Things have been really good lately. In the past year, we've experienced a number of things that have made me, and Sacha, feel more and more settled - in a good way!
Almost a year ago, we had the birth of our third, and last, child. Later, we bought a new house, in which we can see ourselves for a long time. We found a great new preschool for next year for Natalia. We found out that Mateo is going to a great school next year. The only thing that's up in the air is Sacha's job for next year, as
she's planning to look for a position closer to our new house.
All this is to say that it feels like everything is falling into place nicely, and it feels great.
***************************
In other news, we went to an indoor playpark today after Sacha got out of school and spent most of our time playing in the baby area. There was another little girl there who was quite fixated on Rosa and spent most of her time carting her around from one place to another. This made Mateo and Natalia feel rather possessive of their baby, so Sacha had to do a lot of negotiating amongst potential baby-holders.
We were laughing because we would never have allowed things to get so rough and tumble with first or second children, but by this point, we knew enough to realize that Rosie was just fine. In fact, she was having a blast. She would come down the slide with the friendly little girl and just be smiling from ear to ear and laughing all the way down. It was pretty cute. It's good to lay off the helicoptering now and then :)
*****************************
Mateo and Natalia have been playing together really well lately. There have been times on our more unstructured days that I have been able to have them upstairs just playing together, while I've worked on stuff downstairs. Both of them normally like to be with one of us at all times, so to have them be upstairs and getting along? Fabulous.
*****************************
We have a nice weekend coming up. Happy Friday!
Friday, March 16, 2012
Sunday, March 11, 2012
San Diego
We had a perfectly lovely trip. It was sunny and warm the whole time we were there, which was fabulous and bright! So much sun! It was a good problem to have. We got to spend lots of time with my parents, lots of time as a family, and had just the right blend of structured and unstructured time.
We went to the zoo as our major excursion, and then spent a lot of time hanging out at the hotel, which was right on the beach. We played in the sand, got a bit sunburned, played in the pool, and ate lots of good food. We also got to learn quite a bit while we were there, as we were all attending an event put on by the Carter Center, which does an impressive amount of humanitarian work all over the world.
We also got to see some good friends and their kids while we were there, which was a lot of fun. We spent time with them at a park on the little island we were staying on and all the kids played together really well. It was so much fun to see them together. Later, the adults went out for pizza and beer while the five kids stayed with one babysitter! They had a big pajama/movie party and were running around like banshees when we got back. Fun stuff.
On another good note, we found out on Friday that Mateo got in at the private school we applied for. It's the same school my mom and two uncles went to as young people and we are all very excited that our family will get to be a part of it, too!
Really, it was a great, great weekend. It actually felt like a vacation, which is saying something! Here's a big thank you to my parents for taking us on such a fun trip. We didn't want to leave, but real life was calling. We got home this evening with some very tired children as our traveling companions. They are all salted away and we are probably not going to be up much longer, ourselves. Good night!
Photos to follow, from my phone :)
We went to the zoo as our major excursion, and then spent a lot of time hanging out at the hotel, which was right on the beach. We played in the sand, got a bit sunburned, played in the pool, and ate lots of good food. We also got to learn quite a bit while we were there, as we were all attending an event put on by the Carter Center, which does an impressive amount of humanitarian work all over the world.
We also got to see some good friends and their kids while we were there, which was a lot of fun. We spent time with them at a park on the little island we were staying on and all the kids played together really well. It was so much fun to see them together. Later, the adults went out for pizza and beer while the five kids stayed with one babysitter! They had a big pajama/movie party and were running around like banshees when we got back. Fun stuff.
On another good note, we found out on Friday that Mateo got in at the private school we applied for. It's the same school my mom and two uncles went to as young people and we are all very excited that our family will get to be a part of it, too!
Really, it was a great, great weekend. It actually felt like a vacation, which is saying something! Here's a big thank you to my parents for taking us on such a fun trip. We didn't want to leave, but real life was calling. We got home this evening with some very tired children as our traveling companions. They are all salted away and we are probably not going to be up much longer, ourselves. Good night!
Photos to follow, from my phone :)
Monday, March 5, 2012
Tabula rasa
It seems to have been a few days since I last blogged. There's no reason for this, other than the consuming nature of having small children and the desire to do nothing at all that sets in after they go to bed. In fact, this morning, the kids and I spent several hours watching the young son of some good friends, giving me four children for a span of time. It actually went fine, even well, which was pleasantly surprising. Now, to lobby Sacha for another child...not! I can see the divorce papers being written up even now :)
Anyway, I wanted to write briefly about a blank slate in our lives: our yard! When we bought our old house we fortunately/unfortunately inherited a beautiful garden. In fact, it was so beautiful and abundant that it was almost too much - too many plants in a small space, tons of work, and nowhere for us to create something out of our own heads. It was great in many ways and we enjoyed the carefully chosen plants throughout the year, and throughout the years.
