SouleMama

i love weekends

{photo by SoulePapa}

Thanks for all of your kind well wishes these past few days. We're all feeling a bit better and much more like ourselves.

I hope you, too, have a bit of 'sunny, comfy, and restful' in your weekend!

i love...

that girl
those shoes
that rabbit hold
those saggy tights
...and this vintage wool coat that I found thrifting many years ago - before I even had a daughter - and had quietly stashed in the back of a closet for 'someday, maybe'.

I love that my sweet girl loves it as much as I do.

** ** **

She's going to need a lot more than this wool coat to stay warm this weekend. Fireside is where we'll be. It's - as we say around these parts - wicked cold. (It's a chilly 14 below zero at the moment.) Wherever you are, and whatever the weather, I hope your weekend is a cozy one!

what i love :: ocean gold

what i love :: the yellow gold of the ocean that shines at sunset.

Thank you for your beautifully kind, lovely, and funny comments and emails this week! You make me smile. Wishing you a wonderful weekend...

what i love :: some yellow with my green

What I love :: this vintage hair clip from a birthday visit to Ferdinand. Who doesn't need a row of lemons in their hair? Exactly. My little girl got the strawberries. SO cute.
 

What I love :: these little flower/weed things (that's how much I know) that grow right outside my front door, even though I've never noticed them before. I think they make me sneeze, but I still can't stop smiling when Ezra places them in every empty vessel throughout the house (and hair).

What I love :: my new shoes!

what i love : end of day ordinary

scene from the end of a day -

the favorite, softest summery cotton pajama pants - slipped on just as the sun sets :: a few more striped rocks added to the pile from the day's adventure :: the splashing, laughing, tired sound of 'three soules in a tub' :: late summer flowers from a visiting friends' garden :: earrings and hairbands removed with a deep sigh and sink into at-home end-of-day comfort :: all resting on my grandmother's linen.

What I love: The everyday, ordinary, mundane and beautiful moments at the end of the day.

what i love : coastal cruises, and fabric shops

I love the rare car ride alone with my love, on our way to other errands. Made all the better when it's along the coast. (It just about makes up for missed overnight getaway dates.) The uninterrupted talking (that invariably results in talking about how much we miss the kids), the silence, the music, the laughter. It's all very, very good.

The drive is made all the better by the impromptu stops along the way. Particularly for those involving a sign with FABRIC on it. Yeah, must stop at those. On this particular day, we found a lovely and old, but new-to-me fabric shop, Alewives near Damariscotta (hello Rhea! Lovely to meet you!). I'm far too shy to have taken pictures in the store, but I will tell you I was so pleased to see their selection include some of my favorites - Freshcut, Amy Butler, Heather Ross, and Joel Dewberry. It was a treat to find somewhat-locally what I've only admired or purchased online before.

All very good indeed.

I hope you're having a wonderful weekend...

what i love :: backyard blankets, and what goes on them

Often, just as fun as a summer outing to the beach, is the everyday kind of outing to the backyard. The kind of lazy summer afternoons that involve: chapter after swing/snack/sandbox/bike ride-interrupted-chapter of what is surely our most-read family book (thank you dear Amy and family for this beautiful Lizbeth Zwerger version); blocks brought outside to construct a log cabin 'for gram to live in right next to our house'; dolls brought out to nap in the sun, but only after a little lullabye; and the ultimate treat of the first of the backyard blueberry season.
Oh, yes. This is good. 

what i love :: girlfriends...

...and hot summer nights, watermelon in a thrifted pyrex bowl, vintage skirts and handmade skirts, the river (with only a mild amount of trespassing involved - because the water belongs to us all), a bald eagle sighting, cabernet sauvignon, tzatziki and pita, ice cream, and much laughter. All in one beautiful evening.

I hope you're enjoying your weekend!

what i love :: family art

instead of dinner ...
snacks and family art night outside, with the day's beach treasures as inspiration.

Oh, Summer...

small comforts are where it's at

Ever so slowly this week life will start to head towards 'normal' once again. It's amazing how those little four-legged beings can have such a huge presence, isn't it? We miss Luka. A lot. And we miss Mow, too. We've never not had a dog - it feels very different around here.

Amidst all of that, though, lots of small comforts abound:

::Flowers. Everywhere right now - outside and in. (And a belated Happy Solstice to you, by the way).

