SouleMama

oh my

So here I am right now (view above from the laptop - we love PhotoBooth), writing this post from our sun porch. This is my very first 'sit' of the year, and I'm quite excited about that. Adelaide is napping, Calvin is at a class, and Ezra-a little bit feverish- is on the floor drawing (astronauts). Luka is sitting in the sunniest spot, soaking it in. And so are we - soaking it in. There are piles and piles of snow outside, but the sun is lovely (Tomorrow really is March!), and I'm blissfully ignoring the piles of skiis and skates all around me. The wireless connection in this spot of the house is rather slow, but that feels just about right for the moment. Slow. Quiet. Most of my posts are written at night - in the quiet moments after the babes are asleep, but before I begin the 'rest' of my evening. The time I spend writing them is one of my favorite times of reflection and thinking. I don't think of this as a 'journal', and am in fact, quite mindful about what I say - it isn't "all" of me or us, and I think most of you understand that. I edit my photos at night too, which includes a viewing session of all the 'family' photos I've taken during the day, usually resulting in much laughter and telling of the day's stories to Steve. (Even when the kids are sleeping, we still can't stop talking/thinking about them, can we?) And then, in the morning, I 'publish' the posts to the blog. I like the habit of it all, the ritual, the rhythm. And I'm so happy to hear after yesterday that many of you enjoy and appreciate that as well.

I'm feeling rather speechless today (well, judging by the length of this post already, perhaps that's not the right word). A little stunned, very humbled, a little shy, actually, and quite moved. You are all sooo nice. Really, it was such a pleasure for me to read snippets of your day and lives - I'm so grateful for how much you shared. I'm struck by the diversity amongst us - the many places in the world in which we live, not to mention the places in our lives in which we're at. So very different, and yet there's always a connection, always something - some thread that binds one person to another. Amazing. I usually read through comments at the end of the day with a cup of tea or glass of wine. But yesterday, the joyous experience required a few refills. I was quite choked up reading every single comment. And I did my best to resist the compulsive urge to respond to each - to continue the conversation. But, alas, sleeping is important too (though Adelaide doesn't believe me on that one yet).

We have some winners! We'll assume my first count was spot on.
Ezra: 4 (now that was a surprise) - Natasha Kirk
Calvin (who didn't understand why '49 million nine hundred and ten' wasn't an option): 164 - Ruth, in England ***hmn...Ruth, I can't seem to get in touch with your email address. Could you please contact me?***
I'm cooking up a little something for each of you - look for an email from me today!

There's a little update in the Etsy shop today. Some market totes, a couple of smocks, and these new sets that I'm very excited about. They've been my first birthday/baby shower gift of the season. A linen smock, elastic waist pants, and a coordinating linen bag to hold all the goodness for mama or baby. Making these just makes me smile, and I hope you will like them too. There will be another update next Tuesday.

I'm still blushing a bit. And I talk too much when I'm flustered (clearly), so I'm going to stop now and say Thank You!

This blog is two!

(video link if the stream above isn't working for you.)
Yup, she's got it. It's two! (She'd also say "two" if I asked what shirt she wanted to wear today. "Two", is the answer du jour, you see.)

Two years ago this week, I moved this little blog over from Blogger. I've gone on (and on) many times about why I blog and what it all means to me, and so I fear sounding insincere in my redundancy today. But. It's all true. Starting this blog - with it's innocent (perhaps naive?) intentions - was one of the best things I've ever done. Besides some really freaking cool opportunities I never could have imagined (both the ones that have already come to fruition and those in the works for the future - oh, such fun!), there's so much more to be grateful for. An enormous amount of daily inspiration (I'm simply AMAZED every day at something someone out in blogland creates). A rediscovery of my passion for writing.  A creative and parenting outlet. Connections with some wonderfully creative, fun, and beautiful women who have become a part of my life and my heart- both in the flesh and not. ;) And...some seriously cool conversations with all of you...every single day. Because it really does feel like we're having a conversation to me here. And it's all the things a vibrant conversation is full of - sharing of information, telling of stories, discovering new things, sometimes with frustration, sometimes a tear, and many times, laughter. Usually I'm really okay with the computers between all of us - I think it makes writing easier on many, many levels. And then other times, I feel like the conversation is a bit one-sided and I really wish we could all just sit down for some tea so that I could listen, and know more about all of you.

