Okay, so I already broke my deal with myself to go on here in the afternoons. It's just so nice to end the day by sharing it with all of you!
I officially have a child-care giving friend and today was my first official day of, what I am calling, work! (Though I must say, it's pretty damn fun for "work"!) They only hung out for two hours(9:30am-11:30am), but it was good. I set up my Sewing Nook at the end of our hallway more by organizing all of my fabric, old and new-to-me, and neatly stacking it on the shelves my room-mate so kindly put up for me above my desk. That was about all I had time to accomplish (he came a bit late and I did some eating and such before getting down to business). However, throughout the course of the evening I was able to crochet cuffs which will be the ankles of lovely Arabian-style pants, as overalls, and a short and wonderful vest to go with them. All that is left is to sew the pants (hopefully tomorrow finds me doing this, maybe during T's nap?).
I am excited for when he will be caring for her Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday for three hours each morning. We are easing into it, as there have been many transitions lately and Mom has been also having a hard time, which she feels. So today was two hours, and we are skipping Tuesday, however Wednesday will be a three hour morning for them. This works out really well, as he will be watching her from right after breakfast to lunch. She'll come back, ideally eat lunch and then go down for a couple hours of napping, freeing me up to continue any projects I am wanting to do more work on, or perhaps complete a few of the endless tasks on my eternal list! ^.^ In addition to this, it is possible that another close friend of mine will watch T for 2 days of the month, once every two weeks, for up to 5 hours. We'll see how this goes. This could also come in handy to allow me to work part time, say one day a week, as I feel this may be necessary for me to bring in the money needed to support T and I. As for babysitting, I am hoping to receive a Child Care Subsidy from the government and am sending in the application form tomorrow. This will mean I will only need to put a fraction of money into childcare, as opposed to all the money I could possibly earn while my child is being cared for. *Few*
Today after T returned and went down for her nap, I finally got out the poster-board, as I've been truly wanting to do for a time now, and started the process of making a schedule for T(and myself), based on the one I found on this video. Now to laminate it, make labels and laminate them, and find a wonderful picture of T to use to show where in our day we are. Hoping to have this done soon.
T is doing well. She has been tricking me, this is about the third time now. She will say she is ready for bed, we'll do the whole bed-time prep. deal, get into her bedroll, nurse, and this is where is starts to become evident, and she's super awake, enjoying the nurse.
Now, I have, as long as I've been in this Mother role, been an advocate of "on-demand nursing", and self-led weaning as well. However, I have been getting more and more tired and feel that the amount she nurses is taxing me more than it is benefiting her. So, I have recently(for about a couple weeks now) stopped giving her milk every time she asked. I now will nurse her if requested upon waking in the morning or from a nap, I will nurse her to sleep at nap and night time, and if/when she wakes up throughout the night. This is better than the anger and/or frustration I very obviously felt with each nurse, which was a LOT of nursing. And when I started this, I was pleasantly surprised at how well she took it. She was quite happy to be distracted, or else didn't take long to get over it. And so, either I am misinterpreting her or, as she confirmed when I asked her, she is tricking me by saying she's ready for bed so that she can get a nurse. And clever girl she is for it works, and as much as I don't want to nurse her again once she's genuinely ready for bed, I don't really see another option that makes sense for us. I feel tired and aggravated after going through the entire bedtime routine, laying down with her and nursing her in bed, getting sleepy from this myself, all to have her pop right out of bed ready for more adventure. At this point I just do what I can to keep my sanity and let her tire herself out.
Having said this, I am deeply wanting to establish routines and some sort of schedule to help get us into a flow that feels good for both of us. That is why I, at last, started working on the poster board schedule. I really don't think that this is a large project except for the way that I interpret the whole situation as big and hard. Thankfully my Mother is most likely coming after Thursday to help me with this aspect of my current life. I admire her ability to do what she does and want to learn from her how to do some of those things myself. She is great at meal planning, bread making, time using. All sorts of things.
