Full Circle

Here She Comes Again

Holy canole! Have you missed me? ;) I guess things just got a little busy with me for a while and before I knew it, months went by! Geez!

Summer is my absolute favorite season and I feel almost desperate during that short time to make the most of it. I get frustrated with myself because although I was on a high enjoying the long, warm days and glowing colors of the season, I also felt stressed, knowing that it goes by so quickly for us and that it's such a long time before the next summer rolls around. So, I took photos and blogged "in my head", but never actually sat down long enough at the computer to make some posts. And, now, even though we're almost at Halloween, I wanted to chronicle some of our summer here. So, the next few posts will re-cap "What We Did This Summer" and then I'll get back
to some regular posts.

PS. It's nice to be back ;)

If You Build It...

Let's just say it's a balance problem. If I'm making regular posts, reading blogs and commenting, then the laundry isn't done.

If the laundry is SO done that I'm wandering the house looking for more things to wash, then I haven't been posting or reading or commenting.

Add to that a washer that gave out and multiple trips to the laundromat waiting for the new (very cool front-loading machine) to arrive and my blog posting is all out of whack ;)

I can't seem to manage to do both things at once, it's either one or the other. So, from my absence for the last week (or two?) you can rightly assume that laundry baskets are empty and drawers are full of fresh clothing and all's well in laundry-land. Phew! Now, to get back to posting....









Last year, we started a project in a corner of our backyard and it's *almost* finished.  My husband built us a studio/school room/get-away spot. I'm so excited I get butterflies every time I walk in that red door! We really needed an area away from our living room to get messy with crafts and art projects. Our dining room table was in constant use - eat breakfast, clear table for drawing project, clear table for history project, clear table for lunch, clear table for folding laundry, clear table for painting, clear table for dinner... I'm sure many of you know how it is. So, we're all thrilled to have a place to go to, solely devoted to artistic and creative pursuits. I purchased a crocheted rug ($4!) at the thrift store a while ago to use in the studio



and also this trash can at a flea market.



I can't believe I finally get to pull them out of storage and put them to use :) I imagine it will still be a couple of weeks before all the last bits are done, but we've already been hanging out back there and getting the feel of it. I'll keep you posted with our progress!

Six Word Bio Meme

I was just kindly tagged by Penelope at Roots and Wings with this unique meme. Six words is just about my speed as I'm not a real "wordy" person in general, I feel more comfortable with visual images ;)  I usually labor over these things, but, to my relief, this one just popped into my head! Here are the rules, followed by my bio, attending photograph and others I'd like to tag....

Here's the story behind the meme (as copied from the original post):

As I read yet another book review of a memoir this weekend, my husband told me that I should write one. I said that my story would be much too short and rather boring so when I ran across the following book I decided it was just my speed. A six word memoir! Written by Larry Smith and Rachel Fershleiser, Not Quite What I was Planning: Six Word Memoirs by Writers Famous and Obscure is a compilation based on the story that Hemingway once bet ten dollars that he could sum up his life in six words. His words were- For Sale: baby shoes, never worn. There’s a video on Amazon with examples from the book, it sounds like a fun read! I’d like to start a six word memoir meme and here are the rules:

1. Write your own six word memoir

2. Post it on your blog and include a visual illustration if you’d like

3. Link to the person that tagged you in your post and to this original post if possible so we can track it as it travels across the blogosphere

4 .Tag five more blogs with links

5. And don’t forget to leave a comment on the tagged blogs with an invitation to play!

Reads directions, doesn't necessarily follow them.



Now, if these folks would like to play along, I'd love to read their mini-biographies!
Becky at Farm School
Amber at Berlin's Whimsy
Denise at Mom in Madison
Zoe at Vale of Evening Fog
Elisheva at Ragamuffin Studies

Eight Things

Woo hoo! I did it! I managed to come up with 8 more things about me. Denise at Mom in Madison tagged me a bit ago, but I was busy with the advent and other goings on to come up with anything. And, since I kind of wimped out on the Encyclopedia of Me (may still finish it someday) I thought I'd put some effort into the meme.

Rules:
*link to the person who tagged you
*post the rules
*name 8 things others don't know about you
*link to 8 other bloggers

One...

I am quite un-hip when it comes to music. I generally prefer classical, old jazz, and world music. I also like those soundtracks of nature sounds playing in the background. I leave it to my husband to keep me “tuned-in” to new artists and current happenings. I only recently realized Fergie is this Fergie, not this Fergie. When I’d hear the name, I seriously thought, “wow, she’s gotten pretty popular since those Weight Watcher’s commercials”.

