Period Party

It all started with a puberty video.  Actually, the announcement of the puberty video.  In the school district we live in the kids in 4th grade watch a clip with their own gender that details some of the changes their bodies go through during puberty.  I went to a screening of the movie and found it to be very well done, quite benign, clear and concise.

 But as I sat in the back of the elementary school library I had this feeling that I wanted more than a kind teacher guiding my girls in such a major discussion.  My memory stirred and I remembered a book I had read last summer that described a sort of ‘period party’ for girls and moms.  Right there in the paperback fiction section I decided to take the leap.  I decided to have a Period Party.

I sent out an email detailing my goals and the itinerary to hand-picked girls and their moms from our church.

Yeah, it was weird.  Thank heaven for grace.

Here were my goals:

• Education - let’s get the facts out there and answer questions
• Community - by broaching this topic publicly I wanted to create an open environment with the girls and with the girls moms.  If I’m not present (or even in favor that day) but another one of these moms is, I pray my girls will go to them with questions or needs.  
• Set the tone - I know periods aren’t fun to talk about, but I was hoping that by introducing it with lots of fun and openness it could be seen something amazing that God put in place in our bodies.  Not an annoying monthly problem.  

And here was the itinerary:

5:30 - arrive and eat pizza/salad
6 - start baby videos
Video One  - a fun youtube clip of babies laughing
Video Two  - a youtube clip of a baby forming in the womb,(start from 2min 30 sec in to 5 min)
6:15 - handout and go over a list of facts - answer questions
6:30 - show all the gear, let girls make their own emergency packs
6:45 - movie and popcorn

Things went differently than I had planned.

My girls delivered a bit of a rocky start as they were less than pleased at my initiative.  In the weeks leading up the party I had explained to them that we were having a gathering of girls to talk about some of the changes that happen to girls bodies during puberty.  About 30 minutes before the party I walked through the schedule and gave them the details.  We had talked about periods before, but to talk about such things publicly?  They were appalled.  One of them refused to look at or talk to me, the other gave me a lot of feisty verbal feedback.

Que the doorbell.

My girls were soon chatting and playing and forgot about how crazy their mom was.  Over pizza, the moms and I brainstormed and walked through the evening together, divvying up the parts so one mom wasn’t doing all the talking.

I was in charge of starting things up.  I set up the funny video, but we decided to skip the video of the baby forming in the womb.  One mom was concerned it would totally freak out her daughter.  Truthfully, the animation is a bit freaky.

Now, I’ve spoken publicly before, but as I stood there in front of 8 pre-pubescent girls my tongue tied up into knots.  My words fell out on top of each other, I forgot what I wanted to say, in general:  I panicked.  This crowd was not my comfort zone.  What I wanted to say was this “God created women's bodies with a uterus that is designed to carry a baby.  Not all women can carry babies, but all women have special linings in their wombs that are perfect for a baby to grow in.  Once a month, if there is not a baby in the womb, the lining is released - it’s called a Period.”

What I really said was “wha, wha, wha, wha, wha ....”  (imagine Charlie Brown’s teacher).

Bless my friend’s hearts.  They saved me.  In particular my friends Betsy and Tracie.  Betsy has the wonderful experience as an elementary school teacher.  She quickly scooped in and re-stated what I was trying to get at.  And she did it with grace and so sweetly.

Then Betsy handed out a fact sheet to all the girls.  Together we went through the facts and let the girls ask questions as we came to them.  At first the room was pretty quiet, but soon enough they opened up.  Their questions were fantastic!

After the fact sheet we moved to the kitchen were I had a tray full of period paraphernalia.  Tracie was in charge of this section of the night.  My sweet friend Tracie who helps run a summer camp and can talk to kids about anything.  She pulled out different kinds of pads, tampons, underwear, and then cups of water, a baster, a spray gun to show how the water gets absorbed.  The first demonstration was a pad and how to put it on underwear.  We walked through disposal as well.

Then - tampons.

