. Oddly, the day after scouring the internet for the perfect race, a friend turned me on to an opportunity to run in the Seattle "Rock 'n' Roll" marathon while supporting a cause very dear to her heart and mine. More on that to come......

I'm feeling good about completing the 13.1. My fear is in finishing it s--u-p-e-r s---l---o---w-----l-------y. Like, you might as well have walked if you were going to clock in at that time. So, my goal for now: focusing on my tempo runs while being very kind to myself. More on that to come.....

Lie # 3
"I am leaving space to create in whatever capacity I am drawn to each day" (Dec. 2011)

Looks like that is going to be a bit hard to do as I sew and train while enjoying motherhood and wifedom. I guess I will have to settle for being creative everyday without that freedom clause. I kind of knew that this one was a lie. But I did have good intentions.

I certainly won't be wishing the winter away this year. I have a lot to get done before the Spring.

What are your passions this winter?

Gripping, loss and love.

2012-01-05T14:40:00.000-08:00

December was an unusual month for me. My world seamed to slowly tip on it’s axis while gently shaking me off to be at the mercy of the rest of the universe. Although some of the changes were of my own doing, I still wrapped myself tightly around earth’s leg. Like a mother to a toddler, she continued to shake me loose and gently back away.

I gave up teaching for good last month. Along with it, I gave up a major focus in my life. I have opened up time, and space and creative energy for myself. I have been terrified by the idea of adding anything back in. The risk of, yet again, over scheduling myself and winding myself back up into claustrophobia has paralyzed me. So, I am left with a space in my heart where music, children and teaching once sat. I am clinging to this space. Shake, shake.

At the end of the month, I had a wonderful week and a half with my children and husband at home. We had time to spend together at our cabin in the woods and in our , more relaxed then normal, Tacoma home.. I woke up every morning to hot coffee, fed dogs and entertained children. Totally amazing! Still, I clung to the guilt of not being the wife and mother who wakes up and gets to work so that my husband can relax. Basically, I couldn’t let go of how things normally are. Shake, shake, shake.

I spent a lot of time focused on family this month too. Yes, my life is always focused on family. But, in December, that expanded beyond the nuclear. We spent more time then usual with local family. We also had visits from both my father and my mother and father in law. Spending time with family is so dear. I regret that all of my family is not in one place. Nothing made this more clear then the sad passing of my lovely grandmother last week. Here it is regret that I cling to. The shaking continues, and I tighten my grip.

As I write this, the Northen side my family is mourning the loss of my grandmother, Elvera. A courageous, funny, lover of life, my grandmother will be dearly missed. The mother of seven, this amazing woman lived a full life. I did not know her well. But, I am thankful for the time that I did get to spend with her. In reflecting on her life, I see that her greatest gift to me is her example strength and playfulness.

I was fortunate enough to visit my grandma in California when on a road trip a several years back with John Amelia, and Jack. In her 80’s she was still full of life, love and strength. The life that she lived was frequently visited by hardship. Yet, when I see her in my minds eye, that is not what I see in her. I see the face a women who knew joy and love. Who, upon meeting her great grandchildren for the first time, loved them richly and playfully.

I am at a loss for a really great way to wrap this up. I suppose it is because we do not wrap up ones life with a ceremony alone. Closure doesn’t come. And, it shouldn’t. I may not have known my grandmother as well as I would have liked, but she will always be a part of me. She will always shine in my children. Now that she has passed, I will look for her in their movements and in their laughter. I will look for her strength in my own times of challenge. I am inspired to do the same for the rest of my family. When Jack raises his brows, just so, to momentarily become my father; hearing Liam yell “fooey!” in the voice of his grandmom Cotter; when Amelia escapes to her room to jump into a book as my grandmother Schroeder would have done, we are reunited. They are there with us, if just for one sweet moment. If I cling to the traditional concepts of being close to family, I lose. But, if I unclench my hands and see that they are with us daily in so many ways I am shaken free. Free to celebrate them, passed or living, near or far.

I love house work, and I don't are if that makes boring.

2011-12-13T07:28:00.000-08:00

Today is the last Tuesday and, thus, free morning before the end the the year. I probably should mail some gifts at the post office or run some other errands child free. But, I chose to clean. Not because my house is a disaster, or I have anyone but my family entering it in the near future. I just love a clean house. I even like the act of cleaning.

I don't think it is because I am crazy. It isn't because I have no interests. Rather, being a visual person, it makes me very happy when things are tidy and in order. Just as it bothers me to the core when my middle wears his skull cap on top of his hood, or when my husband calls navy "green" and pairs it with black, things need to flow for me visually. I spend a good part of my day at home and I like it to make sense and be in order.

To be more poetic and less odd, I also like what the act of caring for my house symbolizes for my family. I like giving the gift of order to them. I am happy to create an environment where things make sense, visually or otherwise. The world is unpredictable and refuses to be constrained by order. In my home, I like to take a break from that chaos. So, clean on I will.

How do you view house work? With dread or delight?

Mondays are pretty great...or are they?

2011-12-12T06:48:00.000-08:00

I am probably in the minority, but some weeks I really love Monday mornings. Sometimes, it’s hard saying goodbye to the weekend and getting back into work-activity-school-mode. Other times, I am just reminded how good I have it. While John was up and out on his 45 minute commute by 5AM, I find myself at home. Here I am In a quiet house, by the fire, lounging with my dogs. Not a bad way to start the week! Yes, things will explode into aliveness at any moment. Child wake-up to school drop off time is a challenge. But, 2/3 of my kids are dropped off for 6 hour each day! Leaving me with time to go to boxing class, run an errand or two, do some art with Liam, and (hopefully) enjoy a quiet house during his afternoon nap. I won’t get into the complexities of the after school hours. Why ruin a good story?

The weekend was pretty great too. All three children spent Saturday afternoon in the theater with their grandparents while John and I stayed home…alone! How often does that happen? Pretty much....never. Sunday, we skipped church and spent the day together. A lazy brunch, a trip to the gym for a workout , family basketball (you guessed it, I was a star), and swimming. Then home for some Christmas Crafting.

First, a rustic Christmas Wreath made with Liam. We used last years wreath frame (thank you, John for saving everything to a fault), and greens from our yard. Created with leland cypress, mock orange and something things that I don’t know the names of and tied together with twine. Tada! Free holiday wreath.

I love using the word "rustic" in place of "scrappy

Next, Amelia and I worked on creating woven headbands out of an old tee shirt. Another free craft - yipee! Amelia is working on ideas for Christmas gifts. So act suprised if you are on her list. She made hers herself. I made one too, but how can I post a picture of my baby hair next to Amelia's amazing lion mane? The boys decided they were basketball sweat band. As you can see, they also decided that they were hilarious.

Who wore it best?

Good food, family, a workout, and crafting. It may have been the perfect day. Thinking about the weekend, my Monday doesn't seem so wonderful as it did a few minutes ago. Time for some coffee to rearrange my view.....

What is your favorite way to spend a Sunday?

Why I am saying goodbye to my adventures with Kindermusik

2011-12-08T13:51:00.000-08:00

I have been thinking about writing this post for a few weeks now. In fact, I think a good reason to why there has been tumbleweed blowing around my blog is because I couldn't bring myself to do it. While I have made my official "this will be my last semester announcements" to my classes, my family, my friends and St. Luke's, putting it in writing seems a lot more committal. I suppose that is where the phrase "put it in writing" comes from. It isn't so easy to do. Over the past month, I have come to know well that the hardest decision are those that have you the most emotionally involved. For me, my Kindermusik studio has always been about a lot more then teaching music.

I love teaching music! I love each child that I have taught. It has been a joy watching them come alive in song and dance. It has been a priviledge watching the love in a parents eyes as they witness their child being moved to music, interacting with peers, or just doing something ridiculously adorable. I love watching the St. Lukes Pre-K class share ideas musically. Seeing friends dance and sing together is beautiful. I adore knowing that a parent and child can come into my class and experience moments of tenderness and quite as they rock and snuggle to music.

At this point you may be expecting the flip side, what I really hate about my teaching experience. While every moment has not been perfect. Most of my time in the classroom has felt pretty darn close. I even enjoy the preparation. Using my brain to communicate with parents and other grown-ups has been great. There really aren't a whole lot of skunks in the yard.

To say that I have decided to stop teaching so that I have more time to spend with my family sounds like a really good answer. Unfortunately, it would be a lie. I love my family. I also spend PLENTY of time with them. I don't need more time to "get things done" around the house. The truth is, I have been very efficient for the past five years. I have managed to teach in the morning, spend time with my children, exercise the dogs, make a fresh healthy meal, make it to the gym and be in bed by 10PM all with a clean house. There in lies my reason for closing my little Minuet Studio. I have no time for nothing. In reading this over, it sounds like a "it's hard being beautiful" kind of rant. That is not my intention. But rather, to make the point that striving to be a "super mom" can leave you feeling a little empty. Even when, with practice, you have become pretty good at it. There is a sacrifice.

When I speak of doing nothing, I don't mean "nothing" as in hanging around with my family with no where to be and nothing on my to-do list. My "nothing" is all about me. Be it selfish or not, I am ready to care for myself as a priority. When I find free moments by myself, I have found that I'm pretty tapped out physically and creatively. It has taken me 9 years of parenting to finally realize the depth into which I need my solitude. While I may not come across this way while teaching, I am an introvert to the core. I thoroughly love my time with students, friends and my family. But, I NEED time by myself, lots of it. If you are a parent or caregiver, you know how impossible this can be when you hold a loaded schedule.

For the past five years, my creativity has been devoted to my studio, and my children. I am ready to revisit the aspects of my creativity that have been often dormant. It doesn't mean that I will be creating masterpieces, or learning to play the trombone. Rather, I am leaving space to create in whatever capacity I am drawn to each day. Maybe in a meal for my husband, maybe in a short story, maybe in redecorating my laundry room. It may not sound as interesting as running a small music business, but to me, right now, it sounds very luxurious.

I recently spoke with Father Paul (of St. Luke's) about my plans to stop teaching. In addition to his kindness and loving support he made a comment something like this: "Many busy families find themselves spinning their wheels. If you are able to take the time to keep the hearth fires going strong, what a difference you can make in your lives". I have always seen this as important as it relates for my family. I now see how important is is for me to keep the hearth fires in my own heart burning, and daily.

What fires would you like to rekindle?

Meet Cheesy McQueen

2011-11-23T13:34:00.000-08:00

Welcome Thanksgiving break!!!!! How I love having my big kids home during the day! No waking up early to make lunches and tie up loose ends, no uniforms, and a little extra time in the morning to hang out and play. This morning, Liam and Jack helped to make banana pancakes and we went to work building a play mobile castle. Dixie Belle Boyds went to work eating any toys she could sneak before being caught. Amelia worked on sleeping in (lucky thing).

Then, we were off to the gym. Kids to kids club and I to a crazy hard step and weights class. I followed that with a shower in peace. Funny how a shower at the gym is more private then a shower at home. No one even opened the shower curtain to comment on my various body parts! Next, off to Michael's for Chirstmas card supplies and home for lunch. With a little extra time, we had a water drinking competition (I won, yes, I've still got it) and the kids constructed their own sandwiches: butterless grilled cheese in the sandwich maker. Liam was given the choice: light cheese, medium, lots of cheese or...Cheesy McQueen. Of course, he went with the McQueen. Here is his creation.

