This past week the kids and I have been in Western Kansas, living a pretty fun little life! My sister-in-law runs this wonderful dance studio (you can see their Facebook page here) out here, and every year she holds a week-long dance camp, which Lulu is loves participating in. Last year was so fun, we decided to come back this year and spend the week enjoying the slower pace of country life. I guess I should point out that farm life isn’t always so slow (during harvest it’s NUTS around here), but this week has been a good reminder for me that rest and easy fun is so necessary for a full life.
While I love living in Kansas City, sometimes I can get caught up in the go-go-go of it all. There is always somewhere to be and something to accomplish. The kids have daily activities and routines, which sometimes can dictate our lives. Out here on the farm, the kids get to be kids. My kids have more independence here than they do at home! They run around the yard or the small towns nearby with their gaggle of buddies, sometimes with no adult supervision. They get to be responsible for themselves and feel that pride of knowing they are in charge. Lucy especially (as at 4-years-old, Tate is still a little young to be all on his own) has really thrived here. It’s been fun to watch her spread her wings and reconnect with all her friends from last year.
I’m sort of in awe of how the communities around here rally together. Yesterday we got to hang out with the local volunteer fire department and they even let the kids spray the fire hose! We went to a local pool, and the whole scene was straight out of the movie “The Sandlot!” Of course, since Lulu knows everyone, everywhere, we walked in to the pool area and immediately there were three or four kids yelling, “Lucy!” who she knew from camp. It was pretty adorable.
I love coming out to Western Kansas at the start of each summer. It’s the best way to kick off the season. Fun, sun, the outdoors, a few bugs and frogs, and of course, a lot of dancing. It’s the best reminder that simple, uncomplicated fun is always the way to go. Hopefully we can sustain this feeling of ease and joy throughout the rest of the summer!
Special thanks to our hosts Adrian and Ashley and the whole Coberly Farm crew! Thank you for letting us crash your serene existence with our craziness!
http://www.crazybananas.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/IMG_0461-WEB.jpg640960Meganhttp://www.crazybananas.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/Crazy_Banans_Logo_WebsiteBanner.pngMegan2015-06-12 12:20:392015-06-12 12:20:39Going West | Kansas Photography
A few weeks ago my sweet Lulu pointed out (for the millionth time) that she hadn’t had a “real” birthday party in quite a few years. She wasn’t wrong. As a mom, I excel at many things…but party planning is NOT one of them! Honestly, I’m just not much of a party person. I don’t love throwing parties, and they are the last thing I would want on my own birthday. I’m all about a few close friends and a movie night or something…and usually Lulu is thrilled with that idea. But this year she really wanted to throw a bash for her buddies, so I decided to put my party pants on and get with the program.
Once I told her a party was in the works, she immediately started ruminating on themes. Um, what? Themes? I was thinking I would win the Mom of the Year Award for throwing a party at all, and now it had to be THEMED? This is soooo not my specialty, but we talked it out and came to a compromise. Lulu wanted a “Pokemon” birthday party. I wanted to make sure this whole thing didn’t spiral out of control! So we took the middle road.
I didn’t print invites, but instead did a Facebook invite for a bunch of the kids (through their parents, of course) and then texted those that I missed online. We ended up with about 25 kids attending, which sounds bananas, but actually wasn’t too bad. Lulu wanted to invite a few boys this time around, not because she’s boy-crazy, but because the boys are the kids she plays Pokemon with. Have I mentioned how much I love this kid?
Lucy took some regular snacks like popcorn and chex mix, and labeled them as items from Pokemon (original idea found here). With the help of the kids, I made a couple dozen Poke Ball sugar cookies. We added a few pizzas, and we were good to go!
Instead of gifts (which are a another huge reason I don’t like parties…I don’t like pressuring people to gift my kid who already has PLENTY of stuff) we asked Lulu’s guests to bring donations for KC Pet Project, a local animal shelter. Her friends didn’t disappoint, and we have two big bags of dog toys, cat food and dog food to donate. Next week we will head to the shelter and drop off all the goodies. I can’t wait! For party favors, I ordered a big pack of 100 Pokemon cards, a couple packs of Pokemon figurines and a mixed bag of candy and then we split them up into little gift bags for each guest.
