Valley Camp is Back!!

I promised a new web site for you by April 1st and I have one, but it's not what you were expecting! 

Valley Camp is up and running for Summer 2013 and I had to build a site for it. You are all welcome to check it out and if you're local, then you need to head on over and 

REGISTER YOUR CHILD TODAY! 

Summer promises to be a barrel of monkeys around here!

More soon!

the kitchen is now that top color

Hello my Lovelies.

I think that I pretty much have it all figured out.

Thank you for your kind words, your emails, and your phone calls.

I have been dissatisfied with my format for awhile and wanting something sleeker, bigger, better. I didn't see myself pulling it off and now I do. I have wanted to pull my children out of the focus, and zero in on the heart of the matter.

What the cuss is the heart of the matter?

It's this.

We have one short life. We need to live it with a grin whenever possible. We need to be our one true self. We need to teach that to our children and be their finest advocate for it. We should laugh and love first, risk and leap without hesitation, and always look squarely at the boogers that like to creep in and well, blow. We should always be learning and push push pushing. We need to stop comparing and offer up our quirks and color and fire.

We should definitely step away from the Joneses.

We need to throw it all on the wall. Our biggest dreams, our niggling fears, our silly desires, our inner child, our old soul. Mistakes and triumphs, both. Throw it and make it stick. Use duct tape if need be.

I'll be writing about all that. With kids. With dreams. With joy and faith and simplicity...

Are you in?

I'm all in.

I am switching to Wordpress which FREAKS ME OUT. I am doing all my own art work, which you haven't seen so much and will require learning photoshop (huge personal fear of mine). I will have a store with some unique items. I am MOST EXCITED to offer a real live newsletter that comes via snail mail...not to your inbox. Your kids will LOVE it as much as you will.

So that's where I am, with my big ideas.

I won't lie, it scares me to death.

I have a goal, and if my evil nemesis, HTML, doesn't interfere I should be up and running in a month or so.

In the meantime, I'll keep you posted!

xoxo

ivey

   

last week

The Georgia cousins came for a visit. We skied and soaked and hung out with the clan at Granne and Grandaddy's. Have I mentioned that there are LOTS of cousins? The grands are very kid friendly. Do you take Foosball with your tea?

I'm certain that when they designed the closet, they had this, the ultimate fort, in mind.

(there are 5 kids in there hiding)

This photo is not blurry. Hello Pagosa Hot Springs...perfect after a day at Wolf Creek.

We got our fill of the snow and headed to the high desert. We hiked to this Navajo ruin and soaked up the sun.

The boys found this swing and played Della ball...very similar to tether ball.

Lewis said his favorite part was repeatedly busting through this frozen creek bed into the frigid waters.

OK. Now we're ready for more snow.

They ski hard. And that's still not enough.

They come home and 'urban' in the back yard. That means that they build jumps and ramps and do tricks.

Which may or may not land you right here.

He actually did this up at the mountain and it's a doozy. After the swelling goes down, he will get a cast, and the good doctor says that he can ski with it. Carefully. 

For now it's the Peanuts gang and some pampering.

Last week was winter break. It felt like a month, it was so jam packed with work and play and family and fun and a wee bit of calamity. There was a car wreck. Everyone is fine, but the car. We made chai and baked a lot. As usual, there were lots of kids around. The kitchen did not get painted. Hell, it hardly got cleaned. And so on and so forth.

Which brings me to this.

I am signing off.

I have loved this space. I love you, my readers. Until I can figure out how to make this blogging business more of, well, a business...I need to quit dabbling. Does that make sense? Sometimes it feels ridiculously self indulgent. On the other hand, all this writing has shown me my voice and that's not nothing. It has become my 'art form of choice' and I'm wondering if it's taking away from or contributing to a more financially viable endeavor. In short, it's a hobby that I can't afford if it's not going somewhere that is well defined.  So I am going to be doing some figuring and thinking and brain storming about what it is, if anything, that I have to offer the world via the inter webs.

And I'll let you know when I figure it all out.

I'll let you know right here, so don't unsubscribe.

Thank you for all your words of wisdom and kind thoughts over the years...you are all very dear to me and I will miss you so dang much. I really will.

Big Love Always from me to you,

Your Friend,

Ivey

I was surfing a new favorite blog and voila. There it was. Sometimes it takes a photo to jell the vision. Max was looking over my shoulder. "You should paint our kitchen that color." he said.

"Yes, hell, I should. Because this life is not a dress rehearsal." I said.

It's the real dang thing.

Word.

{My mom would probably call this 'a wild hair'. Do you have any of those? Wild hairs, I mean. Do tell.}

facebook

Let's just revisit this little diddy that I wrote about Facebook a few years ago. It's even more relevant today.

The darling picture of Matt and Della is just to remind you that he's really a very sweet guy. F book is just not his thing.

Smile everyone. It's all OK.

dear landlord

Dear Landlord,

I am seriously considering painting the kitchen hot pink. Don't you think that would be awesome? It's a quick fix that packs a lot of punch. You'll be blown away, I'm pretty sure. Because you like the room that I did in rainbow, don't you? And the peacock blue really transformed the laundry closet. And I know you probably hated all that fake panelling that we totally painted over. And the little bathroom was just crying out to be collaged with kid's art. And I love the whole idea of blood oranges...the fruit, the color, the entrance hall needed that sort of boldness.

