Making it Up As I Go

It’s gorgeously sunny outside. It hasn’t gotten hot yet, so all the windows are open in an attempt to air out the house before the heat comes.

The girls are laying on the floor playing with the little ceramic figures they got when we visited Papa Joe at his store yesterday. Z got a Tin Man from The Wizard of Oz, and Tiny got a Tinkerbell. Chances are they will be broken soon (at least the Tinkerbell- the Tin Man seems a bit more stable) but they really want to play with them rather than just let them be on the shelf. So, we will learn a lesson. Or we won’t.

I’m surrounded by half done projects, many of which I’m hoping to get to today. The most pressing is hot gluing the velcro back on Tiny’s church shoe.

My kitchen needs cleaning and my floor needs vacuuming. Luckily those are easily enough done.

I’m weighing going to the produce stand today vs. going swimming with friends.  We can’t really pull off both (they’d have to happen at the same time). If we go swimming then I’d have to pack lunches. That may have just made my decision for me.

Tinkerbell just broke.

It’s time for me to go jump in the shower and then do Z’s reading lesson and then run to the store to get pull ups and milk. And bananas.  I read a random blog post a week or so ago about scheduling, and this random family (it really is random, I got to it through a link from a link, so I have no idea who they are) only runs errands and goes grocery shopping once every month or so. How is that remotely possible? Really, I don’t mean that in a snarky way; I’d really like to know.  I feel like I’m running errands every day. So my goal is to work on that. But today, I’m headed to the store.

I have a post percolating about the abundance of miracles and manifestations of spiritual gifts I’m seeing around me lately, but that is a post for another day. For now, suffice it to say that I am grateful.

I’m seriously considering participating in an at home business. Much to consider.

What’s going on with you at this moment?

The girls are out on the balcony drawing on the chalkboard. They are cooperating and happy.

It is pretty chilly outside, but not enough that they’re complaining. The cool air coming in the door feels really nice.

Cape Verde music is coming through the speakers. I got a bunch of world music CDs from my mom (one of the perks of having a preschool teacher as a momma) and I’m trying to switch it up in the morning as the girls are playing. Some times it’s Disney princesses, some times it’s African lullabies. I figure it should be good for their brains, right? But I’m really liking this music today, it’s kind of slinky.

There is fabric everywhere. I’m aiming to have my etsy store open at the end of the week…. lots of sewing going on in these parts.

My breakfast is cooking. I’m having soft boiled eggs and sourdough toast. It’s probably my favorite breakfast ever after biscuits and gravy. I don’t make it all the time though, because 1) I don’t always have sourdough bread in the house, and 2) it takes  a while. My eggs have to cook for 7 minutes to be right. I’ve always heard soft boiled eggs referred to as “3 minute eggs”, but 3 minute eggs are vile, all runny and gross and barely even warm. 7 minutes gives them just the right amount of firmness vs. runniness.  And the eggs I just made, (they just finished) are pretty close to perfection. Yum.

Z just walked past and said, “This is neat music, momma”. Score 1 for me!

I need to decide what to do with the next 1/2 hr. Friends are coming over at 10:30 so the girls can play and the grownups can plan preschool… do I call my sister, sew, read, putter around the internet? So many lovely choices. Whichever I choose, I think hot chocolate is in order…

What’s going on with you at this moment?

The floor is covered in tiny toys. That are also Tiny’s toys. heehee. Audrey’s birthday was yesterday, but since B was out of town until the afternoon yesterday, we decided to just pretend her birthday was actually today so that she got a whole day full of family birthday togetherness.

There are 4 huge mylar balloons – a Disney princess balloon that talks (that is left over from Zoe’s birthday, but it’s still good so we’ll count it), a new Disney princess balloon that looks like a 3 tier cake, a Winnie the Pooh balloon, and a Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse balloon. Let it never be said that Tiny’s not indoctrinated in the way of Walt.

The girls are playing with new Littlest Pet Shop and Jungle in My Pocket toys. They completely fit the stereotype of girls liking miniature things. But as the song says, “miniature things are neat!”

