Recent pictures and videos (mostly to share with Katie)

Promised to share some videos and photos with Katie and thought this would be an easy way to do so. Spoke to her yesterday and she said there was no more snow on the ground at her college. It all melted. Meanwhile, we just got 2 feet. 

Trip to Portland Museum of Science with Kim's Family to see the dinosaur exhibit.

What a view! I never get tired of it!

What a ham...

Makana photo bombed some pictures and then posed. 

Keli'i and Kanoa race down the hill.

Daddy and Kanoa take a turn sledding.

Mommy and Kanoa race down the hill. (Yes, Kanoa caught air and he was fine!)

I took lots of photos of Daddy, Li, Makana and Kanoa with the ipad.

Makana and I posed for Kanoa who enjoyed taking pictures with effects. 

We hung the hammock up again this weekend and have been taking turns on it. :)

For dinner tonight (Tuesday, Feb 14, 2017), I made a salad and Makana made these chicken enchiladas from scratch.
Even the sauce.
OMG....she can cook!

Kanoa was flabbergasted that he rec'd the same Valentine's Day cards from Grandma and Jene!

Li also rec'd the same Valentine's Day cards from Grandma and Jene! 

Contemplative thoughts, fall beauty, deep breaths in the late afternoon

My gorgeous late afternoon view after I raked the front yard and then sat on the ground in the backyard thinking and breathing in the fresh fall air. Friday October 23, 2015

There is quiet beauty somewhere near you. If it's hard to find, close your eyes and imagine some. Look at art, listen to music. Breathe a little more deeply, a little more slowly, and you'll be better for yourself and for those around you.

From Sandra Dodd's Just Add Light and Stir email list: http://justaddlightandstir.blogspot.com/

Do you feel safe expressing your ridiculous side?

It is a curious thought, but it is only when you see people looking ridiculous that you realize just how much you love them. -Agatha Christie, author (15 Sep 1890-1976)



First thought that came to my mind when I read that quote:
Why might a person realize how much you love the other person? Because they are sharing themselves and being vulnerable.

More thoughts: When a person acts ridiculous (in a silly way), to me it feels like you get a sense of their true playful nature. If they are willing to share that with you...to be playful with you, then they are sort of trusting you in a sense. In addition, it's almost an invitation to be playful or silly or ridiculous back. And guess what? That is FUN!!

It creates a bond of trust when you feel comfortable sharing that part of yourself. And THAT feels good to be able to do...to be able to be yourself, express yourself, and to still be accepted.

When that first person is silly with you, it's like they are saying, "Hey there! I trust you enough to be able to show you my silly side! Join me!! I want to have fun with you!"

The sad side: Some people roll their eyes or make a put down and that may make the silly person feel less apt to share that side of themselves with others. It can be discouraging and the silly person may feel ashamed. (Of course that is only a problem for the expressive person IF they let the bastards get them down. They could instead feel sorry for the person who is too uptight uncomfortable to have fun or to take risks!)

Invitation to share your playful side:
Well....writing all of this now makes me think of a silly thing Kanoa and I did yesterday. We put on a wig and took silly pictures. I'll share that here...and if anyone reading this ever wants to post a silly picture of themselves, please do! That would be fun to share!

My First Boston Tea Party Swing Dance Conference

I went to my first Boston Tea Party Swing
Dance Conference - so fun!!

There was a Jack and Jill contest where you get randomly paired with another dancer and dance three dances. I started learning West Coast Swing since January, but decided to give it a go. I placed "alternate" which means that if one of the people who got called back didn't show up, I would take their place. The young people whom I take WCS classes with on Thursday evenings placed in the finals!! Awesome!!

Dance 1 was my best. I had danced a bit with Craig in a workshop and he moved at just the right pace for me....he focused on basic moves that I could keep up with. I think it looked good. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EiwBFK6aMnU

Dance 2 I stunk at. My partner had awesome moves and gave cues fine. However, I need to learn how to better understand how to respond to the cues and learn more movements and styling and have all that feel natural. I wish I had been able to keep up. Knowing this will motivate me to keep working on it. The more partner dancing I can do, the more steps I learn and practice, the better I'll get because it will feel natural and I'll understand how to respond to the cues. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gFokojMbvOY

Dance 3 - I Love One More Night by Maroon 5, but didn't move well enough to it. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8BmSRa8l6MI

I'm so grateful for my friend's wife who taped the dances!

And I'm so lucky to have a sweet and generous husband who makes it possible for me to do the things I love the most! And for my kiddos who support me as they know how much I love to dance! :D
And for my friend Eileen whom I got to visit and share the experience with! 

Laurie Dance1
www.youtube.com

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Got there on Friday afternoon, bought Comfort suede dancing shoes, took 4 hour long workshops, had a brief rest, my roomate (another unschooling mom) arrived and we chatted for a couple hours. Then danced from midnight till 6am. No kidding!

Saturday - Up at 11:40am ish, took part in the Newcomer Jack and Jill contest. Attended a couple of workshops. Rested. Watched various crossover dances (Lindy and WCS). Danced again midnight till 6am. I especially loved it when I felt a dance went well...like when I could keep up with the moves or was able to dance with someone more advanced who could lead me through new steps and movements - that was awesome!! Though I am a newbie, I did ask people of all levels to dance if I wasn't asked. My goal was practice and fun!

Sunday - Up at 10am (woke up feeling sleepy, but not tired enough to go back to sleep). Got things packed in the car to go home. Took 3 awesome workshops - loved all of them! Watched finals, did some social dancing and headed home at 6:30pm. 

Now I want to go to the Gold Room even more! There is a lesson and then social dancing every Monday night in Portland. Hmmmm....will need to adjust my schedule and see if there is a way to do that...at least in the warmer weather and after Jim's busy season. 

Photos from Melissa Sweet's visit to our Writing Club in Appleton, Maine

Familiarity

There is something to be said about familiarity. 

Sawyer Fredericks on The Voice!!

We sat around the tv last night to watch Sawyer Fredericks, whose family are our camp neighbors when we go to the WeShine Unschooling Conference. Sawyer is 15 and has a soulful, powerful voice that beckons you to listen (with your mouth dropped open!).

He was on The Voice last night!!!  I told Katie about it and she sat with her host family on the Big Island of Hawaii to watch! They too thought his performance was awesome!  

All week we were trying to guess who he picked to be his coach. So glad he picked Pharrell, because Happy was one of the songs sang at last year's unschooling conference! And Pharrell was the one who said, "This is your destiny...and it's really about what you want to do.." which is so unschooly and such a perfect fit!! Sawyer said on the show that one of the reasons he chose Pharrell was because he "...talks about originality and allowing you to go your own way. I think that really goes with my style". Cool! Sheesh....not only cool, PERFECT!!!

If you'd like to check out Sawyer's Website, visit http://www.sawyerfredericks.com/ or check out his page on facebook https://www.facebook.com/SawyerFredericks.

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Adding this on 3/23/15 - Christina Aguilera praises Sawyer saying, "There's no teaching what you do!"  http://www.activistpost.com/2015/03/christina-aguilera-praises-unschooler.html