Summer just got sweeter

When you live somewhere for a really long time you think you know your area. But, I can tell you, we are having some pleasant surprises lately. First, the realization that the Jordan River Parkway Trail is now accessible from my home by merely walking up a block and crossing a street. They just completed the section nearest our house and it is lovely running my friends. Next, that the Legacy Parkway Trail will be accessible from our house in the foreseeable future and it has at this moment 14 miles of car-less bike riding enjoyment. And, just to put icing on that already lovely (and proverbial) cake, Ari met a girl who lives down the street tonight and they became fast friends. On a trivial side note, Ari's new friend and I share a birthday- how cool is that? But wait, there is more, neighbor girl has a three year old sister. Can you even believe it? Summer is here and it is sweet. I am so pleased I may even have to start posting photos again.

Weight of the world...

Yesterday Ari and I had the most interesting conversation. It went something like this.

Ari: Mom, can I play out front?
Me: I would prefer you play in the back yard while I make food and then after we eat I will come out front with you.
Ari: Why are you the boss?
Me: Because I am the mom. Because some rules are about safety and because it is not okay for me to be inside trying to make food and at the same time worry about you and your sister's safety.

Sometimes I use these conversations to explain or even apologize about past decisions, especially if we have had to change something that was not working for our family. So I went on.

You know Ari, your dad and I made a bad decision. We were giving you too much freedom and too much responsibility. You are young and although you are smart and you are wise, we have been around longer. We now feel that there is such a thing as age appropriate freedom. And, we try really hard to work out an agreeable solution. However, sometimes the answer is just no and sometimes the final decision may not be something all parties are completely excited about. But we do our best.

I also explained to her that we felt that too much freedom and too much responsibility had given her a lot of stress. That sometimes it is good to know that some one has your back and is looking out for you.

You could practically feel the tension of the world being lifted off her back. It was a really interesting thing to have happen. She then started in to a different topic happy as any six year old could be.

So, once again, I am happy we are doing it OUR way and that really we do not care if we are doing it all wrong anymore. No book can raise your kids for you and no person up on their soapbox is living your life for you. You and your family have to live with the daily and life long consequences of your choices, so you best make them for yourself.

Life is Good

The old phrase, "this is the life." came out of Ari's mouth this week and I have to say I could not agree more. Our first garden is in and things are growing and flowering. The girls are growing and learning. John has lost probably around 15 pounds. I am really enjoying running. We all have been loving each others company and playing a lot. We are getting ready to go camping and fishing and spend a lot of time in the yard. Hope all is well for all of you too.

How it works

Last night I was walking past the bathroom and stopped suddenly upon noticing that Ari had grown again. I said, "Ari, you got taller." in a completely amazed tone of voice. She said, "I know. I have been exercising." She continued, "If you put your hands on the counter like this (places hands on bathroom counter palms facing towards her) and do this (push up on your hands) you get taller."

Ground me

Last night Ari said, "Mom, if anyone comes over to play tomorrow I am grounded okay?" I said, "okay, what do I tell them you did." "Tell them I let Marco jump on the trampoline with his shoes." I said, "Ari, we don't have a shoe rule and your parents would never ground you, and we would never ground you for something someone else did." She thought about that for a second and then said, "Just think of something mom, I want to be grounded."

The funniest thing about her wanting to be grounded is that I used to do the same thing when I was in high school. I would come home on a Friday afternoon, inform my mom that I was grounded, and spend the weekend in my room.

Neccessities

Ari informed me that we cannot go hiking until she has a pair of binoculars. We really do need them but I never knew they were as important as shoes or water for this kind of thing. She said that she is going to be a bird watcher when she grows up. I wonder if she will just add that to her current future professions of doing tattoos, cutting hair, being a rock star, and teaching karate or if she has forsaken the others all together.

Sabbath

Mina and I were walking around the block this afternoon. Generally, we pick up neighbor kids whenever we are out and today was no exception. One neighbor boy said, "Can Ari play?" I told him Ari could play if she wanted to. He said, "On Sunday I can only play at your house outside." I did not ask why, but he went on. "If I play inside I might play video games or watch movies and not think about my religion and forget about Jesus and stuff."

As we continued our walk around the block the boys told me about the game they were playing when I happened upon them. They were recreating a video game they saw at another neighbor boys house that involved the SWAT team and shooting people.