MommyCoddle

rock star chickens

Today was a busy day on Thomas Run. It started with the gathering of all barn cats for a "field trip" to a local clinic for spaying and neutering. It is a grant project put on by the county and I am so thankful for it. There were some good people working behind the scenes. 

The only tough part is that the cats come home fairly quickly. One was still asleep, the others still too out of it to come out of their travel kennels. I have a regular hospital ward out on my mud room. 

While the cats were "tripping" Dan and I took the girls to the Susquehanna Poultry Show which was put on at our local fairgrounds. The girls were pretty jazzed up about it, especially because we threw a chicken crate in the back of the car, "just in case". 

There was even a spiral notebook being passed around between them--a list of potential names for whatever manner of poultry might "accidentally" come home with us. 

But we came home empty-handed (this very pregnant mother says, 'phew!'). The only few chickens for sale were very fancy and pretty impractical for our situation.

But we did see some rock-star chickens...

Seriously, they spent the whole time flipping the feathers out of their faces, if there even IS a face in there.

And some chickens that looked more like soft bunny rabbits...

And some beautiful geese with deep throaty honks...

And then of course, we eventually made our way home and not everyone was happy about it...

And while Dan ran in the garden store for grass seed, I entertained three grumpy, hungry girls with an in-car photo shoot....

And then, appropriately, we came home and ate egg sandwiches... 

more local love

The smARTS Week, that I wrote about yesterday culminates in an Arts Festival held at the school over the weekend. It is a juried art show and sale that displays the work of some amazing local artists.

I always love to go because their work is so inspiring and there are so many amazingly talented artists and ideas, from every genre of craft and every walk of life.

I told myself this year, that I was going to do some Christmas shopping while I was there. I came home with nothing. Well, nothing for Christmas....but a few small things for me. I'm horrible, I know.

The bracelet and bobby pin were from Allison Fomich--who had the coolest stand. I pretty much loved everything she was making. (I could have done a lot of Christmas shopping there, had I not been so selfish.) But you know, the bracelet--those are SO my colors. And I wear a bobby pin in my hair every.single.day. I think I deserve to have a cute one, don't you?

Thankfully, Allison is online and I'm pretty sure I'll be hitting up her etsy shop or sending her an email once I get serious about Christmas gifts.

The ring is from a funky little stand that I also fell in love with. It was hard to pick just one, and who can resist a fun little ring that's cute enough to eat. 

As I walked around the art show, I picked up cards here and there of a few of my favorite crafters and I thought I'd share their etsy shops here, for you to explore and enjoy.Though I have to say, seeing their work in person, and meeting the artists face to face is so much better than any online website or shop.

Alison Fomich (the bracelet and bobby pin) : Tigerlilly Shop :  Alison's blog

Poppi (the ring) : Poppi Shop

Dana Marie Hosler : her shop : her website

Shelly Daly : A Stone's Throw : her shop

Backlog Pottery : website (also home of Trashy Women)

Heidi Hammel, Reclaimed Creations : website

many of the crafters at the show belong to Baltimore Craft : website : on twitter

local craft

Every year, the school that my little sister attends (and perhaps Emma will attend one day, too) holds a smARTS Week. Local artists, crafters, and teachers host a variety of classes and for those three days, regular schoolwork is put on hold while the students get up to their elbows in art. Classes cover the whole spectrum of interests from nature-journaling, cake decorating, flower arranging, gospel singing, sculpture, photography, glass fusing, pottery, and so much more. It's the kind of thing an adult could get mighty jealous of, (and I've been hinting around that I'd love to see a smARTS week for adults, too.)

Inspired by Jade's Craft Hope project, I threw out the idea of offering a quilting class to the students--having them create quilts that could be given to needy children in our community. The idea was a success. There were sewing machines available, the school's music teacher was also a quilter and things were set in place.

The original plan was for me to be on location, helping with the class, but when my babysitting fell through, I found myself as the behind-the-scenes help for the class.