WonderPets is on the TV.

A FurReal panda lays abandoned on the couch. Zoe thought so long and hard about what to get for Tiny, and she decided on this because Tiny LOVES pandas, and Z thought it would be so fun for her to have one that moves. Tiny is TERRIFIED of it and refuses to even touch it.  Poor Z just cried and cried because “I didn’t get her the right present after all”.  But isn’t that the way with gifts sometimes? It IS the right present, and Tiny will warm up to it in time. Or she won’t, and it will be her loss.

Tiny keeps running around saying “My birthday!” and then singing Happy Birthday in a manner eerily reminiscent of her Uncle Jeff impersonating Nancy Sinatra singing “These Boots are Made for Walking”.  (For those who have not had the pleasure of witnessing that- imagine someone drunk off their duff.)

I should get people eating breakfast. Then it’s off to pick up a birthday cake (princess, of course), and get ready for a PARTY!!

What’s happening at your house at this moment?

Bread is kneading in the bread maker. I haven’t used my bread maker in way too long,  my attempts at  “handmade”  bread have all failed, and I am totally one for accepting my limitations (especially when it comes to kneading), so I got it out to love it some more.

Tiny is walking around carrying a giant Nemo over her head and saying “Rella cake? Rella cake?” over and over.  Apparently she thinks the bread maker is going to make her a Cinderella cake. She will be disappointed.

Z is sitting at the table coloring. She recently figured out how to draw flowers. She’s excited about that.

My cleaning schedule says that I’m supposed to clean my living room today. I should get on that.

I’m loving the words of a hymn we sang in Relief Society yesterday (Tiny went to nursery! Woo hoo!) – it’s hymn 285, God Moves In a Mysterious Way, and the second verse reached out and smacked me:

Ye fearful Saints, fresh courage take

The clouds ye so much dread

Are big with mercy and shall break

In blessings on your head.

Isn’t that SO lovely? I don’t remember ever hearing the hymn before, let alone singing it. We should sing it all the time!

Tiny is now dancing and singing along to All is Love from Where the Wild Things Are. We love that song around here.

Speaking of dancing, you should check out Miss Z and the moment she decided that the stage is her life . The girls did such a great job, and were SO excited. All of the kids at the talent show were so confident and happy, it’s really so cool that kids so little have these opportunities to get up in front of people and perform.

I have a bunch of things to do this morning, and really all I want to do is lay around and finish Hamlet. I’ve decided that I’m rereading through Shakespeare’s plays this summer, and goodness, I’d forgotten how very much I love them. The language is just so gorgeous, (or “gorgois” as Mia Michaels would say) and so dang funny, even in the midst of the tragedies.

I totally love my Zutter Bind-it-all. Zoe just came over to me and said she wanted to make a book of the pictures that she’d just been drawing, and 2 minutes later:

I LOVE it.

Tiny just declared “Everybody Came” by Ambrosia Parsely her “fa-bit, momma! Fa-bit!”. Of course, 2 minutes ago she said the same thing about “I am a Paleontologist” , so what can I say, the girl has good taste.

I am going to go get my morning moving. We have an appointment at a  bounce house  later today. And no, that’s not some euphemism us losing our minds. I may have just sabotaged that intent however, because the Glee version of Alone just came on, which reminded me of Will and whatsername’s dance to it on SYTYCD, and now I MUST go watch that.  Here is is, watch it now!

What’s going on with you at this moment?

Z is playing swim lessons with her dolly. She just informed her dolly that they’ll be going to Starbucks. Lucky ducks.

Tiny is sitting at the table playing with a “momma” and “baby” Pooh bear. Any toy that she has two of become a momma and baby. And not just a baby, a “baby, awwwww”. It’s pretty dang cute.

I’m moving a boatload of pictures off of my camera. I try to do it daily, but apparently I haven’t moved anything for almost 2 weeks. So I’m revisiting pictures from a lovely wedding,

(Doesn’t she look so gorgeous, and so in love?)

