Ask Auntie Leila: Is it too late for my kids to help out?

We went and came back. It was sunny. It was warm. 

We saw the ocean, which doesn't smell like my idea of the ocean, but certainly is lovely. 

I guess the Atlantic is just funkier than the Pacific.

I have lots to say and will try to get back into bloggy mode by answering a quick Ask Auntie Leila, embellished with a few photos from the meet up at the playground. I do feel a little awkward at taking pictures of other people, so I am not sure how well I did! Fortunately Rosie was there taking pictures too. {Rosie and Pippo are doing great, by the way. They are troupers!}

It was a blast to meet so many sweet ladies who braved all sorts of issues, including traffic and detours and kids' schedules, to come play at the playground with us. I'm not sure what they got out of it, but I was very encouraged!

And I was encouraged to talk a little more about "We're in it together" or, my series on getting the kids to pitch in and treat the family like something more than a treat-delivery system. 

{pretty, happy, funny, real}

~ Capturing the context of everyday life ~

Every Thursday, here at Like Mother, Like Daughter!

 {pretty}

I made a travel journal...

... and I'm not exactly sure how it turned out.

My perspective is gone. I wrestled those items that could possibly be made into a travel journal, however eccentrically conceived, into a form that may or may not be worthy to be called a travel journal, and I now lack the ability to assess the outcome.

Feel free to mock me in the comments!

I do love making little notebooks. The appeal of paper cannot be denied.

In the course of pinning inspiration to my Pinterest board, I realized that a conventional journal represents too much of a demand on me. I can't face up to all those blank pages and that uniform structure. I can't commit to being able to fill so many pages and no more, or to sure that all my thoughts and memories would live up to the imposition of a certain form.

But something flexible like what I started seeing around the 'nets (and once again I will credit other people's real ingenuity for sparking my possibly lame interpretation) got me crafting.

 

 


Thus it came about that for Natasha this Christmas, I fell into the grip of an obsession to make a travel journal.

I can't explain these creative urges -- they come over me all of a sudden, and the recipient just has to deal with the result. (A few years ago I decided that Sukie and Bridget had to have Mammy dolls. I don't even know if those are even politically correct (nor can I explain why those two had to have them, but not necessarily the others), but I had to make two. I spent hours -- literally hours, possibly even days -- looking for vintage rag doll patterns online. I cut. I sewed. I embroidered. They came out really adorable. Not sure if the girls really wanted them.)

Using the accumulated paper stash of a lifetime (also of my mother's lifetime; also of my father-in-law's lifetime if you count the stamps, which clearly you should), I put together something that hopefully won't feel constricting, although it might feel... random.

I also tried to incorporate some elements from Natasha herself -- like her name from one of her cards, for which the lace didn't add exactly the embellishment I had hoped, after mod-podging it onto the plastic cover. And the yellow ribbon and monogram circle had wrapped her wedding favors (adorable greeting cards, naturally) after the reception.

The covers (which are sturdy plastic) and the printed pages are from an old planner/calendar (a kind I really liked and now don't see. The paper was of excellent quality and I made many notebooks out of its pages.)

And of course, there's always a place for vintage trim, monkey clips (Natasha loves monkeys! I think.),and whatever is handy.

Some of the maps I used were from the days when we had a National Geographic subscription. Do they still send out those unusual maps? I know that Germany is one country Natasha would like to revisit, so I included this tourist map, and of course, everyone needs to be street smart in New York. I chose not to bother with 16th century Spanish exploration or 18th century east-coast American development.

I used a lot of office supplies like binder rings, big paper clips, manila envelopes, glassine envelopes, cut-up file folders, and ledger paper. Things I just have lying around! Although: More glassine envelopes, STAT!

A hole punch and a paper cutter are essential (oh, I wish I had snagged Grandpa's old-school heavy-duty paper cutter! But where would I have put it?).

 
 

 

And can we just admit that the concept of a travel journal that includes such embellishments as possibly outdated hotel information, time zones, and business vocabulary -- in this age of Apps and instant Googling -- just might be superfluous?
 
However, Natasha, although well provided with the proper electronic equipment, really does appreciate paper. Hopefully this gift was something she could use -- either on a future trip, or to document a past one. Anyway, she can get endless amusement out of how wacky my ideas are!

Want to hang out with us?

Auntie Leila is going to be in town, and we had the idea of trying to organize a last-minute Southern California LMLD Meetup!

