finally!!!

so i had purposed that i would write something--anything--no matter how small to add to my blog so i'd get in the habit of this bloggin' thang. as you can see, life happens and has been happening since.



so what's going on? you may wonder...(i do too!) lol!



i started school, very unexpectedly, on Jan 20th. so with being in school most evenings and running around with the kids and keeping up the house and feeding the dogs and making sure clothes get washed and teeth get brushed and studying to maintain my 4.0 GPA (yay!) and connecting with my homeschooling group (kid cultivators) and attempting to be a good friend and facebooking (periodically), i've been a bit busy (sigh)!



i decided i'd take some time right now and refresh my page....such a pretty scene....and add some news about the lapse of time. i'm also realizing that i have so much more to share beyond homeschooling and perhaps from time to time i'll get around to that.



this time, although busy and sometimes stressful, has been a glorious time for my spirit. in my new venture i've met some amazing women, one in particular, who has challenged me in ways i didn't recognize i needed challenging in. i have learn far more than i expected simply from talking and sharing with her. she's put me in touch with some really great authors and i've done a lot of reading in addition to school (and life, and kids, etc)!



perhaps my title 'finally' refers more to me finding me...than finding time to write here.

breaking out!

today has started better than yesterday. i've been making plans for the rest of the week. we need to get OUT of the house, although it is bitterly cold and connect with other people! today we'll go to visit my grandmother. i'm lucky to now live only 20 minutes away from her. we need this visit as much as she does. been in touch with a new friend i've made up here and hope to get together with her family tomorrow and then take field trip on thursday to meet some other friends at a farm show.



the children are still enjoying their creative play. i'm so thankful for this. they do fuss about not being about not being able to watch as much as they'd like (they did a lot through all the moving that happened late last year) but once they get that i mean 'no!' they go on with life.




i hope to be able to get on with things in the same way! ;)

monday...already?! OR it's a jungle in here!

i guess mondays are tough days for me. it's the 'recovering-from-the-weekend-wish-I-didn't-have-to-clean-up-day.' it's cold here. very cold.



i'm listening to the children play. they've taken all their stuffed animals and placed them around the house, much to my dismay. when i asked what they were doing, my oldest explained that they were going to make a jungle so they could explore. they (my daughters) then asked for paper and scissors--not a good combination--so i asked for more detail. they said they wanted to draw and cut out flowers and trees to make it look like a jungle. what a wonderful imagination they have. my son, who is just 2, participated as well, making the animal sounds when he 'found' an animal.



oh to be a child again.



although the house is in MORE disarray, it's nice to hear them enjoying themselves. they're playing with what they've learned, as they should be.




[sigh]


i guess mondays aren't so bad... (smile)

natural hair day...continued

so my hair 'day' has turned into another day....i guess doing three heads is more than a notion. it's been a loooong day. we are all tired.



we followed my plan and i have to say, it turned out LOVELY!!! my girls' hair is clean, soft and very well conditioned! I am LOVING my hair too. The only thing that I didn't expect is the loosening of our hair texture. So my lovely full afro is hanging to my shoulders...I guess that means I have to either do it or cut it. hmmm. something else to consider! lol!



i am thrilled to have found something that is good for our hair, good for our bodies and good for the earth!!! it's also very gratifying to be able to make this myself. i hope to post pictures soon of our lovely, healthy, earth-friendly hair! ;)




the following are the photos.

natural hair day

i've found some really good recipes for all-natural hair cleansing and care. today i'm going to use them in our heads/hair and see how things go.


the recipes are as follows (i found them on youtube posted by various persons)


No-poo (shampoo) hair cleansing


Baking Soda (enough to cover entire head)




Rinse


1 part ACV (apple cider vinegar)

2 parts water




Natural Hair Conditioner

1/2 avocado

3.5 oz coconut milk

3.5 oz coconut oil

1 Tb olive oil

1 TB castor oil OR honey

Make 2 cups



i'm using the honey option. it looks and smells delicious. we'll see how things turn out!! wish me luck! ;)

exercise, outside

it's another gray rainy day here. i'm realizing that my children haven't had a chance to really be outside and play for a while. it's been either rainy or just too cold. i guess i've been lazy about it too, on the day or two it hasn't been.



so, i need to check into some alternative spaces so they can run and play more frequently. a local friend suggested a spot up on campus (under the pavilion) and i need to plan to do that this week.



since i want to do better myself with exercising, i've got to make it a higher priority for making sure my kids are doing it--so they can be fit from the beginning of their lives!



just another healthy habit i'd like for our family to incorporate on a more regular basis.

naturally yours

although it's still winter, i'm in the process of preparing for spring (my new year!)! :) i've been working to live in better harmony with the earth and my body. part of what we've (dh & i) been working towards is removing all the chemical use in our home, in our food, in our personal body products. i've spent the last two days almost glued to the computer searching and researching what i can do to replace all the junk we feel we 'can't live without!'



