surprise party

about a month ago, i got a call from austin telling me to mark a date on my calendar for a potluck the kids want to have at his house, and that he wants me to invite a bunch of my friends too (if he weren't already so weird this request might've seemed odd). um, okay, done, it's on the calendar, talk to you later. several weeks later he reminds me to invite people because i haven't yet. oops. so i send out a quick email to let people know about this potluck. done.

the date rolls around and i'm really not feeling up to it. BUT i promised, so i spend all day cooking and getting food ready to take. scotty comes home and we watch a movie and rest awhile before it's time to go. i tell everyone i'm not sure if i feel like going and that maybe they could go without me. but i decide to go anyway. hell, a party without me, ain't gonna happen!!!! right??

as we get near the house i see all these cars! we were a few minutes early and NOBODY gets to a party before me, what the hell?!

we pull up to their house and i see kyra on the porch, what?? she runs inside and i think, oh this is a surprise for the kids, they don't know she's here. ha ha, very cool!! i turn around in the car to see if they've seen her and they have and they said they knew she was going to be here. i find it quite odd that everyone knew but me that kyra was here. no one tells me ANYTHING!!! anyway...

we walk up to the house and all these kids are pouring out the door and so excited to see us (cool, we have such great friends!!) samuel is snapping pictures (hey you brought the camera thanks!!) we walk in the door and i see a BIG happy birthday balloon (cool, it's someone's birthday!! hey maybe the balloon is for me because my birthday is next week, cool!!)BUT THEN, i get to the top of the steps going into the living room and i see and hear all our friends shouting "surprise!!" oh my gosh, this is a party FOR ME?? trying so hard not to cry i ask scotty if he knew about this and he says "i planned this!" i am filled with love and happiness and cannot stop the tears that come.!!scotty also managed to smuggle a cake over to austin's prior to the party and it was a beautiful cake!! so fancy!! he even borrowed an 80s cd from a friend that we played all night over and over again with a little music mixed in from austin's and rachel's ipods as well. we had so much fun jumping around and dancing. there was even a conga line!(my giant birthday card made by ren and signed by everyone!)

towards the end of the night, they put me on a stool in the middle of the room and everyone circled around me to tell me all these wonderful things they love about me. it was really amazing! the love in the room was almost overwhelming.the kids wanted to spend the night, so we ALL just stayed!! i think we went to bed around 4 am. the next day we went to ren's house to hang out and enjoy the tease of a spring-like day and share the flu!
so i got a surprise birthday party, something i don't think i've ever had before, and it was the best day ever!!

more pix slideshow:

Share

spring 2009 ARGH

i should really be in bed...really...i'm sick, again, and really need to rest but i can't seem to make myself do it. i have so much to blog about and i don't want to get behind because then i will never ever get to it. so here goes:

the spring ARGH was amazing!! we went to roan mountain again and had the best time! there was a lot of reconnecting with friends and making new connections; kids screaming and running to greet each new arrival...and it brought tears to my eyes seeing how happy they are with this group of people that have become the core of our unschooling world of friends. what did we do all weekend? well, there was a lot of simply hanging out really. that's what is so wonderful about these gatherings, no pressure to attend a lot of activities (unless you want to). it's very laid back and relaxed. sometimes i might find myself in a cabin playing bananagrams with several other people (while trying not to fall asleep). or walking from cabin to cabin bringing snacks to hungry kids. or driving to the conference center to check out what activities were going on over there and talking and laughing and um, well, hanging out. like i said, that is really the essence of this gathering, "just" hanging out!! there were tons of nerf wars going on at almost any given time, movie watching in the old restaurant building, ATC making in ren's cabin, henna at the conference center, video games at the hangout cabin, tea parties, game parties, dress up parties, just about anything if someone was willing to host it. there was also a delicious potluck followed by a fantastic talent show...what more could you ask for??

we went away with a happy feeling after saying our goodbyes just knowing that in 8 short months we would be up there for the fall gathering to do it all over again!!

Share

frozen raw chocolate logs

i'm posting this for my mom because i gave her the recipe last week off the top of my head and i don't know if i got it right. not that the recipe has to be JUST RIGHT...it's so very tweakable...sometimes i add more bananas for sweetness, or cashew butter for smoothness. you can use differing amounts of powder depending on whether you're using carob, raw cacao, or cocoa powder and how much you like the taste.

okay, i finally made some of my famous frozen raw chocolate bars/logs after years and years of forgetting the recipe (i used to make these back when sadie was a baby...before i even knew there was such a thing as a raw food diet).

sooo good!! try it!!:

1 cup raw nut butter of choice (i use cashew butter that i make)
3 bananas, very very ripe and mashed
1/4-1/2 cup raw chocolate, carob, or cocoa powder (raw powder is stronger so use the lesser amount)
add chopped nuts if you want after mixing well.

form into logs on waxed paper and roll up to cover and freeze. the next day, slice up little bits of heaven and eat!! keep frozen!! i usually put them on a plate and put them back into the freezer for everyone to grab when they want so i don't have to keep pulling out the knife all day!! they won't last long!!

this IS NOT poop!!! and don't use a little knife like the one in the first picture, use a large knife like you're cutting big carrots!!

see there's an uncut log still wrapped up in the background...that's how you do it! =)

Share

the super human one eyed pirate...

...i swear that just sounds dirty!! thanks kelli for this fun game, the hero factory!!

i AM

the super human

one eyed pirate!!!

Share

parenting journeys

my friend, cheryl, wrote a really nice post on her blog...it felt really familiar. i commented on it and realized that my comment might make a good post since i've not been doing much at the posting helm lately. here is my comment to her post:

"isn't it amazing how quickly things can change...from peaceful to chaos in just seconds? BUT, it's also amazing how much of an impression our general attitude and demeanor have on our children in those situations. they pick up on our peaceful energy as well as the chaotic and follow suit.

and it IS super different to know something, to believe in a way of being and the actual practice part. i've been unschooling for years & years, but only in the last couple have i been able to even begin to let go of my need to control everything and really implement my beliefs in a way that my heart has been trying to make sense of and knows is the right path for us.

i have also been in that position of speaking with an onlooker who thinks we are just so wonderful as a family...and i have to let them know we actually ARE human and that not all moments are so wonderful. but that mostly, if i let them be, yes...they really are or could be. and that always goes back to me and my attitude, my false expectations or ideals vs. my faith in their inherent goodness and wonder.

it's something awesome to navigate these waters of our lives as parents. wonderful and treacherous at the same time. to learn more everyday and be our best selves. i don't know who i would be without the gift of having had children and how it has changed me in ways i never would have thought possible."

we spent the weekend with some fellow unschoolers in columbia for the 3rd time in so many months and as usual, it was a learning experience for me. i always come away with some new insight. it is why i make such an effort now to surround myself as often as possible with other unschoolers. i think that no matter how long i am on this journey i will always feel that i am just beginning. not in a "going in circles" sort of way, but in a "wow, i can do better" way. i've been going to sandra dodd's food chats the last 2 weeks and they have been really helpful. i feel that i get it, always have. but the practice part is an internal struggle that i am getting better and better at dealing with and keeping from being external (i.e. dumping my worries and hesitations and control all over my kids and husband...it's MY thing, not THEIRS!!). in yesterday's chat when i asked for some mantra to keep me from my knee-jerk reactions, sandra shared the insights of diana jenner and it went something like this: if your child died tomorrow, would any of this matter? slammed me up against a wall. and cleared up my vision real well...new glasses-like!! thank you both for that!!

i will never know what is up ahead for me and my family, all i know is that the journey part has been amazing and i can't imagine my life any other way!Share