We were thinking of setting up shop at a park (in North County San Diego) with the kids and some snacks and maybe a little knitting (well, I don't knit, but I do have a toddler to chase), and chit chat with anyone who joins us. Does that sound like fun? Would you be interested in doing this?

We're going to plan it on our Facebook page, because that seems more convenient than going back and forth in the comments box. Do you "like" us on Facebook? It's another way to stay in touch, and maybe even we can do more events like this!

{If you aren't on Facebook, but want to be in the loop on this, leave a comment or shoot me an email. (my address is on the sidebar there on the right)}

So go "like" us if  you don't already, and let us know if this sounds like a good idea! And like us no matter where you live, because you never know when we may turn up!

ps - Don't forget, you can link up to {pretty, happy, funny, real} all weekend!

{pretty, happy, funny, real}

~ Capturing the context of everyday life ~

Every Thursday, here at Like Mother, Like Daughter!

So things are at sixes and sevens here in LMLD-land.

Someone told Deirdre that I am "the perfect combination of drill sergeant and cheerleader"  -- how funny is that? But {insert evil laugh}I do have lots of things to yell at/affirm you about. My mind is a veritable fertile swamp or other fertile place, maybe not so unattractive, but probably just as difficult to maneuver in, of blog posts, thoughts, ideas, yellings, and affirmations.

But, I am also trying to help plan some weddings here (it's really crazy to have two back-to-back weddings, right?). And wow, I am tuckered out after having the troops here. I hit a wall. Honestly, I spent many years churning out the meals, breads, rolls, and buckets of food, and now I'm just not in shape for it! I can tell you how to do it, though :)

But not right now.

{pretty}

So one thing is that it feels {pretty} to get Christmas decorations out and clean up. We always enjoy our Christmas things until after the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord -- sometimes even up until the Presentation on February 2. The tree was holding up well (I get very antsy if it starts that thing of suddenly dropping all its needles when you brush up against it!), but it was time to go.

The light, if there be light, heartens me. The open spaces make me feel buoyant. Usually it takes several rounds of putting gifts away, tidying spaces where there were decorations, and rounding up stray gift bags. I have a sense of accomplishment when it's all done.


Another {pretty} struck me in the pantry, which is also my working space (in this old house, the pantry is an actual room, with a window!). 

The banner was made for me by Joseph one year when he was little. It was stapled to a dowel so that I could fly it like a flag. It's considerably faded now, but I do love it.

The origami was made by Rosie a few Thanksgivings ago, to hold name cards for our guests. They were meant to take their little paper boxes, but didn't. I couldn't throw them away, could I? It was a brainstorm to make them into a garland!



After I painted the third-floor stairs this green, I decided to use it to paint the trim on my window here. Doesn't one window cry out for something whimsical; nay, funky?

Can't do a curtain of any kind, because there is no one to look in and no reason to block the little light there is! So crazy trim it was.

I haven't shown you properly, as a reveal, so I thought I'd pop it in here.

{happy}

For me, the Garage of Death has its upside. True, there's a lot of stuff out there, to understate things radically. True, it's not like you could put a car in it. (Did I ever tell you about Bridget's incredulity when she was about five? She told me in wondering tones, "Mama, some people put their cars in their garage!" Crazy, but that's how some people do things!)

My garage yields oddities such as this iron hook, and that's my kind of garage:

I'm not {happy} that the boys finally left, but I am happy looking at this photo of Joseph's guitar (it's actually Deirdre's, but he played it -- with Bridget on the fiddle -- the whole time he was here).

{funny}

This is my rocker, from when I was a little child. 

It did used to be very sturdy. Grown men would sit in it if nothing else was available. But certain sons have proven too much for it. So they don't actually sit in it any more....

{real}

You guys always crack me up with your photos of your laundry in your {real}s. Well, here is about 1/43rd of mine this week, because I haven't pictured all the sheets and towels that I finally got to. But I just don't have the attention span to get through it all without a little break for knitting and a sip of tea!

So by way of a little drill sergeant-ing and cheerleading, let me comment on something I've noticed when ladies talk about laundry. They seem to think that you must sort, wash, dry, fold, sort again, and put away -- all at once! Do you think that? Go read my laundry posts there on the sidebar! If you have more than two children, how about viewing them as different chores that you cycle through at different times of the day?

Let your children give you a hand with the various parts of the process, and let them put away their own clothes. If there are too many to put away, there are too many clothes! 

But don't try to do it all at once. Don't beat yourself up that it's never all done. It's just too darned much!