we've already switched a lot of what we use around the house. we mainly use vinegar & baking soda to clean. and these two clean everything! (and have for many decades prior)



my hair is natural (no chemicals used to change it's texture) and so are all the heads in my care. but i know a lot of what we put in our hair (creams, oils, shampoos, etc.) and what we put on our skin is just HARMFUL plain and simple. so, i'm throwing EVERYTHING out today and going out this afternoon to purchase some basics to make my own personal care products.



now, if you know anything about me, you know that this is right up my alley. i love doing this kind of stuff. i have several good books about this very thing and i use the library regularly. so i've found some really nice, simple, inexpensive recipes for keeping us, and our environment, clean & safe.



i've also invited some of my dear friends to join me in this. it does take some support because i know there will be a day when i miss my paul mitchell foaming pomade. but i will learn to love something else--something that i've made with my own hands!!!



these are the things i want to give my children. i love that i can share this with them.



will share updates as i have them!!

just another manic monday

(oh-woe) wish it were sunday...




and so another work week begins. my husband left at some ungodly hour (for us) and one by one my children woke up needing one thing or another from me (go figure). it has been hard to get out of my bed this morning. i've turned over several times to find sleep again. i'm thankful that i've taught my kids to get up and play quietly, sort of. what finally got me out of bed was the thought about getting back into the routine of our lives. since our big move in august, we've been 'off schedule' and everyday is unpredictable, which isn't always good for little ones. so out of bed i got!



i've found it helpful to get up and get dressed on days like these. it gives some direction: this won't be a "lay-around-lazy-day.' so we are now fed and dressed and doing some artwork. must get this holiday thanks out b/4 the kids forget who gave what. lol!



i guess i should have a goal for today, or at least a plan. hmmm...let's see.


today's goal: enjoy my children. read to them. give them time to be creative.


i'm ok with this! hope your day is as good as mine will be! ;)

A New Calendar Year

...and so we changed calendars today. i put them up in the classroom and in the girls' room. i explained to the kids that at the end of December we get to start all over again with the months of the year. so, we're back to January.

oddly enough i'm feeling more like following the seasons. it's still winter and the idea of starting something new at this moment just doesn't feel right to me. so, i'll continue with this idea and make some resolutions at the beginning of Spring--the new season for the year.

we did clean up today and do a little purging to make today 'new' in it's own way. i am looking forward to moving in more harmony with the seasons.

Happy New Year!!

in search of truth

i have come across several important books that i will be adding to my personal library this past week. melvin and i are looking to give our children more than what we were given in regards to living in community with the world. living for the world and not simply ourselves. (by 'the world' i mean all of creation: people, animals, the planet) we have screwed things up in so many ways (we=society, people) and we do not know how to truly live for the good of others. how can we prepare the next generation for anything better if we don't teach them better, live better, in front of them---NOW!



reading simple stories are a great way to pass along important truths without having to give direct orders. in stories we can see ourselves and imagine how we can "be the change we want to see in the world."



i am in a place now that allows me to see truth from places i was taught not to look. and in so searching i've found some remarkable stories that teach simple lessons about life, love and peace. i am excited about sharing these things with our children.



and if you are so brave...take a moment to look for these books and read them, for yourself (and then your children). i promise you'll be glad you did!



Old Turtle and the Broken Truth by Douglas Wood

The Three Questions by Jon J. Muth

Kindness: A Treasury of Buddhist Wisdom for Children and Parents

Ayat Jamilah: Beautiful Signs--A Treasury of Islamic Wisdom for Children and Parents

Zen Shorts by Jon J. Muth

in the garden

nature is such a great place to be, whether playing or working. today we got another change to go to the botanical gardens. it was homeschool day, so there were special tours and activities just for us! :) we were also able to spend time with others from our homeschool group. i really enjoyed my time! the children did too!

New Site for Homeschool Support Group

Been working on a new space for the support group online. Check it out: www.kidcultivatorsalthomeschool.ning.com. No matter where you live you can join and be apart of the support network. Ask your homeschooling friends to join as well and start a local support group in your area!

The Yahoo! Group will come down on the 1st of June.

Storytime at the Library

we had another homeschool support group meeting today. i'm happy to share that at each meeting there are more new faces excited about the possibilities of homeschooling many of which have joined the support group and are becoming active members! this is what my goal was and it's wonderful to see it coming into view.

before each of our meetings our children participate in the library's storytime. the children's librarian, cassi gwyn, is awesome and so graciously prepares activities especially for our group. this particular day the children got to make flowers using their own hand cut out--this is one of my favorite crafts!!

i look forward to continuing to grow the group and support each parent in their choice to homeschool.

Climbing Trees

i'm fortunate to have a large, fenced in backyard where my children have been spending lots of time digging, picking, stomping, planting, swinging, playing and now climbing. jaya has been anxiously awaiting the day when she'll be able to climb the tree all by herself. (it's a great tree for climbing, i must add!) but until then, she was excited to be "placed" in the tree. her siblings, kari and melvin and our neighbor, eve, joined her.

