Childhood in Pictures

Positivity

Print by HoneyBoo on Etsy

Happy Halloween!

I went out last night with a couple girlfriends.  Lots of silly fun was had by all, especially because quite a few people were dressed in costumes.  There was a group done up as tetris pieces, with one as a Nintendo controller. One couple was Richard Simmons and Jane Fonda.  He had all his mannerisms perfected!  You had to laugh just watching him dance.

And pictured is my favorite!  The Grinch and a Who!  How fun are they???? Love them!!!

Boys and Dirt

Nathan had a playdate with his buddy Logan on Sunday.  Those two little boys are so stinkin' cute together.  

When I pulled back in to pick Nathan up, he and Logan were digging in a pile of dirt left left created by some yard work.  They were happily rescuing worms.

You have not seen joy until you have seen the expressions on the faces of  little boys playing in the dirt.

Back to Sunshine

I have not written in quite a while.  Lots of amazing moments have come and gone the past several months and I am a little sad that they are not documented them here for me to come back to.  Here are a few highlights that come to mind as I sit here with the computer in my lap.

My kids have both started a new school year and are very happy.  They love their teachers.  They have great buddies to spend their days with.  They are learning new stuff and enjoying it.  That makes every mama happy.

I am back to teaching this school year, back in a preschool room.  I have been out of the classroom for 8 years, ever since my Evie was born.  I loved being home with my kids and did not miss teaching at all.  There was no place I wanted to be more than with them.  But, both Evie and Nathan are in school full time now (which was a very, very hard thing for me) and when I started planning for my school year, I realized I had forgotten how very much I loved teaching.  I am so grateful that this opportunity presented itself at just the right time for me to take it.

Lots more to come! 

The Good Stuff

Nathan has worn the Spiderman costume I bought for him at a yard sale on Saturday for the past 2 days. He wore it all day yesterday, to bed last night, and all day today.  He took it off for bed tonight on his own, which was a surprise.  I was counting on having to wrestle him out of it in the morning to wash it for him.

He made my heart melt tonight.  It was just him and I left by the firepit, he was standing there in his Spidey-gear and blue rain boots munching on a smore and all I could think was that I wanted to freeze that moment.  That amazing childhood innocence. 

A Wonderful Week

Sunshine from my week:

My kids swimming in the sun.
Running into friends while garage saling.
Good news from the doctor.
Watching a two-year-old's excitement opening birthday gifts.
Picnicking at the peninsula.
Returning a lost dog to his owner.
Pizza with friends.
Children in dress up clothes. 

GOOD STUFF!

Positively Present

Somehow I stumbled across this amazing blog, Positively Present, written by Dani.  She writes about staying focused on the now, how to find positive in every situation.

In her words:

"Daily posts on Positively Present strive to support the idea that life is best lived if it's lived right now with a positive attitude. Be positive. Be present. This is your life."

My plan is to brew a pot of coffee and read through her blog like a good book.  What I have read so far is wonderful and exactly how I would like to train my focus and my thoughts in my life.

I Want to Live Here

What You Can Expect...

...to find when you give your camera to my brother, Jason, to take pictures for you.

Girl Time

Friday I got some one on one time with my Evelyn.  We stopped at Ye Olde Sweet Shop for yummy treats and shopped at a store we both love.  We had the nicest time, chatting and giggling and being silly together. 

She is growing up so fast. Sometimes it makes me sad to see my baby girl not a baby girl anymore.  Times like Friday remind me that she is growing into an amazing child with a lot of love in her heart and a creative mind and makes me so happy to be her mama.  I cherish those girl time moments.

Random Phone Picture

I laugh out loud every time I come across this picture on my phone.  Nathan is sitting on his cousin Madison's lap watching the fireworks.  I think he was a little bit nervous getting used to the noise.

They are so cute together, but all I can see is the girls' baby dolls.  They are so creepy looking all I can think is that Madi is saving him from a doll attack!

Gratitude

I have found that when the weather is beautiful, the sun is shining, and the sky is blue, I seem to neglect writing down the sunshiney moments that occur.  I still catch them, still think to myself that I want to write about them.  But I don't actually document them.

I want to be sure to do that.  I will need them when the gloom and grey skies are back. I will want to reread them, relive them.

SO....

This past weekend was awful.  My sweet Evelyn had a nasty fall and ended up having to have surgery to repair her injuries.  As awful as that was, I am grateful for the people who were involved in her recovery.

Ashley and Dr. Webster at her pediatrician's office were kind and gentle and did everything to ease her fear and discomfort.  Dr. Schober fit Evie into her day, already packed with other surgeries and patients to see in her office.  Her bedside manner and her skill are flawless.  The nursing staff at Hamot was AMAZING.  They understood Evie's anxiety, were amazingly kind, and even got her smiling against her will.

There are no words to describe the fear when your child is hurt.  There are also no words to describe the gratitude you feel toward the people who cared for as if she was their own.