Don't you See the Resemblance?

I think the onions are supposed to be the front and back windows. I'm not too sure how the carrots fit in. We couldn't put the bread together (of course, that would ruin it), so it was baked in the oven. The problem: Liam couldn't bring himself to eat, and thus kill, McQueen. So, we settled on him taking a few portraits so that he could live on forever. He never did eat the carrots.

Long Live Cheesy McQueen!

Single Parenting Take 4

2011-11-09T19:13:00.000-08:00

If Joey had red hair, this trio would be a perfect Match to my three.

Why is it that when my children are sick they still have abundant energy? No lethargic, cuddlers taking long naps. Nope, mine get really crabby (in fact mean) and are still bouncing off of the walls. Why do I bring this up? You guessed it, I have a sick child.

My first clue that something was wrong happened this morning. Just as finished step class, the kids club attendant came to get me. Since Liam is not in diapers and never gets lonely for me there, I knew that he was either a) sick or b) naughty. To my delight, the answer was c) both a and b. Apparently, my Liam had a massive and violent temper tantrum that included him kicking the attendant and calling her "stupid" (I'm so proud). When I came to collect him, he was hiding in shame. He also had a slight fever. The very kind caregivers were understanding as he has never done anything like this before. I made sure to blame big brother and sister for the introduction of the word "stupid" to his vocabulary (when they say it I blame the Junie B Jones books they read in Kindergarten). I had to carry him out screaming, flailing, and kicking. If I would have known that this was how my gym experience would end, I would have chosen lighter weights during class.

So, a slightly runny nose and a slightly feverish boy meant a complete rearrangement of my schedule. No preschool for Liam tomorrow. Which leads to no childcare, which leads t no Pre-K Kindermusik class for St. Luke's tomorrow. No husband to hand off to so...no family outing for Amelia's end of the season soccer party. Many thanks to the lovely and understanding Mrs. M for bringing her and, hopefully, bringing her back. They are still out partying.

Single Parenting, Take 3

2011-11-08T19:31:00.000-08:00

I'm not sure what is different about this time. But, after being gone for 3 days, Liam no longer calls his father "Daddy". He is now referred to as "John".

To be honest, it was much harder to have to go it alone when my kids younger. Now, our lives are so busy that I don't seem to notice that I am on my own until the day comes to a close. The biggest frustration to me is that I can't go anywhere alone. I usually hold my grocery shopping, dog hikes, and errand running until John comes home from work. Or, save it for the weekend. Now, every trip is a lively adventure. The one thing that I can't bring the kids to that pains me most is yoga.

The bright side of this change in routine is that I had to fit a yoga class into the only window that was available to me. Today, during my one free morning while Liam is in preschool, I tried a class that I had never gone to before. Labeled as a basic flow class, my ego didn't even think to consider going. I am so glad that I did! I knew that the instructor was amazingly gifted, so I'm not sure why I was surprised that I got so much out of it. In a nut shell, it was a reminder that everything needs to be built on a good foundation in order to bring fulfillment yoga and life alike. I left feel more grounded and inspired then I have felt in a long time.

Single Parenting Take 2

2011-11-07T19:10:00.000-08:00

The happy times of yesterday continued into the day. In this chilly weather, I spent as much time as possible next to the fire with a book and someone to snuggle. I feel a little guilty that while we are toasty and warm in our cozy home, John is freezing cold and sleeping elbow to elbow with loudly snoring sailors. But, he probably hasn’t been pelted by “I hate you” for the better part of the afternoon.

In preparation for the battle of wills with my three year old, I spent the morning in heavy bag boxing. If I haven’t said it enough before, I LOVE BOXING. Maybe, it’s the little person complex in me trying to feel badass. Maybe, it is the pent up energy from all of the times I have had to bite my tongue with my fiery three year old. Maybe, it is just a super fun, sweaty workout. Whatever it is, it left me ready to conquer the world. Or, if not the world, sneaker shopping and another trip to China Lake with Liam and the dogs. My advice to all mothers of young children: You must try boxing!!!!! It is an amazing stress relief.

The heavens smiled down on me and moved Jack’s soccer coach to cancel practice at the last minute. An afternoon with nothing planned! No carpool, no errands, no meetings, nothing. So, back to the fire it was for homework and warm milk. The kids were thrilled that I had baked English Muffins and served them breakfast for dinner. I was happy to slack on meals with no other adult to cook for. That is one of my favorite parts of single parenting, lazy meals and no complaints. It almost makes me want to convert to boring meals all together. But , not quite.

Well, I just got a hair stroke and a gentle “ I love you, you’re a good mom” from my angry dictator…..

Day 2 gets 4 stars!

What is your favorite stress relief?

Five Little Vizslas

2011-11-06T18:23:00.000-08:00

This week I find myself single parenting. John left at 6AM to go underway with a sub and the children and I to carry on as usual. The extra hour of sleep left everyone but me extra spunky. After a chaotic and painful trip to the food co-op, I could see the energy oozing from my children’s pores. I am not sure what was louder on the car ride home, the lively sounds from the backseat or the screaming in my head. No, it was probably the real screaming that I delivered back to my noise-makers.

The next stop was to run the energy out of our dogs at China Lake. Which brought on a chorus of moaning and back talk. Really, not much would have been different if John were home. I would have had someone to complain to at the end of the morning. Instead, I complained to myself. Which, only made me feel more crazy and out of control.

I knew that the outdoors would make everyone feel better. I was right. My five little vizslas flew out of the gate (or mini-van) and didn’t stop. Pure, raw energy released. After 45 minutes, the clock was ticking to get home before the howls of hunger set in. Just as no one wanted to come in the first place, now no one wanted to leave (please say this is not just my children that do this). Home for lunch and an afternoon nap for Liam, everyone was happy.

Zonked Out Doggies by the Fire

The afternoon was left for games, cleaning, crafting and sprucing up our family center. Liam screamed for most of the day. I think it is just habit now. No middle ground, only “I love you” or “ I hate you” with a ratio of about 1 to 20. Now we are off for build your own sandwiches followed by “Meerkat Manor” (my children’s newest favorite). Followed by the sweet silence and the peace of knowing that everyone is safely sleeping in our warm, cozy house. Tomorrow is another day.

A site worth looking in to

2011-11-03T07:15:00.000-07:00

If you are a Minuet parent or a parent of a young child, I have a website wort looking into. For a while now, Kindermusik has had a sister site, http://play.kindermusik.com. On this site, you can purchase music and download your class songs. The site has recently been updated to include lyrics and home activity books as well. If you are currently enrolled in a class, this is all accessible to you.

I hope that you will find this useful in continuing your musical experiences outside of the studio.

If you have already registered at Play Kindermusik but did so before the home guides were available, here is what you do: Go to the MY ACCOUNT page of play.kindermusik.com and click on the GREEN button to receive the Lyrics & Home Activities PDFs -- it's EASY!

Right now, my Liam's favorite class song is "Mister Sun".

What is your child's favorite Kindermusik song?

2011-11-01T19:49:00.000-07:00

There are many times when being the third child really stinks. You only wear hand me downs, you get dragged around all day running errands, and dropping your brother and sister off at school and activities, your parents are burnt out from years of “playing” so you have to beg your siblings who rarely say yes, you have 4 people to boss you around, and the list goes on. When Halloween comes around, being the youngest is great.

Just one of the big kids ready for candy

Liam made out like a bandit this year. There is NO WAY I would have let Amelia or Jack trick-or-treat until their bags were too heavy to carry. When Amelia was three, the parties she was invited to served apple slices, pumpkin seeds and milk. Liam, on the other hand, got in on the big kid’s parties. Cupcakes, cookies, candy corn, and soda were featured on the party spreads this weekend. The tables were eye level and parents were distracted. It felt pretty good to be the little brother. Those poor kids from preschool were probably at home painting pumpkins or making leaf rubbings with there enthusiastic parents. Liam was eating guacamole that had been barfed up from a jack-o-lantern. He was the coolest three year old on the block. Halloween had arrived.

The Booty

Who said being the youngest doesn't have it's rewards?

Are you more lenient with your younger children?

Happy Halloween!

2011-10-31T07:04:00.000-07:00

Happy Halloween! It's hard to believe that a weekend long of celebrating was just the prologue for today. If you are a teacher today, best of luck. If you are a teacher tomorrow, best of luck times two.

To spite all of my complaining about the extreme celebrating for this holiday, we had a great weekend. We got to catch up with friends while the children got wild in someone else's house. And, I didn't have to make dinner for two nights in a row! Not bad at all.

Today leaves us with one more round of costuming. I think that Amelia's quickly thrown together red fox will make it one more night. Jack's bat wings came off a few times on Saturday, but a few quick stitches quickly put them back in place. Liam is yet to wear his full monkey costume (grrr), that I spent an afternoon hunting down on request (double grrr.), so it is still in fine condition for this evenings festivities.

We will head out early in our house at 6 PM to leave plenty of time for treating, assessing and over sugaring. Halloween is the only day of the year that I loosen my very tight (and overbearing) grip of my children's treat consumption. After getting home tonight, they get to feast on as much candy as they like before brushing their teeth (EXTREMELY well) and going to bed. I am always surprised that they don't actually eat until they vomit or finish their stash. This year, my money is on Liam eating the most of them all. I also predict that tomorrow's sugar withdrawal is going to be a challenge for all.

For our teachers: May the angels be with you today and tomorrow!

When did Halloween get so big?

2011-10-26T07:13:00.000-07:00

Yesterday while passing by the bulk bins at the Tacoma Food Co-op my children innocently asked: "Can we buy yogurt covered pretzels?" My response: "Hmmm, Friday you have a school harvest party, we are going to 2 halloween parties on Saturday, there is a harvest party after church on Sunday and Halloween is on Monday. Sorry, there is NO WAY I am bringing anything with sugar home with us today". They didn't even begin to counter.

Growing up, I don't remember having a Halloween party at school. Maybe, I just wasn't invited, but I don't think I ever went to Halloween parties outside of school either. I certainly wasn't parading around local business districts soliciting candy. I don't think I even wore my costume outside of the house until Halloween night. I have nothing against Halloween. I love that my children get to wear their well planned costumes a few times before they outgrow them next year. Still, it just feels like over kill. With Thanksgiving and Christmas waiting as we round the corner back from trick-or-treating, I could do without the week long festival of candy and gluttony we celebrate every October. How do you say "bah humbug" in halloween?

Now that I have gotten that off my chest, I can give mention to all of the sweet things that haven't seemed to change much over the years. It is funny how the important parts of life seem to carry on. Those things that we treasure most stand the test of time. Forget about the candy, these are the sweet things:

Watching my Children admiring their costumed selves in the mirror for the first time.

Getting together with friends that I don't get to see often enough.

Watching the Charlie Brown, Great Pumpkin, with the kids.

Toasting pumpkin seeds.

Family night walks to check out the best decorations in the neighborhood.

Illuminating our well planned jack-o-lanterns on Halloween night.

Saying hello to neighbors that we rarely see.

The palpable excitement in the air as we head down set off trick-or-treating.

The sheer delight on my children's faces as they dump out the mountain of candy they have collected on the living room floor.

What are your thoughts on Halloween? The bigger the better or simple is sweet?

