weekending with family

Posted in familyness, love and happiness by ElaineMarie

oh web friends, we spent our second weekend with my family in indiana. i feel so blessed to be surrounded by the beauty and love of some amazing people. it’s still such a painful reason to be together but through it all there is laughter, learning experiences and incredible things happening. a family is being strengthened and i’ve said “i love you” more in the past few weeks than ever before in my life.

the canvas with the quote belonged to my cousin. i adore it. the crosses were sent home from the orphanage where my cousin was working.

we’re headed back again this weekend for services and hard-core family time. is it so weird to say i’m looking forward to it? because i am. in the best possible way. for now i’m just trying to get things under control at the homestead. i’m anxious to move forward with purpose. i think that is what my cousin would want. i think she’s been there, whispering to me of ways i could carry service work into my own profession.

i’ll leave you with the full quote which was the inspiration for my cousin’s canvas:

“Nothing is more practical than finding God,
That is, than falling in a love in a quite absolute, final way.
What you are in love with, what seizes your imagination will affect everything.
It will decide what will get you out of bed in the mornings,
What you will do with your evenings,
How you spend your weekends,
What you read,
Who you know,
What breaks your heart,
And what amazes you with joy and gratitude.
Fall in love, stay in love, and it will decide everything.”

~ Pedro Arrupe

26Apr2013

Weeksie

Posted in familyness, let me let me update ya, Run Da House by ElaineMarie

A few of the life doings I’ve been extra thankful for this week:

Blooming-tree climber, technicolor Jim James, birthday party fun, an unbirthday party just because, propaganda, finally getting little growers in their beds, and new bizzy biz cards.

25Apr2013

my tribute

Posted in familyness, i dig music by ElaineMarie

dear cousin,

this is a picture of my dad holding you when you were a baby. i have many, many vivid memories of my father holding you. you see, i think i had just become officially too old to be held when you were born. i remember you being content to be held by my father for what seemed like hours to a 5/6-year-old. i wanted to be you. and i was so jealous.

i’m officially over it.

now i am just glad that anyone, anywhere at anytime got to hold you. it’s something many, many people wish they could be doing just now. i am reminded very much during this mourning period how things we don’t yet understand always serve a purpose. my mind and heart keep clinging to the small ways our family has been taken care of during this, the small graces, the ways we’ve taken care of each other. everything seems to have its meaning and purpose and i’m so very thankful to be in a place to see those little cracks where the light shines in. i’ve carried around some guilt for being envious of your being held by my father but now i see that if i hadn’t been so attuned to the relationship he had with you as a baby then i wouldn’t have these vivid memories and as an adult they are beautiful.

i know each of us are processing in our own way. for me this means utilizing music, and i know you would appreciate that. mike and i saw jim james on tuesday night. if it had been ANY other artist i would have stayed home but I just knew it was meant to be. I reflected about seeing him at the rudyard kipling with you in louisville, how excited we were to be hanging out as adults for pretty much the first time. it seems so long ago but so near, like it’s shrouded in a veil and i could reach out for it but for that thin piece of fabric keeping it separated from the here and now. it was a great night. if i never told you that before, i’m telling you now.

it means i’ve been reliving the great lake swimmers and yeasayer concerts from last summer. it means i’ve been cracking up about how vehemently and emphatically every cousin reacted when i asked “does anyone feel like a grown-up yet?” at the restaurant before great lake swimmers.

it means i’ve been listening to a lot of all things must pass and the last waltz. i’ve always thought Forever Young was a beautiful blessing. i’m just thinking of you, cousin, as i listen. i think you embodied the message. i think you got the essence of life that dylan was able to capture in this song. { i know, so cliché to have a dylan song but the man wrote songs apropos to every occasion } it’s everything i could think of to wish for someone and i wish it for you now.

so here it is now, in words and the best version ever for viewing. i love you. i hope you know you are kind and loving. i hope you know you are so beautiful. i hope you know you are so smart and fun and intelligent. you are such a lovely person. may you stay forever young.

ps. forever young is right next to the lyrics for dirge in the bob dylan lyrics book. cosmic connections.

