Living in Mandy Land

Odd Dreams and Car Trips

2011-03-05T08:25:00.006-05:00

I woke up at four this morning from a dream with a fully written post in my head. It was the strangest feeling. I've been sick in bed for a few days with various ailments,(I'm on the mend now!) and I imagine my brain just got bored and decided to do some writing all on its own. If it comes out nonsensical I'm going to blame it on feverish delusions...

I have had the good fortune of having grown up in gorgeous New England. Both of my parents really made an effort to get us out to the prettiest spots for camping and visiting. When I was really young we used to travel along the Kancamagus Highway I don't recall whether we would camp or not, as I was four or so, but the scenery is lodged in my memory.

Living in a rural area means driving a lot. We spent a lot of time together in the car so naturally this is where all important discussions took place. Now that I am a parent I see that it really is a pretty great parenting technique to load the kids in the car and just drive. This is an easy way a parent can figure what music a child is interested in, or introduce them to new types music. This is how I discovered the weekend programming on NPR. My favorites, I've been listening to my whole life. Prairie Home Companion,Selected Shorts or Cartalk. (the latter probably responsible for my love of cars)

Of course it's easy to listen to music, radio or talk with your kids at home, but its harder to carve out time specifically for doing these things with out distraction. In the car there is the feeling of doing something as you are driving somewhere...but you are together in a vacuum of sorts. Also, there is the nice feature of not having to make eye contact. This was especially important to me in my tween and teenage years as I was super sensitive and easily embarrassed!This was were all of our heart to heart talks happened.

We drove all over the place. My Dad took me camping at the Bay of Naples and we often went to Sebago Lake State Park. (which has now succumbed to a terrible amount of erosion from watercraft) My mother and stepfather took us all hiking and camping in Gulf Hagus at the Katadin Iron Works. My step father took me ice fishing in Northern Maine. I spent A LOT of time at the beach in the summers.

When I was about ten (I think) we took the last trip as a family of five with my mum, stepfather ,myself and my two teenage sisters. It was a challenging trip as we all were cramped into a small Jeep Cherokee for the duration of around 2000 miles. Overnights were in tents at campgrounds rain or shine. We drove from Maine to Montana (I think for the month of August)stopping at National Parks like Yellowstone and Glacier.

It was an amazingly beautiful trip. I remember being intensely affected by the changes in landscape and grandeur of the mountains. I think that by choosing vacations that were based in experiencing natural beauty, my parents gave us kids the early ability to appreciate the world outside ourselves. To realize that we were part of something bigger then the day to day worries that everyone experiences. To this day looking at the ocean waves, or a mountain range is a wonderful reality check for me. My parents gave us the gift of perspective with these trips.

In the course of the following year my mother and stepfather divorced, we lost Megan to a car wreck and my sister Nikki went to college. I will always be thankful for that time we spent together on that trip before everything changed. That trip gave us unedited, uninterrupted time together that I will never forget.

Traveling still continued after that, though it mostly consisted of trips down to Maryland to see Nikki in College. We mostly drove but once I took the train down by myself. That time I got to sit in on one of Nik's classes discussing Robert Frosts "Birches" I felt so cool.
Most of the remaining trips of my youth were solo, with friends or by airplane, usually to visit my or my husbands (then boyfriend) family.

Today's rushed and distracted style of traveling just doesn't seem to have the same depth of purpose as what I remember as a child. I want to really try avoiding that type of travel when possible.

We bought a pop up camper from some friends last fall ( she needs some work!) and I can not wait to get it up and running for the bluegrass and folk festivals in New England this summer. The kids aren't old enough for big hiking trips, but I think we could hit up some local campgrounds to get started. I want to give my kids the gift of perspective my parents gave me in experiencing natural landscapes. Most importantly the connections and open communications formed when spending uninterrupted time with family.

Living with Gratitude

2010-11-20T12:45:00.008-05:00

Today I am filled with feelings of gratitude. I don't know when I have ever had such a wonderful birthday. It seems like it has lasted a week starting with my sister, my brother in law and niece staying with us for a few days. They gave me a beautiful handmade silver ring as a gift that is embossed with the pattern of a leaf and adorned with three rivets. My sister is wearing one as well and she calls them "sister rings". I like that it has three rivets which I like to think represent we three sisters. Having them stay with us made my house feel full-vibrant and complete. Now that they have returned home I only want to hold onto that feeling as long as I can.

While they were here we attended my cousins shower for her second baby, and again I was filled with the feeling of belonging and completeness. There is something about being with people who share my DNA, who have known me my whole life...I see myself reflected in them and understand myself a little better for it. The shower was a sacred blessed event, not like any shower I've attended before, and I really feel closer to my family for having shared the experience with them. (Many blessing on the upcoming birth of your little baby girl cousin, Jen !!)

I spent my actual birthDAY getting my house decorated and tidied for the party. My kids were with me all day, and there were countless sweet moments were each would sing happy birthday and bestow a kiss. It was a mellow cozy day, and I spent a lot of it preparing the house for the party. I love to decorate and organize things so I really enjoyed myself. I also got periodic phone calls and drop ins from friends and family with birthday wishes, and that really made me feel special. Especially since this week I've been thinking a lot about the people who are no longer a part of my life to share these special days with me. Being so supported this week ( and everyday) by the people who make the effort to be a part of my life made grieving those I've lost a little less painful.

The kids were to spend the night at their Pappy and Babus house so we dropped them off there at dinner time. (they were so excited to sleepover!) We got them settled in and headed into town to pick up supplies, which we promptly left half of behind at the market in our haste! Jess had to go back just before the party started to retrieve the bag. :)

I had put candles and strings of white lights everywhere so it created an intimate feel to the space. Less folks attended then we anticipated, but it turned out to be the perfect amount. I got to have really great conversations that I will remember for a long time with the best of people.

Most of the folks who were there I have known at least half my life, and it was great to have them there. My friend Jessica Jo brought a letter I had written her when we were 14 that her mother had recently found. It was like opening a time capsule! After reading it I was struck by how much gentler my world view has become in the 15 years that have passed, though so much has happened in my life since that could of instead embittered me. I am so relieved that the challenges I've faced have taught me to live compassionately instead of fiercely.

Many conversations seemed to revolve around the passing of years and the sense of community that sharing that time creates. After most guests had left, the night drew to a close with Jess and I standing around with four very good friends, just laughing. Hardly anything was said that we didn't laugh about. The party wasn't the type of "rager" it would have been in the past, but I really wouldn't have wanted it any other way.

Tomorrow I am looking forward to another celebration dedicated to spending with just family. My mother will of course be there, and with this birthday I have now been her daughter for a half of her life, as she was twenty nine when I was born. I am thankful that being born as her daughter I have inherited her love of exploring spirituality. And I am thankful to have been sooo fortunate to marry into a family I adore and who constantly strives to walk that same path of seeking higher truths.
My expectations for the day are only that I spend it together with some of the people I love most. Thank you to everyone who has had a part in making turning 29 the best birthday I've ever had.

I am filled with feelings of gratitude.

Define Success

2010-08-05T14:07:00.005-04:00

Violet and Forest, 2008 *

I have found some really great mama blogs lately and I have really been enjoying them. Some of them portray super moms who seem to constantly be achieving successes on the homefront or in their careers or hobbies. But the ones I really love the most are the ones which seem relatable and honest. Here's a quote I really identified with from a blog I've been following , SmallThings: "If I am talking about canning homemade jam and sewing dresses here, you can bet my bathrooms are dirty, and my laundry isn't folded. "

I liked these simple words because I find a lot of parenting blogs tend to only highlight the successes in their parenting life without recording the challenges its taken to get them there. I think moms ( and people in general) are really hard on themselves and tend to compare themselves to examples that aren't complete. When I was struggling with a twenty month old and a newborn I felt like all the other parents I knew made it look easy. They seemed to have everything under control and to be completely at ease with parenting. I wondered why I seemed to be having such a hard time compared to my peers...