And to be fair and truly honest, sometimes you just need your Mommy, even if you're a Mama yourself!
So tomorrow I look forward to T's Music Together class in the morning. I think it will be my last, or at least second to last, time going with her for this section(and it's her first time doing this class, which is AMAZING, btw, I highly recommend it!). This is because my friend will begin watching her on Tuesdays soon, and so he will be taking her! I will miss it, but I am also glad for the experience she will still have and that she will be able to bring her friend into that world as well. ^_^
Oh yeah, and depositing rent and all of that fun official stuff I also need to do tomorrow. Well, it'll be alright.
Have a beautiful night or day and thanks for reading!
-Sarah Christina
PS-Also, before typing this, I found this crazy synchronistic writing while searching for another wondrous blog to add to the list of those inspiring Mama blogs I follow!
Walking into the garden . . .
Monday, May 24, 2010
Saturday, May 22, 2010
Up and Sew, Here We Go!
Yesterday the call came in: My lovely sewing machine has been overhauled and is ready for me to pick up!!! Have no doubt that as soon as my precious toddler awakens from her nap, I'll be rushing out that door, hopping on the bus with the wheely-cart and picking that Elna up!!! Also, the arm for my bike trailer has come in at the bike shop, so we'll also be picking that up. I may also, if the ambition strikes me, be stopping in on that discount fabric and notion shop I noticed beside the teacher supply store during our shopping spree the other day. I think it may be wise to pace myself a bit, see what I have to work with, and then go and get more supplies.
My wonderful room-mate has installed shelves on the wall above my desk(yet unpainted) where my lovely treasured sewing machine is to go upon her return home! I am hoping to take the time tonight after T is down to go through all of my fabric and notions and organize the space. I also must go through all of my crazily cluttered desk drawers! .... >.< Not looking forward to that part so much, however the end result will be well worth it!
Yesterday I cleaned the house when Chris took T out for an evening walk to the far away store to purchase some juice and Valerian Root Tincture(that is how much I have been stressing, which has been resulting in pain of the head and neck, and body overall). I noticed that the headache I had been feeling for hours diminished. My house got clean, and I felt better. Then, something else magical happened...I went to bed at a reasonable hour! That is why I am blogging in the afternoon. I am going to try to limit myself to going online while T is napping, as opposed to the usual after she's gone to bed. I felt SO good this morning! I know my clean house had something to do with it, and I also do not even think about underestimating the great importance of sleep, that I somehow forgot about! I woke up with T without much difficulty and even scrubbed the bathroom and the kitchen floor, as well as the outsides of cupboards and the fridge. It felt SO good to be able to do this. I feel that as I am now caught up on this, perhaps I will have a better foundation to introduce the schedule/routines that I have been struggling with.
I also called my Mama, and she is going to come and support me for a bit, observe me and give me some advice. I feel very comforted knowing this. I am unsure of specifically when she is coming, but just knowing she is helps me to relax a little bit.
I am looking towards my future, and at my present with great enthusiasm and excitement, as it stands in this moment.
Thank you life for giving me this reprieve!
In Love!
-Sarah
My wonderful room-mate has installed shelves on the wall above my desk(yet unpainted) where my lovely treasured sewing machine is to go upon her return home! I am hoping to take the time tonight after T is down to go through all of my fabric and notions and organize the space. I also must go through all of my crazily cluttered desk drawers! .... >.< Not looking forward to that part so much, however the end result will be well worth it!
Yesterday I cleaned the house when Chris took T out for an evening walk to the far away store to purchase some juice and Valerian Root Tincture(that is how much I have been stressing, which has been resulting in pain of the head and neck, and body overall). I noticed that the headache I had been feeling for hours diminished. My house got clean, and I felt better. Then, something else magical happened...I went to bed at a reasonable hour! That is why I am blogging in the afternoon. I am going to try to limit myself to going online while T is napping, as opposed to the usual after she's gone to bed. I felt SO good this morning! I know my clean house had something to do with it, and I also do not even think about underestimating the great importance of sleep, that I somehow forgot about! I woke up with T without much difficulty and even scrubbed the bathroom and the kitchen floor, as well as the outsides of cupboards and the fridge. It felt SO good to be able to do this. I feel that as I am now caught up on this, perhaps I will have a better foundation to introduce the schedule/routines that I have been struggling with.
