Sunday Funday

This was a fun Sunday.  Writing the daily blog has been the catalyst for several things.  It made me want to piggy back yoga on to this daily activity--if I'm growing the discipline bone, why not benefit two ways?  Which made me want to deep clean my carpet so that I felt like hanging out down there.  Which made me want to deep clean other areas in my bedroom.  Which made me want to move the computer area from my sitting room to the basement.  Which made me need to clean off two desks in use as shelves for a whole lot of stuff I hadn't bothered to go through in years for the computers to go on downstairs.  Which made me think about a few items of furniture I wanted to pick up to make more efficient use of this newly spruced up space we live in,  and control the clutter that can detract from it.

This morning, I talked the family into an IKEA outing.  We broke our fast there, spent more than an hour on the display floor, sitting on things, opening things, ruminating on shelving choices.  In Emmett's case, throwing stuffed animals and lodging them 8 feet up on wall mounted display items, trying to climb ladders with plexiglass safety shields, and having several near misses while darting through the crowd at high speeds.  Then another hour was spent on the warehouse floor, doubling back for missed items, deciding against some and switching to others.  Ultimately I was able to buy the furniture we chose from henna money, and that makes me a happy camper.

We moved on to the Mall of America, as we rarely spend time there and it was handy for a few purchases we needed to make.  Elli had a birthday gift to purchase and wanted a new belt, Deven needed a tie for Opening Night, and he no longer wishes to borrow Dad's, Clara found a cute winter hat, and Emmett found something he HAD to have in just about every store.  The gift shop where he found Thomas the Tank Engine paraphernalia brought on his hardest sell, and even some conniving tactics where he told Dad, 'Mom had said he could buy it', and so on.  He doesn't yet realize getting under-handed in his approach is a sure way to lose out.  We couldn't get him that item, but a little later on in the wanderings, we passed the Build-A-Bear store.  I realized Emmett would know nothing at all about this store, and had never seen the process, and would really love it because he's very in to his stuffed animals right now.  So we went in, and he selected his bear and named it (Fluffy Jack) and had it stuffed and was tickled pink.

To cap off the day we shared dinner near Southdale and went for a delightful walk at a park in Edina, where the lights reflected off the water and the kids found a meditation maze and we spent time in the porch swings, then came home to assemble our purchases, which went surprisingly well!

So dear reader, though I can only report doing yoga one day last week, it was one more session than I might have done otherwise, and a lot of other good stuff happened.  My mat is here beside my bed, and next week I'll improve the score.  Have a great week!

My happy place...

We're sitting here at the local library, four of our six family members all here together.  Somehow it pleases me immensely to have access to this grand and airy space, all the books, the miracle of all of us enjoying computer time concurrently rather than waiting for our turn to finally arrive...  There's lots of natural light and peaceful colors, ergonomic seating and many good neighbors absorbing knowledge.  Sounds are muted and there is minimal mess for me to clean up when we're all done.  I could spend hours here, and, in fact, have.  I have visited many of the libraries in the surrounding area, and love discovering a new haunt and comparing which have the best nooks to cozy up in or which have the best Nora Roberts' selections on the shelves.  Sometimes I almost 'forget' to go home and make dinner and re-enter the realm where I am responsible for the state of the floors and every other surface, and for the technology itself.

Which leads me to why we're at the library, besides to be in our happy place.  Technology, or the lack thereof!  Something has ceased to function in my home computing setup, my suspicion is that the offending party is the router.  I shudder to even think of walking into the discount technology warehouse, that ugly, disorganized and very confusing (yet cheap!) place has the very opposite of library effect.  But suffer it I shall, so I can continue to blog daily!  The sacrifices I make for you, dear reader, honestly!

Confessions of a low maintenance spendthrift...

I have a confession to make.  And this is specifically for Betty and Sheila, should they happen to glance this way.  I feel you should know, I TOOK IT ALL BACK!!

My good friend Sheila organized a fun and pampering ladies' night out, where three of us visited the good Dior makeup artist folks at the department store.  We listened to the presentation of a makeup artist while she applied the line to a beautiful model, ate the yummy food they set out for us and had professionals clean, prepare and apply makeup to our faces.  It was slightly like being a movie star, I've never had anyone else brush and blend my makeup, and it was super fun to hang out with da girlz.  Having someone else put mascara on you is a very strange sensation, by the way, I think I now understand why my young dancers and actors have not enjoyed it when I apply it to their lashes.  Copious tears and mascara are not a good combination either.  But I didn't cry for the very skilled gentleman who applied mine, not to worry!

