It's a Wrap!

Wishing you all a happy holiday from our family to yours!

But before I go, here's some repurposed gift wrap that can be found under our tree this season, made from grocery bags...paper and plastic!

1. Wegman's plastic bag pompom
2. Safeway plastic bag pompom
3. Barnes & Noble plastic bag pompom

*Paper bags from Whole Foods


And for the adventurous,...
check THIS out!

I'll be back January 5th will a new Mom to Mom interview.

(Most Alive Monday will resume the following week)

Seasonal Book Basket: Winter

Besides our usual winter reads in our seasonal book basket, we are also cozying up to these gems on cold weather days....

In the Satch-stack:

Swing: Satch is enjoying the second creation from scanimation artist, Rufus Butler Seder. This book explores the body in motion.

Selma: A tiny little book from Germany about the life of a sheep named Selma who loves her life just the way it is and wouldn't change a thing.

I'll be thinking about Selma as we bring in the new year and I'll also be thinking about the rat below...

The Short and Incredibly Happy Life of Riley is a cheeky little story from Australia about why rats are happier than people. The message is clear, "Release your inner Riley".


In mum's stack:

In Stitches by Amy Butler: Filled with lots of beautiful projects to inspire me all winter long. The instructions are so clear that even I can understand them. I'm going to attempt the lounge pants and get back to you all with the skinny.

Merry & Bright: Holiday eye candy at it's best! Packed with all sorts of creative ideas to deck your halls. Go check it out for yourself...

Most Alive Monday: Happy Solstice

"If you're a pretender, come sit by my fire" - Shel Silverstein

We had a lovely gathering. Our friends arrived in gentle waves making the transition of goodbyes easier on Satch as there were always more hellos approaching our shore. I didn't take any photos during the party because I borrowed the Smith family's new baby for a little Solstice snuggle by the fire. Oh, he is so elfin and irresistible!

Satchel's ice filled red wagon served as a cooler for our drinks on the deck outside and our tiny kitchen was magically transformed into a vegetarian chili bar with all the fixin's.

We handed out our gifties....

and our treats.

During the departures (since it was so cold), we offered these edible ornament treats for the woodland creatures. And even as I peck out these words, I can hear twittering in the trees and although it's a language I do not understand, it is not unlike the chatter that swirled around our solstice meal. Clearly, the animals are enjoying their feast.

I should mention that while I was doing my pre-party cooking, I watched an impatient squirrel sniff out our solstice offerings. The critter opened the bin, grabbed an entire seed coated pine cone and ran off with it.

After the party, we watched the last of the embers burn out in the darkness and felt very grateful to have made so many wonderful friends in our new home town.

With heartfelt thanks to: the Dews family, the Smith family, the Bojji family (we will miss you while you're in India), the Mann family, the Goodhart family and Satchel's beloved Greta Ehrig.

*About Most Alive Monday: I've decided to make at least one "most alive choice" each day and post my favorite each Monday. This, of course, is to motivate me to consciously "live juicy"! I hope you'll join me and share your "most alive moment" in the comments section so we may inspire each other.

Solstice Celebration

"This Shortest Day,
As promise wakens in the sleeping land:
They carol, feast, give thanks,
And dearly love their friends,
And hope for peace.
And now so do we, here, now,
This year and every year"- Susan Cooper

We've been wanting to host an annual holiday party for some time, but couldn't quite sort out the deets. We have friends of different cultures, religions, some do not celebrate Xmas. We wanted a party that would feel welcoming to all so we decided to celebrate the winter solstice. We figure the shortest day of the year is worth celebrating because afterwards the days just keep getting lighter (longer).

Satch suggested that we invite "everyone" and so we did. And "everyone" responded with a yes! This will ensure some creative seating arrangements as we only had 4 dining room chairs to start and two of them are broken. Still, there is the staircase and the floor and we may have to get some advice from Shelley.

I'm making a crock of vegetarian chili and some mini cornbread muffins. Satch asked for acorn shaped brownies for dessert and popcorn snowballs. There will be birdseed ornaments for the wees to hang on the trees outside. And under the tree are 9 marker/pencil rolls that I sewed for all the liliputians.

