{this moment}

{this moment} - A Friday ritual birthed by Soulemama. 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.

If you're inspired to do the same, leave a link to your 'moment' in the comments for all to find and see.

They love Chris' dinosaur! 

Letting Go

For a very long time I was a stressed person. Through most of high school I considered myself carefree and free spirited. I did well in school and I had a lot going on but I was never wound tight. If I did get stressed, I would go surfing or kick the soccer ball around and then things just seemed to work themselves out. 


And then my senior came along, bad things went down at home, I moved out and life became more burdensome. If you've read my past blogs, then you know my parents have dealt with substance abuse issues. So that is about as much as I will go into tonight on why I moved out. Seven years later and I still think its one of the best decisions I have ever made. 


After moving out and into early college I became wound pretty tight. I was in defense mode and just trying to get by. Getting by for me meant closing myself off and pushing through. Life had lost a bit of its luster for me. This is not to demean any of my life experiences from then until now, because truly I have lived great life, become closer to my creator, seen a good chunk of the world, and loved deeply and learned to lover deeper in the past seven years. However I was still wound pretty tight. 


I think it was this past winter when I started learning more about Waldorf that I reflected on where I lost myself. I found some old surfing photos and I wanted to get back to that carefree state more in my current daily life. Since then I think I have been making some great strides towards that end. One of those strides has been just going with the flow more. One of the things I love about Waldorf education is their emphasis on daily rhythms versus a schedule. Days have themes and a loose order but no arbitrary time slots and rigidness. If cooking with the kids takes longer, because well you all are having fun, then thats ok and the day will just run a little later. 


My children are creatures of habit, as all little ones tend to be. They need rhythm and having them gives them a sense of security in the universe-without the stress of a schedule. Hurrying all the time is detrimental to creativity  Trust me I know! 


So here is a prime example tonight. As we were tending to the animals after dinner and before bath, The kids got into the water and had a blast! The old Nicole would have gotten upset because now their clothes are wet and they're going to mess the floors up. Instead we had a hose bath tonight and stayed out for an hour.


Rich full memories were made tonight. I got to enjoy them and be engaged. No worrying here. Just going with the flow. 

Daily Verse or Quote: He was going down the street near her corner, walking along in the direction of her house at twilight, as the day was fading, as the dark of night set in. – Proverbs 7:8-9 (NIV)

Works in progress (WIP) Wednesday

Please excuse my Casper white legs. I am Irish so I come about it honestly! 

Today was a good day. After a busy morning of running around to some public relations for the non-profit mothers group that I volunteer with, I was able to relax and knit this afternoon. Earlier this Spring I began knitting an Elizabeth Zimmermann Tomten sweater. However after knitting it to the sleeves, I got bored as well as frustrated and did not knit for three months! I was so sad. Not mention I was quite busy with school and then the move. 

So taking some of Elizabeth's advice, I just started a new project and gave up on the sweater for now. It was not worth the frustration and boredom I was experiencing. I cannot force myself to do something that I do not want to do, especially when I naturally love it! I want knitting to be fun and relaxing for me. True Nicole time, and well it was turning into another chore. No thank you!    

So today I casted on a little knit gnome or as I call him a tomten. I am using a free pattern from Plain and Joyful Living found here. This is just as good a sweater right? So far I only have his legs done but I think I might finish him by tomorrow. I also plan on knitting some play apples and a pumpkin! In addition I am also working on some reclaimed wood blocks. I need a saw though so they are tabled for a few days. 

Well I am off to bed. I also had a great music filled night. By happenstance I walked in on an old French class friend playing an open mic night at our local coffee shop this evening. Total surprise. I love life. Its so rich and endlessly rewarding. 

Watching Mary Poppins while I finished baking! Love it! (FYI we are down to 15 minutes of TV a day from 1 hour a year ago! ) 

Daily Quote or Verse: 

I like to be surrounded by harmonies and fullness and richness and vitality. 

-Al Jardine of the Beach Boys 

Corners of my home: Dreamland

A Kinderkram mobile from Bella Luna Toys

Since I was a child I always had a 'dream' home and 'dream' room floating around in my head. Not that I was fixated on either, they were just nice little ideas and fantasies. Nothing that I pinned my hopes on, just fun. I have to say however that the house we're in now is pretty darn close to that dream home. However I'd still take that castle in Chamonix please fairy Godmother! 


After fixing up the FROG, I set about collecting items for the children's shared room. Their room is the closest reflection to my 'dream' room as a child- PLUS it actually has my old childhood furniture in it. Cool right?


As a child I was really into the ocean and that obsession has remained. I also, for the sake of full disclosure, was really into warrior princess types and since Cinderella did not do it for me I'd just modified the characters into my liking. Maybe that's where Deirdre gets her crazy imagination from? Oh I also was big into mermaids, gnomes, and faeries. I think I believed in them longer than I did in Santa. I also believe this played into why I studied folklore in college. Ah but again I digress...


