..busy as bees..

On any given day, there is tremendous activity in our house. I'm not so different from most people with kids similar in age to mine, I'm certain.

We have acclimated to our new small town quite well. I have enjoyed becoming a part of the community, as have our children.

Since moving here, we have enjoyed all manner of activities, and I thought I'd share with you what we have busied ourselves with in the last couple of months.

:: Little Arrows -  Isaac participated in an introduction to basketball program through the elementary school. It was a Saturday activity, where he learned the basics of basketball. The highlight of the program was a half-time show at a varsity girls' basketball game, where all the participants displayed the skills they had learned. It was even set to music, which made it all the better.

:: Pinocchio -  Evy auditioned and was cast in a production of 'Pinocchio.' The Missoula Children's Theater came to our little town in late January. In the course of one week, they cast and produced 'Pinocchio,' with costumes, sets, and everything. Evy was a ballerina toy, and enjoyed being onstage with her friends. They did two performances at the end of the 6 days, and it was quite an impressive accomplishment. Evy did not, however, care for sitting backstage for the entire one-hour production.

:: Family Skate Night -  Family skate night amounted to rollerskating in the gym. It was tremendous fun, although I had some difficulty avoiding the kids who frequently fell. I also learned that I have a real difficult time skating clockwise. Who knew? The physical education classes at their school had all been doing rollerskating, and this served as their culmination event. I felt badly for Rich, whose monstrous feet barely fit into the largest size skate they had. Somewhat fortuitously, Margot didn't care for the skating, so instead he kept her company and chatted with some neighbors, while the rest of us enjoyed whizzing around the gym on 4 wheels.

:: Sock Hop - The build-up to this event was pretty exciting. Girls talking about what their poodle skirt looked like, pleas for help from the parents, and numerous save the date flyers and invitations coming home in folders. Initially, Isaac was disinterested in attending. Dancing is not his thing. Evy and Margot didn't feel strongly one way or another, and I was willing to skip it only because it would've been our 4th night out that week. I thought better of it, however, and we went. It ended up being great fun for the kids, and tolerable for the adults. I'm not one to jump in and start cutting a rug with a bunch of elementary kids. I'm the wallflower that likes to watch from the sidelines. Unless it's rollerskating, of course - but even then I refuse to limbo. There was hula-hooping, poodle skirts galore, a picture booth, dinner, and much fun had by all. I'm so glad that we made the decision to go.

:: Dinners with New Friends - Evy has made the astute observation that we have been having "a lot of customers" lately. By customers, she means dinner guests. One thing the distance kept us from for the last 3 years (as a family), was having people over for meals on a regular basis. We enjoy sharing meals with others. We both enjoy cooking, and my kids enjoy having playmates. Since we've moved, we have dinner with friends at least twice a week, and lately, more often. We've made a point to invite over some people that we've wanted to break bread with, in an effort to get to know our community and the community that Rich is a part of at the university. It has been hard being away from family back in Illinois, and even friends. What makes our move all the sweeter, however, is the friends that we've made (and continue to make) since we've been here. It's reassurance to me that we picked the right place to settle. One could not ask for better customers.

:: Valentine's Tea/Classroom helper - I have the privilege of working in Margot's class for a short period of time once a week. I have been going in regularly for the last few months now, helping with centers in her classroom. We have done all sorts of neat activities, and the kids in her classroom are all familiar with who I am, which is a nice feeling for this former teacher. On Valentine's day, Margot's class had a special tea party where we made cards, friendship bracelets, read stories, ate a snack, and listened to and sang along with some songs. I will always feel fortunate to be able to share these kinds of moments with my kids, and hang onto the memory of them when my presence in school will be viewed as a threat instead of a treat.

:: Snow days - Ugh-this winter. We have spent far too many days home from school. It has been a brutally cold winter with piles of snow. In our move, things climate-wise have changed insignificantly. But this winter has chewed us up and spit us out. Right when you have a mild and sunny day -- BAM! -- Old Man Winter brings you a snowstorm the next. There is a little bit of rain falling and -- KA-POW! -- Old Man Winter drops the temperatures to negative 500 degrees and now the roads are sheets of ice. Not fun. At last count, we have had 7 snow/cold days. I have tried to make the best of them -- but even the novelty of them has worn off for the kids and all I'm left with is a bunch of whining about how they miss their friends or their teachers or their science experiment they were going to do in school that day. I've done the best I can to make up for what they are missing, and sometimes we're fine and enjoy our day together, and other times we all go to our separate corners.

Soon, spring will come and we'll be enjoying a whole host of new activities. I might actually get to start biking all over town instead of putting the car in to a lower gear just to get up the damn driveway. *Sigh* 

...glimpses...

Last year, my sister gave my daughters each a camera for their birthdays. They are quite durable cameras  that take both pictures and videos, and are a lovely pink/purple/flowery combination that my girls both adore. Pretty is important, after all.

