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Not so happy with blogger at the moment....

My Life

When I have changed too many diapers to count, stared at the endless stack of dishes, and folded one too many onsies I sometimes think back to those days when I felt a bit more free. I am so thankful for each and every one of my experiences in this life. 

When I find myself in the routine of family and children and fear creeping slowly in... afraid to watch the news because every story whittles away at the small piece of hope left in your heart, afraid to drive on ice, afraid to try something new... I like to think back to my time of crazy, unedited living and traveling.

These memories become gentle nudges and whispers in my ear to let go of fear, to find spontaneity in this current life, and to model and encourage a path of unfiltered emotions and passions to our children. 

There are small blips on the parenthood radar of once again feeling lofty and liberated. When I am going to crumble or explode (or both) from the trials of motherhood and wifehood… I crank up the stereo to my favorite 80's CD (the kids always look at me like I have lost my marbles) and we just dance.  The best thing about kids is they don't judge… they just look up at you in pure adoration and think you do the best sprinkler and kid'n'play they have ever seen. Watching your 4-year old daughter do the robot probably ranks right up there with the high of jumping out of an airplane.

It is a constant job to fight against the beast of monotony and limit those things that hinder vivid experiences - TV, perfectionism, computers, consumerism… they are different for everyone.

Let life in. 

It helps me to remember that once upon a time I had the strength and bravery to solo backpack through Europe, create art with little fear of judgment, and skydive with a crazy little barefoot man strapped to my back. Those experiences and memories help me get through my days of wiping hinies, making mac and cheese, and doing dishes …those days when its hard to recognize this slight version of yourself.

"You gain strength, courage, and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. You must do the thing which you think you cannot do."

Eleanor Roosevelt

What have you done today to break out of your rut?
What have you done today that scares you?

Read Along

I have always loved reading. I have my Mother to thank for this gift. Ahem... I guess being a librarian/media specialist/tech coordinator (whatever the going title is right now) helps out a bit. Memories growing up include: trips to the small Citrus Park library by our house (which is now relocated and HUGE), bedtime stories, and even potty training while sitting backwards on the toilet so we could prop up a book. The beautiful thing about reading is that anyone can get into it... because there is a book about everything. 

If you like collecting garden gnomes... 

there is a book about it. 

or 

If you like converting your engine to run on vegetable oil... 

there is a book about it. 

or

Wondering if Jem is still "rockin" it...

Yep...there IS a book about it.

My brother is also an avid reader... his affection has always been historical fiction and war stories w/ a little Calvin @ Hobbs mixed in. I have always loved the dreamy and romantical (that was for you Tasha) books - Anne of Green Gables, Secret Garden, Pride & Prejudice, Jane Eyre.  As the years have gone by my interest in book subjects has changed and stayed on course with my life events. Political/Social/Environmental activism in my early twenties... and now in my...ahem... "thirties" my books revolve around parenting, cleaning tricks, cooking, and crafting. I also mostly enjoy Non Fiction for the simple reason of self preservation. If I start a novel of Fiction... I CAN NOT stop reading it. I would be up all night impatiently devouring every word. Which I have now learned a mama that does not sleep makes for a not so good Mama the next day. A few years ago I read Real Food. 

A great read.. I recommend it. Mike and I are always on a constant road of trying to eat and live simply. A rocky road. I am always battling the local vs. organic vs. my own "cheapness" issues. But we will save this for another post:)

After hearing a lot about Animal, Vegetable, Miracle I decided to take a break from parenting books and dive in. 

So far it is addictive. 

So far I am showing some self control and I did go to bed early last night... although I cant make the same promise for tonight!

 

It is essentially about a family who chooses to live one full year eating only things they can find locally... to learn where their food comes from and who grows it. 

Has anyone read it?

Do you want to read along? 

I will post my progress and thoughts on the book... feel free to do the same.

Happy Reading!

