Another snow day

When im stuck inside for a second day in a row, due to a big snow storm, i have to remind myself of the things that im thankful for. We had to miss play group (which is also a moms group), grocery shopping, and various errands. These things keep me sane when for 4 days a week, i act as a semi-single parent...from 7 a.m until 8 p.m (robert isnt even home until 9:30 though). Living in the woods is really difficult on me some days. Everything i need to go and do takes a lot of planning because its so far away. Feeling like im part of a community takes a ton of energy and effort. Things like snow days happen (even though i could drive 10 min away and snow wont exist). Things like HUGE lizard creatures crawl on my deck when we play. Bugs are INSIDE the house!
Creatures roam everywhere, under my house, and on my deck. I like nature, but im a "fake nature" person. Meaning, when i want nature i would like to take Forest to a park or something, but then go back home when im done with it. Its beautiful out here, the goose pond is awesome, the fox that walk around are cute, Forest loves "his" Geese; but its a little bit scary for me to play outside for long periods of time.
So, on days like today, i have to remind myself of how thankful and blessed i actually am to be out here. God really has answered my prayers, he just chose to answer them along with putting me way out here! I prayed that we would get to move to a place that had carpeting before Forest started learning to roll everywhere and crawl; our place has carpet everywhere! Including our dining room where you can now find smashed beans, tofu, avocado, etc. thanks to Forest. He started becoming mobile a week after we moved!
I prayed that Forest would get to have his very own "baby room" set up and decorated how i always wanted, by at least his 1st birthday; he has his own room, and its almost decorated how i had planned even before he was born...his birthday is in two months! That might sound trivial, but to a first time mom, missing out on setting up a baby room is pretty crushing. And realizing that the house your bringing your baby home from the hospital to isnt yours at all, and the hospital provided more privacy that the home, really kills you inside. Missing out on those first special weeks alone with your baby is something that takes time to get over as well.
I prayed that I would get to start raising my son without other people living with us and get to enjoy some moments between just the two or three of us, that i missed out on when he was a newborn; God gave us our own place, which is very removed, which gives us plenty of family alone time. However, I still am drawn towards communal living if its done the right way. Which i have experienced before and still see major benefits to. (btw: what i referred to above was not when we lived communally. I was referring to when we HAD to live in some one else house.)
I prayed that my stress i felt for a long time would be able to leave; living out here has forced me to chill the hell out. (sorry, just keeping it real).
Robert and I both miss the faster paced lifestyle,(ive never felt more in my element and more contentment in all my life than when i lived in S.F) and we hope to return to it one day in the future, but we are embracing this time we have out here since we dont know how long it will last. Its been wonderful to get re-focused on us as a family, for me to try to get the hang of taking care of domestic things (haha, im even baking brownies today since Wednesdays are our Fridays), and for us to really notice the little (and huge) things we are thankful for.


The day before the snow hit, we had incredible weather! Forest and I like to meet up with my sister Liz after our Monday play group. So we met at the park for lunch and Forest got to try out a swing for his first time. We knew Robert would be upset to miss out on the big moment, so Liz took some pics for us. Here are a few!

Finally SUN!

We had some fun in the sun for the first time in quite a while. Ive been wondering when the sun would finally come back! Lately we have had cloudy and cold days that include, rain, wind, hail, snow, and thunder. It gets pretty boring being stuck inside with Forest every day, so im hoping the sun will stick around for while!
We went for a little walk around the pond where all the geese like to roam, and had lunch out on our back deck. Because Robert and I arent quite used to all this nature, Robert decided to bring a mattress outside for all of us to sit on during our little picnic. Forest loved every moment of his little picnic and a little sunshine on his bright white skin was probably a good thing!

Picnic on the mattress!

Lovin his Dad at the goose pond

(Mandy is going to kill me after seeing this, but i decided that its worth it.)

Our friend Mandy came for a visit last weekend. Forest has always been in love with Mandy from the very first time they met on his first day of his little life. We think he knew it was her that provided me with great food and lots of help while he was in the womb! Mandy, remember when you came to fold all of his little clothes and organize them in drawers when i was barely able to even sit up? OMG.
Anyways, Mandy is a wonderful friend of ours whom all three of us love very much.
See you in SF in a few weeks!

Forest is obsessed with cell phones and Mandy actually let him use hers as much as he wanted
bundled up to show Mandy his goose field

Some Video's of Forest

Non stop laughing with his Dad

Taking after Robert, I think Forest enjoys the new TV a little to much,
I'm doomed . . .

snowing this morning, so im on a roll

"Lay aside immaturity and live,
and walk in the way of insight."
Prov. 9:6

(this post has potential for offending. Consider that your warning)

Ive been thinking a lot about this lately. My blog doesnt exist for me to use as a personal journal,(you should all be thanking God for that) but sometimes i feel like blogging about things that are going on in my journal. (a very mild and censored version of course).

