playground rules

c and i  have an activity
every morning.
its our routine.
sometimes its just us.
other times we have a playdate.

now that summer is here.
we usually go to
the pool after nap.

when c and i are
on an outing by ourselves
i often have this feeling
of being back in high school,
or grade school
or any other situation where there are cliques
and i am the odd girl out.
or the new girl.

it happens when there is
a group of moms who know each other.
i can feel them watching me.
i can see them looking at my child.
is he well behaved?
is he clean?

they talk.
they laugh.
they watch.
and there we are, on the outside.

i dont like this feeling.
i am not one to make small talk.
or start a conversation.
particularly if i feel like
i am being judged.

my brain has been spinning lately
wondering when it is that we lose
our self confidence.
is it a certain age?
is it an event?

c is so sure of himself.
he initiates interaction
with children and adults.
if they don't pay attention,
he simply stares at them
or talks to them until they acknowledge
his presence.

i hope he never loses this.
maybe i need to take some
playground lessons
from my son.

a moment

tuesday tidbits

** i signed for a new to yoga series today.

** i think it will be good for me.

** our hydrangeas are blooming.

** they are huge!

** sunday we met cooper's cardiologist and the social worker at his garden.

** they wanted to see chace.

** i think it was healing for everyone.

** we leave for florida on friday.

** we are looking forward to the family time away.

** chace starts swimming lessons when we get home.

** he is getting better about the water.

** thanks for all the support on facebook.

** i think i am getting the hang of it.

**chace has 4 teeth coming in.

** 3 of those 4 teeth are molars.

** fun times, i tell you, fun times.

** i just turned on the ac.

** it is too humid to sew without it on.

** and that concludes today's session of tuesday tidbits.

a week in food

let me start by saying,
that this is not going to
become a food blog.
but i do like food.
so i will occasionally blog about it.

now that we have
that sorted out.

i am very much addicted to pinterest.
i have quite a food board.
so last week, i decided i would
cook from said board.

here is how it went.
monday: chicken teriyaki
tuesday: slow cooker pulled pork with root beer
wednesday: edamame pasta
thursday: stuffed salmon with sriracha cream sauce
friday: ph was in charge of dinner

overall it was a success.
my least favorite was
the chicken teriyaki.
i think my favorite
was the stuffed salmon.

i will try this
experiment again in the future.
and will report back to you.

change

i dont like change.
i guess most people don't.
but i know that change is good.

for the last two years
i have been comfortable
with my lucends sales on etsy.

they provided me
with fun money.
money for fabric, fabric and more fabric.
trips to scott miller
and they bought my iphone.

i sew because i love it
the creative process is
what feeds my soul.

lately, i have been thinking
alot about what i want out of lucends the brand.
i want lucends to be a brand
that people feel good about.

a brand that is made with love.
a brand that people are proud to show their friends.
i want lucends to be a brand
that is committed to handmade.

of course for this to happen
i have to make some changes.
changes that i have been reluctant to make.

i am applying to several
craft show in the fall.
some are local and some are not.
i have changed my store platform.
etsy is just too big.
and i joined facebook.

one thing that will not change is this blog.
so no worries there.

but i would love it
if you checked out
my new spaces.
became my friend.
liked my page.
and shared it with your friends.

and most of all i hope that
lucends will be a brand you
want to continue to support.

xoxoxo you all.
for real.
luc

puddles

a moment

tuesday tidbits

** c is grumpy, whiny, cranky and teething.

** thank goodness for nap time.

** this week my dinner revolves around my pinterest food board.

** last night's dinner was.... well not so great.

** it was edible but i wouldn't make it again.

** i have gotten into the habit of napping when c naps.

** at least for an hour.

** i am trying to break the habit.

** but it is not going well.

**napping cuts in on sewing time and makes me feel lazy.

** but my child wears me out.

** mom is home from the hospital.

** surgery was uneventful.

** i now own 7 pairs of toms shoes.

** wow, that is embarrassing to admit.

** just doing my part to help those in need.

** seriously, it is a purchase i feel good about.

** looking forward to watching the voice on tv tonight.

** do you watch it?

** you should, its really good.

** i am thinking about creating my own website to sell my lucends goods on.

** what do you think?

** nap time is calling.

** see, cant break the habit.

stitching

i havent shared any of 

my creative endeavors lately.

