Enchanted Mama

The Light::

The light seems to have shifted.  Ever so slightly.  Just enough that the shadows are different.  The light streaming through the windows in the afternoon slants in different patterns.  Spring is in the air. 

We spent most of the weekend outside.  Sitting under the budding trees listening to the bees buzz-buzz buzzing around.  Busy in their work.  Calm and happy to be back at their job.  

I believe everything from the garage that has wheels was brought out, inspected, and taken for a ride.  Sand was moved around in the sandbox and pillows dusted off in the playhouse.  There seems to be a pile of shoes by every door ranging from snow boots to flip flops.  No one slept in, unfortunately, but all were exhausted early as the sun ducked behind the mountains.  

This time of year is exciting.  The brown earth begins to have shoots of green bumping through the tam-bark.  Snowdrops appear daily.  The lilac seem to have grown green buds overnight.  Our flowering trees let us know that Spring is on her way.  I love it.  Yet, I find it makes me even more ready for change.   

Ready to move things around outside as well as inside.  Spring cleaning a natural instinct it would seem. This past weekend with the warm sunshine and drifty wind it seemed to set things to rights.  Not the house. That my dears, is a disaster.  Hope to get to that today.  I hope. 

As Spring Break approaches I believe my "plans" will have to be relegated to the "to do" list for a bit longer.  I don't mind, mostly.  As the changes happen outside it gives me a chance to dream.  See what ideas have hibernated all winter.  See what new thoughts will arrive.  See how they each will blossom.  

Here is to the shift in the light and the budding of Spring, dear friends.

May this day hold beauty for all of us.

 

 

As I was saying...::

So, as I was saying*...you know, about the elusive light in February?  The last time we had a chat?

Well, lets just say I'm elated that March has come knocking and pushed the brown, gray, icy-thing past us.  March whispers of Spring. Green shoots peek through the monotone ground.  Warm sun dances on faces as we sit and ponder.  Bikes emerge from the garage.  More rain boots, less snow boots crowd the front door and back door...and every door for that matter!

Life is full.  Just like yours.  Crammed with fevers and books. Warm meals and homework.  Class plays and shelter projects.  Play dates and soccer practice. "You are my Shun-shine, my only shun-shine..." sung by a two year old.  Trips to see family and crazy-sweet cousin hugs and tears.  Clearing out and bringing in.  Crocheted afghans and bach suites from our cellist.  Amazing soup ala the big daddy(he must share this recipe soon) and exercise.  Yes, exercise. I know. Time to find our bearings as this season begins its slow transformation to SPRING!!!

Won't it be grand?  I couldn't be more excited.  It just seems like this year it will be brimming with possibility.  Answers to age old questions.  Time to soak up a bit of nature in less than three layers of clothing.  

So, there it is. I'm here.  Taking photos. Knitting. Tending. Attempting to read a lot.  Thinking about my garden.  Chasing after children. Recognizing when to stop and look.  If there is anytime to do this it surely is Spring.  The tiny buds waits for no man/woman.  So you better get out there and notice.  

Happy Wednesday to you all.   

 

  *As I was saying...a tricky way to get you to think that the month that has passed without blogging was imaginary.  Not real.  Just a parlor trick, if you will.  Rather, I just paused in conversation and then resumed with what I was saying.  Did it work?

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And so...::

Today::

Inspired by::

This past Saturday, a lovely sunny day, we spent outside. Lunch with the warmth at our back. Bikes. Playing at the Park. Knitting while the little ones played in the sandbox.  The whole weekend was supposed to be this way.  I didn't realize how much I had needed the warmth of the sunshine.  Sunday dawned and clouds covered the light.  The house took on a gray tinge and my mood followed suit. Subdued and moody to match the cloud cover outside.  

Today the sun is attempting to peek through and I plan to sling my camera over my shoulder and head outside in search of that elusive light.  So, I thought we could start off the day with some simple fun, whimsy and inspiration because who doesn't need a bit of that on a Monday morning??!!?! 

Enjoy!

 Inspired By...

---Paperman a Disney short film. I'm sure I'm late to the party on this one but it is too sweet not to share.  

---This sweater , thank you Phoe, just looks so simple and soft. A sweater to snuggle up by the fireplace with latte in hand and read a great book. Oh yeah. 

---Loved this book.  On to this book.  Working toward that 100 books in 2013.  Love the idea of this goal but realized why I read less these days...as soon as I pick up a book every child in the house has something to ask/tell me.  With knitting they assume I can still hear them and tend to play amongst themselves a little more.  Anyone else have that phenomenon in your home?  

---This Fire Cider.  A comparable substitute to Kombucha perhaps? .  Plan to Start our brew this week.

