The Eamonn family in constant motion

winter wonderland!

2011-11-21T19:06:00.000-07:00

The woods bring us laughter, love, light, unity, community, cooperation, chills, heat, and much much more. And I'd lie if I did this all for my kids. There was a reason 12 years ago that I graduated from college with an Outdoor Recreation Education degree! I do this for us. Whenever in doubt of the "why were homeschooling?" I just remind myself of our forest time. When Cedar began a Options (home school/school day once a week) the teacher asked him to draw about his favorite part of home life was. He drew a picture of the forest. I was filled up to see how much our time in the forest means to him. At times I need the woods to remind me that this is the foundation for all of our homeschooling or more simply put living. I am most connected to my family, friends, myself, while amongst the snow caped mountains and with chilly fingertips! This year has brought change. We have spent 2 years being in a decent rhythm with our school rituals. This year we have been religious with our forest time and a bit "unschooled" with our home time. We still enjoy Enki. We have begun our second grade curriculum We have spent the last few weeks working with Stalking Wolf and Native American Trickster Tales. I hope to capture all if this in a blog soon! As for today it was a magical winter wonderland....we played with our dear friends in the fresh snow at Bear Lake. We built, re-built, and played in the igloo with my favorite peak in the distance.

We are thankful to have friends willing to romp. We are thankful for our Forest School community. We are so thankful to live in these beautiful Rocky Mountains!

Boy Friends

2011-10-30T20:52:00.000-06:00

There isn't much I have to say about them that isn't already being shown. They are pure love. They are Soul mates as Guthrie's Mama said! They are full of love, life, fires, police, silly conversations, no conversations, laughing, smiling. I love their Love! I love them. I'd love to have a friend that I could put my arm around all the time and know they wanted to as well. Friends that simply understand each other. I am so thankful that Orien has friend like this.

Little Girls

2011-10-26T21:41:00.000-06:00

just a normal moment for Little T! Dressing up, playing with babies, and talking talking talking!

Soccer and Endings all too soon

2011-10-14T19:45:00.001-06:00

Another week is amongst us. A week Cedar is definitely not ready for to end. Fall comes, heat depletes, and were luckily left with green fields. Free to laughing, wrestling, running, kicking, guarding, happy 5-7 yr old. I am sad for us as a family. Saturday rituals of watching the Tigers play games. Chatting with other families, being apart of a friendly community. I'm the Mom on the sidelines, yes the loud cheerleader, the one excited by every kiddos attempts! Surprise I know! At times I try to keep my mouth shut but can't. It's those moments where I realize this is who I am ...I am the one yelling, laughing and encouraging. (sorry parents who I am annoyed!!!) We will miss this fall tradition as the snows start falling and the fields turn brown. Where else can we watch kids soccer while Elk rutt and bugle feet away! Where else can we turn and see snow capped mountains while sipping hot chocolate and finishing another chilly soccer day!?

My boys Love soccer.

Cedar loves everything about the sport. From the endless running, dribbling, passing, and of course scoring goals!!!! He is a team player. He is a talker and planner. He seems to get that at times better to do then expect others to do! He is a leader. A position I haven't seem his in until now. He has strategy, gets his teammates on the same page and goes. I have really enjoyed watching him bloom during this season. I stand strong in our decision to keep him as a 1st grader this year. He has had the season to build self esteem, mature not only as a boy, but athlete and student. He has gotten to feel old, and big Something he rarely feels wearing his baggy size 6 pants!!! I love seeing Cedar yell out to us from the field when he gets another point, showing with his fingers the score! Then he skips back to the middle for another kick off. It doesn't get any better for a Mama then seeing sheer bliss across my boys faces.

Orien has become a soccer lover as well. I expected no more then a free, happy Orien out on the field. I was shocked at the first practice when he had control of the ball and looked ever so confident cruising down the field. He scored his first goal in a game and is still grinning weeks later. He has strategy and confidence and I couldn't be more happy for him. He can stand in the goalie box not intimidated, while I close my eyes as the balls come cruising near him! He knows the game, plays the game and ends everyday saying "Mom, I like Soccer!"

2011-10-09T21:15:00.000-06:00

Winter came fast this season. After a week of frolicking in a carpet of colorful fallen leaves came this beautiful winter wonderland. It's funny how the forecast for snow mad me feel robbed of a full autumn, when my family awoke to fresh falling snowflakes there wasn't anything thing but pure joy!!! King winter made a guest appearance with Autumn still shining, piled heavy, wet, snow and then escaped within a half days work! He had soccer cancelled, kiddos outside roasting hot dogs around a fire, and me finding the love for warm winter boots. So now with only a few hidden piles of snow, may we return to autumn! There is still piles of leaves to jump in, colors to collect and stash away for a grey midwinter day, and loose cool clothing to be worn! Welsome King Winter and good bye for now.

Just because I love this place

2011-10-05T20:58:00.000-06:00

Cedar showing off the Tepee and the new weaved door he just made! unfortunately someone visited our forest days later, tore this down and used it for fire wood. The Kids were upset. We set out and found a new place to build and have been enjoying our space again.

The Screamin' Eamonns! Truthy excited to show off her frog. We left this AM for a dentist visit and I asked her what she might find in the treasure chest. She replied "A frog!" and lon-be-hold there was one!! Cedar found a hiking stick and Orien simply content to be in the forest!

new colors

2011-10-04T22:53:00.002-06:00

A busy season of life is among us. Really the busiest season we hold. We try to get it all in from work, soccer, dance, school, adventures, home projects..and then we blink and the leaves have fallen and there is the first snow. I am trying to capture moments where we breathed a bit slower, wandered a bit deeper and relaxed in the last of the warm sun. We have started a new school year. Last year I felt so ready to blog our every days. Now I might just need to motivate a bit as to not miss the beginnings, middle and ends of our many days. Cedar is 7. He is excited to be back with the Enki curriculum. We have finished out the end of 1st grade and are just beginning 2nd. He feels old and ready for new stories, drawings, etc.He is starting to enjoy taking the time to sound out words as well as recognize them when we read and write together. This is the beginning of our new year today! We are starting this week with our first cultural block. Native American/Apache culture. We have started with our trickster tales and will soon share some of his work. Our table is much more full. Full of 3 little people who all insist in having a place while we school. I am having to breath in, add papers, colors, paintbrushes, stories to capture Truth, Orien and Cedar. Cedar is leaving the center of the school attention and now assisting me in Oriens school and keeping me from being annoyed at T's excitement to write, color, paint and simply be around us while we school!

Orien is beginning his K year with Enki, he is 5 and ready for some fun crafts and stories! I keep asking myself who is Orien going to be as we start this school adventure. It seems he's going to be my slow and steady little guy. He loves having his time to trace letters in the sand, write on the chalk board and grins whenever he has mastered a new letter to write or a shape coloring has come out as he wishes. On some many levels it feels like his 3rd year beginning for Enki as well! I keep noticing how much he needs to play with his body, balance doesn't come easy I think I will finally feel like the movements Enki offers will help him as immensely.. I love watching him grow into the calm, loving, gentle, boy. Both boys are also going to Options, a home school program, held one day a week where they can be students in a school setting. They are in the same class K/1st grade. Full day of Language Arts, group music/play, math and science...they love a day of social time and structure! It seems for one year we have twins! Playing on the same soccer team , attending the same school programs. I can already see the brotherly moments. Competition over girls???!!! Here we go.....

We have also begun to revisit or forest. It took 8 years of living up here, a dear friend to move too far to romp together weekly to visit the forests only minutes from our house. We have 2 places. One with tall grass, open fields, pines and rocks. The other Aspen groves that are endless! We have built a tepee and continue to revisit it often. When the leaves are falling I don't know where else I'd rather live then right here. Minutes from Aspens galore!

I can't find a more wonderful, joyful place to be!

When we crave peace it is still only found in the woods..and I am blessed to be able to seek these places so quickly.

A place we can dance, sing, wander, collect, build, track, find, live

She is Magical

2011-09-29T16:57:00.000-06:00

Maybe it's the late night conversations in bed, or the endless meal stories. Possibly this all stemmed from that Question asked to myself weeks earlier, "What is your childs/childrens Birth right?" Is it me choosing to be present. But I can't help but notice the magic in Truthys voice, her toes, her smile, her laughter, her body language.

Everything is Magic. From her eyes gazing up at the sky noticing and asking "look mommy it is beautiful, who did this.?" (noticing the blue sky). Or the excitement from windows open as we cruise in the truck and her love for WIND! I love her stories. I love her presence. I love that all she knows is the NOW. She doesn't remind me of yesterdays nor care about what is to come. I love her bold statements about "my feet are too little, I want yours." to "I am a girl, I like girls, Stella, Marley, Sally, they are my friends, they can all sleep with me!!!" But nothing gets better then watching her nurture her brothers, babies, stuffed animals....and saying 'I Love you..which sounds like "I wove you." She helps to keep me in check. To ask myself what could be more amazing then truly loving life. Pure happiness. Pure LOVE.

In Honor

2011-09-19T16:44:00.000-06:00

A friend morns her loss today. And I honor a man I never met. We all have our family. Mine complete with my parents both happy, healthy folk. We have those blood relations that hold stronger then any other in times of happiness and crisis. And then there is friend family. The generation I'm in seems to hold strong friendships like family. They become our extended sisters and brothers. Our kids Aunties and Uncles if you will. They hold the strength needed in friendship and the love needed in family. I am honored to have a great friend family as well. Today I honor my sister Sharp's papa. Her father I never meet but know he must have been one heck of a man to have a daughter as solid as Sarah is. She is true to herself. She carries pure love. She shares her loud solid laugh, big beautiful eyes, her passion for life and others. I listened to her tales of the last year and a half. Of her father getting cancer. Of how he was/is a fighter for life, he fought hard for more days with his family. I have heard of all the many times Dr thought he couldn't fight more and for the many extra months he lived a joyful life. I sadly heard of his transitions in health over the summer. How Sharp sat by his side while he slept just to be with him. And I too crossed my fingers for many more days. And then like cancer does so well it ended his life. And again I have been shocked by how solid Sharp maintains everything. She keeps it in perspective. She celebrates and I imagine keeps her family going. So here is to you Papa Sharp. For a great life, and a great daughter..my sister Sharp. Today I hold a heavy heart but add a glass of wine and a positive light.

Forest School

2011-09-16T15:50:00.000-06:00

" When we get out of the glass bottles of our ego,
When we escape like squirrels
Turning in the cages of our personality
And get into forests again,
We shall shiver with cold and fright
But things will happen to us
So that we don't know ourselves

Cool, unlying life will rush in,
And, passion will make our bodies taut with power,
We shall stamp our feet with new power
And old things will fall down,
We shall laugh, and institutions will curl up like burnt paper"
-D.H. Lawerence

Our Forest School. Our home in homeschooling. Our purpose for family time in this wild, open forest space. We have gathered for years now in this forest play. It has swayed from purposeful hikes with destinations, to a forest to simply exist in. It was our outdoor Enki classroom for a time. It was our Friday classes with Simon and Wild Earth's Children. It has been a place for Mamas to chat and kids to play. Over the years we have evolved. We have decided what makes this important. The community has changed. The reasoning new. This is our home. This is our treasure as a family. This is where we throw out the supposed tos of life truly use our intuition and go with the present with a plan for the future...A future plan with no time line. The purpose is simple to gather in the forest with a community that also craves, needs, makes it a commitment to there as well. Come rain, snow, hot sun, cool winds we will be there. We play, we wander, we plant seeds without a needed outcome. We taste the air like snakes, wander like deers, examine scat, follow tracks, build shelters, run, walk, hide, laugh, find pure silence and go back to our roots. We are alive and well. We leave filled up and crave our next visit to this magical place we have created. I am so blessed to have this place, these people, my family to share this with.

From Pasture to Plate

2011-09-13T15:24:00.001-06:00

I am thankful for our land and space. I am thankful for living a true cycle of life with our flock of Freedom Ranger chickens. I am thankful for Organic farmers, healthy birds, and all who contribute to my families meals. We began eating meat as a family just about a year ago. As major as the transition we felt good about our decision. To buy local, farm raised, grass fed, pastured animals. We always feel good about supporting our local farmers market. We attempt to garden through the weeds that take over our veggies as well. We enjoy gathering fresh eggs daily and truly becoming one with our food. My kids love to farm. They love there animals, garden and other farms we support. We decided after years of wondering if we could process our own meat. Could we truly become one with our food. Would the raising of an animal create pets and not meals! Could we one day hunt as well?

And so it began. We ordered 50 Freedom Ranger chicks. They were shipped from a farm in Pennsylvania and the kids were in love. There soft little bodies only 2 days old. There little peeping sounds and waddling legs. We had a new family to care for! And if done correctly we'd be feasting all fall on these wonderful birds.

The chicks stayed warm in the coop. They survived under heat lamps for 4 weeks until they were ready for the Chicken Tractor. Our friends the Bailey's had hoped to be apart of these chickens lives, helping by making the tractor and in the end processing the chickens. By the time we headed to the tractor we had 47 chickens as a few didn't make it through the first couple days.

Our job got greater at this time. We were now protecting our chickens in a tractor from predators including our non-farm dog Nesta! They lived in the fresh pasture space. They were moved to another part of the yard daily to peck on fresh grasses and bugs. They all seemed quite happy. We learned quickly that quite possibly they were most at risk while we rolled the tractor to the new fresh spot constantly dealing with caught chicken legs. Other animals included the midnight resuce where Jody saved them from a Great Horned Owl, We saved another from being pecked by her chicken friends..it ended up when we threw feed in was a job. If the feed landed on another chicken they would peck her for the feed and eventually kill her. Chickens are not smart was a repeated phrase around here for months. Nesta assisted in a few deaths on an evening we weren't home. A few others heat got to them..we lived and learned throughout those 8 weeks. We were ready to process by Sept 1st about 11 weeks from birth. Jody watched a bazillion YouTubes, the Bailey's helped gather supplies and on Labor Day we began the processing.

