Bringing back out the wooden blocks

I might have thought we were well past the stage of using wooden blocks around here, now that there are legos and robotics kits and so forth ... but I would have been wrong!  With a choice to do a unit study on architecture this month, the need for "blocks that don't defy gravity" was expressed and we went back to the old wooden block bin (which had been donated to church but luckily could be borrowed back for a couple days mid-week without any problem).

Classic toys really will never go out of style.

My 2015 Intentions

Happy New Year!  Time is still flying past me at a crazy speed, and in this first week back at work after the break I've had meetings or classes to teach every night of the week, so I'm late getting to this blog post that I meant to write first thing in the new year.

Which is both fitting and a little ironic in light of my Intention Setting for this year!  I decided that what I needed to focus on the most moving into this new year is

To live with attention to the little things that make my life the daily experience I want to live.  This means that I will make sure I'm comfortable, things smell nice, I'm eating well, getting enough sleep, living according to my values, and doing the little things (like reading and hobbies and exercise) that make up the texture of a life well lived.

In other words, I'm choosing to pay more attention to the background rather than the highlights.  I'm not setting any lofty goals or planning any big accomplishments or "once in a lifetime" peak experiences.  Those are fine and good every now and then, but the problem I encounter is that they add stress and can throw life out of balance.  I don't thrive on adventure and change, I thrive on routine and domestic chores.  And I want to thrive, not just "do well". 

This doesn't mean I'm quitting my job and becoming a homebody ... I love my work and it would crush some part of my soul to leave the work I do.  But even at work I want to focus more on the background feel of things and less on the big events. 

May we all live well, with the time that we have.