Claytoneight

"Help, my family are freaks!" Plight of a teen age girl.

2009-07-03T06:07:00.000-07:00

Oh, lazy summer days.

We do our best to entertain ourselves.
Maybe Auburn will forgive me for being such an embarrassment...... Yeah, probably not.

teeth and bones

2009-06-27T20:25:00.000-07:00

Nature, in her infinite wisdom, has seen fit to give us more teeth than we need. Never ones to hoard things we opted to unload these extra molars now instead of later.

Auburn's surgery was a couple of weeks ago and she weathered it in typical Auburn style. She woke from anesthesia wanting to know what was going on and unable to talk with all that gauze stuffed in her cheeks. She pointed at things and made very exaggerated "what's that?" expressions on her face and with her hands. Irritated that I didn't seem to understand what she was asking she mimed for a pad and pencil and promptly wrote, "Remind to me take Monday off work." and "EGG?" The last one had me puzzled until she pointed at a poster about ECGs. She seemed satisfied with my explanation and just confused that they might have a poster about EGGs up and then busied herself doodling. No big deal.

Cailyn awoke from her surgery in classic Cailyn style- laughing. The nurse came to get me and warned that they "occasionally have laughers but not like this." I could see why. Cailyn was laughing hysterically. The entire staff was lined up to watch her, laughter is definitely contagious. The informed me that laughers often cry later- an idea Cailyn found very sad when I told her. Just briefly though, very, very briefly.
She wasn't laughing two days later when she developed dry socket and her lower left side swelled. She might be a laugher but she's no whiner. Poor baby was in a lot of pain but still cheerful.
I raised some tough girls.

I think Orion agrees. Can you believe how skinny that boy is?

Kowabunga!

2009-06-27T20:21:00.000-07:00

twice bitten, still shy

2009-06-20T08:29:00.000-07:00

Oh you gotta love summer. I remember so looking forward the the freedom of being out of school and the adventures we had in our own back yard- of course we had one awesome back yard. This summer is off to a painfully hot, dry start and I am feeling sorry for my kids. We are in a prolonged drought and though we have been getting some regular rain, it isn't nearly enough to make a difference in the waterways. The rivers and lakes are little more than large petri dishes and after Rheannon got an infection in her finger a couple weeks ago, something I'm confident she contracted swimming in the river, we have seriously limited our recreational options.
So I decided it was time for a camping trip. Auburn had her wisdom teeth pulled on Thursday but by Friday was eager to have us out of her hair so we crammed what we could in the trunk of my car and headed to the closest potential for fresh water, Palmetto State Park. It's on the San Marcos river, a very short, spring-fed water way that I was optimistic would have decent water quality. I was wrong. The park was beautiful and not overly crowded and we managed to find a camp site way to the back and far from the nearest neighbor.
We had a brilliant view off a bluff to the river- or it would have been had the river not been a shallow, muddy, stagnant mess. No swimming in there and frankly I don't think I'd feel very good about eating any fish they might catch. Still, we were determined to have fun and were off to a good start. The kids pitched the tent in record time and Orion tried his hand at the grill, he got a good, hot fire going and cooked up some hot dogs. We were comfortably stuffed and eager to go adventuring. The kids dashed off down the trail while I put away the last of the food stuffs. I can't have been two minutes behind them but they were already coming back before I got ten feet from the table.
"I got bit by a snake." Rheannon said, very calmly. "Really?" It wouldn't be the first time, I've raised a pack of naturalists and they are quite inclined to pick up snakes and have had more than one bite from a frightened reptile. As she got closer I noticed the pearled droplets of blood that indicated fang marks, a sure sign that this was no harmless slitherer. Better safe than sorry I reckoned; so "Load up." I called and my suddenly accommodating children silently and quickly piled into the car.
We stopped at the camp ground hosts camp site to ask directions to the nearest hospital. A mistake as he didn't seem to know and suddenly got very anxious and wanted to ask a thousand questions. I cut him off as politely as possible and snapped my fingers to draw Orion's attention away from the passing gaggle of girls and back to the task at hand, jumped back in the car and headed for the highway. I tossed Orion the cell phone and he called 911 to get directions.
In the mean time I was testing the limitations or my little engine and quickly learned why Toyota Corollas are often stolen by street racers. As Rowan later said, "You were shifting and it was like vrroom, vvvrrrrrrrroom, errrooom!" Rheannon swears I was doing 90- something Orion is still talking about- but the thing that really got their attention was when I shouted at a driver that nearly cut us off, "Get out of the road, Jack Ass!" I guess I'm glad that's the worst my kids have ever heard me say. I wouldn't be surprised if it gets embellished over the years but I'm going on record now that that is all I said.
We made the ten mile drive in what felt like 20 minutes but was probably closer to 5. I think I've discovered a potential career as a city engineer planning the lay out of signs. You would think that Hospital signs would be clear and easy to follow. I carried Rheannon in the door by the Emergency Room sign only to find out that the ER was on the other side of the hospital. Huh??? Anyway, it wasn't a busy night and they knew we were coming. She got excellent care and when asked about her pain level, very calmly pronounced it to be a Two. Just curious I asked, "What was your pain level when you crushed you finger in the hinge of the car door?" "Oh," she said after thinking a moment, "a four?" OooKay. Guess we all know not to trust Rheannon's assessment of pain as a valid way to determine the seriousness of an injury- I thought I was stoic.

