Walk in the Forest

Yesterday, we went on a hike to a nearby trail to enjoy the milder weather we are having lately.  Just fifteen minutes away from our house, we can escape to moss covered rain forest with fresh air.  The filtering sunlight let the ground covering shrubs glow like treasures in the ocean bottom.  We visited the same trail about four years ago when Sean was a kindergartner.  Back then we had Saya and Noah in the stroller.  They were chatting and running around yesterday pointing at strange looking trees and mushrooms, making sure someone won't step on horse poop, climbing onto tree stumps etc... They were enjoying being kids in the forest.  It's such a healthy thing to do to go to the mountain as a family.  We ought do it more often!

I have been pretty busy with school activities and work outs in between.  I went to 2nd Grade field trip last week to the zoo as a chaperon and taught a class the next day about Japanese culture.  The field trip was fun, but quite tiring.  The kids were super excited and their priority wasn't being a good listener.  So, I was like a fire fighter extinguishing bad behaviors before they flare up.  It was a bit stressful since the zoo assigned guide person was quite strict and expected children to be interested in what he was talking about.  Well, I had a hard time paying attention to him, so how could the 8 year-olds?!  The 2nd graders in our school for some reasons are a bit of a challenging group to begin with.  All it takes is a few naughty ones and the bad behavior spreads like winter flu.  They are sweet children but when they get together, they can be out of control hyper.  I know they want to be good and their misbehavior sometimes I feel are due to anxiety or something they cannot control.  I hope the school and their parents are able to work together to provide support for those children.  I don't want for them to spend their childhood feeling bad about themselves.  That would be a big shame. 

I was pleasantly surprised that all children in Aly's class were mesmerized by my presentation on Wednesday.  The teacher asked me to teach children about Japanese festival called "Setsubun" and I showed them slides with funny pictures on them, read a folklore about the festivity and led a craft activity making a mask.  The teacher said the kids listened so well and he was very impressed.  It's wonderful to teach something to little people who are so interested in what I have to say.  I smiled and complimented children for being good listeners.  I prepared everything in two days, so I was pretty tired the rest of the week from putting in late nights.  I could literally fall asleep anywhere if I was sitting down.  Either I was very tired or getting old!  I certainly like to attribute it to my fatigue rather than age...

I have another busy week this week with two Valentine's Day parties at school and a birthday party for my Aly girl this Friday.  We are going to celebrate it at the head buzzing, junk rushing, Chuck-E-Cheese!  I honestly despise that place.  It's like a casino for children and I just can't stand that awful echo of game machines and the bright neon lights flashing everywhere.  I do it for the sake of Aly since she requested it, but boy it's going to be the longest two hours yet.  I intend to bake a Beanie Boo cake as requested by the birthday girl.  She has to pick which picture she wants on the cake first and then I will recreate the same image on the cake.  It's like a magic, but it takes me at least two hours just for the drawing and coloring in part.  So, in a nutshell, I won't be sleeping this week, either! 

I dream of some day I can lay in a cozy bed in a bungalow by the beach feeling the warm sea breeze on my face.  Maybe I read, maybe I nap whatever I want to do is ok with the universe.  Perhaps though all I dream in my nap will be my children and their cheeky smiles, so where I am is a good place to be.  Ok, before I become extra cheesy, I am going to stop.  Have a great week everyone!  Sweet dreams :-)