Job hopping

Growing up I had a friend whose mom seemed to change careers every few years. She started out as a nurse, then became a full time mom of three and dabbled in photography for a bit, art, then real estate, back to nursing and then eventually retirement.

I don't know if she could never make up her mind, if she didn't really need to work, or if she just had so many different interests that she flip-flopped from one profession to another. Whatever the case, I think of her as I flit from one thing to the next, often overlapping all three of my supposed jobs.

One is serious and bona fide career, the next is motherhood and the last has sprouted from a hobby, and the near necessity of giving my brain a creative outlet not related to anything but just that.

So please enjoy some recent additions to the shop. First we have garnet and glass followed by pinkish and finally red raspberry. And then you'll please excuse me while I go nurse allergies, a bloody nose, do laundry, tend to the weeds, plant the new rosebushes and peonies, water the grass and line up playdates, all while I take a "break" from my real job. Happy working everyone, I hope you enjoy what you do.

Favorite parts

Every night at dinner for at least the past year and a half or so, our family participates in what we call, "favorite parts". It evolved from the need to include everyone in the family dinner conversation because some had a tendency to talk more than others. Imagine that! Anyone can initiate it at any time during dinner or if we happen to forget, while we're cleaning up the dishes. We raise hands, take turns and each night we all think of at least one favorite part of the day. Sometimes we also recount our least favorite parts or "worst parts" as the kids like to say. But they each find it a personal triumph if they have nothing bad to report.


It provides us with time to share, and each part is usually a conversation starter in and of itself. There is also time to show our family solidarity. When someone is sick or has been wronged that will usually be their worst part and one by one we each chime in that their sickness or the great injustice is our worst part as well.


Yesterday after Lauren came home from school she was sitting and reading to me. She tired and so I finished for her and I realized that since she and John have learned to read, they'd done most of the reading and it had been a while since I'd read to all three. I pulled out an old favorite of mine and opened it to uncertain stares but once I started they were mesmerized.







These poems make me smile, laugh, cry, dream and imagine. I'm always astonished by the author's immense imagination and rhythm, irony and sense of play. It reminds me of childhood and that silliness is good and all things are possible. My all time favorite has to be "LISTEN TO THE MUSTN'TS" and I share it below:


Listen to the MUSTN'TS, child,
Listen to the DON'TS
Listen to the SHOULDN'TS
The IMPOSSIBLES, the WON'TS
Listen to the NEVER HAVES
Then listen close to me--
Anything can happen, child,
ANYTHING can be.


And so yesterday, sitting there on our bed, cuddled up with my three little ones at the 4 o'clock hour that's usually the craziest of the day, that calm magical moment was most definitely my favorite part.

Love notes from Lauren

Some of Lauren's favorite things to do are read, draw and write letters and books. It seems like every day I find a pile of her writings and books she's stashed all over the house. I find them under her pillow, all around her bed, under the sheets and between the bed and the wall. They come with us in the car even for a three mile trip. She started at a young age, when at 2 I bought her a magna doodle. They were inseparable until this year while in Kindergarten she's grown more attached to paper. I can't say I mind. The magna doodle just gets erased, but the paper I can keep. I could fill this blog every day with all her little bits, thoughts and ideas, but today I just wanted to share my recent favorites.


A get well card for me a few weeks ago (one of many):






A short essay about some kids watching t.v. (this is just the prologue):






And a little invitation to her brother. She wrote birthday invitations for all her friends, even though I sent out others. This came just after she told him it was a girl only party. I think she places him in a category all to himself:






Which leads me to the party. So far there will be ten little girls descending on the house. Our parties tend to be simple but hopefully fun. This will be the first year there hasn't been a hayride at someone's party. I admit I'll kind of miss that.


Here's the plan. We're going to get crafty and make some stuffed eggs and bunnies with felt, some fat plastic needles and yarn. Then Lauren is set on an Easter egg hunt (3rd year in a row, I think), cake, ice cream and presents. If we have time, maybe a few games. If the craft works well I'll be sure to include pictures. Or, we'll have a few laughs if it flops.


Hope everyone can bear with the opportunity to gush, but I am a mom after all.