::Remembering. Planting, playing, and climbing the trees in our new 'Dog Garden" in the woods; writing a Blurb book about sweet Lu for the littles; and reading and talking lots with the kids about their (and our) sadness. There's lots of great books out there for kids on grieving, some of which we have. But truth be told, we always find comfort, truth, clarity, and gentleness in dear Mr. Rogers. Because that man was amazing.

::Thrifting. Of course. This little paint-by-number piece is my new favorite studio art. I find the freaky eyes oddly cute.

::Blogreading. Sometimes staring at the screen for hours on end is a very welcome break, indeed. And really, there's so much goodness going on out there. And how about Miss Lydia? Oh gosh, just beautiful. This is one of those times when the downside of 'blog friends' (um, that pesky continent between us - sorry Midwesterners) is seriously bumming me out. Oh, how I would love to pop into the Karol house with some food and hugs, ears for the birth story (I love a good birth story), and a kiss for that soft baby head. Congratulations Amy, Pete, Sadie, and Delia, And Welcome, sweet Lydia - you picked the right family, girl!

::More Thrifting. I've had my eye out for one of these for a while. It's the exact model I used as a child (my father's), but it's in perfect condition, with a case, the instructions and warranty (expired in '67. dang.). I am thrilled to have one of these to play with (and so is Ezra).

::Sewing. Yes, there's been some of that. Lots of that.

::Dancing. There's always dancing on the sun porch. The guaranteed-to-lift-your-spirits kind of dancing. Good stuff, that dancing.

what I love :: everyday rituals

Ah, morning rituals. Like tea, and toast and on Sundays - the crossword puzzle. A little moment of peace amidst the chaos. If I had taken this photo a little wider out you would see the full picture - the boys eating their third bowl of yogurt of the morning with granola spilling over the table, the babe opening the fridge and pulling out her own rice milk (onto the floor), the cat scratching at anyone nearby to be fed, and the dog underfoot and picking up the remains of the morning. Usually there's enough 'still' time to at least finish the toast, and to dive into just a corner of the puzzle. No worries - I figure I've got years ahead of me when mornings will include a full crossword puzzle without interruption. Until then...I'm content with my morning ritual of stillness just the way it is. All two minutes of it.

We're headed North into the woods later today - to retrieve my babe, and frolick by the lake for a few days.  I'll be back here on Wednesday! Have a lovely (long, I hope) weekend!

what I love :: Boy

I love hearing language develop, and new words being added to Adelaide's repertoire each day (this week's favorite: 'ca-co-cone,' or telephone). I love hearing her play around with words in her mouth, rolling them around until they come out just as she'd like - "Poppy," "Momeeee," Zazie". She can't say "Calvin" the way she wants, so she calls him, "Boy". Love that. We've all taken to calling him "Boy" now (himself included), which pleases her to no end.

The Lady A and I are missing our Boy today, as he's off with Grammie and Grampie on his first overnight adventure sans parents. I've been talking (and talking) with him about what he can do if he gets sad, misses us, etc, which has only been met with puzzlement, and a matter of fact, "But Mom. Why would I miss you? I'm going to see you tomorrow."

Right. I guess I'm the one who'll be doing the missing.

what I love :: summer food

It can't be found locally yet, and not even organically...but I couldn't resist a little dive into the season with corn on the cob, cooked on the grill. With pasta salad, and grilled burgers (for the meat eaters among us). Eaten outside, naturally. Where else can you eat your dinner in between swings on the swingset and cartwheels on the grass? It's one of the only times that our busy little babes partake in the kind of leisurely hour-long meal celebration I always dreamed about having with my own family. I love it.

And in just a couple of weeks, our first CSA share of the season will be ready, and then come the berries, and the rhubarb, and the watermelon and.....Oh my....

what I love :: color

I love arriving home from a day of thrifting to find a surprise color theme amongst my treasures.

(I'm doing some what I love posts - a photo and just a few words - for the rest of the week. The spring air and our garden are calling my attention elsewhere!)

advice for a February day...

First...

And...

I wasn't clever enough to add music (I tried. it failed. bugger.). We, of course, love David Bowie. And the M. Ward take on the song makes me happy too.

