this moment

Joining Soulemama, and many others, in this moment. 

In Amanda's words: "A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember."

Please link to your moment too -- I love to see what you are enjoying this week!

Wishing you a weekend full of grace and goodness!

could it be

Could it be I'm ready?  

This burst of energy I had today sure helped me complete the essential tasks of preparing to birth a baby:

~ cleaning the doors and many of the windows
~ vacuuming out the mini-van, and taking it through the car wash for good measure
~ scrubbing down the basement stairwell walls and steps
~ vacuuming out window wells
~ cleaning the bathroom
~ scrubbing the kitchen floor
~ keeping up with all of the laundry, and marveling at the four empty baskets near the washing machine
~ planting pansies for the front stoop, and I never plant flowers this early, never
~ sweeping the back patio
~ standing on the dining room table to clean the chandelier
~ organizing the outdoor toys in the garage
~ scrubbing down some of the lawn furniture
oh, yeah and
~ sharpening all of the pencils in the pencil drawer (seriously, don't laugh, they needed it)

I even got to paint my toenails and fingernails just before sitting down to write this post.  Unthinkable!

Now I do know that not a single one of these tasks is really essential to birthing a baby.  But I think in my oh-so-close-to-holding-a-new-baby self that having done all of these things brings a nice order.  A clearing out of any work I may be feeling drawn to, and freeing me to fully and wholly immerse into this soon to be babymoon.  Oh, the anticipation!

So until that  babymoon arrives, I am going to enjoy this clean, organized, sharpened-pencil house.

And sit a bit.  I did that today too.  For about two minutes.

recent reading

A surprisingly interesting read.

I love to read, and would every day if I could.  I say could, because I know a little something about myself when it comes to reading.  If I start a good book, I can't put it down.  I will stay up way past my bedtime.  I will read at stoplights.  I will let the kids watch a bit more PBS to get in an extra hour of whatever story has me captured.  Laundry will pile, toys remain un-picked up.  My Honey has been known to say "I can't wait until you finish that book."  That's how I read.  So I know I simply can't do it every day.

I also know that if a story doesn't grab me in the first couple chapters, then I don't hesitate taking it back to the library with nary another thought.

I love discovering authors.  If I've enjoyed a book by an author, I will pile up on the others she or he has written.  (Same goes for discovering an interesting new show.  I'm guilty of following an innocent looking link from Molly late one night last week, and ended up watching the entire first season of Downton Abbey within 24 hours.  Thank God for Netflix.  But that's another story.)

So I know this about myself.  Be careful what I begin reading.  (And watching.)  Because all else comes to a halt.  Blogging included, that's why it's been quiet around here.  So sorry friends.

But I don't have any novels or biographies from the library right now.  Phew.  I do have my nesting list to attend to.  Oh, and kids to clothe and feed.

Thank goodness the books I read to them are a bit shorter.  So this is what I'm sticking to for awhile.

Preparing for a trip...

What a joy to read-aloud and share this book with Buddy.

Of course, art imitating life.

Do tell, what have you been reading?

summer daydreams

I am a daydreamer.

I daydream as I weed the flower beds.

I day dream as I play with the kids.

I day dream as I walk the dog...do dishes....fall asleep...nurse the littles.

Often my day dreams become doodles and ideas in notebooks, because many of my daydreams are projects or blog posts or adventures to explore.  All certainly take time and effort and intentionality on my part.

Sometimes my day dreams come true.  Wonderful!

Sometimes my day dreams remain just those doodles and notes.  And that is okay too, I have more than I could ever possibly fulfill.

Lately I have been doing some serious day dreaming about summer.  Daydreaming how I want to spend my time, and encouraged by this post, I decided to create my Summer Daydreams list.  Simply, this is how I want to spend my days:

:: picking strawberries
:: planting and harvesting something edible
:: collecting rocks
:: learning to knit something, anything
:: finishing my book proposal
:: developing a Mama Blogger retreat
:: walking, maybe running, along wooded trails
:: digging my toes in the sand
:: quieting myself to simply breath deeply
:: turning my face towards the sun

I will post these on my side-bar, as a way for me to tally and appreciate those daydreams that are fulfilled, and recognize that those which aren't can always be waiting for me another time.  Maybe you will be inspired to reflect on how you want to spend your time this summer, and make your own daydreams list.

wedding worthy scones

The alarm is set.

The coffeepot is on a timer.

A blanket is ready on the couch.

My husband whipped up these incredible homemade scones.  Worthy of a wedding.

Yes, I will be up.

Watching.

Silly?  Maybe.

But to me, a lovely wedding, no matter the couple, is irresistible.  This one just happens to be on TV at 4:00 in the morning.

So, the coffeepot is on a timer, and I have plenty of homemade scones to go with it.

fashion

I'm not too fussy about what I wear.

Maybe it's because I have been in and out of maternity clothing, and every size in between, several times that I haven't committed to any particular clothing in the closet. 

But there is one thing that I know always fits:  socks.

I love a good pair of socks.

Warm wool knitted socks are among my favorites.   My mother-in-law knitted these for me, and I've worn holes into them.

The most important reason I want to learn to knit is for the socks.  Hand knitted socks anytime I want?  If I could do that, heaven.

Last fall I was due for some good, sturdy, everyday run around socks.  At the store as I was reaching for the package of practical white ones, and spotted these.

In all of their stripey colorful glory.  Be still my heart.

Sorry plain old, practical, really need 'ya but gonna live without 'ya, white socks.

I've met your fancy schmansy cousin, and I am in looooove.

So now most days I wear colorful socks.  And rarely do they match.  I reach in, pull two out, and what I get is what I get.  Like a surprise.  Like a jackpot.

And I love it.

reading

I am a total sucker.

