Part of me wants to play catch up here, filling in all the blanks of summer days ending and school beginning. Part of me says let it go. Which probably explains why I haven’t posted in SO long.
Obviously, the beach is over and school is back. I DID get first day of school photos this year and didn’t have to fake it the second day. Yeah for me! But my oldest girl doesn’t want hers posted here so I guess I’ll let that go this year.
I will say my oldest is the happiest she has ever been at school. She moved up to the upper elementary building and loves all the extra freedom and perks that come with Montessori education and the philosophy that nurtures the whole child. She has a newfound love for science, microscopes and garden walks looking for interesting objects to study. The Montessori success stories ring true with this and all our girls, at very different ends of the spectrums on how they benefit from a system of no grades, no tests and (thank God) no homework. So school is rocking!
I’m still trying to transfer over 700 beach pictures from my laptop to my big computer at home. So sadly to say, the photos and stories from our beach month that I’ve posted is all you are going to get. I have to let that go and move on. However I know my experiences there will continue to shine thru in other areas of expression and life.
I am trying to still carry on my vacation mode into real life. I would LOVE to have stayed at the beach forever. I even did some house hunting while I was there and downsizing seemed really appealing! Despite people telling me you can’t really live on vacation, I’m trying by taking on a more carefree mentality and only valuing the important stuff. Beach style.
The girls are getting older and seeking out more freedom. And I find myself more so wanting to give it to them. You want cereal for dinner tonight? Go for it. I’ll have a glass of wine on the patio and no dishes to clean up. You want to have dinner next door? Okay! You want to make tacos tonight? Great, lets do it together. You want to dance in the rain in your swimsuit and play in the street runoff water? Go for it. I’ll even join you. Because we should all seize these moments.
My middle girl wants nothing to do with after school activities this year. She said, “I just want to be free. FREE!” I said Okay. I get it. Your wish is granted. Except for piano. Lessons are supposed to start sometime soon (not really sure when) at the neighbor’s house on Saturday mornings. They can walk there, together. Now that’s an extracurricular activity I can love! And I think the free sprit, opera singing, home schooling/Montessori mama is someone the girls will love too.
Trying to carry on some beach mentality into the school year has meant doing things like paddle boarding for a Wednesday date day. Dates during school hours are WAY cheaper than paying for babysitters. And I have to say, it’s pretty fun being THAT mom in the pick up line with two paddleboards strapped to the minivan. I’ve started back to my weekly volunteering at the CSA farm. Because nothing says FREE like driving out to the farm in a sea of endless veggies. Volunteering makes my heart smile – always has – since being an Americore member and being touched by so many giving their time to others. It’s stuck in me. We always think there is never enough time – until we start letting it go. And then we learn we really have a lot of it, it’s just how we choose to use it.
I’ve officially committed myself to doing lots of yoga this school year, by signing up for a series of 12 weekend workshops taught by a visiting Iyengar instructor. I’m really in it for the journey. And to just see where it takes me. I’m always most happy when I’m doing yoga. It grounds me – not to sound cliché. But today I was pushed in high-level class that I have not attended since my second girl was born. Could I do everything? Not even close. But that wasn’t the point. I was there. And I went as far as I could until I literally took child’s pose and was grounded. I was flooded in thoughts, tears and things my body was letting go of that I didn’t even realize I was still holding on to. Then the rest of the day was simple. Because I know, I ‘ll get caught up. Which might just mean letting go of things that are no longer important, while making room for the things that are.
Playing in the rain…will ALWAYS be important.