I can come up with a few things from this passage. I have stated before (not on my blog) that this year im focusing on having a healthy family and home, building on existing meaningful relationships while making some new, and cleansing from the unhealthy ones. To me, "laying aside immaturity", plays into effect with this. I am learning more and more that its a waste of time to keep people around who arent necessarily encouraging, healthy, drama-free, or loving. Do you ever just wake up one day and finally realize, whats the point in knowing certain people anymore? Ok, enough, because this is not my journal.

Another thing that comes to mind from this passage is:
Physical health. I typically strive to be a healthy person, both physically and mentally.
I have always felt that self control and the desire to be healthy is a sign of maturity.
We are given new insight to healthful living as the years go on. I.E: people used to think white bread was amazing, but now we have the knowledge that white bread is actually just a "dead" food and we can now choose the many options of multi-grains that will put live nutrients into us.
In my own opinion, if im choosing to remain child-like in my decisions for personal health and well being, then im choosing to be immature. I was discussing with my mom the other week, that i often look to Buddhists, Hindus, and Yogi's for insight and inspiration of all around health.
I feel like they have a strong sense of self and a strong sense of how to treat their bodies right.
Im a follower of Jesus, but I do practice yoga for physical and mental well-being,and I strive to stock my pantry with groceries that a yogi would have. (say what you will). Dont get me wrong, i absolutely love the occasional nights of devouring pizza and brownies. But both of those items are pretty much dead, and I honestly do want live nutrients inside of me and my family.( I wont even put my pinky toe into the topic of me being a vegetarian in this blog entry)
And quite honestly, now that im thinking about it, the pizza and brownies are much like the pointless "friendships" that for some reason we just dont get rid of in order to cleanse, focus, love, and live more healthy.

"Lay aside immaturity and live,
and walk in the way of insight."
Prov. 9:6

We have been given insight on how to live...why not use it?

sunshine and blocks

Serious about his blocks

When the weather is nice we try and spend most of our day outside. The other day was BEAUTIFUL, so Forest and I headed to the cafeteria to visit with the cook and ask for a banana.
We went just outside the cafeteria which has the most tailored looking lawn on the property, and we had ourselves a little banana picnic on our blanket in the sun. There is a lot of grassy options out here, but this specific grass area makes me feel more secure then the others which are a bit more rustic. Forest greeted the girls as they arrived for their lunch and a small dog ran up to tell us he didnt want us there. Because Forest loves dogs, he didnt realize that this one didnt like him. We spent over an hour out there before nap time! (good thing, because it snowed that night and next day).
The rest of our evening was spent playing with his set of squishy blocks. Forest thanks Nona very much for his set of blocks! And so do I, because it gives me a chance to do other things without him yelling at me! Every night when he goes to bed, I come in the living room and put them all back in their container so that he can feel like a big boy in the morning when he wakes up to take them out himself. (Thats his favorite part).

Fun at our banana picnic!

The bag the blocks go in, is the most fun to play with

SIDEWALKS ARE FOR PEOPLE

ALL DAY / CITY-WIDE

SATURDAY, MARCH 27

PLAN SOMETHING FUN ON A SIDEWALK NEAR YOU
OR PARTICIPATE IN MULTIPLE GATHERINGS!

4:00PM: MEET FOR AN END-OF-THE-DAY CELEBRATION AT MARKET/CASTRO PLAZA

FIND EVENTS OR ADD YOUR OWN EVENT TO THE MAP

The San Francisco Board of Supervisors will soon be voting on a law that would make it illegal to sit or lie on any sidewalk in San Francisco. We think it’s a terrible idea to criminalize the act of sitting in public space and we are shocked that San Francisco may be on the verge of adopting the most draconian “sit/lie” law in the country.

You can help stop this law from passing, and you’ll need do nothing more than do what you love on your nearest sidewalk.

MARCH 27 will mark a fantastic, city-wide celebration of public space, San Francisco’s diverse and vibrant culture, and San Francisco’s history of tolerance and compassion.

On Saturday, March 27, people in every neighborhood will be doing what they love on the city’s sidewalks and they will be inviting family, friends, and neighbors to join them. Multiple events have already been planned and the list is growing by the day. More than one thousand people have already RSVP’d!

What can you do for Sidewalks are for People? Anything!

Just occupy a space on the sidewalk, perhaps with a table, lawn chair or carpet. Then, make music, barbecue, do yoga, create a lemonade stand, read, relax, make art, have an argument, talk, sun bathe, do your taxes, play chess, meditate, do tai chi, eat, knit, dance, paint, write, sit, lie down, play — Anything!

We will provide you with some basic materials to hand out to curious pedestrians, along with tools to support you in orchestrating this in the most effective way. Other than that, we leave it up to you to organize the best event that you can. You can do whatever you want, but please do something!

Be sure to document your event with photos and video.

MORE INFO TO COME!

CONTACT: info@StandAgainstSitLie.org to learn more about how to get involved and make your individual action cohesive with the hundreds of other people who will be participating.