Day 22: Equal

I've been thinking about abacuses a lot lately.

Then we got some small stones to line the labyrinth yesterday and Svea immediately grabbed a handful of stones so she could do math games.

Hooray for math games! With small stones! It was a very Montessori moment from a public-school-educated child. Hooray for Meadow View!

So Svea lined up stones to play adding games and my heart multiplied.

Day 21: Fragile

Svea's sweet little ego is a little fragile.

She keeps setting up these "shops" that offer different "lessons" such as drawing or painting or spinning tops. Seriously.

Tonight she made another drawing shop and when no one ran to buy her drawings, she kept reminding us that her shop was OPEN. So I bought a "pumpkin perspectives" drawing she did and I "paid" $5. Which she then gave back to me as my change. Sweet deal for me.

After I bought my drawing, she continued to repeat herself until other family members visited her shop...and Henry told her to be quiet (but not that nicely).

Maybe her ego isn't all that fragile considering all her repetition...maybe I just fear the moment she does feel fragile...

Day 20: Hope

Henry ran, Svea danced, and Corinne rolled through this labyrinth we made with masking tape on the floor of Restore last night.

The labyrinth, the children, the joy, the gift of contemplative practice give us HOPE.

Day 19: Pressure

This is a painting my brother did.

Somehow it ended up in my grandmother's basement (instead of on MY WALL in MY HOUSE) when he and Amber moved to Singapore.

Then one day, a friend of my grandmother's was going down her steep driveway, coming for a visit, and mistook the gas pedal for the break pedal and ran his car into the side of her house. He left the front end of the car in the basement.

Something hit something that fell on something and ruined a bunch of stuff.

In the process, this canvas ripped under the pressure of shifting objects.

It's not ruined though.

I have plans for it.

Day 18: Weather

Still not cold enough for sweet Corinne to wear this...but I can't wait. Thanks for the hand-me-down, Katie Jane!

Day 17: Time

This is under my kitchen sink. In time, there in the bottom container, I will have collected enough Capri-Sun pouches to mail into Terra Cycle.

The top two containers will decompose into yummy compost and feed the worms in the backyard. It'll take longer now that it's getting colder...but in the end, all we got is time.

Day 16: Soundless

Day 15: Warmth

Every night. On my floor. Until Corinne decides to sleep.

Day 14: Denial

I am in denial that time is all about perception, that I can fit more activities into actual minutes, that I don't care that my watch stopped working when I tried to "fall" back an hour last weekend, and that this current state ain't just a river in Egypt.

Chipotle sweet potato soup

Um. Yessssss.

Chipotle sweet potato soup

Halloween 2011

Please meet the most distinguished Misses Captain America:

And fear the Supah Ninja (again):

This holiday could not be over soon enough...

Can I get a shout out?

Day 13: You Choose

Day 12: Art

my unfinished drawing project that is due tomorrow:

from one of my classmates sketchbooks:

Day 11: Glittery

Day 10: Nature

"Nature" all up under his nails while he is catching bugs...and he doesn't even care.

I LOVE it...on some level.

Day 9: Interview

Interview with a 2nd grader:

Me: Hey, how was your day?

H: The girls were mean on the bus.

Me: Really? How?

H: They said a mean rhyme.

Me: What was it?

H: "Girls go to college to get more knowledge; Boys go to Jupiter to get more stupider."

Me: Really? "More stupider"? The irony...

H: Whatever...

Interview with a 1st grader:

Me: Svea, how was the playdate?

S: Henry was mean to us when we were playing.

Me: What did you say when he was mean?

S: I said, "Be nice, Henry! God! Is! Watching! You!"

Me: Okay. Enough said.

Interview with a one-year-old:

Me: Corinne, what do you think?

C: Ahhh. AHHHH. UMmm.

Me: Hmmmmmmm.

C: Is this thing on? Is it a phone?

Me: hug

Trunk or Treating with the Rock Star, Bumblebee, and Supah Ninja

Meet Cori-nja...

Skills. Nun-chuck skills.

Next, she's going to eat some tots.