I did give him quite a challenge though.  I'm a very low maintenance girl.  I don't have regular facials or sometimes even do more than wash my face with soap.  I thought I was really becoming advanced when I bought a cleanser/toner/moisturizer trio a year or so ago, and do that occasionally.  The makeup system we learned about blows that right out of the water! You cleanse, then detoxify, then plump, then do something special for the eyes, then you prime the face for makeup, then you put makeup on, then you add concealer, bronzer, some kind of highlighter, and blush.  He told me my eyebrows looked more natural with added color from a special pencil, figure that one out!?!  It was discombobulating, yet somehow fun.  And it the end I thought, 'I'll dip my toes into these waters.  I can experiment with being a sophisticated, many-layered makeup wearing woman.  I'll just get a few items and build from there.'  But I didn't know how to choose, there were about 20 things on my face, and I had no idea which one might be most important for me.  I took a stab in the dark, selected a serum (sounds magical and powerful and perfect for a 40-something, right?), a foundation (basic and I know how to use that), and a blush (same reason, plus I got a strong reaction from the makeup folks when I told them I just blot my lipstick with my finger and then use that for cheek color).

Take a wild guess what the total for those three items was!!  You may want to sit down before I reveal the cost.  $189.88!!  Me, a person who can't be bothered with makeup except when I'm going on a gig and for the special event, spends almost 200$ on fufu makeup!  The buyer's remorse set in even before she swiped my card.  This was more than I was paid for doing henna for 6 hours on my last bride.  This was 2/3 of the price of the tablet and/or smartphone I would like to buy for my business.

But I had to follow through in that moment.  The up feeling from being pampered and sharing the experience with Sheila and Betty buoyed me along.  I didn't really dwell on it while we continued through the store and chatted and enjoyed our time together.  But walking out to the parking lot and getting in the van, I came back to my senses.  The presenter's makeup and that of the artist who took care of me in my mind's eye took on a more plastic-y, artificial appearance.  I realized, I didn't even want to look like that!  Much less pay a premium to look like that.  I'm perfectly happy being imperfect, lined, blotchy, and whatever else.  For those of you who read the Hunger Games series, I had a flash to the part of the story where the Capital City artist were making Katniss over into their image.  It's just not me.

Finally, I summoned up the courage and brought it all back.  I'll just drink more water and maybe treat myself to a facial sometime, and see about buying a blush at Target.  (Does it appall YOU that I use my excess lipstick for color?)  My minimal routine is just enough for me.  If you happen to be reading, my dear girls... Next time, can we please go to that movie instead :)?   And my advice to you, dear reader, is this:  Steer away from the makeup aisle at Macy's altogether!  That's my plan, anyway.

Morning Routines

Every morning I make sure to wake up before the first member of my family leaves the house.  That's about all I can promise, I will be up and semi-mobile and wish everybody a happy day before they leave.  The first fifteen to twenty minutes after waking is dodgy time for me.

Elli leaves first, her bus comes to take her to high school (!) at 6:45 in the morning, while it is yet dark.  She gets herself up and prepared for her day, and typically wakes well before 6 o'clock.  She's chipper and organized while she's about it too!  If I couldn't vouch personally that she is my child, I'd wonder.

Clara is the last leaver, her bus gets her at 9:00 a.m..  By this time, I am fully operational.  It's good too, because she takes after me and ranges from groggy reluctance to downright grumpiness upon waking.  Today she woke fairly easily because she had a goal in mind to accomplish before leaving for school  We finished the story she's been writing for a school assignment called, The Volcano's Secret.  She dictated while I typed, since she is a beginner typist and I was once an administrative assistant with 70+ wpm.  I love her style, thinking and self expression--she is one smart cookie!  We refined a few segues and printed out a great story, all before she broke her fast on Nutella waffles and chai.

As we waved and air kissed goodbye and the bus roared away, I witnessed yellow leaves on the neighbors' huge old tree falling to the ground like fat, solid snowflakes, one after another.  We had an early freeze, so our fall colors peaked early, but the hardier varieties have given us beautiful reds and oranges and yellows later on, even as the days remain warm and delightful.  When I see the leaves dropping like today and frost on the roof, I realize winter is on its way.

It's off to the yoga mat for me, dear reader!

Of Pumpkins and Excercise

Clara and Elli carved the two on the right, and Emmett commissioned the one on the left.  I had a few choice words to say about his selection an hour or more in to the project, when yet another web "thread" separated itself from its intended location.  And this was one of the "easy" freebie designs I found on the web!  Those of you who do the elaborate, multi-layered jack-o-lanterns have my awe and respect.  Then again, maybe if I bought a set of special pumpkin carving tools, I might have an easier time keeping it PG at the dining room table in the hours before Trick or Treating.

