A Giveaway!

Simple Mom has an amazing giveaway over at her blog. Seven prizes to one lucky winner including reusable produce bags (I've been wanting some of those!), an adorable apron, soy candles, and even a lifetime subscription to Pear Budget!

Check it out!

Outtakes and Extras

Taking photos of a two year-old is a terrific challenge. Particularly *my* two year olds, who don't happen to know what it means to sit still and look at me for two seconds. I've learned to take 300 pictures in the span of 5 minutes and hope for the best. Usually about 285 of those are blurry. The other 15 look something like this:

Let's make a silly face:

Let's get off the chair and move it around:

Ooh, a tractor!

Ooh, an airplane!
Peek-a-boo!
Yes, I know I'm cute.
That's it. I've had it. You're torturing me.
Let's practice our really fun 'NO!' face:
(I'm tellin' ya, you've got to imagine the 'NO' to go along with this one!)

But it is often the less than perfect pictures that capture my heart.
And at the very least, I've captured a moment in time that will never return.

Nim's Island

Am I the only one that thought this movie by Walden Media (producers of The Chronicles of Narnia) was terrific? Well, I know I'm not the *only* one. Russ, Levi, and Luke thought it was terrific, too.

Things to love: Nim begins the movie narration by saying that she is homeschooled (well, island schooled), her father is played by Gerard Butler, Gerard Butler also plays the part of adventure hero Alex Rover, Gerard Butler... well, maybe I should stop there. How about action and adventure. A spunky little girl, a quirky writer, a dad who is resourceful, determined, and loving.

I can't say that there were many surprises in this movie once it got started, but it is fun, fresh, and entertaining for the whole family. And that is hard to come by these days! Two (eight? ten?) thumbs up from our family.

Levitical Sayings

Levi at 6 1/2

Why did you refuse her offer? (Our neighbor had just called and asked if she could take Levi to VBS.)

Sigh. When does the opening melody return? (While working in the middle of a particularly difficult piano piece.)

I'd like to direct your attention over here. (While giving a 'tour' to visiting friends.)

I don't want to forfeit my turn!!

Will someone rid me of my backpack? (Can't seem to get his backpack off easily.)

These go in the school room, I presume? (Putting away a stack of books.)

This music makes me drowsy.

This heat is soothing.

I love dinosaurs, but one thing surpasses them.... horses!

Look at my dinosaur wing protrude.

Hey, mom. I know you've watched this movie because the outer covering is gone. (Holding Nim's Island which we purchased. I tell him he has to wait for Dad to watch it with him.) But it's a Levi movie, none the less!

(Levi comes out of the bedroom wearing Leif's swimming trunks on his head. I ask him if Leif got into his closet as well. Levi holds up a discarded set of jammie bottoms.) Here is his evidence.

Boy Camp, Year 3

Two years ago, Russ decided to create an annual tradition. He wanted to take his boys on a boys' camping trip. Levi went the first year. They added cousin Drake the second year. Luke turned four and was finally old enough to participate this year.

The four 'guys' headed to our favorite camping spot. Don't ask me to tell you where it is, because it has recently become the favorite spot of too many people. Not one site was open at 9 pm on a Wednesday night. The boys had to sleep in the truck and wait for a camp site the next morning. But that is why it is a boys' camping trip. I, for one, would not have slept in the truck.

They lived, of course, and had a wonderful time boating, fishing, swimming, biking, hiking, eating, and playing. (The photos were all taken by Russ.)

(Levi cannot go *anywhere* without finding girls to befriend. He managed to play the role of cave tour guide (mini flashlight and all) with two sweet girls camping nearby.)

(Luke and Drake were heading to the small waterfall across the creek for a lovely shower.)


The boy group grew to 8 members on Friday evening.



The boys met up with two more for a boating/fishing excursion to Clear Lake on Saturday.
All 10 of them camped one more night,

making it back Sunday evening, happy, dirty, and tired.

