I went to bed last night deciding to get a better attitude. Most of this month has been me whining and I am done with that. Things are actually really good. I am doing art, I am exercising, I am reading to my kid, I am stretching at work, I am journaling and even sketching. I am reading. I am taking photos. I am kissing my kids. I am even going out occasionally. I need to just relax. I’ve been doing a lot of the work in Melody’s final lesson and it’s all about choices. So anyway. I woke up this morning, exercised and then got to work. I did a lot of the todo list items while the kids played. Well, Nathaniel just put stickers all over his legs. (His recent obsession.)
And David was on the computer.
Here’s Nathaniel smirking but not looking at me.
Then it was time for the family shot. The thing is, with four people almost always one boy is looking elsewhere.
And when he looks back, the other one gets obsessed with the remote.
We try a bunch more times and then it’s time to get crazy. Everyone laughs and enjoyes tickle time.
Then Jake left to work and David and I did workbooks and he read a book to me and we got organized. So now he knows which workbook to do on what day (he does 3-5 pages a day) and he also picked 6 books to read for the week (one a day). I’ve been meaning to do this for a while and I am glad we finally got organized.
Then tried to get a shot of David. He was smiling so much that his eyes got small.
So I told them to make them bigger. And this is what I got.
Followed by this.
I tried to get Nathaniel to nap several times today but alas it wasn’t to be. So we all played for a while, I journaled, etc. Then Daddy came back home and it was family game night. David just got Monopoly Jr. for his birthday so that was the game tonight.
We had a great time playing and then the kids went to bed and I did a bunch of art. Finished my Soul Restoration homework (all I have left to do is my truth cards which I have only done one of the whole time. This will have to be a project for March or April.) and I finished the art/journaling book page for this week (more on this soon) and made two more pages in my book. We also worked on all the tax work we’d still left to do. It’s now 9pm which means I only have 1-2 hours left in my night. We plan to spend some cuddle time and then maybe I will draw one portrait and likely that’s going to be it for tonight. Tomorrow’s big task is to return emails. I have been neglectful of emails and comments.
A really good Sunday all in all, though, and I wish every week was a 3-day-weekend!
Three Things I’m Grateful For:
1. I am grateful for so much productivity today.
2. I am grateful for family game night. I love game night.
3. I am grateful that I get to have one more day tomorrow before the stress and craziness of work begins once more.
Three Things David’s Grateful For:
1. I am grateful that I played with my little brother {* his pick for the journal}
2. I am grateful that Daddy won Monopoly Jr.
3. I am grateful that we had game night!
David says:
I gave this story five stars because it was funny because they washed themselves in the water fountain. I thought it was funny that they stuck their dirty laundry in their pockets and wore it.
I liked both Claudia and Jamie because they talked to each other in a funny way (the royal way). I didn’t like that they ran away from home because it’s sad to do that because your parents are worried that you ran away.
My favorite part was when they got the sketch of the Angel because Claudia really wanted to know the truth and she got to find it out. I like Mrs. Frankweiler, too, because she shared her secret with Claudia and Jamie.
I think it was cool that they found the M under the statue and wrote a letter to the museum head. I also loved the happy ending!
Reading a book a week with my six-year-old son David is a weekly project for 2011. You can read more about it here.
Happy Saturday!! We started our day relatively quietly over here with the little one playing and David and I reading. Nathaniel’s been really good at playing alone lately.
He loves books, especially ones with trains in them.
Then I exercised and showered and it was time to take the family shots. Nathaniel knows the drill now and was gesturing for David to sit on Daddy’s lap.
And then all my boys were together. Love my boys.
We took a bunch but the remote was really misbehaving. It wouldn’t take pictures no matter what I tried. So I finally gave up. And found another remote to order. We got only a few shots this time.
Then it was time for Wii and naps. After Nathaniel’s nap, we went to Red Robin cause I was craving the chicken salad. But of course, immediately after eating it, I was overcome with guilt and regret. Then we came home and it was more wii time.
And play time for the little one.
I read and did some art and drew some faces. Plans for tonight are more of the same. Some journaling, some art, and maybe some reading. I feel truly truly exhausted so I feel no desire or energy to do anything even tiny bit taxing on my brain. Thus everything keeps getting postponed while I lay here and relax. Oh well, that’s the purpose of a weekend, right?
Three Things I’m Grateful For:
1. I am grateful for some art time.
2. I am grateful that I am reading a book I love and keep looking forward to my exercise time because it means I get to read more of it.
3. I am grateful that Jake is being really kind to me and my random breakdowns lately. I am deeply lucky to have him.
Three Things David’s Grateful For:
1. I am grateful that I got play games at Red Robin {* his pick for the journal}
2. I am grateful that Daddy spent more fun time with me
3. I am grateful that i got a balloon at Red Robin
Well this week is over! It was relatively painful and yet I still got a bunch accomplished both at work and here. Layouts done, portraits, sketches, art journaling. All done done done. And the plans for the weekend and relatively light which means i can work on my last homework for Soul Restoration. I can do more sketching and drawing and a ton of journaling. I haven’t been journaling nearly enough.
