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September 30 Party Night!I still have several pledges out there to collect that are coming in the mail, but it looks like The Kenya Night did what it set out to do! Now the hard part, to see if I can get Microsoft to match it, and that means contacting other people, you know grunt work. But we have 5 boxes of supplies set to go, donations set to be deposited, and a whole lot to be thankful for! It was a night of light, a night of love and a night of giving. The kids did SO well considering Riley was sick this week, she was a trooper! I had to regrettably tell the students and faculty at my school to stay away for fear we might infect them with the phantom flu, but little girl rallied and was SO good! Here are some pictures of the night:
NOW for the work:
Thank you to all for all your help and love and patience! September 29 The Kenya Project ContinuesToday is the day and unfortunately because my daughter has had the flu this week I cancelled on the school people coming over to help me box stuff up. I just did not want to risk infecting the school so early in the year! Still, my Mom may take her this evening and other adult friends unafraid of the plague are coming still to help us tally, box and discuss Sister Bernadette and her Orphans. Recently another organization has come to my attention that is not in Kenya but also very interesting. It is called Little Drops Orphanage, have you heard of it?
Little Drops is an orphanage in Nigeria. The campaign Little Drops comes from the idea that donations are like "Little Drops" that when pooled together make a big difference. Isn't that lovely? Parishoners at my parish Sacred Heart started it. They are from Nigeria and the husband works for Microsoft like Harry and so many others up here. I will be mentioning their cause this evening as well because in October Microsoft does a Giving Campaign where they match your donations. EVeryone I know donates something. I have never known a company like that before, is that not completely bitchin?
SO here are the companies I will be showcasing this evening in case YOU are interested and want to donate to children around the world who need help. These are tax deductable in the US and VERY worthwhile...course anything that helps kids is worthwhile if you ask me:
Womens Enterprises International: www.womensenterprises.org
You have heard me speak of them before. They dig wells and provide scholarships for girls in countries all over the globe. They do amazing work and if you REALLY want to get involved, they provide you opportunities to go help dig the wells and bring supplies to the people they help. VERY cool.
Little Drops: www.littledrops.orphanagefund.org
This is an orphanage in Nigeria started by Parishoners at my church Sacred Heart. They help orphans in Nigeria and what a wonderful way to give back to their community and children without homes or families. They deserve attention.
World Vision: www.wvi.org
They do it all! This is a Christian organization, but dont let that scare you off! From small donation of $4 to a grand donation of $1,000,000 they will find a good place for it and maximize the results. You can provide medicine, education, and food/water and wells all the way to soccer balls and stuffed animals for children and families in need ANYWHERE on the globe...including the United States. Yes, we do have problems here as well. I LOVE this organization and give to them every year. I truly wish I could work there when I grow up.
I may investigate more, but these are the three I will be explaining and handing out literature for. Only a few families are coming so that should be nice. I know two famnilies asked if they could host children from either the orphanage or Kenya here for school in their homes, but I do not know of any organizations that provide that kind of exchange program. It certainly is an interesting prospect, ind of like a long term exchange student idea only without the exchange. It would seem pretty legally difficult to st up, but it is a thought to start something like that should people be open to sharing their homes. Something to consider looking into when the babies are older I suppose, I would not know where to start. Course, I did not know where to start for this project, and now I am at the end of the race, so if you set your mind and heart to it, you can do anything!
Peace September 27 Rational WinsOk ok ok ok...so obviously my dump and run this morning got my crap out before I had to call the school and blow the whole deal. Thank God for a medium for a Mommy to do so, otherwise there would be WAY more spontaneously cumbusting Mommy's on a daily basis!
Anyway, as you probably guessed it all turned out OK. Whew. Just wanted to take a second wondering if it is this hard for everyone or if I am neurotic....I guess if you have to type a question to the void of insanity that is the World WIde Web you have your answer....crap I always thought I was the well adjusted one. Oh well....
I am still in love with the following bumper sticker and find it applies to this situation and many many others:
"Come To The DarkSide...We Have Cookies!!!"
Dont you love that?
On that note the kids and Harry and I will all be Star Wars characters for Halloween: Harry will be Darth Vader, Patrick will be a cute tiny little Bobo Fet, I will try to pull off a Princess Leia God Help Us All! and Rileyanne will be the most darling little Yoda ever! Aw....I love that the wee ones still help me do theme Halloween. YAY.
Stay Calm Mama BearI have said it before, I just do not fit in in Stepford. I live in Stepford for all kinds of similarities present themselves, but none are more apparent than the Mommy crowd that I will never get, be a part of or seem to find ways to exhaust appaulling. Yes, I am a walking billboard of what they do not wish their precious Abercrombe and Fitch sporting prodigies to become. I sport all kinds of finery from Target not Nordstrom, I do not drip with diamonds, I run giving campaigns for orphans in Africa (I am working in Kenya now and moving on to Algeria with some friends next month) and oh dear did I mention I have the audacity to actually work outside the home one day a week? Holy crap! What a bitch I am!
