Happy Thanksgiving, all! Have you thought about everything for which you are grateful? I am grateful for Steve (not his real name), my children, all of my family and friends, my lovely little house (well, Mem’s lovely little house), not really my stupid van but I guess my stupid van. It runs well and hasn’t needed any major repairs in 87,000 miles. But it’s a stupid van and I am grateful for it. In all seriousness, my children are healthy and happy, we have more than enough to eat, there’s a lot of love and laughter, Mem is doing very well, I have wonderful parents, the best sister ever, beautiful nieces and nephews, solid senses of humor all around—I am truly blessed. I thought in this spirit of thankfulness I might take a moment to walk around my house and find random things about which I am grateful. You know, the little things that make life a little sweeter. Like pie. (Eat lots of pie tomorrow. I am grateful for pie.)

my new slippers

I have freakishly narrow feet and my last pair of slippers were slide-ons. I know slippers are a little old-ladyish, but my feet are always cold, so that’s why I have them. Also, I don’t like the idea of my socks touching the floor. Even though I always keep our floors pretty clean since I really hate even the idea of crumbs and ooky food particles and dog ick and random grody things all under my feet. I’m not entirely certain what these things are but I am sure they are nasty. So that’s also why I have slippers. Which has more to do with the crazy than something more legit like freezingness. (Not a word. I know. I’m just too tired to rephrase the whole sentence so that real words work.) Anyhow, my last pair were slide-ons with no backs to them and my freakishly narrow feet did not grab onto those so well. The slippers were always slipping forward and then I would step down on the really painful back edge with my heel. Also I kept falling down the stairs since they slipped off my feet so easily. I know I am young enough that I would bounce back from a broken hip, but thought it might be wiser to avoid bone breakage. Also concussions. And those slippers were not warm at all. These are warm and they actually fit and I have not fallen once while wearing them! They were also wicked on sale AND I had a coupon for even MORE savings. Seriously. It was an exciting day for me.

our homeschool room

I really love this room. I call it our homeschool room but only to you so you’ll know to which room I am referring. We don’t actually call it anything, I don’t think. Maybe the work room. I don’t even know. I made the window seat into a reading nook and we bought these long tables so the kids have tons of space to do their coloring, drawing, etc.

The kids are finally old enough that I can put all kinds of craft supplies within their reach. Used to be that the twins would simply destroy and/or strew everything all over the joint which was no fun. For me. For them it seemed really fun but I don’t feel bad at all about denying a wee bit of their fun since they’re kids and their whole existence is about fun. And snacks. Which can also be a lot of fun. But not for me who is the one who always has to get up and get them.

My work space. Don't you wish YOU were this organized?

Isn’t this room so tidy? It’s always like this. Ha! That’s total crap. It’s usually a DISASTER.

This is the pile of crap that was on my desk. I moved it to the floor. It's is still on the floor.
But did you see how nice my desk looks? Don't look at the floor.

Ironing board loaded with craft projects. I moved it out of the shot. Bloggers are big liars.

I took these pics when the kids were out with my mom and dad and weren’t here to mess up the room. They’re back now and it’s been returned to its typical disastrous state. Kids are so annoying.

my antique hutch Right before we moved, I was driving down Main Street and out of the corner of my left eye, I spied this hutch. Peripherally, it looked like exactly the right size to fit between the windows in Mem’s kitchen. But I was going like 45MPH so I wasn’t totally sure and the tank was on vapors so I got some gas then made a U-turn and went back where I had seen it out of the corner of my eye and it WAS exactly the right size to fit between the windows in Mem’s kitchen! It was $75 and I said how about $50 and the guy said $65 and I said $60 and he said deal and Steve (not his real name) said I just paid $60 for a discarded old cabinet that was probably in someone’s barn for 50 years (I do consent that the smell suggested such a claim) and I said no it’s an antique and he just looked at me. Then I cleaned it very thoroughly instead of packing which was really what I should have been doing. Now it’s here and I keep my baking things in it so who got the last laugh? Ha! I thought so.

Sparkle Days and Every Autumn Comes the Bear

These are 2 of my favorite kids’ books. I have borrowed them from the library and read them with my kids for a bunch of years now. I’m not sure who likes them more—me or them. So this year I bought copies for us to have to enjoy every year. They were so excited to see Sparkle Days especially. If you are not familiar with Henry and Mudge, go right down to your library and check them out. Go. The library will be closed tomorrow, so run out now. You won’t be sorry.

nature table

This is our nature table. When we find pretty things out on a nature hike or a playground or at the beach and sometimes on one of those islands in parking lots, we take them home and place them here. I think it’s really good to bring nature inside—it encourages the kids to be organically conscious (and I hope respectful) of our world. We decorate it seasonally and pay homage to the rhythmic changes of Earth. I think it helps them be mindful about nature, which moves a lot more slowly and steadily and predictably than a lot of other aspects of life. It’s grounding.

We keep a statue of a goddess and one of the Greek god Pan here which probably freaks some people out. But it’s just to connect the kids to divinity and the seasons. I swear we’re not drinking goat blood when the moon is full.

kitchen curtains

I swoon for rick-rack!

Well, not quite yet. But this is a really cool tablecloth of vintage fabric I found in one of Mem’s kitchen drawers. She made it years ago out of what she would have called simply “fabric.” I don’t need a tablecloth, but I thought it could be sewn up into some really cool curtains. However it’s not quite big enough for the 3 windows for which I need curtains. So I bought this coordinating fabric and will use both to design some fabulous window treatments! I kind of hate phrases like that. Why isn’t the first word created to describe a thing not good enough after a while? Anyhow, I haven’t had time to make these yet but I will soon. I’ll show you then. Have some patience, will ya.

I hope you have a wonderful day with your loved ones! Hug them a lot and tell them why they matter to you!

Next week I will be talking about the culture of busy in which many of us participate—willingly or not so much—and also will post the final part of my serialized story, “Red Step Stool.”