The kids seemed excited to help. To give thanks to these beautiful chickens for their wonderful meat. They did so, and wandered up the yard with the first 2 chickens. We took a moment to thank them, the boys turned and ran and the families began a long day of work. It truly was a smooth time. Our stations set-up, the chickens went from cones, draining blood, de-feathering, gutting to cooling baths and bagging. In all we successfully processed 37 chickens. We worked, feasted, worked again and feasted on 2 birds that evening.

With all said and done. A freezer full of plump, large, organic chickens I can definitely say I could do it all again. I am so thankful for this process and friends along the way who saved chickens, feed chickens, and helped us process them all!

Empty plates. Chicken gone!

Friend Family

2011-09-13T13:11:00.000-06:00

Cedar and Benjamin at the Rodeo Parade

Old friends celebrating! Or as Sharp says my friend family enjoying time together...laughing harder then usual, dancing, eating, drinking, biking, enjoying the present times we have together!

We love our time with friends....

Happy Kids

Auntie Sharp and Truthy at Rockygrass

Mama Family!

Sharp and I

Summer Family

2011-09-13T06:55:00.000-06:00

If I had to sum up the our summer it would be simple....time spent with family and friend family! We always feel spoiled all summer with our MN travels, Music festivals, camping, parades, celebrations, and simply summer fun! Summer is my season. Hot, sunny, busy with friends, social, I LOVE SUMMER.

Love for Grandpa!

Mimi, the boys and cousin AZ swimming!

Mimi, Truthy and Orien out on the boat

Grandpa with the whole gang

Summer traditions....traveling to MN to visit family.....boating, swimming, eating ice cream, biking, Duluth, friends, more family time, humidity, sunshine, ponds, lakes, cities, we love our traditions!

Cedar and Grandpa bonded on bikes...they rode nightly all over Maple Grove

And then we enter the 4th of July! Always love seeing the kids so happy riding in the local parade and watching foreworks in Estes! And of course a little T-ball....the boys played on the same team and loved it.

Orien ready to bat

The 4th of July Parade

Cedar throwing in a ball from out field

Summer with Emily.

2011-09-12T14:07:00.001-06:00

I guess you could say it was a fast, warm, playful, eventful, time for us. I apparently shut off the computer often enough to skip our life in a blog. Maybe these times away create a space that excites me to return. Fall always seems like a place of returning, organizing, planning, committing, changing. Our summer created our changes. Emily changed our family. We live in great space, high on the mountain side, a bumpy gravel road leads us there. We drive daily to visit town, play, socialize, rejuvenate via gym, toss a ball at T-ball. When we retreat we garden, play with chickens, mountain bike, hike, play...alone with Eamonn way. Then Emily moved in across the street. Cedar, Orien and Truthy were so ALIVE with a neighbor friend. Cedar fell in love with his perfect life....mountains, friends and neighbor. It has brought on big conversations of finding a neighborhood that will fill us up but not over do it. We aren't city folk, we like a little privacy, we like to know our community...and so Lyons will one day be our next home.

Summer in a blurrr goes like this....Cedar turns 7!!!!!!

Cedar turns 7 Little House on the Prairie Style!

We built a Log Cabin like Pa for his Party!

Cedar and his new mountain bike

drowning

2011-05-19T18:14:00.000-06:00

April showers bring May flowers. Isn't that how it goes? Or May showers and snow make for unhappy Mamas and crazy kiddos. As much as I love green grass, fresh dandelions, thunders storms, grey days, fog, cool rain, snow melting qquickly under my flip flop feet...Enough is Enough. We have spent too much time inside waking to cold mornings filled with snow, rain that never takes a break, and now sick people. This is my rant post! The hold back the tears, watch the rain fall, hold a fevering little girl and just wish it all away. I think the cure, puddle jumping if I had a friend to splash with! So to you mother nature I beg for a break. I beg for a arm sun, a dry day and a healthy family to enjoy it.

Cedar Dancing!

2011-05-17T19:30:00.000-06:00

Dancing

2011-05-17T19:25:00.000-06:00

Another year, another dance recital! Cedar and Orien both decided to dance again. In different classes both learning tap and ballet! They love it! Cedar is extremely focused, really want to learn how to do everything correctly. Orien likes class, likes to run and slide on his knees and play with the other little guy in the class! They both made it on the stage! Cedar looks intense, moving at just the right time, excited every time he gets to perform! Orien is relaxed, waits for the girls to tell him what to do, never seems stressed or quit sure what will come next! Both boys Loved there year of dance!!!

5 and 3

2011-05-17T13:35:00.000-06:00

A bit embarrassed, a bit exhausted, I finally find myself back here to my writing home base! Apparently life has been full, and full is always good until it runs over..and then well we must start fresh, rejuvenate, relax, breath and begin to fill it up again. And so it goes we are breathing ,resting, fighting off colds, cuddling under blankets while spring has a hard time sticking. When we were full we were over flowing with Birthdays, parties, traveling, camping, working, family visiting, and dancing, playing soccer and schooling!! I never complain as I apparently enjoy a bit of "over the top" activities. Today I am thankful for a moment to re-experience this last month and celebrate Orien and Truthy who have both celebrated another year of Birthdays. I feel shocked to have my youngest at 3 and my middle "school age"

Orien has bloomed into a sweet 5. He is our deep lover of the family. I think he loves his siblings more then they will ever understand. Cedar is his gold. His big brother that leads him to try most anything. At this point without Cedar, Orien wouldn't know what to wear everyday, whether to enjoy a particular toy, try a new sport etc..He simply LOVES Cedar and wants to be just like him! BUT he does have a boundary and when it comes to comfort he will still pull back and find his own groove. He wont be pushed past his physical comfort. He is still getting comfortable on his bike, or in a pool. What I have learned is that Orien enjoys doing and learning without anyone noticing. He on the other hand loves praise and cheering, but first must take the time to get comfortable in the element and then can enjoy the positive praise. And when it comes to the loves of his sister he is always there to give her a morning hug, a kiss when she is sad or hurt and will always play "kitchen, babies, mom and dad" I find him lucky to be in the middle. He can choose to go with Cedar and try out more extreme play or relax into Truthys room of babies and toys,and then he has always been good at leaving them both to do his own creative playing. For the year it has been playmobiles, fire men, police men and farmers! He can fall into his conversations with is toys for hours and always has been able to enjoy his solo space. Orien is growing into a kind, gentle, silly, feisty (when hungry or sleepy) 5 yr old boy. He has started wanting to sit at the table during school time with Cedar and learn his basics...shapes, counting, coloring, letters and seems very happy next to Cedar! This next year is big and we all can't wait to see where Orien finds his place in it all!

Truthy turned the big 3. Maybe the hardest year for me to hear. There is just something about a 2 yr old that makes me think baby, but 3 is different. She is older, she is changing.She is independent, always was but now has a plan, a play of her own. She demands music to be played all day so she can dance away. She is a mama most of her days and has a dozen babies to take care. From dressing, to feeding, carrying them, she is busy! She loves her siblings, love to jump in the trampoline, and I have noticed is always watching to mimic there every move in life. She is a social extrovert. She seems to make a new friend where ever she goes. From the random Dad at the soccer field to the kids playing around her she loves people! Truthy has added to the conversation in the car and now gets the boys all rattled up as she would like to talk most of the time! She loves girls, will always leave the boys when she finds a girl to play with! She loves tea parties, dresses that spin, dirt, worms, animals, sleeping with her mama, and still drinking milk from a bottle!

Orien celebrating his 5th Birthday with his friends bowling!

Sweet 5 and 3 cuddling together!

Truthy is 3!!!!!

Truth, Orien and Cedar happy in Arches Nationl Park. We took a camping trip to Utah between birthdays!

The Americal Dipper

2011-04-07T20:33:00.000-06:00

Just another spring day to head to the woods. We seem to get into the Rocky National Park weekly. Our favorite place is Cub lake. Today we were thrilled with all the animals and springtime colors but nothing seemed to beat the dark grey bird playing in the creek. He would pump his legs, a sort of bounce, play above the water on logs and then disappear for a bit under water! The kids laughter was contagious and we couldn't help but come home and identify this little bird. The American Dipper. Cedar wanted to journal about this and the Robin as they were pleasantly bathing in some run-off puddles farther down the trail.

We were also excited to be greeted by a coyote as we entered the trail today. He was calm, beautiful, and slow but steady.

At the lake we spent plenty of time playing near this beautiful creek filled with bright colors and the last signs of winter ice.

We are excited for the springtime changes and welcome the sunshine and deep creeks that were snowy last time we visited.

heartaches

2011-04-06T21:25:00.000-06:00

The reality is it doesn't make sense. These are the moments where it all falls apart. The grey day. The cold rain. It's funny I can over analyze life away and get nowhere. And then realize all is well....today I am a spoiled mother.

I, the social network person I am, can't help but hear about a gazillion peoples day, lives, work habits, kids stories, the things that make us tick. Then I come across it..and it freezes me, drop tears I can't control...a mothers loss. I sit in silence. I read and listen to the songs posted about a mother, and her new born son, who didn't survive what seems all too normal the first weeks of life Instead fought to stay alive, wrapped in cords and wires. I don't want to know how that feels because I am shocked by the depth of instant depression I feel for her, a stranger, a friend of a friend, a mother. I sit with this all day. The rain falls harder, the sun never shines today. I hold strong this moment and pray that strength and love can really truly help in this darkness. And in the end it just doesn't make sense. It never will.....I kiss my kids and go to bed with a deep sadness for a mothers loss.

The new farm!

2011-04-06T14:34:00.000-06:00

For the past 11 years Jody has cocontinued to say one thing. "I want to know where my food comes from, and if I can raise, hunt, kill to provide." And so to keep this Jody remained a vegetarian for 10 years. Last summer everything changed. We decided to dive in grass fed beef, and other locally raised meat. We were done with the chemicals encompassing out "fake" meat foods and dyes and knew real, well raised foods would be healthiest for our family. We have raised chickens for 3 yrs and consume an amazing amount of eggs. We have attempted a garden for 2 years and have high hopes that this year will be even better. So the next step. Livestock. We've decided to begin with chickens. With the help of friends we have a chicken tractor prepared and are ordering our broilers tomorrow. I am confident we can do this, but know there will be some pain involved in the process. The boys are excited about raising their meat, and seem at peace with killing them for healthy food. I on the other hand will probably be the last to celebrate the day of processing and hope this gives us a true reality on blessing and being able to be one with our meat.

Dave and Jody building the chicken tractor

Cedar and Kahill test out their muscles to see if they can move it! Orien and Chase watch!99//*

gathering spring

2011-04-06T14:23:00.000-06:00

We've been busy outside. Between forest wandering, beaver ponds, and Little Fox Walkers the kids are constantly noticing spring. We welcomed the mountain blue bird. Caught the first worms, and bugs in the dirt, raised another family of chicks in the coop. We've noticed green grass popping up, buds on the aspens, rain out the window and many more birds at our bird feeders. Springtime always feels so alive. Inside we have been busy felting birds nests and eggs, cleaning out the gnomes winter scene on the nature table and digginf for shorts to wear!

Truthy and her new frind Elliot playing while their siblings have fun at Young Fox Walkers

Kids gathering around Simone and Kat at Young fox walkers

Cedar excited by his new nature trasures. Wind blown aspen buds and a soft beaver cut

pure signs of peace

2011-04-06T14:14:00.000-06:00

After long days. Once in a while I just have to capture all of the kids at peace. Dreaming. And I know at that moment how important quiet time is. And my heart re-fuels for another busy day ahead!

Cedars' best friend Laura

2011-03-31T15:36:00.002-06:00

I never had an imaginary friend growing up. I do although remember wanting to be just like Harriet the Spy after watching a play at the Minneapolis Children's Theatre. I remember immediately falling in love with her every move. I remember fondly carrying around a little notebook in my pocket to write down all the clues within my imaginary spy life! I remember going to bed dreaming I was her. I remember this same thing happening after watching Pippi Long Stocking. Cedar also has a love for Pippi after seeing her old movies. In fact he truly believes she can lift a horse and throw him into a sea!!!! I love how much Cedar trusts in characters.