And then one day a while back, my cousin asked me, " How do you do it!? Two kids in diapers and you've got makeup on and your house is clean?!!" I could not believe she thought I was the one who had it all together when a lot of days I felt like a train wreck! But she didn't see the side of me that was struggling. All she saw is two happy kids and a mama who doesn't leave the house without mascara.**

That's when I realized that comparing myself to others is ridiculous. There is no way to tell how successful a person is or feels by watching from the outside. I know the old saying, "appearances can be deceiving", but I'm guessing being sleep deprived and hormonal interfered with my logic at the time.

What I have been thinking on lately is avoiding making sweeping judgements about myself or parenting at all. With my first baby I had a lot of ideas about the "right way" to parent and that involved some judgment of others. After having raised a second child the same way, and realizing that he needed a completely different approach, I know that there is no right way, It all depends on who you are and who they are. It all is completely individual. So it makes absolutely no sense to compare myself to others whether it is negative or positive.

So I like it when I read about or talk to other people who are open about their struggles. It feels so nice to be able to relate to someone while knowing we all have our own individual challenges and success. It also makes me feel more compassionate overall to realize we are all just doing the best we can.

* adjustment period!
** masacara is my "power suit" if I have it on, I feel ready to face anything. If I don't have it on, I feel out of sorts. Doesn't need to be reapplied or accompanied by any other makeup. Just gotta walk out the door with it on.

Some pretty things I've found Thrifting

2010-08-02T14:46:00.003-04:00

Ladybug Beetle Larvae Metamorphosis

2010-07-27T16:00:00.000-04:00

Sesame Street - The Ladybugs' Picnic

2010-07-27T15:46:00.000-04:00

Lady Bug Project

2010-07-27T15:45:00.005-04:00

We have been having fun with metamorphosis this summer and the focus today was ladybugs! Who knew they were so complex?

*First we read the book we borrowed from the library the aptly named "Lady bugs" by Mia Posada

*Then we did a lady bug metamorphosis flow chart:Eggs,larva,molt,larva,molt,pupa,ladybug!

( coulda prepped that one a little better, the kids were a little bored while I cut out the shapes for them to glue)

*Made lady bug pins

*Went outside to find lady bugs (1 alive, 2 with ended lifespans)

*found a leaf that the eggs would of hatched on, a stone the pupa would attached itself to

*And made lady bug puppets with felt, my amateur sewing skills,and sticks. This was definitely the crowd pleaser!

Put it all together than found a couple of great you tube videos to watch when they got up after nap :)

It was a fun project and the kids really loved it, and best of all, we ALL thought it was interesting!

I am going to ask Jess to learn the lady bug song on the guitar :)

We are enough

2010-07-26T15:01:00.006-04:00

Something has shifted for me in the past couple of months where I've realized that I don't want to always rush out to be part of the world outside. I had this idea of parenting and success that involved a lot of playdates, story hrs at the library with a billion kids, and organized classes like gymnastics, earning as much money as possible...we were doing it all and we were all completely over scheduled. My people are 2 and 4! They don't need to be worn out from all that business.

It was all stressful and anxiety provoking. My little people are so socialized naturally that that piece is not a problem for us. We are blessed to be part of a great community of people. So we have been spending a lot more time at home doing home like things together like weeding the garden, organizing our space, doing projects, using embroidery hoops, playing with water, hanging on the hammock, making iced mint tea and drinking gallons of it laughing with each other...

I have been embracing being at home in a whole different way. Now, this doesn't mean that I have completely stopped practicing Massage and Polarity,I am still working. I just shifted the amount of time and expectations I want to put into it. I can work full time later when my children are older, however, I can not enjoy their toddler years later. That is happening NOW.

And this also doesn't mean we aren't meeting with friends or getting out of the house. We are just ditching the stress.We are being less scheduled, more spontaneous. We are being more forgiving of ourselves.We go to the library when its a little more mellow. We limit playdates. We hang about and read to each other. I am learning to let go of what people want us to do or be a part of. I have given myself permission not to be available to everyone all the time. I have chosen to live a more present and conscious life.
I think its taking some sacrifices to make it happen. Working less means spending less. Also I have been working really hard to let go of the guilt. I feel a lot of pressure as to what I "should" be doing. I am part of an empowered generation that has the choice to work and/ or stay home. ( I understand, of course, that for some there is no choice.) But its a double edged sword. Work too much and I am not able to manage my home life and connect with my people. Work too little and it feels like I should be contributing more monetarily.

But you know what I have decided?

F that noise.

American culture is one that constantly wants more, works more, spends more, consumes more, needs more. I am sick to death of being part of that viscous cycle. We are turning into a nation who doesn't know how to be content with what we have. A nation who doesn't know how to experience being grateful.
And it is hard to stick to a budget in a culture like this. We are raised to equate happiness with material objects. I don't believe in that at all, yet I still find myself dreaming of a new car or an expensive vacation. "I will be happy when I have...." The problem with that kind of thinking is that there is always something else to want. So how could a person ever be happy?

I have found that I feel so much more connected to my kids, my husband and myself now that I am learning to let go of the status quo. I am pareing down the budget. We are being mindful of what we bring into our house. We are buying used and repairing what we have. We are making our own laundry soap for goodness sake! We are not focusing on what we don't have. We aren't focusing on what we should be. We are focusing on who we are and what we have. And you know what? By living consciously, it turns out we have EXTRA. I am am learning that I am enough, no matter what. And I will teach my children to know that about themselves. We are all enough!

The hunt for the Heart of the Home

2010-07-15T13:45:00.007-04:00

I have been looking for a new (to me) table since we moved two years ago. My beloved 1950's dinette set that worked so well in my old apartment just doesn't jive with the vibe of this house. It was the heart of our home and I hadn't found anything that even came close to filling its role.

You can see a corner of it in this pic of Vi

I had a very specific idea about what I wanted for this house:
* roundish.
* wooden.
* Inexpensive.
* Extends to fit a minimum of ten people.
* Sturdy enough to handle an rambunctious two year old and an avid 4yr old artist.
* Comfortable, durable chairs.
* Easy to clean surface that doesn't get that gross stickiness.

Soooo once I got really specific about what I wanted and put it out officially to the universe ( I am telling you, affirmations work!) We found it half a week later. and its perfect. My very favorite part about it is that it has a story!

My husband has lived in this town since he was 6 months old. His family knows everyone, and everyone knows them. A neighbor down the street used to babysit him as a young boy, and this table is the one he sat at while he spent time there. He actually remembers being taught to play "go fish" at this table!

The kind woman who owned this table passed away recently and the family had an estate sale that I am sure was very difficult for them. This table was for sale there and we scooped it right up. It met all of our requirements. And in being in a town where everyone knows everyone, I received an email from the woman's grand daughter whom I went to high school with. She wrote that she was so happy that "Grammies" table was going to a nearby and loving home. It brought tears to my eyes!

And on her birthday, I taught Violet to play go fish at our new table, and I look forward to gathering my family around it for years to come.

The 4th and Four

2010-07-06T18:27:00.008-04:00

Pin the Star on the Flag

The kids decorated their cupcakes

Blowing out the candles

Me explaining the embroidery hoop we got her

First Embroidery Project!

My daughter turned Four this July 4th and it feels like she is so big! The night before her birthday I was telling her the story of my labor and her birth at our home. I told her how I would put my hands on my belly and think about the type of child I hoped to have. Looking at her now, a great big 4 yr old, I see a girl who is kind and creative. Funny and silly and a great singer/dancer. I see the daughter who is exactly the type of person who I think will create change in the world just by being the light and bright compassionate being that she is. She is a girl who knows the power of the words she speaks, and often times already knows to think before she uses them.
I couldn't ask for a better daughter, or friend.
Happy Birthday, Big girl!