I was nervous about this part.  I mean, tampons?  These girls still play with their American Girl dolls.  In anticipation of the party I talked with different moms of teen girls about introducing this and got their pros and cons.  As a group we moms decided to go ahead and teach about tampons but stressed that using them was a personal decision that girls make with their moms.  And then with a deep breath we dove in.

Tracie tried to talk the girls through how a tampon is used but they were looking a bit confused.  Finally, Betsy reached across the table and put her hand in the shape of a circle and let Tracie push a tampon through.  Then they got it.

I was blushing like mad.  The girls were giggling.

And then we all started our own conversations with our daughters or the girl closest to us.  (One on one I did fine, thank goodness).  It was SO very dear to my heart to watch my little girls ask Betsy, Tracie, and other moms questions.  I loved talking to other girls and encouraging them with smiles and reassurances.

Then we let the girls play.  They took the water and squirt guns and laughed and chatted.   It was sweet and endearing.  And I was relieved.  Each mom had prepared  an emergency kit in a little bag for the girls to take with them in their backpacks.  Some moms went through the packs right then with their daughters, some waited to talk through the packs when they got home.

We didn’t end up having time for a movie.  The conversations went the entire two hours. When leaving the house one girl thanked me and said “I feel like I can handle this, now.”

The best part was after everyone left and my girls and I finished picking up.  They snuggled up with me and thanked me, asking for more times to talk about “this kind of stuff.”

If you have girls in the third or fourth grade I highly recommend the Period Party however you are comfortable.  I will attach the fact sheet we used and the invite I emailed to the other mom’s for your use.  We leaned heavily on the American Girl Body Book.  Its chapters on menstruation are very well done.

Many blessings to you as you tread into new territories as moms.  May God bless them as they grow into women who love and serve Him.

INVITE:  

Dear friends,

I am writing to invite you and your daughter to a Period Party.  

I know.  It’s weird.  

I read about it in a book (can’t remember which one) and thought it was a fun idea.  The 196 school district is going to show the kids a puberty video this spring (4th grade and 5th grade) and so I feel like the time is now to get a jump on things.  

Here’s the general idea (see the rest of the email for the specifics):  

A group of girls roughly the same age get together for a fun evening to be introduced (some for the first time, some already have an idea) to menstruation as a way God designed women’s bodies. We will show a video of a baby forming in the womb and talk about the way the lining being released every month is a preparation.  We will give facts and answer questions, then there will be a basket of period paraphernalia for the girls to play with.  Pads, tampons, underwear to put in in, water to see the absorption ...  The girls can each make a Period Pack for emergencies to keep in their backpacks (probably for middle school).  Then we will totally change the subject and turn on a Christmas movie.  :)

The purpose is for our girls to start a community for each other.  They will all have the same info at the same time, hopefully developing a comfort level with each other so that they can talk openly and feel freedom during a somewhat awkward stage.  I am also praying that my girls will be comfortable with you as moms - that they will ask you questions if I’m not around (or because they think you’re cooler).  :)  We will NOT be talking about sex, birth and delivery, boys, dating, etc.  If someone wants to plan a Purity Party that sounds great to me.  But this night we will stick to menstruation and direct them to their parents for other issues.  

WHEN - 
_____________________

WHERE - 
Smith’s House
_____________________

WHAT TO BRING:
A small bag (I’m using a cosmetic one)
Pads
Underwear liner
Tampons, if you wish
Some tylenol or other pain relief, in case she has some cramps
A change of underwear
A small plastic bag for soiled underwear

Here’s the agenda:

5:30 - arrive and eat pizza
6 - start baby videos
Video One (just for fun)
Video Two (start at 2 min 30 sec, cut off at 5 minutes)
6:15 - handout and go over a list of facts - answer questions
6:30 - show all the gear, let girls make their own emergency packs
(this part I was thinking we would leave them alone for, heading to the kitchen or something.  I am open to suggestions)
6:45 - movie and popcorn
(I’m thinking the movie ELF but really we can watch whatever)

PLEASE email me with comments, suggestions, or questions.  I’m a newbie and would love to hear your thoughts.  

RSVP by _______.  