Step and Rest

2011-10-24T07:13:00.000-07:00

My 24 hrs. plus to share with my husband was perfect! Saturday brought rain instead of a hike. But, the rain brought a little more time to poke around in Olympia and linger over lunch. The rain made our cozy cabin and with a fire a happy retreat. A dry Sunday sent us heading for The Olympic National Park. No kids or dogs to guide our hike this time! So, we went big. To set out for the wagon wheel lake climb just inside the staircase entrance.

View from the (almost) top

Six miles round trip doesn't seem like a lot for a day hike. It seems like a lot more when the elevation gain of those 3 miles in is 3200 ft. Wow, it was tough. One of the most difficult in the entire park. But, so rewarding.

Like any physically challenging endeavor requiring a good amount of endurance, the first 20 minutes or so always seem to be the hardest. It isn't the physicality so much as the mentality at this point. Such was the case yesterday. "What did I get myself into? If it is this hard now, how much worse might it get? Why am I even doing this? I hate hiking! When can I rest?" ....and on and on.

During my monkey brain circus, my wise husband mentioned that he was using a technique that he learned years ago in a class with the Mountaineers, "rest with each step". So simple and so transformative. Very yogic too. I was amazed how instantly I realized that through the challenge, there was calm. My body was working, but it wasn't screaming after all. That was just my mind. As I start a new week, certain to be filled with both peace and challenge, I plan to take that with me. Whether struggling with an unhappy child, feeling overwhelmed with to do's, or dealing with the unexpected, I don't need shut down, hide or panic. There is always time to rest with each step.

Happy Notes

2011-10-21T06:39:00.000-07:00

It's Friday! I was excited about Tuesday, but that doesn't come close to my super charged Friday excitement. There are so many things that I love about the weekend. Who doesn't have a long list of weekend happy notes? They most likely include many of mine:

Sleeping in
Family Time
Spending time with my husband
Stealing lazy moments of quiet
Leaving the house without a child.....

I could go on. This weekend is especially exciting for me. John and I get 24 hrs + without the kids. Since dollars aren't burning a whole in my hand at the moment, we are going to keep it simple and affordable. Were are packing up the dogs and heading to the cabin. A stop in Olympia, a little hiking, puppy play, and a day to actually finish a conversation, uninterrupted. It may not sound luxe, but it is to me! We haven't been without the kids for a night since May. I don't feel even the slightest twinge of sadness to leave them. Don't feel bad for them. They are just excited to be rid of us and have Grandma and Grandpa to shower them with attention.

What are your weekend plans? When is the last time (if ever) you have been away from your child over night?

Vices

2011-10-20T06:08:00.000-07:00

What are your Vices?

When times get tough do you find yourself running to the same vices? Or, maybe you overuse vices in hard times because they are now habit? Perhaps you are you a model of happiness who turns to healthy vices?

This has been on my mind lately as I have been trying to rid myself of the all of my backfiring vices. I have good productive vices too. I often use exercise, mediation and prayer, yoga, walks and hmmm…I expected my healthy vice list to be longer Well, here they are, my poor choice vices:

Coffee

Food

Cuticle biting

Wine (maybe that one should move to second place below coffee)

Wasting time on the internet

Complaining

Before I go on, I should clarify about the wine. I am not pulling up to school drop off with a thermous full or topping myself off after lunch. But, the glass on wine on the weekend after the kids are put to bed slowly stretches from Saturday to Friday and Sunday. Next it creeps to Monday and Thursday. And now you have a habit, and not a healthy one.

The same is true for me with coffee. I never actually see the bottom of a coffee cup. I pour and dump from about 6 AM until 8:30 AM. My coffee is the little bit of happiness in the chaos of the morning. It is warmth in the cold and dark morning. Sometimes I try to bring that happiness to the afternoon too. It often backfires and makes me feel horrible.

For the past few weeks, I have taken coffee and wine out of my weekday routine. Ditching wine during the week has been pretty easy. But the coffee….a little harder. I am fortunate that I never get caffeine headaches . Tea (especially when it’s caffeinated ) does a fine job as a replacement for the most part. I still miss coffee. The sad truth is that it is a little bit of a security blanket for me. A self -medicating happy blanket. And, a hard habit to break.

Here is my dilemma: while some of these vices should be, pretty much eliminated: cuticle biting, internet, and complaining. I can’t quite pull the plug on the others completely. I don’t care to live my remaining days with out coffee, wine, and certainly not without food. Being an all or nothing person is a challenge. It is great when you need to finish a task list at full speed or plow through a workout. It stinks when you have no idea how to live in moderation. I’d like to blame society for push until you drop (or have a nervous breakdown) mentality. I will also tip my hat to genetics on my paternal side (sorry Dad, you Northen’s are intense).

So, for now I will continue on my weekend only plan to keep balance. It isn’t perfect. I’ve had coffee mid week and I try not to guilt myself. The down side is that my cuticle biting and complaining have hit a new all time high. One thing at a time.

Do struggle with any unhealthy vices? What are they?

Oops, grrr...ehh

2011-10-19T06:53:00.000-07:00

That lovely run that I had planned for yesterday didn't go so well. Well, the running part was okay. But the "long" run did not happen. Silly me. Beautiful day, shinning sun, cool Fall air and I giant sign that says "Five Mile Loop". I noticed the air and the sun, it's just the sign that escaped me. Thankfully, having my head in the clouds did not lead to me getting lost and the eaten by wild dogs or zombies. It just meant that I had circled back to my car after 2.4 miles. Right when my hands were beginning to thaw. Bleh.

On the bright side, I was here....

So, instead of working off my stress with a good exhausting run, I went home frustrated. Since I had a quick run, I now had time for a long shower and a little more time to spend with my delicious soy latte at Bluebeard.

So, I have lot's of pent up energy to spend at step class this morning. Especially since I slept 9 hours last night after taking an hour nap in the afternoon.

I believe that I was meant to hibernate in the winter.

How about you. Are you effected by seasonal sleepiness?

What can I cram into 2 hours?

2011-10-18T06:44:00.000-07:00

Today is Tuesday! I know that doesn't sound very exciting to you. But, it is for me. Why? Tuesday is my free morning. Okay, that is an overstatement. Taking away the time spent in the car, I have 2 hours between dropping Liam off at preschool and scooping him back up again. This year, Liam attends preschool two mornings a week. Since I teach the other morning, that leaves me with one wonderful 2-hour block to do as I please. A sweet, sweet rarity. Liam has been in school for almost a month now. Yet, every Tuesday that comes and goes, I panic with how to spend my time. I am so excited to do all of the things that I can't do normally, that I am paralyzed and chose something totally random or otherwise lame. Last week I took Dixie to Point Defiance (not lame), took a shower, sang a little, cleaned a little (getting duller), and finished dinner (yawn). Instead of enjoying it, I was rushing around trying to cram in as much as possible. Totally unsatisfying.

Today is different. I am going for a long and lovely fall run on at Point Defiance, taking a quick shower, and parking it at Bluebeard Coffee for 20 minutes of quite to prepare for my classes for the week. I am going to fight the urge to do a quick load of laundry, walk the dog (sorry Dixie, I need to run too), or mop the floors.

Sometimes being inefficient is the best way to be efficient.

What do you do with your time when you have a free hour or two to yourself?

New evidence that music raises the IQ

2011-10-17T06:47:00.000-07:00

Wow! There have been some interesting findings on the impact of music on cognitive development. A Canadian study of four to six year old children showed increased verbal IQ scores for children who had been exposed to an experimental animated computer music program.

If you are interested in the details of the study, you can read about them here:

www.psychologicalscience.org/index.php/news/releases/young-children-show-improved-verbal-iq-after-20-days-of-exposure-to-music-based-cognitive-training-cartoons.html

While this study offers more proof that music is good for the brain, I can’t help but wonder: Don’t children who participate in live musical instruction benefit even more? If you watch the brief clip in this article, it you may wonder the same. I certainly believe that any exposure to music education is beneficial. However, I hate to hand over music education to a computer. The best way to learn about music is to live it. The concepts and sounds can be replicated, but there is a lot that is lost too.

Sound itself is created by vibration. The vibrations that come from a speaker can’t compare to the vibrations and energy experienced when singing in a group, listening to a piano or beating a drum. Live music incorporates more of the senses, not just sound and sight. The Kindermusik classes that I teach (and maybe you attend?) emphasize the growth of the whole child. I love that we keep music a whole body experience with dance, touch, sight, communication, or social interactions. If only you could taste the music we would have all of the bases covered. Music celebrates both the self and those we share it with. The brain blossoms to receive this celebration. It grows as it fills with joy and wonder.

If a child’s IQ surges from computer based instruction, imagine how he responds to live musical instruction?

Do you think that children can learn as well from a computer as they can a teacher?

Having a baby is not like having an angry boss (part 2)

2011-10-14T08:01:00.000-07:00

There are days I would love to wake up to a demanding boss instead of a child. I would really be thrilled for an adult of any kind. Why?

Most adults don’t make up screaming, and if they do it is usually just until they get a caffeine fix.
I can’t imagine that many employers make you late for a meeting because their bowels are calling just as you are headed out the door.
I doubt they demand that you wipe their bottom either.
I can’t imagine a boss asking “Can I help?” as much as my son does only to destroy what it is that I am doing. No, a boss wants you to actually be productive.
I have never had a boss say “I hate you” or “you smell”. I have been fired, and I have been talked down to. It is much more pleasant then being heckled by a 3 year old.
I have never had a boss cry while wrapping themselves around my leg when I left the office. Never did one put his finger in my face and order me “don’t go to yoga when I go into the other room”.

The real problem is with that tired analogy is that when you work for a baby or child boss, you are constantly worried about their safety. If an adult boss can’t be trusted in the bath alone for fear of drowning, they should not BE boss. In addition, this idea implies that the parent has one boss and one job. Some of my biggest struggles stem from the fact that I have many jobs and bosses/children. Caring for a child and nothing else is tough. Caring for a child, his/her siblings, pets, and spouse is another. Add to that constant worry about your child’s safety and emotional health and things get really complicated.

So, if we parents are not employees, what are we? Just for fun, I looked up Wikipedia’s definition of indentured servant. No, that didn’t fit either. Slave was closer, but still not quite right. A drudge? Almost there, but it still was missing the emotional side. I guess there is no point in trying to explain parenthood as anything other then what it is. Whatever that is.

Having a baby is not like having an angry boss (part 1)

2011-10-13T06:58:00.000-07:00

You have heard an analogy before that goes something like this: “Having a baby is like having a demanding boss breathing down your back 24 hours a day.”

I realize that who ever first came up with this idea was trying to give sort of recognition to stay at home parents. The hours are long, your work never seems to be good enough, you are always on call etc., etc. Those are all true. I also realize that my children aren’t infants. But, my 3 year old is pretty demanding. Not nearly as demanding as when he was an infant, but not exactly easy to care for either. My 7 and 8 year old can be difficult too. But, I won’t pretend that it is nearly as challenging as the infant and preschool years in this area.

~~Once in a blue moon~~ Often, life devoted to a young child is much better then it would be with a demanding boss. Today after calling Jack in sick to school (only to discover him suddenly “better” within 5 minutes), the boys and I headed to Point Defiance. I chose where and when we were going (they’re not the boss of me!), and we hit the trails. We took Dixie along too. Most mean bosses don’t let you bring your dog to work. My boys even played with her. We brought along a bag to collect nature treasures. Since I assigned a nature walk to 2 of my classes this week, I thought that we should do our homework too. The trails were empty as they often are in the fall. We compared the feel of different mosses, listed to birds and something that sounded like a tree frog. We collected soggy pinecones and pieces of fern. The air was beautiful and crisp. The park was intensely green. When we were done, we turned around and headed home to create our new mantel:

Liam and Jack's Treasure Jars

An Autumn Afternoon

This morning I had supportive co-workers. They were the slightly under-qualified, “still learning the ropes” types. But, they were eager go -getters.

