I know that life is cyclical, as are emotions, hormones, and circumstances. I am also well aware that these factors impact how well everyone in a specific environment will mesh. When I think of the five very distinct personalities in our home, I'm often amazed that there's as much peace as there is.
So when it comes, I cherish it. When it comes in wave after wave, as it has lately, I just let it wash over me and coat me in a protective layer of joy to keep with me on the ebbing of the tide.
We ran errands and then took a walk through the woods. The boys protected me from "Wild Beasts". Granted, I could see one building just ahead and the building from which we'd left, looming behind us, but that didn't matter to them. No, sir, this is prime Wild Beast territory! Just ask the boys. (They did a fine job and we returned unscathed! My Heroes!)
We bought sketch pads for the boys today at Bay Books. I can't afford to shop there often, but try to shop there when I can, simply because the folks there are wonderful. They're nice to my kids, and they'll order things for us without making me cough up a kidney as a deposit. They aren't a chain, and while I do think chains and franchises are wonderful things, I also like the local shops. I don't mind paying more at a local shop when it provides the service, attention, and personalized care for which it is supposed to be superior to the larger stores. It's seldom that I find such service, but when I do, I return as often as I can. At Bay Books, it's worth the extra money. We bought a few bookplates for the scads of books we picked up at the library sale (85 at last count, and it's driving James nutty wondering which library books are ours and which need to go back, hence, the bookplates), and a couple of Dover Thrift books (because there's just no excuse for passing up an unabridged version of something wonderful for under $4!)
We played and read, we snuggled and talked. We enjoyed a splendid lunch together at Taco Bell (I love our Taco Bell! Not only is it the only decent Mexican food in the county, but they'll make the Mexican Pizza out of corn tortillas for John. I love them!)
Now, I had a very pastoral, 1950's style homecoming prepared for Zorak. He's been slaying dragons all day, and I've been, well, wallowing in my wonderful, incredible life. So, fresh coffee brewed and ready? Check. Mutton roasting in the oven long enough to make the house smell yummy? Check! House tidy and welcoming? Check. Clean undies folded and put away? Check. The boys were playing out back, in the mud, and I had just planned to bring them in, wash them, put them in soft, fuzzy sweats and be snuggled on the couch, reading them something exciting when he arrived. Check? Uh, no.
Not even close.
When he got home, John was running about upstairs, partially ready for a bath. James was covered head-to-toe (including his head under the hood of his sweatshirt) in mud and clay, trying to undress inside on the white carpet. I was nudging him back with my knee, wrangling a large pile of mud off of the baby. The baby was screaming violently, and had gone Vietnam-protestor-limp. He did not want to come in yet. I had no idea Zorak was due home just then, and was laughing myself silly trying to get the situation sorted out. (It was, really, quite funny. You know, in a "had to be there" kind of way.) When what do you know, the door opens and there is my Dragon-Slayer. *sigh*
It was another 15 minutes before we could get enough mud out of the way to reach one another for a welcome home kiss. Poor guy. But at least the house smelled yummy!
Kiss those babies!
~Dy
Thursday, March 31
Wednesday, March 30
Depressing Book, Great Read
The Language Police, by Diane Ravitch. I know there are perhaps ten other people out there who haven't yet read this book. You must rectify that situation shortly. This book is well-written, and while she does have a certain personal bias which comes through, it's faint. She does a very good job of showing how both sides of the political spectrum have sacrificed our children's educational quality in a wrestling match for control of the children's minds. Egads. What a scary bit of knowledge.
Read, read, read. Whether you like it. Or agree with it. Or enjoy it. Or not. Read all you can and infuse your mind with all the knowledge you can possibly absorb. Then start the process of sorting and sifting, of making judgements and mulling over. Then, since you'll have more room (and an ever-improving filing system) read some more!
Don't let the world of learning become a lethargic exercize in uselessness in your home, or for your children!
And while you're reading to those babies, give 'em kisses!
~Dy
Read, read, read. Whether you like it. Or agree with it. Or enjoy it. Or not. Read all you can and infuse your mind with all the knowledge you can possibly absorb. Then start the process of sorting and sifting, of making judgements and mulling over. Then, since you'll have more room (and an ever-improving filing system) read some more!
Don't let the world of learning become a lethargic exercize in uselessness in your home, or for your children!
And while you're reading to those babies, give 'em kisses!
~Dy
Divers, the adjective
The unseen dangers of reading "too much"...
You know you're reading far too much historical fiction and biography, circa 1800's, when you automatically say, "diverse" when you read "divers".
Dy
*Note: as if there's such a thing as reading "too much"!
You know you're reading far too much historical fiction and biography, circa 1800's, when you automatically say, "diverse" when you read "divers".
Dy
*Note: as if there's such a thing as reading "too much"!
Tuesday, March 29
Happy Easter!
Well, it's difficult to get good pictures of my children. Most are taken as the children fly past us, always in motion. To be honest, most look like this:
We can, on occasion (thanks to the agility of highspeed photography!) catch one like this:
When we herd them together and cause them to be still, their constant activity is still evident in their creative poses...
Or when something else catches their attention...
James is trying his best not to make a silly face in this picture, and Jacob has learned to say "cheese". As you can see, it's a very Elvis-like smile.
And this is, perhaps, my favorite picture of the weekend. Did anyone see The War of the Buttons? This picture just screams Little Irish Lad, to me. I love it.
So, until we can get the glitches figured out, these are the only pictures we have. The rest, between the red rimmed eyes and the green skin, look like stills from B-grade horror flicks.
Happy Easter! And thank you for sharing it, both by coming here and letting me share our family, and by sharing yours, too.
Kiss those babies!
Dy
Monday, March 28
How do y'all do it?
Everyone had lovely, wonderful Easter pictures posted on their blogs! They are such fun to see! But, but, y'all did this LAST NIGHT. As in THE SAME DAY.
???
I get excited if I can get photos edited and uploaded before the boys have outgrown the outfits they wore in the pictures!
Wow, well, there's the goal for today- I'll try to get pictures uploaded. I owe Em and Melissa some, too, you know, from a month ago. *cringe* Sorry 'bout that. And in the meantime, thanks so much for sharing your families with all your invisible friends. It's such fun!
Kiss those babies!
~Dy
???
I get excited if I can get photos edited and uploaded before the boys have outgrown the outfits they wore in the pictures!
Wow, well, there's the goal for today- I'll try to get pictures uploaded. I owe Em and Melissa some, too, you know, from a month ago. *cringe* Sorry 'bout that. And in the meantime, thanks so much for sharing your families with all your invisible friends. It's such fun!