Have a good weekend, everyone! See you Monday.

Funny & Not So Funny

Funny: Satch, after watching "Rudolph" thought it would funny to illuminate his nose with a pen light.

Not so funny: He woke up at 4:30 this morning.

Original

"Insist upon yourself. Be original." - Emerson

Yesterday was unseasonably warm and Satch declared that he wanted to get "dressed up" for our hike and donned his father's tie. Everyone kept asking why he was wearing a tie and his response was the same, "I wanted to get dressed up".

He's always had his own way of doing things. When he was a wee babe, he rolled instead of crawled. He doesn't use the stairs, but rather the railing.

Most Alive Monday: Small Talk

"But the sky was bright and he somehow felt he was headed in the right direction." - E.B. White (Stuart Little)


It is often requested that I make Little Mouse talk. So, I don this finger puppet and I enjoy the conversations that unfold...










Satch: Little mouse watch me use dis fermometer.
Little Mouse: What does it do?
Satch: It takes my temperature like dis? (puts in ear)
Little Mouse: OH...do you keep cheese in your ear?
Satch: (laughs) No....but I have some wishes...you're cute little mouse.
Little Mouse: You're cute too, Satch.

Satch: Little mouse, I built a super poop machine with Legos.
Little Mouse: What does it do?
Satch: It picks up poop...and makes poop dominoes!
Little Mouse: Really?
Satch: YES but they can be sticky though.
Little Mouse: I guess they would be.

Satch: I can fix anything you know.
Little Mouse: You can?
Satch: YES because I'm amazing.
Little Mouse: You are amazing!

Satch: Why does Dada say excellent?
Little Mouse: I don't know, why?
Satch: Because he's frustrated and that's so funny because he's supposed to say DAGNABBIT!

*About Most Alive Monday: I've decided to make at least one "most alive choice" each day and post my favorite each Monday. This, of course, is to motivate me to consciously "live juicy"! I hope you'll join me and share your "most alive moment" in the comments section so we may inspire each other.

Tweets Continued

"i'd rather learn from one bird how to sing than teach ten thousand stars how not to dance" - ee cummings

Here it is...the birthday bird mobile for R's 3rd birthday! Now I have to make one for my very patient son.

(click on photo to enlarge)

Have a good weekend, everyone!

Super Satch

"Like a streak of light
he arrives just in time" - (Spiderman Theme)

We have a visitor of the super variety who makes frequent flybys and strikes fancy poses, usually when I'm trying to make dinner. His name is Super Satch.

He dons a play silk that I made for him and which I dip-dyed yellow to red, like a sunset. He sports my old swimming goggles that were tied together with a bit of elastic. And he recently confiscated my cozy hand warmers that the talented Kate knitted for me because they are really superhero gloves.

He's fast, but I was able to shoot some video of the superhero in action below...

Conflict Resolution

"Baby it's cold outside" - Frank Loesser

One of the new struggles is getting Satch to wear his coat in winter weather. I tried the brilliant Shelley & Tama method and believe it or not, it didn't work. He walked the entire way to the car without his coat. I was floored.

 So...I came up with this. I color coded a thermometer (with some wiggle room for his personal furnace which runs warmer than mine) and hung it on the window.










Then I photographed some of his gear and made a coordinating chart.

Now he can check the temperature and figure it out for himself. I thought perhaps it would give him some sense of control...Oh heck, I don't know...

But anyway, last eve he was heading out the door with his dad and I asked him what the thermometer said. "BLUE" he replied. So I held the chart and said, "See if you can find the things in the blue rectangle all by yourself". And he DID! He walked over to the coat rack and found the gear- no drama! I don't know how long this will last, but I'll let you know when the honeymoon is over.

Most Alive Monday: Love's Confusing Joy

" If you want what visible reality
can give, you're an employee.
If you want the unseen world,
you're not living your truth.
Both wishes are foolish,
but you'll be forgiven for forgetting
that what you really want is
love's confusing joy." - Rumi

It seems like one day they are trying to walk, and the next they are trying to fly. I find myself stiffening a bit and holding my breath when I hear the call of the wild, "MAMA WATCH THIS!". It gets harder and harder to photograph him without a motion blur. The moments pass so quickly, how I wish I can slow things down a bit...just a little bit.

