Aug. 13, 2008 - Harvest Time
Suddenly there is an abundance of zucchini in our garden, so I have been making muffins this morning, huge batches to freeze, freezing grated zucchini for future baking and serving it sautéed at nearly every meal! We have tons of Basil, so making and freezing pesto is on my list as well. My dad came to pick up Peace for the first blackberry picking club adventure of the season. Yum! Although we don’t preserve a lot of foods, I find it really satisfying when we do, both the process now and in the winter when we’re eating berries from our freezer. Here is a story Peace wrote for her writing class last year.
The
By
Bethany Peace
Mmm the fresh berry still warm from the sun beating down on it before it was picked. Blackberry, blueberry, or strawberry it doesn’t matter as long as it has been picked by a member of the Berry Picken’ Club. As part of the
You see, I went to my papa, who has been in the Berry Picken’ Club for a long, long time and asked him how the Berry Pickin’ Club came to be and he told me:
“ Once an old man took his children to a berry patch to see if they could pick many berries. Slowly the children started to lose interest so the man went to his grandchildren and inspired by a book called ‘Blueberries for Sal’ the old man and his grandchildren had began berry pickin’ trips. Well that’s how the Berry Pickin’ Club got started.
Once when I was too little to go on berry picking trips, my older brother, Gabriel was coming back from a black berry pickin’ trip. My brother and I went outside our house. Gabriel and I chowed down on the berries. We had purple stained faces from the blackberries’ juice. But it was very nice of him.
There are also the rules for the Berry Pickin’ Club. First a rule from “Blueberries for Sal”, you must say kurplink and kurplink until you fill the bottom of your bucket. Second you have to share your berries with the other members of the Berry Pickin’ Club. Third and last, big pickers absoloutly must help little pickers in any way they can.
Berries, berries, berries. Our family eats them so many different ways. We eat ice cream which is one of my favorite ways to eat blackberries because the sections break apart and freeze. We also eat them in cobblers and jam and so many other ways or we just eat them right out of the Folger Coffee bucket.
A few weeks ago my cousin, Alethea was going to the zoo. When she woke up her mother asked her if she knew what she was doing that day.
“Going blackberry picking with Papa?” she asked.
She was wrong but really cute. Papa and I decided that soon we would make a special trip for her.
Alethea is one of the future members of the Berry Pickin’ Club. So will be two aunt’s babies that they will have soon. I love being in the Berry Pickin’ Club so much and it’s a great family tradition.
That is the
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Aug. 12, 2008 - When Their Eyes Light Up
I’ve been thinking about next years homeschooling plans. One of the things that helps me decide what to use for curriculum is how interested my kids are in it. A friend was showing me a stack of Sonlight books. They looked great to me, but I called Peace to see her reaction--- “uh, boring” or “can I start reading this right now?”. I let them look through catalogues and see what they get excited about. Now, I have never seen anyone thrilled over their Saxon math or their spelling or handwriting, but we do those anyway! But with things like Bible, literature—unit studies, science and history, when we’ve worked together to chose something that suits them at the time, everything goes so much better. Gabriel is really into Lord of the Rings right now. I was thinking about getting a study on it next year, but he practically begged to have it this year—how can I say no? I read the table of contents to him and he kept saying, “oh, I love that, I want to do that.” I’m especially happy to see this response in him, because he’s a little more quiet and it’s easier for me to predict what the girls might like. Then last night, he was looking at a listing of foreign languages offered by Rosetta Stone and he was seeing which countries a few of them were from, and saying he wanted to learn all of them—there was about 20! But what I saw was his eyes light up and that says to me that I better get him started on a language this year. 
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Aug. 11, 2008 - Sixteen
Sixteen years ago this morning, I became a mom. A tiny beautiful girl with a very loud cry was born to us after a long night. The full moon I had been watching set, the sky turned bright pink and we were finally holding her. Jessamyn Faith. Yesterday, I as I took the blue silk bag out of my jewelry box, to pass on to her a ring that has been in my family for five generations, I saw the dried roses from the bouquet my mom brought when she was born. The first grandchild on both sides, she was welcomed with much celebration and captivated all of us. She laughs at me a little for being sentimental as she turns sixteen, but her smile says she understands. It feels like a big milestone, everything changing again.