More post-Christmas crafty reveal: Fabric Memory Game

Thank you so much to everyone who commented on my last post. I am bowled over by all the love! Thanks  especially to everyone who is praying for us. Again, it's a great comfort to know we can rely on all that grace being sent our way!

(To those of you who wondered, it's scheduled as a seven-month deployment, though of course that's approximate and could always change!)

And now, I'm going to follow my mom's lead and show you some of the handmade gifts I gave and received over Christmas, starting with this fabric memory game I made for my sweet niece/goddaughter Ann, who is almost two.

{pretty, happy, funny, real} ~ Deployment Day Edition

~ Capturing the context of everyday life ~

Every Thursday, here at Like Mother, Like Daughter!

{pretty}

How do I know my husband loves me? He stood in line at the cutting counter at the fabric store for my Christmas gift. (Goodness, that's something I'm hardly willing to do for myself!)

He knew I have all sorts of plans for crafting projects to tackle while he's gone, and so he decided to help make sure I have lots of supplies to work with. Some pretty fabric, felt in every color, bright embroidery thread... even some scrapbook paper! The plans are percolating already...

Wonder and the Nativity ~ A post from Habou.

During this Christmas season I finally neared the end of John Saward’s Cradle of Redeeming Love. I started it Christmas 2010 and usually get to read a few pages or a chapter per week. This book was a cherished birthday gift from Nick.

I was delighted when reading the section he entitled The Metaphysics of the Manger.

He writes:

“The Christmas mystery inspires wonder not only at the God who humbled Himself to assume human childhood, but also at the human childhood elevated through its assumption by God.” 

How wonderful is that?

Another quote that I love dearly should remind us of all children and their reactions to their world. Reactions which surprise and delight us.

It reminds us to call upon that wonder which we surely had as little children.

Pippo amid all the Christmas wrappings enjoying a gift card, while ignoring the toys he received.

Saward says:

“ His [the child’s] mind is receptive of the glorious reality of the world, and he is amazed that things are, even before he knows exactly what they are. That is why he tends to be captivated by anything--for example, by the wrapping of his Christmas presents rather than by the toys they contain. The child in the garden knows that the grass is, but his wonder at this apparently ordinary thing seems to indicate that he is surprised that it should be at all. ... Now from such childlike amazement at being, at the extraordinariness of the ordinary, flows the whole of metaphysics and natural theology.”

He just loves looking at the cards. 

Mt 8:2-4 “And Jesus called a little child to him, set him in their midst, and said, “Amen I say to you, unless you turn and become like little children, you will not enter into the kingdom of heaven.” 

Join us tomorrow for {pretty, happy, funny, real}! Share your contentment with us -- we look forward to seeing you!

Other people's craftiness, and a lovely cake.

So many gifts flying around!






Since technically, we can consider as part of the Christmas season anything up until the Feast of the Presentation (especially if we are the kind of people who need to un-decorate the house slowly, and if we are, may I recommend doing a little each day, rather than completely neglecting it until Mardi Gras forces our hand), I want to show you a couple of other crafty things.

More crafty reveal.

The problem with being a child-bride who spent all her time reading rather than doing is that I'm so, so, so very behind. As I told you, I'm only now getting my own Christmas stockings together, decorating my kids' rooms, and putting the finishing touches on/finally starting our family traditions. (As you prepare your Epiphany celebrations, have a few brain cells to spare for Candlemas, which is soon.)

{pretty, happy, funny, real} ~ Building the culture of the family.

~ Capturing the context of everyday life ~

Every Thursday, here at Like Mother, Like Daughter!

{pretty}

Deirdre with John, before our party, probably getting ideas for crazy party games.

Crafting: It can now be told...

It's really hard for an inveterate revealer like me to keep crafting under my hat for the sake of gift-giving. Even to the person involved, let alone cyberspace. I just want to share every step of the way (particularly the frustrating glitches, but also the triumphs), and Christmas or birthdays can't come too soon for me!

Hanging in the kitchen.

I tried really hard yesterday to write you a New Year's Resolution Post, in which, you know, I tell you to know what's for dinner instead of trying to lose weight, becoming more angelic overall, and organizing the jars by size.

I was even going to go a step further, based on some crazy news reports I've been reading about how Western Civilization will shortly consist of a few crumbling old monuments surrounded by Jersey barriers, with roving bands of guys in Nike hoodies trying to figure out what to do with their free time.