And my sweet boy has begun the fine art of "talking back" and on the one hand I'm glad that he feels safe enough to be so contrary, but on the other hand I find it hurtful. I'm uncertain how to handle it. Last, night there was some acting out while decorating our Xmas tree:

Me: Satch, do you want to decorate the tree?
Satch: Yes
Me: Ok, then if you continue to kick the ornaments which can break or shake the tree which can fall on you, you are choosing NOT to decorate the tree tonight. You will NOT decorate the tree if you continue to kick the ornaments or shake the tree.
Satch: YES I WILL!

He has also become very rough and is having a hard time following directions. Is this normal for his age?

I should mention that Satch is officially (finally) weaned. The child-lead weaning was a long and winding road! Though he was only nursing at nap time, he has now completely stopped. Dare I say, that his new (and not so pleasant behaviors) started thereafter?!?!

Any thoughts?

Love's confusing joy....

*About Most Alive Monday: I've decided to make at least one "most alive choice" each day and post my favorite each Monday. This, of course, is to motivate me to consciously "live juicy"! I hope you'll join me and share your "most alive moment" in the comments section so we may inspire each other.

Tweets

"may my heart always be open to little
birds who are the secrets of living" - e.e. cummings.

So as I mentioned yesterday, while Satch was napping I sewed a dozen of these birdies to put on our Xmas tree. I should also tell you that because I'm not very good at sewing, Satch thought my first bird was a dolphin. I don't know what I did wrong, but the first one I made out of vintage bark cloth scraps which was a bit heavy. The rest of the flock I made from scraps of vintage hankies that I had laying around. Still, when Robert came home yesterday he said, "What's with all the fish?".

Here's the free pattern!

Satchel's friend R is celebrating her 3rd birthday so I'm going to try to make her this bird mobile. Satch has declared that he wants one too, so I better get to work.

See you Monday!

Super Soup

I've been a bit under the weather without much energy to do anything 'cept make soup and sew a few birds (from vintage hanky scraps - fitting fabric considering the current state of our snouts) for our Xmas tree during Satchel's nap (Will post bird pics tomorrow).

I made this "Creamy Cauliflower Soup" from Heidi Swanson's book, "Super Natural Cooking". It is sooo delicious, in fact, that my husband (a devout cauliflower-hater) LOVES this soup. I didn't have Brazil nuts in the house, so I made the spinach pesto with cashews and it was darn tasty. I have served this soup without the pesto and it's terrific on its own. I even tried spreading some pesto on toasted crusty bread and floating it on top of the soup like a giant crouton and it was mighty yummy.

The recipes in this book are wholesome, simple and seriously delicious. Heidi focuses on, natural sweeteners, less processed fats, and whole grains in this collection of highly nutritious recipes. We've enjoyed them so much that I've subscribed to the RSS feed of her recipe journal.

*Cauliflower, by the way, is a nutritionally dense vegetable and high in vitamin C, so I suspect we'll all be on the mend quite soon.

In regard to our schnozzes: Last week I took Satch to a play group at our community center and had merry time when I noticed a wee girl with a wicked runny nose. Each time she licked the steady stream of snot off her top lip, I thought, why do parents bring sick kids to play groups? I would have left, but I didn't want to disappoint Satch. Well, despite my efforts to fend off the germs with thorough hand washing prior to departure, my son developed a runny nose and other symptoms on cue a few days later. Then my husband took a punch from this nasty virus which knocked him off his feet and in bed for the entire day (no kidding) before passing the super morphed version on to me.

The play group came and went yesterday and I did not take Satch because I didn't want to infect other children and because I felt like crapola.

