Make & Listen Along

This weeks Make & Listen Along comes to you from the kitchen!

We have had smoothies; fruit on sticks (always taste better that way!) humus on bread (and carrot sticks); blueberries in smoothies and muffins; and lots of iced tea. It's been a slow, quietly productive week around here. There has been no rushing, lots of focused time doing art and knitting and reading and a little baking. 

Listening has been to the sounds of the birds and cicadas. They haven't been very numerous here but when I notice them they make me happy. To me they are the quintessential sound of mid summer. The other day we heard them while making blueberry muffins. That seemed appropriate as my husband has always called them "blueberry bugs!"

What are you making and listening to these days?

Morning::Noon::Night

Morning, noon and night...three little peeks into my day yesterday. Joining with Kim

 

Morning:: 11AM

 

Noon:: 7:15 (a little late...I forgot to take a true noon picture!)

Night:: 8:30 she was working so hard and so focused it was hard for me to interrupt that and say "bedtime!"

Here and Now

a slow summer afternoon is in progress

the clouds break occasionally to allow the sun to peak down,

to heat the earth in her summers oven

the breeze softly blows in a cooling attempt

but the humid steam is too much

I sit on the porch with my iced coffee

dreams of my reading and knitting on my mind

instead I sit with closed eyes

drinking in this moment

of calm, of quiet

thankful for this time

this right now time

this time of life

with little ones so full of wonder and awe

reminding me to be present

for this time, this moment, this day

are fleeting

and we will never have this particular

here and now

again.

Weekending

So far the weekend has been a mix of relaxation & busyness. I feel like we lived a whole weekend on Saturday alone!

There was a slow early morning of finishing my book & beginning a new knitting project

then the rest of the morning was spent cleaning & organizing

I cleaned out & organized my fabric & yarn stashes

I pulled everything out of the downstairs closet & put things in their proper places

I organized our art supplies & put them in the closet
Daddy came home so he & Ree took the organizing outside
weeding a little bit
sprucing up the gardens with pinwheels
cutting up some wood they found

late in the afternoon we went blueberry picking
home for grilled hamburgers
Ree & I went out to buy one of her Auntie's a birthday present
home for baths and bed!

today has been slow so far
early morning coffee, reading & knitting
but soon there will be Church
and coffee out
running a few errands to pick up the rest of the birthday things
then celebrating the birthday of course!

Linking up with Karen!

Post cards from camp

 

Heather's Summer Soul Camp began on Monday and after checking out the hashtag on Instagram I decided to sign up. It is very refreshing! A great pick me up to these hot, humid days of summer. I set up a spot in our breezeway for all the camp activities and we really haven't left it since!

We have been having tea parties, doing art, reading, journaling, writing....anything you can think of really in this spot right in the middle of a cross breeze. Just the thing to help beat the heat!

Make and Listen Along

Ree's big girl quilt is coming right along. Not fast enough for her, but I am happy with the progress! All I need to do now is sew the rows together and the front will be finished. I have the backing (an old sheet) so once this part is done I'll put it together and it'll be ready for quilting! Of which I am still trying to decide what to do.

Almost all the fabrics came from the stash and she picked them all out by herself. We did go to the store so she could get a few new to her fabrics. This quilt has been in the works for over a year (and in my head since we moved her to a crib years ago!) I am thinking that once this one is finished, I should start planning for baby's quilt....before I know it she'll be in her own big girl bed!

Listening has been a lot of birds, a lot of fans, and the hmm of the upstairs air conditioner. It got hot again this week!

What is going on in your making & listening world this week?

Yarn Along

After not having knit for a few months, I am jumping in with both feet! Even ordering some new yarn! 

This week I am working on a wash cloth. I joined Sweet Potato Claire's Summer craft swap and I think this wash cloth will fit in perfect with the few other goodies I have planned for my swap partner. 

After seeing the yarn that Erin posted for last week's Yarn Along I had to go see if our craft store carried it and they do! I love it! I am also using a pattern that Erin sent along. So today's yarn along post is brought to you by her! 

For reading, I am slowly working my way through The Little Oratory. I read a chapter (or less depending on how much I want to ponder over it) each morning during my quiet time. I am loving it and have been adding pieces of their ideas into our family faith life.

Next week I am hoping to have begun a pair of socks to show you all! I want to start them but need to finish the wash cloth first!

This week

Outside my window sunny with a warm breeze. They say the humidity is coming back

I am thankful for the sun. Those days last week with gray skies wore me down. I like a nice gray, rainy day. But not for almost a week!

In the kitchen my kitchen has been neglected of late. It is too hot to turn the oven on. So I have been grilling or having cold food. I need to sit and spend some time coming up with new summer meal ideas!

I am wearing shorts & a pink tee shirt. I used to love to wear skirts in the summer. All my skirts got too small after my first baby. I want to look up some easy skirt patterns and make a few!

