Monday, July 23, 2012
One Line. . .4
Today I am grateful for. . . a clean house and folded laundry. And Bre, who helps it all happen.
Saturday, July 21, 2012
One Line. . .3
Things I am grateful for today (and always):
Country living. Eating fresh, organic produce from my local CSA, Purple Rain Vineyard, and my garden. Running through my neighborhood smelling pine trees and faint wood smoke. Leaving my windows open all day and night with the smells of summer drifting on the breeze and into my home. The earthy, fresh scent of light rain as I climb into clean, crisp, white sheets and snuggle up to my freshly groomed maltese, Charly, with the man I adore breathing evenly beside me.
Friday, July 20, 2012
One Line. . .2
Today I am grateful it's Friday! And that we had the foresight several months ago to purchase Zoo Concert tickets to The Head and the Heart concert. It was the best reward at the end of a week of deticated and determined work. I seriously haven't felt that relaxed in a long time.
Thursday, July 19, 2012
One Line. . .1
School has taken over my life.
Facebook has become my message board to the world. My little Facebook world, anyway. It is much quicker to post a picture and make a quick status update than to create an entire blog post. But I miss the writing, the personal reflection, the string of multiple thoughts that form as I write them and turn into something so much more than I sat down to write. Like this post, for instance. Who knows yet what it will become!
I have heard a million times that to be a writer you must write. Every day. Yeah, I don't do that. The "writer" in me has gotten buried under the student, mother, wife, aspiring teacher roles (among others). I miss her.
I read some advice today about how to make your life happier by starting at home. I am absolutely a believer that if your home is orderly your life will feel more orderly and vice versa. Along with an orderly home, this person suggests that everyone should take time at the end of the day to reflect and jot down one line of gratitude for the day. Positive thoughts beget positive thoughts.
In school we do a lot of reflection. To be a good teacher, one must be willing to ponder what it is that is working and what isn't, and then be willing to be flexible. We read a lot about how to better ourselves so we can help better the lives around us.
The last year has held so much growth for me. My relationship with myself has improved a hundred fold. A lot of reflection has brought me to where I am today and will surely propel me into the future. I have learned that once you are willing to really look inside yourself and question every last thing you see, really question why you think that and what that means and how that impacts who you are, inside your own head, inside your circle of family and friends, inside your community and greater world at large, you learn things. It's scary. But if you can really decided what you are willing to stand behind and what you need no part of, if you accept your weaknesses AND your strengths, if you own your life instead of letting others define you, it gets less scary. It gets pretty great, actually. The added bonus to being totally comfortable within yourself? The world becomes a better place, full of fabulous people and wonderful potential. I like my world.
I have plenty of self-improving to do, no one is ever done with that, but when I look back to even one year ago I see how far I've come, and it inspires me to keep going.
It also inspires me to take back that which I have given up, my writing time. Even if it is only one line of gratitude each day. Ha! I set out to write one line of gratitude about my day and ended up with a whole post. Apparently the writer inside me thinks she has things to say. We shall see. . .
Day One:
Today I am grateful for. . . (sheesh, I have been sitting here for several minutes trying to pick just one--It's very hard!) great, intelligent friends whom I admire, who post inspiring things on Facebook that make me stop and think and make small changes to improve myself. Thank you.
Facebook has become my message board to the world. My little Facebook world, anyway. It is much quicker to post a picture and make a quick status update than to create an entire blog post. But I miss the writing, the personal reflection, the string of multiple thoughts that form as I write them and turn into something so much more than I sat down to write. Like this post, for instance. Who knows yet what it will become!
I have heard a million times that to be a writer you must write. Every day. Yeah, I don't do that. The "writer" in me has gotten buried under the student, mother, wife, aspiring teacher roles (among others). I miss her.
I read some advice today about how to make your life happier by starting at home. I am absolutely a believer that if your home is orderly your life will feel more orderly and vice versa. Along with an orderly home, this person suggests that everyone should take time at the end of the day to reflect and jot down one line of gratitude for the day. Positive thoughts beget positive thoughts.
