Soft Rain

I look out on my patio after a soft rain.
The birds won't stop singing.
The geraniums are an impossible pink.
I want to swallow them, whole. - Penelope Barnes Thompson

a bit rainy...and so we did a bit of painting.

Some of you asked what we gave Robert for Father's day...

a Satchelicious Sigg, of course! Satch made a special painting upon which he proudly wrote "Dad" all by himself. I uploaded it and that's was that. My only complaint with the platform is that it doesn't allow you to wrap the image completely around the bottle.

Most Alive Monday: Tiny Globes of Rainbow

How much good inside a day?
Depends on how you live it. - Shel Silverstein

*About Most Alive Monday: I've decided to make at least one "most alive choice" each day and post my favorite each Monday. This, of course, is to motivate me to consciously "live juicy"! I hope you'll join me and share your "most alive moment" in the comments section so we may inspire each other.

This Light

"I sat down in the dew-wet grass
because it was just too beautiful to stand up and watch."
- Patricia Thomas (Firefly Mountain)



Some new favorites...

Firefly Mountain is a feast for the senses...a beautiful story set to exquisite paintings by Peter Sylvada. A child waits for sunset to see the fireflies with her family and is carried home to bed in the arms of her papa.

Ten Flashing Fireflies

Quaint counting prose with dreamy, glowing illustrations - sweet summer bedtime
book and those we're still exploring...

Fireflies (All Aboard Science Reader)

The Very Lonely Firefly

Fireflies (Bugs, Bugs, Bugs)

Talking to Fireflies, Shrinking the Moon

When the Fireflies Come

Have a good weekend.

Body Art

What happens when I have the audacity to take a 5 minute shower...

Summer!

Nothing says summer like a community campfire...sing-along and s'mores!

Most Alive Monday: Round and Round

Satch is digging his birthday gift from the grands...

and so is his pal, R.


*About Most Alive Monday: I've decided to make at least one "most alive choice" each day and post my favorite each Monday. This, of course, is to motivate me to consciously "live juicy"! I hope you'll join me and share your "most alive moment" in the comments section so we may inspire each other.

Consciousness of Being

"like a dragonfly wing
in the sun reflecting
the color of opals,
like all the hours
we leave behind,
so ordinary,
but not unloved. " -Kirsten Dierking

Have a good weekend.

Sidewalk Games

I keep thinking about the games I used to play when I was a child, games that were played outside with neighbors and friends. I keep looking around the yards and wondering, where are all the kids? Are they inside playing Wii?

We keep little baskets of rocks and sidewalk chalk outside in Satchel's wagon for instant gratification. I found that the chalk sticks are actually more vivid after they've been rained on. Satchel's great uncle sent him a set of 3D chalk for his birthday...really work! All the kids in our neighborhood were over our house drawing on the sidewalk - cool!

I want to start an anti-Wii movement and get the kids outside interacting with other children, instead of machines.

Sterling Publishing has a wonderful little book that is sure to bring back memories and bring back the fun!!!

What was your favorite game?

Some of my favorite games were:

• Whiffle Ball
• Chinese Jump Rope
• Running Bases
• Freeze Tag
• Tinikling
• Skully
• Jacks
• Hop Scotch
• Crack the Whip

Parsley the Pillar and Friends

"I'm going to name my callopilla, Parsley and I'm going to name all my ants, Alicia, because ants are mostly girls!" - Satch

(It's true most ants are females - When the harvester ants arrived, he took one look at them and renamed them all "tweezer")

Parsley the caterpillar played a round of Hi-Ho Cherry-O. Satch had to spin for Parsley because all those legs could lead to multiple spins. He placed the green apples atop it's jar lid. I should mention that Parsley is rather portly and looks exactly like this...too difficult to photograph inside the jar.


Parsley played a round of Memory too.

