we can't here fast enough

Soon but not soon enough, we will make our way north to quite possibly the most magical place on earth.  I've lived in Pittsburgh all my life, but this is my home.  The next two weeks will be filled with family, chaos, lobster rolls, a three year old's birthday, beach exploration, scooter riding, trips to the ice cream shoppe, trips to the library, and some craftiness on the best front porch.  I am bursting at the seams to get there!  

Be still my little heart - you'll be home soon.   

bean and flower sensory bin

If you've been around the preschool block, bean sensory bins are old news.  Given my background in early childhood education, specifically early intervention (think preschool special education), I cannot get enough of them (hence my posts with rice and noodles).  Without further ado... beans in box with flower pots, faux flowers (Maria Montessori would not be pleased), and some shovels.  So simple yet so much fun.    

So Abby is a mover and a shaker, but this little box of fun kept her fully engaged and playing independently for thirty minutes.  That is big time, my friends.  

All for Daddy

Remember a drop cloth underneath the bean box helps with easy clean up.  Plastic bins with lids also makes easy storage.  Digging for plastic bugs could be fun as well.  If you try it, let me know how it goes!

art room...

Here is a peek at the art room prior to Eleanor's arrival (the before):

And then the stuff piled up and the art room become my crap room.  Here is my first attempt at simplifying the room.

Six months later, it's better... not completed, but full of purpose and organized.

Great Aunt Joan's Blob People (dried acrylic paint glued onto a beach scene)

Pittsburgh Neighborhood Print from our friend/local graphic designer

Abby's art supplies that she can access independently - shelf from Aunt Joan

Aunt Joan's light

Fabric swatches lifted from the local architectural firm's... umm, trash.  There are 100% silk swatches in these books!

Sewing/Crafting spot - table from Aunt Joan

taste test

Some of Eleanor's first tastes 

why does this make me so happy?

ummm, i just spent way too much of the girls' nap time organizing ribbon.   

diy: fabric covered bead necklace

Materials:

• Wooden beads around 1/2 - 1 inch (Michaels)
• Your choice of fabric

Make a tube with a piece of fabric about 3 times the length of desired necklace, bracelet.  (Fold a piece of fabric in half so that it has a width of 2 inches.  Sew wrong sides together) Turn inside out so right side is showing.  Tie a knot leaving 3 inches of material.

 Plop a bead into the tube.

Shimmy the bead to the bottom of the tube.

Help Mama tie a knot right next to the bead.  Repeat steps until desired length is reached.  Leave 3 inches on this side as well so that you can simply take it on and off by tying a little knot.

Show off your work.

Do a dance with Daddy because you are so fancy.

airing my (clean) laundry and (dirty) dishes

burnt french fries

unending dirty dishes 

carrot peels that didn't quite make it into the garbage

dead flowers

bins of clothing hanging out in eleanor's room.  they've been there for weeks.  they need to make their way up to the attic.  

and a mountain of clean laundry that i just can't seem to tackle

i love my full time job of growing my girls and managing our home, but a lot of times i fall behind on my jobs.  or maybe it's that i can't keep up.  in any event, the evidence above shows life is not always rainbows and butterflies around here.  it's messy.  and can be chaotic.  and exhausting.  and i am learning that that is okay.  

 i am often overwhelmed by my imperfection.  i burn dinner.  i let dead flowers sit on my table for a day longer than they should.  dishes pile up.  laundry piles up.  i say unkind words to my child.  i say unkind words to my husband.  the list could go on and on.  

it's in those moments i am gently reminded that perfection is something i want, but nothing that has ever been asked of me.  

poppy is losing his marbles...

literally.  poppy (my dad) has an amazing marble collection that spans across the years of being a world class marble shooter.  well, i don't know how technical the term marble shooter is, but my dad used to clean up at recess playing marbles.   he still has a huge glass container filled to the brim with colorful marbles that abby adores. yes, i also let my almost three year old play with marbles.  choking hazard.  yes.  i know.  she loves nothing more than to dump the container on a big fuzzy blanket and really study each one.  they have names.  names from when poppy was a boy (my favorite being chicken gut) and names that he and abby make up.  the problem is that poppy is losing his marbles.  haha.  somehow abby works her magic and lots of precious marbles end up in plastic baggies to have a sleepover at my house.  i just can't promise they will make it back to their rightful owner, the marble king.  

even after poppy generously sent his favorites to our house knowing full well he may never see them again, he sent abby a present in the mail of more marbles with a really sweet note.  she was impressed.  and even had to hug the jar before opening.  

the careful naming of each one

rainbow big ball was really exciting

just catching up on the rules of the game

dear poppy, 

i love my marbles.  i really like the purple shiny ones.  

love, abby

dear dad,

i still have your marbles in the plastic baggie.  i may be able to get them back to you before 2012.  thanks for making my little girl so happy.  

xoxo, lisby

starting her young

Keeping busy while Mama makes dinner