What do you think? Is life with an infant or preschooler harder or easier then having a tyrannical boss?

Puppy Power

2011-10-12T06:15:00.000-07:00

…and I thought babies grew quickly. Our very frisky Dixie Cotter is growing by the minute. She is sleeping through the night (mostly), and is even starting to conform to our crazy schedule. With the exception of her ability to escape from her travel crate - in the car only to appear underneath my feet while I’m driving!, and razor sharp teeth, she is PERFECT.

To prove my point, here are some pictures taken from the weekend. Dixie had her first trip to Lake Cushman and first of many hikes on the Hoodsport trail. If you notice that the pictures are better then the norm, it is because I didn’t take them. I was not in Hoodsport, but parked on the couch eating left over birthday cake and watching Fat Albert with Jack and Amelia. Hey, hey, hey, don’t judge me. That was all I could muster after the birthday chaos of the week before. No wonder why this week is getting of to a rocky start. I seriously need a childless vacation. Back to the pictures, yes the pictures. Here they are!

Still Adorable, a little less wrinkled

Perhaps, a swim?

I'm the perfect puppy, admit it!

Okay, I guess I should include a cute Liam picture to make me look less crazy and more like a loving mother (though I probably lost all credibility by divulging the cake and Albert tidbit).

"I loved going to the cabin with my Dad, he gave me an enormous piece of cake for lunch!"

"My mom chose a vizsla because they match my hair"

Have you slacked lately as a parent out of exhaustion or boredom? What did YOU do?

Third Graders Gone Wild

2011-10-11T07:34:00.000-07:00

As the title suggests, Friday night’s birthday fiesta was one wild party. The kids had a great time. Unfortunately, I have never really been that big on wild parties. Now that I am closer to 40 then 30, they really bring the anxious, ninny out in me. Add in to that the screams of children, and the responsibility of returning these children unharmed to their parents and you automatically add a giant dose of host anxiety.

I did get to have the fun of decorating

I made the wild children use the back door

And stay in the playroom until dinner time

Did you see all of those streamers? They stayed up for...hmmm...about 4 minutes. Then they were torn down and rolled in. Along with all of my handmade signs, and table clothes. There was a lot of balloon wrestling and high pitched screaming. Apparently, otherwise well behaved children with amazing parents and wonderful homes follow the same sociological rules as adults. In large groups they feel anonymous. So, my redirection and pleas for order did little to stop that tornado.

All in all, they were nine years olds. I think they had fun. If not, they burnt off a lot of steam from the sitting in a desk at school during the day. There was a lot of laughter. A lot of story telling and joking. A lot of "I almost peed my pants" from one party goer. Amelia had a great time. She didn't seem to mind the lack of order or that no one could sit still long enough to watch her to open gifts. She was a little disappointed that the decorations were destroyed. I am glad to see that she has some of my blood after all.

How do your nerves do around big, wild groups of children? Cool as a cucumber or hot tamale?

My Amelia

2011-10-06T07:29:00.000-07:00

Dear Amelia,

Do you remember that day nine years ago when you just wouldn't cooperate? When you pulled out every stop in the book just to stay in bed a little longer. To spite the pitocin, epidural and even morphine (yes, morphine!), I remember it well. Somehow, foolishly, I though that I gave you life that day. Oh, how wrong I was! The gifts that were given were all to me. Thank you for sharing your life with me every day. I was blessed beyond words when your life became intwined with mine.

From shallowness and fog

you came masterfully

Shocking my humility

divine beauty

warmly charged love

Amelia

The soulful artist

Goofy girl

Caring sister

Super soccer star

lover of joy

Obsessed reader

Nature Lover

You bring love, humor, happiness and beauty to our family. Happy Birthday Amelia!

Birthday on the Brain

2011-10-05T07:14:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow my sweet Amelia turns 9! Impossible! I have been busy planning her birthday fiesta. I am not just trying to sound festive. That is what she requested, a birthday fiesta. To my dismay, Amelia asked for a fiesta instead of the girly options I tried to push on her. I have two boys to hold basketball parties and lego themed events. It would be nice if I could go girly once in a while. But, her reasons are good ones. Amelia wanted to invite boys and did not want to subject them to jewelry making or the like. So, a fiesta it is. I have had most of the plans simmering for a couple of weeks, but this week I have to actually get out of the "idea" faze.

Yesterday, during Liam's nap I finished the party favors. I found this idea for mini pinata's here: http://onecharmingparty.com/2011/04/29/cinco-de-mayo-pinata

Mine aren't quite as cute, but not too bad...

I dedicate this post to my glue gun. You are a strong, loyal friend and my favorite crafting tool.

Do you prefer to hold your children's parties at home or in a public venue?

Feasting on Gratitude

2011-10-04T07:44:00.000-07:00

During mass on Sunday, someone spoke about St. Luke’s annual stewartship campaign. The theme this year is “feasting on gratitude”. I was immediately struck and captivated. Not just by how it pertains to stewartship, but how it can be incorporated into our daily lives.

Brain washed as we are to constantly strive for more, these small words have big meaning. When I think to trying to let go of achieving and live more in the moment, I struggle not to see it as settling. I don’t mean a nice peaceful settling in but rather a settling for less. More of a giving up hopes and dreams or of idleness (brain washed, see?).

Accepting to live with less is a lifelong struggle. Maybe that is because we use the term "less" when we really mean cutting out material greed and static. I like the concept we can experience the wonder and excitement that we crave in the blessing that we have already been given. It doesn’t have to be about sacrifice at all but about gratitude and celebration. In the end, we don't have less at all. In fact, we can be very full indeed.

Yesterday, I feasted on gratitude (and field roast) over lunch. I am so grateful that I can have this handsome, charming little boy as my lunch date every weekday. He is not a very adventurous eater and sometimes I can't follow our conversations completely. But, how can I feel anything but gratitude and abundance when I get to stare over the table at this?

"For your birthday, I am going to the store and me and Daddy are buying you a

PRETTY, PINK, PRINCESS coat"

"Does it come with ruffles and sparkles?"

What are you feasting on today?

The importance of (literal) balance

2011-10-03T05:52:00.000-07:00

I have experienced time and time again that my life is reflected in my yoga practice. When I am overworked, frazzled, sick, crabby, hyper, or tired, my balance poses magnify my state. Sometime, it is of no surprise. Other times, I have to sit back and ask myself "what?... WHAT?!?".

I have also seen how unrest and lack of (figurative) balance my children's lives, and the lives of the little one's that I teach is reflected in their personalities and interactions. I can only conclude that if physical balance helps emotional balance in adults, the same must be true for children.

Research shows that balance exercises such as rocking, walking, swaying, leaning, tip toeing, and hopping on one foot, has many physical benefits for children. When a child focuses on balance she engages the muscles on both sides of the body. Accordingly, both sides of the brain are fired up. Neurological pathways are strengthened.

In our Kindermusik classes, we reguarly engage in balance exercises often as we challenge and play with movement. We often talk about the many physical benefits. But, never the emotional rewards of feeling physical balance. Of course, this is because this is my idea, not one promoted by Kindermusik....yet (??). Obviously, children need emotional balance too. So, next time you cuddle and rock a child, ride a bike along side them, go for a walk or have a dance party consider the gift of balance you give to each other.

Imagine rocking a child in your arms. As the child feels the gravity drop through her belly, there is a brief sense of free falling. Control over the her body is given up for that moment as she falls through space. At the bottom of the rock, she is still held securely in your arms, feeling your pulse and your breath, still "caught", only to be brought back up again. A beautiful act of balance, love and trust.

Where is your favorite place to rock with your child?

Derailed?

2011-09-29T05:53:00.000-07:00

My normal hyper scheduled life has been derailed. For the past month or more, unforeseen events and circumstances have preventing me from my happy little box of routine and ~~balance~~ predictability. At first, I thought it was a bump. Then a string of bad luck. Naturally, when things continued, I assumed I was cursed. Next, I was left angry. Now, I am curious. Is this the way I should have been living all along? Is this a nudge from divinity, an "ahem" from the universe? Was I never organized and sensible but freakishly neurotic and stubborn?

This morning, started off better then planned. The puppy was tired out from an active evening, Jack was happy and helped with breakfast, and Liam slept in. Then Liam woke up...with diarrhea. I was already dressed for the gym, ready to drop the older two off at school and Liam at the gym daycare. This is the second time in 2 weeks that Liam has had random episodes of digestive distress. No lack of energy or need to snuggle. Just one, unpleasant symptom. I briefly thought about bringing him anyway, he didn't "seem" sick. But, no, I did the right thing and kept him away from other children. Little did I know how right it was. Instead of being indoors lifting weights and listening to overplayed pop music, I was here, on the waterfront.

Dixie came too

He looks okay..but I'm pretty sure you can't fake diarrhea

Cali came to chase a few shadows

...and I looked REALLY good, too bad Liam ruined the shot

Had I gone to the gym, I wouldn't have had a long, energizing walk on Commencement Bay. I wouldn't have seen the Salmon swim right up to the rocky shore (I have never seen that here - there were even a few that had been cornered by a lab and a golden retriever!). I wouldn't have been able to stay close to home and enjoy my community. I wouldn't have been able to spend time with my son or my dogs. I would have been too tired to go home and go for a bike ride with Liam on the tag-a-long. It all made me think up a very big question:

When I look back at this time in my life, how do I want to remember it?

Mornings spent at the gym or morning like this? Have I scheduled out all of the good, simple moments in life? Scheduled out all room for spontaneity? Maybe I can have both. Maybe I can't, Like I said, it's a big question.

Do you ever second guess the way you spend your time? Or, do you feel you should spend your time differently?

My Not To Do List

2011-09-28T07:24:00.000-07:00

To follow up to yesterday's feelings of high stress and anxiety, I did what I said that I would do. I took a good look at all of the things that I had floating around my head (and calendar) filed mentally under "to do". Not surprisingly, most of them were not vital. My mantra for the week. "Not doesn't mean no ever". I did keep some essentials: feed children, clean up puppy messes, deliver children to school, brush teeth etc. But, I gave many a down grade. Here is what I have moved from "to do" to "not to do" in the next week.

1. Make bread, granola or snacks from scratch
2. Mop
3. Weed the garden (though I did assign this another able body)
4. Take the kids swimming
5. Take Liam to toddler yoga
6. Make Halloween plans with my children (no elaborate costume schemes, no crafting)
7. Make any classes at the gym ( I seriously can't handle another scheduled event)
8. Commit to any sort of volunteering (even if for a later date)
9. Swap out Fall/Winter clothing for Spring/Summer
10. Add on what is already planned for Amelia's Birthday
11. No elaborate meals (30 minutes or less to prepare)

Ahhh....that feels much better.

I had originally planned my "don't do's" for 2 weeks. But, an unrealistic "don't do" is no better then an unrealistic "do". Not mopping the floors before my daughters party would cause me more stress then the 30 minutes it takes to do it. Also, I love my gym classes, I don't want to punish myself should I be available to make it next week stress free.

