Simple

For some time now I have been thinking of ways to make our life a bit simpler. In this day, everything is done right at this moment, and hardly do we ever just stop and look around.
I have taught my children that everything has to be done right at that moment. So now I am going to let go of some "control" and just let things happen a bit more naturally, and thus a bit more simply.


Yule is coming and I am going more towards hand making more of the gifts that will be placed under the yule tree.
I have been finding so much inspiration:
For an artist book for each of the children
Dolls for the girls
and doll clothes to go with them.
I am not saying that I will not buy them things from the stores, but I would love for them to have things that I make for them...not just junk.
I am also going to take a bunch of their drawings, and embroider them! What a lovely idea.
"I'm living so far beyond my income
that we may almost be said to be living apart."
- E. E. Cummings


I really do think that we can live a bit more simply, and not be some driven for the latest of everything! Money is tight, and with our pending move back to Washington state, we really need to save.
I also want to teach my children that to slow down, and just enjoy the day means that you will get more out of life.

"Be content with what you have, rejoice in the way things are. When you realize there is nothing lacking, the whole world belongs to you." – Lao Tzu

Irish poem about Autumn from The Guesting of Aithirne

A good tranquil season is autumn,
there is occupation then for everyone
throughout the very short days.


Dappled fawns from the sides of the hinds,
the red stalks of the bracken shelter them;
stags run from the mounds
at the belling of the deer herd.


Sweet acorns in the high woods,
corn-stalks about cornfields
over the expanse of the brown earth.


Prickly thorn bushes of the bramble
by the midst of the ruined court;
the hard ground is covered with heavy fruit.
Hazelnuts of good crop fall
from the huge old trees of mounds.



R[aithe] fō foiss fogomur
feidm and [for cech] ōenduine
la tóeb na llā lāngarit.
Lóig brecca [a broin]d osseilt
Dītnit rūadgaiss raithnigi.
Ret[h]it daim a dumachaib
[f]ri dorddān na damgaire.
Derccain suba a ssithchailtib
Slatta etha imm ithgurtu
Ós īath domuin duind.
Draigin drissi delgnacha
fri tóeb in lāir leithlessi,
lān do mess trom tairnith[ ].
Tuittit cnōi cuill cāinmessa
do robilib rāth.


(Original early Middle Irish edited by Kuno Meyer, English translation by Kenneth Jackson)

Skinned knees and other things

I just had to clean up a boo-boo, Bella fell over some rocks and skinned her knee while playing with some kids outside. She gets hurt like I did as a child...almost daily! I hate to tell her she will most likely be the same way as an adult, like me!I wish that I could protect her from these hurts, but I know that is not possible. She must get these little hurts so she can grow up, and become a stronger person.
My Parents shielded my oldest sister while she was growing up, protecting her from life, and now she is now in her mid 40's and lives with me. She does not work, she has no social life, and she just exists. I do not want that for my children, I know that at times I should be harder on them, and maybe demand more from them, but I also know that they understand there is more in life that requires them to work, and to have dreams, and that those dreams take more than wishing.
We are working towards our goal of moving to Tacoma, I know that it will not be easy, but I am so excited!
I am sewing again, right now I am making purses...I want to work on my advanced projects, but I also want to take it slow.
The school year is going better than ever! The girls are finally getting the reading down, and they are so amazed! Math comes easy for Chloe, Bella would rather do ANY thing else! Evan loves geometry...that he gets from his father. He is also writting comic books, and a novel! He also now says that he is a socialist..hmm Aidan was reborn in Evan!
I also am going to have to deal with the pain in Tacoma...there was a lot of it there. I know that going back also means dealing with things that I ran from four years ago. But I have to deal with it now for me to move on with my life. I have felt in limbo the past four years. The time is now.