Ski Season

The girls started ski lessons at the beginning of January and Molly dove right in with love. Maggie, on the other hand, hates skiing. She did two lessons and declared herself done with it. Molly did four lessons and made awesome progress. She learned how to turn and stop which are amazing skills. Next year I'll have her do lessons and then go skiing with me. We still need to get her up on the chair lift!

I was also able to get back up on the slopes after a 15 year absence. It was so much fun and I talked all about it over at Seattle Refined - Re-Learning to Ski, 15 Years Later. I quickly remembered what I loved and hated about skiing! 

There were moments of fun and periods of sadness but overall, our first adventure into skiing went really well. I'm going to give Maggie more time to adjust and see if she comes around. Otherwise, Molly and I will ski while Scott and Maggie stay home. 

Coming out of the fog...

The lack of sunshine hit me hard this year. Really hard. I'm coming out of the fog and I can, in hindsight, see how hard it hit me. March and April were a mess.

Easter came and I'm reminded every year of that horrible year when my Dad told me something was wrong with his body. I remember sitting at the long table at Preservation Kitchen with my whole family and feeling that punch in the gut. I remember taking charge and telling my Dad that I would be attending his doctor appointments with him. I knew I had to rise up. I knew I didn't want to rise up.

This year, there was no sun to lift my spirits. There was just vitamin D deficiency and a creative ask to be in the mess. My creativity group dove deep into the mess of life and I was wallowed in it. I kept looking back and remembering how I was struggling with two kids, pumping because my baby wouldn't breast feed, taking on the responsibility of my Mom and praying that my Father was not as sick as his doctor said he was. He was sicker than we admitted to ourselves.

Every Easter, I try to embrace the cheer of the season. I try to remember, "He is risen!" but I drift down that road where I am reminded he is gone. I work to embrace my children's pleasure in the Easter bunny and their chocolate smeared faces. I watch them as they sneak candy from all the places we attempt to hide it. Candy desires are hard to tame.

This weekend though, the sun came out and I felt my soul soar. I felt the fog lift away. The last week or so, I've felt my energy coming back. I've felt my desires to get things done lift up. This is a core part of me, I am a do-er. I do stuff. I do not sit on the sidelines and yet the fog made it hard for me to see the field, to see what I wanted to accomplish. I felt lost and aimless.

Now though that the fog is lifted, I'm feeling my creativity grow and I'm excited. I'm going to need the sunshine to stick around for awhile because it appears I really need it.

Kids + Responsibility

Now that Molly is getting older, we've been working on teaching her more responsibility.  We started her on an allowance, gave her a routine/chore chart and she is now making dinner for us on Wednesday nights. In this post, I'll talk about allowance and the routine/chore chart. I'll save the cooking excitement for another day.

Earlier this year, we started Molly on a weekly allowance using the three jar approach. I read somewhere that you should give your kids the same amount of money as their age so Molly gets 4 dollars a week. She has to put one dollar in each of her three jars - Spend, Save & Give. She gets to choose which jar the last dollar goes into. I thought, for sure, she would always put it in spend but she doesn't. She puts most of her extra money into her save jar.

We don't have a defined way for her to use her Give jar but I have discovered that ways pop up throughout the year. At Easter, our church handed out empty plastic eggs and asked the kids to fill them with coins for two orphans the church has "adopted" from Africa. Molly quickly filled her eggs and even asked me for more money so she could add to them.  As for the spend, Molly has a little wallet that she puts her spend money into whenever we go somewhere that she wants to spend money. I make her handle the entire transaction alone (while hovering behind her) which has given her huge confidence. The allowance thing has already really helped the, "BUT I WANT IT MOM!" begging when we go to the store. I calmly say, "How much money do you have?" and if she really wants it and has enough, then she can buy that thing. If not, then it has to wait until she has enough. It's a hard lesson but a good one.

I've also made a command center outside the girl's bedroom to keep everyone in the family more organized. There is a weekly calendar, an area for notes and a chore chart area. The most important part of this is the Routine and Chore Chart that Molly and I made together. 

