Breaking cages

The time has come. The moment we have been waiting for, for what seems an eternity has finally arrived. My fingers get to type the words, I've been longing for so long to write out: It is over! 2,5 years of separation will come to its final end next month! December 18th will mark a very special day. The day that we will officially be a family again. A family that actually lives together. Can you believe it? I am still having a hard time grasping that this suffering and loneliness finally will be over. The day I found out, I shed tears of joy and...relief! Big, HUGE relief! This past year esp. has been very tough on our little family. Thinking that Julian was only 16 months old when this whole commuting thing started, and now he will be turning 4 in spring! What an awful long time! What precious memories were never able to be made and how many once in a lifetime moments have been missed out on. Sad! Very sad, and no one will ever be able to repay us or give us this time back. We knew all this for a long time and how it was so not worth it. But sometimes, the cages we built ourselves as humans, seem unbreakable. Luckily all these things we think are tying us to the cages, are nothing but illusions. We always have a free choice...always. Often times it requires just a heck of a deal on energy and courage to break free, doesn't it? Well, we broke free. We did that what we do best...stand up for our dreams and not let us be kept tied up to things that in the end never matter. What matters is us..being together and together making those dreams of ours reality.


I don't know yet, what this whole ordeal was suppose to teach us, though I am sure it had its purpose. I've had tough, very tough moments and all I can say, this ending is coming just in the nick of time. We now feel repowered, fired up, bursting of positive energy..ready to take on whatever will come our way. I know all things good are coming our way and I trust, that nothing but the perfect opportunities and people will enter our life. And so it is. We are so joyful..no words in the world could describe it. Just pure, blissful joy!
Sooo, there will be changes, of course, in our life in these next months. Lots of them! YIPHIE! I LOVE changes...I love new chapters..I love adventures. Soon you will find out more about how and what is about to happen next. I'd like to close this post with an amazing quote by Mark Twain, which basically sums up my whole look on life:

"Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bow lines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails.
Explore. Dream. Discover.”

pics in this post were taken by me practicing dusk pictures at our local park

We are open

to the public again, this is. After much consideration, we have come to the decision to open this blog again. Why? Well, the focus of this blog has changed so much over the last year, it isn't sole on the kids anymore. Reading so many other wonderful blogs about the things we are passionate about, makes me feel a little restricted in connecting with like minded bloggers. Also often times, I will find things I'd love to join or do, but can't because of the privacy setting of our blog. Like for example following goodie that will from now on enrich this blog. I have given the idea of making my passion for photography a living, much thought and research and I have come to the conclusion: YES! Yes, yes, yes...I will so do this! BUT, this will be a long super pricey process. I don't think we are talking about this dream becoming reality before 2011. I need that time to learn, practice, save and buy all that I will need. So giving the whole thing at least a year, I think will be good. I want to be well prepared. So, today I have entered officially my first contest to get some practice and since there is a winner circle of over 20, I MIGHT be lucky...but I do not count on it. The goodie I was talking about is a photography website called "I heart faces" and they hold weekly challenges for newbies, amateurs and professionals . The thing is, in order to participate, I will need to link my post about the entry photo and link back to their site...which would be impossible in a private setting.
Also I am aware that not everyone of my, right now 36 readers, is into crafts and so on. So I'd like to give people that are interested in these kind of things the chance to read about my creations, just as I love to read about theirs. Plus being a public blog again, will allow you to subscribe to the feed and enjoy this blog f.e. in your google reader (which will make my friend Lisa happy).



Speaking of creations. I still have to share with you the secret project, which you saw partly finished in one of the last posts. Remember this basket? Well in a lot of hours, I turned these balls of yarn into this:




I bought the pattern for this doll online and HAD to make it. See, it's the -I will never have a daughter, but NEED to make girl stuff- gen in me. Well, the 1st birthday of my friend's daughter seemed like just the right occasion, don't you think? I made just a few little changes and really love the result. Now I am constantly dreaming up, what all I would create, if only I had a daughter. But don't get any wrong ideas. Family planning is o.v.e.r! I guess, I will just have to shower the daughters of my friends with gifts like this, to get my fix. Amanda, any chance we can turn Mannix into..hmm.. Maxine? ;o)
Well, so much for today. I know, I know...I still owe you a recipe share from...ehm..again, last month. I just haven't found and tried anything worthy for your taste buds yet, friends. So please bare with me.

