Cinderella Scenes

A Kate Story

          The other day Kate and I walked to the neighborhood park together, which we don't do nearly enough. Along the way, we stopped to pick a dandelion. I explained how you make a wish and blow the wisps away. When she couldn't blow them off the stem, I let her pick them off. Then I broke the "no tell" rule and asked her what her wish was. You know what she said?

"I wished I can see God."

 

Her name means "pure one."

Do you remember what Matthew 5:8 tells us? "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God." Looks like Kate has a good chance of her wish coming true.

Now I'm the one blown away.

Kate is Three

Kate wanted a butterfly-themed birthday party this year! I must admit, I was very excited she asked for this. My creative wheels started turning immediately. I found these amazing butterfly cupcakes on Pinterest... it's just Candy Melts and white sprinkles, but they have such a "Wow" factor. My mom and I had so much fun making them!

  

 

 The Monarch was our favorite! Isn't it beautiful?

I borrowed a Stampin' Up! butterfly punch and went crazy punching out little pink and purple creatures for decorations. Here are the straws and the goodbye candy wands.
















We had butterfly vinyl clings (Target) welcoming the guests into the house.

So here she is, the birthday girl:

I know it is cliche to say, but I really can't believe that she's not a baby anymore.

Motherhood is just a series of goodbyes. Goodbye to her at birth, goodbye to her at one, two...

But I suppose it is a series of hellos, too. Hello to new words, skills, or traits will she pick up this year. Hello to new hugs, longer legs, sweeter conversations. It is so heartwrenching, expanding and contracting like this! Hello and Goodbye, Miss Kate! All I know for sure is that you are so special and

I love you as much as this heart of mine can.

Scenes from November

We had looked forward to the party on November 19th for a while. It was at Norwood Stables, and there would be horse rides and a petting zoo. Also, I had received some super cool horse-riding boots for Kate and knew just what she would wear to the stables. I couldn't wait to see Kate's face when she saw a real horse for the first time! This is what I got:After a while (like 30 minutes), Kate warmed up to the goats. They were more her size, and it helped that we could enter the paddock and sit on benches to get acquainted with them. When I gave Kate a brush, there was no turning back. She had found her joy. Funny thing: One of the goats hopped up on the bench with me and was so sweet, just sniffing and nuzzling my ear... Then, OUCH! That goat took the earring right out of my ear and spit it out on my lap! What the heck? Well, in an efffort not to scare Kate I just nonchalantly put the earring back in my ear and went on petting that goat and talking to Kate. It wasn't until later when I was telling someone what happened that I first wondered, "Maybe I shouldn't have put the goat-saliva covered jewelry back in so fast? Do goats carry diseases?" I had a good laugh about that one. I'm pretty sure that petting zoo goats are up on all their shots. So far, no weird symptoms. Okay, on to Thanksgiving! My mom and I went shopping NOT for Kate, and ended up pretty much just buying her clothes. We found this amazing purple number at my favorite store, Crazy 8. The hat is from babyGap.

We had a fried turkey for the first time this year, provided by Ben's dad: 

 

 And of course we had a rosemary-olive oil roasted turkey made by me.

Which do you prefer? Roasted or fried? I really liked them both.

Well, now I'd like to leave you with one final disconcerting image:

Quick Montessori Activity

Here's a fun hand-eye coordination game for toddlers that I learned from the blog Chasing Cheerios. At two and a half, Kate is really too old for this; it would be better with one and a half to two year olds. Just clean out a honey bear, give the child some Q-tips, and let them practice slipping them into it. Kate really enjoyed this activity at first, but she could do it easily so it didn't hold her attention for long. She soon went to calling the bear a "bottle" for her baby! If you have a one year old at home, give this a try!

I *MADE* a beach robe!

Dana from MADE has inspired me again to sew... this time a very cute and extremely practical beach robe! This will make leaving the beach much easier. Instead of wrapping my toddler in a big towel that just falls off, I'll give her her very chic polka-dot beach robe to ride home in! I downloaded Dana's super tutorial and pattern for $8 and then hit Target for a cute beach towel...they were on sale for $4! Then I came home and grabbed all my double-fold bias tape remnants...you wouldn't believe this; they matched the towel! I totally lucked out. I just love it when everything comes together! So, here's what I started with:

And here's the finished product! How awesome, right! It took me about three hours, but I was doing other things throughout the the afternoon, so I could make these quicker.

I love the little belt that wraps around the middle, the folded-up sleeves, the hood- everything! And it was so easy. I am proud to say that this is the first time I made sleeves and attached them the correct way the first time! Woohoo, progress!

