Haircut 37/365

Haircut

Snip, snap-

Lots of locks softly flow,

Down to the ground.

Big Boy and I wrote this after looking at this picture of Little Man getting his hair cut by his Grammie. We talked about the sound of the scissors and what we saw and then wrote this simple poem.

I'm always amazed about how grown-up my boys look after getting a hair cut- not sure what it is, but somehow it ages them :)

Cat-Owl 36/365

Image via Wikipedia

Cat-Owl

Round owl eyes-

feather-like fur;

casting shadows on the bedroom floor

as you silently...creep...away.

I was reading Owl Moon to Big Boy last night and when we got to the page where they finally find the owl, he pointed at the illustration and said, "Stella." Stella is our cat pictured above. After he said that, it struck me how children are natural poets often speaking in similes and metaphors. Children see the world is a beautifully innocent way that allows their brains to speak poetry. So today, we took a picture of Stella and then printed it out. I got the book back out and we took the picture and placed them side-by-side. I then asked Big Boy to name all the ways that Stella and the owl were similar. We listed them on paper and then created the above poem together. It was so fun and easy! Try this with your child sometime. Begin making a list or documenting when he or she speaks in similes/ metaphors (something like, "Mommy- the lights on the car are like eyes seeing in the dark.") and then turn their ideas into simple poem- it's a great way to get kids thinking about using writing in everyday life. 

Soldier 24/365

Soldier

The face of a soldier-

brave and true;

Calm, quiet-

I truly "Thank you."

The face of a soldier-

gentle, yet strong;

bittersweet goodbye-

He says, "It won't be long."

The face of a soldier-

just like me and you; 

I pray every night that-

my Lord will protect you.

My "little" brother deployed for Afghanistan today. My heart is heavy for him as he leaves behind his wife an 8 week-old daughter. My heart breaks for him that he will miss most of her first year- yet he complains not. Like so many brave men and women, he views the military as his duty and is happy to serve. Freedom certainly is NOT free. I have nothing but respect for our armed forces. 

Love you so much, Tommy! Come home to us safe! 

Snowbird 23/365

Snowbird

Sitting, waiting-

Patient;

Quiet as the snow found.

Watching, contemplating-

Perfect;

Like the flakes all around.

Perching, inspiring-

Reminder;

of God's blessings that abound.

The hubcap spotted this beautiful cardinal sitting in a pine tree outside of Big Boy's window. It reminded me to stop, listen, and "consider the birds" on a lazy Sunday afternoon. 

White Snow, Bright Snow 21/365

Cover of White Snow, Bright Snow

White Snow Bright Snow

Softly, gently in the secret night,

Down from the North came a quiet white.

Drifting, sifting, silent flight,

Softly, gently, in the secret night.

White snow, bright snow, smooth and deep.

Light snow, bright snow, quiet as sleep.

Down, down, without a sound;

Down, down to the frozen ground.

Covering roads and hiding fences,

Sifting in cracks and filling up trenches.

Millions of snowflakes, tiny and light,

Softly, gently, in the secret night.

~ Alvin Tresselt

The "white death" as our city affectionally calls it, has been falling for about two days now... Although I am getting a bit tired of it, I prefer the romanticism in the poem above. The poem is also from one of my favorite children's books. How are you surviving the winter chill? My two have been dealing with a nasty cough/ cold as so, unfortunately, we haven't had the pleasure in playing in the snow. 

Sandra 20/365

Sandra

"streets are empty, snow fallin down, cold winds blowin is the only sound. Darkness shares the night with the stars up in the sky, the moon and the clouds are getting ready to fight.., I know I should be sleeping, but I can't close my eyes...to the painting of winter you created outside. the shadows of the trees seem to cover everything...time stands still just for once, no thoughts of tomorrow, or of days gone by..."

Have I told you how much I love my sister-in-law, Sandra? She's more like a real sister- and has been there for me through thick-and-thin. Although she would never think it, she's an inspiration to all she meets. Her strong Christian testimony despite many hard life trials, including a battle with ulcerative colitis, has served to encourage my heart on many a day. She's the first to offer an encouraging word to any person afflicted, and is the type of loyal friend that would be there for you no matter what! This post is a small token of the appreciation that I have for her life.

