Travel Town

January 10, 2011

Off on an adventure to Griffith Park area – Travel Town – where there are many old trains to observe, and old train shed house, and a little electric train that chugs children and their parents around the perimeter of the grounds.  Entry into this park is free and the experience is …priceless watching our boys light up with excitement over these amazing vehicles of the past.

Liza and Lucas Angier journey out with us today.  What is it about trains & boys?  Jake know many of the trains parts, of course, I can only think of three right now – obviously I don’t have that train-boy gene – the tender, the coupler, the funnel.  These are everyday household words used in our home.  I love having this time with Jake and our friends to explore, learn and have fun.  Liza read about an oil fire that happened on December 7, 1898 that Jake was fascinated by.  He is still asking me questions about that fire.  I should have paid more attention.  It’s funny; I didn’t even think he was listening to her read that plaque in front of that old oil fire-truck.  Hmmm.  Just goes to remind me that learning is always happening even when it’s not explicitly being taught.  We’ll have to look up the details of that famous fire on the Internet.  We always enjoy hanging out with our Angier friends!

Little Henry Siebert and Mom, Tara, came over after our trains visit for an afternoon of play.  Henry is 2 ½ and has named his soon to be sister, Booger Flower.  Cute! Huh?  It is feminine.  I think these two boys got almost every toy in the house out.  They had a BLAST together!  And I like chatting it up with Tara.

Photo Christmas Cards

January 9, 2011

One of my very favorite gifts at Christmas is a photo Christmas card.  I LOVE getting these jewels in the mail.  I look at them over and over again.  When our friends and family come over they enjoy checking them out too.  This year, I taped our photo cards up on the chalkboard-covered cupboard in our kitchen.  I think I’ll leave them up a really long time.  This gems stay up long after the Christmas tree and all the holiday décor is boxed up and stored up in the attic.  Maybe, just maybe this year I’ll put them in an album like my friend Jodie does…

Who’s Winking at You?

Tonight I’m grateful for our family dinners.  I love sitting at a round table like ours where we all look towards each other.  Our dinners are usually around 6p.m., a bit early for most, but it works with our schedules.  Jake is a super eater and loves vegetables.  What a lucky mom am I?  Hopefully, I won’t be kicking myself for this one when number two comes around!  To bad I’m not sitting at this table now, so I could knock on wood!  Anyway, his favorite veggie is broccoli. 

Before our meal we pray to God, and Jake ends our prayer with an exuberant, “Amen, Jesus!”  During dinner, we talk about our favorite part of the day and our sad part of the day.  I learned these dinner discussion topics from some of my mom friends at church.  It works!  Especially with our little guy, who doesn’t respond much to a “What did you do today?” inquiry.  These highlight questions prompt all sorts of discussion between the three of us.  Usually, the sad part of Jake’s day is something about a time-out at his MY Fun Time preschool program.  Listening to a four-year old’s perspective is entertaining.  We often have a hard time holding back our giggles when we need a serious correct that behavior talk.  Tony holds his hand over his mouth and has to look away many times.  This is a fun stage to be a parent!  We’ve finally made it through the potty talk at the table stage – phew!

January

The saying is, “Spring Cleaning,” but so many of us do this purge, nesting, cleaning, organizing thing in January.  Donating toys, clothes, and household items we no longer use to the Goodwill - like a cleansing for the New Year. In fact, I have a friend that is doing a 28-day cleanse this month.  I’m sure it’s not called a “body cleanse” because that sounds more like a bath, but I’ve just heard it referred to as cleanse, so I’ll leave it at that – it has to do with eating certain foods while avoiding other foods.  So, the process of starting new is really two-fold, a process of eliminating, and a refocus on what is good. The New Year gives us a feeling of starting over; a fresh start, a clean slate, and a chance to get it right this year.

During the first week in January, we dropped off some of our “to eliminate” items at the Goodwill truck located in the parking lot of our local junior college.  It was in the middle of the day, in the middle of a rather large dirt lot, and suddenly this rare opportunity popped into my mind like a corn-kernel popping in hot oil.  In our family SUV, I started doing “doughnuts.”  The few people watching, a gardener, and the two guys tending the Goodwill Truck, may have described it more like a middle-aged Mom driving around in small circles, repeatedly.  Anyway, it got the three of us in the car all a little giddy.  And off we drove.