24Apr2013

Ode to the Pregnant Mother Winner

Posted in doula work, giveaway by ElaineMarie

Congratulations Robina! You’re the winner of the Ode to the Pregnant Mother painting by Chelsea Perkins. Please email me your address at heymomjeanz {at} gmail {dot} com and i’ll be sure this beauty gets sent your way.

thanks so much to everyone who entered the giveaway. If you weren’t the winner please remember you can get one with the 25% discount code MOMJEANZ with chelsea by messaging her at her etsy store or by messaging her on facebook. you can always send the message along to your partners about this great gift and discount for that very important mom-centric day of the year fast approaching.

lastly, i just wanted to thank everyone for being patient and gentle with me for just now getting this announced. i had plans to get this posted on monday but life had other plans. sending out lots of momma love and hoping you all get to hug your special people a little extra today.

22Apr2013

on earth days

Posted in familyness by ElaineMarie

i’m sitting here with a new meaning for earth day. i’ve been unsure about writing about this because it’s a tender, dear subject and i don’t want to give any indication of exploiting the matter for gaining attention.

but damn. last week can go to hell. it can go there and stay there forever. and i have to write and i have to process.

my family is reeling at the moment from an unexpected death. my family was still reeling from an expected death when this unforeseen second death came along and swept us off our feet again. i’m still in that space where facts and information don’t seem quite real but it’s slowly sinking in that it is the truth. and it will be the truth for all my tomorrows.

most of my day was focused on being with family hard-core, giving hugs, shedding tears together, listening to our collective disbelief, squeezing on my people, especially my littlest person. i didn’t even realize it was earth day until we were driving home this evening. i was struck by a new meaning to the term earth day. i’ve had 10,976 earth days. for 30+ years i’ve had the privilege to be on this earth.

we’re living in a disposable world where people throw away their time and their energy just as easily as their napkins, diapers, k-cups and razor blades. i feel we’ve truly lost touch with the idea of making something last. we’ve lost touch with how miraculous it is to be around for 30 years. or say 25…

we’re always trying to create time instead of realizing it’s there before our very eyes. it’s being hindered by the very things that are labeled as conveniences. our earth is being depleted by these conveniences. our relationships are slipping away. permanence is being lost and it’s all becoming disposable. even our memories. even our emotions.

maybe i’m tired and raw and drained and i’m not making sense. but i know this: making every day count is about getting back to the earth and living simply. it’s about refusing the disposables from your life and seeking the permanent. love is permanent. friendship is permanent. family is permanent. celebrating earth day every day spreads farther than just your consumer choices, your carbon foot print and your sustainability. it is essentially celebrating the good that is available for you to achieve every single day.

how much good could you achieve in only 25 years? honestly, how much? a whole hell of a lot is what i think. i’m going to stop thinking of life as too short. it’s a whole precious chunk of time if you use it wisely. if you celebrate what is really important and buck off the bullshit. we can’t belittle it by thinking it’s not enough. after all, it’s all we’ve got.

what good are you going to do with all the long days of your life? you have so little to do and so much time to do it.

all you have to do is love. care. cherish. live simply and be grateful for every day that creeps past with its long sunrise and slow afternoon minutes with slanted sunshine that seem to rest on the floor for an eternity. the still, quiet nighttime with the slow, toddler breath coming from down the hall and the low murmur of a tv show from downstairs. those are the details that pass by in their time just calling out; i’ve been here for all these minutes. have you even noticed me? what more could you have to pay attention to than this? this is life.

your years and life are long. they are adequate time to love and honor life on earth. be here. be present. have gratitude for that with which you are entrusted. seek the permanent. your life is not disposable.

20Apr2013

BIRTH WORK T-SHIRTS ON SALE

Posted in doula work, let me let me update ya by ElaineMarie

why am i typing in caps? I DON’T KNOW.