Another thing that she will never tell you, is that she's an awesome singer/ songwriter! She has a God-given talent and unique voice that calms my soul. Have I perked your interest yet?! If so, do me a favor and go listen to a sampling of her songs on Facebook. ImperfectMelodies  is sure to brighten your day and encourage your heart :) 

Love you, Sandra! Know that you are being uplifted in prayer at this very moment and by those that read this post! 

Winter is in full force here in Cincy. Sandra took these amazing photos on a recent winter walk :) Also, the first paragraph that started my post are the lyrics to a new song she is writing. 

Cloth Diaper Limerick/ Sweet Pea Diaper Cover Review 17/365

CLOTH

There once was a sweet, tiny boy;

who disposables did annoy;

his bum was so red

that changes he did dread

until cloth made him enjoy!  

Sweet Pea Diaper Cover in Indigo

Diaper Cover pictured above with prefold- very trim!

Sitting down shot- no bunching or gapping! 

LOVE that these diaper covers have gussets

Action shot! Little Man is on the second setting and is 14 mths- 24 lbs; plenty of room to grow!

SItting down shot- again, no gaps or shifting! 

Awesome laundry tab for easy line-drying! 

And this one is just because I love how he's being a ham :)

        I met Nancy, the owner of Sweet Pea Diapers at #MeetSweetPea, an @EcoChicParties twitter party a few months ago. I was instantly drawn to her diaper covers based on affordability and a few unique features. 

       The first thing that I LOVED about Sweet Pea Diaper Covers is that they retail at a very affordable $10.95. Since they are one-sized, that means that you could cloth diaper a child on a budget! I'm actually a pocket lover at heart, but I've been wanting to add some more affordable options to my stash to share with other local mamas that are wanting to start their own stash with limited funds. If you are looking for a thrifty alternative to cloth, consider purchasing 6 or so Sweet Pea Diaper Covers along with a dozen or two prefolds , and you could have a starter stash for under $200 (the amount of diaper covers and prefolds of course would depend on the age of your child as well as how often you would like to wash- please don't hesitate to contact me if you want to talk cloth or have any questions). And just b/c the diaper cover is affordable, doesn't mean that the quality is compromised! Of all the one-size diaper covers that I own, the Sweet Pea is the most affordable while still being of high-quality. 

       Pictured above on Little Man, is the Sweet Pea One-Size Diaper Cover in Indigo with snap enclosures along with a Bummis (toddler-sized) Indian Prefold (tri-folded). The fit, is super trim which I feel is extra important now that Little Man is up and running around - who wants a bowling ball between their active little legs? In addition, the Sweet Pea has inner-gussets to provide extra protection from blow-outs and leaks, how cool is that? 

       The final unique feature of the Sweet Pea Cover is the laundry tab- the little white loop is a simple yet brilliant added feature to make line drying even more convenient.
      So in review, if you are a thrifty mama looking to start a diaper stash while on a budget, or a current fitted or prefold mama looking for a new and innovative cover, then I think the Sweet Pea Diaper Cover is for you! It's a snap closured, one-sized cover with bonus features of inner gussets and laundry drying tab that is sure to please both your pocket book and your aesthetic side (go check out the fun colors available here).
       Sweet Pea Diapers have been described as the, "Most competitively priced multifunctional cloth diapers on the market." Now I know from first-hand experience that that is true! Make sure to check Sweet Pea out on FACEBOOK and TWITTER for more information. 

Collection 14/365

COLLECTION  

1 Collection
    2   Buses
       3  Racecars,
         4  Police Cars
           5 Ambulances
              6  Construction Trucks
                  7  Fire Engines
                     8 with missing parts
                        9  doors that open
                           10 minutes of fun.

Like most little boys, Big Boy LOVES HotWheels cars and has his "collection" that he enjoys lining up. Do your children collect things? 




    

Girl- A Self-Portrait 13/365

Girl


Still a girl at heart,
emotions heavy;
mood hair;

lacking energy.


Still a girl at heart,
eyes starring;                                
clothes portraying;
someone that has it altogether.


Still a girl at heart,
womanhood slowly turning
the girl into a routine-


Lord, restore in her the joy
of childlike wonder 
in the holy ordinary. 

Wonder 12/365

WONDER


   Big Boy-
   eyes wide and bright,   
   wheels turning-
   with delight.

