Tabitha, Helen, Kelly

(photo by Shahriar Khan)

I spy with my little eye

Three bloggers and a tribe.

Rachel

Our sweet Lilli is home again with us, after a terrible scare (rushed to the ER for a blood transfusion due to severe anemia). We weren't sure she would even survive the night. It's so nice to see her back in her favorite spot, modeling the latest in poodle haute couture. It's amazing how much love and concern we have for our four legged friends, and how sad we were to think she might not make it. I know it's something we will someday have to face. This small brush with the possibility of her death gave us a lot of time to discuss how we would handle a serious illness in our dog, and to talk about serious illness in people, to think about the choices we must all make with regard to our own care, and for the care for those we love. It was a challenging but really profound week for all of us.

Shannon

 This boy grew up a little more this week, turning nine. He created his day to be just what he wanted. Saying all day how awesome it was. He oozed gratitude and celebration. It was a joy to witness this. 

Shannon

 

Oh what a week is has been. But even as I sit here exhausted, with aching muscles I can not help but smile in gratitude. My boys have both stretched in to new places. Stepping up to contribute to birthdays, helping overwhelmed me and simply demonstrating over and over that when I invest in helping my children fill their cups it comes back to me ten fold in the very moments I need it the most. This watermelon cake was as delicious as it was precious to receive. 

This new house has returned us to our roots. The space outdoors to gather round a fire and tell tales of who we are. To invite friends in to knowing us on a whole new level. It's a most lovely return.
 

 Tabitha

 
 The fruits of his labour (or is that vegetables of his labour??).
This is a carrot he planted in the spring being enjoyed and shared.
Yum, garden fresh carrots.  I'm so grateful for the community of
family we have around us.  My mother in law has provided this
beautiful place to go and grow food and see it happening while our
garden at home has suffered from a serious case of new born baby
neglect.  Thankful for the harvest, the fun, the learning.

Happy Fridge.

Kelly

 Cooper acquired a new loft bed which we (me) set up this week. He was so excited, despite not actually planning to sleep in it. We set up a tv and beanbag chair underneath. He announced that he would be hosting a weekly movie night for a different family member each. So, here he is, cutting the ribbon he taped to the doorway, marking the occasion of the inaugural movie night, with Frankie being the first invitee. Note the red carpet. He thoughtfully chose a Pokemon movie, her favourite at the moment, made popcorn and provided pillows and blankets. 

 Suddenly she is 10.
I love how much she enjoyed helping unload bark mulch with her Dad this week. How she has her own sense of style and her own way of doing things. I love how she is most content in solitude yet loves parties. I love how she goes in through the out door, how she still skips when she walks and how she stands for justice. She is strong willed yet soft-hearted.
She is all the things I seek to improve in myself. Sometimes a mystery, always a joy. Love you Frankie!

Helen

There was a quiet moment with this guy, 

where we got to hear him talk about a difficult situation he had faced.  

The processing, the introspection, the shifting and more. 

It was all there, shared freely and such a testament to how far he has traveled. 

Love.

We've been hanging the laundry out to dry as much as possible.

(It strikes me each time, seeing all the little-big-in between-clothes side by side, 

how grateful i am for these beings that fill all those clothes. 

There was a long time when it seemed unlikely that it would ever happen for us.)

Often there are these handy helpers around, laughing, scheming and talking as they work.

And creating the most interactive peg bag ever...

Rachel

We decided the house needed a bit of remodeling before we put it on the market. After six hours of cleaning and painting in the backyard, we wondered if we should have just sold it as a fixer-upper. Sure was fun, though. While we worked, we reminisced about the sweet days spent playing with the house. We laughed about the figures they had given make-overs (by cutting off their hair or their clothes). It was so beautiful to see how much they loved their time with the house, but how they also felt ready to let it go.

 

We have spent the last 10 days at the cabin where we have had the most perfect weather imaginable. We've filled our days with hiking, kayaking, visiting local ice cream shops. We've had entire days at the beach with picnic lunches, sandcastles, burying each other, skipping and gathering stones. We've seen sunsets and sometimes sunrises, and we spent one late night outside trying to see the Perseid meteor shower. We've grilled out and made pit fires (and s'mores). It has been the most lovely week. But by far, my favorite moment is this one, with my two boys sitting in the water together, looking at the sky and talking together about something completely their own.

Rachel

  A mysterious box from a galaxy far far away arrived at our door, and the boys opened it with giggles of excitement. Our friends Mitchel, KJ, Shannon and Pucky had lovingly put together a care package of Star Wars toys for Max and Otto. We had so much fun trying to figure out how all these unusual pieces worked and marveled that we had never seen the likes of them before. The boys are having so much fun playing with them all. It makes me think of our friends each time I see these toys, and that helps us feel connected to them, even when they are far away from us.

Shannon

I remember when he was just one year old, a parent at the playground stood beside me and said, "Your son is scaring me." He was climbing on the outside of playground equipment. With each step he would stop and steady himself. He was in his body. He knew his boundaries. He taught me not to be afraid of his abilities. So now, nearing 8 years later, when he finds a tree and climbs as high as the branches will allow him, I trust him.

 

 

Tabitha

It's easier to be brave when there is someone there to catch you.  

And it's easier to be brave when you know that you don't have to jump
until you are ready (which wasn't today).