Kiss those babies!
~Dy
Saturday, March 26
Truly Lovely
My brother, having survived some harrowing experiences in the military, holds to the belief that "any day above ground is a good one". While that's a little on the morbid side for me (of course, I haven't eaten the things he's eaten just to stay alive, either, so "morbid" is, I know, wholly subjective, here), I'd agree.
Some days, though, are truly lovely. Their feel is different, richer, deeper, more vibrant, than other days. They are days that leave a delicate shade of difference on your heart and on your soul.
Today was one of those days. I've typed and re-typed, trying to wrap my mind around the day so I can share it with you, but my meager vocabulary fails me tonight. The boys were so thoroughly enjoyable. Zorak was so very "in" the day, with us, near us. I felt the tangible expression today of all I feel for my family every day, and it was a powerful, comforting day.
The HOA Easter Egg hunt was a stunning success. There were, perhaps, a dozen children. As the children gathered in the commons, one little girl noticed that the boys had Easter grass. She said, quietly, and not to anyone in particular, "I don't have grass." Without prompting from us, John pulled out a handful of his grass to give to her. He looked at us. Zorak and I smiled and nodded. "Here," he said quietly, as he gently laid some grass in her basket. Such a generous heart he has! We were both so warmed by this. During the hunt, John found perhaps six eggs. He wasn't firing on all four cylinders (translation: needed a nap), and wasn't terribly focused. Can't say it wasn't for effort, though. That kid ran around like a madman, running right past countless eggs, but very caught up in the whole running aspect of it. When all the eggs has been found, and his basket was so very empty compared to the other children, we cringed in anticipation of the meltdown we knew would come. ...it never came! He took it all in stride, congratulated the other children on finding so many eggs, and then (as if he was trying to make me cry), he offered to share his eggs with the adults once he heard the Easter Bunny doesn't bring baskets for grown-ups. Now, don't think that, at four (and a half!), he has this kind of self-restraint all the time. He doesn't. At 31 (erm, and a half...), I don't, either. But he's learning grace and fellowship and joy. Wow. Talk about humbling.
James got to be "the big kid" today, which is new for him. He is generally among the younger of the group. He voluntarily joined John in sharing his grass with the little girl, and he encouraged the little guys as they went around in circles, laughing. As we watched him help John look for eggs and direct the littlun's to the eggs down low, Zorak and I realized (well, were reminded, is a better expression) that James is just a Very Neat Kid. He laid a few of his own eggs into John's basket ~ a sweet, quiet moment when they thought the adults weren't looking. He's six and squirrelly as can be, yes, but he has a heart the size of Texas and possibly the surrounding Territories, as well. It's vulnerable, and gets bruised quite easily, but he doesn't let that stop him from caring and helping. He's teaching us a lot as we go along.
And Smidge? Smidge just had a beautiful day. First, he got a basket to carry around and swing about. WOOHOO, FUN STUFF! Then we put plastic strings in it! OH JOY! But, look! What's this? What are these colorful things on the ground? Ooo, put them in the stringy basket! This is GREAT, GUYS! But wait! There's more! They rattle! ~ OMGosh, they OPEN! At this point, we became concerned that he'd have a seizure or possibly an aneurysm. I don't think we've ever seen him so enthralled with a process.
Tomorrow, along with many other families around the world, we will gather together to celebrate the resurrection of our Lord. The boys look forward to tomorrow with the same excitement that they enjoyed today. We'll spend time with our wonderful congregation and then retire home for a Mediterranean-style feast and a time of sharing our blessings and our hopes for tomorrow. It will be a time well spent.
Kiss those babies!
~Dy
Some days, though, are truly lovely. Their feel is different, richer, deeper, more vibrant, than other days. They are days that leave a delicate shade of difference on your heart and on your soul.
Today was one of those days. I've typed and re-typed, trying to wrap my mind around the day so I can share it with you, but my meager vocabulary fails me tonight. The boys were so thoroughly enjoyable. Zorak was so very "in" the day, with us, near us. I felt the tangible expression today of all I feel for my family every day, and it was a powerful, comforting day.
The HOA Easter Egg hunt was a stunning success. There were, perhaps, a dozen children. As the children gathered in the commons, one little girl noticed that the boys had Easter grass. She said, quietly, and not to anyone in particular, "I don't have grass." Without prompting from us, John pulled out a handful of his grass to give to her. He looked at us. Zorak and I smiled and nodded. "Here," he said quietly, as he gently laid some grass in her basket. Such a generous heart he has! We were both so warmed by this. During the hunt, John found perhaps six eggs. He wasn't firing on all four cylinders (translation: needed a nap), and wasn't terribly focused. Can't say it wasn't for effort, though. That kid ran around like a madman, running right past countless eggs, but very caught up in the whole running aspect of it. When all the eggs has been found, and his basket was so very empty compared to the other children, we cringed in anticipation of the meltdown we knew would come. ...it never came! He took it all in stride, congratulated the other children on finding so many eggs, and then (as if he was trying to make me cry), he offered to share his eggs with the adults once he heard the Easter Bunny doesn't bring baskets for grown-ups. Now, don't think that, at four (and a half!), he has this kind of self-restraint all the time. He doesn't. At 31 (erm, and a half...), I don't, either. But he's learning grace and fellowship and joy. Wow. Talk about humbling.
James got to be "the big kid" today, which is new for him. He is generally among the younger of the group. He voluntarily joined John in sharing his grass with the little girl, and he encouraged the little guys as they went around in circles, laughing. As we watched him help John look for eggs and direct the littlun's to the eggs down low, Zorak and I realized (well, were reminded, is a better expression) that James is just a Very Neat Kid. He laid a few of his own eggs into John's basket ~ a sweet, quiet moment when they thought the adults weren't looking. He's six and squirrelly as can be, yes, but he has a heart the size of Texas and possibly the surrounding Territories, as well. It's vulnerable, and gets bruised quite easily, but he doesn't let that stop him from caring and helping. He's teaching us a lot as we go along.
And Smidge? Smidge just had a beautiful day. First, he got a basket to carry around and swing about. WOOHOO, FUN STUFF! Then we put plastic strings in it! OH JOY! But, look! What's this? What are these colorful things on the ground? Ooo, put them in the stringy basket! This is GREAT, GUYS! But wait! There's more! They rattle! ~ OMGosh, they OPEN! At this point, we became concerned that he'd have a seizure or possibly an aneurysm. I don't think we've ever seen him so enthralled with a process.
