Good clean fun

If you have a front-loading washer, and ever want a really exciting activity to do with your children that also gets things clean, try washing stuffed animals! I am ashamed to say I have not washed their stuffed animals...umm....ever (unless one got peed on or thrown up on or something of course).

So, a week or two ago, we went around the house and chose some friends to throw into the washing machine. What fun that was - Dylan would have thrown in our whole house if I let her.

Here is the fun in action - they stayed here for so long I had to peel them away to eat dinner. They could see them going ROUND and ROUND and getting SUDSY!


Simple pleasures.

Pillow covers

My wonderful, amazing, talented sister, Lara made me some covers for my pillows on my plain couches in our front living room. They look totally awesome and make the room look so much more interesting. I'm posting them here for mainly her benefit, but I also like the picture of the kids, who I told to go pose by the couches for Aunt Lara...and this is what they did - very THEM.




Thanks Lara!!

Preschool Part Two

See, I knew there would be a part two before it even happened.

Yesterday the director of a city waldorf school in nearby pilsen, called to chat about Dylan possibly going to preschool there next year. It's a long shot - probably out of our financial reach, and we don't even know for sure that we'll be here, but I really like the idea of this school, and I SO wanted to make a good impression.

If you don't know anything about Waldorf education look here. One key element for this post: they are anti-screens (tv, computer, etc.) in early-childhood development.

So, this wonderful woman calls me on the phone at 3:30 - a volatile time at our house when no one took a nap. We are playing with playdough, and I had to abruptly stop and talk to her. In hindsight, I should have excused myself from the conversation and told the kids I needed to have 5 minutes of important mommy time. But, instead, I just left the table and went to go talk.

Dylan starts yelling in the background - nothing terrible, but just lots of embarassing NOISE.

And then she comes storming to me and yells at the top of her lungs, "I want to play a computer game NOW!"

Whoa. Not only is she yelling at me, which is just not acceptable, but she is (shuddering in shame) asking about computer games while I'm talking to the waldorf lady!!!

We're not even screen people. Yeah, she gets one show or equal time on the computer per day, but that's it! It completely mortified me, but was so perfect at the same time. Served me right for trying to impress anyone with my parenting...over the phone or not.

Preschool Part One

Dylan is almost four, and she is very ready for preschool. A year or so ago, I tossed around the idea (in my head mostly...and checked out a few library books) of homeschooling. Not for long term, but for a couple of years possibly - especially if we were in the city when she starts kindergarten. Don't get me wrong - that still might happen - and so I'm not ruling out homeschooling completely. But, I'm beginning to see how interested Dylan is in school. She loves her art and ballet classes, loves Sunday School. She loves following directions (even mine - so other adult's are even more desirable). She asks me sometimes why she doesn't go to preschool. And while I don't regret one second for keeping her out of school this year, I think it's time for her to start something this fall.

So, the search for the right school begins. It would help if we knew exactly where I should be looking. Alas, I can't obsess too much or make too many plans. I just have to wait and see where life takes us. And wherever she ends up, she'll (I'll) make it work.