hello

For my newest blogging friends who are suddenly visiting from all corners of the earth - Italy, France, Spain, Japan, Australia, Norway, and New York, to name a few. It's so fun to have you and get to know your worlds. Here's a little bit of my corner...

seva - sanskrit for "service"

clothes to send to Mother Miracle School, overseas

I feel it is my duty as a mother of children in such a developed nation, with such a comfortable life, to teach them about the plight of the poor, the importance of sharing what we have and of helping others in need. Since 2004, we have been taking the children to see Amma, an Indian saint, and world renown humanitarian who emphasizes the important of selfless service, or seva. She walks her talk. Her entire life mission centers around comforting people through her famous hugs, as well as numerous charitable organizations. Knowing Amma has had a profound effect on the children. Currently all three kids are working in their own way to raise money for poor children, they each have their own charity jars. They are making "charity boxes" that they will give to Amma when we see her in June, emptying the jars into the boxes, the jars will be refilled again when we return home.

We are gathering items to send overseas to the school where we sponsor several children. The girls have donated many beloved stuffed animals. It was very sweet to see Annabel kissing each one goodbye and telling them they are going to a new home where they will be very loved.

A friend and I have started a small green project and word has now spread all over the U.S. We scour thrift shops for metal forks and spoons to bring to the U.S. mainland and donate to Amma's organization to use for their various meals served all over the U.S. during her tours. City by city, they are replacing plastic cutlery with the hundreds of forks and spoons we and others have donated. It saves the organization money and also cuts down on pollution. A small idea with a big message.

Also every year our family donates something, usually handmade, to Amma's bookstores to be sold to raise money for her charities. This year Skylar made potpourri bags. Also the girls created activity books with word scrambles, mazes, dot-to-dots, etc. A friend wrote a children's story, Skylar illustrated it, we have copies of handmade books to donate to Amma's bookstore.

My feeling is that every bit makes a difference, and when the children are involved and it's real and personal, it makes a deeper impact.

We leave for the mainland in 17 days. Our first stop is to see Amma in California and deliver all of our goodies.

ten-isness

There is nothing like a ten-year-old girl running with the wind, practicing cartwheels, absorbed in a great book, speaking with eloquence and big words and humor to crack us up and leave us staring right at the face of absolute girlhood. That's our Annabel.

taekwondo tournament

Shawn getting his gold medal scores.

Sky's silver medal scores.

Shawn gearing up for sparring

Don't mess with Shawn

Annabel prepares to spar. She went 3 rounds, and took home a bronze medal!

Below, Sky sparred a girl way bigger than her. She was very brave.

Sky gets advice from her teacher.

What an experience this was for our entire family! The kids competed in their first real tournament.  Our kids were some of the few white belts (beginning belt color) there. They all did great. They all competed in "forms" and "sparring." There was nervousness about just showing up and doing their forms, in addition there was the stress over the very monitored and padded fights. They were thrilled to receive medals in both divisions. We came away seeing that the biggest growth often happens when we face our fears.

mama's day

I love handmade cards, which is what I got from my kiddos for Mother's day. The drawings were adorable, in addition the texts were wonderful:

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Shawn, age 6:

haPee MUTHrS Daye MOM

I am so hapee theaT I LIV WITH U

haPee MUTHrS DaYe MOM

LOVE ShAWN

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Annabel, age 10

Dear Mommy,

I love you so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so,

so much more than I just wrote. Here's why. You love me. You

take care of me. You clean up. And, well your just a great mom.

Love, your daughter,

Annabel

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Skylar, age 12

Happy Mother's Day!

I love you more than ever! Thanks for everything in life from

alphabet soup to zippers! Thanks so much for letting us home

school and do Taekwondo. Thanks for always taking care of us

and cheering us on, thanks for making life fun.

Love you forever,

Sky

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

paris and home libraries and inspiration

Today I did something I rarely do. I bought myself a present for no reason. A book. Not a text book, or a book I felt I should read, just a fun book for nothing other than my sheer enjoyment.

I felt inspired upon stumbling upon this new book while reading someone's blog that I don't even know. I acted upon impulse. It was so fun.

I have a distinct childhood memory of built-in bookshelves in the house I grew up in, as well as one at my grandparents'. I would sit and read my grandfather's book about John F. Kennedy, and their thick text of stories of morality for children, and my father's book about early American tools. There was something so comforting and peaceful about those spaces, and the books that were always there, that made me want to sit and read the same books over and over. These stories, and images, formed me -- my sense of who my family was and what their values were.

Someday I want to have a room in my house that is totally devoted to books and reading. A library. With soft, comfortable chairs, a few old windows with perfect sunlight angles for reading by day, and charming floor lamps for reading by night. The walls will be a very pale blue beach glass color. The floors will be wood with a soft rug on the floor to relax on if you choose that reading location. There will be several pillows of all sizes on the floor.

This home library will have so many wonderful books. There will be a children's section, with all of my favorite children's books, and also an adult section. Anything that's interesting to me, or beautiful to look at will be allowed in my library, but there will be no boring books. Guests will come and spend hours there. It will be the favorite room in the house, and will elicit a peaceful environment for our entire family.

And this book will be in it.

So back to what I just found:

Author: Pia Jane Bijkerk.

Book title: Paris: Made by Hand

According to the blogger who wrote about it, "the book is filled with beautiful photos and a wonderful guide to discovering handmade artisans, shops and specialties in Paris." The author's "love for handmade work is infectious, and her in-the-know guide to this incredible city is a must-read. Whether you’re looking for a comprehensive guide to Parisian handmade design, or just a few insider tips for great shops, Pia’s book has you covered."

CLICK HERE for the full interview.

By the way, we will be in Paris in 38 days, not that I am counting...

photo shoot

These photos were taken to try and create images for Skylar's new CD. She and I are designing it together with the help of a graphic artist. Taking the photographs of her was great fun. I did not include the image she chose for the cover, that will have to be a surprise. The photograph below was taken by me at my sister's wedding, it is Skylar, she is about four. It's hard to believe how fast she has grown into the above beautiful young lady!

la musique

It's going around here everywhere!

now he is six

crown cake courtesy of Skylar

it was a basketball