Thursday, January 31, 2008

day 9 the birthday project

Rowan turns 7 on Saturday and I am making a little sweet something for my baby boy. It will be a soft pillow cover for him to lay his head on at night while he dreams of soccer goals and skateboards and snowballs.

Wednesday, January 30, 2008

Tuesday, January 29, 2008

Monday, January 28, 2008

sparks and day 6


After a long hiatus I got out my Ginghers and plugged in the sewing machine and started work on some small projects. It was inspired by a couple of blogs I have been perusing as of late; SouleMama and Montessori by Hand. These women make some beautiful things, really amazing and unbelievable works of art. I realized something that changed my perspective while reading about various aspects of their creative lives. Every project does not have to be epic! I can gain a whole lot of satisfaction from a small project as well as a large one and it is so lovely to make something with your hands no matter how small. While I love the creative aspects of cooking and baking very much, the results are ephemeral. What can take hours to create disappears into hungry tummies in an instant. I have always felt intimidated by sewing and bogged down by following directions but I am slowly realizing that I can make things up and it doesn't have to be perfect. I see things out in the world that I am attracted to and I often stop and think to myself, "I could make this." I made a sweet stuffed bunny for my niece and a lovely little valentine heart to give away in February. I will make Rowan a pillowcase for his 7th birthday. I will choose the fabric with him in mind and it will be a simple act of love with lasting results. I made lots of things for Sophie and Will when they were little but somehow let that part of me go by the wayside. I'm so glad it's back.

Sunday, January 27, 2008

Saturday, January 26, 2008

day 4

saturday happenings


Woke up this morning knowing that we didn't have much on the schedule for today which is very unusual. Pete went to yoga class and I took the opportunity to clean and purge the art pantry, which hasn't seen a lot of action as of late. I took stock of what was there and threw out a bunch of dried out materials. I am feeling the bug to make something with my hands but I am trying to carve out an actual space first. We took Lucy for a walk since today it is actually pleasant to be outside which hasn't been the case for a solid week of single digit weather. The chickens even ventured out, stepping gingerly on the few non snow covered spots near the coop. Will and Rowan played a bunch of Wii soccer and Sophie is off to the Arts Center for a rehearsal. The kids picked out a couple of Scooby Doo and Looney Tunes videos for later and they each bought themselves a sherbet for 50 cents. Next, Will bought a couple packs of baseball cards and Rowan insisted on buying an overpriced KU football t-shirt with his $ that was burning a hole in his pocket. We had a sweet little family outing in the slush.

Friday, January 25, 2008

day 3


I am still amazed every time I go out to the hen house and find one of these little treasures.

Thursday, January 24, 2008

Wednesday, January 23, 2008

inspiration


I've been reading some blogs recently, something I have never really done and getting totally inspired! I am joining in on a 30 day photo project, taking pictures of the everyday and posting my favorite one each day. I am also in the process of making a recipe for homemade hand lotion. I am so tired of cheap stuff with ingredients I have no idea about and overpriced hippy stuff. So I am making my own and my hope is that it turns out scrumptious!

Tuesday, January 22, 2008

happy birthday to me


I passed a milestone last week as I celebrated my fortieth birthday. I feel strong and healthy and blessed. I look back and wonder how fast it has all gone. Now I just have to figure out what I want to be when I grow up. hmmmmmmmmmmmm so many choices.

smackdown continued.......

Well after I tried to force a written apology I threw up my hands and left them to sort it out together. They did a pretty good job and Sophie did write out an honest portrayal of what happened with an apology at the end. Who is at fault here? The crazed maniac or the provoker? Will felt remorse and admitted to his overreaction but how do we prevent this next time he is pushed over the edge because I'm sure it will be soon. They have had their share of fights even when they were small but now we are looking at possible emergency room visits. Really, the slice was borderline but I didn't take him in. Now he'll have a cool scar he can blame on his sister. Are they just figuring out their place in the world? Does punishment really work? I don't have the answers here and I struggle with feeling like I go too easy. I just hope they can be friends later........if they don't kill each other first.

Monday, January 21, 2008

sibling smackdown

Okay, this was one of the worst parenting moments ever. Will is taking a sports video game ever so seriously and I'm about to ban him from the game for the next millennium when his big sister who is doing the extra chore of sweeping the stairs starts making little jabbing comments to bug him. Lo and behold, it works and he flies into a rage threatening her very life.She defends herself with the formidable weapon she is holding, a sharp metal dustpan and cuts his chin leaving me wondering where I've gone wrong.How can a boy be the sweetest most loving person and then turn into a raving maniac at the mere whisper of a smirky smile from his arch nemesis sister or a video game gone awry? The two who used to play dress up together for hours and hold day long tea parties and sell lemonade and dig in the sand until the sun went down.They fight, and so brutally sometimes that it breaks my heart.Then, to top it all off I lost my cool too and was yelling at both of them for being such beastly little cretins. What's a peace loving Mother to do?.............to be continued

thirteen


My little girl turned thirteen last November and I have been beating myself up for not really recognizing it in some profound way. We had a regular sleepover with a gaggle of other 12 and 13 year old girls but I have been thinking I need to do something extra special for her. I have a friend who is putting together a box of meaningful mementos for her daughter who will be thirteen this year. I may steal her idea and fill a box to give Sophie this year even if I didn't get it to her exactly on her big day.There are a lot of crazy things that vie for our children's attention these days and it's hard to find moments to just be with them without some other agenda or distraction. When they were little it seemed as though we had so much of that unstructured time and now those precious times are few and far between. Some of the things I might add to her box are photos of her from baby on up to now, quotes I can find from some of my favorite writers and poets, written out on pretty paper. A list of book titles I think are important to read in ones life, special recipes I want her to have, and maybe letters especially for her from some of the important people in her life.......I'll add more to this list as it strikes me.I want her to have the confidence and grace to head into adulthood prepared and knowing the love that surrounds her.I want her to be able to laugh at herself and to hear the advice of those who love her dearly.

Sunday, January 20, 2008

lazy Sunday

Today is a funny day. We had plans to go to Will's futsal game and then on to the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art in Kansas City to celebrate my birthday with Pete's family. Rowan came down with a stomach bug last night and we decided to scratch the museum trip. So Pete and I made it to Will's soccer game this morning and now we're back home on a lazy Sunday afternoon. I managed to get a fuzzy version of the Patriots-Chargers game on the television for the boys, which seems a good pastime for a freezing January afternoon. Sometimes I think would like to have good TV reception and access to more channels but usually I'm perfectly satisfied with our makeshift once in awhile situation. Sophie is off at ballet and Pete at yoga class. I am so pleased that Sophie still enjoys dancing, she looked so beautiful up there during The Snow Queen, smiling and poised and at ease. I am really proud of my little people, despite all of my parental blunders, they are thriving and growing well.

Saturday, January 19, 2008

beginnings

I begin this as a gesture to my children, a record of some of our moments together. I beat myself up for having not put words down sooner, but here we go. Start where you are. So I will record things that come to me I will think about our life together and the places we have been and where I'd like to see us in the future. I could do it on real paper but I am trying to be more technologically savvy. It's a small step I am taking in my own education and enlightenment in this complicated world.