Sunday, May 29, 2011

creative mother-daughter time







layla had been following me around repeatedly asking if we could make something together and i repeatedly replied "as soon as i caught up around here." then finally it hit me that i was never going to get completely caught up and that i was missing some quality time with my daughter. i can't begin to tell you how many times i've daydreamed about quality craft-time with my children when they were old enough. so, i stopped what i was doing and said "yes... what would you like to make?" she thought about it for about ten seconds and replied "how about a crown?" now... she was just thinking something cardboard but my mind instantly started thinking about all the cute little felt birthday crowns i've seen floating around the web. i'm not a huge felt fan but i have been thinking that i should make some out of fabric for my children.... so.... fabric crown attempt # 1. i really like the way it came out but i'm gonna make a couple more and see if i can find a simpler process. then i will share a little tutorial on here... sound good? and in the meantime i'm planning a lot more creating time with my kids... now that they're old enough.

Wednesday, May 25, 2011

the eye of the storm



 a moment of calm amidst a day of chaos. i am learning to truly savor these little moments of peace. whether it's just all the children playing together kindly, or all of them enjoying the sunshine outside, or in this situation were the older two went across the street to spend time with their grammy and grampy while the littlest one slept and this one quietly played with blocks for at least forty minutes or so. aaahhhh, it's amazing how clarifying an hour of quiet can be.

Thursday, May 19, 2011

mad house


well... i suppose you could say that things are a bit crazy around here these days. i feel like i'm constantly waiting for things to slow down. i must admit that i'm not so sure that things will ever slow down at this point, but here's hoping. i guess that means i have to change my expectations about what needs to be done in a givin day. that, and train my children to be more helpful. which is one of my main goals for the summer. i plan to set up a list of chores and house rules and crack down on the "clean it up when your finished playing with it". i really feel like this is going to be a great summer. a summer of slow, mindful days full of quality time with my family. a summer of learning, new responsibilities, and more freedom. oh yes... summer.... my spirits lift just thinking about it.... and it's almost here.... 22 days.... but who's counting...

Friday, May 13, 2011

10 things i love about spring






  • flowers on the table
  • longer, warmer days
  • the beautiful wave of green flowing over the earth
  • outdoor play without the need of hats and mittens
  • hearing birds singing in the morning (love love love)
  • apple blossoms
  • garden daydreaming
  • baby chicks
  • picnics with fresh lemonade
  • sand in the washing machine again (seriously... it makes me smile)
  • open windows and the sweet smell of spring
alright... so that's eleven things... i could keep going...
so... what made it on you list of favorites?

Monday, May 9, 2011

a big girl and her bed





there is a certain little big girl in this house that is growing up more and more every day. it's an amazing thing to witness. a child figuring out exactly who they are. and the more their personality grows the more they need their own space. so... here it is. miss eislee's newest bit of personal space.

Friday, May 6, 2011

here comes the sun











i'm happy to say that it is beginning to feel like summer around here. the sunny days are coming more and more frequently. they are so nice and warm. of course we're back to rain today... but that's ok... there's not much of that to go... and i have to admit i kinda like muddy soccer.