Have a lovely day! We're eagerly awaiting the arrival of lots and lots of snow.

making our way, day 7

#7. Find the sun and soak it up, both outside and in.

Thanks for playing along this week as we make our way through February! It''s been a wonderful break and welcome reminder of the little joys that this month holds.

making our way, day 6

#6. Take a nap. Made all the better if you can find someone to sling you.

making our way, day 5

#5. Restock the essentials, and Reorganize the supplies - theirs and mine - for a fresh slate of inspiration.

making our way, day 4

#4. Get outside everyday. Ignore the below zero temperatures (forget the windchill). Focus instead on the beauty of the winter wonderland around us and children happily rolling about and playing in the snow. When that doesn't work, admire new shoes.

making our way, day 3

#3. Bake. Eat.

Bake. Eat.

Eat. (We're all about the carbs and cream in February.)

making our way, Day 2

#2. Take a break from it all with other February Funked Out crafty mamas. Drink wine. Eat chocolate. Laugh a lot. Thanks, friends.

{{P.S. - The Shop is updated now with smocks, crowns, and totes. thanks!!}}

edited: After a tiny flurry of emails about this post, I feel I must clarify that this photo was taken at a Mama's gathering in the evening, when all babes were sleeping. No wine (or chocolate!) was consumed with the little ones running around. I'm so out of the loop, I didn't even know about the whole drama going on out there in the world right now with 'martini playdates' and such. I really don't have anything to say about that here, except wouldn't it be swell if we moms were all a bit nicer to each other?
Moving on now...

making our way through the February Funk

#1. Stay in bed. And read. (Flannel sheets, down comforter and smartwool socks required.)

Making me happy...

Really, it doesn't take much to make me happy. A front row seat at the in-house jousting performance. Ending the day with some Green and Blacks. Making it through an entire day without anyone breaking a glass or dish (which I really only mind because it means i need to vacuum. ugh.).  But there was even more yesterday that has me in good spirits:

This vintage dress. Thrifted yesterday for $2. A vintage 'Alice In Wonderland Frock', with the adorably illustrated tag still attached, and the crisp tissue paper and pins on the inside. It will fit Adelaide this spring and I can hardly wait. I think we might need some patent leather shoes. And ruffle-bum tights? Alright, alright. I'll stop at that.

You. Not only did the shop sell out, but more importantly, you showered me with kind words. It feels *so* amazing to put yourself out there, sometimes a bit vulnerably, and to be met in return with kindness, and generosity. Really now, that's just wonderful. Thank you.

Baby Steps. And giving cause for one more celebratory dinner, a title for the book was finalized yesterday. I'm slowly beginning to believe that at the end of all of this (January '08!), there's going to be a book - MY book - that I can actually see, and hold, and read (well, I'll probably be too freaked out to actually read it - I'm anticipating it to be like hearing your voice on an answering machine.oy). So, without further adieu -
The Creative Family:
Simple projects and activities for you and your children that encourage imagination and nurture family connections
A title! Hooray!

Who knew that such a random Tuesday in January could be full of such goodness.

simple pleasures

1. Little bits of seasons past found weathered outside. Is your yard littered with these bits of things too? I love them.

2. Holiday baking with my little ones.

3. Waking up (twice in one week...but this one will last!) early in the morning to peek out and discover a surprise of snow. Barely containing myself enough to stop from waking the babes to share the news.

4. A little bit of glitter in my home. Love that.

5. Watching my babes discover photography, with my grandfather's polaroid.

6. Freshly washed and folded new fabric. Just waiting for me to dive into for holiday projects. Ah...

7. That fabulously cozy wintertime urge to knit.

8. The anticipation of studio time this weekend. Heavenly.

9. Holiday shopping from talented and lovely friends.

10. A girl and a cat. The adore each other.

I'll be back on Monday with crafting and blabbing as usual. In the meantime, I hope you enjoy your own weekend full of simple pleasures.

what I love:: the 70's?