You Belong in the Zoo!

most people are starting to get that SAHMs don't really stay at home. today i organized a meetup for SAHMs in the area at zoo atlanta to get out with the kids and socialize!! my children always enjoy going to the zoo. we were blessed with a two-year membership, thanks to from grandpa, and try to go at least twice a month. this time we were able to share the experience with some of the friends we've made in the group.

here are a few pictures of the time we had. the day started out cloudy and rainy but by lunchtime the sun was out and in full force! (it was HOT!!)

(SAHM = stay at home mom)

my "to be" list

because i'm always reading and looking to learn things daily, i was very excited about the new perspective that i got from reading another mother's blog. she shared about how hectic life gets and all the things that we as mothers have to do in a given day. she's a "to do" list person and uses one daily. she then shared that she'd read an article by alan cohen entitled 'what to ask for' and got a different persepctive on the whole "to do" list thing. perhaps our problem is the focus on what we want to have accomplished by the end of the day instead of who we want to be or how we want to feel at the end of the day.



at the end of most days many of us look over what we wanted to accomplish and see that we barely made it down the list. i know when i've made a mental list and look back over my day i feel as though i wasn't "productive," that i "got off track." however a 'do be' list is different, it places the value not on things but on people.


Compare these two lists:



what do i want to get done?

-take mail to post office

-make dinner

-change bed linens

-pickup dry cleaning

-return library books



how do i want to be and feel?

-be kind

-be patient

-feel connected to my children

-be available to listen

-feel content



do you see how that can totally change your perspective???? omg!! i'm so glad to have read this today! there are plenty of things that need to get done, but i don't want to forget what is most important.

It's Spring!!!

spring is the beginning of new life...the awaking of things left dormant...the (re)birth of ideas, plans, hopes and dreams. it's also the time to watch nature come alive. i wanted to celebrate this newness with my family in a way that would mark the occasion and give pause to all that was happening around us. we celebrated the day as a family out in nature--we went to the park. we fed the ducks & pigeons, ate a picnic lunch then watched the kids play on the playground. before leaving we spend some time relaxing, talking and laughing on the grass watching dogs and their owners run past. all in all, we had a nice day welcoming in spring!!



as you'll notice in the pictures, although the sun was out and the sky clear, it didn't feel like spring! but i'm sure the weather will make up for this by summer!

Table Manners and other things

Every day I'm heard saying things like, "We sit down at the table. Chew your food before you start talking. Wipe your mouth with your napkin. Wait until everyone has their food before you eat. Use inside voices at the table. Use your fork/spoon. Now, this is when I'm in a calm and focused place.



At other times one may hear me say things like this: "Sit down! Use your napkin, not your hands. We eat with our utensils NOT our fingers! Will you guys please stop shouting at the table!!!"



If you're anything like me...you will understand this! Needless to say, despite how I'm saying it and how many times I've must repeat myself, it is sinking in. My daughters attended a birthday party yesterday...a tea party, ok, a 'high tea' party. I got them all dressed up to go (the way we used to dress for parties). I was so very happy that all the hard work I've put in paid off during the hours of the party! :)



Not only did they use all their table manners, they also were attentive to me as well as the other adults and responsive to the request made of them. They greeted everyone, they used their inside voices, they remembered to say 'please' and 'thank you,' they played nicely with the other girls and cleaned up what they had taken out before leaving the party. (Translation: they didn't push, hit, shout, fuss, complain, etc.) I was so proud!!



Being at home is hard, intense often dirty work, but the rewards are awesome!!

Playin' in the Dirt Again...

There are times when we spend the entire day outside. It's amazing just how interested my children can become with playing in dirt and water. Give them a few sticks and voila--mud!! All over everything!! As much as I don't enjoy the clean-up process, I give in to their desires to do so because I do see the enjoyment they find. Plus, I remember when I used to do the same thing. There is just something about putting your hands in the earth. Squishing your fingers in and 'painting' with cool mud.



Another bonus about these 'messy' days--they sleep soundly through the night!

Homeschool Day, A Success!!

I had hoped to chronicle all my preparations of this event, but alas! Between my three, planning (online & on the phone) and all the expected and unexpected events of life, I've been unable to. In short, the week of this event a few presentors had to cancel. I was able to readjust--no problem. The day before when I went to set up the conference room for the meeting I found out the room had been double booked. Again, I readjusted. The morning of...more changes!!! It's good that I've been a SAHM for 5 years and have had to learn flexibility!



It was raining, so I waited 5 minutes just to give folk time to get into the building and put umbrellas away. I welcomed those who were there and began. My guests made their presentation and with every new introduction, more people entered the room.



It went so well. Better than I could have hoped for. After the presentations we took time for all attenders to introduce themselves and ask questions. We stayed long after our end time chatting, exchanging information and sharing ideas. The excitement was contagious!



Here a some of the pictures that were taken of the event. I can hardly wait to meet with everyone again.


"Be[coming] the change..."