Yes, most of the moms who seem to shop in my grocery stores, go to my son's pre school, and participate in the play and point at the park (that is where the kids play and the Moms point and make snide comments, it is a blood sport I tell you) just do not know what to do with me and I KNOW IT. I do. My friends, I do have quite a few, are mostly like me. We are funny, capable, have brilliant kids and love our families. I am so thankful for these ladies who like me see some humor in the SUV driving fake nail set. I like a good manicure the same as anyone, but I do not have time for the beauty regimine it would take to fit in here. The 4 hour hair appointment several times a month complete with frosted tips and full color and shine with razor cut and shaper, the 1 hour nail appointment bi-weekly, the bleached teeth, the nanny, the housekeeper, the personal trainer so my ass stays as tight as my teenager (My ass has not been tight since I was a teenager, so some things you gotta let go, right?), the financial planner so we get our vaca in Cabo/Maui/Vail every year, I just dont have that. Sometimes I think I want it, it sure looks pretty all wrapped up in cellophane and slapped with a hefty price tag and all the Starbucks and smiling friends you want, but it seems so without on so many levels.
I am struggling because I feel like I just dont fit in. I struggle and I try but I just dont. I guess we all feel that way at times. My son's pre school is mad because we have been late three times. Once, the first day, which is supposed to be a clustermess of a day in my oppinion anyway, we were on time, but the line up was so long because the new parents did not know what to do, so we were late. We were there, you could see us, and most teachers did and talked to us and waved, but somehow those 25 minutes did not count and I was slapped with a discussion from the director about leaving earlier yadda yadda yadda. Then this week, on my way to Children's Hospital for a surgical consult for Riley I was a bit of a scatter brain because I was nervous and feeling vulnerable. I could not find my wallet and as a result we were late. Riley had taken it out of my purse and put it in the oven of her pretend kitchen. I do not even want to tell you the saga of how I found it but we were 20 minutes late to fingerpaiting and goldfish (lets face it, pre school is expensive but it is not calculus, these kids dont miss the meaning of X = Y they miss goldfish and storytime - perhaps I have the wrong attitude) but I explained I was en route to Children's and had to have my wallet for insurance purposes. I have a sick kid for God sakes, cut a Mama some slack! Then the next day, while I was at work, Patrick carpools and the carpool was late because there is construction between the school and my house and it can be a real messy situation. They left 30 minutes ahead of school time, and were still late. The school is less than 10 miles away. The school called my house, my work and left a message on my cell phone about how my transportation arrangements are not working for them. Uh huh. OK. I cannot control the construction zone guys, I have found an alternate route but it will take me a LOT longer. Whatever, that is ok it is my responsibility, but what is SO uncool is that they told my son being late is a bad habit. Look, he cannot control it, he is 4. Lets not give the 4 year old a complex, ok? Mommy is sorry, Mommy is working on it, Mommy is who you deal with, she is after all who writes the checks! I am COMPLETELY in support of teaching children values, morals and the ability to apologize when they have done something wrong, but he does not control his time tables I do. You cant get ahold of me? I am sorry about that, DONT take it out on my kid. You do NOT want me to get riled up. It is a good thing they did not get a hold of me actually, I need to seperate myself from this mess for a minute lest I do something rash. I am sure you can tell I am prone to rash.
OK, I know I should be more punctual, and maybe this is all my need to focus on my personal skills and be on time. I get that, I do. I am sorry I have a bad attitude about it, I am sorry that I have so much going on and there were three days in the begining of the year (one I had no control of whatsoever) but you know what? I do not think I am being unreasonable to say, "RELAX A MINUTE! I AM SORRY!" For crying out loud, lets work together. I KNOW I dont fit in, but dont bring it to the kid. That sucks. Dont be mean suckie people or I will tell you exactly what you are and that will rock your pretty little Starbucks shiny world, no one needs their passive aggressive bubble burst here.
