The four older children are away at camp!

Suddenly, life has slowed way down.

Naturally, I started playing with my house, not unlike playing with a dollhouse only in real life proportions.

Ethan made the decorative shelf in 8th grade.  I put the things on top of it and they’ve been there for a very long time.  Because no one and I mean no one even thinks about redecorating a shelf when they’re super busy.

But I did it!  On Saturday evening when for some strange reason I felt physically lethargic and sad with the shock of losing four very active and time-consuming teens for a week, I had to do something, anything!  I redecorated the shelf.

1. pinecone from Florida vacation  2. small old books  3. beaded frame with a picture of my brother and me from childhood  4.  small peacock fiesta canister with nothing in it (potential).  5.  a reading girl 6.  a light for her to read by  7.  small black photo book filled with my phone pictures  8.  wooden mushroom.

Moving on to another surface.  The children decorated this one.

I wanted to take down the painting that Jacob did, but then I realized that the reason I hated it was because it had a thin piece of wood going down the exact center of the canvas, making it impossible to hang straight.  It’s always half a centimeter crooked!  I took a clear thumb tack and pushed it in the wall for the lower right corner to rest on.  It is now perfectly straight.

I should have taken a “before” picture of the inside of the armoire.  Just imagine someone taking a big armful of papers, throwing them in, and shutting the doors.  After I was done with it on Saturday it was completely organized.

1. a large basket full of photo albums  2. a tiny bear (whimsy)  3.  a box full of extra pens and pencils  4.  These red books are special to me.  My Grandmother had the whole set and I loved reading them when I was a little girl.  I still have one of the copies from her house.  The other three I have picked up from second hand stores.  The books are full of short stories and excerpted chapters of children’s books.  5.  Last but not least, an old jar full of pinecones from the woods by our house.

I love my ultra-busy life.  But this week, while I have the chance, I’m going to try to be more mindful.  Mindfulness is next to impossible for busy mothers.

via pinterest.

“I suppose I am a sparrow.  A stay-at-home bird.”  Gladys Taber