With a capital S.U.C.K.E.R.

Oh yes, when I get into the library I simply cannot help myself.  I load up on books that I want to read, that I have to read, that I will simply die without reading.  Okay, maybe not die without reading, but boy do I really, really want to read that darn book!

This leads to piles.  Piles of books near the bed, near my purse, on the desk.  Piles that at times mock me because my desire for reading far outpaces my actual time for reading.

I often am making my way through multiple books at once.  Which means that these books hang around the house a long, long time.  Thank goodness at our library you can renew books up to 20 times.  Yep, twenty.  Times three weeks at a time.  Hallelujah!

My interests cover oh so many areas; parenting, sewing, crafting, novels, acclaimed novels, memoirs, photography, more crafting, homing and even more parenting.  Wait did I say sewing?  Hmph.  See, so many books, so little time.

So not only have I had to learn the fine art of restrained book selection at the library -- they let you take so many at a time -- and for FREE my friends!  I also am having to learn the fine art of returning unread books, reluctantly, knowing that I won't ever get to reading them.

I try to think of it altruistically. 

By my returning some books in the stack, maybe someone else will get the chance to discover it, and actually read the words inside, not just dream like I do of the story that unfolds between the covers.

But I read on.  It is the hardest with novels because once I begin a good story I become so engrossed in their lives that it is hard to transport back to my own.  When it is a novel, my husband wishes for a quick reading because he finds me with my head half-hidden at the craziest times, like when riding along side him in the car, when falling asleep at night, when helping the kids brush their teeth.  Really.  Told ya' I was a sucker.


I did get to read a quick, delightful little story this weekend.  I am not usually a romance kind of gal (reference list above) but knitting.  Come on, who could resist?

I think I do happen to also have a thing for any cover that has the Tiffany-ish turquoise on it.  So charming.  So it must be good, right?

And of course, the request list I have is long too, often coming from suggestions from other Mama bloggers.

So, tell me, what are you reading now?  

And if you could be a dear, please send along the Cliff notes as well.  Chances are I won't have time to read it.

my word {2011}

I've been doing a great deal of thinking about my word.

My word of the year.

Last fall I wrote about my word for 2010.

I find it fascinating, and humbling, to get myself to one word.

One that will become a meditation, a mantra, a prayer.

I had a word all picked out earlier this week.  Had a blog post all written about the word.

Then changed my mind.  (Hmmm, maybe my word needs to be uncertain?)

So I saved the blog post as a draft and have continued brainstorming words.

This seems like an important year for me.  I've given myself something of a time frame to be intentionally reflective.  Intentionally forward moving.  Intentionally becoming.  Becoming the woman I am intended to be.

Not that I am not who I am right now.  I am.  I am the me of this particular time in my life, but I also recognize that as a Mama, a professional, a wife that it is easy to be so busy busy busy in each of these roles that the role of self doesn't take the time to be still.

Be still.

Be quiet.

Listen to the heart.

Oh, and most importantly, then heed the heart.

So this year's word seems like a rather important one, don't you think?

My sister recently gave me this small stone with this wonderful little quote from Rumi.  I have it on my kitchen window sill so I can see it many times a day.  (After all, I am at the sink, washing dishes many times a day.)

I believe in many ways this quote moves me towards, and through, the year ahead.  It gives me courage and encouragement.

Wondering what word I have finally chosen?  Well, I haven't quite yet.

I've considered many.

I am most considering either the word purpose or the word meaning.  I like them both.

But just as I will give my inner self time and quiet this year, I am also giving my word a wee bit of space.  So I will let you know when my word is chosen.  After all, like last year, I will have to create something that bears my word, and that creation will surely be shared here.

What word would you choose for yourself?

some days

I make a second pot of coffee and sneak chocolate.

Claudine's

I've always loved my name, Claudine.

And because it is not very common at all I've always been tickled to come upon it out there in the big wide world.

I guess throughout my life I've mostly experienced my name in books and songs -- okay song (think "Claudine's Back in Jail Again").  And there even was a very short-lived TV sitcom with a character named Claudine.  (So short I couldn't even tell you the name of the sitcom.)

And I've only ever met one other Claudine in my life.  But it sort of didn't count because she spelled her name Claudean.

So when traveling this past weekend, we absolutely HAD to stop and take a picture of this sign we happened upon.

And then I went inside to actually MEET Claudine.

What fun! 

And she didn't think I was crazy for doing so!

I think she understands, being a Claudine and all.

so I ended up here

Well hello there.

Nice to meet you.

First things first.  I'm Claudine.

And in the last 24 hours I've learned a bit about blogging.

Well more specifically, I've learned about NOT blogging.

See, in the last 24 hours I lost the blog that I've been keeping on iWeb (so sorry Apple) for the past 14 months.

So here I am.  On Blogger.

So, again, nice to meet you.

And as I hope to do in this space from time to time, I want to share some hard-earned wisdom.  So here are the things I've learned about blogging:

1.  Apple really does have great customer service.  (My switch to blogger is in no way a reflection on them.)

2. It's a good idea to back up your computer.  Even if you think you don't have the time.  Or the energy.  Or the wherewithal.  Yep, back-ups are good.

3.  It is nice to be married to someone who will stay up with you until 2:00 am desperately trying to recover a year's worth of your life of journaling.

4. Perspective is a valuable thing.  As in, you think it is a big deal to lose your blog, and you switch to the live feed of families being reunited with their Chilean coal miners after they have been underground for two months.  Yeah, losing a blog is crappy.  Getting perspective on that loss, is a good thing.

5.  I like writing.  

So to review:

• Apple -- good
• Back-ups --  good
• Fabulous husband -- very good
• Perspective -- good
• Writing -- good beyond words

So I will continue.  

Right here.  

Please join me.