That's one way to eat a watermelon.

A picture-less post and a TV-less summer.

I love Ephram. 
I mean really love Ephram.


I hope it's obvious that I love all my kids, but this one is just about the boy. 


He is wonderful. 
Smart and funny. 
Sensitive and kind. 
Talented on so many levels. 


If I was a gusher, this kid could make me gush. 


But lately we're going through some growing pains as a family and parenting this 6 year old has been some kind of rough.


Attitude.
Rebellion.
Discontentment.
Lack of vision and imagination.
Rude. 


Not things that were unexpected on this parenting journey but definitely things that we see coming out of Ephram more than we'd like to. And also the kind of things that make this moment in parenting crucial if we want to nip them in the bud instead of further propagate them. 
The scary thing is the mirror this all holds up to us. 


Our shortcomings and failures. 
Our humanness. 
Our fallen humanness.


Ouch. 


There is no excuse. 
No solution we can conjure. 
Only grace.
And prayers for love, wisdom, and patience from One who is decidedly not... like me. 


Slowly, I believe we will see transformation. I don't feel resigned to this being the way we always are. The mirror Ephram is holding up in front of us? Definitely shows areas we could be better in. 


Starting with all that tv and all those video games that were helpful and dare I say?... needed during those long days of pregnancy. But, I haven't been pregnant for over 7 months and those habits remain. Habits that have made us lazy and fostered a disconnect between all the members of our house. Habits that we never wanted to have and that we have been fooling ourselves about for far too long. 


While it's by no means the entirety of the problem and therefore not the entirety of the solution, we are putting an end to video games and TV for the summer. 


Gah, did I really just commit to that? The genuine fear I feel at the thought of carrying this out only serves to confirm how out of hand it's really been. How much it's served as a crutch. How it hasn't really served any of us well. 


This could be an interesting summer.


I need grace.
Oh, how I need grace. 

Inspiration

Wedding season is upon us and I am looking to sew up some special little party dresses for the girls. I'm thinking vintage inspired, short with fluffy petticoats kind of special. 

The sleeveless black one in particular is calling my name. I mean,  Elin's... But that little one on top with the tiny little jacket and the perfect little hair bows has me swooning too. Gah, just look at all those little ankle socks. Perfect. 

On the other hand, some of these old pattern illustrations are killing me. The two on the left of each pattern envelope below! Just loving life those two.

All images via.

Knot Shorts

These little knot shots have been made twice in two days. I love them.
Now if only I could get my girly to wear something possessing a waistband and two leg openings.

Finally

It feels good to be sewing again. 

Then

There was a half a second of married life before kids came along where we could lay in bed watching the same movie over and over all day if we wanted to.


Today I would give almost anything to get that half a second back.

Taking a minute...

...after a very long, heavy hearted week and before yet another busy one begins to remember some small spring joys. 

Green buds on the trees, newly thrifted chairs on the patio, dandelion bouquets, sidewalk chalk, twinkle lights just waiting to be turned on, ice in my cup, moss, sandals that get put on just to be taken off on the other side of the door, laundry drying (quickly!) in the sun. Little bits of the happiness now. 

Time, revisited.

The very same day I posted this about my grandma I read that All My Children had been cancelled. 
Even that old TV couldn't freeze time forever. 


Last night my grandma breathed her last breath. 

Margaret (Peggy) McKellar
1932 - 2011

popping through

Gifts

The boy got royally spoiled this year. Since we knew he was getting some pretty excessive gifts from grandparents and aunts and uncles, we thought we'd keep it simple on our end. A new coloring book or two, a Sonic action figure and this thrifted/made racing table. While it's not his "first favorite" gift (that honor goes to all DS related gifts that were bestowed) he says it comes in a solid third.

I'll take it.

This simple thrift store table cost us $9 and a few coats of chalkboard paint, the little shelf underneath will store stray race cars, and the fact that it will keep him from clearing off my coffee table multiple times a day for races makes it my first favorite.