Day 8: Newspaper

Yeah...

Day 7: Scattered

This is more of my process lately:

When I prefer to be more like this:

I know! "What the whaaah?" is what you were thinking!

This is my new painter's caddy that dear Annette sent me. So perfectly perfect and inspiring - I loaded it immediately and can't wait for the kids and I to venture out and USE it.

Now I won't be so scattered when I want to start painting!

Day 6: Treasure

One woman's trash is...you know...

which is why I love the United Methodist Women's Annual Bazarre!!

Trail mix with candy corn, clothes, kitchen items, an embroidery hoop, an old suitcase I'll reline with Super Hero pictures with Henry (did you know that Marvel has a web site where you can create your own super hero pages????? I need to find who to write my Thank You note to...), and some old airline goodie bags with eye pillows and chap stick and comfort socks.

How could I NOT buy these treasures???? (though in Alabaster, we say "tray-zure).

Day 5: Sweet Dreams

Favorite lotion, fave lip balm, eye cover if needed.

Eye pillow full of rice for the morning easing awake time. Zonk.

Day 4: Jewelry

In a nesting frenzy last year, I took an old cigar box and cut cardboard pieces to make these dividers to organize my necklaces.

Time well spent, y'all.

Day 3: Fly

Fly.

Some bright morning when this life is over...I'll fly away...

That song was all I could think of when I saw "Fly" for this challenge.

After my oldest child was born, of course THINGS changed, but the Quirky Things are what I like to think about about.

With Henry, I watched the movie "Oh Brother Where Art Thou" every day and listened to Norah Jones.

After Svea, I stopped wearing dangly earrings (a BIG wardrobe shift) and wore clothes that didn't match. I also taught myself to quilt and listened to Ladysmith Black Mambazo.

After Corinne, I memorized "Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing" and ate the #4 from the Chick-fil-A drive thru.

Regardless, I want to learn to play the violin. So I paid $15 a month for 2 years to buy this old one and can't wait to start fiddlin' away. I hope the kids want to too.

Fly, kids, in whatever way you choose...

Day 2: Something I Love

Something I love...right now I am really loving being in a Small Group with thought-provoking women on Wednesday nights.

Last night we discussed the concept of Wabi Sabi. And read this book together.

I visited this feeling and concept years ago. Then a dear friend in Evansville (Dianne) gave me this book without knowing how often I would read it.

Thank you, Dianne.

I hope for experiences of Wabi Sabi for all of you this week.

Send me a haiku about it if you are so moved.

New 30 Day Challenge!

We (some cronies and anyone else interested) are starting a new photo challenge:

And as today is Day 1, here is my open door:

About as big as your pinky finger, this door swings open in the front of Svea's doll house.

I have this vision of having a Studio or Creativity Room or Sewing Place in our house. Recently we moved Svea's doll house out of her bedroom (so she could have room for her vanity table to fix her hair in the mornings. Because you need 8 bows for first grade) to downstairs in the evolving Creativity Room.

I want the kids to play and create and feel comfortable in that room...and give me equal space to play and create and feel comfortable. We are getting there...

For now, this tiny door opening symbolizes a lot of progress for our family. I'd like to concentrate on the fact that it is OPEN, no matter how big the door.

Hooray for that.

Corinne's Little Pumpkin Party

We had a little family pumpkin-themed party last Saturday for Corinne. The party flowed and was a great time, but I didn't get one picture! Thanks to Bobbie for sending these.

Thanks to Mimi for this cute pumpkin dress!

Thanks to Henry and Svea (in full cat face for no particular reason) for helping blow out the candle!

Thanks to Daddy for the Superwoman Flying Position!

These bloomies were for you, Aunt Brooke. We missed you!!

Thank you cousins for posing together....best you could....

And thank you great-grandparents for coming to the party!

A good time was had by all...

Happy Birthday, Corinne!

Corinne is one today!

Hooray for a beautiful, amazing, long, crazy, hopeful, frustrating, wonderful 365 days!

We love you Corinne Elizabeth!

Corinne In The Great Outdoors