(And isn’t this a beautiful old church?)

a trip to the museum,

(I COVET this piece. Yes, I’m aware that’s a deadly sin. Still.)

(sewn and embroidered silk. Gorgeous.)

the girls being crazy,

(Because if there is a bucket, Tiny will put it on her head.)

(Pretending to sleep.)

and finally, the gorgeousness we saw on our adventure at the nature preserve today.

Now Z is alternating singing “A Spoonful of Sugar” at varying speeds and practicing reciting her scripture that she’ll share in Primary in a couple of weeks. “And by the power of the Holy Ghost, ye may know the truth of all things. Moroni 10:5.” Over and over and over.

She and Tiny have moved on to playing with the dollhouse, and are displaying their growing skill to play well with each other. That skill comes and goes.

It’s almost time for their rests, and for me to torture myself. I’m back to doing Jillian Michaels every day- a group of like minded crazies and I are doing it together. Well, not together, but we’re all doing it and reporting in each day. I’ve been throwing in some yoga afterwards, because I like it, and because I have a new goal; I want to be able to do this:

No, not the playing in the sand, that I can do. The crazy body over your head handstand. Isn’t it the coolest thing you’ve ever seen? I saw this picture and was completely captivated. I really can’t express how much I want to be able to do that. So I’ll workout and work on my flexibility, and hopefully some day it will happen. Not in a bikini though.

In the meantime? My calves are KILLING me.

What’s going on with you at this moment?

It’s overcast, yet not gloomy outside. Like it might decide to rain, or might just decide to stay moody.

Carole King’s Tapestry is playing. There’s nothing quite like this album for this kind of day. It always makes me think of my momma, who I’m assuming listened to it back in the day.  It fits with my vision of who she was back then.

Z just came over and asked if we could listen to some “fun music”. So much for Carole King. Maybe she’ll appreciate her on rainy days when she’s in her 30’s with her own kids.

Speaking of Z, check out the lovely outfit she picked out for herself today:

Those are legwarmers over tights, because her legs were cold when she went out on the porch.  Luckily we’re not going anywhere today.

The phone just rang and my friend who is bringing her kids over to play informed me that she is also bringing “chicken salad, homemade bread and fruit salad” for lunch. Are you jealous? You should be.

Tiny just walked past with a comb, apparently she feels her hair needs some attention:

And when she saw this picture just now, she said, “Tiny, punny!” (That means funny in Tiny-speak.)

Both of the girls are under the weather today, but it appears that Tiny may be past the “screaming at the top of her lungs at any provocation, including and especially Momma taking even the smallest step away from her” stage. Thank goodness for that.

And speaking of Tiny, I finally found her tennis shoes today after a period of about a week and a half of them being lost. They were at the end of my bed, under the overhang of the comforter.

I’m loving all of the lovely fabric that’s slated for a yummy blanket just for me. Do you want to see it? I know you do:

Thanks to a tip from a friend, I found a Beverly’s fabric store, and halloo- hallay, they carry the entire line of reproduction 1930’s fabric that I LOVE. I had to restrain myself and only bought a little bit, but I could have spent SOOOO much money.

I’m reading The Mindful Child by Susan K. Greenland, and so far it is excellent. It’s all about how to teach children mindfulness-  being able to calm themselves, be aware of their breath, and the things happening around them and inside them.  Z has really embraced the breathing practices and affirmations we’ve been doing, and it will be fun to try some new ideas. The book is full of games and songs and things that are specifically geared toward kids, so that makes it really nice – far less adapting to do!

What’s going on with you at this moment?

Tiny is running around the house yelling “Yee-ha!”. Apparently she is channeling her inner cowgirl.  Ride ‘em if you’ve got ‘em, I suppose.

Z is sitting in a blue wagon on the porch,  “driving”.

I’m waiting for my sourdough toast to pop up. I forget how much I love sourdough for half a year at a time and then I remember and it’s all I eat for a month, and then I forget again.