In school we do a lot of reflection. To be a good teacher, one must be willing to ponder what it is that is working and what isn't, and then be willing to be flexible. We read a lot about how to better ourselves so we can help better the lives around us.
The last year has held so much growth for me. My relationship with myself has improved a hundred fold. A lot of reflection has brought me to where I am today and will surely propel me into the future. I have learned that once you are willing to really look inside yourself and question every last thing you see, really question why you think that and what that means and how that impacts who you are, inside your own head, inside your circle of family and friends, inside your community and greater world at large, you learn things. It's scary. But if you can really decided what you are willing to stand behind and what you need no part of, if you accept your weaknesses AND your strengths, if you own your life instead of letting others define you, it gets less scary. It gets pretty great, actually. The added bonus to being totally comfortable within yourself? The world becomes a better place, full of fabulous people and wonderful potential. I like my world.
I have plenty of self-improving to do, no one is ever done with that, but when I look back to even one year ago I see how far I've come, and it inspires me to keep going.
It also inspires me to take back that which I have given up, my writing time. Even if it is only one line of gratitude each day. Ha! I set out to write one line of gratitude about my day and ended up with a whole post. Apparently the writer inside me thinks she has things to say. We shall see. . .
Day One:
Today I am grateful for. . . (sheesh, I have been sitting here for several minutes trying to pick just one--It's very hard!) great, intelligent friends whom I admire, who post inspiring things on Facebook that make me stop and think and make small changes to improve myself. Thank you.
Wednesday, January 25, 2012
Perspectives and Possibilities
Change.
Change is a funny thing. Sometimes it is exciting, and sometimes scary, or hard. Or all three. And sometimes it is so gradual you never even notice it is happening.
I feel as though our family has been evolving in a lot of interesting ways over the past year. It feels like good things are on the horizon. That doesn't mean I don't have moments of temporary panic and doubt, but when I look at where we stand and how far we've come I can breath a little easier. In fact, sometimes a hint of giddiness creeps in.
Possibilities abound. . .
The same can be said of parenting. Some days are monumental. But mostly not. Mostly you trek along doing what you set out to do, one step at a time. Homework. Piano lessons. Housework. Volunteer. Laundry. Tae Kwon Do. Run. Make lists. Cross items off lists. Trudge along. . . But you are so close to the details of your life you often fail to see the wonderful things that are developing until you step back and take a good look at your progress--at the whole picture from your new perspective.
Last week while I was researching for a paper topic for a class I am taking I came across a study that was analyzing the effects of parental involvement on a child's success--both in school and in life. And while many factors affected how well a child performed in school, the most influential factor was the environment fostered by the parents. Specifically, the study claimed that parents who had high expectations and aspirations for their children, who read with them and to them, and who exposed their children to educational experiences (like trips to the museum or simply having books in the home), were the ones whose children most often succeeded. All of these, of course, come from actually spending time with your children, accompanied by positive reinforcement.
It all got me thinking about what we do with our children--and by we I mean "me". I certainly feel as though we have spent more time doing fun things as a family over the past six months or so. That was a conscientious decision we made last summer--to spend more time doing fun things as a family. And we have. We bought cross country skis and have gone a couple of times already, which we love. We have begun to run as a family and have signed up for our first 6K as a family (perhaps that isn't actually fun, but we pretend it is!). We have tried to maintain our tradition of Family Fun Friday, intermittent though it often is with Signe's soccer games on Friday. Nevertheless, that study had me wondering if we were doing enough. Surely we could spend more quality time together as a family. And while helping the girls with their homework and reading to and with the girls is good, I thought it might be fun to somehow combine Family Fun Friday with educational activities. Leisure and learning. Anything to combat the influx of electronic activities encroaching on our lives.
