Slowing Down with the Dirty Dishes

Dishes. Always dishes to do. Clean, dry, and put away. Uuugghh!

Yet, I find that doing dishes is one of those things that provides a space, a goal, a mundane yet so necessary thing to do, together, that gives us time to talk, time which is so precious. Just talk, about anything, while we wash, rinse, dry and put away. Olivia (our oldest) and I do dishes together a lot. She is good at it, meaning, keeping the pace while talking, knowing where things go, how they are stacked, etc. Others are a bit more challenged at the "do" and talk at the same time.

The other day, I asked the boys, Ben and George, to do dishes with me, just to dry. Of course, got the "Oh, Mom!", but only once. I pointed out that it was just a small pile and I quickly moved the conversation to something of interest. They went right at it and we talked about sports, the cool fort they are building in the woods, the bow and arrow they want to make, and a silly fart joke. I just love this stuff, 'cause it is slow, real and in the now, and it provides memories for them and for me. And they said, "Mom, that wasn't so bad." I think that I will try weeding with them next.

A Rewind - snap shots from the past

We said that we would not do it again. We would never take a red-eye with our 7 kids. Guess what? I just booked it. Yup, the JetBlue flight from Boston to Portland, OR and the return as a red-eye. The price was so right, we had vouchers due to a glitch from last year, we could use frequent flyer miles, AND there are personal babysitters, I mean, video screens on every seat back!

How could we pass it up? How could I forget how miserable it was to have a 7Am, 2 hour lay-over in JFK after flying all night? How could I forget holding a plastic "throw-up" bag from the gift shop for our son who was so tired and probably dehydrated that he could barely sit up? How could I forget the whining, the sprawled kids on the airport chairs and the 3 days it took to recover (5 for me)? How could I?

Well, the mind does crazy things. And they are a year older and can handle it better, right? And it can't be as bad this year, right? AND we want to go so badly. And..... time to start packing, YIPPEEEE!

Friday Family Flix

On Fridays we try to watch a movie together. We call it Friday Family Flix. Sometimes, because of sports, various events, plain old exhaustion, it turns out to be on Saturday night or even Sunday (in the summer). The kids have gotten a rhythm going where, on Fridays, they walk down to the library and get DVD's and books (they hit the candy store, too). There is much negotiations on what to watch, whose turn it is to choose, and whether there were in fact any "good ones" at the library. If not, they hit the 'hood, asking their friends what they have in their "family library". Eventually they find one. For me, this is filled with lessons, no trips in the car to the video store, using local resources, and involving the neighborhood... as all are invited.

In the summer, we set up the projector, big screen and speaker in the back yard with popcorn, candy, sleeping bags, blankets and any other spontaneous "things" they need. "SSHHH, SSSHHHH, SSSSSHHHHH!". It is starting. "I can't see! Be QUIET!". We (the parents) catch each other's glance, smile and snicker. They settle in, cozy up and watch. We hang on the porch and talk while watching them and knowing how lucky we are. SSSSSHHHHH!

After doing this for a few years now, we are running out of movies. The kids like to run the gamut from "old school" to musical to contemporary stuff. We are looking for some ideas.

What are your favorite family movies?