---Love this bunny fabric to create something with. 

 

Do you have anything you find particularly joyful today?  I'd love to hear about it.  Think we can all use a bit of extra sunshine in February!  

Happy Monday to you all.  

 

And so...::

...it's Monday again.  Another weekend experienced.  We attended french class, hoop class, made a hike up a mountain, ate lemon zucchini muffins, biked at the park, watched a middle school talent show, and played Lego's in pajamas.  A weekend full of life and opportunities to get along as a family.  

The weekends never seem quite long enough.  The dust barely settles before we are off again with lunch making and "where's my gloves" and "No, you may not wear a short sleeve shirt even if it looks warm outside" typical-weekday mornings. Fluffing and shooing three or four children out the door with lunch, cello, violin, backpacks and water bottles. And hopefully, two matching gloves.

Today began as any Monday does. A few of us reticent to wake.  A few others wishing it was Sunday.  All of us eating breakfast and heading out the door.  Luckily, for the two adults, there was some exercise planned this morning and then lattes that really helped ease us into the day.  After the caffeine I felt ready to tackle the day. the week. The Year!  Well, at least the day.  

As I write this the dishwasher hums and my girlie draws throughout my calender, which I'm sure I'll regret later, humming happily to herself.  Earlier she sang a clean up song while putting away blocks. oh.my.

That's where things stand.  Projects to be completed. Photographs to be taken. Laundry to be folded. Meals to be planned.  Just a typical Monday morning around here.  

What about you?  

 

 

Today::

"It was on of those still days of intense light, when every particle of mica in the soil flashed like a little mirror, and the glare from the plain below seemed more intense than the rays from above.  The sand ridges ran glittering gold out to where the mirage licked them up, shining and steaming like a lake in the tropics.  The sky looked like blue lava, forever incapable of clouds---a turquoise bowl that was the lid of the desert."   The Song of the Lark

This book has captured my imagination.  I'm enjoying it so much I wish it wouldn't end though I do have a few other books to finish.  The knitting in my life is undergoing some airing out and re-thinking.  I had a number of pending projects and have recently gone through them and cleared out all those which I do not, for one reason or another, want to finish.  Wrong color. Wrong style. Wrong idea.  It feels good to have done that and I plan on chatting with you about that later.  

There is a knit project happily floating in a cold bath upstairs.  Soon to be dried and blocked. I'm anxious to share as this particular project hung out on the needles for way too long. There may have been a moment, when the last stitch was cast-off, that I took a deep breath and whooped.  A big loud whoop!  I love completing things.  My dear grandfather, a good 'ol Iowa boy, would smack his hands together when completing a project and say, "Okay, what next."  That was how I felt. Happy to have it finished and eager to further empty my knitting basket.  

I've journeyed out this past week, hence the radio silence, to visit a dear friend and her new baby girl. Such a sweet little one.  We spent time chatting, knitting, getting the mama's feet up and watching her two boys build fort after fort at the park.  We ate yummy soup and took care of the mama as much as we could.  Grateful that she let me come and spoil her abit.  Just what we all need once in awhile, don't you think?

I'm working on laundry today and reading books with my girlie.  There is a long list of things that tell me they need to get done, though with the cloudy weather outside I'm not as motivated as I would like.  

Maybe just one more book?  A few more rows?  Another latte?  

Love to know about any great books you are reading.  Always can use a good book recommendation!  

Have a lovely day, 

Kellen

 

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Knitting and gnomes::

A challenge::

Snow Angels::

Oh.my.goodness.  It's hard to say who had the most fun!  

Christmas day, before "the fever" hit, found us bundled and trudging off to the park.  Time filled with laughter, squeals, running, pouncing, frozen hands and "just one more".  I pulled the "photographer" card, thank goodness.  Though it looked like a tremendous amount of fun I was grateful to be warm and documenting it for the family.  Next time though, I will leave the camera at home because sometimes warm is over-rated.  Sometimes attempting to out-run a nine year old can be memory making.  Sometimes the snow pile is quite joyful to be in the thick of. 

Any snow in your part of the world?  

 

 

A challenge::

It started last year...January 1, 2012.  My oldest girlie decided that she wanted to read 100 books for the year.  She missed it by seven books.  She was so close that she wanted to try again this year.  

On December 31st, 2012 at dinner my girl sat with pen and paper and planned her next year of reading.  Her set of self-imposed rules.  #1 Books must be new, as in never read before.  #2 If you have started a book you can not be more than one chapter into it or it doesn't count.  #3 Do school books count or not? That was her achilles heel last year.  She read so many for school but refused to count them towards her total.  Claiming that she only wanted to count books she actually wanted to read.  She would have well surpassed her goal if she had used them.  But, like I said, her rules man.  