The pre school has a wait list that is ridiculously long and there is no other school with room in my area at the moment so I am sorta stuck and they KNOW it. So I gotta eat it. That will not be easy. I am SO starting to look for a new school for Riley now though. Maybe in my search I will find a better fit for everyone, but I dont want poor Patrick to feel like he is in trouble any more than he already does. God that sucks so hard. I know I know, I am throwing a temper tantrum. I was late, take it like a man. OK ok ok. Smile and play nice with the cheerleaders, been doing it my whole life, but why do they all suck so bad? September 24 Preview DishSo, we have this crazy media center and sometimes it is a lot of fun to just play around with it. This weekend, while the kiddo's were napping, Harry and I noticed that the Comcast people were kind enough to have offered the preview of the Series Premiere of the Fall Line up! WOW! We watched the following: Bionic WOman, Chuck, Journeyman and LIFE. Here is what I thought, but keep in mind I am just a Mama, not a hard core TV geek, but hey my opinions are my own. I will not spoil anything you do not see in the commercials:
A MISS:
A BOMB:
A PIECE OF ASS:
Bionic Woman: Man was I looking forward to this....I really actually was! When I was a little girl I LOVED my Bionic WOman. I even dressed as Ms. Sommers one year. I was totally psyced and it COMPLETELY AND UTTERLY SUCKED ASS. Dude, even watching the cameo's from Battlestar Galactica were not worth the hour of my life I will not get back. The stunts were sad and completely doubled, and bad, did I mention bad? The acting, if it was anyone OTHER than the Battle Star people was OFF THE CHARTS SUCK ASS. The main character has the charm of a dead fish. Even though she is taking care of her younger sibling and she should be someone you care about you totally dont. You do not care. In fact if they had let her go in the car crash it would have saved us all a lot of tme, and that would have been nice. It is HORRIBLE. There is one twist regarding the "hi I have no chemistry and you dont care about me either" doctor who tries to save the Bionic Woman Ms. Sommers. His Father's story line actually seems interesting, but it would be a little too much like gouging out my own eyes to watch more, unless there is sure to be more cameo's from our beloved Battle Star guys because without them I would have turned the whole thing off.
A HIT:
A FIRECRACKER:
A SCORE: LIFE: This was awesome. It was hard core, they were not messing around. The main character would be impossible to play and the guy they got was great! He is unimposing and you just plain like him. You WANT to like him and he delivers. His partner has issues, as must be the case to be paired up with him, but even that seems sweet in a train wreck way. The story line was hard to swallow, and they are NOT kidding when they say it is for mature audiences only, this is NOT a kid show. Duh. But still, it was very nice. EVen with all that has happened to this guy his compassion is amazing, but not in a sappy "I worked the program" way even though he seems to quote some steppy thoughts a lot you are not sure if he is mocking them or embracing them. I am expecting to really like this show there is a long arc for it anyway, good for them! A HIT FOT SURE!
A MAYBE:
A LIKE IT:
A FUN EYE CANDY:
Chuck: OK, this is spoofy fun, but the stunts are fun, they even seem real, not doubles, and the team cast is amazing and look like they have fun. I am not sure how deep it can go or how the arc will connect all the messy ends, but it is fun to watch and you dont have to think much. It is spoonfed entertainment with some explosions and some fun humor, you cant miss with that! The guys are charming and you like them, which is important, and the conspiracy theory people will have fum with the government guys antics too, something for everyone... oh yeah and did I mention the "Hi I am a dead ringer for the chick that played Marcia Brady in the remake movies" is practically naked in most of the show, and even though I dont play on that team, I must admit she is a beautiful woman with a spark of fun about her. How could they miss?
A SURPRISE:
AN I DID NOT WANT TO SEE IT BUT I LIKED IT:
A SLEEPER HIT:
Journeyman: OK, I was NOT interested in this show. It seemed like a cross between so many shows and the guy looks so much like the last Bond it was distracting, but you know, it got interesting REALLY fast and I LOVED that they did not hand it all to you. They explained nothing, and did not treat the audience like morons. Sure we were lost for a while, but you started to care about this poor shlep andhow to help him out of the mess, and by the end he was so endearing I think I have a cavity from watching it. But still, not everyone in his world loves him, which is interesting, and his life is a bit of a train wreck, like the rest of us, which is refreshing in a non assuming way. You want to cheer for him but you also want to know what the hell is going on. I was surprised, especially after the blech dreck that was The Bionic Woman...did I mention how bad that one was? I was sure this would be as bad, but you know it wasn't at all and I will tune in again to see where he goes. I am not sure of where it is going, but it had some legs. The kid is darling too.
September 21 Food For ThoughtPatrick is in Pre K Nursery School. That means 4 days a week he is in school for 3 hours. He seems to like it but he misses his old teacher ad his old class and while he is excited to go, he feels like he is somehow letting his old "team" down by enjoying it. I am sure we will grow out of that but it is heart breaking. He still misses his best friend Lila who went to a new school this year and there is only one boy in his class who was in his class last year and they have latched on to one another well, so for Eric I am thankful.
Still, we have a VERY busy schedule considering he is only a 4 year old! School is every day and I feel I was smart enough at least to only schedule that. Some Moms I know have multiple activities on school days, but I just dont think that is wise, especially while he is adjsting. Still his schedule is insane and I must find a way to cut it back.
Mon: School
Tues: School
Wed: School
Thurs: School
Friday: Soccer
Saturday: Aikido
Sunday: Catechism/Church
There is NO day off here. Luckily Soccer is only 5 days and it is only an hour and hopefully it will be just fun and that will be good for him. If none of those rings true, that is the first to go I am afraid.
