A Mindful Life

For my birthday, I’m getting a sewing machine! Does anybody have recommendations of books for beginners? My last encounter with machine sewing was in 7th grade, when I managed to sew through my thumb with the machine and couldn’t figure out patterns. I think I failed that unit; I certainly came out of the experience [...]

OMG, I haven’t got my child enrolled for preschool this fall! Nearly every other mother I know whose child is about to turn two has taken care of this. I haven’t since I thought we’d be moving and wanted to see where we’d be before I pursued this.
Oh no. My child won’t be ready [...]

She spins in circles and says, “I’m getting busy!!” and laughs when she falls down.
She adds plural ending to words that are already plural: gloveses, shoeses, kidses.
She adds “ed” to verbs in current tense to make them past-tense: “It breaked,” “I eated.”
She sits in her wading pool, looks up at the trees blowing in the [...]

From this (playing in her pool and having pensive moment)…

…to this (silly with stickers).

This weekend I made a magic wand for Claire out of a wooden dowel and some pieces of wood my father gave me years ago. I painted it a light shade of purple and used a second coat of translucent silver paint to add shimmer. Then I coated the tip in silver glitter and used [...]

But still a little on the small side! I asked Claire’s Grandma to make an art smock for Claire that she could grow into. Claire is modeling it in the photo below. It’s wonderful and adorable, and it will be of use for many years!

Claire is beginning to show interest in dress-up and playing pretend. I wear headbands, and she calls them crowns. She has a little satin purple headband that she calls her crown. I have a large basket waiting for dress-up items. I bought her a tutu today (there is no way I have the skill or [...]

Although we live in an urban area, Claire and I find many natural treasures. We bring them home and put them in a shoe box to explore later. There are duck feathers, crow feathers, seed pods, bark, pine cones, and stones to examine. Claire has lost interest in playing on slides and swings. She prefers [...]