OhmMama Mudpie

Photo Friday - Boys of Summer

Photo Contest - Boys' Dream

I stumbled upon 5MinutesforMom.com and discovered a summer fun photo contest.  Here's their link:

http://www.5minutesformom.com/3898/win-500-in-our-summer-fun-photo-contest/#comment-787236

Here's my entry...

Zen Tarpon Daddy had a rare day off during high season, so we all piled into the boat and headed out to sea...

Sweet treats and salty air...a taste sensation indeed! (And one of my all-time favorites)

Kaden gets in on some sweet/salty ice cream...

The view from here...

Slurping in the goodness...

Ohhhh mannn, dropped some!!

 

Ahhh, still good!  5 second rule still applies for the ocean, right?

The boys take turns steering as we head to dinner at The Keys Fisheries

 

Scooting under the Old 7 Mile Bridge

On the other side...

The boys feed the tarpon while waiting for dinner..

Those lil buggers are FAST!

Back home again for some fancy footwork before bed..Not too sure about them, but woo-boy I'm pooped!

Thoughts on Today's Educational Choices

My son is 3 so I have some time to truly decide upon pre-school, alternative education and/or homeschooling.  My first choice would be a Waldorf or Enki-inspired school, but alas, there are no such things down here in the Sounthernmost USA.  I do like Montessori, but would have to bus my child an hour down to Key West or Islamorada. I have been told there used to be a Montessori school here but closed down. I am seriously considering obtaining my teaching certification in Enki/Montessori and starting up a Co-op to fill the void. 

This is slightly old, but still brings me back to my lackluster opinion on today's education system...

http://www.tcpalm.com/news/2008/may/24/30gtteacher-lets-students-vote-out-classmate-5/

I remember my 3rd and 4th grade teachers, Mrs. Larry and Mrs. Koeppel, with love and warmth...they were truly teachers from the heart.  In 4th grade, we had the opportunity to build a loft in our classroom together and this was where we read and took down time (Im not even sure if there is actually down time now in classrooms). I also remember a lot of crafts; sand crafting, posters, paints, etc. while also learning our lessons about our State (NJ), SRA reading (remember these books?  I loved moving up the colors) as well as cursive handwriting) (if you were REALLY good, you got to write with a PEN - woo hoo!).

My 5th Grade teacher, however, I remember with dismay...I would've been voted out of this classroom if she had her inclincation...I was the dreamy, artsy girl on the side of the class...and she would consistently pick me out and draw the class' attention to my 'out there' ways....and I crumpled inside, and Im still working on smoothing out said crumples...Thank's Miss Quigley....looking back with my adult eyes...you were an unhappy women forced into something for which you truly didn't have the fortitude or heart.  And with my yoga heart, I send you all the warmth, understanding and healing you did not possess for a dreamy, watercolor 10 year old sprite who grew into a vibrant Valkyrie Faerie Warrior. nI the words of Christina Aguilera,  "Thanks for making me a fighter". 

I would like to spare my children this experience if at all possible.  I don't think the growing from wounds actually makes one stronger, just tougher, and then there is the work in softening that toughness...daily I rub and work at my hard spots, trying to reach the tender soul I was before.  My oldest is extremely talented in finding said 'rough patches', and I am floored at what is still there lurking in the dark corners..."I thought I dealt with all this in therapy!! Man!" But I digress....

I believe education is a lifelong journey, a dance between the inner and outer world, and is not some task to complete for state funding.  I believe that the individual should be tended by laying a sturdy foundation for expression and indvidual thinking, not regurgitation. I believe that the soul should be nourished as much as the body and mind, and arts, crafts, music, poetry and theatre are the 'meat and potatos' of the soul, as well as traditions, ceremony and nature. 