Catching Up

The past several weeks have been absolutely full of sunshine.  Actual, outside, fresh air and blue skies kind of sunshine.  It has been amazing and as a result I have so many moments I could write about, and a bit of a sunburn as proof of how much I have been loving the summer.

Some of these sunshiney moments:

~ Multiple family picnics with the people I love.

~ A visit to a train museum. I had no idea how big the steam engines really were.  Or how little the drivers could actually see as they were heading down the tracks!

~ Cherry picking. The sight of bright red cherries nestled in green leaves with a blue sky as a backdrop is just beautiful.

~ Trip to the beach/sandbar with friends.  The kids had such a great time going really far from "shore" since the water never got much above their knees.

~ Watching Evelyn hit the finish line strong at her swim meets and Nathan's pride at moving up two levels in his swim classes.

~ A few evenings out with friends. Always full of laughter.

I know I am missing a few things!  I may have to do a part 2! 

Yoga Vibes

My wonderful cousin and friend Michelle asked me to join her at yogaErie for a Saturday class a couple weeks ago, and I have gotten hooked.  I took a class this past Saturday morning with two other friends and we walked out afterwards, feeling all warm and relaxed to find my van had a completely flat tire.

We stood there looking at it, trying to decide whether it would be a bad idea to drive it a short distance to fill it. A couple who had taken the class also stopped to see what we were looking at and the gentleman offered to put the donut on for me.  (YAY!) Then the bolts holding the donut on were rusted solid and would not release the spare.  This amazing couple loaded my flat into their car, took it to a gas station, filled it, brought it back and put it back on for me. 

That was an above and beyond random act of kindness. Thank you!!!

Five Things That Always Make Me Smile

1. Little girls giggling.
2. Little boys playing with toy cars.
3. Evie hitting the wall at the end of her heat during a swim meet.
4. Nathan rubbing a kiss I just blew him into his cheek.
5. Picking up a good book and settling in to read.

I Belong In the Zoo

We took Evie and Nathan to the zoo today, for the first time in a really long time.  We spent 4 1/2 hours there.  I am pretty sure that is record setting.  The time flew by, and it was the best way we could have spent the afternoon.

The weather was perfect.  Most of the animals were up and about since it was not unbearably hot for them.  The kids were madly in love with the baby orangutan. (Okay - me, too.) They got to see a snake show and the rhino pee.  (Who would have thought that could be soooooooo much fun and the source of major laughter.) And they enjoyed rides on the merry-go-round and brightly colored slushies.The day was full of running children, bright smiles and laughter.

Days like today are why I love summer.

Honoring Fathers

You MUST watch this video.  Several times.  It gets more hysterical every single time.

Dad Life.

My Car Rule...

Preschool Swim Class is Not For Wimps

Today I can't help but think of the wonderful college girls who teach the preschool swim class that my Nathan is in. They  have some serious internal sunshine lighting them.

This was what Brittany and Ashley faced today:  8 preschool kiddos, all are non-swimmers.  Most are pretty pumped to be in the pool, but even still, that is a lot of kids! (And just in case this crossed your mind, there were two lifeguards on the side of the pool right next to the kids.)

Okay, so 8 little ones.  Some anxiously wanting to be "next" at all times.  One who keeps escaping from the pool, right up the ladder, so she can walk around and climb back in.  One who is crying because she got hurt just before class started, effectively ruining the excitement she had felt just minutes before.  One who is fighting tears, asking his mother every 30 seconds how much time is left. (yeah, that last one was mine).

And their sweet teachers never flinched.  They calmly handled the ones in tears and the one who was a flight risk. They gracefully took turns instructing each child with what they needed.  They were AWESOME in the face of chaos.

School's Out!

Here's the scene. 

We parents are gathered outside of the school to pick up our kids on the last day of school.  The kids are getting done early, 10:00 a.m. and most are heading from there to Waldameer for a school picnic.  We are all chatting about summer plans and whether storms will ruin the picnic or not.

Then we hear it...

The sound of stampeding kids, sooooooo excited to dart out of the building for the last time this year.  They are cheering and run to their parents with smiles and more cheering.

Do you remember that feeling?  The joy of the last day of school?  Looking forward to summer in a way that only a child can? 

Watching the kids experience that emotions was almost as good as living it myself!

Rock, Paper, Scissors, Glue Gun

Nathan has loved to play Rock, Paper, Scissors since he was 3.  And I am grateful for that, because it is a game that we have  played MANY times while waiting for whatever we have to wait for.  (Doctor appointments, Evie to come out of school at the end of the day, etc.)

Some time ago, Nathan and Brian were playing it.  And in true boy fashion, the game had to get more exciting.  So they added "glue gun" (which, in case you were wondering, beats scissors and paper, but not rock).  It has just become a rule of the game for us. 

