a day in may

Posted in advantageous adventures, kiddie-do, Run Da House by ElaineMarie

the first day of may was very picturesque here in columbus. today is starting off pretty grand as well. i like what you’re offering so far, may:

our day included picnic in the park, my first load of laundry out on the line for the year, a prenatal meeting for my june clients, and popsicles and nail painting on the porch. that’s a lot of P activities and it wasn’t on purpose. can you tell darla talked me into letting her paint mine too? i just had such a good time with her yesterday. it’s during these days that i say in my head “can we just always be this way? can she just stay with me and we’ll read books in the park and go on adventures and she won’t need school, we’ll learn together along the way?” i guess we’ll find out the answers to those questions in their own time.

actually now that i’ve looked at it longer, sorry about that picture. it’s pretty gross. outdoor feet = funky feet.

may, i give you permission to let all days be just like may day.

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i’ll be posting a few more eco-friendly posts this week in honor of being in the running for Circle of Moms Top 25 Most Eco-Friendly Mom Blogs. If you would be so kind as to vote for me, click on through to the badge below. Thanks!

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:

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^^^ 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.

12Mar2013

maple syrup festival

Posted in advantageous adventures, familyness, Kiddie Hangouts by ElaineMarie

we made the annual trek north to the Malabar Farm Maple Syrup festival this past weekend. Did you know Ohio is the 4th largest producer of pure maple syrup in the US? now you do.

this was the third year for darla and i but mike’s inaugural visit. our besties joined us too. and darla made fast friends with some other folks. that lady in the first couple pictures is a complete stranger. she parked next to us and happened to be the other closest person to her when she decided she wanted to swing.

this event has become my herald of spring. it signifies that time of year that we can get back outside to climb rocks and take walks. this was by far the best weather we’ve seen but as my boots can attest, it was pretty muddy.

as you can see we got the gallon to tide us over until next year’s fest.

11Mar2013

weekending

Posted in advantageous adventures, it's cool to school, kiddie-do by ElaineMarie

ahhhh yes. spring! we officially sprung forward around here so even though that equinox hasn’t made it official…it’s spring dangit. we made it outdoors for some activity this weekend. it was glorious.

after all my grumbling about not being able to take darla on a nature hike like a year ago at my parents’, i decided to go for it even though snow was still on the ground. because, why not? and i’m so glad we did. it was the perfect day for it. the skies were clear, sun bright, temps just warming up so we could sit and literally watch the snow melting off the trees into the creek:

we hiked over and examined rocks and the creek bed. we tossed sticks. rested on fallen logs and listened to the many birds. we guessed at animal tracks and got our boots muddy. we listened to the slow trickle of melting snow and the occasional plop of a big chunk as it fell into the creek. we basked in the greatness of my sycamores.

oh how i long for my indiana home.

13Feb2013

outside

Posted in kiddie-do by ElaineMarie

thank goodness for some sunshine and slightly warmer temps yesterday. we climbed trees and swinged, swanged, swung. all the kids were ravenous for the open space and fresh air at the playground.

later in the day our burkeybuns crew came over for a mardi gras dance party.

it was a great day. spring is around the corner, folks. just you wait, ‘enry ‘iggins.

6Feb2013

desert directive

Posted in advantageous adventures, Travels by ElaineMarie

^^^^ i don’t even know where to begin ^^^

i guess i will start where this photo essay starts. the picture of ladies flowing from one space to another in brightly colored kaftans is what symbolizes this year’s Life(dot)next retreat for me. the locals thought we were a dance troupe.

i am longing to be back in that desert suspended in a space of self-improvement and introspection. there i was able to be california elaine. i was able to be desert elaine. i was able to be the elaine of my past and, hopefully, the elaine of my future. i was able to be warm. it’s cold here in ohio. reentry is not easy.

i’m finding it hard to write about this experience. there is so much i want to share with you, friends, but i am also feeling this deep, sacred bond and want to hold those events secret in my memory. in catchwords the weekend was filled with:

sun, warmth, laughter, windmills, torched smores, crafts, talismans, blanket forts, disco balls, kaftans, goddesses, vinho verde, connection, skill share, tutus, laugh-crying, hot tub confessions, origami fortune tellers, headbands, glow sticks, visualization meditation, exploration, walks, newness, cousins, MOUNTAINS & TACOS!!!

seriously, 75% of the meals i had while in palm springs were tacos.

for all of you fellow attendees- i fell head-over-heels in adoration of all of you. i’m forever thankful for all that you gave of yourself. that’s all we can ever give anyone.

already looking forward to the next one, whenever that may be, with much enthusiasm.

“if you always put limits on everything you do, physical or anything else, it will spread into your life. there are no limits. there are only plateaus, and you must not stay there, you must go beyond them.” – bruce lee

26Dec2012

Blizzard

Posted in advantageous adventures by ElaineMarie

We made it to my parents’ house and hearth just in time to settle in for the snow.

Snow outside, fire and coffee inside. Winter is my favorite season.

Greetings from our blizzard.

27Nov2012

competency

Posted in familyness, kiddie-do by ElaineMarie

things darla has said today:

“mom, can you help me with this? i’m not competent of this.”

annnnnnnd

“mom, these cookies you made make me dizzy with deliciousness. did you put magic in them?”

i can assure you they were not *magic* cookies of one kind or another.

and just a few more pics of us from the last few days because you can never get enough of us.

or can you?

ps. i just love the lighting this time of year, don’t you?

26Nov2012

creekside

Posted in advantageous adventures, it's cool to school by ElaineMarie

we spent some time with the rivers and the creeks this past week. darla enjoyed throwing things into said bodies of water. it was very nice of mother nature to give us those temperature spikes that allowed for some outdoor exploration. this is pretty fantastic time of year for getting a last little communion with nature.

although, i am hoping for some winter hikes this year :)

duck whisperer