I also called my Mama, and she is going to come and support me for a bit, observe me and give me some advice. I feel very comforted knowing this. I am unsure of specifically when she is coming, but just knowing she is helps me to relax a little bit.
I am looking towards my future, and at my present with great enthusiasm and excitement, as it stands in this moment.
Thank you life for giving me this reprieve!
In Love!
-Sarah
Thursday, May 20, 2010
Growing out and Growing In
Today T and I went downtown on a shopping adventure...er...spree! ^.^ I spent most likely close to $200.00. Though I had the guilt I always seem to have when spending money(gotta figure that one out), I was also able to have fun with it. My counter to the guilt was that a. I was spending money on supplies for my business plan, and b. I was spending money of items for T, mainly to create activities for her with, which is important and totally okay to spend money on as she deserves to have these wondrous creations. ^.^ GOD I love being a Mom! Have I said that lately? Well, let me say it again just for good measure: I LOVE BEING A MOM!!! ^<>^
And so my plan is going ahead smoothly. I am feeling(in this moment at least) very good about my plans to create beautiful things to support myself and T with. I also asked at a wonderful, fire-ovened bakery(which seems to support excellent progressive political views) if they were looking for workers. I was told they weren't at the moment, but when I expressed that I was thinking more like September, she said it was more likely on account of the school year. So, I am more optimistic about this. It has been a pondering thing in my mind that I should also work a small amount as an 'employee', as this would give us more financial stability than relying on whether or not enough people purchase my creations. The bakery is rather far from my home, but a good bike ride(an hour) may be nice...or deadly. >.< It may be more realistic for me to look closer to home, which could work out super nice on account of all the farms close by!
This is another point of stress when I think about it though. We are potentially facing yet another move in September. Half of me wants to stay here. The neighborhood is wonderful, we are a bike ride away from organic farms and a mountain and woods and the ocean. It is a healthy environment for us, and rather family oriented from my present interperatation. This part of me(well, the entirety of me) so strongly desires to have roots and continue on with the garden we are putting work into and get ducks and set up rain barrels and establish a sense of community around us and a physical settledness. The other half of me is feeling the smallness of a basement suite(and our other room-mate hasn't even moved in yet since we got the place May 1, so who knows how crowded it will feel then). That part of me wants so badly to find an entire house to rent that also has a 2 bedroom suite off of it. This way, I could be with community but also have space for me and T, which I am feeling more and more crazy about not having as time wears on and she grows and each of our needs change and grow. Maybe if I start making my own money I can afford enough rent to warrant a 2 bedroom suite off of a shared house instead of one room in a tiny shared basement suite(we're talking not even enough room for a kitchen table). Speaking of which, does anyone have advice to give about creating order and making the best use of a small space with a child and a disorganized mother who has a constant passionate desire to be ultra-organized? (Just to be fair, it is a beautiful and blessed place for which I am immensely grateful!)
So I am very excited for the potential lurking about my life right now! I am also tired of things in my life that I am quickly out-growing.
Bring on the new, baby!!
Here I go? Let's see where it takes me!
-Sarah Christina
And so my plan is going ahead smoothly. I am feeling(in this moment at least) very good about my plans to create beautiful things to support myself and T with. I also asked at a wonderful, fire-ovened bakery(which seems to support excellent progressive political views) if they were looking for workers. I was told they weren't at the moment, but when I expressed that I was thinking more like September, she said it was more likely on account of the school year. So, I am more optimistic about this. It has been a pondering thing in my mind that I should also work a small amount as an 'employee', as this would give us more financial stability than relying on whether or not enough people purchase my creations. The bakery is rather far from my home, but a good bike ride(an hour) may be nice...or deadly. >.< It may be more realistic for me to look closer to home, which could work out super nice on account of all the farms close by!
