Getting started...

It's that time again.  Our facebook feeds are filled with grinning children next to the front door as they prepare to begin the school year. The school supply aisles are filled with those of us who refused to believe that the start was quite so close. And as a teacher, my world also undergoes a large shift with the return to work.

But this year, the shift is smaller.  Last spring, our family decided that I would return to work only halftime.  Yes, it's quite a pay and benefits cut, but we are hoping that the shift brings more of that all-important balance to our home. The boys will be at two different schools again, my husband's work load has grown by large amounts, and we will now have two children involved in activities, rather than just one.  With me home in the afternoons, the little one has a much shorter school day, we don't have to arrange after-school care or create a crazy pick-up schedule, and trying to fit in a healthy dinner feels so much simpler.

One week in, and I'm already feeling the benefits of the lighter load.  I still have time to hang laundry on the line in afternoons.  An errand or two can be run before we pick the oldest one up from school. I even got to sit and paint with the little one - at 2:00! And while the weather is still nice, we can even have a popcorn and reading picnic on the lawn without having to wait until the weekend to do it.

The goal?  To feel like we are living the life we want seven days a week - not just two. And with this move?  We're a whole lot closer.  Getting started has never been easier...

Character is taught at home...

Today I read this wonderful post over at Simple Mom. Boy, did it touch that part of my heart where truth and good and hope live.  As a mama, I often find myself rushing through the day, and thinking, "I'd love to help that person, but my hands are full with the boys." But what the boys see is that we are too busy to help others.  That isn't the message I want to be sending.

I remember being out with my mom and seeing her pick up random litter.  I saw her mom do it, too.  Do I remember times when they didn't?  Nope.  But it certainly made in impression when they went out of their way to take care of a problem that didn't "belong" to them.

So, it's time.  Time to offer that hand, that listening ear, that comfort that someone may need.  Even when my hands are full.  Because someone else's hands are invariably more full. And because, as Shaun said, character is learned on aisle nine.

Our happy place...

The boys and I have been so lucky this summer to find our very own "happy place".  That spot where we can go and play and feel at home out in nature. A place we've returned to so often that we relax the moment we arrive. We sit in the sand, dig big holes, splash in the river. I knit, they scream and splash. Sometimes we meet friends, sometimes it's just the three of us.

 

On our most recent visit we watched the tiny fry (baby fish) and tadpoles swim in the shallow river's edge.  The time before that, there was a crawfish. There are always geese and ducks and deer.  And if we get there early enough, we have the whole space to ourselves to breathe and listen to the sound of the river. It feels just right.

While we are sad that our summer visits to our happy place are drawing to a close, we are getting excited to see how beautiful the trees look in the fall.  And the boys want to visit in the winter to see what the river looks like then.  And when the mountain snow begins to melt, we can't wait to see what happens to the river banks. Before we know it, we'll be back to summer and our favorite spot.

Brother time...

Some days I would like to sell my children.  Even pay someone to take them. We have more than our fair share of whining, fighting, and the most awful SCREAMING that happens in this house.  I'm afraid to know what the neighbors think...

But most days?  They are really great.  At 3.5 and 6, there is so much they can do without my assistance.  We've had hours upon hours of Legos and car races. Our couches have been transformed into pirate ships, dog kennels, race cars and hospitals. Yesterday they even played together for 2 hours - without me! And yeah, ok, I probably should have intervened when I saw the baby doll had a jump rope tied around it's neck and was being used as "shark bait".  (Moms of boys, I know you know what I'm talking about.) But they were playing together!  On the same team!

And as I looked back through a lot of our summer pictures, I noticed just how many great times there have been like that this summer. We've spent many hours each week just hanging out at home, and they have filled those hours with laughter and imaginary characters.  The dress up box has been well used. I finally figured out that boys don't need Barbies because they have Lego minifigures. And there is always some song being sung, and more often than not, they are even singing it together.

Here are some of those images of daily life from our summer.  And for those of you with little tiny ones, take  heart - your time will come! Because while all this good stuff was going on, I got to be sewing, reading, online, or on the phone.  By myself.

Guitar Concerts

Reading together

Board Games

Reading on the lawn

Art time

Sprinklers and Snacking

Chess time

Beach week...

For the last two years, we have spent a week at the beginning of August on the beautiful Oregon Coast with my husband's family.  This year we joined his parents, sister, and grandmother at a beautiful rental home just north of Depoe Bay.  It was an amazing place - just a couple blocks from the beach, a park and playground a block away, and plenty of room for everyone.  The goal?  Spending time and relaxing. And, well, mission accomplished!

We followed a pretty predictable routine almost every day there - wake up, go to the playground, have breakfast, go to the beach and dig a big hole, go home and have lunch. This was followed by a few hours of naptime and reading (for both kids and adults).  Of course, then there was another playground or park visit, and the day wrapped up with a yummy dinner and game or puzzle time for the adults, while the boys went to bed. For four days, that was our heaven.  With so many kind adults around, ready and willing to take turns taking the boys to the playground, play card games with them, or read them stories, it was a true vacation for Dan and I. The boys loved time with their family and dug some serious holes.  I read two books. The weather was beautiful and sunny.

