do you believe in fairies?

prompted by em's 52 Q

sometimes i see fairies
in my back yard
digging in the dirt
or picking flowers.

they leave me little flowers
as messages of love.

sometimes i see fairies
out my back door and into the trees
they blink their little lights
and call to the fairies
who live in my house.


speaking of fairies, have you read laini's book? better hurry--the sequel is coming at the end of the summer! I can't wait!

we're so fancy

today jake came home for lunch...



seared sushi grade tuna on a bed of greens

2 months

e lottie



She's grown so much!
She's 10 pounds now.
She has deep and soulful eyes.
Her belly hurts.


3 look-a-likes

j livvey

She has grown so much, too.
Just not as much--she's 8.5 pounds.
She's the sweetest little squirt.
Her belly hurts.

sling shots

when i'm wearing a baby

down

is always a cute view

my favorite slings are here.

anyone want a button?

To display this image copy and paste the following code into your site:

<a href="http://cottageroaddesigns.com"><img style="border:none;" alt="Cottage Road Designs" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2416/2999698304_43fef8c342_o.jpg" /></a><br /><br />




To display this image copy and paste the following code into your site:

<a href="http://cottageroaddesigns.com"><img style="border:none;" alt="Cottage Road Designs" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2416/2999698304_43fef8c342_o.jpg" /></a><br /><br />




To display this image copy and paste the following code into your site:

<a href="http://cottageroaddesigns.com"><img style="border:none;" alt="Cottage Road Designs" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3645/3370225709_ff37a22086_o.jpg" /></a><br /><br />



To display this image copy and paste the following code into your site:

<a href="http://cottageroaddesigns.com"><img style="border:none;" alt="Cottage Road Designs" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3601/3371048150_2a62362ab1_o.jpg" /></a><br /><br />



To display this image copy and paste the following code into your site:

<a href="http://cottageroaddesigns.com"><img style="border:none;" alt="Cottage Road Designs" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3615/3371048138_05bdba1951_o.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br />

Thanks for your support, friends!

xx
B

thamk you to emily for help with the buttons! so easy to work with.

happy spring!

sweet basil hostess apron

It’s officially Spring! I feel like celebrating.

Because there are some fun holidays coming and the economy is so horrid, I thought I’d put my aprons on sale! They are now $30.00 each--to purchase, go to www.cottageroaddesigns.com

*Perfect for Easter and Mother’s Day gifts*

it's what I do.

prompted by em's 52 Q

I decided to start an art journal. I’ve always meant to, but never had the gumption to actually DO it. When, you ask, do I have time to do an art journal? Well, my friend, it’s just that I don’t have time NOT to do it.

I clean every day. I don’t like to clean. I fold laundry all the time. Not the most enjoyable activity. I feed the children and myself whether I am hungry or not. Well, I think that to help keep from going in sane, I may need to up the creative ante. Why not make sure to do something every day that I actually like? A chore just for my mental and emotional well being. (and hopefully my skills will improve over time!)

When I was at Squam we had a question and answer forum with all the teachers up on stage and at one point one of them said something like, “We do art every day. Because we’re artists. It’s just what we do.” It stuck in my head.

been craving

every day!

lettuce
toasted sesame seeds (lots!)
sunflower seeds (lots!)
craisins and/or dried blueberries
cucumber
green beans (raw)
avocado (mmmmm)
tuna
dressing (your fav)



if only it was helping me loose my pregnancy weight...

got milk?

Hello. I’m Brittany. I’m a chocoholic.

So here’s the dealio. I eat chocolate. I breastfeed my babies. Needless to say, I have eaten chocolate since the day they were born and they really haven’t been that fussy. Nay, they have been little blessings from above. Suddenly over the weekend they have been crying like the dickens (what does that mean, anyway?) and my sweet beloved husband thinks it is because of my chocolate addiction. So I have been googling to clear my name. (It’s not looking good, folks—google is pointing to “what mom eats can make the baby fussy” and my name will not be cleared today.) Yes, I did eat an abundance of chocolate chip cookies, but seriously, is that going to suddenly change everything? I was thinking about what I’ve been eating and I did eat something that was very onion-y…like three meals in a row because the kids didn’t favor it, and I didn’t want it to go to waste. Could this be the source of my sleepless nights? Onions?

