That someday may never come

We have been busy lately, but mostly under the radar since I've been tired at night and haven't the energy to go through the pictures and edit them, and then to write and post here. From birthday Legos to birthday books Calvin has been as busy as busy can be, and that's a good thing while I sort and price and sort some more. I'm so far behind that it's Thursday and I have things yet to share about Monday. That's the old blogging me, not the new blogging me. I will be so, so glad when this garage sale is over.

Our week at a glance: lots of sorting and cleaning out, a science experiment about acids and bases, the final swimming lesson of the spring session, beautiful weather with warm (but not too warm!) sunny days and cool (but not too cool!) breezy nights, new recipes (which will be blogged later), a very first library card and a mommy-made library bag to go with it, and a return to volcanoes.

For a good time compare the shot below to this one from 2009

Eye protection for the win...

I can't get over the fact that it looks like these cute little owls are afraid of my iron...

There are many, many more things I want to say. The experiments were great fun, and I'll get to them on Live and Learn in a day or so. We have more books to review. There are other thoughts I have to share, too, about motherhood, about growing up, about learning. Tomorrow is the first of the two days of the sale, and my intention is for things to slow down after that and then I'll share all those thoughts. Sound good? It does to me. Some day I'll be caught up, if someday ever comes.

I can change my mind

Spring was late this year, and slow to arrive along with it was my annual need to clean up and clear out. Purging is good for the soul of a house. We spent a lot of the last couple of weeks doing just that, focusing on the garage, then on the basement, the two places in our house that collect those things labeled "I don't know what else to do with this" throughout the cold, feet-dragging winter months. We re-stored a lot of things, re-labeled a lot of things, sent more things on their way to new lives elsewhere, and even started a pile for the community garage sale, taking place this weekend. I'm tired just thinking about it.

A cleaning out is good for the mind, too. I like to think of it as "sweeping away the inconsequential" (which I think is a quote from Atlas Shrugged if I am to give credit where credit is due). The homeschooling/unschooling process is one that is constantly evolving for us and I am routinely throwing away old concepts, plans, or intentions and replacing them with altered ideas. This is not a matter of trading in last year's hot item for the newer model, but my mother has repeatedly told me since I became a parent that no matter what decision I make now I can always reserve the right to change my mind later, and, rules and consequences aside (and sometimes even there), this has become my mantra.

It's the games that have got me really thinking about this on the eve of the sale, because in our clearing out this weekend a lot of games have gone into the "not to keep" pile, some of them games I had listed just months ago as being among our favorites. But I've changed my mind. They are games of chance, and the more I look at them the more arbitrary and inauthentic they seem. And as I watch Calvin grow the more convinced I become that learning can occur in a completely natural and authentic way, that life in general ought to be lived that way. It isn't about following directions, or dice, or spinners, or cards, it's about making decisions and seeing how they play out. So I've changed my mind—I reserve the right to do that— and though we've enjoyed many evenings of Hi Ho Cherry-O, I don't think it will be missed when we're playing Carcassonne in its place.

As for the garage sale coming up this weekend, I really am tired just thinking about it. There is nothing more depressing than watching the world at large glance over your things, discarded though they may be, and passing quick judgement about their worth.

Spring piano recital

It feels like I haven't had much to say lately. Mostly it's because of utter exhaustion—our days have been very full, what with a birthday and all—so that at the end of the day my mind is fried and I'm not thinking in terms of journal entries or blog posts. I'm lucky if I can spell out our names and get the date right. And the thing about busy days is that they produce no less laundry and require no fewer meals.

