100 Words or Less: Seasons Handmade

For me, making things comes in seasons. I’ll spend a season with paper, a season with fiber or fabric.  I’m inspired and I work quickly with whatever medium is inspiring me most, churning things out easily.  Then, my enthusiasm starts to wane, and I begin to feel dissatisfied with what I create.   The itch to do something new and different pops up, letting me know that a new season is on it’s way- and it’s hard to fight it.  Though there is still knitting to be finished, I’ll be sewing  again soon.   I’m excited about the new season. 

Sunday Inspiration

source

InstaFriday 5.25.12

1. kitchen cart climbing.  

2. spider man loves storytime. 

3. foil + broiler = shapes in your toast 

4. getting dressed by himself sometimes produces mixed results

Happy Friday, everyone! 

100 words or less: Pat the Checker

My favorite grocery checker is a pleasant woman who sings upbeat gospel songs as she scans my groceries.  She laughs at my boys' antics, and her demeanor can end even the most hectic trip on a positive note.  I’m grateful when I find her working on a day I’m shopping.  I worked customer service, but never that well. Today, as I wished her a good weekend and left, I heard her say “Lord, I thank You for a sunny day, and a sunny customer.”   

It’s made me smile since.  I guess it’s just nice to return the favor. 

Goodbye Weekend, Hello Monday.

It is really hard to say goodbye to the weekend we had.  

Goodbye to the last of the sunshine we're supposed to see for a bit. 

Goodbye afternoon at the zoo.

Goodbye to wonderfully sweet brother moments. 

Goodbye to running up and rolling down hills.  

Goodbye to picnic dinner with friends. 

Goodbye to watching ducks while eating pretzels at the park.  

Goodbye to hugs and kisses between little friends. 

And Hello, Monday. 

Hello taking it slow, staying in pajamas and snuggling my boys. 

Hello to pouting that Daddy has to go back to work.

Hello making goals for the week, but not jumping right on them. 

Hello laundry and dishes we've ignored for our weekend adventures. 

Hello new adventures, we're coming for you... but probably not until tomorrow. 

InstaFriday 5.18.12

1. Avengers Stick Puppets.  2. "I want a BIG piece!"

3. "Let's trade shirts and be super heroes!"  4. Sharing Mommy's Necklace

5. Stealing Grandpa's hat.  6. One of many projects

InstaFriday 5.11.12

1. Crazy Hair Day 2. Two knitting projects. 

3. Mario in the Morning. 4. Chair disagreement- Rotten won. 

5. Rotten Channels Elton 6. Mama Sandwich

Farewell

my boys, february 2011 

"Children are willing to expose themselves to experiences. We aren't. Grownups always say they protect their children, but they're really protecting themselves. Besides, you can't protect children. They know everything." 

Maurice Sendak  

A very sad farewell today, for the man that helped me learn: 

 That Mother bears could give their Little Bears everything they want, but what the need most is to know they are enough just as they are, 

That the kings of all wild things really just want to be with someone who loves them best,  and, 

To give them something warm to come home to after a long day facing down the Wild. 

Thank you for teaching these profoundly beautiful truths in such a simple way, Mr. Sendak.  

The world is a little less wild and fantastical without you in it.  

The Grumps

Oh my, but we have the grumps around here. 

We've been sick for weeks, it feels like.  The boys and WBH last week, and while they're on the downhill side of it, I'm starting uphill now, and it's draining.  Today, I've got the sudafed jitters, but I am at least, functioning.  Unfortunately, we have the grumps today- all over the house, all over the grocery store, all over the car, the grumps.   It seems the only way to deal with them is just to ride it out, and try, where possible, to rise above.   Over here, this means too much TV, handfuls of dry cereal, and lots of snuggles,  and it works for us.  

How does your family cure the grumps? 

InstaFriday 5.4

1. Stinky, Keeping it Clean  2.  He takes 'notes' at rehearsal

3. Finished a beaded bandanna, a gift 4.  Sick snuggles with cereal- all week

5. Finished hat, also gift. 6.  My Mothers' Day gift- a treasure chest! 

7. knitting and TV- the week's theme?  8. blocking the bandanna

All the guys have been hit hard by a cold bug this week, and while I've been lucky not to have it hit me  yet (knocking on wood), yesterday I broke a tooth.  So, off to the dentist to face a fear today.   What all this means is a lot of sitting still for us- lots of knitting done.   

I love the instagram app, so, so much.  The problem is that I'm not picking up the other camera as much as I ought to be.  So that's a goal in the coming week.  With these gifts done, too, I can focus on a project for me- a summer sweater.   Less knitting pictures to bore you with, too, probably.  

Have a great weekend!  

What I Wore Wednesday

Every now and then, when I feel like I'm starting to slack in how I dress- when the haven't-ever-done-yoga pants stay on a little too long in the morning- I find putting in the effort  for a What I Wore Wednesday makes a difference in how I dress.  It also helps me keep track of outfits that work, so that I can easily throw it together again.  (Great post on that here. Check it out.) So here's a little of what I've worn lately. 

to church:  Black dress (target) + Shawl (made by me) + Mockingjay pin (made by WBH) 

for art festival (that we ended up skipping for Rotten's nap): 

grey cardi + black tank + giant scarf (yard sale)  + jeans + canvas ballet flats (amazon)

to meet a friend: 

blouse (target) + shawl&brooch + booties

Linking up at The Pleated Poppy for WIWW