This Vintage Chica

he's three

My youngest is three today. How in the heck did that happen?  OK, quick...before I get all weepy...

A few things about Wyatt:

• Wyatt is so adventurous. He does everything his older brothers do (climbing, skateboarding, swimming) despite being just shy of three years younger than they.  I swear he'd get on the school bus and ride it all the way and back again if I let him.
• Wyatt is brave, oh so brave! He is the first to volunteer for anything - no fear baby! He was the first to go off the diving board at my Aunt Karen's house last summer, the first to ride the horses, the first to climb at the Rock Gym a few weeks ago.
• Wyatt looks more and more like his daddy everyday (only with that blond hair). 
• Wyatt is funny and so silly. He tells goofy knock, knock jokes. His joke this morning: "Knock, knock?" "Who's there". "Orange". "Orange who?" "Orange you glad you don't have orange juice in your hair?" Yes, I am Wyatt.  Goofy kid.
• Wyatt has started ACTING like three as well.  And boy is he a great actor.  He often gets caught bugging the heck out of his older brothers and then playing the victim after one of them puts him in his place.
• Wyatt loves, loves birds and tells me all the time he wishes he could fly like a cardinal.
• Wyatt's prayer at every meal since S's deployment has been "Dear God, I love my dad. Amen" Every single prayer.
• And finally, he loves his brothers more than anything in the world and still crawls into bed with one of them when he wakes up in the night.

We're waiting to have his party when his papa gets home (which should be soon), but have been celebrating for the past week just between the four of us.

Happy Birthday Wyatt, my funny, sensitive, soulful, snugly bugly, awesome, adventurous, brave...oh, so very brave, beautiful child!!! I cant wait to see what the next year brings. Thank you for choosing me to be your Mama!

climb every mountain

You see, my ever climbing boys have outgrown the small trees in our front yard, a crepe myrtle and a three year old maple.  They climb as high as they possibly can.  Resulting in them standing precariously on the little, thin branches at the top.  And this sends me into a screaming fit yelling "if you break the branches off my poor little trees, I will sell you to the gypsies!"  I should probably be more concerned with their safety, but I swear the Lord above has genetically designed boys to climb trees.  So I guess he'll protect them if they fall.  But my poor trees!

Our Spring break was last week, and we took full advantage of the time off.  We visited The Rock Gym three out of the five days off.  We had a blast the first day just bouldering around. 

And then the other two days we were on the ropes the entire time.  I say "we" like I was included in the climbing part of the expedition.  But really, my role was to stand in the wings and say things like "hold on, wait your turn, your brother will be done in a sec." and "leave your helmet on or they'll have to make us leave".  I adjusted harnesses and generally supervised, etc.

S and I used to climb before we were married and then together for awhile before the older boys were born.  I was even certified to belay, but these days I wouldn't remember a figure eight from a frog's leap.  But this outing was very encouraging.  Maybe the boys have hit the age their papa has been waiting for their whole little lives.  The age when they get to share in the things that truly give joy.

He'll be so very excited to take them next time!

all you need is love

Our dining table has been valentine making central for the past several weeks.  I knew from last year that if we wanted to hand make all of our valentines, we needed to start early.  Since the lists came home from school, each night we have made a few.

We kept is simple.  Cut hearts out of paper, glued to the front of card stock and then turned them into different animals, robots, people with pencil sketches.  And whatever we thought the recipient would enjoy.

Zane went for crazy half man, half animal characters. Nnadozi is getting "dangerous duck man".

Ian did a sweet drawing of a ballerina in fifth position for Ella.  Zane says Ella is Ian's girlfriend.  I love how he drew the ballerina's ////hair.

And then this afternoon, there was a last minute request for a mail bag to aid in delivery of the valentines.  *not to girly and no pink, please*  I made Wyatt a similar style bag to carry the twelve matchbox cars he insists on hauling all over the house.  This way he can free his hands to hold on to important things like stair railings.  I think it works quite well for mail too.

