patience and trust

I taught my husband to knit last night. He hadn't slept more than 2 hours the night before because of stress and wanted a way to chill out. I don't think knitting did it but it was the only thing I could think of since he couldn't go out and jog.

Teaching him to knit seemed so symbolic. For one, I had to be incredibly patient (which I wasn't) and let him do it (instead of grabbing the needles, which I tried to do). And he had to trust me that it would work out even when it looked like a tangled mess as he slid each stitch on the needle. "I don't think I'm doing it right," he said. But eventually, after a few rows, the pattern was clear and he had knitted a tiny patch of thick purple yarn, which he promptly tore out as soon as he completed it and started it again.

(He didn't sleep last night either. I am happy to say that after watching the movie Office Space tonight, he fell fast asleep! Whew!!)

this is a scarf I started the other day
and I ended up tearing the purple off after I knitted it
because it was too thick.
Jevon used that same yarn to knit with last night.

It's January and my brain is frozen...

two cherry blossoms brewing
Originally uploaded by Papillon Sky

What is it about January? I think my brain is frozen! I can't think of much to post about. Not that life is terrible--well, there are days... But it's just a quiet time to stay indoors and observe. Jevon set up this shot for me. We made some cherry blossom tea in a clear glass jar and he said I should take a picture. I had to set it up and put a pink silk around it to make it look prettier.

My last post was about what I was loving. Not be negative but there are some things I'm not loving right now like cold weather and the fact that my almost six-year-old is a very stubborn person. For example, he will not wipe himself (or even attempt). So he screams bloody murder for me to come in the bathroom and wipe him, and I will only agree after he's tried to wipe himself first (not unreasonable, right?). And he won't. In fact, one day he threw the toilet paper on the floor so he couldn't wipe himself. He waited 1.5 hours in there for me to wipe him. It was a showdown of sorts. On one end, a mama just wanting her son to attempt to wipe, since he is of kindergarten age and if in kindergarten, he would be wiping himself there. And on the other end, a son very determined not to do anything his mama wants him too.

I'm sure his stubbornness will come in handy when he's some sort of human rights activist and won't back down from his cause, but now--well, it's hard some days.

Luckily, today is not one of those days. It's pretty laid back. Jack Johnson is playing in the background and my kids are playing together nicely. So, maybe I shouldn't complain so much!!

What I'm loving...

What I'm Loving...
Originally uploaded by Papillon Sky

(Click on the picture to see a bigger version. )
1. Pepe and the Bottle Blondes.
A very Pink Martini-esqe sort of band with a Latino, jazzy, swing music flare. Sure to beat those winter blues and you won't be able to stop your feet from tapping. The kids beg me to turn it up!
2. Homemade Yahtzee and our newly established game night. Got the idea from Chris. Jevon made the dice and my mom sent a few Yahtzee score cards for us to copy.
3. The book Any Room for Me? and accompanying wooden animals made by Chris, painted, sanded, and finished with beeswax polish by my kids, and mitten made by me...
4. My camera and my new lenses and the new world I am finding through my new eyes...
5. Girlie things, even though I fought so hard to make sure my children would have equal opportunity to all kinds of toys and clothes, regardless of their sex, both children have taught me a lesson by being very much a stereotype of their own gender. Kai is very, very boy and Tea is very, very girl and loves princesses, even though we have never read a princess book and she has never seen a Disney princess movie. I'm just letting go and letting them love what they love (although I'm still not going to show them a Disney movie or go too crazy in that direction).
6. The idea of starting my own photography business. Stay tuned! You could win a free photo session!
7. Serendipity--finding old friends from high school and even here and finding out they are photographers too.
8. Drumming class. I took another workshop with Pam Fleenor and loved it.
9. Pottery. We missed a few classes in December due to weather. We had our first class of the semester last night and we were all hugging each other--we were so happy to be back! What a great group of people. I am not the best potter but I do enjoy the class!
10. A few new things since we rarely buy new (bedspread, and gifted pasta maker).
And more things like sunshine, and good friends, an assortment of beautiful handmade Christmas gifts, and playing at the park on a cold, cold day. See the mosiac I made above...

One hat, one kid, three years later

One hat, one kid, three years later
Originally uploaded by Papillon Sky

one coat, two kids, and three years in between

one coat, two kids, and three years in between
Originally uploaded by Papillon Sky

Anniversaries

Changes
Originally uploaded by Papillon Sky

Today is the five year anniversary of moving into our house and it's also a couple days after my "blogaversary." I stared this blog one year ago with a post about our New Year's celebration. I've been thinking a lot about the passage of time and have created these diptychs of the kids at different ages.

Thank god we have photos to capture these fleeting moments. Time goes by too quickly.

Save Handmade Toys!

In case you haven't heard, there is some crazy legislation out there, meant to protect children from lead in toys. However, it is going to make it impossible for those natural toy makers to make you nice wooden toys that actually are safe because they won't be able to afford the required testing for each toy. My good friend Chris, who makes beautiful toys would no longer be able to sell on Etsy! It's insane. Vote for this important cause and read more about it here: