5.6

In the drive from Svea's school to Henry's, we cover 5.6 miles and pass about 7 churches.
Sweet Home Alabama.



I say "about" 7 churches because a few of these are in homes, so it's hard to tell unless there is a marquee in the yard. And there is also the random marquee on wheels by the empty gravel parking lot that reminds you that the Salvation Army Wants You To Know That God Is Love on your way to school. No church building, but definitely a message.



We all receive, in some way, unsolicited advice everyday. Some call it Marketing. I want to believe that people are mostly good and nice and that they want to share with me what made them feel good that day.



There are days when I meet someone with a shirt on that says, "Satan is Ugly as Sin" and I don't know where to begin with our conversation. But I still want to have that conversation. I just hope S/HE starts it.



Then I see a sign that says "Forbidden Fruit Creates Many Jams" and I just want to travel that thought journey with whoever came up with that caption. It's truly clever when you think about it long enough, with lots of references solid to the Southern Bible, but when it catches me off guard on the church marquee I almost run off the road every time.



The Abundant Life Church right by our house just changed its sign to read "Instructions for Abundant Life Inside."



I'm just trying to stay open here. I'm starting with noticing what's on my daily drive: church marquees, cows and Starbucks.
I can't believe I just typed that. I will say (or type) that though Google can only satisfy some of my searches and since Abundant Life has an address, I will embrace this gratitude to be where I am right now, here, with all the advice and suggestions, in the form they need to be.
Again, Sweet Home Alabama.

New Desk

I, Husband has been working on a desk (or an idea for one) for Svea's fourth birthday.

The plans, supplies and "help" all came together recently and Svea has a new favorite place to sit and draw in her bedroom.












(my favorite part is how it fits together as a cube!)

Catching Up

Need to catch up now on some blogging since my awesome 2 megapixel finally bit the dust (thank you Dianne!!!! but it now rests in peace...)





Svea and I have about 40 minutes together to read books, make up games, sing songs and sweat while we wait for Henry to get out of school. I love this time with her.




She made up a "Zip-It" game where one of us takes a turn singing and the other gets to "zip" the singing. Then the person "zipped" has to still try and sing out of the side of her mouth. It's awesome.

Tea Cozy Sneak Peak

So I've been making tea cozies like mad lately.

Maybe it's because both of my kids are in an organized school setting for more than two hours in a row for the first time ever.

Maybe it's because I love drinking hot tea.

Maybe it's because I just read Three Cups of Tea and was inspired to do something to support school systems in general all over the world (a portion of every cozy sale will go to the Central Asia Institute this time around. Am totally going local next time).

Maybe it's because my mom has a friend who is managing an art gallery and needed more "fiber artist" representation in an upcoming exhibit and asked for 20 tea cozies. So I made 31.

Maybe it's because I'm still excited I have a sewing machine that works so well (the Husqvarna Lilly and I have been together now a year and 2 months).

Maybe it's because I needed a craft to do with my hands that had a beginning and an end and modeled for my children a necessary skill.

Maybe, and most of all, maybe I did it because I enjoyed every single minute of it.

Here's a sneak peak at some of the cozies:

1. Sweater and Flowers Cozy, 2. Brown & Pink, 3. B&W Pinwheel, 4. Asian Fabric Triangle Cozy, 5. IMG_0001, 6. IMG_0029, 7. Purple Snowflake Cozy, 8. Serenity Lady Rectangle Cozy, 9. Namaste Yoga Cozy, 10. Down Dog Side of Yoga Cozy, 11. Up Dog Side of Yoga Cozy, 12. Pink Rose Cozy with Ribbon and Green Interior, 13. French Press Cozy Made from a Sweater Sleeve, 14. Pink Fleece Crown Cozy, 15. IMG_0084, 16. Multicolored Crown Cozy, 17. Back of Multicolored Crown Cozy, 18. Tree side of Tree Pose Yoga Cozy, 19. IMG_0077, 20. Floppy Cozy with Pink Piping (meant to go over teapot and mugs), 21. One-eyed Hippo, 22. Green Zebra Print of Triangle Pink & Green Cozy, 23. Polka dot Side of Triangle Pink and Green Cozy, 24. IMG_0065, 25. Small White Cozy with a Bathing Suit Skirt from a 3 year old's bathing suit, 26. Two-eyed Hippo, 27. Blue Snowflake Sweater Cozy, 28. Simple Diamond Pattern Cozy

All of the cozies and their interiors can be seen here.

