::Right Now:: & A Christmas Quilt

Mr. November himself!

I just love this one

Our November garland

November circle time

Our Indian corn experiment

Right Now I Am..

...Revelling in the quilt I just finished. I am happy to say that I am done with Jonas' Christmas quilt. Deirdre got a quilt at age 4, so Jonas was due for one. However I lost the fabric in the move I originally wanted to use so I decided to embroider his squares. It took a week and a half start to finish. The squares were all hand embroidered by myself and I just freehanded the designs with a pencil from some online images and by Jonas' request (Thus the Christmas bat!). It was my first time using the quilt as you go method and I am pleased. 

...Recuperating once again from a series of colds and busyness. I just can't seem to stay well. Boo. 

...Admiring the autumn leaves. Right now we're at the peak here in Yorktown. I think we've got one more week before most trees are bare. 

...Finishing up our month long turkey and pilgrim theme. We've had a fun time growing Indian corn, making pilgrims hats, and even gourd turkeys. I have to say, I really am loving homeschooling. Deirdre even got to meet some local wild turkeys at our Living Museum during a program they had. 

...Gearing up for December. We're going to take a break of sorts from homeschooling that month. We'll still be reading and our theme is advent but most of our crafting and trips will be geared towards the holidays.  

...Feeling so blessed to have such amazing local freinds. There was a time when both my best friends moved away that I was very angry about once again being alone and then new friendships were made and old ones deepened. I love my ladies (That means you Anya, Abby, Emily, Lila, & Sherry)

...Soaking up this time with my kiddos. I love that both D and J are old enough to list and be thankful for things. I love keeping our thankful tree. I am going to save it's leaves for years to come. It's a good lead into Christmas- as well as it compliments Martinmas. 

November, I love you! 

Our thankful tree- next to it is a collection box for Mission India
(which we've been participating in it for Martinmas)

Thankful leaf

Our November table

Some of our Martinmas lanterns

Our gourd turkey

One of my favorite blocks from the quilt

Until Next Time, 

::Right Now & Homeschool Planning::

Linking up this week with Frontier Dreams, Magic Onions, Natural Suburbia, and Crafty Moms Share and a few others! Please check out my 'where I party' page! 

Right now I am...

...wishing we were still phone and internet free on vacation in Hatteras. While I love this place and our home, it was divine to be so untethered for a week. Also on our first day home, I broke my right pinky toe in 2 places and now have to wear a boot for 8 weeks. OUCH!
...planning our home school year. I am almost done and there is still more to be done along the way but I feel good about where I am right now. I finished our home school year calender- pictured above. It's a nice visual reminder of our overall yearly rhythm using watercolor paper and folding it into the 12 months.
...digging up my summer garden and getting a late start on my Autumn garden. I hope I still do have time to get it right! Bring on the broccoli, spinach, and potatoes!
...pondering our school room this year. I just finished reading "Playful Learning" by Mariah Bruehl and am loving her Reggio Emilia 'atelier' station.
...trying to not buy more school supplies than I really need. It's hard. The good thing is that most of the supplies I need are art ones and the ones I bought last year- Stockmar crayons, paints, and Lyra colored pencils- have all held up super well and I don't need to get new ones!
...learning to finger knit. I can knit fine but I've never finger knitted. And I need to teach Deirdre this year, so here I go!
...drinking lots of coffee. I feel as if I have lots to do. I know I don't. But it feels like a mountain. Coffee for me is like giving me a rope to help me climb that mountain!
...thanking the Lord for our lovely family time together. Sometimes I get all tangled up in the 'stuff' I need to do instead of looking back on our vacation and just praising him for our sweet moments together.

Thank You. 

Until next time,

::right now::

A rich tradition birthed by Soulemama: 


Right Now, I am ...

:: reveling in these last few days of summer. Each year it seems to creep by more quickly and then end just as abruptly. 

:: realizing that today is the first time in six years that I have not had to go back to CNU, think about CNU, or prepare to go back to classes.   

:: feeling so grateful that I am done with my degree. But I must admit that I am sad as well. I do love to learn. 

:: also feeling satisfied that I was able to surf while on vacation after a two year hiatus. I think I did pretty well since I have two kids now. But most importantly I had fun. 

::appreciating the delightful and peaceful vacation that we had. I can't wait for next year. 

:: anticipating a lovely Autumn. My friend Anya and I will be doing a Waldorf homeschool co-op together and I am so excited. 

:: loving the eggs I am getting daily, plus they're huge now!