So I went online and compiled a list of local museums, theaters, nature preserves, historic places, family entertainment venues, etc. Anything and everything I thought might expose the girls to something new-- activities and places meant to be fun and broaden their perspectives. Near the bottom of the list was rock gym. Rob has been wanting to try rock wall climbing, so when I saw the gym I added it to the list. MY first choice was the Portland Museum. Rob's first choice was the rock gym.
We went to the rock gym.
Honestly, the girls were stoked and much braver than I would have suspected. We all had fun working our way to the top of the 36 foot wall. I tend to be afraid of heights. But I learned that when I have a safety rope, I only have to focus on where my hands and feet are going RIGHT NOW. Before I knew it I was at the top! When I stopped and looked back at how far I had gone, I was surprised to see how high I was. It was a whole new perspective.
Kind of like life.
We expect a lot from our girls. We push them quite a lot. I worry often about whether I am pushing them too much or not enough.
Do I invest enough quality time with them?
Have I provided good opportunities for them?
Will they be happy and well balanced?
Am I making them neurotic!?
We plod along one foot hold and hand grasp at a time, hoping we are headed to a place of progress rather than a dead end or danger. But then. . . once in a while. . .
We lean back and see how far we've come. We take in the view. We see the good. We feel the giddiness start to creep in. And we know--I know--beautiful things are happening.
Possibilities abound.
(I apologize for the crappy picture quality--I wasn't about to try taking my good camera--I clearly need to get a good quality point and shoot!)
Change is a funny thing. Sometimes it is exciting, and sometimes scary, or hard. Or all three. And sometimes it is so gradual you never even notice it is happening.
I feel as though our family has been evolving in a lot of interesting ways over the past year. It feels like good things are on the horizon. That doesn't mean I don't have moments of temporary panic and doubt, but when I look at where we stand and how far we've come I can breath a little easier. In fact, sometimes a hint of giddiness creeps in.
Possibilities abound. . .
The same can be said of parenting. Some days are monumental. But mostly not. Mostly you trek along doing what you set out to do, one step at a time. Homework. Piano lessons. Housework. Volunteer. Laundry. Tae Kwon Do. Run. Make lists. Cross items off lists. Trudge along. . . But you are so close to the details of your life you often fail to see the wonderful things that are developing until you step back and take a good look at your progress--at the whole picture from your new perspective.
Last week while I was researching for a paper topic for a class I am taking I came across a study that was analyzing the effects of parental involvement on a child's success--both in school and in life. And while many factors affected how well a child performed in school, the most influential factor was the environment fostered by the parents. Specifically, the study claimed that parents who had high expectations and aspirations for their children, who read with them and to them, and who exposed their children to educational experiences (like trips to the museum or simply having books in the home), were the ones whose children most often succeeded. All of these, of course, come from actually spending time with your children, accompanied by positive reinforcement.
It all got me thinking about what we do with our children--and by we I mean "me". I certainly feel as though we have spent more time doing fun things as a family over the past six months or so. That was a conscientious decision we made last summer--to spend more time doing fun things as a family. And we have. We bought cross country skis and have gone a couple of times already, which we love. We have begun to run as a family and have signed up for our first 6K as a family (perhaps that isn't actually fun, but we pretend it is!). We have tried to maintain our tradition of Family Fun Friday, intermittent though it often is with Signe's soccer games on Friday. Nevertheless, that study had me wondering if we were doing enough. Surely we could spend more quality time together as a family. And while helping the girls with their homework and reading to and with the girls is good, I thought it might be fun to somehow combine Family Fun Friday with educational activities. Leisure and learning. Anything to combat the influx of electronic activities encroaching on our lives.
So I went online and compiled a list of local museums, theaters, nature preserves, historic places, family entertainment venues, etc. Anything and everything I thought might expose the girls to something new-- activities and places meant to be fun and broaden their perspectives. Near the bottom of the list was rock gym. Rob has been wanting to try rock wall climbing, so when I saw the gym I added it to the list. MY first choice was the Portland Museum. Rob's first choice was the rock gym.