The kids all saw the snake and reported it to be small. Their description eventually led to identifying it as a young Cotton Mouth (AKA Water Moccasin). Three punctures were clearly visible, something that puzzled us until her foot swelled and revealed a forth wound nearly on top of another. So she was bitten twice. The real concern here was actually the snakes youth. According to our very knowledgeable and charming doctors and nurses, 98% of snake bites involve little or no venom. Snakes only produce so much in a given week and don't want to waste it on warning strikes. Young snakes, however, lack the control or wisdom to hold back. We were hoping this snake, an adolescent, was old enough to have some self control. Obviously teen age snakes have all the self restraint of their human cohort because as time would show, she got a good dose.

Though they were optimistic that she wouldn't need anti-venom, they still started an IV and gave her a tetanus shot. She was far more put out by these puncture wounds than she was the snake bite.

As the discoloration didn't spread during the hours we were in the Luling ER the decision was made, and I fully agreed, that she would be fine. We were released to return to our camping and we were back in our cozy tent by midnight. Neither Rhea nor I slept well that night. She because her foot was itching and me because my residual adrenaline level wouldn't allow it. We both gave up just after dawn and crawled over the sound sleepers to make breakfast. The swelling had spread half way up her calf but she claimed they told us that would happen. I wracked my brain and couldn't remember that but it sounded reasonable. Still we decided to go back to the hospital to ask for crutches and to let them take a look at it. The other kids slowly emerged for the day and we were eating pancakes when the ER doc called to check on her. He thought the swelling should be looked at so we opted to drive into town sooner than later. We all expected to be returning to our campsite soon.

The doctor had conferred with a bite specialist and the decision was made to transfer to Dell Children's hospital in Austin, one hour away. They didn't feel it was an emergency and were allowing me to drive her. Apparently they weren't overhearing the story Orion was telling everyone he could think of to call, or they might not have let any of them ride with me.
They just wanted to do one last set of vitals before they let us go. Unfortunately Rheannon, like all her older siblings, has inherited my hypovolemia and her blood pressure drops and heart rate elevates when she stands up. When this happened the situation changed. They could no longer release her to me and so she got to make the trip in an ambulance while I took the other kids to pack up camp and follow as quickly as possible.

Rheannon, always the under-reactor, felt that the wires and tubes were overkill. She was understanding but disappointed to have to stay the night and endure THREE, counth them 3!!!, doses of anti-venom.
She did have fun holding her breath to make strange patterns on the monitor. She felt pretty bad when they told her that it's someone's job to sit in a room and look at all the monitors and that alarms go off when anything unusual happens and that poor person can't shut them off.

Once they finally got her a wheelchair and allowed us to explore the hospital, we were both impressed by the interesting things they had set up to entertain the patients.

The staff was great and all in all the experience was non-traumatic. She even got special lessons on the use of crutches and her own pair to take home. For Rheannon the worst part was all the attention. Everyone wanted to talk to her and doctors and nurses, not even on her case, kept wandering in to marvel at the wound. Or maybe they were just all curious about the girl that never complains- they did seem to find that quite amazing.
As soon as we could, we slipped away from the admiring staff and explored the hallways. We stopped to admire the simple yet interesting projection of droplets falling when we inadvertently discovered that it was interactive. Pretty cool, huh?

Drama

2009-06-20T08:13:00.001-07:00

We have had our fair share of excitement around here- I actually started a sitcom pilot based on our daily life, I stupidly gave it up as I feared I would run out of material to keep a show going for more than a few episodes- Silly me. Anyhoo, the kids got two female rats for Christmas, Tonks and Domino, and they all love them so much that they wanted one each. Well, did you know that pet stores don't sell female rats? We searched and searched and then finally decided that we might just have to get a male and grow our own girl rats. The handsome male we picked turned out to be a female, Remus, so SCORE; but still we were short one and as we had all gotten excited about the prospect of babies, we tried again. We didn't want a thousand rats so we very carefully put the male in with Domino but weeks later she was just as skinny as ever so we Remus in with him to increase our odds. Naturally it was Tonks, the only female not to share a space with the male, who ended up giving birth to six kits. Tonks is an albino so all six are colored like their dad. They are so cute, playful, affectionate, and funny. Why do people even bother with dogs that will steal your lunch and cats that will shed on your pillow? It's rats for us.

Auburn is experiencing some growing pains. Just when she thinks she's figured out how to be an adult in this culture something new happens to challenge her. She was involved in an accident at the grocery store. The other driver was going fast and actually struck her but as she was backing out the fault is hers. As you can see from the damage to her 15 year old Geo Metro it was pretty minor. Still the other driver is claiming his vehicle is totaled and he has whiplash. FYI, you can't get whiplash from a side collision. Fortunately the insurance company recognizes he's a gold digger and is handling the situation. I am curious what it was about the 17 year-old driver in the 15 year-old car that made that guy think he'd hit his payday.

Always the drama King, Orion over reacts to a rat climbing down his shirt. What a ham.