So. For my blogaversary today, I want to do just that. Listen. Tell me, will you? Tell me something about what's going on in your world right now. What time of your day is it? What's going on around you in the moments you come here to see /read?

Oh! And you know that there will be no blogoversary here without presents, right? So, I'll put together surprise packages for two (naturally!) of you. I'll have Calvin and Ezra each choose a number between one and whatever the total comment number is by Wednesday at noon (which is also when I'll update the shop, by the way.)

Thank you, as always, for coming here for a read. For taking time out of your own precious day to stop and say hello. I thank you!

i'm procrastinating

This is sort of a non-post post. Whatever that means. I'm such a creature of habit that I always post first thing in the morning (while brushing my teeth, to be precise), but lo and behold, I was in this very position above early this morning, before Steve left for work. Unable to move. Paralyzed by the very tempting fabric and yarn all around me. But trying to focus on the manuscript in front of me that is due (to the post office, at least) with it's very last edits tomorrow - all the small details that I'm not so great at. However, I am great at procrastinating (I'm actually doing it this very moment! Ha!), even when it's work I'm excited about (um, my book). I'm good at procrastinating in a very over the top, ridiculous kind of way. This weekend was full of giving in to temptations and distractions, and moving around from spot to spot trying to find a place where I could focus (library? nope! too many books! coffee shop? nope! too much sugar! studio? nope! see above!), and so now here I am at the very last minute, finishing things up late into the night before something is due. Which is how I work best anyway, and should have just planned it this way all along. Yes, indeed.

To cement this post in it's randomness, and to continue the procrastination, I bring you this sweet little Miss Independent. Who apparently loves stroopwafels as much as I do. All was quiet in the kitchen while I was reading to the boys in the living room, which any Mama of three should know means trouble. I walked in to find this scene. My climber. Moving tall stools around, climbing on counters, and digging through the cupboards to find the good stuff. And she got it. Three stroopwafels full of good stuff. Yum.

Okay, I really AM going to work now. Really. No, really!

still fits

All of my babes have spent much time in this sling. But today, I'm thinking about Calvin in particular - because really he's clearly 'outgrown' the sling itself, but certainly not the sentiment behind it, and I don't think he ever will (do we ever? I don't think so.) So now we get that same connection in other ways, and just as naturally - a snuggle, a hug, a touch, or even just the way we look at each other.

I carried him in this very sling for hours upon hours of every day of his new life six years ago. He slept in it, nursed in it, shed tears in it, and laughed in it. And even as he grew, and started to crawl, then walk, run, skip, and eventually cartwheel...it's always been a place of refuge for him - however brief the visit to it might be. The snug little spot that it is - either in the sling or out, where he puts his head right next to my heart and I can see in his eyes that he knows he is loved, cared for and safe. And I have a moment of peace, pride and confidence -however brief it may be - that I know that I'm doing my job well. And that everything is exactly as it should be.

I can (and do) pop a baby in this sling in seconds even in the middle of a sleep - it feels so second nature. Knowing just where the little hands and fingers will lay along my side, where the seam of the sling fits on thier body - it's all etched in my mind. And it's etched in my body - etched in the way that one shoulder and arm is so much stronger, and bigger, than the other from always carrying on that side. The way my hip bones have surely shifted to accomodate this. The same way that one breast is larger than the other from more frequent nursing. Long after there is no baby in my sling, or on my hip, or at my side, I'll still have these reminders. And my greatest parenting hope is that my babies will have them too. That as they leave my breast, my sling, my hip, and our home, they'll remember it. They'll remember it with thier bodies in a way that they never doubt, and in way that they no longer need me for, and in a way that forever brings them peace and comfort. They'll remember that they are loved so very completely.
 