Violet Ray Greer 7lbs14oz 21 inches long born 11:56am July 4th 2006

Inspirations, Madisyn Taylor

2010-07-06T13:59:00.004-04:00

I was reading Madisyn Taylor's book, Daily Om, and I came across this excerpt that I wanted to share.
From the chapter, Seasons of Beauty:
"Our early years tend to be about learning and experiencing as much as we possibly can. We move through the world like sponges, absorbing the ideas of other people an our surroundings. Like a tree in spring, we are waking up to the universe. In this youthful phase of life, our physical strength, freshness,and beauty help open doors and attract attention."

What a gorgeous and lovely way to describe the first part of life! I looked at my children after reading this and thought what amazing potential is growing in them, they are at the time in their lives where everything and anything is possible. What an amazing time to guide them through!

Louis Armstrong & Ella Fitzgerald - Cheek to Cheek (Heaven)

2010-07-06T13:57:00.000-04:00

5 years later

2010-07-06T13:35:00.004-04:00

Our wedding day, June 25th, 2005

5yrs later, June 25th, 2010

I have been blessed in enormous ways in my life. Most of all to be married to my best friend and soul mate. We spent our 5 yr wedding anniversary at the wedding of our Best Man, and almost all of the guests who attended our ceremony were there!

After all the speeches and first dance, cake cutting and the like, Jess surprised me by taking up the microphone. There, in front of friends family and other guests, he spoke about how lucky we were to be so happy after 5 yrs of marriage, how blessed we were to be best friends. How wonderful it was to be raising a family together. He said all the things I felt in my heart and ended the speech with saying, "I love you,I love you, I love you."
Then he cued the music, " cheek to cheek" and we danced in the middle of the whole wedding reception! It was an amazing and thoughtful gift, and I am a lucky girl indeed. I am looking forward to spending the rest of my life with the man who will always have my heart.

hats and a great party

2010-07-06T13:08:00.005-04:00

Mandy showcasing the hat I made for her!

Mandy and Mandy- and here's how my hair came out

Some of the most rockin ladies I know!

So I did not bring my camera to the wedding*, but a friend gave me these pictures to share with you. There were a lot of folks who made great efforts with their hats and really everyone was dressed to the nines! What a pleasure to spend time with so many of my favorite people, all in one place! The funny thing is that you can't even see my hat in any of the pics because its pinned behind my victory rolls! Also, a lot of hats were taken off by the time these pic's were taken! Anyway, great time, good people and it was fun to get dressed up!!

Oh wait I did get one good** pic of a hat....

* No pics of the actual wedding, cause it ain't my place! :)
** back off ladies, he's taken!

KINO PROBY!!!

2010-06-24T08:19:00.003-04:00

Come on down and kick it old school with the handsome gents of Kino Proby next Thursday night! It's a great, fun energy show you won't easily forget...be there or be square, my friends!!

Kino Proby - Empire D&D - 7.1.10 - "Sweat rock and American Beer"
Thursday, July 1, 2010 at 9:30pm
End Time:
Friday, July 2, 2010 at 1:00am
Location:
Empire Dine & Dance - Portland, ME

Hat's Made...

2010-06-22T18:09:00.004-04:00

Oh man, I love a project with a purpose. I used to be a able to create artwork all the time just because I had the inclination. Of course that changes a bit once a person has two little toddlers bouncing around trying to eat beads and paint! And for a little while I grieved that loss of spontaneous creation....but now I have come to realize that the time I do spend creating is all the more precious, and what I create has much more value to me. And so, usually it has to be a project with a purpose for me to budget the time to do it.
So during the kids nap time today I made a hairpieces/hats for the wedding on Friday. I plan on making a few more in the future as it was a completely lovely project. I used feathers, felt, brooches, fabric flowers, pearl accents, wire, needle, thread, booby pins and of course a glue gun! Here's how they came out:

While I was chatting with my talented and creative sister earlier today, she reminded me of a blog I forgot about called Soule Mama. It is the blog of Amanda Blake Soule, it's beautifully written and full of gorgeous photographs. I find it incredibly inspiring. Upon revisiting the blog I ordered her two books that I had intended on aquiring the last time I read her -"The Creative Family: How to Encourage Imagination and Nurture Family Connections" and Handmade Home: Simple Ways to Repurpose Old Materials into New Family Treasures" I am really excited about them!!

Also, looking at her blog reminded me that its high time I take some sewing lessons. I've got an old sears kenmore machine I've made a few things on, mostly curtains and a couple dresses for my little girl...but since I can barely rethread the thing its definitely time to get some professional help! Also, I saw an ad for this book featured in Bust magazine and I really want to try it out! So sewing lessons it is.

I am really getting excited to see what people wear for hats on friday and I still plan on keeping you posted. I hope to see some folks sporting homemade chapeau's ( at least one of mine, anyway!)!

Loving Hats

2010-06-18T19:21:00.009-04:00

I am attending a wedding this coming friday, and the invitation has encouraged hats for the ladies. I LOVE this. Of course I have the perfect hat already, the only dressy one I own in fact. It looks to be of 1940's vintage. It was given to me by my mother, who has many such things, being an antiques and flea market enthusiast. I just adore having a reason to wear it! I plan on styling my look entirely around the hat, with victory rolls, retro black eyeliner and pearls.

A couple of gals have asked my opinion on what kind of hat they should wear, and I've suggested they make simple hair adornments from flowers and feathers. I decided to try and find some ideas (gotta love google) to help design the pieces and I came across two websites I just had to share...
I adore this one: www.villagehatshop.com
I love the amazing and creative designs showcased on the site. Also it had this great quote that was right up my alley: "Have nothing in your house that you don't know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful." William Morris.
I am not sure what that quote has to do with hats, but I love it anyway.

This other site is more of a really? This is a real thing? kind of link:

www.hatsofmeat.com

I doubt there will be any hats of meat at the wedding...but I will post any hat pics I take.

Here's Mine:

( The label reads "New York/ Paris/ Mr.John/ Caprice")

The hat is meant to be worn feathers forward, but I prefer the velvet bow to be in the front, so that's how I'll wear it, cocked slightly left to make room for the rolls. I'll let you know how it all turns out!

Bloggerish

2010-06-16T15:32:00.003-04:00

I am starting to suspect that I am not much of a blogger...I am more of a blog enthusiast...all of my favorite blogs post a few times a week, even if its just a random photo now and then. I have lots of idea's to post, but posting seems to be somewhat low on my priority list. But when I do get to it, it's a fun way to reach out to people or just get my thoughts onto the page.
So, folks, you can expect more of the same from me, sporadic bouts of posting in no particular order, with no particular theme, based on my varied and changing interests. Hopefully it'll be fun for you, too!

Yahd Salin'

2010-05-28T12:58:00.004-04:00

As is a time honored tradition for many Mainers, I will be going yard saleing bright and early tomorrow morning. I have been looking forward to it for weeks and even have a list of items I hope to find for a bargain. ( we already know I am a thrifty gal) what I am curious about is whether memorial weekend is synonymous with yard saleing for the rest of the country, or is it just a Maine or New England thing?
In fact, with the help of my in-laws I've already scored this Thomas the train table for $30!!! Talked him down from $40 via cell phone, boo-yah!! And its only friday!

( this was a sneak attack photo as y0u can probably tell by Vi's expression)

And also of course, on Monday I will be participating in the real meaning of the holiday and taking time to remember all those who have passed and served before us, loving them and toasting their memories!

Here's to a great weekend everybody, cheers!!!

May 12th 1981 and May 12th 2008

2010-05-12T13:56:00.003-04:00

Happy Birthday Jess and Forest you share the day well.

xoxo

Pimp my ride

2010-05-09T09:27:00.004-04:00

My husband brought a lovely bicycle home a couple weeks ago. It needed a lot of work, new tubes, gear cable rust removal...

