Bragging on my husband

Tom doesn't like when I do this, but I'm going to do it anyway. Tom won an award for coaching a few weeks ago and I wanted to share! He's been coaching for the City of Falls Church soccer program for a few years now. He's coached both Max's team and Ian and Sam's team, and last Fall he went above and beyond and coached a U-9 team that was coach-less so that they could play. He was nominated by the City for an award with the Arlington Soccer Association, which he won this year. The city has a ton of coaches and teams in ASA, and he was one of two that were nominated, so it was a really big honor. So, here he is, all dressed up and award in hand:

Congrats for a job well done!

Rugby???!!!

The boys decided they wanted to play Rugby this summer. Up until this point we've really been a gymnastics/soccer only family, with a little non-competitive swimming tossed in here and there. The boys are very athletic and play sports continually (am listening to them playing some form of tackle football/rugby/soccer with their little sister as I type this) but rugby is a new adventure for us. So, it's two practices a week and 1-2 games a week, and here we go!

SoccerFest 2010

MAC Soccerfest is a big 4 v 4 tournament played on a big old farm (yes, a farm) in Maryland every year in June. This year we took both a boys U-7 team, and a boys U-9 team. Both teams were made up of players from a few different teams that Tom has coached over the past year or two. Both teams had a fantastic time, and the little boys' team even won 2nd in their bracket (they got medals and were very pleased with themselves)! We are so proud of all three of our boys and all of the rest of the kids that came out to play, and are really glad that everyone had a good time!

Ian and Sam lined up for a game (look for the red socks)

Max's game (he's on the far right going after a ball out of frame)

U-7 Parents and U-9 kids (in white jerseys) watching the U-7 team play

Sam taking a break between games

Diana helping Lucy to apply her "bows"

Lucy had fun too!

U-7 Piranhas

U-9 Revolution

Ian's Medal

DC Traffic Woes

In case you ever wonder how bad traffic really is in DC, or if we are just a bunch of complainers (well, about traffic at least), here's the picture from Tom's trip home a few weeks back. It wasn't just a little congested, but a LOT congested. Funny thing is, it looks like this on any given weekday evening: All I can say is thank goodness that Tom doesn't drive through that (he sneaks to work via a different, less congested route), and REALLY thank goodness that I'm not in it at all. I think I'd go postal if I had to sit in that kind of traffic. Give me long stretches of open road any day over a traffic jam!

Lucy's June

In June, we:

(had lunch with our big brother Sam at school)

(cheered on our school's staff basketball team)

(Watched our big brothers Max, Ian, and Sam play soccer)

(watched our big brothers in their gymnastics show)

(bounced in a bouncy house)

(and ate cupcakes.)

All in all a great June. And now we rest.

My new friend

Actually, it's a new member of the family, but it doesn't make as big of a mess as any of the other members of the family. I am the proud new owner of a coffee maker. Yes, me who doesn't drink caffeinated anything, owns the slick, cool, Keurig Elite Coffeemaker.

It's actually a birthday present, but I was tired of paying Starbucks prices, or going out of my way to duck into the local Bloom to grab coffee, so I bought this for myself as an early present (two months early and Tom keeps reminding me tat I skipped right over two OTHER birthdays in the house when I did this). Anyway, if you are ever over here, I can now serve you a cup of non-instant, actually brewed coffee! I have not only my beloved decaf flavors, but also a few different kinds of fully loaded coffee, and can make a cup in all of 2 minutes. It's not exactly the coolest thing since sliced bread (it's just a coffeemaker and doesn't do laundry) but of all the coffeemakers that I've seen it's the easiest and fastest, and it makes darn good coffee!

WAKA WAKA!

No, it's not Fozzie Bear like I know you are thinking (that's what I thought of first). It's WORLD CUP!!!! I have been watching loads of soccer and have, for the first time in my adult life, thoroughly enjoyed the games that I've watched. Not so happy with all of the outcomes, but the games are certainly fun to watch.

Back to the WAKA WAKA. Well, a friend of mine popped me a note with this link: http://www.youtube.com/shakirawakawaka (you really should click through on the link - it's short but it explains it all). Being a big Shakira fan, I was excited right off the bat. Then I saw what Shakira was doing with this project - spreading the word about access to education (a lack of it to be precise), so I signed on right away to help get this dance danced and this video made. Alice, a brilliant mind, knew that this type of activity was the perfect fit for our school, and boy was she right. So, in the span of three days, we pulled it off, and the fantastic result is here:

Our kids can dance with the best of 'em! Thanks Alice for bringing some WAKA WAKA to Bailey's!