P.S. I believe 1 or 2 of my readers are in Fort Hood. I hope you and your loved ones are safe and well after today's tragedy!

Happy Halloween!

From our family to yours! Hope you all will have tons of fun tonight and don't overeat on that candy! We will be off to a birthday/Halloween party. I decided this year on a mega cool, unique costume! I will be going as a overstressed, tired Mom of two little monkeys. Didn't even have to pull out the face paint to make those dark under eye circles ;o)

our cute little bunny thumper

& our cool indian (wowwwoo!)

WIP

What's WIP? WIP is a term that stands for work in progress and a lot of bloggers will post once a week about projects they are working on rightnow. So I decided to join it, since I am just that way...terribly impatient and wanting to show off what I've been spending my evenings on.
I've been working on a gift for someone's birthday for ehm...weeks and weeks! It looked much less work when I saw the original picture and decided to make it. Well, but I have to say, it sure is worth the time spend on. It's almost done and it turned out lovely. Too bad, I don't have enough occasions to do more things like this one. I will reveal pictures of the done project after Halloween. But till then you are more than welcome to keep scratching your head over what it could be ;o)


My friend Nicole was also a semi-widow this week, so we did what we do best. Get together and craft. I've been stumbling in the past over framed fabric, and I just love it! It looks so cute and homey. I wanted to make something similar and so strolled through the garage to find something to work with. I did find an old canvas I had painted way back in Reynosa, Mexico. I did not like the pic at all anymore and so it had been sitting there collecting dust. Well, it was time to de-dust :o) I took that little baby and gave it some love in form of a few layers of some recently bought spray paint. Bye bye painting.


Then I went through my fabric scraps and grabbed what I thought was usable and also bought 2 more fabric squares (the kind for like $1) at Joann's. After playing around with different ideas, I eventually decided on a bird, flowers, tree and an owl. So I got some inspiration for the bird and owl from the www and then did my own thing. I painted the tree with acrylic paint and cut out all the fabric from my scraps. A simple glue stick worked just fine to attach all the pieces to the canvas. I love love love how it came out! It's so totally me and will help brighten up my boring living room, that I am working on rightnow. The possibilities for this kind of art is endless...you can frame, unframe....spell words..enhance photos..just whatever you put your mind to. And what wonderful presents would these make?! Christmas is creeping up on you, folks!


And just because, I am crazy, I decided to pick up crochet too. Yep, that's right. I've read multiple times that it is way faster than knitting and I just have totally fallen for all the cute amigurumi you can do that way. Amigurumi is the Japanese art of knitting or crocheting small stuffed animals and creatures. So I had Nicole show me the very basic 2 stitches and sat here last night with butterflies and sweaty hand, well and some light cursing, trying my hands on my first project. I am that way. I get nervous and excited when starting something totally new *lol* Unfortunately you will have to wait until (gasp) after Xmas to see the end product, since this is gonna be a gift for someone.
Oh, and I have to throw in, if you should happen to be a person who hates crafts...SORRY for keep dumping these kind of posts on you. But you better get used to it ;oP