What is awesome though, is when we are sitting at a table having lunch somewhere, and we are playing.  I LOVE when people look confused by the glue gun and I explain to them that Nathan and his dad changed the rules.

Yesterday at Brickhouse, Nathan got so goofy, and he had me laughing so hard.  Somehow he started including coffee, straw, fan, and a bunch of other things, all with hand symbols of their own.  It was so much fun laughing with him and his Aunt Claire as we tried to figure out what beat what.  I love Nathan's imagination and the joy he finds in things.

Ticket Free

I decided to run into a thrift shop by my house, hoping to score items to remake into fun things for my shop.  Nathan and I parked around the corner and there for about 15 minutes when a woman came to the door of the store and asked if anyone had a van parked on 27th.  I said that I did, and she told me that I was close to getting a parking ticket. 

We chatted as I scooted back to move the van.  She had been sitting on her porch as I parked and was still there as the parking ticket people (what are they really called???) were ticketing all of us who didn't bother to notice the no parking signs.  She guessed where I had gone and so sweetly saved me from a ticket.

How sweet was this random act of kindness?  I am grateful she was that thoughtful - no one is pumped to pay $25.00 for a parking mishap! 

Words of Wisdom

I stumbled across really fun site, pinterest.com, and found this and a few other great signs.

Sunshine - Birthday Party Edition 2

Nathan's 5th birthday party was last night.

Here are some of the sunshiney highlights:

Nathan wanted a Star Wars theme.  We made light sabors from pool noodles for each child.  Nathan's Uncle Jay came sneaking out of the house with a Darth Vader mask on while the kids were battling in the backyard (okay - I totally had a blast battling with the little Jedis myself).  The looks on the kids faces were AWESOME and Vader was attacked!  So fun.

Playing frisbee and catch in the yard.

The smile on Nathan's face while we sang "Happy Birthday" to him.

Making S'mores, an absolute favorite of Nathan's, for the first time this year. 

Adorable?

The kids' school had an athletic awards assembly today.  Nathan sat with his little buddy Avery, playing games on Avery's mom's phone. They were way too cute, huddled together on the bleachers taking turns blasting fruit.  (Or something!)

I asked them if they knew they were adorable.

Avery looked slightly offended.  And then she said, "We are not horrible!"

I wish I could say I didn't laugh before I fixed it, but the look on her face was absolutely priceless.

Five Things That Always Make Me Smile

1. Kids on twirly slides.
2. Driving past someone singing in their car.
3. The smell of my lavender plants.
4. The sound of my children belly laughing.
5. Reading "Saturday Night at the Dinosaur Stomp" to Evie and Nathan.

He is my Sunshine, too.

My baby is five years old today. 

Nathan is absolutely full to the brim with sunshine.  His world is full of joy and wonder.  And sword fights and rain boots. And stuffed puppies to snuggle and running everywhere.  And bed jumping and Nerf battles. And so many more things that make me smile every single day.

He is an amazing, carefree little boy.  I am truly blessed to be his mama. 

Happy 5th birthday, Nathan Thomas.

White Blossoms

I look so forward to seeing these trees across the street from my house blossom every single spring.Almost overnight they go from tiny white buds, to full, beautiful white blooms. 

I love this time of year!

Stormy Nights

My Evelyn has never been a fan of loud noises.  Thunder has got to be her least favorite ever. Especially thunder at night.  Add wind at night to the mix, and you have one freaked out little girl.

The second Evie hears thunder, she bolts to my side and crawls into bed with me.  Tucking her back into her own bed is not remotely an option until the storm has been gone for a good half hour.

I can actually feel her relax once she is snuggled in, under the covers with my arm wrapped around her. Evie sleeps solidly, doesn't even flinch at the wind that rattles the patio roof and the thunder cracking.  It sort of amazes me that I am her safe place. 

What an incredible thing that is, to be someone's safe place...

Warm Welcome

My wonderful sister-in-law had mentioned to her parents that we were family-less for Easter dinner, and we were quickly invited to join them for dinner.  I was grateful for their invitation and for the yummy dinner they prepared.

Papa Louie and Elaine had hidden some Easter surprises for their grandchildren to find when they come over.  It made my eyes water when I realized that they had also hidden Easter goodies for Evie and Nathan. It was more than I could have asked them to do, and it made my children so happy. 

I so appreciate their kindness in welcoming us into their home for the holiday, and for treating my kids like they were their own.

You Can't Help But Smile...

... at little girls in dress up clothes. 
... at the joy little girls have when playing with glitter and sparkle.

Julia's Sparkle

My niece, Julia, has the absolute best way with words.  She puts a sparkle into the things that she says and it makes everyone who hears her smile.

Tonight, as Julia walked in the house with her mom after dance class, she said that she "likes the way Boomer (their dog) greets them at the door with happiness."

Love her!

Crazy Signs...