I am creating a big girl quilt. The front is almost done. This makes my big girl very happy! I also have plans for some Christmas sock knitting and some goodies for my craft blogger swap. I need to get moving on some of these things!

I am reading The Little Oratory in the morning during my quiet time. I have 3 books waiting for me at the library. A library trip today sounds good!

I am hoping To have the front of the quilt finished in the next day or two and have it all put together by the weekend. I weekend spent quilting would be nice!

Around the house I am slowly organizing all our craft/sewing/art supplies. With a baby that is oh so close to crawling I am in baby proofing mode. I am also trying to make the baby room the baby room rather then my craft supply room. This means trying to figure out where to put a rooms worth of stuff!

One of my favorite things when my baby snuggles up to me when we rock. She doesn't do it often but the snuggles as she drifts off to sleep make my heart sing

A few plans for the rest of the week some summer adventures planned; sewing; relaxing; library trip; farmers market

Weekending

Oh this weekend has been full of cranky. Momma's mostly. For no good reason either, just a mood that I can't shake. And a headache. Which could explain part of the mood!

There has been some sewing

some knitting

some reading

a whole bunch of lounging around

There has also been some weeding

some time at the beach

some time spent on the back deck

So it hasn't been ALL bad. 

Ree & her daddy are off running a few errands 

baby is sleeping (finally)

maybe I'll go knit a little

or work some more on the big girl quilt

I hope everyone else has been having a good weekend!

Linking up with Karen

End of the week

The other night, after a day of thunderstorms and intense rains I was cleaning the kitchen up from dinner. I noticed the dining area was full of a golden glow. I grabbed the camera and went running outside. The dish cloth was on the table, a trail of water was on the floor, the sink was full of half washed dishes. My family is used to this by now. Ree came running out the door after me not knowing what "neat" thing I was going to see but she has learned that when I drop everything, grab the camera and head out the door there is something pretty good.

The sunset was amazing. Just what we needed to see after days of gray and gloom. While it wasn't particularly bright, it had a soft beauty about it. I think it's because of the way the clouds were breaking. And the blue of the sky behind them was stunning. I couldn't quite capture the color. 

Just as we were getting ready to head in the house we heard a plane taking off...we live just a few miles from the airport and our house is in a flight path, so we have planes flying very low over our house many times a day. I captured this shot as they flew off into the sunset. What a view they must have had!

I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend!

Make and 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's been a busy week for making over here!

Last week Lori from Project Based Homeschooling put out a Observational Drawing class. We were busy every day last week and didn't have a chance to get to it. This week we dove on in!

Ree loves drawing. I have never really tried to do it so am learning along with her. It's not my favorite thing to do but I enjoy doing alongside her.

She also has been working on her sewing. The other day we went so she could pick out her own plastic canvas (pink of course!) and her own embroidery floss. She's been making hearts for her sister ever since.

I finished the socks I have been working on since mid-March. Once the yarn I ordered arrives I'll begin my Christmas knitting!

As for listening, it's been mostly music from the radio or the girls. Ree talks a lot. The baby has started trying to keep up with her. Very loudly. I think she "talks" very loud in order to get a word in. Because she sure has her volume button set to high!

What have you been making & listening to?

The Happy List

The past few days have been dark, gloomy & humid. Not good for my head. I need a happy list this morning!

~picking up my knitting again after a few months hiatus

~iced coffee on a hot afternoon

~drawing alongside my big girl

~"Mommy I love you" notes found in all kinds of places

~morning prayer & coffee while a thunderstorm passes by

~the smell of a soaking rain

~the smell of baking banana bread

~eating that banana bread

~the bright flowers in bloom everywhere

~a big stack of books after a library trip

~an afternoon reading 

what is making you happy these days?

Ode to the Kitchen Floor

littered with crumbs,

paper, toys and spills

we stumble across it to the coffee each morn

run across it throughout the day

we sit on it to draw or play

spread big projects across it

there are dents & gouges throughout it

I say they give it character

we don't often think of it

or give it it's due

but the life of this family

revolves around this floor

we gather for joy and sorrow 

for work and play

it asks for almost nothing in return

except the occasional sweeping

every day and night it is here

collecting the crumbs of our lives.

Weaving words with the Write ALM prompts

Weekending

Our weekend began Friday when daddy got home from work early (he had to work Saturday morning but I'm not counting that)

Friday there was yoga in the backyard, fun in the sprinkler and water table, a trip to get more bird seed and dinner out

Saturday morning was slow. Look at that! I picked up my knitting again! Then there was the beginnings of organizing all the baby clothes that don't fit the baby anymore. Organizing of the craft supplies to start making it more the baby's room rather then her stuffed in the craft room.

While at the grocery store Saturday afternoon I decided it would be fun to have an impromptu cookout that evening. So bought the supplies then texted my people last minute. Thankfully my parents, sister & her family are always up for a get together especially if there is food!

