Tuesday, August 30, 2011

Rolling in Hills

Earlier this summer, we went on a walk as a family, and came across a grassy hill.  All the kids immediately ran up the hill, just to be able to roll down it.  I can remember loving this as a kid, but now it does not sound fun at all.  When did we lose our love of pure hill rolling?  Why can't we get it back?
Maybe we learn it again through our own kids.  Or maybe we just don't like grass stains.  www.mredie.com

Monday, August 29, 2011

End (less?) Summer

I can honestly say, this was the greatest summer I've ever had in my life.  You'd think a summer of my high school or college years would be the greatest.  Or maybe those years after college when you actually had money and no kids.  But no - this summer takes the cake.
I won't say the kids made ALL the difference, but having the kids old enough we could have fun and adventure together certainly was MOST of the reason this summer rocked.
The other 15% would have to be the fact that we DID things.  We got out there.  I don't remember the days this summer where we just stayed in and watched TV (there were a few of those).  But I remember vividly the days we went hiking, or biking, or swimming.  We got out there.  It was fun.  And Thanks for sharing it with me, kids.

Friday, August 19, 2011

Sports!!! (kid version)

Sporting events with kids are great!  No so much to watch...at the age my kids are at the action moves slower than a snails pace.  A slugs pace, maybe?
They're great for the kids though!  My girls have played a few sports now, and they love it.  I love it too, because it's exciting to see them grow and you get to cheer and tell them they did a great job even if they throw the ball to the wrong base.  And they learn to get a little dirty once in awhile.  Be kids.  That's important.
And speaking of kids being kids and learning to take risks...check out http://www.mredie.com/ and go to the "Books" link on the right to view the new childrens story "Bubbas Knees" - a great message, funny, and I wrote it.  Support your local author!  Come on!  (you can watch it as a video at youtube - http://tinyurl.com/bubbasknees )

Maybe I'll get them involved in cage fighting next.  That HAS to be a more exciting sport to watch, right?

Wednesday, August 17, 2011

Tents Up!

Camping with kids is a lot easier (and in the end funner) when you just put the tent up inside the house.  It's even funner when your kids are goofballs like these maniacs. (and we had outdoor time too, so I'm not depriving them of the natural world).

Tuesday, July 19, 2011

The concept of "fairness".
If you've got more than one kid, you've heard maybe once or twice the words "that's not fair!" "It's not fair that daddy was born short, either, but I just have to deal with it." is usually my reply. Or that the neighbors have a boat and I don't. Or that my favorite TV show was cancelled.
It's cliche', but "life isn't fair." We know it. We hate it, but we know it. But kids don't quite get it yet. As they get older, it sinks in (and is later followed, in the teen years, by anger and sullen behavior - a causal relationship? Perhaps....). But how do we deal with it now?
Honestly, I don't know. But I've always just told the kids that "fair" does not always mean "equal." Everyone gets what they need, and sometimes your little brother NEEDS that cookie, and you don't. You got that cookie at his age, and he wasn't born yet. So he didn't get that one you got 3 years ago. Now you're even. This has spotty results at best. But I try to not become a slave to the whining. If you give in, that's when the battle is lost. They're going to find out life isn't fair sooner or later. Especially once they see that big screen TV they've always wanted. Life isn't fair. :)

Wednesday, June 22, 2011

Yesterday's adventure was a short one, since I had a meeting to go to, but it was no less memorable! Bubba has a new "weeride" attachment bike, and he's loving it! We can now go on longer rides as a family and don't have to cut it short because the little ones get tired. Brilliant invention. The girls ride themselves (finally old enough!) and Konner rides behind me. It works great, and we were able to ride along the river yesterday for quite awhile (I was tired at the end, if that's any litmus test. Probably not!) The great thing about bike rides is the camraderie you feel with those with you. Like most things, it's a shared experience. We saw birds, and squirrels (and Konner was excited about every one equally, EVERY TIME) and we even saw a mother doe and a fawn cross the path. Great exercise. Great family time. Now I think I need a nap!

Wednesday, June 15, 2011

Hiking Trip

Great hiking trip yesterday! While the drive out there seemed a little long (couldn't we go for a walk somewhere CLOSER?) it was worth it. Real wilderness! It restored the soul (and the kids too I think!) I read somewhere that kids were suffering from lack of nature symptoms in our society now. I hope to reverse those effects in my kids! The best was when the youngest was so gung-ho about it. We took a rest, and he was jumping up and down and marching back and forth, saying "lets go hike! Come on! Let's go hike!" He's a born wilderness navigator. Except when he got lost...