The big draw for this particular party was Kona Ice Truck that arrived about halfway through. This was the BEST! The kids thought it was amazing, and it was an activity in itself! Who needs party games when the Kona Ice Truck is outside! The kids each got to make one (or two) Kona Ice’s and then flavored them with different syrups. By the time all the kids made it through the line, we only had about 15 minutes of party time left, and the parents were arriving to pick up their kids. It was PERFECT. Sure, it was messy, but we were outside, and the rain that night washed away any traces of the sticky melted ice left on the driveway and sidewalks.
The theme of this particular party was technically Pokemon…but for me, the theme was “easy does it.” I tend to go way overboard with things like this, stressing myself out beyond belief. Actually, that’s probably why I don’t love throwing parties! I’ve always figured, if it’s not going to be absolutely perfect, what’s the point? But this time around I just let go. The kids helped me make the sugar cookies, and they didn’t look like they were straight from a bakery. Lucy made the labels with old printer paper and stickers, not an elaborately designed font. The Kona Ice Truck didn’t go with the theme at all! But who cares? The kids had a blast, and when everyone went home, Lucy laid in bed with me and told me it was the best party she’s ever been to. And while I’m sure a lot of that was due to her friends, I think much of it had to do with the fact that I chilled out and just let them have fun, instead of trying to orchestrate everything. It was a good lesson for me. Sometimes when you let the little stuff go, parties actually CAN be a fun time. Who knew?
Each year I write a birthday letter to my kids on the blog…you can find Lucy’s previous letters here: eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, and one.
Dear Lucy,
Two days ago you turned nine-years-old. NINE. It’s your last single digit year! How can that even be possible? There are days when I look at you and I can’t help but see that chubby-cheeked baby with the dimples around her eyes. But you’re aren’t that squishy babe anymore…you’re growing longer and leaner, with a face that more closely resembles the woman you will become than the baby you once were. Although I still see the sparkle in your eyes that you’ve had since you were a gummy-mouthed infant, something I truly hope never fades.
This year was our first being completely overwhelmed with activities and schedules. You are a kid who wants to try anything and everything, which is WONDERFUL, but a bit difficult to navigate in terms of the number of hours in a day. You begged for horseback riding lessons, gymnastics, soccer, piano, guitar and Girl Scouts. You love swim team and book club. In short…YOU ARE EXHAUSTING! I struggle with this as a parent, because I want you to have every opportunity to try new things, but I also think your free time as a kid is so precious, and I felt between school and activities, you didn’t have too much of that this past year. This year, I’m looking forward to working on having less scheduled time, and more time to just BE. So far this summer has been full of free play, swimming with friends, tree climbing and imagination…which is exactly how it should be.
I feel like I’m watching you change before my eyes, and I’ll be honest, it’s a bit terrifying. You’re entering that stage of childhood that is just “in between.” You’re not a tween or a teen, but you’re not a little kid anymore either. You love pop music, but you also love nursery rhymes. You’re mature enough to read novels, but you still want to snuggle with me before bed. I know this sweet time is fading fast, and I want to hold on as tightly as I can. I’m aware that before I realize it, you’ll no longer want those nightly snuggles. So instead of pushing them off or telling you I don’t have time, I crawl in to bed with you and we giggle about our days together. I take mental pictures of every moment, filing them away for those teen years when hugging your mom in public will be the absolute worst thing ever.
I’m so proud of you, Lulu. You’re growing and learning and becoming more “yourself” every day. Watching you navigate friendships and relationships outside of our own has taught me so much about the person that I want to be. I want to be like you. I want to assume the best of people, forgive and love without limits. I want to be proud of who I am, and surround myself with people who lift me up. I want your courage and generosity.
Thank you for this past year, my sweet girl. I can’t wait to experience NINE with you. I imagine it will probably be the best year yet!
