What I've been up to, a photo post.

Yesterday was Nathan's 16th birthday. He's becoming such a young man! He's applying for his first job today.

The quilt. I've changed my mind about the layout and cut some strips this morning for some 9 patch blocks. 

The quilt again. These blocks will be in between the 9 patch blocks. Well, unless I change my mind again. Which I may.

Corner round. For 4 years every time I went up stairs I hated that our hall way was without corner round. It took me about an hour to miter cut and nail it all down. Mike's in charge of painting. It's sort of pathetic that something that bothered me so much for so many years was so easy to remedy. I hope I keep that in mind for the future. 

Mike and I are in charge of the music for our 7 last words program on Good Friday at church. We've been working out the music. It is so wonderful to play and sing together.

I'm still studying and writing papers. In fact that's probably what I should be doing right now. I'd like to finish paper number 4 by Tuesday.

Germinating. Seeds, that is. We've got LOTS of tomato plants and a few peppers, onions and cucumbers growing in the sun room. It is so delightful to see these little guys grow so quickly. 

Decorating the sunroom. Every year I try to do a little more to the house. This year we are adding curtains to our sunroom to try to keep it cooler in there during the heat of the day. I've loved these IKEA curtains for a long time and finally decided to splurge.  

New chairs for the sunroom. We live out here when it's warm enough and needed some more seating. I think the colors will liven up the room and go well with the curtains.

The garden. We've been working on keeping out the critters. We have so many birds, rabbits, squirrels and cats in our neighborhood that garden covers are necessary. We have been able to keep the cost of the garden around the same as our CSA price last year. That doesn't count the amount of gas we spent getting there. 

And finally my most time consuming event: homework. I've done quite a bit of negotiating with both boys schools this year and helping them cope with 8th and 9th grades. It's been a struggle many days but one that will reap many benefits.

My day today is just as busy as the last few weeks have been.I can't believe how hard it is to get everything done even when I'm not working. There is just so much that I want to do and I know that my time is limited. I start my classes in Phila. in June and will be gone all day every day and then will start working again in August. I guess I'm trying to accomplish my list in the months I have left at home! Happy Saturday everyone.

Change

February. It has never been my favorite month. The days are short, cold and dark. It seems an eternity since the joy of Christmas. Lent begins and so Easter is also only a glimmer in the distance. February is, I think, the most perfect month for Lent. A time to go inside yourself for reflection. A time to let go of the world for a while and discover the spark that brings our purpose into light.


Today is the first day of my new adventure. I quit my job and enrolled in a Montessori teacher training program. It feels fitting to be doing this now, amidst the mid-winter gloom for some reason. Seems easier to sit and study by the fire with a blanket across my knees. 


Of course, being job-less for the time being also brings the other projects to the forefront that I have ignored for the past 10 months. Sewing and organizing and cleaning and getting ready for the garden.


A new start.

tuesday tinkering

Well, since the sun hasn't yet come up over the horizon, this tinkering was actually from Sunday but I really wanted an alliteration in my title. Some days I think literary terms are one of the only things they are teaching in the public school. Nolan is really getting sick of it!


But....I digress. What I really came here to talk to you about is tinkering. 

• tinkering. present participle of tinker. verb. attempt to repair or improve something in a casual or desultory way, often to no useful effect.
• desultory. adjective. lacking a plan, purpose or enthusiasm.

I wanted to add a little natural beauty to our dining room. I spend so much time in this little room it is almost unnatural. Thus the addition of nature. Get it? Ok....that was bad form but I can't help it. It's early in the morning. Work with me.

Due to the fact that Mike teaches out of our living room three days a week and it is too cold and dark to use the sunroom this time of year, we do homework in the dining room. This room is probably 10x10 if we're lucky. I call it cozy. Togetherness. At one with the family. 

Ok. I wanted something pretty to put on the table. My dad got a box of milk glass at a sale for $.50. Just because. Then he gave the box to me. Yea!!! I have the items in different rooms of the house. The kitchen, the sewing room, the dining room. I think it adds a little something to our lives. 

Something simple. Something beautiful. Something ordinary. 