School Dazed

2009-06-20T07:26:00.000-07:00

School's out and naturally the end of the school year came with celebration and ceremony. Rowan and Willow have been participating in a home-school co-op one day a week and their final day was full of fun and games. What a wonderful group of people those are, we're going to miss them next year.

Auburn graduated with honors- third in her class, a position she very carefully guarded all year as she didn't want to risk falling in the top two, "they have to give speeches!" Too bad she didn't inherit my public speaking gene or she could have been Valedictorian. Or maybe not, that kid was academically superhuman.

She seemed genuinely thrilled with graduation gifts- two cameras and various photographic equipment. Her artistic talent hasn't found it's boundaries yet and she's every bit as remarkable a photographer as she is at everything else she touches. I would like to know where that gene came from. I reckon Jon probably gets the credit there as he also seems to have a golden touch when it comes to being able to pick up a skill without half trying.

Hairy issues

2009-05-26T05:53:00.000-07:00

Well as usual there are some creative changes happening around here. Willow lost two teeth, Rowan lost a mass of wild hair, and Rheannon lost her inhibitions. All good things, if you ask me.
As the school year comes to a close I'm once again scrambling to come up with a new plan. I was offered a massage job about 25 miles away but after I crunched the numbers I realized I would be away from home 30 hours a week for $400 and the kids would be left to their own devices all that time- now their devices can be fairly inspired and some times dangerous so it doesn't seem like a smart move on my part. I'm still trying to build a clientele closer to home but I think I stepped into a luxury profession at just the wrong time, people are in belt-tightening mode. So, once again I'm back to college to finish that nursing degree. It's a fairly last minute decision so I'm really scrambling to get registered for the last few classes I can take at the community college while simultaneously applying for admission for the spring at the university and the nursing school- separate applications. The deadlines are soon. Very soon! I'm jumping through hoops as fast as I can.
If everything plays out like I'm planning Orion will be at the charter high school his sisters attended and Rheannon, Rowan, and Willow will all be at the Montessori school. That's going to involve it's own set of hoops; cross your fingers for me.

2009-05-12T13:52:00.000-07:00

What a mother's day! I managed to get all of my kids in one place and playing a game that everyone could understand and enjoy- bowling. I even let Orion beat me at arm wrestling. Actually he's been trying hard for years to manage that and the last time it was so difficult for me that I knew he would likely win if I gave him another shot. It wasn't a decisive defeat though- it took Cailyn so long to take the picture that I used up my meager reserve of strength just holding him back. If I'm going to win I have to go for the quick pin.

Rheannon trounced him, though. So he's still got a healthy respect for the power of the women in his family.

It's so fun watching the kids bowl- it's like an extension of their personalities. Auburn was all about form and consistency.

While Cailyn was more a "make it up as you go" kind of bowler. Rather whimsical even.

Willow was all about the party. She was in snuggle heaven with both her big sisters around. She even got a few triumphant full-body lifts from Rowan and tried to give one to Orion.

Rowan's approach was charge at the line and hurl the ball like a shot put. He put so much energy into it it's a wonder he didn't end up half way down the lane himself.

I am a very, very lucky mother.

I believe I can fly

2009-05-04T11:52:00.000-07:00

Randy sure has been influencing me lately. Sometimes I swear I can hear him grinning- you know what I mean; when Randy smiled it was almost loud. Of course you can't hear him grinning without also hearing that immortal phrase, "Drive fast, take chances."
Somewhere along the line I slowed way down. Frankly it's boring. So I've tightened my seat belt and hit the gas. Metaphorically, OK? No need to call highway patrol. I'm also taking some cues from the kids, who naturally know how to have fun as long as some painfully boring old person isn't sucking the joy out of the room. So while I'm revving the gas with one foot I'm riding the brake with the other- at least when it comes to telling the kids, "don't." My own personal motto is becoming, "why the heck not?"
As you can see, once I'm out of the way these kids can actually fly.

I'm getting more playful myself. I'm proud to say that I jumped right into the mix with kids playing games this Easter. (at least that's not egg on my face.) My dear friend, Gracie, and I actually won the three legged race. It wasn't even close. The rest of those geezers were still at the starting line trying to coordinate their strategies while Grace and I just ran. You'd be surprised how much ground you can cover when you quit worrying about "how" and just run.

Orion, always the charmer and I swear the reincarnation of Mr. Drive-Fast himself, was given his science teacher's Olymic bow (she was a world-class archer) and dozens of arrows. He's pretty good with that curvy stick. I'm derned impressed. And oh so envious. I have wanted a recurve since I was his age and discovered a sport I was actually good at. Anyhoo, now the little booger is planning to sell the bow. I might have to arm wrestle him for it- I'm pretty sure I can still take him. I hope.

Creative Kids

2009-04-05T08:08:00.000-07:00

Cailyn has been busy working. She has two, maybe three jobs- I should know this. She waits tables at The Nineteenth Hole, makes salsa (pictured here) and does house keeping for a local camp. She still hasn't taken her massage licensing exam but I'm nagging so it ought to happen soon. She's also painting again and has reapplied to college. I'm pretty impressed with what a wonderful young woman she is. She's cute too.