Tomorrow, along with many other families around the world, we will gather together to celebrate the resurrection of our Lord. The boys look forward to tomorrow with the same excitement that they enjoyed today. We'll spend time with our wonderful congregation and then retire home for a Mediterranean-style feast and a time of sharing our blessings and our hopes for tomorrow. It will be a time well spent.
Kiss those babies!
~Dy
Friday, March 25
Because They Dared Ask,
"What if..."
What a wonderful gift to the world that there have always been men and women standing at the ready, unconcerned about looking the fool, or the eccentric, willing to ask, "What if...?"
We pushed back bathtime tonight for that very reason, and had one whompin' great discussion with the boys. It was about many things: the value of being willing to follow your questions, the importance of being able to keep going, the strength in adaptability and the willingness to accept new evidence, the fantasies of yesterday which are the truths of today, and what tomorrow may hold for them. In short, it was about the wonderful world possible as long as the next generation is willing to take stock of what we know and then ask, loud and clear, "What if...?"
It all started with a discussion of Absolute Zero (guess who started that one!), which brought us into the model aspect of mathematics, language, fish, The Universe, and Everything. The main point tonight centered on the mind - as encompassed by curiosity, ability, motivation, and imagination - and how it reaches farther than the boundaries of the physical world allow. Or, as James paraphrased, "Our brains can think of going places beyond our Playplace in the Universe." Yup.
On to pattern recognition, theories, proofs and suddenly (as everyone with a child who is six or four knows), you're landing on Mars, curing diseases, and saving the world - one splendid idea at a time. The boys headed up the stairs, trying to figure ways to get oxygen to Mars and convert methane to a fuel vehicles can run on. They're jazzed. It's all possible, and they could do it.
Our children can do anything. They can make a difference, and we try to keep positive ideals and noble goals in front of them. If you read the news, or listen to the talking heads, you're going to get a dreary picture of the future. If you talk to your children, you can help shape that future. The news is much more encouraging on that front. And you know, the more wonderful families I come in contact with, the more convinced I am that we aren't far from the norm. Don't let naysayers make you feel elitist or inadequate. Just smile and say, "What if...?"
Kiss those babies!
~Dy
What a wonderful gift to the world that there have always been men and women standing at the ready, unconcerned about looking the fool, or the eccentric, willing to ask, "What if...?"
We pushed back bathtime tonight for that very reason, and had one whompin' great discussion with the boys. It was about many things: the value of being willing to follow your questions, the importance of being able to keep going, the strength in adaptability and the willingness to accept new evidence, the fantasies of yesterday which are the truths of today, and what tomorrow may hold for them. In short, it was about the wonderful world possible as long as the next generation is willing to take stock of what we know and then ask, loud and clear, "What if...?"
It all started with a discussion of Absolute Zero (guess who started that one!), which brought us into the model aspect of mathematics, language, fish, The Universe, and Everything. The main point tonight centered on the mind - as encompassed by curiosity, ability, motivation, and imagination - and how it reaches farther than the boundaries of the physical world allow. Or, as James paraphrased, "Our brains can think of going places beyond our Playplace in the Universe." Yup.
On to pattern recognition, theories, proofs and suddenly (as everyone with a child who is six or four knows), you're landing on Mars, curing diseases, and saving the world - one splendid idea at a time. The boys headed up the stairs, trying to figure ways to get oxygen to Mars and convert methane to a fuel vehicles can run on. They're jazzed. It's all possible, and they could do it.
Our children can do anything. They can make a difference, and we try to keep positive ideals and noble goals in front of them. If you read the news, or listen to the talking heads, you're going to get a dreary picture of the future. If you talk to your children, you can help shape that future. The news is much more encouraging on that front. And you know, the more wonderful families I come in contact with, the more convinced I am that we aren't far from the norm. Don't let naysayers make you feel elitist or inadequate. Just smile and say, "What if...?"
Kiss those babies!
~Dy
Good Friday Morning!
A little morning blog just because I'm feeling particularly motivated. (lucky you, eh?)
What are you reading these days? James has decided he'd rather not tell me about what he's reading, as he thinks that'll discourage me from reading the book myself. Hmmm. OK. Well, Kiddo, this is going to call for drastic measures... so I have to completely mangle the story as I narrate to him, leaving him in stitches and correcting all my bizarre inventions. It is, really, a great way to see if your child grasped what he read. (It's also just a lot of fun!)
If we can find some Mommy 'n James time, I'd like to start reading The Eagle of the Ninth, by Rosemary Sutcliff, together. It's not quite on a level where John would enjoy it so much, but I do think James would enjoy it tremendously if we read it together, the way we read The Hobbit. The difficult part is finding time alone to read together. Who'd have thought that would be one of the big "issues" in a home?
Seriously, it is. I don't know about you guys, but there's no way I'm going to tell any child that he can't read with us, can't be a part of that effervescent magic that comes of reading together on quiet nights. I'm not going to deny him the mystery of pure imagination as it comes to life on each page. Just not gonna happen. Literature is too precious a gift to refuse to someone on the premise that he "might not get it". If he enjoys it and craves it, then he'll benefit from it, even if it goes straight over his head. The time spent together, sharing something delicious is a worthy endeavor. So, if John wants to read with us, then naturally, we'll do it together. But I do need to find a way to make room for that equally magical "one on one" time that James, in particular, craves with all he has.
Today's our day off, but seeing that we all have a pretty nasty dose of cabin fever and no transportation, I think we may do light lessons, just to offer up a little routine to the day. Like an extra day of math is going to kill 'em, anyway, right? Then maybe a walk out back to look for nests. We'll bake a little banana rice bread later on this morning and hopefully Zorak will bring us the Suburban at lunch so we can head over the Big, Scary Bridge to do some shopping and go stare at the otters.
Kiss those babies!
~Dy
What are you reading these days? James has decided he'd rather not tell me about what he's reading, as he thinks that'll discourage me from reading the book myself. Hmmm. OK. Well, Kiddo, this is going to call for drastic measures... so I have to completely mangle the story as I narrate to him, leaving him in stitches and correcting all my bizarre inventions. It is, really, a great way to see if your child grasped what he read. (It's also just a lot of fun!)
If we can find some Mommy 'n James time, I'd like to start reading The Eagle of the Ninth, by Rosemary Sutcliff, together. It's not quite on a level where John would enjoy it so much, but I do think James would enjoy it tremendously if we read it together, the way we read The Hobbit. The difficult part is finding time alone to read together. Who'd have thought that would be one of the big "issues" in a home?