I also loved using five different colors of bias tape for the trim. So cute! Alright, Kate, thanks for being my model again, you are precious!

I will definitely be using this pattern again and again.

506

506. moments that stop time- today I lay next to Kate in her bed and looked into her face, inches from mine, and in an instant she was me, and I was my mother, and I remember loving her and feeling so loved and being the child and thinking I would always be young. Will there be a place outside of linear time where I can experience all of His gifts at once? How could I bear that much joy?

Happy Valentine's Day

I made Kate a dress for Valentine's Day:It took just a few hours on on Saturday. I used a pattern and my knowledge of tiered skirts. All fabric was "found." The white is from an old tablecloth, the red is a scrap given to me by a friend. Kate was thrilled to be asked to model again. She lives for these moments, and takes direction so well!

Oh my. She's a beauty.

I got creative and used a scrap of tulle from her birthday party leftovers to add a ruffle on the front. If you walk into babyGap, you will notice tulle ruffles on most of the girl stuff.

Kate loves lollipops and dressing up. I love Kate and sewing. Happy Valentine's Day!

What are some things YOU love?

She's two.

How did this happen?

My baby is now a walking, talking two-year-old. I love her more every day. She's my girl.

And she is a constant reminder that time passes so quickly. I must slow down and savor every minute!

This is how Kate reads her book...

She sure loves having her own girly space!

I catch my breath...

Simple (?) Woman's Daybook

First of all, before I get started I would like to say that my life is absolutely not simple. Yet. I'm working on that, though. My focus for fall is to cut away the busyness of extra tacked-on activities. I want to get to a point where I have some quiet, down time each day in which to really slow down and contemplate an inner life. I want to be fully present with my children throughout the day. I feel like life has been whizzing by lately and I intend to slow it down a bit. Or at least watch it more carefully as it goes. I have become keenly aware that all things "good" are not always "best" or "right."

Outside my window... We're painting the rails and window trim on the porch. Should be finished this weekend, fingers crossed.

I am thinking... about ways to calm my mind, read and pray more, go to bed earlier.

I am thankful for... this time schooling my children. They love to learn. They love our read-alouds. They are growing their minds, bodies, and spirits, and I get to be right here to watch!

From the kitchen... I've dusted off the bread maker. Warm, fresh bread is a must for a Simple Woman.

I am creating... priorities. A rhythm. A home.

I am going... to stay home. I do not need to leave every night.

I am reading... For the Children's Sake, Saving CeeCee Honeycutt, and Moccasin Trail, with the boys.

I am hoping... that everything works out with the court date I have set for these two citations. I'm trying not to worry.

Around the house... lots of laughter. I so enjoy my boys during the day. They are crazy and good and funny and interesting. They are my friends, not my job.

One of my favorite things... Kate's smile.

A Few Plans For The Rest Of The Week... The porch. Finished.

Here is a picture thought I am sharing with you...

**UPDATE** We never even touched the porch this weekend!

8.9.10

Yesterday started out a wonderful Monday in the summer. I woke up at 8:30am, which is extremely rare, and completely cleaned my kitchen. I managed to make myself both breakfast and coffee. Again, extremely rare. I checked my email, read some blogs, and spent some time with the kids. Then, at 10:30, feeling great about the week ahead, I put Kate in the stroller, the boys on bikes, and the next-door neighbors and us went down to our neighborhood park for free lunch and outdoor play. While there, I had some great mom-conversation with a friend, pushed the babies in the swings, and ran through the sprinklers. It was very hot, but the water, the shady tree, and the breeze made it the perfect summer day.

*Cue dramatic music*

Then, my precious, princess, love, heart, never-want-her-to-experience-anything-painful baby girl left the water area and headed back toward the playground. When she got to the black plastic baked-in-the-sun ramp she started screaming and crying... she had burned her little feet! I felt sorry for her, but when I saw the huge blisters I began to worry. I quickly loaded up the stroller, called to the boys, and power-walked the eight blocks home. She screamed the whole way. My heart was hurting for her, she was in so much pain... I sprayed her feet with Lanacaine and gave her Ibuprofen, held her feet up top the cold air, held her, prayed, did everything I could. She cried for an hour and a half before she finally fell asleep.

When she woke up she was calm. She sat with me on the recliner the rest of the day. She ate, and she didn't cry anymore. I thank God for helping with the pain. Here is a photo:

It's the next morning, and she seems fine. She walks funny, on her heals, the poor thing. But she isn't in pain. She's really cute and fun and independent, just like usual. The blisters are still there, but less so, and I'm sure she'll never even remember what happened once they heal completely.

I can't say the same for myself though.