birthday tree

A few weeks ago I picked up a copy of Better Homes and Gardens May issue. On page 78 there was a photo of a child’s playroom with a crazy beautiful tree toy on a shelf. It looked like a tree that needed to be in our family room, but I couldn’t for the life of me figure out what it was. So, I took a photo of the magazine page, posted it to flickr, and asked the internet to help me.

It worked! It’s called a Totem Tree by Kids On Roof. I decided to treat myself to one for my birthday and it came today, a day late, but that’s fun because it stretched the celebrating out a bit.

The boys and I put it together tonight while Barry took pictures of us with the new lens he got me for my camera.

Now, doesn’t it look like it should have been there all along?

making books

A few weeks ago I had an issue of Home Education Magazine out from the library and in it was an add for Bare Books. My kids kept eying it, then we saw posts at Soule Mama and Balancing Everything about the fun of filling them up, so I thought I’d order a box full to coincide with all the writing I hoped would ensue with the unveiling of the typewriter.

It looks like I will be buying bare books like groceries.

The day they arrived we cracked open the box and everyone got started. Logan filled his up in no time with the story of “Tom and the Magic Roller Coaster.”

I can’t even tell you how much I love his uninhibited 5 year old drawings and handwriting. He is fearless in his art making.

Brenna and Jonah wrote stories too. After writing and dreaming all day long Jonah was so filled with pride in his work. As I tucked him in he said, “Mom, I never knew I liked writing as much as I like reading. It feels so good to write something someone else will read and really, really like.” He’s still at work making sure his handwriting is neat as he goes. It’s fun to watch their personalities magnified in their work. I will definitely post more books soon.

I’ve got a board book of our backyard birds in the works for Hunter who says “buhr, buhr” with his little pointer finger constantly. We have an Audubon calendar and he will stand beneath it with his arms stretched up making all the noise he can to get someone to lift him up for a closer look.

It’s been embarrassingly long since I last drew something. It really feels so good. (Here are closeups of the goldfinch and robin.) I’m almost finished with the house finches that are nesting on our front door.

They have 5 eggs now.

My front door is going to be a mess when they hatch!

typewriter girl

We had a hard time thinking of a good gift for Brenna’s birthday. She’s 10. My little baby is right between being a little kid that loves to play with toys and a big kid– you know, one that just wants clothes. I did really consider getting a Playmobil set, but I just hate having the big plastic things. I don’t mind all the little pieces– they are the things that get played with, but the the big hunks of plastic that are the buildings I could really do without.

Then I remembered the constant asking for a typewriter like Kit who, in the books, wrote a newspaper with her typewriter every day. The typewriter stars aligned for me and I found the perfect Smith-Corona Corsair Deluxe portable typewriter on eBay. The clicking and clacking from her room only stop for her to go to the bathroom and eat.

Seriously, my budding poet/novelist is in love. She is flying out to California today to meet her dad who has been out there judging the International Science and Engineering Fair. Her typewriter is in her suitcase.

I couldn’t think of a good reason to say no.

Happy Mothers Day!

Our little mama finch has been hard at work filling her nest in our front door wreath. I thought it fitting on this Mother’s day to show off what this little mama is working so hard to do.

10 years ago today I became a mother. My little tiny Brenna came into this world and completely changed mine. In so many ways I feel like I was born when she was– I found my strength and power and purpose. And I finally began to understand my own Mom, to love and appreciate what I just didn’t have the capacity to love and appreciate before.

So, thanks mom for being my mom. I love and admire you so much. I think of all the little things– ordering me cool magazines so I could draw pictures of tigers all day long, not nagging me to practice the piano, but paying for lessons anyway, tolerating my messy room, but making me do my own laundry, lining up Action Packers along the kitchen wall to pack for week long camping trips and making it look so easy and fun. In so many ways I am trying to be just like you, and it’s funny how in so many ways I am.

Thanks to all of you mothers who come here and read my blog. Thanks for your comments and friendship and all the good you do in your own little sphere. There is nothing more important in this world than being a mother. I really believe that.