Spring

 

As we wait for the snow to melt we anxiously look for the signs of Spring. Everyday Lyla says to me...

"What is taking Spring soooo long?"

I tell her you have to look closely and listen intently because it is already here. The birds are visiting our front porch, the snow IS slowly melting, and soon we will see some green poke through the cold brown earth. While we wait we have been busy with bunnies, crafting, planting, baking... and a little coughing and sneezing thrown in as well.

Happy Spring Everyone!

Crafty

 

Lots of fun creating the past few weeks... chickie nests, birthday gifts, nature bags, planting seeds. 

And lots of coffee too:)

A visit from some bunnies

 

Our neighbor Cindy was gracious enough to bring over her baby bunnies for the kids to see and play with. How brave of her to venture into the wild kid crazed house with her cute, timid, little bunnies. The kids LOVED it... I thought for sure we might end up with a pet bunny after the visit. Maybe....

Earthquake

So we just had a little shaky shaky going on. The kids were eating lunch and I was nursing Cora when I felt a little tremor... I thought... oh it must be the train or a semi (yeah our street is that peaceful)... then we got a REALLY good jolt. Enough for the kids to notice. Lyla says to me... "Mom.. I was sitting there and now Im sitting here"

Really I am not the best at this whole earthquake thing... even though we get little ones here and there I am never quick enough to get under cover. By the time my brain registers it is an earthquake it is usually over. So the kids and I just sit there... thinking it is a semi rumbling by. Quite the brave, courageous, protectant mother I am.

It was a 4.7 and 15 miles from Anchorage. The online info said they do not expect a tsunami from it. Hmmm... comforting.

Ashy Housekeeping

So I was just trying to sweep and straighten the back entry and while I am cleaning I am griping to myself... "oh geez the kids tracked volcano ash all through the house". 

And then I stopped and realized how absurd and bizarre that statement was. 

Life in Alaska... the weird becomes normal so quickly.

Anyhoo this was one housekeeping day that didn't bother me too much as I swept up the fury of Mt. Redoubt. 

And yes mom I collected you a sample for your library.

Check out our friends blog who have some cool pictures of the ash... click here.

Milestones

 

I feel so connected to this little one. Not sure why... maybe you get more intuitive with each kid... or maybe pushing her out with no drugs couples her to your mom psyche FOREVER. I have felt it coming for some time now... the drooling, the fussing, the chewing. I swear my gums swelled and throbbed right along with hers. Everyday I have been feeling with my finger the slowly approaching milestone. And then over the weekend I ran my finger once again along the bottom gum and there it was...

the jagged little white tooth had emerged. 

Her first tooth. 

So proud.

Trying to slow down and appreciate this milestone.

My Week from Dante's Inferno

Monday 

While I was changing Cora, Keenan decided to paint himself, the wall, the table, and the carpet with his oatmeal. How do you get oatmeal out of carpet?!?!?!

I dropped the jelly jar at lunch... shattered everywhere in tiny bits of glass and jelly.

Lyla had a bedtime accident.

Keenan didn't nap. Keenan has rotavirus (for those of you who don't have kids this is the most putrid, stinky intestinal virus ever imaginable)

Get a little too experimental with dinner and end up with some weird wild rice and beat casserole. Not so good.

Twist my back wrong. Pain.

Doing Laundry, doing laundry, doing laundry.

The house stays a mess... I stay in my pajamas.

Tuesday

While changing Keenan he pees all over me. I won't tell you exactly where - because it is way to disturbing  - but it is somewhere between the region of my new haircut and my neck.

Keenan doesn't nap. Keenan and rotavirus.

So preoccupied with conundrums of the day I forget it is St. Patty's Day (my favorite holiday... isn't it supposed to be lucky?) and forget to cook corned beef and cabbage.

Back still hurts.

Doing Laundry, doing laundry, doing laundry.

The house stays a mess... I stay in my pajamas.

