Monday, July 28, 2014

Moments: Little boys

Recognizing the moments that make my life beautiful.
 
"When I grow up I want to be a little boy."
--Joseph Heller, Something Happened, 1974
 
 
Picture W eating a fudgcicle.
 
It's all over his face and he couldn't be happier.
 
Grandpa smiles and says to him, "The world is full of many wonders, W."











May we always see the wonder of the world.

Wednesday, July 23, 2014

Fabric Covered Blocks

 
"Moments filled with laughter last a lifetime."
 
 
The Mister is this close (this close) to being done with P.A. school. 
 
Just a few more weeks and we'll be making the big transition into the great big world.  We have no idea what that means yet. 
 
We don't know where we're going or when or how...we just know we're going to do it.
 
To add to the excitement, I am with the kids in Idaho in Idaho waiting for him while he finishes school out in West Virginia.  He's so far away. 

But he's *this close* to being done!
 
I'm staying in a room in my parents' house that has been in the middle of a bit of a makeover for a few years now.  The walls used to be covered in wood paneling but that has now been taken down leaving the walls deeply scarred with old, dry glue.  It's not very pretty.
 
 
 
But, it is a space of my own that is being very generously given to me by very loving and helpful parents. 
 
So, while I'm here, I've decided to make the most of it and create in that room a place of beauty and peace.
 
Enter these nice little signs I found at, of all places, an Army surplus store:

 
They're nice, right?  I do love words and these words are nice and uplifting. 
 
But, that's not what I bought them for. 
 
=)
 
I have some necklaces that needed a place to hang out and these pretty wooden blocks looked like they wanted the job.
 
I found some pretty fabric in my stash and set to work.
 
First I cut it to fit.
 
Then I wrapped the block up like a present...

 
Only I used a lot of hot glue and fabric. 


No one will be opening this present for quite a while...or ever.
 
 
They make me happy to look at!
 
I screwed some little hookies in the bottom (which was the hardest part of the whole project!  That wood was hard!) and put some nails in the wall, and hung them up.
 
Tada!
 
 
*Please note how the right kind of editing can make any wall look lovely.  It's almost like I did that on purpose!*
 

Monday, July 21, 2014

Moments: A Rainy Day

 
Recognizing the moments that make my life beautiful!
 
"The best thing one can do when it's raining is to let it rain."
--Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
 
It's been super hot and humid here for the past few days here.  Hot is normal for the middle of summer in Idaho.  Humid and muggy is not so common. 
 
I was feeling heavy and hot...maybe a little cranky. 
I was more aware of the stress of my every day life and feeling it more in this sticky heat.
 
And then it rained.
 
A lot.
 
The kind of downpour that washes the heat away and turns crankiness into playfulness and child-like wonder.
 
 
We watched the raindrops fall when I happily remembered that my children have never had the experience of playing in the rain! 
 
So, I opened the door and let them loose!

 
There was very little hesitation.  They knew what to do with the water falling from the sky!
 
They danced and laughed and sang and played...

 
...I joined them and thoroughly enjoyed the moment of freedom and peace.
 
Was I feeling stress a few minutes ago? 

 
Once we discovered the river in the gutter, we dove right in. 
 
No worries about the mud.  No worries about getting our clothes wet.
 
No worries.