Seriously, it is. I don't know about you guys, but there's no way I'm going to tell any child that he can't read with us, can't be a part of that effervescent magic that comes of reading together on quiet nights. I'm not going to deny him the mystery of pure imagination as it comes to life on each page. Just not gonna happen. Literature is too precious a gift to refuse to someone on the premise that he "might not get it". If he enjoys it and craves it, then he'll benefit from it, even if it goes straight over his head. The time spent together, sharing something delicious is a worthy endeavor. So, if John wants to read with us, then naturally, we'll do it together. But I do need to find a way to make room for that equally magical "one on one" time that James, in particular, craves with all he has.
Today's our day off, but seeing that we all have a pretty nasty dose of cabin fever and no transportation, I think we may do light lessons, just to offer up a little routine to the day. Like an extra day of math is going to kill 'em, anyway, right? Then maybe a walk out back to look for nests. We'll bake a little banana rice bread later on this morning and hopefully Zorak will bring us the Suburban at lunch so we can head over the Big, Scary Bridge to do some shopping and go stare at the otters.
Kiss those babies!
~Dy
Thursday, March 24
Commenting Woes
Hey all, just a quick note from the editorial staff, here- I've received quite a few emails conveying the message that you can't leave comments. And when Kim can comment, she's usually just so excited that all she can say is, "It worked! Hi!" It seems silly to ask you to leave a comment asking what specific problem you're running into, doesn't it?
According to Blogger's stuff we should read but never do because it doesn't dawn on us to do so page, they're doing a lot of work on their servers (increasing number, size, efficiency, and a few other computer-related terms that meant nada to me). They'll be down tonight, so we'll see if tomorrow looks better for comments.
If not, then I'm thinking I'll set up an email feature on the blog somewhere.
On the plus side, for those who have my email and have taken the time to drop me a note and let me know you're having trouble posting comments, Thank You! I'd begun thinking everyone had stopped talking to me. (Which, yeah, I know is possible. I'm just glad that wasn't the case.)
Kiss those babies!
~Dy
According to Blogger's stuff we should read but never do because it doesn't dawn on us to do so page, they're doing a lot of work on their servers (increasing number, size, efficiency, and a few other computer-related terms that meant nada to me). They'll be down tonight, so we'll see if tomorrow looks better for comments.
If not, then I'm thinking I'll set up an email feature on the blog somewhere.
On the plus side, for those who have my email and have taken the time to drop me a note and let me know you're having trouble posting comments, Thank You! I'd begun thinking everyone had stopped talking to me. (Which, yeah, I know is possible. I'm just glad that wasn't the case.)
Kiss those babies!
~Dy
Applied Physics
Science Nerd-dom has taken over my home. *sigh*
I'd like to blame Bill Nye. But I can't. I married an engineer. He comes from a whole nest of science-oriented souls. It's ingrained. There is nowhere to hide.
It seems our next project will be rockets. Homemade, of course, and if the amount of research Zorak has done just to determine the best release to use is any indication of the, well, the mess we're going to have when this is over, it's going to be a lot of fun. And, thanks to Zorak, I don't think anybody will put an eye out with this thing, either!
WOOHOO!
Kiss those babies and clear the launch area!
~Dy
I'd like to blame Bill Nye. But I can't. I married an engineer. He comes from a whole nest of science-oriented souls. It's ingrained. There is nowhere to hide.
It seems our next project will be rockets. Homemade, of course, and if the amount of research Zorak has done just to determine the best release to use is any indication of the, well, the mess we're going to have when this is over, it's going to be a lot of fun. And, thanks to Zorak, I don't think anybody will put an eye out with this thing, either!
WOOHOO!
Kiss those babies and clear the launch area!
~Dy
I forget about Wednesdays
Our weekly schedule doesn't allow for much differentiation, and it's common to find that the days sometimes blend. (That's a much better way of saying, "I seldom know what day it is.")
Wednesday nights are just killing me. We joined a Wed. night Bible study. Um, a month ago? (I don't know, Zorak signed us up. The poor guy thought it was a one-time get-together and thought he'd be gettin' surf 'n turf points by volunteering us to go, I think. At any rate, we're in for a 13 week study of Psalms, now.) And it's on Wednesdays. Once we got the child-care ironed out (and that's working well, now that the boys know they can come to me and the adults know my children can come to me!), it's been such a great experience.
Still, I forget when it's Wednesday. It looks surprisingly like Tuesdays and Thursdays. It's been so long since we've had a regular Wed. night activity, as well. Last night, we had an early supper, snuggled in to enjoy popcorn and a family movie, when I realized "ACK! We have to be at the T's house in ten minutes!" The chaos that ensued would have done Barnum (or at least Bailey) proud. The only thing missing was the small car (thankfully!) We made it. It was great. Even Zorak enjoyed himself and the company.
Wouldn't you know this week would be cold and wet? So, of course, the Mistress is parked on the porch, and Zorak has the Suburban, so we're stuck. We desperately need fruit, and I'm out of creamer. It's going to be a long, long day. *sigh* Maybe we'll see a robin this morning, though, and that's always exciting!
I'll talk to you later, when I've had some coffee.
Kiss those babies!
~Dy
Wednesday nights are just killing me. We joined a Wed. night Bible study. Um, a month ago? (I don't know, Zorak signed us up. The poor guy thought it was a one-time get-together and thought he'd be gettin' surf 'n turf points by volunteering us to go, I think. At any rate, we're in for a 13 week study of Psalms, now.) And it's on Wednesdays. Once we got the child-care ironed out (and that's working well, now that the boys know they can come to me and the adults know my children can come to me!), it's been such a great experience.
Still, I forget when it's Wednesday. It looks surprisingly like Tuesdays and Thursdays. It's been so long since we've had a regular Wed. night activity, as well. Last night, we had an early supper, snuggled in to enjoy popcorn and a family movie, when I realized "ACK! We have to be at the T's house in ten minutes!" The chaos that ensued would have done Barnum (or at least Bailey) proud. The only thing missing was the small car (thankfully!) We made it. It was great. Even Zorak enjoyed himself and the company.
Wouldn't you know this week would be cold and wet? So, of course, the Mistress is parked on the porch, and Zorak has the Suburban, so we're stuck. We desperately need fruit, and I'm out of creamer. It's going to be a long, long day. *sigh* Maybe we'll see a robin this morning, though, and that's always exciting!