When Cedar was born I hoped he would have some imaginary friends. And then Orien and Truth. I don't think they have any. They believe in gnomes and fairies but have yet to truly see any. Just last week we were at the park where a little boy has three imaginary friends..and it was so sweet to watch him talk about them being on the see saw with him that was the boy named 11:45! (apparently the time he always eats lunch)

Now Cedar has a new best friend. Her name is Laura Engels Wilder. Truly she is his new friend. She was a surprise friend! He was obsessed with the series Magic Tree House. He listened to them when he woke, during quiet time and went to bed. At Christmas I had encouraged Mimi to get him the Little House on the Prairie tapes. From Christmas on he has fallen deeply in love with Laura, Ma, Pa, Carrie, Mary and Grace! I think if asked he could recite hours of stories as he has now listened to over 24 CD's. I am sure he listens to at least 3 hours a day of Laura's life! For a while now he has been begging us to help him build a kid size log cabin to play in and make sure to make it just like Pa. No nails just slit wood puzzled perfectly together! (We are going to do this for Cedars Birthday party!!) Cedar has even mentioned at times who his friends are in "real" life and Laura popped up at number three, then the rest of the Engels family before going on to local buddies!! It has become normal conversation, almost his only conversation with me during car rides and hikes, lunch time to tell me stories about Laura. He says if he had to be someone it would be her! Some of my favorite topics have been:

While Jody and I were laying our hard wood floors Cedar says " Pa cut all his own lumber, milled and and layed out the floors in in one day!"
Or how much Laura desperately wants to be outside with Pa, working on the farm doing chores, etc"
How boring Sundays are. They aren't allowed to run or play in the house. Laura hates Sundays!
Laura really wants to help build their homes, drive the wagon, and she just isn't supposed to do those things!
How Mary picks on Laura, and Mary isn't fun. She is blind but as Cedar said " her fingers can see to knit all day"
That Laura got a spanking. (something he knows nothing about) but it was a special spanking on her Birthday!
Or the many more about animals, problems, moves, places they have lived, friends Laura plays with.
The huge Minnesota blizzards there were so full of snow the trains couldn't get through for days.

or just now as I am typing Cedar comes wandering up to me holding a pack of nuts and says " May I have these mom, may I?" and I say, "why did you say it that way?" and he replies " Laura has to use "May I" when asking her Ma for anything!"

I am so thankful for Laura. She has really completed Cedars love for books and stories. I see a little guy who if just for a day if not forever would love to live as she does. Horses, wagons, gardening, hunting, wandering, friending Native Americans, and living outside. I can't wait to hear of the next way he relates his world with hers.

attachment

2011-03-24T21:17:00.000-06:00

"Mommy"
I hear my little Tuthy say next to my pillow in panic.
She wakes from every night time and nap with this intensity for me.
It sounds like pure love...and a sense of loneliness no one should feel
She has always slept with me...at this point always will.
most mornings I am not there for her,.I have headed out to the gym with Papa next to her.
I can't feel guilty for that "me" time but this day I do.
"I cry when you go to cross fit" she says
we cuddle closer. I kiss her and tell her "I love you"
she snuggles there for a long time.
the boys hop in bed and we all snuggle and read books.
And all is perfect on this kind of morning.
And I can't feel guilty for leaving tomorrow.

simply doing

2011-03-14T17:10:00.000-06:00

When I think of parenting and those all important teachings..nothing ever seems more important that the gift of caring for one another. When I define Family it is simply that caring for each other with pure love and kindness...not that follow through always comes smoothly.... I guess a lifelong journey in a family.

Over the last 2 weeks Cedar has been fundraising for St.Baldricks. St.Baldricks it the largest non-profit organization fundraising for money for curing childhood cancer. This is Cedar's third year. I keep it simple for him. There are sometimes kids who get sick, an illness known as cancer, and they need scientists and doctors to find a cure for them and end this yucky illness. Cedar deeply cares about others. In groups he tends to become a cheerleader for the "everyone can join in" kind of kiddo...He senses that feeling of being left out, uninvited, or bullied as such a raw and unnecessary way to spend time with others. And so for him St.Baldricks is really just a simple way of helping other kids. It also helps that his papa has been participating as well..It's a boy/man bonding part of our family and in this scenario I am the cheerleader! And so today I am proud. I am proud he spent time making $470.00 and then shaving his head at the St.Baldricks party! I am proud of him when we got home Orien really wanted to be like his big brother and shave his head. I am proud when he helped with this and hugged Orien with a deep heartfelt hug afterwards and today woke saying he has SOOOO much fun at St.Baldricks. I am proud when he says he can't wait to do it again and Orien responds yay, I like short hair..and Cedar replies " I like short hair too. I really care about kids"
Today I feel proud and full!

cedar and jody before shaving

After!

The Starbucks Team

Orien and Cedar Brothers! St.Baldricks Boys!

Truthy, Orien, and Cedar all hugs!

Mud and Sun

2011-03-02T12:11:00.000-07:00

Our days have been filled up away from home and finally today we had a "normal" day! Apparently needed as the skids have insisted on being outside ALL day digging in mud, jumping on the trampoline, taking off layers, adding shorts and leaving the boots behind! Apparently 50 degrees feels like summer in winter! It has given us a day to re-group, begin a new LA block and relax into our own surroundings!Truthy sporting her bare feet on the worn out trampoline!

This is Cedar creation...a muddy filled mess I believe this must be "under construction" and a started concrete idea!

We did manage to have our usual mid morning snack, calendar, and poetry time followed by our re-call and drawing from our fairy tale, " Delgadina and the Snake" Cedar wanted to do his own drawing so I added mine as well. He started with the little girls hut and proceeded to add bits of the story I tell!

It feels great to be back in the swing of things!

and then march comes

2011-03-01T20:56:00.000-07:00

There is something different about March! The snow still sits on the Mountains in heaps, the cold winds howls from time to time, the mudroom is filled with books, skis, snowboards, hats thrown about...but non the less March is a welcomed difference!! Today we celebrate MUD, warm sunshine, the first of fairy tales read on the deck in months, skiing on packed snow and ice covered lakes while sweating! I am ready for this welcomed change. It seems January came in and out ever so speedy and February was a bit of over kill between FREEZING weather, illness, and house chores..and so WELCOME MARCH! A tank top, grilled burger all led to this perfect day! It seems we have kept to our Enki rhythm ever so lightly...and I see a shift coming keeping the outside nature time a priority while carefully dancing the school dance to keep Cedar filled up! We had a great February working with the "Four Friends" a math block following a fun story with Miss Mini Minus, Paddy Plus, Max Multiply and King Dominick Divide. Cedar really enjoys numbers, word problems, worksheets and games so this past month was perfect for a cold indoor kind of month!
In Short this is Cedars drawings as we spent a week with each character. Drawing, reading there verses, and working with word problems relating to addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. In the end he wanted harder work! I think it was a perfect light way to introduce some old and new math processes!

Miss Mini Minus
"So for each creature grand and poor
I leave a gift at every door
Four, Three, two, one
Till everything I have is gone"

Paddy Plus
"How nice to gather two or three
Someone has left them here for me
So round, so soft, so good to see,
I'll add them up so happily"

Max Multiply
"Ten...I'll scoop with both my hands,
Carry twenty in my pants,
Thirty...I'm not nearly done
Forty now I have just begun"

King Dominick Divide
"As King, I give you this command.
An equal share for every hand.
And when to each has come his share,
The joy can bloom so sweet and fair"

Cedar cruising on a warm, dry, February day!

Truthy doing what she does best, tending to her babies while playing! Mud diggin'

Orien taking the small steps! He says when he is 5 he will peddle this bike all by himself...for now a little holding on from me and a walk back up the hill was enough! This parenting is a work in progress..how to teach w/o teaching!!!

Cedar at Cub Lake one of our favorite places to play in the woods

Happy Orien in the fresh falling snow

the 3 kiddos they are truly the best

fresh snow, happy kids, woods time= happy family

Cedar on his board ready to go, Daddy getting on his new board, and Truthy on skis!

Cedars first chair lift with papa

Riding down!

Cedar and his friend Kahill skiing across Sprague Lake

Truthy and her mountains!

Team Bailey/Eamonns

Kahill, Cedar and Orien (Orien decided wandering and ice crawling was a great choice!)

Orien!

But besides our math, writing, fairy tale verse readers we were outside whenever possible! Cedar has officially ridden his first chair lift and gone down the hills with his dad on snowboards, we have wandered at closing time in the Denver Zoo, wandered many a woods, stomped on thick ice at Cub Lake (Rocky Mountain Natl park) favorite place, cross country skied over frozen Sprague Lake, kicked many soccer balls in the front yard, biked, and simply made fresh air, woods and sunshine our priority and that always seems to feed us all! And so I am ready to welcome spring/winter/summer/winter/spring season!!!!!

without the print

2011-02-02T19:39:00.000-07:00

I feel a little lost. My camera died days after our big road trip. Yes happy it lasted for that adventure, happy I captured hundreds of photos of my family on our first and BIG no time frame kind of road trip....but non the less I am one of those Mamas caught behind the flash. Some people say the camera hides some sort of reality as though people hide behind it instead of living with the moments. To me I simply cant imagine not capturing all the moments with my family. We have been home for almost a month. A fast month that was filled with moments of pure exhaustion from my Orien....Pure excitement from Cedar as he cruised through another month of Enki in a LA block! A month of more Mama time for little Truthy caring for, dressing, feeding, hauling her babies EVERYWHERE... and a reflection of the past and what is to lie ahead...
maybe less procrastination, more music in the house when I learn to play the mandolin, more music when Cedar learns the recorder, more patience something I catch myself working on daily, more travel with my loves, knitting and more knitting, more new school moments, Orien riding a 2 wheel bike ( when he turns 5) he says, more time spent outside and less in, more dates with my husband, more days at cross fit, more of this life.
So soon I will catch a shot, find a way to capture all that the Eamonns live....but for now I will enjoy it all one moment at a time

where I am today

2011-01-19T13:46:00.000-07:00

"we can learn like the trees-how to bend, how to sway and say I, I think I understand. ..."-ani difranco

I hold on tight to what I love. I hold even tighter to what my family loves. I know what we love together: to play, the woods, building, the elements of weather, traveling, friends, community,....adventure.

With this comes change. Something I struggle with. Change in seasons, change in schedules, changes in relationships, change is hard and makes me feel a bit trapped. Consistency rides strong. Rhythms makes sense. and then it all doesn't and my heart grows weary....and I loose focus. Maybe it is the full moon, maybe the winter settling in, maybe the post vacation lull...the change in forest school...but I am stuck in the medium for a love of what is to come and a sadness for what is left behind.

12 days 3,000 plus miles

2011-01-10T15:12:00.000-07:00

twelve days, 3000 plus miles and we have traveled our first official road trip! Destination forests, beaches and anything in between. Christmas done, tree down, kids with new toys we loaded the truck with our camping gear and set off on one heck of an adventure! A day early we departed to get in front of our first weather moment a winter storm to enter Utah and then into Colorado. We cruised out of town, dropped the pup at a friends, grabbed our first of hundreds Starbucks coffee stops and hit the road! We made it to some small town in Utah by midnight, got a cheap room while the snow began to fall and caught a nap.

Day 2: off by 7am....looking for coffee and something to fill our belly.Destination Zion National Park..We arrived in rain ....

First official national park arrival. The kids were stoked to get out and run around and it was BEAUTIFUL. Fresh falling snow began falling..the heavy, wet snow ball stuff that must be played in!

We loved this place and one day will return in the summer to truly get a better look as it was quite white and socked in!! We wandered on a trail to a water fall....

Our 3 silly kiddos full of excitement for the weather!!!

Boys waiting for snow to fall!~!! Little birds.....

Time flew and we headed on...the one thing we quickly realized about the difference between destination trips and road trips....there is always a time to visit and a time to go...sometimes we stretched this on with end as we had days not reservations. We drove a couple hours and arrived in INSANITY.....LAS VEGAS this was a shift from forests to CITY....we decided to stay at Circus Circus so the kids could experience a midway in the strip....Cedar never wanted to leave...

The family on night 2 at our hotel!!!

Plenty of games we played, many stuffed animals won and packed away in the truck. Circus acts seen, rides ridden and play for all!

DAY 3: A little more playing to be done in Vegas, some wandering on the strip to visit other hotels, and we were off again,...to Hoover Dam. WOW an amazing beautiful place again....and again we had places to go!!! We drove out of Hoover, made it to California for a night stay in hotel motivated to finally make it to the BEACH....

Sun shining, sun setting as we toured the hoover dam. We will remember the amazing views here and the crazy HUGE hot dog Orien ate!!!

Day 4: we MADE it to the 1!!!!! We were on the coast with a belly full of yummy lobster bisque and some local wine....ahhhhh it is a place to play...First stop spotting what we thought we sea lions and a couple miles farther down the road realized they were Elephant Seals..

There were hundred of the HUGE Elephant Seals..load, playful, lazy and so great to watch...this was a great New Years Eve day....ended with hot dogs around a campfire in Big Sur.

The kiddos all tucked in warm and cozy in Bug Sur ringing in the New Year!

Day 5: We awoke to the rain! Warm rain but non the less rain..we sipped champagne and ate hot dogs under our tap before we wandered into the red woods for the first time....We had the trail to our selves!!

We decided to head to Monterrey Bay for some dryer weather and aquarium visit. The drive there was my favorite on the entire trip...coastal beauty with a Rainbow for miles on end.

Cedar had a chance to take some pics of us! Truck and all ;)

In Monterrey we ate with sea otters, did some tide pooling, visited the aquarium and had our first official melt down in public!!!!! Figured that meant time to head back to a wet campsite and go to bed!

Our 3 loves cuddling in Monterrey Bay

Day 6: Leaving Big Sur after a yummy breakfast in a cute little Cabin Restaurant, smoked salmon and eggs! The family stopped along the drive to peak over cliffs and watch for whales...(non seen) and eventually take a off road to another great hike...

A hike that gave Truthy a break...on Mamas back. plenty more seal lions to be seen...and lush woods to tromp through.

Cedar and sleeping Truthy on the end of the hike. And that was that ...time to hit San Fransisco..Arrival fisherman's wharf, sushi for dinner..and long trolley ride to end the night

Day 7: San Fransisco...bus ride to a little crepe place on knob hill Jody read about and a cable car ride back to the hotel. The kids loves this city...with all the different transportation it was dreamy! We headed out hit the Golden Gate and drove into Muir Woods.

The Golden Gate...