It is so easy to get swept up into these insane schedules. You dont want your kid missing out, but at the same time, it is always a struggle to maintain some order and not over schedule. I honestly have many many a friend who do swimming, soccer and school all on the same day! Can you imagine the exhaustion of that kid? Maybe they can handle it, but I would be wasted and I am sure my boy would be. Of course I went him to experience everything, but he does not need it all at once or in my opinion he wont remember any of it at all. He might not anyway, but I am sure it is helping shape him into a person he will become, and I do not want that person to be a crazed lunatic that must be entertained every second of every day and rushed from activity to activity like a mindless drone....not that this is the goal of the other suburbia Moms but, well, Stepford and I have always had our differences, and this struggle always comes up at the begining of the season of anything. "What is Patrick doing? DOnt you have him doing X with Y at Z? Oh you MUST get him in there!" Urgh. Ususally X with Y at Z costs $1000 and is full of the snottiest brats you will ever meet. No thanks. I like that for now he likes to hang with his buddies, make cookies on occasion with me and has a fabulous sense of imagination and makes up stories for us all.
My best friend recently grounded me and told me in her opinion it is pretty cut throat and competitive up here and she is right. I need to be VERY careful to help my kids know that it is more important to be a good person than to be the star baseball player (or whatever) at age 5...no one wants to peak at 5 man....and so, the juggling trick contnues.
Parenthood....it is not for the weak minded I can tell you that!
September 18 Getting ReadyTomorrow I am teaching the 7th and 8th grade students about the school's in Kenya and the giving campaign and I am nervous. It is funny, I have not been nervous about teaching anything in SO long, but this is personal. I got busy on my Microsoft Publisher and made a newsletter to teach from for the students, went to Staples and got color copies. They look beautiful and it was such a release seeing the work compiled like that. I want this to work so badly, but it is my first attempt so I wont be discouraged if I falter a bit the first time out of the gate....oh who am I kidding, of course I will! I want this to work! I used this quote from Corinthians 8:7, 13 - 14 " But just as you excel in everything - in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete earnestness and in your love for us - see that you also excel in this grace of giving...Our desire is not that others might be relieved while you are hard pressed, but that there might be equality. At the present time, your plenty will supply what they need, so that in turn, their plenty will supply what you need. Then there will be equality." Doesn't that just hit home? Basically I am hoping that the students get it. $10 is not much, but it will mean a lot to the students in Kenya that Sister Bernadette has asked us to help. We are targeting 120 students, all orphans, who need assistance. We will help them, and they will in turn help us raise our awareness, elevate our consciousness and examine our world view. Seems like a small price to pay for such enlightenment. Thinking of you, Sister, wish me luck! September 17 Kenya UpdateThis weekend I was having a bit of a freak out because I need to place posters of advertising up and had no pictures of the schools or my good friend Sister Bernadette to include. I have that now and thought I would share! Sister was out rurally this weekend and away from an Internet connection. When she returned she got right on getting me pictures and I am so grateful! Also, my good friend Melissa Sy and her family, who met Sister and introduced me to her this Summer sent me some great shots of her visit here. Now I can help you have a face (and faces of the students I am working with) to go with a cause. Here you go:
I think Women's Enterprises International and World Vision are among my two favorite groups to assist people around the world. I know there are more, but these are the two I work the most with lately. If you are interested in helping, I encourage you to do so. It will change your life in SO many ways! A little goes a long way!
Peace September 16 Cant Stop The PatrickThis is a saying my boy has incorporated into his daily speak. When I was young I started saying, "I'm gonna win" to get myself through tough spots. This is his Mantra. It is what he says to himself to boost himself up and keep going even if he actually is afraid or feeling overwhelmed..."You know what, Mommy? You can't Stop The Patrick!" Nope, no you can't.
We went back to pre school this last week, our first full week actually starts tomorrow. He was SO nervous. Nervous about having a new teacher, nervous about going so many days (he will be there 4 days in a row now) and nervous to be with all new friends and no Lila, his best bud his whole life who went to a different pre school this year. He was flying solo, but he got himself together and got dressed and went. He was disappointed because they started a new thing this year, NO backpacks, they are using a special logo bag instead. He had spent the entire summer picking out just THE backpack too, but did that stop him? No. You know why? You guessed it, you cant stop the Patrick. Here he is all ready to go and walking out the door in his Lightning McQueen jumpsuit. Gotta have your buds with you when you are nervous I guess:
SO, he goes and has his day. When the day is done I go get him and managed to get this in the line up to get him in the car:
On a separate note, he also started Aikido this week and got his new gee (sp?) and had a blast. He goes to Aikido while Riley goes to Ballet and we meet up and do lunch. Saturday mornings are a tad blurry if you ask me, but here he is in his gee:
And now for a bid adieu as we head back into the week and I descend to make posters for my Kenya Project. The kids stood together, Riley in her ballet and Patrick in his gee looking as proud as can be in the Long House where Patrick takes his classes. Aint they somethin'? September 15 T.T.A. - Teenage Temporary AngstI was on a playground this week and someone had taken the time to draw this with chalk:
Teenagers here in Bellevue, Washington do not have a whole lot to be at War about. But I guess, if this picture captures it right they are uniting...against what I am not sure even they have a clue, but go ahead on youth of suburbia! Temporary Angst. Love it. September 14 The Kenya ProjectEarlier this summer I went to a Women in Enterprises, Int. luncheon and met a nun from Kenya. Sister Bernadette Munyao of the Catholic Arch Diocese of Machakos in Kenya was like a ray of light after a long storm. We became fast fast friends. She, like many in her calling, has an impossible task before her. She helps orphans in four different schools in Kenya who are not funded by the government. These are High School age kids, though there it is called University, and while she helps people from 47 different tribes in the area not all are Catholics, they are just people who need help. How completely cool is that? So of course I wanted to help.