I'll talk to you later, when I've had some coffee.
Kiss those babies!
~Dy
Wednesday, March 23
D*oh! Read the jacket cover... first!
So, I picked up The Hiram Key, thinking it was... I don't remember, anymore. I think I thought it was something to do with the Knights Templar (though don't ask me why I thought that- those words do not appear anywhere on the cover!) Turns out to be a couple of Master Masons who hooked up, travelled the world, and have managed, using their razor sharp Hardy Boys detective skills, to piece together all manner of astounding connections that hundreds of scholars, over thousands of years, have been too dull-witted (or dirty, as implied in the book) to ever notice.
Ah, yes, the esoteric diamond of Truth shining in the bleak and filthy mire of...
Christianity.
Yep, folks, over a third of the way into the book and it's nothing but a poorly laid out attack on Christianity. That's. About. It. The logic flaws have had me literally laughing out loud (at one point, spewing coffee all over the couch). I will give The Hiram Key a nod in that, as fiction, it's a better read than The DaVinci Code. As non-fiction, though, it smacks of agendaagendaagenda.
All humor aside, it is sad to know we've sunk to such a poor grasp of logic. That some folks have read this book and have not noticed the blatant fictionalization of most of it, from white glossings-over, to allout "where'd you get that", makes me a titch uneasy. From the claim that "color, race, creed or politics have always been irrelevant to membership" in The Lodge (riiiiiight), to the lack of sources to back up comments, such as, "it's a proven fact that *insert bizarre connection here*" (this thing goes pages w/o a single footnote, particularly when they're revving up on the soapbox), it's clear that the authors have somewhere to go and they intend to drag the reader, kicking, screaming, and asking unanswered questions, with them. One of my personal favorites has been the oh-so critical eye for detail and deep understanding of the original entymology of every. single. word. in the Bible (and, naturally, being big on esoteric knowledge, nothing is what it seems, at least not in the Bible) that suddenly develops astigmatic symptoms when "delving" and "researching" the "facts" on... just about every other religious group known to the history of man. (Sure, a rough translation is perfectly useful and without need of examination. Apples to oranges will always give you fruit salad, and that goes down far easier than the facts.)
*sigh*
I know The Lodge is not a Christian organization. OK. Fine. It doesn't claim to be, and I knew that when I picked up the book. I'll admit it, I'm a huge KT fan, though. And there is a lot of history to be learned. (And this book does touch on the history of the KT, in so much as it's trying to make connections. Some actually exist, some, eh, I'm not ready to return to grad school just yet to figure out where the truth leaves off.) So far, this book has gone so deeply over the edge on so many specific occasions that it's blown any and all credibility it may have had at first.
And no, for the record, the photos of the sacred garments didn't convince me that the authors are necessarily bright, or honest, or above board. Please. Anyone who grew up in The Lodge has, at one point or another, witnessed a number of "secret" things when the grown ups have had just a few too many drinks. Plus, with the exception of the "secret work" of the Order, it's all on record with the Library of Congress. Way to break new ground, guys!
On the postivie side, The Hiram Key does provide a nifty timeline by which you can follow their journey, some lovely maps of the Sumerian region, and 16 pages of B&W photos. Some of the claims are truly interesting and feasible, but they're buried in leaps of faith of such huge proportion that nobody seems to have seen except the authors and, perhaps, their editorial team.
So, the moral of this story: read the jacket cover before you check out the book!
Kiss those babies!
~Dy
Ah, yes, the esoteric diamond of Truth shining in the bleak and filthy mire of...
Christianity.
Yep, folks, over a third of the way into the book and it's nothing but a poorly laid out attack on Christianity. That's. About. It. The logic flaws have had me literally laughing out loud (at one point, spewing coffee all over the couch). I will give The Hiram Key a nod in that, as fiction, it's a better read than The DaVinci Code. As non-fiction, though, it smacks of agendaagendaagenda.
All humor aside, it is sad to know we've sunk to such a poor grasp of logic. That some folks have read this book and have not noticed the blatant fictionalization of most of it, from white glossings-over, to allout "where'd you get that", makes me a titch uneasy. From the claim that "color, race, creed or politics have always been irrelevant to membership" in The Lodge (riiiiiight), to the lack of sources to back up comments, such as, "it's a proven fact that *insert bizarre connection here*" (this thing goes pages w/o a single footnote, particularly when they're revving up on the soapbox), it's clear that the authors have somewhere to go and they intend to drag the reader, kicking, screaming, and asking unanswered questions, with them. One of my personal favorites has been the oh-so critical eye for detail and deep understanding of the original entymology of every. single. word. in the Bible (and, naturally, being big on esoteric knowledge, nothing is what it seems, at least not in the Bible) that suddenly develops astigmatic symptoms when "delving" and "researching" the "facts" on... just about every other religious group known to the history of man. (Sure, a rough translation is perfectly useful and without need of examination. Apples to oranges will always give you fruit salad, and that goes down far easier than the facts.)
*sigh*
I know The Lodge is not a Christian organization. OK. Fine. It doesn't claim to be, and I knew that when I picked up the book. I'll admit it, I'm a huge KT fan, though. And there is a lot of history to be learned. (And this book does touch on the history of the KT, in so much as it's trying to make connections. Some actually exist, some, eh, I'm not ready to return to grad school just yet to figure out where the truth leaves off.) So far, this book has gone so deeply over the edge on so many specific occasions that it's blown any and all credibility it may have had at first.
And no, for the record, the photos of the sacred garments didn't convince me that the authors are necessarily bright, or honest, or above board. Please. Anyone who grew up in The Lodge has, at one point or another, witnessed a number of "secret" things when the grown ups have had just a few too many drinks. Plus, with the exception of the "secret work" of the Order, it's all on record with the Library of Congress. Way to break new ground, guys!
On the postivie side, The Hiram Key does provide a nifty timeline by which you can follow their journey, some lovely maps of the Sumerian region, and 16 pages of B&W photos. Some of the claims are truly interesting and feasible, but they're buried in leaps of faith of such huge proportion that nobody seems to have seen except the authors and, perhaps, their editorial team.
So, the moral of this story: read the jacket cover before you check out the book!
Kiss those babies!
~Dy
Well Worth It
So it is now nearly three AM. I just rebooted the computer (because we couldn't just update and go, now, could we?)
You must listen to Snell's Law Song. It's great!
See the link in the entry below, if you don't already have the page bookmarked.
Seriously, even if you need to update your music-like software,
even if you have to figure out how to get your speakers to work,
even if you have dial-up.