The students in the quilting class created two quilt tops--in quite interesting color schemes :) --and they were sent home to me to add the batting and the backing, and then sent back for them to hand-tie the next day. Most of the students in the class had never sewn before and I was given some interesting quilt tops to work with. But with a little squaring up, some reinforcing of seams, and a bucketful of God-given patience, I was able to send back their quilts, tied up in bundles to be hand-tied and sent off to someone in need. 

I've always noticed in my sewing experiences that projects truly motivated by love and giving tend to go so smoothly for me. I'm constantly guilty of making silly mistakes, moving through my projects sloppily or quickly. Yet, when a project is inspired and driven by love and a giving heart, it seems that things always come together perfectly, as if my head and hands and heart are working together despite my shortcomings.

I love that about handmade work.

As I sat at my sewing machine, with the quilt draped across my lap, I noticed immediately the warmth it was providing in my very cold, farmhouse kitchen. And I could only think of the sweet little child whose lap and weary body these quilts would bring warmth to. The thought of that warms my heart.

there and back again

This weekend, I did something that fell into two categories...something I haven't done in a really long time, and something I've always wanted to do.

On Friday morning, I packed my bags (equal parts knitting/camera supplies and clothing), waved goodbye to my three little girls and headed out on the road with my dear cousin Maggie. We were on a little pilgrimage of sorts--the something I've always wanted to do. We took a long weekend away to visit our other dear cousin Catherine and experience first-hand some of our family history.

We saw the homes that my father, grandmother, grandfather, and other "great-greats" grew up in or called home. We stood on the shores of the bay where my grandmother once played and sailed. We visited gravestones, yacht clubs, cottages and main streets.

We hoisted each other over tall privacy fences to snap pictures and get closer looks.

We sat around, knitting in our laps, watching old movies and slide shows mourning, yet adoring the loved ones we've lost.

We laughed until our sides ached.

We cried some more.

I tried to figure out a way to really describe my weekend away, but I am truly left without words. It feels like something that can only be understood by a handful of people who know what I know, have known what I have known and long for the same things I long for.

But I can tell you, that getting to experience my family's history in such a tangible way has left a deep impression on my heart.

I haven't done something like this in a very long time, leaving all my babes behind and going somewhere by myself. But I am returning with a sense of refreshment, contentment and a joyful sorrow that has been escaping me for quite some time.

a day like this

Saturday afternoon, Dan headed over to my Grandpa Sayre's farm to chop and split some wood. He took Mary and Emma with him. When Elizabeth woke up from her nap, she was heartbroken, that everyone had gone to Grandpa's without her. So we jumped in the car together and headed over.

We got there, just as the first hints of nightfall were arriving. The sun was leaving it's warming golden glow on every hillside and slipping between the trees.

I'm so glad I thought to throw the camera in the front seat of the car with me because I couldn't even make it up Grandpa's long driveway without having to pull over and take a few photographs.

When we finally pulled into the house, I could hear the chain saw, but couldn't see Dan anywhere. Down over the steep back hill, I found him slowly taking apart a downed Ash tree.

Elizabeth and I started the hike over the hill, knowing (and thankful) that we could get a ride back to the top in the truck. The girls met us from behind a few strides down the hill--they'd been down in the barn, jumping in the corn and checking out the cows.

When Dan finished, and we finally got back up to Grandpa's house, he came out to say goodbye. We stood there for a long time, the girls playing in the back of the truck, Grandpa and Dan talking about property lines, woodburners, farming and politics.

And I stood back, making sure no one toppled out of the truck bed and soaking in the scenery as the light changed from golden yellow to deep blues, to pink, to dark purple. 

At one point I stood with the sun setting at one shoulder, the moon reaching into the sky at the other.

It was remarkable.

Grandpa told the girls how, on nights like this, he comes out to those chairs and watches the clouds and waits for the deer to come out of the woods. And how just a few nights ago, he counted 37.

Some light rain finally chased us home--dirty children, a tired, sore and hungry husband.

