2011 Christmas Ideas

It is officially Christmas 2010, and as I think about this year and my good intentions, I thought it best to have a place where I could write my Christmas ideas for next year that I can refer back to...

November 2011:

• Start making Christmas cards from Kai's art
• begin preparing the advent calendar that I so dearly want to do when Kai is older.  It is a cross between the action cards seen on aliedwards.com (pictured above) and a small daily activity with all the supplies included in the advent pocket that I saw on a blog that I was browsing (sorry, forget the site!)
• order or make a similar garland as made by anastasiajaminhome on Etsy
• craft some felt ornaments with my class as seen on this website (http://rosylittlethings.com/walkwoodspattern.html) and as also pictured above (I can't figure out how to insert pictures where I want them yet)

That's all for now, although I am pretty sure I'll add more later!

Boiling it down...

Yesterday a blissful recounting of simple days with my boys...today, an academic struggle to summarize my learning over three years in a powerful format.  As one of my educational gurus asserts, 'we teach who we are'.  Oh, Mr. Palmer, if only those five words were enough.  Perhaps if I break it down to these questions, it will all become simpler: Who am I?  How does that reflect in my teaching?

Who am I?


a lover of stories
a student in the school of creative play

a passionate voice
a compassionate heart
a nurturing soul

a libra in the constant act of balance
a mother full of joy, ache, hopes and dreams
a believer in community

a thinker. a writer. a doer. a reflector.


Yes, I teach who I am.  It is all that I know.
As I grow, so do my students.
As they grow, so do I.

When Life is Simple...

Day 4 of our family getaway to Ucluelet.  I love what we have been doing: art, walks in the rain, splashing in puddles, running from ocean waves as they crash to the shore, reading, watching videos...nothing planned, but everything perfect. 

Here are a few photos of playground games and Kai 'putting his trucks to sleep', but mostly it was too rainy to risk taking out our camera. 

Currently Marc is putting Kai to bed with multiples books, endless cups of 'mee-ilk' and lots of laughter...what is it that they do in there?!  I just finished soaking my hands in a sinkful of hot, soapy water while doing dishes, a task that I find so relaxing when I am not in a rush to get things done...this feeling goes way back into my childhood, although then I was also continually re-wetting the dishes in the drying rack so my brother wouldn't get out of drying while he was off somewhere trying to get out of drying. 

How I love vacation.  We can stay in our pyjamas until noon.  We can all sleep together in one bed without waking each other up, because we are so tired from fresh air.  On this trip, Kai has made it a habit to climb into bed with us when he wakes up in the night, and I love it...for vacation only, that is.  I can begin to daydream about what I can make with my own hands again, since soon I will have time.  I can begin to live in the moment with my family again, rather than with my work.  How I love vacation...

Ode to Joy: Painting Bliss

Let's just put it out there - Kai is so much fun!  As you can see in the pictures I have added (yes, too many, but I couldn't stop the pride I felt!), I have a little painter in the house.  There is little as enjoyable as rolling out a giant piece of paper, opening up all the paint containers, pulling out a variety of paint brushes and just playing.  We both roll up our pants, or often in Kai's case he takes them right off, and create, ignorant of the 'mess' that surrounds us.  Sometimes he copies the way I play with the brushes and paint, and other times he is in his own world.  We have done sponging, splattering, mixing, spirals, and today we practiced using our wrist to paint back and forth...one, two, one, two.  We often chat along the way, sharing what we are painting, and give encouraging words.  "Good job, Mommy!"  "I like the way you are rolling your paint brush, Kai.  You are very creative!"

We generally paint after dinner, and if bedtime was not calling, we could probably go on for hours.  So I tell Kai "Five more minutes of painting, love" and begin to take away the paint, one colour at a time while he adds his finishing touches.  We put the paint away, peel off Kai's paint-covered clothes and jump into the bath for the first relaxing step of clean-up.  Daddy is usually just coming home at this time, so we get into pyjamas, show off our many new works and set about displaying them and mopping up the floor.

How I love our time creating together.  What a pair we are.  What a gallery our house is becoming.

