Like I needed a new hobby

Like I need a new hobby - but I justify if by making that a hobby a useful one.  We did the Remsen Barn FOTA this year.  I had a dear friend give me a bag full of lovely yarn this past winter so I "hooked" up a bunch of newsboy hats.  Sold almost all of them at the FOTA so I put my earnings to good use.

I bought a rag rug twining loom.  Well actually I bought two sets.  

So I can make 6 different sizes.  Here is my trivet halfway finished.  

I couldn't wait until I got home to get started so I torn up a 

quillo (quilt in a pillow) I had in the car and made a mug rug.   

Here's my almost finished creation.  My edges gave a bit of difficulties in my 

first project but I seemed to get the hang of it in this one.

Now all that needs to be done is to weave in the ends and voila  - a trivet for Doug's casseroles.

Now on to a bigger item - perhaps a table runner or a throw rug.  

With all my stashes of material that spans - no kidding - 40 plus years

 I should be all set for the next decade or so. 

Walks with Tyler

One of the happiest times I had with Tyler was on our walks.  

We discovered new places in La Grange. 

Here he is off on his own.  

He wasn't going to go back with me. 

 He was going to cross the bridge instead.   Such independence.

We had to get this photo fast because he wasn't waiting for any one.  

Up and over and he was gone. 

We had a lot of fun at Nick's Lake and

 if we were more prepared I am sure he would have made it around the entire lake. 

On the way home. 

It was a fun summer.... but to short.

Proctor Park

As we travel the east of the Mississippi area of America we come across these beautiful parks 

that were designed by Olmstead.  Our Proctor Park was one of them. 

 The original plan was to encompass the perimeter of Utica with connecting parks. 

Proctor Park has always held a mystic to me.  It seemed that around every bend was something new, an old stone stairway, stone arches, paths that lead somewhere.  I like to imagine the people in the early 1900's who came here to picnic or walk -- They were hard working people who sought out places like this for a Sunday afternoon excursion, a place to relax and reflect and spend time with their families.

Does he?

                                                

Doug as a child and Tyler summer of 2011

Just one more reason....

Today, while reading the Sunday paper, I found one more reason why life in Ohio might not be so bad.  We drive through Ohio - Cleveland, Columbus, Cincinnati often on our way to Kentucky.  

I learned today that 50% of the people in America live within 500 miles of Columbus.  

We have visited most of the zoos and must admit they are top notch.  

This is one we visited in Columbus.  Yes, it was at the zoo but it was amazing.  Four levels!!!!!  

At first Tyler had trouble getting the courage to cross the net tunnels but once 

he figured it out there was not stopping him. 

There were slides to go down and slides to climb up.  

Our last vacation with Tyler lead us to more parks and playgrounds that I though I could visit in one month.  I believe that playgrounds are so essential to our children.  Of the top five playgrounds in America Columbus was #2 with 140 public play spaces. In fact in the past ten years, more than $2 million in grants, capital investments, sponsorships and private donations have come in through the city's Safe Playgrounds Initiative.  And the fact that the city worked together to accomplish this is amazing. 

Did your park make the list - only Niagara did in NYS.

I observed a lot while watching Tyler play.  He got exercise yes but he also explored how things work, learned to play with others and sharing, he learned he can do what he sets his mind to and he learned to obey.

And one more reason I like Ohio - their motto -" With God, all things are possible" - amen...

and this be my motto "In God is Our Trust"

The Star Spangled Banner Lyrics By Francis Scott Key 1814

Oh, say can you see by the dawn's early light What so proudly we hailed at the twilight's last gleaming? Whose broad stripes and bright stars thru the perilous fight, O'er the ramparts we watched were so gallantly streaming? And the rocket's red glare, the bombs bursting in air, Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there. Oh, say does that star-spangled banner yet wave O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave? On the shore, dimly seen through the mists of the deep, Where the foe's haughty host in dread silence reposes, What is that which the breeze, o'er the towering steep, As it fitfully blows, half conceals, half discloses? Now it catches the gleam of the morning's first beam, In full glory reflected now shines in the stream: 'Tis the star-spangled banner! Oh long may it wave O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave! And where is that band who so vauntingly swore That the havoc of war and the battle's confusion, A home and a country should leave us no more! Their blood has washed out their foul footsteps' pollution. No refuge could save the hireling and slave From the terror of flight, or the gloom of the grave: And the star-spangled banner in triumph doth wave O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave! Oh! thus be it ever, when freemen shall stand Between their loved home and the war's desolation! Blest with victory and peace, may the heav'n rescued land Praise the Power that hath made and preserved us a nation. Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just, And this be our motto: "In God is our trust." And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!

Surviving Exploration

We just ended a wonderful but exhausting month with my grandson Tyler.  

We were blessed because he spent the month of August with us in New York. 

 I also learned a whole lot about little people - I guess I forgot what my four were like! 

Driving the rig!

Climbing the mountains!

Chilling on the anchor.

What happens when toilet paper meets water

The woods are full of moss and sticks.

Granbee Time

At the zoo.

Tyler is creation on feet.  He is also building, experimenting and learning and with that comes a testing of just how far will Gran let him go.  I quickly came to a realization that parenting is quite stressful.  After working a day job I would come home to an overjoyed child who just wanted to "DO".  I learned to see the joy and happiness in his antics instead of frustration, and I learned the terrible twos are really terrific twos.

Tunnels are for crawling in - again and again and again.........

Learning to share and play with others.

A balancing act.

We all fall down - into soft ground up rubber shreds.

One big robot. 

Tyler is 2 1/2 yrs. old.  He, like other children, started this exploration phase about 1 1/2 yrs. ago.  We survived the toys in the mouth pretty easily but once he began to walk things got different.  If you think about it, much of their day is surrounded by learning just what they can and can't do.  Learning to walk, feed themselves, touching things, climbing on and climbing under.  This is all very very natural and is how our children learn and grow.

Is your house set up to provide safety as well as letting your little one explore?

Children are at risk for poisoning, falling down steps, and off furniture or getting an electric shock.  When we see them in danger we react - yelling, grabbing, or even just removing him from the danger.  BUT has he learned not to do what he was not supposed to be doing?  Not always so when he goes back to what he was doing he appears to be defiant when he is actually not aware of the danger.

Sometimes (as what happened when Tyler was here) a child will be so well behaved when with others only to have a melt down when alone with us. I'd look at Doug and say --"why?" the honeymoon period is over... He was comfortable with us and two weeks into his stay he let us know.  At first it looked like he was being naughty and deliberately disobeying me.  But I knew that wasn't true - well most of the time anyway.

SO, what can you do .....
1. Make you home safe
2. Have a special area not as a punishment place but somewhere she or the two of you can go to if a melt down is eminent.
3. Have containers of "exploring" toys that she doesn't see or use often.
4. Provide a safe environment that will allow climbing, jumping, throwing.
5. Have different activities that allow her to learn new behaviors or skills.
6. Note how a preschool is set up.  A dress up corner, a block corner, a craft area.
7. Make time for yourself
8.  Know you limits - tired, hungry, stressed
9.  Call a friend.

10. and something I learned during my time with Tyler. Teach a positive behavior before the negative one arrises. We talked about his loud voice when he was being quite and we were playing, we talked about the dangers of running ahead of me in the parking lot, and we learned to sit still.  Not easy but doable.  By the time he left he was actually able to sit for an entire story.