We had some challenging moments in our marriage in 2010 and it was tough.  We had quite a bit of stress every time Jake got a cold and developed asthma with each one, requiring him to take medicines and breathing treatments every 4-hours.  I’m thankful for these challenges, because we’ve worked through them and once again the Lord has shown our family a pattern of faithfulness.  He provides everything we need and has not given us more than we can handle.  Jake has not had asthma, except one time this winter!  Tony and I are in love and we are happy and are more gracious to each other.  I’m personally thankful for the good balance of working, being a mom, wife, and friend that I experienced in 2010.

This year, every morning, I want to turn in my “To-do list” to God.    In other words, I want to be open to God editing, rearranging, turning upside down, or completely ripping up my list.  I want to see the golden opportunities, embrace the moments, to be present in God’s desire for my time to love others.  Be ready to use my ordinary abilities for His good purposes.  I want God to be the scale of balancing my time in His one hand and my To-do list in His other.  Only He knows how to steady my life.  I want to be present in the moment, be aware of my surroundings and the opportunities available whether it is as simple as recognizing a good “doughnut” lot or a way to love another person.  My goal is to be grateful for everyday moments and document those moments here on our family blog.

Teamwork & Grace

January 7, 2011

We once heard a sermon where Pastor Rick Warren said, “We have done too well at letting people know what we’re against.  Let’s let people know what we are for.” 

We are for paying attention to what is important.  Working together as a team is a value we are practicing in our home.  Some days we do this more successfully than others, but it’s always our desire as a family for each of us to “pitch-in” where needed…at least in the long run – after the football games are over, after the video game is finished, and the phone call with a girlfriend has ended!

When one person needs support more than the others, due to an illness or busy schedule, our balance scales get tipped…These times can be trying and the family member who takes on that extra burden can feel, well, burdened.  While the one in need of support may feel their expectations are not being met.  Since our routines are often interrupted with life happenings, we rely on extending to each other the grace our Father has given to each of us.  We then can push ahead paying attention to what is important – teamwork & grace.

Connecting Time

January 6, 2011

What comes in a hundred little pieces, becomes one larger unit, and can keep a boy and his dad out of the kitchen long enough for Mom to make dinner?

Lego’s!  These marvelous sets that Santa brought Jake for Christmas become rolling vehicles like big rigs, race cars, bulldozers complete with wheels that turn, parts that become gas pumps, and even drivers wearing the coordinating helmet for the vehicle’s work.

I’m grateful for the time Tony and Jake spend connecting.  After a day of teaching, Tony enjoys connecting Legos and connecting relationally with our son.  Jake squeals, “Daddy, Daddy, Daddy,” as he ascends with great speed into his run, leap, smash, hug, and ends with a spit flying “plthhhh” – you know the sound that boys make as they stick their tongues between their lips and make that silly sound that sends them into giggles.  I believe it’s the boy version of giving Dad a kiss.

Leave No Planet Unturned

January 4, 2011

Today is Tuesday and I’m grateful for the choice our family has made to have me work part-time and have this time to spend with Jake. We are a family who values learning, exploring, reading and quality time together.

We are reading books about our solar system and spontaneously we make a model using toy balls and paper clips (the asteroid belt).  Each ball represents a planet: showing its order from the sun, size, and color.  Of course, it’s not exact, but the learning and fun is abundant.

When Tony and I were children, our books included Pluto as the ninth planet.  Reflecting on this makes us aware that new discoveries and refinement in knowledge are never ending.  It is important to question, wonder, explore and discover.  Jake, like most four year-olds, has a natural spirit of curiosity and excitement in discovering.  We hope to embrace his exuberance and continue to further develop his spirit of curiosity and revelation. 

We believe that children can use their gifts and knowledge to make positive impacts in our world and we are privileged to facilitate their discoveries as parents and as teachers.