Fairy Terrarium!

The return of art project Monday.  This week's quest - a terrarium.  Why you ask?  Because I had the ingredients and my four year old had the desire to learn.  Last weekend we watched a neighbor's house.  I said we had to go and give the flowers a drink.  E wanted to give them brownies because they were clearly hungry - we had a lengthy conversation that resulted in me being accused of neglect for not feeding a plant the last brownie.  Just how do you explain photosynthesis to a four year old (especially when you kill all things plant and animal).  You build a fairy terrarium - thats how.

Supplies:
Large plastic container (we used an animal crackers container)
Wood Chips or Sand
Potting Soil
Seeds or a small potted plant the prefers humidity
Characters (or living creatures if you aren't 0 for 3 on fish)

Step 1:  Think back to grade school science class - just how did I make this back in the day? Realize you have no idea what you are doing.
Step 2: Google how to make a SIMPLE terrarium (follow directions or use below, maybe after you see how this little project turns out)
Step 3: Place sand or wood chips on the bottom of the container.  Cover with a layer of potting soil.  Throw on a little turf builder - it can't hurt, right?
Step 4: Sprinkle seeds.  Sing the flower gleam and glow song from Rapunzel.
Step 5: Sprinkle with a little more potting soil.
Step 6: Invite your children to find small objects to fill terrarium.  Discourage them from attempting to put your cell phone or their sister in the terrarium.  Assure them they won't fit.  Place items in container.

We chose two fairies, food for the fairies, a tea cup for the fairies to live in, and a clock so they know what time it is.

Step 7: Water the terrarium and pray that it works!
Step 8: Attempt to explain photosynthesis to a four year old and two year old who are distracted by something shiny.

Bunny Scout

We have four basic rules in our house.  I apply them everywhere in my life and the girls:

1.  Everybody plays, or nobody plays.
2.  You get what you get and you don't throw a fit.
3.  Treat other people the way they want to be treated.
4.  If you mess it up, you clean it up.

Lately, our house has become consumed with pre and post nap whining and a complete disregard for the above mentioned rules.  Blame on schedule changes or long summer days or burned out Mommies!

I have been trying to handle this with the typical and even stereotypical methods - time out, revoking of privileges, etc.  Long story short, fighting fire with fire was only making the fire stronger and worse, contagious.  I was finding myself whining to anyone who would listen about the demon spawn.

I had an idea . . .

 For the last year or so, E has been asking to be a "bunny scout", the max and ruby version of Girl Scouts.

So, we played bunny scouts all weekend and the girls got a chance to earn badges (buttons).  We started out with a "camp out" in the living room complete with s'mores and a fire in the middle of July.

Instead of pointing out all of the negative behavior, I pointed out all of the things they did that could earn them badges and made a point to recognize their good behavior.

Tonight at bedtime, but the light of the reading lamp before story time, they got their badges.  We had a little ceremony and talked about how much more fun it was to share.  E also told me how nice it was that I "didn't yell at her all day."  Lesson learned on all around!  Now if I could only learn how to sew a sash to put the buttons on.

E got a "Bee Happy" Badge for trying to be happy.
O got the flower badge for being so sweet.
E and O got the hand badge for sharing.

I am finishing my short lived summer break from blogging.  We have had the opportunity to all be together for the summer and have been enjoying every minute of it.  I have trouble mustering the ambition to wash dishes, let alone keep track of a blog.  Follow through has never been my strong suit.  The best days have been the ones spent doing nothing.  The best nights have had the sound of silence as their soundtrack.  As always, we are preparing for our next set of adventures, building on what we have waiting to see what we will be and what will come.

With the expert social media guidance of my husband, I will be adding a few additions to my little blog here.  My hobby for cupcakes has taken on new form and I am beginning to indoctrinate the girls into the desire to make the perfect cupcake.  It becomes part of our daily dialogue, what flavor, how will we decorate it, who will get to taste it.  There will be pictures of our success and inevitable failure, and of course the baking styles of miss E and miss O.  Also, art project Mondays will be a little more center stage as this is a great source of pride for the girls (and, who are we kidding, me!)

Homecoming

It has been: 147 days and 146 nights, measured in 21 art project Mondays, 15 dance parties, 10 Friday night slumber parties, 5 trips to the zoo and / or museum, 4 visits to the apple orchard, 2 visits to the pumpkin farm, 2 blizzards, 1 broken garage door, 1 kitchen flood and 7 full days of the stomach flu.  It cost 5 bottles of carpet cleaner, 4 pallets of diet coke, 3 bottles of wine, 2 days of cell phone minutes, and of course 1 bottle of advil.  None of it matters now, because we made it.

Everything I listed is true, and some of it actually happened. 

What have I learned? 

Know your own limitations.  Admit when you need help.  Accept help when it is offered.   Listen to people when they talk.  Don’t ask for advice if you aren’t willing to accept it.  Believe in yourself. 

Sometimes all you need is someone to listen.  Even when you are 27 it is okay to call your Mom to make it better.  No matter how old you get, nothing makes you feel as safe as a hug from your Dad. 

It is okay to get angry.  Don’t hold people accountable for what they don’t know or things that are out of their control.  Be honest about your feelings.  If you wouldn’t say something directly to someone, don’t say it about them.

Say thank you.  Point out the good in others, especially your children.  Accept the good in yourself.

Say I love, every time, even when you are mad.  Make time for your spouse, even when you are tired, even when it is a new episode of glee.  Be vulnerable to love of someone else.