Sunday was slow. Another trip to the grocery store for the things I forgot the day before. A little more work on the organizing. Some knitting. Some World Cup watching. Another cookout, this time at my sister-in-laws. 

How was your weekend? I'm linking up with Karen!

Make & Listen Along

This is the "around the yard" Make & Listen along addition!

Last weekend Ree & my husband got in our pepper & eggplant seedlings as well as the seeds for carrots, spinach, radishes, beets & lettuce. In just a few days the spinach, radishes, beets & lettuce have popped up! We are woefully behind in our planting but I have high hopes.

We've been listening to the sounds of the birds, squeals of little girls as they run (or are carried) through the sprinkler. Baby loves it just as much as big sister and her screeches of delight are just as loud!

What have you been making and listening to this week?

Ambition

This weekend I tried out a little experiment. I went totally social media free. It had been building for awhile. I was beginning to see myself compare me, my life, what I was (or wasn't) doing, with everyone else. They were doing better work, better things, better everything. Not that I was at all unhappy with the life I had! But the "I should be doing things better like 'they' are doing" was getting louder.

So I stepped away. Five days later I am still (mostly) away. It is very freeing. I have found that I am much more physically and emotionally present in MY life. We are doing good things. And with the free time I have unearthed now that my eyes aren't glued to twitter or Facebook every time I sit in the chair, I have accomplished much.

This weekend I read two books & started knitting the mate to the sock I began in March. I've journaled and written much more then I had been. I've been much more present to my girls the FIRST time they seek my attention instead of saying "just wait until I finish scrolling through this newsfeed."

Now maybe some of those creative projects I have been thinking about doing will begin to take off. Start becoming real rather then ideas that I am "too busy" to do. Too busy reading up on all the creative projects other people are working on!

I do believe in the connection that social media helps foster. I have made friends through it. And stay in contact with distant friends through it. It had just gotten a little out of balance for me, so I am working on fixing that.

I have great ambitions with my writing. Which in a way is what began this social media "fast". The Write ALM prompt on Friday was ponder. I have wanted to share some of the writings I have been doing with these prompts but felt like they didn't fit here. I have been pondering beginning a second blog, dedicated to the writings on the prompts. But I know myself. One or the other would be neglected. 

So I may be changing things up a bit here. Going with the flow of change. I would like a more steady stream of posts here and have been holding myself back from prompt posting because I felt it didn't fit here. But really, the whole point of beginning this little blog was "Capturing the everyday things that make up this life journey we're on. A picture or two; some words here or there. A place to share and look back upon to remember what's made us happy." 

And right now writing along with the prompts is making me happy. Along with the pictures of my views & my girls. So really, anything that makes me happy fits!

Weaving words with the Write ALM prompts

Weekending

The weekend had heat, humidity, sun, rain (lots & lots) more sun, & beautiful temperatures.

It was a four day weekend here since my husband took Thursday off too. We went to the mall that day because of the heat & humidity.

The 4th dawned overcast and then turned into a deluge of rain thanks to Hurricane Arthur. Our plans for a cookout at my sister's turned into a cook-in. We all still had fun. Really, whenever we get together it's fun. We don't need sun!

Saturday was spent outside for the most part. Ree & daddy (finally) got our vegetable garden planted. And she was able to plant all her morning glory seedlings. She was also give a pepper plant to put in her own garden. She was over the moon! She has told everyone she comes into contact with that it is her pepper plant and she will get one red pepper and everyone can have a bite!

Yesterday we went to a local park to see the animals, walk around and play on the playground. Did you know peacocks are loud? Extremely loud? We were standing feet away from him when he decided to squawk. Baby wasn't too happy!

It was a fun filled holiday weekend and I am sad to see it end. Re-entry is hard sometimes! 

Linking up with Karen!

Mid-week

We are in the midst of a humid, typical early July week

No one here particularly cares for the humidity. There's been lots of water play; lots of naps & rests; lots of reading. This weather seems to sap all my creative energy (all energy actually) so Momma has been particularly cranky. Which makes little one's who also don't care for the heat extra cranky too.

I am trying to pick up my pen at least once a day. That helps. Even just writing down a sentence or two about what we did that day. I came across the #100homeedays on twitter a few weeks ago. So I began that. And have actually written for 16 days in a row now! I knew we did lots of learning things but it wasn't until I started writing down at least one thing a day that I saw exactly how much learning we do. 

We are discerning homeschooling. Although we have decided to "do school" for preschool so I guess we are officially homeschooling. I can't say we will continue it for sure each successive year, but I guess that's something we need to take one year at a time!

I am in the final chapters of The Interestings and finding it extremely good. I can't put it down! A good book to have begun as this weather arrived. There have been quite a few quiet, lazy afternoons of lounging in the chair by the open window reading while the girls are napping (or resting in the case of Ree. She has spent hours building things with legos)

Anyways, not much to say, just wanted to pop in to give a little mid-week round up of what's been going on! How has your week been so far?