The only part of the tinkering definition I don't like is the word desultory. I definitely had a plan, a purpose and enthusiasm. It just goes to show you that life doesn't fit into neat definitions. I do love the word desultory though. It sounds like something I shouldn't be doing or even talking about. Love it.

Sunday

It's Sunday morning and the troops are just starting to rise and shine. We've got a busy day today. Mass, an afternoon choir concert, musical practice and quite a bit of homework. Not to mention the list of household chores that I'd like to get accomplished. And I really should pay a visit to my parents. I found my mom the most wonderful present yesterday while thrifting. I want to do a whole post about it if I can. You'll just have to remain on pins and needles until I get to it. Today. If. There. Is. Time.


I'm sharing photos of my sewing buddy. Chloe isn't a lap cat. She's the first cat we've ever owned (and she's the 7th) that wasn't. She makes up for it in a myriad of ways. You turn away and then look back and she's sprawled out on her back, belly in the air. She lets you rub that soft, soft belly. She does this really funny stretching thing with her neck. She'll stand on two feet, front paws on a wall and then crane her neck all around in a circle like she's trying to get in the whole view. So funny.


Well, I could tell you a million more reasons why she's the best cat in the world. I don't want to sound too much like a crazy cat lady, though. Or maybe it's too late.

List Making

From the "making for Christmas list." White chocolate covered Oreo cookies. Yum.

I really love making lists. There's something so organized about them. Like it may be easier to accomplish what's on the list just because the list is so 

1. neat and 
2. tidy and 
3. numbered.

I think in actuality, what I like even more about the list is checking off the items I've completed.

I've been working lately on slowing down. I have a tendency to work in a frenzy to get things done. I'm surprised my blood pressure isn't higher. I need to remember that there isn't any reason (usually) for the walk to be swept, dinner to be cooked, bills to be paid, homework to be completed as quickly as possible. That savoring the moment is also an option. 

Often I work at the speed of light because I don't really want to be doing whatever it is that I'm working on. I want to be doing something else. I need to stop pining away for the next thing and work on enjoying the moment in which I'm living.

Easier said than done.

So....I guess that's one of the items I'll put on my list. Enjoy the now.

I'm going...to enjoy the now of a movie with my hubby. 

Things I *need*

If you are a regular reader of my blog, you will notice that I've been doing a lot of thinking about my life lately. I've done quite a few starts and stops, purging and re-animating things in my life. I've felt a great despair of late. 


I've always promised myself that I'd keep this blog light and positive. So I hope this post stays within that framework.


Within my despair, there is, of course, hope. Hope that things will brighten in the future. So where does my hope lie? In the things I know I need to be happy. So I'm starting a list. Of course, such lists change over time and with thought. I'm a left brainer so I love the list. Some lists are meant to be checked off when completed. This list of things I need will be tweaked and subtracted and added to as I continue to think about it.


That's another thing I know about myself. I need to talk and write in order to process. I guess that's one of the reasons I like to blog.


So here's the beginning. I apologize if some of this seems materialistic, vain or totally irrelevant to you. After all, it is my list. Yours will be totally different. 

Things I Need

• Faith
• Family
• Time to devote to the two bullets above
• Home
• Time spent outside, in nature, in the sun
• A dedicated place to sew
• Meaningful work
• Comfortable clothes
• A glass of wine on the weekends (red, preferably while cooking)
• Time to cook and bake
• A clean, uncluttered home
• cats
• music
• time to myself
• time with my children
• time with my husband (without my children)
• time to spend with all of my family (nuclear and extended)
• time with my girlfriends
• enough money (but not too much)
• something new to learn
• time spent with the seasons (eating, cooking, gardening, learning)
• birds
• squirrels
• simplicity

I know that my life needs to change in some way at some time. I don't want to live it the way it is right now. Hopefully things are temporary. I made this list to really think about how I should be spending each day of my life. What do I need in each of these days. How can I find those things? What about my current schedule is lacking?

You may see some hints at how I'm thinking of changing over the next few days and weeks. I need to trust that God has a plan for my life. That plan tends to be not what others think is best for me and mine. So that gets tough. But....I am always happiest when I follow that plan. His plan. Not mine.

A New Voyage

I have found my life in the last year to be a journey of unknown destination. Just when I thought I knew what I was about, I found a log in the stream and had to meander around it. It's happened many times in my life and I should think by now I would be used to the journey. Alas, I am not. 


