Thursday, February 19, 2009

The 6th of the 6th

I've been double tagged to find the sixth picture, in the sixth picture file,
and write about it.


This is my little Hanna, four years ago, she's eight in this picture. I have to laugh because there she is with a camera in her hand, she's always with a camera. She looks sad, maybe Poppa said something sour, as he looks kind of smiley, but she appears quite glum.

I see she's wearing her cute "ladybug" pants - the little pink circles on her jeans are ladybugs.

Shawn took each of the three older kids for a one-on-one trip to his dad's house, Poppa's house, in North Vancouver. Here they are walking through Shawn's favourite park. As a kid, Cates Park, was one of his favourite places to spend lots of time.

Saturday, February 14, 2009

Wishing

They've been wishing ~

Mackenzie for a piano and lessons again,

Hanna for a guitar with which to sing,

Owen wishes to go fishing everyday,

their mom is wishing too,

for all the above,

plus a camera.

Friday, February 13, 2009

Friday's Fanciful Frolickings



At the end of Singing Sands Road,




is a good place to fish, we've been told.







Wind
in her hair,




she feels the salt water and sand,



and he scoops crabs
by hand.



Bull kelp, mosses and weeds,



skipping stones,



and a sand dollar, all found by the sea.



This sand is ours,



and theirs.....





how splendid to just, be.


Thursday, February 12, 2009

Growing up

With their breakfast of English muffins and tea, they settle in to watch "What Not to Wear". When all the breakfast breaks end, we begin to read. Hanna looks up the word haughty, haughtily in the dictionary and then informs us of its meaning. We discuss Celts, Anglo-Saxons, the pope and Britain. While I read, they get creative.




Owen made more Geomag creations.





Mackenzie finished her swirly picture.





Owen drew this guy with a green Mohawk poking through his black bandanna.




Hanna made herself a hideout and later brought her lamp into it so she could read.



While waiting for his sisters to get ready, Owen shot some hoops.




The girls' personal hygiene took over an hour today. The two of them sat side-by-side on the edge of the bathtub shaving their legs. Once we'd all eaten and were finally ready for the day we went to homeschool skating and

I forgot the camera.



When we got home they rode off to the candy store, each with a dollar in their pocket. They want five cent candies, but there's tax to pay. "How many can we get?" I suggested they check with the storekeeper once they get there.

They got nineteen candies for a dollar.



They get caught in a

sudden and heavy down pouring of hail!



After dinner, Hoop Girls.






On the way there, they ask when they can start to wear make-up!

"Our friend just turned thirteen today and she's allowed to wear make-up now because she's thirteen and she had make-up on today, at skating. On 'What Not to Wear' they use liquid eyeliner, it works good for upper eye lids. If you make a mistake then you can just blend in some eye shadow and it'll look great. Can we wear make-up when we turn thirteen? I want to buy some liquid eye liner because it looks really good. The lady on the show looked so pretty after they did her make-up."


Hmmmm......make-up, shaving legs, over an hour for personal hygiene......ohhh...my little girls!



Wednesday, February 11, 2009

TV again

The news is on and a university in Vancouver is talking about constructing a gondola for its students to get to classes quicker and easier. Owen pipes up to say, "I thought a gondola was a boat with a guy in it with a long pole to push the boat along on the water?"

Again, I ask, "How do you know that?"

"It was on TV on George Shrinks", says he.

Being the last child of four, he watches way more TV than the others did.

Because I was going to be a mom that "picked" not to have cable in my house so my kids would be more creative and imaginative without TV....that....that...."time waster!".

Survivor Man has informed him of much, just as Dirty Jobs, How It's Made, cooking shows AND George Shrinks.

Of course its American Idol night tonight......what will go on in their individual brains while watching that show?

Dreaming

After breakfast, pet jobs and lounging in PJ's until 10ish, some reading aloud was done. I read a chapter from Family Under the Bridge and a chapter of Story of the World 2.



While reading, Mackenzie continued with her swirly picture, colouring it in with Sharpies. She likes their vibrancy and strength.


Owen worked in his drawing book, he's been dreaming of fishing.



Hanna worked on her drawing/sketching pad for a while.



After Owen finished his picture, he played with Geomags. When Hanna finished her drawing, she joined him. They made shapes which turned into a race tracks with a car.

