Namaste

Everyone needs something that relaxes them, that helps make the tension and weight of the day lesson. 

My wonderful cousin Michelle asked me to try yoga with her a few months ago, and I immediately fell in love with it.  It forces you to focus on slowing down, breathing, stretching out all the tightness that wears on you. 

In short - by the end of class, you are dripping with sweat, all your muscles are warm and stretched and you feel amazing. 

(I am still on my high from this morning's class... ohmmmmmmmmmmmm)

Big Plans

The kids and I made summer scrapbooks.  Super easy ones, just composition books covered in brown paper that we decorated.  They are all ready to record memories and pictures of whatever adventures we go on over the course of the summer.

The first entries were put in after school ~pictures of the first time the pool and the slip and slide were in use in the backyard, and our first summer picnic in the back yard.  (both last night!)

Tonight we added the next page, which, for me, was the inspiration behind our summer journals.   Our family made a big list of all the ice cream stands we could find nearby.  The big plan for the summer is that we are going to go to every one of them, and take pictures of the kids at each one. 

So, in case you would like to know... stop number one in our goofy ice cream adventure of summer 2012 was Whippy Dip for black raspberry ice cream.

Yu-ummy!

Smile!

Even Better

Nathan and his cousin, Norah, played on the same soccer team last summer and they both really loved it.  My sister-in-law mentioned that my brother had volunteered to help coach this summer.  I decided I would coach with him and this evening I told Nathan the plan.

His response absolutely made my night.

Nathan - "You are coaching? Uncle Eric is, too?"
Me - "Yep. You and Norah will be on the same team again, also."

Nathan - Big smile. Fist pump. "YES!  This is gonna be even better than last summer!!!" 

I love that kid!

Strong and Healthy

I help "coach" Evelyn's swim team.

(Those of you you who know me well are laughing at the ridiculousness of that sentence right now, and I don't blame you!)

Anyway...

As I was reading through the heat sheets at one of the last meets of the year, I read a name that literally stopped me in my tracks. I flashed back in my mind to a very sick 2 year old little boy.  The younger brother of one of my preschool students.  He had leukemia.  The last I knew he was doing well, but it had been years since I last saw him or his parents.

And there was his name.  While he swam for another school, I was openly cheering for him, and had tears in my eyes.  This sick little boy had grown into a strong young man, and a really great athlete.

There really are no words for the joy I felt seeing him swim, strong and healthy.  Absolutely amazing.

More Than a Gift Card

I have a couple friends who do the coolest thing. 

They both keep a few gift cards on hand, to give to someone when they see a need.

Fast food restaurant cards to those who are obviously hungry, short on cash.  You and I have all seen them with signs asking for help.  Most people look away, or do not know how to respond.  They are ready to reach out.

Coffee cards to someone downtown when the weather is blustery and they see someone who is cold.

To me, these are so much more than a cup of coffee or a meal.  They are telling total strangers that they matter.  That someone cares. That they are seen.

They are also showing the depth of their hearts and their love for people.  I admire them both for taking action to brighten lives.

Happiness is...

...finding the PERFECT gift and the giddy feeling you get when you picture the person you are giving it to opening it.

I so love that feeling!

Free Minds

One thing that is really amazing when you watch children is to realize how free they are to create.  They have no preconcieved ideas of what their work is "supposed" to look like.  Their little minds just take their own ideas and go with them.

Yesterday in my classroom I gave my kids each a turn with the same materials: a warm electric skillet covered in foil, white paper, and a bucket of crayons to draw/paint with. (They were more like paint as they melted).  And I got to sit back and watch each of them at work.  You would not think there would be so many ways to approach art with these objects. 

One child wanted to see every color melted, and made dots or lines with each.
One child added layer upon layer of lines swirled together with lots of colors.
One child took two large crayons of different colors and filled just about the whole paper with them, while holding them in the same hand.
Two different children colored with a crayon in each hand at the same time.
One child started to draw a picture, and then ended up by coloring big circles with several colors.
One child filled her whole paper with lines curled around each other, but none overlapping.
One child used bright colors and then took the white crayon on top to lighten them all.
One child made a rainbow with lots of extra stripes of color.

Amazing, isn't it?  The many ways they tackled the same project.  Their minds freely going in various directions.