SO my inspiration for the children's room was a good mix between my own dream room, their likes, and Waldorf. I kept a few items from their old room, got new comforters (just a comforter not a bedset), a rug, lambskins, canopies, mobiles, and wall art. That's it! I am very happy with the result. The rest of the items in the room were ones we already had. I bought no new furniture for their rooms. 


I wanted their room to be a simple dreamland. No toys and just a few books. Just a calm, warm, and loving place for them to rest their heads and snuggle. So far its been a success! So enjoy the photos of their room. Also thank you for reading.  Jenny K- you are not a small fry to me. I consider you a dear friend :) Thanks for being a part of my life. <3

Deirdre's Bed- the mobile is hanging at the foot of her bed

Fabric from their curtains: The Owl and the Pussycat, my favorite childhood book. Homemade my myself and Omi.

Her Kinderkram Moon Angel Mobile from Bella Luna Toys! 

Her wall art. A quote from the first book we ever read to her. We say this to her and Jonas every night before they go to bed! 

The other side of the room- Jonas! (His mobile is also hanging at the foot of the bed)

Jonas' big boy bed and packnplay. He sleeps in both, but primarily he naps in the packnplay. 

Jonas got the same wall art but in dark blue and red. 

Jonas' shooting star mobile. Also Kinderkram from Bella Luna Toys! 

The bed with all his lovies and babies! Jonas sleeps on top to the lambskin with just his knit blankies. 

Close up of his mobile! 

Daily Verse or Quote: 

The LORD is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. – Psalm 18:2 (NIV)

Also dear friends, Craig and I have decided to open our home this year to a few children for a home preschool (Waldorf of course)! We are very excited. Please pray that if this is the Lord's will, that the right children would come our way and that this would be a loving and rich experience for all involved! I want to continue to stay home with the kids and this would help us continue to do so and not have it be too much of a stretch financially in our new house! Thank you! 

Blueberries for Sal

Today we went on our much missed family outing. Since Craig has been working crazy hours, we have not be able to go on our weekly family outings, much to Deirdre's chagrin. However today was the perfect day to do one. We've been in our new home for a week now and we are settled - so now let's go on an adventure! An adventure inspired by her favorite book, "Blueberries for Sal."

And off we went to the Pungo Blueberry Farms in Virginia Beach! It was a lovely family friendly place (restrooms, sheltered picnic areas, cold water, and wagons to help you carry the little ones around). The farm was also family owned and the really cared about their farm and its patrons. They even had a cute play blueberry figure! I will so come again next year!

The kids were in heaven, despite the heat. Deirdre actually picked some while singing a song about a blueberry gnome named bill whom was protecting her from the blueberry troll name grimace.

Jonas just ran from bush to bush stuffing his face. He was wild and having so much fun. We did not care how many berries he ate or how far he tarried, he was loving life and will surely remember this experience for years to come. Family fun.  

Bonne Nuit, Mes Amies

Corners of our home: The Great Room

I have to say when I first walked into our new house, the reason I immediately fell in love with it was due to the 'great room'. The 'great room' is to the left when you walk in the front door off the foyer. Instead of having a separate den and living room, our landlords combined the rooms together into one HUGE room. It is just such an open space, and I love it. 

In our last home, which I also loved, we had a separate living room and den. I converted the living room into our playroom however. Much to my dismay though the rooms were closed off by a wall so the whole space seemed much more boxed in.  

(Disclaimer: these photos as all photos, do not do this home justice. You have to just come see this yourself!) 

In this house we now have our playroom...

Family room...

Library/Music/Secretary Nook...

I have had this for 5 years now and its still one  of my favorite things. 

In one room!


I apologize for the photo quality but we had lovely busy day- and I did not have time to snap some photos when the sun was out but I will update these when I do. Not only did my car not start this morning on the way to church but we went out to lunch with church friends, had to fix the car afterwards, and then attended a divine birthday party this afternoon! Phew. However I must say that the party was one of the most laid back and fun parties I have been too. I loved being able to let go and be with people that my children and I can be ourselves around without judgement. 


At any rate, I am going to start working on a tutorial for some reclaimed wooden blocks. Once my gnome tutorial is published, I can also post my rainbow toadstools tutorial. Due to the similarities and publication rights, I think its best to wait. :) 


Our sermon today was very convicting and challenging, in a good way. I have to says its the first time I have heard a balanced and sound sermon on biblical familial roles where a wife's role was treated with dignity. Way to go TK. 

Daily Verse or Quote: 

Ephesians 5: 8-14

For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) and find out what pleases the Lord. Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. It is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret. But everything exposed by the light becomes visible—and everything that is illuminated becomes a light. This is why it is said:

   “Wake up, sleeper,
   rise from the dead,
   and Christ will shine on you.”




More of our eat in kitchen...

And our kitchen...

DD's table setting station. Tonight she set the table without asking and put her dirty dishes away!