They’re *inside* a bubble!

{weekending}

• halloween cupcake liners and matching kitchen towels
• an empty pumpkin butter jar
• 5 pairs of socks for Wren
• 1 finger puppet
• a neckwarmer for Finch
• an ikea spice rack
• programs from the ballet

Do you like to send or receive care packages?

Happy Valentine’s Day!
*How the kids pronounced it when they were smaller

Lark and I came in after a few minutes b/c she kept taking her mittens off and eating the snow. Lovely.

L had been having some pain and though he was scheduled for a (minor) surgery consult on Monday, he ended up not being able to wait, and we went to the ER Saturday night. We were in and out surprisingly quickly and he spent the rest of the weekend in bed which is highly unusual. I feel like I’m at my most motherly when I’m nursing my family back to health so I enjoy this, in a strange way.

My procrastination finally got the best of me Sunday night. I always wait till the last possible second to turn in coursework, and as a result, last night, I had to keep quite a few balls in the air by myself. It was hectic and I vow to try to avoid situations like that, when possible (and this was totally avoidable).

Hope your weekend was lovely.

Finished one of the baby hats! I used short circulars that I bought when Darcel and I went to The Yarn Club last week. I really like the short circs for tiny projects. The unwound yarn (colorway is Cloudy Sky) is for a mystery project that I can’t talk about because the recipient  reads my blog, hehe. But it’ll be my first time doing this type of knitting, so wish me luck! The book on the top of the stack is Hands Around the World which I used last year when we homeschooled, sometimes as a morning journal prompt. Making Things is the book in the middle. It’s the type of book I would’ve loved (actually, still love) as a child and I notice Wren uses it a lot as a jumping off point for activities. Trust the Children is on the bottom and it was one of the first books I bought after deciding to homeschool for sure. I feel the need for inspiration lately and I find it in these books.

I’m in love with the idea of a simple life, a minimal life, an ascetic life. Sadly (luckily?happily? unfortunately?) the folks I live with aren’t with it. I read Simplicity Parenting and scoffed*. Seriously, I was just going to make 11 years worth of toys disappear and my kids would go for it? That’s not to say I don’t like the idea, I just think it would be easier to implicate with younger (non pack-rat) kiddos. And so, I’ve started with the babe. Over the weekend, I whittled her available toys down to her favorites which can fit into this bin. Her silks, a few dolls, and her toy animal collection is in there. The rest are put away and I’ve schedule regular rotation via my google calendar which is the only way anything gets done around here. She also has just 5 board books available on the table where we keep our 6 favorite fairytale and fable books. I have to say, I’ve already noticed her drawn to the books time and time again because there aren’t so many now. Surprisingly, when Finch saw what I was doing, he asked if we could do the same with his things. And so, I have set aside some time to comply with his request.

*Great post on this subject here.

Saturday found me doing some projects I’ve had on the back burner for a while. I finally made dishwasher detergent using Nici’s recipe and now I feel complete. O.K., not quite, but that was the last household product around here that wasn’t homemade. I’m trying to do better at taking care of my hair and letting it grow rather than getting bored and cutting it off every few years like I normally do so I also made my own version of the ever popular (for natural hair) whipped shea butter.

The consistency of the finished product makes it perfect for use on hair and skin. Here’s the recipe:

• 1 cup room temperature shea butter
• 1/2 cup coconut oil
•  1/4 cup sweet almond oil (or substitute another favorite oil)
•  1 tbsp vitamin E
• a few drops of your favorite essential oil, if you like

Combine items in a bowl and beat (I used a handmixer) till fluffy. Super simple!

Aside from a quick trip to pick up an old toy jeep from an acquaintance, Sunday was a major cleaning day. We were on a roll with the laundry, until my machine decided to stop working during the spin cycle. I can’t tell you how much fun it was to remove heavy, wet clothes, and wring them out by hand. The machine is still full of water while I figure out if to get an extended warranty or just call a technician. This is the second month in a row this thing has had issues! My last machine, I had for 6 years with no problem and it wasn’t even  new when I purchased it. Ugh.

{weekending}

{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.

{skippyjon jones and babar on character dress-up day}

{soon after this photo was taken, she decided to have a paint party on the floor}

I had an unusual weekend. The boys spent it with their grandparents, so I only had two kiddos. It was very quiet. Sunday, L and the girls went to meet them/watch football and I found myself in the delightfully unusual position of being home alone for a record number of hours. I wish I could say that I did something fabulous, but the truth is, I didn’t plan very well. So, I ended up taking a long, luxurious shower and then aimlessly roaming my favorite haunts without feeling the need to rush back home. It was nice. I’m hoping for a repeat soon.

No matter, I’ll make another. My reading at the moment is quite boring. Textbooks only. I do sneak in some King Arthur here and there.