Lessons on Prayer from a Three Year-old

One night, a couple of weeks ago, Ivy was saying her bedtime prayer, and in part of it said, "Help me to be nice to Calvin...and I would like a unicorn..." Once she had finished her prayer, Peter gently explained that we shouldn't really use prayers to make wishes for imaginary things.

So now she goes along with her prayer, and often says, "and I know we don't wish in prayers," and moves along. But she still pours her heart out about the day's events.

For example, one night her prayer was all about her friend, whom she loves dearly, but felt had stolen her turn to jump from a precipice at ballet class (not even a sanctioned activity), and her trying to reason through her feelings about this friend whom she felt had deeply wronged her. She prays in an innocent stream of consciousness, and I think that's probably closer to what prayer should be like than the rote prayers we all so easily slip into.

Life in a Box

Thursday afternoon I decided we'd brave the crowds of the science museum. It wasn't horrible, although it was definitely crowded.  Highlights included the hurricane simulator (pictured above) and the tubes that blow air and produce levitating golf balls and other such plastic spheres. And the view is never shabby.

Herding Cats Wearing Snowshoes

My friend and I took a passel (=7 in this case) of kids snowshoeing in Waltham at the Gore mansion. We only made it about 100 yards away from the mansion in more than an hour, but counted it a success.  They even made it through the scavenger hunt provided with the snowshoes.

Along the way we created many snow[wo]men, and talented Rachael even made a snow fox. After discovering that Ivy-in-snowshoes has all the grace of a giraffe on rollerskates, I was grateful I had also brought the pull-along-sled.

After snowshoeing, we took our sleds to the hill in back of the mansion. Bryn decided it was fun to ambush sledders midway down the hill with snowballs. We ended the cold and soggy adventure with lukewarm cocoa under (and in) a beach tree.

A House Full of Fun

We delightedly hosted the Ball Family Sunday night to kick off our winter break. Many games were played, many hills were sled upon, and many memories were made.

Just when you thought I was over Maui...

We developed our underwater disposable camera pictures!

Squid! This thing was sentient and carefully stared at us as we swam circles around it, almost as if we were the spectacle  The nerve! We found it at a place ominously named, "Five Graves."

The clear waters of Molokini: early morning sailing/snorkeling cruise aboard Kai Kanani

Blizzard Nemo: the Luge

We were so happy to retain power and trees during the last storm. I didn't measure with a ruler, but  when I walked through the backyard it was up to my mid-thigh.

The next day was a winter wonderland and we took full advantage- we sled on every hill we could find within a 3 block radius, and only sled into the creek a few times. Many cups of cocoa followed (and many wet socks cast aside- I HATE stepping in the little snow puddles in my kitchen).

The Hazards of Biking

Peter came home from work a couple of days ago and told me he had been in a bike accident on his way home, and had severely bruised his tailbone and his leg. As the details of the accident emerged, it became clear that biking is not a safe form of transportation in our neighborhood.

As he was finishing his commute and pedaling up our driveway, he left the bike in high gear and slowly but surely lost speed until the bike came to a stop (on a hill). Then, slowly but surely, the bike began tipping to the left. So he pulled his right foot out to catch himself. Whoops! Down came the bike and down came the Peter and now there are two ugly bruises and a dent in my raspberry canes.

little sisters

Ivy calls lower case letters "little sisters." She drew her name today with a "Mama I, little sister v and little sister y."

Embracing Winter

Inside: It was my rotation for preschool this month, and one of my staple activities is building a "train" with the chairs and letting the kids take turns as the conductor, punching tickets with a hole-puncher, selling hot cocoa, and pointing out interesting things we see along the way. I know an activity's been a success when Ivy reenacts it afterward with a few of her good buddies.

Outside: Who knew a snowman could cause such rage? A certain redhead got home from school, saw our creation, and just about took a pickax to it (and us) because he felt left out of the winter activities.  I promised next time he was home during a storm we would build one together.

Back to the Mainland- Christmas

We were gone for most of December, so Christmas was low key at our house.

Present highlights included the board game Stratego for Calvin, a Bust of Abraham Lincoln for Bryn, and a Leapfrog guitar for Ivy (she's proclaimed herself a rock star).

Later that day we participated in a Christmas Devotional at the church. Our family performed Away in a Manger featuring Peter on the guitar and Calvin stole the show with his mad triangle ringing.

To finish the evening, we dined with Laura and Tim  et al. The food was most excellent and the company even better. The kids in their Christmas pjs (courtesy of Laura) were adorable.