And so it begins

This Holiday season is in full swing now.  We made the cookies. Today is the last day of school, and Grandpa Eric will be here this afternoon. 

Just a few more details to complete, food to prepare, gifts to finish (yikes!), gifts to wrap, and merriment to make.  But, here we are. 

Happy Solstice!  Light some candles!  Remember that everyday is getting a little longer from here on out! 

Have a lovely Holiday season out there.  I will be back in the New Year.  xoxo

I see London...

 

My friend Andrea and I have been making underwear, bras, camisoles and I recently made a robe.  We have an etsy page called I See London I See France.  It has been a whole lotta fun for sure.  We recently sold items at the Missoula Made Fair, and we did a bang up job!  It was a very ego inflating experience to have people oooohhh and awwwww over our underthings.  Made all the fussy underwear making frustrations totally worth it.  

And I would like to announce another new business/life venture that I will be taking on in the Spring.  Seedlings!  Shall I explain?  Yes.  I am opening a Waldorf-inspired childcare business.  Big undertaking, but so right.  I have been leading up to this for quite some time, and now the time feels right.  It seems that life keeps getting more fine tuned for us.  Andy will be teaching a film review class at the University of Montana next semester, and was invited to Winnipeg to teach a workshop to some film buffs.  The kids are thriving, we are feeling a little less run down, and a little more prepared to conquer the world.  And, l have to say, it is about time.  

On an entirely different note, I am planning to ask Kinkos if they will give me their throw away paper, so that I can make some journals.  But if they don't, I totally plan to dumpster dive.  I'll let you know all about it tomorrow.  Happy Wednesday. xo

Running

I just went on the first run I have been on since, well, I can't remember.  A long time.  I have been feeling a bit unpredictable lately.  Moody.  Mostly with my family.  Even downright enraged at times.  I felt low this morning, like the world was against me, and I couldn't believe that the boys were leaving things all over the house for me to pick up, and why is it that Andy leaves his pants and sweatshirt all balled up with the blanket on the couch every damn morning?  At least the dishes are all clean, because I DID THEM LASTNIGHT.  This was the conversation yelling in my head this morning.  Then, everyone left, and I went on a run. 

Now, I am wondering what the big deal was with my past self?  Why was she so pissed off at everyone?  Why couldn't she see past her own squinched up face?  I'll tell me why. I needed to run.

I went outside, moved my body in open space, breathed really hard, got my heart rate up, even sweat a little.  Poof.  Bad mood gone.  So why don't I go every effing day?  I clearly need to.  All the excuses are; bad weather, lack of light, no time.  They are all valid, but if we are talking about happiness here, then I need to figure out a way to work around all of those obstacles.  For everyone's sake. 

So here is my pre-New Years resolution; to run as much as I can.  We will all be better for it. 

Expansion and contraction...

It snowed this weekend!  It's always a little bittersweet when the first snowfall hits.  The sweetness is in the excitement of a changed landscape, and how magical it looks and feels; making Christmas seem just a few steps away.  The bitterness is in the extra work that it brings, loading on all of the winter gear, watching the winter gear take over a large portion of our house.  Driving.  And contending with such big personalities in our little tiny house.

I have been reading a lot about human development, specifically Waldorf theories of human development.  And, it talks a lot about expansion and contraction.  It is the rhythm of nature to expand and contract.  To forge outward without boundaries soaking up the world, learning, growing expanding; until you are no longer benefiting from it, and are ready to come back.  And then you contract, go inward, reflect, slow down, process.  We all need a balance of both, and often times, because of the modern times we live in and all of its distractions, we don't know how to balance them.  I think I am definitely more apt to contract then expand, even though when I am engaging in expansive activities I feel full of life and love.  But, given my choice I'd rather stay inward.

Kids are almost always in expansion mode, and don't always know when or how to contract.  A toddler is endlessly exploring, climbing, moving, expanding; and then hits a certain point when she no longer is in harmony with the expansion and starts crying, falling down a lot, getting frustrated easily, melting down.  This is the parents cue that she needs to contract, take a nap, read some books quietly, rest.

This got me thinking, of course, about my own family and our tendencies.  Yesterday was hard.  I was wanting to stay in all day to organize, clean, get ready for the week.  Get my ducks in a row before we leave for a trip on Thursday.  My kids were grooving with me for quite awhile, playing quietly, coloring, reading books.  But then the switch happened, they needed some more expansion, then needed to be out in the world, and I was not paying attention.  The energy totally shifted, they got loud, started bickering, crying, wanting snack after snack after snack.  And all the while I kept getting more and more and more annoyed.  Until finally papa came home.  He took them outside, they ran, screamed, got pink cheeks and came back in 45 minutes later, content. 

 

It is that simple. I am going to pay attention to these shifts, and honor them. Even if I'd rather contract and retreat, and stay inside my four safe and warm walls.  For their sake, I am going to expand a little more.   Who knows, maybe I'll be snow boarding by the end of the winter.  Or, sitting in the lodge with hot chocolate while papa and the boys are snowboarding?  We'll see.

 

Happy Monday!

This Moment

Joining Soulemama in This Moment:

{this moment} - 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. 

Happy Friday!

Warm pants for the wee boy...

When I walked into Selvedge the other day I saw this thick warm, not hideous looking fleece!  And, I wondered if I could get away with making a skirt for myself out of it?  I still might because it would be so very warm, though possibly not very attractive, but knowing myself, I wouldn't care and would probably wear it every day for the next six months.  So, yeah, I still might make it.

Anyhow here are the pants I made for Axel out of it.

He doesn't know about them yet, because I made them after he went to bed last night.  I'll snap a few pictures with them on; and then if they are really great, I'll list them on Etsy so that any of you fine folks can buy them up!  The knee pads were a little wonky because I left my straight pins at the studio, so I was just sort of holding them in place while sewing.  With this thick of fleece, there is a lot of shifting with the fabric.  I will definitely use straight pins to hold it down next time. 

That is all I have for today!  Onto some big cooking projects and some new ideas I'm cooking up outside of the kitchen.  Stay tuned.  Happy Wednesday! 

Hung Over...

Didn't get a chance to squeeze in a post yesterday among all the Halloween hustle bustle.  Busy times.

Halloween with all of its lead up and anticipation, sugar, and late night results in: kid hang over.  Always.

We all love this holiday in our house, adults and kids alike, but man does it take it's toll.  This morning the first words uttered out of tired little mouths was, candy? 

So, after school today we are heading to Walking Stick Toys to cash in our candy, the candy fairy will be taking it off our hands, have you heard of her?  And, in exchange they will each get a new toy.  I should say, they ate their faces off in candy last night, no holds barred, total binge-fest.  Then, I let them pick their five favorites to keep for the week.  Andy and I will rifle through the bag for our faves too, ahem.  And then, off to fairy land it goes...

Speaking of fairy's  we built these fairy houses outside the other day.  It was really fun.

House

Slide.  Can you tell?

Consruction of...

Swing!

 

 

And, speaking of fairies, check this out.  This lady makes the cutest fairy food imaginable.  And, she is having a Magical Fairy Birthday Party over at Walking Stick Toys.  We are so there. 

Happy Tuesday.  Hope you aren't too hungover.