The morning and evening routine chart have drastically changed our mornings. While still rushed, there is definitely less yelling on my part. As a bonus, Scott now knows what needs to be done if I am gone and can help the girls through the routine. We let Molly lead the charge with prompting from us. It's made her feel more responsible and gives her something to be in charge of. 

The chore chart is more of a reminder. It reminds Molly to make her bed, brush her teeth and most importantly, be kind. If she fills the chart with stickers, then she gets something special at the end of the week - a date with Mom, a favorite movie, a bedtime pass where she gets to stay up a little later, etc. I've been using the Be So Kind section as a great reminder for Molly and it really works! She wants those stickers, badly. 

I've also implemented a weekly family meeting (something I learned from Positive Discipline) where we review the week and talk about any family issues that might be lingering. It's a quick meeting but then we are all on the same page and small issues don't become big issues. I highly recommend the family meeting. 

I'd love to hear your tips for raising responsible children and how you deal with teaching them about finances!

Easter Egg Decorating and Traditions

We dyed Easter Eggs today and as with all other endeavors that I've taken on with my children, there was yelling, a huge mess and hopefully some sweet memories. I hard boiled around 24 eggs. I started with 18 but then the girls began eating the eggs and demanding, MOOOORE Egg! So I made more eggs.

Then we sat down to decorate our eggs. Maggie spilled dye immediately all over Molly and herself. Molly dipped her hand into the dye, turning it green and spilling dye on the table. 

They anxiously dipped their eggs and moved onto the next ones before the dye had really sunk in. The simple act of putting the eggs into the dye was enough for them, not the final result. My children are process people. They dig the journey, not the destination. 

There are no photos of Maggie dyeing her eggs because she kept leaving the table and when she was at the table, I was too busy trying to keep her from spilling more dye on my hardwood floors. Maybe next year I should take our egg dyeing activities outside. 

We now have way more hard boiled eggs than I think we'll need for Easter Lunch. I'm making deviled eggs though and I know those will go fast. We're having Scott's Mom and Stepdad over for Easter along with my brother's family and my Mom. The kids are excited to have their cousin over. 

Now I just need to figure out where to safely hide these eggs for an Easter Morning egg hunt and get their Easter Baskets together. This year, I've gone with small tote bags and pretty practical stuff. These kids have too much stuff as it is.

If you are looking for some unique Easter Egg dyeing ideas, I've got 10 clever ones for you over at Seattle Refined. If you are into a more natural form of egg dye, then check out the article I wrote for Seattle Refined last year about Natural Easter Egg Dyeing. 

New Camera, Renewed Passion

I've been lax taking proper photos of my children. The purchase of new camera has renewed that passion though. Today when my little monkeys decided to play dress-up as they do almost every afternoon, I decided to document some of their antics.

One of their favorite things to do is wear their bike helmets in the house. Safety first!

I have a feeling that I'll be taking more photos, more often now that I have a fancy new camera. It feels good to be reconnecting with my passions. 

Preparing for the Week

Tomorrow, Tuesday 9/15 is another Day in the Life Photo Challenge! Come join us in documenting your day! 

Now that school is back in session, we have a lot going on everyday. It feels like each activity or place has its own set of equipment needs. In the past I've spent the morning before school or our activities, running around trying to grab everything we need and usually forgetting something. This year with the increase in school time for Molly, I decided to step up my game. On Sunday afternoon, after my one-hour meal prep, I rounded up our stuff and starting putting bags together for each activity. Molly has school four times a week while Maggie goes to co-op one day and daycare another. On top of that, we have swim one night a week and dance on another. 

I started packing our biggest bag which is swim. The swim bag can easily go sideways. Inside the bag, I packed our towels, pajamas (we go to swim at night and I put the kids right into their pjs to go home), shampoo and most importantly, snacks! I usually get the kids showered and changed before handing them snacks so I can quickly change out of my swim gear. Snacks have saved me from chaos many a time so I make sure to always pack lots of snacks. 

