like the colour when the spring is born...

just a little green.

It finally feels like spring here.  I'm digging the vibrant green all around me.

Girlie

Often days or weeks go by with little to no reflection of being female.  Surrounded by 2 boys, 1 man, trucks, trains, jeans, caps, bikes, sneakers, hockey, rocks, dirt, farts and well, you get it, there is not much of the girlie persuasion around here.  My parent's visit prompted us to move the upstairs rooms around.  Elliott's crib is now in with Kyan and the office has been cleared of baby use.  As I was standing in the hall on Sunday I glanced in the doorway and saw the above.  Not staged in the least the scene looked girlie to me.   And I thought wow, that is my little piece of woman space. 

Granted I have declared on several occasions to Dave that we share this space; it's his too.  If you were to glance a little further into the room you'll find a framed photo of a hockey goalie and various other items that are special to the man of the house.  I think my goal for this room is that it is an adult space, calmer, no toys or kid's stuff in here.  Our bedroom is still all about the kids as Elliott still sleeps with us for part of the night and it will never be off limits to random toys or boy energy of every kind.  But this room can be mine every now and then.  No train tracks, no dirty socks, just fabric, plants, room to sit and think.  As my time for expanding my artistic and spiritual horizons increases by the tiniest increments I see that this space will become more prominent.  It will change inevitably.  But Sunday gave me a little gift and showed me that amongst all the chaos that is raising young boys and being the only double X in the immediate vicinity the girlie is there and makes its presence known.  And I dare say these boys will be all the better for it too.

Traveling Together

Another lovely visit has come to an end today with my mom & dad heading back east to Quebec.  My what fun we had visiting a stunning garden, riding the ferry to Victoria, eating good food and listening to the crazy antics of a 4 and 1 year old.
The challenge of shaking up the routine of said 4 and 1 year old can be tricky but in the end is worth the intensive grandparent energy that surrounds them with love and mama with some much needed parent time too!  We never stop needing our parents they just morph into a different relationship or at least that is what has happened with myself and my parents.

my camera decided it didn't like some rather humid conditions at a butterfly conservatory so I have to send it  off for repair.  I'm rather partial to it but my iphone will have to do for now.

The Sunken Garden at Butchart Gardens, Victoria BC

 Beacon Hill Park, Victoria BC

Travel with little ones is challenging but the good moments are so special.   Visiting Beacon Hill park was magical as the waves rushed in and Elliott was quiet and calm on my back as we listened to the water and the birds in the sunshine.  There was enough energy in that moment to carry me through the spring rains that continue to fall on us tonight.  

Bunnies, eggs & chocolate

not necessarily in that order...

Slow

I've been such a bad blogger these last weeks.  That in and of itself makes me sad a bit but I guess sometimes you have to put things on the back burner to get other things done.  It feels like everything from the weather to my household routine are taking their time these days.  Moving, but oh, so slowly.  And since things are not linear they spiral up and down, around and around.  In truth I've written several posts in my head and just need to scan this or photograph that and then of course write them.  The ebbs and flows of this life often surprise me in sudden realizations of oh, yah, it's been days since I "...."
But regardless, I'm here.  Doing my thing.  Cooking porkchops, making Easter cookies, walking Kyan to pre-school, planting peas & a raspberry bush, and going to Co-op meetings.  Looking longingly at piles of fabric, stepping out of my comfort zone, swimming with the boys and setting a naptime for Elliott that so far is helping his sleep become more regular.

Today I got to sit in the sunshine and eat salad and drink chai with two lovely women with our boys dancing crazily around us.  And in the not so great end I've now burnt two pots of chickpeas this week.  So I'm taking this to mean that the universe does not want us to eat hummous this week.  So be it.  Sunshine is in the forecast, that is enough for now.