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.

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!*

 

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.

 

 

Etched Glass

Have you ever etched glass?  No!  Have you ever wanted to learn how?! Oh, yes!!!!!!

 

It is so easy.  You will be wondering why you didn't join the etched glass bandwagon sooner!

 

Start with a piece of glass.

Any form will do.

 

Except for one with sharp edges.  That could get dangerous.

 

And probably you should make sure it is clean.

 

Pick a design...or some words...maybe a pretty little picture...and create a stencil.

I used my Silhouette and some contact paper.

 

The shape of my little vase made it a little tricky with the curve of the glass and all, but I managed.

 

Stick your stencil to the glass (this is where it helps to have an actually sticky stencil and not something you would have to hold in place).  Make sure it is good and stuck and that the edges are smooth with no bubbles or possible points of etching cream leakage.

 

Once it is etched, it is etched for good! 

 

Place the cream.  I used an old paintbrush to dab it on and I tried to be pretty generous.

 

It's pretty cool to watch actually.  The little glass munchers in that cream will seem to pull themselves away from the stencil and onto the glass.

 

munch, munch, munch

 

You really don't have to wait for long.  Everything I read said it only takes a couple minutes.  I waited about 20...just to be safe.

 

And because I was playing.

 

 

Then take your glass over to the sink and run it under the water.

 

Simple as that!

You can even rub it off with your fingers.  In fact, you kind of have to.

 

Try not to freak out (like I did) because it might kind of look like the glass hasn't been etched...

 

But it has!

Woohoo!

 

Have fun!

 

P.S. Be aware, however, that if your glass is Pyrex, it probably won't work.  That stuff is tough!

Moments: Mommy pictures

Sharing the little moments that make my life beautiful!

"The joy in motherhood comes in moments.  There will be hard times and frustrating times.  But amid the challenge, there are shining moments of joy and satisfaction."  

--Elder M. Russell Ballard

I don't have a lot of pictures of myself.  The pictures I take are most often of my kids or a project.  Sometimes I get the Mister in a picture and sometimes I get one of us together, but very rarely is there just a picture of me.

I'd like to remedy that.  I want my kids to look through old pictures and see me growing and changing with them.

The following pictures were not taken with the intention of posting them here, but once I looked at them they made me so happy that I had to share!

I was folding the laundry that was piled high on my bed.  My little man, W (who, by the way, is now a very busy 18-month-old toddler), was playing on the bed and I pulled out my camera to capture his sweetness.

But, he didn't want to be in front of the camera.  He was much more interested in what was happening on the back of the camera.  So, I pointed the camera at myself and took some pictures of myself for him to see.

He giggled and clapped and smiled for each new pose.  Some of them, he even mimicked and then laughed some more.  

It was a fun and playful moment.

What really struck me when I was looking back at the pictures was that the simple thing bringing him so much joy was me.  It wasn't the magic of the camera, it was the joy of looking at my face!  

He was seeing a face that loves him.  Every day.  Every second.  No matter what.  

A face that takes time away from the mundane laundry to play with him.

I am his mother and something about these pictures reflects how special and powerful that opportunity is.  I will watch him grow up.  No, more than that, I will be beside him as he grows and learns...as he fails and tries again and succeeds.  I will teach him love.  I will teach him strength.  I will teach him kindness and joy.

I will struggle.  I will get frustrated some days and I will fall short many times.  But, I will always be there for him and his sisters.  And, they will always be my joy.

Dear Blog:

I've missed you.  Let's get back together.

Love, Sarah

Felt Hearts...and a duck

"Be like a duck.  Calm on the surface, but always paddling like the dickens underneath."

--Michael Caine

Imagine if you will...

The big Valentine's party is tomorrow.  O has worked hard all day signing cards for her friends.  

"Let's do something special for my teacher, Mommy!"

Ok! 

But then I got distracted by my much too busy day and suddenly I was kissing her goodnight.

"Oh no, Mama!  I forgot my teacher's present!  Can you still make something?"

What else could I say but yes?  

"Oh, and, Mama?  Can you fix my duckie's leg too?"

So...I gathered my tools--my felt, my thread, a needle, a little Dr. Who--and settled in for the evening.

First thing first, let's fix that beloved duckie's little leg.

Voila!

Oooooooo!  Cookies!

Now, get inspired.  

I pinned these pretty little felt hearts ages ago.  I love them!

You can head over here to FeltSewGood for a very nice little tutorial. 

I mainly used the picture for inspiration and made them my own.

Simple and beautiful...happy.

"Duck love is recognizable in any language." --Edmond Manning, King Perry

Happy Valentine's Day!

Linking up!

Moments: Dealing with Doughnuts

This is going to look like a Christmas post.

That's because it was supposed to be posted at Christmastime.  

Still, it's a moment that made me smile, so bring on the Christmas-ness.

Sparkles, our Elf on the Shelf, brought us pumpkin Krispie Kremes for breakfast.

Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm....

Yummy.

The girls were pretty thrilled.  They don't get doughnuts very often.

L, in fact, is still figuring out how to say it.

Me: Say "doughnut."

L: Pancake

Me: Doughnut

L: Pancake

Me: Dough...never mind.

L: Pancake!

Someday she'll get it.

She might also figure out that this may not be the best way to eat a doughnut.

Then again, maybe it is.

Shaffer Sisters Guest Post

Hi friends!

I'm so excited today to be guest posting with the Shaffer Sisters.  These girls are amazing.  

Seriously.

I hope you'll come see me and stick around and get to know them as well.

Snowflake Glitter Art, My Turn

So...

I was really excited about the snowflake art my girls did.  It was fun.  I mean, who doesn't like to play with glitter, right?

I decided to make my own.

This time, I found the masking tape.  It worked waaaaaaaaay better.

First I drew the shape of the snowflake on the canvas.

Don't do that.  It's too hard to cover up and really not necessary.  The shape is pretty basic.

Then I picked out and mixed the color I wanted...

(while playing a little footsie with the Mister...)

And painted over the entire canvas, taped snowflake and all.  Then I waited.

A long time.

Well, it wasn't so bad.  I just went to bed.

The next day, I peeled off the tape. 

ooooo-oooooo!

  (See those stupid pencil marks....they don't come off.  Bad idea.)

I decided to try and cover up the pencil with white paint. Don't do this either.  It's unnecessary.

Especially if you are like me and have an ongoing war with straight lines.

Or if you do this.

Interesting thought:  I was told once that there is a tribe in some far away place that will intentionally add flaws to the crafts they create.  The idea is that only the gods can do perfect and they don't want to offend the gods by creating something perfect, so they purposefully add an imperfection.  

So, there you go...that's my imperfection.

 Now it gets fun.

Ok, it was already fun.  Not it gets more fun.

I got some Mod Podge.  I got some super fine glitter.  We had a party. 

Looking back, I kind of wish I had maybe added even more glitter and maybe even experimented with a little paint.  I'm not sure how that would have worked out, though.)

It took some time, but I globbed that happy mixture on top of the snowflake. 

 I laid it on thick.

And I giggled with glee as I watched it dry.

It is so sparkly!

Then I let it dry and... 

TaDa!!!!!!!!

I have to say, I like it...but I'm not really in love with it.  If I did it again, I wouldn't make the background color so dark and I would try to find a way to make it look more glittery.

But still... 

It's pretty.

And I got to play with glitter.

Everything is better with glitter.

And chocolate.