Going the Extra Mile

Britten was playing the Wii and I could not believe that she was just ignoring my request for help with the dishes. So, I asked her if she needed me to ask her to do the dishes for the third time. She said, "No! Mom! I am working on a surprise for Jesus. The guy works all the time and he could use a rest." To say I was stunned, is to state the incredibly obvious.

So, I responded with "Well, that is very considerate and I am proud of you to think of him, but I am not sure why you are still playing the Wii!" She stated in her most exasperated tone and a stare that took me by surprise, "Uuuuh, I am going to invite him over for a Wii game and snacks. Look, he must be VERY frustrated so, I want to be sure that I know how to get passed the most difficult level of the game so that he doesn't get frustrated while we are playing."

After thinking about her answer for a while, I wondered why she thought he was frustrated. Knowing that I was going to get the TONE and the STARE that indicated she questioned my ability to problem-solve, I took the big leap and asked her, "Would you mind telling me what he is frustrated about? " Her answer was interesting.

"Little things, MOM! How about he tells us what we need to do but no one seems able to do them!!!! Things like love each other, treat each other with respect, help people that don't have as much as you do and be kind."

So, she spent the rest of the day planning her surprise get-away for Jesus.

I hope HE is ready for us ;)

Angie

Motherhood! One good, long shower per year is enough!

Seventeen and one half years after becoming a mother, I am still dazed. I know I shouldn't, but I look back and think, "where did you go!" Not in a selfish way, but in a way that wonders how I evolved into this archetype warrior, when I started life as a fearful, weak and incredibly shy little girl. It had to have been MOTHERHOOD.
So, the journey of mothering two daughters with mental and physical disabilities brought out the the dormant strength, intelligence, willpower and dare I say it....intuition that made me a tremendously better person.
Motherhood has taught me that small decisions have tremendous implications. A diabetic daughter that would like to sleep over at her friend's house means you will be up all night watching for text messages about sugar levels. An autistic daughter that has no concept of stranger-danger but wants to have some independence and take a walk means that I will be skulking in the neighbor's trees to hide. I watch to be sure she does not get lost or worse. Confirming the neighbor's impression that you are just this side of crazy.
Motherhood gave me the strength and skills needed to be an advocate for those that need it and may have no one filling that role. One cannot be fearful and be an advocate. One cannot be weak and shy and be an advocate. Most of us need someone at one time or another in this life. I have become a protector and have learned how important it is to have grace when someone else advocates for you.
What a tremendous gift when you are at your wits end, wondering if anything you have done was worth the time, effort, force, emotional drama and ultimately the conclusion that your strident position that "this is important!" is met with success. A quiet moment when your autistic daughter says "I need to talk about my feelings" or your diabetic daughter competes in Karate Weapons division against higher belt ranks with much older boys and takes second in the division.
Artemis. That is my role at this stage of my life. Hunter of knowledge, safety, good nutrition and emotional balance. Protector from danger and teacher of life-skills. I am a tremendously lucky mother. I have been given the chance to fulfill my potential. When I am looking back and somewhat missing the young girl that viewed the world in a much gentler and more flexible light, I quickly realize it has been more than worth the price.
Today is Mother's Day. I have had a shower. It was a shower that lasted as long as I wanted, no one banged on the door to ask if they could wear my flip-flops and no one said they needed me to remember that we only had a little hot water.
That is good enough for me! I am charged up for one more year.

Thank you girls! You are spectacular gifts from heaven.

UHMM.....Kirsten, where is my camera!

Kirsten is a doll and a creative one at that. But, even though she takes great photos, she leaves the camera in places that she cannot remember. We are currently in that particular predicament. So, there is no photo update on the bees. But, they are buzzing about at the healing musical note of Middle C and Britten hovers to be sure that she is executing her Master Jedi Bee Keeper responsibilities appropriately.

In addition, I have found this terrific site if you are into the Sustainable Living Movement. Which, I am doing my best to embrace even if I cannot follow all the guidelines.