Things that stand out to me as I look back are—well, her hair to start with! Big brown eyes looking out from under a mop of curly red hair, people would comment on it everywhere we went. She talked nonstop, loved to dance—and still does—loves pretty things, always dressing up and decorating things, cooking , reading, shopping— she still loves those too! How thrilled she was to have a brother, and then a sister. She was such a strong-willed little girl and I am so glad she has grown to balance that strength with a sweet and gentle spirit.
I have tried to treasure the moments and days, I really have, but it’s true that it goes by fast. Jessamyn is now one of my best friends. I love being with her and I like the person she is.
We celebrated with a big party for friends- a 50’s/60’s style dance party, which was really fun. Then family and friends form out of town yesterday. This morning she takes her driving test and we prepare for more independence. We will make homemade pasta and eat leftover cake tonight. Sixteen, whether I’m ready or not, here it is and I pray it will be a great year for her and I am so thankful to love this girl!!
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Jul. 21, 2008 - This Morning
After our trip to Colorado and the various activities the kids have been doing, this morning I woke up to find it finally feels like summer—half-way through! Days with lots to do, but not a time schedule. I’m looking forward to several weeks of this. Time to sit out in the sun and drink a smoothie, play a silly game of Candyland (apparently they’re never too old for it) and take a walk to the river, all things I got to do this morning. I’m thankful I get to stay home with my favorite people. As I was walking with Gabriel and Peace this morning, a lady came around corner with her dog, looked up at them, opened her arms wide, smiled and declared, “OH, BEAUTIFUL!”. Yes, they are….Of course this relaxing beautiful morning is interspersed with fights over whose turn it is in the shower, my feeling overwhelmed about how messy things are and how much I want to get done, and needing groceries…..such is being a mom.
Our travels were good. Scott’s grandma was in the hospital, so there was a lot going on with his family while we were there. Jessamyn assisted her acting teacher and Peace took a class at a summer camp program. I am taking a Pilates/Yoga class with the girls 2x a week, I was sure sore when it started last week and hope that means I will see some results as time goes on. We are planning a big birthday party for Jessamyn and preparing for her driver’s test. Gabriel is really into Lord of the Rings and working on computer programming right now. Peace meets every week with her dance group, and got to do a performance on Saturday at a local celebration. Gabriel and Jessamyn helped with an overnight karate camp and had a good time. Scott is still working a lot of hours but not like before. I am planning on getting some organizing done, as well as a couple creative projects—making a family scrapbook for our adoption application, and sewing a dress for each of the gilrs.
It’s been so fun to have new baby nephews—they are about three months and just so cute and smiley—I really love them and I’m proud of my sisters for being such good moms.
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Jun. 23, 2008 - Has a whole season passed since I wrote anything?
So, one of my three loyal readers is begging for an update!
We’re having a quiet day, enjoying the cool breeze and catching up on some rest.
I’m glad it’s summer—there’s still a lot on the calendar, but a more relaxed pace. The past months have been pretty full of year-end dance performances, birthday parties, some long work hours for Scott, and 2 new baby nephews to cuddle.
Today is our 18th anniversary and it’s also 20 years since we graduated form high school—hard to believe!
All three kids have grown so much lately and every time I turn around, they are facing a new level of independence. It’s emotional for me, because they are doing so good and I’m proud of them, but it’s letting go again and again, learning not to worry…
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Mar. 20, 2008 - Rosetta Stone
I don't enter many contests, but i want to win this one! We have 2 years of the Spanish, but they want more-- and Italian, Frnech and Japanese, too! Rosetta Stone is great! Here's how to enter:
Rosetta Stone has been the #1 foreign language curriculum among homeschoolers for a while -- next week they are unleashing a brand new curriculum, and you can WIN the *all new* Rosetta Stone Homeschool Version 3… FOR FREE!