Parsley had a sleep-over, but the next morning had spun itself a webbed hammock suspended from the jar lid. Turns out, Parsley is attempting to become a Giant Leopard Moth with a 3 inch wingspan, so I picked up a fine mesh cage thingy on Freecycle, removed the lid and suspended both lid and silky hammock from a branch in the cage.

We've been waiting a few weeks for some action - nothing. I've sent an email to a local entomologist and we're waiting for a reply.

The fireflies have showed up on cue and are performing each evening. There seems to be less than years before, but we're happy to see them. And lastly, we're still patiently waiting for our baby mantids to emerge...

Most Alive Monday: My Hero

Saving the neighborhood and striking fancy poses thanks to some new costumes via Freecycle.


That's a tattoo of Stag Beetle on his shin. We have a rather plentiful supply of bug tattoos .



*About Most Alive Monday: I've decided to make at least one "most alive choice" each day and post my favorite each Monday. This, of course, is to motivate me to consciously "live juicy"! I hope you'll join me and share your "most alive moment" in the comments section so we may inspire each other.

Puppet Show

"Miracles are made in the heart" - Pinocchio

Satch is fascinated with the story of Pinocchio and asked for me to make him a puppet. I made a crude cardboard marionette and promised to make him a better paper maché puppet soon.

Satch fastened the pieces together and drew some pink eyes (atop the hat) and a mouth. (click to enlarge) Then I attached the strings. We clipped a vintage table cloth to his Learning Tower for an instant puppet stage.

There was a flurry of activity and not a single clear photo to be had.

I'm off to find an inexpensive tension rod for the archway of our dining/living area. I need to make a removable portable, stage curtain. You see, Satch is planning a volcanic interpretive dance set to the song, "Old St. Helen" by Billy Jonas. He has a lists of guests and has requested that his friend O, play a drum for the volcanic rumbling.

He has assigned me the task of "making and taking" tickets and of course, snacks.

Have a good weekend.

Unconditional Parenting

I've been mulling over Unconditional Parenting by Alfie Kohn for several months...I've read and re-read this book and watched the DVD. It's taken me so long to write about it because it's so thought provoking and challenges the assumptions that many of us have been conditioned to believe about raising our children. I know that I can't be the only mom out there struggling with the whole concept of discipline. As some of you know, I've tried various and seemingly benign methods of discipline and I just don't feel comfortable, nor does it seem to help. In situations where I become completely overwhelmed by a particular behavior, I often resort to time out...and truthfully, not for any other reason other than I need that moment to collect myself before my head explodes. I'm not joking it really does feel like my cranium is going to burst. But time-out doesn't feel right. This uneasy feeling is what led me to Unconditional Parenting.

Alfie's message makes an extremely valid point: traditional discipline in the form of consequences is only effective in the short term, if it actually worked long term, we would not have to keep doing it. He suggests working with the child instead of "doing to" the child. He points out that, as parents, we need to look at the bigger picture...we want them to grow to be responsible adults.

The DVD is an overview that gets to the core of this insightful work and Alfie is very entertaining in his delivery. The book, of course, goes into much more detail. Unconditional Parenting has inspired me to trust my instincts in that if something doesn't feel right for my family, it's because it's not. That is not to say that I have all the answers yet, but I do believe that I have found another piece to the puzzle.

C'mon a my house

In Northern Virginia, summer is like the summer you remember from your childhood...not a summer that comes and goes so quickly that it startles you with it's departure. Here, summer saunters, it takes it's time, like honey. And the sunlight is the kind of yellow that only poets can describe, a light that beckons you to make sun tea and lemon popsicles. From the hammock we watched a tiny lavender butterfly flitting about the garden.

Things are beginning to bloom over at our nest. Our garden is a mix of flora... sort of cottage style. Most of our plantlings have returned from last season though there are some new adoptions from Freecycle and some newbies that we grew from seed. There are pumpkin vines growing beside our walk...an experimental new location as last year's locale was a bust. It's still a mystery to me what will grow in this soil.