This journey of mine is mountainous. It is full of tough climbs and days without sustenance. Ok, I'm being dramatic, but that's who I am. Really, my life is wonderful. It is just that I find these changes to be difficult, not bad, not wholly unwelcome, but difficult. My identity is being challenged. 


So I won't be visiting this blog nearly as much as I want. It isn't the first time. My boys are teenagers. I'm working a full-time job. My life consists of packing lunches, getting in a short walk after the boys leave for school, working, picking up Nathan from Cross Country, Dinner, homework and taking Nolan swimming. There is little time for the other things I enjoy.


Which is fine for now. This is one part of my life. I will never regret packing up my sewing room so I can focus on my boys and their needs. Someday they will be independent young men and I will wonder where all my free time came from. I can make quilts at that time. 


So for now there is little time to write, to take superfluous photographs. I'll do it as I have time and as I have desire. My life is full, it just won't be internet worthy!

Life

isn't like the stories I've read in books. It isn't the same as the movies I've watched or the music I've listened to.


The challenges just don't come across the same way. I guess that's why we read and watch and listen. To lighten the load.


Garage sale-ing with the boys tomorrow. Never read a book about that but it is fun.

Finding Time

A paper pieced pillow I made for my office chair.

We all have the same amount of it, don't we. Time, I mean. Everyone is given 24 hours in each and every day. Of course we all have different responsibilities. Our needs and wants vary as much as the flowers that grow in the garden. Wonderful, isn't it? 


Now that I'm working full time I'm trying to figure out how to manage my time at home. Responsibilities have shifted in our home and I've been relieved of some duties that used to take up quite a bit of my time. Remembering that my lovely husband is more than capable of taking over the responsibility isn't usually too hard but letting go of my old role as Stay-At-Home-Homeschooling-Mother isn't as easy. I'm working on it.


I do adore my job. I love getting out of the house everyday and learning new things and talking with people who want and need help. It's very soul satisfying. I feel energized at the end of the day. I feel blessed to have been able to get a wonderful job so quickly when so many haven't.


So what's this post all about? It's about finding some balance in my life. I have loved writing this blog and cherish the memories that are stored here. For me it's not so much about who reads it, but that I have a snapshot of our life that I can refer to. A virtual photo album, if you like. I will continue, at my own pace. Just as I will continue to sew and garden and exercise and spend time with my family. 


Of course, there are things that I must make the decision to leave for now. I'm still not sure what they are. Some of them have left me just because they occur during the day when I'm at work: directly homeschooling, summer volunteering at VBS and Work Camp. There is sorrow in the leaving but joy in knowing that God is present in all that I do.


So my thoughts today are on time management. After I do what NEEDS to be done, what is left that I WANT to do? Food for thought.

Embracing Change

This is our engagement photo. We were 18 years younger and had no idea about the life on which we were embarking. We have more gray hair now but the same smiles on our faces.

Sometimes life throws you for a loop. (Where does this saying come from?) There's nothing you can do when it happens but deal with the problem, issue, or situation. In our case, the "loop" came on Valentine's Day. Mike lost his job. (I think this is a funny saying, too. I mean, can't he find his job anywhere? Is it hiding from him?) We didn't expect it to happen but yet weren't totally surprised. 


When bad things happen, I like to look at all the possibilities. One possibility was that we could feel devastated and believe we would be penniless and out on the street in time. Of course, we didn't think this way. We are fortunate to have a savings account and to live fairly frugally so we knew we had a lot of time to make some decisions about employment. The possibility that we chose to go with was that this was an opportunity.


Mike has long talked about getting back to teaching music full time. He stopped teaching when he started working at this small company. In the past year he picked up some music students one evening a week because he enjoyed teaching. Of course we couldn't see our way to having him quit his job to start teaching as his job was our main source of income. Without quitting, it would have been very difficult for him to focus on getting enough students to support his family but he couldn't support his family if he quit his job. Quite a catch 22.


In addition, with Nathan back at school and Nolan finishing his last year of homeschool, I began to wonder what I would do with my time. In fact, Nolan is so self sufficient (generally speaking) that I was already wandering around the house a bit. I starting thinking about going back to work in some capacity in the next year.


