What's In My Teapot?

It's probably not considered good blogging etiquette to just drop off the face of the planet without warning or explanation, but as I didn't foresee this particular lull- rather it has happened quite naturally and of its own accord as one week slipped by after another- I had little in place to prevent it. It is said that a few more brain cells are lost with each pregnancy and I am pretty sure I can verify that fact by how well my brain has been working these days! Not only is there a general lack of energy and inspiration for getting certain things done- like writing, for instance, or making coherent to-do lists- but my brain feels muddled and heavy and occasionally goes on furlough altogether. Case in point- last week I bought a nightgown for myself and it wasn't until I took it out of the bag several days later that I realized I had purchased a size small . Now, I haven't worn a size small in many a year, much less post-delivery of my fourth child, as is the plan...

My time for reading seems to constantly be under the whittling knife, but as all those devoted to the written word can tell you, there's always time for a few pages here, a chapter there, and so it is that I find myself working through the following selections: Chasing the North Star , by Robert Morgan, is the story of Jonah, who ran away from his master on his eighteenth birthday. and of Angel, who met up with Jonah at one point and decided to join him, even though he tries to leave her behind several times. In some ways the story moves slowly- and as far as I can tell, the entire book is about this epic race for freedom in the north- but the author is very talented with his descriptions and imagery, and the story is keeping me riveted. There are some acts of brutality and violence in the story that are hard to read, but they keep the story real and are a sobering reminder of what a black slave (and a runaway at that) may have faced in his/her quest for something we take for ...

I wonder how many choices most of us make on an average day? Some of them are mundane enough... Rise and shine a bit early or sleep a few extra minutes in the morning? Which kind of tea with breakfast? Do the ironing before or after school with Gavin? What should I make for supper to go with the salmon cakes? While others hold a little more weight... What should we name the baby? Which curriculum should we choose for Elasa's language arts? Where do we start looking for a new couch to replace the one going out for bulky pickup? How do I teach my children to stop fighting with each other? Do I want the grey diaper bag with lime accents or the tan one with orange? (Oh, wait! Maybe that doesn't count as a "weighty decision"...!) Life is constantly throwing choices at us, and while we make many decisions on any given day without a second thought, others require careful consideration. Or, maybe it should be said, they should require careful consi...

The best of the season is certainly found in the strawberries blooming in the garden, the dogwood blossoms turning to leaf outside my kitchen window, and the azalea bushes looking about as tropical as anything I can hope to see in these parts, but with the coming of this lovely season of spring has come an unwelcome guest, and four out of five in our family are currently suffering from a nasty flu that brings with it fever, congestion, stuffy noses, coughs, and more doses of ibuprofen than I care to count! This flu has coincided with some of the most gloomy, wet weather known to spring, and so between the twain, I have had my hands full with trying to keep my spirits up while I dispense pills, comfort feverish children, turn couches into beds, and try to keep the house limping along with clean laundry and food on the table. So far, I have managed to escape the scourge myself, and I know that despite how careful I try ...

Elasa has been counting down the weeks and then the days until school is over for some time now, but this week we really are at the finish line, with only three more days of books to go: tomorrow, Thursday and Friday and then we're done ! It is a very satisfying place to be, and I love the feeling of completion as we finish all three subjects (math, reading and language arts) in this final week. Gavin still has about 16 more days in his BSR reading program, so I am not quite off the hook yet, but I am already anxious to put the free morning hours that should be opening up to work! I haven't officially come up with a list of all the things that I would like to do (think sewing projects, deep cleaning, freezer meals, a bit of gardening) between now and mid-July, when the baby is expected to arrive, but I have a lot of ideas and hopes floating around in my head, and I am optimistic that having more of a morning in which to work will help dwindle the list down significantly!...

It's no secret that I enjoy a good cup of tea, so it should come as no surprise that I am a bit taken with the accouterments of this particular beverage as well! I have never officially collected teacups, but I do have a growing collection of teapots- with a special thrill for finding ones I like at thrift stores- and when I saw a blog that would be hosting a teacup exchange, I was fascinated! The idea of sending a teacup to someone and receiving one in the mail sounded like a lot of fun...as well as a great way to start a unique teacup collection with teacups that have a special meaning and story behind them! The teacup exchange was held in March, and hosted by Stephanie of The Enchanting Rose . Part of signing up for the exchange included filling out a brief survey of things like hobbies and interests, favorite kind of tea, ect., and this information was then given to the person who received your name & address, which in turn was very helpful in customizing a special box ...

April has brought with it a whole new world of fine weather and blooming dogwoods and laundry lines eager to be put to good use and windows thrown open to capture the fresh breezes, and yet, in the finest mixing of the old with the new, there are still books to be read and tea to be drank, and for this wonderful combination of so many of my favorite things all at one time, I give thanks... For even springtime would lose some of its luster without a good book on the nightstand to welcome me at day's end. And the first picnic of the season would be a little less grand without tea...even if it is iced!!! I love when I come upon a good author who I not only really like, but who also writes a good series, and right now I am reading through a two-book series by Kathleen Grissom which I have found to be both compelling and spellbinding! The first is The Kitchen House and the second is Glory Over Everything , and in both cases, the story is told through two voices, each with a dif...