Watch Foriegn Movies - The Way He Looks

Our former roommate, The World Traveler, told us about this brilliant film called The Way He Looks.  Borrowed it from the library and watched it twice.  A romantic film about figuring your shit out as a teenager.  You know, that whole thing.  It is well done though and approved by a variety of film tastes.

The Way He Looks

Being a Better Father When You're Not Even a Mother

With the little humans afoot, we have begun taking more consideration of how we can learn to be better parents.  Given that both of us have lady bodies and neither of us have actually birthed any children from said lady bodies, we have quite a task ahead of us.  As Auntie and Tia, we are attempting to fulfill the roles of Mother and Father.  We have found some traditional methods for learning these roles including talking with other parents and attending ECFE (Early Childhood Family Education) classes.  Our favorite resources on how to be good fathers come from some other kinds of sources, listed below.  Here is what we have learned so far, mostly from the bassist, Flea:

1. Be there.  (Classic and yet so difficult, apparently.)
2. Actually care.
3. Really listen.
4. Teach them the good things you know about life.
5. Do the stuff with them that they like to do.
6. Stay calm even though little people rarely stay calm.
7. Admit when you do something wrong and apologize.
8. Reward the positives, discuss the negatives.
9. Tell the truth.
10. Avoid hypocrisy.  (Little humans can smell acts of hypocrisy.)

The Other F Word

Rad Dad

Go Swimming (or How the YWCA Saved Our Sanity) - Done

Hello Friends,

The YWCA may be one of the best inventions for people with little humans ever.  Did you know that swimming for an hour forces little humans to pass out instantly?  Also, they have this room where you can drop your kid off and then go sit in a hot tub.  What?  These gifts have actually encouraged me to swim quite a bit.  I have even started running even though I am not playing tag or breaking the law.  Strange.  With one mini triathlon completed and the second one scheduled, I am left wondering what all of this means, but I have grown to love it.  So, with a pair of ugly running shoes from a secondhand store and the tightest article of clothing I own, my racing swimsuit, we are off again.

Much love,

Nicole

Toddlers with Backpacks

Hello Friends,

If you know anyone with a toddler or preschooler or are owned by one yourself, encourage the little humans to carry their own backpacks.  This suggestion is made for two main reasons. 

1. I have recently come to the realization that there may be nothing cuter than a toddler with a backpack.

2. Don't do things for them that they can do themselves.  Little humans want to be independent and growns-ups should not thwart that desire by carrying more than they already have to.  Seriously people, put down that princess backpack.  God gave little humans shoulders for a reason.

Supporting evidence below.

Much love,

Nicole

Fill a Bare Book and Try New Art Medium - Done

Hello Friends,

As part of a series of drawing sessions between Monica and I, I managed to fill a bare book and try several new types of art media.  Great exercise all around and it got us making art again more frequently. It turned out to be a counting book called 11Wheels.  Great fun.  Below are some examples from the book including papercut, masking fluid,  digital, block print, and pen on top of gouache.

Much love,

Nicole

Try New Recipes - Three Done

Hello Friends,

Cooking is something I only really got into when I decided to resign from my job to be a radical homemaker. Many tasty adventures have followed, which is why trying new recipes is on my Year-Long list. It is very easy to make the same things over and over again, especially with the Little Ones. I added recipes to my list so that I would not make excuses for myself and continue to push my skills and taste buds.

When I look for recipes, I first check our few recipe books Betty Crocker Cookbook and the Homemade Pantry being the most perused. Then I grab a few recipes from the internets and use a little from each one to create a recipe that works for how I cook. So far Indian-Style Samosas, Chocolate Mouse, and Orange Cream Smoothies. Yum.

Much love,

Nicole

Go on a Trip - Done

Hello Friends,

My list this year should really have said "Plan and execute an epic train adventure" because seriously, it was intense.  If you know any 2 to 7 year old tiny people, you will notice that trains have an impressive and magical ability to connect to children in a way that has been lost by growns-ups.  The Bigger Little Human's first word was "choo-choo" and the Little Human can already say "train."  Shit is magic, check it out.  Below is our itinerary and a few photos.  The Chicago Hostel is amazing; great rooms and fantastic crown pleasing breakfast.  The Earthship was miraculous.  Mesa Verde was beautiful and 10 times more impressive than in photos.  New Mexico reminded us much of Norte Chico, Chile.  Tasty food and gorgeous sunsets and sunrises.  This was our first time traveling with the Little Humans and it went exceptionally well.  Enjoy.

Train to Chicago
Stayed in HI Chicago Hostel - Cloud Gate
Train to New Mexico
Stayed in Earthship
Visited and Stayed at Mesa Verde in Colorado
Stayed in Albuquerque Hostel
Train to Chicago
Stayed in HI Chicago Hostel - Chicago Children's Museum
Train to St. Paul

Much love,

Nicole

Visit a Minnesota Destination - Done

Hello Friends,

Although I was hoping to visit the Jeffers Petroglyphs, we ended up staying a hostel near the Mississippi Headwaters and visited the tallest Paul Bunyan statue over winter break.  It was pretty great and pretty Minnesotan.  The Little Human now says "Hi Paul" to his photo on the wall in our living room.  Still can't say Auntie, but Paul gets his own greeting.  When's the last time Paul changed any diapers?  Anyway, enjoy the photos. (Note: Paul Bunyan is a myth and the Mississippi Headwaters are really every bit of water in that region and no one specific place even if a bunch of guys constructed a neat looking pile of rocks that get stolen by visitors and have to be replaced all the time from rocks that are not even from the area.  Both were highly photogenic.  The dinosaurs were, of course, Monica's doing.  Shockingly.) 

Much Love,

Nicole

Create a T-Shirt Design - Done

Hello Friends,

After beginning an illustration class, and not really digging the first assignment, I began reworking a t-shirt design that I had started in the fall.  It combines my fascination with bubbles and their power to calm toddlers with shape work.  I think I finally managed to get the bubble blower more accurate proportions.

Much love,

Nicole