The Reality IS....

It just IS, isn't it?

I mean, sometimes there just isn't much we can do about it ;)

The reality is:
My house is a mess - and to say its that way the majority of the time...is an understatement.

The reality is:
Our dining table looks like that photo - all the time, right up until about 20 minutes after I had intended to have a full meal elegantly spread out.

The reality is:
Being a mom/homeorganizer/teacher/wife/ fill. in. the. blanks. ladies is tough.

The reality is:
We don't need it to be any tougher...

Where I am going with this?
We'll see, but boy it makes me sad when some mamas are beating themselves up because, darn it, everyone else has it so together!

Well, my guess would be that lots of us don't :) So why are we trying to look like we do?

As a friend has noted about the mad dash pick up that happens even when the best of friends are dropping by, if we all don't really live like that..who are we fooling? I say, we just let it all hang out mamas....

Keep those dirty dishes in the sink...let that laundry pile on the bathroom floor, keep those toys scattered (you know thats where they'll be within 5 minutes after the arrival of friends anyway). Just put the kettle on, slice up something sweet and gab on ladies.

Oh, and since you're letting it all hang out - you may have a minute to read The Mommy Myth (to the left there) - some seriously good reading and it may make you think twice about the whys and hows we do this to ourselves...

xo

Imperfections~

Little bits of hand sewn, fun imperfections ~

I told myself when I started making these that they would be 'as is'. That means that even if say, one wing of the owl creature was way higher than the other - I would just let it be. After all, its those imperfections that make us special right?

A while ago, I had read that the Amish purposefully create and leave tiny imperfections in their quilts to "let the spirit in". Apparently, I'll have a whole lot of spirit pouring in then ;)

It's been cold here and we have been home a bunch, which has really been lovely. Really! Amazingly, the house stays much cleaner when we are home more. None of that hit and run action where the messes just start to pile...and pile...Also, the gang has been enjoying our time and are actually happy to be home - making sure the night before that we don't need to run around anywhere the next day. Ahhh, sweet, sweet hibernating...

Anyway, my guys have been asking for some stuffed animals so I thought - 'oh, I can make those' (even though my machine is in the shop and I have a little nightowl)...sure I can! ;)

Well, the going has been slow but happily (and luckily!) these little buggers have been well received. Sometimes a little too well with some, "But I wanted that one!" moments ;)

Guess those imperfections must be endearing after all ~

Processes ~

This week I tried to stop -

Yes, just STOP.

It all started when my daughter and I were making some cookies and she was pouring the sugar -S-L-O-W-L-Y-...and I had the urge to help her along with a little tip of the measuring cup but, instead, just stopped for a minute and watched her...that's when I SAW her.

Sure, I'm with my kids - all the time, all day usually too but, do I often see them? Not as much as I should and certainly not as much as I wish I have.

What did I see as she was pouring the sugar? I bent down a bit and saw from her eye's view...sunlight pouring in from the kitchen window sparkling on the sugar crystals as they slowly cascaded into the mixing bowl.

She looked at me and smiled...

I just about died a little...

Fortunate ~

In one simple word...

That's how I was feeling this holiday season...so incredibly fortunate....as we were making goodies, wrapping gifts and spending time together. So, so fortunate to do all of this...and then, one step further, to be able to make certain choices within all of this...

This got me to thinking of how we could spread some of this goodness...

I had an idea of spreading handmade cheer to folks in our community who may otherwise not have that kind of opportunity in their lives.

I know most of all, folks just need the basics. As my kids and I were choosing names from the giving tree at our local general store, I was struck by the simplest of needs - I mean, shoes and socks for a 6 year old boy...does it get much more basic? Filling in the basics is definately a good thing...but I wonder if going a little further is at all helpful...

See, I am torn between using the resources for handmade (time, energy, funds) or just using all that for basics. I really believe there must be a way to reach a happy medium though. Seems most crafty folks often have extras they could use to craft up something a little special.

And honestly, besides sending out a little love to the world, there really is a practical side to all of this...it seems plenty of folks could benefit from some toxin free toys and food that is pesticide/dye free...but is it really practical?

I wonder if there would need to be more of a cultural shift for this kind of giving to be happily accepted...maybe we could create some natural living giving trees, lol ;)

Any thoughts?

Snap ~

And its done...

Christmas I mean..so fun, so lovely...so quick.

And every year I think it actually goes by that much faster too -

All the more reason for some good pics, right? Nope! These guys are just too darn fast (not to mention that they have me way outnumbered)!

Speaking of new pics - we have a new member of the family this holiday season- a new little rebel of a spitfire that will surely bring out the spice in our days ...

The sweet little addition's name? Little Canon Rebel - our new digital SLR...

What a sweet, sweet man I have :)

I've wanted an SLR ever since days long past when I had one as a traveling sidekick as I zigzagged back and forth from coast to coast..(also had a sweet little Olympus that was a rough little rogue and never did me wrong for many a year :)...

Every now and then I would chat about that SLR and it seems this may have cast a wistful shine in my eyes that my sweetie had a soft spot for. This year a little magic happened in the budget and voila, a little SLR was born into my loving, awaiting arms...

Now all I need to do is hold up my end of the deal and skirt past my techno phobia and read about how best to handle the little bugger.