Jake & I drove to Angels Camp today to watch Chloe run in sub sections for Cross Country. Tate went to Anna's. Chase went to Baker's. Kaleb went to Rosengreen's. Tanner has a car. Chloe had to ride the bus on the way there, with the team, but didn't want to ride it home. I took my usual road trip items - a couple of books & a cup of ice. (Gum, first aid kit, misc. medicine just in case, extra clothes, etc.) I also took the supplies for some crafty type things I'm putting together for Renee's baby shower this week.
Let's be clear. I am not one of those people who just make cute/clever stuff out of what they found in their junk drawer. I have sewn but I do not sew. I have a glue gun but don't actually know where it is. For some reason, I decided to make some decorations & really hope that I don't screw them up.
On the way there, I made one of the decorations. I texted Dawn & told her that I was 'channeling my inner Barbara' while I was crafting away. Coming home, I started another craft. It requires floral tape & when I opened it, it smelled just like my Grandma. Specifically, it smelled like the flower arranging supplies at my Grandma's house. Usually to get the Grandma smell, I have to go to the silk flower aisle at a craft store or something. But today, I spent 2 hours wrapping floral tape while Jake drove us through the middle of nowhere. Two hours of the Grandma smell & memories.
Today I am thankful for my Grandma. She was the Grandma that didn't need a name after Grandma to distinguish which Grandma we meant. The sleepover Grandma. Goodies & cousin parties & attendance at every major event. I was at her house when I heard that I had a sister (not Another Wretched Little Brother). When I wanted a prom dress patterned after the dress on the front of French Vogue, Grandma made it for me. She brought Tanner his first stuffed animal. She came and helped me when I had 3 kids under 3. She taught us faith and service and love.
Her life was not an easy one. I have often thought that I should write her story in novel form. That story is the story of 20th century America. Perhaps her most important lesson to us is perseverance through adversity. Or maybe how to appreciate a good roll of floral tape.
Saturday, November 5, 2011
Friday, November 4, 2011
Day 4, right?
I checked my iphone and it is the 4th so Day 4 it is. Today I'm thankful for modern textile technology. Yep, that's right. I'm also thankful for cotton today. This may sound super trivial to you. If it does then you are a person who can wear wool. Or angora. Or any other clothing made from furry creature product. You are also a person who does not have what we like to refer to as 'issues'. Occupational therapists like to call it other names. The combination of Tactile Defensiveness & allergies is deadly when it comes to scratchy animal fur clothes. My Mom will tell you that I was not a cuddly baby. She says that even nursing, I didn't cuddle. She can tell you about the Sock Wars that she had with my sister before she realized that it really wasn't worth it. (and they found a brand of sock that they could agree on) I like soft t-shirty material. Anna likes crisp. Polar fleece kind of makes me want to pull out my touch sensors. And have you met Chloe?
In terms of a broader conversation, I'm thankful for Sierra Preschool's use of an Occupational Therapist. Teacher Linda comes to the class, plays games with the kids & helps screen those kids for 'issues'. Teacher Linda gave Chloe's issues a name. When she did, she handed me a huge file of paperwork to read & said "While you are reading that, think how it applies to Chloe. And then think of how it applies to you." Our curious addiction to certain fabrics and violent aversion to others, explained. Our HATE of tags, seams, socks, "weird" feeling whatevers, explained. Many of Chloe's idiosyncrasies, explained. Even better than the Label was the fact that Teacher Linda gave us ideas and tools to help Chloe work around and through the way her sensory system worked differently.
Here is a link to a pediatric OT blog. I quickly read through this post and I think it has useful insight in to how it feels to have your sensory system out of wack.
http://pediatricot.blogspot.com/2011/04/treating-tactile-defensiveness.html
I went shopping today for sweaters. I had bday money to burn. What did I find? Wool. Cashmere. Angora. Cowl neck everything. (Can you say...feels like strangulation!!!) Itchy, itchy, itchy!!!!!
I am thankful for cotton. I'm thankful for the fact that we don't have to wear scratchy homespun wool or even coarse linen. I'm thankful for cotton jersey & even for cotton/poly blends. For socks without seams at the toes. For kid t-shirts that are tagless. For anything tagless. I'm thankful for Teacher Linda and for others who have looked behind the 'weird' kids to see what was going on physically.
Thank you, modern world & all of your soft, non-itchy, non tagged, non animal fur stuff to wear.
In terms of a broader conversation, I'm thankful for Sierra Preschool's use of an Occupational Therapist. Teacher Linda comes to the class, plays games with the kids & helps screen those kids for 'issues'. Teacher Linda gave Chloe's issues a name. When she did, she handed me a huge file of paperwork to read & said "While you are reading that, think how it applies to Chloe. And then think of how it applies to you." Our curious addiction to certain fabrics and violent aversion to others, explained. Our HATE of tags, seams, socks, "weird" feeling whatevers, explained. Many of Chloe's idiosyncrasies, explained. Even better than the Label was the fact that Teacher Linda gave us ideas and tools to help Chloe work around and through the way her sensory system worked differently.