And if so, this is one thing I am going to take to the Maker in the afterlife: Why such mystery concerning nursing the child and wreaking havoc?

Here’s another: Why should bringing children into the world be so difficult? They are hard enough to raise, so why the physical hardship initially?

And another: Do you think next time I could come with wings? Flying seems like it would be such a pleasure.

everyone should get a handywoman...

they're so much fun!

it's easy

Today I found a half eaten bagel on the side table smothered in apple butter. (Trust me, that’s not the only thing I’ve found today.) I know who the culprit is. There are crumbs on the counter and cheerios on the floor and laundry in various stages of done-ness on the couch. Upstairs, I can barely walk for lack of bare floor (toys and stuff) and under someone’s bed there are cheez-its complete with a tea party set up, all in pink and purple plastic (under the bed, seriously).



Yesterday I took #1 & 2 to the dentist (along with #4 & 5 in tow) and you should have seen the reactions. The receptionist asked {after I was all settled into the waiting room seat with the older two at the games and the younger two by my feet}, “So, how many does this make?” “Five,” I said, smiling. All the heads attached to the nice mothers in the waiting room snapped up to look at me. Then the more bold mothers took their turns asking me questions. (Toto, I have a feeling we're not in Utah anymore.)



The truth is I was petrified to have five children. But now I’m not. Now I know that having a big family is awesome! It is rewarding and full of love. It is a lot of work and I’m tired. But it does get a little easier. (You have to look at “easier” in an open-minded fashion.)

eas⋅y/ [ee-zee]
1. not hard or difficult; requiring no great labor or effort: It was easy to fall asleep.

2. free from pain, discomfort, worry, or care: It was easy to see her third child walking on the counter; she had seen children walking on the counter for years now.

3. not burdensome or oppressive: It was easy to do the laundry because after being on bed rest for close to three months, taking care of her family without relying on others was no longer considered a burden, but a blessing.

So when I find hand written names on the walls and window sills from the Cheez-It miester, I give a sigh and get a little frustrated, but I don’t have time to dwell on it—I’m a mother of five, for heaven’s sake!


taken by my 9 year old...because my hands were full. here's the self portrait with mommy:


How do I do it? (the most asked question) I do it just like people do it with one. Just like people live with any kind of trial. Just like people live with any kind of joy.

Dear Fellow Visiting Teachers,

I have a goal to be a better Visting Teacher. Since part of that goal is to make sure to give my girls an actual piece of the lesson, I am going to make little quotes for them. (Hi, my girls—I bet a couple of you will read this…) I thought since there are fellow VTers who stop by here from time to time I would share with you, too. Feel free to print the quotes off (preferably on cardstock;) for your girls if you feel so inclined.

if there is a better way to do this, please someone fill me in. I bet there's some kind of file that is super easy to download and print...

I chose this quote because it hit me that I’m not involved enough in my community and that is a cryin’ shame. There’s still time for me yet! It’s like a little kick in the pants, so to speak, that good people DO something. They take action when there is something lacking in the world around them. Maybe I can take baby steps this year and work toward being “a blessing to others, to my nation, to the world.”

For those of us (me) who need some tips and inpiration, what are some of your favorite things to do for your sisters?

xo
B

do you think this has to do with the groundhog?

It looks as though Mother Nature doesn’t think I have the mom-of-five thing down yet. She gave me one more day to figure it out. (Last week was winter break—yes, we get that back east. It’s when all the sick people hermit themselves in their houses so the germies can stop spreading around and all the well people go to Florida. It’s also when moms of preemie twins get tested on their mom abilities while the older three are out of school.)

So, how will we make the most of a snow day when we’re very sick of snow? We'll make a fire and watch movies all day. And we’ll make more of these:




and thank you, Abby, for the inspiration. I am now obsessed with getting them just right. When I have them perfected, I'll share. promise.

(Don’t worry, I’ll eat a salad for lunch.) (and I'll organize a little. or maybe I'll fold laundry while watching the movies.)