Love doing this with all of you,
Rachel

FACT SHEET

•  At first , the idea of getting menstrual periods may seem well sort of gross. But periods are a sign that your body is healthy and working properly. It’s preparing to do the grown-up work of having a baby someday. Every month your body practices for this by building a “nest,” a place for a baby to grow inside your uterus. The nest is a lining of blood and other fluid that builds up on the uterus walls. Because there is no baby, the lining is shed and you have a period.
•  While it may seem like a lot of blood is lost, the average cycle only produces between 10-85ml, which is around three tablespoons.
•  Day 1 of your menstrual cycle is the first day of bleeding. Each menstrual period will last anywhere from 2 to 8 days.
•  The average amount of time between menstrual cycles is 28 days, but may be longer or shorter depending on the individual (anywhere from 21-35 days is considered normal).
•  On average a girl will start menstruation at age 13 (called menarche) and will continue until she's around 51 (called menopause).  However, don’t worry if you don’t get your period when all your friends do. God has created each of us differently and His plan for your body is the best one.
•  The color of blood loss can vary from dark brown to bright red, depending on how old the blood is and how oxygen has affected it.
•  In years gone by, girls were told they could not swim, have a bath or wash their hair while they had their period. This is most certainly not true. It's important to have good hygiene at all times, especially when you have your period. And yes, you can swim, you will just need to use a tampon.
•  While many woman suffer from period pain, not all will. If your period is heavier you are more likely to have monthly pain.
•  Some nicknames for your period include: Aunty Flo, the monthly, on the rags, 'the time of the month', crimson tide, under repairs, the curse and a whole host of weird and silly things.
•  Some women who live together or spend a great deal of time together discover their cycles become in sync.
•  While a menstrual cycle may have hereditary factors, a daughter's cycle can be quite different to her mother's.
•  You can’t tell exactly when you’ll get your first period, but your body may give you clues that it’s on its way. Many girls start to menstruate about one to two years after their breasts have started developing.
•  Once you begin to menstruate regularly, you may notice some patterns in how you feel right before your period. Sometimes these physical and emotional changes are referred to as premenstrual syndrome, or PMS for short. It’s not a disease or an illness, just a natural part of your menstrual cycle.
•  PMS is caused by hormones-chemicals that are released in your body at this time. Up to two weeks before your period, your breasts may feel swollen or more tender than usual. You may also notice that your body feels heavier, even puffy and that your skin is more prone to breakouts. All of these symptoms will go away after your period begins. You may also feel cramps in your lower abdomen or back before and during your period. The cramps are because the muscles of the uterus are hard at work.
•  Your periods can also affect your moods. Some girls feel irritated, tired, grouchy and more emotional in the days leading up to your period. If you find that your feelings are more intense during this time, know that this is perfectly normal. But when you are feeling extra edgy, try not to unleash your frustration on family and friends. Instead, try talking to them about how you feel.
•  The best remedies for premenstrual aches and pains are fairly simple. A warm bath or a hot-water bottle laid over your tummy can help soothe cramps. If headaches, backaches or cramps make you feel crummy, there is medicine at the drugstore that you can take. Be sure to talk to your mom to see what she recommends first.  To help lift your spirits and lighten your mood it helps to stay active. Regular exercise has been proven to help people relieve stress and lighten moods.

Elementary school, the Internet, and safety (oh my!)

(photo credit)

It didn’t take long for my kids to discover that there is a great big world wide web.  By first grade the words google, mine craft, and youtube were in their vocabulary.  By the third grade, they wanted access like I had wanted a cabbage patch doll.  And they wanted it now.  

As technology changes at lightning speed, it’s taken me a while to get my bearings.  How would we navigate this new territory?  It was way past monitoring screen time.  

As I prayed about it I felt God whisper to me “it’s an ocean.  Teach them to swim.”  

And our strategy formed.  I sat down my oldest at age 9 and told him that the internet is like an ocean - big, deep, and full of things that he couldn’t defend himself against.  As his parents, we wanted to teach him to swim and because we loved him there was no way we would drop him off in the middle of the atlantic without a boat, life vests, or knowing how to swim.  

