the day to day

The freshly torn stash for rag rug creation!

new and improved sewing education zone

not quite completed clothes for the shop

the coop base makes for great car driving terrain 

Being mama is a journey, an adventure, and a joy! There are new experiences constantly with my kids growing and changing and learning and unlearning the world around them. Each new experience is something for my soul to feast on. As the seasons shift to chillier days, inside of our home we are shifting to cozier activities. Many projects lay in wait for busy little hands and happy imaginations (theirs and mine)! Strips have been torn for future rag rugs, clothing is midway through being designed or sewn and making ready to hit my Etsy shop (click on the word etsy to go check me out), and my son (who hated crafting and would cry if I asked him to draw with me) has recently told me he wants to learn the fine art of Arts and Crafting! He wants to make a comfortor for his bed, and candles and gifts for friends and family and my heart is just full to bursting!What's an excited mama to do? As we live the unschooling life we are also busy with the seasonal life stuffs of picking, cooking, canning, and eating many many apples, making, pickles, finding new classes to take (swimming in the fall maybe), finishing up our coop, slowly creating our dream yard (so much yumminess to plant for next season), and just getting into the slower smoother, family flow.

And while we do all of this, in the background, there is much business to be done...

My not for profit is a dream moving swiftly towards realization with the business plan written and looking pretty solid. My clothing is slowly but surely getting created for the shop in the midst of life being lived. Our first print copies of Sacred Pregnancy Magazine have gone out for sale (oh happy days) and are looking oh so beautiful and are filled with some of the most amazing articles! (feel free to click on the words sacred pregnancy to go purchase your very own copy of this glorious magazine!) My first book, "Front Porch Summer Camp", is coming along beautifully and I can hardly wait to have it available to shop to publishers. Oh the sweet joys of the hyperactive and super ambitious heart!

What is going on in your world on your day to day dance? Let me know; I love to hear from you!

these days of change

As I sit here and wonder where to start, words move slowly to me.

There is great stage of transition going on and I hope you will hang in there.

At a glance I am...

Adding a new addition to the family...yup number 5 is on the way!

Recreating my blog and content

Assembling to become certified as a birth educator!!!!! A soon to be Sacred Pregnancy Group Leader!

Homeschooling, learning, growing

Working at writing a book that I hope you all will love!

Redecorating the house

Building a chicken coop/ aviary for our 7 lovely ladies

Getting the garden ready for Fall goodness

And finally writing for Sacred Pregnancy online and soon Print!

While I figure out how to get all of this into a smooth rhythm I will be here in fits and starts

But I WILL be here

Because this space is special to me

It brings me closer to the greater world beyond my reach and lets new friends in

It is a gift to me and I hope it is a gift to you

So while I adjust this world of mine I just want to say thanks for understanding

We are UNDER CONSTRUCTION!

sounds of silence

Lately I have been dealing with a bout of imaginative silence.

My writing has been less, my crafting nearly nonexistent.

Sometimes, I am bursting with ideas; I can hardly contain all of them.

Then there are times like now where no amount of forcing seems to generate new thoughts.

This is not to say I am lacking in things to do or create.

I have a whole bunch of exciting projects that I am in the midst of.

There are books being written, articles to send in (I am a freelance writer), home grown summer camps to schedule, knitting clubs to populate, homeschool supplies to replenish, fabric to purchase, websites to finish...

It is all wonderful!

However, none of it is quite at the ready to be shared phase and it seems that I have reached my mental limit.

No new ideas until I put something down or finish it; I am at maximum capacity.

While I am in this moment of silence I will still be here to share with you.

I love this space I have created and I am working to make it beautiful for me and you.

I will still be writing and sharing just a little less while I clear my plate.

Believe me there is a lot of beauty on the horizon!

50 Days Of Gratitude - Day #13

growing in all ways

As I continue to do new things and challenge myself I am constantly awed by the feeling of wonder when something that I have been working towards is brought into the light. The warm rush and the giddy tingling of joy make all the nerves of anticipation seem as nothing. I am thrilled to say my first article is available for reading at Sacred Pregnancy and I couldn't be happier with how it came out! I hope you all enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it. Many blessings and great joy in all of your endeavors!

50 Days Of Gratitude- Day #10

birthing new connections
I am thrilled and excited and feeling so renewed in my mission(s) here! I have so much gratitude for the chance to be a contributing writer for the website Sacred Pregnancy that was birthed out of this amazing book written by Anni Daulter and Elena Rego.

(Cover of the new book Sacred Pregnancy on sale May 1st)

As soon as my articles begin to go live you all will be notified. Until then, make your way to this beautiful website and if you have any pregnant lady's in your life make sure they have a copy of this book!