This is a $219 program (and believe me it's worth every penny!) and the winner gets to pick from any of these 14 languages: Spanish (Spain or Latin America), English (American or British), Arabic, Chinese, Japanese, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Irish, Hebrew, or Russian.
This will also include a headset with microphone, and students will participate in lifelike conversations and actually produce language to advance through the program. Rosetta Stone still incorporates listening, reading and writing as well, in addition to speaking. Many homeschoolers requested grammar and vocabulary exercises, and with Rosetta Stone Homeschool Version 3, they're included! For parents, the new Parent Administrative Tools are integrated into the program and allow parents to easily enroll students in any of 12 predetermined lesson plans, monitor student progress, and view and print reports.
To win this most excellent program -- in the language of your choice -- copy these (blue) paragraphs and post it in (or as) your next blog post -- then to enter the contest, go to the original contest page HERE: http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/JenIG/501132/ and leave a comment with the link showing where you blogged about it. And please make sure the link works to get back to the original contest page when you post it. And good luck! The winner will be picked randomly on March 26, and will be notified thru the link they left to their blog pg. And if you have more than one blog, you can post them and enter those separately for more chances to win. Yay for free stuff!
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Mar. 17, 2008 - New beginnings--- Spring!
Spring starts officially in a couple days. The perfect time to think of new beginnings. After a long rainy winter, I am so excited to see the flowers and trees start to bloom and see 2 amazing rainbows this week. Although the forecast is still rain, showers, some showers, rain, light showers…. as far as they can see, spring is on the way and there will be bursts of sun that make everything sparkle in between the cloudbursts. I like to walk outside and see everything change.
Besides the rain that made this winter feel long, Scott started a new job, which included a project at the start that was very time and energy consuming. That’s getting wrapped up and we’re looking forward to things settling into a more regular routine and seeing how the direction of this new job goes.
The kids have been having some fun. Gabriel turns 13 next week! He loves everything he’s learning about computer programming and is full of ideas. His imagination has been dreaming up a gnome world for his book and in between, he snacks! He is growing so fast and I am only about a ½ inch taller than him now.
Peace joined a dance group that will be performing throughout the community, as well as they have a Bible study and do service projects. She played Bianca in a junior version of Taming of the Shrew in Feb. I see her changing so fast into a “pre-teen”! She loves glamour as much as her big sister and they both put together some pretty creative outfits and even share clothes sometimes.
Jessamyn has a calendar full of social events—movies concerts, dances ( I’ll have to put up a pic of her great 80’s outfit) and play practice. She is also in a Shakespeare play and helping with costumes etc. for another play. She drives us most places now and is doing well with that. We all look forward to her getting her license this summer.
Both my sister will be having babies within the next weeks—we are so excited to hold and love those babies. My youngest brother will be getting married in the fall, so our family is growing. We are still in process of applying to adopt and I am currently working on making a photo book for the case workers and children to look through.
I feel really good about the fact that I am working toward some better habits of eating and excercising—I’m eating more small meals that have good carbs and protein in each one throughout the day and drinking more water, nothing radical, but I think I’m finding something that works for me and I can stick with and continue to improve upon. I seem to be losing that sugar craving and habit of mindless eating. It’s important to make this a priority, part of taking care of me, not putting myself last.
God is good to us, my life is full of love and blessings and I am thankful to begin again each day and to soak up the springtime.
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Dec. 30, 2007 - Happy New Year!
It’s the end of 2007. We had a great holiday season and enjoyed the Thanksgiving and Christmas festivities for the first time in this house. Some memories that come to mind over the past months are:
Gabriel got his black belt!
Jessamyn went as a princess to a masquerade dance.