Going West | Kansas Photography
/0 Comments/in Crazybananas Photography - Personal, Family /by MeganThis past week the kids and I have been in Western Kansas, living a pretty fun little life! My sister-in-law runs this wonderful dance studio (you can see their Facebook page here) out here, and every year she holds a week-long dance camp, which Lulu is loves participating in. Last year was so fun, we decided to come back this year and spend the week enjoying the slower pace of country life. I guess I should point out that farm life isn’t always so slow (during harvest it’s NUTS around here), but this week has been a good reminder for me that rest and easy fun is so necessary for a full life.
While I love living in Kansas City, sometimes I can get caught up in the go-go-go of it all. There is always somewhere to be and something to accomplish. The kids have daily activities and routines, which sometimes can dictate our lives. Out here on the farm, the kids get to be kids. My kids have more independence here than they do at home! They run around the yard or the small towns nearby with their gaggle of buddies, sometimes with no adult supervision. They get to be responsible for themselves and feel that pride of knowing they are in charge. Lucy especially (as at 4-years-old, Tate is still a little young to be all on his own) has really thrived here. It’s been fun to watch her spread her wings and reconnect with all her friends from last year.
I’m sort of in awe of how the communities around here rally together. Yesterday we got to hang out with the local volunteer fire department and they even let the kids spray the fire hose! We went to a local pool, and the whole scene was straight out of the movie “The Sandlot!” Of course, since Lulu knows everyone, everywhere, we walked in to the pool area and immediately there were three or four kids yelling, “Lucy!” who she knew from camp. It was pretty adorable.
I love coming out to Western Kansas at the start of each summer. It’s the best way to kick off the season. Fun, sun, the outdoors, a few bugs and frogs, and of course, a lot of dancing. It’s the best reminder that simple, uncomplicated fun is always the way to go. Hopefully we can sustain this feeling of ease and joy throughout the rest of the summer!
Special thanks to our hosts Adrian and Ashley and the whole Coberly Farm crew! Thank you for letting us crash your serene existence with our craziness!
A Pokemon Birthday Party!
/1 Comment/in Fun, Lucy, Parenting /by MeganA few weeks ago my sweet Lulu pointed out (for the millionth time) that she hadn’t had a “real” birthday party in quite a few years. She wasn’t wrong. As a mom, I excel at many things…but party planning is NOT one of them! Honestly, I’m just not much of a party person. I don’t love throwing parties, and they are the last thing I would want on my own birthday. I’m all about a few close friends and a movie night or something…and usually Lulu is thrilled with that idea. But this year she really wanted to throw a bash for her buddies, so I decided to put my party pants on and get with the program.
Once I told her a party was in the works, she immediately started ruminating on themes. Um, what? Themes? I was thinking I would win the Mom of the Year Award for throwing a party at all, and now it had to be THEMED? This is soooo not my specialty, but we talked it out and came to a compromise. Lulu wanted a “Pokemon” birthday party. I wanted to make sure this whole thing didn’t spiral out of control! So we took the middle road.
I didn’t print invites, but instead did a Facebook invite for a bunch of the kids (through their parents, of course) and then texted those that I missed online. We ended up with about 25 kids attending, which sounds bananas, but actually wasn’t too bad. Lulu wanted to invite a few boys this time around, not because she’s boy-crazy, but because the boys are the kids she plays Pokemon with. Have I mentioned how much I love this kid?
Lucy took some regular snacks like popcorn and chex mix, and labeled them as items from Pokemon (original idea found here). With the help of the kids, I made a couple dozen Poke Ball sugar cookies. We added a few pizzas, and we were good to go!
Instead of gifts (which are a another huge reason I don’t like parties…I don’t like pressuring people to gift my kid who already has PLENTY of stuff) we asked Lulu’s guests to bring donations for KC Pet Project, a local animal shelter. Her friends didn’t disappoint, and we have two big bags of dog toys, cat food and dog food to donate. Next week we will head to the shelter and drop off all the goodies. I can’t wait! For party favors, I ordered a big pack of 100 Pokemon cards, a couple packs of Pokemon figurines and a mixed bag of candy and then we split them up into little gift bags for each guest.