As I pulled out of the driveway, waving to my girls sitting three across in the truck, all I could think was how blessed I am, we are. To have places like this to come to. To have views like this to cherish. To have people like Grandpa to share stories with and love. To have strong bodies to do work. Warm homes to protect us in bitter cold. And a place like this, and people like you to mark the moment, and share those feelings of fullness and contentment that come at the end of a day like this.

10 Ways To Get Outside--Even After School Starts

My friend Anne, from National Wildlife's Green Hour blog, asked if I would share these ten tips with all of you--on finding time to get outside with our children, even once the craziness of the school year starts. It is something that I believe is vital and important, so of course, I was happy to share them here. You can find the tips in their original location here on the Green Hour Blog--with live links, a few aren't working for me. Typepad is fussy.

And I would love to hear (and I'm sure Anne would too) the ways that you make time to get outside with your children, even once life gets busy. What are you favorite activities? Do you make time for a walk after dinner each night? Do you send them on a scavenger hunt? I'm sure we all have great ideas worth sharing.  It is amazing how easily children become engaged in the outside, natural world.

: BE OUT THERE : from NWF's Green Hour Blog :

Homework, soccer practice, ballet – is there time in the schedule to play outside? Here are some tips to get a Green Hour -- or at least part of an hour – during a busy day:

1. Scenario: Traffic made you late, there's no time to cook dinner, so you drive the family over to the rotisserie chicken place to get a quick meal.

Tip: Keep a picnic blanket in your car for an impromptu picnic on any spot of grass you can find!

2. Scenario: Backpack? Check. Lunch? Check. You're ready to head to school.

Tip: Whether you drive or walk to school, or wait with your child by the bus-stop, take a moment to notice nature. Make it a game of "I Spy" -- or download this nature scavenger hunt at greenhour.org/hunt.

3. Scenario: Your child is studying plants at school and, at the dinner table, recites how photosynthesis works. You, yourself, have never successfully kept a plant alive.

Tip: Start small: All you need is some bird-seed and a sponge. For sponge-garden instructions, visit greenhour.org/spongegarden. Next step: check out National Gardening Association’s parents’ primer for gardening with kids at kidsgardening.com/primer.asp.

3. Scenario: You and your youngest wait outside your older child's school, a few minutes before the bell rings.

Tip: Look up at the sky together. "Wait, mom -- is that a sheep or a donkey?" Picking out shapes in the clouds is a classic childhood activity -- and needs no special equipment.

4. Scenario: Your child looks at you and says, "Mom -- I'm a little old for cloud-watching!"

Tip: For older kids, combine technology with the outdoors and go geo-caching or, the lower-tech version, letterboxing. There are about 20,000 letterboxes and 250,000 geocaches hidden in North America. Visit geocaching.com and letterboxing.org.

5. Scenario: The kids get home from school and immediately plop in front of the TV. You suggest going outside. They respond, "Indoors is more fun!"

Tip #1: Set time-limits for TV watching and video game playing. It won't be popular, so make sure you have a back-up plan. If you have a backyard, kid-customize it with a homemade fort, dart boards, a trampoline, a craft table. Set up a bird house to keep wildlife visiting.

Tip #2: No backyard? Find your local parks using nwf.org/naturefind. For older kids, start stretching your child's boundaries, allowing them to go for unsupervised walks in the neighborhood with groups of friends. They'll love the feeling of independence.

6. Scenario: Outside, it’s a perfect fall day, but you look at your child’s homework assignments and realize outside play-time isn’t a reality.

Tip: Take homework outside! There’s no reason math problems can’t be done in the fresh air. Set up a clean outdoor workspace for your child on a patio table, perhaps.

7. Scenario: Your daughter comes home from school clutching new-found treasures: three crumbly leaves, two acorns and a dirt-encrusted rock.

Tip: Instead of putting them on the kitchen counter, a drawer, or -- gasp -- the trash, start a nature table. Set a limit of how many items they can have in the "nature museum" -- so they'll keep it to a manageable number. Other ideas: use an old tackle or sewing box, or a hanging shoe-organizer with clear plastic pockets. Have your kids decorate it!