It's worth it.
OK, tomorrow's going to be a little more difficult to enjoy, due to the lack of sleep, but that's what naps are for, right?
Kiss those babies!
~Dy
You must listen to Snell's Law Song. It's great!
See the link in the entry below, if you don't already have the page bookmarked.
Seriously, even if you need to update your music-like software,
even if you have to figure out how to get your speakers to work,
even if you have dial-up.
It's worth it.
OK, tomorrow's going to be a little more difficult to enjoy, due to the lack of sleep, but that's what naps are for, right?
Kiss those babies!
~Dy
General... Stuff
Do you think I need to start being good now to get high-speed internet access for Christmas? Hey, does Huntsville has high-speed internet access? I may still be downloading the update for "Real Player (registered trademark here) with Harmony Technology (no trademark here - go figure)" by the time we get there. And, you know, I'm feeling particularly whiny about it at the moment! Someone posted a great link to physics songs, which, honestly, how can you resist checking that out? So, we did, and Zorak (while not as enthusiastic as I expected him to be, *snort*) picked a song to listen to, but the aforementioned Real Player needed to be updated and... well, he gave up half an hour ago and went to bed. Curse this slow connection!!
We had so much fun today. We played all the songs from Chitty-Chitty Bang Bang! and danced in the living room. I. am. out. of. shape. (And Dick Van Dyke's physical agility blows me away!) We need to buy the soundtrack, because it takes a long, long time to dance to the songs using the menu feature on the DVD. The boys loved it, though (and it did give me a chance to gasp and rest my quivering limbs between songs).
It was a laid-back, Classical day. Typical around here, really. We did our Latin, then blew bubbles in the back yard. We did math, then played in the mud. We worked in the rest of our work throughout the day. Smidge is either sick or teething. The result is the same: he's covered in snot and miserable. The boys were wonderfully tender toward him and only knocked him over twice while trying to wipe his nose (by the third lap, chasing him around with a tissue, they changed directions and caught him head-on).
I made an unknown concoction for supper. Zorak hates that. Not so much the food that comes of it, but I think it's just that he lacks faith in my culinary abilities. If what I'm fixing does not have a readily known name, or come from a cookbook we actually own, he gets twitchy. (Wonder where he got that from?) I think I'm getting fairly good at it, but who knows? The boys eat it because that's what's on the table, and Zorak eats it... then gets something else from the fridge. Ah, well, nobody's starving or suffering from food poisoning, so I consider it a job well done!
Tomorrow we must forage (ok, hit the market, but "forage" sounds much more interesting!) We must vacuum and continue our decluttering process. We must enjoy one another and be sure to soak up every single precious moment we can, never forgetting that the errands and chores are but the backdrops to the real memories. Should be a good day.
Kiss those babies!
~Dy
We had so much fun today. We played all the songs from Chitty-Chitty Bang Bang! and danced in the living room. I. am. out. of. shape. (And Dick Van Dyke's physical agility blows me away!) We need to buy the soundtrack, because it takes a long, long time to dance to the songs using the menu feature on the DVD. The boys loved it, though (and it did give me a chance to gasp and rest my quivering limbs between songs).
It was a laid-back, Classical day. Typical around here, really. We did our Latin, then blew bubbles in the back yard. We did math, then played in the mud. We worked in the rest of our work throughout the day. Smidge is either sick or teething. The result is the same: he's covered in snot and miserable. The boys were wonderfully tender toward him and only knocked him over twice while trying to wipe his nose (by the third lap, chasing him around with a tissue, they changed directions and caught him head-on).
I made an unknown concoction for supper. Zorak hates that. Not so much the food that comes of it, but I think it's just that he lacks faith in my culinary abilities. If what I'm fixing does not have a readily known name, or come from a cookbook we actually own, he gets twitchy. (Wonder where he got that from?) I think I'm getting fairly good at it, but who knows? The boys eat it because that's what's on the table, and Zorak eats it... then gets something else from the fridge. Ah, well, nobody's starving or suffering from food poisoning, so I consider it a job well done!
Tomorrow we must forage (ok, hit the market, but "forage" sounds much more interesting!) We must vacuum and continue our decluttering process. We must enjoy one another and be sure to soak up every single precious moment we can, never forgetting that the errands and chores are but the backdrops to the real memories. Should be a good day.
Kiss those babies!
~Dy
Monday, March 21
The Gatekeeper
Zorak has instituted a new bedtime ritual that the boys love: in order to get to their beds, they must first pass The Gatekeeper (which you must say in a deep and booming voice, or it just doesn't come off quite right) by answering a riddle.
The laughter that tumbles down the stairs is priceless. I know he does it for them, but what it does for me, to hear that laughter as their last little sounds before they turn out the lights... wow.
Zorak the Gatekeeper, reason #8,566,974 that I'm so in love with this guy!
Kiss those babies!
~Dy
The laughter that tumbles down the stairs is priceless. I know he does it for them, but what it does for me, to hear that laughter as their last little sounds before they turn out the lights... wow.
Zorak the Gatekeeper, reason #8,566,974 that I'm so in love with this guy!
Kiss those babies!
~Dy
So... How many David Allen Coe songs do you really know?
You know, I'll admit that I'm a cubby-holer. Until people have permanently embedded themselves into my psyche, I have to leave them tucked neatly into little mental cubby holes. This is purely for info retrieval purposes, here. Remember, I have no actual memory, and don't cite sources. I'm the one who couldn't produce a decent bibliography if Zorak was being held hostage by the editors of The Little Brown Handbook! But I digress.
My point being that I am generally surprised to get comments from ladies (and guys), who I already think are pretty interesting folks, sharing that they not only know who some random artist is, but that this knowledge was garnered voluntarily, rather than via the merciless bombardment of an old boyfriend (or some other equally heinous torture). I don't know why, but that is so much fun! I'm regularly pleasantly surprsied by this. Just one of life's little pleasures. We need to figure out the ultimate background music soundtrack for the Gathering of Imaginary Friends someday.
In the meantime, Chris (who is currently recovering from his adventures in cross country travel), suggested that we make a CD for the trip. Interestingly (or, to me, it is) we'd already decided it must be done. Sadly, it's probably gonna have to be a tape, b/c our CD burner is dead, and our stereo is from... um... alright, it had a turntable, ok? 'Nuff said. SO, being thankful we won't have to figure out how to make an 8-track, we're gathering great traveling songs to preserve for all posterity as "our moving music". What would you include on your tape (or CD, if you're particularly cool)?
