mama urchin

• The bunnies have moved. Last Wednesday we saw Mama Rabbit in the evening. Thursday evening we saw this little guy hopping around the front walk. He even hopped up onto the porch and looked into the window right at us. There was no way he and his siblings could fit in that nest anymore and sure enough, Friday we checked and they have definitely moved. They didn’t leave a forwarding address but my guess is they headed out back.
• You should go to the dentist more than once every four years. Youch! I had to have cavities filled today. Now I have a sore mouth and I’m grumpy.
• Kathy gave me a little peak into what’s been keeping her so busy recently and it looks to be really really good. Seriously though, would you expect anything less?
• I’ve been scouring craigslist for a polaroid instant camera but we didn’t even have one when I was little so I have no idea what kind I should want.
• Do you guys want a little how-to on the backpacks? They are so easy but I can take some step-by-step photos is you guys want.

Last evening we were driving home from my parents’ house and had to turn around three separate times because the roads were flooded and blocked by all manner of emergency vehicles. Two other times we only got through a flooded road because we drive a tank that is rated to ford streams up to a depth of 20″ without a snorkel — not my car in that photo. So yeah, it was kind of an intense end to a lovely Mother’s Day.

Today the rain continued and the temperatures reached a high of 45 degrees. Tristan wore his wool sweater he got for Christmas and Katie asked for a fire late this afternoon. May 12, that is the date, right?

I remember when I was in first grade my class made a book of what each of us wanted to be when we grew up. Right there on the first page it says, Jenny A. - Nurse. Jenny S. wanted to be a nurse too. I don’t think I ever considered that I could be a doctor. What I really wanted to be though was a mommy. But I don’t think we were supposed to choose that.

Over the years I intended to become all kinds of things — a teacher, a chemist, a physiologist — and I did become a software engineer but always what I really wanted to be was a mother. Five years ago I got my dream job and it turns out that being a mom is all of those things I ever wanted to be and so much more. Happy Mother’s Day to all you Mamas, even those hoping to be one someday, it’s the best job ever.

We’re in Florida this week. We’re here to see Daddy’s rocket:

It was one of the coolest things we have ever seen. We’re talking really, really cool. Tristan can’t stop talking about the rocket and how it went to outerspace. I’ll be back later in the week. Talk to you then.

We’re back from sunny Southern California. We even got a little sun on our necks and dipped our toes in the ocean. Now it’s back to blustery weather and winter coats. All in all we’re feeling a bit like this:

Once I dig out from all the laundry I’ll be back in this space ready to share again. Our mailbox has been brimming with goodies.

…know where I can get some natural/ivory colored fishing net to make into bags for mermaid Katrina’s upcoming underwater birthday party? I’m planning to make the bags from fabric and use the net as an overlay so the hole size isn’t too important.

…know where I can get fun goggles for the party cheap? I want to try to get some of those goggles with eyes shaped like shells or fish or something.

…have a good source for cotton chenille? I’m looking for some ivory/natural chenille to back my pink and brown quilt squares. All the stores around here have basic striped chenille and I was thinking something more floral in pattern. This is one of those times I have something in my head, now I just need to find it.

…have shopping recommendations while we’re visiting LA over Easter weekend? I might have a little time between the family events we’re going to attend and I wouldn’t mind finding a good Japanese bookstore/everything store. Yarn and fabric store recommendations are always welcome too. We’re staying north-west of downtown in Agoura Hills.

Thank you in advance for the help I know you’ll give. And thank you also for the well wishes. We found out yesterday that Katrina has strep again and an ear infection. I’m hoping a few doses of the antibiotic will have her feeling better soon. The photos in this post are pillow tops in progress from my bloggy birthday give-away. Once made into pillows these will be going to Kris and Inga. I have plans for both Amy and Capello next.

Ear infection, sinus infection, and goopy eye — and that’s just Tristan. Katrina got sent home from a sleepover with Grandmom and Granddad on Saturday night with a temp of 103.5. I knew she felt pretty bad when she wanted to come home. We’ll find out what’s going on with her later today. In the meantime, here are some flickr favorites to tide us all over.

Well, it’s that time again. Time to celebrate another year of blogging. Two years I’ve been occupying this little space and inviting all of you to stop by and chat. Jenn Docherty left my first comment — although I admit it was slightly solicited — and Vicki left the second. Back then I think the only people who regularly read this thing were my husband and my mother-in-law. Now, well you guys just blow me away. Anyway, thank you to all of you who stop by, leave a note or just pass through. I’m happy to be a part of this wonderful community. I’ve learned so much, and I’m not just talking about the crafting.

Well, as is tradition it seems there should be gifts. So… how about some pillows? I think I’ll make three so that means there can be three winners. Leave a comment and I’ll random number the names after leap day. Let me know — if you can remember — when you first stumbled upon me and my urchins and if you’re really smart, tell me how you got here.

In the Pacific Northwest when bloggy buddies meet up it looks like this. In the Mid-west it looks like this. Here in the East it looks more like this:

You think that’s bad, you should see Emma. No, I’m totally kidding. We did hang out with the Coddles yesterday and Katrina did get the shiner while at the farm but Emma didn’t do it, Mary did. No, not really, Katrina has actually told me about a million times that it wasn’t Mary’s fault — which I knew anyway. The truth is she was trying to climb onto a two-person swingy thing while Mary waited on the other side and somehow Katie got conked in the eye. She could care less though and her only real complaint is that we didn’t stay at the farm overnight.

The urchins had a wonderful time, traipsing through the creek, chasing cats, climbing on farm equipment and hanging out with new best, best friends — that’s a quote. Unfortunately all you get is one blurry photo because while I did have the camera we were just having too much fun to use it. Tristan has been crawling around meow-ing since we got home and Katrina is already making plans for her next visit. Molly, thanks for a really fantastic day, we can’t wait to do it again.

Blessed — that’s what we are in so many ways. Our family is fortunate to live middle-class lives in an affluent country where we have the freedom to speak, worship, and pretty much go about our lives in a way that pleases us. We have never had to worry about how we would feed our children, how we would afford their medicine, or how to protect them from warfare. We go to our church every week without fear of imprisonment.

The recent winter holidays always reminds me — and many — of how much I have been given and this is something that Papa and I want our children to appreciate. Katrina helps me take food and clothing to our local outreach center, she has sorted through toys to give some to children who have few, but this year we are taking it a little further. This year we gave her a catalog from Heifer International and asked her to flip through and choose an animal — she picked a flock of chicks. Since Thanksgiving she’s been doing jobs around the house to earn the money to buy them for a child who lives half the world away. I cannot get over how excited she’s been about this. She keeps asking us if we have jobs for her. Not once has she asked about keeping the money for herself or buying something she wants. She’s learning that charity isn’t just about cast-offs and leftovers but also about sacrifice — that making the world better requires work.

So if you’ve made it this far you may be wondering why I’m writing all this on my craft blog. I was thinking about how much difference one four-year-old can make and then the difference that ten children could make and I thought what Katrina is doing might inspire you, or your urchins and I felt obliged to share. In addition to the jobs around the house Katrina has started a shop over at cafepress where you can buy items screenprinted with her original designs — we’re hoping to add more designs soon. All proceeds from the sales will go toward chicks. Now tell me, what do you do to foster giving and sacrifice in the hearts of your children?