Growing and Being Quiet

Our household stuff has been packed up, driven across the country and will arrive at our doorstep tomorrow evening accompanied by some delightful people. We will go from living in very temporary surroundings to having all those rubber maid bins I packed up in June. 

It's going to be busy around here. 

The last couple months have been not what I thought they would be but they have been good. They have also been very hard in a lot of ways. Good and hard often go together to promote growth. 

I think I have growing pains. 

And so, I am going to take a little break. A little break from blogging, a little intentional quiet time. 

I'll be focusing on the very real life I live with my Jared and our two little girls. I'll be unpacking all.those.boxes. I'll be making the transition from hardly anything to everything as smooth as I can for my girls (really for all of us) and that requires me to be purposeful. 

I'm not sure how long of a break I'll be taking but I know that is needed.

Thank-you, as always, for reading and sharing this story with me. XO 

Five Minute Friday: Roots

I wasn't planning on writing anything today but I saw the prompt and I had too. Maybe you have to write as well or read stories of others, it's all at the gypsy mama's site.

4 provinces. 4 years. 2 little girls. 1 dream. 1 journey. 

I cried a little when I saw this week's prompt: Roots. Cried because that word resonates deep within me right now. 

We're doing something hard, something a little crazy but something that makes us so happy and so fulfilled. Something that we've been talking about since before we said our vows. A pursuit of a dream and a lifestyle that when we're old and gray and rocking away, we'll be glad we took the jump. 

It means uprooting, it means moving across the country. Twice. 

It means tears. Lots of them sometimes. It means deep happiness and the knowledge that we are more together then ever before. 

It means that our roots don't go down in just one town, in just one province, in just one country. It means that our roots are each other, that home is where ever we are. Together. The four of us. 

It means that our story is being written and these are the first few chapters. The hard bits. But the roots are going down.

linking up with Five Minute Friday, five minutes to just write. 

Peggy's Cove: A lesson in Quiet

It was quiet.  Punctured only by the occasional conversation carried on the wind and the constant crash of the waves against the rocks. 

We went towards the water, compelled by the rocks and the muddy, narrow path leading towards the water. One jump and then another and then another and we were there. Right on the edge.

6 inches separated me from the Atlantic Ocean. 

It was awesome. In the truest sense of the word. 

I could have stayed for a long time. I breathed in and out with the cadence of the waves, half in awe and half in delight. And then brought back to reality by the giggle of my two year old and the way she followed her uncle like a mountain goat over the rocks. 

The mum in me got nervous and I told him to hold her hand. Always.

It's barren there. Rocks covered with red heather. Little pools of water. And all around you, the ocean. Demanding respect. 

I tore myself away and we walked down to the village. Few words were spoken. We gestured when we wanted to stop and try to capture the scene before us. We wandered through a boathouse filled with old fishing paraphernalia and other interesting stuff like a whale's jaw bone. I wondered what use I would have for a lobster trap and how I would display it. And then I saw the shells, gathered up from the sea. Worth very little to the seller, but worth a great deal for me. I handed over my coins and he wrapped the shells up for me. 

 We followed the twisting road up to the lighthouse and the throngs of people. It is after all one of the most photographed sites in all of Canada. We took some obligatory pictures as well and headed away from the people. 

It was too noisy, too busy. Everyone caught up with too much noise, the bus schedules, the overpriced coffee served at the top, the perfect picture. 

I wanted to capture it all with a film camera. Slow.

We wandered along the rocks, always making our way close to the edge, watching the water hit the rocks and create spray. Our faces were moist. 

I found a house I wanted to live in, a little house by the sea. It's quiet and secluded. Simple and quiet. 

I crave that in my life. 

And so I build it in, one little bit at a time. And I keep my shells close to remind me. 

How To Be Quiet 

1. Take a deep breath. 

No, seriously. It can't always have the sea tang but it can always help. Breathe in and then out slowly to the count of ten. It slows your heart rate down and relaxes your body. 