Peace danced in “The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe”
Other fun things were:
Going to the corn maze
Going to the science museum
Making gingerbread houses and snowflakes and cookies
Having friends over to play games
Watching “Auntie’s” tummies grow with 2 new baby cousins on the way
Jessamyn learning how to drive
Gabriel loving his laptop and computer classes (boy after his dad’s heart!)
Peace’s tea parties
It all just goes by fast. We have lots to be thankful for and fortunately we take a lot of pictures.
After 5 years of working at home, Scott has taken a new job which means he works at an office for the most part. It’s kind of different , but hopefully will end up being everything he hopes it will.
We completed our adoption classes (about 30 hours) and most of our paperwork to get the process started. It will probably be close to summer before we can look at specific children to be matched with.
I am so grateful for our family and friends and blessings as we start a new year. Sometimes I am restless and impatient and expect too much. Like everyone, I want to get more organized and in better shape this new year. But I also want to be still and content and enjoy the processes, not just rush through my days checking things off my list.
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Dec. 17, 2007 - Christmas "Getting to know you"
My friend sent me this, so I thought I'd post it up here and pass it on to any one who wants to do it.
1. Wrapping Paper or gift bags? Wrapping Paper
2. Real Tree or artificial? Always Real
3. When do you put up the tree? Ideally, 3 weeks ahead, this year 2 weeks ahead
4. When do you take the tree down? Sometime after New Years
5. Do you like egg nog? no
6. Favorite gift received as a child? The first thing that comes to mind is a comforter my mom made me that had strawberries on it.
7. Do you have a nativity scene? i have one in a big beautiful snow globe, also a stuffed one for the kids to play with (they still play Hided the baby Jesus)
8. Hardest person to buy for? My in-laws, that;s why they get an Olive garden gift certificate every year
9. Easiest person to buy for? my kids and sisters
10. Worst Christmas gift you ever received? underwear from a releative when I was about twelve
11. Mail or email
12. Favorite Christmas Movie? It's not exactly a holiday movie, but has a few Christmas scenes in it-- this year Ihave "Litttle Women" waiting to watch, and finish "the nativity"
13. When do you start shopping for Christmas? October-November
14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? I don't remember any, but probably
15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? My mom's traditional baking-- pecan tartlets, English Toffee and Russian Tea Cakes, also Mandarin oranges
16. Clear lights or colored on the tree? Colored
17. Favorite Christmas song? Oh Come all ye Faithful
18. Travel for Christmas or stay at home? Home
19. Can you name all of Santa's reindeers? No
20. Angel on the tree top or a star? A metal Star that Scott made
21. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning? Christmas Morning, the kids usually get something on Christmas Eve morning (to give them something to do)
23. What I love most about Christmas? Lights, music, being together, and how it's botyh solemn and joyful
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Nov. 11, 2007 - Another post from a few weeks ago
I've been using Gabriel's laptop and had to figureout transfering things.
Busy Fall Days
Yesterday was our annual Fall Festival. I don’t remember exactly how it started but we get together each year with my mom and sisters, and now cousins, to celebrate fall. At a young age, Jessamyn started the tradtional Falling Leaf Dance,whish is now performed by Peace and the young cousins. Some years we have baked, made candles or gone to the Pumpkin Patch. This year we went for a walk to collect leaves (which will be dipped in wax by Grama and Peace), and had a Perfectly Delicious Fall Lunch. On the menu was: Butternut Squash Soup, Eggplant Mousakka , grainy bread with butter the Peace made by shaking cream in a jar, carrot cake, pumpkin squares with cinnamon vanilla whipped cream and hot apple cider. Leave were tossed wildly as the dancers performed. I just enjoyed preparing during the morning so much—listening to music, making the soup, enjoying the décor of leaves and gourds and burning pumpkin-nectarine scented oil. We didn’t have time for it, but Peace and I are going to make “pomander” apples and oranges—where you stick cloves in the fruit and dip in cinnamon and let it dry.
We’ve gotten two of our adoption training classes done—drug affected children and honoring a child’s heritage. We’re working on costumes—for my nephew’s birthday party, Jessamyn is going to a “Masquerade dance”and also we are in charge of fitting, mending, etc. a couple groups ofcostumes for the ballet Peace is in in December.
