Movie Time Sister Snuggling

This Moment

A single photo -no words- capturing a moment from the week.  A simple, special, extraordinary moment.  A moment I want to pause, savor, and remember.

*inspired by SouleMama

Tire Swing on a Cool Autumn Night

This Moment

A Friday ritual. A single photo-no words-capturing a moment from the week.  A simple, special, extraordinary moment.  A moment I want to pause, savor, and remember.

*inspired by SouleMama

What Preteen Boys Are Made Of...

Last week I gave you a glimpse of the girls in this moment.  Today I wanted to capture the boy.  But when I walked into his room, I struggled with the image.  What do I photograph in a room that's a collection of little bits of things strewn about?  Then I spied his night stand.  It seemed to be the perfect glimpse of what preteen boys are made of, or at least what my preteen boy is made of.  

He's a collection of parts that he's trying to form into a whole right now.  This is an awkward stage of life.  It's about self discovery and independence but it's also about learning boundaries and responsibility.   There's a lot of falling down as you try to walk.  But thankfully it's all done with a mom not far behind ready to help you up, (not that you would admit to anyone that you need help with anything).   It's a whole lot of ego contrasted with a whole lot of self consciousness.   Adults don't usually have fond memories of middle school for a reason.  It's a messy in-between stage that's hard to navigate gracefully.  

But we're getting through it, one meltdown at a time.  And each day gets a little bit easier, (as long as you ignore the challenges you know will arise tomorrow).  He's a great kid. And a pretty cool one at that.  Let's break down the night stand, shall we.  

• Middle School style makes me laugh.  Note the cookie monster hat.  He's also really into neon yellow.  His shoes are so bright that they reflect light.  He gets comments everywhere we go.  People think he's cool.  He thinks he's cool too.  Until late at night, when self doubt gets to him.  I wish I could will his self doubt away.  
• The Vita.  He got that for his birthday from family members who thinks he's awesome.  See, he had been saving for one for awhile.  But then for Mother's Day, he decided to spend all of his savings on a camera for me.  So my family all chipped in to buy him the Vita because they were so impressed with his generosity.  So was I.  And I remind him of it daily.  
• Note the purple.  Not many boys will claim purple as their favorite color.  He does. Proudly.  This year he even put a streak of purple in his hair.  It was his "rebel without a cause" moment.  Sadly, that's against middle school dress code, so he has to grow it out.  This made him question authority and why they make up silly rules.  I tell him to respect authority and he does because he's a good kid, but really, it is a silly rule, and I don't fault him for calling them out on it.  
• Yes, that is a whole box of cookies on his night stand. He was sick all week, so one of his friends brought him a box of cookies.  OK, actually, it went more like this.  "Hey, I'm sick. I want cookies."  So the friend went and got cookies.  (I wish I could get chocolate milkshakes delivered on command.)  He's not bossy.  He was sort of joking.  But see he's charming and a good friend.  (He did say thank you, by the way.)  He's also shy so he doesn't even realize how much people like him.  Some days when kids are being kids and he's in fight with his best friends, he claims he has no friends.  Now I can say, remember when you got a whole box of cookies from that guy.  People don't do that unless they're your friend.  
• Finally, socks.  Yes, I said socks.  I find socks all over this house.  What is it with boys and socks?  That has absolutely nothing to do with his character.  Just a mom note.  

He's in a questioning stage of life.  Questioning everyone and everything.  Mostly himself.  But my hope is that if I keep telling him that he's great, maybe he'll survive middle school believing it.  Because he is.  He is one fantastic kid.  Sometimes I'm amazed that he's mine.  No matter how hard this middle school thing gets, I'll be right here to tell him that he can do it, even if he's convinced that he can't.  

This Is What Little Girls Are Made Of...

This bookshelf says a lot.  It may look like an overstuffed jumbled mess but it tells a story.  It's the story of where my girls are right now.  As I stopped by their room this morning to collect their laundry, I was struck by how much of who they are is explained by the things on this shelf.  I wish that I had taken more time to chronicle these things.   Because the bittersweet thing about having children is that they grow up.  And as they grow the shelf changes.  A doll today will be gone tomorrow replaced with something else meant to fit their changing personalities.  So today I'm pausing to write down who they are in this moment.  It's a twist on the normal "this moment" Friday post.  This moment is one I want to savor, for I know how quickly it will pass.  So let me tell you what's on the shelf.