We went to the rock gym.
Honestly, the girls were stoked and much braver than I would have suspected. We all had fun working our way to the top of the 36 foot wall. I tend to be afraid of heights. But I learned that when I have a safety rope, I only have to focus on where my hands and feet are going RIGHT NOW. Before I knew it I was at the top! When I stopped and looked back at how far I had gone, I was surprised to see how high I was. It was a whole new perspective.
Kind of like life.
We expect a lot from our girls. We push them quite a lot. I worry often about whether I am pushing them too much or not enough.
Do I invest enough quality time with them?
Have I provided good opportunities for them?
Will they be happy and well balanced?
Am I making them neurotic!?
We plod along one foot hold and hand grasp at a time, hoping we are headed to a place of progress rather than a dead end or danger. But then. . . once in a while. . .
We lean back and see how far we've come. We take in the view. We see the good. We feel the giddiness start to creep in. And we know--I know--beautiful things are happening.
Possibilities abound.
(I apologize for the crappy picture quality--I wasn't about to try taking my good camera--I clearly need to get a good quality point and shoot!)
Wednesday, November 16, 2011
Meet Booguloogu
The book fair at my daughters' schools this year had an alien theme. I believe it was "To the Book Fair and Beyond". I was on the committee. We did a lot of alien related contests and art, including an alien art contest where the winners got their drawing on a t-shirt. The kids decorated their classroom doors with aliens and this week, as a reward for making the money goal set for the fair, the principals of the three schools are dressing up like aliens for a day.
It was a spelling exercise where she had to write a letter using her spelling words for the week. The underlined words are her spelling words. In case you can't make out the writing from my picture, it reads:
Dear Avery,
So aliens have been on the brain lately.
Yesterday Signe came home with the following letter:
It was a spelling exercise where she had to write a letter using her spelling words for the week. The underlined words are her spelling words. In case you can't make out the writing from my picture, it reads:
Dear Avery,
Over the weekend an alien fell down from outer space. I made friends with him. I did shake his hand. It made my hand blue. I made cookies and washed my hand. I asked him what is your name. He said booguloogu.
Love,
Signe
Love,
Signe
I took the picture because she wanted to actually give the letter to her friend and I wanted to document how stinkin' cute it was!
Tuesday, November 15, 2011
Flying at The Speed of Light. . . And Pausing to Appreciate it
Writer's Workshop with Mama Kat
. . . because apparently I need a kick restart.
Prompt: 3.) Married? Tell us the story of how the question was popped.
It's mid November. I swear it was just summer! Apparently we are doing so much living these days that I can't seem to find time to document the process. My pictures are back logged and great posts are going unwritten. Take my anniversary, for instance. It was July 26th. I believe we were en route from Idaho to Utah that day, in the midst of our ten day summer vacation that encompassed three destinations including friends, family, and a family reunion.
. . . because apparently I need a kick restart.
Prompt: 3.) Married? Tell us the story of how the question was popped.
It's mid November. I swear it was just summer! Apparently we are doing so much living these days that I can't seem to find time to document the process. My pictures are back logged and great posts are going unwritten. Take my anniversary, for instance. It was July 26th. I believe we were en route from Idaho to Utah that day, in the midst of our ten day summer vacation that encompassed three destinations including friends, family, and a family reunion.
14 years.
While rummaging through a couple of old journals the other day, looking for stuff about a high school boyfriend that I planned to use for an assignment in my Young Adult Literature class, I came across the entries about meeting Rob. Seriously! How I thought I was so mature is beyond me. I was 18. And it was my journal--you are allowed to be self-absorbed when writing in your journal right?
I met Rob while attending Boise State University. We were both studying and started talking. I had been broken up with my high school boyfriend for all of two weeks. I was a freshman, he was senior. At the time I thought little of it. I left and went about my merry business.
Okay. To be honest, I do remember one thing. He had this habit of raising one brow up when he was speaking that I thought was cute.
