I’m the guest hostess this week at the Blog Hop on Kelley Haute Mom’s blog:)
#21
#20
I hope you all had an amazing 4th of July!
We are trying to start some traditions in my family. Growing up we had a ton. It was always so exciting around the holidays in my home. Mama would really do it up for every occasion and we would party the night away into the wee hours of the morning. Even from a really young age, I remember staying up until 3 or 4 in the morning screaming laughing, dancing, singing, eating like pigs and chatting until the sun came up.
Again, like I’ve said a bunch in my posts, this last 12 or so months have been very life changing. So many things have brought us here, some I’ve already shared so I won’t elaborate and bore you! One of the things that I have realized is that we stopped many…no most of our traditions! Pretty much all of the holiday excitement died with my dad. Funny, because it was my mom who was the creator and doer of most of them. Maybe by not doing them, it would take away the obviousness that he’s gone…was what I thought the first few years. But then it became habit. Holiday comes, get together, eat, go home. No decorations, no party til we can’t stand it anymore. Just the obligatory….it was easy. I think we all got into this routine and it only became apparent recently when all the kids started becoming able to understand. “We NEED a change” my sister said, “this is ridiculous.” So yesterday was our FIRST ‘do it up right again’ holiday!
We all woke up bright and early and headed to an AMAZING pick it yourself farm. All the kids got into red wagons and we walked them out to the fields to pick fruit and veggies. They hopped out in the raspberry patch and each filled up there little crates in record time. It was SOOO cute. We also got strawberries, boysenberries, carrots, a bunch of different lettuce, celery, zucchini and a type of yellow squash that I had never seen before. We then let the kids play in the farms playground for a few more hours. They had a blast and crashed before we pulled out of the driveway.
Our first tradition! July 4th, go out and harvest this beautiful land that we are so lucky to live in:) Then return home to cook it all up. Food is DRASTICALLY better when you have worked so hard to pick it and it is so fresh. The kids were so proud of the food, they ate like little piglets and I was so proud of them and my family.
We have started what I hope to be years of exciting new traditions. Yes, we were not the family laying together on the boat in the marina watching fireworks…. But, we were a family with 4 and 1/2 (my sister in law is pregnant) new little people starting something new and special and all our own.
This just makes me happy……
Just in case anyone out there forgot it was the 4th….
My sister and I were there to remind them!
My little farm girl
My farm baby:)
Free Range Saylor
Tiny baby carrot
Raimy- Enjoying his free ride
Best Friends
Say and Dash
Hmmm, what are these?
Tuckered out
Sisters
Mellow Renn
Does your family have any neat or unusual traditions you want to share? Heads up though…I might steal them:)
#19
Having the kids home for summer vacation has been so wonderful! I missed them when they went to preschool! I often wonder if I should have waited another year to send them. But that would have been more about keeping me happy and not about if they were ready. They thrived in preschool-they LOVED making new friends, learning new things, learning to swim and getting to run around and climb the play structures:) It was amazing timing for me in regards to Renn the newbie. She was 5 days old when they started school last year. It gave me a few hours a day that I could really get to know my new little tidbit, before the twingers arrived home with their loud stories and rambunctiousness!
But now that they are home and we are sharing every moment of every day together, I am beginning to wonder…. I really would love this routine to not change a bit…. I have started looking into homeschooling. Yes, I know, I know… another huge task that I know nothing about yet “feel” I would love! I already hear the comments!:) haha! Actually I helped home school my sister. And I home schooled myself here and there over the years(another story…hahaha). Yes, I am a space cadet lunatic, (with the punctuation of an ESL kid at times) but I was actually was a great student.
So I got a few preschool study books a week ago and decided to give it a try. We have been ‘playing’ school every morning after breakfast. They have been practicing their letters the last few days. Just tonight with his tiny little hand, Raimy slowly wrote out his name! I was so excited I started screaming! We took pictures and danced around the kitchen. He was so incredibly proud! Shortly after, as not be outdone, my little Saylor wrote out her name too! It was a huge milestone for my little 3 year old twins and I saw their confidence grow right in front of my eyes.
After putting them all to bed I went back in the kitchen and held their little chicken scratched names in my hands and it brought tears to my eyes. How could yesterdays pink, new and naked beans be todays big kids. It goes by SOOOO fast and I don’t want to miss a second of this adventure. I know that this is an occasion I would have missed had they done it in school. I am so happy I was there to experience it with them. What else will I miss out on with them in a classroom? Am I crazy? Do we know any homeschooling moms out there?
#18
I’m cracking up. My friend Michael who was witness to “The Tupac Encounter” (post #18) has made a response video to back up my story. Thanks Michael!! The best part is that I had forgotten Snoop Dogg was there as well!! HAHAHA! Amazing!!!