SUN AND SNOW

Dear Olive, 

What a lovely weekend we had with you.

Gabriel is so proud that you taught him to ski!

I fear though that he has inherited my coordination.  Remember when you tried to teach me to ski and we just ended up rolling on the bunny hill laughing and accidentally tripping children skiers?

This is what we looked like:

What a lovely friend you are... to volunteer each of your Saturdays as ski patrol and to then let us reap the benefits of free passes for fun.  It was especially fun when the sun came out!

I love to be with you friend!

SATURDAY ROUTINES

Dear Olive,

Saturdays are for sleeping in, laying like cats in pools of winter sunshine, and for freezing walks to the warmth of the local donut shop.

It doesn't get much better than this!

A WAR ON TRAUMA

Dear Olive,

At work this year I've been planning a series of talks and experiences for staff members to keep them thriving in the wake of supporting kids in trauma.  The rigor of dealing with aggressive and depressed kids can get the best of us all.  Empathizing and trying to problem-solve for situations that sometimes seem impossible can feel so depleting.  And at the conclusion of last year, I felt pretty much spent.

I had remembered reading an article about the women who entered the workplace to substitute for men fighting during World War II.  With mothers and home economists out of the home, society had to restructure itself to accommodate for daily tasks that would not get accomplished in the usual way.  So, when women would check into work, they would bring their babies with them.  Not only would they have daycare on site, but they would also bring their laundry and grocery lists.  At the conclusion of their work day, women would collect their babies, clean clothing, dinner, and laundry.  Their errands had been accomplished for them by community volunteers because they were supporting the community with their work.  In this narrative I was struck; not only by the team- mindedness, but also by the awareness that no one person can do it all.

 via

Wrapped in the dichotomy of isolationism and social media, we live in a fast-paced age promoting independence and hustle.  Working and getting everything done to the height of perfection has become a badge and an expectation.  What if, instead of secretly competing against each other's Facebook feed of dinner and decor, we banded together to divide and conquer?

So, this year every Monday, we are giving our staff an opportunity to do or receive something that reduces the rigor and promotes community.  We're teaching skills like life lists, the power of play, how to deal with difficult people, and how painting increases cognitive efficiency.  We're giving away meditation routines, bento boxes, infused water bottles, family dinners, capsule wardrobes, and chair massages.

In such a small way, I hope that this resurrects the mentality that we are better together.  And that we can win the war.

DESIGN MOM FEATURE

Dear Olive,

About a month ago, Gabrielle Blair graciously invited us to share a little about our home and the motherhood journey on her award-winning site Design Mom.  Gabrielle is a designer and mother who rotates between the States and the French countryside.  Her work was praised as a "Website of the Year" by Time Magazine and a "Top Parenting Blog" by the Wall Street Journal, Parents Magazine, and Better Homes & Gardens.

So honored to have worked with Gabrielle.  Check our our  feature here.

SEW COOL

Dear Olive, 

I read an article several years ago about a famous architect whose parents refused to buy him toys as a child.  Instead they bought him any materials he requested and insisted that he make his own toys.  The kids were clammering about buying a new stuffed animal and; using the above practice, we made our own instead.

They really got into choosing their colors and stitching the creatures.

We drew and cut the dogs.  This was a first sewing experience for all.

They've been carrying their pets around all day.  

This is my first step to my dream of increased child labor in our household.

MAGIC WORDS: How to Reduce Sibling Conflict

Dear Olive,

I have unearthed the secret to reducing sibling conflict and rivalry.  I read this book.  And this one.  And this other one.  Nope, no magic there.  The real magic came on a grisly winter day when, stuck in the house with preschooler angst, I literally locked myself in the bathroom and let "Baby Fight Club;" as we like to call it, ensue.  Since the first rule of Baby Fight Club is that you don't talk about Baby Fight Club, I won't bore you with the bloody details.  You know the drill anyway.  Luckily, that dirty toilet respite was what I needed to cut through the gore.  Here's what happened:

"Prizes, prizes," I shouted bursting into the room.  "I have prizes for best friends who can solve a challenge."  God almighty, they actually stopped.  Gabriel looked at me with snot and tears plastering his face and Ella raised her puffy eyes.  Was that a trickle of blood in her scalp?  It didn't matter.  I had their attention.  "What challenge?" They responded, suspiciously.

