Some things we've been up to.

The problems was that the little piece of technology that allowed me to transfer photos from cameras and phones went missing for the last two months.  Mark located it just yesterday I think, so now I am on a photo binge of sorts.  Here are some shots of what we and the kids have been up to. Goofing off, buying goggles, hand raising kittens for a week, watching birds grow up and leave and spotting a laying turtle... and a Yellow Belt. We've also had a lot of visiting time with friends and Taran and TyTy

Things we've left behind

Our Old house, and Gardens are missed, even tho we are excited about all the cool changes in our lives.  I found a few old photos I took of our empty home. Curious family and friends can see the last few changes we made... and the Grapes we'll never get to eat... but gosh darn it, I grew 'em.

2012 Christmas Cards

These photos were taken about 9 months ago.  I just realized they were never posted and they ought to have been.

Taekwondo HA!

G has been taking Taekwondo classes for about six months.  His instructor is really great with kids and has some serious patience.  I only know this from the sparring and belting classes where we have met a broader spectrum of his students.

Luckily for G he attends a class that is held mid day for the Homeschooling community and his classmates are stellar learners.

This photo was taken after testing and he will get his Yellow Belt on Tuesday, tomorrow.

CBird has been in dance class for about 4 weeks.   Once a week she gets to do her own thing and she is loving it.  We will be trying to enroll her in ballet this fall.  Yea!

C-Bird is a Fish

Baby girl is Jumping from the side of the pool into 5 ft and swimming from mom to dad in the "deepness". Also swimming from Mom to side of the pool at 5 ft and pulling herself out. So proud... and terrified.

G Man is user friendly at the pool already.  I still keep an eye on him but he can handle himself almost completely.  The middle of the pool should have something floating in it just in case and he is good to go. 

Now I have to really watch my girl and make sure that she knows her limits and that I'm real close when she wants to get into deeper water.  Barely a month ago she cried if anyone tried to take her into deeper water, and she couldn't bare to be in anything deeper than her belly button. Now she is a goggle wearing underwater swimming fish!

(No swimmies, life jackets, puddle jumpers or floaties were used in the making of this memory.)

Rest In Peace

Grandpa Bob has passed away.  His broken body can now rest and he is free.  I know I will never forget my last handshake from him for the stroke had not yet robbed him of all his strength.

My son has now attended his Seventh funeral. G Man has been to the funerals of two of his fathers friends, two grand fathers, one great grandmother, one great uncle and one second (or greater) cousin. He was present at the passing of both our dogs.  For my Daughter this was her second funeral. We went to Grandma Judy's funeral when she was a baby.

When someone asks me if a young child can attend a funeral I sometimes have a hard time responding.  I suppose I want to answer, 'Why shouldn't they?'.  We talk about death in a very honest way.  We are very Buddhist in our explanations of death and in our tone of voice we convey our sadness, but never fear.  We trust our children with the truth, the whole truth of life and death.

When we have been at an open casket funeral we have been able to explain that someone is gone.  It is very observable that our loved one is not really there.  When we attend an internment we talk of returning someone to where they came from, as all of us have come from the earth.  When we cry, we can say we are sad and if is OK to be sad.

My son held his Grandpa's hand at the viewing and patted his chest.  He express his sadness and his love.  He and his sister sleep soundly each night. At the memorial he stood up at the microphone and told everyone he cared about Grandpa Bob and he would miss him.  He sat close to his father at the interment and shook the ministers hand.

With our children there can be only truth.  For me, for their father, there is no other choice.

What Can Happen in 15 Minutes?

All the athletic wonder of limitless youth!

Re purposed child's snack bowl with spill proof lid

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Being C Bird

          

CBird has a new bicycle.

Playing with Brother at the Park Under the Bridge.

A dynamic way to enjoy a tree swing. This girl is an expert... strong, confident, and fearless!  Keep in mind she has been doing this for months and she is about 3 and 1/2.

Grandpa times two

Recently we have had a chance to visit with both of the kids living Grandfathers, My dad and Marks dad. (we lost GrandPa Frank last summer).

GMan was an amazing help with GrandPa Bob in the nursing home. Both kids also helped pick Dandelions and we all blew wishes with Bob.

We also had a nice lunch with GrandPa Gary and a big hug goodbye.

Being GMan

First lost tooth apparently is supposed to pay big.

Having a new Playmate leads to numerous bug, tree and pavement bites.

Parenting 101

At dinner CBird was watching me read the Parenting book I've recently pulled off my shelf.  I've been telling the kids it is in their best interest to let me read this book, that it will help me be a better mommy.
So tonight at dinner CBird says, " mommy, let me see the front of that, the front of the book.'

So I turned it to her to see.  She points to it and in her adorable pre-reading way "reads" the title to Mark, "When mommy forget their manners."

Planning a trip to Emerald Isle

We are planning to go see the children's Grandpa Bob in the nursing home. He has been recovering from a severe stroke and will be returning home to his wife in about two weeks. I found a decent resource to help explain somethings to the kids.

Online Book about a Grandpa recovering from a Stroke.

Rebirth Sunday

I call it our Secular Easter.... "Hey Kids put on fancy clothes, here are some plastic eggs... and by the way lets talk about the Christian reason for Easter and all the ways rebirth exists in Spring and all the time.

Lunch Sometimes Happens

A crackers, cheese, nuts and fruit tray make good lunch around here.  All the other efforts seem to fail miserably. Corn Beef Sliders didn't go over very well (I liked 'em).
CBird has been learning her electronics handling   She is now wanting to work on her XBox controller... since she pretty much has the mouse thing down.

 C with her one of her Big Brothers! Squeeeeze.

GMan and Cbird went to Legare Farms Civil War reenactment day and got to hear "cannons" and dip candles and listen to a homemade Cookie-tin Banjo. Also the G has begun taking twice weekly Taekwondo classes, all his classmates are fellow homeschoolers.




CBird bobbed her hair (in case you did not know)

Spring in Our Front Yard

Grady has a new playmate from the neighborhood.  A very typical, sweet boy, I'll call him Larry.  Check this out he is about 2 months older than G Man! I think he has about 6+ inches on my boy.

I snapped a nice little shot of our N. Chuck Town home..

See C Bird on the swing hanging from our "little" live oak.

Serious and Silly

C Bird is learning how to operate the mouse! It's not just about baby "steps" anymore.

Then G Man has a bit of fun with an oral quiz I sprung on him.