this moment

A Friday ritual in which I join Soulemama, and many others, in sharing a single photo.

In her words: "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."

I have more images from this day in the snow in a post here.

Share your moments from the week by leaving a link in the comments.

Wishing you a warm, snugly, weekend full of wonder!

winter wonder

There are times as a grown up that a fully formed memory of being a kid comes upon you.

In the briefest of breaths the layers of years and maturing get stripped away and for a suspended moment childhood that was once fresh and familiar becomes you again.

The feeling of legs being unsteady on a good swath of snow.  Either from the stiff boots or the well-padded snow pants, or both.

The cold flakes making their way, always, between the cuff of your coat and the cuff of your mittens.

The chill tingling your nose and cheeks.

The sunny snow so bright you have to squint to see.

Then as your own childhood fades back into its time, your present breath is taken away at the stunning beauty of your own child.

welcome home

Earlier this week we found ourselves making a late-evening trip to Target.

This is fairly unusual because we really aren't that much of shoppers.

And it was nearing bedtime for the kids.

And there was no real reason that we needed to go.

Well no reason except that it felt fun and spontaneous and the right thing to do.  And there were two little heroes needing to be gotten.

You see, it was a couple days earlier that we had welcomed a couple other Lego "Hero Factory" Heroes into our lives.  Which isn't extraordinary in itself, except that these heroes have really taken to the boys.

And the boys have really taken to them. 

They have made little beds for them and tuck them in tightly. 

They have fed them yogurt with spoons.

They have created play rooms for them complete with toys and books.

They have been sleeping on the floor next to them.  Really.

So the entire family bundled up and piled into the car.  Together we treked out to Target and had ourselves a grand time.

There was much deliberation, but just the right heroes were chosen, purchased, clutched close, and brought home to join the fun. 

And plans for more fun are in the works, complete with architectural renderings and sewing projects.  Yes it warms a crafty Mama's heart that there are plans for 22 -- yes 22 -- little pillows and blankets to be made!

Now don't mistakenly think that somehow this is happening because our boys have been doll deprived up until now.  Quite the contrary.  Special babies have been given and Santa even brought a very cool house with dolls last Christmas. Ahem.  To no avail.

I guess it just took some very colorful creatures to capture the paternal hearts of our guys.  And this Mama is watching them with pleasure, thankful that they have.

And now, I'm off to invest in some Lego stock.

a day with cousin

There is nothing quite like a day where you get one of your cousins all to yourself!

After all, my kids have eleven cousins total.  Most family gatherings have a cumulative energy of many many cousins which can barely be contained in whichever household we are gathered.

Now understand, I feel so lucky my kids have so many cousins, and I would not trade those crazy times together for the world.

It is, however, a very special treat to get one cousin "all to yourself" for a day.

You can play at a pace where every moment is fully enjoyed and go from one activity to another without the worry of another cousin (or Auntie or Uncle for that matter) distracting you from the important task of being together, really together.

So I, and Munchkin, cherish the recent day Cousin came to visit.

Pretend.  Cars.  Puzzles.  Snow.  Hot Chocolate.  Art.  More pretend.  Wonderful.

This is right before Munchkin said "You are my best buddy."

And I, not distracted by those same Aunties and Uncles, got to hear 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?

the handmades {part 2}

This holiday season was filled with wonderful handmade goodness.  I wrote about some of the projects earlier this week.

Here are the rest of the handmades that made their way under our tree.

Little Brother received a crayon roll loosely based on the pattern for colored pencils by Amanda Blake Soule in The Creative Family. (Which I made for Big Brother last Christmas.)

I truly zipped this up in a short time, and used up various scraps of felt that I had on hand.  I luckily had just enough orange thread to finish the job.  Literally, the last of the spool went through the machine as I did the final back-stitching.  Phew.

The most involved sewing project was that of a cat costume.  Nope, I am not confused with Halloween, but did feel a bit of the familiar October 30th panic as I sewed the finishing touches on this present on December 23rd!

Munchkin, for some time now, has been wearing costumes daily.  He oftentimes even changes throughout the day.  Dog.  Dinasour.  Jedi.  You name it.  He likes to play it.

He had been asking for me to make him a cat costume to add to his pretend play repertoire.  So purple cat it was.  (Catch that Eric Carle homage?)

The kids also got in on the handmade action.  Both Brothers made recycled crayons for Baby Sister.  It is so very easy, and ultimately something they will all play with together.  So not only  a fun gift, but one made more fun because it will be shared!

