Seriously Fun Times!!!

"Freedom is not given to us by anyone; we have to cultivate it ourselves. It is a daily practice... No one can prevent you from being aware of each step you take or each breath in and breath out." ~ Thich Nhat Hanh

There is nothing that warms my soul more than watching my girls laugh and have a great time. As they get older, they do more and more of this independently and seek less and less time with me. Yet I still find myself craving to be present for as many of these moments as I can. And sometimes, I am actually lucky enough to have my camera and capture them on film... allowing me the privilege of savouring them over and over and over again.

This weekend offered a few of these moments... some captured, and others remaining fixed in my memory (even if not translated into pictures). On Saturday we drove out to Chía to enjoy a fun lunch with friends at Andrés Carne de Rez. I am certain I have written about this restaurant before as it is a feast for the eyes, the belly and the spirit... for both young and old customers. The food is amazing - even though they specialize in meat dishes (we are in South America, after all) there is a huge assortment of vegetarian meals that can be enjoyed by us and the girls. We definitely never leave hungry. The decorations throughout this restaurant - which is huge and actually employs over 1000 people (or is it 2000?) - from the elaborate entrance flanked by huge pinwheels, to a maze of activity leading you from one 'space' to another (all seemingly one room, yet each area made distinct with its decor). It's supposedly an incredible fun place at night... which I can only imagine... yet for us, it is also an amazing place to take the girls as it has a beautiful children's playground at the back. There is a full dining area (both indoor and outdoor - so weather dependant), along with a 'dance studio' (and instructor), a sandbox, a woodworking station, a beading station, a cotton candy machine, face painting, a play-doh station, a colouring station, a mask-making station, a little chefs station with 'make-your-own-pizza' and make your own 'cut out cookies'. And if all that is not enough (though i am certain i have missed stuff), there is also a puppet show. The fun truly does not end... and from the moment we arrive both girls are smitten with activities that keep them enthralled for hours of entertainment. And when we are lucky, Joshua and I even get to enjoy a meal (though perhaps not at the same time *smile*).

Playing hand games with the puppet master

Estella & Isabel enthralled by the puppeteer!!

Anaïs getting ready to boogie... arms up and dance!!! Though apparently I missed the big show she put on for Papa... I was eating, and he did not have the camera. Though let's just say, this girls got rhythm!!

Anaïs sitting patiently to get her face painted... seriously, she is not even two yet!!
Now that is patience.

Isabel's laughter did not stop for a moment!!

Anaïs enjoying one of the butterfly cookies she made all by herself
(with a little help from Papa).

Throwing butterfly confetti

Enjoying the puppet show!!

... also enjoying the puppet show!!

Seriously, I could have watched these girls for hours... the laughter was infectious and still makes me smile from the inside out!!! What a blessing.

Strength in Giving

"Strength does not lie in what you have. It lies in what you can give." ~ Yogi Tea

I have been thinking a lot lately about what gives us strength... the strength to wake up each morning and face each day... the strength to embrace the world with joy and patience, especially when things are not going as we plan or expect... the strength to be true to our own truths (whatever these might be)... the strength to forgive... the strength to move on... the strength to see beyond our own biases... the strength to live out our full potential... the strength just to be.

Isabel enjoying the water

Not a perfect picture... but a positively PERFECT MOMENT! Sheer JOY multiplied!!!

Anaïs trying to swim solo!!

 Some days/weeks when sleep deprivation is at a peaking point, the idea of getting up in the morning is dreadful... and the feeling that there just isn't enough in me to face my life and my family with the patience and the joy that I desire seems insurmountable. If i let my mind wander in this direction, everything starts to turn grey. And yet, if I can turn my perspective just a little bit and instead of feeling like I don't have enough, simply giving of what I have... it multiplies... with the smiles on the faces of my girls, with the joy that comes back from all that is around me.

And so, this simple quote i found on my tea bag today reminded me more profoundly than anything else about at least one of the sources of strength. Such a simple thought.

