Life Rocks!

I recently returned from a trip to NH to attend the Life Rocks Radical Unschooling conference.  It was an amazing experience!  Being around like-minded people for a week to share stories of this life we are building was incredible.  It was so refreshing to breathe in the love, passion, and excitement that everyone there shared for living a peaceful, joyful life with their kids.  We are home now, eager to step even deeper into this world of partnership parenting.

Highlights:

Meeting up with like-minded moms every morning at 8am!  The discussions we had over food freedom, media freedom, and living peacefully with our children were truly awesome.  I can't wait to attend this group again next year!

Watching how quickly Megan found like-minded friends and just played and played.  I didn't see much of her for the time we were there, but each time I saw her, she was beaming!

The water park.   

The sessions that reinforced the reasons we have kept our kids out of school until they are ready to choose that path for themselves (or not).  I love the freedom we have as a family and I love that my kids are in charge of their own futures.

The entertainment--nerf wars, pirates, sword swallowing...you name it, they had it.  The kids LOVED it.  (Oh, and a TV in the bedroom that had the Red Sox on every night...you can guess who loved that part!)

All in all, a wonderful conference that left us with lots to think about.  I can't wait for next year!

 Evan sleeping with his Red Sox hat on...not sure he has taken that off since opening day!

 Erin was in her element during the Nerf Gun war.  Evan was thrilled with just being in a big crowd of kids who would fall over when he shot them.

 Spectators on a beautiful day!

Evan has told everyone that there was a real pirate at the conference...now you know it is true!

(I know there aren't any pictures of Megan up here, but like I said, I hardly saw her!  She was off with her friends the whole time!)

100 Days

100 Days*!! Today, in the pouring rain with my daughter riding her bike beside me, I completed a challenge I set for myself at the beginning of the year. For the past 100 days I have run/walked (mostly run!) a minimum of one mile EVERY SINGLE DAY. I haven't missed one.  Why? Because I have crazy friends (I won't mention you here, Lauri and Jen, don't worry, your secret is safe with me!) and I figured if they could do it, I could do it. So I did.  Yes, the past 100 days have included sickness (me and my kids), travel (running in the White Mountains of NH is all uphill...all of it.  Even the downhill parts), single parenting, crazy schedules, early mornings and late nights.  And it was all totally worth it. 

It has been a wonderful 100 days and I can't wait to expand my training a bit to include biking and swimming as I train for the next challenge I recently put on my plate.  But for now, I'm basking in the glow of this accomplishment with a smile on my face and a bowl of ice cream in my hands.  And know what I'll do tomorrow morning??  I'll probably go for a run....

   

My kids made a 100 day banner for me and were waiting for me at the end of my run this morning. 

*Yes, I realize it is only the 99th day of the year, but I started my challenge on December 31st so while everyone else who did this challenge has one more day to go, I'm basking today.  Life is good!

10 years!

A decade.  That is how long I have been a parent.  Can you believe it??  Me neither.  I cannot believe what changes have happened in my life in the past 10 years.  When I was pregnant with Erin, I was planning to breastfeed her for 6-10 weeks (yes, that was weeks), go back to work and never look back.  You know, modern woman and all that.  HA!!  What things we learn and journeys we take when we open our hearts to the amazing love of a child and the world of being a Mom!  And now look at us--look at my family and my path and look at the wonderful things my journey has taught me.  I can never describe what it is like to be the mom to this kid--this amazing, gifted, moody, sarcastic, joyful, true-to-herself, Lego-obsessed, boy-clothes-wearing, tree-climbing, happy, loving, kind, fabulous kid.  Happy Birthday, Erin, I can't wait to see what the next 10 years will bring!!

This is Erin right after her Polar Bear Plunge on January 1st. She was cold but happy!

2 Years

Evan's birthday marked another anniversary for our family, one that is not so joyous.  It has been two years since Amy's passing.  Two years of not hearing her voice, not seeing her smile, or watching her play with my kids.  There have been so many times in the past two years that I would stand in my kitchen, phone in hand, just wanting to call her about my day.  Of course I could easily punch out her phone number and I can hear her answering machine clearly.  I've reached out a few times to other friends from college, just to maintain some type of connection to that part of my life and, by extension, to Amy.  It isn't the same, but it will do.  (Don't get me wrong, I'm thrilled to have reconnected with some of my old college friends!  Truly grateful!)  I'm not sure what else to write about this, other than I did not want this anniversary to pass unnoticed.  Amy, I miss you tremendously.  It really is that simple.

Four Years Old!!!

It is virtually impossible for me to describe what it felt like, 4 years ago, to wrap my arms around a living, breathing, perfect little boy. The child who would never have been, the baby we never dared believe would make it into this world, the miracle we needed more than anything...this was all wrapped up in an 8lb, 1oz warm, squirming bundle and placed on my chest that cold, snowy night 4 years ago.

As this blond-haired, blue-eyed little guy grows, he continues to charm all who meet him. We are so in awe of this little guy and so lucky he has joined our family. Happy Birthday, Evan!

 

Party Pictures

Baby's first cake...though as we were talking about it, we realized that, being the fourth child, we have no idea if this is actually her first cake. Probably not!

Tasting...

Oh wait...this stuff is GOOD!

 

More, please!!

Birthday presents wrapped in newspaper.  Love it!!

What is it??

Hum...

Ahhhh...a new laundry basket!!

Maybe I should explain this--you see, Jordan LOVES rides in the laundry basket.  The girls will throw a pillow in the bottom of one and carry her around while she giggles and claps her hands.  Unfortunately, all my laundry baskets are broken, resulting in sharp edges on many of them.  Erin is pretty careful about putting pillows in just the right places, but for J's birthday, she decided that Jordan could really use some new baskets.  So we did!  (See, with a little explanation, a new laundry basket seems like the perfect gift for a 1-year-old, doesn't it??)

A year??

Tomorrow, our Grand Finale, our precious baby girl will turn one. ONE. I cannot believe how fast this year has gone and, while I know how cliche it sounds, I believe the more children you have, the faster it goes. Our last little one has gone from a tiny infant to a nearly-toddling path of destruction. She is amazing and I'm so very thankful for the opportunity to be a mom to a baby girl once more.

 

 

 

 Then (above) and Now (below)

 

 

 

Happy Birthday, Jordan!  I can't wait to see what the next year brings!