Family Beach Cruisers

Hello Everyone,

Yesterday Dan and I decided it was time to get our family bikes.  Both girls taught themselves how to ride a bike.  Mayleena who is 7 learned in Grandma Anita and Papa Hamids back yard, all on her own.  Kayleen who is 10 never wanted to ride a bike.  Every time I brought it up she refused to ride.  Last month we were at the park, she picked up her sisters little bike and took off riding.  LOL she didn't even stumble, she just took off.

Yesterday we went to a Beach Cruiser bike shop.  We took time to look at all the colors and all the accessories.   Kayleens favorite color is blue, it was an easy choice when she spotted the blue beach cruiser.  Mayleena spotted a mint green bike and opted for this color.  The mint green sparkled so lovely, with a white seat.  

I liked the orange bike, and the yellow bike, but when I saw them putting a cream colored bike together I knew that was my bike.  It has light brown flowers around it and I got a brown basket, a white seat, and a white bell with a crystal flower on it.  The tires are upgraded and are a white and brown color.  Yes Dan spoiled me...  I love my bike!

Kayleen picked out a brown basket and a blue bell.  Mayleen picked out a mint green basket and a pink bell.  

Dan is getting a black beach cruiser next week, he couldn't decide which one to get.  

Bodhi is in a 14 inch bike, and we had a heck of a time finding a bike for him.  We opted with a Cars bike for Bodhi.  He is very happy riding around in his cool Cars bike and he picked out a blue horn.  He had way too much fun honking that horn in the car, on the way home, we all got to hear it.

So now we are a beach cruising family.  We are going to have so much fun riding around the trails and the beach!

A Wonderful Morning!

This morning was so nice.  After the kids ate their breakfast, we dived into lessons.  Kayleen began her yoga practice in one room, while I sat in the kids bedroom with Mayleena and Bodhi.  I read to Bodhi, while Mayleena did a work page.  It was so lovely hearing Kayleen sing the chants out loud, in the other room. 

Mayleena had to read, so she decided to read a book to Bodhi.  He was really antsy and kept talking, but she still managed to read the book.

After she was done, they switched places and kayleen did her work, read a book, did flash cards, a work page, and finished off with a educational computer game.

More and more we've been having mornings like this, where it just flows!  This is why I love Home Schooling with a passion, it's so free and flowing.  No teachers telling us what to do and when to do it by.  Each child can learn how they enjoy to learn!

I feel so grateful to have such a wonderful morning with our kids.

Our Home School Group

I was finding it challenging to meet Home school families that have the same ideals that we have.  I decided to take it into my own hands and create my own home school group.  I posted my own Meet Up group on Meetup.com.  I named my group, "The Happy Home Schooling and Unschooling Group."

So far I have three families that have joined.  All three mothers came to our park yesterday.  We had 5 kids, plus our 3 children.  Everyone had a great time, I got to chat with the mothers, they had many similarities with our family.  The kids played for 3 hours and never had to say anything to them, they played so good.

Someone was having a birthday party and let our kids have some of the candy, they had way too much.  They also got to do a Treasure hunt around the park, they had small pirate maps and had to follow the clues.

It felt so good hanging out with like minded mothers, they are all Vegan and brought healthy snacks for the children to eat.  I'd say it was a great day and I feel blessed to have met new friends!

The park we went to, it's right next to our home.  This picture doesn't show the pretend pirate ship and the huge trees that surround the park, it's all shaded and nice.

Our Life In The OC

Hello family and friends,
Well, we've been in our home now for 10 weeks.  It's not very long, but it feels like a long time.  We are really settling in here and allowing ourselves to find a groove here.

I was worried that I wouldn't find homeschooling friends but just this morning I looked up Meetup.com and found, just what I was seeking.  I found an Unschooling and AP Parenting group, just a few miles away.  "Perfect!"  We will attend those groups and see what we find.

It's been interesting, being in a new home and a new place.  I have been home sick at time, but what do I expect, I lived in the same place since birth.  It's going to take some time to get used it a new location.  I missed my Homeschool group a lot,  it's the greatest group of women I know.  But each of us are venturing out and making our own path now.  I feel confident that we will create another wonderful group of friends here in Orange County.

I'm sure you've seen the pictures... we've been at the beach a lot.  We are all so tan and the kids hair is getting lighter every day.  There's a beach we go to every weekend, it's a private little cover in Carona Del Mar, right across from Balboa Island.  It's so beautiful and it's perfect for kids.  On the weekend the boast are out and it's amazing to see all the huge and expensive boats and beautiful sail boats.  Every time we go to that beach, Kayleen takes out a paddle board.  She's found something she really likes.

