needle & thREAD

I finished last week's headbands. Zoe and Katie and I sewed away the morning on Thursday and dashed all fourteen of them up to the studio in time for ballet. They looked so pretty all together.

And I totally forgot to take pictures.

Here are three I found in the studio this morning. Pretty cute:-)

I woke up super early on Tuesday with every intention of sewing something for myself. But I couldn't get past the "research" stage. This is where I get stuck sewing for me everytime. I look at the pattern, search Flckr for pictures of other people's projects, read all those notes, search the Lisette blog, and basically just psych myself out. 

Really, I should just make a muslin and get on with it. But that would require cutting the pattern and once it's cut in that size, I can't use it for a different size if the muslin turns out too big or too small. And I don't want to trace. Besides, I don't have any tracing paper. All this to say, I'm still stuck.

But I'm going to sew this weekend. Mark my words.

I'm reading an advanced copy of Hands Free Mama's new book. Anyone who reads here at all knows that this message is probably dearest to my heart. I'm really encouraged by this book and I personally believe that a copy should be handed to every new mama along with her newborn. 

And I know, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that I need this message, well beyond the obvious need to control technology. Karoline confirmed it for me. This week, we've been blessed to have a baby around. While her mom teaches dance, we've been playing with Kenley, who turned one yesterday. On Monday, after I dropped Sarah off at the studio, I surprised the kids at home by bringing Kenley home with me. Mike stopped to play with her before he left for the airport (again). Kenley loved Mike. Mike loved Kenley. And my girls were impressed with his baby skills.

Later, Karoline remarked, "I think Daddy is better with babies than you are. He had nine babies. I know you had nine babies, too, but I think he's more confident and comfortable (her words; I kid you not). No offense, Mommy, but I think he just got good at playing with kids while you were busy cleaning." 

Ouch. 

I will not miss another season.

What are you reading and sewing this week? 

I am eager to hear!

  Or are you embroidering? Pulling a needle with thread through lovely fabric to make life more beautiful somehow? Would you share with us just a single photo (or more) and a brief description of what you're up to? Will you tell us about what you're reading, also? Would you talk sewing and books with us? I'd love that so much.

    Make sure the link you submit is to the URL of your blog post or your specific Flickr photo and not your main blog URL or Flickr Photostream. Please be sure and link to your current needle and theREAD post below in the comments, and not a needle and theREAD post from a previous week. If you don't have a blog, please post a photo to the needle & thREAD group at Flickr. 

       Include a link back to this post in your blog post or on your flickr photo page so that others who may want to join the needle and thREAD fun can find us! Feel free to grab a button here (in one of several colors) so that you can use the button to link:-).

My answer to, "How do you do what you do?"

Don’t you love New York in the fall? It makes me wanna buy school supplies. I would send you a bouquet of newly sharpened pencils if I knew your name and address. — “You’ve Got Mail”

There is something about this line that rings so true it makes me smile and reach for the pencil sharpener every time it comes to mind. Especially in the fall. Read the rest here.

Notes to Self

::noticing God's glory: 

My tomatoes are doing good things! We won't have enough to can or anything, but we at least have enough to feed the whole family at once. And okra! Yippee. Look for an okra and tomato polenta recipe on Friday.

::listening to 

Dance studio chatter. 

::clothing myself in 

Yoga pants, t-shirt, lightweight sweatjacket. It's chilly. Really.

::talking with my children about these books

Well, not books, but stories. I love to listen to books/podcasts while I work around the house and I'm trying to share the value of that with my kids. We've recently discovered Sparkle Stories. Love:-).

::thinking and thinking

about the role I want the Internet to play in my life. Food for thought:

What it Looks Like to Have a Cyber Sabbath

Switch off the Static and Turn on Your Mind

and I'm eagerly reading an advance copy of Hands Free Mama's new book. 

::pondering prayerfully

"No book is really worth reading at the age of ten which is not actually worth reading at the age of fifty." C. S. Lewis

This is my guiding principle for the school year.

::carefully cultivating rhythm

Sigh. We made some major decisions, left two beloved teams with longtime, very close friends, and made our radius much, much smaller. I'm thinking about a post about why we did what we did for as long as we did and why we made a change. But then I think no one would ever do what we did and my experience probably has nothing to offer anyone else. 