Matt painted the exterior. You noticed that, I'm guessing. And if you walk around back,there's a fun mural on the back of the house. Della painted the mailbox, not me, so feel free to dock her allowance when it comes time to refund our deposit.

Matt also closed in the garage and attached a shed. I hope that's fine.

So painting the kitchen hot pink is really no big thing.

In truth, it's a nod towards consistency. I'm doing you a favor.

You're welcome.

Your loving tenant,

Ivey

A note about our landlord.
What a sweet heart. He reminds me of my dad. He's strong and somber.  We're a little boisterous and always happy to see him and eventually he smiles and shakes his head. He ate dinner the other night after he wrestled a plumbing problem. His quiet just soaking up our high octane. He was over when we ate the snake. I think he knows me well enough to expect the kitchen to be something other than boring sage green. I'd like to be a fly on the wall when the next set of tenants move in and speculate on what sort of crack-head gypsies preceded them.

I have only one thought on it all.

It beats beige.

xoxox

if you aren't offended it will be the biggest laugh of the week...fo sho

I dare you to only watch this once. And not walk around ALL DAY LONG saying 'ain't nobody got time for that.'

I hope this woman gets famous.

She sure gets my vote.

Pure awesome.

live from the snow globe

and there was basketball, too. Della is the next Michael Jordan. Not. She keeps us laughing, though.

constant back seat wrestling....we need to be sponsored by white strips...their teeth are gruesome...what's up?

Oh the snow. We spent the weekend frolicking in the white stuff. Fat, fluffy flakes, flew all day Saturday and Sunday and they are still coming down. If you want to feel mandated to take a deep cleansing breath, then move to a mountain town and wait for weather. I can't explain it. When the snow starts falling it's as if the mayor of all things good and right hits the slow-mo button. Another cup of coffee, hot cocoa all around, extra whipped cream, yes, please. And then tea, why not? We spent the days skiing, with muscles weary in a good way that demands recuperative dark chocolate and cold beer by the wood stove. The kids fall into a deep sleep the minute they hit the flannel. 

Someone should probably do some shoveling. And some plowing. But the path to the woodpile is clear and there is chicken stock and enough leftovers to make (another) pot of soup. Family is coming to visit  from Georgia, so this week will be a full one. A lot more skiing. And shut up, it's Valentine's too. My favorite holiday. I love love, you know. 

I would be remiss not to share this link for a darling free Valentine printable for all the little girls out there. Della is all over these! 

hope your week is lovely!

guy thing

Am I right? This is a man thing. Could you lie down on the couch in the middle of the family fray and be asleep within seconds? Passed out cold?

I hope your weekend is relaxing....conducive to this sort of behavior.

xoxo

tropical mountain get-away

In the heart of winter I start feeling it. The ocean, from half a continent away, starts licking at my ankles. This week I have been indulging the call of the blue. In shared school, (that's where I teach home schoolers who come to public school two days a week) we are studying the ocean and in particular, whales. It's a lovely unit. A part of this unit is also service oriented, as we look at the different types of whales and their dwindling populations, and try to do our part to make a difference.

We decided to 'adopt' a Right Whale mother and her calf and had a bake sale to raise the money. Right Whales are thusly named because at one time they were the 'right whale' to kill. They are slow moving, swim close to shore, and float when dead...making them an easy acquisition or the 'right whale'. They live in the north Atlantic, off of the Eastern Seaboard and are now primarily killed by boats and nets. Our adoption money will go towards legislation to help change shipping routes and greater education for fisherman who fish their waters, in order to protect their habitats. We get photographs and an actual, tagged Right Whale, to track and follow. Is that awesome or what? There are so many ways to learn and help and get involved.

How was the bake sale, you ask.

Welcome to Durango, home of the vegan, organic, gluten free, sugar free, dairy free, dye free, Whale of a Bake Sale!  We raised enough money to buy a damn whale pod, thank you very much!

Here is Della desperately trying to save a whale via cupcake inhalation. Do you see those super-bad (as in good) bobby pins on her head? You can help my darling friend Ko adopt a BABY, if you hop on over to her blog and check out her shop!

In other fishy news, we spent more time than usual underwater this past weekend. Lewis inspires us all to dream big when it comes to the ocean and all things marine related. I would highly recommend embracing your children's passions. Lewis loves the ocean. This love is a gift that he can share with the whole family. We all went scuba diving this weekend as a result of Lew's interest and curiosity. And we are hooked. It was a free Snowdown event, which explains the odd costumes.

Max (age 13) was registered for the adult session and was vehement about not wanting to go. Adamant. Yelling at me.

"This is Lew's thing, not mine." he said.

We discussed his reasons for objecting. I found them to be lacking and insisted that he try it. Sometimes it's my job to push through the resistance, because I'm an adult and all, and sometimes, believe it or not, I have insight that may be useful and a bit more comprehensive. I said that we'd do it together. If fear was an underlying factor then there I was....although I didn't think this was the case.