Sometimes the strangest things can bring me happiness.  In this case it is sort of bittersweet happiness...

Nathan got Nerf guns for his 4th birthday, and he will be 5 in a month.  He LOVES them, but needs help firing them, you have to pump them first and his little hands are not strong enough to grip it and pull. 

Until now.

He just came running in to show me how he can do it.  By himself.  With the little hands that have grown enough to have the strength to grip it.  And he had the most amazing look of pride at this accomplishment.

A crazy sign that my little man is growing.  The way he should be, stronger and bigger every day.

Secret Agent L

Laura Miller of Pittsburgh, PA is a woman on a mission.  Leave random acts of "kindness and daybrightning" for strangers and help lots and lots of people do the same.

Check out her blog "Secret Agent L" to learn more about her, what she does, read about some of the missions her associate secret agents around the world have done and reactions from a few people who have received these surprises. 

I just got a return email from Laura about how to become one of her Associate Agents and I can't wait to get started with my own daybrightning on her behalf!



Weeds or Wishes?

Do you see weeds or wishes?

Dandelions and their seed puffs are some of my favorite things. They make me think of the joy of being a child. Children see wishes. Never weeds. Watching my children, or any child, with dandelions makes me see wishes too.

("Some See Wishes" by Vol.25)

Preschool Goodness

I met this morning with my son's preschool teacher to talk about his year and plans for him for the next school year.  Nathan absolutely adores Mrs. Fiske, as do I.  She greets the children every day with a huge smile, as if there is no where else in the world she could possibly want to be.  She walks them out at the end of their day the same way.  The do the funnest projects, songs, and games every day. (Yes - "funnest" is a word when you are discussing preschool.)

Mrs. Fiske is such a blessing to my Nathan and all the children she teaches. 

Roll on, Daisy

Check out the daisy shaped hubcaps on this car! 

 LOVE!!!

Ahhhh... Spring...



Sunshine. 

Asbury Woods.

Blue skies.

Mud and rain boots.

Happy children.

Very happy me.



Photo Flashback...

I have had the same memory card in my cell phone for the past almost 5 years (I am on my 3rd phone with it).  I love flipping back through the photos.  It's like a mobile scrapbook!

I found this photo and it made me laugh out loud.  We were at some sort of summer event. (Ahhhhh.... summer....) and my brother and his little girl were having a serious race to the finish line on the jumpy thing. It looks like he is really trying to take her down, doesn't it?  I am pretty sure she won.

Can't wait to see what goofiness is around the corner for this summer.



She is My Sunshine

8 years ago today, my baby girl, Evelyn, came into the world.  Before she was even born I sang to her everyday.  Take a guess what I sang to her? "You are My Sunshine."  She really is. 

Evelyn does not walk, she bounces.  She sings. (sometimes very loudly). She laughs easily. She is intelligent, and creative, and loves her family and friends. She loves music and dancing and making things.

My world is a brighter place because my Evelyn is in it.  Happy Birthday, Sweet Girl.

My Lucky Day

Nathan's first words when he woke up, with a huge smile?

"Mama, today is my lucky day!"

Me: Why is that, Nater?

Nathan: Because it is my play day with Logan!

Isn't it great to wake up happy and with something exciting to look forward to? 

You Better Watch Out

When Evelyn was celebrating her second Christmas, when she was not quite 2 years old, she fell in love with the Christmas song "Santa Claus is Coming to Town." and we had to sing it to her every night when tucking her into bed.  To this day, both Evie and Nathan have to have that sung to them at bedtime.

For some reason while I was singing to them tonight (we will ignore the fact that my singing is terrible for the moment), it struck me how absolutely ridiculous it is that I have sung a Christmas song to my children before bed every single night for the past 6 years.  I literally stopped mid-song to crack up.

I love my kids.  I love the silly things I do for them.

Hiccupotamus

This is one of the cutest and funnest books in my kids library.  They laugh every time we read it, and the best part is that Evie has most of it memorized...

There was a hippopotamus
Who hiccuped quite-a-lotamus.
And every time he got'emus...
He'd fall upon his bottomus.

Who knew there were rhymes for hippopotamas, elephant, centipede, and rhinoceros?
(he has minty dental flosserus, in case you wondered!)

Brave Girl

Today a child in the class I work in did a brave thing, sticking up for another child that was being teased by a classmate.  She was not aware that an adult saw or heard her do it.  She just did it because she is a sweet little lady who did not like what was happening and refused to stand by and watch.

A little bit later, when I had a chance to tell her without any other kids hearing, I let her know I saw her stick up for this child, and told her that I could see she had a very big heart and that she had done a great thing.  I am not sure what lit me up more... Her actions when she defended her classmate, or the huge smile on her face while we talked about how big her heart is.

Sunshine - Photo Edition

Spring is officially just around the corner! 

Here's the proof!

YAY!