Auburn is always making something (including taking these pictures). She is finishing high school as third in her class and has two jobs; working as a graphic designer at a local print business and house keeping at the same camp with Cailyn. Some of her art is currently on display as part of an abstract art showing at the gallery attached to the place she works. She is the youngest artist and, would it be overly biased for me to say, the most talented. She has also applied to college in Kentucky and we hope to hear positive news soon. I'm so proud of this beautiful young woman.

Orion is always thinking, taking things apart and building new things. He's doing well in school and participated in a robotics competition. He has a strong interest in robotics and aeronautics. He spends hours watching youtube videos about RC aircraft design. I'm trying to steer his creativity into something outdoors. He organized the kids to turn the shed into a "club house" and he has a work bench out there so maybe his next project won't end up glued to the floor. He is also working two jobs; he does pools with Jon and helps Cailyn make salsa. Even then he's got to be up to creating something- this is a photo of him after he shrink-wrapped plastic to his hands. I do wish I knew how to cultivate this kids energy and brilliance. He's really quite amazing.

Auburn took this photo of Rheannon- she managed to capture Rhea's growing beauty and grace. She is definitely my quietest child though every bit as creative and capable as the others. Rheannon spreads calm most everywhere she goes (though Rowan would disagree)- she charms animals and babies. I watch a one year old two days a week and Rheannon is remarkable with that child. She is still making art and has a piece that will soon be on display as part of an area youth art exhibit. She mostly works with clay and has made some truly amazing art. She is remarkable in so many way.

Rowan is such a character. He's so brilliant and vivacious. He's always leaping about on the furniture and spinning around on the floor (we call him Tigger). Yesterday he choreographed a very acrobatic dance. I wish I could get him in a dance class that wouldn't bore the pants off of him- he's not one for putting up with things if he thinks they're a waste of time. He's still home schooled and has really taken off academically. He has a strong need to understand why and isn't inclined to take "because" as an answer. If you want him to do something you had better be prepared to explain the merits to him. As I said, he's not one to tolerate doing something for no good reason. Rowan makes us all question why we do things a certain way and often points out better alternatives. I'm going to have to keep a close eye on this one, I might just be raising a rebel. I sure hope so.

Willow could win the Olympics of talking if it were a sport. I think she chose to be born last to make sure there were plenty of people around to listen to her. She says some amazing things though and I wish I did a better job of writing them down. What do I say about Willow? She's sweet, charming, cuddly and fairly enlightened. She told me recently, "What's the big deal about looks? I like the way my friends look but I love them for who they are." We should all be so smart.

Well, that's my amazing, creative brood. Now I'm going to see if I can get them to create some clean in their rooms. Wish me luck.

Ah Rats!

2009-04-05T07:50:00.000-07:00

We have had cats- lots and lots of cats, our fair share of dogs, goats, chickens, turkeys, ducks, a rabbit (that was short lived) and fish. I have always had the rule that I don't feed anything that doesn't have a job (excepting the fish) so what was I thinking when I let Rheannon talk Santa into rats for Christmas? I was thinking "what the heck?" And you know what, it was a brilliant move.

These critters are fun, personable, and entertaining. Not to mention they live in a cage so they don't knock things off the counters (the cat), try and sleep on my bed (the dog) or poop all over the porch (chickens). If I had it to do over we would only ever have rats. I don't even notice their tails anymore- and I know that's the thing that's got you feeling squeamish.

I gotta say, we love our rat girls.

Let them eat cake

2009-04-05T07:00:00.000-07:00

Apparently I got old. I didn't think so, I wake feeling just as cramped and broken as I did when I was twenty- the benefit of living hard up until that point, but evidently I am. The signs are everywhere and when I'm not too preoccupied with how to pay the bills (a sign in and of itself) I can't help but get them shoved in my face. For example four months have gone by since my last entry- that's 1/3 or a year, impressed with my math skills? me too- and it felt like weeks. Also Cailyn turned 19 last month. Nineteen! Young people do not have 19 year old children. Add to this that Auburn graduates in May- that's 2, count them TWO adult children. This grown up children thing is snowballing- Rheannon turns 13 on Monday (Rowan 10 on Saturday) and Orion 15, old enough for a learner's permit, in July. Yes, there really is no denying it. I am old. I think I'm realizing that the thing that most ages me is the loss of joy in simple things. At some point I got the stupid idea that grownups take things seriously. Now why would anyone want to do that? I'm trying to rediscover the part of me that could laugh when something went awry. I got a perfect opportunity the day we celebrated Cailyn's birthday. I had baked a carrot cake and experimented by adding pineapple - it was delicious but too moist and more like a firm pudding than a cake. I decided not to serve it and Rheannon and I ran into town to dream up an alternative plan. We bought fruit and an anglefood cake. My plan was to skewer the fruit and stick the sticks in the cake- don't try this, the cake isn't strong enough. When that didn't work we moved to plan "C" and put a cup in the center to hold the skewers like a bouquet. It was beautiful. But years of sleep deprivation and early onset dementia conspired to make something obvious elude me- I actually decided to move the cake that way instead of taking the skewers out. Not my most brilliant decision. We rounded the first corner and the cake slid on the plate, Rheannon scrambled to stop it and the cup fell over tearing the side out and sending fruit-laden skewers every which direction. Hands flew from all corners of the car trying to stop the carnage. I almost yelled, but flashed on the many trips I took anxiously holding a cake in the back of a car and fearing for my life should it get messed up. So instead of yelling, I laughed. We all laughed, and laughed and laughed. We kept laughing when we tried to shove it back together for the party- we did a remarkable job, see if you can tell that it was in 4 pieces. Cailyn loved it and that was the point anyway. Right? Right! Cake is for eating! How's that for an epiphany?

