Make & Listen Along

~ On Thursdays I will post what I have been making and listening to as creations grow. 

If so inclined post, on your blog or flickr, about what you have been making (on your own or with little hands by your side) and listening to while you create. It can be new music, flash backs, a song or a whole album... whatever you like. You can be stitching with needle & thread, yarn, paper crafting, painting, cooking... and beyond. Share what you are making and the tunes that are fueling your creativity. Then come back to my Thursday Make & Listen Along post and leave a link in the comments so we can be inspired right along with you! ~

It is Thursday again! And I have somethings to share!

Last summer Ree and I went to the big fabric store to pick out a handful of fat quarters to make the baby a new quilt. I had good intentions of having it done before she arrived. But I was sick almost the whole pregnancy & had other projects to work on. Then the idea was to have it finished by her first Christmas. Well she arrived a month before Christmas. And with a bad c-section experience and a week NICU stay, it didn't get started.

This weekend I was scrolling through Twitter and Instagram seeing many pictures of ladies getting out their fabric and sewing. So I hauled out the fabric & sewing machine and Ree and I got to work! She pretty much lasted only for the choosing of fabric pairings. I completed the top in about an hour (I think the baby likes it!) and then found out that I didn't have enough for the back like I had assumed. So I am in the process of piecing that together. With not feeling well this week though I haven't done much!

Ree and I also baked bread yesterday. Not the best of ideas considering I still had a headache. But she had a grand old time with the piece of dough I let her use. She "worked" for over an hour!

This week for listening....it has mainly been kid tv shows. When Momma's head hurts so bad she can't think, there is no way she can function. So I am thankful for the tv this week!

What have you been making and/or listening to? Please share in the comments! 

Full of Blessings

 

*for little girls who love playing in the dirt as much as playing dress up

*for a husband who encourages my dreams, creativity & enthusiasm

*for a baby who is happy despite teething

*for stacks of library books & kid tv when momma has a migraine

*for that migraine breaking just as I reach my breaking point

*for an on-line community of like minded women

*for my in person sister 

Just a small list of my many blessings. It is gray and rainy here. A good day to build a blanket tent, read books & take naps. Thank goodness the migraine I was complaining about this morning finally broke and now I "just" have a regular headache. I can function with that!

Stop by tomorrow to join in with the Make & Listen Along. I have a project I am very pleased with to share!

Weekending

This weekend has been lovely so far

Saturday morning called for a trip outside in pajamas

to pick all the Johnny jump ups before daddy cut the lawn

you can tell she is yelling "no!" as she picks

Momma played with the settings on her new camera

hence the super vivid colors of the neighbors iris

After seeing many pictures on twitter & instagram of people sewing

I got out my sewing machine and fabric to work on a quilt for baby

the same quilt that was supposed to be made before she was born

and then for her 1st Christmas

six months after she arrived sounds about right

I got the front together & found out I don't have enough for the backing

so it's cobbling together one from stash

thank goodness for drawers groaning with fabric

Ree has spent the majority of the time outside with Daddy

they both are in their glory

gardening, planting, cutting, pruning, digging in dirt

I have bandaged & kissed boo-boos galore

but they both happily head back outside afterwards

Baby V has spent the majority of the time happily sitting in her bouncy

helping me work on the quilt

which she seems to love so far

Right now there are brownies baking for our trip to the in-laws later this evening

baby is sleeping

and Momma may head back to that quilt

or my book

Linking up with Karen to share our weekend!

A week of Mornings

I often take a picture each morning of what I am doing while I drink my morning coffee. Amanda from The Habit of Being began a hashtag on Instagram a few months back #hellomorningcoffee that I enjoy participating in. I love seeing what everyone else is doing while they have their morning beverage. Usually I am reading or writing. Or looking out the window.

Sometimes I take pictures that don't feature my coffee. This morning when I sat down I realized I took a morning picture each day this week. 

I think for next Friday I will focus on "A week of Afternoons". I've got to get more practice in with the new camera!

Make & Listen Along

Welcome to the first "Make and Listen Along" hosted here at iHappy! In Dawn's words here is a little about the weekly series:

~ On Thursdays I will post what I have been making and listening to as creations grow. 

If so inclined post, on your blog or flickr, about what you have been making (on your own or with little hands by your side) and listening to while you create. It can be new music, flash backs, a song or a whole album... whatever you like. You can be stitching with needle & thread, yarn, paper crafting, painting, cooking... and beyond. Share what you are making and the tunes that are fueling your creativity. Then come back to my Thursday Make & Listen Along post and leave a link in the comments so we can be inspired right along with you! ~

Dawn's life has gotten very full lately so I stepped in and asked if she'd like me to take over this weekly sharing of what we all are making. I get so much motivation & ideas from everyone that I would love it if we could all still share what we are working on.

For the first week here I've been thinking about what to share. I wanted to make it good! Except we haven't really been making anything that I've taken pictures of!

I am working on clearing out the craft room since that is baby V's new room. I came across all my old Rosary making supplies and spent the afternoon yesterday reminding myself of how to make the knots.

 I have been learning how to use all the great features on my new camera! So I had to put the sunset picture from last night up.

We also have been spending a lot of time outside. Ree has decided she wants to make a book using the pictures we have been taking. I need to get them printed out so she can get to work on that!

As for listening it really has been pretty quiet around here. For the past few years we have enjoyed watching the birds (and yes that is Ree is doing in this post Tuesday). This year we are stepping it up a bit and practicing identifying the birds by their song.

We also have found out that the baby loves to dance. She likes nothing better then for one of us to sit on the floor and hold her under her arms so she can bounce around to whatever music is on Pandora!

