Tonight the girls watched part of “Yours, Mine and Ours” about two huge families who become one Mega family. Four kids is hardly a mega family, but the lovely chaos on-screen definitely feels familiar. And fun. And exhausting.

Life with 1.6 children is not historically the norm, so maybe we’re not the weird ones after all. And I don’t think it’s just about numbers. Maybe this is just how family life is supposed to be. Not neat and orderly. Not easily manageable. Not picture perfect. Just real and sticky and loud and bumpy and strangely sweet.

Quote

I’d be hard pressed to find anyone in the modern world who has heard that classic AA staple: the “Serenity Prayer.” But I wonder how many, like me, had never heard the whole thing. You know, the parts that don’t fit on a mug or bumper sticker. The extended version has been a huge help to me this week:

God, give me grace to accept with serenity
the things that cannot be changed,
Courage to change the things
which should be changed,
and the Wisdom to distinguish
the one from the other.

Living one day at a time,
Enjoying one moment at a time,
Accepting hardship as a pathway to peace,
Taking, as Jesus did,
This sinful world as it is,
Not as I would have it,
Trusting that You will make all things right,
If I surrender to Your will,
So that I may be reasonably happy in this life,
And supremely happy with You forever in the next.

Amen.

~ Reinhold Niebuhr

Documentary

The best thing about Netflix (other than reruns of favourite tv series from my teen years) is all the documentaries. I’m not the kind of person who often chooses to rent or go to a documentary when there are perfectly shallow, predictable sci-fi/action/dramas out there, but with all these options I find myself watching films made for grown ups, by grown ups. And actually enjoying it.

This week I watched Precious Life, made by an Israeli journalist about the family of a Palestinian baby who needs a bone marrow transplant to survive and is transferred to a Jewish hospital. My favourite part is when the Dr. explains the process of transplant to the family, how the body and the new marrow may fight one another, but they must learn to coexist if he is to survive.

Preschool App

Who wants angry birds, when you can have a happy monkey?

Monkey Preschool Lunchbox has cute games of matching, colours and simple puzzles. Enough of a challenge to help them learn, but enough change and rewards to keep it fun. Definitely the best preschool app we’ve got right now.

Big Kid App

iPod art by C

For older kids (and immature adults like me) this Art of Glow app is pretty fun. Not only can you make pretty, shiny pictures, but you can animate them. Eat your heart out Lite Brite!

Blog

I’ve been enjoying the blog Laments & Lullabies lately. The author wrestles with serious stuff: mental illness, step-parenting, marriage and raising a toddler. She has the two elements I love most: she’s uncomfortably (for some) honest and she’s hilarious. I especially enjoyed Evidence my Toddler is Smarter than Me. So true.

Preview

Fellow dorks: a new Star Trek movie! Yay!

Music Video

It IS December, though I find it hard to believe… so here’s a little Christmas cheer. Love the song. Love Jimmy Fallon. Love the preschool instruments.

So here’s me, off to visit the farm with my city kids today. I wonder if they’ll still be keen to eat bacon after spending some time with it In Real Life?