The list

There is a reason I wrote about the power of words yesterday. Because today I am going to share a list of things I want (first world problems). This list is a group of things I cannot get out of my head. I am hoping that by writing out the words and identifying my covetous nature I can let it go.

These things are not what bring me joy. Art, inspiration, digging in the dirt, family… That brings me joy.

So here it is- my list of things if I saw these at a yard sale the car would come to a dramatic screeching halt list:

Pitcher for Tang
(or Moroccan mint iced tea or sangria… whatever)

Atomic glasses. (Okay, really atomic anything, but this atomic pattern and these glasses make me squee.)

two words: Teak Lamp. Floor lamp/table lamp- don’t matta’.

Whaddayaknow?! Teak light fixture. (Also Sputnik, but I don’t have three grand for lighting right now….)

Mugs. They’re geometric, green and they read like Pyrex to me… Mmmmm…. Pyrex…..

Radio. ::swoon:: Bonus points if it comes in turquoise!

Danish teak chair. Pardon me while I fan myself…

Okay. That’s the list. I’m ready to put these things out of my mind.

If you are looking for an update on the window saga, I spoke to Home Depot corporate. Everyone certainly tried to help, but no luck. So we are now 20 days away from a new window and being able to finish the siding! The brick mason comes soon, maybe this weekend? (I’m all for doing everything myself but…. when it comes to trade skills I see that as an art form, I don’t mess around. We contracted with a pro.)

The power of words

My whole life I’ve been a writer but for a long time I didn’t realize it. I’ve always kept tons of notebooks filled with lists and ideas and drawings and diary entries. The books were never really organized; and the thoughts inside them weren’t always coherent. Somehow that didn’t seem to matter.

Words have always felt very powerful to me. That part of the lecture I didn’t take notes on? Was often forgotten. That list of things to do that I never got around to making? Some of those things never got done. I’ve vented frustrations, planned elaborate reconciliations, and told people what I really thought all within the safety of a journal.

As I’ve grown into an adult what I’ve needed to write down has grown as well. I’m obviously not afraid to share my life with the World Wide Web, but I’m surprised that that visceral need to keep track of my life with written words has stayed with me. I still find putting my frustrations into words to be an immensely freeing process. Somehow when my feelings are on the page unable to let go of them I no longer have to carry them with me. In stark contrast, when I write about the good things, the milestones, the joys, they feel permanent. And I often go back and experience them again and again.

I also find that I’m not one to gush with emotion that the exercise of sitting down, thinking about how I feel and then say, telling my husband how awesome he is, is as beneficial to him as it is to me.

How about you? Do you make lists? Keep a journal? Fellow bloggers? (Comment with a link to your blog!)

Do you have a mantra or phrase you use when you need comfort or inspiration?

Stay dry, east coast readers!

A facelift for our little rancher

We are still very much in the middle of this remodel, but here is what we have done so far.

The first decision we had to make was determining the size and location and style of window. In the end we chose a 4′ x 4′ Anderson double casement window. Too bad Home Depot didn’t place the order with the Anderson window company when we placed the order with Home Depot three weeks ago but more on that later…

Next we removed the front stoop to our extra front door. Creating a door to nowhere which I find to be a hilarious opportunity to put a sign on our real front door that says “Please use other door” because then I had hilarious imaged in my head of people trying to climb in and out of a door 3.5′ off the ground. (I never actually did that though.)

After that there was the tornado that struck the playroom a.k.a. Husbandpocalypse 2014.

But now that the recessed lights are in and the messes cleaned up I’m very pleased.

Then I spent this past week prepping the room for the big deconstruction and reconstruction of the wall.

Tarp for dust, Les Mis style barricade to deter small people from surveying the construction site.

Here we were taking the siding, tar paper (used as waterproof barrier) and plywood off the front of the house. Turns out there were about a million stinkbugs living in the wood siding and 2x4s so we ended up replacing quite a bit of wood. The sink bugs were acting like termites, eating wood and burrowing just awful! Have you ever seen or heard of that?!

With the new window framed and the plywood up it was time for vapor barrier. We chose foam board because brokebackhusband is obsessed with foam board.

We just heard from Home Depot, and the news isn’t good. Our window won’t be delivered until May 19th. It should be fun having a hole in our house for three weeks because of someone else’s error….

But look at the new siding! How great is that going to look?!?! I’m so pleased!!

How was your weekend, dear friends?

Henry flies high!

Henry turned four a few weeks ago and right before spring break we hosted a birthday party for him and his classmates (while Jack was at school.)

Honestly, it was so nice to see Henry as the center of attention and communicating with his friends without needing to fight against Jack’s bit and bold personality. (It may have been one of my more brilliant ideas!)

Dusty Crobhopper was the name of the game.

We painted planes, and made paper airplanes. Then we flew them through the hoops to practice our accuracy.

After that we flew them for distance.

Do you think my dresser is sexy? (Because I do!)

I’ve been keeping my eyes out for a dresser that could double as a bedside table. My husband’s side of the bedroom makes me twitchy (he needs more clothing storage space or to start cleaning up after himself… you know… whatever). I know it looks like I just slapped some new knobs on her, but more went into it than that, let me show you…

Finally, at our local-ish Salvation Army I found her…
I was drawn to it because it looks rustic and farmhouse-y, and the simple lines won’t compete with anything else we do in the room. But it was too short and without any legs it would be a challenge to use the bottom drawer without squatting.
I picked up a piece of oak, 4 double-sided screws and some stain I hoped would match at the hardware store.

Remember my fear of spinning blades? I may have conquered it!! I cut the oak into 5.5 inch legs.
I used the drill press (this project was all about my personal growth) to make holes for the screws. Then I added the screws and the stain.
With the hand-held power drill I made holes in the base of the dresser.