This and that

How fast 9 days pass when one enjoys them (see collage above), huh? Daddy is sitting on the plane right now..leaving us once more, and again I am hoping for it to be the last time. *sigh*
Winter is getting slowly but steady its grip of Colorado. A look outside the window shows me snowflakes dancing happily through the air, and we find ourselves preparing for the long winter months ahead. Julian is enjoying greatly playing with play dough these days, and after making our very own play dough, we now got him a big play set, so he can go crazy cutting out stars, making Mommy delicious play dough sandwiches and more. 3 year old's are surely one of a kind. While on most some days they can drive you sheer insane, they are yet the most sweetest and funniest little people. Cracking Mommy and Daddy up with the "wisdom" they share and surprising us with his span of make believe, words, determination and compassion. It sure is a miracle watching them turning from a little, helpless baby into this astounding, sweet little person!
Oliver is also the most cuddly and happiest little one I've ever seen. He's busy practicing these days how to get from a wiping-butt up high in the air- position to actually coordinate hands and legs to crawl forward. He's so close..I am sure my little mouse will have this task master very soon. Aah, another leap towards becoming a toddler. If only I could slow down time...
And our girls? We just moved them including their coop into the garage for the winter. It's just so much better...they don't have to freeze in blizzards and my hands don't get frost bite when changing their water. If our living situation will allow so, we will modify the coop in spring and get about 8 chicks and start a whole new, big flock. Our girls have been very lazy when it comes to fulfilling their chickenly duty of providing us with eggs. So rightnow they are just kept for fun. And at least we have always some fresh meat right there in our own "live emergency pantry"...hehe. ;oP
Me, well...very very B.U.S.Y! Besides having a bunch of books to read, having to start researching and study on my future business plans, it seems I stumble on a daily bases over a new crafts project that just jumps right at me and screams " You HAVE to do this! HAVE TO!" To show you how addicted I have become...Horacio mentioned earlier while teasing, that I'd be at least rich, if the plane should crash. I in return got this dreamy look on my face, staring into the distance and mumbling something about "spending everything on yarn" <--- officially suffering from crafting ADD! I seriously have like at least 2-3 projects at the same time going, while itching to start about another 50 or so. It's that bad. But oh well, I guess there are worse things I could be wasting spending our money on, right?!
Besides bringing joy to the recipients of my hand made treasures I get reassurance that I am not all that nuts, by being awarded for the first time. A wonderful award for (gasp) creativity!! Receiving one for that category means a lot to me. So thank you so much, my dear reader Nicole from Germany!

There are a few requirements for this award, one being that I share 7 things about myself that you don't know about yet. Ehm, well....you asked for it:

1. I used to cast for "Popstars" in Germany...rather unsuccessful *lol*
2. I fulfilled one of my dreams and danced at the Love Parade 2000
3. I will hide sometimes chocolate that is for Julian and secretly snack on it myself
4. I am an UFO nut, and had my very own experience
5. I adore women like Rachel McAdams, Mandy Moore and Katie Holmes.
6. I will go to Barnes&Noble for some tea and reading with my husband, and consider this a date. Paying a babysitter in the meantime.
7. I am terrified of spiders and heights.

I also have to share 7 websites that I consider, deserve an award for creativity. Now there's another secret of mine. I have TONS of favorite links, and for some reason, I don't like to share them most of the time. Which is totally nuts, since they are right there publicly on the web for everybody to see, right? *lol* But I guess it's kinda like the thing with the chocolate..I like to "snack" on those pages in secret...having them all "for myself" ;o) Anyways, I am willing to share this time. Some of them are in my link list, some are not. Here it goes:

1. Soule Mama
2. Waldorf Mama
3. V&Co
4. What feeds my soul
5. Attic 24
6. Frontier dreams
7. One crafty Mom

Well, sorry for this rather boring post, but that's about as much excitement as we are having in our lives right now. Next week I'll throw in some goodies.

Crafty idea

I decided to add a new thing (<-- aka, I can't think of the word to replace "thing" with what I actually mean) to my blog: the crafty idea. Meaning every now and then, when I stumble over like amazingly awesome craft ideas, I will share them with you. Am I nice, or what?! ;oP
My friend Nicole and I, have been meeting these couple of days every afternoon for craft-mania. Works out so perfectly: while we sit there, snacking and sipping tea...lost in craft clutter all over the table, our 2 boys get to beat themselves up play and the 2 babies get to poke their fingers in each others eyes and mouths. Always fun!
Anyways, one of the things I found while browsing the web for some stuff I wanted to craft (because I do not have enough on my hands already with all the knitting projects), I found this most adorable Halloween deco idea. So easy to make, your little ones can even help, and it's looks just darn cute lit up. You need:

- glass jars (baby food jars work best)
- orange (craft) tissue paper
- black construction paper
- Mod Podge (special glue at your crafts store)
- paint brush
- tea light

With the paint brush cover the jar from the outside with the Mod Podge. Then stick pieces of the tissue paper to it and let it dry for 10 minutes or so. After that add a additional layer of the Mod Podge on top of that. Let try. Cut out mouth, nose and eyes from the construction paper and glue to the dried jar. Put tea light inside and enjoy your very own mini version of a jack o lantern without all the mess of pumpkin carving. Line them up in groups for a more dramatic look.
If you use taller jars, you can add white instead of orange tissue paper and make round eyes and an O mouth...giving you a ghost!
I am totally in love with these little pumpkins.

