Jonny misunderstood something I said yesterday. I can’t remember what I was actually saying, but he thought I said something about putting myself on “eHarmony” which is an online matchmaking service. I laughed, and said, that yes, I sure was because I’d obviously make such a good candidate: “Married. Six kids. Pregnant (third trimester.)” Jonny chimed in with “loves the outdoors…but only from the indoors…loves to see the outdoors through the window.” I was sprawled on the couch unable to move at the time. I spent half the day cleaning the room that the girls share with Keats. While they do clean it themselves, it’s never really clean unless I do it. And when I do, it’s back breaking–all that bending over to pick things up, wondering where all these things came from and why we have them. I feel like I am very limiting of my girls’ possessions, yet they are still totally capable of covering their entire bedroom floor with stuff. Anyway, it’s very clean now and that is worth the backache.
I was able to put my little Artful Activities list to use yesterday when Beatrix requested “a craft.” I was worn out from cleaning her room and didn’t really want to prepare “a craft.” But, I consulted my list and was able to pull something super quick and easy together for her. Basic drawing with glue, sprinkling it with salt, and then adding watercolors. She thought I was the greatest. I did feel pretty good about it.
Larkspur has created a little “home office” for herself in the living room. I scolded her a bit today for the messy state of her office. She turned to me with a smile and exclaimed with what I do believe sounded like pride, “It’s just like Daddy’s office!” I suggested then that maybe she should move her office into his since they are little peas in a pod. Then I suggested that she clean her office space. She did. The last picture is her “after” shot. See, why I have to clean her room? My version of clean is obviously different, although you wouldn’t guess based on the current amount of clutter on my dresser. Larkspur took it upon herself to go through my dresser top jewelry bowl yesterday. She lectured me on the fact that I don’t wear it all, and I let my necklaces and rosaries get tangled up, and I have too many. She sounded remarkably like me when I am lecturing her.
Seth has what I believe is a pretty impressive marble collection. It’s impressive because he has found all of those marbles in old dumps and homesites in the woods around our property. They’re so pretty. Also pretty are miniature roses which were on sale at the grocery store for 2.99. For that price, I don’t mind that I will ultimately most likely kill it.
Oh–knitting! After finishing the baby blanket over the weekend, I cast on two new projects! One is a scarf for me in a gorgeous copper colored yarn that makes me dream of autumn. I’ve been stalking the Orange Flower Yarn shop for some time, and finally splurged on a single skein for myself last week. I’ll share my other new project tomorrow for Yarn Along.
Gris fleur says
Thanks for the idea of the painting with glue and salt ! I did it with my 5 years old this afternoon. Lovely result !
Amy Caroline says
The third trimester can be so hard! I know I always am just so drained. Perfect time, though, for knitting. And you deserve a little something! We do that often, don’t we? Rarely if ever make something for ourselves?
Sounds like you might be nesting a bit. It is good to have a lot of helpers!
Oh, I had to laugh about the comment on the rosaries. My mother collected them before she died and I got half her collection. They had some how got all tangled up in a terrible less when I tried to put them in a basket while rearranging things. I finally got around to hanging them back up on a little coat rack I have, and oh my goodness! It was such a mess! So I feel you there too.
God Bless Ginny!
Dianne says
When scrolling through the pictures I was looking forward to the shots of Beatrix face, arms and/or belly painted as beautifully as her page, lol. Can’t believe how much each of your “babies” have grown up in the last year. Thank you for sharing them with all of us.
Joy says
Silas and Beatrix look so much alike in that photo where they are both looking at her painting. Wow.
caitlin says
Hahahaha! oh Ginny, you’re hilarious!
Victoria Reynolds says
Oh I need some inspiration for activities like this – fab thanks very much!
Teresa says
So glad to see I am not the only one who ends up killing those mini roses. I try really hard not to but it is inevitable!
Clare says
Love the colour of the yarn, so beautiful, beggining to feel a bit like autumn here in the UK too, such gorgeous photos.
tara says
Don’t forget “loves bees, homemade gifts and knitting” 🙂
Haha I love that Larkspur lectured you while sounding like you. Too cute. What is it about going through mom’s jewelery? I LOVED doing that when I was younger.
That is an amazing marble collection! I am so impressed.
mary says
I just returned to the library the very bee book in your picture – it was my favorite the first year I had bees and especially on install day. I find that I need a new author’s perspective for each aspect of beekeeping – i need someone to tell me the same thing in a different way before it sinks in – so thank heavens for libraries.
