Wish List

As you may know, if you have read my earlier posts, we are in the marked to buy a house.  This is a terribly daunting, yet very exciting prospect.  Ideally, I want to live one some land in a Queen Anne Victorian home nestled in the woods.  I want to be able to farm, raise chickens, tend bees, bake pies, and drink lemonade while sitting in my porch swing....

However, for my first house, I must be content with something a bit different.... I have made a list of the features which I am looking for.  These are bits that I simply cannot do without:

1)     At least 3 bedroom and 1 1/2 baths - we have 3 wee ones, and less than 3 bedrooms means chaos

2)     I would like a fairly open floor plan, especially a kitchen that is not closed off

3)     I would like there to be a window in the kitchen, one on which I could set a plant or two (i.e. aloe vera, basil...)

4)     A sizeable backyard where we can have a dog, I can plant a garden, and the kids can
 play.

5)     A porch, or room to build one. ( Gotta have the porch swing. )

These are very doable, but we have been having the experience that we will find a house, and before we are even able to look at it, it will go under contract.  This has happened 4 or 5 times already.  (Proof that the economy is not as bad as we are led to believe) 

Today, I will go and look at a house that appears to meet this criteria, and then some....I will let you know

Soul of a Librarian

I am a book lover.  Actually, it goes far beyond that.  I have a raging, passionate love affair with books.  As a child, books were my best friends.  I would read under the covers at night, using my digital alarm clock for light.  My parents would have to enforce bedtime by taking away my reading materials.  Any where I went, I had to have a book with me.

The love affair that started in the early years of my youth, still burns with the same passion.  I continue to bring a book with me *everywhere* I go.  I feel naked without it.  I keep a book in the glove compartment of my car, just in case there is a quiet moment when I can read a few lines.

Being passionate about reading, I have often pondered how it is that I can raise my children to share this passion, as I put a good deal of value on this trait.  I believe that it is my duty to raise children that love to read.  As such, I have done a bit of reading (haha) into the subject.  What I have found, in the way of scholarly and expert advice, is this: teach by example. Experts believe that having parents and role models who love to read does more for a child's reading habits, than anything you can say or do for them.

My example:  

1) My children live in a house were the bookshelf, not the television, is the center of the common living space. 

2) They also have a personal bookshelf in their rooms, where their favorite books are kept. 

3) The kids see their father and me reading daily.  We also, in order to get more reading time, have established an hour or so when the kids must "chill."  During this time they can read, draw, or do anything that helps them relax and quiet down before bed.  Often, they choose to read.

4) The fourth, and final way (that I can think of right now) that I get my kids to read, is by letting them choose their own books. Be they comics or Dr. Seuss, we regularly go to the library and/or book store so they can choose their own reading materials.  This, I believe is crucial....

This is what I do to raise my kids to be passionate about reading.  How do you work to this end?  What are your suggestions?

“I wrote this blog post while participating in the TwitterMoms blogging program to be eligible to get an "I Can Read!" book. For more information on how you can participate, click here.”

Well-Dressed Dessert

My Grandmama had a huge collection of very interesting cookbooks.  When she left this world, I inherited a large number of them.  I am so amused by some of them, that I thought I should begin sharing them with y'all.

The first installment in what may become a series, is this gem: The Well-Dressed Dessert.  It was put out by Cool Whip, and is very psychedelic.  I love the various photos and drawings......

This is such a great cover.  To add to its coolness, it is made with its own stand, so that you can easily refer to it while making a Well-Dressed Dessert.

Kicky Kupcakes?!  Who doesn't want to make Kicky Kupcakes? Goodness me, I am a sucker for alliteration....

What expert cake decorating.  I shall definitely copy this fashion on a future celebratory cake.

Grandmama didn't even know how hip she was.  I should show you her wardrobe next time.....

What's Happening in my Garden.....

I am a renter, but currently trying to change that.  My sweet hunny and I are on the house hunt.  Knowing this, I hesitate to landscape and garden since I am always deeply saddened to leave behind plants I have raised and loved.  As a result, it is all about container gardening for me this year.  I still have some more work to do, but I am really enjoying the look of my garden.  I have some photos to share....

This is my lovely little basil plant that was given to me when it had but three leaves on it.

This is a photo of the moonvine and morning glory plants my daughter and I planted as seeds just a couple of months ago.  Unfortunately there are no blooms the day this was taken, but just know they are lovely.  There are white, blue, purple, and variegated varieties in that one box. (Note the thriving okra plant at the bottom center..)

