5 reasons...

... I'm feeling overwhelmed~

1. With the clock ticking away, I have approximately 2 hours to choose paint colors for the house. A cozy house with a tan roof that has certain needs when it comes to paint. Nothing too light, nothing too dark but something somewhere in the middle.... whatever that may be. And with 1320 colors to choose from, this is no easy feat.
2. A pile of birthday crown pieces are patiently awaiting assembly. Leave it to my daughter for being the responsible one in this situation as she carefully chose the fabric, felt and jacquard weeks ago. Did I mention that I need to make 3 by Monday?
3. My blog life has become all consuming and although I love being a part of this realm, it is taxing on my day to day life. I can see it in my children's eyes and wish I had the energy and time to be everything for them and also have a fulfilling creative outlet.
4. We just returned from San Diego and as with any vacation, we always return home to a mountain of laundry, extra needy kitties and a reminder of all of our daily work that we left behind.
5. I have a cold which makes numbers 1-4 just that much bigger and more dramatic.
   

... I'm incredibly grateful~

1. My mom is visiting from California. It is nice to have someone around that truly gets everything about me.
2. We will be spending the weekend with friends, old and new.
3. The kitchen is fully stocked and ready to prepare some savory meals. Tonight, sausage with multicolored peppers and basil. Tomorrow, blueberry pancakes, chicken soup with rice, and millet and yam burgers.
4. We have planned a long overdue trip to see our Nana. We miss her terribly and are looking forward to an easygoing afternoon with plenty of catch up.
5. For all of my Bloggee's who are so loyal and inspiring. Thank you for all of your kind words that bring such beauty to my life. Because my children are in need of a more mindful and present mama at the moment, I will be posting only when my absence is not affecting them in any way. Please continue to check in from time to time, but know we will probably be much more present on our Flickr site for now.
   

Blessings to you and remember to take time for yourself and those you love.

new adventure

We are, yet again, off on a new adventure. A search for the sun, the ocean, pink flamingos and koala bears. Details to come....

Enjoy your week - see you here on Friday.  

crayon pouches

Crayon pouches are a traditional Waldorf accessory. As children enter 1st grade they are given blank drawing books, an empty crayon pouch and their own desk where they store their goods. The children receive their crayons one at a time to fill the pouch as each color is introduced through a magical story. The crayons come alive to these children as do their drawings and imaginations. 

Well, at our house, our crayons live in a basket together. All piled on top of each other, they at times crave freedom and mischievously fall out and roll away. Their paper wrappers bear the colorful marks of their neighbors as they get tossed around from day to day. 

When I see these lovely beeswax wonders, I think, "free them now!". After making 13 crayon pouches for the 1st grade last fall, it was obvious what needed to be done. Nothing like a little bit of organization in the art room - a room that never rests and rarely sees a tidy moment. 

Jasper's handmade lovelies

I still have sick children at home. How sad for them that they will miss their Valentine's Day celebrations at school. Jasper has been nursing an ear infection while Samantha has had a fever on and off for the past 2 days. The good news is that our valentines are done and ready to hand out as soon as we get the clear. 

These are Jasper's valentines. I was surprised by how much of this project he actually did himself. His favorite part by far was cutting out the hearts and choosing the perfect vintage button for each one. A magnet attached to the back made these treasures a sweet little keepsake.

Have a warm and lively day today and may you be blessed with some handmade lovelies of your own.

a gentle giant

Elephants walking under juicy-leaf trees

Walking with their children under juicy-leaf trees

Elephants walking like time

Elephants bathing in the foam-floody river

Fountaining their children in the motherly river

Elephants elephants bathing like happiness

Strong and gentle elephants

Standing on the earth

Strong and gentle elephants

Like peace

Time is walking under the elephant trees

Happiness is bathing in the elephant river

Strong gentle peace is shining

All over the elephant earth

-Adrian Mitchell

What is strong? How does one become strong? Two questions that I have asked myself over and over in my life. I feel that this poem sums it up beautifully. Strength stems from confidence, stability and a healthy rhythm of life. But more importantly, what I believe makes a person strong is gentleness, empathy, and acceptance. A person will never be strong in an environment where they are constantly ridiculed or where ignorance exists.

My friends, strive to be "an elephant" and live life in perfect balance.  

we've been noticing...

Flocks of birds gathering in our trees for their annual reunion. Daffodils and crocuses peeking out from under the moist, dense soil. A hazy sun that greets us at the breakfast table and remains glowing longer into the evening. Magnificent camellias in pale pink, so welcoming and full of life. A new found love for pastels and linen. Days filled with outdoor play. Rebirth all around us and birthday celebrations aplenty.

You would think with all of this loveliness, I would have a photo that better depicts my interpretation of spring. Instead, I have the picture that I took early this morning (hence my lack of light) when I found that Samantha would be going with a friend to a birthday party after school. This was my only chance to capture a moment with this birthday crown before it went on it's merry way.

I do hope that spring is showing it's presence in your lives and that it's freshness and vibrance inspire true greatness. Breathe it in...

a date with my pirate

All right, I have to admit I really didn't want to expose my children to the world of pirates until they were at least 18! but this one just fell into our laps. Good ol' Captain Bogg and Salty, the pirate band from lovely Portland, OR. We first stumbled upon one of their shows 2 years ago at a local park and have been following them ever since.

These scullywagg's sing about everything from preventing scurvy (EAT A LIME!) to dancing the pegleg tango through fun, energetic "sea chanteys". When Samantha and I found that they would be playing in our neighborhood, we jumped at the opportunity to see them - as good groupies do.

The show was a blast. Samantha and I sang along with our hook fingers fully engage. Although, there were multiple times that we thought of dear Jasper, sick at home with Daddy. He is a huge fan too.

We did feel a little underdressed today as children and parents sailed into the theater in full pirate gear. It is so nice to see these local artists bringing a community together. So inspiring really. Sam and I came right home and started working on our pirate costumes for the next show. Maybe we'll see you there, Mateys!