So we would start in the shallows.  

Swimming lessons -

Basic lessons about internet usage are important.  Don’t assume that they know things because they use the vernacular.  We had to explain that Google is not a dictionary.  Or that just because you hit delete doesn’t mean it disappears.  

Learn about undertows -

Undertows are currents that pull you underwater.  We’ve all ended up pinning something on Pinterest and looked up two hours later.  For kids, lots of the games and social media are designed to hook them and some will even penalize them for leaving.  Talking about the mesmerizing nature before they get sucked in assists awareness and has helped my kids separate when their time is up.  

Have Fun! -

Remember how you used to run around the neighborhood playing Cops and Robbers?  Or set up a huge fort for a game of War that would never materialize?  Some online games and activities can serve a similar function for elementary schoolers.  Just as a game of King of the Mountain would be talked about amongst kids all day when you were a kid, now kids talk about what they built on Minecraft or what they saw on YouTube.  

Remember FOMO?  It's real, people.  Help your kids out and let them be a part of the community that will naturally take place.  Find safe ways to let them interact with friends online or to talk about their progress in a game.  

Check the weather and set a course -

Before sitting down at the computer teach them to think about (and even say aloud) why they are on it.  Is it to play a game?  Or perhaps things have been a little rocky and they are looking for an escape.  Are they curious about something and hoping to gain some information?  Homework?  Boredom?

Keeping a clear plan encourages thoughtfulness.  It’s not bad to get on the internet when you’re bored, but it may be easier to drift into some rocky seas.  Homework is a great reason to be on the computer, but if they find themselves off course somewhere it’s good to have that jolt “oh, I was supposed to be …”  

Time to move a little deeper? 

When my kids will thoughtfully explore ideas in multimedia and demonstrate that they can find an escape route, I am more comfortable letting them have freer access to the internet.  Messages in popular songs are great for this.  We don’t need a deep conversation - just a chuckle together about something silly in a lyric. For example, the words in Brave by Sara Borealis are “say what you wanna say, let the words fall out …” I asked my kids, “Is it really wise to say everything that does into your head?”  My 4th grade daughter replied, “no, but the song is saying that if you are being bullied it’s important to speak up.” It’s encouraging to know when they can recognize and discuss content.  Trust begins to build.

We started by allowing hardly any access to the web.  Literally 3 webpages (Webkinz, their elementary school page, spelling city).  As they started to show maturity in other things (discussing book, music, and television content) we began to allow more websites that they specifically requested (minecraft, chess.com, other tetris-y game sites).  YouTube will most likely be the very last site we give unrestricted access to, though we definitely show them fun videos.  Last night we all laughed ourselves silly watching Brodie Smith play ultimate frisbee.  

Be a lighthouse -

Seeing something offensive, following curiosity too far, being fooled by advertising - all these are common in the ocean of the internet and difficult to completely insulate your kids from.   When they run into these storms they will need a lighthouse to find their way home.  Be that lighthouse.  Be a safe harbor where conversations are open and forgiveness and grace are served.  

If they don’t seek out help and need to be pulled into safety, don’t overreact, don’t feel that all is lost or hopeless.  With Jesus there is no such thing as hopeless.  There is redemption and restoration.  King David declared God could make him white as snow after adultery and murder.  Take this opportunity to help them learn about the ways light always overcomes the darkness.  

SPECIFICS

Lock your front door

Put a filter on your internet.  You can establish it to block adult content easily and freely with opendns.com.  The filter can be as tight as you want and will work on any devise that uses your internet.

Set logins

You can customize each child's access to their needs with separate logins.  Don’t be afraid to use parental controls.

Restrict access at friends/neighbors

It’s not safe at friends houses for kids unless you have had detailed conversations with their parents.  Lots of families have no filters applied to their internet and are naive to what their kids are into - or perhaps their kids are already expert swimmers while yours are still learning.  

Be a snoop

Remember that they are kids and need you to help them if they are in a dangerous situation.  Occasionally check their web history.  Set up their chat/messaging and email so that a carbon copy is sent to your accounts.  