I will keep you all updated and let you know what we are up to.  We love you all and will see you in
August, when we visit.

Love, Siri Shakti

Our Water World Adventure!

This last week my family and I went to Water World in Concord CA, we had such a great time. When we woke up it was so cold and over cast out, we almost didn't go. I'm so happy we decided to go, not only was it semi warm, there was barely anyone there, we had it all basically all to ourselves.

Mayleena was so brave, I could tell how nervous she was to go on a water slide but she bravely stepped up to the slide and made her way down them, there's nothing like seeing your child over come a fear, she was so proud of herself. She loved the wave pool, Uncle Chris Carried her around like a little princess, she was so happy to have her Uncle by her side.

Kayleen loves the Big slides, she started off by going down the biggest slide with three of us, it fits four people at a time. To be honest I don't think we expected it to be that fast, as I held onto her hand I could see the look on her face and she looked shocked. By the time we got to the bottom she was laughing! She spent the day running up stair case after stair case to go down as many slides as she could, and ended at the wave pool with Steven, Kayla, and Collin.

Bodhi was watched after by everyone that day, it was so nice to have everyone help me with him so Dan and I could go on slide together as a couple. We were like two kids going down those slides, laughing, and enjoying the fun. Bodhi stayed away from the water for the first half of the day, he always does things when he's ready, once he was ready he got down and walked right into the kitty pool area, he went in and out and got all the way up to his waste, he so enjoyed it.

Yup I'd say it was a great day, Dan and I had a blast, our kids had a blast, and everyone we were with that day had an equally good time, we must go back.

Love you all, Siri Shakti

Our Family Update!

I started this blog when Bodhi was 5 1/2 months old and then decided not to do it, I don't have any clue why but I've changed my mind. So here I am!

Kayleen is almost 9, Mayleena is almost 6 (next month), and Bodhi is now 17 months old, what a big boy. So let's see, what are we up to now? Our Unschooling adventure continues, every day my three children and I embark on a learning adventure, we explore so many new things each day that I can't keep track of them all, they are soaking up knowledge every day and I'm loving seeing how each one of my kids learn so differently.

Yesterday we spent the day sewing dolls, the girls cut out all the pieces and I sewed them together, we had to take a break when Bodhi woke up from his nap because he tried running off with all the pieces. We also had a "Clean House Day," the kids all chipped in, Kayleen took it upon herself to wash all the kitchen and bathroom floors, and Mayleena took a wet cloth and wiped down any spots on the walls, I didn't even have to ask!

This summer we've been swimming Diva's, swimming all the time. Kayleens swimming is even stronger now and Mayleena just learned how to swim all on her own, she's so proud of herself. Bodhi loves the water, he splashes, blows bubbles, kicks, and likes to soak in the hot tub, oh and he hates water wings and tubes. I guess he'd much rather be in our arms.

Now about my husband... I'm so proud of him, he began Gooroo Media Marketing a few months back and it's going so well. He is confidently moving forward every day, taking one step at a time in building this business and he's so good at what he does. My intuition tells me that he's found exactly what he's supposed to be doing for a career. I know this is just the beginning of a great chapter in our lives together.

And about me... I'm so happy, I love my family, and I love the path our lives are taking. I've been hard at work with my two blogs, just started building my book on LULU and will be publishing it very soon, and in the Fall I will be teaching a class at Cross Winds Church helping young women to over come eating disorders.

Thank goodness my brother Steven has been hanging out with us a lot, he's inspired me to start working out again, he's in such good shape and it's lit a fire under my butt to work out!

So my dear friends and family this is what we've been up to, I will keep you up to date each month and let you know what we are doing, I will post new pictures too.

Love you all, Siri Shakti

Taking care of little Bodhi!

It's August 17 and Bodhi is 5 1/2 months old now. This image was taken a few weeks back so he's grown soooo much. Kayleen and Mayleena are so sweet to him. To be honest he's like their own personal baby doll. Mayleena tries to put him in her baby stroller, and Kayleen pinches his cheeks and tries to wrestle with Bodhi on the floor. Bodhi's going to be one tough kid with these two sisters.

Just wanted to let you all know that Bodhi is almost crawling. He's scooting himself around and rolling from one side of the room to the other.

I will keep posting to let you know all the changes he's making. They happens often!