just my thoughts

We did some really fun things today and I did snap a few photos, but I must say I'm realizing I'm not really a camera in the hand girl.  I like taking photos, but with kids it seems like it just barely maxes me to always have a camera at the ready to record moments.  So I venture out, with just my poor memory and then wish oh wish I'd had my camera to record some really great moment.  Like for example yesterday when our 5 block walk to town turned into a 3 hour adventure, much of that spent with me plopped down on a sidewalk, hoping the condo owner wouldn't shoo us away, while the boys mashed up gutter leaves.  And my lack luster photography of late could possibly, maybe be that the quality of my photos just doesn't seem as great as it used to. Is it just that the newness has worn off?  Is it that everyone else now has nicer cameras?  Or could it be that pool of water that it soaked in in the back of the bike trailer on our Yellowstone trip,  oops.  PS if you buy this new model water bottle at REI be aware that the cap can be deceptively askew. 

So today we made leaf banners from the book Earthways that I'm really enjoying and think I will just work my way straight through it and feel really good about myself as a mother.  AND I managed to find my missing sewing machine pedal (well Brian did) and actually use my sewing machine today.  Eason and I busted out a table cloth while Eliot took an unusually long nap today.  I'll toss up some photos soon.  "Mommy, I love doing things like this with you."  Me too, and even though we had some really rough spots in the day, I've got some solid crafty proof that things were accomplished.

Tomorrow we set off to spend the day at a school in town that I've recently discovered called the Gorge Discovery School.  I'm very very excited about it.  In fact I think I'd like to enroll.  It's a two day a week experiential ed. school for home schoolers.  We've yet to decide what we'll do for Kindergarten next year, but this may be perfect for us.  I've always said, "if only the boys could just go to school for two days a week..." and low and behold there was a poster at the health food store advertising just that.  It's a fairly new school with only 19 kids and it sounds blissfully perfect.  It's a mix of place based environmental education with lots of Waldorf sprinkled about.  We shall see.

Oh and if you notice an unusual perkiness to this entry it might be because I GOT A NIGHT AWAY!  I spent the night at my parents house this weekend (another bonus to the move) and after 24 hours away I felt so refreshed.  Yes, I actually do love being a mother.  Yes, I just really desperately needed a break.  Yes, I do actually have energy it's just always tapped. Yes, I spent most of my time running around town collecting goods in order to do fun projects with the boys.  Yes, a mother needs some time away in order to be a good mother.  I'm not sure why this seems to be such a tough tough lesson for so many of the mommas I know out there.  There is so much guilt involved, but man I've been able to face the tough moments with a lot more clarity this week and I think it's no coincidence.  

Quote of the Day:

Tonight I made chicken mole and when I began to dish up the plates Eliot said, "Me have my chocolate on the side."