:: laughing at the birthday party we had tonight. I received a dragon and a pumpkin wrapped in a quilt form Deirdre with wooden ice cream cake to boot.  It was quite random and fun. I love her imagination. PS: My birthday is in November! 

:: enjoying a slow week start. I need to remember to slow down more often. 

:: thanking my mother for paying for our beach house vacation. She is quite a character and full of generosity. 

:: remembering that today six years ago was the first time I met my husband while he was perusing the freshman dorm rooms on move-in day. It all seems like a happy dream from a lifetime ago. We are so blessed. 

::wishing you and yours a bright and rich week! 

::right now::

Right now, I am... (a tradition birthed by SouleMama aka Amanda Blake Soule)

Right Now, I am ...

:: savoring my life, this day, and its flowing beauty. To think I could not be here in this world to enjoy this is still pretty surreal and unsettling. 

:: appreciating the thoughts and prayers for myself and the lady whom died in the crash. It means so much.  

:: feeling out of sorts. I keep unintentionally replaying the woman and the accident in my mind. I am trying to swallow the enormity of the situation as well as trying to comprehend-if possible- God's seemingly  swift and thoughtless hand in death.  I was spared but another was not. My belief is unwavering and I *know* there is perfect reasoning and timing behind this all...BUT sometimes I just don't like it .

:: hoping justice will have its day in this life concerning the crash and whether the man in the SUV was negligent. Please also pray for me since I might be called onto testify in his vehicular manslaughter trial. 

::aching more for the men, women, and children in the world whom suffer injustices daily- with no voice or tangible hope.  I thought we were told to never forget the Holocaust yet its happening again elsewhere. 

:: anticipating a great move. I am pretty much all packed. What I have yet to pack will be easy to do once we are closer to the 30th and it feels good! 

:: loving my new book. I can't wait to get back to sewing!

:: laughing at my baby boy. He loves peaches and corn on the cob so much that he literally hyperventilates with excitement when he sees either of them. 

:: enjoying Deirdre's love for Kevin Devine and Elliott Smith. I mean thats all I listened to when I was pregnant with her so I am sure that plays some part in it all. She is indignantly positive that Kevin wrote her (and only her) a lullaby. And well I am just going to let her keep believing that. I mean she really is a snow faced girl ;) 

:: remembering the first time I saw Kevin Devine play. I was in London with Craig and I was 6 months pregnant with Deirdre. Unforgettable. (Sorry about all the music references tonight but when I get stuck in my head too deep, listening to him helps reground me and me move along). So you should listen to him too :D

:: thanking Craig for working so hard for us and giving up his music career to do so. Six years later and I still find myself marveling at you. You are a good man. Way too good for me. 

::wishing you and yours a bright and rich week. Thanks for your patience as I get back on my feet with the crash and move. 

::right now::

::right now:: A weekly Soulemama tradition. 

right now, I am ...

:: marveling that it is almost July. One month until we move into our new home. One month, one month...

:: revisiting memories of my summer pregnancies as I rejoice with my sister and brother (in law- but I'll keep them) about their new little life that will be a girl. Their daughter. My niece. The cousin of my children. 

:: plotting plans for our new home. New rooms and places of love and refugee. And yet I still realize that its not about the new 'things' we have but the love and memories that we will share there- which is what really matters. 

:: finishing the old toys round-up and purge. The twinge of mothering guilt stings less and less each day as I discover that my children do not miss them and are better for it. 

:: stopping myself from running off and spending the new money on lots of new toys, instead getting one heirloom toy , table, bedset, and a rug! 

:: wondering if the baby bluejay that adopted me this evening will make it through the night. Shalom. What will be, will be... by God's grace. 

:: loving my sweet precious daughter whom came home early at 10pm tonight from her overnight stay with Omi because she "missed me and daddy and babyey Jonas Bonus". As I tucked her into bed and gave her lion kisses with my arms wrapped around her, she told me that "this feels much better, this is the right place to be". Oh dear heart and soul be still and savor this. Breath her life in and keep this moment forever. 

:: listening to the cicadas hum. Ah yes this is the song of summer. 

:: thanking the Lord for providing us with a free bed and mattress for my baby Emil Jonas, who is moving into his big bed in a months time. Thank you Nicole Carroll. You and your family are blessings from the Lord to us and our church. 

::weeping as I realize my baby Jonas isn't a baby anymore. They're tears of mixed emotions. Happiness that he is experiencing new parts of God's world. Sadness because of my realization that he will never need me as much as he once did anymore. And immense all encompassing gratitude that the Lord has given me such a beautiful gift, deemed me worthy to receive it, and kept him from harm thus far. 