9. Scenario: A blank piece of paper in front of her, your daughter asks you, "What should I draw?"

Tip: Have your child make a map of your neighborhood -- using only natural landmarks. This will heighten his or her observation skills and can be the first step in creating a "field guide" to the nature in your neighborhood.

10. Scenario: It's 8 p.m. Dinner's over, but not quite time for bed.

Tip: Keep flashlights near the door, and go for a neighborhood night hike. Kids will love the novelty -- and you can challenge them to identify "night sounds." Learn how to make a moon journal at greenhour.org/moonjournal.

Anne Keisman is Be Out There Editor for the National Wildlife Federation. Follow her on Twitter: @GreenHour.

soccer mom

Emma has just begun playing on her first ever soccer team. I can't tell you how much I'm loving it. I sit there on the sidelines and can only think about how big my girl is getting. Then I look across the field to another team practicing--a group of girls that look like they might be in high school--they must think my girl--this one that I think looks so old now--is just a pee wee.

When did she learn to run like this? When did she learn to get knocked down and get right back up again without any tears? When did she learn to set her jaw and run for the goal like that? When has her smile ever been so big?

Meanwhile, for her sisters, the hour long practice time is losing its charm. So I've started packing entertainment (along with dinner for Dan and multiple water bottles). I've been bringing a little entertainment for myself as well--some stitching I've been creeping along on all winter.

Last night when the practice was over, I looked around me and realized how quickly we'd made this little space of grass look a lot like our home--traces of dinner and drinks, toys strewn about, discarded flip flops, a camera. It doesn't take us long to settle in. And make a mess.

The big excitement last night was the acquiring of the team jerseys. This is big, big stuff. They are royal blue and now the girls have been given the assignment to come up with a team name before their first big game on Saturday.

Emma had to ditch her idea to be Tigers, "since they're not blue", and is pondering her father's idea of "The Wave".  But I'm sure she'd love to hear your ideas as well....She didn't like my idea--the Jellyfish. C'mon? What's wrong with that?

ribbons and recipes

Last Tuesday afternoon, Emma and I found ourselves scrambling around a sticky hot kitchen. While I gave her directions on measuring this, leveling that, and "do you know what it means to cream the butter and sugar?" and "you should really crack the eggs in a separate bowl first, but we don't have time for that."; I also fielded the whining from a jealous little sister, "You never let me do anything in the kitchen!" and tried to comfort and keep tabs on my three house guests who I worried were wilting in the heat and bored out of their minds.

For the two days prior, we'd lost electricity in a storm that seemed to settle in and swirl around our valley. And so this day, fair day, we were left to prepare almost everything.

We were multi-tasking wonders--between baking and measuring, she'd do another touch-up on her painting. I'd dry the paint with the hair dryer while she wrote out the labels for her photography--I don't want to talk about how many times we had to redo the labels.....while the cake baked, she changed her clothes, threw her hair back in a ponytail and we searched for our gate passes and read through the all directions one more time.

I quizzed her on things I thought the judge might ask about each of her projects:

What kind of paints did you use?
What's the name of your cake?
At what temperature did you bake your cake?
What kind of camera did you use?

And I tried to give her gentle nudges of things she might want to share with the judge:

You could tell her that the eggs are from your own chickens.
You could tell her the story about how you finished your painting and then your little sister got into the paints and covered it in black.
You could tell her how your mother is this amazing photographer who takes stunning pictures and she taught you everything she knows and she has this photography project called ha......(kidding. i didn't say any of that. of course.)

And right on schedule at 4 o'clock, we all loaded into the car, her bag carefully packed with half a cake on a pretty teal plate, her photographs and her painting of a sheep. We made our way to the fairgrounds and found the judging table for the Clovers--the children who aren't quite old enough to be full-fledged 4-Hers yet.

She walked up to the table. And I stepped back.