Rob, on the other hand, found out everything he could about me, and came back to that exact place to study every day in hopes that I would return. I only went to that place once a week. The following week he was there. We chatted. He lent me his abnormal psych book with his class schedule tucked inside. His subtle attempt to win me over with his brainiac classes was lost on me. I never really looked at it.
A few days later I arrived at school in a downpour. As I rushed in from the parking lot I bumped into Rob coming up the sidewalk. What seemed a lucky coincidence I would later find out was totally contrived. He had stood in the rain for half an hour waiting for me to arrive so he could "bump" into me. I promised to meet him after school to return his book and hurried off to math.
After class I met him and he introduced me to his cousin, Jackie. Two hours later I told him I had to get going and that if he planned on asking me out he'd better get to it. He asked me out. . .
That was early November. By Christmas we had a trip to Disneyland planned for January. By the time we took the trip Rob was hinting at his intention to marry me and my mom was rooting for a proposal by Valentine's Day.
I mentioned I was 18 right. I'd known him less than three months at this point.
I did not get a Valentine's Day proposal. But by this time we had been looking at rings, so I knew it was coming.
After school on March 5th, Rob and I went to Dairy Queen for ice cream. We often stopped there on our way home after school. Rob walked me to my car and as I got in he knelt down beside my door.
Yes. We are now in the Dairy Queen parking lot.
He pulled out the ring and proposed. All I could think was, "You can't propose in the Dairy Queen parking lot! People will want to know how you asked me! In a parking lot?!"
Of course I said "Yes!"
Then I asked him what he was thinking, proposing in a fast food parking lot.
Turns out he had a grand scheme to propose on my birthday, March 9th. But then he decided he couldn't wait another week, so he planned this big deal at a park with a romantic picnic and a special book. But when he went to pick up the ring, they had mounted the wrong diamond. He had to come back the next day to pick it up.
Plans ruined.
So the next day he got the ring. Apparently it was burning a hole in his pocket--hence the parking lot proposal. Even now, once he decides to do something, look out. He did present the book, though. He had gotten a copy of the children's book "Guess How Much I Love You?" by Sam Mcbratney. Only he replaced the mama bunny and the baby bunny with our names. He loved me. A LOT. And despite the location of the proposal, the feeling was mutual.
And we lived happily ever after. . . .
Well, we're working on it.
Here's what I have learned from 14 years of marriage:
1. It's a miracle we have such a fabulous relationship even still considering how young we were and how quickly we got engaged, or maybe it's simply the result of us not being old enough to be set in our ways so we grew up together.
2. If one of my daughters decides to get engaged at 18 and married at 19 I will lock her in her room for 5 years.
3. Getting an education after getting married and having children is doable, but way more work than doing it the other way around.
4. Life never works out quite like you planned it, but what you get out of life is in direct proportion to what you put into it.
5. How you are proposed to isn't half as important as how you are treated on a daily basis, but it was an accurate representation of how romantic our marriage would be--at least in grand romantic gestures. But love is really about remembering to put gas in my car for me, and less about grand declarations.
6. Every girl occasionally wants a grand declaration!
7. #4 applies equally to marriage. So in answer to #6, every girl should occasionally perform her own grand declaration.
8. Children are a fabulous blessing, and family date nights are essential, but they shouldn't replace ACTUAL date night. Nothing beats dressing up and going out like giddy young love birds.
9. Men and women both need similar things from a relationship, but that doesn't mean they get it the same way, or give it the same way. Hence the full gas tank instead of flowers or flowery words. [Note to self: Do something practical and productive for Rob--he'll appreciate it more than any grand declaration.]
10. I am one lucky girl who loves her husband more today than the day she married him (not surprising since she'd known him all of 9 months at the time), and is unequivocally adored in return!
I met Rob while attending Boise State University. We were both studying and started talking. I had been broken up with my high school boyfriend for all of two weeks. I was a freshman, he was senior. At the time I thought little of it. I left and went about my merry business.
