so fun and peaceful!

try making some music here

thankful 5

people with the skills to make beautiful things for me and my little ones to enjoy.

i looked out the window and what did i see

we had snow once before that i know of in 2001 a week or so after b was born. they didn't wake me up for it. so today, even though it was early, i woke up all the kids and they went to the window. after a bit they got on all their cold weather gear ( i know, we're ridiculous about 34 degrees!) and tramped around in it a bit. s saved a bag full in the freezer.

the internet is just amazing. i found this blog tonight, full of really creative and well-made crafty things which stimulated my crafting gene. then i saw this:

magnetic felt fish for a magnet board. so cute, so easy, my kids will love making this. these are the ideas i file away for birthday and christmas. we try to make all gifts from kid to kid. with 5, it gets tricky. i have a special document just for these ideas. i need these crafty infusions to be joyful about life.

some inspirational decorating

things i love about this room:

1. chandelier. cool, sparkly, not girly, kind of art deco

2. is this an octagonal room? i'm adding one to my dream house list

3. big windows

4. i really like the combination of black table and white retro-industrial chairs. though they do look like they'd be hard to slide around late at night when i'm reading a book and trying to sit down again after i got up to get more milk to go with my cereal.

5. and the built in bookshelf with the surprise color. 

6. curved doorways are so appealing in contrast with the sharp angles of walls and windows

mother's day wishlist

1. peace and laughter,  love at home

2. old-fashioned pink, yellow, and red roses for my garden

3. a day alone

4. boston cream pie

5. a day to explore nature with my family

6. a visit to the temple with the litigator

but really...

7. lots of sticky hugs, wet kisses and homemade art. 

this i am sure to get.

10 things

i saw a post about the 10 classic things you need in a house here and it made me start thinking... what do i consider the 

10 things i need to have a comfortable home? 

1. bookshelves. at least one in each room. except the bathroom. 

(and of course, filled with books)

2.lots of windows that are clean. to let in as much 

sunlight and fresh air as possible. 

3. a couch thats big enough and resilient enough to stand up to the whole family. and comfortable too.

4. prized, personal, found treasures.

5. an old piano. 

6. a craft supply cupboard. for grownups and kids.

7. a pretty pitcher for juice and water. 

8. smooth colorful pens and lots of beautifully blank paper for list making.

9. flowers, especially from my garden.

10. lots of black and white family photos.  

living:

rearranging the boys room

emptying our homeschool closet (scary!)

killing ants

savoring the rain (summer comes too soon for me)

rehearsals for the spring recital

watching the litigator paint landscapes

reading:

my old domino mags. they inspire me to try new things at home and clean out the closets.

andrew lang yellow fairy book

anne mccaffrey dragonsinger

the litigator's national review. i like to ponder politics and then dismiss it.

(above list reflecting lack of library browsing time)

eating:

homemade minestrone soup from martha

whole wheat french bread rolls

still fresh and crispy apples from the farmers market

also, peas, the juiciest oranges and cherries

homemade strawberry jam (the little gluttons polished off 3 jars in 2 days)

making:

ok, nothing. there's no time. the creative outlet is blocked by dishes and math.

it's that time again. it fills me with glee. i empty/sort/organize the kids clothes boxes. they each have their own, which i fill with thrift, clearance and gifted items as the days go by. or as the sibling before outgrows! when the weather changes we get them out and have a gigantic try on mess. 

then i'm happy to make a list! they pick their favorite font, and we fill in the blanks. it sounds a little retentive but when i'm at the thrift and i can't remember who needs shorts or what color they already have (i hate having 4 pairs of olive green shorts) with 5 little wardrobes to keep track of, it's a big time and money saver for me. plus, i enjoy it. and since i'm the boss, i celebrate this little ritual that makes me happy.

this week has gone by speedily. though at times tempestuous, in general i feel i should give myself a pat on the back for a job well done. after all, i did go walking twice. and i finished tess of the d'urbervilles for book club. and the baby is now going to sleep on  his own, so i am glad to cuddle him back in our bed when he wakes at 3 am. and i am moving along on 'the greatly drawn out revamp kids bathroom project'. to conclude, the christmas lights are finally put away.  

back to schoolwork

dad's back to soccer

when it's cold, we bake. who am i kidding, we bake all the time.  

this week, we tried salted peanut butter toffee cookies, lemon bars, cauliflower soup, 2 kinds of bread, oatmeal whole wheat applesauce blueberry muffins (i like those recipes with the long drawn out names!) and tonight, an improved pizza dough recipe for our weekly pizza dinner. 

wow, that was my 50th post. yay me.

i love to look around the 'nets' and see what people spend their time creating, and how generous they are at sharing with the rest of us.

here is a great example. so cool for scrapbooking, printing on fabric, and if you look around she has a set of printable check lists with the same great illustrations. one of those blogs i like to nose around a little to see what i can find.

another tradition. every year we invite a different family to decorate gingerbread houses with us. i make them from scratch the way my mom always did, with royal icing, and we use all the leftover halloween candy. last night the litigator's sister and her family came over, and it was kids and candy for an hour or so.

this is for you, mom.

5 things

whenever i write in my journal, i write 5 things that encapsulate the moment in time for me. the good and the grumpy. as a sentimental person, it is important to me to retain the feelings of my life, not only the activities. it seems appropriate here as well.

1. warm homemade applesauce is so easy it doesn't deserve to taste so good.
2. uplifting beauty can be found wherever you look. sometimes up.
3. 11 year old girls are highly emotional.
4. each new anthropologie catalog is like a delicious treat.
5. homemade costumes are worth every bit of my time and thought to make them reality.

goodness

the goodness of the day

only 88 degrees

going to the park

picnic in the grass

fall is my favorite time of year