More Elk sightings

Thoughts part Two

After my post about what I've created in my life that I'm proud of, I started thinking about what's not in my life that I'd like to create. So I thought I'd put it out to the universe, so that the universe can help me bring it in. They all seem to fall into the category of Self-care:

*I want to eat things that make me feel good
*I want to get out more, move my body and breathe fresh air
*I want to say how I feel and ask for what I want, in a way that respects others
*I want to give more
*I want to share myself honestly and without reservation, to really let people know me and to be myself all the time.

Art lessons

I took this idea from Charlotte Mason. I found this calendar at Fred Meyer for $7. Each month has an 8x10 print by Van Gogh. Every few weeks I put a new one on the fridge and we talk about it over lunch for a few days. The first print had a title that Taryn thought was not fitting to the picture, so she created her own version of what would go with that name. The second was a self portrait. Taryn tried to copy it and didn't like the results, so then decided to do a portrait of herself instead. Erik has interesting tid bits each day of things he's noticed in the print, and has even started to notice Van Gogh's style.

Thoughts

Sometimes when I'm anticipating someone coming to my house to visit, I look around and wonder what they'll see. Today I was doing that and kind of marveling at how I've created my life based on what I value. And then realizing that we all do that, whether purposely or not. So here is a list of some of the things I value and how they are expressed in my life.

Relationships: I don't overschedule myself so that I never feel like I have time to be with the people I love. I often have time to just hang out with those people and really let them into my life.

Freedom: This is a gift given to me by Vic, who supports our family. Because of him, I have the freedom to structure my days one by one how I want them to unfold.

Simplicity: I don't often buy things I don't need, even if it's too many dishes, or more clothes. I like having just enough and being able to take care of those things. My house doesn't get over cluttered with stuff, and we can fit the stuff we have into the space we need. I don't over decorate my house because I like to take in the color of the walls, and the beauty of each thing I've placed without it being overtaken by something else near it.

Conservation: I'm still working on this, but I've really come to value the idea of not leaving things behind. I try and buy items in less packaging, recycle the packaging I do buy, and using up the things we have. I also try and make things myself, or buy them used so as not to consume more products.

Quiet: I almost never turn the tv on during the day anymore. I love when the kids have gone next door and it's just me and the silence. It really makes me feel good.

Learning: I really love reading. I love reading about new ways to think about the dynamics of our society. I love reading how to be a better parent, a better partner, a better human.

I'm proud of how my life is structured around what's important to me. I don't react as much to what other people think or to the things that are thrown at me. I feel like as the years go by my days become more authentic and more directly created.

Our Anniversary

Yesterday was our 11th anniversary. We rented kayaks and went out on Lake Washington. We haven't done this in about 5 years, and so we were both pretty nervous at first. It took about 20-30 minutes to get used to the motion. It's different in the winter too because the thought of being tipped into the water is much scarier. This is the first time I've been in my own kayak, and I like it so much better, more control. The water was beautiful. I have a love/hate relationship with water, but nothing makes me feel more alive than being on the water, and I think nothing in nature is more beautiful. We stayed out until the sun went down, it was pretty cool.

We went to dinner after, and had a chance to talk to each other without being interrupted, which we haven't done for a while. It was a great evening. Thanks Vic.

What's up!?!

I love hearing about how everyone is doing, and reading their blogs about random things. So I thought I'd post a little update myself.

I am really enjoying being back at work. It has many advantages for many areas of my life. The biggest thing is that it keeps my days moving and keeps me from getting bored. Being a homeschooling parent can sometimes drag on. My kids and I spend a lot of time together and most of the time I'm stuck at home so they can have time for their creative play, which doesn't involve me and so I can get a little bored. I love getting out of the house each night and having things move a little quicker.
It also helps my marriage that I'm not so bored. Vic and I tend to be homebodies and spend a lot of time together, which can get old. Nowadays we don't see each other for much more than dinner, and it helps us appreciate each other a bit more. We catch up at the end of the night and it's nice to have that focused talk time, since we don't know everything that we're doing anymore.
Working also helps me feel productive and that I'm contributing in a tangable way. It's nice to have some extra money these months to take the pressure off, and it's nice to know I'm building something that I can use later as the kids grow.
My office is in downtown Auburn, which is not a very affluent area. Most of the people I work with are divorced, and make between 3,000 and 20,000 a year and are trying to support their kids on that. It's really humbling to me to see these people who work so hard and have so little. Sometimes they are desparate just to get their power turned back on. It's heartbreaking, but also makes me grateful each day that I live so comfortably.

The weather here has been wonderful. We have had so many days above 50 degrees. I love going outside in the crisp air, it just makes me feel so good again.

I've told some of you, but Taryn gets to go to Disneyland with our neighbors in April. It is so generous of them to take her. Taryn is looking forward to it, not just because it will be fun, but because she will get to be away from us and on her own for 7 days. She thinks of it like summer camp. I'm excited for her independence and hope she handles it well.

Erik has been his usual challenging, joyful, and entertaining self. He is creating so many star wars worlds around the house. He is learning to read well and has really opened up the world for him. It's exciting to see.

Vic's company is being bought out and the deal will finalize the 1st of March. So we may have some changes, we just don't know what yet. We're crossing our fingers for something good.

Thats us these days!

Afternoon walk

We went on a walk the other day, to the creek behind our house. Someone has built this really cool fort structure out of logs. The kids loved it, it's like their own little hideout.