My kids are "Good" Criminals - NOT.

After losing electronics privileges for some random act of silliness, the boys decided that they were going to be criminals. But they weren't going to be good criminals, as Tom calls them, just criminals. They snuck the electronics out of the cabinet in our bedroom, put them under their pillows, and played them until the wee hours of the night. They were sleep deprived the next day and because I was under the weather (and had been for about a week and a half at that point) I missed it completely. Mo Mom radar was off, and they actually snuck one by me. So me, the level headed generous in spirit Mom, threw down the royal punishment. No electronics until the summer. Clearly they haven't yet learned not to mess with Mom. Now, they had been "good criminals," then htey might have had a decent story or even snuck the things back to play another day, but no. They left the handhelds right under their pillows. So the first night that I was back up and giving bedtime hugs, which involved me feeling under their pillows to see what is stashed there, I found the DS's So between violating the rules and then the poor criminal activity follow up, these kids got the big-time punishment. The punishment fit the crime, and they are still without electronics as we still have a week of school left. It's been two weeks now, and they are slightly more polite, play outside more, and don't talk back as much, so maybe this whole no electronics thing is good. And maybe they'll look at me funny tomorrow and lose another week. ;) Poor kids, no idea who they are dealing with.

Backyard Football - Phipps Style

Even though it's not football season officially yet (but soon it will be!) we are raring to go here:

It's ME!!!

Aside from my desperately needing a haircut and

to get the pink back in - here I am!

Brian Gaynor - Fireflies

I absolutely adore this guy:

Fire @ Yahoo! Video

His musicality is off the charts!

11 Reasons Why We’re Smurfing Out Over The New Smurfs Movie | The Frisky

SMURFS!!! Can't believe that they are actually making a movie about my favorite blue furry critters, but they are! Who knew that the 80's would be so popular!

11 Reasons Why We’re Smurfing Out Over The New Smurfs Movie | The Frisky

It's pool season!

Everyone knows that Memorial Day marks the start of "Pool Season." But for us, this is the first year that we've actually joined a pool here in DC. Before now it seemed a bit silly - we have a pool at our gym that we swim at year round, and then last year Lucy was a wee one. But this year we ventured out into the sun for the first time, and it was a huge success. The water was frigid (it is Northern Virginia after all, and the average high this time of year is only 75 degrees, but the boys jumped right in. Lucy (thankfully) had second thoughts about the cold water, but she was sporting her Minnie Mouse swimsuit, and she headed off to the kiddie pool and the little kids' play area. Kept me out of the water, so I was fine with that. Then, as our pool time was sandwiched in between nap time and bed time, we ate dinner at the pool too. Chilly little men and a little girl that was reconsidering getting in the big pool, but everyone settled and ate and enjoyed their time at the pool. All in all a good first swim at "our pool."

I am a Free Range Mom

May 29, 2010

I am a Free Range Mom

A friend of mine recently started a group on Facebook that is called Free-Range Parent Society. While the group is new, the concept is not (but boy am I glad that she gave it a name!). I am a Free Range Mom, and have been since the birth of my first son. I encourage my kids to dig in the dirt, wander the yard, play in the sand, and explore their surroundings. I allow them the flexibility to learn as we go.

While this often delays us, my kids know that stopping and smelling the flowers, but also touching them, and sometimes even tasting them, is not only acceptable, but encouraged. I teach my kids to be independent, to make their own choices, and understand the consequences of those choices. I empower them to explore their world – it’s their world too after all. If that means that they are a little more dirty, come home a little late, or have to sit a little longer with a friend or sibling to work things out, then so be it.