The judge was sweet--overflowing with compliments, asking sweet simple questions, nowhere near as difficult as those she'd fielded from me. And I smiled as I heard Emma tell the judge the story of the ruined and rescued painting.

And then her things were carried away, into the big home arts building under the green flag of clovers. Set on display among other children's projects--birdhouses and scrapbooks, knitted turtles and cross-stitched pillows, model rockets and strawberry jam.

When we came back to the fair Friday night, I believe she entered the fairgrounds skipping. So proud of that little white card in her hand that proved she was a card-carrying 4-Her. So excited to show her Daddy her projects on display and dying to see those silky green ribbons she knew would be hanging from each one.

So, I thought this morning in honor of the sticky hot fair days that are behind us, I'd share Emma's recipe for Sour Cream Pound Cake. A recipe given to me years and years ago, which we've since made our own. It is so good and just the right amount of sweet. One of the judges even arrived at Emma's table, fork in hand, "I just have to try this cake." And afterward, I heard her whisper in Emma's ear, "You make one awesome cake little girl." and she reached for one more slice.

Enjoy.

COUNTY FAIR CAKE

3/4 c. butter, soft
2 1/4 c. sugar (and that's why it's so good)
4 eggs
2 1/4 c. flour
1/4 t. baking soda
3/4 c. sour cream (i like to make it an overflowing 3/4 cup.) (can also be subst. w/ yogurt)
1 t. vanilla
1/2 t. lemon extract (optional. we never add it)

Cream butter and sugar. Add eggs one at a time, beating after each. To creamed mixture add sour cream and flour mix, alternately. Starting and ending with the flour mix. Mix until just blended after each addition. Stir in flavorings.

Pour batter into a greased and sugared (that's the key) bundt pan. Bake at 325 degrees for an hour or until toothpick comes out clean. Cool in pan for 10 minutes. Remove from pan onto a wire rack and continue to cool. Sprinkle with powdered sugar.

the weekend

Yesterday afternoon our house was silent except for the humming of the fans. Every single member of the family fell sound asleep for Sunday naps. Very long, deep Sunday naps.

It had been a big weekend--my cousin's wedding and reception at their farm, lots of family in town, and the beginnings of going through some of my grandparents' things. There were many moments where I felt like I was moving through time in slow-motion, puffy-eyed and exhausted by emotion and other moments of belly-aching laughter and sweetness that I never want to forget.

I think that's a sign of a well-lived weekend.

I've got more things to share with you including some new additions to our growing animal kingdom--if I can just get them to get over their shyness in front of the camera. But for now, I think I'll spend the rest of the day in recovery mode--reclaiming the house and tackling a much neglected mountain of laundry.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Chronicle Books winners:

Little Oink :  Ericka

Oh, Little Oink looks so cute! I've been checking out all of the "let's clean up" books from the library that I can find...it's not a favorite chore of my 2 year olds. Or mine really! And Secrets of Simplicity, someone PLEASE tell me what they are! Where are they hiding?

Horse Crazy :  Meghan

Always love books! I like the looks of Horse Crazy :)

Secrets of Simplicity : Shannon

My daughter is crazy for horse books and is just beginning to truely develop the love of reading and I am much in need of a little simplicity. Thanks for sharing!

Winners: Please send me an email with your mailing information and I'll pass it on to Chronicle Books.

a new day

I'm not sure how it got to be Thursday already. Between a trip to the aquarium and fighting colds all around, the days have seemed to tumble by. People say that February is a tough month, but this March, with all its gray skies and cold rains sure sucks the energy out of me.

Now, how's that for a depressing start to a blog post? Yikes.

But today, I'm feeling the clouds lift and things are finally making the move back to normal. I set one goal for myself today: to get the dining room table cleaned off. It may sound like a small task, but if you saw the piles of books and spilled markers and "stuff" brought in from a car clean out, and mail and fabric and....you'd be impressed.

Emma and Mary went riding all morning, which was a much needed gift. Elizabeth toddled around half naked and happy, making messes in other rooms, while I focused on getting the dining room done.