Okay. To be honest, I do remember one thing. He had this habit of raising one brow up when he was speaking that I thought was cute.
Rob, on the other hand, found out everything he could about me, and came back to that exact place to study every day in hopes that I would return. I only went to that place once a week. The following week he was there. We chatted. He lent me his abnormal psych book with his class schedule tucked inside. His subtle attempt to win me over with his brainiac classes was lost on me. I never really looked at it.
A few days later I arrived at school in a downpour. As I rushed in from the parking lot I bumped into Rob coming up the sidewalk. What seemed a lucky coincidence I would later find out was totally contrived. He had stood in the rain for half an hour waiting for me to arrive so he could "bump" into me. I promised to meet him after school to return his book and hurried off to math.
After class I met him and he introduced me to his cousin, Jackie. Two hours later I told him I had to get going and that if he planned on asking me out he'd better get to it. He asked me out. . .
That was early November. By Christmas we had a trip to Disneyland planned for January. By the time we took the trip Rob was hinting at his intention to marry me and my mom was rooting for a proposal by Valentine's Day.
I mentioned I was 18 right. I'd known him less than three months at this point.
I did not get a Valentine's Day proposal. But by this time we had been looking at rings, so I knew it was coming.
After school on March 5th, Rob and I went to Dairy Queen for ice cream. We often stopped there on our way home after school. Rob walked me to my car and as I got in he knelt down beside my door.
Yes. We are now in the Dairy Queen parking lot.
He pulled out the ring and proposed. All I could think was, "You can't propose in the Dairy Queen parking lot! People will want to know how you asked me! In a parking lot?!"
Of course I said "Yes!"
Then I asked him what he was thinking, proposing in a fast food parking lot.
Turns out he had a grand scheme to propose on my birthday, March 9th. But then he decided he couldn't wait another week, so he planned this big deal at a park with a romantic picnic and a special book. But when he went to pick up the ring, they had mounted the wrong diamond. He had to come back the next day to pick it up.
Plans ruined.
So the next day he got the ring. Apparently it was burning a hole in his pocket--hence the parking lot proposal. Even now, once he decides to do something, look out. He did present the book, though. He had gotten a copy of the children's book "Guess How Much I Love You?" by Sam Mcbratney. Only he replaced the mama bunny and the baby bunny with our names. He loved me. A LOT. And despite the location of the proposal, the feeling was mutual.
And we lived happily ever after. . . .
Well, we're working on it.
Here's what I have learned from 14 years of marriage:
1. It's a miracle we have such a fabulous relationship even still considering how young we were and how quickly we got engaged, or maybe it's simply the result of us not being old enough to be set in our ways so we grew up together.
2. If one of my daughters decides to get engaged at 18 and married at 19 I will lock her in her room for 5 years.
3. Getting an education after getting married and having children is doable, but way more work than doing it the other way around.
4. Life never works out quite like you planned it, but what you get out of life is in direct proportion to what you put into it.
5. How you are proposed to isn't half as important as how you are treated on a daily basis, but it was an accurate representation of how romantic our marriage would be--at least in grand romantic gestures. But love is really about remembering to put gas in my car for me, and less about grand declarations.
6. Every girl occasionally wants a grand declaration!
7. #4 applies equally to marriage. So in answer to #6, every girl should occasionally perform her own grand declaration.
8. Children are a fabulous blessing, and family date nights are essential, but they shouldn't replace ACTUAL date night. Nothing beats dressing up and going out like giddy young love birds.
9. Men and women both need similar things from a relationship, but that doesn't mean they get it the same way, or give it the same way. Hence the full gas tank instead of flowers or flowery words. [Note to self: Do something practical and productive for Rob--he'll appreciate it more than any grand declaration.]
10. I am one lucky girl who loves her husband more today than the day she married him (not surprising since she'd known him all of 9 months at the time), and is unequivocally adored in return!
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