Marsbarn Designs...

It was the best part of my day

 Sweetheart G shared my Taekwon Do class with me today.

She had been adamant when I began taking classes in October that I could only do it if I left her alone in her class. But, when the holiday schedule at the studio opened up my class to families, and I asked (pretty please!) for her to join my class today, she agreed. 

I was so proud to have her with me.
It was absolutely the best part of my day.

I apparently managed not to totally embarrass her, because she said she'd join me again next Tuesday too.

Name that tune bit

Little e suffers from extreme car sickness.  We've found that listening to music on headphones really helps her comfort level, and reduces the need for The Bucket.  Our errands now have a somewhat comical Name That Tune dimension.  Big E and I sit in the front seat and listen Little e belt out (somewhat random) lyric bits and try to guess what the song might be.

For example: Particle Man by They Might Be Giants ala Little e:

"..'an"

"..'an"

"..'an"

"..'an"

"..'an"

"..'an"

"..man.."

"..man.."

"..man.."

"..article man."

Oh yes, your father wore one once, at a party... in Jamaica.

Little e: Momma.

h.: Yes dear.

Little e: Momma, did Dad ever wear one of those things that covers here and doesn't cover there?

h.: Where and where?

Little e: It covers here (random wave over torso), but not here (equally random wave slightly to the left of first.)

h.: Do you mean a vest?

Little e: No. (full of scorn)

h.: Where did it cover?

(see earlier response).

h.: (in desperation) No, he didn't.

Little e: Yes, he did.  I saw a picture of it once.

(See the entrapment here?)

h.: Um.... (massive brain usage) Do you mean a toga?

Little e: Yes.  One of those.  Did Dad wear one?

Guest post: Little e

I    Love  my mom   and  I                                            
Love  mom so  moch   I    

cod   kiss  mom   all  up.

By Little e.

(Translation:
I love my mom, and I love mom so much I could kiss mom all up.)

Unplugged, and wondering if I should do this more often.

I've done it.  I put on my Big Girl Pants and did it.

My sewing room is on hiatus.
The machine is hibernating for a week.
My table is gone, my fabric has been sorted and the drawers are shut.

And, I have that feeling of discombobulation I feel whenever I am unplugged.  I wander into the back room and gaze at the empty space where my  table should be, and think "Oh, right laundry. I should do laundry".  This pacing and general malaise does make me wonder if my sewing has become too much of a safety blankie... but I prefer to think of if this as artist driven angst, instead of thread dependancy.  

Of course, now I have time for other projects.  
It's not like the drive to create has left me, 
or that I'm without resources (or To Do lists).   
I can have a high fiber craft diet without the thrill of a pedal!  
In fact, this separation of girl and gears could be good.
I find I'm much more inclusive when doing hand work.  

 

So, on Sunday, with Bunny and Claude in tow, the girls and Big E and I had an Art Day of our very own.  The six of us sat around the dining room table and made felt ornaments.  Some of us used Alicia's patterns, but there was a lot of original art going on as well.

 

And this... This wouldn't have happened with the Machine.  Little e worked for 3 (THREE!) hours with her needle and thread making ornaments.  She was dedicated, and careful, and no, she is not about to stab herself in the leg.  I hope we do this again soon.  It was such a good day!

I follow her lead

 

At the end of Sweetheart G's Tuesday Taekwon Do class, 
she turned to me and said, 
"Mom, I'm not as tired as I normally am after class.... 
maybe I didn't work hard enough."

Oh my sweet, hard working girl, you make me work harder in my class, and keep me honest when I am slacking.

Dad Rules

Let me preface this story by saying that when I am away from home, I am away from home.  I do the total removal routine, and I (hold on to your pants) don't call home.  I don't check in or check on my family.  They know where I am, if they need me they will contact me.  I do this for a couple of reasons.  First, I think short separations are good for the soul, both theirs and mine.  I need time to be me, and they need time to be without Mom.  Also, I think having me check in on them undermines Big E.  If I'm not home, it is Big E's world run by Daddy Rules.  And sometimes, those rules are better than mine.

Now, when I was in New York, there was a domestic tragedy, of sorts.

It went like this:

Hysterical tears and screams from the back room.

Big E to Little e, "What's wrong, are you hurt?"

Little e: "I...I..I.. killed my fairy!" 

We, as a family, don't go in for video games much, or mainstream commercials toys, but... the girls have this thing for the Disney Fairies site.  It is their only computer game vice, and most of the time they play as non-members, so it is free.  When Little e lost her most recent tooth, she asked her Tooth Fairy, Honeysuckle, for a month long membership instead of money.  Honeysuckle, being a soft touch, said "Wish granted" and there you go.  

Little e logged in and accidentally deleted her fairy. She could create a new one, but then she would have no gathered materials to buy things with.  (As non-members the girls collect flowers and berries, so when they get a month as members they can buy things.)

What to do, what to do? 

The Daddy solution?   

"Let's build a new fairy.  We can make her better, faster, stronger, and I'll stay up late into the night playing fairy games so you have berries to spend."

Really.  He spent hours filling her fairy coffers.  
Sometimes it really is better when the house runs by Daddy rules.

Yep. He's a pretty fabulous Dad.

best laid plans and poorly set zippers

There were plans for this weekend.  They were good ones, too.

Dinner with the family of Sweetheart G's new friend and a visit from Bunny and Claude, were the highlights, but there were other things we wanted to do as well.  Then Little e came home sick from school on Friday,  and the weekend emptied of commitment like a high school fling when college starts.  Little e has that cold that's been making the rounds.  The one that cruises through children, but stymies adults.  She complains of a sore throat and a bit of snot, but really the only even slightly alarming sign of illness in her is her lack of continuous motion.  We cuddled on the couch for more than twenty minutes today.  Grand M stopped by today (to drop off more Macs (score!)), took one look at my littlest monkey lying horizontal on the couch, and knew illness was present.

So, I've been sewing.  

What was I thinking when I cut out two dozen zippered pouches?  Was it insanity?  How could those fabrics seduce me so easily?  (Come on, just cut one more...) I vaguely remember picking out fabrics and setting a limit.. but then it gets hazy and suddenly there was this stack of cut fabric mocking me. 

Oh, and zippers are still a struggle.  I'm still waiting for that Zipper Skill slot to materialize... why did I waste all those skill points in kazoo all those years ago?  (Sorry, my inner geek slipped out there. It must be time for bed.)  

the grand mysteries of life

After dinner..

Little e: "Mom! For some reason I'm wearing two pairs of panties!"  

Me: "Is that because you put the clean pair over the dirty pair this morning?"

Little e: "I guess so..."

Me: "So is this the first time you've use the potty today?"

Little e: "No!  I guess I just didn't notice before."

bee still, my little e

Bees still fascinate Little e.

This big bumble was found on a walk to the post office. 

Little e carried her inert friend nearly a mile, cradled gently in her hand.

Once we were home, as I went to take a photo, the bumble moved.  

 

So back outside it went, until it was suitably deceased.