branching out

Over the last year I have been flexing my sewing muscles and enjoying it thoroughly. I have opened a little Etsy shop to sell some of my wares and you , dear blog readers, get the first peek. Inventory is a little limited right now but new things will be added every few days. Please feel free to help me spread the word. If nothing else, the page views will make me feel popular.

Check it out using the link in the sidebar.

can't get enough

of dancing in the kitchen.

i thought you wouldn't believe me

...without photographic proof. (yup, he's taken to sleeping in drawers now)

in a huff

I can't find my cell phone. This makes me exceedingly angry. I am trying my darnedest not to direct my anger at my children because it's probably not their fault. I know it is in the house somewhere because I was texting this morning but at this point I have looked everywhere (obviously not everywhere or I would have found it by now, but you get the idea). I am frankly sort of embarrassed by how much this bothers me. It's probably best that most of my problems are the small, irritating kind because even those seem to be driving me over the edge.

* Found at 11:42 AM by Tommy in a toy box in which I myself had looked three times. It was covered in sticky Johnny fingerprints thus identifying the culprit. Tommy recieved a cookie for his heroic feat.

sun worship

( This is absolutely NOT my flat tummy, but feel free to pretend)

When I was in college my favorite thing to do in the afternoon, after all my classes were finished, was to head out to the pool in my skimpiest swimsuit and no sunscreen to just lie in the sunshine. There was nothing like the feeling of soaking in the heat until I had to jump into the pool and cool off so that I could start all over. Now, I am a grown-up and I know all about melanoma and wrinkles and I dutifully apply sunscreen every morning. Most of any tan you see on me in the summer comes from a bottle. I never, ever have time to just lie anywhere, for any reason. Yesterday while the kids were eating their lunch at the little picnic table on the deck, I stretched out flat on my back and just soaked in the sun, just for ten minutes, but oh, it was terribly lovely. Later in the day I followed that little slice of heaven up by planting flowers in a tank top (straight from the gym). Obviously, that second job produced the first sunburn I've had in years. Every time I shower and the hot water stings, I thrill just a bit at all the memories that come flooding back. But today I made sure to sunscreen all exposed parts of my body, I can't seem to help but be all adult and responsible. Plus, I am very anti-wrinkle.

why i love hawthorne...

...trees, I mean. Because in May they do this...

P.S. These are the first pics I have taken with the very fancy new camera I received for my birthday/Mothers day. I am delighted with how they turned out. I love it already.

upswing

Someone I love has had a difficult year. For a time, when I would see her, her smile never extended to her eyes and they were often swollen from crying. As of late when I see her, her eyes are shining and she is almost glowing. I am sure that her life is not perfect and there are still things that make her sad, but, while she has always been lovely, she is more beautiful lately then I have ever seen her. My heart is overjoyed to see it.

i have a new neighbor

His name is Stinky. He can't stay. A nice man is coming later to do something about him and his little friends.

errant questions

How do you know the right thing to do? As we try to plan our lives, I am having the hardest time knowing what would be right for us. I believe that God has an interest in our lives. How do I recognize His influence as opposed to what my heart aches for? Are they the same thing? How do I know when the time is right or when to be patient? How do I know when to make the turns on the road map of my life?

the reason we went to church today

Yesterday Tommy informed me that, "Mommy, God made the fairies and the fairies made us." Off to Sunday school we go.

unfortunately, I was the entertainment

Today was my birthday. My beloved did all that he could to make it lovely. He made muffins in the morning, watched the kids during yoga, chased Johnny at the soccer game and even went to fabric store with me. I can't prove it, but I'm pretty sure it was the first time he has ever been to fabric store in his life. This evening the sitter arrived promptly at 7:30 and we headed out to dinner. The vegetarian place had great entrees, but the dessert menu was not quite what we were looking for so we headed to the place that has flour less chocolate cake as a staple. We were seated in a raised booth not to far from the live jazz ensemble right in the center of the action. The hostess had mistakenly handed us regular menus so I volunteered to go and request the dessert list. I stood up and headed towards the hostess stand, except remember how I said we were seated in a raised booth? I forgot about that part and went sprawling onto the floor. I, of course, curtsied prettily to my laughing audience and gracefully continued on my errand. I remember thinking when I was a clumsy, gawky thirteen-year-old that some day I would be a grown woman, elegantly and polished. Apparently, at 32, I am not there yet. Yeesh.

fine, i surrender

Yesterday I bought a new pair of earrings in my very favorite shade of blue. I bought them from my new friend Summer who is a jewelry maker. Her stuff is big and bright and I love it. (watch for a link to her new Etsy store next week) I couldn't wait to wear them. Last night I ironed my brown poplin dress and laid out my double bow ballets in the exact same blue (oh, joy!). Today was to be a very important day. Johnny would spend the morning with the sitter and I would attend preschool with Tommy. We woke to a torrential downpour that just wouldn't quit. I was undaunted. I put on my light, cotton dress and suede shoes (under my yellow slicker, of course) and off we went. By the time we finished preschool, our special lunchdate and a quick trip to procur new soccer shoes for one who has suddenly outgrown them mid-season I was damp and freezing. Instead of projecting carefree and whimsical mom-on-the-go, as was my aim, I think I probably just looked like a stupid person who neglects to look out the window prior to dressing in the morning. When we finally got home I slipped into jeans, a long-sleeved t-shirt and a big, thick sweater. I completed my outfit with non-matching sweater socks because I think that, for today at least, function must lead form. Otherwise I could end up with hypothermia.