Our next bag was Molly's dance bag. She's taking ballet and tap this year which means two pairs of shoes along with tights and a dance costume. I think she's going to need leg warmers soon too. 

Then I packed up Molly's school bag. It's supposed to be rainy this week so I made sure to pack her rain outfit along with a change of clothing and her water bottle. Her school takes care of all food so I don't need to worry about that for school. 

Finally I packed up Maggie's co-op/daycare bag. I stuffed it full of diapers, wipes, a change of clothing and some snacks. I'll add a water bottle and some fresh fruit to her bag later. 

And now I feel ready for the week! Well, at least I have our bags packed and ready to go.  

Suncadia Revisited!

This past week, the girls and I were lucky enough to tag along with Scott on a work retreat to Suncadia. We've visited over Memorial Day weekend and when Scott said he was going to return for work, we leapt at the chance to join him. On the way over, I did get a bit worried that I had bitten off more than I could chew. Scott was in meetings all day and often late into the night which meant I was in charge of the kids in a strange place 24/7. This was so not a problem. In fact, it was easier than being at home.

The week before we left, I carefully packed and planned out our meals. I brought most of our food with us since our room had a small kitchenette with a little stove, mini fridge and microwave. The only thing missing was a freezer. Planning and packing our food was a savior for me and left me more time to play with the kids. Suncadia has three pools - one at the Lodge and two at the Swim Center. We ended up swimming at the Lodge pool most of the time as Molly said that was her favorite. I think she liked the small setting and I loved the view of the Cle Elum river.

I also signed the kids up for some Tot Time at Campcadia. As luck would have it, it was the one day where everyone fell asleep during nap time. After some internal debate, I decided to wake them up so they could enjoy their Wee Picasso painting time. I think they were happy that I did. They created some very messy masterpieces. 

We had the best time at Suncadia. It was a nice way to start winding down the Summer. We've had such a hot and awesome Summer but there is a part of me wishing for the crispness of Fall and the comfort of routine. I know I'll feel differently when I'm trapped inside with the girls due to rain (or heck outside in the cold rain with the girls because nothing keeps them inside) but for now I'm dreaming of hot coffee, cozy knitting and crisp Fall days. 

When it starts raining again, I'm going to hold on to the memories of my water babies playing at Suncadia. 

Beach Vacation!

Last week, we packed up the car and headed to the Oregon Beach with a lust for adventure! We had loads of adventure, relaxation and exhaustion. The entire family was in need of a vacation away from our everyday lives and the beach helped us reconnect. It sounds a bit trite to say that but we really just needed some time as a family of four where we weren't rushing and we weren't tied down to a schedule.

The girls were able to dig in the sand, dip their toes in the Pacific Ocean (and run away screaming from how cold it was) and giggle into the night.

Molly spent most of the vacation in her favorite outfit - a swimsuit. I brought 4 with us and her grandma gave her another. All were worn and came home covered in sand.

We spent some much needed time with Scott's Mom and Grandmother who live near the beach. It was a delight to spend some relaxed time with them.

I know that I can not wait to visit the beach again next year. I feel like we are getting better about finding good beach homes, knowing what to pack (even though I still pack way too much) and knowing when to head to the beach. Until next year, I'll just gaze at my photos and remember our sweet beach vacation.

This Moment

This morning, I got up at 5:15 a.m. after only 6 hours of sleep. It was a hard wake-up especially since Maggie had been up twice the night before and then joined us at 3 a.m. to snuggle into our bed. Still I arose. The birds were chirping and the sun was just starting to peek out. I slipped on my workout gear, brushed my teeth and grabbed my keys. I stopped to snap a picture of the lilacs, I had picked the afternoon before. 

I headed to barre3 class and watched the sun rise over the hills. I love the drive to barre3 in the morning. Few people are out and now that we are closer to Summer than Winter, the sun is gorgeous in the morning. I made it through my workout and headed home to my family. 