Arrival Fairy Forest land..aka Muir Woods. A magical rain forest of some of the oldest Old Growth Red Wood Forests in the WORLD....They are truly unimaginable....We left Muir woods, headed into Sonoma for a wine tasting and great local pizza....and rested another night away before we would head into more Red woods...

Day 8: We woke and found ourselves in forests of tall, wide, green, lush, trees...and a few fun stopping points with tree houses and all

This was a One log house..super cute the story goes a man long ago wanted everyone across the country to have an idea just how huge these red woods were. He put this house with a kitchen, 2 beds and family room on a trailer and drove around showing it off!

This is one of the hundreds of BIG RED WOODS we hiked around...I believe this was the biggest in the old growth forest..The other one being over 370 feet tall had fallen years ago in the same forest...

The family tucked in a tree that had been in a fire...these smart trees have a 1 foot layer of bark that is fire proof ...After this great drive and hiking through 'The Avenue of Giants" the check engine came on the truck and there we were a bit nervous as to how the rest of the trip would go....with some luck we made it ti Eureka to find out we needed a new Transmission....with the truck gone for 3 days we rented a car, I freaked out a bit and we resorted to Arcata Cali on the beach to stay and play for a few days...

Day 9: We left Arcata and hiked down to agate beach. Finally we were on the water, digging in sand, collecting agates, and watch sea otters swim and waves rage...we had made it to the BEACH!!!

Cedar collected many crabs, agates, and found animal prints in the sand

And yes we were tourists,,,,we had to drive a car through a Red wood! Luckily we had a rental that could fit!! We had to go through 4 for the boys!

We found ourselves another beach...mind you we NEVER saw anyone else on any of these beaches...and if we did it was a surfer coming in from the waves.This was Heaven....tide pooling, rock caves and sneaky sea otter who got past us...but we found prints as we headed back to the trail.

Papa and Cedar tide pooling....

The boys in the cave with the Ocean....

We ended our beach trips with a sunset in Crescent City and a BIG dinner....

My Crab!!!!

Day 10: Truck still in the shop we headed back to Red Woods National Park to hike ....

Another insanely big tree.....

and a picnic on the beach..barefoot.....ahhhhhhhh

We were freeeeeeeee..ending with a great local brewery, a swim in the hotel pool and pizza in bed!

Day 11: The Truck ready, One more beach visited we drove...to Reno. slept woke and drove another 16 hours to finish up 12 days.

Back home, laundry in the machine, kids playing with Christmas presents that seem new, and life to re-adjust to. Memories for miles, we cant wait to our next adventure!

2010-12-31T08:20:00.000-07:00

December. A busy month indeed. I am to thankful for my families enthusiasm in gathering, celebrating, feasting and spending time together! And in this month we couldn't go without a visit to Santa and Mrs Clause. Cedar and Orien we ready to give their lists and say hello to the old Elf! The list this year was Lego's, playmobils, and babies!

Truthy decided Santa was not for her and stayed away! "I don't like Santa" is about all I got from her! BUT Mrs. Clause was a treat!

We had our 3rd Solstice Party up at our place. We gathered with 10 families. Ate, drank, warmed ourselves around the bonfire. The kiddos had a blast with the BRIGHT sunny pinata. Cedar and Jackson helped to make the yule log for the fire.Here they are a pine, with pine cones for prosperity for the new year ahead.

We have taken the last couple weeks off of school. We had time to gather at Hidden Valley with our Wednesday Woods families. SLEDDING!!!!! This was also a bit sad as it will be the last time we gather with Julie and Jackson until next summer. Change is tough, but we always love our time with great friends.

The Manzella's, Hurley's and Eamonn's! in the great SNOW

Jackson and Cedar playing in the deep snow

Christmas Morning!!!!! We celebrated with a few families on Christmas Eve....rushed home to put out the milk and cookies for Santa, leave the carrots for the reindeer's, out on our new PJ's and crawl into bed!!!!! The kiddos we soooooo excited on Christmas morning! Here they are ready to head down stairs and see what happened while they were sleeping.

Truthy quite content with all her new baby gear! She didn't open a present. I just kept handing her new baby gear and she was busy playing Mama!

Cedar was busy building all day with all the new Lego's! The city bus that goes with his new city Lego's!

Orien happy with his new Fire Truck set from Playmobil

With the holidays underway....a great time for all we have left on our first Eammon West Coast Road Trip!! hoping to post along the way....We left a couple days ago, have already visited Zion National Park in the snow, played in Las Vegas, toured Hoover Dam and are now headed to Big Sur!!!

Todd and Evan

2010-12-14T17:05:00.000-07:00

Our last week of Math Enki is coming to an end! We have been enjoying a story names "Todd and Evan" about a Kings 2 sons who have grown old enough to begin to help in a battle on the kindoms land. The story goes over and over from Birth how to the sons are very different. Evan born first has always loved to play with lots of people, loves animals, and continues to make a group that all fit intogether! On the other hand Todd, the second son, born with red hair has been more of a leader..he likes to beout in front with others trailing behind! The idea Evan (even) and Todd (0dd) numbers! It was fun to recal this story for Cedar. Right away he was like "I am more like Evan, I like to include everyone and be a team," which is right on for Cedar play when were with friends!

To make this concept ring true, Cedar follwed my led drawing of Evan showing a pair and Todd showing a single person...we used the 2 colors Todd with red for his red hair, and green for Evan (hey its the holidays!)

This is Cedars work the next day recalling Todd(red) and Evan (green) he quickly caught in between the odd nymbers and even and noticed the colors going side by side!

He wanted to do a little more so we did a dot odd/even. Again is was a simple transition for Cedar

Our snowflake cut outs from a Advent night!~

Yesterday the boys and I got the lights up...they were so excited!

Truthy showing off her first day with started dreadlocks!!!

locks begun

Cedars journal about ice skating over the weekend

Papas Advent Calendar

2010-12-13T19:12:00.000-07:00

Jody began a tradition last year when he made his own advent calendar to count down the days until Christmas. He again has been planning a family activity to do each day or evening...here are a few we have done so far!

The kiddos made a wreath

The boys made cork boards!!!!

A sunday of ice skating and horse and carriage rides

The boys skating

Truth ice skated for a little bit before being over it!!

The have also made bath salts, lotion bars, and candles!

The 3 littles by the fire before ice skating!

This holiday season keeps the kids excited for the next family day to come! Besides these they have docorated the house with cut out snowflakes, made collages, made personal place mats, strung the christmas lights!!!!

Our 4th Block Math!

2010-12-13T16:57:00.000-07:00

So I couldn't help but post some pics of the kiddos during our last couple weeks of schooling! We have been having fun with our digits..and then moved on the the Miss Many More. We continued with the story making our first number chart. Cedar finished with 0-100 on his chart. he loved writing the numbers but liked counting berried even more!!!

WE decided to count blueberries all the different ways Miss Many More counted her fruits for her pies...1-10, 2, 4, 6, 8...3,6,9,12,.....10,20,30,...and 5,10,15

by the time we counted enough berries to fill the pie pan we had counted 450 in many ways.

The pie before the toppings were added....

Orien and Cedar love baking!!!

Happy kiddos eating pie before bed. By the end of the week Cedar had prepared his pie, packed his bags and we heading to his first sleepover at his friend Benjamin's house. Only seems right his first sleepover would be with his oldest friend!

The is Cedars journal about sleeping over with Benjamin. They slept on the bottom and Annalise, Ben's sister, slept on top!!! He had a blast and keeps asking when we can do this again!!

Our next week with Enki Math was a story called " A Contest for the Crown" a great story that lightly played with greater/less than..

Cedars led drawing from the story. You can see the "greater true King" was able to open the magic box to retrieve the box. The false king on the other side of the box we left trying to open it. Cedar added horese and the King in the castle as well.

After we worked with the drawing we got out a greater/less than piece and talked about the 2 kids. Cedar quickly caught on which way the symbol should be facing...He still caught on when I asked him things like what if I said Mean, selfish he quickly switched to show the false king would have been greater in those.
We also played a game throughout the week with a cardboard symbol and I would lay out 2 things from "which stuffed animal is more red, to which set of dominoes has more dots, which sibling is oldest, tallest...he loves games!

We ended that week with numbers and again he knew right away which way to write the symbols.

a great week it has been. We are ready for our last week of Enki Math before taking a break for holidays and travels.

wonderings

2010-12-12T21:47:00.000-07:00

I keep wondering how to fill in the gaps. To write the did's and didn't of our daily lives...to blog daily, weekly...to try to capture the families every move, breath, or to take a deep breath and catch the moments that are like Fire...Like the little voice in the room right now " humming, singing about where to jump.....saying Mama....I can do it" these are the moments that keep me breathing in that rhythmic, crazy, breath of life.

I could say another week has passed. I could talk about the "contest for the Crown....." story that Cedar and I enjoyed drawing, chatting, playing with all week, how he grasped so smoothly the concept of greater/less than...
I could tell of the cold that caught Cedar by surprise and held him to sleep during a rest time( which is all too rare). ..Or how Orien eats up the cheerleader pieces of life....who needs endless encouragement, a strong voice that leads and then he BLOOMS..like today when he ice skated all by himself with a smile I couldn't capture.,but can see right now when I envision him on the smooth ice. Or the endless "is cedar going to do that? Is cedar wearing that? Is Cedar ???" that is true love. To follow one like he can never do wrong,,,how does that feel????

I could try to grab the silly Mama in Truthy who dresses, undresses, giggles, talks to, feeds, bottle fills, her babies every move. She sleeps like she is a mother of a new born....rarely! She chatters, insists on being heard, wants to be a BIG sister, but in the end still cuddles up with her bottle of milk and her Mama.

Or the sadness that fills my heart when a friend travels a far leaving an empty place in my son and our families heart, knowing that all return at the right time, the ribbon Cedar earned at his last climbing class adding "right Mom it doesn't matter how many points you get it's just for fun".....or the time this week Cedar insisted on buying and wrapping a buddies Christmas gift, and the joy when he watched him open it!!!!! The grin he gave and received from a friend during his music recital that said love so simply.... or the goal from across the indoor gym at the last soccer game of the season. Oriens words after a family art project, " Cedar you did a good job," How I joined cross fit, how Jody finished the insulation in the mudroom....

And so I still hope to share more often...but if I can't I am ever so thankful to live this life daily.

back in the swing of things

2010-12-02T11:37:00.000-07:00

It feels great to have taken a mini Thanksgiving break from school and activities BUT we were ready to find our rhythm again on Monday! The kids were ready for some play, movement, and morning lessons. We have started our 4th block a short Math block full of great stories and the lessons of digits, doubling, tripling, greater/less and odd/even. I am so thankful for kids excited with life!

Here is Truthy trying out her water colors. She prefers to use 2 brushes!We were working with red and yellow!

The boys love wet on wet water coloring. Orien tends to like the wet never brushing off the paint brush between water and color. Cedar is slow and patient always starting with an idea and ending with simple color!

A friend introduced us to this simple holiday craft! Perfect for a cold day with negative wind cills. We wandered out land and found these pinecones. Then made an assembly line: Orien picking the pinecone, I hotgluing the spot and Cedar pressing the pinecones. The boys enjoyed it so much we made two. Cedar loves crafts and other ideas would be helpful!!

We started the week with "The Story of the Sun Dance" a native story easily used for a nice re-intriduction to the numbers we worked with during our first math block. We did a led drawing Cedars is the top and mine the one below. We chose to draw the lodge, scarface by the fire and the 4 animals that helped him on his journey as well as the big dipper.

This is my drawing from the story

After drawing we played a simple digits game. Cedar picks on card from each pile and then has to tell me the name of that number combination. He loves games, and numbers, does well unless it is a teen number.

We then read the story "Miss Many More" about a girl who wanted to bake a pie. Her father told her make a pie put of strawberries but she soon decided counting strawberries 1, 2, 3, 4 to 100 would take too long. She decided cherries in the yard would be easier 2, 4, 6, 8...but then got bored of that as well and went looking for something sweet in the garder. Man more decided that sweet green peas would be great 3, 6, 9, 12, etc...but after baking such a pis she found it disgusting and wanted to try again. She headed back outside and noticed grapes and liked the bunches 10, 20, 30 and came in and again baked a pie that didn;t turn out. Finally her father asked her to go to the pond and pick the fruit out there blueberries 5, 10 ,15, 20 and she baked a great pie. This above picture is Cedars from the story

Here is my led drawing from the story...tomorrow well experiment with different ways of counting blueberries and hopefully end with a great pie!

Today was our first woods day. We meet with the usual crew in 40 degrees and 40MPH winds and played on the ice at our favirite place, goose island. I love hos kids are so adaptible. The never once complained about the winds but boot scated and crashed for hours!

Cedar and Orien cruising across the ice on Lake Estes

We also finished up our Nevember poem by Elsa Beskow with a led water color painting mine on top Cedars on bottom

NOVEMBER

"Grey is November,

cold as cold

Stormy November,

wind and rain.

No snow.

No ice.

No glittering sun.

Grey is November,

except

by the bright fire

with a story,

a cushion for the cat,

the dark shut outside

and

the light in the flames

where mysteries lie

and

we dream"

Cedar has also been busy with a boys knitting class. He is making his own hand mitties, here he is knitting during rest time.

I am so thankful for full days, wamr nights and happy kiddos. Welcome to December!

my family

2010-11-28T22:06:00.000-07:00

My family. This summer.

The True name of the King

2010-11-28T22:03:00.000-07:00

"The true name of the King must endure from Birth to Death"

"Watch my child, the path of heart, For Darkest night will soon depart.

Then sparkling sun will touch his wand As red and gold fill path and pond."

