I'm feeling a little yellow

I really had fun with this today and thought that I would share www.simpsonizeme.com
Here is my Simpsonized Family

Cooperation

This is one thing that cannot be forced, especially with small children. You may be able to get them to do what you want but there will always be screaming and crabby moods if you force it. I re-learned the best way to get children to cooperate when my daughter went to a Gymboree class. It was time to pick up the toys and the teacher started singing and picking them up. She never asked for help, but she didn't have to. Almost all the able children began putting the little beanbags away in the bucket. To them it was just another game, but to the teacher it was 10 minutes less she had to clean after class. After being at the class I remembered that my own mother used to sing a little song at cleanup. It's a brilliant thing and it really helps me avoid being a nagging mama.
These days I'm trying really hard not to rush my children. Being a stay at home mom I think it's easier for me to do this. I can set the pace for the day and for what is on our schedule and I try to leave lots of blank space to incorporate the toddler pace my children live in. There are times we need to jet out the door though and I usually get the best cooperation when they have a five minute warning. I also do this when we are leaving from something fun so they know it's coming.
I think another great we do is asking the kids to help us with chores and tasks. Even though sometimes it ends up taking longer or being a bigger mess, they are learning how to help out. I might end up with a pile of wrinkly clothes instead of neat folded ones, but I'm sure my daughter is going to be more willing to pitch in when she is older if I make it a routine now. We usually sing songs while we do this or have a game of seeing who can fold the biggest pile.
Children want to make us happy and proud and if we can put a fun spin on cooperating and make things seem fun vs. a chore then we will hear less whining and more laughter. Isn't laughter what every mama wants to hear?

cooperation is this weeks theme

Quest

Yesterday our family went on a quest to find a waterfall. My daughter has really been enchanted by them and unfortunately living in a city her whole life, she has only seen man made falls. Fortunately with our recent move we now have the opportunity to see many natural waterfalls within a short drive and hike. This particular falls was about a 1 hour hike for us. It was a wonderful journey filled with lots of discoveries on the way. Caterpillars, fairy mansions, flowers, and lots of small waterfalls, ending with the big falls that we had set out to see that morning. It was a wonderful weekend quest and I'm looking forward to many more!

Quest is the topic this week

3..2..1..COMPACT

I have been reading about a thing called The Compact. After talking it over with my husband we have decided that it will be our goal to do the same this year with a few exceptions. He will still be able to purchase new video games. It's his industry and he has to stay up to date and it's basically research material although he will try to rent the games when possible.

For those of you who didn't bother to check the link it means our goal is to no longer purchase things that are new. Exceptions are made for toiletries, food, undergarments, medical supplies and safety equipment, and in our case video games. We will also be trying to eat locally and garden as much as my black thumb is able.

So instead of my beloved Target, we will be heading to the thrift shop, using freecycle, craigslist, and sharing with friends. Just recently before our move Ted wanted to go out and purchase ramps to work on our car. Knowing that we were moving, and that we may never use them again I asked him to give me time to find some. Sure enough within the week I was able to borrow some that weren't in use. It's amazing what you can find if you just take the time to look and have the guts to ask for it.

I think our biggest challenge will be our daughter and the fight we will have against advertisers marketing toys toward her. Luckily we don't watch television so we won't have commercials to battle. Still, marketing is unavoidable even with the absence of tv. One thing she does love though is going "treasure hunting" at garage sales. Her face glows as she wanders through a yard clutching her tiny purse full of coins. Someday hopefully she will take pride that she is stopping these "treasures" from entering a land fill and ruining the earth, but for now she is enjoying all the goodies that she can buy with her own money!

I encourage you to at least think about "compacting." Even if you modify it like we did every little thing will make a difference. "We only have one world" (B.E.P.) and it would be great if we could take an extra effort not to destroy it.

Decision

As my last post said, I move a lot. It turns out that we did end up moving and I am writing from a hotel room in Oregon. I really cannot say what will happen and where I will be taken next but the last place I lived taught me something. I made the decision that even in uncertainty I would throw myself into the place I was living full force as if I was staying forever. Previously I had been hesitant to really try and connect and sink into life with other towns. I had that thought in the back of my head that I would just be leaving soon so why bother.
I feel like I really missed out on a lot of friendships that could have been stronger because of my hesitation.
Because of the decision that I made with our last move I ended up with some strong friendships, wonderful experiences, and I was really sad to leave. I think it was one of the hardest moves that I have faced but at the same time I don't regret for a second that I became attached with my life there.
Planning on leaving can really detach you from where you are but the truth is you may never leave and then you wasted years that could have been very meaningful. Besides, even if you do leave think of all you could have missed out on during the time that you were there.
We are in a new town, a new state, and it's also a new life experience that I have decided to fully enjoy!

Decision is the theme over at www.mamasaysom.com

The odyssey that is my life...

You know that question people always ask when they first meet you..."where are you from?" I really dread that question because it turns into a long rambling that leads me to believe I should just start saying America. I have moved so many times that my mother has several pages in her address book filled with me. I tell her to use pencil but so far she hasn't listened. So, once again a move could be on the horizon for us, but before I tell you about that....here is the answer to that question... "where are you from?"
I was born in upstate NY, so far north in fact that I have been titled "honorary half-Canadian." I was raised sans electricity, running water, or indoor plumbing by some very wonderful hippy parents. I loved it, every day I was able to explore and run and play with nature. My mother didn't have to fear that someone would drive by and swoop me up with a candy bribe. There were no roads for 1/4 a mile and even that road was dirt and rarely traveled.
We spent a couple winters in Florida but those were brief and made me fear alligators.
After that I moved on to Indiana to be closer to my sick grandmother. That is where the rest of my family became glued down. I left the second high school was over and have been moving ever since.
First it was just a bit north to college and then I met the most wonderful man in the universe and moved to Austin, TX to be closer to him. Plus I loved Austin! The weather was terribly hot but live music and fun things were everywhere. We were married a couple years later and more packing of boxes happened.
After a quick stop in Dallas (yuck) for Ted's graduate school we packed our bags for the only city I said I did not want to move to, Los Angeles. It turned out to be kinda fun but I was in about 3 fender benders, my daughter got a chronic smog filled cough, and we were only there for 18 months!
Since we have been married (5 years yippy!) We lived in 6 homes, 4 cities, and 2 states. We just moved to our current home (San Fran area) in January. Two weeks ago my husband's company announced that his team was being laid off. We are looking in the area but even the companies "nearby" are an hour away so it looks like perhaps I unpacked those boxes a little too soon.
It's funny just how many times I am asked if my husband is in the military (he isn't.) He is in Oregon today interviewing and so my odyssey continues...

Focus

I've been thinking about the theme a lot this week. Trying to figure out what my focus is right now and realizing that focusing is not my strong point. I am very random hopping from one thing to the next. Often found looking all over the house for an item that I forgot I was already holding in my hand. Tasks are left undone as I drop them for the sound of "MOMMY" coming from a troubled child. I could blame my kids completely for this lack of focus but the truth is that I've always been this way. I guess this is something I need to focus on fixing... but we all know how my focus is so..hmmmmm