The big draw for this particular party was Kona Ice Truck that arrived about halfway through. This was the BEST! The kids thought it was amazing, and it was an activity in itself! Who needs party games when the Kona Ice Truck is outside! The kids each got to make one (or two) Kona Ice’s and then flavored them with different syrups. By the time all the kids made it through the line, we only had about 15 minutes of party time left, and the parents were arriving to pick up their kids. It was PERFECT. Sure, it was messy, but we were outside, and the rain that night washed away any traces of the sticky melted ice left on the driveway and sidewalks.
The theme of this particular party was technically Pokemon…but for me, the theme was “easy does it.” I tend to go way overboard with things like this, stressing myself out beyond belief. Actually, that’s probably why I don’t love throwing parties! I’ve always figured, if it’s not going to be absolutely perfect, what’s the point? But this time around I just let go. The kids helped me make the sugar cookies, and they didn’t look like they were straight from a bakery. Lucy made the labels with old printer paper and stickers, not an elaborately designed font. The Kona Ice Truck didn’t go with the theme at all! But who cares? The kids had a blast, and when everyone went home, Lucy laid in bed with me and told me it was the best party she’s ever been to. And while I’m sure a lot of that was due to her friends, I think much of it had to do with the fact that I chilled out and just let them have fun, instead of trying to orchestrate everything. It was a good lesson for me. Sometimes when you let the little stuff go, parties actually CAN be a fun time. Who knew?
Nine-Years-Old
/0 Comments/in Lucy /by MeganEach year I write a birthday letter to my kids on the blog…you can find Lucy’s previous letters here: eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, and one.
Dear Lucy,
Two days ago you turned nine-years-old. NINE. It’s your last single digit year! How can that even be possible? There are days when I look at you and I can’t help but see that chubby-cheeked baby with the dimples around her eyes. But you’re aren’t that squishy babe anymore…you’re growing longer and leaner, with a face that more closely resembles the woman you will become than the baby you once were. Although I still see the sparkle in your eyes that you’ve had since you were a gummy-mouthed infant, something I truly hope never fades.
This year was our first being completely overwhelmed with activities and schedules. You are a kid who wants to try anything and everything, which is WONDERFUL, but a bit difficult to navigate in terms of the number of hours in a day. You begged for horseback riding lessons, gymnastics, soccer, piano, guitar and Girl Scouts. You love swim team and book club. In short…YOU ARE EXHAUSTING! I struggle with this as a parent, because I want you to have every opportunity to try new things, but I also think your free time as a kid is so precious, and I felt between school and activities, you didn’t have too much of that this past year. This year, I’m looking forward to working on having less scheduled time, and more time to just BE. So far this summer has been full of free play, swimming with friends, tree climbing and imagination…which is exactly how it should be.
I feel like I’m watching you change before my eyes, and I’ll be honest, it’s a bit terrifying. You’re entering that stage of childhood that is just “in between.” You’re not a tween or a teen, but you’re not a little kid anymore either. You love pop music, but you also love nursery rhymes. You’re mature enough to read novels, but you still want to snuggle with me before bed. I know this sweet time is fading fast, and I want to hold on as tightly as I can. I’m aware that before I realize it, you’ll no longer want those nightly snuggles. So instead of pushing them off or telling you I don’t have time, I crawl in to bed with you and we giggle about our days together. I take mental pictures of every moment, filing them away for those teen years when hugging your mom in public will be the absolute worst thing ever.
I’m so proud of you, Lulu. You’re growing and learning and becoming more “yourself” every day. Watching you navigate friendships and relationships outside of our own has taught me so much about the person that I want to be. I want to be like you. I want to assume the best of people, forgive and love without limits. I want to be proud of who I am, and surround myself with people who lift me up. I want your courage and generosity.
Thank you for this past year, my sweet girl. I can’t wait to experience NINE with you. I imagine it will probably be the best year yet!
Love you to the moon and back,
Mama