Good luck with your bees and all the rest of life.
M
Nicole Spring (Frontier Dreams) says
Oh C loved doing salt painting, too! http://frontierdreams.blogspot.com/2013/02/one-fine-february-day.html
I noticed you had the book “Parenting with Love and Logic” in with your knitting. Have you read all of it? What do you think of it? I looked it over before and thought about getting it but then I heard it wasn’t really AP friendly, and now have no idea if I should get it or not. I have been devouring “Unconditional Parenting” lately (with all of our struggles we are going through), and it has been helping me. Of course, the solutions aren’t given until the end of the book so I have to wait to see what I can incorporate… :p
My girls clean just like Larkspur. <3 Sending love XOXO
Ginny says
I bought that parenting book about four years ago, and can’t remember how much I read of it then, but bought it to deal with some of the issues we were dealing with after the adoption–not so much for parenting our other kids. I just recently pulled it out again. Not sure about it being AP friendly. 🙂
Kate says
Take heart! Eventually, the girls do get the hang of cleaning like you clean. I despaired of one of my daughters ever being able to clean a room to my specifications, but in her teen years she finally decided she liked being organized. I’m still working on the younger boys. My 11yo is supposed to clean the room he shares with his 19yo brother and 6yo brother every Saturday (he’s the one with the most stuff and spends the most time in there). He kind of shuffles things around and some dirty clothes get to the laundry, but if I want it done well I have to “help” – which is me sweeping everything into the middle of the room and giving orders. I haven’t done that all summer since I’m busy with big projects around the house so it’s kind of gotten out of hand. It’s probably going to be a stressful day when I do tackle it.
I like to buy miniature roses when they are discounted. I keep them inside until they are done blooming then I plant them outside. I know you don’t need another thing to do, but miniature roses might be the beginnings of a cute little garden for your girls.
heathermama hawkes says
lol i love when the kids are a mirror to me… hmmm is that exactly how i sound?? eeeep.
that is very cool about the marbles, what an awesome treasure.
i have taken to weekly cleanings of the boys bedrooms. i know some people think it is mean, but bits of broken glass, rusty nails and bottle caps, old bandaids, and ripped pieces of paper holding chewed gum (that isn’t even ours!) are just not treasures i wish to keep. lol
Leah says
Loving this post Ginny! I too cleaned my girls rooms(with their “help” yesterday). It’s so true that it’s never truly clean until I go in there and do it. And I am the same, I get rid of and very strictly limit what they have, and yet they can make a mess and cover the floor so quickly. I love your flowers, I think I need something for my kitchen window sill 🙂
Paula@weewhimsicals says
I kind of get that, loving the outdoors from the indoors. Guilty on many levels. Especially in the heat and humidity. But you’ll find me out of doors constantly once the temps dip lower!
You know what I love most about your photos? Your children area always creating. Mess or no mess, they are exploring, experiencing, making. That is one of the greatest gifts you can give to them, right now. Yes, I do believe that from the bottom of my heart. 🙂
A Little Blue Dragonfly says
“Autumn” was the first thing I thought when I saw your new copper yarn. BEAUTIFUL! My first summer here in Colorado, and I can’t believe it, but there’s already a chill in the air. Summer is winding down for the fall!
imperfectly natural mama says
I really love that craft project, I remember doing something similar with my mum, or was it at playgroup, not sure, but I hadn’t thought of it till I saw your post on your lovely blog. I am definately going to try this when my little boy is older.
Lisa says
Super pretty pictures! We have a marble collection similar to yours.
We lived downtown for about a year and a half and I was addicted to digging in the dirt in the backyard. My boys love them.
Sharron says
We just bought some little plastic bins with lids for my daughter the hoarder! LOL I normally would rather use non plastic, old, vintage type things, but she has so many little things and so little space that I need them to stack neatly. I’m hoping this will help her be able to clean up better. I throw stuff away all the time, but it was so overwhelming when I went in her room that I just put everything in the floor in large trash bags just so I could get it all up. We’ll deal with one item at a time.
Jess says
My husband and I are always joking about going on Match.com. I get spam from them almost daily, I don’t know how I got on that list.
Loving the knitting, and the light flowing through your windows!
Also, those marbles are the best! I had a couple of marbles that I dug up out of our front yard when I was little and they were my favorites.