At our new house, we have the fortune of having an almost completely blank slate. There is next to no landscaping anywhere, except for a few plants and bushes here and there. We also have a deceptively big yard and what feels like all the room in the world to do what we want with it. I mention this now because yesterday was finally a nice enough day that we could do some work out there!
We started small, with one bed that's right under the window of the master bedroom. I did most of the grunt work, including pulling up huge amounts of thick black cloth that the previous owners had spread everywhere, and Sacha went to the garden store to buy plants and seeds and such. What did the kids do, you ask? They did what any self-respecting kids would do: they made as much mud as possible and then stomped in it. They had a great time. We have a huge amount of work to do before the garden is the refuge and play space that we imagine it to be, but we will get there.
In the meantime, the rain has returned and taken the nice weather away. Lucky us, we get to escape it for a few days, as we're heading to southern California for a long weekend vacation with my parents. More when we return!
Anyway, I wanted to write briefly about a blank slate in our lives: our yard! When we bought our old house we fortunately/unfortunately inherited a beautiful garden. In fact, it was so beautiful and abundant that it was almost too much - too many plants in a small space, tons of work, and nowhere for us to create something out of our own heads. It was great in many ways and we enjoyed the carefully chosen plants throughout the year, and throughout the years.
At our new house, we have the fortune of having an almost completely blank slate. There is next to no landscaping anywhere, except for a few plants and bushes here and there. We also have a deceptively big yard and what feels like all the room in the world to do what we want with it. I mention this now because yesterday was finally a nice enough day that we could do some work out there!
We started small, with one bed that's right under the window of the master bedroom. I did most of the grunt work, including pulling up huge amounts of thick black cloth that the previous owners had spread everywhere, and Sacha went to the garden store to buy plants and seeds and such. What did the kids do, you ask? They did what any self-respecting kids would do: they made as much mud as possible and then stomped in it. They had a great time. We have a huge amount of work to do before the garden is the refuge and play space that we imagine it to be, but we will get there.
In the meantime, the rain has returned and taken the nice weather away. Lucky us, we get to escape it for a few days, as we're heading to southern California for a long weekend vacation with my parents. More when we return!
Saturday, March 3, 2012
Floating and relaxation
Between teaching and being the mom of three young children, I feel like my body and mind are always going. I am thinking about what we are going to do this afternoon, what I will teach my students. I'm running after Rosie who just put a grape in her mouth.
I am "on" when I am teaching, and when I get home from school I am "on" again with the kids. Alayna is amazing about letting me take a nap sometimes, but this is just the nature of life at this stage. And it is wonderful. I wouldn't trade this for anything else.
At the same time, sometimes I need a total rest and break. Sometimes I've gotten massages. I really enjoy going to the chiropractor. Now I have a new favorite activity: Floating. (I went to a place called The Float Shoppe, which I highly recommend if you live near Portland.)
Never heard of it? Well, I hadn't either about 1 month ago. On a date night, Alayna and I picked up this alternative weekly newspaper and the front article happened to be on this thing called floating. The basic gist is you go into a room that is completely pitch black and get into very salty water which causes you to float. The water is at the same temperature as your skin and the air, so you eventually relax and loose track of where you start and end physically.
What a relaxing, amazing experience. I really can't describe it. Some people say that it has a spiritually component for them. For me, though, I was able to let go of all of the tension I hold in my neck and back and just relax. My mind was busy for the first 60 minutes of my float, and then towards the end, I just was able to breathe, relax and be at peace.
After the float, I felt energized and ready to be with the kids. I was full of ideas for how to connect with more teachers at school, recommitted to eating healthy and physically relaxed. What more could you want?
I am "on" when I am teaching, and when I get home from school I am "on" again with the kids. Alayna is amazing about letting me take a nap sometimes, but this is just the nature of life at this stage. And it is wonderful. I wouldn't trade this for anything else.
At the same time, sometimes I need a total rest and break. Sometimes I've gotten massages. I really enjoy going to the chiropractor. Now I have a new favorite activity: Floating. (I went to a place called The Float Shoppe, which I highly recommend if you live near Portland.)
Never heard of it? Well, I hadn't either about 1 month ago. On a date night, Alayna and I picked up this alternative weekly newspaper and the front article happened to be on this thing called floating. The basic gist is you go into a room that is completely pitch black and get into very salty water which causes you to float. The water is at the same temperature as your skin and the air, so you eventually relax and loose track of where you start and end physically.
What a relaxing, amazing experience. I really can't describe it. Some people say that it has a spiritually component for them. For me, though, I was able to let go of all of the tension I hold in my neck and back and just relax. My mind was busy for the first 60 minutes of my float, and then towards the end, I just was able to breathe, relax and be at peace.
After the float, I felt energized and ready to be with the kids. I was full of ideas for how to connect with more teachers at school, recommitted to eating healthy and physically relaxed. What more could you want?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)