 Generally speaking, I have left my kids alone when it comes to documenting their lives with these cameras. I notice when they are using them, and have helped when they have come to me, frustrated, as their cameras fill up. I have noticed these pictures and videos of, what I would deem, rather ridiculous things. The fun and laughter that comes from playing with these cameras, however, makes any opinion I may have, frivolous.

One night after the kids were asleep, I looked at one of the cameras to see what was being recorded in their little worlds of play. I don't think I ever laughed so hard in all my life. The pictures were random, kooky, and the facial expressions were priceless. Also, my children have a real knack for capturing the most unflattering photos of their mama. Perfect.

It was the videos that were the most endearing. My sweet Evy giving her reports on the news and activities of each family member, Isaac divulging Evy's most secret of secrets, and my all time favorite, The Dance Party.  My son, the athlete, who struggles with anything artistic, put his dance face on and busted a move that made his momma proud. Evy shook her groove thang right alongside him, with as much attitude and sass as a 6 year old could muster. It was both precious and hysterical.

I dare not share the video, as my son would be horrified. Instead I'll share these images from their camera, with glimpses of their life, their world.....and, of course, I'll continue to check these cameras from time to time....

...down time...

The kids are on spring break this week. There is both fear and relief when breaks like this come around. The fear of me going crazy, and the relief of being able to sleep in just a few minutes later, with mornings where I am not rushing everyone out the door.

  The very first day of break, all three of my lovelies started whining about nothing to do right around 10am. Mustering up as much patience as I could, we had a "meeting" where we discussed the different things we could do when we were bored. I was surprised that they thought of so many, as I was sure they were completely stumped when they were moaning and groaning not 15 minutes prior.

Nevertheless, we came up with a pretty exhaustive list, ranging from reading, to napping, to playing different games, to going outside. We also discussed mealtimes, in order to prevent me from getting trapped in the kitchen all day. With the ground rules in place, we began to enjoy our break together.

There were games, both indoor and out.

 There were pictures, both painted and drawn.

 There were books, both read and colored.

 There were treats, both made and eaten.

 There were forts, built up and torn down.
 

 And there was a birthday party for a dear cousin...whose hair did stay flame-free.

There was helping, with cooking and cleaning.
There was love, camaraderie, and a few *ahem* disagreements.
All in all, it has been a good break. It has been fun to see the kids reference the list, and it has been heavenly not having them whine about what to do.

..deck the halls..

Ahhhh, Christmas.

This past weekend we finally got around to 'decking the halls.' We even got a Christmas tree. Now that my kids are past the age of helplessness and life-threatening exploration (for the most part), and since we haven't a mischievous cat anymore, we decided to go all out and find a tree. The kids were thrilled.

 With Christmas tunes blaring, we got our decorating on. Lights, jingle bells, snowmen, santas, sparkle, baby Jesus', wreaths, reindeer, angels.... There is no shortage of yuletide decor here.

Each year I pare down what we put out for decorations. There are certainly those nostalgic items, the ones  you can remember hanging when you were only yea high. But then, somehow, at some point, you just started accumulating junk. (why on earth do I still have these glittery gold sticks?!) And so you purge.

Then there is the precious kid-made ornamentation. When you have kids, the number of homemade decorations grows exponentially each year. I now have 3 children making an endless stream of pictures/ornaments/signs/snowflakes that are the 'handmade' variety.

These sweet decorations are what make my heart sing. The furrowed brows, the wagging tongues, all focused on creating the perfect representation of what the holiday means to them. Sometimes I love the process more than the end result. I'm not as quick to purge their handiwork. However, they sometimes don't hold up to the frequent moving around that is done to find that "perfect spot."

After decking these halls, we sit down with a cup of hot cocoa, filled to the brim with marshmallows, and revel in what is a job well-done.

Fa la la la la, la la la la.....

..advent time..

I'm not ashamed to admit that I enjoy the holidays. We celebrate Christmas in a pretty traditional fashion, but every year I strive to include more family time than anything else. With increasingly demanding schedules full of homework, lessons, and chores, it gets harder and harder to grasp those moments. But Advent gives us the perfect excuse to make time for each other, in the hopes that the enjoyment we experience together will carry on for longer than 24 days.

When Isaac was a baby, I found an Advent calendar that had 24 little compartments, each with a magnet that, at the end of Advent, would depict the Nativity. With a desire to keep Christmas a bit more focused on the religious importance of the holiday, it was a more appealing choice than any of a number of other calendars with santas, snowmen, and/or elves. It also helped that it wasn't chock-full of candy.

When Evy was small, I belonged to a mom's group, and they shared their idea of Advent calendar activities that families did together. As you opened each box/door/compartment, inside you would find an activity that the family would share in sometime that day. I was so excited by some of the activities that they shared, I wanted to start getting mine ready right away.

