The Reader's Digest Version

It's kind of a long story but Nat has been giving everyone a whole lot of grief over Kindergarten.  She's doing great academically but has been really and truly naughty since the 2nd week of school.  I've had a few very embarrasing exhanges with her teacher (who is very nice) and more conversations with Natalie then I care to recount over how we expect her to behave.  Her teacher told us that she sees this every year with a few kids; those who are both very smart, and very strong willed.  Then she mentioned the bad news...that we could expect 4-6w of nonsense before she decided she was ready to comply.  I was pleased to note that her teacher had her pinned.  Nat is the type of kid who has already decided to accept the consequence prior to acting out her bad behavior so when you punish her she has already determined that she doesn't really care.  It's frustrating beyond imagination...but the fact that her teacher had already figured this out about her was helpful.  Also, while I think her teacher's aide does not like Nat I believe that her teacher does.  So, that's good too.

Anyway, now that you have that snippet of background info I'll get to the point.  I have been searching high & low for some new thing that will help guide me thru this time period.  I've signed up for this and that and bought a book or 2 and blah blah blah.  I'm sure most of you parents with "spicy" kids know this drill...  As part of this quest I signed up for an online email called THE DAILY GROOVE.  As with most things I find it to be only partially helpful. 

This one showed up yesterday and I was reading thinking it was hokey and then got to the last paragraph which gave me an intense feeling of peace.  I've made the part I love bold.  Thought I'd share.

:: Implicit Validation ::



Much is said about the importance of *validating*
children's feelings -- telling children that it's okay
to feel how they feel.

What's rarely acknowledged is that children innately
*know* their feelings *are* valid, so they don't need
validation unless they've been previously INvalidated.

When the child's inherent sense of worthiness is
intact, the real beneficiary of explicit validating is
the parent whose feelings were invalidated in
childhood.

Children derive greater benefit from *implicit*
validation, which is most powerfully expressed when we
are willing to be fully present with them as they move
through their emotions.


No words are needed to validate implicitly. You never
say, "It's okay to be happy," you just *know* it's
okay. So why say, "It's okay to be sad/mad/etc," if
so-called "negative" emotions are just as valid as the
"positive" ones?


You'll find it easier to stay present if you hold this
thought: Children who have strong feelings are blessed
with strong Inner Guidance.

Holy Mackerel

I just realized I haven't posted anything since February.  There's a really good reason for this and the reader's digest version is that I am a research administrator for an NCI designated Cancer Center and we're in the middle of our competitive cycle.  I realize that means absolutely nothing to anyone who doesn't share that job description but take my word for it...or don't and just assume I've had my life thrown into a turmoil for the last 8 months. 

Anyway, I saw this today and loved it and need to spend more time focusing on such advice so I decided to post it here.  And am hoping that in November I will have the time, and more importantly, the off hours mental capacity to start blogging again.

New stuff and starting seeds

I have a confession to make.  I have never been any good at starting seeds inside and transplanting them to the garden.  I have an honest to goodness green thumb...really!  I think the issue is that no house I've lived in has ever had the correct amount of sunlight inside to really give seedlings a shot. 

This year I am trying something new.  It's a fairly minimal investment and if it works (especially if it works for multiple years) it will wind up saving a ton of money.  AND it has the added benefit my being able to choose what I want at the price I want as opposed to what the store is interested in offering.

So, I got this thing...

And I got this thing....

And now I just need to wait for the seeds to arrive...

I'll be sure to keep you posted on how this all works out.  :)

Updates on The Garden

I figured out my garden journal.  Yep, Ms. organized has gone and outdone herself again.  Okay, this might not be the best example of organization in my long history of lists and strategy but it's pretty darn good (if I do say so myself). 

I saw this binder at Target.  Doesn't it simply scream GARDEN JOURNAL?

I have filled it with useful things like bad paint.net drawings of the landscaping in my yard.

Notes about what is currently blooming - on a page marked February in the "spring section" of my binder.  For those who are curious this is Lentin Rose & Crocus.

Lovely pages from the High Mowing Seed catalog with circles around the seed selections I made.

 

  

  

And lots of useful advice about things I have had problems with in the past...

and what to do about it this year!

 

 



Garden Journal and First Flower!

I have started my garden journal.  First I drew some pictures of the different flower beds and where trees have been planted...this was all done from memory and is filled with gaps.  As things begin to bloom I will do a spring, summer, fall & winter section to complete my inventory. 

I have also assembled my wish list of things I'd like to plant in the veggie garden this summer.  Considering I have a 12x18' area it's pretty advantageous and needs major paring back.  I'm hoping that shortly after I finish this post I'll be able to choose my seeds and order supplies.

And Happy Happy Happy - we have our first bloom of the season!  Hello little crocus, it's very nice to see you!