But he finished it, with the kids help, for Mother's Day! It's got a nice big basket
( filled with lilacs), and he even added a bell! It's a sweet ride and finally I have a bike that fits me! I love it. It is exactly what I wanted, but that is not what makes it special. It's the time and thought put into the gift, and the fact that it will enable us to spend more time together as a family biking around town. I couldn't ask for a better family this Mother's Day.

Happy Mother's Day.

2010-05-02T19:51:00.000-04:00

The baby years

2010-05-02T18:33:00.007-04:00

My sons 2nd birthday is in 10 days and suddenly it seems like my children are growing up so fast. He is officially done teething and has started potty training. My daughter picks out her own clothes and can dress her self. She asks me questions about metamorphosis. He asks us to play trucks with him and tells us when he's hungry.These milestones are wonderful and amazing, I am so proud of them. They are becoming more self sufficient. Everything suddenly feels manageable and easy.We have so much fun together.
So with this seemingly sudden freedom comes a strange feeling of space in my life. A space that I prayed I would make it to in the days that I had two kids under two years old in diapers. A space I prayed for when one I finally got Forest to sleep through the night and Violet was up teething. A space I knew was far off when we decided to have our children so close together. A space I have worked hard to get to.
So here I am. Violet is close to the end of her first year of preschool and Forest only has another year before he starts. I have been able begin building a successful Massage and Polarity Therapy Practice and I love my work. Everything is going along according to plan. (literally, I have a detailed plan) So why does it feel so strange?
I have an this constant and overwhelming awareness that time is passing. There has always been the small possibility that we would decide to have more kids, but mostly we've thought we were done. And honestly I don't think that has changed. But Forest's birthday seems to mark this as a certainty that feels so concrete, so absolute. We are moving on to the next chapter in our stories and perhaps it feels strange to move out of an era we have been so completely enveloped in. I can equate it to driving on a highway, focusing so hard on the map and suddenly looking up to find you've arrived.
The chaos of teething and diapers, baby food and sleep training is behind us. Our life has slowed down enough that I am able to appreciate our children in a new relaxed way and really enjoy this time with them. But as we move forward into this exciting new time we are leaving behind those toothless grins and fuzzy baby hair. We are leaving behind first words and steps and moving towards first soccer goals and sleepovers. We are moving forward while fondly looking back. We are moving away from the baby years and I can not believe that its going by so fast.

Secret Geek Super Power: Getting Organized

2010-04-06T15:34:00.007-04:00

So its been a busy 2010 so far. I have been working my butt off creating an office for and launching my Practice as a Massage Therapist. All the while working to maintain connections with my family and keeping up with friends. I've found that the only way to keep everything and everyone humming along is to get organized.
This is happy news for me. I LOVE organizing. I LOVE getting rid of stuff. And being a Free Bird I mean, I really love it. It may be my secret geek superpower.

Here's what I've been working on:

I made this little craft supply holder out of a blanket storage bag

My lovely sister in law gave me this for toy organization

Here's how the my new Massage and Polarity Therapy Office came out:

I absolutely love it! And remember, Full hour sessions for only $50 for the month of April!

I also have been working really hard in my kitchen, because I find that we eat better when I have a clean fridge and an organized pantry. I came across some of my old meal plans and cookbooks and its given me the kick in the arse I needed to get excited about cooking again.
Also I have discovered a new blog via facebook, and that has given me the inspiration to be organized in a new way with my finances. ( Oh, man, I Love designing a new budget!) check it out at: www.eventualmillionare.com
Also, I have a day planner and a calender, and you would think that would be enough, but we are a very visual family and needed something where we could all see what everyone was doing weekly.

So here's what I came up with:

All of this is helping me to purge alot of our uneeded stuff So I am planning my first ever YARD SALE! We usually donate everything to goodwill and will continue to do so in the future, but I am pretty excited about trying a little backyard bargaining! My goal is to make enough to tune the piano or buy something frivolous, which we are not in the habit of doing.
There is joy in opening up a closet and finding exactly what you need, or in knowing that everyone has time scheduled for themselves and also in that you only own what you truly need or want.
If you don't truly believe that organizing is my Secret Geek Super Power, than feast you eyes on this:

Who else would buy this! ( seriously great ideas in there )

Next on my organizing list is the attic!

Here's to finding joy in the simple things!
Cheers!

Jewelry and Thank You notes

2010-02-22T21:17:00.005-05:00

Remember this ? Well, I got a very sweet email from Megan Steer thanking me for posting about her work! It was a nice feeling to know that something small I am doing has affected another person in a positive way. I just checked out her etsy site again and it is all still amazing. I also discovered she has a blog as well, www.lurajewelry.blogspot.com

And can I just say, a thank you note is a wonderful and a simple thing. I make an effort to write many thank you notes whenever I can and I am teaching my children to do the same. I truly hope that this simple courtesy stays a tradition in an age of teens and (now children) texting and instant messaging. A thank you should match the gift given and a texted " Thanx" just doesn't cut it.

Here's to holding on to simpler ways :)

Dare I dream it

2010-02-14T11:06:00.013-05:00

I was standing under a canopy of gray branches in the kids "fairy garden" in my yard , and I was thinking that by my sons and husbands shared birthday of May 12th, there would be fluffy lilac blossoms and shiny green leaves adorning these limbs. And the first hopes of spring time entered into my mind.
This is usually a tricky time for Mainer's. It's typically dark, gray and TONS of snow, but somehow we've so far had a pretty mild intro to winter in 2010, and we've been really enjoying it. I really can't complain about minimal snow and 40+ degree days. It feels like the soft breezes and daffodils could arrive at any minute.
It seems like I should be knocking on wood, or keeping these thoughts to myself because it really could shift back into the dismal dirty huge snowbanks and gray skies we're all used to at any minute. But I can't help but look to the future spring and hope it will arrive within the six weeks the ground hog promised us.
Anyway, we have been enjoying weather, and the couple snow storms we have gotten. Here's some pics showing what we've been up to.

New Years Day Blizzard and trip to Kennebunk beach! And followed by a decadent breakfast at HP Provisions in Kennebunkport. Their version of Banana's Foster :Banana Bread Stuffed with Cream Cheese

Winter Picnic

When its 40 outside, its seventy on the sun porch!

How have you been keeping busy this winter?

Indie Gift show!

2010-02-06T11:59:00.004-05:00

Thanks to my super cool cuz, we are going to the first annual Cabin Fever Indie Gift show in boston this afternoon! I am excited! Thanks for telling us about it, Melissa! Post and pics to follow.

Check it out www.cabinfevershow.com

Vintage confidence

2010-02-04T10:11:00.009-05:00

The kids have been home with colds and we have had a lot of downtime, so I thought I'd try a look from the vintage fashionista blogger Candice Deville (www.superkawaiimama.com) I tend to lack her apparent comfort in posting pics of myself on my blog, so I enlisted my kids to help me out.
Actually, anytime I've posted pics of myself doing a "look" I always end up feeling like a total arse. Guess it's just not my thing. Or maybe its because this is rarely how I really look...? Rural maine doesn't really have a lot of call for up do's and heavy eyeliner.. But todays pics with the kids were fun to take and they are such cuties that I thought I'd post them anyway.

And this one is just to illustrate the super cool earrings I made in about 30 seconds from Walmart's craft section. Probably costs around $2.50 I am on a jewelry making kick and I am thinking of organizing a DIY jewelry party. Who's in?

Some sites to drool over

2010-01-19T15:00:00.009-05:00

I received a subscription to Bust Magazine for my birthday from my sister this past November. One of the magazines many lovely features is the thoughtfully chosen advertising in the back. Mostly small blocks with a little image and a website. Many of them are independent artists or Do it yourself-ers.
The pieces on these sites inspire me. They make me want to go back to art school. And take metal smithing classes! and fiber art! and....lots of other classes! I hope they inspire you the way they have me. Here's a two links* to my faves from the recent issue:

www.kristianaparn.com
www.lurajewelry.net

and here's two others that refuse to be directly linked:

www.manekicollection.com
www.bg2770design.com (portland,me!)

