Enchanted Mama

December::

dear December, 

how kind you have been to us this year. the slant of the afternoon light through the windows makes me grateful each and every time. the smell of woodsmoke in the morning is heavenly. the twinkle of lights throughout the town brings a smile to all of our faces. 

the hustle and bustle i could do without. the necessity of gifts and presents not my favorite.  

looking for the meaning at this time of year is good. figuring out how to give the gift of handmade instead of buying well, i love this. finding treasures and supplies in my own studio even better! 

you see December, somewhere in the midst of all the flurry and blur you bring beauty. my littlest dons a red and white hat around town. my children want to create more. knit more. sew more. there are gatherings with friends both new and old. places to explore while music and laughter dance in the air. and there is chocolate. i mean we can't forget that. 

it's all there. if we choose to find it. the fun. the love. the creative joy. the handmade. the doing more with less. really, it doesn't take much if we put our minds to it.  joy knows no limits.  giving when least expected is grand.

there are so many places to give throughout the year. this year i have pondered it more than others. the need for help is there even in February. and July. showing my children this really is the gift i've already received this year. a plan to bring into the new year. opportunities. 

today i feel excited about the journey into this month. the possibilities for warmth. maybe a meal out. some hot cocoa. something dripping with holiday spirit. fun. how great would that be!

so...thank you December. for all that you have already brought. and all that is yet to come.  

your friend,

Kellen

This is::

-this is the time before everyone wakes when the house whispers of the day to come. a warm latte in hand. writing in a cozy chair. 

-this is the time of year when I ponder how much to do for the holiday when i just want it to be simple.

-this is the day when the last of the laundry has been folded and put away after a family visit over thanksgiving. the family exhausted but happy. 

-this is the twinkly light time all over town that i love so much. 

-this is the morning i awoke to my littlest girlies raspy little voice saying, mama i'm going to kiss you now right before she fell asleep again. 

-this is the moment  i write the "get things done" list before i whoosh into the morning.

-this is a time to dream and create and feel into the season. 

-this is the time to talk with good friends on the phone about ideas for a handmade holiday. 

-this is the time to pause and remember that the children prefer hot chocolate hour instead of a done up house. 

-this is the time to smell the alchemy that my guy creates from the kitchen. a smell that will waft through the house all day. 

-this is the time when i pull out items from the studio and create holiday goodness. 

-this is the time to recognize that we are still settling into our new home and town and it's okay to make life easier when possible. 

-this is the time to ignore the messes and make muffins instead. 

-this is the time to play. sing. laugh. enjoy. plan. create. love. 

yes, this is the time...

 

what is this time for you? 

 

 

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?  

 

 

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 

Festive::

The smell of ginger cookies winds it's way into every corner of the house these days.  Our holiday cards have been received by loved ones.  The errands are done.  Late night knitting sessions by the fire, result in the last stitches.  The whir of the sewing machine echoes from the studio.  Equal parts wool, wood, and fabric are used to create gifts that get tucked beneath the tree.  The arrival of snow and colder temperatures bring wool scarves and snowsuits from closets. The lights twinkle all through the neighborhood.  Tomorrow is the children's last day of school and will include an assembly and lots of cookie eating.  

The excitement is building.  There are many, okay all of us, who can't wait for holiday break this year.  Time to play.  Time to honor.  Time to create and give.  Time to sled. Time to wear pajamas all day.  Time to work on puzzles while sipping cocoa. Time to be a family.  

Yes, I have to say, it's getting mighty festive over here... 

How are things in your world?  

 

 

Glimpse::

A wee glimpse of our week via Instagram.