We went to a nearby farm for a hayride to get pumpkins, as well as the corn maze. It was really cold and rainy, but we had a good time. 0 Comments Post A Comment! Permanent Link
Nov. 11, 2007 - Post from a few weeks ago
My Children--Entertainers and Computer Geeks
I really like to walk outside, but last night I got on the treadmill since it was dark and cold out. I found some 80’s dance hits in the cd player, but the treadmill is so boring! I called for some entertainment and motivation and soon all three kids were dancing their silliest dances. They were exercising, too and the time just flew right by. After going through all their usual-- disco, the robot, the old man, the macerena, etc, Peace said “Call out household objects and we’ll make up dances for them. I was laughing so hard as they invented “the fork, the light bulb, the baby, the thermostat and so on. Maybe laughter isn’t just the best medicine, it’s the best workout, too.
You know your kids are pretty into technology when at a young age they said things like:
Could you please pause the book?
Here’s where we log off the freeway.
I love computers-I get this little spark in my hand when I start to use the mouse.
Yesterday, as Gabriel and I were driving by some really red trees, he said, “Those trees look so pasted in, the lighting is all wrong and it looks like someone messed up the contrast” (someone like God?) The trees really did look unreal, but I thought it was funny how he viewed that.
We made a rhubarb-apple crisp. I hadn’t had rhubarb in years and I forgot how much I love it. Where I lived in Canada, it just grew everywhere and I have many memories of contests and dares to see who could take the biggest bites of raw rhubarb—So sour—but wonderful with apples and cinnamon and sugar. This is the baking season and so far we made cinnamon rolls, zucchini bread, and healthy cookies. I want to make gingerbread and something pumpkin soon.
It’s been a long couple weeks with Scott gone. He will be back and forth over the next week, so we will enjoy the time we have. We have our all-day orientation coming up to start the adoption process, as well as a house warming party. 1 Comments Post A Comment! Permanent Link
Sep. 29, 2007 - Dear Rain,
I woke up to the sound of rain pouring down. Then I looked at the weather report and it showed rain as far as the eye could see on the forecast. Sure, they vary it—showers, few showers, rain/wind, sun/rain, light rain, but it’s all rain and I’m not ready after such a beautiful sunny fall day like today.
Dear Rain,
You make beautiful music falling on the garden outside my window.
You carry the scent of cedar on the breeze.
You make a warm home, apple cider by the fireplace and a read a loud story so cozy.
I always say I don’t mind you—it’s your friend Gray Sky that I tire of by spring. That and your other friend, Mud.
You soak my toes and the bottom of my jeans because I will never give up my sandals for you.
I always forget an umbrella and I don’t own a raincoat. I tell the kids we live in Oregon- we won’t melt.
You are the soundtrack to half our seasons.
You are disappointing on those days when you’re not snow, but we had our hopes up.
I tell myself I love you, using words like refreshing and misty. Keeping rainbows and flowers and my favorite color, green, in mind.
I actually walking out in you-my cheeks glow, you calm the frizz in my hair and the restlessness in my heart. You remind me of old things washed away, of dry places that bloom , of new life.
I like weather that changes, that feels like it’s moving across the sky.
BUT--
Rain I’m just not ready for you yet. Maybe for a day, but not for a week. Did you overhear me yesterday as we walked by the river and praised the October blue sky, the crispy leaves and the perfectness of the day. Did you get jealous as you saw us dancing with fall and decide to cut in?
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Sep. 28, 2007 - End of September 2007
We are now part way through Scott being gone on a long trip for work. I was actually a lot more overwhelmed by it before he left. Sometimes I let myself get weighed down by the responsibilities I’ve chosen and for get about things like fun and joy. This week I am trying to remember.