Our present school system is sorely lacking in the above, just like our present overall society.  What warms my soul is the grassroots awakening of so many people that I meet, both online and off,  who are re-embracing the simple way of life...connecting, nourishing, being.  I have recently met four other moms who feel the same way as myself and are interested in alternative schooling/coop for their children.  This is a start...and maybe, like a snowball...we will grow into a lovely wholistic community in Endless Summerland.  I have a feeling there are many more who feel the same, but, like myself, are hesitant to bring up their dissatisfaction with the status quo.  This is a tiny community and you just don't want to rock the boat, make waves, etc.  Me, eh, just my organic boho, shiny yoga presence pisses the status quo off down here, and regarding that dingy old boat,  I would like to tip that dang thing right over!!    :)

Just a little pic today...Im behind on posting (as well as, ummmmm EVERYTHING! I'm living in kiddie entropy and slowly losing)

Inspired by Soulemama, Kody displays his 'broderie' which he has been working on for the past month or so.  I hold the hoop for him right now.  He is also very insterested in knitting (probably because it involves 'sticks') and likes the fingerknitting story about the sheep jumping over the fence. 

Through the Eyes of a Child

I lent K my camera...our yarden looks HUGE from his three-year-old viewpoint...

Mama and Lil Bro

Great shot K-man!!

And I liked this shot...a lil avant garde ;)

He might have a future here...either in photography or home furnishings!

Going Bananas!!!

 Or rather, growing plaintains, cut from our backyard...now if I can find some recipes other than plaintain chips...off to cruise the internet!!

A Yoga Post, Oh My!

I have something to post on my yoga blog!!  WooHoo!!!!  Come see, come see :D

Hint, Hint....

High Mountain Sagebrush 4/96 - 5/17/08

This is the last picture of Sage, taken March 23, 2008. 

Sagie-girl did it well; she slipped away to find a final resting place, shielding the boys from a too early encounter with death, yet she was close enough to be found by her Daddy when he came home last night.  She was next door, just on the other side of our fence, and yet I failed to find her for the past two days.  I'm amazed at how the Universe orchestrates the players; Sunday my girlfriend dropped in unexpectedly with her two little ones, and we posted the flyers together.  I remember being very distracted with all the hub-bub of four toddlers on a walk, so I really wasn't looking around as we passed our neighbor's yard.  I think I probably would have found her if I had been alone, for my eyes are always searching.  And Monday, my cousin drove down from Tampa to stay a couple of days, just enough distraction so that we don't wallow in our sadness.  He drove up about an hour after Kris found Sage. 

For some reason, I would not let the boys play out front yesterday, I kept shooing them into the backyard, and they kept on playing by the garbage cans, just on the other side where their beloved doggie was. 

It seems to me a sweeter way to pass, Sagie lying on the grass in the warm sunshine, smelling the world and listening to wind, rather than under our dining room table and for that, again I am thankful. 

Sage has taught me a valuable lessen, in that love is messy, and sometimes smelly; love is disorganized and sometimes quite annoying, but at the end of the day,  love still shines through, and that is what remains.   I will remember this when I am short on patience with my boys and husband, in that I would trade a year's worth of dog hair-free floors for just one more opportunity to give Sage a gentle pat and whisper, Good girl!

Time to go give all my boys many, many hugs and kisses.

Slipped Away Unnoticed...

So silently, so sadly...we lost out dog, Sage, Saturday. She was my husband's dog for 12 years, my adopted dog for 5 and my  3year old son's emotional haven.  My husband is quietly devastated, my son is a bit lost, and I am left with regret.  It was me who let her out in the usual way; I would wait for her "old lady" yip (she used to have a bark that shook the house) and I would grumble and let her in, calling her a pain in the butt...

Saturday, the side gate was open...and she slipped away, and I didn't even realize until an hour later when K asked, Where is Sage?  Oh dear...

There is an empty space in the house, a hush and a silence, and I wouldn't have guessed this, but I am also devastated.  Sometimes I'm comforted that she got her 'last run' in and went out freely of her own will.  She also spared the boys finding her lifeless furry body, so for that I am grateful. 

I've been preparing the family, especially my husband,  for the last six months, as I saw a slowing, a lessening in her...the day before she disappeared I commented to her that she lost that spark in her eyes, and I playfully quipped back in my best 'Sage' voice, "Don't write me off yet, lady....I still have spunk!"  But she was slowing down, she was having difficulty getting up and I would guess her hips were starting to fail.  We also had to add water to her kibble so she would eat. But she heartily ate up the boys' left-over breakfast, lunch and dinner, and I started giving her the chicken skin with my husband's approval because, in his opinion, she was in the 'bonus' round and could live it up now. 