Watch the online chats

Kids like to chat online with each other during games.  Check the usernames and find out if they are people your kids know in real life if the conversation is anything more than basic communication.  Make sure that your child can access the "this is offensive" button that is on nearly every game.  Then snoop.  Get on their login and read the chats.  If nothing else you'll start to get comfortable with the new-fangled slang kids use these days.  

FOMO and parenting

Earlier this school year my kids came home complaining that they were the ONLY kids in their classrooms not allowed unfettered access to youtube videos.  From their perspective, EVERYONE but them has their own channel and watches all the funny viral videos.

First off - not so.  But that isn’t an effective argument for them for the same reason it wasn’t for me.  It’s about FOMO (fear of missing out), not about equality.  

So on to my second point - so what?  Lots of times there will be lots of people doing lots of things that you can’t.  I’m your mom and love you.  I will not helicopter parent you, but I also will not throw you in the deep in before you know how to swim.  

Turns out that is also not effective at treating FOMO.  

Once point 1 and 2 had been made, I moved to an action plan.  We love Jesus in this house and He tells us to be in the world and not of it (John 17:14-15).  The kids were citing a serious lack of “in the world-ness.”  Fair enough.  

I found a neat site run by Donald Miller called storylineblog.com.  On Saturday mornings a guy on his site loads up 3 or 4 of the best viral videos found during the week.  Lots of times they are silly, sometimes touching, occasionally quirky.  As they are largely on youtube I can log into an account I made and put all the videos in my cue for the kids to watch with me.  

It’s been a great solution here at the Smith house.  One morning I showed them a video about a cardboard arcade and they spent hours in the basement building games from boxes.  And they didn’t have the awful day where they were the ONLY one in the class who didn’t know what the fox says.  

Double win.    

Burning Bush (Euonymus alatus)

In Exodus 3 Moses, shepherding his sheep, comes upon a curious site – a bush that burns but is not consumed.  His curiosity draws him in, closer, closer.

God, seeing He has Moses’ attention, calls.

“Moses, Moses!”

“Here I am,” Moses responds.  

“Take off your shoes, Moses, you are standing on Holy Ground.”

And Moses, in the presence of holiness, hides.  He must have felt as Adam did.  Exposed.  Naked.  The futility of hiding is obvious but he is unable to resist the instinctive response.  

The call on his life was one from long ago.  A call he had abandoned when he murdered an egyptian, perhaps feeling the call was murdered as well.  He was a tainted failure.  Living proof that the position of leader was too big for him.

He had started anew, abandoned all else as something ruined by his sin.  His family, his occupation, his wanderings.  Nothing about him would point to his miraculous adoption into royalty, the mother who rocked him and whispered the secrets of Elohim while his parents surrounded themselves with idols.  Those were shadows behind the new life he lead in his father-in-laws house.  

Now this Elohim was calling him again.  The God of Abraham, Issac, and Jacob, the God of the living, had a plan for a nation and a plan for Moses. 

Who but God would whisper to a man who was broken? 

Is God whispering to this broken girl?  One who was once known for lies and deceit?  Am I one whom He would dare pour His gift of life and truth?  

I hear the whispers of God.  Sometimes calling me to new things.  Sometimes reminding me of who He is.  Often reminding me that His ground is Holy ground – that the seeds He has planted in my life will by His power be brought to harvest. 

Like Moses I am curious.  What are you doing, Lord?  How are you so bright and hot and intense – yet never destroying?  You declare yourself in my life and call me to things beyond what I can imagine.  Like Moses, I doubt His power can overcome my weaknesses.  I become myopic about my sins.  

Then I am in awe.  What a curious thing to feel God’s hand or to catch a glimpse of His love for His people.  His love for emancipation, willingness to work with even a silly girl like me to bring a bit of light into a dark world.  Like Moses I fall on my face.

Is God calling to you?  What is He whispering?  Will you let Him guide you into the plans He has for your family, your neighborhood, your nation?  Know that when He invites you into His plans you are standing on Holy Ground.  And when you are on Holy Ground, He will be faithful to complete what He’s started. 

He downright delights in it.  

Tis so sweet ...

Abbie was born with a congenitally small ear canal and a correlating 30-40db hearing loss.  We discovered this when she was 6 months old and her ear had grown to where her eardrum was no longer visible.  

I remember seeing a pediatrician (different from our normal one) and his surprise when the otoscope couldn’t find anything to see and then the tympanogram couldn’t find any sound to bounce off.  I carried Abbie down the hall, my face fresh with surprise.  Our regular pediatrician took one look at me and followed us into the exam room.  It would take a specialist to get to the bottom of her issue - but from that day we knew that things would be different.  

A unilateral hearing loss left Abbie with mono sound rather than stereo.  For instance, if a car was approaching on her left side (where her hearing loss is), she would hear it louder on her right and naturally assume the car was coming from her right.  Many times this was not as urgent an issue as an approaching car, but as she grew and became more socially active the need for amplification became apparent.  So at age 3 we found an ENT who allowed Abbie to receive a hearing-aid.  I made a short video of the process.  The look on her face when she was able to hear the full volumed sounds in her left ear is priceless.    

Until last year she has been functioning well with a hearing-aid (when she wore it!).  We have been thrilled with the Deaf and Hard of Hearing program in the District 196 school district and she hasn’t had any learning or speech delays.  Our ENT would periodically see Abbie and clean out her tiny ears and things were going fairly well.  

Last year she began having more pain associated with wax build up, and less tolerance for the increasingly painful in-office cleanings.  We decided to put her under anesthesia and get a thorough cleaning.  After several of these procedures we realized that this regimen was not sustainable.  Something needed to change.  

Our ENT suggested a canalplasty.  He would surgically enlarge her ear canal using a skin graft.  There was a small chance that her hearing would return, but the main focus was to alleviate the chronic cleanings and discomfort. 

We agreed and yesterday Abbie underwent a canalplasty on her left ear.  The surgeon was able to double the size of her ear canal using a skin graft, about the size of a nickel, taken from behind her ear.  There are small strips placed on the grafted incisions encouraging the healing while packing is stuffed inside the ear canal.  In two weeks she will undergo full anesthesia again to have the packing removed and special sponges inserted.  After another two weeks the sponges will be removed in office and her healing will be 2/3 of the way done.  

She did great through the operation and was brave through a day she would have rather not had.  In the past anesthesia has been difficult for her to emerge from with her experiencing outbursts and struggle.  Yesterday the anesthesiologist altered her meds (as well as Brian and I requesting many to pray for her) - and she was groggily able to participate in her recovery.  In fact, we’ve been saying to her “slow down!”  

Thank you for your prayers and love for our family.  I’m learning over and over that my kids are mine to teach and love on - but that God truly holds their future.  It’s hard to let go of that ownership (though it’s a mirage) but such a sweet thing to trust Jesus and to prove Him over and over.  

Oh for grace to trust Him more.  

- Rachel

An update and an opportunity!

Clara had her 21 month post treatment visit recently.  All her scans and tests looked great.  We continue to praise God for healing her and letting her bless our lives through her trials.  

Clara has a fun opportunity coming up ... tomorrow!  Kare11 is participating in a fund drive for Make A Wish, collecting airline miles.  At 6pm Clara will be on air for a live television interview sharing about her Make A Wish experience.  How fun!  We’d love for you all the tune in and pray that her sweet countenance shines through.  It is my hope that those who are in the middle of the tough journey that is cancer (or any life threatening illness, really) would find hope.  That they would see a kind, smiling face and know that the end of the road is not always death and destruction.  

And also that Make A Wish would get lots of donated miles.  :)

I will post her interview after it airs and I figure out how to get it out to you.   Thanks for your support and for loving on our family.  

Below is something I wrote upon our return from Clara's Make A Wish trip ... A summary of the whirlwind and wonderful time we had.  