Precious Boy-
focused with might,  
not tainted by-
adultish "rights".

My Boy-
I love this sight,
may your holy curiosity
remain without a fight.          

Snow 11/365

Snow

Soft

     Sparkles

               Shyly Shining 

Quiet

       Quarters

                 Quickly Quivering  

Festive

         Flakes 

                 Freely Falling 

       to the ground.

Yep. The "White Death" hit us today! Did your area get any snow? 

               

Winter Warmth 9/365

Winter Warmth

The winter cold chills my bones-   
the sun's rays are muffled;


Dreaming of spring's first kiss-
of vivid colors and wild things;


Winter warmth comes from brazen fires-
the aroma of fresh coffee brewing;


But the warmest of all-
fresh-cut flowers of Lily White 
that invite my senses to remember the art of Spring. 

My husband came home with the flowers for no reason today and said, "Thanks for working so hard." It meant a lot- especially since my employers consist of two snotty-nosed boys that rarely communicate appreciation. I'm not a winter-lover as some are- I could quite honestly skip it altogether. What about you? Do you have a season that you enjoy more than others? I love spring and fall. 

Old Love 8/365

OLD LOVE

Old love-

tried and true;

quiet,

patient-

so many, "I love you's."

Old love-

gentle and strong;

vivid,

pure-

able to move past wrongs.

Old love-

brave when hard;

fun,

real-

your love I will never discard. 

We attended a beautiful wedding this evening. I love weddings- everything about them is magical to me- but I also know how hard and trying marriage can be and so this poem is based on my 7 year experience with it. It hasn't always been "bliss," but it's definitely been real :)

Adultish 6/365

Adultish


Of all the things strange to me,
Growing up has got to be-
the thing that has me most puzzled.   


Entering year 30, mom and wife,
yet still fear I lack maturity.


Own house, two children-
various responsibilities;           


yet drinking coffee in patterned mugs
is what makes me feel thirty.


Does anyone ever truly feel grown-up? 




As I was driving Big Boy to preschool this morning, I was contemplating how adult-like I felt drinking coffee. My next thought was the irony of the situation since I was driving my car- with my two sons, both of which would make one think that I should feel like an adult. As cliche as it is, I feel like I was just 20 yesterday. It made me start wondering if anyone ever truly feels grown-up.


Sidebar- notice that insanely cute coffee sleeve pictured? Yep, my very talented BFF created that for me for Christmas this year, and apparently, if you are crafty, it's not too hard of a task to duplicate. She took an old wool sweater, washed and shrunk it so that it became felted wool that could easily be cut and not unravel, and then sewed the seam- waala- one uber fun upcycled craft project :) 

Laundry Limerick - 5/365

Laundry Limerick 

  There once was a mom of two-

     Who had so much laundry to do;

But then it got fun,

              For smells there were none,

   And now she enjoys it, it's true!  

       Today is laundry day at my house (really, what day isn't with children-LOL), but specifically, it is cloth diaper laundry day! We've been battling the ammonia stink for quite some time now but Nellie's Laundry Soda has finally seemed to solve our dilemma. I prefer to line dry my pocket shells, however, freezing Cincinnati temperatures are not conducive to productive drying (note-to-self: frozen diapers = too cold to put on baby's bottom). I scored this Hanging Dryer from my Mother-in-Law and I'm in love! They are $4.99 from IKEA, and as pictured above, I am now winter drying my diapers in my bathroom shower with this awesome PRESSA. Do you have a favorite cloth diaper laundry routine, or any tips for winter line drying that you would like to share?

Twinkle 4/365

                                                    Twinkle


                                            twinkle eye-

childlike curiosity clinging 
to every new sight


twinkle eye-
full of all kinds of mischief
and beautiful delight


twinkling into the world unknown-
my precious son,
may your twinkle always be 
bright 

Disclaimer- Yes my son wears "tights" aka Babylegs from time-to-time. :)

The Babe that Will Never Be- 3/365

Lila
The babe that will never be has  
golden ringlets
brown sparkling chestnuts;
daddy's dimples-
mommy's smile
no tears;
no cries;
no fears;
no lies-
one day we shall meet! 

 

I miscarried a few months ago. During the month that I knew I was pregnant- I accumulated the items pictured. I also had a dream about my baby- I dreamt of a little girl with blonde curls and big brown eyes.