Chicapuba: Family

Showing posts with label Family. Show all posts

Monday, July 6, 2009

Saying YES to Life

Say YES to life (and even though I am tempted to say the universe and everything---that's not what I mean.)
Saying "YES" more......
an unschooling concept deceptive in it's simplicity. It doesn't mean say YES to everything all the time. It also doesn't mean be irritated with your kids for asking permission because, after all, aren't they suppose to be free to make their own decisions. It doesn't mean you have to say yes and feel like a martyr.
Saying YES has become increasingly challenging for me. I don't have resistance saying yes to more cherries, another Popsicle, a trip to the park.
Can I use the camera?
Let's watch Mork and Mindy.
Can we go to the pool? Well....actually I did rail against this request early in the summer when the temperature had not yet reached the necessary 80's for me to enjoy being sopping wet. I did not want to go and the more I thought about it the more I was mad that I "had to go". Then as I was grumbling about not wanting to go, Xander and XuMei said, "you don't have to go Mom."
And all my pissed off resentment melted away and I felt free and light as I walked up to the counter and said "2 kids and one adult".
Saying yes----not HAVING to say yes-- wanting to say yes.
SO this brings me to the things Chris and I have been saying No to.
Can we get chickens?
Can we get a dog?
No and NO.
Why?
It's complicated. My Mom lives with us and is in the last stages of her life. Hospice helps tremendously. But the emotional work of helping a loved one die is ours. And really we are not helping her die-- I am standing on the side of the living helping her live as fully and richly as she is able. It is the greatest privilege second only to welcoming new life.
As I wrap my head around this process I hold my breath waiting, wondering when it will happen, when will she pass? Will I have any warning? Who will find her? Can I really go on living around her? How to squeeze every moment out of the time we have left without seeming to be saying "good bye" every time I leave her presence.
So I keep saying no to bringing more living creatures into our family because it just feels like more work.
More food, more clean up, more stress, more worry, more expense, more more more......
more laughter, more fun, more smiles, more learning, more love.
More life.
All this time I have been saying no to life.
No more life! Dammit! We are trying to die here! We are trying to not be stressed and not be messy and die.
I am not saying that we should bring into our family indiscriminately any scruffy mutt, or squawking meat ball with legs that happens our way----but I am making strides toward expanding our brood. I am reading books, web sites, asking people about their experience, and softening my heart to the idea of a dog.
I am a quintessential cat lady. So a dog is a big stretch for me. And ultimately, like a lot of things about parenting, a tremendously healing stretch for me. I used to be afraid of dogs. I have learned that my fear is not of the dogs but of the owners.
And I don't HAVE to get a dog. I am making a choice. I am choosing to say YES...
to life!

To us and our good fortune!
Be happy, be healthy, long life!
And if our good fortune never comes,
Here's to whatever comes,
Drink la kayim, to life!
~~~Fiddler On the Roof

or this one from Diana:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XiOcW_YR1G8

Friday, May 8, 2009

It's a BrickHouse!!

and a brick apartment complex:

and a brick castle:

and a brick roller coaster:

and a brick marimba playing robot:

and a brick massage lounge chair:

and a brick orchard:

and a brick work of art:

and a brick space needle:

and a brick city block:

and a brick bonsai tree:

and brick cartoon characters:

and a brick Taj Mahal:

and a brick Eiffel Tower:

and tired Brickfest attendees:

Everything made from Legos. Except the people...unless they are Lego people....:)
I usually build simple square car like things with 4 wheels and then race them across the kitchen floor. I never even considered building a massage lounge chair.....I better get started!
What is the coolest thing you've made from Legos?

Wednesday, May 6, 2009

Backwards Blog Post

Just a hint of Brickfest--more on that later. Because before I tell you that story I have to tell you this story:*
Grammie Pam and Grandpa Brian got Xander and XuMei an incredible experience for their 8th birthday,

Spending the night at the Oregon Coast Aquarium!

We learned plankton is any animal or vegetable that can't move against a current (so technically speaking that means I am plankton!:)

Using toothpicks, sponges, silly putty, beads and rubber bands we attempted to make a neutrally buoyant object:

Exploring the aquarium at night:

My Family behind the flounder tank:

Thrilled to pieces:

Somewhat skeptical of the prospect of sleeping in the tunnels of the deep shark tank:

We ended up not sleeping in the tunnel, which turned out to be good because it was super cold in there. We were in a conference room adjacent to the tank so got to experience the sharks without the cold.
Before that we started a bunch of seeds:

And before that we made a lemon battery:

And before that we had lunch at Sunny Side Up with our friends Shelley and Kara and Shelley's girls Lauren and Sara.

Shelley and I are training for the Portland Marathon in October and Kara is a tri-athlete so she is graciously helping us with ...well...everything (especially motivation). XuMei took awesome pictures of all of the restaurant,and all of us.
Here is Kara:

Here is Sara:

And a very happy Lauren:

Before that we had a few warm dry days and I bought a bubble machine--which I SERIOUSLY LOVE A LOT. It makes me sooooo happy. It is like looking at a crackling fire or a lively fish tank. Mesmerizing, relaxing, and beautiful. The kids alternately try to catch the bubbles, whack the bubbles, shoot the bubbles and mist the bubbles. Here they were whacking with badminton rackets.

Before that we had The Incredible Hessel Family over to play. We had been watching a Food Network show called Chopped, where chefs compete to create the most delicious dishes using 3-5 ingredients of the judges choosing. I chose marshmallows, whipped cream, graham crackers, tapioca pudding and bagels.
Team Noah and XuMei and their creation:

Team Willow and Xander and their masterpiece:

Before that we had been reading these:

And so interested in chemistry, we made polymers:

Mad scientists negotiating:

AND Before all of that, the two most amazing people I know turned eight:

We had a pokemon party and ate Pikachu cupcakes:

Making the cupcakes was great. It was an assembly line. XuMei cut out ears, Xander colored them, I frosted faces and Xander put the ears on.
Before that I discovered my 2 sweet cats who pretend to hate each other cuddling in private: