It was finally nice out

Friends came to visit and it was finally nice enough to eat and play outdoors.  Here are Friday's photos.

Birthdays for boys and a diagnosis

Well, we officially have an 8 year old boy in the house and for his party this past weekend 2 of his closest buddies came over for a sleepover complete with mini-golf, nerf gun target practice, a late night movie, pizza and cake and a pancake breakfast to boot.  Wow.  I felt like I needed the next couple of days to recover from all that!  The decorations were kept pretty simple- just some balloons, streamers and paper airplanes hung over the table.  A couple of old trophies made for a fun centerpiece.  I did end up putting a 'Darth Vader' Birthday Candle on the cake so it was a little more appealing to the boys.  Anyways, it was fun and wild and sometimes crazy but that's how it goes with boys this age.

Yesterday we had our meeting with the school psychologist who actually did do some diagnosing.  I'm still trying to process some of the results- more the labels and associations that come with the diagnosis.  It seems that Johnny has some form of ADD and dislexia that are inhibiting his ability to learn to read and write as smoothly and quickly as other kids.  Both diagnosis were kind of a surprise to me. Johnny has never mixed up letters and he can read and write, albeit slowly and below his level.  So there is a program he might do for 10 weeks in fall to re-learn how to read and write geared for kids with mild dislexia. 
I think what surprised me more was the whole ADD diagnosis.  I sat down to do some research yesterday and frankly, it's hard not to see every boy Johnny's age as being somewhat ADD.   Knowing that about 7 of Johnny's classmates have undergone a similar psychological assessments this year makes me a little frustrated that we aren't looking at the process of teaching kids as opposed to simply trying to medicate and diagnose our kids into being good students. ADD or ADHD seems to be a catch-all phrase for kids who have a lot of energy and a low attention span.  Perhaps it's not just our kids who have the 'problem', perhaps some of the issues have to do with educators and parents who haven't completely learned how best to motivate these kids to learn and cope with life at their optimum.
With that in mind, I can see that there are a few strategies that I can work on personally as a parent to make life a little smoother for both Johnny and us as parents.  Some of those parenting tips I found here, some more I found here- both sites and the video being advocates for the concept of 'positive parenting'.  Essentially, the idea behind positive parenting is to learn how to avoid conflicts/power struggles with your child while trying to teach them how to make positive choices.  For me it will mean being more intentional about how I relate to my boys and not trying to rush over the parenting tasks that I do every day.  Also making sure that we have a more consistent schedule, complete with lots of meals/snacks, good sleeping habits and lots of physical activity will be on the agenda.  Good thing I bought some new running shoes on the weekend- I have a feeling I'll be playing a lot more soccer and going for more hikes and runs throughout the summer...

My week with the boys

Well, Dean is back and my stint of single parenting is over until July!  It's amazing how having him around in the morning makes all the difference in getting these boys out the door. When I'm trying to get them off to school I feel as though I am a broken record saying 'please get dressed. or get your shoes and socks on. or where is your back pack?' several times over.  Yesterday I finally made a list for my oldest son to follow with all the steps written out (why hadn't I thought of this sooner?) and he managed to complete all the tasks on his own.  I think that will be my strategy from now on, so much easier on my patience level. 
When I had young toddlers I thought that once the boys got into school things would get so much easier for me as a parent.  I don't think that any more.  It's been a challenging year with my oldest in school.  His ability to retain information in school has been quite slow and he was recommended to the school learning psychologist to sort out why he is having trouble retaining/retrieving information.  After filling out 2 long surveys about my son's behavior, I started to wonder what kind of issues he has that will affect his time in school and in life from here on in.  We meet with the psychologist next week to find out what the results from all these tests will be.  
The one thing I've thought about in all this is that I really need to step it up in terms of finding an outlet that my son is really good at so that school doesn't feel so painful.  He is amazing at sports, and I've really hesitated to want to put him in organized sports because of the time commitment and over-scheduling that I resist against.  I can't stand the thought of driving my kid around from soccer to baseball practice, eating fast food in the car because we don't have time to sit down and have a proper meal.  I also don't like the thought of our kids being so over-scheduled that they don't have time for 'free play'.  Like the photo above, where the boys took a whole Saturday to find boxes and build themselves a fort on the drive way.  If we had soccer practice and swimming lessons on Saturdays, that wouldn't have happened.  As I think about this next school year, I'm already thinking about how to sort out this dilemma- the innate talent I see in my son for all things sports-like and my resistance to want to sign the whole family up for all the practices and games that organized sports requires one to commit to.  Well, I have the summer to think about it and hopefully in the end I won't have any guilty feelings either way...

Drawing on foggy windows

...when things don't go as planned.

That was last week.  There have been some strange things going on with our kilns/breaker system and it's been causing some stress at the studio.  The new kiln was supposed to help out with the demand for kiln time, unfortunately, the coils weren't the right ones for the wiring in our building.  On Saturday we had a meeting about the kiln room- moving the breaker so the switch doesn't turn off mid-firing/getting the coils fixed, etc, and hopefully it will be resolved this week.  In the meantime, I won't be able to ship out a large wholesale order that I had planned on this past week.  Bummer...

Today it was a home day with sniffly boys and me feeling tired after a weekend show.  I've been at the studio really late some nights trying to get it all done.  I'll put our boys to bed then head out for a late shift at the studio (1-2am) and still get up at 8 am to get them ready for school, then head back to the studio while Sasha is at Kindergarten, then back home to pick up/play with/make supper/tend to family.  There's been a lot of juggling going on just to get the work done, so it was disappointing to try to fire on 3 separate occasions with 2 different kilns and still not have the work finished.

With all the crazy time I've been putting in lately I decided I might need some studio help sooner than later, especially over the summer as the kids are out of school.  I put the word out there hoping that an  Emily Carr student might want a bit of a mentorship/studio job 1-2 days a week. And it has been great to have a response from a couple of people. I have a really great feeling about one person in particular and am kind of excited about having 2 extra hands around the studio, along with passing along some of my own knowledge, experience and skills to someone I have a good feeling about.  Hopefully it's the start of something really good for me and for her too.

Home Parties

I've been holding onto the notion of having small home birthday parties for as long as we possibly can.  It is no easy thing to entertain 6-8 boys in our small place if it rains and so we left Sasha's kid birthday party for this past weekend.  The weather was perfect, we set up game stations, only invited 6 extra kids (+ my 2), made it for 2 hours, and provided lots of snacks & goodies.  Simple, fun and not too expensive.  Games included Balloon Darts (yep, pop balloons with darts), Drive-way bowling, and Bocce Ball.  Fun and not too competitive.
Candy Apples with 'Nerds' on the bottom to keep them from sticking to my pan (we had some milk allergies in the mix so I couldn't do caramel apples...).
And a 'Vegan' recipe for 'Wacky Chocolate Cake' (using 'Earth Balance' instead of Butter)
1.5 cups Flour
1 cup Sugar
1 tsp Baking Soda
1 tsp Baking Powder
3 Tbsp Cocoa
pinch Salt

1 tbsp White Vinegar
1 tsp Vanilla
5 tbsp melted Butter or Earth Balance for Vegan/milk allergies
1 cup Warm Water

Dry ingredients into a bowl (sift if you feel necessary, I just whisk it).
Wet ingredients in a large Measuring cup- yes it looks kind of icky and I know there are no eggs...
Pour wet into dry and mix with a spatula until mixed.  Pour into a 9X9" pan or cup-cake tins.  Bake at 375 F for 25-30 min for pan, 20 min for cupcakes. Don't overbake- if the top springs back when you gently touch it it's done. Quick, easy, moist and yummy. No icing necessary.  Especially great when you run out of Milk and eggs when people stop by...

My new nephew!

I'm pleased as punch to announce the birth of my new nephew, Oliver Daniel, to my sister and her husband.  He was born at 1am today- March 17th and was 8lbs 15oz and 21 inches long!  My sister looks amazing afterwards- don't let that fool you though, she had a rough go of it and I'm so proud of how she did! It was amazing for me to be with both of them throughout the birth, to rub her back, to keep telling her how amazing she was doing, and to be someone to lean on in the midst of her pain.  We are all so thankful that this healthy baby boy is now part of our family! Congratulations you two!

Pen & Ink

 

Here are some more glimpses into the past with some photos of notebooks that once belonged to Dean's Grandparents.  Mostly in german and almost illegible, there is such a beautiful flow to the letters and numbers.  This last image with all the numbers is actually music notations with the words to old hymns in German.  It has inspired me to dig around in my supplies cupboard for my old nibs and ink again. 

I know there are a number of very talented artists using calligraphy and pen & ink these days.  Here are just a couple that I've found recently:

Shana Murray

Betsy Dunlap  

I just remembered that there is also a great article with some other calligrapher's in the new Uppercase Magazine...

Playing in the Sand

 One of the best things about living in and around Vancouver is that we aren't far from the ocean.  There is something so therapeutic about heading down to the beach on a balmy February day and making a sandcastle with the boys.  It was great to see their faces and imaginations at work as they built tunnels and roadways, borrowing buckets to see whether the water would make it through their canals. 
Today we celebrate Sasha turning 6.  It is amazing that the time has flown by so quickly and every time he grows a year older I feel a little sad that he can't stay 3, 4 or 5 for a little longer. 

facing the past

These are just some of the photographs that had belonged to Dean's grandmother of her friends and family through the 1920's in the Prairies of Canada.  Some familiar and unfamiliar faces of the past re-appear for us now as enlarged prints since Dean's mom scanned her mother's photo album into digital format.  We've noticed details within the photos that weren't clear before- little mysteries about who the faces are and what they are doing have made us more curious about our past heritage. 

Chasing Pirates

We weren't actually 'Chasing Pirates' more than singing the song as we scoped out this old ship from Russia, complete with teenage Russian Cadets, that is parked in the harbour during the Olympics.  It was quite a sight to see and the boys were so excited to run down the dock to check things out. 
There's been lots to see and do here in Vancouver.  Unfortunately, having 2 boys with colds that are still busy with school and swimming doesn't really lend itself too well with seeing all the free concerts and being part of the masses of people downtown sharing the excitement of the day's medals.  Oh well, Jay and Kat came over for dinner and wine and we watched 2 hockey games and men's figure skating in their good company.  It made for a great evening!

Happy Valentines Day

Just a little pre-Valentines post with the loves of my life photographed by the talented Sherri Koop this past summer.  Dean and I met 17 years ago and he's been the guy for me ever since.  He still makes me smile and laugh nearly every day.  I know that it's a rare treat to be married to your 'soul mate' and I'm extremely grateful to be in that place.
Happy Valentines Day to those of you who read my blog. Thanks for the comments over the past month- it means a lot to know when something strikes a chord with you as it does with me.  May your  weekend be filled with the encouragement of those who love you! And hopefully a sweet Valentine will come your way too!

A taste of Spring

The Olympics begin on Friday and we've had an incredibly warm winter.  So warm that many of my early spring flowers and trees are starting to bloom.  These were taken just today while we had sunny skies and enjoyed playing at the park with our neighbour friends without jackets on. 
Tomorrow I get to watch the torch relay with the boys.  Should be exciting!

Keeping on the sunny side

Things have been a little quiet on this blog as of late.  I've been trying to get through a few 'hiccups' of life here that the new year has brought and trying to keep on the sunny side of things.  It's good to have my boys during those moments, they keep me grounded and present despite circumstances that can be frustrating.  
Our house guests left yesterday morning- I could barely muster a good-bye from the bedroom as I recovered from an all-night flu fest...

We did manage to do a little sight-seeing.  Granville Island ended up being the easiest touring opportunity with 2 little toddlers (so cute, holding hands in the stroller) and 2 children and so alas, I'll have to find some new excuses to play tourist again in my own town.

Pictures from the Past

We recently found this great photograph of my dad pulling a sled, back from the 70's.  It really could have been taken yesterday with all the facial hair that's been grazing the streets these days.  I have lots of good memories of my dad being part of my child-hood.  He's always been there for me and lately, it's neat to see how he's now 'taking care' of his dad and mom, making sure they are living to the fullest in their late 80's and 90's.  I should clarify that my grandparents are pretty perky at their age, they still live on their own in a duplex without assistance, and they even insist on butchering their own chickens on other people's farms, like they used to do back at their old farm.  They are quite a pair, and sometimes I even find it hard to keep up with the likes of them:)

P.S. My blog posts have been a little tardy and slow this week due to a little down time with the kids, making gingerbread cookies and houses, going to parent/teacher interviews, and enjoying the sunshine outside since December 1st.  Also lots to do at the studio and lots of work getting shipped off for Christmas! Thanks for hanging in their with me.  I have some very exciting news to announce coming up, but won't 'open my presents before Christmas' quite yet:)

Vespa Transformation!