This is another point of stress when I think about it though. We are potentially facing yet another move in September. Half of me wants to stay here. The neighborhood is wonderful, we are a bike ride away from organic farms and a mountain and woods and the ocean. It is a healthy environment for us, and rather family oriented from my present interperatation. This part of me(well, the entirety of me) so strongly desires to have roots and continue on with the garden we are putting work into and get ducks and set up rain barrels and establish a sense of community around us and a physical settledness. The other half of me is feeling the smallness of a basement suite(and our other room-mate hasn't even moved in yet since we got the place May 1, so who knows how crowded it will feel then). That part of me wants so badly to find an entire house to rent that also has a 2 bedroom suite off of it. This way, I could be with community but also have space for me and T, which I am feeling more and more crazy about not having as time wears on and she grows and each of our needs change and grow. Maybe if I start making my own money I can afford enough rent to warrant a 2 bedroom suite off of a shared house instead of one room in a tiny shared basement suite(we're talking not even enough room for a kitchen table). Speaking of which, does anyone have advice to give about creating order and making the best use of a small space with a child and a disorganized mother who has a constant passionate desire to be ultra-organized? (Just to be fair, it is a beautiful and blessed place for which I am immensely grateful!)
So I am very excited for the potential lurking about my life right now! I am also tired of things in my life that I am quickly out-growing.
Bring on the new, baby!!
Here I go? Let's see where it takes me!
-Sarah Christina
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
Space and Creative Financial Independence
Hello.
So, I have been going a little crazy lately, and also entering into a beautiful stage of my life. I suppose that transition always must be a little bit crazy...or downright maddening.
Anyways. I have been trying to integrate a schedule into the life of myself and my two year old these last few days. It has been tricky, and I want to get it right away. I realized the beauty, however, of creating a schedule and adjusting it as you use it and discover what works and what doesn't. Also, there are some days where you need to ignore any schedule at all. I suppose what I made was more of sets of routines designed to make our lives more smooth, efficient, and predictable.
A big reason for the desire to have set routines and a sort of schedule is that I am ready to have time to myself and feel the push to become financially independent. I am a single Mama and have been on financial assistance since month 5 of my pregnancy. I am not only ready to be financially independent, but also must be prepared as when T turns three years old (which is in February) they will cut me off.
And so, with optimism, I am excited for this much needed shift in my reality. I am in the process of finding a friend to hang out with T while I have time to focus of self and creating wondrous magical things to sell to support us.
My wonderful, amazing and exciting plan is to sew(weeeeee, my beautiful old Elna Machine is in the shop right now!) wonderful creations to sell. I would also like to embroider embellishments, do some felting/felt appliqués, crochet, make activities for children(Montessori inspired, no doubt), and do all of this in a way that is sustainable. I will use salvaged goods, such as linens and such from thrift shops, local wool/salvaged wool and other such materials. I am very excited about all of this(as must be incredibly apparent).
So, here I go. I am going to talk to my friend today to see if watching T for me will work for him.
Here I go!
I will update when this evolves further. Another exciting tidbit: I will soon have a camera again and so will be able to show off in posts with lovely photographs!
<3
-Radical Mama Me
So, I have been going a little crazy lately, and also entering into a beautiful stage of my life. I suppose that transition always must be a little bit crazy...or downright maddening.
Anyways. I have been trying to integrate a schedule into the life of myself and my two year old these last few days. It has been tricky, and I want to get it right away. I realized the beauty, however, of creating a schedule and adjusting it as you use it and discover what works and what doesn't. Also, there are some days where you need to ignore any schedule at all. I suppose what I made was more of sets of routines designed to make our lives more smooth, efficient, and predictable.