"We are busy little fellows, Working way deep, down below,

Crystals, jewels, gold and stone,

We tend with care our earthly home"

"I am a stream so swift and clear, As down the rocky rapids steep.

I sing my song for all to hear, Watch the gleaming tears I weep."

"Bloom and root, Root and Bloom. Bright and True. But gone so soon"

"Then with all is might and main. The blaze rose high in raging flame. It rages and blazed until the day, and then the flames did fade away"

""with Royal cloak I stand on high.

And raise my spear to pierce the sky

The Answer does within us lie

The True name of the King is, I"

Cedar and I have been finishing up our third block of Enki. We took a break from consonants to enjoy a story all about the true sounds of vowel letters. It was a nice change of pace. We read a 5 part story, stopped daily to re-call and water color paint about the story and the letter came out in the name! A fun way to introduce vowels!

yes we have been schooling!!

2010-11-28T21:49:00.000-07:00

A little glimpse into Cedars world!!!

Cedars drawing from the story "Mud Pony"

Cedars drawing from Wokokwotonko, a great Native American story about the great WIND GIANT!!!

A peek into Cedars writing. With every verse he still gets excited to write the entire thing!!! He loves writing.

Benizara and Kekezara, a fairy tale

Our last Fairy tale over this block The Golden Stag

Cedar continues to journal about his weekends and nature stories. Here is his picture post Halloween and earning his Junior Ranger badge. He drew the badge and himself in his outfit!!

Our family vacationed at Glenwood Hot springs, here is Cedar and Orien playing with their rings in the pool.

Cedars first Verse Reader. He has been re-visiting all his stories from Block one and drawing on the same page as the typed verse. This is his complete book that we now try to read daily.

It seems November cruised by with holidays, celebrations, vacations,extra woods wandering... and yes school! Cedar has been cruising through his third block of Enki First grade. He has been working on a great Language Arts block and really seems to enjoy all the Fairy tales. There seems to be something extra special about the Native American stories that resonant in both of us. We had 2 more weeks of Language arts where we worked with stories of strong winds, courageous boys and girls, and of course Kings and princes and princesses. I decided there was no way to review all his work but continue to find his art work worth peaking back on.

catch the glow

2010-11-26T22:54:00.000-07:00

I try to capture EVERYTHING with a camera. I want to have memories that last a lifetime. I regret that I haven't printed a picture since Truthy was 8 weeks old and wonder how I can ever catch up on all those digital pics. But non the less I have thousands of pictures of my family....from our first holidays to the little sweet candid shots of life. Finally tonight I had to let that go. I didn't get one single picture of my family, great friends, or anything!!!!! We were celebrating the holidays at the "catch the glow" parade in Estes. We had one of those great. jam packed days. The kind I cherish as we don't do them too often because well....tomorrow wont be fun! But today it was worth it. The post Thanksgiving ( which was perfect) day. We woke early, headed to Eldora for some bunny hill snowboarding and skiing with our buddy Jackson and his papa. We rode as the snow fell....and then dined till our belly's we too full again! Played at our friends home, got to town in time to watch the parade with arms over bodies in boy hugs, and sipped Bailey's and coffee as the floats cruised by.

And I don't have a picture to prove it. Maybe it is nice to not be able to capture today past the slight shots in my brain. I know in years to come Cedar will be able to tell me about today as it was moment to moment...and sadly I will have forgotten it all together. For now I am thankful to have listened to the giggle from Orien as he skied down the hills, watched as Cedar and Jackson cuddled in a chair together, and secretly peeked as Truthy rocked her baby to bed far after 9pm at the Hurley's home...I will have caught friends wide mouth smiles, laughed at Bergen's BIG grin hours before his 1 yr birthday, heard Jody tell and laugh at stories with Mike,listened and laughed with Julies loud happy laugh, watched Orien hide with a grin from Mike, noticed the silence and wide eyes as the police and firemen drove though to start the parade, and held Truthy as she sips another bottle of milk. And so I am thankful for a full day. A day only captured in the now...and as I re-charge the camera I look forward to millions more caught with and without the flash of memories.

In memory of memories

2010-11-24T22:15:00.000-07:00

It is the season of celebration, creating traditions, and making memories. As Jody preps the cranberries, pumpkin ice cream, whipped sweet potatoes, and many more. I can't help but remember my childhood days of Thanksgiving. In my world it was cold, snowy, full of McDonald's in Ankeney Iowa, long car rides in the snow, stalling, cars sliding as we traveled along the back county roads to get to Fort Madison... Fort Madison, my favorite place to visit as a little person. I grew up in the cities. The norm was malls with escalators, a million stores, dramatic news, and plenty of people. On the other hand my mom grew up in small town America, and my Grandma and Grandpa stayed there as well as my Aunt and Uncle and 7 cousins. This was my favorite place to visit. I loves the small town, the tiny cold movie theatre, the sub shop, tiny stores down town, walking to the local Ron's grocery store that we were all;owed to go to without parents. I was in love with my family, in love with leaving my home, and playing with my cousins. I loved my Grandmas warm house, my Grandpas silly playing cards, his headstands he would indulge in and when he took out his fake teeth I was shocked every time.

I loved the feast, the kids table, the grape juice, my mom sipping wine with her sister. I loved watching the Macy's day parade as we prepared the feast. I loved the canned fruit tray, the banana bread, sloppy stuffing that only my Grandma could make, the loud TV, the neighbors, the bowling nights, bagging my mom to let us have sleepovers at my cousins, the glow parade every Friday night, the dollar movie, the drive tour of the Mississippi River, the crazy driving from my Grandpa. In a nut shell I loved my crazy, lovely, loud, silly Masters Thanksgiving. Makes me miss it.

And now we have our own traditions. Since Cedar was born we have been fortunate to have our great friends the Trumbower's up to the house to celebrate. No we don't have family with us be we have traditions. The kids playing, running around the yard, papas frying the Turkey, wandering to the top of the mountain to cut Christmas Trees, eating and more eating. Mamas sipping wine, kids begging for a sleepover, and time simply spent together. And so as we prepare for another year I am thankful. Thankful for the warm memories and of the new traditions years and running.

xoxo

Our first Thanksgiving with our FAMILY

Cedars 3rd Block of school week 2

2010-11-10T20:19:00.000-07:00

Cedar has been busy with his second Language Art Block. I have apparently not been keeping up. He continues to keep me on our schedule, loves his drawin and journal time and is stoked to be finising our first "verse reader book"

Cedar journaled after Mimi and Grandpa were here. He choose the pig race at the Harvest Festival.

This is Cedars Friday Journal from the nature story " Mischief Mouse"

This is Cedars drawing for the Fairy Tale, "The Bear Boy"

The Bear Boy was working with the letter B

Cedar continues to be motivate at his writing. He writes the entire verse each week. I think he is doing great!

Cedars led drawing from the fairy tale " The Search for the Magic Lake" The girl is gifter magic feathers (in her hand) to save a sick prince.

Cedars S

and F

Cedars writing for Search for the Magic Lake Verse

Cedars Junior Park Ranger Booklet,he loves this Book

Halloween a bit late!

2010-11-10T19:53:00.000-07:00

The Eamonn Clan

Orien Sideways! oooops

Trthy diggin into the suckers

The kiddos picking the pumpkins

The kiddos with their Jack-O-Lanterns

Park Ranger Cedar

Our family seems to favor Halloween over most holidays! We love costumes, live in costumes daily, and can't wait to plan for the next halloween! This year we had a mix Cedar wanted to be a Park Ranger, worked hard on his Junior Ranger Pin for Rocky National Park with his buddy Jackson. His buddy Emmet it worki towards his badge so this year there were 3 Park Rangers!! Orien loves Police, Fire and other helpers. He decided to be a Policeman and sported it well. Truthy seems inpartial and at the costume store picked a Fairy costume. Jody and I decided to spice up life, venture far from the real world and be Hippies. We had a great time trick-or-treating in Estes Park....here are a few pics!

Thankful

2010-10-28T14:35:00.000-06:00

It seems from time to time I just feel awake with my family. We are in one of those worlds right now where everything makes sense, fit, feels good, and is well. I will take this as a moment to breath softly and stay present. Our family is awake, alive, happy, and simply living. We are in a place of sinking. I am at a point where I don't need a picture to show our family...

Truthy is a alive, loud, a chatty little person. She loves her babies, jumping on her bed, playing kitchen, cuddling with her siblings and mama/papa. She still needs to cuddle up at night in "her" bed with us. She loves bugs, her friends, being carried in a pack, getting wet, chasing chickens, loving on Nesta, kicking the soccer ball, spinning in the house, jumping "high" in the trampoline, repeating her words over and over, peeing on a potty, dressing her self many times a day, sipping milk from her bottle, and over all being a happy little girl.

Orien is enjoying being 4. He loves dancing in dance class, playing soccer with buddies and his papa, playing with Truthy while Cedar is working on school, reading books, building Lego's, making silly faces, and saying silly things, playing fireman with Cedar, sleeping, finding his imaginative world with Guthrie, playing for hours by himself, biking, skipping, digging in dirt, simply being a kid.

Cedar is a happy first grader. He loves his "morning lessons", fairy tales, writing writing writing, listening to chapter books with his papa, listening to books on tape, counting, drawing, anything related to school, biking, jumping, playing soccer on a team, building Lego's, following instructions, crafts, playing with his friends, becoming a Junior Park ranger, listening, following rules, playing firemen and pirates, making posters and signs, always wanting everything to be a surprise.
I love taking the time to think about the kiddos...I know one day I wont remember this day but today it is all we are.

Celebrating the pumpkin season with family!!!

2010-10-26T21:37:00.000-06:00

The fall always seems more filled up on the weekend my family visits. It has become a tradition that Mimi and Grandpa Rick come to see the kids play soccer, visit a pumpkin patch, and romp in Estes Park. It seems it is usually cold outside but we are warm at the hotel pool and dining near a woodstove. Here are a few pics from our adventures over the weekend,....

Truthy playing soccer with her love Grandpa!

All of us at the at the festivel. A non-profit pumpkin patch

Cedar flying over the gap betweem the hay barrels. He would have done this ALL day!

Truthy in the Corn Maze

Orien on top of the hay bales giggling!

Mimi and the kiddos

Family times are always a much needed break from life.

Our last week of Math

2010-10-26T20:57:00.000-06:00

We began our 3rd and last week of our math block with the fairy tale, "The Evil Giant" a story with many numbers, and the idea of doubling which Cedar already understands, but enjoyed in a new story. I think this might be one of his best led drawings, he seems to be getting more comfortable with his drawings, and loves to add important parts when I have finished. We choose to draw about the number 6. We also could have chosen the number 8, for the 4 daughters who all married doubling partners to 8, or the number 10 all 5 siblings married making 5 double to 10. In the story there is a Evil Giant who can live forever unless someone can blow out the candle, inside an egg, inside a dove, inside a ox, inside ox inside a box, under the sea. Cedar added the fish in the sea and the special lock on the top of the box!

Cedars 6, dots, and symbol and 6 pointed star

Cedars 8, definitely his favorite number. He loves to repeat the number over and over.

and the number 10 with a 10 pointed star

We had one more number and worked with the fairy tale, "The Golden Apples and the Nine Peahens," a story about a King who is sad because his apples are always stolen by morning and sends his sons to catch the robber. His first 2 sons fail, and the third watches as the nine peahens fly down to feast on the apples, the ninth turns into a princess to spend time with him....his journey continues to find the girl.

Cedars drawing of the 8 peahens, the 9th as the girl talking to the son, He added the horse that the boy rode in the end

Cedars drawing of the 9

To finish off our math block we made a number chart of our digits we have read about thus far

Autumn Duchess

2010-10-18T15:01:00.000-06:00

The kids have been gathering leaves throughout the last couple weeks. Cedar had been prepping for his Autumn crown with his finger knitting, and finally on a cool afternoon the crowns were made! We used Cedars finger knittings, some pipe cleaners and hot wax to seal and hold the leaves onto the crowns! The boys did all the leaf dipping and we ended up with wonderful crowns!! They both wore them the entire day with pride!!!!

Another week of Math

2010-10-18T14:55:00.000-06:00

We have had another great week with our fairy tales and digits. Our story for number 5 came from out nature stories "Apple Tree" it was more about the seasons and how the tree changes, blooms, grows little apples and finally kids eating apples and dropping their seeds!

We also cut a apple open to see the 5 pointed star, both boys found that amazing!!

Cedars tree with 5 apples left hanging, He added lots of seeds from the core of leftover apples!

"jump down, hop around, put on your hat and head to town" is our 5, as well as our 5 pointed start that he drew a couple times.

For number 7 we enjoyed the classic Fairy Tale "Snow White and the 7 dwarfs" He really enjoyed this story and the repetition of the wicked Queen trying to kill Snow White. We both choose to draw about the story. We have the 7 dwarfs, Snow White and he added the 7 axes they use all day at work mining for coal.

"put on the hat and stand up tall, seven never takes a fall" Cedars 7, and his symbol a triangle and square

We ended the week with our first led water color painting. We read the nature story "Color Painters" for our Thursday nature night, recalled it Friday morning and then did a loose first attempt at a led coloring. This first painting is mine. We started at the beginning of the story with our spring red and yellow color painters visiting the forest. Then added the green of summer. Went back to the kissing of the red during autumn and the purples as well, ending with white for the winter snow.