Tuesday, May 3, 2011

This week, our boys are with their grandmother. It's nice to have some peace and quiet, but at about day 3 it starts to get a little boring. You always think that you would kill for a little peace once in awhile, but once you got it you kindof miss the chaos. I miss Bubba showing me drawings. I miss Konner hugging my legs. I miss Bubba jumping over under and through the entire house obstacle course like he was practicing Par-kor. I miss Konner smiling when he did something wrong. I even miss potty training. No, that's a lie. I don't miss that at all.
So, what's a family to do now that their chief distractions are away for the week? I have a few ideas....
1) Play pick-up sticks with thin spaghetti noodles.
2) Use Play-dough to make life size recreations of the boys, and set them at the dinner table.
3) Eat dairy until we all have the runs
4) Read quietly at night and enjoy each other's company
5) Don't do number 4

It's going to be a long week.

Monday, May 2, 2011

Working hard!

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Social Studies CBA - trying to wrap it up today. Not easy for second graders to do Powerpoints! I think I over extended myself on this one!
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Friday, April 29, 2011

Who is this blue Avenger?  Sent from my BlackBerry� smartphone powered by Inland Cellular
Who is this blue Avenger?
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In family news, the girls just had their first Softball game. They both did amazing! Both of them got on Base multiple times, and made runs! That's definitely not my skill they are inheriting. I may have gotten on base once in my entire life, and that includes times when I was pretending to play when I was 5. Either way, great job Girls!
-In Konner news, defecation came again to the young man, and he handled it with grace. Well played, young sir.

Thursday, April 28, 2011

Drawing by a 5 year old. The details he captures, while at the same time keeping it simple...brilliant.    Sent from my BlackBerry� smartpho
Drawing by a 5 year old. The details he captures, while at the same time keeping it simple...brilliant.

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My son is now at potty training stage. This is good, since it's only taken about 3 and a half years to get here. Potty training is a funny thing. It's something you can't control. I can "make" my kids take out the garbage. I can "make" my kids make thier beds. But no matter how hard you try, you can't "make" someone go to the bathroom. In fact, "making" it go is directly in opposition to how we go in the first place.
Now, my son is a classic control freak. He wants to be in control of the remote, he wants to drive the car (I don't usually let him). He wants the power. I'm a little worried about meglomania, but for now I'm worring strictly about the potty stuff. I think he's never going to be potty trained. He's going to go off to college, pack up and say "did you remember to pack my potty seat?" Lord help me.

Tuesday, March 1, 2011

In exercise, stretching is important. If you don't get stretched out, something will go wrong. Same concept for not letting your lawnmower o
In exercise, stretching is important. If you don't get stretched out, something will go wrong. Same concept for not letting your lawnmower or motorcycle sit all summer. You gotta keep it warmed up, or it will seize.
I'm a terrible stretcher. Now that's come back to bite me, and my back is bad. So I gotta stretch. And its annoying because its slow and tedious - not my thing.
Kids are like that too. They don't want to do the stuff that takes awhile. They just want the quick fix. But we make them sit down and take the time and see the rewarding part at the end. Its a chore for us. But, Its worth it. It will keep them from seizing up later in life.


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Friday, February 25, 2011

Every month school board meeting brings something interesting and exciting. What's cool about it is a great group of people working together for kids education. Unfortunately it means no family time. Or time to blog. :) Worth it though!
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Wednesday, February 23, 2011

Cobbler - YES

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Link - Check it out

http://ping.fm/Odgo4
Sometimes you have kids that are easy. Sometimes you have kids that are...unique. I love all of my kids equally. Some just require a little more elbow grease than others. :)
One of my kids is a worry wort. (That's not spelled wrong, I used the beer brew spelling, instead of the disgusting skin problem. Personal preference)
This child worries over everything, but last night took the cake. The child came out of bed at 9:00 last night to ask - "If you indent a paragraph at the beginning of a new idea, what if every sentence is a new idea? I'm worried I won't write my paragraphs correctly!"
How do you teach a kid to not be so precise? Most kids its trying to get them to be more concientious of what they're doing. With this one, it's a battle to make sure she loosens up a bit, and realizes that some things just aren't worth worrying about. Like paragraphs. And mild skin rashes.

Tuesday, February 22, 2011

Kids look so peaceful when asleep.  They're great when they're awake, don't get me wrong - when they're not whining, screaming , hitting, ma
Kids look so peaceful when asleep. They're great when they're awake, don't get me wrong - when they're not whining, screaming , hitting, making a mess, or creating masterpieces out of celery ( don't ask). But when they're asleep they're natural, willful humanity is dormant, and they're angels. Not like me, who looks like a beached norwhal (sp?) When asleep. I have pics to prove it.
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Friday, January 28, 2011

Kids are clay. The shape the harden into depends on how we work with it.
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Wednesday, January 26, 2011

Jack is a very dull boy indeed today. Where's the play? Where's the fun?
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