We’re getting into our routine now. It’s a full schedule, but good and the kids are so happy to be pursuing some of their passions. Gabriel comes out of his computer class with so much to tell me, and we sat and talked for a long time about some ideas for stories he wants to write. I love it when I see that kind of enthusiasm and I can encourage them.
Peace is dancing, dancing, dancing. Rehearsing for her roles in “The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe” as a tree and a Christmas Sprite. She likes her writing class a lot ( I told her I should do the assignments as well, so maybe I will be posting some thing soon) .
Jessamyn is glad to be back to seeing friends more, practicing driving(!) and also dancing a lot. The girls are in two different Shakespeare plays and are in audition process this week. I love to listen to the language, but I keep mixing up the two stories in my head!
We are reading some of my great grandfather’s stories and really enjoying it. I’m so glad some of my family has taken the time to write, because so much has changed and the details of their everyday lives are so fascinating.
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Sep. 9, 2007 - The End of Summer
Kids cook dinner, the next adventure. They are in there right now, ingredients flying. Gabriel is imaginative—he made a reduction of Lemon Jone’s soda and was lowering bagels with smoked salmon and cream cheese into it, I’m not sure if the bagels survived (they were this weeks secret ingredient), but the lemon sauce now has cream in it and they are frying some kind of bread pudding and chopping peaches and crystallized ginger--- oh, how will I ever lose any weight? I was able to give a few tips, though, as I passed by—turn the handle so it doesn’t hang out past the stove, don’t move a bowl of hot liquid over your sister’s head, clean as you go… well, something smells good. I like when they are enthusiastic and learn by doing. I guess kid’s cook night fits into that part of my homeschool and parenting philosophy.
Today was nice. I had planned on going to a Renaissance faire in another town, but decided to keep it more restful instead. We took a walk and went to my mom’s for lunch. She gave us my favorite, the best eggplant parmesan with eggplant from her garden and then we helped them make70 sandwiches for their Bible Study with homeless people. Then I took a nap …. tonight I have a mosaic project all over the table, Scott is setting up a laptop for his sister and keeps calling the kids to come and see what he’s doing, Peace got an orchid and is studying her little kit and booklets to see how to care for it. Then we’re going to watch a movie. Creativity and being together, two things I’m thankful for.
Tomorrow we start back to schoolwork and extra classes. It’s been a great summer and for the most part we are excited to get back to it. Schedules have been hung on the bulletin boards with care, rooms have been cleaned, books sorted through, new ballet shoes and pencils… it’s always a fresh start. I like that, but somehow find myself imagining each year that somehow I’ll be more organized. I’ll suddenly want to jump out of bed at 6 and lift weights and stick to a menu plan and keep the car clean and then I’m still just me, growing, struggling, living a real life, not the one I imagined.
In other news—Gabriel received his Black Belt in Karate yesterday. He’s been doing karate since he was 6 and he worked so hard, especially this summer. He’s happy and we’re really proud of him. Scott’s parents were here for a week and we had a good visit with them. We went and saw this –I don’t even know how to describe it-interesting and educational (the kids say they now know all there is to know about anatomy). And we enjoyed other activities at the science museum and had dinner with our friends.
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Aug. 22, 2007 - What happens when you let your kids make dinner
We recently watched a show on the food network called Iron Chef. Two chefs are given a surprise ingredient and access to a pantry and have to come up with several dishes to be judged in just an hour. Like most cooking shows, the end result is creative and beautiful on the plates.
My kids were inspired and one Sunday night I told them they could make their own dinners using leftover shrimp and whatever else they could find. Here is the menu they presented. (warning, if you are feeling queasy, pregnant sister, this may not be for you)
Peace:
Dried mango soaked in a warm oil glaze topped with crushed chow mein noodles.
Summery shrimp salad with featuring walnuts and corn, fresh off the cob.
A lemon –dill cream cheese on sourdough toast strips with coriander, pecans and corn.
