Eat Your Heart Out NY Fashion Week

With Lucy, I really wanted her to leave the house looking cute. I for sure did her hair, and made sure her clothes matched and that she was presentable. I cared. Now I couldn't care less. Most days Clara looks like she is homeless. She thinks she knows how to do her hair, and to fight her on it is totally not worth the time or energy. To make her change out of her "beautiful" clothes and into something that matches or is appropriate is not a battle I am willing to fight. I think I have just wised up. Some things matter, most things don't. And so here is a collection of photos of my little poser in all her glory.

The best part of this one is the purple marker

which she felt really enhanced her look.

Notice she has on, not one, but two dresses.

Two is always better than one when it

comes to this winters fashions.

The hair is the highlight here. She worked hard on

this do.

I did make her put a dress on over this ensemble.

Even I have my limits.

The bandana got tied around the shoulders

for a finishing touch.

It is always entertaining, to say the least, to see what crazy outfit this girl comes up with. Here's to mellow mom's and crazy opinionated girls.

Simple Machines

In science Tucker's class has been studying simple machines. They had to come up with a project using simple machines. Tucker used a pulley system to make a flag pole. He really loved it. Projects are this kids thing and you wouldn't believe the amount of thought he put into this. Thank goodness for Dads who help with projects because if I were helping he would have probably had a wedge door opener. We got to go to the simple machine science fair yesterday to see the rest of the projects.

Creative Juices

Lately, in the name of helping Lucy, I've really honed (use that word only in the loosest fashion) some of my skills. Like numchuck skills and bowhunting skills.....I mean crochet skills and sewing skills. Lucy and a friend signed up for a crochet class from our local community ed. program. When they went they were horrified to discover that they were the only kids in the class, so I played the role of the martyr and signed up to take it with them. I wasn't so excited about it, but it turns out crocheting is kind of fun. This is a hat that unfortunately has a small nubbin at the top, and wasn't exactly intended to be Clara sized. But it does have a nubbin and is small. But hey, I made it, and it was fun.

Lucy and I also decided to make totes for our crochet supplies. We got the easy pattern from this site. Mine is brown. Lucy's is green. It has been fun.

Cafe De Valentine Round 2

Last year, you may recall, we set up Cafe De Valentine, for our children's Valentine celebration. Of course this year, with it being such a huge hit last year, Cafe De Valentine made another appearance. It was just as much fun, we were all silly, and Clara has been asking ever since, "is this a restaurant?"

The table:

The eccentric, monkey-eared hostess:

The menu:

The eccentric chef/server:

The eccentric customers, done up by their sister Lucy:

The happy feasters:

Hope you all had a great Valentine's Day!

Anne Spelled With an E

When I turned 11 my Dad gave me, very possibly, one of my all time favorite gifts: the book, Anne of Green Gables. I actually have memories of the first time I read it. One of them is hiding out in Mr. Rencher's reading castle, unable to put it down, well after reading time was over. I can't tell you how many Saturdays were spent nestled on my bed, in my corner bedroom, re-reading this beloved series. As you can imagine, I am so eager to share these treasures with Lucy. I have been begging and pleading with her to read them. But she comes from the age of Harry Potter and the Sister's Grimm. She has been hesitant, because, "Mom, I sort of just like magical books, not real books." What? Anne, not magical??? She is maybe the most magical character, along with Elizabeth Bennett, EVER!!! At least, in my humble opinion. So the other day I drew the line. "Lucy, if I have to tie you up and pin you to the couch, I will do it. I am reading you that book, and you will listen. And you will love it. Understand?" She giggled. And so, without any rope or pinning down, we sat on the couch last night and delved in. It has been years! I am captivated all over again. Who wouldn't love rediscovering "The White Way of Delight," and "The Lake of Shining Waters" and the little red headed Anne? And best of all not only am I loving it, but so are Lucy, Tucker and Anders. Hooray!

Mad Sewing Skills

This project was a group effort. Lucy and I did the main work, but my mom was our our on demand help hotline. There was quite a bit of comedy involved with figuring out the facing but in the end, we got the job done. Again, just don't look too closely at some of the details. The flower was made by my Mom and we thought it was a very nice touch.

Beannacht

Yesterday I attended the funeral of my cousin's oldest son who passed away after a tragic battle with mental illness. I was grateful I got to attend because it was a beautiful service, full of love and emotion. Not that it is a happy thing when someone, especially someone as young as Brian, passes away, but it was uplifting. To me, it was a spiritual reaffirmation of what is most essential and beautiful in the gospel, and also of the things in life share this event with family. Anyway, this poem was read at the funeral and it really struck a chord:

Thursday Poem-Beannacht (Blessing)

On the day when

the weight deadens

on your shoulders

and you stumble,

may the clay dance

to balance you.

And when your eyes

freeze behind the grey window

and the ghost of loss

gets in you,

may a flock of colours,

indigo, red, green,

and azure blue

come to awaken in you

a meadow of delight.

When the canvas frays

in the currach of thought

and a stain of ocean

blackens beneath you,

may there come across the waters

a path of yellow moonlight

to bring you safely home.

May the nourishment of the earth be yours,

may the clarity of light be yours,

may the protection of the ancestors be yours.

And so may a slow

wind work these words

of love around you,

an invisible cloak

to mind your life.

--John O-Donohue