I had a wonderful few days with Leif. We'll have another mom/Leif date next year, but he'll head out with the boys the year after when he turns four. I am eagerly anticipating a long weekend all to myself!!

Baby Gone ~ Sigh.

Two years ago... Baby Leif Benjamin was born.

Now the baby face is turning into a little boy face.

It's killing me. It really is.

It kills you to see them grow up.

But I guess it would kill you quicker if they didn't.

~Barbara Kingsolver, Animal Dreams

Luke Gives It a Thumbs Up

I think this photo sums up his weekend well. Four days of camping with the big boys: Daddy, Levi, and cousin Drake, with a few boys and dads joining them on second half. I think he lived in his helmet and life vest with all the biking and swimming going on. More photos to come. (I really missed 'my' camera, but I'm glad to see evidence of the great time they had!)


Hey, did y'all miss me? It felt weird to not be blogging, but I enjoyed the break and the quiet days with Leif. Don't worry, I'll be posting often this week!

Childhood Essentials

As I travel down the road of deliberate parenting, I've thought a great deal about my childhood and what I want for my own children. So many things find their home on my childhood essentials list, and yet so many things are strangely absent. A few of the items on my list are big things that we may only do once or twice, others are daily rituals or seasonal activities each year.

I'm taking this next week off from blogging, so I'll leave you with my picture-heavy list of Childhood Essentials and a few questions.

Childhood Essentials

Loads of Outdoor Free Playtime

Camping (Tent!), Fishing, Boat Rides, Hikes in Gorgeous Nature

Frolicing in the Ocean/Building a Sandcastle

Roasting Marshmallows (and S'mores, of course)
Swinging (tire preferably!) Water Play in the Yard (Hose/Sprinkler/Swimming Pool) Biking, Swimming!Rustic Playhouse, Treehouse, or Fort

Berry Picking, Growing Vegetables Playdough (or other molding clay) and Craft Supplies

Simple, Open-Ended Toys

Playing Games

Music (Listening/Live Performances/Making/Learning)

Books, Books, and More Books Building a Snowman Celebrating Holidays Baking in the Kitchen Family Meals (New, Interesting Foods!)Eating Homemade Cookies Doing Chores A Trip to Disneyland
Road Trip Vacations

What is on your list?

Ride a Horse

Summer Camp

Own a Pet

Visit the County Fair

Go on a Carnival Ride

Visit a Foreign Country

Take a Train Ride
Playing Catch

Visiting Museums

Soccer or T-Ball

I am quite aware that another family's list might look very different than ours. I suppose it depends on a host of variables. Location. Budget. Number of Children. Values. Background.

A family living near a tropical beach might frolic in the waves and build sandcastles weekly, while building a snowman might be a once in a life-time experience.

This list skips the bare essentials such as nurishing food, shelter, clothing, nurturing adults, family and friends.

I also realize that this list covers mostly play and experiences. Education, moral training, life skills all deserve their own focus.

Do you try to recreate the atmosphere of your own childhood? Are you putting your energy into giving your children a childhood that hopefully looks nothing like your own? Is it a combination of the best of your childhood and the things that you feel you missed out on or are newly available?

I have incredible memories of going to Disneyland with my family and grandparents. Our trips to California were the 'big vacations' that my family took.

Our childhood summers revolved around a log cabin playhouse that my dad built for us. It was large enough for a full-sized couch and other furniture, and could sleep all three of us in the loft. It had a front porch and a flower-bed with daffodils and roses. It had a tire swing. It was secluded. It was ours. Even into high school.

Disneyland and a playhouse/treehouse/fort are the two remaining items on our list that we look forward to introducing to our boys.

This list covers early childhood and my mind is spinning when I consider what I want to provide for my children in their late childhood and teens. (Yep, you'll probably see the list soon...)

A few things on my list could be a post in themselves. I might revisit them in the future.

Toys, for instance. What toys around your home do you and your children love the most? What toys do you remember from your childhood?