She was a champion bird dog and had her last run two years ago with her Daddy.  I think it was such an adjustment for her to let this lady (me) in her home, then a black cat whom she had to be nice to (no eating!), and with each addition, she fell from her Daddy's side...and she was the low man on the totem pole...but not to my boys....they loved her deeply and wholly with the innocent overhwelming way of toddlers.  And she was so gentle, I would call her  'Nana' from Peter Pan because she put up with the poking, prodding, loving of two toddler boys (and I think she kinda enjoyed it).

When K was born, Sage would get out regularly and run the neighborhood, a hero to the other doggies.  She would eventually come back about 4 hours later, happy and tired.  She had a black lab boyfriend around the corner she would visit, and his 'parent's' would drop her off from time to time.  I think the longest she was gone was about six hours when she escaped in the afternoon and didn't return until 2:00 in the morning, banging on the front door.  Over the past couple of months she wouldn't leave, and if the side gate was open, she would go out the back to do her duty, and I would hear her scratching at the front door about 10 minutes later. 

My hopeful side is praying that someone took her in on that HOT Saturday afternoon.  Yesterday we posted flyers around the neighborhood, so maybe they will see it and she will come home to live out her days.  My other side  thinks this was her last great adventure and she went to find some place to finally rest.  I hope she is happy where she is and chasing after her birds in Doggy Heaven.

I wish I appreciated you more when you were here. I wish I hadn't shooed you out of the Kitchen so much you thought your nickname was 'Outta the Kitchen' or 'On Your Bed'. But for all our bickering, it was me to whom you went to get fed or go out, even when Daddy had been up since 6:00.  It was me who also cleaned up the massive amount of poop in our screen room last month when you couldn't control yourself and I did'n't respond quick enough b/c I as on the phone.  And it was me who watched the quiet fading of  you...and I understood and tried to protect you from The Toronado Brothers.  And it was me who gave you, unwittingly, your Last Great Run....Get Those Birds, Sagie Girl! 

  Love you Sage, your adoptive Mama.

Waning and Waxing Me

This is a post from March 16...why I didn't post I just don't know...so here it is...

Wow...can it be 3 1/2 months have pased since my last post? Time seems to be compressing into slippery silver droplets skittering away from this mama...my yoga name is Chandrala, which is Sanskrit for moon...I am that...the moon, delicateand ethereal, overwhelmed by the sun's blinding light, waiting to shine in the quiet of the night...I wax and wane but I always return...like the breath of the ocean...I am not constant but I am consistent in my own rhythm. 

Sometimes I do get lost, eclipsed by the hustle of the day to day life, and I do my best to 'keep up' with this whirlwind world, and I pay...Yesterday I packed up my lil imp boys and took them to the Marathon Seafood Festival in an attempt to get more ivolved with my community, listen to some great local music (I used to sing in original bands in my past life aka before babes time, so Im always interested in some new music...and maybe starting up again, someday).  But the day started with my Moon Time...ehhh...should listen to my body and be GENTLE....but no way, I had PLANS!

I was  HOT day down here and we stayed longer than we should, spent more $$ than we should have , but I  had a great parking spot and dagnabit I was gonna have a GOOD time!  Dubba proceeded to fall asleep for most of the time, while King Kraken had a blast in the bouncy thingees...we spent most of our time either there or walking back to the car for my cashcard for more $$.  I spent most of the time waiting for K-man to come back out of the bouncies and keeping Dubba out of the sun.

We ate hamburgers (split between K and myself) and smoothies - Cookies and Cream for K and  Mudslide (virgin) for myself...

I felt the first twinge just above my left eye...so I drank a bottle of water.  We returned home with Kraken falling asleep in the car and Dubba still sleeping even after the stroller-carseat transfer..woo hoo!  I might be able to head off the headache if I can take a nap.  My fatal error was taking Dubba first and placing him on the table while I got K from the car, into a diaper and bed.  I come out of the room, ready for my quiet time/nap time to see dubba's seweet lil smile (sigh!) . 