Last weekend at the park

We have a really nice park near to our house and go fairly often with the kids and to let the dog blow off steam.  Before, say, 11am we generally have the place to ourselves and so it's easy to let all the kidlets run wild - no leashes needed ;)

At any rate, they put up a new playground recently and it was warm enough, and not too wet last weekend and we gave it a shot.  Got some really fun pictures to share.

Making good on a deal

Back around November James promised that when Natalie learned to ride her bike without training wheels that he would buy her a new one.  She's been sans t-wheels for a month or so now and he finally got around to upgrading.  After much hemming and hawing (she wanted a spider man bike that cost a$120) we have a bright orange Mongoose that says nice things like "eat dirt" in graphics on the paint job.  She is thrilled and after a few adjustments to seat height is off and running!

Long time no pictures

These are from January.  Freakin' hilarious!  There is nothing like fleece and baby fine hair to produce perfect static.  Patrick's face could not be more priceless!

Super Mom!

It's kind of a long story but my children have intense anxiety over traveling in a car without water and a bag of snacks.  I take full responsibility for this...I simply like to be prepared in case we get stranded somewhere and someone is starving or dying of thirst.  Anyway, they now require travel rations no matter where we're going.  Which includes our morning 15 minute commute to work/school/daycare.  Recently Natalie has been wanting yogurt.  I am happy to commute with yogurt and she's happy to wait to eat her snack until she's happily hanging out with her buddies in Miss Jennifer's room.  Patrick, on the other hand, has not figured out that eating dairy in a small container, with a spoon, in a messy 1yo way, in my car and is definitely not happening and is not happy to wait till he's hangin' in Miss Tracy's class.  So, I have to sneak Natalie's yogurt into the car every morning or suffer the consequences.  And by consequences I mean listening to Patrick wail "ooooooogurrrrrr, oooooohhhgurrrrrr, mine ooooooohhhgur" for that entire commute. 

Fast forward to Wednesday morning. 

Natalie: "MOMMY!  You have gone and forgot my yogurt AGAIN!"

Me:  (thinking: what is she talking about?  When did this yogurt forgetting qualify as a habit?) "No, I didn't forget it.  I was just extra sneaky this morning.  It's here with me in the front seat."

Natalie: That's awesome Momma! (gosh she's so southern all of a sudden...note the "gone & forgotten phrasing of her first accusatory sentence)  You're like SUPERMAN!  Now picture her shooting off fake guns in the back seat....

Natalie: Wait, you're SUPER MOM!!!!  More fake gun shooting and psssshew gunshot sounds from the back seat.

Me: (Glowing and laughing hysterically) Thank you Natalie, I love being Super Mom!

What I did not mention as I was glowing over my fabulous Super Mom self was that I'm fairly certain that Superman does not shoot off guns.  And that my shooting off guns in our car would most definitely disqualify me from being any variety of Super Mom.  Unless maybe you're friends with Sarah Palin....which I most definitely choose not to be.  Anyway, after this whole gun shooting, Sarah Palin friending stream of consciousness went on in my head it occurred to me that I'm one step away from being CRAZY MOM!

I've gone and done it!

I joined the gym.  It's been over 5 years since I last worked out in a gym and it shows.  My weight isn't all over the place but I'm just so soft...ack.  Anyway, I've been twice and am going with my friend Emily (who, by the way, could double as a Southern Blonde sweet talking drill sergeant) and I am super excited to be doing this for myself.  And super sore.  Super, super sore!

Way To Go, Natalie! Way to Go!

On Saturday Natalie had her kindergarten screening at the private school we very much wanted her to attend.  She was scared despite our constant reassurance that she was only going to meet new friends and play for an hour.  Soon after meeting the teachers she did warm up and admitted afterward that she'd had a very good time.

Fast forward to today...  I had the follow up to the screening to get the results.

Nat has been accepted to the Luther Memorial School in Richmond and we're thrilled.  When I spoke to the admissions woman today she was equally excited about Natalie.  And in a wild moment of parent pride and gushing let me fill the rest of you in on the details.

Natalie tested in the 98% and fully out of about half of the 6yo criterea.  We've known for awhile that she's got a natural atheletic ability and was very bright.  We're glad to see that everyone agrees with us!

Teeth!

Patrick is 1 molar shy of a full set.  I'm not sure where it is but I'm not putting any fingers in there so we'll just continue to resort to tickling him until we can visually verify it :)  I suspect it will come right in time for natalie to lose her first tooth.   Her bottom right front tooth is hanging sideways in her mouth right now and is super wiggly.  I desperately want to wiggle it constantly until it comes out.  She has declined my help.  Gah!

