Strategy and Random Bits

My closet. My organizational starting place. It does feel good. (This is the finished product lest you think this needs some work!) I've also cleaned my fridge freezer and three kitchen drawers and a cupboard AND hauled the usable items to a thrift store. My dryer is also repaired and I have fresh groceries.

Some of this success is owed in part to a speaker the Single Moms and I heard on Wednesday. His name is Terry Small and he studies and speaks on the topic of the brain and learning. Fascinating. Anyway he talked about needing a strategy. I find this is more difficult with an empty nest then it is in a home full of family where what needs to happen is more obvious and scheduled.

Back to the seminar. As you might imagine his presentation was extremely animated, interactive and informative. He was addressing a group of parents of Middle School students - but the material would be just as useful to any level student. Some points of interest to me were - you think better standing up, for fifteen minutes after doing cross lateral exercises your brain is more alert, take notes in color, you think in color - you think in pictures (boy I sure do), and if you keep your goals written in front of you, and develop a strategy, you'll likely reach them. Well, that didn't read as interestingly as it sounded first time around. I will buy the DVD for the women's department and we can pass it around. If you're interested in student success, you can check out his website http://www.terrysmall.com/ . "How to Get Better Grades In School" is on special. This is the talk we heard - 33 secrets of smart students. Study smarter not harder. I'm telling you I needed this when I was a kid - nobody taught study skills - WHAT were they thinking?

Quotes from LK.

After walking home in the rain: I had some trouble with my umbrella. It still works but it keeps coming off the pole. (this is called working?!)

Watching the new Tampax commercial - little skirt, slip proof grip... (Frowning) "Too much information!"

Today was the last regular Saturday for our farmers' market and I went too late to get carrots, But I did get a schedule for some indoor winter farmers' market days so that's something anyway.

Tonight LK is at a BC Lions football game with his brothers. I fondly remember him expaining the rules to our friend Melanie. It gave LK such joy to do this and to watch the game with her.

I'm going to visit my brother near Calgary next month. LK and I were reading the paper in bed one night (too much information?) when what should appear before our very eyes but a one day Westjet sale. 37 dollars to Calgary. Sale ended at midnight. He said, you should go see your brother. I lept out of bed and phoned Mike, once - no answer, twice - no answer, third try - sleepy voice. Yup, sometimes you just have to be annoying. Hey, seat sale - do you care when I come? What works for you. Got off the phone and madly typed in my order before midnight - viola - a surprise vacation.

Tomorrow is my birthday. I will be 55. The number is significant only in that some places - I have yet to find out who - have seniors' discounts starting at 55. I love a discount. Also, this birthday is significant to me because right around this time last year I was really sick and we didn't know what would come of it all. I am much better. I feel good - a bit tired but good. Life is a gift - I'm glad I got here - and in such good shape.

Princeton Family Getaway

This is older news - but still great memories. Andy, Cara and Sarah hosted us at the camp they work and live at. Sarah prepared ahead of time by sorting toys appropriate for her little cousins to play with. Andy and Cara had their place prepped beautifully with sleep space for everyone - we also brought our tent trailer for ourselves.

What did we do? Well, those who have followed other vacations will know that we like to do activities - hiking, skipping, things with our hands such as silk screening our own shirts or pumpkin carving (a dramatic event for me - resulting in surgery on my thumb). This year more of our kids were parents and the first activity seemed to be trying to get children to sleep well - which must have been a challenge because all of our kids looked tired in the morning. Ah yes, things have changed. Little people and their needs are central.

Activities included family meals, the delicious one pictured was made by Andy and Cara. Chicken butchering and cleaning - well, what do you think of that?

In contrast to that, we played at the beach. Each little cousin had their own way with the water. Sarah was still a little shy of it. Anna liked to wade and feel her toes in the sand. Elijah went skinny dipping and loved being tossed in the air. Eva crawled right in with all her clothes on - straight in! Then we stripped her down and she played some more.

We walked, and talked. Some little people napped.

Elijah got a surprise hair cut (trim). I know, it looks like he's having less fun than the girls - but hey, remember the swimming :)

Some girls shopped with Auntie Cara from Sarah's too small clothes.

Eva observed. Look at these matching girls and flower trim too.

We tried to take pictures of wiggly too tired children. Always remember to take pictures whenever the children are fresh! Cute though eh?

Also, some had boat rides, Andy and LK fly fished. The fish like Andy - LK? not so much. We cherished the time together. All of us except for Steven and his girlfriend, Courtney.

A Few Words

I'm not ready for fall. I feel heavy and am already keeping lights on in the daytime. I'm quite certain that this is the year I will buy myself a Litebook like Steven has. Can't share his anymore since he is a big boy and moved out on his own.

