And when not mothering...

I'm obsessing over my latest thrift store find... a huge collection of Pflatzgraff dishes and serving ware. I scored and we now have - for once in my life - matching service for 8, matching cookery, and even candle stick holders, butter dish, pitcher, salt and pepper shakers, and more, oh my! All for the low, low price of $50.

I am an obsessive housewife. How DID this happen????


http://www.microwavecookingforone.com/Pfaltzgraff/PfaltzgraffVillage.html

Hey Julie Mama

Breathing treatments at the ER and all is well now. Jack started coughing (the same freaky hoarsy croupy cough) last night too but nursed (all night) thru it. Both boys are fine today, just tired. Me too. How can they recover so quickly?

Hey Julie Mama

Mark just took WIll into the emergency room. He was totally fine when he went to bed at 7 pm but just woke up at 10:30 and could hardly breathe. A rapsy dry cough. He said they need to get to the dr. fast because he was having a hard time breathing.He said his throat wasn't sore but there was just a *really* big frog in it. I am so glad I am home. I'm shaking. Our babies!!!

ETA: Okay, he fits the description of croup to me. http://www.askdrsears.com/html/8/T084200.asp I did nothing as far as home treatment. Did I panick I don't think so...he's had to get breathing treaments before and I think he will again. It is a scary thing to see your child unable to breathe.

I blame those FUCKING vax's!!!! I'm held in fear for the rest of my life now over those fucking things. I am angry at fucking doctors and now where do I send my baby off to to get taken care of? FUCKING DOCTORS.

Hey Julie Mama

Still puking.

Messy night

Pukeys all night long on every bed in the house. Now its 5 am, and the whole family is sitting downstairs, by the fire, talking about puke.

I am getting my due fill now of pukeys after 4 years of only one (little) puke incident between my 2 boys.

Wiped.

Jack is pukey and poopy. Yesterday was rough for him. He hid behind a chair, puked. We cleaned it up and less than 5 minutes later, he cries out in a world of hurt... splinter in his foot. From the firewood we drag in constantly for the fireplace, I'm sure. It was a bloody mess, a HUGE splinter that I pulled out. Part is still in his foot, and I am desperately hoping it comes out on its own in the next day or so. Otherwise, off to the dr. to remove it as I have read that its better not to put the child thru the torture of an untrained hand digging around for the splinter. Ugh. Feeling weak now. Usually the splinter will expel itself. Cross fingers.

Today we went to Unity Village and walked the labyrinth that is painted on a parking lot in front of the church. It was wonderful. I hope we can do this often in the winter.

Last, I wish I could connect with WIll. I am hoping more structure/rhythm (there is that word again) combined with some more movement activities in the Enki curriculum will hellp us. He wears me out, emotionally, physically. Everything.

Off to read.

Current reads for me include:
My Enki Teaching Guides!!!

The Wisdom of Solitude:A Zen Retreat in the Woods


The Soul's Code: In Search of Character and Calling

Soul's Code has been put on the back burner though since my Enki Guides have arrived. But so far I have LOVED it!

I particularly keep in mind Picasso's quote:

I don't develop. I am.

Kinda Zen, huh?. : )

The boys are reading:
Enki Nature Stories! The first story read read - no pictures at all- had them entralled. I wondered how well they would accept reading with no pictures to look at but it was only slightly questioned and easily accepted.


The Cobweb Christmas


The Children's Book of Virtues

And thier favorite dogs, Spot and Clifford:
Spot

http://www.amazon.com/Cliffords-Puppy-Days-Read-Clifford/dp/0439725259/sr=1-2/qid=1164163425/ref=pd_bbs_sr_2/103-2480950-2852600?ie=UTF8&s=books

And moving on to more FUN stuff...

I can never seem to insert my picture captions with the right pics so here's an overview of what it below, in no particular order. I think you can match it all up...