Sewing Success

My first 'real' sewing project beyond Grade Eight home economics, which was a looonnnggg time ago. Since I saw what seemed to be a simple pattern for a cape on the Puking Pastilles website (www.pukingpastilles.com), I have been wanting to make one for Kai. I originally thought it would be an easy Halloween costume that he had a hope of keeping on for longer than a few minutes, if only because he may have forgotten that he had it on. Well, now it is almost Christmas, and I had given up hope on getting it done this year. When Marc took Kai out for a walk this afternoon to get some groceries, I thought I would take a quick look at the pattern and see if perhaps I could tackle a small piece of it while they were out. Two hours later and voila, a completed project!

I am so proud of myself for not only taking the time away from my looming graduate deadline and doing something fun, but for actually finding it fun! I was patient and peaceful, even the two times I had to change my sewing machine needle and the multiple times my thread broke (finally figured out to adjust the tension!). Kai may not be excited as I am, but the day will come...

Loving...

Loving the festive Christmas music playing everywhere I go. It always helps me to remember the joy of the season.

Loving how sweet my little boy is becoming. It is wonderful to see all the characteristics of his personality developing.

Loving the glow of the lights in our house.

Loving the amazing mixture of Irish Cream and hot chocolate...oh, winter, if only the other seasons could bring me such taste bud-loving flavours.

Loving that I have an hour to myself at home and I am feeling the beginnings of health to be able to finally enjoy these moments.

Loving how incredible our extended health plan is...massage, now that I have time for you, we will be seeing each other more often.

Loving that my graduate presentation was moved up a week and now I will be done on January 5th. Oh, Wednesday nights, I will cherish your availability every week.

Loving the update emails I am getting from my Mama's group. I am so fortunate to be blessed with such wonderful ladies in my life. We do not see each other as often as when we first met, now that many of us are back to work, but you all hold a very special place in my heart.

Loving that vacation is just around the corner. Ucluelet, here we come to enjoy every minute with you.

Loving the possibilities for activities this week:
Van Dusen Festival of Lights
(http://vancouver.ca/parks/parks/vandusen/website/events/fol.htm

Vancouver Christmas Market
http://www.vancouverchristmasmarket.com/

...are on the top of my list in the next few days.

Loving that my brother sent Kai a video message from Santa Claus.

Love this season!

My Christmas List

This year, I truly feel the need for nothing but time. This gift will come to me late, on January 12th at approximately 5 p.m. to be more specific. No more graduate work after this time for me! I dream of doing so many things, of which these are a few:

- have a weekend full of no plans
- games night with friends
- do a yoga class...goodness knows my body could use it!
- craft, craft and craft some more - sewing, knitting, scrapbooking...
- real date nights with my husband, when I'm not thinking of all the work I have to do
- more playdates with my son

And here are a few I already have planned:

- ladies night snowboarding lessons at Mt. Seymour
- Photo Walk with Amanda Kerr Photography
- gymnastic lessons with/for Kai at Phoenix Gymnastics on Sunday mornings
- a night of good food and painting at Raw Canvas

So, where is my Christmas list, you ask? I don't have one. Period. I have everything I need to love my family and friends, and to be creative except time, which is coming soon. Perhaps if you are one of those people who is intent on getting a gift for me (and I DO LOVE gifts!), how about something for us to do together? A date!

The Sweetness of a Little One

My son is a boy's boy. Given a chance, he will choose to run, jump, hop, climb and generally explore. Case in point: Last night at Rona, after running up and down the aisles, breaking a decoration and pushing a screw threw multiple boxes, he decided to check out what was behind the row of lanterns on the floor. He disappeared for a few minutes, and came out with a giant grin on his face and six years of 'dust' on his pants from the palettes on which he was playing.

But Kai also has this sweet side that is showing more and more. Marc and I have been sick and injured for what has felt like all of November, and continues on into December. Marc put out his back and was out-of-bounds for Kai for a good week. As hard as this was for Kai, he adapted and took care of his little bear instead, laying him down with a tissue pillow and blanket, and putting ice on his back. Kai also had mysterious empathetic back pains himself :).

The other day, I coughed while decorated the house with Kai, and heard one of my already-tender ribs pop, and winced in pain. I hear a concerned, "Hurt your back, Mommy?" and replied, "My ribs hurt, buddy." He leaned over to give me a kiss and when I thanked him, he had a look of surprise and understanding on his face. "Make Mommy happy!"...it was the first time I had seen Kai understand that what he did could make me better.

The sweetness of my little one...so many stories to tell.