My clothes dryer is making some crazy noises which means I will be meeting a new repair man - repair person - tomorrow. Perhaps it will be a repair woman.

I'm in an organizing mood, which is a rare occurrence for me. I love order - but am not a good organizer in my home. Still, I am going to give some of my secret areas a shot over the next month. That should feel good.

It must be time also to pull out the corduroy quilt I began for Steven last winter so he can enjoy it this winter.

I decided to lead Single Mom's again this year. Maybe it will be my last? We will be focusing on parenting and will be studying the book Grace Based Parenting by Tim Kimmell along with viewing his DVD series titled, Raising Kids Who Turn Out Right. In between we will have speakers come in to address other topics of interest. It will be OK.

Also we are part of starting a new care group that I am really interested in. We intend to have much variety - books, movies, meals, prayer, worship - not all on any one night :) I expect this will be refreshing and and stimulating.

My dad is pulling quite the hours as my mom is weaker and requires assistance for most everything. We have talked about night time help - but who and how often? And where do you find a strong, kind, capable person to trust who wants to do nights? These are difficult times.

We were away for the weekend to celebrate Sarah's birthday which I will put in a separate post after the Princeton family post.

Oh - last time I was in church we sang a song which had the line in it, "this world holds nothing for me". I found it to be untrue and I reacted strongly to it. This world is God's gift to me now - to us. The beauty of what he has created, trees, bodies of water, flowers, sky, clouds, meadows, people! Not only that but people have been put in the position of caregivers of the environment and of each other. So, this world does hold many good things for me.

Camping With Sarah

Sarah was in town with her folks, so we started out there and headed to Washington to our favorite campground. We left fairly early in the morning - even so, we waited in the border lineup for over an hour. Sarah was pretty patient - bless her heart.

Excitement ran high for swimming in the 'fwimming pool', in fact Sarah hoped we could camp right near it - but no - not so close. We set up camp at warp speed. When I was pulling the bunk ends out on the tent trailer Sarah wondered how we would get up to them to sleep. After set up it was time for lunch and a nap. Ha - like a nap was going to happen - we would have to swim first and so we did.

This is Sarah's Super Swimming Summer! She had been pretty shy of the water for some time but not this summer. It was so exciting and she had so much fun in the water - even floating with her water wings on her own. Whoo hoo!!

Here's a happy girl waking up and choosing an activity to do first thing on her own. I watched sleepily from my bed on the other side. What a sweetie.

At breakfast time Sarah helped mix the pancakes AND flip them. She said she could do it and only one pancake landed on it's neighbor. We thought that was funny - on it's neighbor.

Sweeping the outdoor mat with a broom just the right size.

Eating gelato right before bedtime at the end of a day of swimming, having a picnic at the beach, playing on a super cool playground with lots of slides and a car nap too (thank goodness - it is hard to wind down when your having fun).

We camped for two nights and then it was time to drive Sarah home. That was a four hour drive and it was great that she had brought her favorite cds to play. Also we were kept busy answering a million "why" questions. It just made us smile - one why question leads to several more.

There you have it - our first ever camping trip with a grandchild and we LIKE IT.

Next, the Princeton family getaway, cousins at the waterfront.

Grandchildren

Fall is here - already. The squirrels are having their chewing season - sitting in the tree chewing the hulls off the nuts and cracking them open. I carry my book, magazine or purse over my head so as not to get bombed on the way to the car.

I was in Alberta for 12 days helping Aimee with the twins while Lance was on a canoe trip and hike. Only when I got there things had changed and he only went on the hike part. This was too bad for the students and him but great for Aimee and kids and me too as I like to visit their whole family.

One interaction I especially enjoyed was that Eva would take me by the hand many times a day and say "Walk, Walk". Then she'd take me to the door and say "Door, Door". So cute and almost impossible to resist. Here's the walk that started it all. Aimee is inside settling Elijah for a nap. Note the little cowgirl boots.

Two at once. I'm just showing off for the camera - Mama is taking the picture.

The view from my room. There is a gate up and two kids who want to play.


Now! And you better take me seriously!!

Elijah likes to play - a lot. We played wild games of ball with a big beach ball sized ball that didn't hurt at all if it bounced of the wall, the window, or even your tummy or your head. Also, sock ball. You ball a sock up and just throw it at everyone - it's crazy fun. I play it with LK when he least expects it. (LK's got a live one on his hands.) Below, is Elijah making mischief in the stove drawer. I understand, now, that he normally does not play with the pots - well, hey, how about IN the pots?


Oh, and a yummy shot of Eva enjoying her first Starbucks orange mocha. Really, I thought my cup was empty but not so - chocolate syrup in the bottom. Surprisingly delightful!

More to come.