Camille put some leftover Halloween candy to good use.
Sylvia helped with some mid-autumn garden harvest (radish, brussels, arugula, kale).
On the days that we run errands, (bank, library, etc.), we have to drive about 20 miles away. I usually pack lots of healthy snacks and make a day out of it. However, the girls love to buy snacks from a gas station. Out here, most gas stations have hot food available, as well as candy, chips, doughnuts, smoothies, shakes, fruit, etc. On this chilly day they chose mac n' cheese, chicken noodle soup and bananas out of all of the possibilities. Yes, it's gas station food, but not bad choices :).
The high today was in the low 40s F (about 5 or 6 C) but no one wanted to wear jackets because the sun still felt warm on our skin.
While the girls were off and running at their favorite park, I threw down my knitting needles. I felt the need to write or scribble, something pen to paper, but I didn't have a notebook along. I dug in the car and came up with some paper plates. Perfect, round, waiting for my words and doodles. The outcome unimportant, it was the doing that mattered to me.
At our second small-town-library of the day, Camille read to Sylvia and Ayla while I browsed and chatted with the librarian. As a full-time unschooling parent of a 2, 5, and 9 year old, it's not often that I separate myself from them, but I was reminded that they won't always need my ever-available attention. I'm not in a hurry for that day (thankfully, because it's not likely to be soon), but I have no doubt that when it comes I will embrace the fullness of life in a vastly different way than I do now.
We had a short, but lovely, visit from my parents over the weekend and they got to see the opening night of
Papa's Angels (see last blog post :) and spend a little time with their energetic granddaughters.
(Great to see you, Ma and Pops. Enjoy the beach!) We still have a queen size mattress and boxspring in our living room left over from the visit and it has been great for jumping and for sister-snuggles while watching
Berenstain Bears and
Bill Nye, the Science Guy. Even I couldn't resist jumping on it for awhile. Fun! Whoever thinks TV-watching is inactive hasn't been in my home. If there isn't a bed to jump on, the girls can be seen jumping on a mini-trampoline, rollerskating, drawing, snuggling, discussing, creating, building with blocks or legos, etc., even if there is a video, DVD, or Netflix show on.
This post is a bit meandering, a bit random, and pretty much in keeping with my mood today. A day lived plainly and yet, I am grateful for it.
I stepped outside moments ago with our antsy dog, and I heard an owl hooting, coyotes yipping, and saw about a million stars in the dark country sky. Right now, one daughter is relaxing and watching
Rugrats while sipping fresh-squeezed orange juice, one is rollerskating around the living room in a flowergirl dress, and one is requiring my assistance peeling oranges and shelling peanuts. Sounds just about right....
Your post made me smile - so many little moments that make up our days over here too. It's diverse and monotonous at the same time. Love your doodle plate too - it is great to have small moments of spontaneous creativity like that - and as you say not so important the outcome, or what's produced rather than the doing and all the benefits that come from that xx
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