This is the GORGEOUS Smoke Wing Cicada Ring from Lura Jewelry by Megan Steer

* by "links" I mean real active links that connect you to actual sites! I have finally have figured it out! Good god that took me forever! ( it was as simple as needing to click "copy" instead of "cut". And to do it in the right order. Phew.)

A Kino Proby weekend : Part II

2010-01-11T13:58:00.004-05:00

Photos by Katryna

Adam Kurtz- guitar/vocals and Jarlath McGuckin- bass guitar/vocals

Jess Greer- drums/mandolin

Kino Proby finished out their weekend long cd release party saturday night at the All Asia. Each still donning their formal attire, the musicians hopped onto stage with the same boundless energy. The show was definitely a different vibe than the previous nights performance, lending itself to a more familial feel, with band and fans sharing a lot of laughs.

If you have ever been to a KP show at the All Asia, you know that the band is within arms length of the dance floor, and only a few inches above the crowd. At various times during the show the entire crowd was jumping up and down to the catchy tunes and during the slower ballad style pieces, fans just swayed in unison to Kurtz and McGuckins well sung melodies.

As always, Greer was the backbone of the band keeping his beats tight and strong, coming up front for only one song with his mandolin and giving the tune a latin feel. All in all, the band stayed true to their patented wild style, getting the crowd riled up and being chanted back on to stage after ending for a few encores. Finishing out the performance, they knocked over instruments while the guitars were feeding back with shrill notes, only to finally jump off stage into a chorus of cheers.
It was all over too soon, and I for one, am looking forward to the next show already.

A Kino Proby weekend : Part I

2010-01-09T08:01:00.008-05:00

Last nights performance kicked off the weekend long party celebrating the bands new release, " Kino Proby, Live at the Big Easy" The venue was Port City Music Hall (Portland, Me) and was a first for the band, also a completely kickass spot. The sound was amazing and the light show was fun and well synchronized to the music. As a matter of fact, the entire place was ultra cool in visual and auditory design.

The guys walked out on stage each wearing a tux and looking for all the world like a trio of dapper ninjas. It took a couple songs to get the crowd going but Adam Kurtz (vocals/guitar) has a way of warming up the fans into near frenzy, so exemplified by inviting fans who were wearing KP t's to dance on the stage.

The energy of the show was high as always and the guys all radiated "rock star" through out the first set. Somewhere in the next they brought it down with a few seated acoustic pieces with Jess Greer (drums) coming up front with his fantastic mandolin stylings. In this way the band creates an intimacy that has inspired an almost fanatical loyalty in their followers these last five or so years, and its only getting stronger with every annual show.

Jarlath McGuckin ( vocals/bass guitar) was in good form last night, home for a short respite from his work in Russia, where he's been living the last 4 yrs. His vocals were clear and sweet as always and his bass kept tight time with with Greer's booming drums. Jarlath and Adam kept true to their patented theatrics with off stage jumps, kneeling postures, ripping guitar solos and all out rock and roll personas.

I expect tonight's show will be bring an even higher energy as its at their old stomping grounds, "The All Asia" in Cambridge, Ma. There's barely a few inches of lift on the stage in this smaller venue and it always makes for a really interactive and wild show. So tonight I will rock out to their highly danceable tunes with the rest of their highly danceable fans, and I'll keep you posted*

Kino Proby pose for a quick photo in front of the Port City Music Hall last night after their show and before heading to one of their notorious after parties.

* and by "posted" I mean bumbling through piecing words together after an unaccustomed 3 hrs of sleep.

Kino Proby

2010-01-06T21:08:00.004-05:00

"Кино Пробы (Kino Proby) at Portland City Music Hall this Friday 1/8/10. $5adv/$8 at the door. Rock it Rock it Rock it. Be there. Get your Russian rock on with Victor 1, Victor 2, And Victor 3!! All in the states for this wild weekend!"

This Band Kino Proby is my husband Jess on drums and our friends Adam Kurtz on Guitar and vocals and Jarlath McGuckin on Bass guitar and vocals.

Check out their website at www.kinoproby.com

Also they were featured in the Portland Phoenix this week! " Portland's Best Band in the World"

Come support my people, they put on a hell of a show and it always a blast! And You know I'll be there!

A new dawn, a new day, a new life!

2010-01-02T20:51:00.005-05:00

When I completed my Massage and Polarity training the instructors asked all of the students to write them selves a letter of positive affirmations for the coming year which they would send to us in exactly a years time. I did, and when I received it in the mail a year later, everything I had written had come to fruition.

This is an empowering exercise that brings clarity and focus to the next year of your life.I encourage you to write yourself this letter, seal it in a dated envelope, and store it with your holiday decor not to be opened until the following year. Or staple it to back of the December page of your 2010 calender.

Some examples from my letter this year:

I Affirm I support my body through practicing Yoga twice a week.

I Affirm myself and my family live in abundant health.

I Affirm I am playful

I Affirm I am patient, kind, and compassionate with myself and others.

I Affirm I am taking a overnight trip to the New England Aquarium with my husband and children.

The key is to use "I am" as opposed to "I will", or "I'm trying". Be specific. If you write it with the intention that it is already happening, it is.

Cheers and Many Blessings to you in 2010!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

A delightful vegetarian recipe*

2010-01-02T20:00:00.008-05:00

I guess I've been thinking a lot about my past travels lately, because everything I'm cooking is inspired by something I've loved eating whilst away. Every trip I've ever taken is defined by the food I've eaten and shared. So here's one I came up with inspired by a Carribbean Restaurant in New Orleans**.

Carribbean inspired Stir fry

2 plantains sliced***
1 red pepper chopped
1 Tablespoon minced fresh ginger
1 clove minced garlic or more if you'd like
2 carrots, shredded
olive oil

1 to 1 1/2 cups Pineapple
1 can black beans
teaspoon of cinnamon
Kosher salt to taste

1 bunch cilantro, coarsely chopped
5 scallions thinly sliced

1 1/2 cups cooked rice

Plantains:

1.Preheat a large skillet with about a 1/4 inch of olive oil on med heat. When hot but not smoking add Plantain in a single layer
( you will probably need to do this in batches)

2. Fry until browned and then turn.

3. Use a slotted spoon to remove plantains and place on a plate. Top with another plate and squish plantains. Return to skillet. Fry until browned. Remove plantains and drain on paper towels or a clean dish cloth. Repeat until all plantains are fried. Set aside.

Stirfry:

1. Heat one table spoon (ish) of olive oil in a large skillet on med. heat. Add garlic, ginger and red pepper and saute 3 or so minutes.

2. Add Black beans, carrots, pineapple and cinnamon. Stir occasionally cook until heated through, 5-7 minutes .

3.Mix in plantains, cook 3- 5 min more.

4. Add salt to taste

5.Serve over rice, Garnish with cilantro and scallions

ENJOY!

* My little people even liked it

** googling " Carribbean Restaurant New Orleans, LA" came up with West Indies Cafe and I want to say that's the place I went. The descriptions of the wall painting sound right.

*** Cooking the plantains earlier in the day really makes for a quick preparation at dinner time.

"Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants."*

2009-12-30T21:20:00.003-05:00

So upon discussing doing the Veggie thing for a month, my husband replied, " We are going to be hungry!" But he agreed to do whatever I wanted...and I agreed we could eat a couple non red meat meals a week. So there it is.
In related news my brother in law Billy recommended Mark Bitmans cook book which in turn prompted me to check out his website www.howtocookeverything.tv and I hope to pick up his cook book, it looks simply divine!

*Billy also shared this comment from Michael Pollan

Merry Christmas....

2009-12-24T20:47:00.000-05:00

from our house to yours!

Success!

2009-12-22T17:27:00.002-05:00

Flexitarian

2009-12-21T13:08:00.005-05:00

So I have been a meat eater for a little over a year now and what a year its been! Easy meals, large steaks...restaurant flexibility!

