Wanting to eat MORE raw foods!

Last summer I decided to try raw foods and see what happened. We saw so many benefits for each of us. Some of the things we ate have become part of our regular menu but we slowly went back to what was easiest. Now that we haven't been doing it pretty much full throttle, Stan and I are wanting to get back to it! Even Sadie is wanting to eat mostly salads. Here are some pics of that glorious time of eating yummy raw foods!

Sebastian learned to spell his name!

With only
...Mom will you type in my name?
...Let me write it down so you can do it. :)
...Will you copy your name on this thank you note?
...What's that letter again?

Then one day he yelled, "Mom come look!" And he had typed the whole thing in correctly. Yahoo! I totally trust the process (ok, I do have my moments!) but it sure is nice to see something tangible, or uh, virtual?

Compassionate Communication Celebration

AKA....NVC (nonviolent communication) is a subject receiving a lot of my attention lately. It fits so well with unschooling/consensual living/connection parenting/marriage. My guy is interested it in also which is so HUGE to me and we both have experienced its wonderful effects. At first, I dove into it thinking I was going to master it in a short time...HAHA...old habits die hard, huh? I have the tendency to plunge into things sometimes and feel hurried which ultimately means I put pressure on myself in many ways. And then?....I get crabby! Go figure. So I've adjusted my pace to one that is more appropriate for me and -abracadabra- it's easier to learn! I just have to laugh at myself.....it feels so good! Stan and I also introduced it to the kids with a puppet show. They were rolling over our storyline...which was a true one btw, and wanted to have a turn.

Anyway...I subscribe to nvcacademy.com. It's $10 a month for a variety of stuff. It's worth it even though I use it less than I intended. And the 1st month is free!

Pursuing Passions...

Sadie...acting. At the local kids theatre and preparing for a national competition that showcases people who want to enter the industry.

Sebastian....gymnastics. Here is Bub listening to one of the instructors explain about what to do on the rings.

Shelbie....ballet/tap. Here is a video of her in the first class.

Stan's Departure from the College

On the 30th of November, Stan was asked to resign or get fired. He resigned, a bit nervous about what was next, but very relieved. His job had become very tense and he worried about it for many reasons for over a year prior to that day. I had suggested many times that he look for another job....it was stressful for me also. He manifested his own way out - his last month with pay and only on a consulting basis (he was the IT manager at a community college). Then in January his prior boss from the college who had left the year before contacted him and he ended up hiring Stan as a freelance consultant for 3 times what his salary had been on a per hour basis. So he has worked way less, for way more pay, and has been home way more! It's nice that we all get to spend more time together - Stan is getting to experience "our world" from a different point of view, although having him here creates a different atmosphere. It's felt like a 3 month weekend almost!

Wow!....it's been exactly a year!

I've been wanting to blog more and realized I had started my blog last year, in February. Then I get on here and see that it was exactly a year ago today. Freaky! My intention was to do this regularly, however, the way it turned out was I would think of a subject to write about and then get swept away in the winds of our busy, fun life and thus forget! I did manage to create some drafts along the way that are awaiting my attention, and I have more ideas for drafts to muster up. Well, in reflecting on this anniversary......it's been a great year. Challenging as well, but in a way that has helped me zero in on what I want to attract and let go of what doesn't serve us. And that incorporates mostly mental intangibles on my part but includes some material stuff as well. It's been an organizing year I suppose. Organizing my thoughts, desires, time, dreams and the house. It's been a great year! We are definitely relaxing more into the unschooled/organic lifestyle. Life is awesome :)

New group - NWA Life Learners

My friend Denise and I decided to start an unschooling group in our area. There are five moms that meet regularly...including us. More have signed up on the yahoo group (about 18 total I think) but haven't participated yet. It would be nice if the group grew big enough for more variety of interaction yet still small enough for intimate relationships. I am thinking about ways to spread the word about the group and see what happens!