Our kids are getting older...  Deven had to hurriedly carve his pumpkin when he got home from play practice, which is in it's longer stages since performance is just a little over a week away (!).  His creation wasn't ready yet when I took the shot.  He came out with us for the first house, then had a change of heart and went back home to do homework instead.  And Elli opted to stay home and hand out candy from the beginning.   There was a day when neither of them would dream of missing the opportunity to get even one piece of candy.  Of course they were a lot shorter then.  Time does march on!  Now my two older babies have both passed me up in height and shoe size.  I've got them on girth though!  I'll always have the girth card, nanananabooboo.

Unless, of course, I add fitness as a lifestyle goal with any regularity.  I mean, the kind of goal a person ACTS on.  EVERY day.  Elements of routine requiring discipline are not typically my strong suit.  I like to flit from thing to thing, propelled by creative energy.  So my thought is, since I have committed to blogging every day this month, I can let exercise tag along with the happy writing activity.  Either I write, then exercise, or maybe better, don't get to write until I have exercised.  Anyway, dear avid reader, I will report on how this approach is working for me--stay tuned!

Meeting the NaBloPoMo challenge: A post a day in November

A friend of mine from college days who blogs here recently brought to my attention a blogging challenge for the month of November called, NaBloPoMo (check it out for yourself here).  Since my daughter is an aspiring author and is participating in the equivalent challenge for novel writers (NaNoWriMo), and intends to write 50000 words this month, I figure a blog a day is within my power to accomplish and a fun way to support her and resurrect something I've really enjoyed over the years.

I started this blog years ago, along with my Flickr photostream where I've posted family photos from seasons, events and phases dating back 10 years and more.  When my Mom died nearly three years ago, I realized I was primarily writing and sharing photos for her.  She was certainly my most devoted fan, and hits on both pages took a dramatic dip when she could no longer peruse them.  She is missed for this reason, and so many more that it is difficult to articulate.  Perhaps at some point within the month challenge I'll give that a try.

For now, in Mom's absence, I need to remind myself and state to the audience (whomever that may be) why I write (besides the joy of picking up the gauntlet of NaBloPoMo).  I love writing, putting words together and expressing thoughts, feelings and memories.  It pleases me to share life experience in blog form.  

Hopefully, you, the reader, might enjoy a post or two as well!

Happy Summer 2011

I used to express myself creatively through writing much more than I have in recent months and years. Perhaps it is because there is a finite amount of room/space/time for creative expression, and these days I am so heavily involved in henna and entrepreneurship that there is little time to sit and think in type.

But this morning it is time to write. I'm sitting in the window seat, looking out at the lake across the street with gentle waves interrupting the reflection of the milky grey sky. Downstairs I hear my two Es (Elli 14 and Emmett 4) playing Wii. Clara (9) is industrious in her room, she wants to invite a friend over to play tomorrow. Deven (12) is off somewhere by himself, usual for my dreamer boy. Deven and Elli are writing books this summer, and I am amazed by their ability. Clara is growing in artistic ability every day, and has recently started to use shading techniques and seems to follow in the portrait inclination my Mom and I both leaned toward in our sketching days. Clara loves playing with henna design elements as well and is already quite the henna artist. Emmett is smart as a whip and full of energy and mischief, and empowers himself in lots of ways he shouldn't. He's not about to ask for help or permission, he just does what he wants! ( For example just now he found a bit of thread coming out of the drawer and pulled it out to a length he could loop around Bungee (our cat's) mid section, and watch as the thread grew longer and longer as Bungee moved out of his reach). But he's learning every day about manners and gentleness and acceptable behaviors :).

Yesterday we celebrated Father's Day. We gave Nat decadent breakfast in bed, and presented him with a new backpack stuffed with things needed for a geocacher, complete with coordinates to a cache in a nearby park. Once breakfast was complete we went to hunt the cache, which he found with no problem (next time we'll put on bug repellant before we leave so we can hide it deeper in the forest :). Dad came over in the afternoon and we grilled steak for him (his favorite food) and the kids put on a lunch bag puppet show they wrote in honor of Nat and Grandpa and rehearsed several times.

I was thankful to spend Father's Day with my Dad. Special occasions like this take on layers of meaning now that he has been diagnosed with Stage 4 cancer. I was happy he felt well enough to spend some hours here, as he hasn't for some time. Illness and death, health and wellness, alternative and traditional medicines... These things are occupying my thoughts and are subjects of my research these days when I can make time. I find it difficult to embrace death as part of life. It does not feel like a natural part of the flow of things, and peace is elusive. I resist accepting, and instead would like to find a way to encourage the body to heal itself.

It is good to have the children around, experiencing the other end of the spectrum where life and ideas and experience are expanding rapidly, and energy is strong and end of days is banished from thought. They are amazing, beautiful, creative, talented, exasperating, energetic, precious children and I am so blessed to be their Mom.

This summer we plan to take advantage of community events in our area like movies and music in the park, hang out at the library and beach, geocache, camp, get together with friends, and I'll take henna to a variety of places. Summer vacation is off to a great start :).