Silver Linings

I think that a big part of seeing the sunshine around you is really trying to find the silver lining in the not so shiney moments.  At least that is something I personally am going to make an effort to do.

SO-

I had planned on going to get a new cell phone Saturday afternoon, but other shopping took longer than I thought and I did not make it.  And then that evening, I awesomely, and with amazing skill, dropped the phone in the toilet.  So I was without a phone for a day or so.  But - yay for it it being the old phone, and yay for the other shopping taking too long to make that stop earlier in the day.

Yes, I know.  That one was way too easy.  I'm starting small!

Smooches

Every single time I smooch my Nathan, even when I blow him a kiss and he catches it, he rubs it in.  Every time.

And every time my heart melts. 

The Best Sound Ever

If this does not make your day, nothing will!

(Thanks for sharing this one, Josh!)

Small Moments - Bright Light

* A mama's joyful smile when looking at her tiny baby, and that baby lighting up in return.

* Waving at the crossing guard on the drive to school in the morning, and the fact that he is out there every day, on that busy intersection stopping cars to make sure the kids are safe.

* Snuggles with my Nathan while we watch Cars.

Sunshine - Birthday Party Edition

Evie went to a friend's birthday party at a gymnastics center yesterday.  The kids had a BLAST.  They had a couple hours with the freedom to run like the crazies that they are - bouncing on trampolines, swinging on ropes, tumbling and crash landing on cushioned floors.  Good stuff!

Add in delicious homemade cupcakes and yummy ice cream, and you have a building of sunshine-filled children.  And sunshine-filled adults who can't help smiling while they watch their children laughing and playing.

PS - There may have been a few adults who tested out the trampolines too - they were too fun not to try!

Let's Party!

This is SOOOO right!  I want to hang this everywhere because it makes me smile.  Feel free to print it yourself at Sally's blog,   "Are They Twins?"



Believe It!

Pirate Superhero Fairy Ballerina Mermaid Art Print

by The Dreamy Giraffe

So cute... and so what I want my own little girl to believe!  And so the type of thing that she would pretend when she was smaller.  (Now she is always a teacher or a mama... maybe I can convince her to be a mermaid teacher every one in a while!)

Nathan Says it Best

I went outside thinking I was going to take pictures of blooming trees...  and was super excited to realize that it had gotten really warm outside and was all kinds of beautiful!!!  Nathan came out with me, in his rain boots since the yard was muddy-ish.  He was even more excited than me to be in the sun and wearing no coat.  He could NOT stop running around the yard, battling dragons (by the way, dragons in Erie do not breathe fire.  But the New York dragons that were attacking do.) and racing me around the house.

I don't think I could say it any better than he did.

As he jumped down the steps and took off for the backyard he shouted back to me, "Mama, I feel like a brand new boy!"



Dance It Out!

(Picture from Ink Assassins Tattoos and Piercings Facebook page)

Driving home from school with a van full of four children, we passed this gentleman dancing in front of Ink Assassins. He just made my day!  He had music blaring from his car, and was just dancing up a storm on the busy intersection of 26th and Peach Streets.  The kids loved watching him, and we started talking about how awesome it was that he was so carefree, doing something that he loved and that he was making people smile, bringing sunshine to Erie.

Horses Don't Sing?

My kids have never truly listened to kid music.  Even when they were very small, there was little Barney, or Sesame Street, or Kids Bop, (for the safety of my children, we will NEVER own Kids Bop - it makes me edgy!) or anything else of that nature.  We usually have a homemade CD mix that we play over and over, memorizing most of the lyrics, and the kids asking me to play the same one or two songs 80-zillion times.

Some of the currant favorite songs are Lady Gaga - "Born This Way" (blech), Colbie Caillat - "I do", and Jason Aldean - "My Kind of Party."

So Nathan and I are driving home a little bit ago, and he is singing along with Jason Aldean.

"Got the cover off the '68,
Fired it up and let them horses sing"

And it suddenly occurs to him that it doesn't make sense.

Nathan: Mom, did he just say "fart it up" (has that really been what he has been singing this whole time?)
Me: (trying not to laugh) No, buddy.  He is saying fire it up.  That means he started up the truck.
Nathan: Oh. But Mom, Horses don't sing.  Birds do.

At this point I am openly laughing and trying to explain to my 4 year old that there is actually logic to that sentence.  I am still not sure if he got that horses means the engine and sings means the way it sounds. 

I so LOVE his literal thinking!  It is still making me smile.

Xavier Roberts Makes a Comeback

I've had my Cabbage Patch Kids tucked away in a tote in the basement for years... I was waiting until I thought Evie was old enough to play with them and really get that they were baby dolls that had been very special to her mama as a child.

The truth is I had sort of forgotten about them. Something made them pop into my head this morning, and I got the box from the basement. After school Evie and Julia tore into the box and did not put those dolls down until bed.  It was so fun to watch them play with the dolls I had loved so much.