but i have been working

like crazy.

i am applying to some 

shows that will happen this fall.

and am working on 

building the lucends brand.

i have also been stitching

some of my favorite quotes 

by hand.

below are some of the results.

i am pretty happy 

with the way they are turning out.

i will be adding them to etsy, soon.

enjoy.

happy fathers day

happy father's day.
there is nothing better
than seeing your son's
face light up when you pull in the driveway
and run to you with open arms.

you are an awesome papa.
he is lucky to have you.

it needs a name

our new addition arrived today
our 1997 ford ranger pickup.
as you can see chace
has taken a liking to it.

if you are lucky chace
it can be your first car.

the color is ....
well the title says green
but it is really aquamarine.

it needs a name.
i am at a loss.
maybe i need to drive it.
but ph says their is no power steering.
ouch.

so i am open
to suggestions
and if you come up with one i like.
a prize for you.

a moment

tuesday tidbits on wednesday

** i have a summer cold that will not give.

** it is making sleeping very difficult.

** my mom is having her hip replaced today.

** please send her good thoughts.

** i am nervous.

** i set some new goals for my lucends business.

** c finger painted for the first time today.

** there was paint everywhere.

** good thing its washable.

** we are going to florida for the 4th of july holiday.

** we are going to the splash park after nap today.

** never been there before.

** should be interesting.

** i am hoping c likes it.

** thats all i have today.

dear chace

my dear sweet chace,

happy 16 months! boy, i am i glad that is months, not years. particularly since you have a new affinity for all things with steering wheels. you love to stand in your daddy's truck and pretend that you are driving. the look of pleasure on your face makes our hearts soar. i take delight in this a little bit more than your father, because your second cousin ned and i used to spend hours driving in hid dad's mg. i think its funny now, that our parents let us play in the garage for that long, especially in the texas heat. i suppose it kept us busy and occupied. we were always going on a trip to new york.  i always think of ned when i watch you attack the steering wheel.

you are going through a bit of a phase, that is what i am calling it. you have become a tree monkey. you cling to me for dear life. not all the time, just when you are feeling insecure. i am not complaining. i will take it. the last two night in a row bath time has been tear free and i think that you actually enjoyed yourself. progress i tell you progress.

you have added "yes" to your vocabulary and can sign the word for "more." i am waiting for the day when you out of the blue answer one the many questions i pose to you throughout the day. you do seem to have a good understanding of what i am telling you. this morning i told to get the brown bear book off the bookshelf. you promptly went over the bookcase, grabbed it and brought it to me to read.  i will remember this when you are a teenager and pretend not to understand a word i am saying to you.

you are still my little vegetarian. it doesn't matter how i disguise the food you know if it is meat and spit it out. i even broke down and bought you chicken nuggets thinking you might eat them. not a chance. even dipped in ketchup you were revolted by them. watermelon is your favorite food. i happen to be a fan as well. i figure you will venture into the world of meat once you get hungry enough. but i am very happy that you love your fruits and vegetables.

this past month you and i took another trip. we went to santa fe to see yaya and pappous. you were a great traveler and we had such a good time. i love watching them interact with you. it is such a pure love that they have for you. it is not a love full of expectations. they adore you and the feeling is mutual i know. you have also spent some time with your cousins here. you like their house because they don't have a lawn yet and you can play in the dirt until your heart is content.

chace you continue to be such a joy. every day is an adventure. happy 16 months baby boy!

love always
mama

its just a phase

for the last week
i have been repeating
the following to myself,
"its just a phase" and
"this too shall pass"

you see my child
has turned into a tree monkey
one who likes to hold on
to his mama's neck for dear life.

he has also come to hate bath time.
come on, chace
you have had a bath
every single day of your life.

he screams
and screams
and climbs
and clings.

you would think we
were dropping him in
a vat of boiling peanut oil.

so, please.
if your child has been
through this phase
tell me its just a phase.

uneven

so i have another one
to add to the list.
the ever growing list
of things i never thought
i would do as a mother.

i have been adamant
about not cutting
chace's hair.
i love those curls
in the back.

they make my heart sing.

my reasoning for not
cutting his hair
is not emotional
or sentimental.

it is purely because i do not want to.
i am the mama.
and i don't have to cut his hair
if i dont want to.

