little things on a saturday

Tiny little purple flowers slipped through the mud and cold last night. Amidst the snow and leaves these flowers brought me a first glimpse of spring. Their tenacity reminds me of how small a thing it takes to bring a change. Sometimes the slightest of thoughts can bring about a shift of clarity in my heart.




There's nothing like a little naked keyboarding to add interest to the day. I know it always works for me!



Grocery shoppping is my least favorite of things to do, but the kids make it fun and we end up laughing a lot. Cell phone cameras are the best! Next time I want to get a picture of the little boy/man who greets at the front door. He looks exactly like the villian in the movie Children of the Corn. I actually think he has one of those sickles.



This store has a subway inside it which is always a good thing! We love sandwiches!

strawberry lemonade squares

In honor of Spring, and for my sweet Amulet, I'm making a Stawberry Lemonade quilt. I have no real sewing talent, but I can sew and I can make simple quilts that look old fashioned. Amulet will turn 2 in July and I haven't made her anything so far in her little life. And besides, there's nothing like a hot quilt in the middle of July in Michigan. I have made each child a blanket or quilt, and it's time for me to do this for my little sweetling. Like any good stay at home mama, I bought the squares precut. Too bad they don't sell this thing pre sewn.



Let the destruction begin. I hope I can get this kind of 'help' during the actual sewing process. What a trip that would be!



Pretty pieces but hey, back off my quilt buddy.



Sweet little darling.

Notice the photographic background accents - cheerios, toothbrushes, flashlights, old diapers. These items have been placed here for a reason. Meticulously placed. One never knows when these items will be necessary....and as always, these photos are clothing optional.

his first stitches

My sweet little guy Coytote had his first stitches last night, compliments of his brother Maverick. Hey, what's a brother for if not to shove one's head into the sharp corner of a wood burning stove I tell you?



Here he is lying pathetically on the stretcher in the ER. Ahh I have been so blessed not to have to do this sort of thing much, particularly since I have six children!



Tate took this picture - not bad for a cell phone!

We had a good experience at the ER, though through no fault of the doctor's. Her bed side manner left a bit to be desired! She brashly barged into our room, and without a word to us began to gather her 'restraints' she was going to use to tie Coyote down for the stitching. I said, "hold on!...that won't be necessary", to which she openly laughed over. She said that he would not be able to lie still and that she needed to physically restrain him. I told her that I wasn't about to let that happen to him, and I would just talk to him through the procedure. Still giggling, she allowed me to do it.

I spoke calmly and soothingly to Coyote throughout it all. We talked of animals, webkinz, our goats and llamas, and I even had him laughing! He did beautifully and I was so proud of my big guy. I resisted the urge to give the doctor a nice lecture, and was satisfied simply by meeting her eyes with mine. She then asked me, "are you Amish or something?". There's a new one! I am if Amish women wear bright pink Indian skirts & long dangly earrings. I replied, "or something". :)

Why is it that so many people find it difficult to treat children with respect? To believe that they are intelligent, intuitive, amazing little people who are often capable of understanding so much more than we realize? If we can only see that their feelings mirror our own - that their feelings are exactly the same as ours. What I mean to say is that when they cry, they are feeling the same emotions that we feel when we cry. There is no difference. I believe that children deserve the same care and love that we would give our best friend if we saw her crying or upset, and that is what I strive for, always, with my kids.