Here are the guidelines:
1) Cheese is fine. Though we'll have to keep it to a limit. Certain types of Cheese are measurably more tolerable than others... if you know what I'm talking about, then feel free to go with the Cheese. Otherwise, I'm probably going to be full up on the Cheese Spread as it is.
2) It's got to have whatever it is that makes your head move independently of your shoulders, no matter how hard you try to avoid it. (Rap, however, is out. Sorry.)
3) Accordian, banjo, fiddle, electric guitar, bagpipes, sax, spoons and synthesizers are wholly acceptable instruments.
4) Organs are not.
OK, don't be shy. What music would you want to drive to?
Kiss those babies!
~Dy
My point being that I am generally surprised to get comments from ladies (and guys), who I already think are pretty interesting folks, sharing that they not only know who some random artist is, but that this knowledge was garnered voluntarily, rather than via the merciless bombardment of an old boyfriend (or some other equally heinous torture). I don't know why, but that is so much fun! I'm regularly pleasantly surprsied by this. Just one of life's little pleasures. We need to figure out the ultimate background music soundtrack for the Gathering of Imaginary Friends someday.
In the meantime, Chris (who is currently recovering from his adventures in cross country travel), suggested that we make a CD for the trip. Interestingly (or, to me, it is) we'd already decided it must be done. Sadly, it's probably gonna have to be a tape, b/c our CD burner is dead, and our stereo is from... um... alright, it had a turntable, ok? 'Nuff said. SO, being thankful we won't have to figure out how to make an 8-track, we're gathering great traveling songs to preserve for all posterity as "our moving music". What would you include on your tape (or CD, if you're particularly cool)?
Here are the guidelines:
1) Cheese is fine. Though we'll have to keep it to a limit. Certain types of Cheese are measurably more tolerable than others... if you know what I'm talking about, then feel free to go with the Cheese. Otherwise, I'm probably going to be full up on the Cheese Spread as it is.
2) It's got to have whatever it is that makes your head move independently of your shoulders, no matter how hard you try to avoid it. (Rap, however, is out. Sorry.)
3) Accordian, banjo, fiddle, electric guitar, bagpipes, sax, spoons and synthesizers are wholly acceptable instruments.
4) Organs are not.
OK, don't be shy. What music would you want to drive to?
Kiss those babies!
~Dy
Finally!
Visible Progress.
The boys began learning the Table Blessing in Prima Latina this morning. We're getting closer to learning the endings for verbs, as well. (I feel like such a nerd, because I am so excited! I love this stuff!) I think with their Spanish exposure thus far, the Latin endings will be fairly easy to pick up and run with.
James is reading through The Second Eclectic Reader, focusing on expression. It's really cute to see, although he's pretty bored with the stories. He's been a good trooper about it, though, and we will exchange it for the third at the next library visit. John is working his way through the First Eclectic Reader and is so proud of his ability to remember so many of the phonograms.
So, with academia well in hand... this week we're going to focus on getting those training wheels off the bikes! The weather's cooperative so far. The boys, eh, we'll see. I think it can be done, and I know they'll be much happier with the newfound freedom and control over their riding once those training wheels are off. I had planned to take the advice I read on the WTM boards (to lower the seat to its lowest position, enabling the child to put his feet firmly on the ground, and thus to feel in control while learning balance) but, um, remember when I said I'd had no genetic input on any of the boys? I was wrong. They got the Ware Family Inseam... The seats are as low as they'll go! So we'll have to do what we do with everything: wingit!
Kiss those babies, and I hope you're having a wonderful Monday!
~Dy
The boys began learning the Table Blessing in Prima Latina this morning. We're getting closer to learning the endings for verbs, as well. (I feel like such a nerd, because I am so excited! I love this stuff!) I think with their Spanish exposure thus far, the Latin endings will be fairly easy to pick up and run with.
James is reading through The Second Eclectic Reader, focusing on expression. It's really cute to see, although he's pretty bored with the stories. He's been a good trooper about it, though, and we will exchange it for the third at the next library visit. John is working his way through the First Eclectic Reader and is so proud of his ability to remember so many of the phonograms.
So, with academia well in hand... this week we're going to focus on getting those training wheels off the bikes! The weather's cooperative so far. The boys, eh, we'll see. I think it can be done, and I know they'll be much happier with the newfound freedom and control over their riding once those training wheels are off. I had planned to take the advice I read on the WTM boards (to lower the seat to its lowest position, enabling the child to put his feet firmly on the ground, and thus to feel in control while learning balance) but, um, remember when I said I'd had no genetic input on any of the boys? I was wrong. They got the Ware Family Inseam... The seats are as low as they'll go! So we'll have to do what we do with everything: wingit!
Kiss those babies, and I hope you're having a wonderful Monday!
~Dy
Sunday, March 20
Hmmm
OK, I think I'm going to have to watch that one again.
Some chuckles. It was cute.
But not fall-on-the-floor, laugh-my-rear-off funny.
Let me just say that, honestly, I think it's me. I get that. It's ok. The thing is, you know, and I'll have to dig up my yearbooks to really prove this to you... this movie hit a little close to home. It could've been a documentary of Prescott, AZ in the 1980's. Funny?
Sure, from a distance.
But you couldn't pay me to go back and do it over.
Shyah.
No chance.
I have got to find those yearbooks.
Dy
Some chuckles. It was cute.
But not fall-on-the-floor, laugh-my-rear-off funny.
Let me just say that, honestly, I think it's me. I get that. It's ok. The thing is, you know, and I'll have to dig up my yearbooks to really prove this to you... this movie hit a little close to home. It could've been a documentary of Prescott, AZ in the 1980's. Funny?
Sure, from a distance.
But you couldn't pay me to go back and do it over.
Shyah.
No chance.
I have got to find those yearbooks.
Dy
Saturday, March 19
Great Days, Great Folks, Lessons Learned
We spent a lovely day with friends, celebrating a wee one's first birthday. The Honored Guest doesn't remember a thing about the Grand Event, but it's always a joyful celebration.
Zorak had to work, but was able to join the party in time to enjoy some Cuban style beans and rice and a cold beer. *ahhh* Good stuff. Not quite ambrosia, but mixed with enjoyable company and the background noise of a dozen or more gleeful children, it's not a bad way to spend the afternoon at all.
I have only one issue to take with the day, and I hope that new parents or soon-to-be parents, or those who are ever in charge of planning events and games for small children in any setting at all will please listen closely...