Do you all remember Mr. Mc Feely of Mr. Roger's neighborhood?  His voice has been playing in my head all day saying "speedy delivery" over and over.  So speedy delivery to you!

fall nature table and school update

Just popping in quickly while S and the boys are watching taped episodes of Survivorman upstairs to say how overwhelmed I was to receive your comments to my last post. Each one arriving in my in box with well wishes and prayers for lots of good family time. Thank you friends, from the bottom of my heart.

I have had a few emails asking how I find time to homeschool or what curriculum I use.  Well, first of all, I do not homeschool.  But we have incorporated many unschooling principles into our regular family life.  So, I thought it might be nice to share a bit of an update on our schooling situation. Remember back in April I was debating out loud about our education choices for the oldest boys about to enter kindergarten? Well, I wanted to let you know how kindy has gone so far and if I feel we made the right decision by designing our own hybrid of public school and unschooling principles.

Here are a few observances so far:

* I am glad we went ahead and sent them on to kindy despite their being young 5s. They are doing very well and seem to be right in the middle of their class. But more importantly, they are really enjoying school in general. They have made lots of new friends and really enjoy their teachers.

* Their teachers are really great at communicating what they are studying in class. So in turn, I take their school subjects and find ways to reinforce them with crafts and activities here at home that really tie into what the boys are interested in. Example: The teachers have started talking about patterns in their math block. AB patterns, AABB patterns and ABC patterns. I took it one step further. Zane has been interested in knights for the past several months, so while helping me design and sew his Halloween costume (a knight of course), we used stripes in an ABC pattern for his tunic...pictures to follow when it is completed.

*One interesting observance: The boys are really only in class from 8:30 to 11:10. That's not even three hours. And by the time the teachers get everyone settled in the morning, throw in a 30 minute PE class, a few bathroom breaks and a snack, I honestly do not know how they can get much done. But they do, and with big smiles on their faces. Now part of it is that they send at least an hour's worth of homework home with the kids. Yes, homework in kindy. (I am sure those of you with older kids are grinning at this and saying, duh! But it was a surprise to me.) So the only way the teachers can teach to standards is to send work home and rely heavily on the parents to help. Which is fine by me, but I can see single mother or father having a rough time with this.

* The first day of school I was biting my nails as to how they would do in separate class rooms. They have been great!

So for us it is working beautifully. The boys are getting time apart in separate class rooms, time to shine on their own without competition from one another. They are benefiting from two really wonderful and caring teachers, and I am enjoying the other half-day to explore their own interests while tying it back to their formal school work when I can. And to top it all off, I am getting a little one on one time with the youngest. In some ways, I wish first grade was only half day. (Did I really just say that?)

And not to say that our decisions about education should be everyone's decisions.  I do not think there is a "one size fits all" way to see kiddos and their wee minds.  Public school, private school, unschool, homeschool...I think they are all great.  And who knows we may have to shift gears at some point down the road.  But right now, for us, this is working beautifully.

And the photos in this post are of our new nature table. I have wanted to do a nature table for quite some time, ever since reading about unschooling and the Waldorf philosophy. When I started arranging the living room in this house, I purposefully left space for such an area. And now those bits and pieces, rocks and sticks, pine cones and shells, pieces of bark and leaves can be enjoyed and appreciated as they truly should.

I came across this little ABC pattern one of the boys made all on his own with the nature table items we have been collecting. Acorn, shell, leaf, acorn, shell leaf. Incorporating a concept he learned in public school to make a bit of pattern art with items we feel are connected to something bigger than ourselves in our home. This significant little action by one of the boys is a perfect snapshot of how we have taken our children's education in our own hands, incorporated our faiths and values and molded it into what works best for us. Making up our own version of a partnership between public education and unschooling. For me this is huge, I am taking this little scene as a sign that we have made the right decision and I couldn't be more proud of my boys.