This is Cedars painting

Orien's painting, more of a independent work!

leaves falling October rains falling

2010-10-18T14:37:00.000-06:00

I have been reluctant to have our first "can't do school outside" day and this fall has been spoiling us! We still have been spending hours outside everyday, and can't imagine it any other way! We woke last Tuesday to rain and 45 degrees. I needed to prove to myself and the kids that weather wouldn't stop us from enjoying our morning movement outside. As usual after breakfast we bundled up, did or chores and headed out to play! The kids ate up every minute of it...splashing, running, I don't think I need more words as these pictures tell it all!!! We are ready for the shifts in weather, and I feel more confident that we will be outside EVERYDAY throughout the winter!!

end of one week and the beginning of the next

2010-10-11T22:34:00.000-06:00

We finished our first week of our math block and have begun the next! It has been peaceful. On one had I have picked up the pace by only reading each story once and then recalling it. I continue to be shocked by just how much Cedar remembers after only hearing a story one time. He picks up many interesting parts and he will guide me through our recalls very calmly! We ended our week with the number 3. Reading the fairytale Pear Blossom, a story similar to Cinderella. In it 3 different animals helped the young girl finish chores and have a chance to attend a town festival where she lost a sandal! Of course the prince sought her out and married her. Our loose drawings were going anywhere so I went back to a very loose led drawing. Cedar seems to really feel comfortable having something to look at as he draws. He drew a picture of the girl and her 3 animals that helped her throughout the story as well as the 3, symbol and dots.

We finished out the week with our journal post forest school on Friday. Together before journal Cedar is telling me things he did throughout the week and I am making a list on the chalk board and he picks something to journal about and write the one word. He chose forest school and the word build. As you can see he got carried away by the new Halloween decorations in the house and also added them to his art!

7 boys working hard to build a wood home during forest school!

We started our second week with a weekend journal Cedar chose to draw about going to a friends birthday party! And then we moved on to our number 4. The Fairy Tale this time was, Wonderful Healing Leaves. A story of a lad who would have to go through 4 dangerous situations to get to a special healing tree that would save his father-in-law the King from his blindness. It was fun to chat about 4's as Cedar pointed out many 4 in the story.

We did another led drawing and within it were the 4 dangerous path situations. We ended writing the 4, and as usual Cedar told me he know what the number looked like and drew it backwards! I never tell him differently just erase it, show a 4 the correct way and he moves on!

Bliss

2010-10-11T21:56:00.000-06:00

Cedar doing what Cedar does best climbing on trees and grinning from ear to ear

apparently purses go everywhere???

hiding amongest the golden aspens!

a tiny sign of moisture on this fall day

by far the boys favorite part of our woods time, tall grass, taller then them!!

I am having one of those days where my heart is being worn on my outsides and it is ever so present. Love that is always present is now an intense feeling, something I figure almost unfathomable to others yet we all have the feeling from time to time. It feels like something I wish I could freeze, and make an always kind of feeling, but such as life that just isn't how the world works. Just an ordinary Monday but not. When I watched all 3 kids get on their bikes (yes Truthy included) and hit the dirt road hill a rushing feeling of bliss filled my body. This morning i am in the present and blessed. WOW, I am spoiled to have three kids. How did I get here? How did Jody and I get here!!?? I get to spend everyday with my family, from the playing to the dirty chores. I think this is where the heart takes over from time ti time. Our body isn't our own, our mind isn't ours but the feeling of love is all that is left. I want to stay here forever. Mondays, just an ordinary day, yet so much more..and I truly believe the kids felt that energy as well. We just enjoyed each other all day. The kids enjoyed there sibling company and we all enjoyed our time. And so we did what we do best. We played, had lesson time, and romped in the woods.

2010-10-07T13:39:00.000-06:00

A new week in the felt classroom! 9 kiddos came together to work with felt again. This time they made a treasure pouch.

Orien working on his pouch

Guthrie and Chase

Oriens finished treasure bag

Orien and Cedar showing off the final product.

Cedars pouch

A new block! Week1 Block 2 Math!!

2010-10-07T13:06:00.000-06:00

It feels so good to transitioned to a new block with the first grade Enki. We are letting the LA letters sleep for a bit and bringing the digits to the surface. I was worried that Cedar would be bored with the numbers but the magic of blending Fairy tales with conversations of numbers has gone over smoothly. We are shifting gears, and only reading the stories once, then enjoying recall the next morning with dad, before diving into digit conversations about our world and the stories.

we started off the week with our Monday Journal. Cedar decided to color about our camping weekend. Here is a picture of our tent, rocks in the background he played in, the sun shining. We have been adding a word to our journals. This week he wanted pine cone wars! The kids had a blast throwing pine cones at each other!!

For our digit 1 we read a fairy tale, The Stolen Bairn and the Sidh. A story with many unique, or one involved. A baby is taken by some fairies, and the mother goes out to find him. She is helped along the way by some fishermen, and a gypsy grandmother that offers here potion of safety and assists her in a way to her babe back. The mother must think of something unique enough that the Sidhan King will want to trade her for her babe. She makes a beautiful cloak and is able to find the King and trade for her babe. After the story Cedar and I talked about 1's in our life. He was quick to point out the sun, earth, moon, himself, his family, etc. I thought in this block 2 we would try to draw together yet without doing a led drawing to loosen up the coloring for Cedar. I drew the babe in the woods. Cedar drew the Earth, and then had to add the moon with the American flag on it! He is really interested in space, time, location, sun, moon. It will be interesting to see where that all goes!~

After we drew we wrote the number 1, the dot symbol and the geometric symbol a circle.

The next digit 2, came in the story The Luminous Pearl. A story of 2 opposite brothers. One who was a bit greedy, and impatient. The other kind, generous, calm, caring. The 2 brother went on the same adventure to meet a princess and the story would go the first man to get to her would marry her. In the story they come across a village flooding the older, greedy brother takes no time to help, but does offer that he will ask the King for a special ladle that will stop the flood. The younger brother stops in the village and helps them all day and night, nearly forgetting he is trying to get to the princess. When the 2 brothers make it to the castle and meet the King he offers a room of jewels and tells that the jewel that lights up the land will be the one the princess will want and thus marry the many who brought it. The older finds the biggest jewel and heads off. The younger forgets about the jewel and takes the ladle to help the flooding villagers. The ladle does stop the flooding and a little girl offers the brother a tiny black pearl in thanks. In the end the young brother brings a tiny pear with illuminates the seas and is married to the princess.

Cedar and I chatted about 2's, He easily say the 2 brothers, the 2 jewels. When we discussed 2's we chatted about 2 hands, 2 eyes, day/night, 2 siblings, a mother/father. The moon and sun again came out and he choose to draw about them while I drew the 2 brothers on their adventures. We then wrote our 2, dots, and the 2 parallel lines.

Orien's leaf prints!

Crafts are always requested in our house. Cedar and now Orien both enjoy any craft I offer. I had found an idea of leaf printing on another blog and thought we would give it a try. We collected leaves of different sizes and colors on our Tuesday morning walk. We then did leaf prints with our block crayons shading over. I couldn't believe how much fun the kids had! Truthy joined in for a moment! They are already asking to make more!

Cedars leaf prints

speaking of crafts. Cedar and I began our new season of knitting. He loves to finger crochet, and finger knit. It comes very easy to his fingers and he went forever on this project. We will eventually use his knitting for a autumn crown!

Cedar showing off his finger with the braid falling under!

I am so thankful for kids with such a love for all that Enki has been offering. We are enjoying all our lessons, stories, games, movements, songs, and co-op time thus far!!!

community

2010-10-05T13:49:00.000-06:00

Community, celebration, gathering, family. We had our first Enki camping weekend. 7 families from around Colorado all gathered in our backyard, Rocky Mountain National Park, to celebrate the autumn breezee, Elk bugling, and the oneness of all homeschooling with the same life choices. The kids were amazing ranging from 2 year old to 6 yr old, they played made up games like: pine cone wars, elk and wolves, romped on high rocks, and wandered at dusk to watch the coyotes circle the Elk herds. These are the days where it is evident that our roots are in the natural world, the forest, nature is our home. Everyone so comfortable with, the animal noises, birds flying over head, sleeping under the stars, playing in rivers, walking through tall grass, warming ourselves by fire. I am grateful to share in these experiences with others who see, feel, love to come together in a place like this.

Truthy and her buddy Guthrie who both sat around chatting and tending to the "pre fire" for hours!!!

Cedar, Emmett, and Finn planning, making, a rock castle in the sand at Cub Lake

A few of the kiddos all around the stream

Guthrie and hiding Orien playing in the waters seaweed.

community, the Estes mamas with more family around!

The end of our first block!!

2010-10-01T18:51:00.000-06:00

Wow. I cant believe a month has gone by. We have officially finished our last Enki LA block. We finished off with the fairy tale ' The Golden Amulet' Cedar declared this his favorite so far. A story about a Emperor in search of his missing fifth wife. He searches after many a same dream of her in a golden tree. Cedar drew the golden tree, and then added on the husband in a rock.

To finish off the block we wrote all the letters we have learned along the fairy tale journey.

For our Thursday night nature story Jody read them a story by a Brynn a dear friend. Cedar decided to journal the Elk in the story 'song of the elk' in his Friday journal. He is really enjoying playing with the crayons as shading animals.

Now for a while this is how my driveway looks. During all our loose outdoor play time we are deeply in play as Firemen and women. Here is the newest firetruck.

And while they play I prepare our gear for the first Estes Park/ Vail Enki family celebration. On Saturday 7 families all living the enki homeschooling world will join to celebrate the fall in Estes Park, Rocky Mountain National Park. We are all camping, celebrating, having a group circle and campfire. And of course looking ans listening to the Elk in their season.

Orien falls in love with finger crocheting!

2010-10-01T16:23:00.000-06:00

We ended a day, after Forest Wednesday, with a relaxing time finger crocheting. I was re-awakening this for Cedar as we are about to move onto finger knitting and then knitting by winter. After Cedar had accomplished two long braids Orien wanted to try. He was great! Patient, excited, proud. Orien is grasping the Enki K so well!!! Here is he!!

Our last week of LA block 1

2010-10-01T16:11:00.000-06:00

It take ciaos to truly value the calm in life. I learned this first hand this past weekend. We live out in the Mountains convenient to hiking, animals, kids romping, full moons shining bright, the lack of city lights, noises other then the howl of a coyote. We truly are blessed to have apiece of land with a garden, chicken coop, pet goats, tree house, sand, mud, dirt. This does come however with the price of ERRAND days! We have days where once we get going it doesn't make sense to come home for rest rather sleep in a car, and run from store to store filling our bellies, our animals, maintenance on cars. Need I say more. And well we ended last Friday running like crazy. Woke Saturday and ran in a different way Soccer!! The boys are in love with soccer and they both had a game on Saturday. Cedar is growing everyday with his movements, passion for rule following and yearning to get in the game. He had his first run down the field in front of everyone with the ball, shot didn't score, but he was proud. We were proud! And then we kept runnin' fall celebrations, family errands...and a busy Sunday of working on the home addition. By the end we were all a mes and I paid the price on Monday! We had a rocky day and I now more then ever understand the meaning of rhythm.

Cedar was an emotional little guy, Orien exhausted and Truthy fussy.

We did manages to follow our Monday rhythm but with some resistance. Cedar did still want to partake in his Monday journal his soccer game!

Cedar is in yellow attempting to make a goal (note the arrow telling you he was kicking it in the right direction!)

By the time we got to our new FAIRY TALE, 'The Girl Who Laughed Lilies' things we tough. We had a hard time doing our led drawing as he kept insisting he couldn't draw as good as me. Which has Jody continues to point out in it of itself is funny as I lack drawing abilities! We did eventually find our way back to the paper and I think he did a great job re-creating the story of the girl laughing lilies.

The hidden letter was a L in one of my flowers. Here is Cedars L and l

By Tuesday we were back on track and Cedar wrote the entire verse again.

So a week later and a lesson learned. Jody will have some late nights to grab groceries and we will keep to our nice calm afternoons!

Our school on Fridays

2010-09-27T20:38:00.000-06:00

This is my friday, or should I say our Friday. I don't need to say much as the pictures say it all. This is OUR classroom. There are no boundaries, no chairs, no time to be somewhere, no time to eat, no time to work. It simply is our place to play, eat, wander, sing, dance, play games, river walk, rock climb and most of all have a similiar happy, loving community. I AM SPOILED to share each frinday with 2 other Enki families. We, the mamas have time to catch up, hear kid concerns, food topics, relax, laugh. Our kids have time to be kids, play, make-believe, jump, talk, create, imagine all in a safe and beautiful place. In the end we celebrate the wild in all of us. We celebrate community. We celebrate this life for which we have chosen.

The end of another week!!

2010-09-27T20:22:00.000-06:00

We finished off week three of our LA block with Rodopis a Fairy Tale from the first grade Enki curriculum. It was another great week for Cedar. Always excited to write many a letters and verses. He was busy with this story many say is the original ' Cinderella.' A girl born a princess, sold as a slave, and in the end marries a prince with her special red shoes.

We also enjoyed celebrating the fall equinox on Thursday. Turning the calendar to fall, making gluten free pumpkin muffins, a roast for dinner and some apple cobbler. As well as wandering into the forest to read the K nature story Autumn Duchess. Here is Cedars Friday journal on the nature story. The colors are the leaves falling to the ground. ( I love the happy sun)

Cedars led drawing if Rodopis. He added flare to his shoes and the flowers around the tree.

