Oh gosh I have way more than two things to share…like how we cleaned out every cabinet and closet in our house for “Labor” day.  Ok, not ALL, but the majority.  And that even though my kids rolled their eyes at that assignment, we all felt this swing of happiness as we swam and grilled up some hamburgers with our relatively new neighbors to celebrate a house newly organized with pink billowy sunset clouds above, closing out the weekend.

I feel behind in documenting the little things of life around here: things like the fact that we actually sweet-talked Lucy into throwing away her tattered and sewn together old Tevas in favor of some new better arch-support ones (no one will really appreciate that fact as much as us…the ones who live with that iron-willed girl, but it’s a pretty grand accomplishment I tell you!)  Claire has had a great win accompanied by a sad loss in this game of life (hope to get to that tomorrow), Grace is trying to juggle two jobs and the onset of senioritis WAY too early.  

But for today, the two things I really want to talk about are parenting and grandparenting, and some tools to help with both.
1)  My sister is doing a Family Systems Couples Retreat at my parent’s house coming up at the end of this month (on the 29th).  My parents will be presenting with her.  I’m trying to finagle a way to get up there and help present (like I got to back HERE …except this one is for couples), because I want to learn too!  I could really use a parenting pick-me-up right about now. 
Saren and my parents will walk parents through setting up some great systems for their families. She will be providing workbooks for couples to fill out and brainstorm with, and attendees will get a chance to work as couples and in small groups to come up with solid ideas.  They’ll come away empowered with tools and ideas to strengthen and build their families like never before.
Sounds pretty awesome if you ask me!  Having deliberate family systems in place can make a world of a difference in a family.
Prices go up on September 5th (tomorrow) so sign up right away if you’re interested!
All the information about this retreat is over HERE.
2)  It’s Grandparent’s Day coming up this weekend.  Are you aware of that?  I cannot not be aware, since Lucy has reminded me about it 27 times since I get to be the stand in “grandparent” this Friday when it’s celebrated at the school.  (I’m pretty excited myself.)
But the reason I bring it up here is because I have the perfect book to give to those awesome grandparents in your life to celebrate that day:

It is HERE.
I’m not sure if I posted this picture with my New York post, but this was Lucy en route to NYC this summer:
…actually I’m not sure if that’s en route to or from that place we love, because she looked the same both ways.  She had her nose in that book for hours I tell you!
It is that good.  
I finished it off between the minutes I could wrest it from her hands and I fell in love with it even more.
I know I’m biased but I have to say that my mom is such a great writer.  She has a beautiful way of getting right there in those trenches with you and letting you know it’s all going to be ok.  I think that book is just as much a mothering book as it is a GRANDmothering book, it’s full of great ideas and stories and “I’m right there with you” love.  
My dad, being the amazingly deliberate grandfather that he is, wrote a grandparenting book too:
It is HERE, and although I haven’t read that one yet, I know it’s chock full of great ideas too.  My dad (again, in my biased opinion) is one of the most consciously deliberate people I know.  From his “Grandfather’s Secrets” that he’s shared with all the grandkids (and that I myself think about all the time), to his grand family visions that he spiritually creates to his quirky imagination that spills out the funniest stories to keep kids (and parents) captive, he’s got some pretty awesome stuff filling up that book.
Lots more info. from my mom’s perspective on the grandmotheringbook.com over HERE.
There’s also another great resource for Grandparenting online over HERE at grandmagazine.com.  If you click there, you’ll find an article my parents wrote…maybe it will get you all hyped up for Grandparent’s Day :).
Here are the links to the books once again: GRANDmothering is HERE, and Being a Proactive Grandfather is HERE.  
If you click there and buy now, those little gems of books should arrive in the hands of those grandparents you love by Sunday, the big day!

3 Comments

  2. I want to attend the retreat so badly! We will be in Park City that weekend for my sons football game so we already have a hotel there and everything but will be tied up with football all day. Please tell me they will be doing this again?!?!?!?! I'd love to be put on an email list or something to be notified about at future event. staceymehl@hotmail.com Can you pass the message along to them?

    Reply

  3. I follow your blog because I love the family focus and I learn a lot thanks to the experiences and thoughts that you share. It inspires me especially how you try to raise consciously and deliberately and do not mind working hard to achieve it. However, I do not agree in the religious field and I believe that ALL families are equally important and valuable, as long as there is love, respect and work among its members. And, for this reason, despite all the positive aspects that I find in your blog, I feel we do not agree on the important thing: that all people are worth the same. What would happen if in this course it really seems very interesting to register a family formed by two mothers or two parents? Would they be allowed to attend? Would they be treated the same as the other families?
    It is an honest question by a long-time follower of your blog and Charity's blog as well. I would not want you to be offended or upset. I just want to better understand how you manage your beliefs with the rest of the world and people who may not share them without undermining them.

    Reply

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