Word.

Drink more tea.

GNI

The other night, Svea and I had a Girls Night In as she had had a phat nap and Henry and Brian were already snoozing.

She grabbed her new monkey balancing tree, took off the monkeys and began talking to them individually.

I probably would not have photographed this moment if she hadn’t started calling the monkeys her “weinies”.

The third grader in me couldn’t stand it, so I grabbed my camera.

Then she got mad that I was taking pictures…can you tell?

Kid Quotes

Recent quotes from Svea:

"Why?"

"Why?"

"Mooooom, Sugar just bit my bangs!"

"Why?"

"Mooooom, can you come in my room and pick up this marker top I dropped?" (two inches from her foot)

"Why?"

"Why?"

Recent quotes from Henry:

(upon arrival home from school)
"Hey Mom! (hugs me) You smell good! Did you just brush your teeth? Is my soccer uniform clean yet?
(races out of the room)


Me: Henry, I have some bad news. There's no parade tonight because of the rain. But we will have your soccer game in the morning.
Henry: WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!
Me: I know, I'm so sorry. But we will still play soccer tomorrow.
Henry: WAAAAAAAAAAAAAA! But you have to sleep before tomorrow!
Me: I know, but then you'll have energy to play if you sleep.
Henry: WAAAAAAAAAAAAAA! I don't LIKE bad news! (goes to his room and shuts the door)


Henry: Mom, did you know about Abraham Lincoln? He was the FIRST president of the United States of AMERICA!
Me: Really? I thought George Washington was.
Henry: No, Mooooooom. (deep sigh) George Washington was the THIRD.
Me: Oh.


Henry: Mom, look at my drawing.
Me: I love it! Tell me about it.
Henry: This is the tree on the island in the water. This is the yellow guy running away from the bad, bad, mean SHARK.
Me: Oh. What do you call the shark.
Henry: Female.

Don't Bite The Hand

I have been laughing in surprise and amusement at the similarities and differences in domesticating a puppy and domesticating small humans.

I find myself thinking (and saying) often, "Don't bite the hand that feeds you, dude."
That goes for both children and the pet.

Shug has been such a welcomed addition to our family. I love taking care of her while the kids are at school (my own weaning process, I'm sure) but I also love that I can crate her and go to the store by myself for an hour. I promise I never did that with the humans.

She also requires that the kids shut their doors completely during "quiet time" in the afternoons since she loves the taste of army men and paper dolls. The unexpected benefit is that when their doors are closed, they actually rest.



Also, if the kids run in the house, Shug considers that an invitation to chase and play and bite their behinds. Aha! Less running in the house.

There are new phrases that I would have never predicted could get such a response out of me such as:

"Moooooom, I just stepped in Sugar's tee tee!"

and

"Moooooom, Sugar has the remote control again!"

and

"Moooooom, she's eating leaves again!"



Overall, I have to say that it has been a fun introduction to owning a puppy...and we are on day 3 of no accidents in the house. Sweet.

Svea's First Soccer Practice

Svea had her first soccer practice the other night.

She has been wearing her shin guards and cleats for weeks as she has sat through Henry's practices and asking me, "Mooooom, why does September take so looooong?"

She acted like she was totally ready.

We had our doubts about how much she was really going to like it, but wanted to give it a shot.

Halfway through the practice she started crying and wanted to lie down in my lap and eat snacks. That's my girl.

So she quit in the middle and watched everyone else score goals. Then at the end she grabbed more snacks from the Team Mom, drank her Gatorade and ate Bugles on her fingertips like they were her long, manicured nails.

It's all about having fun, right? Just Svea's version of fun is a little different from the coach's.
We'll see how the next practice goes...