t h e m a y f i l e s is foremost a family blog, chronicling everyday life. Life including natural, healthy eating (with recipes thrown in at random), home educating (with ideas popping up sporadically), an attempt to homestead on .2 acres (with very meager yields), raising 3 of 4 children with a rare genetic disorder, and lots of highly personal family triumphs and failures. You may also find an eclectic array of musings on politics, exercise, sewing, emergency preparedness, backyard chickens, and religion. This blog isn't a campaign to glorify anyone or anything. Just simply a record.

2.23.2012

Angel Posing as a New 4 Year Old


I don't know how long it will be until the halo cracks, falls off, turns to lead...there are myriad possibilities.  But for now,  the golden halo over equally shining locks remains.

Admittedly it pains my heart not being a favorite.  Dad usually wins out, but Emmett has such an abundance of love in him, I still am on the receiving end of a huge smattering.


Emmett loves to talk about papa, and play with his model airplane.  His favorite foods are mama's bread with jelly, noodles and mama's sauce, and fruit leather in all shapes colors and flavors.  It sounds like her really likes my food, but unfortunately those three things are about all he likes.  Meal times bring out my only frustrations with this little man.

His favorite book to "read" is "Dear Zoo."  To be read to, "Mother Goose" is still a favorite as well as "Jack and the Bean Stalk" and anything with kind of spooky, but not too spooky illustrations and prose.

Emmett and I spent the afternoon together at the park while the girls were at piano
lessons and Berkeley was home with Bertha.  He blasted around on his scooter and we took
turns piloting the playground airplane or captaining the playground boat, whichever seemed
most appropriate in our imaginations.  We also climbed the chain link baseball backstop.  I think
Emmett was impressed how high I got.

Emmett watches carefully over his little sister.  He definitely does not like to clean up, which really isn't too much of an issue because he doesn't make messes, until a friend comes to play.  Then...it's a different story.

Gymnastics, bike riding, scooter tricks, you name it and Emmett can do it.  He is extremely pint sized (in fact people often think Emmett and Berkeley are only a year apart, and Berkeley is not big!) but packs an athletic punch.

Emmett can be quite shy in large group situations.  He loves to cling to mom and dad.  However his golden curls are so irresistible adults just can't leave him alone.  His pronouns are still all mixed up, most confused being "them" and "they."  I could listen to him say "geerwills" (girls) all day long it is so darn cute, and being the only boy amongst 3 sisters we hear it a lot.

After we dropped the big girls at gym, Emmett and Honey and I headed to the dinosaur museum.  We had a blast.
However at 4 years old those big bones were still a bit scary.  He huddled in the stroller and pulled the
shade down as far as possible.  Luckily enormous skeletons were not the only attraction.
I wish I could spend every moment playing pretend with Emmett, he begs all day and cheers out loud when school is finally done.  A casualty of homeschool is not as much one on one with this little man.  I squeeze in my moments when I can.  He is just beginning to get the itch to be a part.  We are starting to learn to write and letters.

Emmett's silliest posture comes when he is bit embarrassed or unsure of himself.  He hunches over, sags his shoulders as low as they will go and drops his head.  "Agghhh.   Nooo,"  he moans.  "I can't."

Most often however, his self esteem is soaring as he strikes poses like this:



It is so hard for me to let this little one grow up.  I just want to shield him from everything and everyone who is not a perfect as he is.  Alas, I know I can't.   We love you Emmett!

2.20.2012

February Piano Recital


Callista playing Beethoven's "Rage Over a Lost Penny."



Ellery playing "Swan Lake."  You'll love this one!



Ellery is floating on air.  Her teacher informed her she will be playing Chopin's "Minute Waltz" for her next solo.  Unsimplified.  Usually the children choose their own solos, but her teacher felt this would be a perfect fit.  Ellery fell in love the moment she heard it.  If there is anything that just sends Ellery into a blissful state it is tackling a challenge she feels is very grown up and far above what any girl her age is doing :).


2.17.2012

Hawaiian Video Moments


Here are a few video moments we captured during our trip...a lot of wild life, and believe me not all of the  "wild living" was done by animals!

2.04.2012

Second Piano Competition


Ellery competed in her second piano competition on Friday.  It was a rough day on all of us.  Ellery was sick with a terrible head cold.  The kind where her nose would not stop running, and her head was pounding.  But in true Ellery style she persevered.  Her performance was certainly not her best, but she walked away with a  "Superior" and one plus.  She was devastated and bawled.  (Her mother's child.)  

You win some and lose some.  It was difficult for me to watch, because I know how she can really play her songs.  The perfectionist in me is always leering its ugly head.  I wanted her to have "3 plusses" and play to her ability.  We invest a lot of time into this foray.  It is difficult not to become personally discouraged when my children don't perform well.  Not only do I hurt for them, but it is a blow to my personal pride.  I've got to get over it.  No one is ever at the top of their game 100% of the time, especially when they are sick.   I wish I had a good recording but I don't.  Here is a practice session we recorded.  We were trying to correct some of the awkward postures she moves into.  Forgive the out of tune piano.