Later today, I will move on to my lightened "to do". Since I have bored you enough with one list, I will refrain from indulging in a second. I will tell you that my new "to do" will leave me more time to enjoy my family and sweet rare moments of solitude (I have two, 2 hrs. Tues. morning and 1 hr. Wed. afternoon). An hour with a magazine, walking on the waterfront, writing, or singing sound much better then fighting with my sewing machine or sorting through my closets is what I need "to do" this week.

What can you put on your "Do Not Do" list?

Heavy

2011-09-27T10:09:00.000-07:00

Sometimes things just feel heavy. As fall rolls on into birthdays, car pools, homework, housework, appointments, Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas and more it can feel as if there is never a moment to come up to breath. Some weeks feel more hectic then others, some months downright claustrophobic.

I have been caught up in a whirlwind of bad luck in the time management department. I can blame the teacher's strike, sickness, or unexpected responsibilities that have been tossed my way. But, all in all this is just the way life behaves. Pulling my hair out in frustration won't help.

Today, instead of adding tasks into my calendar as I normally would, I am taking a different approach. I am calmly walking through my house and my calendar and taking notes. What don't I need to do. There are many things that I can let go of. It doesn't have to be forever, just for now. My family will survive if I meals are simple and easily prepared. My children don't need to go swimming this week. I don't have to make it to the gym to get in a good workout. I don't have to have a "good workout", a quick run, a yoga class or long walk with my dogs or family will be okay for a couple of weeks. The garden can wait to be weeded another week. There are a lot of things that can take a back seat and lift this weight.

What can you let go of in your life when things get heavy?

Umm and Ouch!

2011-09-26T06:42:00.000-07:00

With 5 soccer games in 2 days, the weekend flew by. Or, maybe it blew by. Yes, that is more accurate. In fact on Sunday afternoon it blew right into my head. It was in the form of our pop up shelter that uprooted directly into my forehead. While I ran bleeding to the bathroom, Amelia scored her only goal of the game. Now I am left with a headache and suppressed knowledge that I should go get stitches (liquid band-aid don't fail me now). If I ignore it it will go away, right?

The rest of the day was great! I tried out a something borrowed, something new kind of recipe. My family has come to expect weekend breakfasts to be a little more elaborate then those during the week. Unfortunately, that usually means sweet bread, scones, potatoes or other less then fabulous food choices. Coffee cake made with wheat flour may be more nutritionally sound, but it is still rolling in fat and sugar. So, I dug into our edible centerpiece and tried this:

Apple and Pear Crepes

Filling:

2 Apples and 1 Pear cut into one inch pieces

1/4 C water

2t agave (or honey to taste)

1t cinnamon

1t nutmeg

1T fresh lemon juice

1/4 C dried cranberries

1/4 C roasted walnuts

Toss fruit in lemon juice, cinnamon, nutmeg and agave. In a sauce pan bring fruit mixture and water to a boil over medium heat and reduce to a simmer. Cook until fruit softens. Stir in Cranberries and walnuts.

For the crepes, I used a wheat recipe from here: greenlitebites.com/2008/06/18/simple-low-fat-whole-grain-crpe/. I substituted skim milk for rice milk to add a little sweetness.

How did it go over? Yums and clean plates! A healthy replacement for pancakes (which is good because, although I'm out numbered, I don't really like pancakes)

Do you make special breakfast on weekend mornings? What is your families favorite breakfast?

Welcome Fall

2011-09-23T06:55:00.000-07:00

Here we are, September 23. Welcome Fall!!!

It is fitting that the children of Tacoma return to their classroom today. The air has changed, the leaves are flirting with color and the apples are crisp. The shortening days and cloudy skies only add to the seasonal wonder. A time to turn in and focus on all things internal, be it our homes or ourselves. Fall has arrived.

With the children at home yesterday, we got ready to bring in the new season. Thanks to Tacoma boys, our edible center piece has dressed our dining room.

We hung our Autumn wreath

I am thrilled to be able to change up our menu to add comfort soups, freshly baked bread and tea. Lots and lots of tea. I am not quite ready to swap out my summer clothes. In part, because I am feeling lazy and uninspired. In part, because if I do we are destined to get a freak spell of 80 degree weather. I can't believe that I will happily take a pass on the warmer weather. Right now the hot tea and book snuggle sessions sound much more appealing. As long as it's not trucks...or Thomas the Train....or Go Dog GO again. Hmm..sounds like another trip to the library is in store for the week.

Simple Fall Nature Paint

2011-09-22T06:26:00.000-07:00

Embracing another day at home, the kids and embarked on a simple fall art project. Fall doesn’t actually start until Friday, but we stuck with fall colors and incorporated dead leaves. Tada! Fall themed art. The best part about our afternoon creative session was that it required very little work on my part. To add to the feeling of slothfulness, the kids completed the project while still in pajamas. It was twelve o’clock.

Here is what we did:

1. Mixed tempera to create 3 autumn(ish) tones.

2. Each child picked out at least 5 natural object from the yard to use instead of paint brushes.

Jack picked branches, a blackberry, leaves and petals

3. Set them free to create.

Liam paints with a rose

Some of the final works:

The artwork dried outside in the sun. I bundled paint splattered newspapers and “brushes” and walked them directly over to the trash. The kids marched directly to the laundry room to throw their clothes in the washing machine. Conveniently, I have had not put any laundry away since Sunday, so they washed up and got dressed. Other then an uncomfortable moment of vulgar nakedness by child #2, it was a success!

Hooray for simple moments at home!

Do you have a favorite fall kids craft? Please Share.

lemons to lemonade?

2011-09-21T09:34:00.000-07:00

Yesterday morning my frustration about the teacher's strike finally set in. I still support the teachers. I still want a fair resolution that has the students best interests at heart. I realize that this takes time. But, living day to day not knowing how to plan our lives is getting stressful. While I have the "luxury"(if you couldn't tell my quotes are dressed in angry sarcasm) of being home with my children during the day, I still reserve the right to be annoyed. I wish that the powers that be would just cancel school for the month and be done with it. Then, families could plan accordingly. We could get community support for kids in need. Parent could plan for childcare.

Needless to say, yesterday was a rough one. I was awoken at dark thirty (again) by children who were still tired and had no right to be awake. To make matters worse, they also woke up the puppy. Guess who had to play with our frisky teether at 6AM? Me! Jack was too tired and Liam to weepy, moany and crabby. The makings for a great day. Oh, how I would have loved to have dropped all three of my children off for school today! Unfortunately, only Liam's class had open doors. After a few temper tantrums (both parent and child), I tired to make the best of the day. Afterall, it was BEAUTIFUL.

So much for the rainy NW fall days I have been writing about.

After dropping Liam off at preschool, Jack, Amelia and I hit Tacoma boys to pick up some fall mums for the yard. We also found some super yummy apples and pairs and pretty squash that made for a perfect edible center piece. A little time in the garden plus a trip to Cafe Dei for a vegan treat and a game of Yahtzee turned things around.

Color makes me happy

The Circus

In efforts to train Dixie how to walk on lead, we all headed down to the UPS campus for a picnic lunch and to burn off some energy. Since Dixie would NOT walk on lead, I had to carry her most of the way. While I don't mind having an excuse to hold my cuddly puppy, it was a little hectic. The kids were all on bikes and we had Cali in the mix too.

boys on bikes

Dixie got lots of love from the campus girls

All in all it was an okay day. Today I will try to manage to get some work done for my studio and fit in a fall craft with the kids. Thank goodness for great baby sitters and soccer coaches. I just may find a moment of quiet this afternoon.

How are you spending your days during our unscheduled break from school?

Looking Back on the Summer Garden

2011-09-19T22:32:00.000-07:00

I spent much of yesterday afternoon outside surveying and cleaning the garden. While there is still a lot growing and blooming, it is clear that it is time to wrap things up for the summer and move on into the fall.

This year was a success for my family in the garden. John built Jack and Amelia each a garden box. They had free reign on what to grow and a budget to help get them started. Jack focused on flowers and Amelia on Vegetables. At 8 and 6, they were at a great age to take ownership of their own gardens. They chose flowers and vegetables that they would enjoy caring for and harvesting. They took great care to weed and monitor progress. I was amazed by how observant they were.

Here is what they grew

Jack's Flower Garden

Amelia's box in full bloom

Jack harvested many tomatoes and Amelia beans, peas, potatoes and carrots. They learned that you can’t predict your successes. Amelia’s peppers and cucumbers didn’t produce. Some times things surprised them and grew beyond their wildest dreams. Jacks hollyhocks and petunias ran wild! Amelia had enormous nasturtiums and tons of potatoes.

Once again, I have been totally inspired by my children. As we clean up for fall, I think we will try some fall plantings. That will be a first for our garden.

Enjoying a home grown potato

What were your biggest garden successes and failures of the summer?

Fall is beautiful!

2011-09-19T07:44:00.000-07:00

An Annual Fall Leaf jump at the UPS Campus

With such a mild (aka horribly rainy and cold) summer, no one here in western Washington seems to be all that excited about the onset of Fall. It is easy to meet the change of season with dread. We all put on our rain boots and brace ourselves for 8 months of cloudy skies and rain. While I think that we are all entitled to feel as if our share of vitamin D was stolen from us, it need not overshadow the beauty that Fall brings. There are many things that I stop doing in the summer. The warm weather calls us outside to abandon some of our favorite year round activities. Coming back home to them with fresh eyes and appreciation feels beautiful.

Here are some of the things that I love returning to in the Fall.

The new crispness in the air

Washington apples

Friday swim nights

Returning to the studio to teach Kindermusik

Saturday soccer games

New Fall fashions

Lazy Sundays snuggling at home

Afternoon tea

Reading by the fire

Fall nature walks searching for beautiful leaves and chesnuts

Spending more time with friends as we get back into routines

Weekends spent in Tacoma

Baking Fresh Bread

Fall Mums

Hot Apple Cider after school

Escaping the drizzle to sip perfectly crafted coffee on 6^th Ave.

Night walks with flashlights

There are many more, but I won’t bore you.

What are your favorite things to return to in the Fall?

Closet Make Over #1

2011-09-15T19:43:00.000-07:00

It just occurred to me that I never posted my before and after shots of our family organization center. Formerly a built in used for teacups and stemware, now my little closet is transformed into a information hub.

Before...

After...

It still needs some work and sprucing. I'd like to paint or paper the back wall. But, that requires cash which is unavailable at the moment. This project was done by re-purposing. The only thing that I did purchase were the little clipboards. I found them at ARTCO for a $1.99 a piece. They will make it easy to change out a simple decoration to reflect the season.

Remember the Apple Stamping?

I stole the bins on the middle shelves from our art center. They had been used to house projects that the kids were “still working” on. They were working on just about everything but my system. I got sick of cleaning them out. So, they are being reused for weekly school papers and ongoing school projects.

The lower shelf serves as our charging station. With an old outlet strip in the closet, I can recharge phones, ipods, DSI’s and cameras behind closed doors. It is great having all of the chargers in one place and my countertops free or cords and electronics.

Not wanting to affix anything to the lovely wood, I am using tape to hang my meal calendar, soccer schedules, Sunday school calendar, shopping lists and art gifts from my children. If you have a better solution for hanging, please tell me!

How do I look?