2. Do the next thing. 

So the house may be a mess, the laundry still needs to be folded and there's other nagging jobs. Just do the next thing: put laundry on, wash the dishes, breathe. Everything will fall into place. 

3. Deliberately slow down. 

Light a candle, put some calming music on, gather your littles or whoever is close to you and hug them.   Take time to figure out the reason why life feels so busy, so noisy. And then scale back. 

4.  Take time to be quiet. 

It may just be a few minutes standing on the back porch, or it may be longer. Leave your phone alone, actually leave all screens alone. Take the few minutes to regroup and then face your lists, your busyness, your day. 

Where is your favorite quiet place? 

Five Minute Friday: Finding my Voice

First time for everything, today I'm joining in the five minute Friday writing community over at Lisa Jo Baker's site  where we write for five minutes flat on the given prompt. Today's prompt: Voice 

I don't always know what is, this voice of mine. I write in the quiet, in the stolen moments and the deliberate moments. A little oasis of calm and sorting of thoughts. 

It doesn't seem to fit into any one catagory, and I don't know how to label it. The box lid doesn't always fit. 

But I write still. 

To capture the moments, if for no other audience then myself. To remember what they wore, how they looked and how simple yet complex life with two little girls can be. 

I sort out my ponderings, many just sit in drafts, afraid to be that honest and real out in the big world of the published blog post. 

But this is my voice. I can't not write. 

I write to find clarity, to inspire others, to share snippets of life. 

I write for myself, and in being true to myself I find my voice. 

I listen to His voice, the still small quiet voice. And remember that to everything there is a season, it won't always be twisting thoughts and wonderings. 

And through it all, I write. And I find my voice. 

How to Dress: Style Inspiration from the Little Ones for the Big People

1. Always have a great jacket. 

It can be thrown over whatever else you're wearing, especially if it's running errands, and can make the simplest of outfits feel pull together.

2. Cute shoes

Always have a pair of cute shoes to go with your great jacket. The accessories can often make an outfit and don't require a huge closet or budget. Color pop, fashion trends, and seasonal statements are all easily achieved with what you're wearing on your shoes. Think ballet flats, boots, and red heels. 

3. Never underestimate a good hat. 

It can be a blah day, no time for a shower day, or changes in humidity. Choose a hat you like and looks good on you and don't be afraid to wear it! The British do it all the time and look fabulous. 

4. Go for a co-ordinated look. 

Jeans, hoodie, and runners can look super cute, sporty, and practical. For those days when you just need to wear something or you're outdoors or need some more practical clothes. Wear them and wear them on purpose. Throw your hair up in a ponytail, add a splash of color with a headband and go rock the playground/library/grocery store with a spring in your step. 

5. Invest in some quality clothes. 

The initial output may slow you down but if it's a pair of good shoes or nice jeans or good jacket (or glasses in my case, here) and you wear it every day, the price is averaged out and it makes a great buy. For example, I had a pair of jeans that I wore a lot. I wore them till they had holes. Price per wear: pennies. Totally worth the investment. 

6. Mix and match

Don't be afraid to try something new. Play around with combinations in your closet to create new outfits, be inspired by others and then re-create your own version. It doesn't have to be costly or brand name or just like anyone else, it is you and your style. Wear it with confidence. 

7. "Happiest girls are the prettiest." 

Audrey Hepburn said this, she is one of my style inspirations but I appreciate this truth probably more then any outfit she wore. People remember a smile long after they've forgotten what you wore. 

What inspires you?

Nature Walk: Atlantic Style

It started out as an ordinary walk. Down main street, past all the shops, pausing to check out the latest display in the shoe store and then moving on. Past the old church and the row of bed and breakfasts, and then the gardens stopped me.

The sculptured beds of flowers with a fountain and a weeping willow. Just through the spray of the water, I saw a a slide. We turned right.

The girls delighted with me in all the beauty.

"Look at the flowers, mummy!"

There was just enough playground and just enough nature park. Exposed roots and massive stumps made a steep hillside accessible for little legs to go up and down. 

All morning.

The littlest one was happy from her perch in the swing while I looked at the trees. 

