December Daily (day eight)

Happy Bodhi Day!Today is the day that celebrates the Buddha becoming enlightened.
Gideon was home sick so we watched The Buddha, PBS Documentary.
I love that film.
Afterward I printed Gideon a picture if a Buddha on a Bohdi leaf to color.
Afterwards he told me that the Buddha was meditating and thinking about changing bad things into good things.

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December Daily (day seven)

Almost done with Hanukkah.
I have enjoyed the small candle lighting ritual immensely.
Each night we have adapted the mantra just a tad.
When we light the candles I ask the children why we are celebrating Hanukkah.
Based on their responses we now say,

"light over darkness, good over evil, who we are over what we have"

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December Daily (day four)

We hooked the tree up! It needed a makeover!

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Gift Exchange

This year I am thinking we will do a regular gift exchange type deal at my house. Not where each person gives one thing but each person gives one gift per family member. We usually just buy for the kids via the Santa method and Joey and I pick our own gifts. But I think it will be fun to all give each other gifts and hopefully we can squeeze in a few other special people. This time of year can be such a downer economically. Yet every year is a chance to improve upon Christmas habits and work towards the emotional connections we are truly seeking and celebrating.

P.S. I am feeling more and more like a lifelong learner! I am thinking about lifetime commitments lately. Or themes for my life. Life long learner is definitely describing me. Mother, Caregiver is another. Creative, Artist.....Holistic...

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We Tricked and Treated

We wanted to have a little daytime fun on Halloween so I introduced my heathens to the concept of toilet papering someones house. And that someone was my sister, Lisa and her family!! Tee-heee-hee! She still has not figured out it was us. I did upload a few pictures to facebook so if she does not notice in a few days I will tag her. We had so much fun dropping off the treats around 12:30 knowing that Lisa leaves church right about that time.

We were sure we got away with it and I was handing out after-trick reward celebratory candy when I noticed there was way more than three pieces of chocolate in the bag. Most of the candy we meant to leave for Lisa and the fam had fallen out of the treat boxes. We had to head back and I jumped out of the car and added some candies to the ones we had left.

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Ready To Write

I think.....
So my year began with so much hope. Wow, was I in for a treat. Basically, I have had a ton to worry about the past few months but luckily we seem to have made it out in one piece. Almost. There is still some matters pending but that just means we will be pinching pennies tight around here. Trying stuff like rubbing together two pennies and making a dime. Wish us luck in that regard.........

But the big bad awesome news is ....my little moments are back.....! Thats cool stuff.
Because I am at a point where I am loving the life me and small clan share.
Stuff like park trips, daily lessons, recycling, grocery shopping, and oh yeah...
birthdays!! Like Ms. Molly turning four on Monday..

We had a fantastic day....She woke up and followed the trail of confetti to the kitchen table where she discovered her birthday surprise. Rather than wake up the whole house she turned on her cartoons and waited for morning. It was officially her fourth birthday. She had her fave breakfast; yogurt with fresh strawberries, cereal and a couple of pocky sticks.

She got a new dress and a manicure from Daddy, a stroll through a spring garden, two new fish, her dream doll house and cake and ice cream with our family.

She loved every minute of the day. She looked marvelous in her new outfit. Visited every animal at PetSmart and gave extra attention to the rats. Slowly opened her one and only big gift. Squealed with delight when she discovered it was a doll house. Unpacked each piece herself and then supervised and assisted Daddy with the building process. She is a tinker by nature. Her dolls loved their new digs and so far have been living happily ever after. At the end of the day I know she felt loved on her birthday.

Thats the stuff in life I want to cherish.

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