More inspiring nature fall nature displays here:

Sarah's table
Amanda's nature table
Amy's nature shelf

gallery opening

I thought I was prepared. I had read several articles in parenting magazines. I have heard my friends with older kids talk about it and their options for dealing with it all. I thought I was ready for the slew of paper and art projects that come in your child's backpack from kindergarten.

I had hung a very large cork board in the explore room (our play room) to hold some of it. I had a folder for each child to hold papers, thinking that ever so often I would go through them and do the ol' pitch and keep.

I thought I was prepared. I was wrong.

This is the pile of papers and artwork that have come home in the first month of my oldest two being in kindergarten. Just one month! And actually this photo was taken about a week ago, so believe me when I tell you there is more.  I also do art projects here at home with them that pertain to a current interest or theme we might be exploring.  And those projects need to be stored and displayed of course too.

The boys have started tacking their drawings on the wall above their bed, just high enough that they are out of little brother's reach. (And yes, thank you for noticing.  It is a messy bed.  But Ian says he likes it like that....ahem, sure you do Ian!)

I have framed some of my most favorite pieces -  now that their drawings are actually starting to resemble what they were meant to resemble.  Not that I don't love those two year old abstract works, but you catch my drift (wink).

And now we have a vintage drying rack (purchased from an Ebay seller) in the living room currently displaying a summer watercolor, a johnny Appleseed tree and a "letter T" kindy worksheet among other things.  I really love this drying wrack idea because the "gallery" folds down or back against the wall if not in use. So handy!

We used to hang a clothes line in the boys room to hold artwork.  And I am thinking of doing that again.  I guess the boys got accustomed to that (see photo number three).  I am thinking of using these type of clear containers to store papers under the bed.  Here are a few more options that we might have to put into use.

I am sure I am not the only mama who wants to validate their child's creativity by hanging their artwork for all to see.  Im sure I am not the only one who looks at each little signature and wants to save them all, but knows there is not a storage unit big enough to keep all of the papers and projects that will be coming home in the next 12 years. 

So here is the question...How do you sort through the piles of papers and artwork? How do you store it all? How do you decide what goes and what stays?  And how do you display those deemed most precious?

Let's share, shall we?

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Before I forget, a quick birthday shout out to one of our adopted Grammies.  My friend Maggie's mom turns 60 today!  But she is not a day over 30...she is still body surfing with the grommets.  The boys and I made a little zippered linen bag, hand embroidered ocean pattern for her to keep her keys, sunglasses, etc. while she is catching some waves.  Hope you enjoy your day Grammie!

Executing Plan B

The wardrobe makeover has been temporarily postponed as the t-shirts and a half finished skirt are scattered in various stages of completion in separate locations all over the house.  We must have needed some quiet downtime because, I am sad to say, we have been hit with the sickies. 

When I picked up Zane and Ian from kindy on Tuesday, Zane said that his head hurt.  So I gave him a little Tylenol and he took a nap (which rarely happens anymore).  That night, about 1:16 a.m. to be exact,  the vomiting started and continued most of the early morning.  Yesterday, Ian went to school by himself.  I wasn't sure how he would do, but he was a real trooper...later confessing he didn't mind going to school by himself because Giovanna (a really cute 8-year old) sat with him on the bus.  It starts early I tell you.

Wyatt went to Ms. Alice's for the morning, and Zane and I went to find out what was going on.  I am not one to rush my kiddos to the physician, realizing that most of the things we get are viruses and have to work their course.  But, I was afraid it was Strep as almost everyone we know around here has had it in the past few weeks.  Only complaining of head and stomach issues, no throat pain as you would expect.  But after a strep swab and a thorough exam, we think it is just the stomach flu.

Plan B kicks in immediately...

:: a quick run in to Walgreen's on the way home for Gatorade, ginger ale, and saltine crackers.

:: call the soccer coach, tell him we will not make it to practice.

:: call the school to let them know we have the flu.

:: find the coloring books that were ordered from Dover Publishing's sale last month which had quickly been put away for a rainy day, or in this case a sick day.