The peonies were the first to bloom. We clipped some for our table then shared the rest with our neighbors because they fade so quickly and need to be enjoyed.

The lavender is blooming beside a mound of Rosemary and Basil. The Sweet Williams and Lobelia are also in bloom.

Also Daisies that fit perfectly in this beautiful vase by Diana Fayt, a birthday gift last year from my sister-in-law.











At the playground, Mabel the hamster is taking a stroll (or rather a roll) while...

















so graceful that she makes clouds jealous, the Mighty K shows gravity who's boss.

Most Alive Monday: Jelly Invasion!

"Who wants my jellyfish?
I'm not sellyfish!" - Ogden Nash

We took Satch to see the Jelly Invasion at the National Aquarium in Baltimore and it was breathtaking! See for yourself...

The following day was rainy so I figured we should try to make our own sea jellies. We wadded up some pink tissue paper and stuffed it in a grocery bag. Then I blew some air into it and knotted it. Lastly, we shredded the remaining plastic and added some iridescent curling ribbon.























*About Most Alive Monday: I've decided to make at least one "most alive choice" each day and post my favorite each Monday. This, of course, is to motivate me to consciously "live juicy"! I hope you'll join me and share your "most alive moment" in the comments section so we may inspire each other.

Mom to Mom: Judy Arnall

As some of you know, I have a very passionate son and this past year has been one of many challenges. I'm not an expert on child development, so I read a lot of books on the subject of parenting. I stumbled upon Judy's book and when I discovered that she has 5 children and read over 200 parenting books, I just had to chat her up. I'm pleased to introduce...


Mom: Judy Arnall
Of: Christopher (18), Marlin (16), Heidi (15), Travis (11), Scotty (7)
Where: Calgary, Alberta Canada
URL: Professional Parenting


1. In what ways has becoming a mother changed you?

Being a mother allows me to look for joy where I didn’t notice before. I relish a sunny day at the beach, and I look forward to my bedtime/naps like I never did before. In fact, I worship sleep. I love hugs from my children even though they may wreck my hairstyle and I love sticky hands holding mine and exploring the world while out on a walk and looking at things from a child’s point of view. I love sitting around and talking, joking and laughing with my teenagers. I have learned to adjust my world to “kid time”, which is totally different concept than adult time which the rest of the world is run on. I no longer expect perfection from others and especially myself. I have learned to live peacefully with clutter and resolve to accept that tasks get done in phases and sometimes those phases take months or years. I have learned how much little control I have over others and how much control I have over myself. I have learned to appreciate the small things like going to the bathroom all by myself!

2. What message would you like to share with other mothers?

Raising children is like getting a package of seeds without the label. We never know what kind of child we are getting, and have to figure out how much love, limits and care that particular child needs. It never ends and the answer is not in any book, expert, or well meant advice. The answer is in our children if we observe and accept them as they are, and change our little corner of the world to fit them until they grow to change themselves to fit the world.

3. What inspired you to write Discipline Without Distress?

I had read about 247 parenting books. My own upbringing had so many points that I wished to change, so I became a parent information consumer. I took many classes. I found that the books were too heavy on theory and little on real applications. Although I liked the idea of raising children without shame, punishment, and coercion, I didn’t find one book that showed me how to do it on a daily basis, including how to handle the myriad of situations that come up with each child’s temperament, age, gender and stage.

4. How do you orchestrate your passions as Mother, Author, Speaker.

It’s not a balanced life. There is no such thing. It’s more of a seesaw when some things take more time and energy at a particular time of the year then others. It’s not a 50/50 equal balance for sure. It’s more like work and being a mom get 100% when they each require it and it can be very unpredictable. However, being a mother will always, always take priority when the need is there. When the families’ and my personal needs are met, then I put my energies into being an Author and speaker. I can’t be successful if I have no family relationships.

5. What is the most common question that parents ask you?

“Can you come and live in my house?!”