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And on a slightly different note... tonight as we are falling asleep Isabel made her Christmas wish list: a bicycle for Anaïs  (it has always been her pattern to think of something for her sister first); a dolly (seriously, another one?!?!); and an electric guitar ("so i can learn to play 'Hells Bells'" - by AC/DC... her papa's great influence). A brief pause, and then she asks: "Is Santa Clause real?" We managed to postpone our reply due to the late bedtime hour... completely unprepared for this kind of question from our FOUR YEAR OLD!!! I still believe in Santa Clause when I was 12?!? I know, i know, i was a naïve kid!!

Max Tell in Bogotá

“Give to the world the best you have, and the best will come back to you."          ~ Madeline Bridges ~

On November 1st, several folks from the embassy, along with other friends, enjoyed a fun musical performance by Canadian musician, storyteller and songwriter Max Tell. This was Max's 7th world tour, and when he travels abroad he always contacts the Canadian Embassy to offer a free show for the kids living 'away from home'. It is an amazing gift that he shares with kids from preschool age right up to grade 12 (obviously changing the nature of his show to meet the needs of his audience). He also works with librarians and teachers to develop creative learning strategies that will engage kids on their educational adventures. He put on a fabulous show with great songs - some well-known, and others written by him - all adored by everyone (my favourite was the one about 'what i want to be when I grow up'... not to mention Isabel was the first to raise her hand and state without hesitation: "When I grow up, I want to be a mama & a doctor"). His songs were creatively incorporated into stories and with lots of movement to keep the kids (and adults) involved. It was a special treat, and a great way to round off the Halloween long weekend.

Max Tell comes to Bogotá

Both children and adults enjoyed the fun show!!

Isabel was an active participant!

Anaïs loved singing along!

If you are interested (and have 3-minutes to spare), here is Max sharing a story about why he does what he does. Truly an inspiring person who gives to the world through song and story... inspired by children and inspiring them right back. How lucky we were to enjoy his show!!!

Happy Halloween!!!

Our Halloween was full, full, full of fun! The girls had a ball dressing up and going from one festivity to another... Isabel got to go to school in her pink faery outfit (which she adored showing off to everyone and posed for us at the elevator on her way out).

Isabel meditating & all dressed up for school

Isabel the pink faery

On Saturday we all went to a Halloween gathering with friends from the US Embassy in the morning... this time Isabel wanted to dress up as 'the cow' and Anaïs chose to be the flower faery. Isabel had a ball dancing, singing and even bobbing for apples (she was so proud to pull the apple out of the bucket with her teeth)!!!

Anaïs dancing in her flower faery outfit

Isabel having fun dancing with friends

Isabel bobbing for apples

Isabel so proud to have gotten that apple out of the bucket

Anaïs waiting to get her face painted

In the afternoon we had yet another celebration at a dear friends house and this time both girls wanted to be faeries. We were having such a great time that I did not take any photos of this party... which I am so sad about because everything was so spectacular. Our hosts decorated their home into a maze of a haunted house (just perfect for kids). Adults and kids alike were dressed up in such creative outfits it was a treat for the eyes. And the food... well, let's just say that nothing beats southern cajun flare when it comes to good cookin'!!!

the girls made beautiful pumpkin crafts... Anaïs chose to paint her pumpkin blue with white sparkles, and Isabel opted for purple with pink sparkles... I am thinking i will keep them as nice christmas decorations!!!

And then in the evening, I even got to go to a Halloween party with some good friends... I had planned to dress up as a snowball (but did not end up getting all the gear in order). So, I went as a 'homemade pumpkin'. I figured I had to work with the belly a little to sass up my attire.

That's me... as a pumpkin... though in retrospect, i should have dressed up as a plum!?!

Today, we decided to take it easy in the morning with a trip out to Parque 93 (and not dress up clothes for a change). 

Enjoying the log swing at Parque 93 after a yummy breakfast!!

In the evening, we took a short stroll through Santa Ana (adjacent to our neighbourhood) and the girls had a blast going door to door to gather treats into their little pumpkins. Isabel returned to her pink faery outfit, and Anaïs tagged along as her loyal little ladybug. Joshua sported a his lovely Roman Soldier gear, and I went as a pink wood faery (outfit chosen by Isabel). Watching the girls chant "Triki, Triki Halloween, Quiero dulces para mi..." made the night a real treat for all of us.

