Kindnessgirl

I am completely, totally, scarily overwhelmed. If I told you all the things I have to do right now, you would first make me a cup of tea and then very gently say… “Why did you say you would do all that?!!” …and with a furrowed brow I would agree, wholeheartedly. Except, I really do want to do all the things on the list, I really do. So I sit here tonight, not knowing where to start…and then, because all roads lead back to Julie Andrews I sing to myself, “Let’s start at the very begininng, a very good place to start” …. (in my best English singing accent, of course). Then I do the very last thing I should be, to just get a chance to breathe, to collect myself, to indulge in the living in the moment.

So here we are….every summer I make a list of our favorites, music, activities, whatever will call our hearts during the season of total freedom…a chance to get to fill the blank slate.
you can read the list from 2008 and the year before that if you are interested.

It was a last minute idea for Jorge very early on his birthday morning. Josiah, Jack and I made a sign listing the top 36 reasons why we love Jorge. We were working so fast and had the fans going hoping it would dry before he woke up, the whole process was comical. My most favorite reason on the sign was by Josiah, it said, “he has me”…oh the sweetness!
It was so fun I wondered if we should do it again and instantly thought of the sign queen and her lovely work. We decided we should make one every week through the summer.

So Lucy and I spent the afternoon listen to the Annie (the musical) channel on Pandora which gives you the greatest mix with lots of Mary Poppins, The Sound of Music and My Fair Lady…it was so dreamy to paint and sing.
Everyone is learning and growing…it was a staple phrase used all throughout my kid’s toddler years. When there was conflict or struggle, this little phrase invited in empathy for all involved. Lately I’m realizing it works beyond toddlerhood, *sigh*, we are all still learning and growing, heaven help us if we aren’t. So this one was for me, to remind me there is still space for me to stumble in my never ending learning and growing. Look for next week’s sign, they are the signs of summer…or even better, make your own signs and send pictures!

There was a frog festival here in Richmond, well, sort of. It was a tent with some lovely, lovely people who found a crazy amount of tadpoles in a city pool and wanted to use this as an opportunity to educate. My eco boy was out his mind for the froglets and tadpoles, so we took some home to become our very own mosquito eating brigade. There has been LOTS of discussion regarding their care…like questions about the pond water, its level, being inside/outside, fish food feedings- flakes or pellets, and on and on. Everyone please, please cross your fingers that at least ONE of the little guys make it.

It’s all coming back. The 80’s goodness for my own ten year old. I’m not always a fan of remakes but I must admit I can barely wait to take Josiah to see The Karate Kid . This started a whole slew of other movie suggestions and memories. The Neverending Story, The Boy Who Could Fly, Space Camp, Batteries Not Included…which started a huge discussion about whether Goonies and Stand by Me were appropriate which then lead to another conversation where I discovered how many disturbing horror movies Jorge saw at a young age.
Still looking forward to kid movies and maybe even hitting up the drive-in.

…and now I go back to the 57,000 things but keep signs, frogs and movies close to my heart. What are your signs of summer?