Halloween Plans

We'll attend the Mother's Collective partay later today. It's a potluck, eating for the first hour and a half, then onto games for the last 2 hours. Finishing it all off with the lights out, pumpkins aglow on table tops, strobe lights, black lights and dancing.

I'm making little critters that resemble spiders. Picture a little smokie, wrapped in a bit of breadstick, baked, with legs made from shoestring potatoes. You get the idea. Sage is going as batman, Stone as the chain-saw massacre guy, and Saylor as, um, well, not sure, he and John are keeping that on the hush hush at this point. And, we won't have any pictures to document, because our digital camera is in MN. Darn!

We carved pumpkins last night, then watched Reign Over Me. Very good, have a new appreciation for that song, now (Love, Reign O'er Me by The Who; though we think it's Eddie Vedder singing in the movie.) Checked out the lyrics, and they are powerful.

So, that's it for us for now. Of course, we're trick or treating after the party, so that will be the highlight for one and all, I'm sure.

Happy Halloween to you!

Rock On!

I could be reading one of my 75 unread e-mails, but thought I'd buzz in here for a moment with a happy update. Life is just so good. Don't you love it, when all is Right with the world? It is, it is. We've got a freezer full of good food, the fridge is over-flowing with goodness, too. Abundance is sure to happen when you're squishing cases full of organic veggies in. We're so blessed.

We've had lots of joy in the past days. John took Saylor and Stone pheasant hunting at Grandpa Dale's place yesterday, and they returned home to me and Sage today. It's so strange, when they're gone. The quiet is eerie. When normal is a constant level of noise and energy, not having it is just strange beyond words. Stone said to me tonight "Mom, when we were having the bonfire last night, I missed you a little". (they had a fire, just after they cooked up the one pheasant they'd gotten, thanking it for it's sustenance, btw) I shared with Stone that I missed them all, a whole lot, all through the day, the night. They're my life.

Our little Emma turned 3 yesterday, and tonight was her BD party. It was great to be with her, to see her playing with her cousins. They love her so much. And I must say I'm quite taken by her as well. We spent a couple hours at the park today (it was 69degrees). I struck up a conversation with an elderly man who was walking his dog, and we talked for a long time; about life, children, loss, choices. Choosing whether to wallow in the pity, or look for the good. That it's ok to wallow for a while, just don't stay down there too long. He was wonderful. We didn't exchange names, (except for his dog, Abby) but he was really great. The last thing he said to me was "Be a good mom. It's the most difficult, demanding job on this earth". I told him I do my best every single day, and that it's the best, most important job I've ever had or will have.

And, the funnest news (at least for John!) is that I picked up Guitar Hero III at Target today. The bundle came complete with 2 guitars! Score!!! Saylor and Stone enjoy it, it's a little difficult for Stone right now, but he'll get it. John, on the other hand, is *reeaaallly* into it. ;) And as a joke earlier, I said "Ok, you've been on twenty minutes. All done now, let's shut it off." And we laughed, thinking how cruel that is to do to children. Only they know when a need, any need, has been filled. How ungracious of us to pretend that we would know better than they.

So, yes, Life is Good, all around Good. Just finished _The Memory Keeper's Daughter_. Pushed myself to drag through the last chapter tonight so I can begin _Eat, Pray, Love_ tomorrow! Can't wait for that one. So, now I'm up too late. Goodnight, Sweet Dreams, Choose Joy...

Secrets Shared

I've been reading here for many Sundays, now. It's painful, and real. It'll make you laugh...and cry. Really Beautiful.
Check out Post Secret for yourself. I think you'll enjoy it.

You Gotta go to SCHOOL!

Lovely Fall Days

We've had a full and zany week of fun. Went to the park, oh, several times. Maybe 6 times? Maybe more? Today, I have a hair appointment for a cut and color (ouch, it'll be a spendy one, but I DESERVE IT!:) Part of me wants to do something radical (or at least a dramatic, noticeable change) and the other part of me clings to the old familiar. I don't know which way I'll go yet.