But, alas, despite the culinary enjoyment, I am starting to doubt my carnivore life style. I started eating this way to alleviate some of the dizzy spells and anemia I was having. Mostly though, because my son Forest, who was a veracious nurser, was hard to keep up with.
It was also just too hard to cook a well balanced vegetarian meal with two babies in diapers( hence dizzys and anemia.) I think all we ate was pasta before I made the switch.

Anyway, I've noticed I don't feel as healthy as I should, and my usually fast metabolism has gotten soooo slow.... and I've gotten around ten extra pounds of weight to contend with.

My kids have gotten older, no longer nurse and I have more time now, ...so I am going to do a month of veg meals for myself and my family this January* and see if I feel any better.
I found a fabulous blog that has some great tasting and easy recipes.

I would love to try any vegetarian** recipes any of you want to share, and to post my results ( and my families reactions!) So drop me a line or feel free to leave recipes in the comments!

Thusly inspired,tonight I will be making this spicy thai coconut curry soup***:

* I have always been a lacto-ovo veg so that eggs and cheese are allowable ingredients
** it has to be after the holidays cause I plan to enjoy the pork roast me Mums making!
*** Will there ever be a Zen Palate in Maine?

THE MUSE!!!!!!

2009-12-20T13:27:00.004-05:00

Be still my heart,I f***ing love this band.

Oh Man I just found out these guys are playing in Boston this March and I HAVE to go see them. They seem influenced by some of my favorite music... perhaps a Radiohead /Jeff Buckley esque inspired sound? I love the complex layering they do, that comes off sounding simple...but then ends up as a gorgeous rich sea of melody...and I've heard that they are just fantastic live.
Did any of you see them on SNL last night? If you haven't heard them check them out on you tube. Better yet, Buy an album.
Or, car pool with me in March and watch me try not to pee my pants in excitement. Forgive me for my hysterical joy, but I've wanted to see these guys for ever! It's on my "to do in my life time" list. Check them out!

[Muse] Sing for Absolution

2009-12-20T13:26:00.001-05:00

New Years: resolved

2009-12-17T13:55:00.005-05:00

My husband and I just realized the other day that we've turned into a couple of squares.
How did this happen? Was it when we bought the station wagon? When we had kids? When we moved out of our apartment? When we started cutting our own hair?
I am not thinking that we should try to recapture the wild days of our early twenties or abandon the practical choices we've made to support our life together. We love our life. But New Year's is coming up and that means making resolutions. So I am resolving to stop being such a fuddy duddy* and be playful in life again. And I'd encourage anyone to do the same!

* the fact that I used the term "fuddy duddy" only further illustrates the problem.

Phoenix Rising

2009-12-10T13:44:00.005-05:00

I am working on a design to cover up parts of the two tattoos on my wrists. I am calling it phoenix rising.

I designed the bones of the tattoos in black. I based them on a Mandala of the four directions, representing the spiritual, the mind, being grounded and the creative. The overall idea is to be symbolic of finding balance in life.
I got them done at a local shop known to be reputable. The design was simple enough to trace onto my body, but some how the artist REALLY messed them up while tattooing. They were orignally delicate in design and completely symmetrical since I used a compass to draw them. I went home. The swelling went down. I was disappointed. I went back. The artist was fired.

The owner and senior tattoo artist felt awful and wanted to fix them for me. But some color would be needed to cover up the mistakes. So he embelished them with color and then went to town going outside of the lines with what he called "fractile images"ruining the whole symbolism for me. The point is, they are definitely not what I wanted. I do not like mixing cool colors and warm colors, as a matter of fact, I don't even LIKE bright colors. I am more of an subtle earth tone kind of gal.

So 7 yrs later I have found an artist I can trust and I am really excited!I am planning to darken the colors and cover what I don't like. There is no way to do this with out going bigger and it's taken a while to come up with something I KNOW I'll want on my body forever... especially since I don't typically go for big tattoos. But I think I've figured it out. Here's the preliminary piece.*

Also did I mention that the wrist is an extremely tender area? I only hope that having since given birth twice over with no drugs will have changed my idea of what's painful. I'll keep you updated on the progress. Wish me luck.

* These are NOT drawn with a compass and are just an unfinished rough idea of what I'll be doing
-Please respect that these design were created for me and are owned by me-

First Snow

2009-12-10T13:37:00.002-05:00

We have a hauntingly beautiful stand of Pines in our backyard that look amazing anytime of year and after this last Sundays snow storm they were so peaceful I felt like I was in another era.

Here she is!

2009-12-10T13:24:00.003-05:00

* Sorry for the delay in posts, my blog had and attack of cookies, which have mysteriously vanished *

She's moving in and She won't be leaving anytime soon

2009-11-30T08:57:00.007-05:00

So we have acquired our Piano. She will reside in our dining room and class up the joint. (HA!)

Of course she isn't actually in the house yet. Apparently it takes a large effort, wheeled dollies, strong backs and a sense of adventure to move a Piano. Professionals advise against it...But the quote for moving the instrument more than quadruples what we paid for it soooo...we're leaving it to the nonprofessionals and hoping for the best.

On Saturday night I went and saw my VERY talented brother-in-law READ MCNAMARA* playing with a band he's a part of, Erica Brown and the Bluegrass Connection. Seeing them smile at each other and radiate pure joy playing their instruments made me so thankful we've found our Piano.If I can give my children the opportunity to experience that kind of musical zen evident with those blue grassers ( who have all been playing something or other since they were very young) then I will be happy. And Jess take and I plan on taking Piano and singing lessons too! ( Which will be great for me since the drums didn't pan out :)
So anyway wish us luck!

*he's the handsome one playing the banjo with a huge smile on his face!He's been playing with Erica for about 6 yrs now. check them out on youtube or www.ericabrownonline.com

10 Tips for Toddlers...

2009-11-20T13:19:00.005-05:00

1.) Pushing your riding toy up to the stove to give you a step up to steal my spatula while I am frying latkes- Not a good idea.

2.) Just because you are using the words excuse me, (excuse me, excuse me exxxcuuuse meeeee mama mom mum Mandy! ) Does not not mean you are using your manners.

3.)Pushing a chair from the dining room to the kitchen pick up sharp knives from the dish rack- Not a good idea.

4.) A full blown, screeching, back arching tantrum is NOT a good color on you.

5.) I'm sorry you don't want to wear socks...but this is Maine. In November.

6.) Bathwater is NOT an acceptable beverage.

7.) Giving loves directly after wacking someone in the head with a toy does not fool your parents.

8.) The soap will NEVER taste good, no matter how many times you try it.

9.) As much as Naked Time is a blast, it doesn't mean it should happen during playdates.

!0.) Coming down the stairs with a big smile and a "I taked a good nap" would be more convincing if you waited longer than five minutes.

This photo is from last spring :)

The Scorpio

2009-11-19T14:53:00.002-05:00

In the tradition of my most favorite bloggers*, and in honor of all you fellow Scorpios, here's a drink to try:

The Scorpio***

3 oz sloe gin
3 oz ginger ale
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1/4 tsp grated peel fresh ginger
Ice cubes
2 lemon-peel twists for serving

MIX sloe gin, ginger ale,lemon juice, ginger and ice in a cocktail shaker. Strain into 2 ice filled glasses. SERVE each with a lemon-peel twist.

Enjoy!

* click on the links on the right side of this page to check out some great blogs!
** I have not been a fan of Gin in the past, but I am intrigued by this fruit infused sloe gin. Also I was charmed by the rest of the ingredients and a sucker for anything named SCORPIO. I'll get back to you with the results.