This website has some great tips on how to re-use glass bottles. I am always trying to start the garden earlier in the year and I have a disaster with something in my garden every year. So, this link will take you to a fun site that give you tips on re-using glass containers that will also provide protection to your garden in case of frost or unexpected cold.

Happy Re-using of glass containers:

http://www.funinthemaking.net/category/reuse-glass-bottles-jars/

Our Honeybee Hive is Thriving!

I have been worried! And...people who know me KNOW that I am a heck of a great worrier. I have not been able to find my QUEEN! Well, actually, I don't know where to look for her. Most of my bees stayed in the cage and I thought that must be where the queen has decided to stay. So, during the time these bees stayed in the cage, they were building honeycomb and I couldn't get the bees out of the entrance because it was blocked with honeycomb. When I read my blogger-friend's blog, she had a bee-friend come over and look at her hive. I decided that was a terrific idea and invited Ben (of Bengela's Bee Hive) over to take a look.

Ben says "YOUR HIVE IS DOING TERRIFIC! IT IS THRIVING!!"
They have eaten all the food we made and are busy building honeycomb INSIDE their cage.

Ben took a piece of honeycomb and put it in my mouth (ick) and said "chew it". It was wonderful. My first mouthful of my own Italian Honeybees' Honey. I loved it.

Ben said that it looks like they have been working so much we should clean the bottom of the hives from all the comb-making activities. So, he did it for me and just about everything else I should have been doing myself, but don't know how to do. ;(

So, it is now evening and all the bees left the cage and have gone into the hive to hang with the Queen that is not lost and has, in fact, inspired her bees to work so hard they will build honeycomb anywhere they can. We brought the cage in and scooped out the comb and are now heating it on a very low heat because in the morning we are making our first beeswax candles and having our first mornings' toast and honey. We can hardly sleep we are so excited.
Thanks again, Ben!
Angie

Earth Day Project 2009

We started reading about the problems of the Honey Bee population decline in 2006. In 2008 we decided to become beekeepers and do what we can to keep the honeybees populating while the scientists try to find a cure for colony collapse.

Last summer we needed to start getting our behives ready. We had to build our own frames by hand.

Ever the artist, Kirsten signed and dated hers for posterity ;)

Kirsten is our official bee greeter. She is the one in the family to be sure everyone coming to our house is welcome. She goes the extra mile to make them feel at home. It appears the
bees are no exception!

Can you believe that I drove 2000 bees home in my car! I was terrified, but they didn't seem to be bothered.









Kirsten counts all 2000 bees!






Ben teaches Britten how to wear a beekeeper's hat! He is patient with the repeated questions: Ahhhh, are these KILLER BEES and if they aren't KILLER BEES will they sting me and if they won't sting me....why don't they!

Britten confronted her fear of bees and is now the Master Jedi Bee Keeper for the Jedi Counsel!






We have had a ball with this project!

Adventure Girls Rock Moab 2008

First stop on our Moab Adventures is always at Beaver Valley Chevron for ice cream and a picture! Britten is still looking for her favorite kind...she is persnickety! We will get a shot of her in the chair next trip.

Here is our great driver for the Hell's Revenge Sunset Hummer Tours! This is one of the Moab Adventure Girls traditions. We take a picnic and view the back country at sunset when the colors are the most dramatic. We took one Hummer Tour in the rain and all the slick rock was purple. Spectacular views! This time we found dinosaur tracks that we just recently identified by geologists.


Hair-raising to say the least! We are almost completely vertical... We traveled with a teacher and her daughter that were on their own adventure. The girls were terrific and telling them, "this is a ton o'fun!!"

Kirsten took this shot of Balance Rock. I thought the contrast and lighting was very well done. She took this in the noon day sun. You would have thought this was a sunset picture. For some reason, this picture will not display with FireFox. You will need IE to see it ;(