Goodbyes Are Never Easy

Today is the last day my kids will be going to their daycare center. Completely and totally. We've pulled out our son during the time our daughter was born but they went back after a couple of months. We've also taken them down to just a couple of days when Mommy's job allowed for more free time during certain points of the year.


Now, however, we are going to just stay home - and while that is a celebration for me and my family, it is a point of sadness for some of the staff and directors for the center. Every time the director talks about it, she tears up and can't talk. She's known our babies since they were only two months old. It's been a tough decision, but in the end, I get to spend even more time with the kiddos and we think that's best.

So, to say our thanks to all those wonderful staff members who have all gone above and beyond to care for our sweet children, I've made some simple clutches from this book by Amy Karol. Of course, this can't be sufficient payment for nurturing and caregiving, but we wanted to say thanks somehow.

Tucked inside each clutch is a little individual note to each teacher along with a picture of the kids. All clipped together with some "love" (heart-shaped paper clips).


So this past week I have been preparing the house to be more organized for the morning babysitter as well as getting myself ready for some crafting fun with my kids in the afternoons (think paper plates, coffee filters, glue, paint, string and glitter...). Yahoo!

I don't want these years to slip by ... but they already are! I am sure one day I'll be helping my son tie his shoes or my daughter to do her button and I'll be at some graduation party, watching my little birds leave the nest...

I intend to enjoy every moment. Make sure you enjoy yours!

Staying on the path...

Happy Easter

From our house to yours: We hope you all had a happy Easter holiday...




Getting back on the path...

Wild

I used to live there. There and in many other wild places. I visited often and could always jump into each world with startling ease. I was an emperor, a thief, a fairy, an explorer, a renegade, an adventurer. I would never say I was a dreamer because to my young self, that would have been an insult. I never dreamed these things. I lived them. Every day.

I held on to that world longer than anyone ever has, I believe. Right until I went to college. After my first year, it was lost. I couldn't find it. I am hoping to go back there someday soon and I am hoping that my children will take me there...



Did you ever live in those places as a child? I think that is what, in my adult years, keeps me:

On the path...

Mommy Guilt and Easy Toddler Aprons

I often struggle with Mommy-guilt. Don't we all? Am I paying enough attention to my kids? Am I paying too much attention? Are they learning enough? Do they feel loved enough? Are they getting a balanced meal at least once a day? Will they someday be telling their therapist about the time Mommy made them wear dirty pajamas because she didn't do the laundry? Am I doing ENOUGH? All the magazines tell us to give ourselves a break, but honestly ladies, I really think we're hardwired as moms to beat ourselves up from time to time. For those of you who never do, please send me a link to your blogs! I will need to read your personal guilt-free mantras when I get in these moods.

Anyway, these times always inspire me to do something really fun with my kids. Not out of guilt per se, but out of a need to have some fun and forget about my worries. So, I decided to have a cookie-making session one afternoon recently.

Nothing about that sounds particularly exciting but it was the BEST for my kids. They love to help out in the kitchen and my son will sometimes cry if he can't help me out (Frying wontons in hot oil? I don't think so.), but will be a busy bee when he can (Topping the pizza? Yes!). Now that he loves helping in the kitchen, his sister has to do it too. If she can't be all up in his business all the time, then she is not happy. This activity makes them both happy.

First, we donned our special toddler aprons for the occasion. They were both so proud and these were very easy and quick to make! I didn't have enough contrasting fabric for my son's apron so he had Thomas the Tank Engine on both sides and of course, he didn't mind.

They never stand this still for me, but I'd like to think that they were admiring the superb construction of their aprons. Or they were just being still for just a split second.

We made fairy cookies! You can find the recipe here, and please take a moment to read this blog. I love catching up on all of the crafty bits as well as all the exciting things happening on their farm.

So, Chandler was in charge of cutting the cookies. He is holding a plastic Zyliss salad knife. Doesn't cut the skin, but is strong enough for soft things like potatoes, lettuce, soft cheese and of course, cookie dough. See how carefully he holds the knife?

We are learning how important it is to be safe with a knife while you are using it in the kitchen. Once he cut a cookie, it was then passed off to his sister who took a lot of time and care to arrange each piece on the cookie sheet.

She would put one down, take a look, rearrange and then rearrange them again. I didn't touch them and into the oven they went. I can't say they turned out as good-looking as the recipe at Jelly Wares, but they were tasty!

On the path...

Have a Happy St. Patrick's Day ... or ELSE!

Carrying on the theme of trying to celebrate as many holidays as we can (any good excuse for a party, right?), we celebrated St. Patrick's day.

We did a few jigs:



Had some Irish soda bread and stew (Ava's potatoes are from the stew):


Wore silly hats:


And had some shamrocks for dessert:


And then we danced some more ... mostly to this band. Happy St. Patrick's Day - and remember to take time to make some fun!

On the path...

Catching Up

There is nothing like knitting a dishcloth to soothe the troubled mind. You can quote me on that. This week has been full of meetings and mind-bending spreadsheets and mountains of paper and products. Whew. So hopefully by the end of the week I'll have a finished dishcloth to show you. However, I did want to share an FO with you:

Ava's dress!


This was so much fun to knit and despite it's size, very quick as well. In between busy-ness and working to accomplish other pressing items, I would just pick this up and start stockinette in the round over and over and over.... repetitive and soothing. I received a bag of varying colored yarn for Christmas and the dress was the end result. I have yet to weave in the many ends, but I hope to get it on my little model soon for a photo shoot.

The cookies at the beginning of the post were baked on Monday right before I left on my business trip. I left the surprise for my husband and children under the glass cake stand on the kitchen table. Judging from last night's call home, I think that they are almost gone.

I also did a little bit of scrapbooking (I am NOT a scrapbooker) and made a laminated page for each of my babies to find in their beds when they went to sleep that night.

Each card featured a picture of me with each child on the front and some more photos on the back with as many colorful stickers that I could manage to put on the extra space.

My husband told me that when Chandler picked up his card, he was very excited and after examining it for a moment, he said in a grave tone, "Daddy, this card is very, very special." (melting heart here...)

On the path (back home) ...

Five Reasons I Love Flying Out of A Small Airport

1. No lines at the baggage claim (the truth).
2. TSA officials ask me why I wasn't smiling when I rounded the corner.
3. Joke around with said officials about staying out late and teething babies.
4. Being the only person going through security - I mean ONLY person.
5. Having the same person who checked my bags, take my ticket.

I'll be out of town this week but I still plan on posting some crafty updates - stick with me!

On the path...