If you ask both Dean and I about the Vespa, it will soon become apparent that it is a hot topic, a point of contention. You see, the scooter is supposed to be our 2nd vehicle for 6 months of the year. But sadly, it sits by the side of the house, looking pretty, not working. Because scooters, you see, need a whole lot of tinkering with. They need a keen mechanical person to constantly be fixing it up. And that, my friends, is why this chair is a brilliant idea!

Happy Halloween

Just in time for halloween, we found this creepy Spider book at the thrift store yesterday (with such great font), along with a book called 'Creep Crawly Things' by National Geographic- all about snakes, lizards, frogs and turtles. Perfect for curious little boys!
We are working on a Yoda and a Robin Hood costume for tomorrow, have some glow-sticks to pass out to the kids so they are safe on the roads, and are looking forward to a few fireworks outside to celebrate the season!

For a good, good laugh, check out the Engrish site!

For a little eye candy of my ginko stem mugs check out this lovely plug here!

To check out my up-dated dahlhaus art shop take a peek here! (P.S. I have a 15% off until November 15th deal happening there- enter code word FALL09 to redeem:)

Have a Happy Halloween and see you next week!

The new music room

We've made a few changes around here since learning about our son's troubles at school. On the school front, he did get moved into a new reading group this week that better matches where he's actually at for reading, along with being closer to grade 2 reading levels. It seems that some of the extra help and incentives we were giving him at home paid off, and probably, he wasn't really that far behind to begin with. There is a bit of hope at the end of the tunnel after-all. He still isn't keen on going to school every morning, but I feel like we need to get through the fall and re-assess before considering a bunch of other options.
The other change I made was that I tackled the play room which was so littered with lego and stuff that you couldn't even walk inside of it. Yikes, I had really let this one go far too long!
For a while I had been wanting to set up the keyboard for the boys. Not to put them in formal piano lessons yet, but just to give them the opportunity to play music whenever they feel like it! I can't stress enough how good this switch has been- a little music room of their own for them to pull down whatever instrument and play.
The last pic shows you some of the little treasures that the boys make at the studio while I try to get a few things done. I finally found a little home for some of them to be displayed in, made by Dean's folks a few years ago as a Christmas present.

Keepin it real...

Life here at the real Dahl house has been a little crazy as of late, I must admit. I won't go into long lists of what we all have to manage each week to keep these active boys fed, to school on time, picked up, to swimming lessons and kids clubs, to clean clothed while also trying to keep on top of everything that needs doing at the studio... I will just elaborate on some of the unfortunate news I received from my son's teacher regarding how behind he is as a student this past week.
I will admit that I was surprised to learn that my son's reading level puts him back to the beginning of grade 1 when he is in grade 2. Same teacher as last year. No big warning signs on his report card last year- yes he has been in Learning Assistance for reading, but really, back to grade 1?
So I've been asking around about what best to do, what to look out for in the way of learning lapses or problems, sorting out what his learning style might be, and generally trying to keep him happy about school these days. It's not easy- again tonight he asked if he could quit school. Quit school? In grade 2? Yikes, we've got 11 more years of this school thing- somehow we've all got to make it through.
My research has led me here if you are interested in more on boys and literacy...

14

It's a week of celebrations- 4 family birthdays, Thanksgiving and our anniversary! Dean and I have been married for 14 years now- you may be a little surprised by that number, but that's how we roll! We met when I was a mere 18 year old, fell in love and 2 years later we decided we were meant to be together for the rest of our lives! So we got married. And here we are today, 14 years later with much to be thankful for in our lives and lots to still be in love about!

I'm hoping to stop by the One of a Kind Show today or tomorrow, so I'll post about that after I get back!

Happy Birthday Mom

Happy 60th Birthday to my dear Mom! I recently found these old photographs of my Mom as a 4 or 5 year old back in the 50's. Her poise and grace is still characteristic of how she carries herself today! Have a great day Mom & lots of love!