tights

My daughter has discovered the transformative qualities of a dress.
It started with the tights. After selecting and returning three other pairs of socks to the drawer, she chose some tights. I suggested that they wouldn't be comfortable over her pants so she took them off. I helped her pull the tights on, which incidentally have flowers on the legs and a butterfly on the bum, and convinced her to wear a dress with the tights. Once she pulled on the fuzzy dress with the plaid kitty on it, she declared: "I'm like a mommy! I'm bigger."

I know that feeling. Seems silly and somehow conflicts with my feminist sensibilities, but nevertheless, I understood what she was saying. It goes back to my preschool days when I only ever wanted to wear a dress. It felt good (except for when I had to put snow pants over it). I was dressing up.

I don't get the same feeling when I think of wearing tights these days, but there is a hint of it on the rare occasions when I'm getting ready to go out. Whether it's a date with my hubby or over to a friends for dinner, the process of selecting an outfit (hardly ever a dress), doing my hair and make-up generates a tiny spark of excitement. Internally I declare: "I'm like a woman!"

scrap

I was going to post "scrap booking", but then thought "scrap" covered more and is one word.

So how does scrap affect my life? Well, there's scrap paper - created when my kids find the printer paper and draw on one side, scraps - fed to my dog from my kids' plates - and various scraps of things floating around the house after falling victim to my kids' hands. To be fair scraps are mostly Lillian's work.

My favourite quilts are made from scrap. I tried the quilting thing quite a while ago. It's the solitary work I don't like. If there was a regular gathering to quilt, I'd do it. Especially since I can't really figure out how to fix my sewing mistakes or the machine when I bugger it up.

I'm going to a scrap booking event next month. It's not my very first time trying it out, but I'm hoping to learn more about it. Seems silly to need a class to figure it out, but I really do need a class. I have literally hundreds of photos packed into mini albums, envelopes and boxes to deal with. These are all mostly from before 2005 when I got my digital camera. At least with digital photos, you can keep them on discs (and never look at them again). I wonder how shocked everyone would be if I brought the whole lot to the class...

My photos are precious to me. I need to do something with them to ensure they are not ruined. I've had this in mind for a while, but it became urgent this morning when I found an album and Morgan's baby book in ruins. Lillian had managed to get her destructive and curious little hands on them and ripped them apart! Needless-to-say, I am very upset about this, but more motivated than ever to sort through my photos and do something with them before they are turned into scrap!

chocolate

How do I love chocolate?
Let me count the ways...

Boiling water added to 1/4 cup of milk plus 1 tablespoon cocoa powder plus 1 teaspoon sweetener.

Double layer chocolate cake that Frank brought home from the grocery store ("Lilly picked it!")

Girl Guide cookies (the vanilla ones are good, too).

Chocolate pudding.

Udderly Devine ice cream (Heavenly Hash is a good second option).

Green & Black's fair-trade, organic bar (any flavour).

Reese Peanut butter cups.

Cadbury Cream Egg (at Easter only).

Homemade truffles with cayenne pepper.

Brownies.

Chocolate mint Wuyi oolong tea (for when I'm trying hard to be good).

...and if nothing else is at hand, a handful of chocolate chips will do!

art

Art imitates life. Life imitates art. This means that anything in life can be turned into art and vice versa. Paintings made from coffee grounds. Movie stars' lives replicating the plot of their last movie. Criminals following the "instructions" from their favourite crime drama.

There was a radio program on CBC in the summer/fall that talked to artists creating work in non-traditional ways. It was very interesting. Either it's been cancelled or moved to a time when I don't have the radio on.

Finding the art in all things sounds like a lovely way to look at the world. That reminds me that I was going to pick up that "artist's way" book sometime. Did someone say they would lend it to me?

Art is present everywhere in life. We create it, read it, watch it, dance it, sing it, live it. It's not easy to see the art in Spongebob Squarepants, but I'm sure it's there. I mean who comes up with this stuff? At this moment, Lilly is watching a Spongebob video while Kenneth is playing the Spongebob video game. I know you must be thinking I'm a fabulous parent! Not to worry, we balance out our couch potato time with active time as much as possible. It's hard not to rely on TV, movies and video games for some peace while trying to get things done.

I'd like to get more performing arts into my life. I've thought about going to the local high school musicals and the amazing shows at the Imperial theatre, but haven't found the time, the money or another person to go with. If you're interested, let me know!

We all need art in our lives. Yet most of us put so little effort into making it a priority. Government at all levels is often criticized when they spend any amount of money on art. I guess it's less concrete than most other things we need and so hard to see the impact it has on us. Art has a communal existence. It needs us to exist. We have to experience it to appreciate it. It exists to be appreciated. We have a symbiotic relationship with art.

identity

(as it flowed forth while driving home just now)

I am me.
Who else could I be?

Who am I to you?
Am I defined by what I do?

Or is it how we relate?
Your mommy or your date.

For you I'll do anything.
I can cook and I can sing.

Caretaker.
Bread maker.

There's always more...
Chores and errands galore!

Kisses on the knee.
Waiting-up impatiently.

Rocking in the chair.
Long walks in open air.

Saying no
When you don't know
That saying yes
Is not the best.

Fighting hard on your side.
Cheering loudly full of pride.
Always ready with arms stretched wide.

Inventing games for fun.
Tucking you in when day is done.

All these things I am.
Doing for you the best I can.

But what am I to me?
That is the quandary.

I am me.
Who else could I be?

muse

I try very hard not to make this a mommy blog. This makes it tough sometimes to come up with a word. Since I'm looking for a muse, it's a good word for this blog.

Muse, inspiration, motivation...

My kids could be my muse. They force me to be creative. I have to come up with new ways to get them to cooperate with my plans other than screaming at the top of my lungs. Lately it's been bribery. That does backfire though when they expect a treat every time we go somewhere.

Housework could be my inspiration. I daily think of products that would make my chores easier. Of course, not having to do it at all would be the best!

What drives me everyday? my kids. They need things, want things, destroy things on a daily, hourly, second-by-second basis. What drives me crazy everyday? my kids.

What is my muse? What is the thing I could write about everyday that lots of people would want to read? What can I do that will pay me and fulfill me?

Still searching...