Well, when this Valentine's Day opportunity came along we started thinking that it made more sense for me to find a job and for Mike to pursue music as a teacher and performer full time. I have a degree in social work and have generally found it somewhat easy to find a job in relation to the general population. So, on Monday I will begin working full time. Mike will take over Nolan's last two months of school (with my supervision in the evenings....I can't let go that easily) and work on filling his teaching schedule. He's already gained a few new students.


We feel fortunate. We believe God has laid a path before us with love and affection. We are the lilies of the field.

Love, Wednesday style.

Sometimes I get in one of those reflective moods. It could be that I've been having trouble sleeping lately. So, I'm up at 3 am. I've been watching movies like Man on Wire and Peggy Sue Got Married. The other week I watched It Could Happen to You. I do love Nicolas Cage. Anyway, perhaps it is a lack of sleep, perhaps it is decision making (I was offered that job and turned it down), perhaps it is hormonal. Who knows. But, I've been reflective. So here are a few photographs of things I am loving.

I just adore Black Eyed Susans. I wish I knew the Susan these were named after. She must have worn some terrific skirts. I'd love a bright and cheery skirt that flows and twirls like these. I imagine Susan had dark hair and eyes that sparkled when she laughed. I wait impatiently for these to bloom every summer. These and the daisies. Love.

Ok, who can resist these little prairie dogs? When I was reading My Antonia, Willa Cather refered to the dog colony. It took me a while to realize she was referring to these little guys. I just love this picture because these guys seem to be pals just hanging out together, having a snack, best buddies. What do you think they were chatting about? Were they eyeing up the cute new lady dog or taking a rest after digging a particularly difficult hole? Almost like construction workers on a break. We watched them for a long time.

Double love in the above photo. Nolan concocted a batch of homemade vanilla heath ice cream a few weeks ago. It was DELICIOUS. The double love here is for the ice cream and the bowls. I found them at a consignment shop a few years ago. So much fun.

And last but certainly not least are roses that actually smell like roses. It looks like these are somewhat blighted (guess I should take care of that). They aren't the most beautiful roses in my yard but they are the only ones with a scent. And oh, what a scent. I wish the internet was scratch and sniff. 

Here's hoping you find many things to love on this Wednesday morning. I'd love to hear all about it.

Bread Credits

I know, I know....I haven't posted in a long time. I've wanted to, really I have. It amazes me how quickly time passes. We have a busy few weeks ahead of us. Last week the boys and I spent most of the day (like 8:30am-9pm) at our Church's youth outreach camp. It is a wonderful way for teens to help parishioners and local agencies. This is the second year my boys were eligible to attend. Boy was I tired at the end of the week. This week is vacation. We rarely go away for the entire week for many reasons. This week we will head to the beach for a few days and take a few day trips. Yesterday we visited a goat farm where they make cheese out of goat milk. We have been buying cheese from them at Central Market (yummy...if you are from Lancaster you must get some) and they hosted an open house (open farm??) yesterday. We were able to see the goats and learn about the cheese making process. Lovely family (they homeschool, too). We then headed out to Jim Macs for mini golf and ice cream. Again, if you live anywhere near me (Jim Macs is actually in York county) you can get wonderful ice cream for CHEAP! Yum.


Today we're off to Hershey Park. We had no intention of getting there this year because the ticket prices are so high. Then, what to my amazement, I won four tickets! So....we're off later this morning. Needless to say the boys are very excited. They were able to go earlier this summer with Mike's sister and her fiance' so this will be the first time in their lives to get there twice in one summer. 


In sewing related news, I have been making clothes this summer. I know I promised to show you what I've been making and I still have to take pictures. I find photography to be more difficult in this house. That's my excuse and I'm sticking to it. Anyway, after reading a post from my friend Michele about the book Sew Serendipity: Fresh and Pretty Designs to Make and Wear, I headed out to Border's and was able to purchase it with a VERY good discount. I've made a dress and skirt so far. I also purchased several patterns from a garage sale that I'm hoping to work on this summer. I'm really going to try to get you some photos of the items I've made. I'm making it a priority (once vacation is over, that is).