A big reason for the desire to have set routines and a sort of schedule is that I am ready to have time to myself and feel the push to become financially independent. I am a single Mama and have been on financial assistance since month 5 of my pregnancy. I am not only ready to be financially independent, but also must be prepared as when T turns three years old (which is in February) they will cut me off.
And so, with optimism, I am excited for this much needed shift in my reality. I am in the process of finding a friend to hang out with T while I have time to focus of self and creating wondrous magical things to sell to support us.
My wonderful, amazing and exciting plan is to sew(weeeeee, my beautiful old Elna Machine is in the shop right now!) wonderful creations to sell. I would also like to embroider embellishments, do some felting/felt appliqués, crochet, make activities for children(Montessori inspired, no doubt), and do all of this in a way that is sustainable. I will use salvaged goods, such as linens and such from thrift shops, local wool/salvaged wool and other such materials. I am very excited about all of this(as must be incredibly apparent).
So, here I go. I am going to talk to my friend today to see if watching T for me will work for him.
Here I go!
I will update when this evolves further. Another exciting tidbit: I will soon have a camera again and so will be able to show off in posts with lovely photographs!
<3
-Radical Mama Me
Saturday, May 15, 2010
It's That "It's evening and I want time to myself but my kid's still awake," Thing.
Today was a good day. I have decided to wake up early so as to be more productive during the early part of the day, and so feel better in the evenings. So, I have brought an alarm clock into my room and set it to wake me with the radio at 7:00am. This morning it went off for the first time...much too loud. Though I have to say, Tyler slept in her own bed (a lovely bed roll made with a heavy woven cotton blanket and many wool blankets I was inspired to throw together over the plastic crib mattress I used to lay on the ground for her after watching a video about the toxins that children in our age are being exposed to) all night! She woke up at 6:00 in the morning, crawled into bed with me and nursed back to sleep. She didn't wake again until the overkill radio alarm went off. This was okay though. I was in a space of acceptance.
We had a nice morning. I baked bread, we had some breakfast, did some sunshine bathing and such. Then she was ready for a nap and by about 10:30am she was out. She slept until just before 1:00pm. And so, the rest of our day went on. We ended up going on a trip to the library.
At the library we saw her dad. This was a bit intense for me as about a month ago he cut out of her life completely, but she seemed fine. They hung out in the kids section reading and playing together for a good chunk of time. Then it was time for us to go and eat and her dad to go on with his day, and so goodbyes were said. I don't know where anything stands with that now.
And so, ultra hungry we snacked on the walk home. T was getting sleepy and I was pushing her to stay awake long enough that it was a reasonable time when she went to bed, ensuring a reasonably timed wake up tomorrow. And so, after a snacking supper, a book, a bath, jammies and a few pages of another book, she was more than ready to get sleeping. This, however, was not to be so. My room-mate, I had failed to remember told me, now began to mow the lawn. . .right outside our window. . .which was open.
Now I have a wide awake child and I am feeling the extreme missing of a chocolate bar now that I have consciously chosen to not participate in the ridiculousness and harms of imported food. I am sure this will happen many times more before I find an alternative, or get over it. :)
Anyways, I am in a space of needing to be able to breathe in my own space, as an adult and as an individual, and I have a needy awake 2 year old.
Thankfully Chris has taken to hanging out with T, and I get to retreat into "the office" and take some much needed time to myself....writing about how I wished T was in bed. >.< does go to sleep that is. ^.^
I am going to wake up at 7:00 tomorrow as well. I am excited to see how productive and active I can be once I get into the flow with a new routine!
Much love.
Thanks for reading!
-Sarah Christina
We had a nice morning. I baked bread, we had some breakfast, did some sunshine bathing and such. Then she was ready for a nap and by about 10:30am she was out. She slept until just before 1:00pm. And so, the rest of our day went on. We ended up going on a trip to the library.