Watching them brought back some pretty happy memories, too.  I remember the waiting list I was on to get a Cabbage Patch Doll, and how flipped out excited I was when I got to go to the back rooms of Children's Palace to  pick out my doll.  I loved all the doll clothes, and so many of them were made by my mom.  I could tell you which ones I loved the most then.  (The Red Riding Hood cape!)

I don't know what made me think of them this morning, but the timing was definitely perfect. Kathy and Carl are getting a new dose of love!

Rockin' Robin!

Oh, yeah!  I saw my first robin of the season this morning!  I'm happy dancing!  And as I sit here typing, I can hear birds chirping outside, probably starting to build the nest in the front porch "rafters" as they do each year.

There is truly an end to winter on the way!  YAY!!!

(My friend, Ginger, took this photo of the first robin she saw this season... Isn't it the sweetest?)

Compliments

I love to go to Panera Bread for breakfast with Nathan some mornings after we drop Evie off at school.  (He always chooses Tim Hortons, but once in a while he will agree to my favorite place instead!)  We were there Thursday morning, munching bagels and playing a silly drawing game that we had made up ages ago, which somehow turned into me writing words and him sounding them out.  (He is surprisingly good at that.)

At some point the gentlemen a table or two away turned to me to compliment Nathan. Nothing makes a mama happier than someone saying nice things about her child.  We then started talking about his grandchildren, and you could see the love in his smile as he talked about them.

Note to self:  Feel free to tell someone when you notice something great about their child, and also feel free to talk a little about your own with a smile.

Craft Hope

The woman behind the site Craft Hope, Jade Sims, truly believes in making a difference in the world.  She unites crafters and artisans around the world behind a common cause.  The latest Craft Hope Project was to make and send birthing kits to a group, Konbit Sante, to help woman have safe and sanitary deliveries in Haiti. 

Through Jade, I have learned that you can start small, with love in your heart, and amazing things can happen. She never dreamed her kitchen would be the start of this movement and that she would end up touching the lives of so many people. I am grateful I stumbled across her blog a year ago, and that I have been able to participate in some of the projects she has put together.

Sunny Quotations

A day without sunshine is like, you know, night.

~Steve Martin

Quiet Moments

At church this morning I realized that there is something that brings a smile to a huge percentage of the people at one time. (I am not refering to the readings, or the homily, although maybe a should be!)

Picture the service is having a very quiet moment, no one is speaking or singing.  That is the moment a baby chooses to laugh or make some sort of crazy happy baby sound. And the vast majority of the adults in the church smile.  SUNSHINE!

(Note to self - tickle your little ones when the service is quiet!)

My Sunshiney Kids

This was a serious conversation I had with Evie and Nathan over dinner a few nights ago.  We were trying to determine what super powers we would want to have.

Nathan: I want lava power. (I think he means he can blast you with lava.  But who knows exactly what lava power is to a 4 year old boy…)

Evie: I would have a protective shield. (think Violet in Disney’s Incredibles)

Nathan:  My lava would go right through your shield.

Evie: No it wouldn’t!  That’s why it is a shield!

And then they continued to discuss which of their powers would beat the other, and I just listened and smiled.

I love them.

Coffee and Sunshine

So, my sister-in-law/BFF ran into Country Fair this weekend to grab some coffee.  When she was at the register, had paid and was ready to leave, the cashier commented on how pleasant she was.  We were joking afterward about the grouchiness of the people that typically shop there.

It made me think though - that it is awful for this person to be more surprised at the friendly customer, than at a grumpy, unpleasant one. Claire was a beam of sunshine in that person's day and from the sound of it, a very rare one. 

Note to self: you never know if your friendliness is something rare in another's day.  Don't hold it back!

Ship in a Storm

I have another one of this artist's prints in my studio... I think this one is great too.

By vol.25 on Etsy.



Woof

I was looking through pictures on my computer and ran across this one.  I laughed out loud and decided it is photo that needs shared.  This is Boomer... he is suffering the indignity of wearing a New Year's Eve headband.  He is the most tolerant dog, isn't he?  He let me put it on him (I mean, he let SOMEONE put it on him) and promptly curled up and fell asleep with while wearing it.  Maybe it was his way of dealing with the humiliation! 

Jonah's EB Auction

I am so excited!!!!!   I recently donated some of my work, a tote bag and a baby quilt, to Jonah's EB Auction. (Go HERE to read about it.).  The proceeds from the items that are auctioned for to an organization called Debra (Dystrophic Epidermolysis Bullosa Research Association of America).  A friend of mine has a baby girl with this disease, which is how I learned that something this horrible even exsisted. 

The auction closed about an hour and a half ago, and I am super excited about the money that my donations had raised. It makes me happy that I was able to help a little bit to support parents who care for children with EB.