Now, you tell a Nun you want to help and look out because these are not shy people who are passive agressive like the people in the area where I live. She faces real hardship and is not afraid to get to the point, which I completely appreciate. In the few months I have known her, I have discussed many projects but really started with one I knew could fly right away and am so proud. In a few weeks I am hosting an open house and people will come to my home and drop off supplies and money to be sent to Sister Bernadette. Our hopes are that since the students enterring 9th grade are just starting out we will give them a slightly running start. I hope to raise some money for scholarships, but until the event have no idea how much that will be. Though I have had enough pledges that I hope to cover at least the cost of the student's Scientific Calculators in Kenya (For the whole 9th grade class! All 120 people...so cool!!!), a cost to us of $5 US dollars but it is a huge cost to them at near 360 of their equivalent dollars. A years worth of education at any one of the four schools she represents is $400 for the year. THE YEAR. That covers tuition, books, food, room and board, and it is less than many of us pay or a month of pre school. It is just crazy how dofferent and yet still unattainable it is.
What an education though. I am humbled every day I talk to my dear Sister Bernadette. I have learned that there are more than 47 tribes in that small area and that the major industries are basket weaving and wood carving, though because the trees have been exploited the carving industry has been hit hard and even the weaving industry has hit a low in demand so poverty of course is on an ever increasing rise. The only areas of many towns with electricity are the market places and even there not all buildings have electricty and many of the problems still facing this area are water bourne diseases such as malaria and the like. AIDS is at an all time high as well as other diseases. These students are all orphans, so that says a lot right there. Should these kids not go to school they can seek capital and start a business, but think of what you were like as a 14/15 year old. It is humbling and terryfying. How can you not want to help?
Anyway, when we started out talking I thought it was an impossible task for me, on the other side of the world, to help with an entire class of students distributed over four schools and working through a Bishop I had not met with a nun I only met once in person. But Faith is a funny thing. I have a lot of that, though as stated in previous missives (and made very clear by some people writing me on discussion pages) I have not had a lot of formal Catholic education. Still, not one to shy away, I went out and stumped and now I am looking at over 100 people coming to my house to give to the campaign. How exciting is that? One Mommy trying to make a difference because a friend asked. She is awfully inspiring and awfully intimidating though, in a beautiful way I might add, you just cant say no.
So, while I struggle with paying for pre school and ballet and Aikido and soccer and sunday school and whatever else, I am keeping in mind that I MUST help my kids set aside some funds to help others because we have a responsibility to do so. It is the least I can teach them. My hope is that in two years, when Riley is older, I can go to Kenya and teach for a summer at the schools with Sister Bernadette and my children and show them how many blessings they have for which to be thankful. Every day, please know I am thankful and grateful...every day and with every breath.
SO, wish us luck. I am also fortunate to be a Catholic school teacher. My school is going to help by making this a 7th-8th grade project so the students can see how they can positively impact the world around them. Who knows, before you know it I may end up helping more than just these 120 students, and wouldn't that be a dream come true? So, undaunted by the nay sayers, and I have heard from many of them in the past few months believe me, I am reminded of the Starfish story. I dont know who wrote it, but I do know my brother, Jim, was the first person I remember to share it with me when I was in Jr High and it made an impact. I remember we were at the J. Paul Getty museum in LA one afternoon and he told it to me while we walked and it stuck with me ever since. Do you know it?
There are many versions, but here is the version I know. There was a man walking on a beach that was littered with thousands upon thousands of beached starfish. As he walked, he bent and picked one up and threw it back into the sea. After a while of watching him do this another man walked up to him and asked, " Sir, what are you doing? Dont you know you cant possibly make a difference?" to which the man, strolling, gently picked up another starfish, smiled and as he flung it into the sea turned to his new companion and said, "Well, I made a difference to that one".