Sir Satch : Cardboard Knight

Satch has been asking me to make him a Knight's costume and I was up for the challenge...
I used these instructions for the helmet using cardboard boxes. I modified the helmet in size and cut a larger opening in the cardboard for the face because I knew that Satch would like more face room. I cut a face grill from another piece of cardboard and attached it with two paper fasteners. I covered it in non-toxic silver paint left over from his Recyclobot costume. When it was dry, I added details with paint markers.

The shield was a no-brainer...though instead of a cross or a lion, I painted a dragon on it with a stencil I found here.

He is now asking to see a castle and meet a princess, so his friend R agreed to be his princess and we are in the process of looking for a castle to visit that is within driving distance. Of course I'll take photos.






*Has anyone else noticed the perfect view of Jupiter and Venus? I spotted them on the way home from NY Saturday night and pointed them out to Robert and Satch. Last night they were right there hanging out next to the crescent moon.

Mom to Mom: Ginger Carlson

I feel so fortunate to have crossed paths with Ginger Carlson. She generously allowed me to host a giveaway of her wonderful, wonder-full book, Child of Wonder back in April. I wanted to share her with you immediately, I really did, but my "Mom to Mom" slots were booked for the entire year (How can that be?). Ginger has been such an enormous source of inspiration to me. I've been savoring every morsel of her book and newsletters...and feeling very selfish for being so quiet. It is with great joy that I introduce you to Ginger...

Mom: Ginger Carlson
Of: Zeal (8 yo) and a new baby due within the next few weeks!
Where: Oregon
Site: Ginger Carlson
Blog: The Wondershop and Thinking Outside the Recipe


1. In what ways has becoming a mother changed you?

Wow. In what ways does becoming a mother not change you? Before we first moved to India, I read that you could measure your life in two ways: before you saw the Taj Mahal and after you saw the Taj Mahal. But my life can really be measured by before and after becoming a mother. In many ways, I can’t really grasp that time before becoming a mother because (even though it was only eight years ago) it seems so far away from who I am now. But I think becoming a mother just puts you in deeper touch with the essence of our humanness so you look at the world more acutely, much the way our children do.

2. What is one tip you would like to share about mothering?

Let them get messy! I’m a big advocate of the power of a good mess and believe it is a cornerstone for a child learning so many things, not the least of which being how to connect in with their own creative expression.

3. As mother, author, speaker, how do you juggle these roles?
Very deliberately, I like to think, but perhaps I happen along time to work on writing, etc. I tend to do most of my writing in my head, often for months, before ever sitting down at a computer to let it spill out. Also, often I do carve out time to “work” by getting up super early so I can get things done before Zeal wakes. But, we also work along side each other much of the time. I think it is especially important for children to see their parents engaged in whatever fulfills them, so I make an effort to work on my myriad of projects in his presence and involve him if it is appropriate.

4. In what way/s did your own childhood influence the way you parent your son?

We are all products of our past. From cooking to outdoor exploration to game playing, I definitely can see the visible traces of my own past/childhood in my daily interactions and parenting choices. I wrote about my own childhood and its influence on me a bit in the introduction to Child of Wonder. It is for certain that each member of my family has left their fingerprint on my own personal creativity and my approach to life and parenting.

5. What inspired you to write Child of Wonder?

Well, originally, the idea began while I was teaching in an inner-city school in Los Angeles, and then continued to grow and take shape when I was teaching overseas in international and embassy schools. It seemed rather glaring to me that creativity and nurturing self-expression was such a universal need, no matter what the circumstance or background. I began to write about creativity for magazines, which led to a regular column on the topic. But then Zeal was certainly the catalyst for me putting it all down in the form you see now as Child of Wonder.

6. Lastly, what grounds you, moves you, fills your well?

His name is Raphael: the father of my children and partner in all I do. He keeps me grounded, alert, supported, questioning, and connected to my own creativity. I’m also a very dedicated student of Bikram yoga. I practice the hatha series about five early mornings a week (yes, even through the pregnancy, with some modifications, of course). Additionally, I am blessed with a richly diverse circle of women in my life. Other things that fill me up include travel (especially international travel), walks in the rain, night air, early mornings, working in the kitchen with Zeal, and lately I’ve been doing a LOT of sewing.

*Most Alive Monday will resume next week.