Interestingly, there weren’t any holes left behind from other feet, which means the dresser was built to be so low to the ground. (Only 26 inches tall.) I wonder how old the piece is, and who else put their belongings inside.

I screwed the feet in place, an luckily they didn’t need any adjusting!!
I used wood filler to fill any big holes I found. (And there weren’t many.) Aside from some scuffs of paint and scratches in the polyurethane it was in great shape!

Then along came Poly (urethane). I sanded everything down, takin time in the spots that needed paint or other marks removed.

On the top of the dresser there are two holes already filled which held a mirror. I wonder how long ago those were filled?

Then the whole piece (even the drawer fronts stacked over there) got a fresh coat of poly.

Remember I mentioned a need for the dresser? This is why:

There’s the before….

So now you can appreciate the after:

After my labor of love, I have claimed her as my own. Sorry, babe.

(Total work time 4 hours, not including time spent at the hardware store and hobby store getting materials.)

The garden

It’s a never-ending process, it’s fresh air, and it’s great exercise.

This is my second year growing from seed indoors. I’ve seeded directly into the garden before but have always been intimidated by the greenhouse parts of gardening.

The kids find it fascinating and I’m loving the excitement of seeing change and growth each day.

Here is what I’ve noticed over the past 6 years of growing:
Radishes are fast and easy. But I need advice to get the family to eat them.
Peas– seriously everyone loves peas. And they grow with no tending from me. But watch out for bunnies!
Blueberries– the bushes looked sad and gone all winter but they all look wonderful and full of new growth this year. (Bird nets are crucial!)
Strawberries need to be contained. And they always ALWAYS come back. They’re like the killer at the end of every thriller movie ever- they never die. And so delicious!
Tomatoes and Peppers do best in containers. They like it hot but still need water.

Look at those cukes!! I can almost taste the pickles!!

Tomatoes are getting ready for transplant- now if the weather would cooperate!!!

OneTwoThree

Great Spaces. Between the edibles and the flowers- I’m one happy girl!!!

Legos: how to organize them for maximum creativity!

Jack has been staying after school on Mondays for the last three months. She has been attending a Lego engineering camp; I cannot begin to describe how cool the stuff that they do each week is!

When the boys build with Legos at home they build typical things: airplanes, guns, lots and lots of guns. And we get these wonderful elaborate sets that they want to assemble with us, but without fail they immediately start disassembling the castle or firehouse that took me 6 hours and 3 glasses of wine to complete.

At camp, Jack builds the Empire State building, fighting robots, bridges, houses with interlocking bricks. It’s really incredible stuff! I started asking the engineer and camp director about his methods. What works best, what helps them tap their creative energy and stick with a project, even a big one.

It’s so simple: give very loose parameters (like build a house, plane, bridge) and make the pieces easy to find. Confession: we have, up until this point, been keeping all of our Legos in one giant bucket.

I used the same naming system and categories that they used at Lego camp. We also have a special bin (seen on top there) for all the Lego ‘guys’ and their helmets and coffee cups and walkie talkies and swords). During my ladies night/happy hour at Ikea I picked up the Trofast system. I only set it up two days ago, but the 4 year old and the 6 year old are both building better things with more passion than ever.

I’m so happy that this system is work is so well!!

(Also a special happy birthday party to Henry today, who celebrated with almost his entire class!)

Two months later….

Only a few small changes to the labeling system:

Still going strong!!

Smallness

In terms of my family, I’m large. I’m a grown up (at least technically). I have tremendous influence and power over the happiness and well-adjusted-ness of the 3 tiny people living with us. Even the cats seem to need me, although I get the distinct impression that they would find a way to move on without me.

I grow food from seed, I paint walls and hang art and sew. I’m huge. I make things, I change things, I am relevant.

Yet.

I am one raindrop in an ocean of humanity. One star in a universe of life on earth. My power and influence and reach is insignificant. What I do, the things I teach and try to care about and hope to accomplish are ripples. Nothing. I can’t just snap my fingers and change the world. I don’t have that kind of power, I don’t really know if anyone does.

I am small.

If I am so small, and my reach is limited, and my influence is narrowed by the people who read what I write and listen to what I say- then I am free. The example I set are seeds of thought that others carry with them. How I treat the earth beneath my feet and the animals around me matters deeply. Each person I show respect and kindness, even and especially if, they are a stranger to me, they matter.

If no one thing I do will change the world- then,every little thing I do matters very much. I am the sum of my actions. From time to time I get off track. I slip, I yell, I have a bad day. But each moment is overflowing with opportunity for change. Each breath is new life.

Each footstep is just a step, but together it’s a path, a trajectory. I’m always adjusting and re-adjusting.

How about you? Do you try to act with intention?

Sweet Henry

Frankly, I’m in denial that you are 4 today.

You have become such a joy. (Not because you’ve changed, but because I’ve finally figured out how to talk to you. It wasn’t you it was me!)

You have an fantastic memory. You are often reminding me of things or reciting things you’ve heard only once.

Teach me how to do that?!

I love to hear you tell stories. You are very concerned with people acting in just the right way. When your brow starts to furrow, I know you’re going to tell me something very important.

You still love to cuddle and occasionally be carried. Which I love! The only thing that seems to surpass your love of mommy and daddy is your genuine care and concern for your siblings. Every day before Jack leaves for school you need to give him a hug and a kiss (which he sportingly tolerates). Any time Maggie does or says anything you listen, you carefully explain, you love her deeply. Sometimes I have to remind you that you aren’t her daddy.

You melt my heart.

Happy Fourth Birthday my sweet and gentle VBAC boy.