Games

In the midst of all the excitement during the Thanksgiving holiday weekend- family in town and excessive consumption of food- I only took a few pictures. Of a board game. No photos documenting the abundant and gorgeous feast, no pictures of family members in town (some of the Staffs came out for the first time in a few years!) But in a way board games make me think about holidays, of time set away to while away the hours in these mostly relaxing pursuits. When I was a girl, I used to love this game though the "sorry' line could get a bit old. I don't think I had played it since I was a kid and Mrs. D would come over to babysit all of us. It was fun to revisit it again.

Well, I'll be looking forward to maybe a bit more lounging and game playing soon as we plan to gather again with extended family at Christmas. In the meantime I should keep myself going full-force as there's still lots of holiday preparing to do. I'm trying to take lots of deep breaths.

Dusting off the needles

For months all had been quiet in the sewing corner. The fabric and thread sat lined up waiting...the sewing machine was looking a little forlorn, gathering dust. And my will to craft: not especially abundant. Even the cooler weather could not urge me to grab the woolly yarn and knitting needles. A complete craft drought (well, aside from that Halloween costume I threw together for Rowan...the costume whose many components were misplaced or temporarily lost before I ever took any photos).

So, you can imagine how excited I was when a local mama put out the invitation for folks to come on over to her place and join in on some fun studio/crafty time (and treats too!) But Mother Nature had other plans for me: a snowy afternoon that left my snow tire-less car completely unprepared for icy, hilly roads. Once we have snow on the ground, I do not like to drive anywhere with just summer tires. So I stayed home...a little bummed out but a lot inspired to make things.

And I actually started some projects that night and even finished two over the next couple days. One was a hooded cape for Rowan's medieval festival. This was made from an old wool blanket that I dyed gray. The best part about it was how much it excited him. The medieval festival was a wonderful culmination to a class Rowan had taken throughout fall.And a mystery knitted item that will be a gift so I can't say anymore...just in case. Have a happy Friday!

Seven on the seventh

Rowan my delightful one is 7. It really is a magical age. He wished for new lego sets and was completely surprised and ecstatic as he unwrapped those sought after packages. When he opened one to see a pirate set inside, he exclaimed "how did Grandma know exactly what I wanted!" and when finding his sisters had gifted him with Star Wars legos he shouted "Thank you! I LOVE you!" and dove toward them with a big hug. So sweet.

My dear boy may have a slight (or not so slight) interest in swords/pocketknives/guns/catapults/etc and dramatic, dangerous tales, but through it all his kind heart and sensitive soul shine though. Oh how we love him! Happy Birthday Rowan!

Disclaimer

Over the last year this blog has been quiet....very quiet. As I sit here uploading a year's worth of pictures onto Shutterfly (sad that I do this so infrequently), I notice how much went unrecorded here. Not that my aim for the blog is to keep track of every minuscule detail, but I initially was drawn to this format because I liked the idea of preserving the fleeting moments amidst all the busy day to day tasks. I wanted to frame these things that matter. The things that draw me in and make me smile. As a mother days can often add up to mountains of laundry, dishes, errands and schedules, but recording and reminding myself of the all good things makes everything better.