oh, and i think toddlers
look absolutely ridiculous
with grown up haircuts.

so with that being said,
i am letting it grow.
be curly, be wild
just be.

with one tiny exception
his bangs.
they were so long
that they were constantly
in this eyes.

so after much pestering.
i attempted to trim them.
and i did a horrible job.
they are uneven.
they are too short.

i keep apologizing to chace
and telling them it is only hair.
that it will grow back in no time.

and i promised him that next
time i had the urge to trim
his bangs i would refrain
and take him to scott miller.

a moment

tuesday tidbits

** the baby robins that we have been watching grow, flew the nest.

** but we found a new nest with newly hatched birds.

** i wonder if the mama robin is sad when they fly away.

** i am sad for her.

** one corner of chace's upper molar has popped through the gum.

** hoorah!!!

** only 3 more corners on that tooth to go.

** we are going swimming after nap today.

**chace loves watermelon.

** loves is not a strong enough word.

** this is funny to me because i ate an insane amount of watermelon while pregnant with cooper.

** my sewing machine has to go back to the manufacturer for a 2nd time.

** there is something wrong with it, but they keep saying it is sewing fine.

** this irritates me.

** i need to tell you how much i love my kindle, again.

** i am reading so much more now that i have it.

** love i tell you.

** i decided to leave my hair blonder than blonde.

** at least until my next appointment.

** its only hair after all.

** off to sew.

21 memos from your child

i saw this on jora of domestic reflections blog yesterday and it moved me. i felt the need to share, mainly as a reminder to myself, but it is really powerful.


enjoy

21 Memos From Your Child

1. Don’t spoil me. I know quite well that I ought not have all I ask for. 
I am only testing you. 

2. Don’t be afraid to be firm with me. 
I prefer it, it makes me feel secure. 

3. Don’t let me form bad habits. 
I have to rely on you to detect them in the early stages. 

4. Don’t make me feel smaller than I am. 
It only makes me behave stupidly “big”. 

5. Don’t correct me in front of people if you can help it. 
I’ll take much more notice if you talk quietly with me in private. 

6. Don’t make me feel all of my mistakes are sins. 
It upsets my sense of values. 

7. Don’t protect me from consequences. 
I need to learn the painful way, sometimes. 

8. Don’t be upset when I say “I hate you”. 
It isn’t you I hate, but your power to thwart me. 

9. Don’t take too much notice of my small ailments. 
Sometimes they get me the attention I need. 

10. Don’t nag. 
If you do, I shall have to protect myself by appearing deaf. 

11. Don’t forget that I can’t explain myself as well as I should like.
 This is why I’m not always very accurate.

12. Don’t make rash promises. 
Remember that I feel badly let down when promises are broken. 

13. Don’t tax my honesty too much. 
I am easily frightened into telling lies. 

14. Don’t be inconsistent. 
That completely confuses me and makes me lose faith in you. 

15. Don’t tell me my fears are silly. 
They are terribly real to me and you can do much to reassure me if you try to understand. 

16. Don’t put me off when I ask questions. 
If you do, you will find that I stop asking and seek my information elsewhere. 

17. Don’t ever suggest that you are perfect or infallible. 
It gives me too great a shock when I discover that you are neither. 

18. Don’t ever think it is beneath your dignity to apologize to me. 
An honest apology makes me feel surprisingly warm toward you. 

19. Don’t forget how quickly I am growing up. 
It must be very difficult to keep pace with me, but please try. 

20. Don’t forget I love experimenting. 
I couldn’t do without it, so please be patient with it.

21. Don’t forget that I can’t thrive without lots of understanding and unconditional love,
 but I don’t need to tell you that, do I? 

original author unknown

i have a new love

its true.
i have a new love.
and i have to tell you
i am smitten.

nutella.
i didn't know how much
i needed you.
but you have won me over.

i do not know
how i have lived 38
years without knowing
about such a delicious treat.

nutella on animal crackers
nutella and toast
nutella and peanut butter.
and my latest discovery

nutella and strawberries.
divine.

this week i am making these cookies.

i have a feeling this
new love of mine
may not be good for
my waistline.

feet

my child has the stinkiest feet.
seriously, he could clear a room
with those little feet.

mama does not like feet.
she really does not like smelly feet.
and she is concerned about how his feet
will smell when he is a teenager.

a moment