Cedar writing his R and r for the week

Cedar also writing his P and p

The first half of Cedars verse

the second half of the verse ( he was very motivated to write that day)

Our fiber homeschool class Wednesday

2010-09-23T13:33:00.000-06:00

A little story into our rhythm at the Eamonn home! We are enjoying our daily and weekly rhythms that have been added since we started our 1st grade year! We try to keep the same rhythm at home the same Monday, Tuesday and Thursdays those days are "school days at home" and so they look like this. We wake early! Well earlier then I would between 6 and 7! I make the hot breakfast while the kids play or listen to books on tape. We all gather for our morning blessing, sit together and eat. On Mondays and Thursday we also use this family time to recall the story Cedar is listening to that week. After breakfast Cedar cleans the table while Orien and Truth get dressed. Then Cedar dresses and heads outside for the chicken coop chores. We gather 'come follow me' and head out on our bike/walk adventure! returning to a circle of movements. The kids then have a little time while I prepare snacks, lesson work, stories, and then we gather for snack. We also read our monthly poem, do a soft calendar, and a finger play!

Once we finish our snack Cedar begins his practice work at the table while Orien, Truth and I read a Enki K story. Then Orien heads off with Truth to play or listen to more books on tape while I join Cedar for his morning lesson. When we finish everyone goes outside to play while I prepare lunch.

After lunch we all rest. Our afternoons are busy with soccer and dance right now. We end the night with a family dinner. Cedar has time to listen to his chapter book while Orien and Truth bath. And then Orien and Truth have some time to read before we all gather together for a couple family books!

Now on Wednesdays we leave the morning open to crafts, classes, and hiking. Fridays we join two other Enki families for our Forest School.

Here is our first art class. We are lucky to have such great resources in our community. We visited a fiber school where the kids we taught about animals, wool, texture and then learned basic needle felting skills. They all loved it. 7 kids aging from 4-7. We cant wait to go back in 2 weeks and do a needle felt pumpkin to celebrate the season.

Here are the Kids with their teacher Liz doing some 'brain yoga'

Orien and Chase work on their needle felt bears

Kahill, Cedar, and Benjamin enjoying their felting

All the kids showing off their work

the 'Little White Dove,' and the snail has babies...!

2010-09-23T12:01:00.003-06:00

The day had barley begun Monday when I heard Cedar..." Mom the snail had babies!!!" "Their are 16 so far.." and so we are excited to learn that our friendly garden snail is a hermaphrodite. We are the lucky family to have such an animal that needs no mate to produce endless babies. So for now we watch them grow, but what to do we are not sure??? suggestions!
Cedars first story for is LA week is 'Little White dove' from the Enki grade one fairy tales. A story of a young girl who is going to marry a King, But a witch comes along, sticks a needle in her neck and she becomes a white bird. As the story goes on the white dove visits the kins palace garden. singing her most beautiful voice and is waiting to see the King. The King, always inside, depressed that he married a witch refuses to come to the garden. In the end he does, hears her voice, strokes the bird finding the needle, pulls it out and marries the girl!

Here is Cedars Monday practice work: Journal about the weekend.

he says this is a picture at Fox Creek when he and Jody were building up a damn. apparently it is myself on one side and Truth on the other. He loves that creek day.

Here is Cedars led drawing picture of 'Little White Dove.' The witch, dove up in the tree, sun shining and witch carrying her vessel for water.

Cedar writing the letter N and n. In my led drawing there was a N in the tree branch!

And Cedar writing the verse to 'Little White Dove'

Nestled in her nest in the highest nook,

The little white dove hides.

Needle in her neck, she sings sweet notes,

To call the king by night.

same paints different outcome!

2010-09-20T13:47:00.003-06:00

3 little people to water color paint!

we are still following Enki K idea of

wet on wet! We soak our paper and have fun with 2 colors

Today I choose autumn colors.

RED and YELLOW= Orange!

I thought it was so fun to see just how different a 2, 4, and 6 paint!!

This first picture is Truthys!

She is now at the age where she want to color, paint, be apart of the gang from time to time.

She isn't interested in anything more then mess and color!!! And of course she is always the first one done!

This second painting is Orien (4). He LOVES to see the colors dance. He simply enjoys letting us know the colors he has made! He is usually attentive in switching colors with water first and at times gets frustrated with work but always comes around to liking it!

Here is Cedars. He is slow to start. Usually takes one side going up and down with one color. he then usually starts in another spot and I have a feeling by about half way through has a story...well see.
This week he is there much longer then his siblings. By the end he describes it as planet Earth in the center red...the sun all around and on the bottom right corner the North Pole!!
I believe soon enough I need to do my homework on led/story based paintings with him..another part of the Enki grade 1 curriculum I am still piecing together.

Soccer and Sunday afternoons

2010-09-19T21:29:00.002-06:00

It seems with all the fun new schooling I have forgotten about my family time! And we are in full swing right now. Each fall we gear up for 6 weeks of unpredictable weather to hit the soccer field. This year Cedar plays on a K/1st grade team and Orien is playing "little kickers" aka a mommy and me soccer day each Saturday. So to give an perspective of just how excited Cedar and Orien are about soccer by 6:30 AM both boys were bouncing in or bed with their soccer shorts and shirts asking me to help them with cleats and shin guards! It is going to be an entertaining 6 weeks...in the past we have snow, wind, hot summer air, and all of the in between! Cedar and his buddy Benjamin are playing defense! Cedar seems to like it there best. Not too fast, not too intense, just a few passes to the team and they are back off into offense land! He is still a bit timid..not thinking falling over, being kicked, or getting in the way sounds all too much fun!
Orien all ready for his first day! He played last year but never was EXCITED to do much of anything! Things have changed he LOVES dribbling, passing, going through cones, goalie and being with his Mom and friends! I cant wait to watch him bloom this year!

Sundays are family. Between schooling, working, sports, it seems we truly need this time with each other. We wandered to a dear old love of a trail Fox Creek. The same place Cedar wandered in the womb a million times, the place his placenta was buried. It is a magical , moss, fall aspen, creek, fairy forest. Cedar and dad are into damn building and spent plenty of time playing in the creek while Orien, Truth and I snacked and wandered in the crunchy leaves!

Cedar wanted to take a picture..here it is Truthy and her mama and papa! And of course her baby doll with bottle!

To top off a great week..Jody got the new hammock up and we relaxed!

Dragon and D's

2010-09-19T08:00:00.002-06:00

we ended our week with a fairy tale names 'Vasily and the Dragon' An adventure about a boy named Vasily the Lucky and his adopted father Marco the rich. Here is Cedars led drawing of the Dragon and Vasily.

To put it into perspective here is my led drawing . The secret letter this time was a D. Cedar found it quite quickly!

Cedar worked on his D and d later in the week. He loves his morning lesson time. It seems to really ground him.

As for the verse this week he choose to write the entire verse. He is very patient and precise with his letters! He catches differences I make on my verse!

That ended week 2 of Enki Grade 1 LA block! We are officially half way through our first block. I am excited and a bit stressed to get our 2nd block all planned out and ready it will be a mathematics block.

weekends followed by weeks!

2010-09-15T13:48:00.003-06:00

weekends roll in and in Estes that means

there is always a festival or weekend celebration

This week it was the Scottish Festival which means

PARADE and CANDY time.

here is Orien the way I see him most the times these days!!

A happy guy in his boots and chocolate face!~

Our dear friend April with her daughter Stella and Truthy watching the bands!

Our second week of school is going great. These are a bit out of our weekly order. Our first grade on fairy tale this week is 'Jumping Mouse' the whole family heard this light, story of a magical frog who assists a mouse in his yearning to head to the far-off land. Along his journey he helps other animals in need...the kids really enjoyed this story. Below is a free drawing of Cedars in his journal about our 2nd story 'Vasily and the Dragon' We have chosen to read each story two times during our first block. I was shocked at the details Cedar remembered after just one reading and no-recall.
Here is Cedars Verse writing of Jumping Mouse. He loves to write.

Here is his letter J and j in his good book.

And here is his led drawing of the story Jumping Mouse.

We have also been walking a form walk every morning as part of our "movement circle" we have walked this form for a week. Then we brought it to the chalk board, sand and finally his form drawing book. It represents a straight line and a curve. It seemed to be easy for him. We have started a castle form walk that we will draw on in another week. This

The first week of First Grade!

2010-09-09T12:01:00.005-06:00

First grade has begun with a Language Arts Block! We are on an adventure to learn our letter consonants. Our first Fairy Tale is 'Little Falcon' A story of a noble family,a King and Queen who yearn for a child. Eventually are granted their dream to have a child but must promise that when he turns 7 they will send him into the might mountains and forest to learn the ways of the world. Within the story he enters the Golden Oak Gates, finds magic in the mountains from a Falcon, spends many days playing with creatures, learning the way of the land, animals, and all things. He is always kept safe a special crystal that holds light in times of storms and darkness. In the end his true test is to care for an injured noble falcon and after having helped out he runs home, back through the golden gates, to the castle and rules the kingdom through patience and prosperity.

With in the week Cedar drew his first 'led drawing' meaning I draw part of the story, take breaks for him to copy at best that he can/wants and then I carry on adding more detail to the story

By the end there are magical letters within the drawing. Cedar was able to spy one of them There is the letter G and M.

By the end of the week after reading, and reading the story and verse. Cedar learned the correct way to write a G, g, M, and m. His last table time was spent writing as much or as little as he please from the verse. I was amazed at how much he wanted to write. He was very patient, and wanted to keep adding more words to his page.

The full Verse of little falcon.

Cedars M and m

Cedars G and g

He was really proud of his work and week! It is going to be a great year!!

Back home again

2010-09-08T13:43:00.002-06:00

We have made it full circle. From summer adventures, travels, music a plenty, going going going..and Finally home feels good again. We are quite happy doing chores, biking around the mountain, movements, and school practice, table time, craft time, fairy tales and folk alike, resting, game playing...pond wandering... The ease of staying home is something I have never quite understood until recently. I have always been one to run out the door, and now I am finding it more difficult to leave and much easier to enjoy my family right here at home. And the kids feel good. We are just simply simplifying our lives and digging into our roots here, first.

Felting beads in the sunshine.
Drying out on the truck until we make our necklaces, bracelets, or cars as Orien has requested!

3 Eamonns on our new porch, making felt into beads..... Chores feel good, normal, family like..and always adventerous! Cedar found our smalled egg ever in the coop!!

Everyone joined in for some water color painting...and what a joy it is to watch Truth find her goove in all that we do!

And this is my family. With a fresh start, fresh fall winds, fresh days to dance the way we dance. I am so thankful to spend all this time with my little people..and I thankful for our school curriculum, Enki, for helping me find a rhythm that feels..full and good!!

Where we belong

2010-09-02T13:34:00.003-06:00

We found our home away from home. Summer travels have been many, but the farther we wandered, distance travels to visit families, nonrhythmic times, one thing remains constant we needed less of the "home" and more of this forest. North Carolina hugs a person deep in magical greens, rhododendrons a million, moss, waterfalls, ferns, keep is a peaceful place. Many a times we were tight around a toy, family rood we returned and were released.

AS we wandered we came amongst snails the size of finger nails, craw daddies alive and dead, fish and minnows and free falling water everywhere. Damns to be built, water to be splashed, kids to be free, shoeless, cool

Cedar is always at home here, in fact he needs this most, He releases, soaks, throws, refreshes his tight body and starts over again.

Truthy our bug and worm lover! She is always first to grab a new caterpillar, bug, work and shoes no fear! Some fishing was done with Grandpa and worms there were a many!

Orien finds peace wherever. He needs a bit more push to wander but once free he is a happy guy. The indoors can relax him, books, cuddles, and the outside frees his play!

Thus sums up our home. Where able to wander in the smells of fresh water and mountains and sleep...well that is comfort for sure.

Family

2010-08-03T20:40:00.003-06:00

Our family.....

The Long, Cole, Eamonns!!

Sweet dear cousins Truthy, Orien, Aislin and Cedar

Love

Auntie Malia, Aislin, and Uncle Bryan

I dont think I need many words to explain a family. And well this is mine! From parents. to aunties and uncles right down to dear cousins....the time we spend feels to rich, crazy, loving, intense, silly, needed, loved.

It might just have been too long

2010-08-03T20:27:00.003-06:00

papa and his 3 loves...Truthys first 4 wheel ride on our land helping
haul chicken feed!! I heard a "wheeeee" within seconds!

A 4th of July tradition with our friends. Benjamin, Cedar, Annalise

and Orien watch in awwww of the fireworks over Estes

The families first appearance in the Local Storm Mountain

Parade! They were quite proud of their float!

After a typical rain in front of our house...we all relax under our new covered

porch

Is it okay to play catch up? These summer nights fly by. From working, to romping in the garden, to drives to the city the zoo. To entire weeks gone visiting family, and dancing in stomped on grass and river banks. To building on to our house just to have room for 5 sets of feet to rub mud and layer off before sipping chai together! I keep trying to find ways to capture them all and wonder if it will ever slow down. And so here I am August. Filled with highs, sunburn, laughter, exhausting, late nights with tipsm late nights with my love, late nights with my Truthy! Tonight is my late night. Boys sleeping, Truthy playing, Jody away on work I can sip my wine and remind myself of the summer memories of yesterday!

We're Farmers

2010-06-27T07:55:00.004-06:00

The sunshines hot,

the chicks treansition to hens

and they, the farmers, live in the coop..

gathering, cuddling, feeding, chasing

they are the farmers.

I watch and laugh as I know this experience cant get any

more organic!

And now as we change from veggies to veggies and meat

we wonder can we be farmers for that as well?

The kids feast in chicken, break wings,

enjoy organic, pork and beef...and love it

hummm what kind of farmers will we become!

