Cozy Living

More from the Everyday

I promised you more of my week in pictures. That was a really eye-opening project. I used to hate it when people who aren't stay-at-home moms asked me, "What do you do all day?" (Yes, people do ask.) I never had a good answer. This was not only a good exercise for me for posterity, but also one to remind myself that I'm valuable. My job is valuable. If I were working, I would lose this once in a lifetime opportunity to read (and read and read) "just one more" story in that same old Curious George treasury and cuddle on the couch with the boys. I would miss the chance to help Jake carve a "shamu" killer whale out of a cucumber, just because he had a bizarre longing to do it. I know I would miss Tyler's spontaneous hugs, and I'm quite aware that those won't be coming to me for long.

And speaking of pictures, I'm oh so desperately hoping to win this giveaway of a beautiful printer on Simple Mom's wonderful blog. I've had trouble the last few times with my usually so dependable Costco photo printing.  Head on over to the link and play the odds...but don't you go ruining my chances of winning!

Daily Life in Pictures and Words

This week I'm participating in Ali Edwards' "A Week in the Life" project, at the end of which I'll have a small scrapbook album documenting the everyday events in a regular week in our lives.  This is the kind of thing that I wish I had from my grandparents or my parents.  How did they deal with the stresses of everyday living, especially without all of the modern conveniences we have now?  What did they do day in and day out?  How much did their groceries cost and what did they buy?

I think I'm going to try this every few years, just to give a glimpse of the stage of life I'm in as I go.  Imagine how different my everyday life will be in five years...  I'm really enjoying photographing the little meaningless stuff that adds up to be so meaningfully "us."

I'll be putting a little journaling onto each of the days of the week in my scrapbook...a schedule, some little tidbits about the day, what I was thinking about, what our moods were.  My thoughts on faith throughout the day and the way my prayers transform my attitude will have a big part in the book, too.  My faith is such an integral part of my life that it's sometimes unnatural for me to write about topics close to my heart without delving into my faith and why I value certain ideals in my life.

Have you ever been forced to play that horrible baby shower game, where they give everyone a clothespin and you can't say the word "baby" or someone can take your clothespin as her own?  I hate that game.  The moment it starts I simply say "baby" and get rid of the clothespin so I can simply enjoy myself.  I know, I'm such a poor sport.  At times I feel like I'm playing that game here on my blog.  Trying not to offend or sound preachy with my thoughts on God, trying to stay neutral and sound universal.  But it's hard to talk about the everyday things in my life without talking about the One who keeps my life afloat, both physically and in my spirit.  I'm ready to give up the clothespin.  I hope it won't seem presumptuous of me to share about my own faith, knowing that your faith is most likely different from mine.  It may be taboo, but you'll be seeing a bit more writing about my own faith around here, because I'm simply not me without it.

Our faith is important to all of us, really, whether we trust in God or the government or our network of friends and family to sustain us in hard times and rejoice with us in good times.  We all turn to someone when we're proud or we're struggling, even if it's only to ourselves.  I hope when I mention the One to whom I turn throughout my everyday life, you can still follow along here and be strengthened in your own faith, or be challenged to think about what's sustaining your own everyday.

Here are some everyday moments from Monday through Wednesday.  I'll share more soon.

Ty helps with the crock pot stew.  At dinner that night...me: "I hate it when no one eats the dinner I work so hard to make." greg: "Then don't make stew."  

haircuts...jake's came out a little uneven in front...just in time for picture day.

greg's usual late evening pose...with the t.v., the remote, the favorite chair, and the cat.  I'm still in denial.  But her name is Mittens Elizabeth, which means the boys just couldn't let go of calling her Mittens, but mostly we all call her Ellie.  (Thanks for your votes on names.) And she's such a sweet kitty.

Finally taking a walk again, and the tire's flat.  Trying to change it.

On our walk...taking a break as the boys play at the park...to read my current book, which I'll post about (along with her other wonderful books) soon.  I love the walking shoes, park bench, lenscap, pen and book...so everyday for me.  (Well, except the walking shoes part!  Gotta get back into that.)

Dyeing the halloween costumes.  What a project.  "Tub dyeing...it's easy!" proclaimed the instruction manual! Ha.

