Morning, Noon, and Night

Playing along with Mothering With Mindfulness a day early..

Three little windows into our quiet Michaelmas celebration.

Morning

Noon

Night

This Moment

A Friday ritual. A single photo-no words- capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember."SouleMama". 

The Autumn Prince has arrived! 

Talk Like A Pirate Day 2014

Dear Son, What a week! I be just gettin' around to tellin' ye 'bout tis' past shore leave (weekend). It was ye second 'speak Like a scurvy pirate Day' celebration.

Last year ye just wore some piratey garb 'n sang a lot 'o sea shanties, but 'tis year we were ready fer an adventure!

Yer Treasure 'tis year consisted 'o 10 Pieces 'o Eight pillows, which we used fer many tossin' games...

'n some skull 'n cross bone chalk which we used to decorate th' patio.

 

We dug up buried coins, jewels, necklaces, crowns, 'n seashells in ye sand table.,, 'n played outside in an inflatable boat till th' seven seas got scary. A tempest was a' brewin'.

Th' dark winds did not trouble ye me fearless swabby; not even when th' power went out. Ye played wit' play-dough (better than salt dough) fer th' first time 'n LOVED it. Ye made seashell impressions in th' clay fer a long Long hour.

Yer Great great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great Grandpapa was a scurvy pirate... Well actually a privateer... 'n a failed one at that; However! A certain cabin jim laddie once signed on to his ship 'n when they got to Jamaica he jumped ship 'n went on to become Henry Morgan! A infamous cutthroat scurvy pirate indeed.... I wonder how history would have played out if that cabin jim laddie never boarded?

In th' evenin' we had yer first bonfire in true buccaneer fashion. We roasted apples 'n hotdogs over th' coals while ye soaked yourself wit' a garden hose. Ye were havin' such a jolly good time ('n it was keepin' ye away from th' fire) so I just let ye play in th' spray. A good soakin' sounded like a perfectly piratey thin' to do.

All in all th' day was a success, 'n ye, me wee swabby were worn to th' bone. I love ye, 'n G'nightfall. Slumber soundly me hearty. 
love, Cap'n Mum~

Autumn Garland

I wanted to make a unique fall garland. If you've ever made a 3D start/snowflake before this will look familiar. I used the same segments to make my garland. If you've never made one/seen one before I will be making them later this year but here is how to make the segments...

First, start with a square of paper. My squares are approx 2"X2". I wanted to use up left over scrap papers for this project. I used cheap construction paper, colored printer paper, and some card-stock. They all worked well.

Next fold the paper into a triangle with the fold edge on the bottom. Cut three lines as shown up both sides.

It should look like this when you unfold it.

Use a pencil or a chopstick to roll the two inner most flaps inwards and glue them together. I used hot glue. Then flip it over.

It should look like this.

Take the next section, fold together and glue.. Then flip to the other side and repeat. Do this for all sections till..

It looks like this.

Then glue the sections together end to end as shown.

And that's all there is to it. Super simple, but looks like it took forever. I made this garland during one nap time. Have a beautiful Autumn and Shine On!

This Moment

A Friday ritual. A single photo-no words- capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember."SouleMama". 

A new chapter in our lives.. I won't say things are getting back to normal. In the wake of my mother's death "Normal" is gone... It's more of an ending and a new beginning. Finding our "new normal". Thank you all who keep visiting. I hope to get back to visiting your blogs during nap times again soon. We are falling back into our rhythm and thankfully it still includes afternoon naps.
Shine on.

Good Bye for now Mum

Dear Son,

I've been putting this letter off (and hiding from the internet), but feel it's time to tell you about your Grandmama.. My Mum. She passed away last month on the 25th... It came as a shock to everyone. She spent the day harvesting from the garden and making pico de gallo from the garden and the day before painting a Sunday school class room. She was looking forward to starting as a Sunday school teacher... Then after she washed the dishes she lay down on the floor, in the home that she had lived in for more than 33 years,, told your Grandpapa she was not feeling so well and breathed her last. We are told it was her heart. She never had problems with her heart and right now our family's hearts are all breaking. She was 66 and so very alive. 

I want to tell you a little about her. First, you should know that she and I never had a very good relationship until you came along; However! When you were born she started to see me in a new light; as a capable woman, and a mother. I will never forget the day (June 20th) when my parents came over for tea. They had a million things to do but I begged them to come over for some sun brewed tea and just sit out in the gazebo to enjoy the gardens for a while. They came and it was beautiful. The sun was out in an impossibly blue sky. There was a cool breeze that kept the mosquitoes at bay.. While walking through the gardens my Mum turned to me and said, "this is truly beautiful, you've done a good job". I nearly cried. I think that is the first time I ever heard those words from her. I won her approval at last. This past year was a golden one.. Perhaps that's what makes this so hard. She was everything I dreamed a mother could and should be, and I miss her so much. 

She loved you. She loved you completely. Every moment she could she would pick you up and smother you in kisses and hugs. She was always trying to feed you some tidbit. Every time you saw her she would comment on what a beautiful boy you are. You are so young. I hope you remember something about her when you are older. She loved you so much. We went over to visit often and they came here, but you only went on three big outings with her. You went to Como conservatory in the winter, The Lake Harriet Lake Calhoun Rose Gardens this past spring and the beautiful walking paths of the Elm Creek Dog Park. I want to write them down so they are not forgotten. Those are three of my favorite places to visit. I am so glad we got to share them.

 There will be stories to share when you are older. Like why I call her "Mum"... Long story short, it is a word for "mother" and a word for a "Flower". 

She was a master gardener for over 25 years. A tree inspector, a director in a children's youth ministry called AWANA. The best cook that ever lived and the worst singer (sorry Mum, you really were a horrible singer.. and I would do anything to hear you again).. She made thunder when she danced and probably still does. Think of her when it rains.  She was heavily involved with Monarch Watch a butterfly conservation project. She built many Butterfly gardens at elementary schools to help teach children the importance of butterflies and nature. This fall she and Grandpapa would have been married for 47 years... She was a Vietnam Vet and was buried with full military honors...

It was a fitting tribute, but even more fitting was the monarch that flitted past immediately after the 21 gun salute. I know that was a message from her.
She is happy now, whole, healthy, and free.

I love you my son. Please remember her.

Shine on. 

Love Mum~