Thanksgiving and self defense

2008-11-28T13:36:00.000-08:00

Life is a beautiful thing. As my children grow and experience more of it I can't help but see it from a different perspective myself. Things I used to stress over and take so seriously (and still do from time to time) just don't seem important in the face of life's greatest blessings- people to love.

I am truly thankful this year for the many people who have touched my life- for the gift of knowing them, the pleasure of loving them, and the knowledge that they are safe and happy. Cailyn made my week by expressing an expectation that she would be feasting with her siblings; an honor I don't take for granted. I don't think I gave much thought to holidays with my family at her age, I was far more interested in "my own life." I feel blessed beyond words that her life naturally and comfortably includes us. So all six of my children sat down at my table, accompanied by Joey- Cailyn's long time beau- and gave thanks for the privilege of being family.

Jon is off having an adventure of a lifetime, with his parents and brother- a blessing that we are each grateful for as well. His fondest Thanksgiving memories involved his family's annual trips into Mexico, something he has missed the past two decades. So this year they are all traveling to Golendrinas (Cave of the Swallows) where he and Chris (along with some friends) will rappel 1200 feet into an immense cave- then, of course they have to climb back out. Fun!

We are having mucho fun ourselves. Orion, Rheannon, Rowan, Willow and I spent some time working on an obstacle course in our pasture. We found, rather the dogs found, a snake while we were there and Orion educated us on the five defenses of the Puffing Adder.

All Hallows

2008-11-17T16:45:00.000-08:00

I love Halloween. I love the crisp autumn nights, the changing leaves, the early dark and the opportunity to be someone remarkable (if only for a few hours). Halloween in Texas lacks most of the elements I most enjoyed as a child but the magic is alive and well in my children's imaginations, if no longer my own.

I took the easy way out and pulled on Dad's buckskin shirt. I have mixed feelings about doing so because people are always so impressed but the accomplishment isn't mine and I feel like I'm stealing credit for what I know was weeks of hard work. I did braid my own hair and for me that's an accomplishment that warrants some recognition.

The kids never cease to surprise me. Willow was a butterfly princess- not to be confused with a fairy princess, princess fairy, or any variation thereof (all prior manifestations of our Halloween Willow). Rowan began the night as Darth Mahl but had a reaction to the face paint that necessitated a quick change into Ninja man. Orion's costume is open to interpretation. He wore a sheet and a roll of cellophane- (at least for the first half of the night- I won't tell you how he finished the evening). Rheannon made an awesome David Bowie and I'm fairly impressed she even knows who he is. They all had a great time and consumed pounds of sugar and endured days of lectures about how "we are going to get serious about the food we eat and quit with all the garbage." Orion is the master of the yeah-mom eye roll that lets me know I'm not being taken seriously. We'll just see about that..... yes we will.

Butterflies and photographs

2008-10-20T20:08:00.000-07:00

Somehow I managed the impossible. I got all six of my children in one place at the same time and most of them were clean. It's amazing what they can do when sufficiently motivated. I am pleased to say it does not take bribery to motivate them but they generally respond to a request from a family member for help. This time it was a desire to take portraits to surprise their dad for Christmas. The portrait part we managed; the surprise part, not so much. I failed to make the point to Auburn that it was to be a secret. In my defense how was I supposed to know she had suddenly decided to talk to grown ups?

We went down to Blue Hole and had a wonderful time. The monarchs are migrating through and the trees were alive with fluttering wings. Rowan tested the water solubility of his leather shoes and Willow experimented with natural dies on her white dress. Orion dangled precariously from a tree and Rheannon threatened to flitter off with the butterflies. Cailyn and Auburn managed to keep everybody roped in and together took some very nice photos- Orion probably won the prize though because he photographed Auburn and not only got her to smile but actually laugh. (not that Auburn is a sour person, she's charming, delightful, and even silly- but also 16 so those qualities are reserved for non family members).

All in all it was a wonderfully priceless day and I am glad to have the photos to prove it.

Titan of the trees

2008-09-19T18:23:00.000-07:00

With the return of school the older kids are all busy with the details of their own lives. This leaves Rowan, especially, feeling lonely and bored. We found a great book at the library about really messy experiments and have exploded grapes, launched nickles (instead of the suggested tomatoes), crushed cans, dropped watermelons, and basically added to the overall disarray of our environment. But sometimes throwing eggs or hurling bananas at your mother just don't satisfy a kid's more primal needs. So I finally decided to reclaim a bit of our Blue Hole heritage and, with some friends in tow, we trespassed on our old stomping grounds.