:: feeling very connected to the needs of my family right now. Mommy needs to hold a bit more this week and clean a bit less. 

:: loving my daughter's heart for those in need. She still prays every night for her friend with CF and his Mommy. 

:: hoping that she keeps her sweet caring spirit with her all her life. 

:: wanting to go back to my mother's house and to the beach. I love the beach. The ocean is just what I needed this weekend! 

:: thinking about the fun musical time we get to have with family tomorrow night- and wishing Craig could be there! 

:: reminding myself that this period is a part of my God's perfect plan and is purposeful. 

:: making lovely home school plans for the Autumn...while I drink more lemonade! 

:: wishing you a lovely summer's eve and a beautiful start to your weekend!  

Sleeping. The poor baby was tired. I must have the touch! 

The silicone dishware giveaway I own, love the MightyNest! 

Spoonflower fabric that I designed and had print. Yep, I am a fabric designer ;) 

Add caption

::right now::

Right now, I am... (a tradition birthed by SouleMama aka Amanda Blake Soule)

:: trusting in the Lord about my husband's work and job security. God has always provided for us exactly what we have needed and I need to not doubt that now. 

:: feeling a little helpless to help ease his stress. He works so hard for us and I have no control over how his day at work is. Not to mention I have been feeling a little sick... heat exhaustion probably! 

:: doing a lot of fun stuff with the kids to keep their minds off the fact that they have seen their father for only about 10 hours in the past ten days. 

:: beginning to pack up our home and transplant it in our new home in the next four weeks. Ah the excitement,  sadness, and memories all wrapped up in one this brings. 

:: sewing the finishing touches on Craig's suede apron and beginning pajamas! 

:: knitting (still) the Tomten jacket. Oy! I will not be defeated! 

:: missing my husband. He truly is my other half. Daily life with out him is just not as bright.

:: knowing that this is only a season in life. A quick fleeting season. Nothing more. 

:: wondering what fun things the kids and I can do tomorrow! I think water play of some sort is in order with Omi! 

:: eating much better now that I have a monthly meal plan, huge step forward there!

:: giggling at home since all my animals literally think I am their mother. And how they, like my kids, fight for unnecessarily my attention. 

:: loving my children and all of their new personality quirks. Walks by the fountain are so much fun with them! 

:: continuing to transition my home into a better rhythm amid this moving/working chaos. Good-bye chintzy plastic toys. Ah and yet it is so hard to let go when they cost so so much. Am I depriving my kids...? Stay strong, stay strong! 

:: appreciating the people in my life who help me out and pray for us. (Thanks MK, Chris, and our HG)

:: thanking the Lord for is all. The good and the bad. I am blessed and content. I am at peace. 

:: wishing you a blessed week and peace. 

Jonas had his 15 month check up today and he was a champ!

Daily Quote or Verse: 

Phil 4:6: Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.

::right now::

Right now, I am...

:: relishing this recent bout of mild summer weather here in Virginia. I know that it will not last and soon we will be inside or in the water most days. 

:: feeling a bit wary about the impending move in a month and a half.  I have lots of packing to do and a husband who is working 40+ hour weeks. 

:: doing a lot of yard work since the hubby is working so much. Which means I am literally up to my elbows in all sorts of poop. I still love my cloth diapers though! And rabbit poop is by far the poop I like best, with goose poop coming in last. 

:: missing my childhood summers on my surfboard. I cannot wait until I can be there again but with my kids at my side. Even better! 

:: loving that my baby brother passed his behind-the-wheel test and now has his license. You rock Luke! 

:: picking the first blueberries EVER from my blueberry bushes. They were worth all the care and wait! Oh and we have raspberries! 

:: awaiting our next family trip to the Eastern Shore, its lovely there! The blueberry festival is going to be fun! 

:: wishing frozen yogurt was free. We are regulars at BerryBody now.

:: cherishing Jonas' blooming personality. He is bubbling with curiosity and he is so so proud of himself when Mommy understands what he is saying! 

:: appreciating Deirdre's patience when her little brother is hogging Mommy's lap. We big sisters have to have a lot of patience sometimes! 

Hoping you all have a blessed week filled with sweet summery moments! 

Frozen Yogurt! 

The Eastern Shore! 

The old farmhouse (1700s) adjacent to my Aunt and Uncle's restored farmhouse. 

My little brother Luke and I on the Eastern Shore.  Luke is 17 and I am 24.