• Tumtum and Nutmeg: Adventures Beyond Nutmouse Hall by Emily Bearn.  This book is simply lovely.  It has been our bedtime reading for the past month.  We're all very much caught up in the stories and all very much sad that we're nearly done.
• Meet Kit: An American Girl 1934 . Analiese got Kit for her birthday this year.  She has begged for an American Girl doll for a few years now, but I had a hard time paying so much for a doll.  I finally broke down this year and bought the one she wanted.  Watching her love that doll has made it worth every penny.  And, an added bonus is that it opened up a new book series for both girls which makes me love it even more.
• Dork Diaries  by Rachel Rene Russell.  Analiese has struggled for a while with reading.  She just wasn't a huge fan.  I felt like that was largely because she couldn't find books she liked.  And then we stumbled on the Dork Diaries and everything changed.  I was hesitant at first, for the same reason I was hesitant to let Chris read Diary of a Wimpy Kid.  It just seems so dumbed down.  But both series hit a comedic nerve with this age group.  And most importantly, it got my girl reading.  She has now discovered that she loves graphic novels.  Maybe its the artistic side of her merging art and reading.  I'm just glad she's reading.  I think she just needed a kick start with something she really enjoyed. 
• Ivy and Bean.   Sicily has read every single book in this series at least three times.  She loves it!  Now she's started on The Boxcar Children and  Dragon Slippers  which she is loving.  Of the three sprites, she is the most likely to sit down and read for pleasure.  She just really enjoys reading.  Sometimes on Saturday mornings I find her sitting on her bed with a stack of picture books, reading through the whole pile.  Her favorites right now are Curious George (a long time favorite) and Berenstain Bears.  
• Baby Beluga has been on our bookshelf for years.  It may seem a funny book to still keep around given the ages of my children but it has a funny magic to it that we can't get over.  When Chris began preschool at Montessori, his teacher would play the Baby Beluga song right before nap time.  I picked it up about that time and occasionally I would sing it to him at bedtime.  About the time Sicily came along, I began singing it to the girls at bedtime as well.  Now, many years later, when the girls are very tired, one of them will pull the book off of the shelf and ask me to sing Baby Beluga.  I've sung it to them the last three nights.  We are all very tired as the back to school schedule is starting to wear on us.  Last night, as I finished singing, I found the boy curled up, just about asleep, at the end of the girls' bunk bed.  He had crawled in silently when he heard the familiar melody from his room.  I'm telling you, the song is magical.  
• Legos.  Every room in our house contains Legos.  Legos are just awesome.  They never get old.  We have recently starting purchasing the Friends sets, which are geared toward girls. Though the girls love the Creation sets as well.  That way the Friends can have fast cars and airplanes too.  I love seeing the creations that come out of those buckets of multi-colored bricks.  
• Lalaloopsy.  Those funny little dolls are a hit with both girls.  They save up money just to buy new ones.   Each doll comes with a poster and those posters fill the walls of their room.  And to think, everyone thought those dolls looked so weird, if not a little creepy, when they first came out. 
• Acting Out, a charades type game.  Dramatic girls need dramatic games.  Need I say more.  
• And finally, a word about the giraffe.  Analiese won the giraffe at the fair this past weekend.  But she gave it to Sicily almost immediately.  Why?  Because, "she's sad that she didn't win anything. And I had fun playing the game so it's OK."  I thought it was a sweet sister moment.    Now it sits on the shelf for them both to share and remember a fun afternoon.

There's so much more that I could unpack on this bookshelf.  The Eiffel Tower, Strawberry Shortcake, other books, a bug microsope.  There's just so much there.  I fear I could go on for hours trying to describe every item.  But I feel I've hit the highlights so I'll leave the picture to tell the rest.  

It is a picture that captures this one moment in their lives.  Next month the shelf will look different.  New books will be the stars.  New animals will be put in the place of honor.  New Lego creations will be laid out before the books.  As parents we have to stop and capture these moments while we can.  Otherwise we'll turn around and they'll be gone with no record of their existence.  And time will wear down the memory so that we can't remember the special books and beloved toys and most importantly the story behind them.  This is why I take pictures of "stuff".  Events and holidays are certainly important photo-ops, but sometimes it's the daily stuff that tells the story that corresponds with the growing portraits of their beautiful faces.  

Poetic Family Walks

This Moment

A Friday ritual. A single photo-no words-capturing a moment from the week.  A simple, special, extraordinary moment.  A moment I want to pause, savor, and remember.

*inspired by SouleMama

Almost Finished

This Moment

A Friday ritual. A single photo-no words-capturing a moment from the week.  A simple, special, extraordinary moment.  A moment I want to pause, savor, and remember.

*inspired by SouleMama

Books and Books and More Books

This Moment

A Friday ritual. A single photo-no words-capturing a moment from the week.  A simple, special, extraordinary moment.  A moment I want to pause, savor, and remember.

*inspired by SouleMama

Sometimes You Have To Make Your Own Rainbow

This Moment

A Friday ritual. A single photo-no words-capturing a moment from the week.  A simple, special, extraordinary moment.  A moment I want to pause, savor, and remember.

*inspired by SouleMama

For the Love...Parties and Performances

This Moment

A Friday ritual. A single photo-no words-capturing a moment from the week.  A simple, special, extraordinary moment.  A moment I want to pause, savor, and remember.

*inspired by SouleMama

Two for one day...because it's been that kind of week.  Happy Friday!

A Private Recital of Jolly Old St. Nicholas

This Moment

A Friday ritual. A single photo-no words-capturing a moment from the week.  A simple, special, extraordinary moment.  A moment I want to pause, savor, and remember.

inspired by SouleMama

Thoughtful

this moment

A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week.  A simple, special, extraordinary moment.  A moment I want to pause, savor, and remember. 

*inspired by Soule Mama

Happy

{this moment}

A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

* inspired by SouleMama

Exactly What I Needed

{this moment}

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

*inspired by SouleMama

When the Mice Are Away...The Cat Sleeps All Day

{this moment}

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

*inspired by SouleMama

Last Day of School Ice Cream

{this moment}

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

*inspired by SouleMama

Hammock Reading

{this moment}

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

*inspired by SouleMama