Too often we are caught up in the day to day things to realize that our kids are growing up quickly, and that they need time to be kids, but also to explore and learn to be independent. I send my kids outside to play regularly, by themselves, and have done so since they were all pretty small. They need the freedom to explore without my watching their every step. They need to learn confidence in their choices, and know that getting dirty is part of being a kid. Being outside, away from me, helps them develop all kinds of great skills (not to mention the benefits alone of playing outside). My kids don’t need a security details when they roam. They are free to ride bikes, play soccer, visit friends, you name it. Don’t get me wrong – I’m very safety conscious. My kids wear helmets, are all in car seats, and taught basic safety as well as stranger danger rules. But I also encourage them to roam the world with their eyes open – knowing that they might encounter something unique or interesting. Instead of looking to me for support, they are examining their surroundings and stumbling on incredible things. They have learned to negotiate treaties, build bridges (literally and figuratively), deal with strangers, and deal with boredom. My children are independent, free thinkers who often wander off the path.

It was hard to take that first step towards being a Free Range Mom. I knew early on that I wasn’t a helicopter parent – far from one as a matter of fact. But I also knew that there had to be a balance between letting my kids roam free, and safety. So, I taught them what I could, empowered them to make good choices, then set them free. As they reach certain milestones, I let them do more and more on their own. Learning what your kids are capable of is part of this though – you need to maintain the safety and at the same time let them walk their own path. This particular path has led me to three well behaved, forward thinking, independent children (and a fourth that’s well on her way) that make their own choices, deal with their own consequences, but most of all are allowed to be who they want to be. Dirt, sand, rocks, adventures, friends, and sometimes tears all have a place in our house, and I hope they do in yours too.

This is an original DC Metro Moms post. Suzie also blogs at Confessions of a Not So Well Behaved Woman and shares the stories of the adventures that her kids take her on.

Phipps Family - Spring 2010

Our adventures this Spring in 30 seconds:

Phipps Family - Spring 2010

More pictures to come soon!

Our brain is a powerful thing

Check this out - Bobby McFerrin is my hero!

World Science Festival 2009: Bobby McFerrin Demonstrates the Power of the Pentatonic Scale from World Science Festival on Vimeo.

The Napmeister

This boy is the MASTER of the quick nap. If there was an award to be won, Ian would win it. We drive 30 seconds away from school and he's out. We hit the road for a soccer game, and he's out. We head out for gymnastics, and he's out. His napping skills simply can't be beat. And he's not sleeping because he's totally exhausted - he gets a decent amount of sleep at night - he just needs more. He would do well if he could take an afternoon nap every day, but unfortunately school doesn't allow that to happen. Up until he was in school he took regular naps. Not regular like his older brother Max did - Max would sleep for two hours every day until he hit kindergarten. But Ian took (and still takes) cat naps. For some kids this would cause trouble a night, but he's also pretty quick to go to bed then too. Ian takes a 20-30 minute nap (and sometimes shorter), then wakes up and hops right out of the car and goes on his way. He goes from dead asleep to gymnastics in two minutes. He goes from slumped over to soccer in 90 seconds. Pretty impressive if you ask me. Nothing wrong with him - he just needs MORE sleep than other folks, and if I had his napping skills I'd be taking full advantage of them too!

How to train your kids

Every parent's dream is to have children that pick up after themselves, do chores around the house to help out, and are generally responsible. Well, my friends, if this is your dream too, do I have a secret to share with you. If you start them young enough, and keep your expectations high, they WILL do chores, clean up after them selves, and help around the house. Ands by start early, I mean at the ripe old age of ONE. Lucy is actually almost 2 now (22 months to be precise), and she recently started helping her brothers out with their chores. She'll actually unload the dishwasher for anyone who will let her (and you know they are always telling her when it's their chore). She does a pretty decent job of it too. You tell her it's time to do the dishes and she scurries into the kitchen (actually it's closer to a full out run but she's little so it's still a scurry). She unloads what she can, puts them mostly into the right spots, and as long as someone else is grabbing the stuff she can't reach all is well. If you don't grab that stuff then you end up with dishes in weird places or silverware all in one drawer. Regardless, we started early with the boys and to this day they do chores pretty much every night. Each kiddo has three chores every night, and minus a few complaints here and there and a bit of micromanaging for a few specific chores that they've become slackers at, they do a pretty decent job. I wouldn't eat off the floor after the clean it, but hey, it's one less thing that I have to do, and they contribute to the household! So, yes, we start 'em young here. And yes, it works, and we have the track record to prove it.

BOA - You need to work on your signs

The local BOA sign is being taken over by leaves:

on the inside!

In Honor of my Mom on Mother's Day ;)