 

 

Kelly

This girl has a particular and peculiar diet. Always has. She eats in jags; like the year she basically lived on Cheerios  and apples, the bagel phase, the grapes and strawberries days. There are really only about a dozen things she eats and she is not interested in trying new things, not ever. So imagine my surprise when she ordered blue bubblegum ice cream and not the usual vanilla. And then 2 days later, at a family dinner party, put chicken satay, peanut sauce and rice salad on her plate and tried it all! Next day, she requested to try eggs. WTF?
Yet another example of my girl's approach to everything in life... with caution and in her own good time.
 

 

 

Helen

Still. Loving. Summer.

And being reminded of the transience of it all.

Let's try and make it all count, you and me. 

Helen

 

I think I can declare, for all of us, our real affection for this place we call home. 

There are the familiar spaces and places where we find ourselves

And then the suddenly-new spots we make through necessity or for fun.

We've spent the loveliest week here, all hugger-mugger,

Hanging out, reading, playing hard, swimming, sharing summer fare with those that visited,

And, of course, a daily dose of the soul-necessary dancing-in-the-kitchen.

Rachel

Very exciting concert this week for all the banjo enthusiasts in our family. We have had so much fun attending concerts as a family, and as the kids are getting older and forming their own musical opinions, it just gets better and better.

Shannon

Everything is changing while much stays the same. We are moving, dad's office just moved. What we have known of this place that was foreign three years ago and became familiar is now jumbled up again. But the constants still define the parts of how we are are together. Dad's office always requires drawings on the white board and secret messages that will remain there for as long as possible informing those who stop by. The constant is always our connection to one another and how it holds us through the rougher waters.

Kelly

After 10 awesome days of camping with friends, we were happy to enjoy some solitude. We hibernated this week, played new card games, learned magic tricks, picked blueberries, and rediscovered old toys. We each spent time alone, living in our own heads and special time together in quiet activities. It was a special week, peaceful and reflective.

Kelly

 

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Just home from a week of camping with our tribe in the little town of 

Coombs, famous for its Goats on the Roof market. Our gang of kiddos, 

ranging from 4 to 14, spent most of their time playing Werewolves, a very 

fun group game that no one seemed to tire of. There was a lot of learning, 

laughter, debating, public speaking, moderating, collaborating, strategizing 

and debriefing. And we continue to talk about it here at home as we reflect 

on the memories made this week.

Helen

 

 

If only I could hand you a share of the joy and wonderment, the enthusiam and diversity, the ease and moving through dis-ease, the absolute fun of being suspended in a space, camping with the most phenomenal of people ...

because honestly, my cup runneth over.

 

Rachel

 

This 11 year old boy of mine keeps going further and further out, exploring the world around him and his place in it, pushing his own personal comfort zone, sometimes pushing me out of mine. It's a wonder to behold.

 

 

 

Shannon 

 

 

 It's in the details, the teeny tiny, every piece considered details and then in to the story. The story unfolding to ears ready to listen. And in hearing the story each detail makes sense. In this photo it's the LEGO though I think it is true that seeing the details and hearing the story are at the heart of how we live together. 

 

 

Tabitha

 

Some people just leap in with all their enthusiasm.  Some people hang back and get a feel for something for a bit first.  I have one of each, and am still learning how to help them each in their approach, especially this leaping style as I tend to be the hang back type myself.  This picture, this joy, is why I need to never quelch that fire....

Tabitha 

The Love.  Just that.  This one loves that one, who loves the other,

and the other.... and it muliplies.  Baelin just answered the door,

the neighbour wants to know if he wants to play. He answered he can't

right now because he's playing with his brother.  Melts this mom's

heart.  The Love.

Shannon

Things are high stress in our house right now. How are we handling it? With slurpees of course. Whenever some one pushes themselves too far any other member of the family may demand a slurpee break. Cause really who can resist sugary cold break. It's the moment, it takes to step out of it all that brings back in to focus what really matters! 

Rachel 

Few things are more fun than hanging with your cousins in a bathroom that doubles as a discotheque.

Kelly

We're camping this week!....with friends! One of our family favourite annual getaways; a week of lounging, swimming, game playing, eating, laughing and wine sipping with special people. Happy.

Helen

Summer...so many firsts shared with fabulous people. Bliss.

Shannon

Sometimes the best thing mama can do is fill her own cup to overflowing so she has plenty to give to others.

Tabitha

This week, Baelin rode his two wheeler bike!  What a snapshot of
natural learning.  Nobody taught him how to ride a bike, he learned.
It started when he was 18 months old and got a tricycle and helmet for
Christmas.  He hopped on and went nowhere in particular, backwards
sometimes.  It continued when mom picked up a different style tricycle
at a garage sale for two dollars.  It continued as he got a two
wheeler with training wheels.  It continued as Dad decided to remove
the pedals from a freebie two wheeler to make a cheap balance bike.
He watched his older brother on his bike.  He watched mom and dad on
their bikes.  He rode on our bikes in a baby seat.  All this in
combination with scootering and playing at the playground, and a dozen
other things I didn't realise led to his point.  One day, he said
"Dad, can you remove the training wheels from my bike?  I want to ride
a two wheeler."  Minutes later, he did.  All along the way this
learning didn't look like "learning", it looked like play and joy.
Joy.

Kelly 

 The hammock is out on the lawn and an old favourite book has been dusted off the shelf. The Lorax was regularly requested by both kids when they were toddlers. So when I looked out the kitchen window to the sight of these boys cozied up, it was like looking into Dumbledore's pensieve, watching a happy memory of days gone by.

Helen

Four years ago, this wonder arrived in our lives.

She's a whirlwind and a calm pause,

A giggle and a frown.

She's fun and feisty

and a joy to have around.

Happy birthday, nunu!   

 

 

  

Rachel 

 Geometry, physics, psychology, focus, fun.