Maggie greeted me at the door with a huge roar and a smile. She leapt into my arms and laughed when I said I needed coffee. I chatted with Scott as I got everyone ready for the day. Scott headed to work while the girls and I headed to Greenlake. We met a friend who I haven't seen in a long time but adore. We caught up on life, had a few laughs and strolled around the lake. I'm always left feeling a peace when I see this friend. She's a wise soul. I realized that these simple moments are what make up the joy of life. A simple stroll, a simple cup of coffee and some laughs can start off the week at the right pitch. The girls and I played at the playground after our walk and even ran into a friend from co-op. This afternoon will be spent catching up on work, naps and chores but after our simple, magical morning, we can take on the drudgery of daily life. 

The Comfortably of Routine

I've written about routine before. There is a comfort in having a routine and for me, there is calmness is knowing that things happen on certain days at certain times. Last year was full of uncertainty, change and little comfort. This year, I've been working toward simplicity which has also meant a dive back into routine. 

We have our daily routine which changes according to our planned activities every day and that has been working well. It is my weekly routine that has needed some shaping. I have a lot going on with my two kids, freelance writing, taking care of my Mom and maintaining the home front. 

I based my new weekly routine on my old weekly routine:

Monday is for Errands. I do all errands on Monday from stopping by the library to going to the store to returning things to friends. During Maggie's nap and Molly's quiet time, I concentrate on getting some writing work done. I can usually get a good hour or so in. 

Tuesday is for Laundry. Molly goes to co-op in the morning so Maggie and I play and start the laundry. I concentrate on clothing laundry on Tuesdays. I tend to save towels and sheets for later in the week but get started on them if I have time on Tuesday. I also concentrate on getting more writing work in during Maggie's nap and Molly's quiet time. 

Wednesday is for Cleaning - I clean half the house (Playroom, Living Room, Dining Room and Bathroom) on Wednesdays during Maggie's nap and Molly's quiet time. If Molly doesn't want to have quiet time then she helps me clean. She loves washing windows so I put her to work! I love having a clean house but I don't like cleaning every day. I do have the kids help me pick-up every night and we try to wash dishes every day so cleaning days are focused on actually cleaning. This is also a day we visit my Mom in the morning. We see her at other times but we almost always see her on Wednesday. 

Thursday is for Cleaning, Part Deux - Molly has co-op in the morning and I work in her classroom. I clean the other half of the house (Bedrooms and Kitchen) and launder the sheets, towels and kitchen rags during Maggie's nap. Molly has usually given up on quiet time at this point in the week so either helps me or watches a show. If Maggie takes a long nap, I get more work done then. 

Friday is for Big Projects - Friday is a pretty open day for us, other than gymnastics class in the morning so I like to use it to focus on getting bigger projects done. I've fallen behind on my goal purging the house with the Bowl Full of Lemons 14 Week Plan. I got behind on the office and am getting back into it. I have a HUGE list of home improvement plans to tackle too. I'm planning to talk more about this later but the list is basically some small things like painting, putting up some new house numbers (because ours are a weird, ugly font) and bigger things like new insulation and a new cover in our backyard.

Weekends is for Catching Up and Fun - I try to take time on the weekend to head to a coffee shop to get some work done and get in some swatching time. I also try to work on the yard and garden on the weekends when Scott is around to wrangle the kids. 

As with everything in life, this routine has it's ebbs and flows but I have found that when I stick to it, I feel calmer, more accomplished and most importantly happier. 

Daredevil

We went to the park this morning. Molly ran around with her friend and Maggie did her best to keep up. She took her time warming up though. First she hung out with the mamas before deciding to emulate the big kids. 

It wasn't until we were on the slide structure that her true daredevil side came out. She took a tumble at one point, cried and then shook it off before re-tackling the stairs. She went down the twisty slide that scared Molly's friend (and rightfully so, it's tall and twisty and a wee bit scary). Once down, she toddled back to do it again. 

I love her carefree spirit even as my heart lurches in fear. I love that she giggles when I swing her too high. I'm thrilled when she tries something new out. My little daredevil. I hope she keeps adventure in her heart, for always.