Making plans

With the completion of two long-abandoned knitting projects this week, and being one sleeve away from a third, I felt safe to do a little yarn shopping. The Portland SPA, Knit and Spin was perfectly timed for me to do so. That's where I found this super soft silk/wool blend in a yummy 'curry' color that I love, made locally. I was thinking of maybe making a sweater for Adelaide in it with the Placket Neck pattern from Last Minute Knitted Gifts. But I must have been completely overwhelmed in there because it wasn't until I got to the car that I remembered this baby sweater I made - the same pattern in nearly the same color. This is what no sleep does to your brain - trying to recreate something I've already done. Oy. So now I have no idea what I'm going to use it for - I'd love to make a fitted, v-neck sweater vest for me, but there's not quite enough (500 yards). Hence the pile of vintage patterns next to the yarn up above...searching for the right project. Hmnn... It'll show up.

I also picked up the Spring copy of Interweave Knits, and there are quite a few patterns I'm drawn to. But this one stood out (better photograph here), and so the yarn has been ordered - in a bit lighter brown than in the photograph. Oh, and I have no intention of wearing it alone as a tank. Nope. Layered only. All those holes are far too scary for me. And I don't think I'm ever warm enough for that anyway. I'm slightly concerned about the ribbing on the top - because, really, I don't need my nipples to be more of a bullseye than they already are to the one year old in my life. Anyway, I'm hoping this tank is going to break the trend of sweaters I knit for myself only to be put in the closet and hardly ever worn. Let's hope.

Is it the weekend already? Sweet. It's been one of those weeks that I'm thrilled to have made it to the end of. Thrilled. And people, next week? Well, in addition to small celebration here, and a shop update (Tuesday!)...it's also the beginning of March. March! Things are looking good.

Happy Weekend!

the puppet peeps

 
Have you met our puppet peeps? It's quite possible that I've posted them before, but a quick search by me turned up nothing. So I figured if I can't find them on my own site, then probably no one else has either, if they're even here. So let me introduce them to you.

From left to right, we have: The Princess, The Sorceress, Josef, The Farmer, The Captain, and The Song and DanceMan (who's round rim glasses have gone missing). Josef was our first - made by local artist and puppeteer Nance Parker. Inspired by that one, I made the rest a few years ago. Ezra was just a babe at the time, and when he napped, Calvin would dream up these characters and we'd both go to work making them. Being a lover of the details (even at 3 years old) he loved the process of making these puppets almost as much as I did. They were quite time-consuming, especially considering how 'folk' and simple they are in style, but I remember being nearly consumed by each one until it was finished. The heads are all papier mache - we used a variety of trial and error paper/paste combinations, and techniques, which got more elaborate and improved with each one (The Farmer was our first, and Song and DanceMan our last).  Once the face shape was complete, the 'dressing' of the puppets was enormous fun with both knitting and sewing, as was painting on the faces (I used gesso, then gauche, and then a sealant). The process was great fun for me in that it was a little bit of a lot of different mediums - perfect for my crafty short attention span with not a ton of skill in any one area.

For a while after making them, I kept them in a basket on the floor amidst all the other toys. I wanted to be all cool and chill with them being played with, dragged around, stuffed under the couch, and eventually trashed by the kids. But, um, I wasn't cool. I got a little attached to them. They're my toys too, you know. And so now they sit here atop our craft cabinet - safe from the random stepping-on, but always in sight, and always at hand for a puppet show whenever anyone gets the urge. Our puppet peeps have told many a story in the past few years through the minds and voices of my littles, and I think they have many more to tell. And I also think they're ready for a few new characters to join the troupe. We're working on it - there's a fierce debate around here between King Arthur as a boy, and Agustus Gloop. Together, I think they could make for quite the interesting puppet show.

a thrifting tale

Last week, after two surprisingly long parenting days (the teeth. it's those teeth!), Steve arrived home from work with a demand of "Go!". "Go thrift, go to the yarn store, go get a latte, whatever you want....just Be Gone With You." Certainly I get my fair share of 'time' on a regular basis, but this day was above and beyond, and I was Oh So Grateful for the kick out the door.

