Secret Spot

They say that every child should have a secret place of their own. A little nook in a big, big world! My kids have co-opted a corner of our yard, where they've cleaned out weeds & swept away leaves. My boy even built furniture for their little hide-away, where they create magic potions, leave treats for fairies and find respite from their busy day.

"Children need their privacy just as we adults do. In the secret places of childhood, the soul drinks deeply, is refreshed, and flourishes."
Katrina Kenison, Mitten Strings for God

My cups!

Some days these kids drive me CRAZY!! Then there are the days where I just can't get enough of them! I can't believe how fast they are growing up. Everyday we see glimpses of this, my son's vocabulary growing by leaps and bounds, my girls generosity and kindness to others.

A brand, spankin' new grandmother recently passed this wise advice on to me and I can't help but think of it often...this is how I remember her words...she said "children are cups that parents are responsible for filling and then when the children are around the age of 12 the parents have to drink from those cups." Maybe it's another way of saying "we sow what we reap" but, for some reason it really struck a nerve and I now have this sense of honor that I must fill their cups with the best. The best foods, the best education, the best discipline, the best toys and the best love. The best here doesn't mean the "latest & greatest" but what is wholesome and good for them and our family.

Bike Race!

This weekend my babies participated in a local bike race put on by a neighborhood kids club. They were so excited, especially my boy! It's all he's talked about for weeks! He wanted to practice every day! Now, I'm not one to brag...(whatever!) but it's a good thing he did since he placed 1st in EVERY race he competed in and was the OVERALL winner for the boys division!! WHOO-HOO!!!!

Who knew that two short years ago... we'd go from this... to this!!

Meat Fest 2011

Earlier this year our friends, the Karps, told us stories about their annual Meat Fest event. Being vegetarians, my husband & I politely acted interested & nodded our heads, satisfied that we wouldn't be able to attend because of a class camping trip commitment...fast forward 4 months, work commitments which led to the inevitable cancellation of the class camping trip... "YES! We'd love to come to your Meat Fest!!" ("if we attend, will they revoke our Vegetarian membership...?") Not too worried about temptation, we packed up our beer, kids & appetizers & headed on over to the Karp abode. We can safely say, we resisted any temptation there might have been, filled up on yummy appetizers (a vegetarians saving grace) and thank goodness...beer ain't meat!