Chalice lighting tonight

Celebrating joys and sorrows today. Ben misses his hair but he had fun at the library.

New cloth....

Score on some new / used charcoal bamboo inserts for my pocket diapers. Is it normal to be this excited? Only $5!!! Elaina helped me organize.

Flowering Lemon Balm

What to do when your lemon balm flowers? Snip it so growth goes back into the leaves....

Then add it to your family Altar for calm peace (which I really need right now).

My tools of the afternoon

Turns out dragons blood candle wards off Alabama mosquitoes. ...

I got off work early due to low numbers (fewer kids at school today). So I went to the grocery store, met a new friend on facebook, and spent some quality time outside. Lyn is with me but as any 15 year old we are within earshot not actually spending "time" together. She is sketching. I am meditating and pretending to catch up on reading.

Life is good.

Did I mention I found a new meditation spot? It is awesome....

7 months old

Etta nursing strong at 7 months old. She is tired and ready for bed and really didn't want her picture taken.

Dreamcatcher

Evan wanted to pick out an oil for bedtime. I had him look through the product guide and read about each oil. He picked out Dreamcatcher EO. Love my dreamer.....

Still a CLC!!!!

I debated on whether or not to renew my certification. It was a bit pricey with us penny pinching so much nowadays but to be one of only a few (20,000 or so) who hold this title in the country I had to renew. I am proud to help mother's through their breastfeeding journey.

Happy Summer Solstice

Not the best day at our house but the sun was shining. ....

Bugs bugs bugs!!!

The little kids made spiders and bumble bees tonight and read books about bugs....

Summer is awesome....

Meditation at the waterfall

I finally made it to the waterfall at night tonight.  Eliot has been asking to go for a while now. She wanted Lyn to go so the 3 of us went. I collected all of my accouterments and prepared for a cleansing personal ceremony. All went well. Eliot caught and released fireflies and watched the bats soar. Lyn read her book and drew in the sand. It was peaceful and I needed it.

Eliot collected some creek water to represent the element of water. All the other elements were represented as well. I made a smudge of rue, rosemary,  and white sage to burn in my cauldron.  It hasn't seen much use lately. First I burned down last season's evergreens (some cedar and juniper) to make room. I feel a bit more balanced.....

Needing my candles more than ever tonight

Feeling like such a failure in my life today. Just needing strength from the feminine influence in the universe......

Lyn's new cat....

Lyn was so excited to get her new kitten. He is black with 6 toes on each front paw. We had a mini road trip to pick him up from a friend.  The little kids are so excited but he needs some quiet time to bond with his new human mama before they really get a hold of him.

Elaina's mini birthday party

Elaina wasn't really into her birthday party today. She did insist on putting the dress Granny got her on. Poor 2 year old woke up from her nap and was the center of attention and it put her in a bad mood.

Hanging Herbs

I have been wanting to hang some herbs to dry for a long time on my porch. Part of the process is medicinal.  Part is spiritual.  Part is meditative and a way of protecting my home. Any way you look at it it felt good to have them in sight drying in the hot shade of my porch.

Etta ' s little over 6 month well visit

We are nursing in the waiting room waiting for the nurse practioner. She weighed in a little over 13 pounds and is 25 inches long. She got to show off her cloth diaper to the nurse who had never seen a pocket diaper.

Happy Birthday Elaina! !!!

2 years old!!!!!! Seriously didn't I just birth her?

Her birth was a little tumultuous but she arrived "sunny side up" with a few flat out distractions if not violations from the doctor she arrived a few hours after my Mother and I arrived at the hospital..

Happy Birthday Elaina!!!!

Predictable Sunday

Kids at church.....

Kids at the creek....

Bennie found a tadpole!!!