You bet your bum I cried

I was sitting there feeding Thing 2 some yogurt and watching Rio with him and Thing 1 (ridiculously cute movie, by the way). He was sitting next to me on the window seat. Not the usual seating arrangement prefered for the consumption of something so sloppy as yogurt but we were doing fine. As I scoop yogurt into his mouth he reached out his little hand, patted my knee twice and then left his hand sitting there on my leg. I felt the tears well up in my eyes as I stared at those chubby little fingers resting so gently on my leg. Those are the moments I want to remember. The sweet moments, the caring moments. The moments when you think, "Huh, maybe I'm doing something right with these little humans." So, here's to remembering more sweetness and less stink.

Don't the germs know I'm not interested?

It started with a scratchy throat. I thought it was the change in temperature. I was wrong. I feel like crap. I hate feeling like crap. Stuff needs to get done and most of it is stuff I don't like doing even when I'm healthy and well-rested. Chicken poop and monkey butts. Anybody want to come clean my house?

Wreath #2

I had a feeling this would happen. I need to start figuring out storage ideas, 'cause I like making these wreaths. I've got a fall wreath and a halloween wreath so far. I see this being like Bubba and his shrimp in Forest Gump. There's birthday wreaths, and wreaths for valentine's day, Christmas wreaths, Easter wreaths. They even have wreaths for back to school and wreaths for Thanksgiving.

Crafter's Blessing

I have loved the traditional Irish blessing since the first time I heard it. Likely in third grade when we did our international week and I pulled Ireland out of the hat. Mmmmm, soda bread. Sorry. Anywhoo, the blessing goes like this:

May the road rise up to meet you.
May the wind be always at your back.
May the sun shine warm upon your face,
and rains fall soft upon your fields.
And until we meet again,
May God hold you in the palm of His hand.

Surely someone else has thought of this, or written it better, but here goes nothing:

May the inspiration never leave you.
May your scissors always be sharp.
May your seams be straight,
and your hands be steady.
And until we craft again,
may God hold you in the palm of His hand.

Support Your Local Farmer's Market!

I don't know about you, but the smell of ripe tomato makes me happy. Rub my tummy and smile like an idiot happy.  The boys and I perused the local farmer's market this morning and came home with a stroller load. Zucchini, tomatoes, bell peppers, fresh baked bread, kettle corn...anybody else hungry now?

Done!!!

So I didn't finish the wreath last night like I wanted to. What can I say, Project Runway was on. After arranging the flowers on the wreath and then rearranging them for who knows how long I finally bit the bullet and glued them in place. I had originally planned on hanging this bad boy on my front door but I didn't want my hard work getting dirty. Now I have it hanging from the side of a tall cabinet in my kitchen. We'll see if it stays there or finds itself another home. I have a feeling this may be the first of many wreaths...

Fire up the hot glue gun!!!

Crafting is as vital to my survival as food and good diapers. I had this idea this morning and I'm going to make it a reality by the end of the day even if I end up gluing my fingers together. Oh, and I'm doing this on a ten dollar budget. So far my expenses are as follows:

• wreath base (with coupon) - $2.99
• felt - $1.79
• fabric remnant - $1.61
• ribbon - left over from another project
• scissors & hot glue gun - craft room staples I always have in stock

Get out your calculator! That's a whopping $6.39! I love crafting, but crafting cheap is even better!!!

Handmade Holidays so far...

So I'm relatively certain that the plethora of nieces that these are destined for don't know this blog exists...

I may have all boys, but I have nieces by the truckload. I like having at least something small for each of them on Christmas. Handmade is the only way to go for me. I want to give them something to let them know how special they all are to me. A gift card does not (at least for me) say you are special, this is how much I care... So I've been crocheting my little heart out the last week and a half. I'm nearly done with all of the nieces. Then we move on to the stuff I'm making for those in my immediate family. If someone could wrap me up some Bengay and stick it in my stocking that'd be fabulous, I'm gonna need it.

Perspective...

So much depends on your perspective in this life. Looking down the glass may look half-empty. Yet, looking up, the very same glass looks half full. The only thing that changed was my perspective. And therein lies the key, the secret to always finding the glass half full. It's so simple that I've been overlooking it all this time. Look up. No, not the ceiling...not even the sky...further, past the stars and the galaxies to the Creator. Yup, if I'm focused up on Him then surely the glass is half full. In the moments when my problems all seem so vast I need to stop and look up. Look up to the Lord and ignore that voice of the world whispering in my ear saying that it's all too much, that there's no way I can manage it all, that I'm not good enough, that I'm doing things wrong... If the God of all the universe took the time to knit me together in my mother's womb, to create me from nothing, than surely I must be worthwhile. Of value. Wanted. Loved. Surely He hears me. It is me who needs to open my ears and hear Him. That quiet whisper that says, "I will never leave you, nor forsake you...", the Hand on my shoulder giving me comfort. Why have I been trying to fill my own cup? I've been looking to myself to do something that, all along, God has been waiting patiently for me to ask Him to do. So here I am, at the bottom of my empty cup, looking up...