::  pick Wyatt up a little early from Ms. Alice's and thank her for the Berenstain Bears movie she lent us, knowing we were going to be down for a few days.

:: pick Ian up a little early from kindy, being very glad that their Scholastic book orders came in, more reading material.

So, yesterday was spent coloring, reading, popping echanacea, eating peanut butter and crackers, and sipping clear fluids.

Today, Zane is on the mend, but now Wyatt is sick.  Looks like more of the same for us today.

providing for artistic opportunities

feeding the artists, originally uploaded by thisvintagechica.

The boys playroom is coming along nicely. And after a trip to town to replenish some of our art supplies, the boys immediately went to work using the new brushes and paints.

And while I was debating whether these vintage nautical curtains were going to actually be used as curtains in the room or as puppet show curtains, I heard Ian talking about his paintings being in a sequence...using words like, "and then" and "next". Realizing this was a rare window of opportunity with a munchkin who is usually jumping, running, climbing and generally not sitting still long enough to do lengthy projects, I quickly (but very quietly and gently) came along side him. I asked him to tell me about his paintings and he indeed had connected them all into a story.

"Ian, do you know what you just did?"

"No mama, what?"

"You just wrote and illustrated your first book".

"I did?"

"YES! You did, and I love it."

"I love it too mama. I love my book."

Here is is, written and illustrated by Ian:

There once was a young boy who loved a meadow.  And in his meadow there was a purple flower.

The young boy saw a beautiful sun, and grass touching his toes, and the most beautiful sky. (I guess he likes the word beautiful.)

The next time the young boy visited the meadow, the nest was still there.  But the eagle was gone.  She flew up in the sky.

THE END

***my wireless connection is giving me fits right now, so check back for Ian's book***

But I guess the moral of the story is that if the space is set and the supplies are stocked, then even the most bouncy of kids will eventually sit down to paint and quite possibly illustrate a book.  And I am so glad he did.  I am sure there is a lesson in there somewhere about having a space to create, to sit down, to focus, but I seem to be lacking one myself at the moment because I am ready to throw my computer through the window for not letting my upload these photos.

a good dam and others who rock

The past several days, the cardboard packing boxes have been accumulating outside our house next to the curb. And we watch as slowly they disappear...some scavenged by the neighbors, some taken from our ad on freecycle for free packing materials, and some disappear over night and we never know. But we make up stories about night animals like racoons who take the boxes to make new homes for themselves. Fun!

But last night after a trip to the local bookstore, and a water gun fight when returned home, the boys decided to try their hand at building dams with things in our yard and a torn up packing box.  I have no idea how these ideas come to them, but we go with it and I love watching their creative process at work.

It was really a joy to watch them and hear them yell to each other. "Ian we need moooooooore pine needles". "The dam is about to break!!!!! Get more rocks!" They had a blast. And so did I. Because all the while, me behind was sitting on a blanket catching up on emails and perusing my new purchases.  I have a lot to catch up on you know.

Well when Kirsten listed me last week for a Rockin Girl Blogger I cringed. I always cringe at these things because they remind me of my middle school days when there was always one girl who wouldnt get picked because her dress was a hand-me-down or her pony tails weren't tied with the perfect ribbon. You know how middle school girls are. And when I list my 5 who rock, there will be someone left out. And I don't like that. It makes me uncomfortable. So it has taken me this long to find a way to make this work for me.

First of all, I take it as a huge compliment Kirsten...coming from a mama of 3 who can make such wonderful things and give her kiddos the individualness that each needs. Amazing woman! For Ian and Zane's birthday I knew I wouldnt be able to handmake everything I wanted to because of time. So I ordered two of Kirsten's shirts with their initials on them. But she went over and beyond and included one for Wyatt as well...knowing that he would need one just like his brothers. Those shirts are now their favorites and the boys call them their abc shirts because they have THEIR letters on them. And she sent a rockin kiddo cd for us to listen to in the car while we traveled. It is still in the car K!