It’s a lovely, if slightly cold, day today. We’re going to the park for playgroup in an hour and a half- it should be fun. I love that there are so many moms in the ward to hang out with, and that there are so many that I 1) really genuinely like, and 2) enjoy hanging out with. (Those aren’t always the same, you know.)  I’m glad that the girls have so many little friends. I’m also glad that we don’t have swim lessons today and that it’s supposed to be warmer tomorrow. (And to answer my Auntie’s question from the last post, Tiny is almost 2. Z started swimming at the same age, and it really is a great age to get them going with it. They’re too little to be afraid (mad is a different story), and the movement comes pretty naturally.)

I’m listening to Le Carnaval des Animaux by Saint-Saens for the first time. It’s so lovely and fun. I can’t wait to listen to it with the girls and have them figure out which animal each piece is about.  It’s supposedly full of light-hearted swipes at other composers of the time- who I know nothing about so wouldn’t be able to pick out – but there’s a definite cheekiness to it that I’m enjoying.

I’m trying to convince Z that we really do need to comb her hair before we go to the park. She currently looks like some form of long-haired hobo.

I really need to make a list of the things I need to do. I can’t think of a lot of things, but I have the feeling there’s a bunch.

I have about 10 crafting projects I’m currently in the middle of, but I really want to put them all aside and make a huge patchwork blanket with all the fabric in my fabric bin. A huge picnic blanket, perhaps. I’m kind of obsessing over it.  I may have to just do it so I’ll stop thinking about it. That would also make space for more fabric, which is a win all around. I really want one of those fabric strip cutters, that would make my life so much easier. But it would also mean one more gadget to clog up my craft space, which isn’t a win. I have a lot of gadgets.

Z just came over and is enjoying Fossiles. The other day we determined that she prefers calm piano music, likes orchestra pieces in minor keys, is indifferent to John Phillip Souza marches (which, on the other hand, Tiny loves passionately), doesn’t care for Bob Marley (with all apologies to her Uncle Paul- if it’s any consolation, she does enjoy some Ziggy), and actively dislikes zydeco.

I’m tired. I don’t think I’m getting enough sleep.

I’m also tired of all the screaming going on in my house. Tiny’s new response to everything is to scream at it.

I found a gorgeous new blog to follow, you might enjoy it too.

Every time I read blogs like that, and I read quite a few of them, (cozy little homes filled with handmade goodness, tons of trees, homeschooled kids running around making dolls out of plants), I start wishing we lived somewhere like that. And then I remember that would require us to live far from my sister (akin to death) and that we live in a pretty awesome area with tons of things to do and lots of nature within walking distance. And my girls aren’t quite old enough to make flower dolls anyway.

Time to rally the troops (who are playing with cars on the huge map rug) and head to the park.

What’s going on with you at this moment?

Tiny is sitting at the table eating her blueberry yogurt by dipping a Tuscan Herb cracker into it. Hey, whatever floats your boat. She is wearing a “rella” (translation: dress, so named because Cinderella wears a dress). She has worn a “rella” every day for the last week. If she’d had her way, it would have been the actual Cinderella costume, but that costume is too big and she trips in it constantly unless I bustle it up.

So “rella”s it is. The dress she’s wearing today is a striped polo dress – it makes her look like a little Margot Tenenbaum, minus the eyeliner.

If I had my druthers she’d wear striped polo dresses every day. Both girls would. Alas, there aren’t that many striped polo dresses to be found.

Z has dressed herself in an oversized Cars t-shirt and blue comfy pants. She and Tiny are now playing out on the porch, admiring her flowers.

I admire them too. Except for the dying grass. I don’t admire that. What you can’t see, on the left hand side of the picture, is a gigantic, towering Chinese cabbage plant, overflowing with yellow flowers. It’s really pretty.

I’m still wearing pajamas, but that will change soon. We may have a little friend coming over to play today, so I should get myself and my house whipped into company shape.

Later today I’ll finish up working on a project I’m really enjoying- one that’s just for me. ME! I found a bunch of gorgeous 1920s themed papers, and wanted to do something with them, but really I just wanted to LOOK at them. So I’m making a themed spinner.