It just makes me wonder what, as adults, we would do with our world if we could just BE, no worries about what others thoughts were, no worries about how our lives, our choices are supposed to look.

Baby Love

A wonderful co-worker of mine was blessed with two new grandbabies during the past 5 months. 

First, I have to say that she is the most wonderful Grandma you could wish for your children to have.  She has 3 grandchildren before the addition of the two newest and you can tell that they are the light of her life. 

I wish I could describe the joy on her face when she talks about the newest babies.  It is so wonderful to see her love for them.

They are very blessed kiddos to have her.  But the most heartwarming part is how she doesn't hide the fact with her words and actions that feels she is the one who is blessed.

Little Jedi

I was reminded by someone I love dearly that I have not posted in a very long time, which prompted me to come back and re-read some of my posts. 

It made me smile, and sometimes tear up as well, to read about some of the moments I had written. Then I wondered how many moments I have forgotten because I didn't write about them, and now wish I had.  So I am back. 

Today, a print by James Hance that I absolutely adore.  This is so my Nathan.  Pulling on his Jedi gear with his buddy Chewbacca, getting ready to take on the bad guys. 

Childhood in Pictures

Positivity

Print by HoneyBoo on Etsy

Happy Halloween!

I went out last night with a couple girlfriends.  Lots of silly fun was had by all, especially because quite a few people were dressed in costumes.  There was a group done up as tetris pieces, with one as a Nintendo controller. One couple was Richard Simmons and Jane Fonda.  He had all his mannerisms perfected!  You had to laugh just watching him dance.

And pictured is my favorite!  The Grinch and a Who!  How fun are they???? Love them!!!

Boys and Dirt

Nathan had a playdate with his buddy Logan on Sunday.  Those two little boys are so stinkin' cute together.  

When I pulled back in to pick Nathan up, he and Logan were digging in a pile of dirt left left created by some yard work.  They were happily rescuing worms.

You have not seen joy until you have seen the expressions on the faces of  little boys playing in the dirt.

Back to Sunshine

I have not written in quite a while.  Lots of amazing moments have come and gone the past several months and I am a little sad that they are not documented them here for me to come back to.  Here are a few highlights that come to mind as I sit here with the computer in my lap.

My kids have both started a new school year and are very happy.  They love their teachers.  They have great buddies to spend their days with.  They are learning new stuff and enjoying it.  That makes every mama happy.

I am back to teaching this school year, back in a preschool room.  I have been out of the classroom for 8 years, ever since my Evie was born.  I loved being home with my kids and did not miss teaching at all.  There was no place I wanted to be more than with them.  But, both Evie and Nathan are in school full time now (which was a very, very hard thing for me) and when I started planning for my school year, I realized I had forgotten how very much I loved teaching.  I am so grateful that this opportunity presented itself at just the right time for me to take it.

Lots more to come! 

The Good Stuff

Nathan has worn the Spiderman costume I bought for him at a yard sale on Saturday for the past 2 days. He wore it all day yesterday, to bed last night, and all day today.  He took it off for bed tonight on his own, which was a surprise.  I was counting on having to wrestle him out of it in the morning to wash it for him.

He made my heart melt tonight.  It was just him and I left by the firepit, he was standing there in his Spidey-gear and blue rain boots munching on a smore and all I could think was that I wanted to freeze that moment.  That amazing childhood innocence. 

A Wonderful Week

Sunshine from my week:

My kids swimming in the sun.
Running into friends while garage saling.
Good news from the doctor.
Watching a two-year-old's excitement opening birthday gifts.
Picnicking at the peninsula.
Returning a lost dog to his owner.
Pizza with friends.
Children in dress up clothes. 

GOOD STUFF!

Positively Present

Somehow I stumbled across this amazing blog, Positively Present, written by Dani.  She writes about staying focused on the now, how to find positive in every situation.

In her words:

"Daily posts on Positively Present strive to support the idea that life is best lived if it's lived right now with a positive attitude. Be positive. Be present. This is your life."

My plan is to brew a pot of coffee and read through her blog like a good book.  What I have read so far is wonderful and exactly how I would like to train my focus and my thoughts in my life.

I Want to Live Here

What You Can Expect...

...to find when you give your camera to my brother, Jason, to take pictures for you.