The roman soldier and the lady bug

the pink faery

the faithful ladybug

triki, triki halloween...

Hope you all enjoyed a fantastic Halloween. Enjoy the candies (ours have been distributed amongst the guards already). Tomorrow is a national holiday and we are looking forward to a fun show by Max Tell... more to come!!!

celebrating ordinary days...with a cup of water

a moment to remember

In the spirit of celebrating ordinary days... i wanted to post one of my favourite memories from this week. The girls, running around in minnie mouse headbands and finding fun playing with a cup of cold water... the sheer joy and laughter that filled the room was spectacular... i can still hear it resonating in the walls and in my heart.

infectious laughter

curious eyes

the gift of an ordinary day

The other day a good friend sent me this link to a reading of an excerpt from a new book by Katrina Kenison ~ The Gift of an Ordinary Day. If you have seven and a half minutes (and a tissue by your side) you might want to take a moment out of your day to watch/listen.


The Gift of an Ordinary Day by Katrina Kenison

The reading inspired me. It reminded me of just how beautiful each day can be when we truly engage with it... and above all, the simple fact that we always have a choice about what we choose to see and feel in each moment; how we embrace the start of a day; and even how we reflect on the passing of it.

For me, there is something even more profound: living in the moment isn't all there is, it is also about having a sense of perspective as to how this moment fits into the cycle of our lives, of the universe, of the people/the world/the connections that surround us, that define us. Everything passes, and everything changes... this is one of my mantras when i move through 'one of those more challenging parenting days'. It has saved me, and given me strength and patience when I thought none was left. It has acted as a light that could guide my way through the darkness when I was unsure what step to take next. This simple phrase has given me the grace to be present so that I do not miss out on the magic of those 'ordinary days'. It has allowed me to 'let go and let flow' in a way that I never imagined I could.

As I listened, one statement in Katrina's passage resonated with me so deeply I felt a need to write it down and feel the words move through my lips, see them on paper, and now on the computer screen. 

She says: "Learn the art of letting go, by practicing it in the present: savouring each moment as it is right now. If motherhood teaches us anything, it's that we cannot change our children, we can only change ourselves."

There were so many more gems and beautiful words. Many of them still dancing in my mind and my heart as I feel waves of genuine joy and reflection. I am moved by a tremendous need to cuddle my girls and to drink up their smiles. I am not left thinking about the lack of sleep or frustrated at tired tears. I want to continue to choose to be the best mama, wife, friend and daughter that I can be... to love without boundaries and accept without conditions. I am inspired, all over again, to simply celebrate the magical gift of 'an ordinary day'.

reflections...

Motherhood is not what we imagined. It is more delightful, more heartbreaking... It is not the calm after the storm we have been led to expect. It is almost more than a person can bear. Almost.  ~ Ariel Gore, The Mother Trip

Anaïs amused by her reflection

It is amazing to me how much our children mirror our own moods, our sensations, our fears. I never cease to be surprised (though i don't know why anymore) at how when I feel stressed or off-balance or especially tired, my girls seem to move into their own whirlwind of misbehaviour... often pushing me further into a state of anxiety. Suddenly the cycle escalates before I even have a moment to take a breath. Of course, I can see this all very clearly when I am feeling grounded, rested and at ease... it is so much more challenging in the heat of the moment.

I am keenly aware that when I feel at a loss, my children are my stress barometers. If I can pause long enough to listen, I often realize that it is not their misbehaviour which is the trigger... but rather my own state at that moment. And as I continue to reflect on how I can engage more passionately and consciously in these experiences, I am finding the magic of crafts as a calming activity. It is an odd place for me to venture as i have never believed myself to be someone gifted with creativity. Yet, as I learn from my children, I am discovering a whole new set of tools for finding my way -- leaning on others for support (like my dear friend Sarah who always manages to whip up the best treats and get her kids involved in the process, my friend Annie who incorporates felting and yoga with her children and her community, or blogs like Soule Mama and websites like Kids Craft Weekly). The resources seem to be endless, but applying them is not always as easy as it seems on paper... at least not for me. Though I am realizing just how important these tools are on my own path of self-discovery.

