Weekending

I'm a little sad to see this weekend go. It had that special, relaxing sparkle about it. This photo just about sums it up.

    

Quiet. 

    

It was just Echo as far as kids go, and a quiet Echo on top of that. She ate fruit, and granola, and a bagel. She played with Star Wars figurines, adorning Leah with a hot pink purse. She assembled a "clearing" and a library, and an elaborate home, all from objects from the toy box; rubber ducks, an empty box, wooden stacking bowls. She was content, which explains the quiet. In the afternoon we did some "school", reading from a fat anthology of stories we've been chipping away at for a week.

    

Outside it was quiet too. The foot of snow on the ground and the constant curtain of falling snow muffled all possible sound. And the cold and the "weekendness" of the days meant that not a soul was about. I went for a run with Henry and Romy's dog Shelia, feeling for a moment that perhaps it was a fool's errand as the frigid air hit my running pants and snow flakes turned my chin to an instant ice cube. But oh it was glorious! No cars, no people, white everywhere, and really I am hard-pressed to think of an image that brings quicker happiness than smiling dogs. They really do smile. 

    

I returned to a shower and lunch and stories on the couch. I think at one point both Nathan and I each caught a couple winks, lulled by the sounds of Star Wars men and women rifling through the books in Echo's mini library.

    

When dark fell we snacked on bread I made according to a recipe from sister Em. It's made from pumpkin seeds and chia seeds for flour and contains eight eggs! It's a dense mofo of superfood. I love it. Then we moved the couch. As you may remember we don't have a tv or cable but we do have a glorious desktop computer so when we want to watch something, Nathan and I haul our couch across the living room to the desk nook. We have to risk our lives stepping over the girls array of tiny toys that are always set up just so. But we made it and got settled in for movie night. I whipped up a salad and a HUGE plate of french fries baked in the oven. The Lorax and a platter of fries? That's seriously American.

    

Yesterday, (since it appears this post is turning out to be an actual rundown of our weekend...), we were more productive though still quite "hibernatey". This time I brought Echo on the dog walk, nestling a bottle of hot water in her lap and under her toes. She didn't say a word the entire time, wrapped up as she was in a personal "mind game", which she has described as a mental story telling and character development. I spaced out and worked over some of my latest ideas.

    

(As an aside, is anyone else just jamming with good ideas lately? I am, and my sister is, so I was wondering if it was cosmic or something.)

    

That afternoon I spent twenty minutes digging the van out of the snow. We suited up like we were going to the North Pole and went to the Feeleez shipping lab (which hasn't had the heat turned on in a few days). We spread a yoga mat in front of a cranked-up space heater and Echo unpacked her pink pack of toys to play. The scene was very hobo-ish. Nathan and I got down to doing inventory, the January "joy" of every small business. 

    

But we had fun! We laughed and joked and marvelled at the fact that this business even exists. Inventory is kind of abstract, you just count up everything that the business owns, but as I shuffled through Feeleez games and buttons and posters I started to trip-out. A whole business sprung from our hearts and minds. My own hands, in my own little house, drew images that now are found throughout the world. And our humble, good intentions to help children with their feelings have resulted in that very thing. I feel such love for each person that orders Feeleez as I imagine they have the same good intentions.

    

We trundled back home through the snow. We ate biscuits and soup while skyping with Bella and analyzing the muddy pool of hormones, emotion, and drama that is middle school. 

    

Viola! A satisfying, restful, weekend full of contentment.

    

How was yours? 

Comments

[Rachel]

Yes on the chock full 'o' ideas. Goodness, if I could channel my time more efficiently...Maybe we need a good ideas encouragement group.

That Echo is a thoughtful girl, isn't she?

[Natalie]

Oh yes. It's a colossal effort to get her to turn her thoughts off long enough to fall asleep.

[Kristin]

I would say Lea had such a day today. I decided to clean up her room for her the other night...it's an amazing sight of actual carpet! And she was inspired. For hours this morning, she just played and played with her new Christmas toys, and some old, keeping it all tidy, and did not ask me for a single thing until 1 pm! Miracle of miracles!

[Natalie]

It's amazing what a clean/organized room can do for play huh? It's like everything becomes brand new again.