You know you are a geek when this book rack is discovered at Goodwill and it throws off all of your plans for the day.  You rush to get home telling the children to make their own lunch mommy is organizing. Oh pretty storage. Will it hold library books,  be reserved for school books, or be a glorious display for our picture books.  So clearly the later.  Yummy

Posted in: on Tuesday, March 24, 2009 at at 2:22 PM 2 comments  


I was up predawn on this  past rainy cold Sunday. The tension of having to finish (ahem start) a project by 1:00  had me restless and panicky. I am making these pencil rolls for a friends triplets. Only I don't at the moment own an iron. Seams are much more difficult without one.  I am waiting to run to Wal-mart. Waiting waiting waiting.  It needs to be at least 8:00 before I can open the garage door and wake everyone in the house.  But that only leaves me with maybe three hours to do this. And I have never done it and I am embroidering their initial on it. 

What was I thinking?  

We made each of the trips a bird they are gorgeous.
. 



Well they are done now. And so worth it.  I had to give up trying to finish them on time. Somehow children can sense when you are in a hurry. Simon NEEDED me all morning. So I set aside my need to have these done and give a gift at the party. I focused on him and getting the triplets gift done after I hired a nanny and housekeeper.  My husband did swoop in and carry Simon off to the hardware store, but by then the time to get the gift done was gone. I am so thrilled I didn't rush it. I love them and I am going back to make more. 


P.S. I did finally go buy an iron. But it was a cheapy gross $7.00, doesn't press unless you do iron.  Because as we all know Wal- Mart sucks. Well yesterday, I stop in at yard sale, at a cooking school of all places.  I was going to buy some dishes and silver for a friends classroom but there on the dollar table was the iron I have been hunting for, a Black and Decker heavy as heck classic. Yeah!!! And how much money did I have at that very moment??????  $1.00. One dollar in my whole car, so my dear friend, sorry I didn't buy you any dishes. But I've got a kick butt iron now. For a dollar!!

Posted in: on Sunday, March 22, 2009 at at 7:41 AM 2 comments  

Just a quick share.  



Harper made this and she is proud. She is making one for her brother's and sister's dolls as well.  I want unlimited time to create.  
I got to create her. I guess for now that will have to hold me. 
Happy Sunday

Posted in: on at at 5:40 AM 0 comments  



Such a fun week. 
My sister and her boys came up to see us this week. 
We knitted and played and ate and watched all of the Inspector Gadget cartoons. 
 Creating a close bond between sister and niece,  aunt and nephew.  They are too young now to appreciate the hours of travel we put in for them to have this easy friendship. They do not know how we cry when they are gone and how empty they leave our tables. It is a chaotic madness having six children running around. They are underfoot and frustrating because I only want to sew and bake with my best friend and sister.  We sit together over tea and the computer wasting a sunny morning hunting for the perfect home or pattern.  Daydreaming about our bussieness venture. Talking about the sweet baby growing in my sister's belly. 

We cannot help but laugh at the clumsiness of our children. They have fallen and crashed into and off of everything imaginable. My house like my sisters a death trap of benches, high stools, and toys on the floor. They are tired and excited with the visit.  They share books and rock out to crazy eighties music. Dirt and goo and "shut the door behind you" follow them for the whole visit.  It is a whirlwind of three months of not seeing each other crammed into four days.

We redecorate and reorganize each others homes, yet somehow during these visits we never move much. We sit in the kitchen then move to the den, occationally we venture outside to sit in the sun. The movements of so many children slow us down and keep us from doing too much. They are beautiful and amazing as they run off to the creek yet again to create and explore.  Some babies are too young to go outside alone in the cold and wet.  They are frustrated by this exclusion and despirate to be where the action is. 

They are all too young to sit and join the adults in quite conversation, as such a thing is still forigen to them. But they join us anyhow and knit and chat on and on about nothing in particular. Which is exactlly what the conversation was about. 


When they drive away I am at a loss. The house is quiet, the one peson I call everyday is on the road and though she just left, I want to call her anyway. 
Sisters are a precious thing. I am grateful for mine everyday. 
 Even if it wears us out. 