Here is a link to a pediatric OT blog. I quickly read through this post and I think it has useful insight in to how it feels to have your sensory system out of wack.
http://pediatricot.blogspot.com/2011/04/treating-tactile-defensiveness.html
I went shopping today for sweaters. I had bday money to burn. What did I find? Wool. Cashmere. Angora. Cowl neck everything. (Can you say...feels like strangulation!!!) Itchy, itchy, itchy!!!!!
I am thankful for cotton. I'm thankful for the fact that we don't have to wear scratchy homespun wool or even coarse linen. I'm thankful for cotton jersey & even for cotton/poly blends. For socks without seams at the toes. For kid t-shirts that are tagless. For anything tagless. I'm thankful for Teacher Linda and for others who have looked behind the 'weird' kids to see what was going on physically.
Thank you, modern world & all of your soft, non-itchy, non tagged, non animal fur stuff to wear.
Thursday, November 3, 2011
Day 3 of Expressing Thanks
Tonight I am thankful for a peaceful evening at home. No sports games. Practices that were done before dinner time. Rainy afternoon to cozy up inside & spend time as a family. Wait, did I say that it was peaceful?
That was a lie. It wasn't really peaceful. Tate's candy eating/staying home from school caused some craziness. Or maybe I was just less able to handle his normal behavior. Chase & Kaleb argued several times - computer issues, who left the light on, how they were going to work together on the kitchen. Jake's in a seriously grumpy stressed out mood. Don't ask why - I wouldn't be allowed to tell you on the evil internet anyway.
All of the usual cuckoo-ness of a full house aside - I chose not to go to two different church things that I could/should have gone to. I ran some errands earlier in the day but they weren't really pressing or stressful. I fed people dinner but that was laid back, too. I stayed home & didn't think about all of the other "to do's" that I need to eventually accomplish. I didn't run around picking up or dropping off. I wasn't trying to be on time or making sure that kids had cleats or water bottles or homework or permission slips.
I sort of mentally took the evening off and I'm thankful for the break.
That was a lie. It wasn't really peaceful. Tate's candy eating/staying home from school caused some craziness. Or maybe I was just less able to handle his normal behavior. Chase & Kaleb argued several times - computer issues, who left the light on, how they were going to work together on the kitchen. Jake's in a seriously grumpy stressed out mood. Don't ask why - I wouldn't be allowed to tell you on the evil internet anyway.
All of the usual cuckoo-ness of a full house aside - I chose not to go to two different church things that I could/should have gone to. I ran some errands earlier in the day but they weren't really pressing or stressful. I fed people dinner but that was laid back, too. I stayed home & didn't think about all of the other "to do's" that I need to eventually accomplish. I didn't run around picking up or dropping off. I wasn't trying to be on time or making sure that kids had cleats or water bottles or homework or permission slips.
I sort of mentally took the evening off and I'm thankful for the break.
Wednesday, November 2, 2011
Day 2
While there are a bizillion things to be thankful for today, I'm actually (ALREADY) struggling with what to tag as THE thing today. Trying to figure it out through the lens of the nasty headache...
Today I'm thankful for the all of those people who give their time - endless amounts of time - for very little in return. Yes, I know that all of those volunteers, PTO presidents, coaches, church youth leaders, Sunday school teachers get that warm, fuzzy feelings that we all get from serving our fellow man. I don't really mean to make light of that feeling but I'm sure that all of the people who help my kids every day would sometimes like to sit on their couch. I bet their seminary teacher would like to sleep in once in awhile or maybe let his wife sleep in. Even soccer coaches might sometimes want to have a cozy night indoors instead of herding a bunch of teenagers at a practice.
The school that Tate is going to is a cooperative charter school. Parent volunteers are a necessity to make it work the way it is designed. Each day there are parents running different aspects of the school or working in the classrooms. Sierra Preschool is a cooperative preschool. 4 out of 5 of my kids have gone there. Instead of staffing teachers to meet the criteria for student/teacher ratios, parents work in the classroom each day. The kids love that the Mommys (& Daddys) come to work & it's even more fun when it is your Mom's turn to work. The LDS church is staffed by volunteers - no paid teachers, pastors, etc. That's a lot of volunteering.
I have said this before but it really is worth repeating. My kids have been extremely blessed in the non-family grown ups that have been in their lives. The teachers, coaches and youth leaders have almost without exception been, well, exceptional. I could blame this on living in a small town. I could take credit for it because I have tried very hard to make sure that they are safe and well looked after when I'm not around. There is some truth to those reasons but the real reason is that we have received blessings from heaven. I don't think that it is just luck.
For all of the hours that have been dedicated to making our lives better, easier, more fun and more productive, I am thankful.
Today I'm thankful for the all of those people who give their time - endless amounts of time - for very little in return. Yes, I know that all of those volunteers, PTO presidents, coaches, church youth leaders, Sunday school teachers get that warm, fuzzy feelings that we all get from serving our fellow man. I don't really mean to make light of that feeling but I'm sure that all of the people who help my kids every day would sometimes like to sit on their couch. I bet their seminary teacher would like to sleep in once in awhile or maybe let his wife sleep in. Even soccer coaches might sometimes want to have a cozy night indoors instead of herding a bunch of teenagers at a practice.