Maple! Oak! And acorns!

And thus we had our first nature study, the Atlantic version. It still feels a little weird to actually live in Atlantic Canada. Every time I hear it, it feels so far away. Because it has been. But now it's home.

I explained to Kilmeny that the oak tree came from a little acorn. And then we were like squirrels and collected tons of the little nuts for our autumn display. We delighted in the different textures and colors. The fat ones, the green ones, and the ones missing their little caps.

We clambered up the dirt face of the hill and found a delightful little meadow with a path. Obviously we followed it. And around the bend, there were blackberries! We picked berries, Kilmeny quickly learned that the black ones were the ones to pick, not the red ones.

We went home with our treasures: berry stained lips, lots of acorns and the delight of discovering a brand new place to explore.

To take a Nature Walk:

Engage all your senses- colors, textures, smells, sounds, tastes!

Be elaborate or simple- take(when appropriate!) treasures home for a nature table or display in jars.

Let your children set the pace- Kilmeny liked collecting nuts and berries for a little bit and then she was all over the teeter-totter.

Of Summer Days on The Farm

It's been a little crazy around here. From thunderstorms that wake us up to lightening flickering at night, enough and often to make me think that Mordor is close. The rain has bucketed down making us in the mood for tea, warm apple crisp and British movies. And it has left the outdoors a complete mess. The mud sticks to your shoes when you attempt any sort of outside activity. So when the storms stop and the sun is shining, we take every advantage of outside time. After all, that's kind of the point of summer, right? 

This particular day we set off for a walk. The boys were on their bikes, we girls walked and Khaira rode along in style on my back in the Ergo.  It was beautiful and we soaked up the sunshine. The goat and the dog came along making for much comic relief.

Every day isn't all happy-happy, filled with walks and trips to the lake and everything else just so. Some days require searching for beauty and good in a mess of emotions and grumpy children. Some days I am blown away by the simple beauty that surrounds me when I choose to see it. 

The simplicity of water droplets on a leaf. The delight little boys have in picking great big stalks of flowers. A simple clover blossom. Life. Health. My girls. The life and dreams I share with my man.

We got home from our walk and I put my floral treasures in a bottle. It sits by my current bathroom mirror as a reminder each day to look for the beauty, enjoy the beauty and make the most of right now. It's all we ever really have. 

 How has your summer being going? =)

\I'm spending this week with my sister, these are some thoughts \I wanted to share. Lots of pictures and moments captured when\ I get back to Alberta. =)

We went for a Walk

 Living with the in-laws as we are for this time before our big move, there is always lots of company for what ever activity is going on. Walks, water fights, egg gathering or just talking in the kitchen.
But on this particular day I wanted to go for a walk with just my girlies. Actually I wanted to get a couple miles in before it got too hot and I lost all motivation to do any sort of work out. My double stroller and the hills around here give me the resistance my body needs. I always come back renewed and refreshed. We started out strong. I was booking it, the girls were happy... and then Kilmeny asked to walk.

And I let her.

  The entire tune of the walk changed. I think we all took deep breaths.

I slowed down. My physical pace and my mental pace. I actually noticed what was around me.

The slight breeze dancing amongst the birch leaves setting them all a-flutter. The delicate white butterflies weaving in and out of the flowers.

The rich smell of hay being cut. The faint hum of the constant tractor. The beauty of innocent childhood. The fullness with which my daughter embraces life. The sweet sound of baby giggles.

I decided to let Kilmeny set the pace. She threw rocks and picked flowers. She ran ahead and then slowed right down and wrote in the dust on the road. She watched butterflies and dragonflies. She experienced a thistle. She identified the colors and textures of all the different flowers we picked. She splashed rocks in the water. 

 Khaira felt all the textures of the rocks, first one and then the other. Passing them from hand to hand as if she were weighing them. She laughed, delighted to be outside and free to explore as much as she can by crawling. 

We walked the two miles. We experienced the two miles. And I made a memory, captured a day with my girls. Summer 2012 will always have a faint smell of hay, with the whisper of birch leaves now in our memories.