So Far my system is working well. Of course, the kids haven’t had school all week due to the Tacoma teacher’s strike. Still, I am happy with the turn out.

Do you have a system for organizing all of the paper that comes into your house?

So tired

2011-09-15T06:48:00.000-07:00

Yes, it s still all about the puppy at my house. Not just the playing with the puppy and snuggling with the puppy but the not so fun stuff too. While I am soooooooo grateful that Miss Dixie is basically house trained, I am sooooooo not excited about the whole night waking situation. Yes, I fully knew that this comes with having a puppy. It doesn’t make me like it anymore. In fact, I am feeling a little PTSD as it is bringing me back to my postpartum days.

Before I go on, I must say that I realize that getting up with a puppy at night doesn’t compare with getting up with a newborn baby. Yet, that doesn’t make the sleep deprivation any more tolerable. I am the first to admit that I need a freakishly large amount of uninterrupted sleep to feel human. Moreover, just waking up twice a night is seriously disrupting my personality. It is bringing me back to the not so happy postpartum days. I had really hoped that would be a place I would never visit again.

Having watched friends and family have babies over the years, I am very sensitive and sympathetic to the struggles that come from lack of sleep. “Struggles” doesn’t really describe it at all. Hormones play a major role too. But, I find that the lack of sleep and subsequent exhaustion is really what sends many of us into postpartum craziness. To me, it seems as if it affects most of us in one of the following ways:

Weeping , sobbing, falling to pieces
Hermiting and complete lack of basic self care (no shower, spit on clothing etc.)
Flat out “the world is ending” depression
Overcompensating for lack of energy by doing more, resulting in a drastically shortened fuse.

It may come of no surprise that I fall into the fourth category (with some #1,2 and 3 tendencies). I set high standard for myself and then feel angry when I can’t live up to them. I focus on tasks rather then my children. I become super defensive. I could go on and on.

The blessing of me going through this hiccup of exhaustion is that I can look at it with a clearer head . That is something that I was never able to do when I had all of those post baby hormones surging and draining. I see how vital sleep is. Like water, food, air, you need it for survival. Yet, we often tend to try to power through without thinking of the impact it has on our bodies and minds. I would never see myself as weak because I stopped vacuuming for a drink water upon becoming severely dehydrated. What makes our need for adequate sleep any different?

Whether we have been sleep deprived for work, children, travel, stress or worry, it takes the same toll. As I shared, I am an angry, delusional tired.

What kind of tired are you?

First Fall Classes at Minuet Studio

2011-09-14T06:54:00.000-07:00

The Doors are Open!

Last week we opened the studio doors for our Kindermusik Fall session. I was amazed to see the changes that 3 ½ months had brought. There were walking babies, pregnant mamas, preschoolers that have doubled in size, and preschoolers who have doubled their vocabulary. Some children had mellowed, while some came back with an extra bounce in their step (or jump, or run or tackle). All of these changes went along very nicely with our studio focus for the week.

If you were in one of my classes, you may remembering me rambling on about the different areas of growth that our activities help to accelerate. I made a point of mentioning that most children with or without Kindermusik will move on to acquire these skills. For example, my daughter Amelia had her first Kindermusik class at age 4 1/2. Was she already able to keep a steady beat? Imitate sounds? Dance with joy? Yes. Did she have a good sense of balance, special awareness, and her place in a group? Yes. Did she need Kindermusik to learn those skills? No. Most likely, musical instruction at this young age will not teach skills that will not be learned otherwise. But, that doesn’t mean that it is not important.

It will, however, make learning age appropriate skills easier and less stressful. By using song, movement and sound awareness, children are able to accelerate the rate of learning of skills. This is important not because we should push our children to be at the top of their preschool class. Instead, it is important because it can relieve a great amount of frustration.

We all know well that infants, toddlers and preschoolers are easily frustrated. They are still learning how their bodies work. Simple movements and concepts that have long been second nature for us can be very challenging for a child . Having your child participate in activities like Kindermusik helps them to develop in a fun, safe. and loving way. In addition, music itself reduced stress. Practicing skills like rocking, snapping, jumping, skipping and communicating to music is a perfect fit.

If your child is past the Kindermusik age, group musical instruction has many of the same benefits. In case you haven’t seen the signs in the studio or in our literature, here are the areas of development that Kindermusik focuses on:

Musical Ability

Literacy

Movement

Social Interaction

Communication

Cognitive Development

As I was reminded this week, our children grow and develop at lightening speed. As parents we do our best to support them. I whole heartedly feel that Kindermusik classes can be a tremendous aid and resource as you both grow and learn together. If you know of someone with a young child who would enjoy a Kindermusik class visit www.kindermusik .com for local class listings. If you are in Tacoma, find me here: www.minuetstudio.com.

Crazy things my dogs have done

2011-09-13T07:44:00.000-07:00

There is no denying that I have doggie fever. Sorry, to say that will be reflected in my posts for a while. Having a new dog is a lot more like having a new baby then most parents care to admit. Don’t get me wrong, it is very different too. It is 100x easier. That said, it has similar challenges and brings up some of the same nostalgia. The last few days have made me think a lot about all of the crazy dog adventures that I have had in the past 12 years. Here are some of the highlights.

Areeba Beauty Vizsla

Somehow opened the refrigerator in search for a stick of butter. Dined with said butter in comfort on the couch.
In the course of one week ate all of my leather sandals. But, devoured the right feet only leaving the left feet untouched.
Desperate to free herself from the kennel unwound a chain link fence with nothing but her teeth.
Desperate to reunite with her pal Cali chewed through Cali’s plastic crate to free her
Opened kitchen cupboard to retrieve bag of flour. Without spilling any flour on the way, brought the bag to the living room to feast.
Frantically jumped into a stream to save me after I had clumsily fallen in.
Won a face off with a Great Dane (who later marked my leg for revenge)
Lived to 18!

“Crazy” Cali

Had a false pregnancy the week we moved to Seattle.
Smelling that she was approaching the dog park, jumped out of the window of a moving car while wearing a leash.
Has spent many a sunny morning staring at the wall waiting for a bird to fly by and cast a shadow.
Long after being house trained, Cali wet the bed. It was my sister’s bed. She was in it too.Earned a battle scar from a scrap with a abandoned Alaskan dog we nicknamed “hobo”.

Thankfully, upon writing this, I am reminded of all of the ways that my dogs are different from my children. The bed wetting scenario did occur with a child. Only it was me, Amelia, and my sister-in-law's guest bed. I'm just glad the jumping from a moving car scene hasn't repeated itself with a child...yet.

What is the craziest thing your pet has done?

Presenting Miss Dixie

2011-09-12T07:29:00.000-07:00

Saturday was a big day! Jack and Amelia had their first games of the soccer season and we brought home our new puppy.

I present to you Miss Dixie Cotter

Our entire weekend revolved around our new friend. We are completely absorbed with Dixie and all of her adorableness.

Can you blame us?

We picked our puppy up from Rochester, WA in the morning and got to know her a little better during the soccer games that afternoon. Amelia LOVED carrying her around during Jack’s game and recieving tons of attention.

She slept a lot

She got lots of Liam love

…and got passed around to the point of delirium.

Dixie was matched with our family based on a series of tests that rate the puppies on their traits and temperaments. So far, she is a perfect fit. She is on the mellow end of the vizsla spectrum, and is well on her way to being house trained. True to her breed she does not do well alone. Crate training is going to require a lot of patience and maybe some earplugs.

I do need some help. Maybe from you? Although we are naming our new dog Dixie, we need a different name for her official registry. The litter all needs to be registered with spy names. Never having watched a spy movie (that I haven’t fallen asleep during), I am totally lost. Even google is of little help. Do you have a great spy name for our little Dixie?

Dixie spying on Cali (who was chasing shadows)

What is your favorite spy name?

Minuet Studio Opens for Fall

2011-09-08T07:45:00.000-07:00

That day of rest I took on Monday seems like ages ago. Why? Because I have been busily preparing for my fall Kindermusik classes that begin today. To be exact, they start in 2 hours and 31 minutes. I am so excited to see all of my families and share new music with them. This session is especially significant for me. I began teaching four years ago. The Kindermusik curricula loops on a 2 year schedule. That way, a child will never repeat a unit. Having taken a year off after Liam was born, (a sort of delayed maternity break) I have never taught this fall's sessions since my very first semester. This week, I am filled with nostalgia as I return to these familiar songs and activities.

There are some families that have been with me since my little studio opened 4 years ago. Some have moved on to elementary school or other preschool activities. Some have just moved (boohoo!). I have the fondest memories of the very first classes that I spent with those mothers and children. I have been privileged to watch the growth of children and mothers. Knowing that music has been a part of their lives from the start makes me smile. Today I am sending love out to all of those early students and their families, where ever this finds them today.

Here's to a great fall semester!

Labor Day for Mothers

2011-09-06T07:04:00.000-07:00

In the spirit of Labor Day, I attempted to do as little work as possible yesterday. Unfortunately, the only way to slack for a day is to double up my work on Sunday or Tuesday. Since we were out at the cabin for the weekend, postponing work wasn’t an option. Instead, we did our normal close up cleaning and packing on Sunday night. That little bit of invested time made for a fantastically lazy Monday morning. Leaving me wondering, “why don’t I have a rest day every week?”. I do realize that this is what Sundays are supposed to be for. But, does anyone still use Sunday as a day of rest? Maybe someone should. Maybe that someone should be me.

I have never really paid much attention to Labor Day in the past. It has always been more of a bitter sweet end of summer weekend than a day of significance. Yesterday, as I tried to give myself a break from my daily work, I began to think about my career. As many full time mothers, I always consider myself unemployed. In fact, when I am required to fill out a form with a space for occupation, I usually write “N/A”. I now realize how horribly belittling that is.

The truth is, my jobs and career path have changed often. Sometimes by the job I actually do, and sometimes just in my head. While I stopped receiving a paycheck long ago, I never stopped working. The tricky thing about this career change is the stigma that it comes with. It is a risky cross over. Like abandoning accounting to raise lamas for 10 years, once you have made the switch, it is hard to be welcomed back. You have been self branded and boxed.

I won’t go on and on with the usual clichés about motherhood. Yes, it is often a thankless job. Yes, it is the toughest job you’ll ever have. Yes, you can add up all of the various “jobs” that a woman typically preforms in a year and come up with the gigantic salary that she is entitled. All of those points are valid. But, I find it upsetting that I, and many other women in my position feel the need to be validated.

I am more than a mother and I am more then a homemaker, a wife and a domestic coordinator. While this position leaves me open to the freedom to explore many of my passions and hobbies, it does not allow for me to take another full time career (without some serious outsourcing). My work does not fit into the parameters of a traditional career path. Like clergy, an artist, or a social worker, you cannot work for money or even a tangible reward. It is a job of service. The rewards are sometimes numerous and powerful. Sometimes they are subtle and easily overlooked. Many won’t be seen for years, and years to come. It is, however, a career.

Do you take Sunday as a day of rest from responsibilities? Do you See your job as mother or homemaker as a career?

Special days deserves a little bit of fancy.

2011-09-02T07:30:00.000-07:00

So, in all of the excitement, I completely forgot to take my annual “before” shots of the first day of school. I toyed with the idea of trying to pass off the after school shots as befores. But, then you would wonder why I didn’t have Amelia brush her hair on her first day. Or, for some of you clever readers, why the sun was so high at 8:30 AM.

