Elise is 8

{Taken at 3:30am Friday night.}

Elise turned 8 on Saturday.  What an exciting day for her.  On the simple side, there was no huge party to host or plan for, but a lot of love was exchanged that day.  Friday night I swooped the kids off to bed a little earlier than usual so I could finish her quilt.  I still had a little machine quilting to finish up and binding to sew on.  Hours later, it was complete around 3am.  Just so happened to be right around the time she was born eight years ago.  How synchronous was that!







She really loved her quilt.  I was so pleased with how it turned out.  It's a pattern that madebyrae published on her blog several years ago using Heather Ross' Far Far Away II fabric line.  It was one of those jaw dropping moments I had when I first eyed it and started making plans right away to make one for Elise, just turns out it took me awhile to get it completed.





So this morning I took it upon myself to take some photos of it on her bed where I think it looks lovely.  I'm sure as soon as she's home from school, it will be pulled off and carried around from room to room as it has been all weekend, it makes such a lovely warm companion.

Now she's got a quilt of her own.  She's such a special, sweet little girl.  Happy Birthday Elise!

sewing again

There is something special about a stack of fat quarters.   The potential; the soft loveliness.  The whole process of washing and ironing before any length is cut.  This is a special set I've been collecting for sometime, they are getting harder and harder to come by.   They are from Heather Ross' Far Far Away II collection.  The hardest to find is my favorite, the blue owl and the moon.  Totally makes the collection in my opinion.  Then there is the gray sleeping beauty, the green Rapunzel.  Hopefully, our little soon to be 8 year old will love them just as much, something tells me she will not be growing out of any fairy tale stories anytime soon.

Hopefully my last minute sewing/quilting will be done in time for her birthday two short days away.  Almost done.

this season

The season is here in our house.  Decorating for Christmas is a magical part of all our lives this season.  As much as I love looking at other's blogs and admiring their houses and their decorations, nothing compares to feeling our home in person.  The added warmth and love that comes with the season that clothes us like an extra layer to what we already "wear" each day is hard to put into words.  It has to be felt.  When the house gets quiet at night for a few short hours before I turn in, I may take a few moments to walk slowly around the tree admiring the memories and anticipating the next few weeks and wonders that will be waiting for us to open next year.

her birthday sweater in december :: Rosie's Thumbelina

This sweater stayed on the needles far longer than I intended.  It was a lovely pattern that I picked sometime earlier this year to knit in time for her 4th birthday as I have done in the years past. (here and here )  The pattern is Thumbelina, from the book More Knitting in the Sun by Kristi Porter.  As it got closer to her birthday in early September, I realized that my goal was not obtainable.  There was just not as much time as I've had in the past to devote to such projects, even when it was crunch time.  I just accepted it and continued to work on it when I could.



When Thanksgiving was approaching I found a little more time and made a new goal to get it completed by then, and I did!  It just wasn't the right weather for this sweater and again I held off giving it to her.





Turns out, today was the perfect day for Rosemary to wear her new sweater.  Who knew that on St. Nicholas' Day, it would be a balmy 65 degrees?  I was so happy to finally see it on her, I am very pleased with how it looks and I love the color of this yarn.

It feels so good to complete something, and to watch her wear and play in the sweater that mama made her.  It was definitely worth the wait.  

Braces and a haircut

Monday was a busy morning.  Lena got her braces put on and Nathaniel got his first haircut.

Both are monumental moments for a mom, and for a preteen, and baby for that matter.  I made her a promise that I'd share with her a picture from when I had braces.  Its pretty cool to see that cycle reoccur within our own family.  All of our kids are growing up.  It's exciting and scary all at the same time. 

We have two in braces now, and probably three to go, its funny how in some things we're not even halfway through yet in some respects, like paying for braces.  One day at a time, that's my mantra. 

I am here to enjoy today.  Kinda like this little guy!

Mending

Today was finally the day that I picked up that heavy torn bed skirt off my bedroom floor that had been lying there for months looking at me every time I came into the room.  It belongs on my oldest daughter's bed, and became torn after many climbs onto the bed by our sweet Rosemary who loves to play on her sister's bed.   Mending is not my favorite way to spend my creative time.  I'll put off sewing a button for months until I can't stand it anymore, or either I'm nagged to death about it - which is the more likely scenario.  I wish I was better at the quick jobs and the long jobs as this one is turning out to be.





Mending doesn't give me as much satisfaction, but it's a functional job isn't it?  So I spend this morning mending and appreciating my decision to get just one more lingering job done around the house today and knowing how much better I'll feel as Lena's bed looks more tidy and my room . . . has one less thing cluttering it up.