Grammie's Artwork

The Hub's grammie was a painter and we have several pieces of her artwork.  Unfortunately the style of our home did not lend itself to the barnwood frames that his grandfather had made for them....and the barnwood frames did not lend themselves to being moved across state lines and between homes.  Long story short we had these lovely paintings but they had no frames and were at risk of being damaged.  I finally brought them in to the have them custom framed over the holidays and am thrilled with the result.  They're hanging in the diningroom and while I have no aptitude for interior decorating I think the placement is flattering and came out well. 

And of course it touched all our heartstrings to see them on the wall.  It's really nice to have this connection to family in our home.

Garden Journal?

Yes, it's 1/14/11 and there is a cold breeze under cloudless blue skies...that has not stopped my mind from wandering toward the garden.

Anyone out there ever done a garden journal?  I really feel like this is the year that I need to get a handle on what is in the yard, flower beds, garden, etc.  I've lost all track of it and when I was planting bulbs this fall I kept digging up other stuff I'd planted earlier.  And then I had a few things send up shoots and I have no idea what they are. 

So, I need to get organized.  I want to know what is in the yard.  I want to know when I'm supposed to fertilize it, prune it and what I should plant near it based on size and color and bloom season. 

I think I will start with a small flower bed near the kids play set.  I know I have a tree there (no idea what kind anymore), a peone, and some bulbs.  As this stuff comes to life this spring I intend to catalog it.  Then repeat for each area of the yard. 

Now, how do I organize all of this into a binder?  Here is where I need suggestions.

And I need some kind of a calendar to remind me what I'm supposed to do when.

And yes, I'm aware that I'm type A.

Is it too early for garden chat?

I know it's early January but I'm already thinking garden.  after the last 2 summers it's no wonder that I am needing a garden fix. 

2 summers ago Paddy joined us and the garden went crazy...and then I found a black widow in the overgrowth and couldn't bring myself to go back in and thin it out.  So, I ripped it out.

Last summer the garden was overrun completely by cucumber beetles (both spotted and striped) and squash beetles.  Remember these evil beasties?  http://websterupdate.blogspot.com/2010/08/bugs-1-organic-garden-0.html

I have been doing some research because I want to kill off any leftover eggs as soon as the soil thaws out a bit and of course need to be prepared in case they blow in off the breeze next summer.

Looks like the best bets are Neem Oil and Rotenone Dust.  Both are organic solutions, fairly affordable and have the fabulous added benefit of treating against Japanese beetles too.  So, watch out roses, you may catch a break this year too.

I'm planning to order some of this stuff next month.  I'm planning to treat the soil with these first, turn it, and then in 2w give it a healthy dose of compost that I cooked last year.  Repeat.  I think that by early April I will be good to get things rolling with soil in excellent shape and a plan in place for the summer invasion.  Stay tuned!

This was too good not to share

James & I both laughed hard over this article in the paper.  Hope you all enjoy it!

The pedometer leads to a surprising conclusion

I was curious how far I was going every day and thinking it likely wasn't far enough...and it still really isn't.  But, a friend lent me a pedometer today and I discovered that this evening I managed to take 698 steps around MY KITCHEN while I was cooking and serving dinner.

The other surprising conclusion is that on my 10 minute walk from my assigned parking to my desk I only take ~1200 steps.  Really?  Surely its farther than that if I'm taking almost 700 serving dinner.

wild!

Patrick stuff

Gosh they change fast when they're really little...  here's a few new things.

He is talking and saying some interesting stuff.  He learned "mine" on Christmas and has stuck with it :)

He also has all his teeth except his last two 2 year molars.  I expect those to show up in the next few days and we can be done with it all until Nat loses her first...which should be soon based on the huge spaces between her baby teeth and the wiggly status of her front teeth.  I digress....

On 12/21 Patrick was half way out of his crib when Jame found him in the morning.  Rather than him damage himself (because we all know he won't give up the climbing and he ain't graceful) we set up his toddler bed and he's been sleeping in it since.  He's doing just fine.  I credit daycare for putting him on a cot months ago and taking away all the fun from being able to get out of bed on his own.

He thinks the sun rises and sets on Natalie.  We'll ask him to do something and be turned down flat.  She'll suggest it and gets an instant response.  He has also developed a love of baby dolls, strollers and reading books.  I found them the other day sitting in his bed reading to their babies.  Adorable!

I'm sure there is tons more but I wanted to get this all down while I had it in my head.

More Snow!

And you all know how much I love the white stuff :)  This was special snow, however.  Really, really special snow.  It came on Christmas day and all night and we got to play in it all Christmas afternoon and the day after.  By the end of it all we had about 6" of lovely white fabulous snow :)

I realize the pictures aren't great but I got a few and then ran off to play myself.

And can I just send out a quick :-P to all the naysayers....  I am really glad I bought snowpants and good mittens and hats for my kids.  I don't care if they only use them a few times.  They are worth those hours of good fun outside.