Spending Sunday in the Kitchen

This was such a lovely day.

We decided that Sundays should be spent in the kitchen and we will make pancakes for breakfast, snack plates for lunch and something sweet for the week- today we have been trying to get to these... meringues.

J-cakes learned to finger crochet today. She picked it up so very quickly.

G-pie cleaned the tea kettle.

C-dough made his lunch.

As did J-cakes.

C-dough took out the trash!

We played with egg yolks.

We mixed egg whites.

And added sugar & food coloring.

And tasted it.

And squirted it.

And exploded it. (Science experiment in the microwave gone awry. Tense moments with egg everywhere!)

After hours of wiping down (and behind & underneath) appliances, scrubbing cupboard fronts (love how C-dough calls them "covereds" just like G-pie used to!), unloading, re-loading, un-loading and re-loading the dishwasher, clearing the clutter from the counters, cleaning the teapot and the coffeepot- with a couple breaks for dance parties, hanging our "prayer rags"...

He put on the Scooby footies and fell fast asleep!

Mason Jar Midnight Snacks

Thanksgiving leftovers layered in a mini-mason jar. Microwave for 45 seconds- yum. Pack a few as you are clearing the table on Thanksgiving Day... midnight munchies satisfied!!!

Home, Friends, Family, Food & Muses...

As I am sleepily settling into this easy, slow, peaceful morning I am aware of something that feels like it is worth sharing. We are entering a season of sadness for many- a time of stress and hurry, worry and want. I know, I have been there for far too many years.

A shift has occurred in my life, a minor change- call it paradigm, belief structure or merely a matter of perspective, but I am seeing things in interesting new ways. I am allowing things to come into focus at the natural pace instead of peering into the future, craning for a glimpse of how I could get to what was to come. I am settling, yet again, into rhythms, routines and rituals that mark the seasons and cycles.

Do you believe in fairies? Witches? Elves and sprites? How about muses?

Spirits with energy that is slightly different in wonderful creative, playful, twinkling, pure, daring, delightful ways.

Wikipedia says this of Muses:

"The Muses (Ancient Greek: Μοῦσαι, moũsai:^[1] perhaps from the o-grade of the Proto-Indo-European root *men- "think"^[2]) in Greek mythology, poetry, and literature, are the goddesses of the inspiration of literature, science and the arts. They were considered the source of the knowledge, related orally for centuries in the ancient culture that was contained in poetic lyrics and myths."

and

"...concerning the number of the Muses; for some say that there are three, and others that there are nine, but the number nine has prevailed since it rests upon the authority of the most distinguished men, such as Homer and Hesiod..."

My life has been touched by at least one, perhaps three... I could go so far as to identify the nine if I filled in some intuitive connections for the gaps in my knowledge.

Muses move on. They touch your life, they change you, you learn from them, you laugh with them, you love them. Then they journey on like the merry band of gypsies than can seem to be. Their energy remains, their mark on the mural of community they have connected with conscious creation- and they often circle back around for celebrations!

With each of our recent moves, things have been shaken out of the accumulated carpet bags I'd been carrying around with me (baggage). Things have been discovered that I thought were lost, things have been happened upon that should have been lost! Dust has been disturbed, the old making way for the new. Perhaps as I moved about connecting, re-connecting and touching the lives of those we grew close to- just perhaps I was a bit of a muse.

Yesterday Sugar Daddy found my DayTimer from 2001, right about the time I got pregnant with G-pie was when it stopped being used. The dates of the days of the week are the same as this year. I can essentially "pick up where I left off" and keep using this beautiful, though well loved tool- a much needed one with the crazy busy schedule I am crafting for my clan!

It makes me feel happy to be settled. It gives me strength in who I am and what I am here to do. It allows me to tend to my roots... and shoots, and use my buckets and boots! This spring I am going to plant that Pizza Garden, Sharon Lovejoy!

Today is Thanksgiving. There is so very much I am grateful for. But right now, as I finish my coffee and my kids gobble up the last bits of breakfast while they watch Curious George, and my husband finishes the logo for Learning Barefoot, (so we can order those T-shirts for all our new members- woo hoo), and baby M-cube sleeps sweetly with a milk drunk smile... this is what I am grateful for right now.

My little home that warms so quickly and fills so fully with the smell of the fresh baked popovers that my little boy helped make this beautiful morning. (C-dough cracked the eggs, poured the almond milk, sifted the gluten free flour and dumped in the apples, raisins & nuts).

The children I have come to know and love as they explore the enrichment and resources I am happy to provide. A place to leave our creative stamp and space to collectively create!

The women I know as friends, acquaintances, family members, muses, mamas and mentors- such a rich, generous, inspiring, warm, and genuine circle- well maybe it's more like a Venn Diagram than an actual circle =)

My husband who loves me. Simply, honestly, forever. We are truly blessed.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Conscious Mothering Mini-Retreat

A few weeks ago I woke up ready to go get my "mama-ness" adjusted a bit.

The transition to 4 kids has been a roller coaster of emotions, physical demands, new territory with sibling development and musical beds galore!!

I spent at least an hour arguing with myself as to whether it would really feel refreshing and helpful with a nursing M-cube along (even tried that ol' thinking of others tactic- the mamas are retreating, "they don't want a baby around"). But she is a sweetie and I NEEDED it... so luckily I won the argument and I started getting ready.

It was one of those morning and I was running very late. It was further away than I realized. I didn't get to go on the nature walk. I was stressing a bit.

As I was unloading my precious cargo - rushing in the parking lot to hurry and interrupt as little as possible, I heard a soft welcoming voice. The mamas were just arriving from their nature walk... I wasn't late!!

And every second of the next 3 hours was precisely what I needed to find the inner mama guru who knows that this is the most wondrous and amazing time of my life.

The guided meditation that Sylvia led us through (while holding my sweet babe who was making her sleepy noises) opened my heart wide. I would walk you through it, but the tears would flow and I wouldn't be able to see my keyboard... but you should go experience it for yourself anyway.

After that we did a wonderful exercise called Listening. This has impacted my life in so many ways- with my husband, business, friendships, and even in helping me listen to my own inner voice. It was so simple, but somehow struck me like lightening.

Next up Sylvia worked with a specific challenge of one of the mamas- well, ok it was me!! As I laid bare the raw emotions of my most desperate self, I felt a weight lifting from my shoulders. Sylvia helped me realize my own power and perspective and peacefulness... the wisdom of the circle of mamas wrapped around and warmed me like the softest, lovely cardigan you can imagine.

A few weeks later I was window shopping on 2nd street with a dear friend and I came across this. It suddenly all came together. That is what I got back at the mini-retreat, the "hope" part of being a mama, and now I can breathe easier.

This Saturday is another one. I will be there. Do you need a little mama-freshing? You owe it to your inner baby, that perfect being of love and light. I am a better mama this month and I am getting better and better...

http://www.connectingwithin.com/conscious-mothering/conscious-mothering-mini-retreat-series/

The word I left with, written on a tealight, imprinted on my heart was Allow. I have allowed it to make such a difference in my life.