So I did all three. Latte. Yarn Store. and Thrift. Little bits of happiness at each stop. And at the very last thrift stop, in the very back corner, I stumbled on this goodness that instantly made my heart leap and sing (oh, you know what I'm talking about). A bin full of vintage upholstry fabrics with plenty o' yardage on each roll. 99cents a roll, baby. I gobbled up as much as I wanted with much glee, and headed to the counter full of that happy "this is going home with ME!" thrifting feeling. And then. AND THEN. The woman at the checkout says to me, 'Oh! These! I can't believe there are any of these left! Gosh, we had SO many a week ago, but they've just been flying out of here!".

Sink. Gasp. The twitching begins.

"Really?" I whine, running through my head the list of my fellow Portland thrifters who must have seen these. (And not told me! waah!!). And then, thrift greed sets in (ooh...imagining what the fabrics might look like...the ones in someone else's house now!). And then thrift regret (I *knew* I should have stopped in on Saturday. So what if I had three kids with me, and no time?).

Luckily, I (mostly) snapped out of that silly cycle before I got to the car, happily carrying my six bolts of pretty vintage fabric that cost me $6 and imagining all the possibilities for them. New curtains? totes? sharing some yards? a skirt? duvet cover?

 
But of course, that night I did have a dream about finding all the *other* vintage upholstry fabric rolls (oh, and they were beautiful). In my bathtub. Hmn...

this and that

This is the sad state of affairs with the babe in the house. I have no idea how it's possible for such eensy growing teeth to have such an impact on the well-being of a whole house, but they do. Or at the least, they make the adults in the house very, very, very sleepy. Two molars, two incisors. one week. Poor babe. None of the usual tricks are working with my sweet Lady A, and so we've let go of trying to 'fix' and are just working on 'comforting'. She's on a 45 minute sleep cycle all night long, alternating between the only two things keeping her happy - Papa slings, and Mama's nipple, which are frankly, getting a bit tired. 6 years they've been working. Oh, did I say too much?

Oh! And this weekend we survived our second 'head injury' visit to the ER in six months. All's well, thank goodness, despite one scary night of waiting. The moral of the story is that I'm pretty sure all six year olds should be required to wear helmets all the time. Including in bed (especially when said bed is higher than 4 feet). It would make this mama feel better, at least.

Rounding out the family fun, I'm sick. I knew it was coming when I had a huge cleaning urge on Friday - vacuumed, dusted, mopped, I even cleaned the oven (is it telling that I needed a vacuum for this job?). That kind of freaky cleaning is a sure sign for me that I'm about to get sick. What's up with that? Apparently, I must supress any and all urges to clean and I'll never get sick. Yeah, I think I'll try that.

So the point of all this whiney rambling? There's been a bit less crafting time for me of late, and therefore the shop update I had planned for today isn't happening. I'm not complaining, just observing, really. It's all good. Soon enough, these moments that feel like forever when we're in them, will fade just as fast as they arrived. Teeth will grow. Concussions will fade. Colds will go away. The hum of the machine will be in full force again in no time at all. And, I hear that in a few years, we might sleep through the night once again (this, I'm waiting to believe). And by then we'll miss all of this - the crazy, hard, wild, and fun days and nights of parenting little ones. I try to remember this at 2am, when I wonder if I can nurse one more time...or at 2pm when I wonder if I can handle one more round of snack-play-pickup-read. It's all fleeting. It's precious.