Moving on. How was the first day at for the Cotter Kids? Great! All of the uncertainty and fear seemed to fly away once we rounded the school corner. Excited to be with friends and reunite with old classmates, they were charged for the day.

The glow of six hours with out pesky little brothers

"Another year and I still don't have all of my front teeth"

Jack keeping his hands to himself

I don’t know who was more excited to talk about their days me, or the students. We shared some chocolate chip cookies (to which a snuck in some oat bran and oat flour), and milk. The milk on this special day was, of course, served in fancy tea cups.

.....Liam was there too

How did your first day of school go?

What is the recipe for a good run? A good cry.

2011-09-01T06:54:00.000-07:00

We are officially back to school today. We have made our teacher bags, organized our homework zone, turned in school supplies, and set our new lunch calendar. The kids are excited for new teachers, classmates, and the privileges that come with the new school year. They are also a bit apprehensive. So am I.

I always face conflicted emotions when my children reach new milestones. For me, a new school always triggers some powerful ones. Like all parents, I am tremendously proud of my children. I admire them for who they are and who they have the potential to become. With each year, I watch them grow to be more independent. As they prepare to enter a new grade, I see that they are proud of themselves as well. They feel more grown-up and find power and freedom in doing for themselves. I too feel freedom. I now need to do less for them. The downside is the unsettling feel of powerlessness.

Our children are away at school only 6 hours every day. It doesn’t sound like a long time. Still, throughout the day I watch the clock. I can’t help but wonder about what they are doing and how they are feeling. Are they having fun with friends, or do they feel lonely? Do they feel proud or insecure? Excited about learning or bored? Having your child in school for the day requires that you put your faith in not only the teachers and the school, but in yourself as well. I have to trust in this: If I have done well in my job as a parent, then my child will thrive in this new year of independence.

The first day of Kindergarten is a particularly emotional day for parents. It is a terrifying thing to drop your child off in a room full of strangers and a new teacher. As the door closes behind you, your heart remains on the other side. But then, there is freedom. Freedom comes for you both. This is the moment that you both realize that life goes on even when you are apart.

Last night, as we awaited the news of whether or not the teachers in Tacoma would strike, I went for a run. Not having reset my ipod back from “plane music” to “running music”, I found myself running to the lovely chords of Clem Snide’s “Beard of Bees”.

Prisoners of ourselves

Desperate little elves

We hide inside a tree

And wear a beard of bees

But do you know that when

You're here with me

That's the only time that I feel free

Mommafied as I am, I turned this song of romantic love into a song of love for my children. Then I started crying. Being at the college track required that I try to hide my crying. Which, in turn, triggered hyperventilation. Luckily, I am sure that the fellow joggers just assumed that I was horribly out of shape. I wiped my eyes, but then decided not to pull in together. I even played the song over…twice. And, guess what? I conituned on to have a great run! So good that I didn’t want to head home when my alloted time was up. But I did because I had to tuck my children into bed. It was their first day of school in the morning, conflicted or not.

Apple Stamping

2011-08-30T21:59:00.000-07:00

What do you do with ugly duckling apples that are a little mealy?

Back to school Apple Stamping

just apples, tempera, and a paper plate

Oh, and little hands to stamp with

Ta da! Goodie bags for our teachers

Tomorrow we use the rest of those apples to fill our bags with Apple Spice Coffee Cake

peasandthankyou.com/recipage/?recipe_id=6000734&prev_term=apple

East Coast Regrets

2011-08-30T06:41:00.000-07:00

What could have been

To spite yesterday’s post, this summer was not only filled with carefree days soaking up sun and escaping from reality. A good portion of our summer was filled with indecision and uncertainty. In July, John was offered a career opportunity in Washington DC. After weighing the pros and cons over and over into exhaustion, we ultimately decided against the move.

I am happy to close the book on this stressful decision. I am thrilled to continue to reside in such breathtakingly beautiful area. I am relieved not to have to say goodbye to wonderful friends, family, and an amazing community. As with most difficult decisions, there are still regrets.

I regret not having the chance to live closer to my East Coast family. I regret that my children will not have the opportunity to see (2 sets of) their grandparents more frequently. I regret that I will not see my 8 month-old niece and nephew grow and change month by month. I regret that my husband will not pursue a job that seems to be tailor made for him. I regret that we won’t have the chance to live in a place dripping with architectural and historical culture. I regret that I will spend the rest of my days subjected to the torture of eating only west coast bagels.

As the family and I drove out of Annapolis, MD, I was sure that we were being sent a divine sign. As we passed a strip mall , I noticed a sign that combine John’s life passion and mine “Naval Bagels”. It turns out that the sign was not beaconing me to Annapolis. Instead, it was telling me something else. If john could stay in Tacoma working on his passion, boats. I could, make a bagel that was better then those found at Trader Joes. If you haven’t had a Traders Joes bagel – don’t. You could stick your thumb through the center of a dinner roll and get the same result.

So back to my kitchen I went, searching for the perfect bagel recipe. Yesterday, I tried a variation on one I found here: www.sophisticatedgourmet.com/2009/10/new-york-style-bagel-recipe/

The end result:

As Liam sees it....

Not much better...

I worked the dough, best I could, but still got lumps

Most importantly, how did they taste? Not bad. much better then TJ's. They also tasted better then our grocery store options. I chose this recipe because I had all of the ingredients on hand and didn't want to make a "starter" and extend the process. Next week, I will try my hand at a more authentic recipe. Until then, we have 20 bagels to finish!

Puppy Love

2011-08-29T06:37:00.000-07:00

Ultimately, there are only 4 reasons why one finds themselves off to bed at just 8:55 PM: a really good day, a really bad day, illness, or an early morning. I am happy to report that last nights early turn down was the result of a super fabulous weekend. I hope that wherever this finds you, you can share sigh and smile in reminiscence of a happy weekend .

We extended our weekend by playing hooky from Friday afternoon responsibilities. In the clear, bright skies, we headed out to our cabin in the Olympic peninsula Friday afternoon. That gave us a full two days to swim at Lake Cushman, hike at Dow Creak and play in the forest. We also made good on a summer long promise to our children. Well, we sort of made good on a promise. The promise was to rent Kayaks. With only one 2-person kayak left and 5 of us, we had to make do with a motorboat.

Beautiful Lake Cushman

Sunday afternoon is usually the time when the dread returns to our bellies. Not this time! Yesterday, as we packed up and closed down our Hoodsport home, we were excited to leave. Why? Because we were headed out to meet a new little of vizsla puppies! After following pictures and videos of the anticipation, entrance, and early days of these 10 pups, we were finally going to meet them. The result: puppy love.

Amelia's Fav

Sleeping Puppies

Which one looks like a "Cotter"?

I plan to ride this puppy bliss all the way to next weekend.

The Bitter and Sweet of life

2011-08-26T06:01:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was a typical "day in the life"for me. It was all over the place. I worked on my closet conversion (pictures to come), made a run to the airport, baked, cleaned, played, argued, and threatened (and administered) many a time out. I missed yoga, but squeezed in a run. I took my daughter and a friend to the pool and hosted a sleepover. I cleaned up potty accidents (of both the dog and preschooler variety) as well as a gigantic kitchen spill. Yet, at the end of the day, I still looked back and felt completely unaccomplished. I "did" a lot (hooray!), but finished little (boo, hiss!). Task completion had alluded me for another day.

Just as my day lacked all sense of fluidity, so will this post. On that note, I tried to break up my mid afternoon with a treat. I suffered from the, Liam didn't nap and I need a second shower (I mentioned all of the accidents, right?), blahs. This is the part of the day when I usually start rooting around for my french press. It doesn't matter if it is at the peak of the sun in the peak of the summer. I love my hot coffee mid afternoon. The feeling isn't mutual, so I have been struggling to cut back. Inspired to find another indulgence, I decided to try a new recipe. Instead of torturing my stomach with coffee, I decided to love on it with lemon and mint. Here was my starting point:

two trays of ice, one pot of green tea, 2 lemons, mint and sugar to taste

The Bitter: Just as my iced lemon mint smoothing was reaching perfection, my blender started leaking. The leak was more like a wild gushing of cold lemon juice all over my new countertops. Granite countertops and lemon juice go together about as well as my nervous system and the afternoon french press. I frantically mopped up the mess. All that was left was a watery hunk of lemon slushy. So, I added more tea to the ice mound. This was my final result:

The sweet: It was actually pretty good. Not as good as I imagine my wasted smoothy tasted, but super refreshing.

The Bitter: Sacrificing myself for my daughter (..sigh..), I gave up my Thursday yoga class to save her play date. It, indeed, needed saving from pesky, grumpy little brothers. The Sweet: The afternoon started to look up when I was relieved from duty at 5PM for a run. By this point, the only person that needed a run as much as I did was my seven year old. So, we walked over to the UPS campus for a jog on the super soft, amazingly wonderful track. This was the first time that I have ever taken Jack with me on a "real" run. The track there is pretty much fence contained, and I am trying to let go of my overprotectiveness. With sun was shinning down and Mount Rainier smiling over our shoulders. it seamed like the right opportunity.

The Bitter: At times like these, I realize just how much my children have grown. They aren't babies anymore. The years, while often slow, have passed and the time has slipped away The Sweet: While I ran, paced by my breath, Jack jumped on and off of the track. He barreled past me in total abandonment, and then walked when he ran out of steam. He ran the wrong way to charge me with a huge shiny grin and then grabbed my hand to run with me. When he lost interest, he sat on the bleachers are watched football practice. By the end, I ran 3 miles. Not the most impressive or vigorous run, but I still ran and got my sweat on. Most importantly, I ran with my child present! A day I thought would never come. We are entering a new era, it is both bitter and sweet.

Closet Conversions

2011-08-25T07:48:00.000-07:00

You may have noticed a theme in my last postings. Schedules, school, and organization have captured my thoughts. Accordingly, I am moving my preoccupations from the cerebral to the physical world. I am armoring up for the school year and next Kindermusik session by organizing my physical space.

With three kids in school this year, the paper work alone is dumbfounding. Icalander can only help me so much when I have lost a permission slip, project directions or phone directory. This has sparked my first conversion: Hallway built-in to family central. I spent yesterday morning rehoming tea supplies and wine glasses. You may wonder: "what were your children doing?". They were helping. I must really be loosening up if I am allowing my 3 year old to help me move stemware. Can you believe that we made it through with only one broken teapot? Today, I can repurpose the closet. Here is what I need this closet to do for me:

Charge phones, ipods and small electronics
House mail that needs attention
Hold and sort each child's school and art work for the week
Post important memos and reminders
Post weekly meal calendar
Post a weekly family activity schedule
Save my sanity

Before I start rearranging, I need some inspiration. One of my favorite place to turn for home ideas is Sunset.com. No Surprise, there I found a whole gallery of "creative offices". Many of these ideas will be filled away from my next project: closet to office conversion. A lot of the inspirational photos are useful even for my small space.

Here are some ideas that am filing away:

(sunset)

Here are some others from various sources:

(decorator on a dime)

(sf gate)

So, off to work I go. My own pictures are coming soon.

Do you have a place in your house set aside for family organization? Have you ever converted a closet?