It is not the best photo, but there are two passion vine cuttings that have finally taken root (thank you Katinka) and are beginning to become proper plantykins.  I cannot wait until the precious, unique flowers are in full blossom!!

This is another box of moonvine and morning glory plants my daughter and I are nurturing.  We are hoping they will wrap around and take over the whole bench.  That would be site indeed.

Well, there are many more photos, but I will leave it at that for now.  By the next update on my garden, I hope to have pictures of my herb seedlings, as well as Before and After photos of the back yard.....

Bright Lights, Big City

I am ever so excited.  I went seed shopping today, on the internet.  The result:  I have a large amount of organic herb seeds coming to mi casa. As terribly excited as I am, I am uncertain as to what I will do with all the seeds.  Each package contains 100 seeds, and as a container gardener, I won't use but 20 at most.  Cases such as this bring out the entrepreneur in me.


My small fantasy, is that I will cultivate and grow into seedlings, these certified organic herbs.  Then, once they are ready to be transplanted, I will sell them on craigslist, for a small amount.  To recoup my cost is simple, as the seeds themselves were not costly.  Plus, the time invested is worth it to me, as I love watching things grow and nurturing new life.  In all, I see it as a winning situation.


Here is a list of the seeds I ordered:
Ashwaganda
Black Cumin
Echinacea Angustifolia
Echinacea Purpurea
Geman Chamomile
Roman Chamomile
Lemon Balm 
Lemon Bergamot
Licorice
Peppermint
Wormwood

I am the girl who talks to birds

Or, at least I try to.  I don't even realize I am doing it much of the time.  I will see a pretty birdie and will find myself attempting to communicate with it.  It makes me giggle to imagine what folks who randomly happen upon my "kaa ka kaaaaa!" are thinking.

I have always felt a bit connected to black birds and magpies everywhere.  I am a scavenger who tends to be distracted easily by glittery, shiny things.  My collection of found objects is tucked in various places throughout my nest.


Take a gander at a few little bits I have picked up recently....

 I love cicadas.  As an Oregonian, I had never seen a cicada until I moved to Texas.  I was ecstatic to have found this one in perfect condition.

I was tickled when I saw this on the ground near my feet.  Magnolia trees are another native Texan I didn't see much of in Oregon.  Their seed pods are amazing, and look like something from a prehistoric garden, don't you think?  I love the blooms on a magnolia tree, though I am not too fond of the trees.  Texas trees are more like shrubbery than the gargantuan trees I grew up around.....

The nest is not a found object, but the wee butterfly is.  Isn't she lovely?  I am always mesmerized by butterflies.  Just the other day I was chasing one in the playground with my children.  We thought sure we could capture it, but alas, it was not meant to be....

 Found this little eggie a while ago, in the beginning of Spring.  I wanted to share it along with my other found objects, though, as it is so lovely.  I appreciate its pale, pale blue accompanied by odd markings of a purpley black color. 

I am currently working on some 3d collages that incorporate some of my precious found objects.  As soon as they are finished, I will post photos here.

My daily itinerary.....

Recently, my life (as well as the life of my family) has become a bit more chaotic.... or busy, rather. This is due to the death of our 'other' car, making us a one car household.  As a result, my freedom of timetable is greatly lessened.  Here is what a 'normal' day looks like, until we get our 'other-other' car fixed.....

4 am - Wake up and take the honey to work

4:45 - Arrive back at the house, put the kiddos in their beds, and hope they go back to sleep

5 am - Eat breakfast, lay out clothes, check email, pack lunches, drink coffee read facebook, finish homework etc.

6 am - Get the wee ones up and feed them breakfast

6:30 am - Dress bebes, do hair,  water plants

7am - leave and take wee ones to Summer Camp

8 am Catch bus from UT to Internship

9 - 11 am - Teach English to Refugess (Internship)

11:30 - 1pm - MES class

1 - 4 work on homework, readings, and various other school stuff

4 - 5 - fetch my wee ones and drive home

5 - 6 -  Make dinner then sit down to eat

6 - 6:30 - eat and relax

6:30 - 7(ish) - Pick up the honey from work

7 - 8 - bathe and prepare the wee peoples for bed

8 - ??? Hang out with the honey, do homework, etc.


I do so hope that we can get the 'other-other' vehicle up and running soon, as I have so little time right now. I feel that I am always in a rush. There has been no art done in my home, at least not by me.  I have a creative yearning, but very little time or energy to put aside for its expression.....