*** This drink is featured in Martha Stewart Living November issue

Saturn Returns

2009-11-19T14:38:00.002-05:00

So today is my 28th birthday and its a big one. I've read that every cell in your body has been replaced every seven years, so I have that going for me. Also, many say it is the year Saturn Returns. Wikipedia* explains this as:

"The Saturn Return is an astrological phenomenon that occurs at the ages of 27-30, 58-60, and finally from 86-88, coinciding with the time it takes the planet Saturn to make one orbit around the sun. It is believed by astrologers that as Saturn "returns" to the degree in which it occupied at the time of birth—approximately every 29.5 years—a person crosses over a major threshold and into the next stage of life. With the first Saturn Return, a person leaves youth behind and enters adulthood. With the second Return, maturity. And the third and usually final Return, a person enters wise old age.

The first Saturn Return is famous because it represents the first test of character and the structures a person has built their lives upon. According to traditions, should these structures be unsound or that a person is living out of touch with his or her true values, the Saturn Return will be a time of upheaval and limitations as Saturn forces him or her to jettison old concepts and worn out patterns of living. It is not uncommon for relationships and jobs to end during this time of life restructuring and reevaluation.

But the Saturn Return is not all about painful endings. During this time astrologers note that goals are consolidated and people tend to gain a better vision of where they are going in life. There are added responsibilities and a person may reap the rewards from his or her hard work. Many major life milestones seem to happen around the ages of 29 and 30. This is why astrologers believe that the thirtieth birthday is such a major rite of passage because it marks the true beginning of adulthood, self-evaluation, independence, ambition, and self actualization."

That being said, it has been a doozy of a month and I sure hope all that self actualization is really going to happen! So to all you out there celebrating birthdays, Happy Birthday and hold on tight! ( personally I think i could handle just skipping to thirty)

* I published full text because I still am having trouble linking!

My little people/Kennebunk Beach

2009-11-15T22:00:00.002-05:00

a sunday drive

2009-11-15T21:17:00.002-05:00

The waves were 8-10 feet today at Kennebunk Beach and the surfers were all in the water. We arrived just in time for low tide. There was a fluffy foam being pushed along the shoreline by the pounding waves and the kids were just thrilled with its consistency.Sea mist hung on the horizon and slowly sunk into the sand with the setting sun...

I saw a post of a friend the other day that read " There's not a lot that a trip to the Beach can't solve." There truly is something meditative in those waves and the vastness of the water. The tide rushing in and out tends to mimic our breath, and I find myself breathing deeper in its presence. I always come away feeling completely refreshed from these trips. Knowing that this water has been here long before me and will continue its cycle after I'm gone completely comforts me. Anything that was nagging my thoughts before I came just seems so feeble by comparison to the constancy of these waves.

I am thankful to be living so close to an easy lesson in perspective :)

The Avett Brothers - Head Full Of Doubt/Road Full Of Promise

2009-11-11T19:09:00.001-05:00

Loving this track

Inspirations: The Avett Brothers

2009-11-11T18:40:00.003-05:00

I just went and saw these guys in Boston with my husband last month* and they completely rocked our socks off. If they play any where near you, GO SEE THEM! They are the type of band who encompass you in their charm and bring you in close to their music. Their stage presence is humble and they must of thanked us a thousand times for coming out to see them.

They work so hard to give a good show and definitely pull it off. They give the impression that they are trying to get in as many songs into the set as possible to heighten your experience. The brothers literally run around the stage playing musical chairs between the full drum kit, the piano, banjo and guitars. It got to the point where I felt out of breath.

They've got this indie-folk-newgrassy-punkrock-ballad style that I adore. They have a great sound that isn't completely polished, but in a way that is soulfilling and unassuming.They encompass these different types of music with out being too busy or disjointed. The result is a high energy rock/punk show with bluegrass/folk intimacy.

Their lyrics are beautifully executed: " I want to grow old without the pain, and give my body back to the earth with no complaint."...After putting some serious time in listening to their latest album, I and Love and you, I am feeling inspired enough to tell you all to go out and buy it! I love it! I want to love a little harder and write a little more and laugh as hard as I can after listening to this.

I also have been rocking their last release, "Emotionalism" for the last couple of years and I love that too.So check them out! Buy their records! Go to a show! Check out the you tube video I posted below ( I couldn't find a live video with the kind of sound quality I wanted to share with you.) And I hope you like them as much as I do.

* an birthday gift for me , the best ever!

Be a free bird

2009-11-09T13:49:00.007-05:00

I've always been a pretty orderly person,but I've held on to things... and stuff, mementos, birthday cards, letters, gifts I was given and never wanted but felt too guilty to give away...

Then I started to get into Feng Shui*. Now I am Free Bird. I keep only what is practical or brings me joy. A friend once even said to me, everything in your house is only just enough. Just enough artwork on the walls, just the right sized coffee cup, just the right amount of furniture to sit in.This doesn't mean my home is bare and cold. It has just been organized using clear intentions.

I suggest to you, look in your closets, look in your drawers. With the holidays coming up it is a great time to ditch what doesn't serve you. Give it to Goodwill or a friend. Some people even box it up and sell it on ebay. And when you start, you won't be able to stop. It feels that good!

There are all these "things" in our lives that can bring a person down- a beloved mug with a broken handle you've never fixed or an old article of clothing that you once loved but never wear any more. Everyday you glance at these items and it does something to you. It's not even something that you may be consciously aware of. It barely registers, but its THERE, in the back of our heads. Fix this, organize that, I should still fit into that...

The first truckload (that's right truckload) I got rid of gave me a sinking feeling as soon as I dropped it all off.What if I needed one of those items? What if I regret it? And you know what? I didn't and I don't.Everything I own is now more beautiful and valuable to me now. Because I've made a conscious decision to keep it. And now when I bring something into my home I make sure I know where it's going to go or how I'm going to use it.

I've found that when I work to make more space in my home, I have more space in my life. It has been an exercise in letting go. My intention in sharing this with you is that you can achieve this same sense of liberation, starting with one drawer at a time. You have the ability to surround yourself with only things that make you feel happy. Be a FREE BIRD!

* "Clear your clutter with Feng Shui", by Karen Kingston got me started!

A week of Mondays

2009-11-06T21:50:00.003-05:00

Has anyone else had a terrible week? This whole Time change thing has been torturous. It just seems so antiquated. Is anyone really needing the extra daylight in the morning? Isn't it just fine in the afternoon when folks are fully awake and can appreciate the sun? Is this just some sort of weird federal mind control program that we are falling for every year?
And here in Maine it is going to be 15 degrees tonight. ( 15!) Is it really fair for it to be both to be frigidly cold AND oppressively dark?

I am typically a pretty good natured gal, but the combination of time change and a gnarly stomach bug has bittered me. Every day of this week has felt like a Monday. And I, for one, am glad its over. So good bye Lame Week of Time Change. You don't have to go home, but you can't stay here.

Talented People

2009-11-04T14:11:00.007-05:00

This Post is kicking off the first of what I hope to be a series show casing creative and talented people. I don't plan on sticking to any real genre, so you can look forward to posts on food, sculpture, painting, sewing, music....anywhere I can appreciate a persons talent.

Stephen Page* has a lot of energy. He welds, he builds, he draws and mostly just creates. He has told me if he gets going on a project he may start at 7am and not put his tools down until 4am the next morning. This could go on for weeks at a time.
All of his pieces consist of "found" items. He is the type of person you think of when you find an antique barn board in your garage or a length of steel pipe in your attic. He is the type of guy who can think of a use for whatever comes his way.

Some of the pieces he's given to myself and my family are:

-a bench that he made out of old boards that he milled on a sawmill he built
-a wheel barrow made out of oak, handmade nails and polished with beeswax
-a toy range built out of an old cherry cabinet
-a scorpion welded with nails for the legs
-a sun made machine out of a brass gear

Some of his work has more practical applications :

-a wood splitter partially built out of a car axle ( and run by his diesel tractor)
-a dump truck built from an old oil tank
-a metal lathe
-a cold air exchange floor fan
(sorry no pics of these)

I really can not even began to express to you the sheer prolific nature of his work. He is ALWAYS making something. Right now he's told me he's building a scaled model of a motorcycle engine . (and that's definitely not from a kit!) Who knows what he'll make next?