Skreened is having a sale on tanks right now – 20% off – so that means my birth work tanks are on sale. think about it…you can advertise your biz and sun your arms at the same time.

so if you’ve had your eye on one for a while head on over to my shop and GET DAT TANK! plus, i lowered my kickback on ’em so the price is even lower than normal. i’m a nice person like that.

keep checking back as i’ll be adding some new styles before monday. sale ends monday at midnight. pow.

and let me know if there is any custom message i could make for you. here are just a few of the styles:

19Apr2013

your one wild & precious life

Posted in familyness, let me let me update ya, love and happiness by ElaineMarie

photo 32F7B554-00EC-453A-B8AF-EDC6B0B5AC4E-42660-0000298E3A4A2E32_zps0fc866d8.jpg

there are so many times that i’m going through everyday motions and i think to myself “this is bullshit.” why are there so many time sucks in life? why do we force ourselves to spend so much time doing things we don’t want to do, that we abhor to do? this happens while i’m doing chores or find myself spending too much time on facebook during a gorgeous day. or paying bills. or when i’m chucking useless possessions into the donate pile.

i’ve been thinking critically about my life goals lately and a funny thing has happened; i’ve realized just how fucking awesomely lucky i am. if you would have asked me a year ago i would have thrown myself a pity party but today i realize i have trusted in my path and have a life that is exactly what i want.

i can never go and sit behind a desk again. i can never take a full-time job to just make sure i’m getting the life markers checked off. because i don’t care about those things. i don’t care if i ever own a house. i don’t care if we ever own more than one vehicle. i don’t care about our material gain in this world. i really don’t. i care about making the most of this one wild & precious life.

i have a lot of freedom in my life right now, more than i’ve given myself credit for in the past. i’m free to spend everyday with my wild girl and that means more to me than anything money could buy. i have a promising career in a field that i passionately love. i’ve come to terms that it will come with a salary sacrifice but fortunately i’m ok with that. any fool can get a job and make money. it takes a courageous soul to confidently pursue her dream. my needs are met. my desires are mine to pursue. my cup runneth over.

i’m so lucky to have my girl as a reminder to move through my world in pursuit of what i want from my life. children don’t innately operate according to what they “should” do in life. they do what they want. THEY DO WHAT THEY WANT! why can’t we give that gift to ourselves in the way our children already do?

so i hope you’ll continue to check in with me because imma just be here doin’ my do. i’ll be doing what i want. and i want to do more of this:

photo 59C4B1B3-4045-4653-A4D8-B82B0D561C04-42660-0000298EC2F70B64_zpsd9f89038.jpg

^^^ holding my daughter the way i used to when she was a baby while she dozes ever so briefly. letting her paint, chalk, draw and generally art up her body in any way that amuses her at the moment. encouraging her to climb. taking the sunny days to spend outdoors. and plaiting flowers into my girl’s hair. ^^^

it really is that great, when i let it be. and i can let it be.

17Apr2013

Ode to the Pregnant Mother: A Giveaway!!!

Posted in giveaway, love and happiness by ElaineMarie

last week i received this beautiful Chelsea Perkins Ode to the Pregnant Mother painting from a doula client. I fell in love with it instantly.

I’m happy to officially announce the giveaway for this painting. I can assure you it looks beautiful framed.

So who should enter this contest? Hmmm well let ‘s see:

anyone who is a birth worker looking for something sweet to hang in their office or home.

anyone who is looking for the perfect baby shower gift.

any woman who is pregnant now and wants to commemorate their pregnancy.

any woman who has ever been pregnant, ever.

and, hello, mother’s day is right around the corner…

so the answer is all of you .

all of you should be entering to win this free, gorgeous 9 x 12 painting.

either for yourself or as a gift to someone dear. heck, maybe even give it to your doula or midwife ;-)

In addition, I’d like to add that Chelsea makes beautiful animal inspired paintings. To me, they seem like perfect nursery/kids room material or could be found on a hipster mantle or bathroom somewhere. pretty much the perfect combo, right?

you can find examples on her facebook page and etsy or send in a request for a custom animal print – in case you’re really into jackalopes.

Ms. Perkins is generously extending a 25% discount to my readers with the MOMJEANZ code on etsy. So if you can’t stand the chances of not winning this print you can custom order one for yourself or your favorite pregnant lady. While you’re in there ordering your ode to a pregnant mother painting go ahead and submit a request for that jackalope for junior’s room. it’s too good to pass up. I’ll be posting a button over on the side bar for easy etsy access.

