My Dad Taught Me How

Happy Monday everybody! Did you have a good weekend? Ours was hot. Hot. Hot. Hot. With a bit of sticky and humid thrown in for good measure! The storm season is still raging strong. This current storm cell will thankfully not be running through our island, but we are getting some of the side effects of the storm. There have been some pretty awesome lightning shows these past few days. Not common for the island, so it is so interesting to watch.

A package came in the mail a few days ago and it was a first year album for Liam from my dad. I asked him to make Liam a handmade card this year, and he went over and beyond my expectations.  There are so many special pieces. Cards given to me when I was a child. Stamps used in decoration that my dad had collected during his time in the American Navy. If you have visited this space before, then you will know that it was my dad who taught me how to give and love gifts that were handmade. The time and effort that goes into them. The heart.

Looking back, I wouldn't have dreamed of how my dad asking for handmade presents during birthday times and Father's Day times would send a message about the way that we give gifts. About how it isn't about getting what we want monetarily, but the love that a present can convey. The power that giving can have.

I am so very grateful for my Dad and for the way that he has taught me this important lesson. I look forward to passing it on to Liam.

Do you have anyone that has impacted the way that you give handmade/homemade? I would love to hear about them.

Endings

 Oh how bittersweet it was to say goodbye to the San Diego family and come back to the Island. The last weekend that we spent together held such an amazing energy. All differences put aside - it was like everyone was on their best behavior in order to truly enjoy each other this one last time.

The entire family headed over to the San Diego Wild animal park and we got to go and take the little tram that takes you to see the large section where all of the animals are free to roam. Oh Liam's face - the way it light up when he saw those animals. His little "Oooooh - whooooaaaas". Oh be still my heart! 

San Diego got hit with a storm so by noon it was really coming down hard. We tried to go and see more of the animals - but all of the animals were seeking sanctuary from the rain, so we took our cue from nature and followed suit. 

After a brief rest, there was a cook out with every good thing to eat and then family games followed by a movie. This was my favorite day. My favorite moment of our entire vacation.  There is something so wonderful about loved ones gathering for food, and a time of togetherness that makes such lasting impressions in my mind. So much nurturing going on. Both for the body and the soul. 

This picture is one of my favorite pictures. Dad and Liam playing on the ground with his little puzzle before we left for church. Dad telling Liam the sounds of the animals and admonishing him to not throw the pieces, but to place them nicely in his basket. These two became such fast friends. As I knew they would.

And finally, while the house was asleep that last Sunday night, I finished my abc sweetie pie sampler. The last stitch went in. How apropo that it would be a safari animal seeing as how some of our favorite memories happened at the Zoo and Wild Animal Park. All of my goals for Liam's birthday corner are finished and awaiting assembly. I will always remember that his abc sampler and bear pillow were completed in San Diego - our home away from home - filled with so many loved ones. Filled with family and laughter and joy. Oh so so much joy. 

Endings - life is so full of them I want to tell my little boy. So enjoy each season as they come to you. And be joyful and bask in the love surrounded by you. For there is so so much love. And we are oh so blessed. 

"Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?"

 ~ Mary Oliver from The Summer Day. 

10 Things

Two weeks into my goal of posting at least three posts a week and I am already behind! But that's alright! It's a process! And I hope to get better and better. We made a trip up to Bakersfield to visit with some friends of ours and the friends that we were staying with didn't have internet access. Which was hard because we were unplugged. But it was also wonderful because we were unplugged. 

Lately I've been really into lists. We played a list game on our trip up and down.  Topics for this little game were: 

Ten things you loved eating

Ten things you were blessed by

Ten things you want to remember 

Ten things you want to forget 

So in the energy and memory of that amazing trip, I want to include this game in this space. 

The topic is: Ten things make me oh so happy right now! 

1. This age. Liam is finally able to play with little figures. The picture above is at the Natural History Museum and we stopped to discover the dinosaur figurines that were there.

2. Amber Baltic Teething Necklaces. Oh my! How this little piece of wonderfulness has made a difference! We were having such a hard time with his teething and when Ross mentioned it on Facebook, a bunch of our friends told us about it. We got ours from here if you're interested.  