Willow, Cicely, and Clovis stripped down to their bare bottoms and dived right in but Rowan decided to get wet one garment at a time. Mostly he lurked around the edges- something that paid off when he caught a tiny frog- and then decided to do some tree climbing. He was quickly joined by an admiring group of lesser skilled tree huggers and we both realized that Willow needs some serious arboreal experience if she wishes to remain in this family. By her age all the others had found their ways to the top of more than one precarious perch and little Miss Thing couldn't seem to grasp (literally) the concept of tree scaling. Lucky for them both this particular educational inadequacy piques me, so we'll just have to make regular visits to the wilds of Blue Hole to polish our tree climbing skills.

P.S. My own private Kudo to the always lovely Vera, who wasn't quite up for skinny dipping but didn't hesitate to strip off her shoes and conquer the "snake" tree- skirt and all.

Education, anxiety, and dreams of flying

2008-08-30T15:45:00.000-07:00

Autumn has always been my favorite time of year. I was perhaps the weirdest kid in the world, I loved going back to school. Though Texas hasn't been very obliging with Autumn weather, summer has officially come to an end with a return to school. My kids seem to have inherited my unusual attitude about organized education and have enthusiastically returned to academia. Auburn is starting her senior year at the Katherine Ann Porter charter school, and she loves it. Orion made the decision to go back to the public junior high instead of homeschooling as he had planned. He loves his classes, is excited about playing the saxophone again (especially because this year he's likely to be first chair) and he's ecstatic about being chosen to be teacher's aid to his favorite teacher. Rheannon returned to the Montessori school thanks to her very generous teacher and administrator; and she loves it. Rowan and Willow are still home schooling and for the first time Rowan is really excited about learning new things.
Despite my earlier statement about loving the return to school, I found that I wasn't very excited about it this semester. I could be graduating in December but instead of being relieved to be so close to done I was anxious about how I could manage with all my other obligations. Ultimately I decided to focus on a mere four things- starting my massage business, home schooling the little kids, writing a book/screenplay, and parenting all of my kids. I know it seems lazy of me but what can I say, I've always been lazy.
Orion has renewed his interest in making and breaking things that fly. He discovered video of an ultralight model plane and is certain he can build one. He looked into the cost of the parts and discovered he could buy a model airplane for less and after he crashes it (and if history is any judge this should happen very soon) he can use the parts to build another plane. He ordered the plane and asked every day (EVERY DAY- 10 to 20 times a day!) when it would arrive. Thankfully it appeared on our door step exactly on time- lest the stress of waiting cause my 14 year old son to suffer a coronary or worse an unfortunate strangulation at the hands of his irritated mother.

Orion loves several things passionately; fishing, flying, building things, breaking things, and his all time favorite past time- opening things. So the arrival of something he could open, build, fly, and break could only be topped if he somehow manages to figure out how to fish with it. Does he look excited or what?

driving, diving, and barefoot play

2008-08-07T11:40:00.000-07:00

More big changes around here. Auburn bought a car- a little Geo Prism, got her lisence, and learned about insurance and registration. She's a good driver and a responsible young woman so I don't worry too much about her out there on the road. Actually Cailyn pretty much broke me of that habit- she blazed a wide trail and I'm sure one day her siblings will thank her for having worn me down before they got to dating/driving age.

The other kids are spending as much time as possible in the water- it's regularly over 100 degrees here. Orion gets taller everyday and can catch 4 knots- this is an accomplishment that has profound meaning in his life. "Knots" refers to the number of times the ring-swing chain is knotted, thus making it shorter and the reach to catch the ring harder. Locals know all about "the ring" and the history and culture (including lingo) that is associated with it. Jon grew up "catching the ring" and sharing that part of his childhood with his kids has been important. Our big girls are part of a very small female contingent of ring jumpers and I'm proud to see Rheannon joining that group.

Houston, Baby!

2008-07-24T08:53:00.000-07:00

Virginia had a Microsoft conference in Houston and invited the kids and I to spend a few days with her. Cailyn was unable to go, at the last moment, a fact that disappointed everyone. Still the other kids had a great time. I think Auburn was in her element- it took her two seconds to notice every detail of the skyline, a remarkable occurrence as she once asked me, "when did we get goats?"- uhm... over a year ago. I'm glad to note that she's not too refined just yet, she still had enough country girl in her to flop down in the grass and roll down a hill with her siblings.

They all were quite at home in the heated, rooftop pool, enjoyed the end-of-conference firework display, contemplated fine art at the Museum of Art, ate like I hadn't fed them in weeks, and played hard anywhere and everywhere they could. I did enjoy watching them like that, they don't get much opportunity these days to just play- especially the older kids with the younger ones. What an amazing group they are- kind to each other, helpful, considerate and very bonded. We are so fortunate. And Thank You Virginia for the wonderful vacation.

2008-07-24T08:49:00.000-07:00

Orion turned 14! The boy hasn't gained an ounce in over a year but I swear he's grown six inches. He's like pulled taffy, longer and thinner by the moment. As usual he wanted fishing gear for his birthday though this year it's fly fishing that has his interest. Rheannon motivated the other kids to pitch in for a fly tying kit. He has already made every fly in the pamphlet that came with the kit and has invented several of his own. Now if only there were a good place to go fishing.