Wednesday

While making pasta salad I get called away to a waking baby Cora, when I return "I didn't do it" poured a box of Cheerios into the bowl of pasta salad.

Keenan didn't nap. Tears apart his room into little itty bitty pieces all over the floor.

Lyla had a bedtime accident.

Doing Laundry, doing laundry, doing laundry.

The house stays a mess... I stay in my pajamas... squeeze in a shower... put the same pajamas back on.

Thursday

While balancing a plate of quiche (slathered in Tobasco sauce), a big glass of water, and talking on the phone to Brook I fall down the stairs. I was trying to be a dutiful wife and bring my husband a snack after work -  instead I went from the top step to the bottom step at the speed of light... quiche, water, phone, and Teresa in jumbled mess at the bottom of the stairs. Tobasco on my face, water in my ear, quiche smooshed in the carpet, and me yelling to the phone on the floor... "Um Brook I'm gonna have to call you back." I now have an ugly, large bruise on my bum.

Keenan didn't nap.

Doing Laundry, doing laundry, doing laundry.

The house stays a mess and at this point is beyond any help I can give it. We might need to rent a forklift.

And yes I am still in my pajamas.

Friday

Load up and haul all the kids to the Dr.'s office. Check on Lyla for possible UTI for all the accidents she had. Check on Cora for a stuffy nose she has had for three weeks. (Good news - everyone is fine:)

March Radness - By Friday night I am #24 in the boards. Ummm... #24 out of 26 people. FSU loses.

The good news is that the week is over and we all survived. The kids survived, I survived, and Mike survived through me complaining about my WORST WEEK EVER! Where was my Virgil?

Lessons learned: Don't balance too many things while walking down our scary stairs, GET OUT OF MY PAJAMAS, and through all the poop, pee, and snot our kids are still pretty cute.

Mr. Winky

Growing up in Florida I always thought all snow was the same. 

Snow was snow.

...an enchanting, natural element used for snowball fights, building snowmen, and creating snow angels. That could not be further from the truth. 

Here in our part of Alaska the snow is very dry. No matter how hard you try the snow refuses to pack together tightly to make the perfect snowball to lodge at your husband.

It simply falls apart... it reminds me of fake snow... almost like confetti snow.

Really it is not very much fun. The only thing you can do is make snow angels. 

So we make A LOT of them.

However every once in awhile all the needed weather ingredients come together and we have a few days of wet, sticky snow! We have been blessed with this snow the last few days. So with Mike's building skills... Mr. Winky was born.

And then Mr. Winky was knocked down by two lil' hooligans

Who were determined to eat Mr. Winky's face. And yes that is a potato... a raw potato.

Bye Bye Mr. Winky. See you next winter.

Through the Eyes of Lyla

 

Lyla's first photography show. 

Give her some love by leaving a comment and I will be sure to read them to her.

And yes that is a mannequin. Her name is Gertie and she lives with us. I will do a meet and greet with her in another post.

hair, hair, everywhere

So I did it. With a little inspiration from Cassidy and Tracy and coordinating kid swapping w/Brook... I chopped off all my hair and donated it to locks of loves. It feels good to have a change and not get hair in Cora's face every time I nurse.  Hhhmmm... it makes me feel like  I am getting ready for the slowly approaching spring & summer.

Although for those that know me... are aware of my incredibly thick hair... and I have a lot of it. So anytime I get a haircut it involves A LOT of thinning. By the time she was done there was another wig laying on the floor. So thick course hair also means it has a mind of its own when it gets short enough to take control again. So of course after a shower last night and going to bed with wet hair... I woke up this morning with rooster bangs and tidal wave coming over the left side of my head. A little flock of seagullish. As Mike is literally pulling me out of bed at 6:30 this morning (this is the only way I am able to wake up... he has to pull me to my feet:) he casually says... "wow your hair still looks good."  He is just so funny...

