A Dream Worth Having

"The only dream worth having ... is to dream that you will live while you’re alive and die only when you’re dead ... To love. To be loved. To never forget your own insignificance. To never get used to the unspeakable violence and vulgar disparity of life around you. To seek joy in the saddest places. To pursue beauty to its lair. To never simplify what is complicated or to complicate what is simple. To respect strength, never power. Above all, to watch. To try and understand. To never look away. And never, never to forget."

- Arundhati Roy
From her book, The Algebra of Infinite Justice

Caterpillars and Other Friends

This weekend Kalen found these caterpillars out on our parsley.  We think they are Black Swallowtail caterpillars.  Julian got out our butterfly house and we all helped put these six little critters in.  We have been watching them and feeding them.  So, you all know what we'll be studying in  Science this week.  :)

We have had a lot of neighbors come over and play daily.  The kids love it and it can be so refreshing.  We really enjoy living in a neighborhood.  We are experiencing a true sense of community with these children and their parents.

Our friend Bradley brought over his two girls to play today.  Lily is three and Juliet is one.  Madelyn was sweet with Juliet.  She wanted to hold her and play with her continually.  

The boys were trying to identify the caterpillars

Our neighbor, Desmond playing with Maddie

Madelyn, Lily and Kalen having a tea party

This is Juliet

Mads, JJ and Karina, another neighbor

Madelyn Recites Poetry

Fancy Flowers

We enjoyed a science experiment today that we thought we would share.  We wanted to see what would happen to our white carnation flowers if the water that was feeding them was a different color.  As you can see, we had a huge success.  The Kid's Science Book is full of fun hands on activities for children.  I had geared this experiment more towards my eight and six year old, then realized that it is suited for little ones as well.  

This one's stem was actually split to see what would happen if one side was in red and the other side of the stem was in the blue.  The flower turned both red and blue, on their appropriate sides.

My Green Machine

As it turns out, I am keeping the Viking sewing machine I picked up last week.  Freecycle rocks.  I was scared to touch it for days.  When Sally came in to town with Dad, she got down and dirty with me and helped me explore MY machine.  Hooray, I have a sewing machine.  It works!  It totally works!  Sally helped me thread it and gave me some super tips.  I had already ordered a copy of the manual as soon as I found out the machine was available.  It is from the late 70's.  They don't make machines like this any more.  This machine is really growing on me and I am beginning to love the character it has.  Laurie, does it look like yours?  Daniel, aren't you proud I got a manual?  :)

So, I had to sew something, just because I could.  I made a bean bag.  Isn't that cute?  Madelyn played with it all throughout the day.  She informed everyone upon awakening this morning that Mommy had actually made the bean bag.  She was thrilled.  I love having a fan like Maddie. 

Family Time

Dad and Sally came in this weekend for a visit and a NC State game.  They drove all the way from Kentucky.  They love family and they are crazy about the Wolfpack.  They stayed with us Friday night.  Ryan, Grayson and Anna Kristin came as well.  Stephanie had a girls night.  Ryan and the kids were able to spend the night with us and free their house up for Steph's get together.  We had a house full and I (we) loved it.  Here are some pictures of my sweet family.

Maddie and Anna Kristin hanging out at PF Changs  

My adorable nephew, Grayson

Dad and Sally

Anna Kristin and Mads 

Anna Kristin with her daddy, my brother Ryan

Itch to Stitch

photo by Janet 

I've got a serious itch to stitch.  It has just come over me within this past month.  I think I have been truly inspired by my creative Tuesday night friends.  

I do not have an agenda, but a true desire to pursue sewing as a hobby, a way to express myself.  I would love to loose myself within it.  Maybe more appropriately, I'd enjoy finding myself within this creative realm.  I also would love to pass on, to Maddie, what I have learned and made.   Sewing is something that my mom has always been able to do.  I have always admired that about her and desired to share that passion along side her.  

This week Scott put a little request in for me on freecycle.  He wrote that we would like a sewing machine that works.  We immediately heard back from a lady within our area.  I went to pick up this old Viking sewing machine this morning.  It is very old and sort of smelly.  It is quite vintage looking though, sort of cute.  I am afraid to touch it right now.  Maybe I will be driven to explore it this evening.  For now, I know that I have at least tried to get my hands on a used machine.  Reusing is best, but does the used machine that I utilize have to have dog hair and scratches all over it with a smokey smell?  

Last night I took the kids to the library to get our weekly load of books.  I checked out three books on sewing for me and two for Maddie.  I don't know who is more excited.  I am reading and learning about what kinds of machines are out there and some background knowledge I need to have.  This gets me very excited about having my own machine.  

Funny Exchange

Last night Brayden pooped in the potty for the first time.  This was a big moment for our little guy.  Almost everyone was jumping up and down in excitement.  As the crowd dissolved, it was just Kalen and Brayden taking in the moment.  

Kalen said, "Now you can poo-poo all day long!"  

With glee, Brayden said, "Yee-ha!!!"

"Yea! Brayden you're a big big boy!" Kalen exclaimed.

The excitement carried into the night.  

Little Sailboat

I made Kalen this stitched sailboat shirt.  I love doing this!  Kalen requested his next shirt be a bug one.  

Crafty Robots

This morning our kids raided our bag of cardboard needing to be recycled.  They made themselves into robots.  Maddie also made a puppet or two.  

Isn't this one a hoot?!  He'll get me for this years down the road.  Totally clueless and cute.