Finally....the title of this post, Bread Credits. What, you may wonder, am I talking about? Well, Nathan starts High School this year (how did that happen???). So, he needs to work on earning credits. One nice thing about homeschooling is that he can earn credits a little here and a little there. He loves to bake so I thought one of his electives could be cooking/baking. Nolan will be away at camp next week so I thought this would be a great week to start working on those credits. I've been wanting to bake bread and he likes to eat bread (always a good motivator) and since there is a lot of science that goes into bread making I thought this would be a great place to start. The downside to the bread making (for me) is the bread eating. Thus, I thought I'd try to find some healthier recipes. I've looked through the Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day: The Discovery That Revolutionizes Home Baking cookbook and thought it looked interesting and recently saw Healthy Bread in Five Minutes a Day: 100 New Recipes Featuring Whole Grains, Fruits, Vegetables, and Gluten-Free Ingredients. I'm hoping the library will have copies of both. If you have any bread making tips or recipes....send them our way! 

Goings On and Such or Pictures with a Few Words

Hiking...about once a week

One more week of school. Really, how much gets done that last week??? Portfolios to finish and evaluation to schedule.

Quilting. I'm getting down to the wire. I can only imagine how the pregnant mother feels...

Art....mine. I draw with the kids. I think this is the best thing I ever drew. Makes me want to do more.

Planning for tonight. I host a group for middle schoolers with disabilities.

It's amazing how much more I like our basement since I added the works of the great masters. Ok, we also took our dilapidated couch to the dump.

Happy Saturday!

Just bought...

Life Beyond Measure by Sydney Poitier. I've been hearing the interviews with him each morning on NPR as I go to work. His stories are amazing. I don't usually buy books for myself. I'm a library kind of girl. That being said, if anyone wants to read it after me, I'm happy to share.

In other news I've been sewing a baptismal garment. I had to rip the whole thing apart because I sewed the back piece on backward! I've got it back together. Pictures to come soon.

Summer is on the horizon. We are so excited. Less than three weeks of school (for me...2 for the kids) left.

Where I've been and what I'm doing...

2009 is here already and I just wanted to pop in here to let you know that you won't be seeing or hearing a whole lot of me. Life has really changed since September in lots of ways. I went from a stay-at-home, homeschooling mom to a working-full-time, helping kids with homework, graduate student.

Needless to say, there isn't a whole lot of sewing going on in my life. I have two quilts in progress and I think they'll be in progress for a long time to come. This one is my favorite (sorry about the bad picture). It has been on my design wall for a while and will be there till summer, I'm sure.Right after the new year I began my journey toward my teaching certification....a journey that will take years and years. I'm only able to take one class at a time due to working and family obligations. It has been a really long time since college and I'm REALLY rusty on reading and paper writing. Thus, everything takes a really long time.
The other reason things take me a long time is that I'm not able to devote my time toward only my schooling. Although the boys are doing well in school, they still require a lot of my time and energy. Nathan will always require a lot of help, especially in writing assignments. The kids are only kids once and I don't plan on missing out on any part of their life if I can help it. My goals for my own life can wait until the kids are adults if need be. Not that parents ever stop parenting but I know that the time we spend now will reap a myriad of benefits later. I'm not missing that opportunity! So....Nathan and I worked tirelessly (ok, actually we were really tired) on his last book project. Here's the grade:
I promised him that once the project was finished we'd take a trip to the setting of his book: Hershey, PA. We had a great time at this new museum. If you live nearby or want a fun vacation destination, Hershey, PA is a great place to visit.
And finally, I'm still teaching a special needs class at church. Making lesson plans takes an inordinate amount of time for me. I've discovered my kiddo likes birds so this week as we begin to learn about the sacraments we're going to make a comfortable nest for this little birdie. The connection? God provided us with our home (the church) and makes us comfortable (His love) using lots of materials (the sacraments). Our Cardinal will be helping us to learn more about God's love and the life of Jesus for the rest of the year.
Well, I'd like to say that's what I'm up to but really there are lots of other things (including cleaning out a house so it can be sold...anybody interested in a fixer-upper?) that I don't really have the time or the inclination to share here. Things are good but different and very, very busy.

Have a great weekend!