The kids were both at home today. But they spent most of the day quietly playing.
And being nice to me.
Here’s when David realizes that Nathaniel was actually pulling out the stickers on David’s trucks.
He played on the computer. He also played with legos. We read our book together. We’re a bit behind on the book, trying to catch up.
Nathaniel played most of the day. He wouldn’t nap but he was quiet until around 4pm.
Very preoccupied and working hard. I think he liked having David around.
Late afternoon he started getting cranky. I am guessing from not having taken a nap. But then Daddy came home and saved the day as he always does. He’s the very very best. I am off to watch some TV and relax and maybe draw a bit. I will tend to my class and the comments here this weekend. When I feel less exhausted.
Three Things I’m Grateful For:
1. I am grateful for a three-day weekend. I need this one.
2. I am grateful that I’ve completed my biggest todo list item for the weekend already.
3. I am grateful that I have no plans at all for this weekend. This means lots of family time.
Three Things David’s Grateful For:
1. I am grateful that I got to have a popsicle {* his pick for the journal}
2. I am grateful that Daddy spent some time with me
3. I am grateful that i got to play on the computer
Wow, stressful day! Well, it’s over and I will not dwell on it. I knew this week was going to be hard and I think I’ve called it all forth a bit by stressing so much ahead of time. So I need to learn to do better with that. I’ve been thinking about it a lot lately. All the stress it adds to my life and how much I am not working on staying calmer and tackling things as they come. Oh well. Life’s a work in progress.
David had a playdate today. It was so nice to see them both sitting and coloring.
Nathaniel played, too. By himself mostly.
And then watched his brother and his friend.
Then he watched some choochoo.
David didn’t want to color at first but then he relented. And I think he secretly enjoyed himself.
Nathaniel is getting so much older and understanding so much more. He also says “me me me” now.
And he likes to explore everything. Watch everything. Touch everything. I love love love watching him. Hugging him. Being around him.
I am so grateful for my little life.
Three Things I’m Grateful For:
1. I am grateful for some happy mail yesterday and today. Happy mail is so special.
2. I am grateful that I’ve been sketching. Today’s sketch was sort of a fail but I am still glad I did it.
3. I am grateful that I might actually get to sleep in a bit tomorrow. Yey..
Three Things David’s Grateful For:
1. I am grateful that there’s no school tomorrow {* his pick for the journal}
2. I am grateful that Maggie came over
3. I am grateful that i got a new toy from my friend Matthew
I only have 10 minutes to write tonight because I have a chat coming up and I am still battling with some issues at work. So here goes nothing. David was shadowing at a local school today. One that we might send him to. I would have been super nervous but he was a total champ. And even let me take some photos when we got home.
He is such the joy of my life.
Little one has been eating nonstop lately. All he says is food food food all day.
Maybe it’s just a growth spurt.
Still tired and struggling here. I feel like most of this year so far has been one long whiny day. But I have accomplished so much and feel happy most of the time so I am not really that sad. Just tired for the most part. And grateful. so very very grateful more than anything else.
Three Things I’m Grateful For:
1. I am grateful that David dealt so well with being in a completely different environment all morning.
2. I am grateful that I have a class chat tonight. I always enjoy those so much.
3. I am grateful that after tomorrow David has no school for a week. It means I get to sleep in a tiny bit later in the mornings. Which is always a blessing.
Three Things David’s Grateful For:
1. I am grateful that I got to go to a different school today {* his pick for the journal}
2. I am grateful that Daddy and I are going to watch star wars
3. I am grateful that i got a treasure in my game (on the computer)
Catalyst One Hundred and Twenty-Eight is: What are you (or would you be) giving your children that you wish you’d had?
Journaling Reads:
When I was a little girl, my mom always worked. When I got home from school, she wasn’t there and it made me sad. I vowed back then that I would always be home for my kids when they came home and wanted to talk about their day. My mom was wonderful but I did wish she was around more.
Maybe I should write these entries in the morning because I often sit to write once my kids are in bed and by then the entire day’s tiredness is on me and I am considerably whinier than usual. Today was one of those days where I could do one of a million things but I didn’t have to do anything so you know what? Nothing got done. Bad girl. I exercised, read to David, and worked. That’s pretty much it. Oh and I sketched. I wrote in my art journal. And I am hoping to do a bit of journaling and my portrait after this. But honestly, I spent quite a bit of time pouting and dozing off. I needed to be more organized but I felt tired and out of it. Alas, tomorrow is another day. Thankfully.
The little boy refused to nap again. I put him down three times before he finally passed out.