1) Will loves giving Jack a good hair wash.
2) Ever day, 2 usually naked boys watch out the window and wave good-bye to Daddy. The day Does Not Start until Daddy is properly sent off.
3) Green smoothies with pink straws are the best. Our favorite smoothie - bananas, greens, and pineapple coconut juice. Second favorite (or maybe first?) is bananas, acai, and almond milk.

Go Away Now.

There is nothing like someone coming into your home and judging you and your family to make you realize your priorities. Mark and I have our marital squabbles, but I am thankful that he and I are on the same page as to how we want to raise our children. We may fail over and over again and not live up to even our own expectations, but we will be together, muddling thru, knowing we have each other for support and love.

Will the Worker Guy

Its his favorite thing to do.

Freezing.

This house is cold.

I am cold.

I want warm clothes. Warm blankets. Cozy socks. Lots of layers. Now!

Red Leaves in Autumn!

We have been outside all week at home and only left our nieghborhood today to go down the street for pizza. They boys love the leaves, love climbing trees, love pretending all day long. I have to say it again. Four and Two is fun. Even if I am way too tired.

Mark is out of town again, in Detroit, for some free lance stuff. I don't like that but what can ya do... Will misses him in a terrible way.

Tomorrow more candle making at a friends! A good diversion until Daddy gets home on Saturday. Martinmas at Lake Farm on Saturday night. We have one lantern made and need to finish Will's sometime.

Isn't this sad? I was reading over my little 16 year old sisters Biology paper today and she was explaining bacterial infections, etc. and explained about the build up of bad flora and then went on to say that is why we have medicine like penicillin. Then went on to explain why that medicine takes care of the infection and makes us all healthy again.

She got a 100% on the paper.

Hey Julie Mama

I feel more free today!

I am thankful for feeling more free!

I am thankful for having choices in life!

Hey Julie Mama

http://sti.shambhala.org/how.html

I Walk with Courage.

And a little fear sometimes.

And that's okay.

Weird, waking-up-a-little-more moments happened to me repeatedly today. I am too spiritually confused to know who/what to attribute the phenomena but my entire day today was a lesson on addressing and overcoming fear in one's life.

Seriously, how weird is that after my post early this morning???

In my head all day long, I found myself repeating a favorite quote, "what you resist, persists." : ) More signs continued thru the day, a sermon at Unity on accepting fear, praying in and praying out, more discussions about fear and faith. Inspiration from a young yogi (go see Mystic India at the IMAX).

And at the very end of the day... just as I was returning home, what did I see?

A sticker on the car in front of me --- "We Love Homeschooling!" Trust me - that is not something I have ever, EVER seen in this city. I nearly wanted to chase them down to be their friend. : )

I learned also that those that have courage and lead their purposeful life do not do it without fear. They are COURAGEOUS - not because they are not fearful - but because they go forth despite that fear. Its okay to be scared and sometimes just not know WHAT THE HELL you are doing... but go forth with courage and fear.


Its my birthday today. I am 36 years old.

I am thankful that all I need to do right now in life to face down my fear is simply just accept it.

Not Feeling So Free

Its 4:30 a.m.

I am so naive.

Why would people be so scared of other people's personal decisions? How could where my children get educated affect someone else? Why can't I marry whoever I damn well choose to be my life partner? Doctors are NOT God. And what gives you the right to define God for me anyway? I don't often get political. But I am feeling ever so slightly unsafe in my safe little bubble. What would it be like to live with REAL fear every day of your life?

Tomorrow I'll start what I'm thankful for... I promise.

Enki

I did it. Ordered the enki kindergarten curriculum. Obviously, I have lots of time to read and absorb the material. I am thrilled.

www.enkieducation.org

Sigh.

I have the downstairs clean. In the meantime, the boys took all - absolutely all- of their clothes out of their drawers and piled them on "their" bed. In addition, they got the roll of toilet paper and shredded it to put it on top of the clothes. Making what? I need to take a picture of the devastation.

Halloween pics coming soon.