The school that Tate is going to is a cooperative charter school. Parent volunteers are a necessity to make it work the way it is designed. Each day there are parents running different aspects of the school or working in the classrooms. Sierra Preschool is a cooperative preschool. 4 out of 5 of my kids have gone there. Instead of staffing teachers to meet the criteria for student/teacher ratios, parents work in the classroom each day. The kids love that the Mommys (& Daddys) come to work & it's even more fun when it is your Mom's turn to work. The LDS church is staffed by volunteers - no paid teachers, pastors, etc. That's a lot of volunteering.
I have said this before but it really is worth repeating. My kids have been extremely blessed in the non-family grown ups that have been in their lives. The teachers, coaches and youth leaders have almost without exception been, well, exceptional. I could blame this on living in a small town. I could take credit for it because I have tried very hard to make sure that they are safe and well looked after when I'm not around. There is some truth to those reasons but the real reason is that we have received blessings from heaven. I don't think that it is just luck.
For all of the hours that have been dedicated to making our lives better, easier, more fun and more productive, I am thankful.
Tuesday, November 1, 2011
Taking Oprah's Advice
If you fell for that title, you don't know me very well. I don't really like Oprah much & I almost never like to take advice. Before I go on to list other things that I don't like, though, I'll get to the point. Once upon a time, the aforementioned former talk show person told the world about her gratitude journal. In honor of the month of Thanksgiving, not Oprah, I'm going to try it. One blog post a day in November, one thing to be grateful for a day. I assume that by December 1, I'll be simply flooded with cheeriness & love for all mankind due to putting my blessings on "paper" every day.
Here goes.......
Today, I'm grateful for cousins. When I was just a wee thing ---long, long ago---I had cousins to hang out with. I have pictures of all of us in under-roos to prove it. Though the cousins closest to me in age are boys, we still had some good times. Sleepovers and holidays and hanging out. The cool thing about cousins is that they're both friends and family. Though my big kids were around for a long time before any of my siblings got around to providing them with cousins, they are so lucky that I have cousins their age to be their best buds. At every stage, every holiday, every major (and minor) event, the Bakers have been there to party with the Wilsons. Nate Baker is the oldest of this group of cousins & we couldn't ask for a better guy to be at the top of the heap. What a good example!
The Bigs (Nate & Tanner) and the Middles (Chase, Chloe, Matt, Kaleb & Jessie) now have to contend with the Littles (Adler, Tate, Rylen, Cooper, Azzi, Carter & Quincy). Tate is blessed to be surrounded by cousins! According to Tate, Adler is his BEST, BEST friend and Ry is his best friend. Though Tate is far from his siblings in years, he's got cousins on all sides & now we're all living in the same town! How awesome is that!
I'm thankful for cousins. I cherish my childhood memories with my cousins & I love the cousin group that my kids have. There's safety in family and so much FUN, too! I'm thankful for Nate Baker who leads the pack with his kindness, silly fun-ness & absolute faith. I'm thankful for Matt who makes the twins into triplets with his loyalty to Chase and his love for Tate. I'm thankful for Jessie who came to be a GIRL with my Chloe. I love her sweetness & talents. She bridges the 'triplets' and Kaleb. I'm thankful that Adler came to be with Tate. Everyone needs a best friend cousin! I'm thankful that Ry lives in Auburn now & that we get to see him often & figure out what's going on behind the quiet exterior. I'm thankful for Cooper - especially for his lil grin. I'm thankful that Azzi showed up to wear pink & lacy tights & dress up clothes - Girl Power! I'm thankful for Carter Dude & his smartypants cuteness. I'm thankful for Quincy & can't wait to see what her personality holds for all of us!
My "one" thing is really a lot more than one. If I can count correctly, I'm thankful for my 16 or so cousins & the 6 (so far) cousins that my kids get to hang with. Numbers aside, I love all the cousins & am so grateful for each of them.
Here goes.......
The Bigs (Nate & Tanner) and the Middles (Chase, Chloe, Matt, Kaleb & Jessie) now have to contend with the Littles (Adler, Tate, Rylen, Cooper, Azzi, Carter & Quincy). Tate is blessed to be surrounded by cousins! According to Tate, Adler is his BEST, BEST friend and Ry is his best friend. Though Tate is far from his siblings in years, he's got cousins on all sides & now we're all living in the same town! How awesome is that!
Yesterday we did Halloween with cousins galore. First we hit Oldtown Auburn with the Littles to Trick or Treat at the businesses. Then it was Trick or Treating in a neighborhood with the Littles and the Middles. The Middles helped to heard the Lils. We were also joined by the honorary cousins, Anders and Savanna. Chaos & noise & candy & silliness & cousins.
My "one" thing is really a lot more than one. If I can count correctly, I'm thankful for my 16 or so cousins & the 6 (so far) cousins that my kids get to hang with. Numbers aside, I love all the cousins & am so grateful for each of them.
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