Jessamyn:
Corn salad with a garlic ginger sauce and fresh basil
Shrimp in a crushed chow mein coating, with a side of cinnamon Thai BBQ sauce
A sourdough nectarine roll-up drizzled with a honey lemon mint glaze
Gabriel:
Fried shrimp with sourdough breading seasoned with chili, onion, Cajun spices and ginger, served with a warm lemon dill cream sauce
A half nectarine with honey glaze
A bread and corn loaf with basil garnish
Aren’t they “plated” beautifully? As we like to quote my Grams—Presentation is everything! And it all tasted really good at judging time.
For some reason, maybe because our family has so many adventurous cooks, our kids really like unusual and gourmet foods. I laugh at them because from a young age , they loved all these things most kids their age have never heard of or wouldn’t try—like pestos and tapenades and various curries and chipotle and smoked gouda and sun-dried tomatoes and hummus and lemongrass and peppercorns and ganauche and gelato and chabatta and parfaits….
Then there’s Bachelor Food. Gabriel has started making what he calls Concoctions. Basically you take a carb—leftover potatoes, rice, a ripped up tortilla, pasta, put it in a bowl, add cheese and many sauces and spices (usually with a lot of mustard) heat and eat. I remember my brother doing this only with vinegarette dressing instead of the mustard. And you have to eat it at about 9:30 pm after your mom already fed you a full dinner and you are supposed to be going to bed, but suddenly you’re so starving you will perish if you don’t have “real food”. No girl would ever dream up these combinations, that’s why I call it bachelor Food. Actually, the worst bachelor food I ever heard of was some guys I knew who would not even cook their ramen noodles, just sprinkle the flavor on and munch on the block. That would be too easy for my son. His has to have creativity and Presentation.
Peace makes the best Tofu. Really, she has a custom blend of spices. Jessamyn makes the best grilled cheese. You grill sourdough with Italian cheeses in butter in which you’ve fried fresh basil and garlic.
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Aug. 12, 2007 - And Summers Flying by .
We celebrated Peace’s 10th birthday with a Garden Party. She decorated her cake and planted flowers with her friends.
My sister-in –law and 5 kids came for a visit from Colorado. We had a good time, especially taking them to the beach.
I twisted my back funny and spent several days on the couch. The kids were a big help keeping the household going and taking care of me, I’m proud of them!
I like their creativity—Peace made painting for a gift for a friend
Gabriel built a volcano.
And Jessamyn is working on writing her first song on the guitar.
Jessamyn went to a Midsummer Dance.
And turned 15!
Gabriel’s been training hard at karate and plans to try the black belt test in September.
There's a few hightlights of the summer. I've been organizing aournd the house and getting some school stuff together. We've been walking a lot and enjoying the nice weather.
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Jul. 14, 2007 - Wisdom
I’ve been thinking of some things I would like to write about to pass on to my kids, esp. the girls. I’m going to add a category called Passing it On.
A lot of our learning comes from real life—watching , then helping, and then eventually doing it by yourselves. Learning from us and then developing your own uniqueness about how you do things.
I told you a story this morning(which involved sewing 20 clown costumes, a trip to the LA garment district and a nervous breakdown-not mine, fortunately) and said that at 21 I didn’t recognize when someone I was working for had impossible expectations, didn’t realize I could say “this won’t work” knowing I knew more about how much work the project would take than they did.. Now I would do that. I guess that’s called wisdom and life experience. I have always tried to soak up the wisdom of the women in my life, like my beautiful mom, your grandma, because I see them becoming more of who they were meant to be and have gained discernment about things.
I know you have many things that you can only learn through your own experience, but I would like to share my thoughts on things I’ve learned and am learning along the way. To put into words some of the things I want to pass on.