Isn't it funny how having a mess like that can not only clutter up your house, but also clutter up your mind (and attitude) as well? I'm feeling much better, tons better now that the job is done.

I've been finding it really relaxing in the evenings, once the house is quiet, to continue dipping my toes in the world of digital scrapbooking. Or at least my take on digital scrapbooking. Though they are mostly paper scrappers, I've been finding a lot of inspiration digging around on the blogs of Molly Irwin and Ali Edwards. 

There is something really intriguing about it for me--it satisfies some of my creative longings, it keeps with my love of capturing and taking note of every day life, and I can easily work something from start to finish in a (fairly) short period of time.

I am also really intrigued by the idea of using it as a tool for projects and journaling with the girls, where they are doing the designing and creating and storytelling.

So these are the last two projects I've been working on. The first is a page with my pictures from Sunday's naps--because I just loved them too much to only have them on my blog.

The second is a recipe that Emma created, that I've been wanting to share with all of you. It's really good. So pass it on to your children and let them whip you up a batch.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Sunday Naps: details here

In The Kitchen:

Background : Andrea Victoria Pina Kit

Frames : Katie Pertiet Basic Bare Frames

Recipe Card : Katie Pertiet File Cards No. 2

"Mom's Notes" : Lynn Grieveson Journaling Spots and Strips

Doilie: Jesse Edwards Doilie Paper Pack

Button: Katie Pertiet Alandia Meadow Kit

Font: Report School

Mom's Note text: "She's starting to dream up recipes, sneaking into the kitchen to try new things. This experiment is actually pretty tasty. She came up with it one Saturday afternoon while I was away. She gave it to Dan as a snack. He loved it. She was proud of herself. She's been copying the recipe, giving it to friends, encouraging them to try it. And she makes it a few times a week. What's a little peanut butter and butterscotch in exchange for creativity and independence? "

pie tester

This morning I'm wondering if homeschooled children get a sick day when the teacher is sick? Actually, it's nothing that bad, I'm just beginning to feel the achy cold that my children suffered through all last week.

Sunday was rainy and gray here, a good day for naps. I found myself tucked in the flannel sheets of my bed with a little girl and a loudly purring cat, who looks to me like she was quite happy to have slipped inside from the rain.

Saturday we all went over to my Grandpa Sayre's farm with my cousin Katie to take pictures of the new calves.

And while none of them were very cooperative with my camera, (we'll have to wait until Katie shares her pictures), I did get a few shots of the resident "pie-tester". Who felt it her duty to stick a shoe in each one, if you know what I mean.....

Alright, on to the good stuff.

Roz Streeten, the designer and illustrator of the Rosie Flo books , sent me an email over the weekend. She shared this neat video of her girls (for whom the Rosie Flo name came from) working on the books. She also told me about the gallery for the books, and anyone who submits a colored illustration is included. There is some great inspiration in the gallery.

Now for the winners. Please send me an email with your mailing info, so I can pass it on to Chronicle. Thanks!

Rosie Flo book:

Such cute books for budding artists! Thanks.

Posted by: Andrea | March 13, 2009 at 10:33 PM

The Duck!Rabbit! book:

Oh wow, either of those giveaways would be awesome. please add my name. thank you.

Posted by: Colleen | March 13, 2009 at 08:39 PM

bloggers, streamside

This weekend, Emily and I had the pleasure of hosting Erin. I hate to try to sum up the weekend with lots of gushing and ranting about how wonderful it was, because it just wouldn't quite capture it all. Spending time with Erin was easy and comfortable. Like we'd been doing this for years....old and dear friends.

Saturday, everyone came to Thomas Run and Mama Urchin and her little urchin joined us, as well. We spent a good chunk of the time streamside, and rest of the time standing around the kitchen table munching on bagels and egg salad (what else would you expect from me?).

Saturday evening, Erin, Emily and I spent some time together wandering around the cute parts of Baltimore and stopping for Mexican, the regular routine for me and Emily.