So here’s how to enter:

1. Leave a comment below telling me who you’d be giving this to and why {and mommas it’s completely ok to say yourself. you’ve earned it by carrying a human inside you}

I hope to see a lot of comments coming in for this beautiful print. And I hope you’ll send some sweet support Chelsea’s way with her lovely original paintings on etsy.

best of luck! winner will be announced next week.

{ps. please like Chelsea Perkins Art and Momjeanz on facers if you haven’t already.}

16Apr2013

what’s inside your zero waste grocery tote?

Posted in Run Da House, zero waste home by ElaineMarie

Welcome to another installment of zero waste home management. I am your host, Elaine Tucker.

Today we’re taking a look inside my tote bag. I carry this tote every time we hit the grocery.

Step 1: get a tote to hold totes.

^^^ As you can see everything you need will still fit inside the tote bag that you already take with you. you take totes to the grocery, right? ^^^

Step 2: put this stuff in it.

^^^ so here’s the stash laid out. Various containers, bags & my important erasable crayon ^^^

^^^ so here we can see two other totes that fold up inside the original tote. in the top left hand corner we have lightweight, plastic containers that come in 3 sizes and fit inside one another nicely when empty. these are my bulk item containers. i’ve used the same ones for at least 6 months now with washings in between store trips. i procured them at market district because that’s where i do most of my bulk shopping but whole foods also has a bag system if you’d rather go that route. I think the plastic containers are easiest and stack in a pantry nicely. You can also see my produce bags peeking out but we’re not ready for you yet, friends ^^^

photo 5A5B6A46-6666-454C-BD98-74E0ADE98580-40573-000027DFB8D664C9_zpsfa2668be.jpg

^^^ now we are! fabric produce bags top right hand corner, a saved produce bag does just as well, a reusable plastic bag delegated to rice items since we buy a lot of that at one time and my saved coffee bag for the self-serve whole bean department ^^^

^^^ my take-out containers center stage. these are used at the deli for meats and cheeses and occasionally for bulk pasta and OLIVES! Bottom left-hand corner is my refillable liquids container for olive or canola oil or balsamic vinegar. i also have a refillable honey bear that didn’t make it into the pic ^^^

^^^ and this little guy is my secret weapon. it’s my erasable crayon pen so i can write the PLU #s on the top of each container. I’m often letting others borrow it as there is always a shortage of pens in the bulk items section. Any washable marker would do ^^^

are you thinking this looks like a lot of work? like any other habit, once you’re used to it, it doesn’t take much extra time at all. in fact, i save time in the grocery now because i’m not going into the center aisles. everything i need is in the perimeter.

the workability of this systems lies somewhere between turning the car around when you forget the totes and saying “yes, i’ll take paper” when you’ve run out of room in the totes and have some overflow. i’m dedicated enough to make the effort but flexible enough to let it go if i need to use a plastic produce bag every once in a while. plus, you only forget the tote 2 times at the most. after that it’s engrained in your memory FOREVER.

and i didn’t make all these changes at once. i started small and kept adding measures gradually. if you don’t think you can do all of these then focus on the ones you can. I started with the reusable totes and containers for the deli counter and it has progressed from there. it’s about progress not perfection. i personally believe it’s my job as a consumer to make sure i’m making ethical choices. a whole lot of throw away plastic is not ethical for me. so i’ve made progress where and when I can.

have i inspired you yet? please feel free to leave a comment if you do your own zero waste grocery shopping. if anyone has an idea that i’ve left out please leave it in that comment section.

15Apr2013

weekending

Posted in familyness, love and happiness by ElaineMarie

cool things…we do them sometimes.

here are some pics from junctionview’s last hurrah. darla was a superstar in the balloon room. so sad that a place this cool, within our walking distance, will be turned into a parking lot or a road or condos for happenin’ 60 year-olds or something of that lot. sad me.

but we had a good time there on saturday seeing friends, listening to some impressive local bands, and taking in some really very talented works. darla would like me to note that her favorite part was the cookie we bought her and the dolls with skulls as heads. of course…