At the library we saw her dad. This was a bit intense for me as about a month ago he cut out of her life completely, but she seemed fine. They hung out in the kids section reading and playing together for a good chunk of time. Then it was time for us to go and eat and her dad to go on with his day, and so goodbyes were said. I don't know where anything stands with that now.
And so, ultra hungry we snacked on the walk home. T was getting sleepy and I was pushing her to stay awake long enough that it was a reasonable time when she went to bed, ensuring a reasonably timed wake up tomorrow. And so, after a snacking supper, a book, a bath, jammies and a few pages of another book, she was more than ready to get sleeping. This, however, was not to be so. My room-mate, I had failed to remember told me, now began to mow the lawn. . .right outside our window. . .which was open.
Now I have a wide awake child and I am feeling the extreme missing of a chocolate bar now that I have consciously chosen to not participate in the ridiculousness and harms of imported food. I am sure this will happen many times more before I find an alternative, or get over it. :)
Anyways, I am in a space of needing to be able to breathe in my own space, as an adult and as an individual, and I have a needy awake 2 year old.
Thankfully Chris has taken to hanging out with T, and I get to retreat into "the office" and take some much needed time to myself....writing about how I wished T was in bed. >.< does go to sleep that is. ^.^
I am going to wake up at 7:00 tomorrow as well. I am excited to see how productive and active I can be once I get into the flow with a new routine!
Much love.
Thanks for reading!
-Sarah Christina
Friday, May 14, 2010
Planting Seeds and Imagination
Today was a lovely day in many ways.
The garden is needing evermore work than we are giving it, but I am hoping that the seedlings longing for more soil will have patience, and that the season will be kind to our potentially late start.
Today T and I took action. While our garden is still 90% covered in lawn stuff (grass, those little daisies and dandelions), we planted seeds into little pots with potting soil we purchased at the nearby market.
I opened the soil, gave T an empty egg carton(just the egg holding part with the top and flap cut off) and a spoon, showed her what to do, and away she went, filling the sections with soil. With a chopstick, we poked holes in the soil, and into the holes went Arugula Seeds! From there we went wild with other fun seeds in little pots. It was super sunny and T got to be naked in our lovely new yard, I wanted to be. The sun is getting warmer!
I want to also share a sweet moment of the day with you. On our return home from a lovely and leisurely walk this evening(during which we got to watch the kids on the skate park and see how the biggins do it as T received a little skateboard for her second b-day), she showed a lovely evolution in her imaginator! We walked by a person, who she said hi to readily and friendly, there was a small exchange, and then she quickly ran along the path further ahead. She said "I don't want any humans." Then she told me, "I'm a creature." There was an exchange of "Hello creature." She also called me a creature by saying the same greeting. Then she said, "You're a Hoo-Bah." (Or something to that effect). It is so amazing to watch a human being grow so intensely, so observe every little change and growth and spark and inspiration. Ah. Beautiful!
Thank you life! Thank you T! Thank you to all of the beautiful people in our lives!
And thank you for reading! ^^
-Sarah
The garden is needing evermore work than we are giving it, but I am hoping that the seedlings longing for more soil will have patience, and that the season will be kind to our potentially late start.
Today T and I took action. While our garden is still 90% covered in lawn stuff (grass, those little daisies and dandelions), we planted seeds into little pots with potting soil we purchased at the nearby market.
I opened the soil, gave T an empty egg carton(just the egg holding part with the top and flap cut off) and a spoon, showed her what to do, and away she went, filling the sections with soil. With a chopstick, we poked holes in the soil, and into the holes went Arugula Seeds! From there we went wild with other fun seeds in little pots. It was super sunny and T got to be naked in our lovely new yard, I wanted to be. The sun is getting warmer!
