VERY PROUD OF RYDER

Ryder takes Aikido, now in his 2nd year (it is a Japanese form of martial arts that is about being fully present, connected with all energy and able to redirect an attackers energy, it also flows in harmony with laws of nature. Steven Seagal is an Aikido Master - so if you have seen a movie of Seagal's or you have seen anything about a samari you can get an idea of Aikido) I also started taking Aikido and have taken a test - and I can tell you it's nerve wracking.  Most test takers go into panic mode including me. So this email from Ryder's instructor was tremendous and meant A LOT! Kelly suggested we share this and as I am not a big horn tooter usually, with this one - it's pure Ryder and he earned it. We are very proud of him and love how his beautiful spirit shines as he is developing in to a wonderful, kind and competent human being. The email is posted below.

One other thing I want to note, in our Aikido school - it is not like a typical kid martial art school where you do fun and games and learn a few kicks and punches and such. Everything he is learning is exactly what an adult is learning. When he tests and advances it is for real. When he is 14 he can go in to the adult class and he will bow in at whatever level he has attained. Anyway, that's kind of a big deal in the martial arts world.

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: george ellis <george_ellis3@yahoo.com>
Date: Tue, Dec 24, 2013 at 10:57 PM
Subject: ping
To: "stephana.johnson@gmail.com" <stephana.johnson@gmail.com>

if this is Ryder's mom....I want you to know how impressive R's composure was at Test Time.....truly impressive

 

there are times when I think that the thirty year old Ryder kicks in......just what I ask....the little boy is for a short time a martial artist and a senior student in every

sense of the word.....but we can let him be a kid,  most of the time.

 

really impressive

 

osu!

 

G

REPOSTING a picture of our night time routine - maybe other's will be inspired...

I'll give you the whole picture of our night time as we had suffered for years from night issues. After an early dinner, I start dimming lights, slowing down and picking/cleaning up.
All screens go away/off - this was and is the worst culprit for poor sleep for us.

I put on lullaby cd (gorgeous soothing music we all love) quietly in the background.

On days needed I will prepare warm epsom salt baths (great for magnesium uptake) and finish with all over oil massage - calming oil combos.

We take a product called Baby calm Peter Gilham makes it -it is good on it's own  but I add cup of chamomile tea and valerian with tulsi. I also rub valerian and or lavender essential oils on their feet especially between their toes. They ask for this if I'm not right on it - and they make sure I get both feet and each toe - so they are enjoying it greatly and within minutes they are out and happily sleeping. I notice they also wake in much better moods. It may seem like a lot but it's about 20 minutes of a simple soothing ritual that helps me too - to get present and be grounded.

  I will tell you, because we have had trauma and rough experiences at times I will add EFT (tapping technique) to the routine especially if I see there is residual effects hanging around - from a loss or upset or just a tough day. It's fast, easy, effective. The other thing is - I don't read stories to them at night - I tell them a story - I literally sit for a moment and ask for guidance to share a story that will best support my children - and it just starts to flow. It took a bit of confidence and practice but now it's a treasure for me and them. A couple of  nights ago I actually finished the story and my 7 year old said, "mom that was a really really good story. thanks for that" magical words.

Holiday Traditions

My boys are 7 almost 8 and a new 5. Legos - argh! so many and yet they keep coming in so I let the g-parents send them..

But, this year I made a new tradition. Arbitrary but still something intended to build on. No real start time - one because I don't have any date for anything being set in stone. So I a dreidel made for hanukkah with their own new box of real art clay and a trip to the potter's wheel - a cool place to make things. Singing the song - Ryder will just start singing it and his dad will go - what are you singing? SO FUN!

For Ryder I am getting him a djembe drum and roller blades.

Dax a piano - (we've been saving for a while) and a full size play stand I'm building custom for him. I'm also making a small sandbox on the patio with digger items. He loooves sand.

Then experiences.

So far this week we've gone to the local credit union and opened each their own savings accounts. They got a lollipop which I pre-checked to be approved by mom and met with a wonderful banker and they each deposited their own money. So cute!

We then "capered" one of their friends as an outting - friend hadn't been feeling well, I explained this and said wouldn't it be lovely...we went to the $ store and and I gave each $1 to get something Kobe would enjoy - (we also made nice little art cards for him but they are mainstream and although of course would appreciate...well, you know) so we showed up at their door and sang to them and gave our gifts and left him and his family smiling and laughing) The boys talked about it as a big "wow" that was kinda fun.

I made a treasure box - this I will be introduced with a story - where we will keep all of our "ideas" to go treasure hunting through the year/s.

We also packed up a big bag of things to send to the Philippines and took it to the folks sending it.

Honestly -- the more we've focused on this in a gentle, subtle part of life - there hasn't been a lot of what's for me. Nor me feeling like - what am I going to get these guys. So not getting caught up in the give me get me, buy me something or any of the frenzy that gets created - it's nice to be able to see what they see. The different holidays that are celebrated are such a nice experience to share with each other in the stories.

Experiences - that's first. Maybe presented in a cool book you made - horse back riding lessons, day at the beach, hot cocoa and light walk, watching home movies when the boys were babies - the best, etc. So many fun things. With the roller blades I've got a 3 day pass with mom to learn to Blade. And with the piano - lessons with a cool teacher. Djembe comes with a drumming circle night out with friends.

Funny, as I am writing Dax came in and said "I have a gift for you" He came in with a wrapped foil of home made marshmallows. He loves to wrap anything and present it as a gift to us and anyone.

This is definitely where I would sit with things. And let it flow to you freely. Oh I read this great thing by Pema - the emotion last only 90 seconds if it lasts longer it's something you are keeping going by telling a story or making it mean something. So, when you feel that "holiday frenzy" gotta buy something to fill some need - sit with it, breathe it in and such and then after 90 seconds we find our way.