thoughts on the big and small things

I am a believer in Truth.

This means that what you see in this space, the successes and failures are the the honest-to-goodness goings on of our lives. I wanted an accurate record of our lives, not a made up look-good-to-the-masses blog that attracts hundreds of readers.

I don't document every nitty gritty moment of our lives, just the bits that stand out, and I reserve the right to not talk about things I don't want to, such as the kids birthday celebrations. I think they are more personal this year, and so not some thing to blog about. I also accept that others do the same, that this is a big perk of blogging - you get to choose what you talk about.

How often does that happen?

At home with four small people, my conversations can be wide and varied, and verging on the surreal - OK, so not really verging, some of them are fully paid up CRAZY.

This is my brain dump, the place where I get to empty my head of the thoughts that swirl around in the echoing chambers of my mind. (Think more empty warehouse than hallowed library - there is a whole lot of space to rent up there!)

It makes me sad when I see blogs where the authors are trying so hard to be perfect. Trying to maintain your dignity in the real world is hard enough, without killing yourself to do in on the internet too. I like blogs where the people writing them have faults, seem real and aren't afraid to admit when things didn't go to plan. It's comforting, and it's normal.

I've recently purged my reader of a lot of old reading material. It's been stripped down to those that I love and those that inspire me, and if it didn't fit into those categories, then it went.

Which got me on the subject in the title bar :: big and small things.

Round here, we can be equally interested in both.

We are fortunate to posses a whole load of things that inspire us to do all kinds. Sometimes it is the small and simple that inspires us:

Mb's pirates in their home made boat.

Sometimes it is the complex, technical stuff:

Say no more.

Occasionally it is the really big things that get our minds boggled:

Eb wanted to know why the ground was so lumpy and bumpy.

I used to feel guilty when my kids watched television, and would even physically feel my stomach knotting up (how sad!) This was because I had read so much about how television damages children that I had convinced myself that it is a modern evil, and really shouldn't have a place in our home.

How stupid does that sound?

TV is great! It is so educational. The Horrible Histories series has taught my children more (admittedly gruesome) facts than any book has. The Wii has improved my sons hand to eye co-ordination, and they dearly love various PC games.

So, when I get round to updating our what we're about page, I am going to include a section of TV programmes that we've watched and enjoyed.

Embracing all that we are starts with accepting the truth of who we are, and on occasion I feel we are not wholesome enough by some standards. We have an abundance of much loved plastic toys, we eat rubbish from time to time and some times we lay in. Some days I freak out and make every one do worksheets (true!) and some days I embrace the unschooling philosophy. Some days I won't let the kids watch television, because I don't want the added noise, and some days I will have the radio on in the kitchen, the TV on in the sitting room and some one else playing the piano in the front room, with all the doors open and every one else shouting above the noise to each other.

Some of the much loved plastic - this time from our magical creatures collection.

Above all, I am for the Joy of Living.

(a fine example of living in action.)

Mb recently loaned a library book called "Feeling Scared" It says in it: " We can learn to enjoy the present and not worry about things that are out of our control."

It doesn't tell you how to do this, but I reckon I'm on the right path.