 
Apparently, I'm having a little love affair with the 70's right now. Or, atleast that's what my most recently thrifted finds are telling me. I really didn't know. First, there's Adelaide's jacket, which I love beyond belief, and am pretty sure I had one just like it. Then came my own jacket - the brown completely polyester piece of goodness that it is. LOVE that jacket. And then it all got topped off at a recent church rummage sale when I stumbled across one of my dreams turning into reality (I am truly a dork). There were boxes of brand new vintage clothes from a clothing store that had closed, presumably in the early 8o's (late 70's, early 80's - it's all the same to me. I was, only like four, you know). Where have they been all this time? I do not know - fodder for another dream, perhaps. Anyway...corduroy heaven. That's where I got the tan wide-whale corduroy wrap around skirt above (also here). And um, five more just like it in all sorts of colors and fabrics. I know, it was so terribly greedy and selfish of me (sorry fellow Portland thrifters! I'm sorry!), but I could not stop myself from snatching them all up at 25cents a piece. And I kid you not that they have been in rotation in my wardrobe ever since. All of them. Every Day. (Along with my newfound contemporary love of Smartwool knee highs.)

So, apparently. I love the 70's. Oh my. Who knew.

What I love: new shoes

I'm of the belief that, whenever possible, every celebration should start with a new pair of shoes. Adelaide and I have some celebrating to do (more on that later), so some new shoes were most definitely in order. These shoes also fill my annual 'hanging on to summer as long as I can - if only by the clothing' habit. We've got two glorious days of sun in the forecast this week, and we are so definitely beach-bound. I won't admit/embrace fall until the annual Common Ground Fair at the end of September. So there's still a few more weeks left to wear my celebratory summer shoes. To the beach.

The boys and I are working on a project for Adelaide (more on that later, too), so Calvin staged and took this photo of Adelaide's favorite shoes. (The photo just about kills me!) We're really a baby-mocassin-as-long-as-you-can kind of family, but Lady A has a thing for these shoes. First thing in the morning, she hunts them down (tossing aside her mocassins) and walks around with them in her hands, grunting and motioning until someone finally puts them on her.

(Oh, and for those curious: Miz Mooz for the Mama. And See Kai Run for the Babe.)

What I Love: portland

I love this town. And this view above is partly responsible, it's from my parents backyard, where I grew up. My bedroom, on the ocean side of the house, is where I heard the sounds of the waves, and the traffic of the harbor every night as I fell asleep. I blame that fact as the reason I can't be too far away from the ocean for too long, or my breathing changes. Really. I love being within minutes from a handful of beaches, and at the same time, not very far from the mountains. I love being so close to a city, and at the same time, close to true wilderness. I know there are beautiful rivers, forests, and beaches everywhere, but these ones, and this town, are so close to my heart. Which is why, even though we toy with the idea of leaving sometimes, I'm pretty sure this will always be my home.  And I must selfishly admit that I particularly like Portland this time of year, as school starts and the tourist season ends, because we get a little bit of the city back to ourselves. The beaches are emptier, the shops less crowded, and the parking spaces aplenty (I'm so terrible at parking, I even make my out of town city-visitors do it for me!). There's just a little bit more room for breathing the salty air.

Thanks for playing along with my week of love! It was a lovely little change for me, and I think I might pop a What I Love post in again once in a while. Next week, I've got lots of crafting to share, and some birthday celebrating to do! Yay!

Happy Weekend!!

What I Love: aprons

These two new (old) thrifted aprons have me smiling. I remember loving to wear aprons as a child. And as un-feminist as this may sound (I actually think it's quite a feminist act), now as the 'Mom' in our family, I'm in love with the feeling I have when I put one on. As hectic and sometimes-insane as my life and the world around us may be, the minute an apron goes on everything changes. I'm suddenly reminded to take a deep breath, put on some music, and pour a glass of wine. There's something about wearing aprons that makes me want so desperately to bake bread, put more energy, thought and time into what we eat and how we eat it and just generally sloooow down not only our food, but our moments together too.

One more day of What I Love. I'm having fun. Thanks for playing along.

What I Love: wood

wood::for working
I love watching Calvin discover new passions, most recently, whittling.

wood::for climbing
I love watching Ezra climb the garden fence, hanging off and singing.

wood::for tasting
I love watching Adelaide explore the world around her freely...with her mouth.

What I Love: these hands

these hands. For years, I've wanted to photograph her hands, and happily, I finally got this shot just a few weeks ago. These hands mean many things to me that I could never even begin to articulate about peace, love, and beauty. Quite simply, I love these hands.