6. What are some practical things that parents can do to make the most profound impact in the lives of their children?

The number one best thing to remember is to take parent time-outs. Parent time-outs on a regular basis are necessary for remembering the person in the parent. We get centered, fulfilled and feel good again and that makes us more effective parents. Time-outs are also helpful for handling parent and child anger. They are way more effective and useful then a child time-out. We can think clearly and look at things in a lighter way. That’s not to say that we neglect the children while taking our time-out. We need to provide for their needs of safety and care at the same time, but recognize that we have to take care of ourselves too.

7. What moves you, grounds you, fills your well?

I love movies and books. They transport me to another world and spur me to action on global issues, or allow me to appreciate what I have. I love volunteering. I love children that grow into nice wonderful people which is 99.9% of them. I love parents that support each other. I love hugs. I love my family.


This weekend we'll be celebrating my husband's 50th ride around the sun. Satch wants so badly to tell his Dad what his gift is. Have a good weekend. See you Monday. ~ Wendy

The Hour of Toad!

"Toad talked big about all he was going to do in the days to come, while stars grew fuller and larger all around them, and a yellow moon, appearing suddenly and silently from nowhere in particular, came to keep them company and listen to their talk. " - Kenneth Grahame


Satchel has had two tadpoles guests whom he named, Sponge Bob and Sandy! This is their story...please stick with me, you'll love the ending!

Last year, Satchel's aunt "Lola" gave him this Tadpole catcher and pond book which sparked a mad hunt for tadpoles and a fascination with frog/toad metamorphosis. Unable to find any tadpoles, we used it to catch, observe and release minnows at our local nature center. Then, magically, a friend whom I made through Freecycle rescued some tadpoles from a puddle and phoned to ask if we would like to adopt some. We went straight away to get a tank.

We settled on this little Tetra kit because it was small, self-contained and inexpensive. Satch put together the filter by himself (he's a clever little chap) and helped rinse and prepare the new home for our new friends.


Info raising tadpoles here.

We waited and watched and had several readings of Fish is Fish (a story of a fish and a frog). We used our Life Cycle stamps and played with these toys during bath time....

AND approximately one week later our tads turned into toads and....

we released them!



Afterward, to make the bittersweet parting a bit cheesier, we celebrated with pizza. I said a toast, "Hoppy Toad Day to Sponge Bob & Sandy" and Satch added, "Hope you have a good life" and we both drank to that. I promised that we would do it again next Spring.

Chairs!

Satch has loved stacking and balancing since he was 16 months old. He's tried, on several occasions, to stack the chairs in his Creative Zone class so his teacher allowed him to stack them after the class was over.

When I saw this Chairs game by Fundex at the MoMA store, I had a feeling it would be a big hit. Upon opening it he exclaimed, "YOOK at all the different shapes!"

The chairs are beautifully designed and come in three lovely colors. After several attempts we were able to stack all 21 chairs before Satch joyfully knocked the tower down. This is a wonderful game for rainy day play in an easy to travel tin.


The tiny chairs are also great for impromptu movie screenings and are especially handy for unexpected fairy banquets...we tried to get a photo of the winged folk, but they kept flying away.

Fundex manufacters a wide range of imagninative family games like Katamino, Labyrinth, Whoops and Hot Potato.

Four Rides Around the Sun: Explorer of the World

"Mama, I'm FOUR! I'm FOUR! Can I drive the car now?" - Satch

We took the wees to the nature center to look for critters then back to our house to play parachute, blow bubbles and eat cupcakes. Satch said, "this is the best party in the world"...and I thought my heart would explode from joy. Here are some photos from the celebration...

I should also mention that on the evening of Satchel's birthday there was a rainbow...a birthday gift from the fairies and, he explained, that unicorns live at the end of the rainbow.





















*About Most Alive Monday: I've decided to make at least one "most alive choice" each day and post my favorite each Monday. This, of course, is to motivate me to consciously "live juicy"! I hope you'll join me and share your "most alive moment" in the comments section so we may inspire each other.