The Heron's Nest

New Year's Menu Planning.....

 

I found a two week menu calendar here.......It seems as though whenever I can plan ahead with the meals, time is used wisely, food and money are not wasted and I am a much happier gal. Thank god I married a man who is willing to call a bowl of cereal dinner! Still, I want reduce take-out nights, stay eating the right things and not have that last minute rush to the grocery store or 4pm stress. If asked before children and staying home, I never would have guessed how much time I would actually spend in my kitchen. It has become the center of the day's activity. I often wonder how women used to handle all of the chores of the day, without the modern conveniences....not sure how I would have faired back then!

 

365 For the Domestic Types Day 1.....again.

 

Another attempt at 365 For The Domestic Types over on Flickr.....I guess that is what New Year's resolutions are for, right?  This year I have a rather lengthy list...many revolving around health and wellness....mostly about me, but I guess it all trickles down doesn't it?  As you can see above, organization happened over the weekend...on my sewing table at least.  That is linked into many of the resolutions planned for this year.  I feel my eyebrows raise and eyes roll as I type this, so I am not sure how serious I am, even at this early state, but there is always hope.  Small steps are admirable.  Even the kind that go forward a few and back a few.....eventually they make some progress, right?   What are your resolutions?

Finished.......

Finished......., originally uploaded by The Heron's Nest.

And here it is....well worth the mess, the noise and complete chaos which overtook our lives for nearly five months! We have been enjoying the space, freaking out a bit about the newly painted walls, and sticky fingers, but TOTALLY enjoying having a seperate play space so close to everthing else going on in the house!

My New Normal

My new normal is almost here, and I can hardly believe it!  Almost 5 entire months have passed since the digging began, and now we are on the verge of having our house back to some sort of order.  I have had dreams of spotless floors, furniture actually set up to sit and enjoy a conversation with another human, toys having a place to stay while not being used, and semi-quiet mornings where the sound of the children's chatter is not drowned out by nail guns and bulldozers (ahem, "backhoe loaders" according to the four year old).  My sewing machines have been set aside for months, covered with prayers that the drywall dust does not enter.  I knew I had some control issues before the construction, but I had no idea how this kind of upheaval could actually send my mind over the edge, actually feeling as though any kind of cleaning and organizing was pretty much useless until the work had come to an end.  Of course it was pretty much useless, and although my home is far from a sparkling castle, I have discovered that I really do thrive on my own kind of crazy order.  A little peek for you.....still in need of a good cleaning, and of course some furniture but.....sigh.....space.

The husband is about to return to school, and though I have basked in the beauty of having him around to enjoy, and have had many mornings running errands without kids in tow, I am very ready for the man to get back into a routine.  He has somehow been able to take the term "relaxing summer" to a new level altogether.  I will miss him, but it is time for him to work again.

The children have survived our summer of noise, mess and little outdoor activity due to mud and heat outside.  I have spent the summer feeling terribly guilty that their outdoor experiences have been felt walking to the car, or in a pool.  It has just been too darn hot for this Yankee girl.  Luckily there have been a few nice days and evenings where we have been able to slide out and enjoy the surroundings.

I have a few projects to share, but I will wait.  Hopefully my unplanned summer break from blogging has ended and I can really enough to reflect a bit more in the coming weeks!

The Clean End of Our Home

house 002, originally uploaded by The Heron's Nest.

Here is a bit of a peek at the project which has consumed me for the last few months. This wonderful little room has managed to disrupt the entire house, and we are living in an almost permanent state of piles and things to do. Constantly moving furniture and various items from room to room. I am now fully aware that we have far too much stuff, and now the challenge is to release some of it!

In Process

                                     

We are in the throws of construction here at our house.  I would love to offer more pictures, but our USB cable is either lost in the piles on our counters or in the mounds of toys scattered around the living room.  The pace of this project has surprised me, and I have had trouble keeping up with the process.  Both kids have been in heaven watching everything, and E has been able to nap and G has been his usual exceedingly energetic self.

Weeks seem to be slipping by without me even able to check in with my blog world, or write anything.  Many weeks perhaps, for as I write I am realizing that Typepad has totally changed the posting options and I can actually choose a new font!  Anyway, I think this has been another good, unplanned respite from cyberworld.  As much as I have missed reading all of my favorite sites (I have not read any in weeks and will probably spend the rest of the evening checking in and being totally blown away by what others have managed to create), I am glad to have spent my time doing other things.  Besides chasing the toddler, and engaging in philosophical questions with the four year old, ("Yes honey, your feet will probably fit in heaven), we have begun construction on our new addition, and renovation of our basement.  Forgive me for the cheesy pictures, but I can't help myself but share in the work that has been done around here!

The basement "guest suite"/sewing room.  The walls still need to be painted, but generally it is ready for guests.  (A huge nudge nudge wink wink to my friends in NY and New England,  and Belgium too Sandrine!)

Insanely organized, and almost perfectly folded fabric stash, folded by a very unorganized, imperfect girl.   This literally took me a week to do.  The pictures of amazing craft rooms over at Flickr, have had a real impact on me I guess.  Now I can actually find the fabrics I want, and I am getting inspired by seeing the fabrics I have.  Now the real test will be to see how long I can keep it this way, because I am just not so tidy in real life!

To the right, a pretty little sewing corner that has hardly been used in the past few months, however  I am loving every minute I do get to spend in it.

The lovely new "commode", which has saved us from several near accidents while mommy has managed to get both kiddos down into the basement, in order to sneak in a bit of sewing during the morning.  Why is it that boys see a potty, and just the mere site of it makes them have to use it?  I am open to any suggestions has to what to add to this space.  Walls always seem to be a mystery for me.

And a peek at what is to come in the very near future.  Yes, that is one gigantic hole outside our living room, soon to be a new living space to allow more family and creativity time for all of us, or at least to keep us from tripping over the toys and possibly allowing for a bit more space for the grown-ups in the house.  It is exciting for us all, and providing hours of entertainment for the kiddos.

                                                         

To be continued, sooner this time. 

             

To some it may look like a messy (well, ok, TRASHED) living room, but we know that it is really a tropical island, which we sailed for many nights to reach, only to find out that, quite conveniently for the tired mama, it has a Dunkin Donuts!

A New Rug

                  

After getting very tired of not finding a kitchen rug I liked in any store, I decided to make my own!

                  

I saw a cute pattern in this wonderful Japanese craft book.......

                                          

and an inspiration here.  Completely lacking the patience to actually follow a pattern (and the inability to read Japanese), I decided to wing it!  I am somewhat pleased with the result, although I think it probably could have been more "random" looking.  I am not very good at random.  Matchy matchy me.  I just can't help it.  So, this was a big stretch for me.  Since I am not totally in love with it, I didn't go crazy quilting it with a gorgeous design.  It is, after all, a kitchen rug (which I am sure will collect plenty of crumbs, stains and sippy cup spills).   Needless to say, I didn't throw my heart into it.  I just got it done.  The best part is that I can throw it in the wash whenever!  I backed it with canvas and placed one of those rubber cabinet mats underneath, just to keep it in place.

While Procrastinating.......

The bathrooms are waiting.  Can you think of a billion things to do before taking that brush to the bowl?  This was my alternative today.

                     

Sitting in our living room, listening to the birds and crickets, feeling the cool Fall breeze.  Warm enough for the windows to stay open, but just cool enough to crave this. 

                           

Preschool and naps are underway.  I just sit, quilt, and breathe.  Oh, and grab the camera to capture the moment!  These too are fleeting moments!  And I wonder why my bathrooms are a mess!