2008-07-24T08:39:00.000-07:00

Cailyn (and I) graduated from massage school. A remarkably anticlimactic event, or non-event. It seems increasingly obvious that the school is far more interested in what it's students can do for the school than in what the school can do for the students. They told us to invite our families, something a few of our classmates actually did, and then these 'guests' were expected to stand along the wall while an instructor we had never met prior to that day passed out 'diplomas' that didn't even have our individual names on them, or any reference to what we were graduating from. I know Cailyn should be proud of what she has accomplished, she's a very good massage therapist, but obviously she's less than thrilled with the pomp of these particular circumstances.

Changes

2008-07-03T09:58:00.001-07:00

So many changes happening around here. So many milestones reached, so many new trails blazed, so many dreams conceived. I like this photo because it's so representative of who we all are; not just of Auburn who is the literal funky, barefoot driver here. We are all going new places and doing so in our own unconventional ways.

Cailyn no longer "lives" here. She's finding her own way in life and doing an amazing job of that. She quit her job hostessing and waiting tables in favor of a summer job cleaning cabins at a nearby retreat. She likes the laid back atmosphere and even enjoys the work. She's not finding time for painting but is realizing that she needs to make time if that is what she wants to do in life. We all hope she doesn't let the mundane demands of life drain her creativity from her.

Auburn is working at a local graphic design studio and is very good at her job. She has also conquered the challenges of driving a standard and feels a sense of satisfaction that she can do something that many adults can't do, figuratively and literally, change gears. She is getting the opportunity to create almost daily and I never cease to be amazed at how many different mediums she has mastered.

Orion is splitting his time between working with his dad and trying to catch the biggest fish in the river. He spends hours watching youtube video about fishing and has learned more than I ever wanted to know. More and more he is living up to his nickname, Huck Finn. I wish we lived in a world where he could take a raft and spend a week or two navigating a river. Still, in spite of life's limitations he does a fair job of finding adventure.

Rheannon is growing in leaps and bounds and is no longer a little girl but every bit the adolescent. I get a kick out of hearing the older girls say, "Rheannon is the prettiest one." I don't know that any one of them can claim that title but I do respect that they don't feel the need to compete for it and are willing to just award it to their little sister. (I do suspect that Willow thinks the title should be hers and no doubt in time she'll demand it.) Rhea is home more than any of the older kids and so has taken it upon herself to entertain the younger kids. They have been building a fort in the barn and playing all manner of creative games. I do wish that girl had the opportunity to have the childhood we had. She needs a horse and thousands of acres of wilderness to get lost in.

Rowan and Willow are just busy discovering the limits of their existance. What happens if I break this? What happens if I mix these things together? What happens if I throw all this stuff up in the air?...... they are spending time learning how to swim and that is at least productive.

For those who didn't know, Jon and I are divorced. We are both doing well and are even friends. Jon has started persuing music again and is being paid to play at the local wine bar. He's writing new songs, picking up instruments I think he forgot he had, and even spending time making music with his brother. It's good to see him creating in that way and I think he feels like a part of him is waking back up.

I'm not finding the mental time to write but I am drawing and even painting again- something I really haven't done in years (except for the few paintings that were required for art class). We are likely to freak out the whole world by becoming a pair of bohemians while actively trying to raise more of the same.

Young at Art Show

2008-06-20T12:02:00.000-07:00

Three of our talented kids participated in an area wide art show- currently on display through July at the community center- and Cailyn was interviewed for the local paper regarding the show and her artistic philosophy. I enjoyed reading how each girl described what art meant to her and had quite a chuckle at how revealing those statements were. Cailyn's read: "Art is my meaning, a beautiful philosophy of my human potential. It is truth, the connotation that perhaps is the only way to accurately convey dreams. It is who I am, packed full of symbolism of my being." While Auburn's statement read: "Art is how I express myself without having to use words, which can be tedious and usually meaningless." And Rheannon simply said, "Art is joy."
I'm with Rhea on this one, their art definitely brings me joy.

Blue Hole

2008-06-10T14:42:00.000-07:00

The four younger kids and I spent the afternoon at Blue Hole. This place is more than a park, for us it was home for several years and the kids all have a strong attachment to the place. It was nice to see Orion old enough to really compete at ring catching though I was amused to see that Rheannon's tree climbing has suffered with age- I guess now she realizes she could fall. Rowan and Willow tried their darndest to catch some shiners and then we all wandered down stream and experienced open-mouthed shock to discover that the creek isn't just low, but actually dry. I guess it's true that you can't go home again. I feel sorry for my kids watching this beloved childhood spot dry up and die.

First friends

2008-06-09T16:43:00.000-07:00

Willow has many friends and is fortunate to have two that are very special. The little blondie in the swing, Helen, is Willow's "first friend." Her mommy, Lisa, caught Willow when she was born and I caught Helen. They have literally known each other their whole lives. Lucky girls.

Rheannon

2008-06-04T11:37:00.000-07:00

I'm realizing I don't have many photos of Rhea. She's at that age where a camera pointed in her direction sends her flying for cover. Still I'm persistant and occasionally catch her with her guard down.

She is twelve now and has been attending the Montessori school for three years. They all love her there and say she's the heart of the school. I don't doubt it for a minute. We don't know if she'll go back next year as Orion is home schooling so it makes sense for her to as well- also her best friend starts high school next year and I know things won't be the same without her.

