Shannon

He is always teaching me new ways to see the world. He sees possibilities everywhere he goes. Be it throwing eyeballs on the ceiling or using eyeshadow to make tattoos, he's forever drinking in possibility. Here he takes the camera and captures his face as he swings. I watch and learn to see MORE.

Tabitha

Sometimes there is a reminder, as simple as crossed legs, of just how desperately these people want to be just like us.... A reminder to be present in those moments, so we can smile when they are reflected back to us.

Kelly

This Dad.

by Kelly and Frankie

This Dad is funny.
This Dad is strong.
This Dad makes money
And sings us a song.

This Dad plays Minecraft,
late into the night.
Burns our grilled cheeses
and holds us real tight.

This Dad will bounce with us,
Play with us, laze with us.
This Dad will laugh with us
Engage with us, hear us.

This Dad will carry us.
And wrestle and romp with us.
This Dad will snuggle us,
Watch with us, talk with us.

This Dad is a great Dad.
This Dad is a late Dad.
This Dad is a hockey loving,
poker playing, tall Dad.


Happy Birthday, this week, to this Dad.

Helen

(Photo by Ben)

This is our great-nephew Eli:)  We're so filled up from having him visit!  What joy watching our small fry navigate around a small person again.  People remembered things that had helped when a sibling was younger, toys were brought to cheer him up, things shared to help him get over a bump, such care expressed and evidence of that sense of belonging that comes with hanging with family.  Perhaps the biggest magic was the absolute enchantment from our littlest:)  (If you ever get caught in a trap with her and need to know her password: it's Eli)

Helen

 

did you know high fives are a group effort? 

my take away message this week ... the joy, the joy!  it's there for the taking.  it's shared when we've apart for the day, it's there when we clean the gutters,  it's there when we need a moment to reconnect. 

 Shannon

 

 Loss can be so very hard to cycle in to your understanding. Parting gifts such as lessons on how to light a fire and memory celebration can bring joy in. These boys forever remember Gramps when they all on their own light a fire.

 

 Tabitha

 

This week, we went to the Cowichan river to see the salmon run. As we wandered on the familiar path searching for our old favourite observation spots, I realised that I couldn't remember a year we hadn't gone to see the salmon, often from this very river, often from this very part. It made me realise that sometimes family traditions aren't made in a formal thoughtful kind of way, the way I have often tried in this journey of motherhood. Sometimes traditions are observed. Seen after the fact, after they are already a tradition. I think they might even be more magical, these messy accidental family traditions that just happened....

Kelly

Cooper, who is 6, loves Yamimash. Yamimash, his youtube name, lives in the UK. He is a young man who reviews scary video games, Minecraft and Pokemon among others. He is very entertaining, curses like a drunken soldier and can keep my boy happy for hours. Cooper decided he wanted to send Yamimash a picture. This is from the kid who never draws. So, we sent this picture to Yamimash featuring the characters from the terrifying game Amnesia, Dark Descent. Much to our delight we got a lovely reply from Yamimash. It was the highlight of Cooper's week! Thank you Yamimash and bless you technology! And...guess who has been drawing pictures ever since?

 

 

 

 Kelly

 Today I immersed myself in her world. We talked about Harry Potter, made plans for her Dad's upcoming birthday, decided who we would dress up as for Halloween and searched the internet for inspiration, watched Halloween Wars on the Food Network. I watched her play Minecraft and marvelled at what she knows. Today I learned new things about the lovely girl growing alongside me and I learned new things about myself and the best version of me I can offer her. Thank you Frankie.

Helen

my plan was to post about my teeny adventure that even involved a wolf-dog dancing across a street.  yet truly, the real encounters with marvel, magic and even mess, all revolved around those day to day happenings that swept me along this week:  a dog game designed and crafted in the late hours of the night, then so carefully housed in an altered box.  a movie that bounded onto the "must have" list.  listening to two boys so engaged with & enthused by a game, negotiating (and negotiating) and planning the purchase a new xbox game.  all the previous practice and guidance served up such joy and more work.  there was happiness over food served, there were hugs in the kitchen, smooches here and there, yoga at midnight, and a healthy dose of more problem solving. did i mention the magic at play? scattered here and there throughout the day, all within easy reach when i turned to *look*

 Shannon

 It rained and it poured
The boys jumped and roared.

Feet left the ground
Laughter the only sound.

And they played till the rain soaked through the clothes

Tabitha

 

This one is experimenting with expressions. His current fav: awesome face from internet memes. Awesome.

Tabitha

learning about calm, quiet, and still in an attempt to win the heart of a timid beast...





Shannon

Magic can happen when mess is okay. My canvas began as a mattress moved to my body and ended in late night experimenting.  Wondering, watching, waiting and discovering in my very own personal way.








helen

her dadda dreamed of her way before she ever came to be born into our family. and she is named for two strong women.  this week marked her 8th birthday and i watched how she was filled up by the stories of her birth, the love from far and near and her own special celebration. the joy just keeps rippling.






kelly

I love the sound of kids playing in my house and yard. The sudden shrieks, negotiating, sharing, laughter and sillyness. This Thanksgiving weekend I am thankful for friends. They fill our cups, lift our spirits, share our joy, laugh with us and learn with us.

And when your six year old, who is sitting beside you talking incessantly when you are trying to submit a blog post, says "we made some great memories today Mom", you know life is good.

Now.....back to chatting....