(pic added 3/17)

OK... OK... a picture. I really tried to post a picture Lyla had taken of me but my vanity over ruled my motherly love. You gotta love these self portraits... it is black & white so you don't notice the bags under my eyes as much:)

Finding your spot

So it has been one week and one day since I gave up TV. 

Is my life richer, fuller, calmer? Probably too soon to tell. My house is still a disaster so the extra time has not gone into cleaning. I might have replaced TV with computer time... but I guess that is good for all you grandparents out there... more blog entries.

It has been difficult finding someplace to go when Mike is watching TV... I am looking forward to finishing Lyla's room so I can create my "craft closet" in the other room. For those of you who don't know - ever since we moved into this house Lyla has been patiently waiting for her "princess" room. And we have slowly worked on it as time and funds allow. I am keeping ample pictures of the progress so I am sure I will post about it soon. The end of the princess project is coming near. I am excited to soon have my own "spot" where it can be quiet, creative, and inspiring. Everyone needs their own little nest to smooth their feathers, sharpen their beak, and dream about one day finding the big worm in the sky. 

How about you guys... do you have your own nest/spot? Where is it? What does it look like? 

OK, OK I have a confession. I watched Lost last night. Good I'm glad that is out in the open... now we can all move on.

Poop, Nails, and Garden Journals

Today Keenan pooped on the hallway carpet. 

It all started with  him helping me do the dishes. He is so enthusiastic about washing dishes that I always strip him down to a diaper and put about a gazillion towels under him. Today he was even more enthusiastic than usual and his diaper exploded from all the water dripping down into it. So somewhere between me directing him to his room to get dressed and clean up, picking up the towels, and mopping up all the water (by the way this is the ONLY time my floor ever gets cleaned:)... Lyla had found a box of finishing nails and dumped them in the middle of the hallway to play with them (yes cursing Mikey right about now.)

So Keeny on the way to his room passes this extremely enticing mountain of nails and decides to stop and play awhile with his sister. He must have been pretty engaged and relaxed because he pooped... on the carpet... and the nails. This is about when I walk in on the scene of spilled nails... and poop. Poop on spilled nails.

Have you ever tried to pick up those tiny finishing nails from the carpet? One by one. 

Now add poop to the equation.

So after much cleaning and window opening (did I mention it was 20 degrees today?) we pushed on to our activity... Garden Journals. And I am so glad we did because it made me forget all about the poop and dream forward to the sweet smelling flowers of Spring.

I had the kids glue collages of things they wanted in their garden this year... we looked through gardening books... then we all made wish lists. I'm writing their wishes below. Thought it was cute.

Keenan's Garden Wish List

1. Fruit

2. Sticks

3. A Yellow Leaf

Lyla's Garden Wish List

1. Leaves

2. A girl

3. Pumpkin

4. Flowers

5. Birdbath

My Garden Wish List ( I am really only putting mine on here for the benefit of the Hippy NY Joyces... r u reading this Uncle Thom or are you still mad at me for leaving Myspace.)

1. Herbs

2. Birdbath/Birdhouse

3. Snap Pea Teepee

4. Bocci ball or horse shoe

5. Lettuce

6. Sunflowers

7. Rhubarb

8. Uncle Thom's Art (Just because a girl elopes in snowshoes doesn't mean she shouldn't have the wedding gift she has dreamt about ever since she was a wee lass learning to go weewee next to a certain station wagon. And yes... all five of you boys... it still pains and hurts me how much you laughed at me for not knowing how to go pee outside... hello I grew up in Tampa. People in Tampa don't learn how to do that until college. Proud to say Lyla is a pro at peeing in the woods:) Oh I digress.....

Anyways... garden journals...so much fun. Although I think I enjoyed it more than the kids.

I want you all to check out the Artist Within under my "Things I'm Lovin".... I promise it will be worth the two and half minutes.

Decided not to post pictures of the poop. I will post the garden journal pics later... I am having camera issues.