Another Peek Into Our Day (at December 14, 2014 at 02:48PM )

Cutest copilot ever 💚💚💚 (don't worry- we were at a red light 😉) #tribe

Another Peek Into Our Day (at December 11, 2014 at 11:43PM )

Our Christmas Stocking Tradition. We've never done Santa, or even celebrated Christmas really. We're cool with that. We started something new last year though, and I'm really loving it and the way my children have taken hold of it and made it their own. Sometime between Thanksgiving and the beginning of December we hang stockings from the living room mantel. (Novel, I know) ;) Then, the children sneak and fill one another's stockings with notes of appreciation, coupons of promises to do chores for one another, and their treasures that others have admired. They're really sacrificial about it, to the extent that sometimes I want to stop them, to say "Hey! You don't have to give THAT away!" But then I remember- that's the whole point! And they GET IT. Way better than I do. I wish you could see the happy shine in their eyes when they walk away from successfully sneaking something really good into someone's stocking. It makes me cry most times. Tonight I noticed that the stockings are hanging heavy, things are peeking out of the tops of a few. And I'm just so happy with my awesome family. #tribe

Another Peek Into Our Day (at December 11, 2014 at 10:41PM )

Wow. We've entered a new phase of life. Big Sister comes and whisks away Little Sister for an overnight. I've spent so very long in Toddlerville that I really didn't see this coming and it feels very disorienting. So very disorienting, in fact, that I have nothing else to say... #tribe #blog

Another Peek Into Our Day (at December 04, 2014 at 12:43PM )

Chalkboard paint on my rusty secondhand fridge? Why yes, I think I will! #blog #tribe

Another Peek Into Our Day (at December 01, 2014 at 10:44AM )

No WONDER we were arguing! Also- the tape on the right has 10 inches per foot! Is this common or have I got a real oddball measuring tape here? #tribe

Another Peek Into Our Day (at November 30, 2014 at 05:53PM )

Somebody woke up happy from an oddly timed nap! 😄 Sometimes a nap is just the right thing to do 💤 #tribe

Another Peek Into Our Day (at November 27, 2014 at 10:30PM )

Creating a "Wheel of The Year" calendar to hang above our dining room mantle to teach our children about the seasons of the year. I've had this project in mind for many months. So excited to finally start! #tribe #blog

Another Peek Into Our Day (at November 24, 2014 at 01:12PM )

Fun! And we thought snake-catching was over for this year! Keep your eyes open for all the lovely little happy surprises. #1000gifts #tribe #blog

Another Peek Into Our Day (at November 23, 2014 at 09:29PM )

And we're DONE! Today was the last performance. It's been so great and I'm so SO glad my kids had the opportunity. It was a bigger time commitment than I expected, so it is a relief that it's over, but we will most likely do it again! #tribe

Another Peek Into Our Day (at November 23, 2014 at 05:46PM )

I'm crying over here. This guy LOOOOVES to cook. We talk a lot about going through school more quickly than the traditional system does, and getting into & out of college by the time most are finishing high school. He can't decide between being a chef or being an engineer, and gets starry eyed when I remind him there's enough time for both! This weekend he woke up early to prepare a batch of "peasant bread" for a guest & it got shared & the recipient of the sharing was impressed enough to hire him as a personal chef for one meal a week! Human language doesn't reach far enough to encompass and express the exhilaration of this Mama watching her boy's dream coming true! ✨✨✨✨ #tribe #blog

Another Peek Into Our Day (at November 21, 2014 at 08:50AM )

Sometimes your Friday morning looks like this, and it's not exactly what you had in mind when you planned your week on Monday. You can sulk, and fume, and let it upset you, or you can shrug, be glad you have access to things like jumper cables and vehicles with charged batteries, and reprioritize and find out what is really the most important. The stuff that HAS to be done, will be done. The rest can, obviously, wait. Happy Friday Everyone! #blog #tribe

Another Peek Into Our Day (at November 19, 2014 at 11:09PM )

Something so neat happened today when I split this log. Instead of splitting across the radius of the log, it split right down a growth ring, so that I was left with just a smaller log, and that outside curved edge was almost as smooth as if it had been sanded! It was so neat-I've never had wood split that way before. Maybe it's common, and I just haven't split enough wood to know it :-) #tribe #blog

Another Peek Into Our Day (at November 17, 2014 at 09:35PM )

What?? This isn't a cat cubby?? #blog #tribe

Another Peek Into Our Day (at November 13, 2014 at 06:58PM )

It's official!! :D #tribe #blog

Another Peek Into Our Day (at November 11, 2014 at 06:45PM )

Aaaahhh... Paint therapy 😊 💚💚💚 #tribe

Another Peek Into Our Day (at November 11, 2014 at 04:28PM )

This morning, we painted faces. Just because 😊 I love that we can do that 💚#tribe #blog

Another Peek Into Our Day (at November 05, 2014 at 02:12PM )

Quick picnic stops in the middle of multi-store shopping days help everyone- mama & littles- not get all stressed out 😊 #tribe #blog

Another Peek Into Our Day (at November 04, 2014 at 09:24PM )

Little Man slept through supper, so he gets to nibble late-night quesedillas & watch hockey. #tribe

Another Peek Into Our Day (at October 26, 2014 at 09:01PM )

See that little red wound on his wrist? I was nominated for Worst Mom of the Year today when he got. We were hiking (oh! Glorious autumn!), and along the trail was a beautiful 5 foot black snake. Unfortunately, there were about 20 people gathered around staring. I wasn't about to let the opportunity slip just for that, though. As I was coaching him through catching it (like we always do when we are sure it is safe), and encouraging him with "now, grab it quickly, NOW!" I heard, in the background, "them things is vurry infectious" and similar declarations. He caught it quite well, but it bit him on the hand-he grabbed hold of it a little too far behind the head and it was able to twist around to get him. He was still tremendously proud of himself, and I was proud of him too! Because of the bottleneck on the trail, my husband was left quite a bit behind with my dog and several of my children while the crowd thinned out. He later told me how very many of them were so shocked and appalled at my behavior. Several "couldn't believe" that I was acting that way. I'm not bothered at all by it, I'm rather used to it and find it amusing. But I thought it would be fun to share 😉 #tribe #blog

Another Peek Into Our Day (at October 18, 2014 at 03:40PM )

Somebody's got a fever 😕 #tribe