(General Disclaimer. I'm not talking about sporting events, nor about planned competitions for which children are prepared. I am not even talking about all children in all stages of life. I am talking about little ones and social gatherings. Everybody doesn't have a water buffalo, but the point that follows is that the little guys don't mind as long as we don't beat them over the head with it. So, here's your grain of salt, enjoy, and read on. Thank you, The Management.)
The Honored Parents are still learning the ropes, and today they gained a valuable lesson: the Inertia of Joy. Children do not naturally need to be organized or entertained. They move on their own internal inertia and it is easy to mess with that, but the results are not going to be good. We've messed with their inertia.
I cringed a bit when I overheard that there were "games" planned, with "prizes" for the winners. This is the under seven crowd, folks. The games of our youth which we may (or may not) remember with fondness were not such fond memories before we hit the more calloused and competitive ages. If the children are little, give them room to run and the occasional snack and you'll be amazed at how much fun they'll have. Musical chairs is perhaps one of the meanest, most humilitating things you can do to a group of small children. And yet, here it came. *sigh* I'm never quite sure how to handle these situations, really. It's going to end in tears. It's a bad idea. I voice my concerns and suggest that perhaps we ought to let the children continue playing happily, together, as they are... and I'm met with the shocked, eye-rolling look that says, "You are SO overprotective." Yes, folks, we all want our children learn to handle failure, but we don't want to consciously set them up for it. Tsk, tsk. So, they called the happy, smiling children to gather 'round. All the parentless adults and the fairly new parents were all smiles. The guileless children heard "game", thought "fun", and agreed to give it a shot.
One. By. One. The tears flowed. First out was John, who would never think to shove a little girl out of a seat (initially because he knew we'd have a fit, but at this point simply because he knows you don't shove and you don't push girls... see how this just doesn't fit when you're four and trying to make sense of it all?) His shoulders slumped, his head dropped, and silent tears fell. The other children slowly realized that this was going to get ugly. Wonderful Neighbors' eldest girl was next. Same tears, same dejection. Some of the parentless adults are starting to think that perhaps it's not such a good idea to be making the children cry. (They CAN be taught! Hallelujah!) Two more children were ousted from the game, absolutely crushed at being banished from the fun of running around to music, before the organizers of the "fun" looked around and said, "What should we do?" Well, how about letting them just run and play? That seemed to be working well.
It took a while to perk up their little spirits, but thankfully, children are resilient and once they're reassurred that the "fun" is over, they go quite happily back to their mundane games of hide and seek, follow-me, run-in-circles-until-you-fall-over, and who-can-laugh-the-silliest. By the time everyone headed out, all of the children were running once again on their Inertia of Joy. (They'd also broken into the gift bags and were tanking up on Pixie Stix! WOOHOO! It's party time!)
Just let the children be. They don't have to compete to have fun. They don't have to have a winner to enjoy the day. They are little, and they are trying to learn how it all fits together. Let them do that without pitting them against one another. Let them find their place and their footing. Enjoy them. There is so much to enjoy in them, if you'll let them be.
Kiss those babies!
~Dy
Zorak had to work, but was able to join the party in time to enjoy some Cuban style beans and rice and a cold beer. *ahhh* Good stuff. Not quite ambrosia, but mixed with enjoyable company and the background noise of a dozen or more gleeful children, it's not a bad way to spend the afternoon at all.
I have only one issue to take with the day, and I hope that new parents or soon-to-be parents, or those who are ever in charge of planning events and games for small children in any setting at all will please listen closely...
(General Disclaimer. I'm not talking about sporting events, nor about planned competitions for which children are prepared. I am not even talking about all children in all stages of life. I am talking about little ones and social gatherings. Everybody doesn't have a water buffalo, but the point that follows is that the little guys don't mind as long as we don't beat them over the head with it. So, here's your grain of salt, enjoy, and read on. Thank you, The Management.)
The Honored Parents are still learning the ropes, and today they gained a valuable lesson: the Inertia of Joy. Children do not naturally need to be organized or entertained. They move on their own internal inertia and it is easy to mess with that, but the results are not going to be good. We've messed with their inertia.
I cringed a bit when I overheard that there were "games" planned, with "prizes" for the winners. This is the under seven crowd, folks. The games of our youth which we may (or may not) remember with fondness were not such fond memories before we hit the more calloused and competitive ages. If the children are little, give them room to run and the occasional snack and you'll be amazed at how much fun they'll have. Musical chairs is perhaps one of the meanest, most humilitating things you can do to a group of small children. And yet, here it came. *sigh* I'm never quite sure how to handle these situations, really. It's going to end in tears. It's a bad idea. I voice my concerns and suggest that perhaps we ought to let the children continue playing happily, together, as they are... and I'm met with the shocked, eye-rolling look that says, "You are SO overprotective." Yes, folks, we all want our children learn to handle failure, but we don't want to consciously set them up for it. Tsk, tsk. So, they called the happy, smiling children to gather 'round. All the parentless adults and the fairly new parents were all smiles. The guileless children heard "game", thought "fun", and agreed to give it a shot.
One. By. One. The tears flowed. First out was John, who would never think to shove a little girl out of a seat (initially because he knew we'd have a fit, but at this point simply because he knows you don't shove and you don't push girls... see how this just doesn't fit when you're four and trying to make sense of it all?) His shoulders slumped, his head dropped, and silent tears fell. The other children slowly realized that this was going to get ugly. Wonderful Neighbors' eldest girl was next. Same tears, same dejection. Some of the parentless adults are starting to think that perhaps it's not such a good idea to be making the children cry. (They CAN be taught! Hallelujah!) Two more children were ousted from the game, absolutely crushed at being banished from the fun of running around to music, before the organizers of the "fun" looked around and said, "What should we do?" Well, how about letting them just run and play? That seemed to be working well.
It took a while to perk up their little spirits, but thankfully, children are resilient and once they're reassurred that the "fun" is over, they go quite happily back to their mundane games of hide and seek, follow-me, run-in-circles-until-you-fall-over, and who-can-laugh-the-silliest. By the time everyone headed out, all of the children were running once again on their Inertia of Joy. (They'd also broken into the gift bags and were tanking up on Pixie Stix! WOOHOO! It's party time!)
Just let the children be. They don't have to compete to have fun. They don't have to have a winner to enjoy the day. They are little, and they are trying to learn how it all fits together. Let them do that without pitting them against one another. Let them find their place and their footing. Enjoy them. There is so much to enjoy in them, if you'll let them be.
Kiss those babies!
~Dy
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