And the garden needs my help, the weeds are high, the veggies are growing

but in the end They are why we are farmers

getting older can wait

2010-06-21T21:54:00.002-06:00

today i listen to the boys snore after a day of giggles
water fights, jumping high
running through tall weeds...and my heart of heart wishes for it all to freeze

Truthy putting babies to bed
over and over and over
eating drinking milk from a bottle

sunshines longer then it will for a whole yr
and yet I wish for it all to freeze today.

forget aging,leavingm growins, changing
I hope for sunshine, life, today, I wish for it to last forever.

you. now. before. six

2010-06-15T20:05:00.003-06:00

people are always saying it goes too fast
I still remember like it was today your awakening into our life
I can't forget any moment from the dancing in your fathers arms
to the bouncing in the ball of birth.
I remember laying there so overjoyed
tears falling on you new fresh, soft, perfect skin.
Catie singing in the background, Papa taping your every move. And I was moved for LIFE.
you are our first. for Always.

I remember you sleeping on my chest. I remember you sitting so calmly with a basket of unneeded baby toys. You always smiling. People constantly warning me this would change. You were PERFECT. Your red hair slowly growing. Your first birthday, first crawl, walk, laugh... your laugh was contagious.

Then everyone said to hold onto it all. that I would be so sad to watch you age...and now almost 6 year later..I am overjoyed, I cry tears of love when I see you truly happy. You Love like no other 6 yr old I know. You think the world of everyone you meet. You are shy, silly, feisty, a brother, son, friend, boy. I cry when I see your smile light up a field. I watch from a distance and you hug a friend you just meet. You trust everyone. There is no understanding of "bad" for there is only good. You have entered the newest of transitions. Independence is not easy but when you reach out it is like an old glove sliding on ever so easy.

You are new. different then the fresh, wrinkled skin I first meet. You are alive, creative, loving, fiery, true. You demand time, love, cuddling. Cedar Ojassa Eamonn, I welcome the changes and hold tight to all the beautiful memories you have given me, your family, and friends.

Time

2010-06-12T21:07:00.003-06:00

Rain falls
on my muddy feet from a full day in my temple
weeds over take, kiddos tromp through, screaming toddler
Rain drips through my dry dreads
the boys run, yelling, laughing, fighting
Truthy screams "hold me"
rain turns to mud turns to laughter turns to tears
Tired, running, sun returns
Cedar branches out farther then ever
Orien clings to his Mama and sister
He laughs, cries holds his hands tight by his face
I feels his emotions more then ever
I feel tight, loose, close, and far
It is Summer
Camp, soccer camp, coffee on patios
farmers markets, gardens, rain and sunshine
beaches, pools, love, light, fear, sadness
love
time, fast, slow, now
grills, meat, new, fresh, honesty, now, milk, love cuddling
and now.

TWO

2010-05-24T20:43:00.004-06:00

Truth on her Birthday with her new pink baby!

Truth on any given day with doll in hand

Little Truthy (mama) is 2. A sweet birthday spent with our family, celebrating the little girl that she has become. Truthy spent the day like any other, Busy! Tucking babies into bed, covering and uncovering them, kissing them, feeding them...she loves to be a Mama. When not tending to her babies she is out in the dirt, stomping in mud, trying to keep up with her big brothers, training the dogs, catching chickens, feeding the goats!! Sipping her mini bottles of raw cows milk!! She chats up a storm, hollers her brothers names, hugs and kisses Cedar and Orien all day. She is strong willed, persistent, loud, quiet, silly, shy, loving, bossy!! Truthy still has a deep love for animals. She can spend so much time calling the horses from acres away, putting out her fingers in hopes of birds landing and sitting on the pups. She is a night owl, does not like to be alone, screams for Mama at all hours of the night and Yes is back in her Mama and Papas bed (where she is happiest). She loves her friend Stella. She loves to dance. She loves music. She loves people. She is two. She is ready for more adventures. We are ready for more adventures....and lover her so.

FOUR

2010-04-29T13:27:00.002-06:00

Orien is officially 4. He is big. He is loving, cuddly, silly, soft, loud, imaginative, a super hero and a fairy! Orien is into life. He loves his millions of plush friends, his wooden characters, castles kings, knights, princesses! He loves to dance, play soccer at home, play in dirt with his diggers. He LOVES his brother and sister. Spends time everyday playing "kitchen" with Truth, Trucks with Cedar and catching the chickens! Orien has always had a soft side. He is always needing some "hold me mom" time. He loves books and is a creative little guy! He is big now, He sleeps in a bunk bed with Cedar. He ride 4-wheelers with Papa. He loves his friends. Anna is his girlfriend they play mommy-baby! Or princess or whatever she says..he just likes playing with her!! He loves his friend Guthrie as well..they play in the woods..talk in a language they make up and giggle like only boys can!!! He dances and loves it. He will be a bumble bee soon for the recital! He has the first cast of the eamonn family on..jumped wrong out of the RV! He doesn't mind though I doubt this cast makes it until the next xray!! He loves camping, our dogs, sunlight and the moon. He is a lover. Happy Birthday Orien Aatmaani!!!!

Giving back to the community

2010-04-14T08:17:00.003-06:00

The Boys shave Cedar, Papa, and Orien

Bald Brothers

Team Starbucks after all the heads were shaved

Cedar proud and bald

Orien minus the dark ringlets!!

I think it is hard to ask of small children to fund raise. I am never sure they understand. The money is a mystery, the cause confusing. With that said I think there are always ways to soften up topics and get to the bottom line. We all need help at times. We all need community. We all understand pain at some level. The boys along with there Papa chose to join Team Starbucks and fund raise for St. Baldricks. St. Baldricks is a non-profit organization trying to gather money to help with children's cancer research. Simple. Earn money, celebrate by shaving hair to signify unity with others going though cancer. Stop cancer. My kids took it as kid are sick, we need to stop the sickness, we need scientists to help. We can help kids feel better and Never deal with cancer at all. The Eamonn boys earned over 900 dollars, team Starbucks over 4,000.00 and enjoyed celebrating with friends and family.

Meet Seldovia Sundancer

2010-04-14T08:09:00.003-06:00

Jody, Cedar and I wandered to Alaska with dear friends 5 years ago. We rented a RV, wandered the open land, played, hiked, sipped wine in the midnight sun and feel in love with both Alaska and the RV way of travel. We ended that trip visiting friends in Seldovia, Alaska and left with a piece of us constantly keeping the beat alive that we will return, possibly live there one day but none the less enjoy the Alaska air!

Fast forward 5 years, 2 more kiddos and life. Finally we have a 1979 Itasca RV!!! Not ready to head to Alaska in her but you never know. She got us to and fro the Poudre River last weekend and we had a wonderful time camping with friends and living the life! Too many more adventures Seldovia Sundancer!!!

Free in the Outside

2010-04-05T06:24:00.003-06:00

Sometimes I stir the pot too much. I stay inside on windy days. I don't bundle the kids on spring snows. I get that overwhelming urge to stay in....soak up a movie and let the kids be inside junkies. And then it takes a day in the woods to clear all our heads. To re-connect with our true inner and outer shells and there in the woods all remands calm. It has happened more often lately with a late spring of snow and wind.

The kids don't mind the wind. The kids don't need or want the layer. They want the elements. We spent the day on Bobcat Ridge with great friends recently and I knew this was where our hearts it. It wasn't perfect, Dark clouds, winds, a crying Truthy teething. But in the end a wandering back to the roots of animal prints, budding cacti, kids running, rain pouring and still they Cedar remained calm. He ran farther then he ever has, laughed loud, worried little and was FREE.

So the next time the wind howls, the snow falls, I too will join my family to experience life outside in the real world!!

It is Springtime

2010-04-01T15:11:00.004-06:00

Spring time in the Mountains

Sometimes a test of MUD and SNOW

a test of indoor energy needing to head out

the windows open the pellet stove on minutes later

Kids growing, siblings struggles, sister kisses

Daddy on his 4 wheeler, making plans for the new porch

Mommy with her P90X

Family time at the zoo, family time cuddling in a warm house

Springtime in the Mountains....

I find this spring to be testing my patience.

Apparently my body is completely ready for green grass, flowers, sunshine, heat

The days it snows I can't find King Winters very welcoming

The cries from clean Orien as he trips in the mud are wearing

The kids seem to be ready to hang up there winter gear for good and return to bare feet and shorts

The glimpses of spring keep us going

the hikes with the melting snow

the planting of wildflowers and wheat grass

The biking down the Mt and jumping on the trampoline with laughter remind of the days to come

We anticipate the Easter Bunny's visit, of colored eggs, candy...it make more sense this season of Easter

COLOR, GRASS, BUNNIES, CELEBRATION!!! And so we hold tight to Ostara Rabbit Story and the magic hidden amongst the gray cold, more like winter then spring days!!!

Time changes and I have to run with it

2010-03-04T21:03:00.004-07:00

I AM NOT A "BABY" anymore....

Though I hear myself saying "Truthy Kamala" way too often for this to be a 21 month old. She is a toddler. She is strong both in body and mind. She is fearless, courageous, daring, nurturing, strong, and full of wit. I find this most to be like a yo-yo. I carry such emotion watching her turn her back and wander into Truth's world. Yes I am still called my Mama! I am still needed for the "milkies" in the morning that have become painful with her sharp teeth digging in. I would never give up that time of calm, quiet space with her in bed. None the less it is different now. She wanders upstairs to find me, climbs into our tall bed, lifts my shirt and exclaims "MILKIES." I miss my baby, and I welcome my babe! I am always filled with this rush when she hugs. She hugs with such strength, such emotion, a hug no one else has ever given me. Tight around the neck as she says "hold me mama" all day. I am needed for cuddles all day, comfort before naps, tickles, baby doll play....but she is not a baby.

So as she climbs bunk beds, rummages through the pantry, attempts to train the dog, fights with her brothers, pulls hair, yells NO, throws everything away in the trash, climbs onto the trampoline, etc etc etc!!!! I am constantly reminded of her drive and right of passage into childhood.

late nights

2010-02-24T20:49:00.002-07:00

Brothers.

They have now decided to share the bedroom bunk beds.

Neither on top,

both on bottom.

For 3 and a half years Orien has slept in our room.

A little sad to see him leave, but more excited for the bond of shared space by two boys!

The laughter, wrestling, stories, plans, flashlights,

exhausting to hear for a Mom.

Tomorrow they will both be tired,

but this is all for the better.

To connect with the best friend for life

To be brothers.

Time flies, snow falls, and we live

2010-02-19T20:50:00.004-07:00

Truthy getting oh so BIG

Orien giggling his way up our sledding hill

Cedars Self portrait! One of the hundreds of pictures he took on this day!

The boys command that King Winter return. And as the snow falls in their faces they are quite sure they have cheered him back with there song and dance daily..."King winter now is in the land, he reigns with cold and freezing hands...."

The days are longer. The chicks turn from babes to teenagers. Jody notes this as that awkward in between look. Some feathers in, some falling out, and growing by the minute. The eggs are more. We sell to feed. The sun warms our window while we eat pancakes in the morning and grill fish by evening. Longer days are amazing and bright.

We are busy. We are filling our days with dances only bees can do (if you are 3 and learning your dance recital!). Hip hop for the boys and girls starting to loose teeth (except for sweet Cedar who didn't get a tooth for 16 months). And watching from a distance Karate, with little grins as the kids learn to kick and punch. In the next week both boys will try out Karate and see if it feels right. Endless time for drawings, games, sledding, walking, and more crafts.

Papa in meetings. Mama trying to be a crafter. ( failing)

We join for our Enki co-op and bliss can only describe this Friday. The boys run, scooter board, play games, GRIN, hug, sled, play knights and unicorns and crave MORE. Mamas talk, plan, relax, dream, plan some more for days to come.
And in the end a 21 month old insists on cuddles, brothers to leave Mama alone (which of course will never happen), throw food in tantrums, refuse to share, hug kiss, and ask for Papa!

Getting our fingers wet

2010-01-31T13:05:00.002-07:00

Another week of life. Another week if sun, outdoors play, walks, and the story The Mud Pony!!
We also enjoyed the beaded felt craft project. The kids all joined in which made this craft perfect for our groups age range. From Truthy who loved to play in the pots of water to Cedar who fell in love with the rolling and needle work. Orien was right there as well rolling away! We started with a bunch of random colors of carded wool.

The kids took lots of time rolling sections of wool in hot and cold soapy water.

The first 5 Cedar and Orien made!!

Cedar showing off his bracelet.

Orien has a new necklace!!

Birth, Life, and this fragile world

2010-01-23T21:09:00.003-07:00

We have welcomed 30 new heartbeats into our little world. Each peep a different song, holds a different need and has a name unspoken. It is the endless re-birth that keeps us going. I believe this strongly bring life, hear life, live life. They help make up the Eamonns mini farm. The fragile lives that the kids hold so dearly, to worry, about, keep warm and feed. They are the chicks!! They are just another way to show love and life. The 3 kids helped pick them out, cuddle them under the heat lamps and say goodnight to them.

Life is moving. Changing direction. Cedar is changing. He is gripping life more boldly, more comfortably.. Still holds his friends high, loves his play times from woods to bedroom full of Lego's. He seems more relaxed. He holds a crayon not with a grip but with a soft hold. He draws his words and stories, loves his family, and craves his endless play! He is more and more
comfortable without us. He had one of his first official play dates last week and was so proud. Orien holds these new chicks like only he can. Soft, light and full of LOVE. Truthy clings to me, her endless attachment, the cord still attached with her every move. She laughs in my arms. She tells her brothers where and how to be and carries her babies with LOVE. I am loose, going with the day to day needs. Freely seeing there needs from play, to knitting, to soft holds. Life is now. Our family is here now. We are well...in the now. From Batman, to fairies, to rocking horses.