I was sad to see the weekend end. But still hold on to all that was so, so good.

shopping for girls

I just got back from a trip to Old Navy with Emma. Every time I go looking for clothes for her, I come home frustrated and disappointed. She is seven. And she's wearing clothes from the girls' department. Does everything have to have something written across the seat of her pants? Or be cut so low she can't crouch down to play a game on the floor without showing off her undergarments? Or cut so low I'm seeing her bony little bird chest? Or so tight, it's like a second set of skin? Or glittery? Does everything have to be seven going on seventeen?

We left with a few basic tees in solid colors. A few short sleeved tees to layer over them. And a hoodie. No mini skirts. No hip-hugging, thigh-hugging flares. No "too cool for school" logo tees. No triangle-top bikinis.

It makes me appreciate the classic looks of catalogs like Lands' End and LLBean, or MiniBoden, and people like Joanna and other small-scale shops and etsy sellers. Though they aren't always in my price range, they are clothes I feel comfortable with. They are classic. They are made for kids who are being kids. I appreciate that more every time I go shopping.

Where do you shop for your children? Though we're blessed with some really nice hand-me-downs, and some pretty good second-hand shops, sometimes there are still holes in the wardrobe that need to be filled.

But, in Old Navy's defense, I will say that they have carried an amazing line of games and clothes this winter featuring illustrations by Charley Harper. The girls each got something from the collection for Christmas--the memory game, the alphabet cards, the board book and a tee. When I was in the store today they had all the games on sale and I even snagged a few coloring books. I can't get enough. I probably should have stocked up on more games to put away for gifts.

So I suppose in Old Navy's defense, that little score made the frustrating trip a little more worthwhile.

The things I'd be blogging about if I could find three quiet minutes in a row

Preface: This post has absolutely no inspirational value. Unless of course you find inspiration in stories about chicken hawks, homeschooling pity-parties, and bits about my laundry. Sorry.

++The chicks have taken over the downstairs bathroom and the guineas are outside in a movable wire pen that sits on a grassy spot in the yard. Yesterday I heard them making a huge racket and since I was upstairs with a naked baby, I sent Emma outside to see what was happening until I could get out there. There on the ground beside the pen was a large Red-Tailed Hawk harassing the guineas and causing them to run laps around the inside of their pen in sheer terror. The hawk was absolutely resolute about the whole ordeal. Emma walked right up to him, with just the pen between them. He didn't fly until she really started flapping around and saying "very mean things to him".

I came out moments later after watching it all from the window, to see that he had simply flown to a small tree beside the pen, no doubt waiting for this annoyance of humans to disappear. So, being the quick-thinker that I am, I pulled the big oilcloth tablecloth off my picnic table(the beautiful one from Beth) and began flapping and slapping it around at him until he moved on....to a taller tree just over the guinea's cage. He hasn't been back, but I feel like I may be sending my poor guineas to their death the day they are allowed to roam free in the yard.

++Homeschooling Day 2 was "throw in the towel, put 'em on the bus to school" hard. The first day was marked by Emma saying, "Next year I'm going to real school" every five minutes until she finally asked if she was hurting my feelings. Day 2 was marked by grumpiness, bickering siblings, things being spilled, nothing being accomplished, slamming doors, tears (mine, theirs), naps for everyone, and babies falling off tables.

I suppose every year has its challenges--last year it was lack of space. This year it is Elizabeth. She is the most curious (that's me putting a rosy glow on it) of all my children, a climber, a get-into-everything child. Emma and I sit at a long bench at the dining room table and I spend the whole time removing her from top of the table, and putting her down on the floor. Elizabeth, no. Elizabeth, no. Elizabeth, no.

She brings us tiny counting chips in her mouth and spits them out in our hands. She bites the tops off of Emma's new crayons and brings us the leftover nub. She gives me "quiet" by going into the kitchen, sliding the chair over to the table, climbing up on the table and digging her chubby fists into the boxes of cereal, turning them upside down to get out more and "drinking" the glasses of orange juice left there by mistake. Drinking involves 25% of the juice down her front, 75% of the juice on my kitchen floor--which I now know has a nice little sweet spot smack in the middle where all the juice pools.

