I could be making better use of my time, but...

I could be cleaning, knitting, sewing, expanding my mind, "quieting" my soul. But, no, all of that can wait. Instead I'd rather be writing aimlessly on my blog. I have no real purpose for this post except to avoid the unavoidable... doing something constructive that will lead to me feeling less crabby later on today because oh-my-gosh-look-at-all-the-things-i-have-to-do-period-a-mother's-job-is-never-done.

So, if I know this post is leading to a possible activation of Super Crabby Mom powers why do I continue to write it? Well, I know I really don't want to clean right now and although knitting sounds inviting, I don't have any motivation. Sewing sounds fun, but I'm waiting for my oilcloth fabric to be delivered because I'm all about this Reusable Snack Bag project. Expanding my mind seems like a chore right now and hmmmm, now that I think about it, maybe writing is in actuality helping to "quiet" my soul. Go figure.

I wonder if some seemingly useless activities can really be beneficial. It sure would be neat-o if they did because trying to make yourself useful 24 hours is pretty tiring. Sometimes the instant gratification of doing "useless" things might be the best way to spend an afternoon. I mean, if it didn't you wouldn't be reading this blog (Hi, Hon! and Hi, Ann! ;) It's nice to know I have at least 2 readers out there and am not just rambling to myself). And if I wasn't spending a lot of time doing "useless' things, I would never have found these beautiful ceramic tea cups:

Just a little Sunday Sewing

I know it's not Sunday. It's Monday. But, yesterday, after church and a few tasks here and there I found some sewing time. What joy! And I can't tell you how happy I am with my new Kinder, Gentler Headbands. This idea for making fabric covers for plastic headbands rocks. I'm just grateful MMM Crafts was so awesome to share her pattern with us. I hope you find some time to sew up your own kinder, gentler headbands. You'll be so pleased you did!!

Mexico is calling me

It's been a week since we've been home. Vacation was so so good and so needed. We ventured to Playa Del Carmen, Quintana Roo, Mexico to pre-celebrate our 10 year wedding anniversary. The official date comes at the end of this month on the 29th.

It was neat to venture back to the Yucatan. We actually honeymooned in Cancun 10 years ago and it was interesting to go back and re-visit with kids in tote. What a different experience. John and I haven't changed all that much. We were still adventurous vacationers and explored the Riviera Maya as much as possible with two kids. We did, however, stay away from the street cooks this time. They make the best darn tacos ever, but we wanted to keep our tummies and bums out of Montezuma's Revenge way.

I hope to get some pics up soon to share the beauty and splendor that is the Yucatan. In the meantime, I leave you with this beautiful image from our visit to Hacienda Tres Rios(this isn't where we stayed, but anyone who visits the Yucatan should stay here). We really want to get back there next year. The beach beds are the most amazing havens of peace. They fill you up with only the best beach nap dreams. Aaaaaaahhhhhh...

A little change is always good

I got a crazy hair up my you-know-what and decided to organize and de-clutter my bedroom. It's always nice to walk into a room that has good feng shui. I definitely notice the difference in energy from the old room to the new room. I think my mini-framed "kindness" cards make a big, positive impact. I found the wonderful free (Yes, FREE!) cards over at Kind Over Matter. I could really spend hours and hours on this site looking over all the positive messages and images. It's a definite feel good site that makes me smile and smile and smile. As the Dalai Lama says, "My religion is very simple. My religion is kindness." I agree with him wholeheartedly.

Art + Science = The Fresno Met

I've been eyeing The Fresno Met since we moved to the area and I finally got us out for a visit. I was expecting so much more out of the trip, but we were still satisfied with what they had to offer. I think the price of admission could be slightly less for adults. At $9 I was hoping to see more art work. The children's admission of $5 was agreeable.

Here the kids are trying to solve one of the many mind-bending puzzles they had displayed in the Brain Teasers 2 exhibit. It was really fun trying to solve these teasers. I have to admit though that even for me some were too hard to solve. I know, I know. I shouldn't have given up so easily. Hey, that means I'll have to go back, right?



The next exhibit(Bob the Builder) proved a little more active and still got your brain tinkering. It sure held their interest and we spent a good deal of time trying out all the cool features.








After all that fun we headed up the stairs for the art. I was able to capture two shots of pieces before a docent gave me the stink eye and said, "No photos." Boo on him. Here are the two I caught. One is of these teeny tiny Chinese Vases that are awesome works of craftsmanship.


This one is an acrylic painting of a drugstore gum display. Pretty suh-weet.



It was a great experience and one that I'm glad we were able to enjoy in a city that is not especially known for its art scene. Way to go, Fresno!

This little piggie went to market...

It was a cool morning yesterday. It was early and the sun had not yet risen to its full glory. The kids were awake and looking for breakfast and I was ready to sit down with my chai. Uh oh! We were low on milk. Luke wanted cereal and wasn't about to eat it dry and I was oh-so looking forward to my chai and I only take it with milk. To market we needed to go. And to market we all went. This time, however, we decided to leave the van at home. A little walk to the market and we were alright. Ahhhh, you have to love the beauty of summer mornings when we aren't rushing to be anywhere.

We decided to go out for dinner

It's summertime and the days are lazy. Sometimes I just want to plop myself down on the couch and stay there until someone yells, "Bedtime!" But, with two kids and a WAHH(work at home hubby) it's kind of next to impossible to achieve. So, I whine a little and I humph and grumph and then I get an idea. "Let's go out to eat!!"

Everyone was game for going out to eat, however, this going out had a twist. We'd drive to Bass Lake and have dinner in the great outdoors. Why not? The air was cool, the kids weren't fully played out yet and the hubby needed a break from that monster of job he has. I also needed a little change of scenery. So, I packed up some grub for griling, some side dishes and some fresh dessert and got my pack ready for dining out. It was a glorious dining experience indeed!




The kids also found this fuzzy little guy roaming around our picnic area. What a cutie!

Backyard Campfire or EDIM:TREINTA Y UNO

Marshmallows are happiness in a plastic bag, and guaranteed to make anyone smile. -Burnman

Hiking for treasure or EDIM:TREINTA

Keep a green tree in your heart and perhaps a songbird will come. —Chinese proverb

Nice to meet you, Me at 36. I've been waiting for you. or EDIM: VEINTE Y NUEVE

Love after Love

The time will come
when, with elation,
you will greet yourself arriving
at your own door, in your own mirror,
and each will smile at the other’s welcome,
and say, sit here. Eat.
You will love again the stranger who was your self.
Give wine. Give bread. Give back your heart
to itself, to the stranger who has loved you
all your life, whom you ignored
for another, who knows you by heart.
Take down the love letters from the bookshelf,
the photographs, the desperate notes,
peel your own image from the mirror.
Sit. Feast on your life.

-Derek Walcott