Happy New Year!

Hello friends & Happy New Year!  Over this winter break I finally worked up the "courage" to make those lovely Waldorf window stars.  I confess I've had the book and supplies for a long time but couldn't get through the complicated (in my mind) instructions in my book.  Yes, anything to do with numbers or measurements and my brain begins to hurt and then shut down.  Not really, but you know what I mean if you are akin.  Thank you to Melisa, of Waldorf Essentials, for your simple, visual instructions to get me going.  They make our home space so lovely! 

Today as the sunshine streamed through our window stars making such beautiful color combinations and shadows on the wall, it made me reflect on New Year's Day and the hope and light that it represents.  I have never been into New Year's eve,  I usually sleep through it. I know party pooper, but it's just really not interesting to me.  I wrote a post about that, here, called Looking Higher.  I am coming to like New Year's Day though.  It's a symbol of hope and regeneration and a reminder to me that not just every year on New Year's Day but every morning is a new day and a chance to start anew. In the above post I talk about not making New Year's resolutions but New Year's Intentions.  Even though I wrote this post 2 years ago, the Intentions I made then are still the same I would choose today.  They are my forever Intentions, the kind you make and work on for a lifetime.

I saw this lovely idea on facebook, which I believe was originally posted by Sarah Baldwin of Bella Luna Toys.  It's a New Year's Gratitude jar, a jar that you fill up with pieces of paper on which you've written events through out the year that you are grateful for.  At the end of the year you pull out all the papers and review the blessings of the year.  I LOVE this idea and will be doing this with my family.  Next year I hope to tell you about all the wonderful things we've written down throughout the year.

What are you doing on this bright and hopeful New Year's Day?

If only, If only...

Between home school and my MamaWestWind business life is full to overflowing at the moment. Plus our Papa is working almost non-stop since he received a promotion.  We are so grateful for the promotion but, wow, has it ever been a transition.  For years we've thought, "if only, if only...".  You know what I mean, "If only we could (insert your own if only here), then everything would be perfect".  We've learned a lesson that there really is no "if only".  "If only" is just a distraction from the present.  Your dream can come true and yet life with all its issues does not suddenly stop and turn perfect.  No, I'm really seeing that life is NOW.  All those times we dreamed about "if only" we weren't really living in the NOW and experiencing the good here in this moment.  We were living in a future that wasn't even real.  Ha!  It's one of those lessons that I've heard and read about before yet I really didn't fully understand until I experienced it.  I'm grateful for the lesson and the reminder to stay present.  (That's not the easiest thing for me.)  Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying we shouldn't dream.  Dreaming is good but it can become a distraction, even a destructive thing if we're not appreciating the present.  It's so important to be grateful for the good in life right now.

So a little update on life around here. We had a simple Michaelmas.  We made our candle, designed by Michael and we light it every evening.  Certainly, the light of Saint Michael's sword has been shining and pointing out the dragons I need to slay, as evidenced in the above experience.

 

In an effort to keep my sanity in motherhood and home school, we occasionally take a mud pie day off, or a time to clean the house day.  It's similar to a teachers prep day at school, a break to prepare or cut loose!  On this day the boys made a whole mud city with a bridge, castle, moat and a whole story that went with it.  They were fascinated by the way the water flowed around it.  They played this for hours and who was I to argue with such creative play.  They loved it. I loved it and took the extra time for inner work.  

 

We've been enjoying the last of the garden.  The Morning Glories we planted in honor of my Gramma, are spectacular.  We also made a tepee and planted beans and peas awhile ago.  We wanted to see how far they might climb before it gets too cold.  Not too far at the moment.  We're excited to plant around it next Spring.

I'm enjoying home school so much more now.  For some time Michael had been floundering in reading and started to dislike it.  This year we began a reading program called, All About Reading, and it's been like a magic elixir to the problem.  Michael is improving now by leaps and bounds, gaining confidence and enjoying it.  It's so wonderful to see. 

Owen is excited to do his bit of "school" too.  So much so that he motivates me to get going in the morning.  I love his infectious enthusiasm.  Both the boys are beyond excited about Halloween of course.  Owen has been making little scarecrows all over the house & outside.

In my shop, I've mostly been working on Fall items.  Here are a few.  

Well, if you're still with me friends, thank you!  What have you been up to lately?

Until next time...

So Grateful...

So grateful for...

• Husband's new full-time job, full of meaningful work and challenge and a little more security for our family.
• Fall on it's way and our first few Sugar Pie Pumpkins!
• Little rambunctious boys, full of fun and creativity.
• The week of rainy, gray skies we had, a particular treat in the sunny Southwest.
• A sense of peace about schooling at home.
• Finding friends in the garden who are feasting on Cucumber beetles.
• My Gramma's Morning Glories growing wild.
• Autumn energy arriving to say clear out and de-clutter! 

Gratitude

Gratitude is such a powerful thing. Whenever I get into a funk, it's always because I'm forgetting to be grateful. It's a cure all. 

Today I am grateful for brothers, who when they're not fighting are best friends. 

for last minute crafts that make their day. 