Okay, I thinkI can make it if Hubs comes home early, oh please, please maybe he'll come back soon, why don't we live closer to ANY family, I wish I knew someone who could watch Dubs just for an hour, okay, 1/2 hour, who is home and not at the festival?,  OK, don't think about it, relax, breathe...this too shall pass.

No, Hubs didn't come home early, the boys did a 'changing of the sleepy guards', as one fell asleep, the other woke up..I fed them at 5:30 as my twinge mounted into a thundercloud behind my eyes, threatening...I made dinner for Hubs (venison backstrap salad - sounds fancy but is creative leftovers), I take the boys out front around 6:15 so K can ride his new bike, Dubs can toddle around...at 6:30 Hubs pulls up (Halleujah) 

Hubs decides on pizza (great so I now have dinner for tomorrow now ;)...my second fatal error;  I order and decide to pick up b/c it's quicker...third strike; Hubs has $$ in his (new) truck...the new car smell puts me over...by the time I return (in my car) with the pizza...IT"S HERE...too late for sleep..

Hubs looks at me and there is no need for words...I lie down and try to circumvent the migraine with sleep, and I must've dozed about 1/2 hour but my momma's ears waken to Dubs cry as he's tired and needs momma's milk, but no momma, no milk tonight.  The pain returns as I surface from sleep, passing  through the quiet comfort into pressure, my body goes from sweats to chills, trying to overcome the PAIN.  I take 3 Tylenol and wish I bought Excedrin for migraine.  I never take medication if I can. 

Finally, 1/2 hour later, my body cannot digest it all, the overstimulating day, the hormonal shift, the constant being ON, and I purge...and purge.

After, my body quiets down and I am able to nurse the baby down a little, but he is tapping into the energy and won't sleep.  I can feel the twinge still and I need to sleep, so Dubs cries him self to sleep as we all go to sleep now...it's 9:30...I can here in his wails that he's not going to self soothe tonight. sometimes he half-sings/half whines himself to sleep in about 15 minutes. So I try again, and he's down in 10 minutes, and Im down 5 minutes after....whew!!

Im a sensitive soul, and I say that without any pride, or agenda, but more in resignation...Im not built for the Modern World...the Go-Go-Go, Hey-Ho-Howdy, let's get together, bring the kids, the more the Merrier World  which I perceive the rest of the Mommies live.  And I sigh behind the shutters and wish I was a Go-getter with 1000 friends.

Then, I breathe and look around at my world, the hushed world where I play guitar with the kids and sing them songs, my silly originals and covers of Mother Goose, Laurie Berkner and U2 (Dad plays Black Sabbath and Country tunes for them as well).  My hand softly grazes my alter, with Quan Yin gently gazing down; crystals, feathers and incense placed around her feet, and I smile...I love my quiet world, which is usually not so quiet, but is my World Within...my world where I paint and dance and play with my children.  My Moon World, which is eclisped by the Technicolor Outer World because I allow this...and I vow to cherish my Moonside, my Moon world and my consistant rhythm....breathing in....and out....I smile.

Moon Flower

I haven't been posting...not for lack of information/thoughts, but for lack of time and discrimination. I will begin a post and the floodwaters rise and break through the dam....and I am editing myself...and decide not to post. 

So today, I make a promise to commit to my blog...short little updates on a consistent (oh my!) basis.  Today...I was inspired by this poem, which called to my moonlit soul :)

Namaste

MOON FLOWER
by Mark Heard.

When the moon blooms
Like a flower in the night
Petals of Heaven-born silver light
Its seeds ride the wind
To the souls of men
So silently
There is a fanfare
In the changing wind
For those who will listen
Beginning to end
And the nightingale pleads
For the well-tuned ears
Of every man
Oh the sun shines
Like a torch at sea
Author of all
For the eyes that see
Blind eyes know it only as a mystery
When the moon blooms
Like a flower in the night
Petals of Heaven-born silver light
Its seeds ride the wind
To the souls of men
So silently