as a bob

Swinging, on the BIG swings.
Towering, long chains may be twisted 'round and 'round for good long spins.
Gain momentum PULLing and pushing,
PULLing, pushing.
Eventually so high, easily touch all blue sky.

Pulling
Pendulum pinnacle, the mighty delicate pause
Pushing
swooshing tresses over eyes
Pulling
swishes back from wide grin, stomach fluttery
With god speed, wind whispers, skirt whipping 'round
Balance in perfect motion

then a tip, a side swipe, all goes awry
and a choice

reconnoiter from a hard fought motionless position, scraping feet spraying gravel

or ride the wild undulation, eventually equilibrium restores
pulling, pushing, pulling, pushing
onward.

Cuteness

Today, we're all under the weather a bit, fighting a cold.  Headed to a co-op mom's house for a homeschool lesson and playing.  Some contention about the trampoline caused it to be closed for the remainder of the visit, some birthday singing over pumpkin muffins, Toddler E went down the super-fast slide several times and patted the dog.  The virtue this week is creativity (last week was confidence, and before was respect), storytelling and illustrating, then a little BrainPop video about Fall Equinox.  On our way home, babe asleep, we started pass a parade lining up.  Turns out it was Bear Creek Highschool Homecoming, too too cute.  We waited patiently and finally got to cheer them all on, I got to scream "GO CLARINETS! GO WOODWINDS!"  and "ORCHESTRA ROCKS!"  Every time I whooped and hollered some kid threw candy, Miss Monkey's pockets were overflowing with candy.  Continued home chatting about the parade, the band and the 4H horses were my fave, some bareback and standing up in their saddles, brave girls.  I didn't see a banner, but I could tell who the homecoming court were---beautiful kids all!  We read some books, E painted a bit, and I reorganized my fabrics.  There is a big bag of scraps for the firstborn to toy with if she chooses.  Started a set of wings for Toddler E, and then decided since I'd have to bathe both of them, we needed to do another hand/foot print paper.  Turned out well I think.

Onward.

When she started walking

Mobile?

Yes folks we are a GO for mobile posting.  Oh, be still mine little heart, the possibilities are substantial!

The Summer Melted Away

 

But not without a flurry of activity before it was really over.  In classic form a very real shift in weather happened Labor Day weekend and since then we’ve not had a day over 75, with nice cool nights and almost chilly mornings, along with a lot of afternoon showers.  It was a pleasant summer I think, the hottest days occurring late August, just as it “should” be.

In typical end of summer quasi-panic I realized I wanted to connect with several Mamas and kiddos before summer totally quit and I set up lots of visits and activities, we were out doing doing doing (hence I was not inside writing).   So, an update of whatnot.

Toddler E is starting to be more and more interested in toileting, she really enjoyed practicing on the potties in the consignment shop (yes, people do consign potty chairs and the like).  She is adept at letting me know when her diaper is dirty and will tell me when she has gone “shee-shee”, signing as well.  We need to go ahead and make available child size toilet seat and tiny potty chair for her, maybe speed the process along.  She talks, big sister taught her, “No!” and “Mine!”  Then of course there are Mama, Papa, Bye-Bye (with kisses blown), Duurhtee, and many other semi-gibberish interpretations.  Maybe I’m more aware this time around, the quickness of progressive learning is amazing to me, and the silliness this one possesses is different, I observe, from the serious intensity of The Firstborn. 

Miss Monkey has started Homeschool Connection on Mondays, then Rising Tigers (invitational pre-competitive team) 3 evenings a week, Fridays we’ve our little co-op Mile Hi Mommas have put together, and the middle days are chock full of other activity.  I’ve yet to purchase a solid curriculum to work from, though we read a LOT, and explore even more.  Yesterday F & I had a touching conversation about growing up and how hard it seems.  Tried to impress upon her that she’s lucky to be aware of her growing so that one day she can look back and think, “it was so fun when I was little enough to do that!”  She’s been growing through some stuff lately, and Love n Logic has helped immensely.  Enki will be a wonderful diversion from standard homeschool curriculum it seems, fostering my own passion for learning to ignite my children’s.  This system expects that the curriculum should serve the family and not the other way ‘round.  Also, that trying to DO too much can backfire, down time (a.k.a. boredom) is the breeding ground for imagination.

Labor Day weekend The Man and I celebrated—yes actually set aside time and celebrated—eight years of marriage.  We tripped up to Vail for a night and a day to see the Gospel Prayer Meetin’ of the annual Jazz Festival.  The first time in 5 years that we’ve taken an overnight trip alone, it was fantastic.  We returned refreshed and enjoyed the rest of the weekend with the girls.

More to come, it’s late now and I’ve dreams to meet.