Now I do not presume to think I am that man on the beach. I am doing what one inspiring and incredible person asked of me, rising to an occasion because a woman of great faith and great love asked me to help her. She is the man on the beach, I am just helping her fling the starfish and ignoring the naysayers who say we cant possibly make that difference. I say we can. My biggest belief is that we have a responsibility to help when asked, to help make the world better before we leave it. I am humbled and thrilled to have that opportunity. I hope to teach my children of this ideal. My brother and my family helped me kindle that spark and as I set out to have this project take flight I know it will be the first of many.
What are you going to do this year? Are you helping to throw the starfish back in your own way? I bet you are....share your story! September 11 Finding The RavenWe took the kids this weekend to a local tourist favorite, Tillicum Village. While there is something rather sad about a beautiful people pawning their heritage for tourist dollars, the voyerism of the experience really is amazing and recommended for a tourist experience around here. They are near the Aquarium so you can make a real day of it, Pikes Place, Tillicum and Aquarium if you have that kind of stamina. I barely made the luncheon at the boat, but hey that is me. I am old and tired and carting babies around. Ha ha ha...well that IS true....ok ok ok, but it is a 4 hour experience start to finish and worth it. If you call ahead on the day of, sometimes if it is not sold out you can get special deals which is VERY worth it. Here are some pictures of us on our crazy Native day finally doing the field trip intended to go with on eof my Camp days from the summer. We were accompanied by two families, the Gellars (Lila, Patrick's BFF) and the Van Horn's (The other BFF's) so it was a crazy day of children, totems and folk tales...oh yeah and SALMON. They slow cooked the salmon on cedar planks and while it is all served very camp style, which I loved by the way, it was SO good and all you can eat....YUM! Here we go:
And so was our day at the Tillicum Village! Now we are off getting ready for pre school! Never a dull moment at Casa Pierson.......relax if you can, when you can, because this here is a wild ride. this parenthood stuff is crazy! September 09 Rileyanne Storms The BalletWell...ok that title is perhaps a TAD misleading.....my two year old DID have her first ever Ballet class yesterday. She flew solo, it was not a Mommy and me class, and was her first class of any kind without me and it was hard on me. She did fine, but enough about her I want to talk about me, it is my blog dang it all! I cried, CRIED! Harry said I was more of a girlie girl than I like to admit, you know once word gets out on that my hard ass reputation is toast...c'est la vie! She was darling, she floated in the class, stole the show, we think so anyway. They were all super cute though, and her BFF Kaity Anne was a light in her own right to be sure! Afterwards we went to Red Robin for a hero's lunch and she stole lots of kisses from Daddy. I may be more of a girlie girl than I like to admit, but one day she is bringing a dude home to meet papa and he is remembering her like this, at age 2 in a pink ballet skirt and pony tail.... forever. Who is the mushy parent now, Harry?!?!?!?!? :) We did find out her recital is in June and she will be missing it as we have plans to be in Hawaii already. My Mom wanted to keep Riley here so she would make her recital without us, if you know my Mom you know how completely understandable that is and how funny it is too, but, um, no the 2 year old will miss carrying a teddy bear on stage for two minutes in a $65 costume with prostitute make up on so she can say she was in a production at the age of 2 for heavens sake, she will be with us in Hawaii battling sharks where she belongs! :) Without further adieu, here is the sweet ballerina of my dreams....so sweet.
Now for the barely controlled chaos that is a class of 2 year olds in tutu's with teddy bears, glitter and classical music....it was a girl fest in there! I think pink rainbows and care-bears were escaping from the windows unnoticed from all the girlie girl frilliness....too much!
Rileyanne Elizabeth the Ballerina will now blow a kiss: Music & CoffeeI recently came across a new-ish artist and am in LOVE with his sound. You can check it out at www.myspace.com/erichutchinson
Seriously, I think he was described as the love child of Jack Johnson and John Meyer. He is a dream of a unday Morning coffee date...cozy, jazzy, flippy and fun....He is a coffee house comfort zone with some soul and some zing. YAY!
I cannot wait for the album and asked my hubby for it for my birthday....here's hoping!
NOW I am off to enjoy a day of tea, babies and fun. It will be beautiful here and we are headed to a local Native Salmon Bake....yum - o! September 07 Naps Some day my children will be too big for naps. Someday they will stop asking to have me take one with them. Some day I will want them to cuddle and they wont want to. This is why today, when I had a million things to do, but my 4 year old son begged me to please snuggle with him for a nap, I found I could not resist. We snuggled in, giggled a little, made up a story and dozed. I looked at him while he slept and was taken aback at how beautiful he is to me; and while I know some day he will be a big 'ol man, just for today he is still my little boy. He is darling and he still wants me to hug him and make a fuss over him and I am happy to oblige. Riley still sleeps best on her own, but that will not always be the case either, and as long as she will let me, I will try to snuggle with her too. These precious days are fleeting, I must remember them and take advantage of them.
