The Park

The kids and I unleashed ourselves onto the crowded park area like a breaking dam. Sun, slides and freedom! In case hunger were strike at a moments notice, I was armed with a cooler full of hummus, flat bread sandwich thins and clementine oranges.

White puffy clouds, cool breeze and green grass = Bliss

I soaked in the freshness of the air and sipped on my warm coffee watching my big kids run and climb. I felt ‘with-it’ (I was wearing my new sunglasses after all) and prepared (no need for fast food here), a great feeling, to be at peace, in the hubbub of the day.

We ate while the babies slumbered away in their double stroller. Hummus proved to be no substitute for pb&j. Ry and Molly ate plain bread and didn’t complain! The oranges refreshed our dry palettes.

Swinging time! Molly held her feet and legs straight out of the swing a hollered, “Look Mom! I’m pumping!” So cute. We even had Claire in a baby swing. Very fun.

Then I heard Ryan say, “I have to pee…real bad!” This declaration was accompanied by a crossed legged, crotch-hold stance. I knew I had no time. I told him to run to the bathroom within my eye shot.

He ran.

Then he ran back with a frenzied whisper, “It’s locked!” I whipped off my new ‘with-it’ sunglasses to squint and clearly read the sign by the door. CLOSED FOR SEASON

What season does it have to be to hire someone to maintain toilet paper? Ack! I can see Ryan’s eyes darting around, silently screaming, surely Mom has a key to the bathroom.

In the distance, I see a city truck slowly creeping along the road in front of the park. It looked as if it were patrolling dandelions or dirt on the curb. I wanted to scream, give us the key, he doesn’t even need to wipe! But, alas, the truck was too far and most likely only had weed killer in the truck.

So like every strong mama I slugged down my now tepid coffee to empty my to-go mug, snatched Leah’s baby blanket and latched onto Ryan’s hand. We ran for the nearest tall bush. You can fill in the rest from here. Let’s just say, the city worker won’t need any weed killer for that bush.

As we returned to the double stroller, I murmured a quick prayer. Please don’t let me forget later what my to-go mug was used for just now.

Crisis solved. I saw a fellow mama park goer flash me a dry smirk, as she had likely been there, done that.

More play time in at the park was enjoyed by all.

Until, I heard, “Mom, I have to poop…real bad!”

Off to the nearest store front…part 3 coming soon.

Love,

Jess

Lindsay, from Living with Lindsay, is hosting the 2nd Annual Five Dollar Challenge. Armed with a $5 bill, I gathered some supplies from my local Dollar Tree.

My challenge? Create a new Spring Decor item according to Lindsay’s guidelines and make a tutorial for the project. Hence, the super long line of photos below.

*Dear Voters: JJ, Emily and Gina* Thanks for stopping by Just a Blink and checking out my $5 challenge entry! It was a total blast to push my creativity to meet this budget.

Supply List

• Green floral wreath – $1
• White streamers -$1
• Faux baby’s breath flowers – $1
• Package of mossy stones – $1
• Bird knick-knack – $1
• On hand tools- thread, pins, sewing machine, marker, paper, glue, scissor, wire cutters

Center Piece

1. Sew two streamers together on the sewing machine. Push the streamers as you feed them to create a ruffle. You’ll need as many lengths as it takes to wrap your wreath.

2. Wrap the ruffled streamer around a wreath pinning each section as you go, making sure the pins are in the back. Fluff up the streamer on each side of the stitch line for a softer looking ruffle.

3. Cut the baby’s breath into small portions. You may need a wire cutter if the stems are really thick.

4. Stuff the stems into the open edges of the streamer ruffle. Add mossy stones to the center circle of the wreath.

Finished center piece (Base plate not included in challenge)

Name Card Place Holders

1. Sew a length of streamer ruffle about 6-9 inches in length to act as a pillow for a name place card. Yank on one of the threads to make a tighter ruffle and tie it off to the thread on the opposite end, creating a circle. Fluff up the paper.

2. Tape or glue a small name card to a single piece of baby’s breath.

3. Cut out a scalloped circle out of card stock to act as a plate decoration.

4. Set the small ruffle circle, from step 5, on top of the scalloped circle. Add a  name place card and cover it with a mossy stone. (plate – not included as part of the challenge)

Finished place card holder for Easter brunch!

Napkin Ring

1. Cut a long section of stem, from the baby’s breath bouquet, using a wire cutter.

2. Twist the stem wire into a circle

3. Cover the wire circle with a thin strip of fabric. I used gray felt. Add a dab of hot glue to hold the fabric down. Insert the napkin into the ring. (I used a paper towel to meet the standards of the challenge, it’s paper, right?)