I never imagined motherhood to offer me so many opportunities for growth... and yet, for me, it has become a spiritual path unlike anything I had expected or prepared for. As I walk on this journey, I have observed that anything can offer us this kind of gift if we are open to the experience... we can find it in sports, in work, in play, in meditation. It seems to be more about being present and open to the experience unfolding before us, than any particular set of rules. I know I certainly did not come to this wonderful, crazy, daunting and magical world of motherhood looking for a spiritual path. I always knew I wanted to be a mom, it was as if it was a part of my genetic make-up... and yet I never expected it would offer me so many opportunities for growth.

I still remember my, perhaps naïve, notions of the joys of engaging with my children, watching them grow, seeing the world anew through their eyes, teaching them, and learning from them... sharing the beauty of this experience with my husband. I was certainly not anticipating the reality... the sleepless nights, the complete loss of privacy, the constant repetition, the lack of patience, the disappearance of time as i knew it, the self-doubt, the feelings of isolation, the inability to finish a sentence/project/conversation... and did i mention the repetition and the sheer exhaustion. I found myself lost in moments where I wondered how I could have desired this all my life, and yet feel so completely helpless and unprepared for the reality of it all.

And it is these moments of uncertainty that have inspired my search for tools... tools that can inspire a sense of tranquility (both for me and my girls), tools that will help me cope with situations when they seem to spiral out of control (and that help me realize what an illusion 'control' is in the first place), tools that will help me grow, tools that will help me cope...

At first I remember searching for answers from 'experts'. I was convinced that if only I could find the right recipe/formula my children would 'also' sleep all night, eat perfectly balanced meals without a fuss, always mind their manners with grace, greet everyone around them with a smile, never have a melt-down, and the list goes on. My 'romantic' notion of parenthood somehow included a reliance on expertise and guidelines that would help me do things 'the right way'. Oh how quickly my little angels burst those bubbles. Isabel taught me from the earliest days of her life that things don't always unfold as we expect them too, and that the only person who can really see inside of the glass bowl is the one living inside it. The idea that there is a 'right choice' in any situation quickly became an illusion as I tried to just make it through the days and nights and days and nights that seemed to melt into each other without any patterns of sleep. And then, as I explored more deeply, I was amazed at how easy it is to offer advice, and how difficult it is to actually listen and support. There are such opposing schools of thought on the many issues related to parenthood -- whether they are about sleep, discipline, nursing, feeding, routines, playtime, education, and so on. All of them might have their own merit, but at what point did I decide that 'someone else' is more an expert on raising my children than I am... when did I decide that an outsiders opinion matters more than my own... when did we all, as parents, caregivers and human beings stop supporting each other and start judging, criticizing and bullying.

When facing the daily demands of parenting, i can be difficult just to find a moment to sit down... there is always something to be done. And so finding a moment to reflect and be present can be equally as challenging as we get into the rhythm of rushing from one experience/milestone to another. So we reach out to friends and support networks to help us survive along the way... and sometimes the communities we discover are amazing. But sometimes they can make us feel inadequate and unable to cope with the realities of parenting. I often wonder why we cannot all be a little more tolerant and supportive of each other... yet I suppose this is not something unique to motherhood... intolerance is a part of our religions, our nations, our activities, our work, our daily lives. For me, this is yet another way that my children have become spiritual teachers... for they trigger my own responses and in trying to parent more conscientiously truly inspire me to become the best person i can be. this is not to suggest that these little creatures are some kind of 'enlightened beings' whom we should try to emulate... rather, it is a celebration of their ability to be straightforward, honest, uninhibited and fully present.

As such, children can teach us a tremendous amount... though in the process of learning, we might need a few coping tools to help us along the way (at least I know I do)!! So thanks to all of you creative souls - both friends and strangers - who inspire me and offer up so many incredible tools that I can use to get through and live more joyfully with my family. I am so grateful. Thanks to you, I can put away the 'experts' and just live spontaneously and enthusiastically in this moment... letting the natural passion for creativity of my girls lead the way.