Side Trip and Catch Up: Diapers, food and thoughts

G Diapers

http://www.gdiapers.com/

There is sooo much I could write about today to catch up, I'm not even sure where to start and which things to spend more/less time talking about. With the new calendar year upon us, I am using this time to follow the time-honoured tradition of creating goals and intent as well as taking some time to reflect upon lessons learned, success and challenges, etc of the previous year.

Pardon me if my mind jumps from idea to idea here, but I don't want to create separate blogs for each of these ideas right now...

1. Goal for 2010: use more G Diapers, cloth diapers and other methods besides landfill-clogging disposables.  This is in line with my ideas on self-sufficiency as well as a movement toward a greener life.

2.  Challenge I faced in 2009: Fighting my own inner demons (and inner Medusa) regarding my ex-husband's new girlfriend.  Our dynamic is an old one, and her appearance in our lives only brought all the things we dislike about one another or that make us clash to the forefront.  I'm still working these demons out (by myself and with my ex-husband), but I think as 2010 approaches, I am definately closer to being on the right track. It's a work-in-progress.

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3.  Past/Present/Future Food:  I have been having a bad couple of months food-wise. I've been eating unconsciously waaay too much and as a result I have put on some weight (and I was already heavy). A super gal I know, Lisa Marie, has a food blog...and I'm pondering the idea of keeping my own. I started a sort of food blog and then just didn't keep up with it. I will revisit this idea this year.  Right now, I'm focusing on THINKING more before putting something in my mouth.  I am working on simply making better choices right now.  I am not 100% ready to fully  move away from all my old foods, but I am ready to start making better choices more often. That's simply where I'm at right now.

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4.  Friends:  It is a bit of an ongoing mission of mine to extend our circle of friends.  I seem to have limited success in this area.  I am not sure why there seems to be factors that get in the way - often the difficulty of going places with small children.  I think I've come to the conclusion that we are better in small groups than trying to attend a larger gathering. This would mean finding a more intimate group of friends to develop a closer bond with.  We'll get there...

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5. Pagan Path:  I am trying to incorporate my beliefs into my everyday life (both personally and with my family).  For me, this means a stronger connection with moon phases, seasonal changes, kitchen witching (ie. cooking with purpose, intent and love) and keeping up with reading and finding peace within my own skin as well as within my spirit.  2010 will  hopefully find me honing more of these things and living more closely within my belief system.

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6. Homeschooling:  My smallest ones are still quite little, but my son is definately coming into his own regarding his learning.  He recognizes his alphabet and numbers 1-20. We read quite a bit, do art projects, get out into nature, sing songs, explore, etc.  This year he will be 3, and so I foresee his learning really kicking into gear as he prepares for reading. He's already doing very well with pre-reading activities. 

This is not a forced thing, we just find opportunities to play games, read, etc. that naturally seem to gear themselves toward reading and numbers/counting, shapes, colors, etc.  We just notice everything and find "teachable moments" within them.  My 8 month old is naturally busy doing her own learning - taking in everything she sees and discovering her body and the little things that interest her around her.

                                

As for my oldest - she still wants to remain in public school. We still do activities at home and find teachable moments for her as well. She's old enough now to have intelligent conversations about current events, history, or really anything that strikes our fancy to discuss. We play a lot of board games (my husband, oldest and I) as just find time to enjoy the young woman she is becomming. As for her learning, I supplement her learning with my own activities here and there, but the greatest gift I think I give her is a steady supply of books (library or bought). She is a voracious reader (as are my husband and I), and there are many nights we all just sit around with our noses in a book.  I really love the intelligent, funny, contemplative, music-loving young lady she is becoming!

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Here's to a healthy, happy, prosperous new calendar year.  The wheel continues to turn as we turn the pages of this paper calendar.  It is winter, and thus my inner work rolls on as I find seeds deep within myself that I will begin to water and nurture this year.