Two...

In college, I went on an educational cruise ship around the world. We departed from San Francisco and returned to Florida. The program is called Semester At Sea.

Three...

I'm very picky about parking spots. I rarely go for the one closest to the door. I want it to be safe from rolling shopping carts and too much traffic. I prefer to be in a sunny spot near a tree or grass island if possible. The space just has to "feel" good before I'll park there. I have my favorite spots to park at the grocery stores and get a little irked when they're not available.

Four...

I love to organize and find it very relaxing. Give me an overgrown junk drawer or a jumbled mess of a garage and I'm in my element. Fortunately, I don't have a shortage of such things ;)

Five...

I have recently begun taking Karate at the same dojo my kids go to. I'm enjoying it immensely. I love my bare feet on the smooth wood floor, the quiet hum of a fan blowing from the corner and the feeling of getting stronger every time I go.

Six...

I have 4 children. My oldest child (son) was 4 1/2 years old when my 4th child (son) was born. My daughter was born naturally, but all three of my boys were born by cesarean, so I had three cesarean deliveries in 4 1/2 years. Although I recovered well from all of them, it took me several years to feel like myself again.

Seven...

Several weeks ago, our big orange cat, who's NOT an outside cat, but thinks he is, caught a baby mouse/rat. I rescued it from the jaws of death and the kids insisted we "save" it (they didn't have to twist my arm much). So, "Frederick" now has a lovely condo with a personal gym and plush furniture. We could never quite figure out if he was a baby mouse or a baby rat, none of the pictures we found looked like him. But, my niece just identified him for us. He's a vole. Yes.... a vole. We're very excited!

Eight...

My husband and I celebrated our 14th wedding anniversary last month. We got married in a small colonial town in the heart of Mexico - very romantic ;)

As far as tagging 8 others, most everyone else I read has done this one pretty recently, so if any of you out there would like to share a bit about yourselves... considered yourself TAGGED!

Nice Makes Might

I've been "nice'd" twice! I've received the loveliest blog gift from Heather at My Supernatural World and Brit at We'd Rather Be Outside. They've both kindly passed on the Nice Matters award to me. I'm humbled and flattered! The official wording for the this award is...

"This award is for those bloggers who are nice people; good blog friends and those who inspire good feelings and inspiration. Also for those who are a positive influence on our blogging world. Once you've been awarded please pass it on to 7 others who you feel are deserving of this award."

Now the hard part, how do I narrow it down to just 7? Not an easy job with so many wonderful people out there. I'm trying to tag people I haven't tagged before, hoping that the ladies I've tagged previously know I think they deserve this award as well.

Here goes...

Wisdom of the Moon

Vale of Evening Fog

These Go To Eleven

Hurrayic

Sweet Potato Pie

Two Turtles and a Tortoise

Paradise Found

Dwindling of Days

Summer is ending WAY too soon for me. I want to shake the calendar and say, "What's the deal??! It's only August??!" Already, our mornings and nights are cool and I've even spotted a few leaves turning color. I'm definitely NOT ready! The lower angle of sunlight coming through the windows instinctively makes me think planners, notebooks and school supplies, but the warmth of midday and fading of August keeps pulling us outside. So, I'm conflicted... hot chocolate vs. lemonade, fuzzy socks vs. flip-flops, lessons vs. lakes... and conflict makes me feel stressed. Not so much in a bad way, just feeling pulled in opposite directions.

Not that we haven't had our share of "bad" stress around here. My boys have taken care of that. A week ago, my oldest was standing on the edge of the pool and called out, "Mom, look, I'm gonna do a back flip!" Before, I could protest, he made his jump, but I could clearly see that he hadn't given himself enough room. As he arched under the water, he smashed his head into the wall, coming up with a huge gash in his forehead, exposing his white skull and blood running down his face. Several hours at the emergency room later, we were back at home with new stitches and gray hairs to show for it.

A few days later, the kids were in the backyard inspecting the new studio we're having built. Through a complex series of circumstances, too lengthy to explain, a board with an exposed nail, fell on my youngest son's big toe and went right through it and then bounced out. Fortunately, it didn't hit a bone, but it bled quite a bit. More doctors, more gray hairs.

My middle son broke his wrist earlier in the summer, so that rounds it out for the boys. My daughter is no stranger to stitches or broken bones herself, but so far she's been left out of the damages. I'll keep knocking on wood though ;)

Other goings on.... golf lessons for the whole family, wildfires, family coming to visit, a short weekend getaway, and Harry Potter #7 to finish. September can take it's time.

