**Right Now...**

I am

::up with the sun::

::being followed by a bright and shiny little person::

::reading soooooo many books!::

::eating while I work (food and desk...a no no but this morning a must)::

::desperately needing to finish organizing and clearing my workspace::

::out of brown yarn so I can not finish this sweater until my "honey" gets home tomorrow::

Sunday Sunday

Today I am taking the time to sit back, craft, relax, and watch the children grow! Happy Weekend!

~Life So Lovely~

 (photo by Loki)

(photo By Loki)

::chilly days to go a-wanderin'::

::eating paint because he can::

::oaks majestic and ancient in their twisty solidness::

::impish grins I know somethings up but it's all in fun::

::getting so strong look what I can do::

::love a place that provides the toys::

::and on the hook a beautiful chunky sweater for cold days to come::

{this moment}

this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

If you're inspired to do the same, leave a link to your 'moment' in the comments for all to find and see. (inspired by Amanda Soule of  SouleMama

Busy Bee

(photo taken by Loki: self portrait)

Hello to all you wonderful people (friends, family, and all others) who come by and read my blog. I am so thrilled to have you be a part of this with me. I feel that somehow we all make a tiny connection through this that is lovely! I wanted to let you know that I will be away for a few days. No emergency just a desperate need to prepare for fall that will keep me very busy for the next few days. I will be back on friday and I hope you will be here with me. Until then have a fabulous week and be well!
~Ruth~

P.S.
In my post The F.R.I.E.N.D.S Swap at a Close I was gifted with some lovely professional shots done by my friend Billy Clarke and I failed to give him credit for his work. Billy, thank you so much for the wonderful work that you gifted to me. You can find more of Billy's work at Longwalkhome-Photography on Facebook as well as on his profile page on Model Mayhem. Thanks again!

Ode To The Fog

Oh fog my friend

such a big old stubborn cloud.

Hanging low like a blanket

but you're too damp to be cuddled.

You have a unique beauty

one only you can boast.

When you visit I stay closer

to the ones I love the most.

So thank you fog for your presence

and the rest it always brings.

Keep me close to little munchkins

a truly precious gift.

~Ruth~

Home Should Be A Wonderland

When I was a child, I used to fantasize about having a home with a HUGE backyard so that I could have a park at my disposal at all times. I wanted tree forts, swing sets, slides, playhouses...basically I wanted every memorable piece of equipment from any park I had played at in my yard for me to enjoy all day long! Now that I am a mom, I daydream about creating just such a yard for my children. I want them to have places to explore and imagine in. Places to create memories that might even inspire them in playscapes for their own children when they become parents. I have been seeking inspiration from my imagination and from places we happen upon for simple yet fun outdoor kidscapes that work with the natural landscape to encourage kids to play with dirt as much as with swings or slides. At a local Waldorf inspired preschool I have found just such inspiration and I am excited at how simple building this play area will be! Soon my yard will be a wonderland for my children that will mesh smoothly with the garden and chickens in one natural beautiful place we call home!

 This is a spool stool surrounded by vines arched and tied together to create a little fairy bower.

Wonderful log seats surrounding a fire pit perfect for outdoor story times or marshmallow roasting.

 A hill created over a heavy duty piece of tubing for kids to be able to crawl through as well as watch water flow through. The stone path above creates a sense of whimsy and dimension.

 The little creek with the bridge leading to the play house gives it the feel of a seperate world. The cute yellow picket fence is the perfect accent! (Bodhi couldn't get enough of the fence and would run back and forth from the house to the gate just to latch and unlatch it.)

 The outdoor benches perfect for meals or activities and the little shelf with baskets waiting for collecting journeys through the woods or the park or just the yard.

This simple tree fort has pulleys for buckets or treasures and a slide (though it needs a telescope to watch for far off friends coming to play).

 The hammock beneath is perfect for adventures and relaxation for big and little people.

 A different view of the hill.

A little outdoor stage for performing some secret play or just to sit and watch the grass grow.

I am thrilled to my little toes and can't wait to get started on making our yard into a fantastical wonderland for our children to explore!

The F.R.I.E.N.D.S Swap at a Close

So it is with a fond adieu that I finish my last project and say good bye to the friend swap items. As I speak, they are making their way to my swap partner Paula who I hope will enjoy everything and have a use for them. I am giving you all a sneak peek of the "gifts" that were made for Paula.

(this is Iya Madrone Berry a gorgeous local mom who did an impromptu modeling shoot for me at the park during a play date with my friends son. Thank you Iya!!!!!)

Crocheted Necklace with Flower

 Sunburst Slouchy Beret

(You can see the purple button clasp on the necklace in this shot)

 (Close up of the Upcycled Stripey Flower Bracelet made from a thick hanger and striped pajama material)

 Embroidered Antique Handkerchief

Here are the three swap items I did not create...Kitty Fat Quarters, 3 Recycled Paper Notebooks (for project notes), and Dark Chocolate Covered Pomegranate Seeds

It was a challenge to figure out crafts that coincided with the letters of the word friends that also fit within the area of crafts and other thigs that my partner liked but I must say I think I did a pretty nice job.

Let me know what you think. Have any of you ever done a craft swap (this was my first)? What did you like about them and what would you change? I'm thinking about doing a fun one and I would love the input!

{this moment}

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

If you're inspired to do the same, leave a link to your 'moment' in the comments for all to find and see. (inspired by Amanda Soule of  SouleMama)

 

Finding Patience Lost

"Before I had children I was a great parent"...or so the adage goes. Though I would like to think that on many days I am a great parent, there are those days when I have to wave the white flag of defeat and wonder where I went wrong to cause such commotion in my house.

When my first child was born I was a veritable saint. My patience saw no limits and my energy was without bounds. (He moved to live with his father before the birth of my second so it was like I was starting from scratch as a new mama.) With my second child, I still felt as though I had the tiger by its' proverbial tail. Though some days were a rough finish I knew I was doing good. I felt like I had it all under control. When my partner and I linked our lives, a sweet little girl of 6 months came with him. Though there were (and are) unique challenges to a child being raised in more than one household, things were still chugging merrily along. Then I got pregnant with my youngest and I must say things have definitely shifted.

 Though I am still a lovely mother, it seems I have lost a bit of my savvy, my shimmer, my edge. My patience has hit an all time low. I am more of a grumbly mommy than I ever knew I could be. I know I am not perfect, but it took me quite by surprise to see how much of my mommy shine has dimmed. So what is a mommy to do? Read, read, READ! I have become the guru of parenting books. I find that some days, when the baby has cried all night and the older two won't stop bickering, practicing patience is much easier with a script written by someone else!


I have read many books recently on this subject but my favorites are...


Buddhism For Mothers
Raising Your Spirited Child
Above All, Be Kind
Momma Zen
Unconditional Parenting
Non Violent Communication
Everyday Blessings

These books are like a gift from heaven! It's not that they teach me how to parent or how to be peaceful. What they do is remind me that this and everything else I need to raise sweet, loving, wonderful children lies within me and always has. These books are like maps for within on the journey of finding patience lost.

On days when you feel like you need a little assist what do you do? What books have helped you?