I want to also share a sweet moment of the day with you. On our return home from a lovely and leisurely walk this evening(during which we got to watch the kids on the skate park and see how the biggins do it as T received a little skateboard for her second b-day), she showed a lovely evolution in her imaginator! We walked by a person, who she said hi to readily and friendly, there was a small exchange, and then she quickly ran along the path further ahead. She said "I don't want any humans." Then she told me, "I'm a creature." There was an exchange of "Hello creature." She also called me a creature by saying the same greeting. Then she said, "You're a Hoo-Bah." (Or something to that effect). It is so amazing to watch a human being grow so intensely, so observe every little change and growth and spark and inspiration. Ah. Beautiful!
Thank you life! Thank you T! Thank you to all of the beautiful people in our lives!
And thank you for reading! ^^
-Sarah
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
Ceremony and Cooking and Welcoming the Magic Again!
So, today has been a day, and oh what a day it has been!!!
Thank you Universe for bringing your sweet sweet blessing to me with a fresh breath of "Aaah" and Spirit Infusions!
I ran into a friend whom I haven't seen for a while today and we were able to reconnect. She brought to me the ceremony and remembrance of the sacred that I have been calling for, and so deeply needing. This morning we intended to set out on our bikes at 8:00am in order to go down to the ocean-side to collect Nettles from their lovely wild patch. We were not able to do this, however it was the thing that pushed me to get out of bed early rather than lay there as T roamed around, seeking each bit of sleep I could get. This was really good. T and I got up and moved into the day with some grace. We made breakfast, I cleaned the kitchen up, which spread to the living room and hallway as well! Then, after connecting with Kerry and it being decided that enjoying ceremony in the backyard would now make more sense, T and I went outside and enjoyed the amazing and fresh late-spring morning, the kind that lets you know summer is on it's way!! We stretched and hula-hooped and made music with our mouths and hands and danced and it was SO delightful and amazing!
When Kerry came, we all took some sacred smoking herbs that Kerry had gathered herself(red cedar bark and sage) and received(sacred tobacco from Peru, I think). With these in our hands, together we thanked all four directions, Mother Earth, and Father Sky, with Kerry's words, and brought it all back down. Then we offered these herbs to the Earth. After this, we burnt a smudge of Cedar we had all collected on our walk yesterday. So lovely! Tyler is so keyed into this and so receptive. I know I have to include this once more in our daily lives!
Next amazing item of the day, which this morning lead into SO wonderfully, was the Community Kitchen. As a part of the Autonomous Community Support Network that we have started here where I live, we have begun a Community Kitchen project. This is a way for us to come together in community and create stronger connections, while pooling our resources together to make lovely meals, potentially enough to take home and freeze for use throughout the week. Today was the third attempt at having a successful Community Kitchen, and. . . SUCCESS! It was lovely. The five of us made a wonderful Lentil Shepherd's Pie and a Soup, for which T ground up some Rosemary we picked and dried, with the mortar and pestle.
During the cooking, T fell asleep on my bosom in the other room, which was great! I was trying to stop her naps all together because her bedtimes were very frustrating. The result was an unhappy, cranky toddler, and a stressed out Mama! Also, she was beginning to go to bed at crazy and dangerous times(unless you enjoy waking up at 3:00am) like 5:00pm. So, I was hoping to be able to get her to have a nap by 12:00-1:00 at the latest, and wake her up after an hour. Today, she went to sleep at 12:30, and I ended up waking her, pleasantly received--yay, at 2:30.
After some naked play and shepherd's pie out in the yard(yay sunshine!!), it was off to the playground with us. And play we did! Not until three hours later did we arrive home! This was about quarter to seven. Some snackie dinner, bed prep, and then off to sleep with the wee one!
I set my tent up for Kerry, who will be sleeping over tonight, after T's slumber took her, and upon laying in it to test it out received many wondrous zings of joy and excitement. Being in my tent, amid the lovely outside, with the fresh air and the critters and the lovely, lovely Earth SO close beneath me, drawing me into her warmth and grounding--Oh Goddess!!!! Uh! SOoooo amazing!!! So, tomorrow it's my turn with T to sleep in there, and every night after, I do believe!!!