Posted in: on Friday, March 20, 2009 at at 10:52 AM 0 comments  

Over on Sew Liberated.com , Meg has guests talking about motherhood this week. It has been beautiful to listen to other mothers talk about what can sometimes be a very lonely journey. 


As my children begin to leave this glorious childhood phase, I find myself  wanting to stop time and keep them right here.  They are incredible people and I am so lucky to have them. They are unique and the same, difficult and easy.  Everything everyone tells you is true. This thing called parenthood will sustain you, bring you bliss, mesmerise you and sometimes crush you.  

It is not comparable to anything. Not the love or the anger or the fear.  I hope your journey today had a moment where you could reflect on the joys of motherhood.  Thank you for helping me finding mine Meg. 

Posted in: on Friday, March 13, 2009 at at 4:38 PM 1 comments  

To get this....




I also got this


 the mess of silence.

Just a note for all you parents out there horrified that we let our toddler play with the coffee grinder. Our 5 year old did stick her fingers in one time before the blades stopped.  It nipped a bit but we didn't shed much more blood than a paper cut.  So we are cautious (I'm near by) but permissive of this household danger. 

Posted in: on at at 9:45 AM 0 comments  

So the birds remind of something out of one of Darwin's sketch books laying out like this.
They are going to be awesome when they are all together on a branch.

Oh you are not seeing things.
 I did knit that circle.
 CIRCLE! Four needles and lots of concentration.  
Did I do it right? I have no idea. 
Doesn't matter. We are off and running now. 
Legwarmers here we come.




Posted in: on Thursday, March 12, 2009 at at 8:23 AM 1 comments  

Spring has brought the usual rush of fun projects. I finished my learning skein.  6oz of cheap thrifted  yarn done entirely in knit stitch. Next up is knit, pearl.  Then maybe a hat or leg warmers for my tennis star.


We are also working on these birds  for our best friend's 9th birthday. 9 birds on a branch to decorate her room. Harper is slaving away on all of the cutting and fabric choices. I get to  to swoop in and do all the sewing. Fun!! 


The garden is ready for tilling and overly ambitious planting. I have visions of giant watermelons and luscious tomatoes.  

The green house got cleaned out yesterday. All of the plants that the frost killed are now compost.  Chairs are on the porch ready for summer wines and Sunday coffee.  

Spring is here and not a moment too soon. I needed to be energized and reminded of why I live in this wacky house and homeschool these wacky children. 

In spring all things seems possible.

Posted in: on Tuesday, March 10, 2009 at at 8:35 AM 2 comments  

Studying Egypt??

Did you know you could count this as part of your Egypt work?


What fun to homeschool.

Posted in: on Wednesday, March 4, 2009 at at 8:47 AM 2 comments  





Whoooo snow again. It is so wonderful to be southerner when it snows. You will hardly ever find us moaning or complaining about it. Every time I look outside I feel like I am in Narnia. 
Of course the flip side of this glory is that my Japanese magnolia will not bloom this year and my daffodils are dead before ever having the chance to show their pretty face. But down here in zone 7 it's still a peaceful and glorious sight.

Simon is our sit  and read kid now. You can't get anything done for having to read to him. He has his favorite chair that you must sit in it to read.  Moo Baa LA LA LA is now memorized by everyone as is Brown Bear.  

We have begun all of the projects that a false spring makes seem possible.  A pantry to build a deck to stain. Most foolish of all we are mortaring the seams in our cinder block walls. Then painting over that with a textured sand paint. The first round of Fix all compound worked great. But them we switched to mortar.  So after chipping off that disaster last night, I am back to compound fix all patch product.  It's quite dusty here.  It's going to look great when we are done (in five years).  Here is a sample.....

The corner by the door frame is done and you can just barely make out the seams. I am knitting and hoping to clean out the craft room so it I can work in it soon.  I'll post that shot in a day or two. Maybe, it's really embarrassing.  Hope it beautiful today where you are.  It's sunny and melting here, 70 by Friday. Southern weather never a dull moment.

Posted in: on Tuesday, March 3, 2009 at at 8:06 AM 1 comments  

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