Basically, it was perfect.

Side note: While we were there, we accidentally swapped cameras with my sister-in-law - the benefit being that we had her card of images (and she's an amazing photographer!).  So, many of the following pictures were taken by her.  Hope you enjoy!

The little one's fashion choices always make me smile!

It was a DEEP hole!

Uno on the porch

In Praise of Pinterest...

As I mentioned in my previous post, we recently had a birthday party for the big one's 6th birthday. What you should know is that I really don't enjoy birthday parties - attending or throwing.  But my kiddos want parties. In order to help us all get what we want, we are on an every-other-year schedule. The big one gets parties during years when he turns an even age.  The little one gets them when he turns an odd age. This rotation means I throw one a year, and on the years when they don't have a big party, we get to enjoy quiet, simple family celebrations. It's just one of those little ways we are maintaining a balance that works for our family.

Summer birthdays are great for birthday parties - the ability to celebrate outside allows for some fun ideas.  The birthday boy wanted a "summer fun" party, and we were lucky enough to be able to hold it at my father-in-law's church (he's the pastor).  The parking lot was a perfect bike riding area, and the grassy areas were great for baseball, soccer, and football games.  Really, it was all very simple.

But the thing that made it even easier?  One of my favorite new addictions - Pinterest. For those of you who are unfamiliar, here's what it is.  Remember when you used to flip through magazines and tear out pages of recipes/decorating ideas/quotes/crafts that you wanted to remember? And when you first started to use the internet you used to print out the ideas that you found? And then you found that you had an overwhelming list of bookmarks for all of those great things, but could never quite remember which bookmark led you to which tutorial or photograph? This is the answer.  It's like online corkboards, where you can "pin" all those great ideas. You see a tutorial you like, "pin" it, and sort your pins into boards according to theme.  Then you can go to your board, see all of your ideas, and follow those ideas back to their original source on the web.

I used Pinterest to gather my ideas for the birthday party.  In fact, here's my board. And here's the same ideas at the actual party:

 We had a great time - the weather was perfect, we were joined by amazing friends and family, and the birthday boy loved it all.  Our "goody bags" of a monster and CD of favorite music were well received. The pulled pork sandwiches and picnic food were delicious, and a good friend's cupcake recipe (thanks, Mel!) was perfect.

But the best part? Because of the pre-planning/organizing using Pinterest, I was actually able to sit back and enjoy the party.  The preparations still took time, but we were able to do things the way we wanted (little expense or waste, lots of activity and creativity) without any last-minute stress.  I can't recommend it enough!  I've still got a few invites left, so if you are interested in signing up, just let me know in the comments. 

Recent crafties...

It's been a wonderful summer for crafting - with the boys being a little more independent, I can actually sit and play during the day.  While they are immersed in a "Search and Rescue Mission" (thanks, Papa!) with Legos and dollhouse firefighters, I can be cutting out a pattern or knitting away. I'm still able to be involved in their play, without getting in the way.

There have been a couple of crafting project that have filled more hours than the others.  Each was my favorite kind of crafting to do - crafting for gifts.  Now that they have been gifted to their respective recipients, I thought I'd share a little of what I've been up to:

Project 1.
This one was truly a group effort. Back in May, I asked some of the people nearest and dearest to my dad to send favorite stories/memories, and pictures to me.  I then got to put all of these memories together in a scrapbook.  I used a digital template set by Cathy Zielske and a digital paper pack, and we ended up with a 45 page album full of love for my dad on his 60th birthday.  I felt so lucky to get to put it together - to get to really spend  time with all of these wonderful thoughts and stories of my dad.  Each one triggered my own memories, and realize what an amazing  family and community my Dad created for us. Here's a shot of the cover:

And just a sample of the inside pages:

 

 Project 2:

Ok, this undertaking was a little silly/crazy.  A few months ago I saw an adorable "gift basket" on pinterest that I desperately wanted to recreate for my oldest's birthday party. Which then meant I needed to knit a monster for every child coming to the party.  And his party was the week after my Dad's - and thus the finish date for the scrapbook. So, I knew that I would officially have 9 days to knit 12-13 monsters. They'd have to be small and simple, and I'd need to knit my fingers off!  When I saw these, I knew they were the ones! Using only scrap yarn, I got them done (the night before!), and they were happily adopted out the next day. We did end up having a family unable to make it, so a few of the little guys came home with us, and they are well loved (and thrown around) our home!

While crafting with a timeline in mind isn't always my favorite, both of these projects were great fun.  I loved seeing the funny little personalities each monster took on as the ends were sewn and feet were attached. But I'm not sure much will top the reaction that my Dad's scrapbook got from him. That was the best.

I have completed a few other little projects along the way - hopefully I'll get around to sharing those before too long! But if not, it's because I'm renewing my friendship with my sewing machine...