So here goes...Have you ever have a thought or an idea running around in your head (my thoughts tend to read like blog posts these days) and you just can't find the words to communicate those thoughts as eloquently as you would like? And then you read someone elses blog post and think to yourself...man, that is exactly what I was trying to say. Only she said it much better and used prettier words. Maybe I should just post with a title of "um...Yeah, What She Said..." and a link. Well here are my 5 rockin bloggers. Of all of you I could say, "yeah, what she said".

Stash Studios - Cheryl is a sister Texas chic and her sense of style is exactly what mine wants to be when it grows up, she has some great margarita recipes on her blog...oh, and her flickr photos are to die for.
Blue Yonder - Stefani is a kindred spirit and amazing mama, funny as all getout...and a new friend.  Check out her bandana garden pants tutorial.
WriteMamaWrite - Beth writes about mothering with the insight I wish I had and could communicate and she isnt affraid to say she makes banana bread.
Mayfly - Alicia is another kindred spirit that doesn't mind digging through the muck to find a gem, and she has a great back yard.  I WILL make these rolls this week!
AfricanKelli - Kelli who always makes me think about the world differently and the impact I can have on it.  She motivates me politically, which I need.

Thanks all! 

a texas safari

gazelle, originally uploaded by thisvintagechica.

If you are ever even close to the Fort Worth, Texas area, one place you do not want to miss is Fossil Rim Wildlife Center in Glen Rose. I have been to Fossil Rim once before when I was about 8 or 9 and it made a huge impact on me then...and it did again today.

Fossil Rim is more than a drive through, feed the animals, get pecked by a crazy ostrich tourist trap. Much, much more. The landscape is gorgeous with amazing views of some great Texas hill country and I can not say it any better than their own philosophy as it states the following.

"Modern culture, with its emphasis on economic and technological values, tends to threaten the quality and integrity of nature.  Fossil Rim strives to provide a model and stimulus for alternative ways of experiencing and relating to animals and nature as a whole."

I left Fossil Rim with such a different feeling than I did from the last zoo trip in Chicago.  Several times today I caught myself thinking, now if I were an (insert animal name here), I would certainly want to live here.  There was just so much room for these animals to roam.  Too bad all zoos can't have 1,500 acres to roam freely.  Too bad all children can't witness antelopes jumping in play and a wildebeast heard running at full speed like we did.  It was breathtaking.

Read more about how they are helping many species like the black rhino, the prairie chicken and the grey wolf return from the brink of extinction.  And if you homeschool and live in the area, they have some really great programs for homeschool families that I would sign up for in a NY minute if we lived here all of the time.

It is an amazing place and one I will want to go to again.  And a little side note, if you do like crazy ostriches who poke their heads right into your car and peck at your steering wheel while you are desperately trying to throw some feed pellets out the window and hit the up button to roll up the window...well, about 3/4 of the way through, your guy is waiting for you.

new artwork

Lately Ian has been drawing these shapes where he starts drawing curvy lines that go in and out then end up right where they started. The shapes reminded me of the leaf shapes in Jenn of swallowfield's amazing collages. Finally, when I saw one she had done with a touch of orange (my fave color at the time), I snatched it up. It came in the mail this week.

With the most perfect timing, Ian was there when I opened it.  I was telling him about how I loved this particular collage because her shapes remind me of his work.  And then it hit me.  What a great project it would be to have the boys do a similar collage based on Jenn's piece. Here is what they came up with yesterday afternoon.

:: strips of vintage 70's wallpaper :: strips of a three little pigs coloring book page :: circles cut out of yellow construction paper :: wyatt's handprint in orange :: an orange fox instead of a bird :: those leafy shapes :: and some dark blue ones too ::

Currently both pieces are on exhibit in our living room, one right next to the other.

I just checked Jenn's etsy shop and she only has two pieces left.  Hopefully she will be restocking soon and you can get your own swallowfield!