There are some jobs that require baby steps . . .

Our halloween

Hello all!  We had a wonderful Halloween this year!  We had friends over and celebrated Daniel's 40th birthday.  We had a much needed relaxing - family - fun - and friendship, no stress kind of day and evening.  Yes, much needed indeed.














Hope yours was wonderful too!  Have a exciting, adventuresome, creative weekend!

First day of school - 2013

Today was officially our first day back at school.  Or should I say school(s)!  We're in three different schools this year and four buses.  Yep, this is a family that loves challenges I say!  After the last bus came and went and once back inside and dishes and kitchen were cleaned, I found Nathaniel busy with his block activity, he loves putting things into containers.





Seeing him play like that made me think of this moment from 7 years ago when I got back home from taking my now 6th grade middle schooler to Junior Kindergarten for the first time.

First day of school - 2006




I remember there was this strange quietness in the air as the siblings who are left behind got lost in play.  I can now feel my heart sink a little lower in my chest.  Its not often that we stop long enough to sit in these moments, there is so much hustle and bustle going on in our homes that sometimes its hard to feel the tenderness.  These little ones are growing up so fast.  Hopefully the butterflies went away quickly for everyone who was a little more worried than usual this morning.  Its all so normal.  I'll sit and anxiously await each of their arrivals this afternoon.  I'll hear their stories, laugh with them about their day, share a snack and enjoy our reunion for the evening.  The first day back to school . . . its glorious I say! 

First day of school - 2006



First day of school - 2013 - today!

this moment ::

Inspired by Soulemama's {This Moment}

{this moment} - a single photo - no words - capturing a moment from my week.  I want to pause and savor this moment. 

this moment ::

Inspired by Soulemama's {This Moment}

{this moment} - a single photo - no words - capturing a moment from my week.  I want to pause and savor this moment. 

this moment ::

Inspired by Soulemama's {This Moment}

{this moment} - a single photo - no words - capturing a moment from my week.  I want to pause and savor this moment. 

Portraits of my children

Whenever I can capture the essence of my children with my camera, I am delighted!  There are times when I view my world as through a camera lens, I can see the pictures before I ever see them on screen or paper.  It can be frustrating to me when the camera isn't seeing what I see for whatever reason, the lighting might not be strong enough for the camera, or it might be too strong, or the pictures come out blurry from the movement of the child.  These days, it’s rare for me to be able to capture that special millisecond of time because of all of the demands, but it certainly is special when I do.  Sometimes it comes from a child calling my attention, other times I happen to be a part of the action and can see the photo unfold right before my eyes. 

I love portrait photography.  It tells a story without words, it has emotion, it has meaning.  It’s like carrying that one moment into eternity; that one moment that gets frozen forever.  It’s that special. 

Last night I had one of those moments.  The story goes like this.  Elise comes up to me telling me about this bee costume she made, I look up from the computer and know instantly to go grab the camera.  She had cut and pasted bee antenaes and wings, found the perfect yellow shirt from her drawer, attached a stinger, she had thought of everything.  Out the door we went to get the right amount of lighting and click click click.  The photo I was most proud of was captured towards the end as we were wrapping up our little session.  She happened to look up at the sky and there is was, that was amazing.  Intuitively, I had an a-ha moment and snap, I got it.  Now I have a wonderful little memory of these 5 minutes spent reveling her little homemade costume, and grateful I took the time to make a big deal of her creativity.   

It's his turn

It seems like only yesterday that I was introducing you all to our newest guy in the family.  He’s been with us already for a whole year.  I’m stunned.  This has been the fastest year of my life.  He’s a joyful little bundle, loves to be held, loves to play with all his siblings and loves to say his first word, "good!" 

This birthday celebration I wanted to keep simple.  Simple in a 7 person family kinda way.  I picked a rainbow theme, bright and definitely cheerful and is he.  I was coming up empty handed as far as a handmade mama gift, so last minute I headed over to Good-Will and purchased a large men's tie-dye t-shirt to sew him a pair of pants for the party!



Party production was at its finest in the wee hours the night before!  Sewing, and cake decorating made for quite the memories, was so glad to get the machine back out again, it had been far too long.

We had an amazing day!  Everything came together perfectly for his first little birthday.  So many memories were made that day, I'll never forget how he ate his cake and how he played outside, how nice it was to have family over and relax and enjoy the day in a non-stress kind of way.  We're so grateful for this little guy, his sweet, and charming personality.

Happy 1st Birthday Nathaniel Gene!
xoxo,
Mama