::creating by hand

I really want to sew something other than headbands...

::learning lessons in

asking Jesus all day long.

::encouraging learning 

A number of people have asked about math curriculum. I hesitate to offer anything in that regard. Really, I've yet to find the magic math curriculum. But I do love Dreambox. 

I'm super excited about plans this year, which is a lovely surprise. For the younger three, it's going to be a Storybook Year, heavily dependent on these lists (browse the lefthand column--there aren't enough days in a childhood for the treasures here). For the older three (and the younger, too, actually), lots of fresh inspiration from these thoughts:

Nature Deficit Disorder

Teaching Boys & Other Children Who Would Rather Make Forts All Day

The Four Language Arts

Nurturing Competent Communicators

Fairytales and the Moral Imagination

::begging prayers

Please continue to pray for Shawn, for Elizabeth DeHority, for my friend Carmen, and for my mother-in-law, who soon begins radiation treaments.

And for a private {all good} intention close to my heart.

::living the liturgy

It's nearly time for the St. Monica novena. What a perfect novena at a time when two of my boys embark on a new college semester. Novena begins on August 18th. Join me?

::keeping house

I frequently refer to the wreck that is the basement. Last week, I posted some pictures of said wreck on Instagram. I think I surprised some people. It really is a wreck. I'm overwhelmed by the wreck. But we're making slow progress. Some big items are leaving permanently, off with Christian and his friends. If I'm honest, I think I'm working up my anger over the wreck so that I won't be leveled by the sadness that will be inevitable when he and his basement band are no longer making gigantic messes down there. What ever it takes...

::crafting in the kitchen 

I ate Domino's gluten-free pizza the other day. It was delicious. It's NOT gluten-free. 'Nuff said. 

::loving the moments

when I'm snuggling her to sleep and her hair just smells so good and life is peaceful. And light. And lovely. 

::giving thanks 

for special prayers at dinnertime.

::planning for the week ahead

The coaches Christian has teamed up with for the last several years have planned a going-away party for him on Friday. And then, he goes on Monday. I sort of have tunnel vision.

 

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iPhone pics, all mine. That one of Mike making wildflower bouquets just about does me in. 

Have a beautiful week, friends!

Lord, Hear Our Prayer

The internet is a formidable force for bringing the comfort and consolation and hope of the Lord to all of us. It can be an incredibily powerful medium for community. There is an unfathomable resource for prayer here. We have on the 'net the privilege of praying for people and of being witness to the miracles brought forth when fervent, faith-filled people pray for one another.

Let's be that community of hope and faith for one another.

How about this idea? What if I pop in here every weekend, share Sunday's gospel and talk a wee bit about how we can live it and pray it in our homes? And then you tell me how we can pray for you that week? Deal?

{And please, do return and let us know how prayer is bearing fruit.} 

Gospel

LK 12:35-40

Jesus said to his disciples:
“Gird your loins and light your lamps
and be like servants who await their master’s return from a wedding,
ready to open immediately when he comes and knocks. 
Blessed are those servants
whom the master finds vigilant on his arrival. 
Amen, I say to you, he will gird himself,
have the servants recline at table, and proceed to wait on them. 
And should he come in the second or third watch
and find them prepared in this way,
blessed are those servants. 
Be sure of this:
if the master of the house had known the hour
when the thief was coming,
he would not have let his house be broken into. 
You also must be prepared, for at an hour you do not expect,
the Son of Man will come.”

Think

What do superfluous riches profit in this world when they do not assist our birth or impede our dying? We are born into this world naked, we leave without a cent, we are buried without our inheritance.". ~St. Ambrose

Pray

Lord show me the biggest way that I tend to waste time. Gie me grace to take greater control of that part of my life today.

Act

If there is some actitivty you think wastes your time (TV, computer, telephone, etc.) give it up today. See what opportunities arise in the pockets of time you free up. And do consider a regular cyber Sabbath.

This week's Think-Pray-Act is taken from Small Steps for Catholic Moms, available now for pre-order on Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

How can we pray for you this week?

{this moment--or two}

Read all about it here.