All things being equal

2008-06-04T07:08:00.000-07:00

There is a debate around here as to who is taller- Cailyn or Auburn. I think it's too close to call.
Cailyn is done growing and Auburn might squeeze out a few more millimeters but it looks to me like they'll probably be the same height. They are both 5'8" so neither one is going to be wearing my pants- they do wear everything else though. Guess my hopes are pinned on Orion (height wise, not for the pants wearing).

Auburn

2008-06-03T07:58:00.000-07:00

Auburn finished her junior year with honors and was given an internship at a graphic design studio in town. They love her work and are allowing her to use their equipment to make a portfolio of her own. She's a remarkable artist and a very unique young woman. I enjoy watching my kids each blaze their own trail. They are more self possessed and confident than I ever was. I guess I did something right.

River Days

2008-06-02T09:03:00.000-07:00

Cailyn isn't the only one growing up. Orion seems to have grown about six inches in the last year and I doubt he's gained an ounce. He and Rowan and Rheannon are already more at home in the river than anywhere else this summer. They fish, swim, and enjoy each other. I'm glad we live within walking distance of the water- it's so hot here already that I'm contemplating moving into the fridge.

Willow is enjoying the water as well.

Graduation Day

2008-05-31T13:47:00.000-07:00

It's official. Our girl is all grown up. We sweated our way through a graduation ceremony, without air conditioning, and watched Cailyn march barefoot up the isle to claim her diploma. I was congratulated several times but have to say the accomplishment was all Cailyn's. I like to think we gave her a foundation but the wings she sprouted all on her own. (in case you can't tell that's Cailyn sitting cross legged on the end.)

Mary Lynn

2008-04-28T17:54:00.000-07:00

Just wanted to take a moment to talk about another beautiful girl in our lives. Though we haven't seen Mary Lynn in a painfully long time she does a good job of keeping up with her crazy Aunt Cindy and I am very grateful. She is pretty isn't she?

Best Friends

2008-04-28T17:45:00.000-07:00

Willow has had a unique experience for one of my children. She alone has had "friends" since the day she was born. She has grown up knowing and loving the same group of amazing children their entire lives. Still there are two that stand out above the others and soon she will be facing the loss of one of those when her dear friend Cicely moves with her family to England. You can tell these girls love each other and we all hope they find a way to remain close all the way across the ocean. Cicely and her family have been a wonderful part of my life and I love each of them dearly. Just thought I'd throw that in because someday I hope they read this blog as a way of keeping up with the Claytons.

Higher education

2008-04-23T13:50:00.001-07:00

Cailyn got word concerning the full scholarship to Berea in Kentucky. She took too long getting the final information in (a letter of recommendation, that the teacher told her was sent long ago) to qualify for this fall. That's fine with her as she wanted to take a semester off and start college in the spring. She can always reapply. And now she has clarity that this is, in fact, what she wants.

birthdays and graduations

2008-04-20T12:18:00.000-07:00

Time brings changes of its own. Do absolutely nothing and still there are events and milestones. Cailyn turned 18, with absolutely no hoopla or ceremony. Not because I didn't feel ceremony was warented but simply because she was "too old" for that stuff and prefered to spend the day camping with friends. The irony was that we got her camping gear for her birthday but haven't had five quiet minutes with her since then so now she gets them for graduation (am I stingy or what?). There seems no end to her accomplishements at the moment; she completed the educational portion of massage school and started internship, graduates with honors from high school the end of May and massage school in early July. She interviewed for a full scholarship in Kentucky over Thanksgiving and might well be headed that direction by late summer.
Auburn is taking a different approach to life and left the highschool she was attending- no longer interested in band or college credit courses- and started the charter school Cailyn attends at the semester. She had accumulated enough credits to potentially graduate at the end of this year but as she's already skipped a year, decided she didn't want to do that. She has dazzled her art teacher with her broad talent and got a perfect score on one piece of art she submitted in the contest Cailyn won last year and placed second with another piece (the judge flat out told her she didn't like the artist whose work inspired that piece so I don't think the results were fair). She is, as always, excelling in everything she does and she seems much happier in the more casual atmosphere of the new school.
Orion got a perfect score on an advance placement science exam and then asked if he could be homeschooled next year. I allowed the girls to make that decision so I guess I'll allow him the same option. He's a hard worker and a charming guy so he'll do well where ever he is- provided of course that he can charm me.
Rheannon and Rowan both had birthdays and the biggest news there is that she smashed her finger in March and might need surgery. We're still hoping it will mend on its own but the orthopedist gave it a 10% chance. It doesn't bother her much so she tends to overuse it. It is hard for her to play the guitar and since that's important to her we'll do whatever needs done to keep that option open to her.
My only news is that I changed majors and will graduate in the Fall. I'm anxious to finish up this semester so I can spend more time playing with the kids. They've all been very patient- especially Willow who needs to talk 80% of the time she's awake and who has been very understanding that I can't devote that much time to listening.

high custom baby

2008-03-11T19:19:00.000-07:00

I've enjoyed the little glimpses into the growing Lockhart family so much that I've decided to do a little bragging of my own. My kids are nearly as cute as theirs! I have no idea what this might become but it seemed about time I take another halting step into the twenty first century. So here goes.