Boba Fett tackles Luke after an explosion that propelled everyone and all of their weapons in all directions, making the very air they breathe explosive. There were also little fairy goddesses watching the whole scene- check out the pocket fairy in the chair, apparently immune to the weapons and fighting. That's Leia in the background, thrown into the corner with all the guns...I don't know how it turns out as the scene is still being enacted. I do know that Boba Fett has a migraine and Samuel said his sheer force of will keeps him fighting Luke, even with a migraine. Poor guy. I can relate. He keeps banging his head against the ceiling.

Off to the arcade today with friends. Hoping for another walk as well as the weather is spectacular here. It changes so quickly back and forth and it seems each day has something new to offer. 60 degrees, wind and the sun peeking out...Oops my mistake- it is really more like 50. Warmer yesterday I guess. See what I mean, every day something different...

wet cat

I gave Agnes a bath today. Nearing 16 years in February (she's a Pisces...) she is doing really well but she has some difficulty reaching her back when grooming due to age and (ahem) weight issues. She has a little arthritis as well. And now she has eek! fleas to add to that. She was very upset during the bath but once it was over she started grooming herself to dry off and even stopped growling at me. This is unprecedented. I think she particularly enjoyed having the warm water run onto her back. I washed her with some lovely oatmeal-skin-healing pet shampoo.

s-l-o-w-d-o-w-n

So I have been feeling very slow and am wondering if this is winter. One of the reasons I like it here in the Pacific Northwest is that I find the rain and cloud cover to be very relaxing, soothing even at times. But even I recognize that extended periods of this weather can really slow things down. And right now I think that is just fine. Let's see what happens when we go with the flow of the seasons and let winter slow us down a little...

On another note, Facebook does not allow images of breastfeeding mothers and considers them to be "obscene, sexually explicit and pornographic". I am posting this blog here to get the word out. Obviously, pictures of breastfeeding mothers are not obscene, sexually explicit or pornographic. Facebook's attitude is unacceptable. We need to be able to see images of mothers breastfeeding their children openly, without shame, with joy and love. We need this to be commonplace! Acceptable! Applauded!



Eva and I have been doing a lot of puzzles. We were particularly proud of this one which is made up entirely of pieces shaped like little lizards (schmuzzle puzzle from when I was a kid)- except the edges, of course. She asked me to take this picture when we finished up the puzzle today. Triumphant!

I am finding myself with quite a bit of extra energy when I am normally wanting to go to sleep and I credit the recent snow and low pressure system traveling through our area for this burst of action. Plus the kids are playing really really well together right now and who wants to put a stop to that. Why do they play best at 10:00 pm?

Overheard just now-
Eva's guy "By night I turn bear. By day I am human."
Samuel's guy "Hmmm. Good to know."



eva art- this little one is a bird

hey it's my birthday

Lovely birthday! Thank you to everyone for the happies and birthdays and gifts and love!

happy new year!

I spent the day yesterday trimming back and cleaning out. I actually cleaned out the garage and I dare anyone to find a photo (not being viewed) that is not in a photo album. Today I finished Eva's baby book and went through some of my past journals, retiring the ones that were filled and finding a lot of space in others plus several unrecorded dreams I had forgotten about. I have been writing down my dreams for several years but sometimes they come in such a flurry that I get behind and sometimes, but not often really, I find some that I have forgotten to write down entirely. I do take notes in the middle of the night or right when I wake up if there is a chance I will forget a dream and these are some of the notes I found lingering in various notebooks.

It is so satisfying to tie up some of these loose ends, clean things up and out for the New Year. My yearly tradition of tossing all of my lists that are lying around was very satisfying as well and this morning my little to-do notebook is totally blank and clean, free and clear. Even the grocery list is cleaned up. Lots of wisdom to be found when looking back and lots of room freed up when you let it flow like it is meant to. I am reading the book The Comfort Trap and one of the chapters on letting go has the title Look Back But Don't Stare. I like to think this was my inspired tactic both yesterday and today.

Now I look ahead to the New Year and to My Birthday tomorrow! Hooray for massages and Thai food and walks in the woods! Samuel said maybe I should throw in a haircut for good measure just to make sure I get all of the momma stuff in that I can on this one special day!

Wowee! So excited! I commissioned my cousin Kristin to make a quilt for me and it arrived yesterday (last delivery of the year!). Here is Eva on the new quilt, all spread out for us to see more closely and a detail of one square on the quilt. I am so excited and can't believe I am actually going to use something so beautiful. I have a quilt that my grandmother's grandmother made (the same woman who started the Christmas cactus I have a clipping off...) and it has never been used? Is that possible? When it was offered to me I was cautioned against using it as well. Of course now it is so old it can't really be used. So nice to have such a lovely quilt! Thank you Kristin! The kids are already asking for their own :) Today we made pants for barbie out of some left over bird fabric!