The Best Coaches I Could Ask For

Last night was Evie's party and award ceremony for her school swim team.  Her coaches this year were so wonderful.  They acknowledged each and every child on the team individually.  They announced where they placed in the final Diocesan meet, individual best times, and/or where the kids had big improvements in their race times.  They took the time to make sure every child felt noticed and good about what they accomplished that year, and I know that all of the parents appreciated that as much as I did.

Thank you so much for an awesome year, Coaches Don, Natalie, Steve and Michelle.  You made it a great season for out kids.

A Happy Place....

Making snickerdoodles and dancing around the kitchen with my kids while this song plays...   It is snowing and yucky outside - but life is good in here!

45 Years

Today is a day when I am having a hard time feeling the sun around me.  I am tired and cold and sick of driving in the snow (a foot fell last night, after several beautiful days that resulted in all of the snow that had previously fallen melting off).

BUT - I was in Starbucks, getting a mocha (extra hot!) for my kiddos adopted grandma who watched them today while I was working.  While we were waiting for our drinks to be made, I overheard a gentleman next to me say something about being married for 45 years, and even though he said it with a smile, he rolled his eyes.  I jokingly asked him what was going on with the eye rolling when mentioning how long he has been married.

He very quickly corrected my thinking - he told me he was rolling his eyes at how quickly the time had passed, that he had a wonderful wife, four children and lots of grandchildren and he could not be happier.  He said he loved his life.  He was very genuine and spoke with love about his family.  It was so great to have someone talk about how happy they were in their life. 

He really boosted my spirits and brought some light into my gloomy mood.

Sunshine-y Art

Such a happy print!  By Elissa Hudson on Etsy.

Day Off From School

Tomorrow is one of the rare days that I have to work and Evie and Nathan are off of school.  Typically I have the same days off as they do and it is not an issue to find someone to take care of them while I am at work. 

Today my sunshine is the fact that I have 2 different people offer to watch my children for me.  I am grateful that it is not something I have to worry about.  They will be well cared for and in good hands and that is something I am appreciative of and grateful for. I know that is not an easy thing for every family, and I am very blessed that I have people in my life who are so good to my kids.

Laughing Rocks

Laughing with a friend is the best way to lift my spirits.  I love that I have a friend who I can laugh to the point of tears with.  I love that we can be cracking up and everyone else looks at us like we are insane, because they also heard the "joke" and have no idea why it is so funny to us.  Tonight I got to laugh with her over the most ridiculous things and it hit me how lucky I am to have her.

I love you, Claire!

Roll Down Those Car Windows!

Today's sunshine came to me in the joy of being able to roll down the window a few inches and turn off the heat in the van while I drove around Erie today.  WOO-HOO for 47 degrees!  HEAT WAVE, BABY!

I was very close to singing loudly along with Kieth Urban, but decided that scaring people in the cars next to me and causing accidents with my tone-deaf self would ruin the warm temperatures for everyone.  (I'm sure I was not the only one enjoying fresh air!)

Days like today remind me the grey skies will end somtime.  YAY!

A Herd of Bears

I just finished up this herd o' bears (what is the real name for a group of bears?  I was going to say flock, just because I liked the sound of it!).

They will be heading within the next week to an organization called Konbit Sante, whose mission is to get better health care in place for the people of Haiti.  They will be part of birthing kits that will help women have healthy deliveries.  Several friends jumped on board with me to get 10 kits together.  (look here if you want to see more about this.)

These little bears, as well as some blankets, and handmade hats, are an extra gift for these sweet babies coming into the world.

While I was making the bears I was thinking about my own children, and my nieces and nephew, and how each of them has had a "buddy" or blanket that was/is such a comfort to them.  I love the thought, and so hope, that just maybe one of the herd could be that comfort and security to a child somewhere in the world.  What an amazing and powerful thought. 

3 Sweet Peas Jewelry

Have you ever purchased something you loved so much you just had to share it?  I had a necklace custom made with my children's names and birthstones and silly words they accidently made up.  I LOVE it so much.  The independant designer's work is impeccable, and it makes me so happy to have my kiddos with me.  (3 Sweet Peas Jewelry).

I added a link to her shop on my Facebook status several weeks because I wanted to share her awesomeness.  As a result, several friends ordered from her also.  I love that they love their custom jewelry as much as I do - and it makes me happy to spread the word about this great shop. 

Hot Chocolate and Sleds

Today was a Winter Fest at Frontier Park.  My Evie and Nathan had the best time playing in the snow, going on a carriage ride, checking out the snowmen... But the highlight of their day, what they told me about first when they got home, was what my friend Kathy did for them. 

She was manning a booth for her work, and while she visited with my kiddos, she got them hot chocolate (which is soooo one of their favorite things on earth!) and then she asked them if they wanted to borrow the sled they had brought for her little girl. And the best part, for me, was Evie's play by play of her and Nathan taking turns sleding and that for the "grand finale" they went down together.