I hope you enjoyed the first installment of Talented People!

* Stephen Page is my Dad :)

Go green, go shopping

2009-11-04T13:13:00.013-05:00

My sister first introduced me to thrift shopping in my teen (maybe even tween) years when she was home on breaks from college. The first one she took me to was at St.Ignatius church and it was AMAZING. A person could fill a paper grocery sack for a mere 3 dollars!
The clothes were usually donated by elderly folks and therefore from a different era in fashion. The era where people took care of their clothes and cared how they looked. Where clothes were made to flatter womens bodies. And you know if you packed that bag right you were coming out stacked!
In recent years, my children have been too young for me to be away from them for the length of time it takes to dig through the racks. And this is NOT something you can do with little people. But now, NOW I am free to spend an hour, here and there, doing just that! It is fantastic!
I never really feel right spending big money on clothes for myself, but I also believe you get what you pay for. And this is why I love thrift shops. Somebody paid good money for that London Fog coat or that J.crew sweater...and now I will pay 4.99 for them. It's a perfect recycling plan. And usually the cash goes to support a good cause.
Sadly, St Ignatius closed years ago and I haven't found anything like it since. Recently though, I have had fantastic luck in Good Will and local consignment shops. As a matter of fact I am going to check one out in Portland on Forest Ave pretty soon and I hope to post an interview with the owner. So stay tuned!

Here are some of my great scores from Goodwill:

Little man speaks

2009-11-02T14:01:00.002-05:00

Today my son uttered his first understandable sentence. "Uh-Oh, it broke!" This was both adorable and pretty appropriate for being his first statement.
This same morning he took a bite out of the bathroom soap, flung yogurt across the room gleefully, put a dime in his mouth and took off one of the radiator valve caps. ( hence "it broke") All before 8am.
I am excited to hear his words to complete his vibrant little personality. And maybe he'll stop putting everything in his mouth?

I LOVE Halloween

2009-10-30T15:19:00.010-04:00

Halloween is the least demanding holiday. Usually people aren't bogged down with intense traditions or family conflicts. It is a day of freedom. You can be who ever you want to be on Halloween. So go be free. Be who ever you want to be. Eat more candy than you would eat in a year. Wear something that makes you feel super cool. *Put crazy over the top decorations up. Let the kids stay up late.

Happy Halloween!!!!!!!!!

*This Pumpkin King was created by my husband

Inspirations: Tim Burton and Edward Gorey

2009-10-28T14:52:00.000-04:00

I adore the feel of each of their work. Dark, sometimes disturbing and always beautiful. I really hope all of you out their have experienced Edward Goreys Ghastly Crumb Tiny's and Tim Burton's Nightmare before Christmas. Gorgeous! And have you heard The Nightmare Before Christmas soundtrack?!!! Danny Elfman is a genius. My Family loves listening to it.

Here's some thing I put together that I thought had a Tim Burton feel.

The great thing about the week before Halloween is you can wear Anything!

Piano Family

2009-10-27T08:50:00.005-04:00

We have been considering adding a piano to our household for a while. We want to encourage the children in their interest of music and instruments. And it's said that the Piano is really the easiest instruments to start on...
That being said, the only thing holding me back is the sheer size of the thing. I feel anxious that it will only fit in one spot in our house, and with my penchant for constantly ( obsessively?) rearranging my house and Feng shui, this may be a problem.
We have an upright Bass that use to reside in our living room, so I am used to having large instruments in our midst. BUT as large as that is, I was still able to relocate it to another spot in our house when it started to feel as it was looming over us. So-
There are always uprights in www.unclehenrys.com in the "Free for the Taking" section. Mostly out of tune, but to pony up the money for that instead of buying a whole new piano sounds fine to me. My concern is that there are always SO MANY. As if everyone gets a Piano and then realizes that it is a bigger commitment than they thought.
Perhaps I've just got to get over myself. My husband says if it doesn't work for us, we'll put an ad in Uncle Henry's and the cycle will continue. What do we have to lose besides a little gas money and some back pain? And I do enjoy the romantic image in my head of family sing-a-longs and ruckus piano parties. What do you all think? Any Piano owners out there? How do you like it?

Rock and Roll Halloween

2009-10-25T20:22:00.026-04:00

Well, Brian and Tanya's 12th annual Halloween Party was a terrific time, as usual. Every one really worked hard on their costumes and looked fantastic. Here's how ours came out:

And here's few of my favorites ( though I wish I could post every one):

Amy and Jim

This guy was part of the group effort (the Munsters) that won the contest!

Phantom of the Opera

This guy was the best dancer there!

Alfred Hithcock inspired from Psycho and the Birds

Burgler who had money and jewels hanging from his backpack

And this is only part of Brian's headless horseman costume which was amazing!

And of course the bands both rocked!

Their house is always decorated!

Thanks for another great year guys, we had a blast!

The costumes have been assembled!

2009-10-24T13:33:00.015-04:00

Tonight we will attend an annual Halloween party whose theme is "Classic Halloween." The guests always go all out and I am really looking forward to what people come up with. I haven't been for a couple of years because I've been either pregnant or nursing little infants. So I am EXCITED!
My husband and I stayed up late last night hot glueing tassles and rope to his Ringo Starr costume. And over the past couple of weeks I have been slowly piecing together an Audrey Hepburn, Breakfast at Tiffany's ensemble. This morning I made her extra long cigarette holder out of a paint brush, painters tape, black acrylic paint and notepad paper. So our costumes may not be "Classic Halloween", but they are certainly classic.
My outfit is basically out of my closet. My dress is a dark gray wool gap number that I scored for six bucks at goodwill last winter. The gloves are from target for $2 and the eyelashes, bump it (for hair) and nylons are from walmart. The jewelry was all purchased at a yard sale this summer for 50 cents a piece. The Tiara is from my wedding and the pumps were bought from Kohls for $35 five or six years ago.
We found my husbands outfit and accessories at Mardens for $12 this week, and he says if it doesn't pull off as a Beatle he'll just say he's Prince Charming.
Here's what we are aiming for:

And here's what we've put together:

So I promise a follow up post with pics of how it all turned out, and pics of the best cotumes!

Guess you kind of have to think of a clever slogan in this line of work.

2009-10-23T14:51:00.003-04:00

A really super nice guy just pumped our septic in a surprisingly short amount of time.
FYI: not sure opening the window to snap this pic was a clever idea.

Can you come up with a better slogan?

Today's idea

2009-10-23T13:07:00.007-04:00

My intentions for this blog are to share my varied interests, ideas, and experiences . I will be showcasing projects I'm working on, outfits I've assembled, makeup tips,food I'm making and art I create. I hope to share my inspirations from others as well! I'd really like to compile everything into to one spot and see what directions it all takes...I like the idea of creating a sort of map to the my ideas and hopefully you'll share some of yours as well!

A 1960's ispired look:

I bought this sweater yesterday for $12 dollars at a local surplus and salvage store and it just begged me to do an era themed look.

Make up-Get the look:
Start with your favorite moisturizer.
Sweep White shadow over entire eyelid up into your brow. Lightly sweep dark blue into the crease of your eye lid , starting at center of the eye and working outward.
For liner, Loreal felt tipped liquid liner in blackest black,starting in center of eye working out ward, I start by making thin lines and gradually increasing thickness. Sweep a light coat of white shadow after liner dries.
Finish eyes with Almay triple effects mascara and you'll feel like you have false eyelashes on!
Physician formula blush in blushing rose, with shimmer layered on top. A bit of frosted pink lip gloss and your face is finished.

Hair- Pull half into a pony tail and back comb. Scrunch half pony into a messy bun and smooth out the top. Let bottom half fall free.

Tomorrow I am going to a Halloween party as Audrey Hepburn, pics and posts to follow!