"Oh, a treacherous best friend challenge," I sang enthusiastically.  "What we have to do?," quipped the little one.  Oh, well the floor is going to turn to lava pretty soon and best friends will have to help each other build pillow stepping stones to get to the prize.  Apparently, they were not overly saturated on the old pillow /  lava game and so I shined like a freaking genius.  Never mind the fate of my millions of throw pillow babies.  Sacrifices must be made.

Here are the rules for "Best Friend Challenge."

1.  You must work together.  If you do all of the work on your own because you can't convince / compromise with your partner, you get no credit.

2.  Don't come bellyaching to me:  If you tattle or if I have to solve your problem, you automatically lose.

3.  You don't get to know what the prize is ahead of time.  And if you complain about what you get, I get to enjoy the old fruit bits with which I am baiting you.  I'll eat them right in front of you too.

4.  Basic family rules apply.  Hands and feet to self, kind words.  Infractions can get you disqualified. 

I am telling you what Olive, this thing was no joke.  It bought me a solid 15 minutes.  I've used it tens of times since (with different challenges and prizes) and it is truly a charm.  Magic even.  

Here are some of the Challenges I recommend:

• Scavenger hunts
• Cleaning up rooms
• Doing a shared craft
• Picking apples off the backyard tree
• Putting together a difficult puzzle
• Finding certain books at the library
• Finding the earring that mommy keeps losing
• Pulling weeds
• Packing school lunches
• Wrapping Christmas gifts
• Spraying the sidewalk down with water
• Any of these
• Or these
• And also these

Magic words mike drop.

BACK TO SCHOOL: LAST HURRAH DAY

Dear Olive,

This week we got this sweet surprise in the mail from lovely Mabel:

Which launched us into a "last hurrah day" before school started.  The kids got to pick what we did.  This of course involved... Puppies:

 

A ball pit

Go Karts

 

 and a swimming pool.

The s'mores gift inspired us to roast dogs and mallows in our pjs.

And we read our bedtime stories by the outdoor fireplace.

It may be back to the grind on Monday, but we sure sent summer out with a bang!

EXPLODING CHALK

Dear Olive, 

Over the summer, we've been trying to give the kids some autonomy in choosing what we do with some family free time.  Adventures (nature walks), sensory (squishy things), and dance party are favorites.  But the most recurrent choice they have been making lately is "Experiment."  Yesterday we tried exploding chalk:

I can only handle four ingredient experiments.

Mix cornstarch and vinegar with some food coloring.

Shake it like a Polaroid picture.

Put baking soda into paper towel pouches.

Add the pouches to the bags.  Polaroid that action some more and run away like you are in the bomb squad.

Wait a long time for them to burst.  (You didn't have to run after all).

Watch the slow dribble explosion.

Poke at dribble with sticks

Perhaps the bathing suit preparation was overkill.

STICK MAN

Dear Olive, 

Gabriel is loving "Stick Man," the new cartoon from the makers of the Gruffalo.  When he tells people about it, I think they get the impression that we are letting him watch 70s horror films.  Wasn't Wicker Man a thing?  

Nevertheless, we are going with it.  

Last night, we made our own stick man and then had a pj party and watched the movie.

This may or may not have lead to a full stick campsite.

So, it kind of looks like the Blair Witch Project on our lawn... I think it's endearing.

SUMMER LIST

Dear Olive, 

Every summer, we love to make our bucket list of ideas to guide our fabulous, hot, lazy days.  Here are a few favorites that have made the list annually:

 

Ice Cream Man

Fireworks

 Picking Strawberries

Finding puppies to pet (Ella's choice)

Napping (My choice)

Memphis Kiddie Park

Backyard Pool and Roasting Marshmallows 

Planting a garden

Swimming

Picnics

More Picnics

Impromptu Hose & Water Balloon Fights

Museums

I am using the power of my mind to will summer never to end.