I've added an About page, which you can find here. It's embarrassingly long (oh, can I ramble), but I was hoping to answer some of the most common questions I get and want to answer, but struggle to find the time to do so. 

And hey - has anyone noticed we're almost through February?
Sweet.

a little behind schedule

This was supposed to be a dress. I started it when Adelaide was just a month old (frighteningly, I have the blog post to remind me how long it's really been), and I remember quite clearly thinking I'd make it a size big to give myself time to finish knitting it. So I made a size 6-9 months. Uh-huh. Fast forward a year - she's 18 months old, and there it sat in my knitting basket waiting to be finished. Yes, just waiting to have the edging put on. What is wrong with me, people? It took 30 minutes! 30 minutes!

So now it fits as a top, which is just fine with me (I'm just glad it still fits at all). And it was calling out for some new pants, so these were made. The dress pattern is from Debbie Bliss Baby Knits for Beginners. The yarn is Debbie Bliss cashmerino. The pants fabric is by Robert Kaufman oops, Alexander Henry. And the baby is mine.

accessorizing

"Can we make some of these, Mom?". Because really now, what's a knight/squire/metalsmith/etc, without his accessories? Nothing apparently. This weaponry is the latest subject of much of Calvin's artwork - his 'drafts' for what we're supposed to be making together. Which leaves me with a stumped,"'uh...." response (for so very many reasons). I mean, I can make a lot of things. But a flail? Oh. my.

New house rule: Make your own weapons.

My son. The pacifist. Ahem.

just a tube

Yup, that there is a tube on my neck. You can call it a neck gaiter, or a cowl, or a neckwarmer. But basically? Basically, it's a tube. A large number of stitches cast on to circular needles and knit forever. Forever. Two forever glorious skeins of Khorma from the local The Fibre Company, a gift from my sweetie for Solstice. Um, two years ago.

So I've had this little knitting funk going on for a while now. I've *wanted* to knit, but have been so overwhelmed and underinspired by the growing, cluttering (of both space and mind) pile of unfinished knitting projects, many just needing finishing (not my favorite part). SO very very many. I wish I could have just tossed them all aside to start something I'm excited about. But instead, I decided to plunge through, proving to myself that I actually will finish projects (and thereby justifiably increasing my yarn budget for the next project. See how this works?). On the top of the pile was this cowl. Oh, such a silly thing, but can I just tell you that since I (finally) finished it, I've been wearing it *all* the time? Outside, inside, whatever. It's cozy and warm without making my neck feel clausterphobic (not a fan of the turtles). And I love the color.

So anyway, the success isn't really the, um, tube. It's the *finishing* of the tube. And the motivation to finish one more thing in the pile. And another. And maybe if I move fast enough, I can get enough done to justify a wee yarn purchase this weekend. It's the 5th Annual Portland SPA, Knit and Spin. Maybe I'll see you there? Buying yarn!

Snow Day!

outside:

inside:

Happy Day!

I've never been a huge fan of Valentine's day, to be honest. But today, I'm trying to forget about all the reasons I *don't* like the 'holiday' and instead focus on the reasons my babes *do* love the day. The boys are all about "Valentime's Day" - from what I can tell, they interpret it to be a day full of extra love, some crafting, fun mail, and sweets. I think my mother is responsible for this. In addition to the singing Hallmark cards she sends (and my kids LOVE), I know she's been slipping them candy hearts when I'm not around too. (Hey Mom! Calvin's old enough to tell now! Gotcha!)

But today doubles as a super fabulously SNOWy day. A papa-stays-home-from work day. A play in the snow, craft inside, eat yummy food, cozy on the couch watching the blizzard day. I couldn't be happier about this kind of a valentine's day.

However you feel about the day and whether or not you celebrate it, I do hope your day today is full of the same things my babes love about it: extra love, maybe some crafting, fun mail, and sweets!