Jumping on the bed during quiet time (which around here means 'go upstairs and play with your brother and work everything out on your own' time.)

Sunset in the corn maze at the pumpkin patch last night...I told you we go multiple times in October!

Fresh Bread is Here Again

Hello, bread.  Welcome back.  We've missed you.  I've missed the yeasty aroma turning our house into a home.  The boys have missed you, too, as evidenced by their cries of, "fresh bread! fresh bread!" when they first smelled you baking and then saw you on the counter.  Mmmm...you're making a welcome return to our home.

Unless you've perused the archives you will not know that my first loaf of bread was only about six months ago.  Now, I'm going to warn you, if you don't have a strong stomach, please avert your eyes, because here she is:

The saddest part is my conversation with myself as I looked at it, which went something like this: "Well, it smelled good, and it is homemade, so I know it might be a bit lumpier than storebought bread.  It doesn't look right, but I did it just like I was supposed to.  Hmmm...Maybe it's supposed to look like this?"  Let me assure you, that, no, homemade bread is not supposed to look like this.  It wasn't long ago, but it's certainly worth seeing, as I can guarantee you've never seen another loaf like it in your life.  But everyone has to start somewhere, right?  And I can just picture those of you non-bread-makers out there seeing my first loaf and thinking, "well if that's how she started, then gosh darn it, I've got to at least be better than her!" And more power to you.  Please, do, make a loaf of your own.  When you get around to making your first edible loaf, it's so, so addicting. (Of course, some of us take longer than others to get there.)  And if you have any confidence left in me after six months of breadmaking since this beauty, you'll find our recipe here, if you're looking for a good whole wheat loaf, which is perfect for cutting into thick slices (I think homemade bread just deserves generous servings, don't you?) and for spreading with butter or jam.  We make it with about 2.5 c. whole wheat flour and .5 c. white bread flour these days.  I'm always looking for ways to up the whole wheat factor.

And a few other little tidbits: -on the counter in the first photo: more zucchini and bananas for making even more whole wheat zucchini banana bread today.  White flowers to take tomorrow as a housewarming gift to my sister in her new downtown digs.  That beautiful striped wood breadboard we bought in Seattle this spring. And the pumpkin butter, an impulse buy at Trader Joe's, just because it seemed like the fall-ish thing to do (although it smells quite spicy, now that I've opened it...hmmm. What shall we do with it?)

-and down below, my boys enjoying our fresh bread on the front porch.  With cloth napkins, which I have decided are our next step in a more wholesome life.  I think I feel some more sewing coming on...

A Few of My Favorite Things...day 4

...playing the piano while the boys spin and dance with all their hearts.

We started this activity way back before Tyler was even born, and Jake would flip and spin and roll around on the floor as I played for him.  As we've been reading the Little House on the Prairie series I've been so jealous of their evenings singing with Pa's fiddle, but have lately realized that this is our own version.  I'll begin playing and the boys will yell out, "adagio!" for me to play slower and they'll dance slower, then "allegro" or "presto" and I'll play as fast as I can while they run and dance with everything they've got, until they fall in heaps onto the floor.  When they get a little older and I have some daily moments to myself, I look forward to re-learning some of my old piano pieces.  I love the quiet of the house filled with the warm tones of classical music.

I began piano lessons in second grade, and continued on with them more or less regularly for the next twelve years.  This piano is my grandmother's, and has brought me moments of peace and calm in the midst of wonderful, crazy, and horrible life moments.  When Jake was an infant and couldn't be consoled, I'd sit down with him and play for him, and he would settle in against my chest, leaning back, mesmerized by the music. At the moment, I can really only remember how to play a few favorite pieces, but I do hope that at least one of my boys will show an interest someday in learning to play.  Wouldn't it be fun to play a duet together with my little boy?  For now, they're playing cacophonous duets of their own...

Digging Dinosaurs

I am pleased to report that a new obsession has slowly been claiming territory in our home, now that trains seem to be chugging their way into the sunset...(and by slowly, I mean that trains are being played with more like several times a week, rather than several times a day.)