Grandma will hang out with the boys while I'm there, and then we'll try to make it to cousin Jarod's football game, and then, we've been invited to go to Watiki Water Park with my sister and her family. They're even buying our wrist bands! So nice...:) The boys are all still sleeping at this point, oh wait, I hear footsteps from above. They'll be quite excited about swimming today.

John will finish up his last day of work in MN today, winterize the bus tomorrow, then see Henry Rollins live in Minneapolis on Monday. He is *stoked* to go to this, and I'm looking forward to a call right after with all the details while they're still fresh in his mind. Then, Tuesday, he'll fly to Texas to pick up a truck for his brother, drive said truck back to northern MN somewhere, and then hopefully come home for a spell. Yep. Welcome to our crazy life.

Well, got a nursling crawling to my lap now, so I'm off! Good Day all...

Today's OM & Us

***THIS*** is what unschooling gives me, gives our boys, gives the world! It's a beautiful thing...


October 10, 2007
The Truths Within
Value Your Own Wisdom

Throughout our lives, we will encounter individuals who presume to know what is best for us. The insights they offer cannot compare, however, with the powers of awareness and discernment that already exist within us. From birth we are blessed with wisdom that cannot be learned or unlearned. It exists whether or not we acknowledge it because it is a gift given to us by a loving universe before we chose to experience existence on the earthly plane. Yet for all its permanence, it is vital that we value and honor this incredible element of the self. It is when we do not use our inborn wisdom that we begin to doubt our personal truths and are driven to outside sources of information because we are afraid. What we know to be true in our hearts is invariably true, and we discover how intensely beautiful and useful self-trust can be when we recognize the power of our wisdom.

Inner wisdom is not subject to the influences of the outside world, which means that it will never demand that we surrender our free will or counsel us to act in opposition to our values. We benefit from this inspiration when we open ourselves to it, letting go of the false notion that we are less qualified than others to determine our fate. The wisdom inside of us is the source of our discernment and our ability to identify blessings in disguise. When we are unsure of who to trust, how to respond, or what we require, the answers lie in our inner wisdom. It knows where we are going and understands where we are coming from, taking this into account though it is not a product of experience but rather a piece of our connection to the universal mind.

In the whole of your existence, no force you will ever encounter will contribute as much to your ability to do what you need to do and be who you want to be as your natural wisdom. Through it, you reveal your growing consciousness to the greater source and discover the true extent of your strength. If you heed this wisdom with conviction and confidence, the patterns, people, and fears that held you back will be dismantled, paving the way for you to fulfill your truest potential.

Too Long...

It was August 30 the last time I posted. I have so many important thoughts, really, I do! It's just that John was laid off in September, so he was home and my attentions were turned elsewhere. But, I do miss blogging. It helps me to clarify my thoughts, put down some highlights, and connect with the people reading. I also haven't been reading blogs lately, and I caught up this morning, and it feels good to know how everyone is doing. I love that they share their journey so readily with me and the world.

John is working this week in MN, for the week, then will be helping his brother pick up a truck from Oklahoma that John will be driving this winter. We really wished he could lay off completely, but we're just not there yet, so it is as it's meant to be.

We're enjoying fall. I'm looking forward to retreating indoors more often now, although yesterday found us at the park flying airplanes. How can you not be at the park flying airplanes when it's 73 degrees and sunny with no wind?

I've been volunteering at the Breadroot, helping Mary with her boys for a couple hours while she does, and just otherwise staying busy loving my boys. We've gone through a couple batches of scrumptious zucchini bars. Even Stone (who really doesn't like anything green) is indulging!

And, biggest news of all... Stone is on week two of Karate and is absolutely Shining there! He goes Monday through Thursday (yep, 4 times a week) for an hour each day and he's always eager to go back the next day. We stay and watch. I wouldn't miss it. My face disappears behind my smile every time I see him out there doing his kicks, punches and blocks. Oh, he's just delicious, I tell you! Mama pride, it's a good thing. Almost as good as a kid who's happy and loves his life, with our without mama pride! :)