The Snack Bar

A few times a month or so we travel south to do our "big shopping" in Twin Falls. It's a chance to get out of town and stock up on grocery items we can't (or don't want to) get locally. I usually look forward to the trip since it gives me some "thinking time" as we drive through the farm land and prairie.  But, by the end of the day, we're worn out and anxious to get home. Sometimes it's nice to have a carrot-on-a-stick to keep you motivated. Right now our carrot is an eight-inch tall, soft-serve ice cream cone. Chocolate, vanilla or swirl, your choice. About half-way home is this small town snack bar replete with hand-painted signs, fluorescent lighting and grubby exterior serving the best cones in Southern Idaho - at least, we think so ;p

There's something about it that's a little more than ice cream though. Reminders of driving down to the local Dairy Queen in my grandfather's pick-up, sitting on the tailgate, trying to keep up with the melting ice cream in the hot, humid Texas evening,
bugs batting themselves against lit windows and listening quietly to my grandfather's pleasantries with friends he ran into. I can't do exactly the same thing with my kids, but this feels close enough. Sweet ice cream, sweet memories!

Well, I'll Be Rocked...

Aren't I the lucky one? Brit at We'd Rather Be Outside has taken time out from her move from California to Virginia to nominate me for the Rockin' Girl Blogger Award! What a sweetie! Now, it's my turn to acknowledge some of the rockin' ladies out there in blogland who inspire me, teach me and make me laugh...

Humble at Free Range Kids for her humor and lovely nature hike photos,

my incredibly talented sister Cassi at Bella Dia for her beautiful crafts and tutorials,

Carol at You're Not Lost, You're Here for homeschooling ideas and resources,

Mary at New Rustic for gorgeous, inspiring photos and

Madeline at Barn-Raising to experience what it would be like living on a farm

I'm IT!

Oh my, I've been tagged for the 8 things meme! I just found out today when I visited Brit's blog at We'd rather be outside! When I saw my name, I got butterflies in my stomach - it's the first meme I've done. All of a sudden my life seems pretty boring when I have to come up with 8 interesting facts or habits about myself. Here are the "rules":

Each player lists 8 facts/habits about themselves. The rules of the game are posted at the beginning before those facts/habits are listed. At the end of the post, the player then tags 8 people and posts their names, then goes to their blogs and leaves them a comment, letting them know that they have been tagged and asking them to read your blog.  

OK, let's see...

1. I have a twin sister. She's my best friend in the world and we've always gotten along  really well. We've met several other twins through the years and it was always surprising and a little sad when some of them would say they didn't like being twins or always being linked to another person. It's been wonderful for me and I feel really lucky to have her as my sister.

2. I really dislike musicals. I think because they seem so unrealistic and you have to wait through the whole song before you get back to the real story. I just find them annoying.

3. Our family moved around quite a bit while I was growing up. I went to 9 different schools between Kindergarten and 12th grade.

4.  I had long hair all my life until after my 3rd child. I got it cut very short before my 4th was born and I've LOVED it ever since. I used to always wear it in a pony tail or pulled back because I didn't like it being in my face or the babies' faces. I figured why have it long when I always have it pulled back anyway? So, chop chop. I could never have it an in-between length - too much work! My haircut has spoiled me now, it's truly wash-n-wear hair.

5.  I talk to myself quite frequently. Even the rare times when I'm at the grocery store without any of the kids, I'll catch myself chatting away with moi and have to shush myself when passing by other people.

6.  I startle easily. It's embarrassing. The last time I went for a haircut, I was sitting in a chair looking at a magazine, waiting my turn when the hairstylist walked up and said he was ready for me. I nearly jumped out of my skin. It drives my husband crazy.

7.  I've always had pets in my life and they are one of my greatest pleasures. Currently, we have 3 dogs, 4 cats and a guinea pig. Our sweet rabbit just recently passed away. Strays just seem to find our house. My oldest cat is 16 years old. When she was born, I had to open her little amniotic sac and cut her cord because her mom was ignoring her. It's one of the neatest things I've ever done.

8.  I'm not very squeamish. Our family was driving home one late afternoon from Boise and a Red-Tailed Hawk flew straight down in front of our car to get something on the road. We hit it square on. We pulled over and I had to extricate it from the grill. My husband doesn't have the stomach for such things (but he's good at lots of other stuff!) We buried it in a field before we continued home.

Now, I get to tag some others :0) I think most people I read have already done this, but there's still a few out there! How about Bella Dia (my sister's blog), Lighting the Fires, Nurtured by Love, Adventures in Home Learning and Woman of the Tiger Moon.