He played a bunch, went through my wallet, and tried to get me to put David’s new music DVD into my laptop..
He would stick it in the slot and then be shocked when the DVD disappeared into the computer. He’d ask me to take it out and then we’d do the whole thing over again. IT was fun the first two times but got kind of old quickly.
Thanks to Julie I’ve begun a new style of art journaling in the beginning of february and I am loving it so far. It’s pages like Judy Wise and Julie where I write a little each day and then do art and stamping and watercolor and just have fun throughout the day. I am really loving it so far.
After I woke Nathaniel up (and he had several meltdowns) it was time to get the big boy. Who came home, did his chores and went right down to the business of playing.
And then Daddy came home and we all rejoiced.
I’ve been struggling with some decisions lately. And through it all I was thinking that sometimes there’s a disagreement, or argument, or something much much subtler that goes on between two people. An interaction that just leaves you with a bad taste in your mouth. You can’t even describe why but you know there’s just something there. Time passes, it dims. But it doesn’t go away. And now you’re suspicious. All of this person’s future actions, words, etc pass through this filter in your mind. You can never be fully open and free of assumption around this person again. You start seeing things when there isn’t anything to see and then grow resentful and frustrated even though the other person didn’t really do anything at all. It all just goes back to the interaction (now long ago) that planted a seed way back then. And finally, you accept that it will never be the same. You either have to really have a talk with this person or you have to walk away. In my case, I cannot talk to the person, because my relationship is not at that level. So I see myself slowly pulling away. It makes me a bit sad. And I feel a strong pull to call this person up and explain and demand apologies and hash it and rehash it. But of course it’s all senseless. The person probably doesn’t even remember and is doing nothing different from the ordinary. But in my head it’s a big story now and I cannot let it go. So I am moving away from it. It feels like my only option right now. But it still makes me sad.
And to be fair, it’s a small, small thing in the grand scheme of my life. I am lucky, healthy, blesses and so so so grateful. I am deeply grateful for each and every moment in my life.
Three Things I’m Grateful For:
1. I am grateful for the opportunity to join the Maya Road team. I am so humbled and overjoyed and thrilled to be a part of that team.
2. I am grateful for all the students in my Embrace Imperfection class. There’s so much support and sharing and kindness there.
3. I am grateful for the time and space to journal tonight. I cannot wait to cuddle up and write.
Three Things David’s Grateful For:
1. I am grateful that I got to watch the star wars game with daddy {* his pick for the journal}
2. I am grateful that Daddy came home early
3. I am grateful for mommy
Today started great. I woke up, got David on the bus and exercised right away because I was due at his school exactly 50 minutes later. We went, came back, got stuff done, Nathaniel napped, I worked. I had a breakdown in the middle of the day and worked myself into a tizzy and then thanks to some amazingly kind people it resolved itself just fine but I still have the headache to remind me I need to stop doing this.
Big boy was a dear as he always is.
And I realized that we never showed you the valentines he made for his class. Here’s the outside.
Each girl got a stamped flower which David colored.
and each boy got this stamp which David also colored.
The little boy is watching Thomas on the ipod.
And then sneaking a look at me for a split second. Well not at me but at least looking up.
I did a sketch today. It’s got a long way to go but it was fun and I am glad I did it. I still have to do my portrait and I have to write in my art journal. but overall I am still marking this day down as a good one. Any day we’re all healthy is a good one in my book.
Three Things I’m Grateful For:
1. I am grateful that my friend Katie listened to me rant for a good thirty minutes about something relatively stupid and she didn’t blame me once. She listened, she supported and she was wonderful. Thank you Katie, love you!
2. I am grateful that my husband also supported me magically today and rushed right back out so we could make it to the post office on time. He didn’t question me or call me crazy (which I am) but he loves me and I am so thankful for that.
3. I am grateful for the kindness of a semi-stranger today. Someone whom I don’t know and she had no reason to be this nice to me but she, too, didn’t call me crazy or capricious. She worked with me and tried to make me happy. I am truly grateful.
4. I am also grateful for the few minutes of Skype I got to do with my sister so I could wish her a happy birthday. She had no internet today so she hasn’t seen my note to her yet but I still got to see her, however briefly. I love her so.
Three Things David’s Grateful For:
1. I am grateful that it’s Valentine’s Day (he had a lot of candy at school!) {* his pick for the journal}
2. I am grateful that Daddy watched a movie with me
3. I am grateful that we ate dinner out (goat cheese sandwich for david!)
Taking photos every day is inconsistent. Some days life is too busy for any photos, other days we get too many. Today’s one of those too many photos kind of days. We started with the family shoot. Which always starts smoothly.
Then Nathaniel starts wiggling like you’re choking him.
Then the tickling begins.
Daddy sneaking in a kiss while the boys are doubling over from laughter.
More shrieking and more laughter.