As I sat listening to her I realized that I had read an abysmal amount of books in 2012.  My reading time now effectively taken up by my knitting time.  Sad but true.  So, I did what any reasonable, crazy mama would do and signed on.  

Our goal is 100 books each for the year.  My oldest boy decided that he wanted in on the action and set his goal for 50 books.  The big daddy thought it a brilliant idea and set his goal at 50 books as well.

Together that will be 300 books.  My daughter and I have long-term plans for this.  When there are more readers in the house the potential is great.  In fact, numbers like a thousand books for the year, "even when she's gone to college", were mentioned.  Optimistic perhaps?

So the lists have been posted.  Side by side on the wall downstairs.  Not that we are competing at all.  Of course we aren't!  Not really.  Though, I do need to go read and read since my girlie just posted her second book and let's face it...I'm not one to be beat by a thirteen year old.

Any books you recommend?  I'd love to know... 

 

 

Roller Coaster::

This holiday break brought an unexpected visitor on Christmas afternoon.  "The fever" hit the first of the four children after a trip to the park and an epic snowball fight.  "Twas a mean one too lasting three days for each child plus recovery time.  

Our entire vacation has been an adventure of one fever ending as another started.  Many pots of soup were made.  Loads of vitamin packed fruits and vegetables were turned into appealing forms.  Books were read and naps taken.  As though to add to the adventure the big daddy flew out of town before New Years to be present for family who needed his help.  We are so grateful that he could be there though he was missed. The first turn of the calender year that we weren't together in sixteen years.  

Our new years included a quiet evening with neighbors and the children without fevers.  New Years day we ate black-eyed peas and cut out snowflakes to decorate the house.  The white confetti strewn on the floor proof of our efforts.  

I feel as though I have tripped and stumbled into 2013.  With so many posts planned and dropped as yet another fever spiked I've had to re-evaluate and be patient. Quiet. Recognizing what is right in front of me.  Tend the fever.  Stir the soup.  Read a pile of books.  Tuck the children into bed early. My mantra.  

I've loads of things to share.  I'm not sure whether I'm happy about the break ending so soon.  When was the part where we played?  Crafted?  Skied?  The lazy mornings and pajamas a welcome event, or the only event, as the case may be.    

Today we moved out the christmas tree.  The lovely lady who stood and sparkled since November 28th.  The walls now seem a bit bare but the open space has allowed a bit of breath. 

Slowly but surely I will live into the new year. "2013".  The feeling of being "behind the ball" will fade.  All the children will feel more themselves every day. 

Life is, after all, unpredictable and exciting all rolled together.  Truth be told I agree with the line in the "Parenthood" movie---I would much rather take the roller coaster of life than the merry-go-round every day. The adventure proves more about who we are anyway.

Grateful in this moment.  

 

 

Holiday 2012::

A White Christmas...just as we wished for.  

The snow flakes started to fall with a whisper on Christmas eve.  We had dinner and drove the children around town taking in all the sparkling lights as we watched the wipers swish to and fro.  It was magical.  

Fresh children from baths donned new cozy pajamas, per tradition.  Hot chocolate by the fire as giggling filled the air.  Stockings were hung and four children were tucked into bed.  

We awoke to pitter patters on the stairs and hushed voices discussing whether it was too early to wake us up or not.  The big daddy and I wore exhausted smiles.  It was, after all, a special day.  We tromped down stairs to see what magic had been brought.  

'Twas a delightful day.  Quiet.  Just as we had hoped.  Gifts were opened and shared.  Our handmade holiday gifts exchanged (more to share later).  The children giddy with the day.  

Grateful.  So very grateful for my little family.  Simple was the best part of the holiday season.  

Hope your holiday was lovely.  

Kellen

 

***This post we meant to arrive after the Holiday.  Instead, I scheduled it for December 28th 2014 somehow. oops.***

 

 

 

 

 

 

Solstice 2012::

Happy Winter Solstice to you all!  

As you read this the children are on the floor by the tree playing together.  There are books and lego's strewn across the carpet.  Dinner cooked, eaten, and honored.  Ginger cookies and chocolate for dessert.  The sky a brilliant orange with a glimpse of the moon earlier. Holiday break has officially begun!  There are projects in high gear.  Tomorrow, I suspect, there will be pajamas, creating and lots of play.  

We plan to make the most of this time. Wishing you all wonderful celebrations. Thank you for visiting and I'll be back to check in with you next week.

Happy, Happy Holidays and Winter Solstice!  

Much love,

Kellen