mindfulness

Let There Be Light

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A few months back, my girls and I were thrilled to read “Hand-Dipped Beeswax Candles” by Amber Ek in Taproot Issue 7 :: Gather.  The notion of making our very own candles seemed like such fun!  The article drummed up memories from my past when I use to make my own hand-dipped candles in middle school while working as a volunteer at Midway Village, an amazing museum with a Victorian village.  I remember the experience with such fondness and I wanted my girls to indulge in the experience as well.

So, last Tuesday we ventured to the stove, and with a whole lot of adult supervision, we crafted four pillar candles that later lit our Thanksgiving table.  We had such fun that I’m sure candle-making will become an annual crafting experience in our home.

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Celebrating

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As I so often say in this space, Thanksgiving through the New Year is my favorite time of the year.  I love the decedent foods that warm your soul, the many adornments that work to embellish even the most drab of locales, and the melodies that seem to interweave their way into my thoughts.  But most of all, I cherish the quality time spent in celebration with family and friends that this time of year brings to our lives.

This Thanksgiving was a true celebration of family, which was a much welcomed change over last year’s cold and flu-filled Thanksgiving celebration.  And I must say, my favorite part of the day was the spontaneous dance party that broke out in the garage while our frogmore stew was cooking away.

Here is a peak into our weekend of celebrating…

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I hope you all had a wonderful weekend, and I wish you a very happy Monday!

The Good Stuff

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You know those moments in your life, that as you are experiencing them, you know you will never forget?  This week is shaping up to be one of those weeks, that come around every once in a while, and is sure to be locked away in my memory bank for many years to come.

My husband decided to take vacation this week.  Not to go on a tropic vacation, but to stay close to home, and participate in the Thanksgiving preparations that are all abustle in our house right now.  Monday, while our girls were at school, we traveled up to Madison, Wisconsin to go to Whole Foods and grab those cuts of organic meat we were unable get locally.  We then found ourselves in a little pub, on a beautiful snowy afternoon, sipping some local brews and enjoying some quality one on one time.

Yesterday, after the girls arrived home from school, we spent some time hand-dipping our own candles for the Thanksgiving table (more on this crafting adventure in next week’s posts), sharing stories of our day, and just relishing in the fact that the next five days would be filled with many quality hours with family and dear friends.  This is truly the good stuff of life.

So now down to my “To Do List” for today and tomorrow.  It’s sure to be a little crazy, but a whole lot of fun.

At This Moment

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At this moment, I am…

~recalling a fabulous weekend of crafting and fun.

~returning from a very early trip to the grocery store for our first round of Thanksgiving dinner shopping.  A five o’clock (in the AM my friends) arrival time is a sure fire way to beat the crowds at the ole’ grocery store 🙂

~glancing at my stack of Christmas cards, and thinking I may be able to get them in the mail on Friday.  Fingers crossed.

~looking forward to a short two days that my girls are in school this week.  I cannot wait to spend five full days with my babies!

~preparing for my favorite holiday of the year.  A day filled with family and food. What could possibly be better?

~hoping to get some sewing projects wrapped up this week.

~wishing each of you a wonderful start to your week.  Have a great Monday!

Reclaimed Love

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We are blessed.  We are blessed with family who understand my craziness and are willing to help us out when that craziness gets a bit…carried away.  Last winter, I drew the line with the nasty carpet in our dining room.  It was the only room in our house with carpet and it needed to go.  The smell of smoke, animal, dust, and all other sorts of loveliness was just too much for me.  So, on a random snowy winter afternoon, I tore out all the carpet.

Since then, we have had lovely plywood subfloor acting as a perfect complement to our dining room decor.  (Ahem.)

As I said earlier, thank goodness for my wonderful family.  My father-in-law, a fabulous wood worker, had been collecting a variety of reclaimed lumber for some time now.  Some of the lumber even came from the world’s largest wooden grain elevator in Deluth, Minnesota, circa 1887.  He was generous enough to share some of this wood with us, have it milled, and then install it for us.  So, with all hands on deck, this beautiful flooring was installed.

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It then came to finishing the floor so that its true beauty could be revealed.  My dad and mom, both of whom are completely aware of my craziness, knew I would not be able to handle breathing in dust and fumes, so they also very generously helped us to have a green certified wood refinishing company come in and finish up the floor.  The girls and I were able to stay in the house while the floor was sanded and finished, never breathing in a single particle of dust or any nasty fumes.

I am not sure what I was expecting, but let me tell you, this floor exceeded every expectation I ever could imagine.  This floor, coupled with a fabulous antique light fixture from this wonderful shop, has quickly become my favorite space in the house.  We are truly blessed for all the generosity of our family.

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My Pause

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Good morning, friends.  This space has been quiet for a few weeks, and I do apologize for that.  I felt a pull in my life to take pause and just focus on the two precious little girls within my care, and kind of let all else go for a few weeks.

Around the time that my oldest turned seven, I realized my time home with both of them is nearing it’s end, and I needed to just take a step back and absorb all that my little girls bring into my life.  Isn’t it strange how we go through each day, so consumed with menial tasks, and then lay down to sleep in the evening wondering where the time has gone?  On one such evening, I placed my head upon my pillow and thought to myself, “Soon both of the girls will be in school all day, and I will not have the ability to snuggle in bed in the middle of the day and read stories for hours with them, or go for a walk with them when the sun is at its highest.  I want to create wonderful memories of my girls.  I want to remember the way their voices sound as they waft up the stairs while they play dress up.  I want to commit to memory the way their little hands hold a crayon as they create their very own works of art.  I want to pause and truly remember the stories they weave together so brilliantly.”

So, I’ve got to say, my house is an absolute mess, the laundry is piled a mile high in the basement, and the counters are strewn with all sorts of paperwork. But, the moments I have encapsulated in my mind can never be erased.

And now I am so excited to be back in this space with all of you, sharing what we have been up to, as we move into our most loved of all seasons.

Happy Wednesday!