3. Mama mades on this little boy. These pants have taken him on so many different adventures during this trip. How wonderful it is to watch him learn and grow in a piece of clothing that you made for that very purpose!

4. Fabric for new projects. Those two cream prints are going to be the background for this project. I am looking forward to starting it as soon as Liam's birthday corner projects are complete. I've missed embroidery so much! 

5. New DS fabric to add to the log cabin blocks I am working on for my mom's quilt. 

6. Learning to let go of project goals and just enjoy moments that you find yourself in. My mom's quilt was suppose to be finished before the end of this trip. I had to let go of that goal when I found myself getting stressed out. I was putting in a lot of hours into this and it was pulling me away from spending family time - which is the reason that we came out here in the first place! Oh how wonderful it is when we are able to let go in order to embrace something new. 

7. Stationary! Cute stationary! Oh how I have missed this! I have been taking weekly trips to Barns and Nobles and my collection of cute little notebooks is growing! Did you know that Katie Daisy art work is now available there? Wow! I am a bit slow on the scene but I am so glad I was able to get this little padfolio. 

8. This book.  I was wandering the aisles of Barns and Nobles one day and this book title caught my eye. Blogging has been such an amazing space to document my creative journey - and since having Liam, those wonderful small precious moments that I just don't want to forget. This book is wonderful because it introduces you to amazing bloggers and also gives you tips on making your blogging space even more welcoming. If you're interested in checking it out, I got mine at Barns and Nobles but you can also get it here. 

9. These colors. My dad's garden is bursting with this vibrant shade. Oh how I can't stop taking pictures of them!

10. And lastly - these feet. These little leather shoes were found at a baby trader thrift store for three dollars and oh how they have been used lately. Liam started taking steps while he was on this trip. This seems to be his rhythm. Waiting for a visit with grandma and papa in order to show off his milestones. He did the same with crawling and sitting up. And the same goes for walking. Oh this little boy of mine. How much joy you bring! This season is such a wonderful time!

Are there ten things that make you happy? I'd be so blessed if you'd share them with me.

Over the Weekend

Oh how wonderful it was to have a three day weekend! It started off so lovely with friends gathered together for make your own sushi night and games.  We contributed a Thai Beef salad and oh how yummy it was! The games were so much fun. Oh there was so much laughter! Quilts were used for cuddling because of the cool trade winds blowing through the house. Oh how I wish I had a whole stack of cozy blankets to pass around! I might have to get started on a new quilt for the house! Also, currently Liam likes to take things out of drawers. As in - everything out of drawers. There has been a lot of investigating on his part - a lot of picking up on mine.

Liam also found out the pleasures of playing with scraps! This little basket kept him busy for a whole ten minutes! I can sew a block in that amount of time! Oh the possibilities!

 Liam was introduced to mangos this weekend. He loved them as I knew he would. Who can resist that sweet tartness.

And then the highlight of the weekend. The family was able to make it down to an off roading beach spot for some fishing. Ross was able to throw net and catch a dozen mullet fish, and all of the family casting brought in another bucket. Liam got to go in the water and I got to collect some pretty shells and sea glass to add to my collection.

A moment that stands out was that Liam fussed in the water until I sat down next to him. He would play for several moments... taking handfuls of corral sand into his chubby little hands and then a next moment he would reach out and touch my leg. Once reassured that I was near him, he would continue to discover. Oh how my heart swelled when I realized what he was doing! My little boy - pushing boundaries, but still needing him mommy. As I write this we are lying in bed - this little boy is tuckered out from yesterday's adventures. All I want to do is touch his feet - to acknowledge that he is still little. That he still needs me.

It was a wonderful weekend. Full of friends and family and sun and water and love. The best kind. I even got some stitching into Liam's birthday quilt during the evening as the family got together to enjoy the catch for a fish fry. My heart is so full!  I hope you all had a wonderful three day weekend!

Oh by the way, in case you were wondering - his hat was blogged here.