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Jun. 25, 2007 - Forever 21
A while back I had the making of a blog in my head that never made it to my computer. A very entertaining blog in which I ranted about Forever 21 and sounded like a total old person. It went something like what I said to Jessamyn while shopping there. “ I know I sound like an old person and I can’t believe I’m saying this… but I hate this store. (if you don’t know Forever 21 is a clothing store geared to women who are, well, closer to 21 than I am and no larger than maybe your average eight year old. The floor is embedded with glitter reflecting off the fluorescent lights, the music is a little overwhelming and like most teen stores you’d have to buy several overpriced, cheaply made items to even begin to cover you up-- even if you were a size 1) Anyway, I carried on to Jessamyn, “These clothes are what everyone’s been passing over at the goodwill—Barney purple shirt with multi-colored hearts, brown and yellow banana inspired blazers—who would buy this stuff, let alone look good in it and who would pay this for it? And there’s no organization, it’s a maze of groupings, some by color, some by style –you can’t find anything specific, which is probably the point.” I did end up buying her a shirt there for Christmas, an Asian style turquoise blue that was really pretty. My brother’s girlfriend worked for Urban Outfitters at the time and said many of their clothes were the exact same item as Forever 21, but twice the price! Over the last few months, I’ve gone there several times and have to admit that they have some cute things, esp. if they bring back all your 80’s memories and you call them vintage and you don’t look at the price or size. I did discover in my wanderings the shelves of cami’s that are only $3 and bought one for Peace. Jessamyn bought a pair of long shorts made of brown plaid , which look super cute, but we do have to tease her about.
Anyway, today I have to say, I love Forever 21. And that is because, at 4 this afternoon , Jessamyn came to the end of her search for the perfect pair of jeans. A search which we thought had ended when I found some on clearance at Wal-mart, only to have them shrink. A search that hung over our heads on shop-till you drop day with our cousins in Colorado, a search which lead us to 2 malls today, 7 stores, some sugar and caffeine and about 17 try-ons. If skinny jeans (what we used to call straight leg) are in style again—where are they? The main problem is that her legs are long and she needs long jeans. We did find that JC Penney’s and Kohl's have long lengths, but not in that style. We had to pick through every pair of jeans at Forever and they were in 3 different and unexpected places and they only went to size 7 and they aren’t quite perfect and they cost more than I’ve ever paid for kid jeans—But the search is over and hopefully she can get a lot of wear out of them if she doesn’t grow any taller. Now we can stay out of the mall and recuperate before the next time someone needs to search for the perfect jeans, or worse, bathing suit.
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Jun. 24, 2007 - Seed Packets
When we were looking for ideas for Peace's garden party invitation, we found this site-http://www.geocities.com/siggyrose/
It's full of printouts of seed packages. We chose one and put little matching notes inside. Also, we made one as a birthday card for Grandma.
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Jun. 24, 2007 - Thoughts of the day-June 24
I will be really glad to see Scott when he gets home. This trip is a long one and our anniversary was yesterday—17 yrs! He sent me a letter with a beautiful picture that had mountains and wildflowers and said to think about what I wanted to do for an anniversary celebration when he gets home—My first thought was “ I want to go wherever that picture is” it was so refreshing. Sometimes I don’t get outside enough. I took a nice walk by myself along the river one day last week and it really “renewed” me. Anyway, seventeen years… we keep growing and we have a lot of fun. Being a family is the best thing.
Peace is turning ten this week! We’re planning a garden theme party and it sounds like there will be lots of kids. My goal is to get her room finished up—hem her curtains, hang pictures, a little more organizing.
The girls are having their own Dance Camp this summer. Every week, I get to pick the genre of dance and they will make a performance for us, complete with costumes. We were just treated to a jazz style dance featuring the Pink Panther theme. I guess their dreams to use the family room as a studio are coming true! At least until we get some furniture in there. Next week is Modern. They are also doing Pilates a couple times a week.
Gabriel is working hard at karate since his Black belt test is in Sept. After having different class schedules this year, he’s happy to be partnering with one of his good friends and they can still do their Kata synchronized, he says. He’s going to be meeting up with some kids to play chess at a nearby park, as well.
Speaking of dreams coming true, I am so excited to begin decorating this house. After many years of white walls and gray or beige carpet, it’s fun to be thinking of ideas for this house. And the yard. One step at a time.
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