Hot chocolate and sleds!  Better than gold to my kids!  If there was a sunshine moment for them today, it was Kathy!

Locker Room Sunshine

There is so much to love in this photo!  First, of course, are the beautiful and crazy little girls (my daughter and my niece).  We are in the locker room at Penn State Behrend before the big swim meet I wrote about earlier.  They were excited and nervous and more than a little bit silly!

The girls on Behrend's swim team use this locker room during the swim season and they decorate the lockers for each other.  They cover the lockers with words of encouragement, inspirational quotes, and personal jokes.  It is so great to see the love and heart that go into what they do for their friends.  The locker my girls are standing in front of says "Caution, Dangerous When Wet" and it was one of their favorites.  This is them making their own "dangerous" faces - they are super scary, aren't they?!  I am not sure who was laughing harder, the girls or their mom and I!

Soles for Little Girls

My daughter and nieces are amazing little girls who have decided they want to have a shoe drive for Soles4Souls.  They presented info to the principal at their school and it is set to take place in a few weeks.  (I know I will be writing more about this as it all unfolds, I am soooo proud of these girls!)

I was telling this story with my wonderful cousin and friend, Michelle, who immediately shared my pride and excitement about how big their hearts are.  And then yesterday the girls received a box in the mail from Michelle, who had purchased 8 pairs of children’s shoes and had them shipped to the girls for their shoe drive.  She wrote them the sweetest note telling them how inspired she was by them. 

Michelle made their day.  They were so excited to look through the new shoes, and talked about how much the children who would wear them would love them.  She made them feel so good, and so proud and I love her for lifting them up and showing them how amazing they really are.

It is Really Still There!

It was just great to get a reminder that the sun really is up there, hidden behind the clouds.

It made a valiant effort to peek out today. 

Just Keep Swimming...

My Evie had her last swim meet of the season this past weekend.  I had been talking to her about working hard to get her best times of the year.  She was part of the freestyle relay, and did fantastic.  Then she competed in the individual freestyle.  And got her best time ever!!!  I was so crazy proud of her.  And as she finished and got out of the pool, her awesome coach greeted her with a big smile and told her that she had made her best time.

The look on her face was so amazing.  Watching her beam at doing so well... her coach pausing in the midst of the craziness that is a swim meet of this size to tell her she did well and let her know he was proud of her...

I call that sunshine!

First sunshine finding test...

You are looking at my van. Stuck in my driveway.  I took this photo from the house on my cell phone (Not really sure why it has this purple tint to it). I had my hungry 4 year old and a trunk full of groceries and a van that would not move either forward or backward.  Awesome.   After putting away the groceries and getting my son set up with lunch and a movie, I spent about 25 minutes in my futile attempt to get it out of the driveway. 

And where was the sunshine in this moment?  In my sweet elderly neighbor who brought over her shovel and a bucket of rock salt to help me.  She wanted to shovel with me, but settled for chatting with me while she shivered in the cold, since I would not let her. (Did I mention it was about 17 degrees?)

There was also sunshine in my dad, who came to help me after I realized me shoveling the van out was a lost cause. 

Yay for passing the first test - bright moments were really there!

Be my own sunshine

It is February in Northwestern Pennsylvania.  If you live in this part of the country you have a pretty clear mental picture from that sentence – Grey. Cold. Gloomy skies.  By February it has been this way for months and it has gotten OLD!!!! 

I realized years ago that I run on solar energy.  I am happier, smile more, have more patience, and a million other good things before I am even conscious that the sun is shining.  I find myself laughing at things that would drive me crazy others days and THEN step outside or look out the window and see blue skies and sun.  My body somehow registers the sun before my brain lets me know it is there.

The problem is – I still live in Northwestern Pennsylvania. And it is still February.  If I wait for the sun to shine before I feel brighter that could be months down the road. Thinking in terms of "months" is worst case scenerio, but it is, sadly, a possibility!)

So these are the options I have:

1.       Continue to feel yucky thanks to my internal solar energy being at really low levels. I bet you can guess that is really not what I am hoping for.

2.        Go tanning.  I miss the days when I could do this while ignoring the fact that it is so bad for me.  It does work – that awesome glow of unhealthy, skin damaging rays from a bed of fake sunshine.  Aahhhh.  Reality check.  It is bad. So I am going to stick with that not being an option as I would like to see my children grow up.

3.       Move to Arizona. The sun hangs out year round there.  Not a bad plan, except that all of my family lives here and they are too awesome to be replaced by year-round sunshine.

4.       Find some internal sunshine.  And do my best to soak it in and spread it around. 

And there it is.  That is my goal.  Notice the sunshiney things around me that brighten my life.  Look for the good things that the grey skies can’t take away.  Be my own sunshine.  (okay, that was super-cheesey.) And recognize the sunshine in the people around me.  Search for it shining in other places. And do my best to be sunshine for other people.