Would you share what you are making and listening to? I'd love to see! And get suggestions on what I should be listening to this upcoming week. Feel free to tell me in the comments or link up to a blog post of your own!

Around the yard

Our garden is still little seedlings in pots so there isn't much to show for the garden. But the girls and I love walking around the yard to see what else is in bloom!

As an aside...don't forgot to stop by tomorrow for the first time iHappy is hosting the "Make and Listen Along"!

 

some flowers on the strawberries. Will this be the year we get them instead of the chipmunks?

 

Pansies

 

These little violets are all over the yard. I love them!

 

The azalea is blooming

 

Soon the lace hydrangea will  be blooming

The dogwood tree has bloomed!

What is going on around your yard?

Morning::Noon::Night

Morning, noon and night...three little peeks into my day yesterday. Linking up with Kim at Mothering with Mindfulness

 

Morning:: 10:00AM

 

Noon:: 2:00PM

Night:: 5:00PM

Gathering my thoughts

Outside my window green! Everything is a vibrant, lush green. The sun is streaming through the green leaves, the grass is finally green, there are flowers popping up, birds singing

I am thankful for family gatherings; healthy girls; beautiful days; warm breezes

In the kitchen this weekend I made potato salad and green bean casserole to bring to my sister's graduation party. I need to sit and make out an informal menu plan for the week. I have sweet potatoes that need to be cooked. I'm hoping to put together a post for Heather's in my kitchen blog hop this week!

I am wearing yoga pants and a long sleeved t-shirt. The breezes are cool today

I am creating getting ready to pick up my pen and start working on the poetry e-course again. It got derailed a bit when my grandfather got sick and then died

I am reading finished Bird by Bird this weekend. Picked up The Poetry Home Repair Manual again this morning. It's very good and I'm hoping to finish it by the end of the week!

I am hoping for a slow week with a lot of outside time

Around the house dare I say the laundry is pretty much caught up? Ree and I vacuumed the whole house Saturday morning. The windows are open so it's airing out. There is nothing like the smell of fresh air through the house (although my allergies aren't too happy about that this morning)

One of my favorite things lilacs. Especially purple ones. These are at my moms house. I have a white lilac bush. I need a purple one!

A few plans for the rest of the week spending time with my sister, niece and nephew; library days; hours spent outside; and hosting for the first time the Make and Listen Along. Dawn has an exciting, busy summer ahead so she is passing the hostessing duties of the Make and Listen Along to me for the summer months. I am looking forward to it!

Weekending

I was awakened early this morning to pouring rain

there is nothing better then laying in bed listening to it hit the house

knowing I am safe and dry

After awhile of listening and not falling back asleep

the thought of coffee called me to the kitchen

coffee mug in hand I stood at the window and watched as the blue skies

chased the storm clouds away

The light that came from the sun seemed a bit unnatural

it was extra bright against the green of the grass, of the leaves

I ran outside (in my pajamas!)

to put the new camera to work

Back inside with the coffee
I sat to read a bit
then write some
the words are slowly starting to flow again, finally

The girls woke & it was the usual morning routine
breakfast, play time
with the added element of baths for all
cooking for tomorrow's graduation party

This afternoon was a few errands
then home to enjoy a little treat on the back deck as daddy cut the lawn
Ree noticed our reflections in the sliding door
so fun was had with taking our pictures

The day ended with Church
chicken sandwiches for dinner
packing up for a long day out tomorrow
very early bedtimes for two sleepy girls

Tomorrow will be early rising for all
out the door early
a college graduation
a party
family
food
fun.

Linking up with the new weekending hostess, Karen.

Outside this week

We've had pretty good weather this week. Some sunny days, some overcast days. But no rain for the most part. Of course that is scheduled to come this weekend when we have a college graduation to go to.

We've spent some time outside each day where we water the seedlings; watch the birds; marvel at the "pink rug" that I think cheery tree flower petals leave on the street; blow bubbles & do sidewalk chalk. 

Another week come and gone and the weekend is upon us. It's a busy one for us! I hope you all have a great one!

Morning::Noon::Night

Morning, noon and night...three little peeks into my day yesterday. Linking up with Kim at Mothering with Mindfulness

 

Morning:: 8:15 AM

 

Noon:: 1:00 PM

Night:: 6:15 PM

Let's Catch Up

Oh what a few weeks it has been

Just after writing my last post everything in life got turned all upside down. My grandfather suffered a massive stroke and for five days our whole family spent all of our time at his bedside.

Five blessed days. He was unconscious the whole time but we knew in spirit, he was there. That time gave us the opportunity to hold his hand, kiss him, tell him all the things we needed to, to celebrate his long life with him at our side still. We cried together, laughed together, looked at pictures, remembered all the memories we have of him. His whole life was devoted to family. He left that legacy for us. That no matter what is happening in the world, we need to center and focus on family. 

And so that is what we have been doing. Last Sunday he breathed his last, the day after his 84th birthday. The day after he got one more birthday celebration. (How the man loved birthday's! And food!) We laid him to rest last Friday in a beautiful, tear-filled funeral. We know he is at rest now having lived a well lived life. And we are left here to continue the legacy he left for all of us. With our pictures, our memories and one another.

This weekend was supposed to be one of gradually getting back into routine. Except with the world having been upside down for almost two weeks...that didn't happen. We need to gently ease into routine and I think it's going to take a few days. 

So this week is going to be slow. Yesterday was a day spent again with family, outside, celebrating mothers. And taking my new camera for a spin. How I love it!!

Now I need to think about grocery shopping & cooking. Cleaning the house. Spending time outside. Picking up my pen and journal. All those things that make up my life. The life that I love and that I am so happy to be living. Nothing like watching the last few days of someone's life and celebrating that life, to make one turn inwards to take stock of how one is living one's own life!