Last week was the birthday, Saturday was the party, and Sunday was the spring/summer piano recital for Jon's students, Calvin included. The recital went well. It is a real joy to see how much Calvin has grown at the piano over the past year. Just a year ago he was picking out quarter notes with one finger. I've felt torn in the past about both the formal study of piano and the recitals, something I think I've mentioned before, but I hesitate only because I don't want piano (or any learning for that matter) to become so goal oriented that the enjoyment of the process or the ability to self fulfill gets lost. This has not been an issue in our experience thus far, though, and I am not going to look for trouble where none is to be found. Calvin really enjoys the challenge of the piano. He needs little encouragement to practice every day, and, following his regular pattern, does most of his practicing entirely on his own. And the results really are enjoyable for all of us, especially since the process is equally so.

Birthday party, Oz style

Calvin's birthday party was last night, the party we've been planning together, he and I, for a couple of weeks now. My favorite part of the whole thing was his interest and enthusiasm for every step of the planning, and his enthusiasm didn't wane on the day of as he was handing out hats and glasses left and right, and eagerly eying the presents on their way in. Though he is gaining friends in our neighborhood I am still avoiding the big birthday bashes that are so common in our time and our party was limited to family, which kept it small and enjoyable. This will be a short post, after a long day, but I wrote about the party details here.

Just follow the yellow brick road...

The Wizard will greet you at the door.

Camera on timer, not so in focus, but still a family photo of Munchkins, Quadlings, Winkies, Gilikins, the Wizard (Calvin) and Ozma (me). Many of these details, like the hats and the glasses, will make sense only to those who have read the original series, but they're fun even if you haven't.

I didn't get a picture of it (I have no idea why) but he was ecstatic upon opening a set of Magic Tree House books, the next four that he hasn't read. Surrounded by packages unopened and toys already unboxed it was wonderful to see him get so excited about those books. We have made a point of giving books as gifts for every occasion and he not only expects them now, but gets very excited. When he received money from my godmother this time and was asked what he wanted he readily supplied the title of the next book in the Oz series.

Dinner at the Emerald City.

The cake and the characters on it (part of our gift to Calvin) will again make the most sense to someone who has read the series. Calvin did a lot of explaining at this party. You can read a little more about these fun characters here and here.

Birthday zoo

Weeks ago I thought of what I wanted to do with Calvin on his birthday: A Lego store opened in Michigan last fall, only an hour from our house and, even better, only fifteen minutes from the Detroit Zoo, of which we are loving members. Calvin loves Legos, he loves the zoo, it seemed a no-brainer, and I was right. When I suggested a day trip to him, first to the Lego Store and the to the zoo, he was as near to ecstatic as he gets. I had a brief moment of panic when I pulled into the mall and the parking lot resembled that of an amusement park, but luck was with us and when we ended up parking on the third floor "skyway" (simply because that's where the lane we were in took us) and thus entered the mall on the third floor, the Lego store was on that top level as well. That didn't stop us from taking the escalators all the way up and down a few times, but that's what life is for.

The whole day was a success. We gave Calvin some birthday money and I allowed him to decide how he would spend it. He came home from the Lego store with two new small sets to add to his castle mania. At the zoo we rode the train and I allowed him the choice between riding the train a second time, as he said he wanted to do, and visiting the dinosaurs, which he ultimately decided to do. It was a good choice—as we entered the walk through Dinosauria a docent who was off duty (are they ever if the love what they do?) was just going in as well, and we were treated to a guided tour.

We enjoyed lunch by the polar bears, something Jon and I loved to do before Calvin was born, the last time we enjoyed it alone being just a week before he was born. Five years ago.

The day was overcast but dry and much, much cooler than the previous few days had been. We couldn't have asked for a better day, because who really wants sun on a day at the zoo? Overcast is better for animal viewing and for pictures.

When we came home we enjoyed an impromptu dinner with family to celebrate. It will be the first of two, since the same group with re-gather at our house for Calvin's planned Wizard of Oz party.

Today was everything I needed it to be. Sometimes time can get away from me, and chores and teaching and life can get in the way of my enjoyment of those very things. It was Calvin's birthday, not mine, but having a full day of celebration to remind me that celebrating this life is what everyday is about? That's what I needed. And I got it, thanks to my son and to my family.