Chair Detail

1. Loop-tie streamer to the top of a chair. Use double the measurement from the top of the chair to the ground for your streamer length.

2. Tie a piece of coordinating fabric around the top of the looped streamer.

3. Tuck in a bit of baby’s breath and faux leaves from the stems.

Complete Dollar Store Table Setting

The photo below is my official entry for Lindsay’s Challenge.  Wow! My Spring/Easter table setting was put together for just $5 (plus a tiny bit of paper and fabric that I had on hand)!

But why stop here? This table needs to be gussied up a bit, no?

1. A few extra touches: table cloth; cake-stand for the centerpiece; jelly bean favors; egg decor butter spreaders; white plates and glass cups

Now, I have a lovely spring table setting for two!

Love,

Jess

P.S. I’m so glad I didn’t give up on this project! I thought, at first, it was going to look like I was decorating with toilet paper. Well, whatever the source, I think it turned out kinda nice.

Don’t bears eat a lot, then go sleep for a good long while, say, all winter long? That is a bit of a reflection of my current lifestyle.

I try to grin despite all the sickness and the fatigue of this pregnancy but really I don’t hide it very well. I try not to be a bear with my attitude — my pregnancies have been been an emotional blessing — stable hormones I guess.

Hiding in a cave only lasts for so long, so through the muck, I still try to get out…

• The Macy’s Flower show was a nice way to get excited about Spring. My favorite part was eating soup and salad in a restaurant with a sky view of downtown.

• I gathered with my small group ladies to discuss the novel, The Shack (which I didn’t actually read because I have been under a rock for 9 weeks). Surprise, surprise my favorite part was the meal we shared…everything was lovingly prepared (by my friend) from the Barefoot Contessa.

• I finally checked out a little bakery with some MOPS friends. It was delightful. Good food, good talk. I am just a little cross about losing my French truffle due to a queasy tummy. But, this too shall pass!

Now I must log off to eat and sleep some more…then get up and do it all over again.

The only buds or blooms around here are found on Molly’s knit hat.

This past week I allowed myself to slow down and notice the color green, as a symbol of new life.

{The change in weather, a 65 degree increase from Day 1 of Green Week, is an incredible bonus.}

I was able to absorb the turning of the seasons using photography. Ironically, most of my Green Week photographs were taken indoors, featuring everyday items that had been with me all winter long.

For my last “day” I was going to do a morning:: noon :: night style presentation with the green I found but…

Instead, you get a morning :: morning :: morning

Thank you for watching along with me as I embraced some hope and change that were anything but political…even if it was green.

Happy St. Patrick’s Day!

Spring has sprung. Puddles, ice and mud galore!

Molly loved stomping around in her new rain boots this weekend.

We went splashing around the block as a family and then with some friends (without my camera in tow). I was a bit freed by not carrying the heaviness of my Nikon D100 (old school, I know) around my neck.

By living in the moment I felt a lightness that echoed the feeling of Spring awakening all around me. Okay, to prove I’m not too deep here, I did make Neat Pete captured a few shots with his iPhone camera.

Ryan told me, “Today would be a nice-warm-sunny-spring day to eat outside!” However, I think we’ll skip the dining el fresco because as nice as the sun feels on our faces the ice on the patio chairs would not be so warm on our bottoms. Brrr!

I captured the lost art of letter writing today. Well, I wrote a letter anyhow. Pen to paper. No words or pseudo-words were scrawled out with the exclusive use of my thumbs.

It felt so good to start a greeting with these words, “To My Dearest Uncle…”

My Uncle Wayne, (near the end of his life and his days battling cancer), lives out-of-state in a care facility. The kids and I send a big envelope of well-wishes that included art projects, cards, Scriptures and a family photo.

I hope our snail mail helps give him comfort as he hopes for a pain free Spring.

I feel ready for Spring to burst into my life at any minute. I think Spring got frozen under the sheet of ice on my driveway.

I look for hope in everything but politics. I look to God for a sense of order. I look to family for support and laughter. I look back. I look ahead.

I look for Spring….waiting….

Salt and Chocolate blog writer, Mary Beth, has been doing a photographic essay or “noticing” project about the color GREEN called Green Week!

Here I sit, a Minnesotan expecting yet another winter storm today, struggling to find spring-filled relief and inspiration. (cleaning, walking, decorating, shopping, cleaning – did I say that already?)

I will be doing a GREEN week too!

Molly "reading" a book of colors.

I find a moment or two like these…

Winter sun rays

Brighter than summer days

Snow banks beam light

Warm sunspot, just right

Children bounce off the wall

Mama is ready for Spring to call

But for now, Winter’s here

Another storm rumbling near

Drifts a mile high

Childhood days blinking by

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