For "ham" with our turkey. I'm not sure which one he is a ham or turkey but we love his silliness.  It drives me insane and keeps me sane at the very same time. 

For an abundance of food and love. What are you grateful for this holiday season?

Graditude: pregnancy & becoming a Mother

On Day two & three of the Gratitude challenge, ( I can see there are going to be times I'll have to bundle my gratitude as I missed yesterday's post.)  I give thanks for pregnancy, one of the most beautiful times in my life. Especially all the wonder, excitement & terror of that first pregnancy. 

I also give thanks for the privilege of seeing my eldest, Michael, grow and transition into the beautiful little boy he is.  From babyhood 

to losing his baby teeth and on to the next phase in his development.  I'm so in awe of this amazing job called parenthood.  Being my first little babe, becoming his Mother profoundly changed me.  Things that seemed so important before him,  no longer seemed so very important after his arrival into our lives.  Finding the strength to give birth made me know my own strength.  God bestowed strength that is, because I've never prayed so desperately in my life as both times I've given birth. 

And you know my next Gratitude post will have to be becoming a Mommy for the second time!

Until next time...

Happy Birthday to me!

It was my 35th birthday this week! Wow, bizarre. How is a 35 year old supposed to feel? Or act? I don't know. I don't feel 35, I don't even feel 30 or 20 for that matter.

Age is funny that way. I'm learning it doesn't really mean a thing. Anyway, I had a great day. My husband had the day off and we went for pizza as a family. It was fun! I received some birthday money and bought some Waldorf books I've been wanting, as I'm gearing up for home school.

I'm so grateful for my life! For my three guys, dear husband, love of my life.


And my two perfect little boys.


Michael, who seems so much older ("Time" the great illusion again) now that Owen's here, but is still my sweet little chocolate eyes.


And Owen who has completed our little family.

Life is good.

Thanksgiving Thankfulness

I'm thankful for the beautiful autumn light and the Southwest sky.

My boys and traditions begun.

Apple, sweet potato and any other kind of pie!

Spending time with good friends & imaginative boys, making "mud cake".
Hope you had a beautiful thanksgiving!

My Birthday

My 34th year started really beautifully today. This morning was all about simple, quiet, pleasures. I walked with a dear friend and then came home to have some quiet time to myself with a nice pot of tea.

Soon, I heard the pitter patter of little feet and then had breakfast with my beautiful son, in which the conversation went something like this. "Mommy does poop have germs?", "Yes, Michael, it does". "Is poop yucky? You wouldn't want to eat poop would you? That would be yucky!" Potty humor, it's infinitely hilarious to him.

The rest of my day was a fun blur. My dear friend Monica came over with her 2 sons and the pampering began. She cut my hair, made lunch and a cake for me all while nursing her infant and running to see how our boys were playing. Our new friend Carey came over with her little girl and baby. The children played together so nicely and we were able to enjoy our girl talk. Later, I went to another good friend Mara's house where she made gluten free cake and had her "game night gang" sing Happy Birthday to me.

My life is feeling really abundant right now, I'm so grateful for my friends and all my family who sent cards and well wishes from afar. I love you all!

Lovely Things

A list of things I love (in no particular order)...

I love when Michael says the word "can't" it's always with a British accent because his favorite cartoons and movies are English. Favorite shows like "Kipper "and movies like "Harry Potter".


I love when Michael contradicts himself. Michael will say one thing and then say it's opposite. Something like this. "But, mommy I don't like eating that. But, Mommy, I do like eating that, I do." He makes statements like these all day long and on all different topics. I wonder why he does this? It sure is cute.

I love that Michael is trying all sorts of new foods this summer and liking them. Big props to the Farmer's Market and all foods grilled!

I love watching Michael and Daddy time.


I love the name Michael picked for his fish, "Ladder". I REALLY love that he alerted me to the hundreds of mosquito larvae in Ladder's old tank by saying "Mama look at all the sharks in the water!" Sharks, YES, we would have been eaten alive!

I love that Michael calls tortillas "batillas". And vanilla, his favorite ice cream flavor "valilla"

I love that whenever Michael's friend Morgan comes over, even if he saw him the day before, they enthusiastically hug and scream each other's names.


And that they often hug just because.


I love that I'm finally starting to feel creative again and that it all began with sewing, something I put off learning for too long because I am LOVING it!

I love that Michaels stuffed animals all have floppy necks because he constantly moves their heads around and has them talk to one another.

I love it when Michael says, "I love you, Mommy." out of the clear blue sky. Often when we are having quiet moments playing or reading together. Recently, when we were laying under a tree talking.

I love that Michael is a "reader", he's hooked, and that it's a big battle if Mommy forgets story time before turning out the lights. That is, unless he's too tired and then he says, half asleep, "Mama, no books tonight."

I love that our family has had a wonderful, relaxing summer together, we've been living in the moment and having fun together. And that this summer marks the 10th Anniversary of our marriage! Happy Anniversary honey!


I love that just writing this list has made me feel more loving.