Happy Valentime's Day!

advice for a February day...

First...

And...

I wasn't clever enough to add music (I tried. it failed. bugger.). We, of course, love David Bowie. And the M. Ward take on the song makes me happy too.

Have a lovely day! We're eagerly awaiting the arrival of lots and lots of snow.

"Bird With a Hat on His Back"

That's the title of this new piece of art that was hung at our house this weekend. A collaboration between Ezra and I, that was meant to be a companion of sorts to a similar one I made for Calvin a few years ago (really? years? oh my, it's flying by).

I cannot tell you how much pleasure I've had watching each of my babes come to art in their very unique and personal ways.  Ezra, my fellow lefty - very free form, and abstract and imaginative. Calvin - so precise and always exact, quick, and imaginative in a quite different way. Calvin wouldn't draw anything unless he could make it appear as he thought it 'really' did look. Ezra, on the other hand, will draw a grey circle in the middle of the page and call it, "an ice cold pizza on a snowy day, and I'm hiding in the snow with my friend Simon and a scary monster, and the sun is shining bright." My realist and his brother the abstract. Makes for some interesting conversations between the two of them, let me tell you.

So this is Bird with a Hat on His Back, and I love him. I love all the legs that are on all of Ezra's drawings. And watching him add all those legs is the best - he'll just keep adding and adding and searching for spots to squeeze just one more leg. He's had an explosion of drawing lately, and I'm gradually collecting a few of my favorite creatures to make him his very own drawing quilt like his brother's.

But for now we have this piece, hanging in our dining room (which doubles as our art room, game room, and reading room. It's cozy. Even with that green paint that is so painful to photograph against. Sigh.). As for the process, I embroidered on linen (using transfer paper to trace his drawing and letters), used patchwork pieced edges, and quilted it. Backed with linen, and a linen binding (linen as binding was kind of a hassle, I must admit). I handsewed a strip of bias binding on the back to slide a dowel through for hanging.

You know, I've done enough work with their art by now that I would think they'd tire of it, or atleast be nonplussed by seeing it around. But, blessedly, the look on Ezra's face when he saw this on the wall was just the one I hope for - pride in himself and his 'art', with a love-smile tossed my way. Success.

making our way, day 7

#7. Find the sun and soak it up, both outside and in.

Thanks for playing along this week as we make our way through February! It''s been a wonderful break and welcome reminder of the little joys that this month holds.

making our way, day 6

#6. Take a nap. Made all the better if you can find someone to sling you.

making our way, day 5

#5. Restock the essentials, and Reorganize the supplies - theirs and mine - for a fresh slate of inspiration.

making our way, day 4

#4. Get outside everyday. Ignore the below zero temperatures (forget the windchill). Focus instead on the beauty of the winter wonderland around us and children happily rolling about and playing in the snow. When that doesn't work, admire new shoes.

making our way, day 3

#3. Bake. Eat.

Bake. Eat.

Eat. (We're all about the carbs and cream in February.)

making our way, Day 2

#2. Take a break from it all with other February Funked Out crafty mamas. Drink wine. Eat chocolate. Laugh a lot. Thanks, friends.

{{P.S. - The Shop is updated now with smocks, crowns, and totes. thanks!!}}

edited: After a tiny flurry of emails about this post, I feel I must clarify that this photo was taken at a Mama's gathering in the evening, when all babes were sleeping. No wine (or chocolate!) was consumed with the little ones running around. I'm so out of the loop, I didn't even know about the whole drama going on out there in the world right now with 'martini playdates' and such. I really don't have anything to say about that here, except wouldn't it be swell if we moms were all a bit nicer to each other?
Moving on now...

making our way through the February Funk

#1. Stay in bed. And read. (Flannel sheets, down comforter and smartwool socks required.)