Guess what? He sprouted gills and we haven't seem him since.

He loved it. They all did. They are ready to go again.

A few more words on supporting your children, if I might. Children are awesome. They are wide open and so receptive to the world around them. Sometimes they latch on to things like a pit bull and when they do, it's an opportunity. Let's take Lew for example. And the ocean. We live in the mountains. The ocean is far, far away and we are not made of money. We can encourage and talk and investigate. Matt ordered him this book. When your dad orders you a book and it comes in the mail it means something. It's a small thing, but powerful.

Last year we got him a snorkel and fins for his birthday. I would love love love to take him here. Who knew that there was a warm spring, beehive crater in Utah that is perfect for scuba diving? Our instructor this weekend told us all about it. Wanna meet us there?

What I'm saying is this. In small ways we can lift our children up to their dreams and show them how to press on in the right direction. He may forget the ocean by age 12, who knows, but hopefully he will remember that there are simple ways to delve deeper and learn more about whatever it is that intrigues him.

What else? Della says to read this book.

More ocean. More whales. A little magic. I love this book. It talks about clam chowder and oyster crackers, neither of which have I ever fixed for my kids. And so I did. Very cozy and rich, and they thought the crackers were genius...especially after they got a starring role in the book.

And lastly, we just finished a wonderful family read-aloud that I would highly recommend. For the past few weeks, on the couch, by the wood stove, in south west Colorado, we have journeyed to Rass Island with the book Jacob Have I Loved. It's the story of a girl who doggedly finds her way through disappointment, wartime, self doubt, and the limitations of poverty. She works on a crab boat. She wins. It's beautifully written. I'd say that it's for older kids (10 and up), but Della loved it, too.

Coincidentally, Rass Island is in the Northern Atlantic, probably surrounded by Right Whales.

In the book, the heroine's dream is to move to the mountains, islands unto themselves. She does.

Do you believe that everyday life is like poetry?

I do. 

geek girl

This past week was Snowdown, Durango's very own holiday. There is always a theme and it is a CRAZY week. No small thing at all. Our version of Mardi Gras or Carnival or perhaps more like Halloween on crack. Everyone drinks their fair share in hopes of invoking the snow gods. There are fun and wonderful events all week long. The theme this year was 'Geek Out' and everyone dressed the part. 

Including Della.

For the photo.

me: Try to look thick.

Della: How's this?

me: Wow. That's REALLY good. Scary thick, really.

Della: Yeah. I could feel it.

This girl is getting a sense of humor on her. She had those pants pulled up to her arm pits and loved every second of it.

xoxox

Parenting philosophies vary greatly. I'm not sure where I fall in that vast spectrum, but it's probably somewhere out in East Jesus. My gut responses aren't usual. More often than not, I am intrigued rather than horrified by the shenanigans my spawn can perpetrate. Probably because they are MY spawn. And because I'm cozy with my own inner child. Should she be doing that? Hmmm? Will the top shelf hold the weight of my 13 year old man/child?...

Here's the story. Firstly, I do not love to grocery shop with my children. Too many questions, too many wants, too much whine-ese (a language that I understand all too well). But I'm not the type to be so ordered as to avoid it, and it's not that big a deal. In general, they usually do their own thing and we meet up at the check-out and carry on.

So. I walking from produce to dairy and out of the corner of my eye I saw something sailing through the air above the aisles. My first thought was that this probably involved my children. I kept shopping. A few minutes later I am in the back of the store gazing around and waiting for my pastrami and notice something unusual. My youngest child's apricot head is bobbing along, high above the fray, very earnestly looking for something. She is walking down the top shelf, straddling two aisles.  WTF.

I head over. I remember my camera is in my pocket. Her brothers are right there giving elaborate directions.

me: Um. Excuse me. What. Are. You. Doing?

Max: The top shelf won't hold me.

me: (Blank look)You tried getting up there, too?

Lewis: (with anger and urgency) Mom! Max threw my spitfire hat over the aisle and it completely disappeared...he has to buy me a new one.

Max: We were playing a game! It was an accident. It is seriously gone, though. There is a vortex between the aisles.

A woman pushes her cart down the aisle and I pretend she doesn't exist. I pretend that Della is invisible up there on that top shelf. And where the hell are those 250 City Market employees that incessantly ask me if I'm finding everything I'm looking for?

Because can't they see that we need a little help finding something?

That there's a vortex between aisles 4 and 5?

me: OK. Max, get your sister down.

Della: I like it up here.

me: I'm sure, Honey, but it's probably not recommended.

After twenty minutes of serious searching, I found the hat. The kids were one aisle over, still looking.

I sail it over.

They collectively scream for joy.

me: Did the vortex relinquish your hat?

them: That was awesome!

And that was that. Should I have had a safety talk? Should we have discussed better choices? The truth is this.

They've got moxie.

And they're not afraid to use it.

And my hat's off to them.

{I know my dad reads things like this and breathes a deep sigh of relief that we live twelve states away.} :)