50 Days Of Gratitude - Day #9

Self Soothing

The ability to bring oneself comfort and healing in the midst of turmoil or upset. We watch as our little ones do this through thumb sucking, blanket cuddling, and talking to their stuffed toy friends. This amazing tool of judgement free self relief is so readily available to the wee ones in our lives and it is just as available to us big folk if we allow ourselves the permission to use the same tools as our children use. Go ahead and cuddle a blanket in a fierce bear hug when you need a pick me up (pillows work great too). Allow yourself to talk out your frustrations to an empty room or a stack of borrowed teddy bears; let yourself feel silly, that is part of the soothing magic...smiles and laughter! If  you need to make some noise- if there is a yell boiling up in your belly -roar like a lion or growl like a bear. If your energy is trying to escape physically lay down on the floor and have a quick floor thumping- kinda like a tantrum without the screaming and tears. Roll around, shake your head, bang your fist, stamp your feet and wriggle your torso until you feel better. It doesn't matter how you go about as long as the result is a non violent freeing of your happy energies. Momma's and Poppa's soothe thyself!

50 Days Of Gratitude- Day #7

Rebirth

 hard working miners lettuce...under appreciated but welcome in our yard

 ongoing battle between him and the tire swing

 teeny tiny promise of apples!

baby plum oh yummm!

Winter is the time when life slows down, when life takes a much earned rest. It is the time when you hunker down for whatever the elements might throw at you and rest up for the work ahead. 

Spring is the time of birth and rebirth! It is the opening new born eyes, the sound of hungry baby birds, the blossom of millions of tiny petals signaling the bounty of fresh fruit to come. My love affair with Spring is epic...it awakens my heart like a rainbow lights the sky. It lights me up with all the new and changing and wonderful opportunities before us all. Welcome back dear friend!

50 Days Of Gratitude- Day #6

The Joys of Childhood

There is not much that can compare to the unabashed joy flowing from happy children. Energetically running to and fro playing chase, playing cars, playing anything they want...they are kids and the world is their happy place! Oh to be a child and run with them once in a while; shaking off the role of grown up long enough to share in the purity of being young. It is so amusing how you appreciate childhood in such a different way as the parent looking in. How it seemed like the longest journey while you walked it. But now how those times seem so tiny on the timeline of your life; so far away. The gift of being a parent is that every so often (very often if you do it right!) you get to slip back into the playland with them, even if only for an instant, and taste the sugar sweetness and freedom of childhood!

50 Days Of Gratitude- Day #5

Fools Like Me

 monster kitty...

 ...and the bunny nebulae

 wait for it...

 HAA!

 Fools we know...

 these pups melt the heart

 best chicken puppet ever

 the most amazing animated puppet I have ever been near! it has intricately moving wings, a mouth that opens and closes, blinking eyes, limbs that move independently, and it is all man powered! super neatness!

 Fools we love...

Welcome April with your joyful spirit and warm weather. 

Welcome April with your laughter and trees to climb.

Welcome April with your fools running gleefully amongst eachother!

Happy April 1st!

Happy Fools Days and Fools Parade to all of my Occidental/ Sebastopol loves!

50 Days Of Gratitude- Day #4

Day # 4: the littlest things

The wee hours of the night after the older two have gone to sleep belong to me and the littlest in our home.

He is my night owl and my sleepy time companion. 

My tiny right hand man of the dusk and evening. 

Tonight was sweet and special as many of our moments are. 

He was not ready for sleep and desperately wanted to go find the moon in the sky. 

Signing, "Moon Mama", to me with a plaintive look in his sparkly little eyes, how could I say anything but yes. Booties on to keep little toes warm and jacket bundled up tight. 

Wonderfully patient as I find my cozy gear he sits and watches me with his oh so serious expression. 

Such a grown up look from such a sweet baby face. 

Moon mama he says again with hand one outstretched and one on the door knob. 

We step out onto the porch together listening to the night in the chill breeze of fresh night air. 

Look to the left, "No moon?", his words part statement part question. 

Look to the right, "No moon", 

this time with the certainty of a child who knows what they are looking for is not to be found right now. 

The clouds cover the night sky, rains have ceased but more are on their way.

 Precious face turns up to me, arms to the sky, "Uppie Mama", and a little shiver. 

My cue that our search for the moon is complete. 

These quiet moments are that which burst my heart at its seams...that which sustains my soul!

50 Days Of Gratitude- Day #3

Day #3: The Joy of Happy Healthy Children

Every morning as I rise to the slap of tiny hands on my forehead I can't help but smile. My early rising eager beaver can't wait to go greet the day and his joy is better than any cup of coffee for brightening the morning. Shy smiles come from my 7 year old who sits patiently waiting for the rest of us to rise; he is up with the sun.

Cute movie style eye rubs and squeaky voice come from our last riser little miss 4 who is sweet to watch as she breaks through her morning fog. Even these the tiniest of moments remind me constantly how blessed I am and how my life is so much brighter with my children in it. 

Share what your day of gratitude looks like; we'd love to see it!