May you have a nap with someone you love soon, it does wonders for your heart and soul! Even if you have a million things to do, the laundry is piled high and there are dishes that need cleaning, you have lesson plans to write and documents to fill out, bills to pay and dinner to make....when your babies ask you to chill with them, DO IT! Because one day, they wont be asking; and I live in dread of that day. I will miss the sticky, gooey messes that are my kids and the butterfly kisses and tickles and giggles that is my young family. Just the mention of it growing up makes me nervous, I dont like change....but it is coming....like a train on a track. SO go nap with your kid. Leave the mess, the dishes, the bills, they will all still wait for you, but the growing boy and growing girl wont be. That's the truth man, that's the truth. September 06 Little GirlsRiley had her first "real" play date today. There is a darling little girl who lives nearby named Grace whom Riley calls "Her very best friend...besides Kaity-Anne" always with that caveat. SO cute. I dont know when that starts for girls, this clear delineation, good, better, best friend...but at two she has it all set up. Anyway, we had art, baked snack, I had the kids prepare and bake their own pizza for lunch. It was a big deal! Still, watching Riley REALLY play with someone was priceless...watching Patrick feel a little left out was too in a way. You see, until now, every play date was his. Sure sometimes a smaller sibling would come along too, so Riley would get some play in as well, but it was all always Patrick's show. It is a whole new world order now. He was stung a little, but not bad at all...just struggling to find his place is all. It is nice to see that, actually. To know that when uncomfortable change comes his way, he does not melt down. Some kids do, and I would understand it (not like it, but understand it) instead he sulked a little, tried to steal some thunder and was a bit of a clown jockeying for attention....I cant imagine WHERE he gets THAT from....but it is all good. Here are some highlights of the day so you can keep up with my insanity....
We did it!
What a blast! What a day! I would drop dead if I had this many kids every day though. This whole growing old stuff "ain't" for sissies I will tell you that, but I kept up pretty well! SO...there is a day in my Mommy land. Keep on keeping on! Till next time....see ya and watch out for red paint! What The?In reading the 5 seconds of news I get to read...which as a Mommy of small kids means it is the snippets of highlights I can see in the 5-10 minutes my husband graciously allows me to have after dinner while we watches the kids so I can have a wee break...I read a story on a police officer in Arizona who let his Canine dog die in his car. He apparently left the dog in the car all day (read 12 hours...who the hell leaves an animal in a car that long?) on a day that reached temperatures over 109 degrees. The kicker is that I read the Sherrif statement read, "I am sure that the officer feels horrible about it, but we respect the criminal justice system and he should be treated like anyone else" Um hello, no he should not. He should be treated like someone who has been TRAINED to handle people and animals, he should be coddled in no concievable way. He ran errands, tok a nap, had dinner out with his wife, while he let his police dog die in the car! That is unbelievable! I know police officers, I know officers who work K-9 and NONE of them would EVER do these things. Not one. How sad. I am sickened by the whole thing. September 04 From Home Depot to AikidoMan, that is a lot of Oh's.....ha ha ha....that was our Saturday freak out run. Every first Saturday of the month the local Home Depot has a craft day that is FREE and completely a blast and now Harry is taking both kids. It has become a sort of playgroup event in which all the Daddies of our playgroup typically show up at or around the same time and navigate the craft with the kids. I was lucky enough to go this time, both because it meant pictures, and because I got to see how socially different the women and men are with the kids. See, we Mommy's in the Mommy's group get together and yack. We can talk about anything and everything even when we completely disagree. Most of us have very different political, religious, socio-economic and educational backgrounds, but we have some very real common denominators...these darling kids, the housewife syndrome and the husbands who all seem to be employed by Microsoft (or a like business). We in essence have everything in common, even though we experience it differently and talk about it endlessly which to me is a blast, fascinating and pretty much makes the trip to play group an event. I have said it before, since having children, we have better friends than we have eve had as a couple. We still have many friends from before kid-dome, but somehow these warriors we are meeting the parenting challenges with light my world when we are together for very different reasons than my lifelong friends whom I adore and miss desperately but rarely see. Now, we Mommy's jabber on and on. The men? They get to Home Depot, are very happy to see one another and cheer on the kids, encourage each other and the kids, but remain exclusively on task. It is because of this that the craft at Home Depot, thanks to the tenacity of the Daddies takes about 15 minutes. If the Mommy's were there, we would jabber on and the guy would have to tell us it was closing time before we got the hint to move on. The Dad's get there, get it done, and move on. There is no nonsense, but it was very supportive and social in their own way, just a different way. Thankfully they were tolerant to my shutter fly needs, and I think the Mommy's were grateful for the documentation of the affair. Here is Home Depot on Football opening weekend....So they each made a Football theme coat hanger that will be prominently displayed in the garage whenever we get that pit cleaned out....here are the shots:
Now we RUN to the car for Aikido. What the hell is Aikido you ask? Well, it is our new activity with Patrick. It is a Japanese self defense art that promotes self discipline and coordination but not fighting. See the idea is to use your attackers force to get them to stop attacking you without harming them. It seems pretty tree hugger-zen for me, but I love the topics. The vocabulary words for this session are as follows: Kindness; Teamwork; Coordination; Patience; Self Discipline; Memory; Respect; Balance; Fitness; Stranger Safety; When to call 911; Fire Safety; Street Safety. Who does not need these ideals? During the class, each child picks a spirit animal to focus their attention on for the week. This week Patrick's was a wolf. The focus was to be a path finder, a leader and a team player. WOW. Heavy. I plan to use this when my kind but ever frustrated 4 year old gets out of hand, "Is this in the spirit of your spirit animal, young man?" Hey man, a little Catholic Irish guilt covers any situation if you ask me. It doe snot hurt that the class is taught in a cedar long house at Beaver Lake near totem poles and a grassy area. It is just spiritual. I only wish it was not scheduled at the same time Riley will be in Ballet. Harry and I will have to swap each taking a different kid to a different class and meet up for lunch on Saturday's from now on. Such is the crazy life of suburbia. Here is our little zen boy now, SO cute with his best Bud Andy in the blue shirt. Hard to believe Andy is only 2 months older than Patrick, he towers over him!