Then I realized that all the cool stuff to do, the stuff that I was really excited about, was not necessarily appropriate for a family with a 2 year old and a 4 month old. So most of our first Advent calendar activities included a significant amount of reading books, finger painting, coloring, etc. All I really wanted to be doing in those early years, was settling down for my long winter's nap.

Fast forward to today.

We are now in our 6th year of Advent activities, and now the fun has begun. Our activities have graduated to those of the *cool* variety, that I longed for (what feels like) many moons ago. On the docket for this holiday season are still the reading of stories, the decorating of everything, but also more creating...winter wonderland, ice sculpting, baking, maybe our own Nativity... precious moments spent savoring each others company. Whether it's a rousing game of Uno or sitting together singing Christmas carols, it's these shared activities that, for me, are the purpose of this holiday.

It's a time to show our appreciation to others, through gifts or acts of kindness. And for those closest to us, it's a time to relish in our togetherness, whatever shape or form that takes.

May your days be merry and bright....

..for the birds...

A couple of years ago, my husband took an interest in birds. It had something to do with the fact that some Mississippi Kites were breeding/nesting in the park across from his parents house. This is apparently a big deal for bird enthusiasts...but for myself (unenthused, at that point), I could not wrap my head around the fact that there existed a bird called a "Kite." Huh.

Time passed, and I took the opportunity to learn a little about these winged creatures, by listening to my husband try to identify different species, and by attempting to provide nourishment for them throughout the seasons. I think the moment the tides turned for me was when I was driving over a bridge in town and noticed bald eagles fishing in the rapids of the river below. Bald eagles. In late winter. Soaring right in front of my eyes. For the first time, I felt the magnificence of these birds.

When driving, or when on the phone, in the midst of a conversation, my husband will stop everything to announce whatever feathered friend he sees. BLUE HERON! TURKEY VULTURE! RED-TAILED HAWK! DOWNY WOODPECKER! He does have a pretty good eye. I do NOT have as good an eye, but I make every attempt to see what he's seeing. I'm just fairly certain that when he sees distinctive markings, I see blurs in the distance. But my resolve is strong and I remain interested.

 In our yard, we have added a few bird feeders and a bird bath over the last year. This has resulted in our backyard becoming akin to an aviary. Over the past few seasons we have seen hummingbirds, robins, black-capped chickadees, juncos, finches, cardinals, bluejays, and woodpeckers. Roaming the neighborhood you can find an occasional duck or goose, and then there is the gang of turkeys. Yes, turkeys.

Surprisingly enough, we do not currently live in a small, rural area.....yet. I live in what is considered a mid-size city, and I am astonished and in awe of all the small creatures a few nuts, seeds and fruit will attract. I have come to enjoy watching these animals. They swoop in, take a few nibbles, take off again, flit from branch to branch, tree to tree, and, more than I care to think of, sometimes smack into our picture windows. I've seen them playfully chase each other, jockey for prime position at the feeder, chirp and sing their itty-bitty lungs out, and build nests and raise young in our yard.

So, I guess I'm ok with these fowl. I'm enjoying all the life they bring to our little backyard.

Note: All pictures were taken in our backyard, both from the inside and out. I apologize for any unseemly glares.

..gridiron fun..

My son has developed a love for football. It began months ago, during the last football season. He took an interest in the games that were being played (my husband belongs to a few fantasy football leagues), and began a search for a football to throw around. My proud husband found and dusted off his childhood football, which proved to be a little too big for my 7 year old's hands. The aunties were more than happy to gift many a football to the pigskin-cravin' boy. Oh yes, that green one is glow-in-the-dark, dontcha know.

And once the footballs were procured, the practicing began. This boy has had a football within a foot of him for the last 6 months. He throws it, he catches it, he sleeps with it. He has recorded on our DVR about 30 minutes of the Super Bowl, which in the few times he has watched it, he now has memorized the plays that are recorded within. (?!)

My husband makes it a priority to have lunch with my son every Tuesday at school. During recess, weather permitting, they play football. When the weather is uncooperative, they sit in the classroom and create plays. And some of these plays are the most bizarre, creative masterpieces you could ever lay eyes on. It should go without saying that my husband is the most popular kid in the 2nd grade.

(Not even the snow of winter slowed down the football-playing!)

With summer inching closer, we have made the decision to sign him up for Flag Football. He is over the moon about getting to play a proper game on a proper team. He has even taken to doing sit-ups and push-ups to condition himself for the start of the 'season.'

With all the football fun had around here on a daily basis, there have been some interesting 'situations.'

This has proven to be the most interesting of dilemmas. I chose to let the young ones figure it out, until Miss E decided to pull out the barstool that twists to reach the football. To prevent any broken bones and sprained joints, of which they could be genetically pre-dispositioned to, I quickly handed my son the broom. This effectively removed the football from it's perch.

And back to the passing, punting, and playing we go!