Attn: BLOG MOVE!

Attention blog readers:

This blog has MOVED!  I have created a lovely new blog, and I would love to have you join me there.  

Please click over to http://www.allthethingsweareblog.com/ and re-subscribe.

Can't wait to see you over there!

linked 52: trees, or learning the guitar

The linked project theme for this week is trees, but though I thought and tried as much as I could, photo inspiration just didn't hit me.  The guitar, however, is sort of like a tree, right?  It's made from trees anyway, and it is beautiful like a tree, and I love it like I love trees.  And the coolest thing about the guitar is that my dear husband is teaching me to play it.  


Being a musician who loves to play piano and make music with our children, Matt thinks it might benefit our family connection and ignite our children's interest in learning to play music if I am joining in the music-making with them.  Just between you and me, I think he aspires for us to one day be a touring family band, complete with VW bus... but in the meantime he thinks it will be fun to have piano, guitar, drums and singing all going on together in a simple family ritual of merry music-making.  So I'm learning and really enjoying it-- it is easy to learn, quick to pick up throughout the day, something I can do while still engaging with the kids, and, other than being able to make lovely sounds, the coolest thing about learning to play is that when I practice the children become very calm, focused, and quiet, which means I also get space to practice.  Pretty cool! 



Check out what these other ladies came up with for this week's theme:  Jenn, Tracey, Michelle, Stacey, Andrea, Heather, Kristin, Amanda, Lesli, Amanda, Sara , Janet, Naomi, Rose, Carla, Lena, Rhonda, Tracy, Heidi, Liza, Jean

legos

Even with his Lego buddy dad away at sea on a Navy ship, Cedar's still at it.

Now that I see this, it looks to me like a ship at sea, doesn't it?  Cedar tells me it is actually a kind of floating city going up and down, with a ninja trying to save some people underneath.

And happy 35th birthday to my amazing musician-sailor-swordfighter-chef-father-partner-lover-creator husband. We love and miss you Matt.

her

him

chemistry fun

How do you make a kid happy?  A little flour, salt, cornstarch, soap, food coloring, and, or course, baking soda and vinegar.  That's how!

linked 52: growth

As I look at these daffodils, I see myself mirrored in them-- closing, opening, peeking, wondering, fearing, trusting, exposing, doing what needs to be done.  In the past few years of intense life changes and challenges (job change, leaving our home and family, breast cancer, and now deployment), I am grateful for all the growing I've been able to do.  I feel decades older than when we left Montana for the Navy just two years ago, and there is still much more to come.  I wonder if my future holds a time of rest from all this growing?


Check out what these other ladies came up with for this week's theme:  Jenn, Tracey, Michelle, Stacey, Andrea, Heather, Kristin, Amanda, Lesli, Amanda, Sara , Janet, Naomi, Rose, Carla, Lena, Rhonda, Tracy, Heidi, Liza, Jean

new ink

They love tatoos.  They covered themselves in tatoos one day after finding a book of them at the store.  Especially when it's just us without Matt, these kids get really, really silly together.  Fun times indeed here at the Jones house!

wooden sword

 All those years spent making swords as a boy have served Matt in ways I'm sure he never expected when he was young: he now has a son who is so very happy to make use of his dad's swordmaking skills.  Together they whittled and painted and ended up with a very exciting wooden sword that can be  used outside and shared with the wild multitude of little boys whipping through the neighborhood.  Very cool indeed.

s'mores+beach+friends

Kids running and playing on the beach until dark, glowsticks, hot dogs and s'mores, fire, ocean, connection, warm ocean breeze, beautiful light, family.  This is definitely a recipe for a satisfying evening.  Hoping for many more like this to come.