++I've had the same load of laundry on the clothes line for three days. This will be day 4 if it doesn't come down by midnight. Upon typing this, it occurred to me that the clothes pins and clothes will by now be taken over by a large population of spiders who find my clothes line the perfect foundation for web-building. The last time this happened the large red striped spider that I brushed (more like a spastic swat) off the clothesline showed up five minutes later on my right shoulder. I almost de-shirted in the yard, I was so freaked out that I didn't get him off. Great. 

++This one's good. Emily and I met for dinner Tuesday night outside Baltimore. We live so close to each other, I love it. You know how when you meet great people blogging and you say to yourself, "Why can't this person live near me? I know we'd be fast friends?" I'm lucky enough to say that I've met a kindred spirit in Emily. Before we knew it, we'd been sitting there so long we both were desperate for the bathroom and realized it was after ten o'clock. To which we left the restaurant and then spent even more time lingering in the parking lot. Next date? Dansko outlet and dinner at Thomas Run--children and husbands allowed.

++This one is also good. Lisa Leonard sent me two beautiful treasures in the mail recently. I was going to share them today, but I don't want to throw their beauty in with all this whining. But let me just preview it all by saying that I love it, I love it, I love it. And the other thing she sent is now going to be my standard issue baby gift--a simple, classic. Stay tuned.

I leave you (if you're still here) with some words of wisdom from my husband, who reminded me last night that things worth doing are usually worth quitting, too. I'm not throwing in the homeschooling towel yet. I liken it to my newborn analogy--those days after the blissful first days are sometimes crazy, you feel like you're losing your mind, how did I get myself into this, when will I ever find a moment's peace, etc. etc. And then the next thing you know, you've found your groove again, your rhythm, and you wonder how you'd ever live your life other than the way it is right now. You can't imagine it any other way. I'm looking forward to that time. I'm hoping it comes soon.

Thank you for listening, or rolling your eyes, or yawning and rubbing your eyes, but making it to this point.

I guess I found my three minutes.

++++++++++
Momformation posts here & here, & here, & here

">Add to del.icio.us | Digg this

am I a modern mom?

Does your library have these newfangled "playaway" devices? These digital audiobook recordings that you can check out? Well, our library has recently introduced them--a hand held ipod-looking device that has a book already loaded on to it. You just plug in your earbuds and listen.

My children have been hounding me about them since the posters started going up in the library and I've really been dragging my feet. I rarely allow the girls to listen to my iPod, though they beg all the time. They have to be really sick, or really pathetic-looking in order for me to give in. Just the sight of them walking around tuned out to the world, plugged in to something else kind of gets to me. It's similar to the whole zone-out in front of the TV thing.

But last night after a homeschooling meeting at the library, I was browsing for some things to bring home to the girls, and there in front of me was the "playaway" for A Cricket in Times Square, the book Emma and I just finished reading, and another easier-read that Mary would be able to enjoy.

And I folded. I stuck those little devices in my bag and checked out.

You can imagine the squealing and excitement that "mom brought iPods home from the library!" when I arrived home last night before bed. Batteries were checked and replaced, earbuds were untangled, buttons were explained, and "ipods" were set out carefully on bedside tables for morning.

This morning, two girls emerged at my bedside, talking extremely loud with wires trailing from their earlobes. Ugh! Am I a modern mom? I don't think I'm there yet.

I'm reminded of this fantastic post by Stefani. Now I just have to think of my "hook" to bring them back to my "little house on the prairie"-fantasy world that I want to live in.

On a more serious and important note, I hope you will take a moment to check out the important NieNie Auction going on at design mom. Amy asked me to share it with all of you. She thinks highly of you all, my dear readers, and hopes you can take a moment to help out. I was unfamiliar with Stephanie's story until this week. She tugs at my heart and demands my continual prayers. Please take a look.

Wishing you a wonderful, long weekend. xo.