It’s getting close to finished, but still needs work. It’s got me all inspired though, and combined with paintings like this from the exhibit we saw at the museum yesterday,  it has me wanting to pull out my couple years old murder mystery novel manuscript (set in the 1920s) and take another look at it. We’ll have to see about that.

Huh. I thought I had more to say, but apparently I don’t. I’m going to go get ready for my day.

What’s going on with you at this moment?

In my house right now:

It smells like vomit and Lysol. Z was sick last night, and the house is still recovering.

Z is laying on the couch, watching Mickey Mouse. She’s kept down some toast and water (last night not even water would stay down), so things are looking better.

Tiny is standing in front of the TV in pants that are apparently too big, as they have slipped down over her diaper and are now around only one ankle. I should go do something about that.

Ok, I’m back. The elastic on the waist isn’t tight enough to keep them up. Heehee.

I still haven’t taken a shower, but my hair is a lovely scarlet color.

I’m reading Writing Motherhood by Lisa Garrigues. It is fantastic.

I’m loving this woman’s art, and thinking that we need to commission a portrait of Mimi, the lion that helps Z be brave.  Speaking of whom… we did a little switcharoo last night and replaced the old, decrepit, hair falling out Mimi with a new replacement Mimi. Z totally bought it, as we had to stick the old Mimi in the wash because of the vomit, and as far as she knows, washing a stuffed animal magically gives it back its hair; but I have to admit, I felt a little like I was betraying the old Mimi. He served Z really well, saw her through a great number of childhood dramas, and was well loved in return.  I know that as far as Z is concerned, this is still Mimi, but I like to think that out there somewhere Mimi got turned into a real lion (ala the Velveteen Rabbit), because he certainly was a real one to Z.

I have SO many books to read. I need to finish Writing Motherhood, and Positive Discipline for Preschoolers, AND We Never Talk About My Brother by Peter S. Beagle. And those are just the books I’m currently reading. Then I have a stack of 7 other books waiting for me. AND I need to get the Old Testament finished in the next 3 days if I want to keep on schedule with my goal to read all of the LDS standard works this year. And I’m only in Isaiah. I think I’m  in trouble.

I’m also reading the manual for my new camera, which is something I would never have thought of doing if it weren’t for my beloved friend, Miss Jessica of MomShots. I’m learning all sorts of new things, and discovering so many neat things I can do with my camera. Check it out:

Isn’t that such a cool effect? And it’s ON my camera, not photoshopped. So cool!

And check out the super awesome panorama shot!

And check out little cutie pants at our impromptu disco! She knows how to party on down!

Seriously, she’s so cute:

And the little misses out on a walk, with Miss Z being a sweet big sister:

It’s such an awesome camera, I LOVE it.

I saw Alice in Wonderland the other evening, and LOVED it. I will write about it at a later time, but I thought it was gorgeous, and I had a different reading of it than many of the reviews I’ve read. I know you’re all aflutter waiting for it.

I’m getting ready for an influx of babies! My sister-in-law is due any day, a new friend is getting induced on Friday, another friend just had a baby, and one of my best friends just brought home her new baby. So I have lots of baby blankets and showers in the works, which is fun and exciting.

And now I should go get things moving for my day. My day at home with girls watching TV. I think I may clean my house.

What’s going on with you at this moment?

It is gloomy outside.

The heater is on.

Z is laying in bed looking at books with her footie “jalamas” half on and half off. She’s been whiny since she woke up, and halfway through changing her clothes she hit superwhiny, so I asked her to lay back down until she didn’t feel whiny anymore. She may be in there a long time.

Tiny is listening to songs on her “radio” and playing with Handy Manny tools. She’s dressed.

It’s 7:45 and I’ve already been up for a long time today. I don’t want to think about how long, it will just make me more tired.

I’m  considering launching an attempt to buy new boots today. My quest for a new dress to wear to Wicked next week has been unsuccessful so far, but new boots with an old skirt and new top might do the trick.

I think I’m going to go play with my new Boogie Board. It’s the coolest thing ever.

What’s going on with you at this moment?