I must say, I'm ready for the dinosaurs to roll in.  They really are awe-inspiring, aren't they?  And to think that they were really here wandering around and ever so big...it's fascinating to me.  You may have noticed the dinosaur birthday party and dino arranging, so perhaps you knew where we were headed if you have older boys who've been through this.  In any case, I do love an opportunity to teach my boys multi-syllabic words like carnivore, habitat, and brachiosaurus.  

Jake won a contest in our local newspaper, so we all got to go see "Walking with the Dinosaurs: Live" which is exactly what it sounds like: life-sized dinosaurs tromping around the stadium, leaving us all in awe of their size and grandeur.  The music and lighting and the dinosaurs combined for many a dropped jaw, and a few hours of enjoying each others' amazed faces.

How else could a mom respond but with freezer paper stenciled dinosaur shirts?  I'm sure I'm the last person on earth to try freezer paper stencils, and they're really so easy that I plan to do a few more. (helicopter and jet have been ever so fervently requested. uncle rob, the pilot, will be so proud.)  It's also a perfect way to hide stains on old shirts...not that we have any stains around here, ahem.  In case you, like me, missed this fashion design boat, check out this tutorial for directions.  And I'll leave you with a few photos of the process. 

A Few of My Favorite Things...day 2

...the feeling of the heat of the pool deck warming your whole body after a dip in the pool.

(Don't miss the chance to enter Sunday's birthday giveaway...head on back there to enter with a comment.) 

What we found at the top of the stairs...

...and a while back...

..and another night in the top bunk...

I'm so enjoying peeking in on the boys in these little quiet moments.

(by the way, to capture these late night moments I change to TV mode on my SLR camera and set it to a long exposure...not the fractions...and brace the camera against something so it doesn't shake.)

Unexpected Beauty

Could you have guessed that these photos were taken at the Happiest Place on Earth?  I'm so enjoying using the skills I learned last weekend at the photography retreat as I see everyday things through new eyes.  Now that I have my nice camera bag, I'm not embarrassed to bring my nice camera to Disneyland with us, instead of just my little pocket camera.  And one of the nicest things about having unhurried weekday mornings at Disneyland now and then, is the discovering of hidden pockets of beauty.  When the boys were littler, we might spend an hour feeding the ducks on the Rivers of America, or just wander around looking at the pretty flowers and the people.  My favorite spots are Tom Sawyer's Island and a similar exploration-based area in Disney's California Adventure park.  The boys love to explore as if we lived in the country and could find caves and treehouses of our own.  And now Greg has arrived home early and we'll relax and recover from the heat and excitement of the morning.  

Be sure to come back in the next days for a birthday/100th post giveaway!

Appreciating the New

Just taking a moment to reminisce:  I distinctly remember the feeling of flying back into Los Angeles after living in Germany and Poland for eight months.  I loved traveling all over Europe. I loved the old buildings, the quaint beauty, the amazing architecture.  And as I flew into L.A., I remember clearly how much I loved seeing the modern buildings.  Those cityscapes that had always seemed so ugly and streamlined were suddenly beautiful to me. New.

I often find myself wishing I could live in the country settings that some of you live in.  Or in the weather you get to enjoy. The fall. The spring. The crisp air.  I have to remind myself to live here and to live now.  And although I still do prefer the wilderness adventures we go on, when we went to the playground, I reminded myself to seek the beauty where we live. It wasn't the natural beauty of the meadow or the creek or the beach, but there is art everywhere, if I remember to look. 

I hope you'll find some beauty somewhere today. Happy Labor Day!

Is This Illegal?

I certainly hope not, because it sure is a lot of fun.  No one report us for child abuse, please.  Oh yes, the disclaimer: No children were harmed in the filming of this event. 

 

 

   

 

Here's wishing you some fun in your day...whether it's just doing something silly, reading a book you love, laughing with a friend, tickling a little one, or even flying through the air to land on a billowy bed.  (Well, you never know who might get a chance to do that today!) 

