Joyfully Weary

I bought this shirt about four years ago. It's one of the few pieces in my wardrobe that I have paid full price for. I'm glad I did, it continues to be a favorite.  SUNDAY   cardigan: zara , shirt: banana republic , pants: loft , shoes: dsw , earrings: old This outfit ended up being perfect for a day spent at the park. I love how comfortable these moccasins are and since they are black they have yet to show any wear-and-tear.  TUESDAY hat: target , shirt: old navy , skirt: gap , shoes: dsw , belt: gift I found this dress this past winter in Old Navy's clearance section; with a discount coupon it ended up being less than $4! It's very comfortable and since it's a bit longer I don't have to worry about any mommy- fashion-faux-pas.  WEDNESDAY cardigan: gap , dress + belt: old navy , shoes: tj-maxx (old),  necklace: old * little lady currently loves to get her picture taken :)  This spring has been crazy!...

A weekly reflection inspired in part by Bob Bennett's song "Small Graces". " these are the small graces, the little moments when the miracles come... they are a reminder to the heart there is more to life than meets the eye... He is in the small graces.... small graces pointing me to the larger one... little glimpses of the kingdom come..." "... sometimes they slip by without notice sometimes they are very hard to see other times it's very clear when they are happening to me"  spinning in the street, big smiles, & frog boots outdoor bubble baths may day baskets  putting away winter socks to find a candy bar hidden underneath she asks to paint everyday a cookie baking date when she lets me braid her hair unique playground equipment, little giggles, & dizzy walks silly face, dirty legs, popsicles....a good ending to a spring day ...

SUNDAY scarf + shirt + skirt: old, shoes: dsw (nine west), necklace: f21, bracelets: target   TUESDAY cardigan + belt: thrift, shirt: modcloth , jeans: gap, shoes: dsw , purse: old navy FRIDAY sweater: anthropologie , skirt: frock swap , shoes: old, belt: banana republic    SATURDAY cardigan: old navy , scarf & belt: thrift, shirt: ?, shoes: target , jeans: gap   This past week I've been reading a lot about the senseless tragedy that happened in Bangladesh . It seems like the news lately is filled with tragedy after tragedy. This one, however, has weighed differently on my heart. It wasn't an act of nature or of some madmen - it was the result of a long standing practice of devaluing and abusing people for monetary gain. And the ugly truth is that even though I'm thousands of miles away I can't absolve myself of all blame. I obviously enjoy clothes but it's been far too long since I've really taken the ti...

Thursday evening I got a special treat - some one-on-one time with Mini Man. It's the end of the school year at Jeremy's university and he had planned to take the boys to the seniors awards gallery, but Mini Man wanted to stay with Mommy and Little Lady is currently obsessed with her daddy. While we watched the rest of our crew head out I asked Mini Man what he wanted to do and he excitedly replied "make cookies with chocolate pieces!" It's nice baking with just one kid because I didn't have to worry about controlling the chaos as much and therefore he got to do a lot more. I read him the recipe but Mini Man pretty much did the rest all on his own. This did result in flour flying all over the kitchen and a few chocolate chips rolling around the floor, but it was just us in the house so clean up was a breeze. Since it was just us, I also let him taste every ingredient that went into the bowl (except the the egg - i drew the line there)....

I've been pretty excited to make and hand out "May baskets" with the kids, so I was a bit shocked when a couple people today (including Jeremy) told me that they had never heard of May baskets. I was starting to think that maybe it was just some random, small town Iowa tradition, but Wikipedia confirms that May Day is in fact a "real" holiday.  A kind elderly woman we ran into at the grocery store also told us she remembered making May baskets but didn't think anyone did anymore. She was kind because she smiled, talked to the kids, & told me I was doing a good job. I'm aware that my brood can make getting through doorways and aisles more difficult for other patrons and I don't blame them when they display their annoyance - I'm kid-free and in a hurry sometimes too. But when someone takes the time to respond to Mini Man's enthusiastic greetings and listen to Big Buddy's latest exciting factoid, it makes my day and gives me all ki...

One of the first things I do when planning a thematic unit is start searching for quality related books. Jeremy and I are both lovers of the written word and we are very glad our children have all seemed to have inherited this trait.  A good portion of our school days are spent curled up on the couch reading and discussing books. Below is a list of some our favorite books from our weather unit .  1 -   Bartholmew and the Oobleck by Dr. Seuss   is a tale of a discontent king who makes the terrible mistake of demanding a new type of weather. Oobleck falls from the sky and threatens to destroy the kingdom. In the end the King learns the power of the simple words "I'm sorry". Written in classic Dr. Seuss style this book is a joy to read.  2 - Brave Irene by William Streg  t ells the story of a brave young girl who battles the snow and wind to deliver a dress for her sick dress-maker mother. Big Buddy particularly enjoyed this tale for the main char...

Yesterday, was one of those rare perfect days. Jeremy and I both woke up an hour before the kids and enjoyed some quiet time reading on the sofa. I got in a good long, hard swim. Then we had a leisurely brunch on our front porch. The sun decided to shine while we spent a few hours working on house projects. Then we joined good friends in celebrating a sweet girl's first birthday. Despite all the activity the kids were happy and whine-free most of the day. Bedtime was easy and Jeremy and I got to spend some more time together on the sofa - this time catching up on a few of our favorite television shows.  I needed yesterday because the rest of the week was HARD! Be it the weather, physiological reasons, or just my own selfishly sinful heart, I was a cranky a mess. All week I felt behind and exhausted. The sun refused to shine. The kids bickered and whined. I reacted with annoyance and frustration instead of patience. The kids whined some more. It seemed that if something could...