Monday Ris came over to pick plums from my neighbor's tree. He is super generous with us. She brought her kids and we took them on our hike up Duel Creek to the swing. It's kind of a challenging hike for the littlest two but they were troopers. They each had a few turns on the swing, they walked in the stream, caught a fish, got super dusty. We stopped for our very last Rainbow Snow of the entire summer (we thought we had our last Rainbow Snow the weekend before hee-hee) on the way home.
Tuesday I made everyone come home early from playing with friends so we could have family dinner and our back to school talk.
We used the quote:
"Life shrinks or expands in proportion to one's courage" - Anais Nin
and watched a Ted Talk about how the human bodies physical response to stress (heart beat, sweating, anxiousness) can be viewed as a GOOD thing. More blood to the brain makes you think better, chemicals released and extra oxygen make you sharper and viewed as helpful, can help you preform better...but most importantly Oxytocin the "cuddle drug" that creates bonds between humans is released encouraging us to reach out for human connection. So the best way to deal with stress is to talk to a friend, a loved one. It is especially healthy (for the stressed person) to reach out to someone in an act of helpfulness and service.
Darin gave the kids the challenge of finding a way to do at least one thoughtful kind act everyday.
I told the kids about my sure-proof way to not feel awkward in a new class....go look for someone who looks more afraid than you feel...go try to make them feel more comfortable. Boom! All the sudden you are not worried about yourself!
First Day
Miriam goes 45 min before the boys so our mornings are different this year. She needs to be practicing by 6:30 in order to fit it in before school (which is worth the effort for our family I am not on my A game in the late afternoons). Maybe this will change, but these first 3 days she wanted to spend more time getting ready so her mornings are kind of a rush!
Byron practices at 7:00, 7-7:30 is the roughest part of my morning...going between the three kids, but as soon as M's carpool leaves at 7:45 I turn my eagle like focus on helping to get these guys ready. I am trying to have 90% of lunches made the night before.
These guys have such nice teachers, and some cute kids in their classes.
Their school does really fun activities, and they have all the new technology that makes learning a bit more engaging....but they still don't like school.
I want to convince them to love it...like I did (or at least I think I did, perhaps I am sugar coating memories?) but I need to remember that is not my job. I just do my best to provide a good education, make sure they are safe, and help with homework/projects - they are going to have to learn to make themselves happy with the situation. A good trait they will use the rest of their lives.
Soren especially does not like it, and gets kind of stressy/anxious/whiney about it.
Just another reason to break out the scooters!
A little bit of fun, relaxation, and stress relief before and after school. It's good for them, good for the environment, good for my mental state not to deal with drop off zones and too many cars + kids.
So far I have ridden my bike along with them in the mornings and picked them up half way home (away from traffic) but that will end here soon. Until the snow falls.
I wish Miriam could ride her bike but we have cello issues...still trying to figure that all out!
It's hard to see, but there is a fawn kind of living in between our yard and our neighbors. We heard her crying a few days ago but she was with her mother and other fawns. The fawns couldn't make it over the fence so they were all crying, but we went to bed thinking they would all find a way out since they always have in the past. The rest of them did but this one keeps coming back. We have even opened the gate and helped her out...but she comes back. She is back today, she woke me up at 4:30 with her crying. First thing on my list after the kids are off to school, I am going to call animal control, or animal rescue or something to see if we can get her some help.
My birthday flowers have been popping out all month!
Sunflowers along the highways and in vacant lots.
Yummy tomatoes, peaches, plums...
I really do love this time of year.