Also, tomorrow we will view a place for the first time. We need to move for May 1st, and this place sounds super nice! Send us good thoughts for this one!!
And so ends an amazing and magical day for these and other reasons!
Tomorrow it's off to the ocean-side Stinging Nettle patch on Bicycle for Kerry, T and I!
Until then,
Lovely lullabyes to all!!
-Sarah Christina
Thank you Universe for bringing your sweet sweet blessing to me with a fresh breath of "Aaah" and Spirit Infusions!
I ran into a friend whom I haven't seen for a while today and we were able to reconnect. She brought to me the ceremony and remembrance of the sacred that I have been calling for, and so deeply needing. This morning we intended to set out on our bikes at 8:00am in order to go down to the ocean-side to collect Nettles from their lovely wild patch. We were not able to do this, however it was the thing that pushed me to get out of bed early rather than lay there as T roamed around, seeking each bit of sleep I could get. This was really good. T and I got up and moved into the day with some grace. We made breakfast, I cleaned the kitchen up, which spread to the living room and hallway as well! Then, after connecting with Kerry and it being decided that enjoying ceremony in the backyard would now make more sense, T and I went outside and enjoyed the amazing and fresh late-spring morning, the kind that lets you know summer is on it's way!! We stretched and hula-hooped and made music with our mouths and hands and danced and it was SO delightful and amazing!
When Kerry came, we all took some sacred smoking herbs that Kerry had gathered herself(red cedar bark and sage) and received(sacred tobacco from Peru, I think). With these in our hands, together we thanked all four directions, Mother Earth, and Father Sky, with Kerry's words, and brought it all back down. Then we offered these herbs to the Earth. After this, we burnt a smudge of Cedar we had all collected on our walk yesterday. So lovely! Tyler is so keyed into this and so receptive. I know I have to include this once more in our daily lives!
Next amazing item of the day, which this morning lead into SO wonderfully, was the Community Kitchen. As a part of the Autonomous Community Support Network that we have started here where I live, we have begun a Community Kitchen project. This is a way for us to come together in community and create stronger connections, while pooling our resources together to make lovely meals, potentially enough to take home and freeze for use throughout the week. Today was the third attempt at having a successful Community Kitchen, and. . . SUCCESS! It was lovely. The five of us made a wonderful Lentil Shepherd's Pie and a Soup, for which T ground up some Rosemary we picked and dried, with the mortar and pestle.
During the cooking, T fell asleep on my bosom in the other room, which was great! I was trying to stop her naps all together because her bedtimes were very frustrating. The result was an unhappy, cranky toddler, and a stressed out Mama! Also, she was beginning to go to bed at crazy and dangerous times(unless you enjoy waking up at 3:00am) like 5:00pm. So, I was hoping to be able to get her to have a nap by 12:00-1:00 at the latest, and wake her up after an hour. Today, she went to sleep at 12:30, and I ended up waking her, pleasantly received--yay, at 2:30.
After some naked play and shepherd's pie out in the yard(yay sunshine!!), it was off to the playground with us. And play we did! Not until three hours later did we arrive home! This was about quarter to seven. Some snackie dinner, bed prep, and then off to sleep with the wee one!
I set my tent up for Kerry, who will be sleeping over tonight, after T's slumber took her, and upon laying in it to test it out received many wondrous zings of joy and excitement. Being in my tent, amid the lovely outside, with the fresh air and the critters and the lovely, lovely Earth SO close beneath me, drawing me into her warmth and grounding--Oh Goddess!!!! Uh! SOoooo amazing!!! So, tomorrow it's my turn with T to sleep in there, and every night after, I do believe!!!
Also, tomorrow we will view a place for the first time. We need to move for May 1st, and this place sounds super nice! Send us good thoughts for this one!!
And so ends an amazing and magical day for these and other reasons!
Tomorrow it's off to the ocean-side Stinging Nettle patch on Bicycle for Kerry, T and I!
Until then,
Lovely lullabyes to all!!
-Sarah Christina
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