Just some thoughts...

Hello there! I'm happy to have some time this morning to post here. These last 6 months have left me feeling less than wonderful but I sense a shift coming. Raising five kids, ranging from teens to toddlers to babies, is not easy. I mean, it is really difficult. I try to explain it to people and emphasize the hardships but my words never do it justice.

I'm not complaining about life but to pretend it's an endless series of precious, magical moments* would be a lie. I read how other women romanticize motherhood and God bless them if they really feel as though their hearts are constantly bursting but I honestly don't feel that way most days. But I don't think it has to be super special all the time. I certainly have moments throughout the day in which I feel blessed but they are just that, moments. Then it's back to being a referee, a taxi, a cook and a milk bar. Maybe these ladies are just pointing out those fleeting moments?

Sometimes I think I should be talking about motherhood here on my blog more often, seeing as how I do have 5 kids, but I always end up back at the same thought which is basically "what would I say?" I would never give advice as I am no authority on parenting. And the whole parenting style stuff is not for me. I don't like labeling. I had our first son at 20 so being a mother has simply been my life for almost 17 years. I suppose I could talk about being a young mother and what that was like or maybe my 6 six years homeschooling or natural birth vs hospital birth or maybe some more controversial topics like immunizations and circumcision. I have opinions and thoughts on all those topics but you'd end up feeling like Woody Allen in line at the movies in Annie Hall and say to yourself, "What I wouldn't give for a large sock with horse manure in it" haha! That may be a little extreme but I think/hope you get what I'm saying.

Anyway, one topic I would like to start posting about is feeding a large family on a tight budget. I feel like this is one area in which I might be able to give advice or helpful tips. I remember back when I just had my two oldest kids and I was hanging out with my friend who had 5 kids and she was making sandwiches and it took a whole loaf to feed her family. I was floored because a loaf lasted us a week. Now I'm in her shoes and it's pretty gnarly. Let me know if you'd be interested in reading about that and I'll start working on it.

Oh and I had listed this skirt in my shop last month but after wearing it yesterday I decided I didn't want to part with it. Now I'm really happy no one bought it :)

I had planned to tell you about Neil Young's concert that we went to Wednesday but I've run out of time. Plus, he deserves his own post!

*Don't let these photos I took yesterday fool you! I know they look peaceful but the day was the exact opposite of how they look! They are proof that looks can be deceiving. I won't bore you with all details, you'll just have to take my word for it.

Happy Friday
♥ anne

The Wild Three

Last week I spent a couple afternoons finding new items for my shop with these three in tow. I often wonder what I look like to the casual observer. Do I look like the exhausted mother trying reign everyone in? Do I look like the calm and collected mom with obedient children nicely following along? I know I've been both but last week I felt like the former.

Were the kids well behaved? For the most part, no. But it's a new week, a fresh start and I did find some really awesome stuff so it was worth it.


Come check out some of the new listings here. And let's keep our fingers crossed that this week runs a little smoother :)

♥ anne

Aloneness

Solitude. Lately I have been alone a lot. Ok, well not alone alone, I always have my children nearby, but alone for me. Left to my thoughts most days. At times in my life I will desire a multitude of friends and activities but more often than not, I'm perfectly content alone or with my family. I've come to realize that I like the idea of an active social life much more than the reality of it. I often reflect on my sister's life of solitude and in many ways we live similar lives. I have never seen any likeness in our vocations until recently. I have always found it interesting that she ended up in a convent because she is the social one of the two of us. Everyone loved my sister. If you compared us strictly on personality I would say she should have stayed in the world and I enter the convent. Haha! That's a funny thought! Of course, God knows the best route for purifying us and I know he put us where we both belong.

I'm currently reading "Women Who Run With Wolves" and I came across this paragraph about solitude which I feel is perfectly put:

In order to converse with the wild feminine, a woman must temporarily leave the world and inhabit a state of aloneness in the oldest sense of the word. Long ago the word alone was treated as two words, all one. To be all one meant to be wholly one, to be in oneness, either essentially or temporarily. That is precisely the goal of solitude, to be all one. It is the cure for the frazzled state so common to modern women, the one that makes her, as the old saying goes, "leap onto her horse and ride in all directions."