P.S. Photos taken with a high shutter speed to stop the action (my SLR camera set on TV mode) with a bounce flash off the ceiling...if you don't have an external flash yet for your SLR, get one!  I've purposely kept all my ceilings white in the house so indoor flash pictures look natural, by aiming the flash at the ceiling for this bounce flash look.  (And how often do you shoot with a flash in the house? my husband would ask...good point. Okay, so the ceilings are white because I'm lazy.)  Although I do admit the lighting in these is rather surreal looking, but I think it works with this subject.

Another Boy Outing

I say boy outing, because I'm not sure about girls, but all of the preschool boys I know are obsessed with trains.  One of our favorite outings is to go to the train station just to watch the trains roll in.  We've discovered that this is more of a breakfast time outing, as the trains are few and far between at lunch.  Living in the suburbs (halfway between San Diego and Los Angeles) means that the commuters pack the train station between 8:00 and 9:15, which is just the perfect time for an early morning outing.  Early morning is my favorite time for outings...to the beach, the train station, the meadow, anywhere, really. The fog hasn't quite burned off, and we get a bit of that chill in the air that some of you who live where there's real weather probably get all the time in fall and spring.  Sometimes we stop at the donut shop on the way to the station, and every once in awhile now, we have someone to pick up from the trains, now that Amy's living in San Diego.  One of my favorite things about being a parent is that I can do all sorts of things with the boys that would make people look at me funny if it was just me. (What's that weird lady doing standing around by herself watching the commuter trains come in and go out?)  I love discovering free outings that get us all outside and watching the world unfold, don't you?  It's so amazing to experience a little childlike wonder for the world around us, isn't it?

Beautiful things to get me through...

...one of those days.

cute green shoes that always make me a bit happier

my favorite tote bag that reminds me of my year in Germany...to shop with at the farmer's market 

fresh peach crisp for no reason at all

two random wisteria blossoms at the totally wrong time of year

a forgotten book discovered...to laugh about with the boys

popcorn for dinner

...and two favorite magazines to skim.

Wishing you a peaceful weekend...

Lessons from the Web

Look who we found outside of our back door! This crafty, colorful spider and her prey. Do you notice that her bug is nearly twice her size? She's working hard. I thought for sure that she wouldn't be able to wrap him up enough to keep him from getting away. Nobody would blame her if it turned out that the task was too big for her, or if she rationalized that it wasn't worth her time to tackle something so big. But she didn't give up, get lazy or get distracted; she kept at it. The boys and I watched the bug try to wriggle away, but our spider friend worked quickly and diligently, never wavering. And my, did she have a nice (big!) dinner as her reward.

I'm hoping to have a rewarding day, too. 

A Place of Rest (mentally.)

(I love the lighting in this room...and how the recycling in the back left is spilling over a bit, and how the truck and the booster seat remind me that life is lived here.)

Oh, how I enjoyed reading your comments about yesterday's post! It's so nice to laugh about someone else's child having a tantrum and know that we aren't alone.  There really is a rhythm in life, isn't there? And thank goodness, because it's been several months since two consecutive Target incidents in our family, one of which involved them opening a whole new checkout lane, just so they could get my double-tantruming boys out of their store as soon as possible! (And no one in line complained that we were getting helped before they were...imagine that!)

But what I really wanted to say today is that I've learned that I need a place in my home to go daily to rest my heart and my mind and my body and my spirit, so that I can spend what free moments I do have rejuvenating and refilling my cup, so to speak.  When the boys have their rest time upstairs, I sink into my favorite chair for my own moment of rest.  Yes, it is just a brief moment, but it is a moment of release, of prayer, of reflection, of regaining perspective, of slowing down. It is a moment of forgetting the tiny everyday chaos and embracing the overall journey as a person and as a family.  I have learned that the breakfast room table and the kitchen counters need to be cleared in order for me to refresh myself during this moment, so that I can relax instead of having to think about how I should really be up and cleaning.  It took me a long time to learn that, but now that the boys are older, we spend a moment cleaning up the floor and counters before they head upstairs, and it means so much to my soul to have this place and time of rejuvenation.  Even if it's only for three or four minutes, those minutes are priceless in the peace they restore in my mind and heart, and therefore my home and my family. My cup runneth over. 

(today it happens to run over with Trader Joe's Fair Trade Organic Dark Hot Chocolate, too.)