Anita VP

In round two of kids saying quippy things, I bring you this dialogue from today: Me, to Human #1: "You're full of it! Do you know that?!" Human #1: "You're full of it!" Me: "You're full of bologna!" Human #1: "You're full of honey ham!!!" She may not be wrong... *shrug*  From her lips to God's ears. #AnitaVP #kidsdaythedarnestthings #4yearold #4yearoldwisdom #bologna

While at our "new" local library's little kid story time, the leader was helping the children to get their wiggles out in between stories.  She exclaims, "Let's all pretend we are beans!"  Inside my own mind, I scratched my head.  Okay.....  "Green beans! Jumping beans! String beans!"  Then one bright young soul suggests, "Coffee beans!"  You, child, are my people!  Good on you. #AnitaVP #coffee #coffeebean #fouryearoldwisdom #storytime

The concepts of simple living and minimalism have been conversation points and sources of inspiration for my husband and I for years now.   While we’re for sure a long ways a way in many regards, I think the pursuit to live more simply and with less is a noble and worthwhile one. Thanks to a Facebook group that I’m in I stumbled upon a pretty good podcast, Simple Families .   I love her approach.   Two good episodes are SFP 153: Simple Living + Free-Range Parenting with Big Kids [with Tsh Oxenreider of The Art of Simple] and SFP 169: Too Many Toys? .   I would say it’s worth the listen/checking out – I’ve definitely added a new podcast to follow! #AnitaVP #simpleliving #simplify #parenting

Perhaps our present culture is over-saturated with images.  In fifty years, we can all tell our grandchildren deep thoughtful stories along the lines of "this was my pumpkin spice latte and I really liked the foam feather on top - it got lots of hearts on Instagram."  My family  photobook for the year my first was born could have been titled, "Human #1 & People Holding Human #1."  I pretty much refuse to participate in those Facebook posts taunting, "Make my day!  Show me your 7th photo in your camera roll - no matter what!"; chances are my 7th photo is a screenshot of something I should remember, or a picture of the light bulb I need from Target, or a snap of the mess of my son's bloody nose (actually this right now). Yet in all of these pictures, it's somehow increasingly hard to come by the informal family photo.  "You're taking the picture..... You need to take a family picture..... No, really..... We're taking a picture -

There's something just plain fun about having a neat auntie or uncle to do story time every now and then.  It can be the same story, heard dozens of times before; yet with a little auntie or uncle magic, new life is breathed into a story.  The lines are funnier and the dialogue more amusing.  Bed time has become revolutionized! Three cheers for aunts and uncles - they certainly make life more fun!! #AnitaVP #aunt #uncle #morefunthanmomanddad #morefun #reading

Today, I took on a title I never would have predicted taking on – homeschooling mom.   *Gasp*   Aside from lacking many of the superficial common denominators homeschool moms often possess, I just never foresaw myself in this role.   And yet, here we are.   And here we come, Kindergarten!   Why homeschooling?   For this year, it is chiefly to meet her unique set of needs.   Perhaps this won’t always be our forum.   (Actually, no.   This will definitely not always be our forum.)   However, for now, it’s the right choice for her and we are grabbing the bull by the horns. After our first official day, of her own fruition, she blazed through the tall grass and wildflowers in the backyard, one fist held high in the air, shouting gleefully, “kiiiiinnnnnndddderggggaaarrrrteeeeennn!”   I may not be ready for my new title, but she certainly is.   You get it, girl!   #AnitaVP #kinder #kindergarten #kindergartenherewecome #watchout #firstdayofschool #homeschool