It is okay to stay up late to snuggle.  The dishes can wait until tomorrow, reading an extra chapter is more important.  Sometimes, it is okay to cookie crisp for dinner.  There are few things in the world not made better by a dance party or a nap.     

This chapter of our life is coming to a close.  I will always cherish this time that I have had with my little women –I have been so lucky to have them all to myself in our own little world for so long and now the three Little Fischer Women are anxiously awaiting the arrival of our missing piece, our most important thing, our best friend.

Somewhere out there . . . .

I admit it, I am a sucker for Christmas.  Every year I hear The Christmas Shoe I find myself crying alone in my car in the parking lot at my office.  Television commercials are enough to drive me over the edge.  I find myself chopping onions to excuse the tears brought on by Folder's Commercials.  I am not safe from from my own Christmas induced emotional idiocy anywhere.

 I have, on numerous occasions, tried to explain "happy tears" to E.  She has, on numerous occasions, advised me that a) I am confused and b) i should try laughing.  Good advice little grasshopper, good advice.

As usual, my little one is wise beyond her years.  This Christmas I didn't look for joy until our family was back together again.  I found it, right there in Santa's workshop and in the wonder I saw in my little girls eyes and the hope I saw in by husband's smile.  You see, this Christmas is bitter sweet.  It marks the first time we have been together as a family for a long long time.  However, I am reminded that next Christmas, we will be thousands of miles apart, wishing on the same christmas star.  Again, my little grasshopper reminds me of the things that I already know to be true.  "No matter when Daddy is, he is always in our heart and we are always in his."    Our house will always be full of love and joy because of the voices inside it and the constant presence in our heart of the voices that desperately want to be there."  No one is ever truly gone from as long as we love them and keep them there in our minds and in our hearts.

back in the saddle again

First, an update.  The deployment plans have changed.  Take my advice, focus on the silver lining.

Worry not, this is what we have prepared for - what we all have prepared for.  Step one, basic training.  Davin was gone from January to March and I talked to him five times for less than five minutes each time.  I read the letters that were sent to me for sentiment alone, the details were not important - I found myself scanning the letters for "I love you", "I am okay", "I miss you."  It was only after he was home I was able to stomach the detail of what he went through.  This prepared me for the times where I may not know where he is our what he is doing.  It helped me to build trust in the army, in our relationship, and in myself.

WE.  That is the most important part.  A few years ago, we made a decision together, as a family, to join the army.  I was incredibly resistant at first.  I distinctly remember saying, "but you have a family."  Davin replied, "so do most soldiers.  i want to do it for you and for emma.  i want to fight to protect and defend you and every other family.  i need to do this."  I have to admit, from the time I've known him, he has wanted to be in the military.  I always assumed that it was a desire to actually become maverick - now I realize it is about something bigger.

Don't get me wrong, I frequently don't understand the army or how it works.  I get very frustrated at some of the oddities of it all.  But, very subtly, in the best way they can, I have been prepared for what lies ahead.  I know not every soldier or soldier's family has, but hopefully we will move towards it.  In the same way, hopefully we will be supported when he is home safe to us.

The official bedtime countdown . . .

Whether your spouse is gone for months, weeks, or just a few days - when you have little ones at home, it is difficult to say the least.  I've learned over time to have a routine, and I've more recently learned to stick to it.

Art Project Mondays - we make at least one art project, usually to send Daddy.  Sometimes we have a plan, sometimes we jackson pollick it.  I remind them constantly that when they become famous artists they better tell Oprah who made them.

Tuesdays - We make "the jumping thing".  Let me break it down, we take every pillow, blanket, cushion, or other soft thing in the house and pile it in front of the couch - put on a little music and they go insane.  I have to admit, they prefer lady gaga to jump to.  I have many a video of E shaking her bootie  singing La La Lilly Ba Shake that Lilly Ba.

Wednesday - Grocery Shopping.  The girls get to pick and "make" dinner with me.  They have started greeting me at the door at Trader Joe's with suckers to avoid the noise - seriously - no joke.

Thursday - Both girls sleep in bed with me.  It seems like an awful idea, and took quite a bit of training to get them to A) Stay in Bed B) Sleep

Angelina's Friday -  if we don't have visitors, we order take out from Angelina's Kitchen!  So amazingly delicious.  E figures out if someone is visiting that weekend by asking what is for dinner.  Angelina's means it is a girls weekend, "actual" "home cooked food" means company!  Note the quotes around home cooked food and actual.

Saturday - We start the day with a long bath.  I have them nearly convinced it is swimming in a little pool - O buys it, I'm pretty sure E just humors me.  We end the day with a campout on the living room floor.  We go to bed "late" and fall asleep watching movies.  This has taken some perfecting to keep them both in the room with me - I usually have to hold O down.  There is also a complicated system of barricades.

Sunday - church and the library.  We usually have to get ice cream too - there is an ice cream parlor right outside the library - genius marketing - the library costs me a superman ice cream cone and a dish of lady bug a week.

This routine helps them know what is coming and helps me very silently track the passing of time.    For longer times I plan rewards for all of us.  At one month we bake a cake and I get a pair of shoes.  At two months we go someplace very special and I get a pedicure etc.  We celebrate two things, making it through and being one week, month, months closer to Daddy..

In the past few weeks we have been so busy we've lost our routine.  E took an opportunity to remind me last week that "we used to have a pattern, kind of like polka dots, but not really."  We are now on an E declared "home-cation" where we are back to our routine until the further notice.

So now we count the minutes, the hours, the days, until we are, in the words of E, "A family all together and not so far apart. . . "