Solitude is not an absence of energy or action, as some believe, but is rather a boon of wild provisions transmitted to us from the soul.

Sometimes it's easy to get aloneness and loneliness confused. I don't know about you but I have felt lonely in the midst of people on  many occasions. Maybe those are the times that aloneness is needed. A time to reevaluate priorities and such. How do you feel about being alone? I imagine an introvert, like myself, experiences it differently than an extrovert. Is it something you seek out or run away from?

Please share your thoughts!

♥ anne

At Home

Now that school has started, if I'm not in my car dropping off and picking up (three kids in three different schools is kinda exhausting) you can find me at home. In my spare time I have been working a lot on my macrame. I'm really trying to improve and create interesting and unique pieces. Over the last couple of years I have made many plant hangers and now I'm excited to be working on wall hangings. It's nice that when you feel the need to be challenged there is always room to grow. I've been trying to get this one knot down for over a year and I FINALLY got it! Of course now I can't understand why it took so long because it's really easy but it has opened up new doors for me in the world of macrame.

I guess I've been feeling the need to grow in many areas of life. I'm always trying to improve as a mother, wife, friend and daughter. I'll be doing that until I'm dead but creatively I've had this desire more than ever. I started to attempt finger picking on the ukulele and again it's a whole new challenge. It keeps life interesting when things begin to get monotonous.

I have other, not so fun, challenges I'm facing but I know those are necessary and usually the most transforming even though they can be incredibly hard. In the end it helps to know that the difficult times will indeed pass and that ultimately it is for the good. Having my moments of creativity throughout the day helps me so much.

Any new challenges in your life?

♥ anne

summer sandal situation

it's official, i need new sandals. yes, this is breaking news! SO important i just had to tell you ;) i actually feel pretty lame even writing about this but i figured i might as well keep with my theme of never talking about anything of real importance. i've pondered recently why this is the case and have come to a couple conclusions. 1- i rarely have enough quiet time to write. this bums me out so i'm going to attempt to make some. i have lots of things i'd like to write about. for example natural family planning, some great quotes that have left me in deep thought, prayer... 2- i think know i have some fears about opening up here especially when it comes to my spiritual life. i know i don't have to share all aspects of my life but i'd like to be slightly more open. bla bla bla anyway, back to my sandals. as you can see all three are in bad condition. the pair on the left finally gave out in yosemite :( and my cydwok's have had a hole in them for at least a year. the rainbows are still super comfortable but are looking pretty ugly so i don't wear them in public if i can avoid it :) ok, now you are up to date on this dire situation! good thing my birthday is coming up. i was going to do a birthday wish list post but the things i need/want aren't very exciting. i don't think you'd care to see a photo of a vacuum or some organizing racks, which are two items i really need. and speaking of organizing, i'm on a roll lately! i'm reading this amazing book yet again and really applying the techniques. it's exciting and motivating and making my life much better. i can't recommend the book enough! it was written in the 80's but is still right on for today.

"The less you have, the less you have to take care of." yes! 

at this point you may be glad i never write much! hahaha so i will stop for now. 

♥ anne

this week...

has left me feeling out of focus, foggy in the head, slightly disillusioned

incredibly overwhelmed and off balance.

overall, this week has not been good. and believe me i tried (and still am trying) to look at all the things to be grateful for in my life. i know they are too many to count but sometimes no matter how hard you try it still doesn't help. thankfully, i have a night off tonight to be alone! this doesn't happen ever so i plan on using the time to my advantage. i know for sure i will be going to church for some silence, prayer and a much needed confession and after that who knows! possibly a cup of coffee and some reading at a coffee shop? i don't think i've done that in a good 13 years (i am not exaggerating). i would love to browse through a book store also. anyway, i promise i will enjoy those few hours and most certainly will return home with a renewed spirit and a MUCH better attitude. lord knows the children and ruben will appreciate that!

these pictures were from a couple weeks ago when marianne and i had on mother daughter laura ashley floral rompers. they are different prints but the same otherwise :D

♥anne 

p.s.- this was my theme song for the week. :D ok, i don't really feel that way about ALL people...just some.