Back to School Time

2011-08-24T07:55:00.000-07:00

There is no denying it. It is the season of "Back to School". With school starting on September 1, there are only 5 more weekdays left. I'm sad about it. Don't get me wrong, I love the quietness of the house on a Wednesday at 1PM when Liam and Cali dog are sleeping and I am free. However, I will miss the closeness that we share over the summer. In the past few months I have seen the friendship between my children grow. There has been a lot of argruing, but a lot of comrodery too. Here are some of the things that I will miss the most:

A flexible bedtime with nowhere to be in the morning
Lingering after a family breakfast in pajamas until 10AM
Messy morning art projects
Listening to epic sessions of imaginary play
Family bike rides to the library
Noontime swimming

I will keep this post short and upbeat by not listing all of the things that I will not miss. This week, I will continue with all of our back to school preparations. We have had school supplies and clothes for a while now. So, I am going to focus my time on things that will set us up for success once the chaos begins. More to come....

Are you excited to get back to school? What will you miss about summertime?

Schedules, schedules, yuck!

2011-08-23T07:25:00.000-07:00

Perhaps one of my favorite things about summer time is the taste of freedom from my families increasingly complicated schedule. With fall rounding the corner, it is time to brace for the rush of activities and schedules that come with it. My icalendar and I have a very special, codependent relationship. Without my input, he has no purpose and doesn’t exist Without him, I remember absolutely nothing. If I do not have things written down, they don’t exist. Hence, my life, intricate schedules and all, does not exist without my faithful ical.

Those who are close to me know that I am HORRIBLE when it comes to dates and times (also when it comes to directions, proper loading of the dishwasher and getting less then 9 hours of sleep ). I must write things down or they are a jumbled mess. So, my calendar and I will never part ways. Thankfully, this means that we will both always exist.

My saving grace is that I am a super planner and idea organizer (note the insertion of the word “idea”). But lately, I have noticed that I do not have mental clarity on my side. As I gear up for the fall, I feel that I am falling apart at the seams a bit this year. I turned to Ical for support. I now have 7 sub calendars:

Home

Husband's Work

Meals

Activities

Minuet Studio

Fitness

When ical had to start recycling color codes with the addition of my last calendar, I started to get a little worried. This will be a very, very, busy 15 years (when Liam goes to college) ahead of me. Like working a budget, I have been over and over where cuts can be made. Should I take out the kids piano lessons? (I already teach them in the living room to save time.) Do we need a family swim night? Where can I add in time for the dog(s)? Date night or family night?

Here is where I would like to write down my master plan for my a perfectly balanced and efficient schedule. Unfortunately, I am not there yet. Perhaps this year, I will have to let the cards and activities fall where they may.

How do you keep your life organized? Do you manage to keep a balanced schedule?

Summer's Bucket list

2011-08-22T08:06:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite "to do's": a weekend with the ladies at Lake Cushman

Perhaps one of the reasons that summer feels so magical is that it always seems to be fleeting. In Western Washington, the weather makes that especially true. This year, the Summer didn't seem to arrive until late July. I won't complain about it, I am sure that I have covered all angles of my frustration long ago. But, it does present a challenge. Yes, living in the Northwest means that you get used to camping in the rain and picnicking under cold gray skies. Still, how do you fit all of the wonderful experiences of summer in the few short weeks between rain and the start of school? Here was my original list of Summer "to do's"

A Family Camping Trip
East Coast Vacation/ family Reunion
Go to each of the Tacoma Farmers Market's at least once
Spend a week at Lake Cushman with the kids
Go Berry Picking
Can Berry Jam
Teach Jack and Amelia weekly Piano Lessons
Work with Jack on his handwriting
Stain the Cabin
Host a Ladies weekend away
Go Kayaking
A Backpacking Trip sans Kids

Most of my summer dreams deal with traveling. Like you, I only have a limited number of weekends to turn those dreams into reality. So, backpacking will have to wait. Some of my "to do" should never have made the cut. Stain the Cabin? That was really more of a "honey do". Now it is just an "undone". Other then that I have actually completed quite a bit. Still left and feasible:

Visit more of the Tacoma Farmers markets

squeezing in a few piano lessons

Kayaking...I hope

How about you? Do you manage to experience all that you hoped for this summer?

Garage Sale Day #2

2011-08-20T07:52:00.000-07:00

Wrapping up Day #1 of the Sale

Yesterday's sale didn't prove to be the money maker that Jack had hoped for it to be. On the bright side, he may have gotten the lesson in the value of the dollar that John had wished for.

On Thursday night, as we finished setting up for the big sale, the kids were very excited. We let Jack and Amelia stay up late to help out. With the threat of bedtime in the lurking shadows, the air was filled with the rare chants of "what else can I do to help?" And they did help.

That night as visions of dollar signs and a new lego set danced in his head, Jack tossed, turned and woke up excitedly at 6AM. He then, apparently, ate a few cherries in the playroom, leaving the pits to decorate the carpet. But, back to the sale. Helpfulness continued well into the late morning. John and the kids posted signs, got out the last few items and they were ready for the sale. Ready for the sale. Ready For The Sale. READY FOR THE SALE. Ahem! Ready for the sale. Apparently, they were the only one's ready. No customers.

We did have a few visitors and whittled away at our excessive amount of children's clothing and toys. I was surprised to find how hard it was for me to let go of Amelia's 4th Christmas dress for $1.50. Liam learned that he could, in fact, still fit into his infant swing. Amelia and Jack discovered that hard work does not always yield big results. By the end of the day, we managed to make about $75. We will but away in to our families vizsla puppy fund. Hopefully, the fund can grow a little more today.

I will not be here to count the cash box. I will be away with good friends at Lake Cushman in 85 degree sunny loveliness. My question for today:

What does it feel like to swim with out a child attached to your hip?

Happy Weekend!

Nostalgia, a Garage Sale and the Value of Money.

2011-08-18T08:21:00.000-07:00

Have you ever had been full of both excitement and dread?

For the past week I have been counting down the days until Saturday. Saturday is the golden day when 5 of my favorite ladies and I are set free and childless in the Olympic Peninsula. More then 24 hours with no one to take care of but myself. That is the, over the moon, excited side of me. Now, on to the dread. A few weeks back, my husband and children planned a garage sale for tomorrow and Saturday. The screeching breaks to my happy side that already starting to stroll out the back door.

The idea for the sale is a great one. Knowing that our family is very much full and complete (except for the baby vizsla pup that I am expecting in September), it is time finally get rid of some of our ~~crap~~ gently loved baby and toddler gear, toys and games. My very practical John saw this as an opportunity to teach the kids a lesson about the values of money as well. To his credit, he and the kids have taken this on themselves. They have been planning and preparing items for sale. To my discredit, I can't keep my hands off. Having spent years in retail merchandizing (yes, thats right I worked at the GAP for 7 years), I can't leave well enough alone. Here in lies my dread. One day and zero dollars to turn my slightly leaning garage into the Fall I line at the GAP (circa 2000 of course).

There are other hurdles aside from the set up. One of the hardest part is that we really don't have all that much to sell. We are saving some baby items for family and hoping to turn others into heirlooms. My 3 year old is having a hard time parting with anything. In fact, we are really keeping him out of the loop and hoping for a miracle at the sale. Another problem is that my 7 year old is viewing this experience as a "get rich quick scheme". He plans on selling broken toys, used erasers and stained clothing with a large price tag. He also has plans to turn a horribly tacky gold painted 1970's wall decoration from our cabin for $8,000 by claiming that it is real gold. This is exactly why the lessons in the value money (and apparently honesty) are needed.

So off I go to create signs, hang clothes and empty closets. I will try to keep my nostalgia in check and Jack will work on his greediness.

Have you ever had a successful garage sale. What worked? What didn't?

Free Blueberries!

2011-08-17T08:01:00.000-07:00

Yesterday the kids and I ended our week long quarantine with a trip to ......................

Charlotte's Blue Berry Park

I am ashamed to say that after living in Tacoma for 5 years, this is our first visit to this beautiful 20 acre park in East Tacoma. Located at 7402 East D St., Charlotte's Park offers FREE U-Pick blueberries. With five varieties of blueberries, picking season runs from June to October. Luckily, I was tipped by local berry scopers (my Mom and Stepdad) that the bushes were loaded and ready harvest. I was also lucky enough to have them take me there, so I couldn't exactly tell you where it is outside of the above address. So, if you venture out (and you should!), visit the Tacoma Parks Website here: www.metroparkstacoma.org/page.php?id=649 for directions.

My Strawberry Ready to Pick Blueberries

If you haven't been to Blueberry Park yet as a family outing, this is a great week to give it a try. The bushes along the outer edges have mostly green berries. As you get just a little deeper into the park, especially along the backsides of the bushes, there are many more "blue" berries.

One of over 3300 blueberry bushes

Things to know for a successful picking experience:

As with all berry picking, sunscreen is a must.

There is no restroom, only a "stinky potty" (as my kids call it) on site.

There are some thorny blackberries growing in some of the bushes. Pants are a good idea.

The bushes can be a bit of a maze, come with a plan to keep kids close (my plan: 3 adults for my 3 kids)

A Beautiful Summer's Day

I hope you can make a trip there this week, it is worth the short drive! You can expect a blueberry recipe to dress these pages soon.

Kindermusik Play Date Giveaway

2011-08-15T11:00:00.000-07:00

FREE MUSIC

Summer is a wonderfully busy time. We spend our days camping, swimming, and playing in the sun. The downside, without school and activities to keep us connected, it is easy to lose touch during these warm and carefree months. So, why not reunite with friends by entering to win a FREE Kindermusik play date?

To enter in the drawing, you simply need to post an adorable (and I’m sure you have many!) photo or video of your little one (ages 0-5) making music on our studio’s Facebook page. Each entry will put your name for the grand prize: One FREE 30 minute Kindermusik session at Minuet Studio.

Enter today: www.facebook.com/pages/MinuetStudio/130936326934283

Restrictions

Play date is for children ages 0-5 and their caregiver.

Play date to scheduled before September 7, 2011

Entries must be submitted by August 19, 2011

Limit of 12 children for session

Comfort Music

2011-08-12T07:51:00.000-07:00

Enjoying the Sounds of Home

The biggest success that came out of my many hours of travel preparations was, hands down, making each child their own playlist. Since the time that Jack, my middle child, turned 3, I have often used headphones and music to soothe him. It started as a night time "PLEASE SLEEP!!!" tool and then grew branches into other areas of our lives. Now I also use it with Jack for:

Anger management cool down
To beat car boredom
Early morning seclusion /(don't wake up the rest of us)

Having spent his 3 years in a musical household, Liam has always had a song in his heart. He sings as he plays with cars, takes a bath, eats, and goes to the bathroom, pretty much all of the time. In fact, often, Liam chooses to sing in conversation rather then speak. Jack and Liam even been heard arguing in song ("It ... is.... mine" "NO IT"S NOT" "yes... it... is" "NO IT"S NOT".

It should have been no surprise that, while traveling, the best source of comfort (outside of Mom and Dad) for my children was music. Why? Music evokes emotion and memory. It transports us, soothes us, calms us and gives a voice to emotions that we can not find the words for ourselves. I was simply trying to find a way to keep my children from being bored and frustrated. But, music gave them much more then entertainment. It gave them comfort.

Liam's favorite music, a Kindermusik medley. In particular, anything car themed and the song"Apples and Bananas". Amelia escaped to her tween pop happy place while Jack rocked out to his pretween songs of angst. I enjoyed my favorite sound of all, quite.

What is your child's favorite song or musical style?