Superheroes on Wheels

This is for Nonnie, who is now online!

I love this picture of Parker and his friend Brayden. They were at a costume birthday party. Brayden is dressed as Spiderman; Parker is Heatblast (from Ben 10). They are so oblivious, so unself-conscious in their one-piece outfits and roller skates ... I just love this innocent age, and I know they will soon be too cool for costumes.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

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2011: Back to Basics

I've been doing lots of reflecting lately. Maybe it's because I'm approaching 40(!) years old, or because I'm in a sort of career limbo or because I'm finished having kids and am moving on to the next phase of life. Whatever the reason, I've been thinking a lot about where I've been, where I am and where I want to be. I've learned some things about myself, too, in this past year of changes.

I've learned that I'm a minimalist at heart, and I'm drawn to blogs and books about getting back to basics and living simply. I've been inspired to clean out our garage and attic and get rid of lots of stuff that we just don't need. (This is a work in progress, and I have a lot more to do in that department.)

I've learned that I'm happiest when I'm doing things outdoors, whether it's hiking or running or just lying in the backyard looking at the clouds with my kids. I'm not looking to get a bigger house or a better car or a bigger TV. In fact, I wouldn't mind getting rid of our TV altogether (but I'd be out-voted by all the boys in my house).

I've loved being a writer and editor for the past 14 years, but I'm not sure I'll ever do that full-time again. I've become really interested in physical therapy recently, and my hope is to go back to school in a couple years - when my kids are a little older - to become a physical therapy assistant. One of my favorite parts of writing was the interview, which is why I enjoyed being a newspaper reporter. I think I'd be great at physical therapy - working one-on-one with people in a helping kind of situation.

In the meantime, I'm reassessing some things. I'm enjoying my daycare job, which has a nice rhythm and schedule and gives me lots of quality time with my family. I'm blissfully unfettered by the computer, e-mail and an 8-to-5 grind. I truly enjoy little kids, and working with them is a nice fit for me. It's probably not something I want to do forever, but it's perfect for me right now, and it feels right. On snow days - like today! - I've been able to relax with my boys, go sledding, sit by the fire and drink hot chocolate and not worry about work that's waiting to be done. Lately, I've had incredible peace of mind and joy of heart. That's worth a ton to me.

A good friend told me about this NYT article that discusses "summoned" lives versus "planned" lives. The gist of a summoned life is that it "isn’t a project to be completed; it is an unknowable landscape to be explored." I figure I'm living a summoned life these days, and I'm letting the current guide me along.

One of the things I'm most excited about is spending a month in Maine this summer. If all works out as planned, we'll be heading to MDIBL for awhile. That will be like nature camp, with lots of hiking and swimming and lobster-eating on the agenda.

I think my blog this year will be devoted to my efforts to simplify and declutter and focus on the real things. I hope to post more than I have been ... maybe it'll be a way to hold me accountable. I'm inspired by blogs such as Rowdy Kittens and Be More With Less and, while I'm not as extreme as these folks (i.e., I won't be getting rid of my car any time soon), I like their ideas.

Thanks for reading, and here's to a focused, mindful and active 2011.

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A Meaningful Christmas Gift Idea

A couple years ago, my sisters and I decided to start giving each other photo books as holiday gifts and forgo the usual gift-giving madness. We all live in different states, so we miss out on so much of the day-to-day stuff that keeps us connected. The photo books are wonderful because they help to fill in those gaps - and they're a great way to present the zillions of photographs that I take throughout the year (way too many to print and frame). The books are inexpensive and personal, and they fit right into my new minimalism philosophy - that is, I don't want any more stuff to clutter my house. I'd rather have something meaningful and small that connects me with my family.

Another great thing about these photo books is that they give you some perspective on your year. As you sort through your photographs, you realize how much fun you've had, how much you've accomplished and how things have changed. You remember lazy summer afternoons and autumn hikes, birthday parties and snow days - the small but significant moments that make up big stretches of time.

I'm hard at work on this year's photo book through shutterfly.com. Here are links to our books from the past two years. If you have lots of photos and some free time, give these a try. You (and your family) will be hooked!

Click here to view this photo book larger

Click here to view this photo book larger

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Everyday Poetry

I work with small children, which offers many little moments of beauty. Here are some I've noticed lately.

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Backyard Bench Press

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Another Batman Fan

Our 6-year-old dressed as Batman for two Halloweens in a row, and he used to wear his costume everywhere. Here he is on vacation at Dauphin Island.

I loved that stage of his life, and I finally had a photographer friend take some photos of him (below) in his threadbare costume (he added the John Deere boots).

Looks like we have another, more muscular fan in the house.

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Happy Fall

Fall brings its own set of wonders - playing in the leaves, carving jack-o-lanterns, sitting outside by the fire pit, trick-or-treating, baking and hiking - and we're trying to embrace them all.

Last night I took a nighttime walk with Sawyer - just the two of us - and was reminded how much joy such simple pleasures can bring. We looked at our long shadows, the stars, Halloween decorations and blinking airplane lights overhead. He threw some big sticks, played with a neighbor's dog and watched cars' headlights as they sped by us in the dark. After a busy, noisy day, it was a nice way to end the night.

Unplugged and connected.

Happy fall. :)

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