Gluten Free Goodness

This was the scene here yesterday afternoon, right after our mail was delivered. Inside a package, was a very pretty box with an even yummier inside - cookies from the lovely Shauna. She calls herself the Gluten Free Girl, but we now call her the Gluten Free Goddess around here. Yummy. Seriously, yummy. You know, since I was very little, I *always* wanted to be someone who could speak to people through the food I made for them. I longed for the food I made to nurture and heal and unite. Grandious goals, to be sure. And goals that didn't quite match my skills, or, it turns out, my passion. But Shauna? She's got it. That magic touch that can create food that not only fills your belly, but your soul too. It sounds cheesy, but I'm tellin' ya, after one of her cookies, I felt it. It's the same way I feel after reading one of her blog posts, and the same is true with Molly at Orangette. So 'full' of life, and spirit those two are. Such a joy and inspiration to read - I can't wait until their words come off the computer screen and in my hands in the form of each of their books. Ah!

We intended to save our cookies and spread out the goodness, but that didn't happen!  Steve made it home in time for round two of the cookies, and well, you see, little miss Adelaide, being the third child and all, had some too.

{I know I said I wasn't going to talk this week. The cookies made me do it.}

warding off the february funk

Oh, the shortest longest month of the year has begun. I've lived in Maine long enough now (um, all 30 years) to know the drill. The buzz of the holidays are over, and the excitement with the first snow and first outdoor play have worn off. We've had enough cozy, winter, inside crafting days so that the novelty of that has worn off too. And the reality of the long winter ahead has sunk in. I've never been an outside winter play kind of gal, so my inclination is to hibernate, sleep more, go out less, and stay inside where it's warm to just make things all day. Quietly. But that inclination isn't one that gels so much with three very young, very active, and very curious and very excited-about-the-world-around-them little ones. Which makes February my most challenging parenting month by far. Talking to others around me right now, I know it's not just me. Particularly among fellow homeschoolers, the month 'february' seems to be uttered with a bit of a moan. It's a loooong one.

So, this year, in my attempt to keep out of the February Funk, I'm trying to mix it up a little ahead of the game. Planning a short (albeit, local) weekend family getaway. Having Steve - a lover of winter - take the lead in the family energy and hyping us up to ski, sled, skate and play in the snow everyday.  Moving some toys around inside for better play. Digging deep in the craft cabinet and books for inspiration. And just generally trying to avoid the staleness that  is far too familiar, and can be slightly debilitating this time of year. In the virtual realm, I need a little blog shakeup too. I'm feeling a little bored and boring (wanna see another picture of a smock?!). So, next week I'm both challenging myself, and making my life a little easier by posting just a photo from something we do during our day. A photo of our daily attempt to stay out of the vortex of the february funkies, if you will.

(I'll still update the shop next Tuesday at noon, and will tell you here when I do that.) And if anyone else, trying to avoid the february funk  (in this hemisphere or not!), cares to join along in the photo challenge, just give a shout out in the comments so we can follow along. Perhaps our images could even inspire each other with a much needed, new and fresh idea. A very good thing, indeed. {Edited later: I know I was um, vague in my description. So, feel free to interpret as you wish! Children or not, winter or not. I'll just be posting photos of what I/we are doing to get through the especially long days!}

See you on Monday!!

corners of my home

At two opposite ends of the house yesterday, I found these nearly identical scenes. Pieces of our life, relics of our day. The things left behind, and the things we always keep close by. I have a feeling that years from now these kinds of photographs will speak to me of so many small moments of our days that might otherwise be too easily forgotten. They'll remind me of slow knitting, and children that outgrew sweaters before they were even finished. Or of the fervor with which a castle is being constructed in Calvin's mind. Or of the way Adelaide insists on walking around with an empty sippy cup all day. Or the obsession Ezra has with turning that lamp off and on over and over again in the morning to wake us up. Yup, the things in these photographs might remind me of all those things. But for now, they're just our tools - the instruments of our days.

More Corners of My Home found here.