solstice

it has become a tradition in our family that handmade gifts are exchanged on the solstices.  i love tradition and i love handmade so i could not be happier that this little ritual has become part of the fabric of our family.  this year calvin is super into batman so i made him a 'batman' bat appliqued shirt.  it was just batman enough and not so commercial.  he loved it!

for little miss maeve i made a pinafore, using the same pattern as last year but up-sized it a little (which i have no idea how to do, but i went for it anyway).  it fit perfectly!  she loved it too!  (sorry for the dark picture.. it was late)

i am desperately looking forward to a time of relaxing beach days and no schoolwork!  welcome summer! 

goodbye spring

we discussed the summer solstice as I made dinner.

Calvin got out markers and drew this picture.

i was welcoming summer but he was saying goodbye to spring.

a nice reminder to be in the moment instead of thinking about the next.

dinner was spend reflecting on our busy spring. it was quite a spring for us this year... filled with life and death, endings and beginnings, and lots of everyday happy, giggly, together time too.

goodbye spring, hello summer!

today

life has been a bit crazy lately and i have been a bit absent from this little blog.  i have a few things on my mind today so i thought i would post some links:

:: love love love pinterest!  i am addicted.  so is sam.  

:: @erikpatterson recommended this dearphotograph and i think that i have to participate...

:: dreaming of this artichoke comforter

::  anxiously awaiting the end of the school year and summer vacation to begin!

:: kind of wanting to get a faux tan but not sure if i really care, feeling like i should care

we are very into playing knights and princesses over here.  sometimes it is knights and pirates.  tonight calvin was protecting princess maeve from the evil knight (me) but princess maeve refused to move or be moved when i tried to capture her (she plays a very good princess...).  turns out screaming is a very good defense against evil knights.  i think our game needs a dragon.

...time...

changes

this has been a busy and emotional few weeks for us. hence the lack of blog postings. we moved into a little apartment for 6 months while we renovate our house. the renovation and dreaming about what our house will be like in half a year has been a oh so much fun. the apartment is okay, it is small but not too small. it has terrific morning light (as you can see in the photo above). the kids had a bit of a rough adjustment though, but it seems that in two weeks time we are settling into new spaces and new routines.

then my step-father passed away unexpectedly and it has thrown us for a loop. still feeling a mix of shock and denial and sadness. he was a amazing soul that put a smile on everyone's face that knew him. he always called me 'pumpkin baby' and occasionally 'curtain climber' and used his made up word 'bacocina' in place of tons of other nouns, just for fun.  he made amazing hamburgers and tacos.  he loved to go 'runnin'.  he will be missed by the many people that he knew and most of all his family.

happy mother's day

I found this picture today. it was tucked away in an old box and I happen to open that old dusty box today and find it.

i don't remember this day but I remember a poloroid taken just before or after this one that has hung on a small bulletin board in my mom's room for as long as I can remember. It was taken closer up, of just our faces mainly. but just like in this picture, we look really happy. warm sun and flowers surround us. maybe it was mother's day.

today is the same sort of day. sunny, flowery, beautiful and happy.

i am a very blessed mama.

easter baskets

the easter bunny had fun putting the kids easter baskets together this year.  calvin's had a super hero theme due to the fact that he is obsessed with super heroes.

his basket included a couple of batman books, batman toothbrush, spiderman pencils, some mama made pants, a pack of lizards, a little wooden pirate ship to color, a chocolate bunny and these little superhero guys.

maeve's basket was filled with things i thought she would like, no theme for her.  two books (marshmallow and the country bunny and little gold shoes), a rainbow play silk, piggy paint nailpolish and remover, a wooded horse to paint, a set of little clippies for her hair, princess pencils and mama made pants.

everything was put into the baskets from last year.  i love the thick felt and fringed grass of the baskets.  overall it was a successful easter filled with family, good food and chocolate!