Thrifted

 Some fab books. Upwords. Blank family tree book. A bag filled with misc. hooks and fasteners. Ice cream socks. $7.25.

A Maine vintage board game, chemistry set, a huge gorgeous tablecloth, how to draw flowers.  $10.00.

Another day , another year.

Birthdays.  As a kid, an eagerly anticipated event. Counting down the days, planning the celebration, telling everyone you see that it's coming up.  As a "grown-up", my own birthday not at all resembles those childhood milestone birthdays.  For some reason, I have a bad habit of seeing these important dates coming up and immediately going to the place of feeling inadequate.  I start mentally listing all the things I have meant to have done or mean to be doing and just haven't. It's unfortunate, truly, that those negative thoughts just sneak in there before I even know it.  And then they just cycle around in my brain before I even realize what I'm thinking. Then my thoughts are monopolized with criticisms.  I need to realize sooner than later that I have the power to stop those encroaching thoughts. I have the power to choose joy.  I have blessings abound and that's the lens I want to and need to use to look at my life.  Much of my birthday was the same old everyday type of thing (right down to the same gifts my kids regularly make to give me, lol)...but my life through that perspective contains such beauty and immeasurable joy.  I'm so thankful for this blog, as life through my camera lens and sorting out my thoughts with words keeps me marching forward with love, joy and peace in my heart. The glass is half full.

My 'Mini Me'

My little begged for "one more" is my mini-me. 

 Not only does she look a wee bit like me, but her interests line up precisely.

Babies-Books-Babies.

Repeat.

Six and a HALF, Audra Grace

In case you missed it:
Six ,Five, 4 1/2,  Here's 4 , 3 1/2, 3 years, 2 1/2 years, 2 years 18 months,  12 months,  9 months?  6 months?  3 months?  Just being born )

 Six and a HALF, Audra Grace!

How shall I attempt to put all you are into a short narrative?  Because you are much, much, MUCH bigger in personality than can fit into this space. You are either keeping us in stitches or challenging every ounce of our patience and there is no in between!  You keep us on our toes. You think fast, move fast. By the time we've caught up with you, you've moved on to the next.

Unless...there are three things that you will always slow down and focus on.

1) Books. How you love to be read to. You can go from 100mph to snuggled up and peacefully anticipating what will happen next. You prefer to have an audio book blaring at you throughout your entire day, especially in the car. Your vocabulary is exquisite. I love when you tell me to make haste or you prefer the dainty variety or whatever else random you say.

2) Animals. You are the animal whisperer.  You pretty much don't play with toys, you play with your animals. You create these elaborate schemes and set up these bedrooms, living rooms and castles for them. You snuggle them, talk to them, soothe them, feed them, brush them, take care of them.  All of them.  In a single day, it wouldn't be unusual for you to spend your free time shifting between the dogs, cats, guinea pigs, chickens and goats. 

3) Art. You, my girl, are quite the artist. You love to draw. And most giving to boot. The old mail messenger bag that I made years ago is constantly stuffed with your creations you will readily give out to whoever. You tape pictures and notes in random places. You slip them in pockets. You made ~30 miniature hand drawn ornaments just last week and they are now hung from every doorknob, light switch and handle in the kitchen. They are everywhere. But...does your art stop with pencil and paper? Goodness. NO.  Our whole house is decorated with crocheted chains. You paint on wood scraps and hoist them up here and there. You have this fabric scrap blanket that you are hand stitching and it's getting quite big. You love to find holes to mend. You like embroidery. And knot tying.  We find baling twine knotted creations everywhere. You also have quite the knack for cooking. And you're really taking to learning the art of music. 

A couple years back, I never thought I'd be able to say that you are a good sleeper, but you are, indeed!  You sing yourself to sleep and then rise with the sun. Throughout the day, you are alone pretty much never. You love to have company and to talk. You make friends wherever we go.  We joke that you will live in the city someday and be thriving with the hustle and bustle. You'll probably have lost your shoes, lost your money and lost your keys, but you'll find someone to buy you lunch!

Audra Grace, you have more spunk and energy than anyone I know.  I'm so thankful my days include you. 

Love, Mama

Her gifts:

 Which she is already mass producing potholders.

Thrifted

 Next to nothing books. I can't remember what I paid, it was a library sale and a quick swing into an old bookstore.  Just some of my hardcover treasures.

And below, Columbia coat for my husband, two pairs of brand new pajamas w/ tags for me, two pairs of jeans the next size up for Adrian (doesn't even look worn), vintage fancy gloves for Audra, camo gloves for Adrian, a wooden ruler (I tend to collect these when I see them) and a one cup vintage metal measuring cup...the same my Grandma Russell used to store in her flour bin.  $5.00 exactly, I kid you not.

Magic

Our family spent New Year's Eve doing something very unique this year.  4-Hers in our club learned magic tricks and we together became traveling magicians.  Residents from five different nursing homes enjoyed our show. Our biggest crowd had 42 residents watching! The kids were AMAZING. They weren't shy, projected their voice well, involved the audience and were so entertaining! They worked hard and had such endurance for all of the shows.  The residents enjoyed the show immensely. We had enough wands for all the residents to have a wand and wave their 'abracadabra' magic words to help the kids with the tricks. The whole thing was fun for all.  I couldn't be prouder of all of our 4-Hers.

For me!

If you've been 'round these parts long enough, you know that we do not have too much technology in our life. We don't have a TV hooked up to anything, no video games, I don't have a cell phone and we don't own tablets. Our kids are being raised mostly media free. (I do have a computer and my husband has a cell phone).  Instead, I'm a big time book lover and our kids follow suit. My husband is not as much of a book lover, but tolerates my book piles without comment. It was no secret that I had wished for a floor to ceiling library.  Well, he recruited his cousin and look what they built!  Adrian also helped with it. I love it more than anything, especially because it was something they all did especially for me. It's nice to have a place that holds some of my books (Hi, I'm Jackie and I don't have a problem with books, one can never have too many!) Oh, and if you are looking for something to read...I may have something you haven't yet read.