***********

We have arrived back home after a whirlwind Make A Wish trip.  Clara’s wish was to see an ocean and a forest.  Her wish co-ordinator Carleen planned a beautiful trip to California to visit Monterey and its world-renowned aquarium and then to see the enormous redwood trees in the Sequoia National Forrest.  

Our journey started at 4am on Thursday when a limousine picked us up for our airport ride.  It’s safe to say that the kids were beside themselves and a bit giddy at the thrill.  A few flights and car ride later we were in Monterey by 2pm (CA time) and exploring the beaches.  

Up on a rocky ridge called lovers point we got a spectacular view of the bay opening to the pacific.  I asked Clara if the ocean was as big as she thought it would be.  

“No,” she said.  “It’s bigger.”

The next day we were up and at ‘em with breakfast with family and then off to a day at the aquarium.  We got there before it opened and stayed until after it closed.  Clara was in love.  

Our tour guide behind the scenes was a sweet, sweet lady named Thyra (pronounced tier-ah).  She showed us baby sea horses, the tops of the giant tanks, places for baby sea otters to be fostered back to health, the intricacies and secrets of jellyfish tanks, and all the best shows and presentations.  We were even allowed to touch a giant albatross (bird with with largest wingspan) and scratch his chin!  Clara was fascinated and has announced her desire to be an aquarist when she grows up. 

Make A Wish gave the kids a souvenir allowance and the kids had a blast picking out t-shirts and things at the Monterey Bay Aquarium gift shop.  Clara purchased her 6th stuffed dolphin and promptly named her Thyra.  

The next day we woke early and headed out whale watching!  We saw a humpback whale and her calf and a few curious sea lions looking for a free meal.  After whale watching we made the 4 hour drive to the Sequoia National Park.  California is amazing!  We went from 57 degrees out on the Pacific, 107 in the Fresno valley, to 87 up in the mountains.  The key to a California adventure?  Layers!

Another early morning sent us touring the park.  We saw the Giant Forest.  It’s truly giant: General Sherman, General Grant, and many redwoods knuckled into the ground along the way.  There is an amazing cave full of rivers and crystals.  To get to most things we drove and then took significant hikes up and down (2,000+ feet sometimes!) paths and stairs.  I was so glad that Make A Wish allowed us to wait until Clara is healthy so that she was able to really enjoy all that there was to see.  

One final thing we saw in the forest was Moro Rock. It’s about 400 steps up to a rock with a panoramic view of the Sierra’s and canyons.  Absolutely breathtaking.  

On our drive out of the park back to the bay Clara said “wow, mom.  We are surrounded by beautiful.” 

Our last morning was spent watching sea lions and sea otters and breathing in the sweet sea air.  As we said our goodbyes to the ocean Clara vowed to one day live in California, take her kids to the aquarium ALL THE TIME, and to work as an aquarist one day.  

We enjoyed our trip immensely.  Make a Wish is an incredible organization and the Monterey Bay Aquarium was terribly gracious.  We are so grateful for the opportunity Clara (and our family!) were given.  

As Stephen said, “Really great wish Clara.  Really great.”  

If you’d like to see some of our pictures from the trip we have them loaded on my dad’s Flikr page.  

There's a song for that

It may be slightly cruel, but Brian and I love to turn on music when the kids are all crabby and rising up against us.  In particular we turn on theme tunes that match the occasion.

For instance...

Just back from vacation and the kids have declared a pre-emptive chore strike?  

Back To Life by Soul II Soul  

Kids tired and turning on the angst full blast?

Come And Get Your Love by Leon Redbone

Did they run off in a huff and slam the door?

Stay by Maurice Williams

The fairness monster circling?

Ho Hey by the Lumineers

Sibling rivalry making you and the spouse wanna pull your hair out?

There's a Key by M. Ward

Are they taking themselves WAY too seriously?  For some reason this one seems to fit ...

Jai Ho (from Slumdog Millionaire)

The kids haven't figured out that we deliberately turn the songs on to match the mood.  Once they do I think we're in for  it.  I anticipate they may even double down and make their own playlists!

What soundtrack do you have for the cranky's?