Besides this, I worked on winter window pictures and new star lanterns. Oh, and not to forget, here's a pic of my basket filled with what will eventually be my secret project. The finished project will be presented soon.
I am also playing seriously with the thought of starting a photography business next year and therefore having this be my, for my sanity much needed, part time job. I have A LOT of studying and researching to do over the next months before I decide if this is really what I will do...but it looks hopeful rightnow.

Now I'll say good bye for a couple of days, as my hubby is on his way back home to enjoy a week with us. On the weekend I will drive up to Boulder to a special tea house with Nicole for a girl's day out. And next week I'm also invited for a ladies RAW (food) night at the lovely Lisa's. I don't wanna jinx anything, but I am hoping being back next week with wonderful news :o)

Warming gifts

Our county welcomed winter early this year. We had our first snow just the day before I got back from Sedona. Temps since then have been mostly around the 50 - low 60's range, with a few days in between where it got pretty cold. Like this weekend. Yesterday, as well as today we woke up to an icy picture outside our window. Talk about 19F or -7C! In October! Gives us a taste what the real winter will be like this year, huh? I am still trying to figure out if I like this or not. While I do like the coziness fact, I don't like having the energy of two little ones bottled up inside the house. Sometimes I think they will start going up the walls because they are sooo energetic..or I will go up there out of desperation *lol* I HAVE to get them out of the house every day for walks, but with these temps...I don't think so. So yesterday, was the first time I caught myself thinking....ehm...a TV would be kinda nice now *lol* But nope...that was just in that moment and a DVD then did the trick.


Sooo, we are doing what we can do in that situation. Hang out in our pj's all day long, play and craft, sip endlessly tea and eat soul warming meals. I've been working a lot on Oli's new sweater and think it turned out really cute. Just in time for the cold weather. Projects seems these days to overrun my life. Christmas is approaching and we are trying to make this year, besides being a very simple, back to basics and family focused one, a handmade Xmas. Meaning we are trying that the majority of presents are made by us or bought being handmade. Gotta love etsy for that! Julian's gifts are already figured out. He will receive the Waldorf elf that I had showed you here and a book of bed time story collections (that being well not handmade, but still a pretty simple, good gift). I am also working on a special blanket for him and I hope I will finish it in time. He is now already all in love with it and always declares that it is his very own, very special blanket. He will even throw in a pretend cough and declare with a "scratchy" voice "Mommy, I am sick! I need my special blankie!" Lol Gotta love the magic of handmade, huh?

Making gifts by hand is such a joy! I really am loving the whole process. This week was my mother's birthday and I asked her what she could need that I could make for her. Her answer was a tote for her tennis shoes. So I got going on it and I, as well as her, love the result. It did cost me a bunch of hours since I hand embroidered her initials and had never really done that before. But it was oh so worth it. This is a gift to cherish, a gift where love and effort went in. Nothing could have compared to these facts if I would have just bought a tote. Handmade is just so very special. I wrapped the gift up in a very natural way and thought it just looked like something, I'd love to receive.


I never told you, but remember this felt board I made for a child's b-day? The mother actually sent me an email some time later and saying how he loves playing with it so much, that she is gonna make him some other boards as well. The other day I met her at the park and months after he received this gift, she told me that it is still one of his favorites things to play with. It made me very happy to hear that such a simple handmade gift could bring such joy to a little boy. So worth all the time spent!
Now I have to come up with what my mother will be receiving for Xmas. I need to think of something for my baby and hubby. I need to finish working on a secret project, need to start working on Oli's new hat (the other one is a wee bit too small...he's got that big head from his Dad *lol*). Need to start working on some handmade tree deco and and and.....well....I better stop typing long stories and get going. Til soon, friends :o)

P.S. Iris, the girls are doing well...well, as well as can in these temperature *lol*