During the reading, many discussions flowed as per usual. In Family Under the Bridge the word francs posed questions which led to listing off all the different currencies they could think of. They want to know more about world currencies so we'll try and find a good book that has pictures too. Other topics discussed: bards, Britain, France, England, Celts, Beowulf, Seine River, "where would homeless Armand have collected his 'scraps of food'?".



Once the reading was over, Owen's dream to go fishing came true.



Before Owen went to get his filling done at the dentist, they went fishing with their dad.



Mackenzie caught a big one and they marked its length on the net.



Since they do "catch and release type" fishing they wanted to take pictures, make markings on the net to
record the size, and then get out the measuring tape ~ 16.5 inches!

The fishers were hungry for a snack and then it was time to video game with Dad. After dinner tonight, it's American Idol.


Tuesday, February 10, 2009

Best Picture

And the Oscar for Best Picture goes to.......Slumdog Millionaire! That's my vote anyway. Even though I've only seen it and The Curious Case of Benjamin Button - That's my vote.

It was outstanding.

I really don't think seeing Milk, The Reader or Frost/Nixon will change my mind. I don't think any of those pictures will even come close.

I think this will be one of those years where the Oscars are scattered. No one film will score big for the night.

These are my votes for this year:

  • Leading Actor - Sean Penn 'Milk'
  • Leading Actress - Kate Winslet 'The Reader'
  • Supporting Actor - Hmmmm, will they give it to Heath? - I'm pulling for Robert Downy as he transformed himself in 'Tropic Thunder, but so did Heath in 'Dark Night' - tough one
  • Supporting Actress - Taraji P. Henson "Curious Case'
  • Best Picture - 'Slumdog Millionaire'

Can't wait to see the outcome and hear all the speeches. I love good movies. My definition of a good movie is one that transports me intellectually - teaches me something; moves me emotionally - I feel a strong connection to the characters' lives; engaging in sight and sound - I want to feel like I'm there or at the very least enjoy the colours, sights, sounds, costumes and make-up.

Monday, February 9, 2009

Monday's Mindful Moments

A few weeks ago, a tribal mate and I were sharing a deep conversation. The topic was on the lifestyles we've "picked" for our families. As the conversation moved along, I was expressing that I've picked this lifestyle for my family, more specifically for my kids, because it's what I prefer.

I picked homeschooling. I have no idea whether this lifestyle is going to be fondly remembered by my kids when they are adults. Being kids, they have no reference point, no life experience to gauge this lifestyle by or from so they don't know - yet. As we talked further, I then spoke of picking things that I feel are important, wonderful and worthy experiences while parenting and living. I am keenly aware that everyone has completely different perceptions within my family, within relationships; from person to person these perceptions can vary dramatically. I know this.

She then went on to share a story that her own mother had experienced. My friend, being one of eleven kids growing up, although she had not homeschooled, several of her siblings had and some still are. Her mom had mentioned (to my friend) one time, that an event that she (her mom) thought was amazing to do with the kids, was not perceived the same way by the kids years later. Three vividly remembered and enjoyed the event, three did not like it at all, and three don't even remember it happening. An excellent control group to prove the "perception" point.

What I believe I know: as long as I love my kids, respect them, honour them, listen to them, have on-going conversations with them, support them, and stay connected to them; all the other stuff is just ~ stuff. And whatever they get from the stuff or don't get from the stuff ~ is just that. It is what it is.

I pick ~ reading to them because I enjoy it. I pick ~ getting them do some math because I like them to work their brains that way. I pick and they pick ~ many things during the day, but I know there are no guarantees that they will remember it, learn from it, make any connections with it or to it. I'm not in their brains, I can't see what's happening. And whatever is happening is completely individual. I do feel fortunate though, that through our wonderful conversations "I" get to hear them, listen to them, hold them, hug them, and be with them because, after all, ~ that's what I pick.

Everything else is just stuff.

Layers of stuff to go on top of a foundation that has been, hopefully, built strong.

It is what it is.

The years teach much which the days never know.
~Ralph Waldo Emerson~

Saturday, February 7, 2009

It's a tradition

Along with their dad and nana,
they stand and sing "O Canada".

They eat wieners and beans.

They scream at and cheer for the players on TV.

They paint their faces and wear their Canucks hats.

They are excited fans.

And thanks to these dedicated fans (so they'd like to think),
the Canucks win the game tonight!
Their dad is pleased and proud to carry, henceforth, this tradition.


Go Canucks!