This is so, so simple and reuses crayon scraps, which get unwrapped, placed in cupcake tins and melted in the oven. 

You may notice below that I had to step away from helping for a few moments and Little Brother took it upon himself to put the crayons in place.  (Yes, I went back later and took all of the wrappers off!)

And finally, what I think may have been the most perfectly suited project of the season was the one that Big Brother made for Little Brother.

At some point during the fall Big Brother learned how to tie knots.  I didn't teach him how, but started discovering knots in places throughout the house.  In ribbons, in toy strings, in scarves, in drawstings.

So a fleece, no sew, tie blanket was the perfect gift, for both the boy creating and the boy receiving.  Big Brother was very diligent -- after all, hundreds of knots take quite a bit of time!

It is so warm, so snuggly, and a perfect fit for Little Brother's bed.

I enjoyed making all of these projects, but think my favorites were the items that were kid-made.  Not only did I get to work along side my children in the creating, but believe that I have also begun creating in them a love of making handmades, especially making for others.

A is for Awesome

I am amazed by my children. 

Amazed by the things they can do.

Amazed by the ideas they have.

Amazed by how they are growing and learning and being in this world.

This boy.  He.  Amazes.  Me.  Every.  Day.

For every day he is creating art, designing a project, building a structure, organizing an activity.  Even as a little boy he would use toys in ways that showed he was thinking outside of the box.  (I am remembering the many times he would use the plastic tubes and connectors made to give structure to a fabric playhouse as materials to design life-sized 3-D structures and sculptures.)

Yep, it was amazing.

One of his more recent projects was inspired by a design in this great book, perfect for creative kids.

He has been making letter pillows.  First as birthday presents for cousins, and now for our family.

As a Mama and a creator myself, I always enjoy working together on his projects.  Oh, not much finer than collaborative sewing.  See his foot on the pedal below...

I am also learning, slowly, how to let go and let him take full charge of his creations.  Letting go of exactly how the project will or should turn out.  Instead trusting the beauty of the unfolding of the creation and the pride that will be felt by this creative boy of mine.

And I believe he is feeling proud.  Because for the past week he has chosen to rest his head and sleep on his own letter pillow at bedtime

The letter pillow he made by himself, for himself.

And that, my friends, amazes me.

this moment

I'm joining Soule Mama in this Friday ritual.

In her words: "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 share your moment below in the comments for others to enjoy!

Wishing you a wonderfully made weekend!

sneaking

I have been known to eat sneak chocolate. 

Some days I sneak it by 8:30 am. 

Some days it is more like 4:00 pm or 4:42 pm, right before Daddy arrives home to be the relief pitcher.

I very willingly admit that I keep little stashes in my purse and hidden in a cubby in the kitchen.

Though I may need to re-think this sneakiness. 

As the kids are growing, my sneakiness needs to be a bit more, well, sneaky.

Why?

Baby Sister loves to dig around in my purse and find treasures.

And Buddy and Munchkin can smell the chocolate on my breath. 

"Mom, what do I smell in your mouth?"  (or "mouse" as Munchkin pronounces it, so cute.)

I've found having a cup of coffee at hand helps to mask the aroma.

But yesterday I learned that I am not the only one working on being sneaky.

This is what I found in Baby Sister's hand as she happily sat next to my open purse...

She, in fact, had a hunk of chocolate in each hand. (Yep, a bit proud of her moxie.)

Notice the little tiny baby teeth marks.  Melt my heart. 

And a short while later I discovered this...


"What's on your mouth?" I inquired.

"Nothing," he replied.

Hmmm, I maybe should have offered him a cup of coffee to go with it.

new year's eve

It warms a mama's heart to hear their child exclaim "This is the best day ever!"

And it was exclaimed by Big Brother late in the day on New Year's Eve.  I think it was sometime after our adventurous family walk and before our family movie night.

And in many ways it was the best day ever.

The walk was so sunny.  Incredible.  Who gets sunshine and warm like this in the middle of winter?  We did, lucky ducks!

There was chasing, and snow throwing, and wagon riding and the sheer pleasure of breathing in fresh, clean air.

And there was no better way to wrap up 2010 than with one of our weekly family traditions.

Each Friday evening we eat pizza and have Family Movie Night (FMN as we call it.)  Kids get to pick the movie and toppings.  And on very special Fridays it is homemade pizza we enjoy, which is the very best!

So of course this week it was hand-tossed, and piled high with homemade garlic sauce, veggies and sliced pepperoni and roasted sausage.

So welcome New Year!

Here's to many more family walks.

And 52 FMNs!

And countless "best days ever!"