At the end the instructor had the kids point to themselves and say aloud, "I AM AWESOME!" I plan to say that to myself several times this week and hope my kids will do the same, what fun! So there you have it from Stepford...all is well in suburbia as we head into September and school and the grueling schedules of multiple children in multiple activities. I plan to get a little help from my good friend and silent partner (Dark Chocolate) a great deal this week....tune in next time! September 02 Stranger DangerThese are crazy times we live in. Remember the '70's? Well I do. I remember being told in the early morning hours to "Get outside and play" and "Not to come back till the street lights came on" I believe that started when I was 4.5 years old. I look at Patrick and am like, NO WAY. These are different times. I believe the same things existed then, I know from experience that there were monsters out there, but now we are all so aware of it! I helped arrange a Stranger Safety class with my playgroup's 25 kids last Friday and we were fortunate enough to have the Sammamish Police come do a courtesy visit. Officer Hall could not have been sweeter to our kids, answered their questions with respect (even though some of them were way off topic!) and even let the kids climb in her cruiser! WHAT A HIGH POINT! I made little folders for the kids that actually went with the video Safe Side Kids (www.thesafeside.com) in which Safe Side Super Chick is the super hero du jour. We never even got to the video, but the visit was all inclusive. I had the officer look at what I put together and she asked if I could get a set to her at the police department to go with her to talk to kids!What an honor! Here are the key points: * A "Dont Know" is someone you just do not know. Kids are usually ok but a child should be taught never to talk to an adult without their "safe side" adult present (this is a parent or someone the guardian has appointed as the safety person. * A "Kinda Know" is someone you only "kinda" know. Like your coach, your mail man, people who work with pr are friends with your parents, friends parents, etc. People you recognize, but only kinda know.You should never go anywhere alone with a "kinda know" without first asking and getting permission from your safe adult. Some other key points we outlined: * Always be able to see your safety adult, they cant keep you safe if they cant see you either. * NEVER open the front door without your safety adult with you. * Don't speak to a grown up unless your safety adult is with you. * Dont let anyone in your Safety circle (an invisible circle about 15 feet all around you) * RUN from danger * Know at least three other adults who your parent tells you are OK to go to in an emergency (these should be people you recognize and know well, like a teacher, family, close friends, etc.) (many people have safety words, but often times these "secret words" are given away by the child, better to have three adults picked out ahead of time. As a group we decided to have pictures of our safety adults taken on a work sheet for the kids to talk about to help identify and put ICE in our cell phones to ID them - in case of emergency) * Think and do not fall for tricks, an adult should not ask a child for help locating directions, finding a lost animal or anything else. Run away from an adult who asks you for these things and tell your safety adult. * NEVER go anywhere with someone you only KINDA know without asking and getting permission from your safety adult first. These are all in that awesome video that I just cannot recommend highly enough for kids ages 4 and up. My 2 year old is even getting the points, so that is good too. The thing is, the kids KNOW the right answers. It is important that they practice too. One thing I did not realize was phone etiquette is a serious problem too. The Officer gave us these hints: * If you answer the phone, never talk to the caller unless your safety adult is with you. *Never answer these questions on the phone: 1) Where do you live? 2) What is your name? 3) Where is your Mommy/Daddy? These are fishy questions. Give this info out and you could have a problem. My son knows he can say, "Hello, Pierson residence, Patrick speaking" but that is it. When the person talks, he is to give me the phone and he may not answer it if I am not in the room. Period. Here are some of the pictures of the day, what a fun day but scary topic. Be safe!
Even the parents got in on the act: TO THE CAR!
A VERY Big thank you to my dear friend Allison for hosting and to Officer Hall for giving so much time and personal attention to our group! Keep safe! Here is me, Allison and Officer Hall...Peace out! |
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