And Nathaniel is about to fly out of my lap.
David actually did fly of Daddy’s lap and smacked right on the floor. Then there was the grabbing of the clicker because both David and Nathaniel covet it. So there you go, it’s amazing we get any decent shots amidst the chaos.
After the shoot, I exercised, read to David and we put Nathaniel down after he and Jake went to get David’s cake. While he napped, David played with his legos.
I should correct that to say while he did not nap because Nathaniel didn’t actually take his nap today. He lay there, wide awake. So I finally gave up and he played quietly in the living room until it was time to go.
David played quietly too. So I rested and read a bit.
Then it was time to go to the gym for David’s birthday party. He had been there last year, too so he knew exactly what to expect.
And made sure to make the most of every moment.
Nathaniel ate some snacks and watched quietly.
Amazingly this was the only cake photo I was able to snap before David blew out all the candles and got down to eating. This year, I didn’t get any good “David and cake” photos at all. Oh well, some years are like that.
After the party, we came home and both of the kids were excited to open David’s presents.
Dinner, bath time, some playing and it was the end of our long and eventful day. Another day to add to the list of gratitude and blissful moments to hold on to forever. I love you so much, my son, happy happy birthday.
Three Things I’m Grateful For:
1. I am grateful that we were able to have a small but wonderful party for our boy and that he truly enjoyed it very much.
2. I am grateful that I got a lot more rest than I’d anticipated today so it all went more smoothly than I thought it might.
3. I am grateful that I get to do some art and have some quiet time tonight. I love having it every day but especially on days like this when there’s been a bunch of noise (no matter how wonderful) in my day.
Three Things David’s Grateful For:
1. I am grateful that I had my birthday party {* his pick for the journal}
2. I am grateful for my new legos
3. I am grateful for mommy and daddy
I started the day with eating my frog which meant that the rest of the day was going to be great and then I exercised and then it was time for the Big Picture class chat. I am loving the energy in that class, btw and it was a wonderful chat!! Then I worked on my Soul Restoration work and did a lot of my homework. A ton of journaling which centered me and made me feel so much better. Right before the exercise was, of course, family shots.
Which were exceptionally challenging this time.
Then it was time to take David to a birthday party. It was closeby so we took a nice stroll to it but then when we got there, he got really really upset and scared of the Jedi who was the entertainment at the party. He immediately cried and refused so after ten minutes, we just walked back home. It was a really beautiful day so I just enjoyed the walk and tried to be happy to be with my child. Then it was time to go to our appointment and by the time we came back, the light was all gone. So I snapped one of the little boy.
And then asked his dad to hold him so I could snap another.
I wanted one of the big boy, too, but he had a bloody nose. He’s been picking it too much!!!
Tonight is the art part of the Soul Restoration homework, a bunch of comments in my class, some art journaling and if i am lucky maybe my portrait. Tomorrow is a hectic day so I will need some solid sleep, as well.
Three Things I’m Grateful For:
1. I am grateful that I journaled today. I love the feeling it gives me. I need to make it a priority.
2. I am grateful that I did my big frog work for the weekend. I feel so much better when that “dreaded” task is done.
3. I am grateful that I get to do some art tonight. I love love love getting to do art.
Three Things David’s Grateful For:
1. I am grateful that we started a new book {* his pick for the journal}
2. I am grateful tomorrow’s my party
3. I am grateful for mommy
Today started hectic as I had a webinar early in the morning and then exercised and then did a layout and then it was time for work. It wasn’t until after I picked up and drove David to the doctor that I realized I hadn’t taken any photos. So I tried to snap some.
Little boy was eating his veggies.
Which he likes considerably more than the big boy.
But the big boy is better at smiling on cue.
Then we finished our book which took way too long to read and the kids played with their daddy while I relaxed. I have a lot of back pain lately so I feel wiped at the end of the day. And I still have a few important errands to finish tonight so I can’t just lie on the couch like I wish I could. I also have the art journaling, portrait, and Soul Restoration homework to do. Alas, all wonderful things to spend my time on so it could be much worse.
Three Things I’m Grateful For:
1. I am grateful that it’s the weekend. I really really need the rest.
2. I am grateful that I finished all my scrappy homework for this week so the weekend will all be art and no major deadlines.
3. I am grateful that while I have a long long list for this weekend, it’s all things I want to do and things I am grateful to get to do.
Three Things David’s Grateful For:
1. I am grateful that we finished our book {* his pick for the journal}
2. I am grateful that I get to play wii tomorrow
3. I am grateful for mommy
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projects for twenty twenty-six
projects for twenty twenty-five
projects for twenty twenty-four
projects for twenty twenty-three
projects for twenty twenty-two
projects for twenty twenty-one
projects for twenty nineteen
projects for twenty eighteen
projects from twenty seventeen
monthly projects from previous years
some of my previous projects
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