Finding our Rhythm

 Hello again! We've been up to all sorts of things over the past few months, and right now I'm having a hard time figuring out what to write about....so I'll upload a couple pictures from this week. So, a few months ago I was having a really hard time managing my TIME! As in over committing to too many activities and not actually enjoying what I was doing. So I decided to intentionally 'slow down', decide what needs to get done, and make time to exercise, fiddle, and go on dates with Ted, etc...
I really didn't want to make this post about KonMari, but I do have to say that after reading her book I have made some significant changes as to what is IN my house. And those changes have affected the way I manage my time. Basic example, we have less stuff...so I seriously spend about 10 minutes tops every evening tidying up the house and I'm done. The boys have really impressed me with figuring out the new system of putting the things in their "homes". Less clutter..more time to do other things, yay!  I also wanted to tackle the weekly home school thing. So here's what our re-evaluated "school", aka "life" looks like now: 

As you can see, we keep it closer to home these days. And I'm happy with that!

 I've been attending a sunrise yoga class once a week, and that is also helping me kick-start the day with energy. Also...I started drinking this stuff called coffee...like the actual caffeinated kind !

We have found a babysitter who is next to Danielle worthy :) She is awesome, and me and T get to go on dates now. 

Ted and I have started an afternoonly tea time that occurs between 3-4pm. I am at home. He is at work. But it's our way of feeling a little bit more connected during the working day while we are apart. If you would like to join us for a cuppa (is that how you say it?), please think of us around that time and tell me about it the next time we see each other :) 

I'm getting adult interaction and weekly social time with the nanny group. Hey girls! If you're reading this, I appreciate your friendship!

And here's a weird one..I started listening to podcasts. Like, where have I been the last decade, right? Currently listening to Slow Home. But yeah....fun way to start the morning routine while preparing breakfast and packing lunches.

OH.....and the babe...MAX....sleeps.through.the.night!!!!!!!! (probably jinxing....)

So yeah, things are just gently changing around here, and it's been nice.

Check out this picture Briggs made. He said it's all my favorite animals. Unicorn (Sure, why not!), a bird in the tree. Watch out for the snake. Racoon below. A moose who appears to be pooping, a hedgehog (for sure!), and a skunk. Also, rainbows are a huge trend around here these days. Gotta use all the markers, all the time!!

Just figured out the dishwasher is magnetic. Yay

Interesting flavors, but a bit pricey for single scoops!

Above is the ice cream parlor the kids have set up. Can you tell we spend a lot of time gardening around here? Comes with hand made paper dollars to pay for your scoops.

So now I am off to practice a little 'Port Arthur Blues', and my own rendition of 'Mary had a Little Lamb' using as many drones/double stops as possible. Some day I'll include a video. I think I've improved a little bit from 'Old Suzanna' a year ago.

Fare Thee Well,
jaylyn

Making friends

Today we met up with the homeschool club for play dough in the park. Finn made a friend all by himself. The little boy was very concerned that Finn did not have shoes on, but after a few minutes of playing together I noticed that they both were running around barefoot. Max gave me a surprise, and decided to take his first steps. About 3 of them! I almost missed them because he was walking to another mom! We tried getting it on video, but of course he decided to sit down immediately and crawl the minute we let go of his hands. I also noticed that another tooth has popped through this evening, making a total of 9 all together.

I've also come up with a new game-type quest to play when we need to kill some time. We're on the lookout for Little Free Libraries around town. We visited one today that was submarine themed. Once we are in a more permanent place I'd like to set my own up. 

Little Free Library-Yellow Sub

My clothing swap last weekend was small, but successful! It was lacking a variety of sizes, but everyone who attended was able to take something home with them. I plan on meeting more people by next spring, and putting out flyers at church and other places that I frequent that have large crowds so hopefully there will be a bigger selection of items.

Here's a first pet project the boys have been enjoying:

"Fishy", "Red ninja", Mystery snail, "Striker/Stripey", and a sucker algae eater

Here's us on Halloween a few weekends ago:

From left: Toothless the Dragon, Lady Jaylyn, Viking, King Arthur

Fare thee well.

october

Woohoooo 2 days before Ted is back from his work trip!! Thank goodness. It's been a crazy, but fun week with 3 little boys. Zoo field trip, costume prepping, fall crafts, grocery store errands/mommy needs more wine to get through the week (only sort of kidding..), and a few minor dilemmas involving the front door almost breaking and a dead rat.
Briggs had his costume parade, program and Halloween party at school today. I got to see him sing a bunch of songs he's been learning in music class. He is becoming a lot more outgoing this year I've noticed. Finn also got to join in on some of the fun and wear his costume at drop-off this morning and sit beside brother in the classroom during the party. We're all looking forward to dressing up on Saturday and trick-or-treating on our block. I was talking with a neighbor, and heard there will be 1600 kids come by on Halloween evening! 1600! It's common for everyone to sit in lawn chairs on our street and watch the huge parade of van loads of kids from the apartment complexes/townhome lands to invade the hood. Too bad mannequin man is hiding in the woods back in Lawrence..we could have had some good laughs.
So I know you're all wondering about the rat. I had to pick up a dead rat with a missing head yesterday. It must have drowned from last weeks flooding and washed up into the yard. Or maybe Merlin is to blame...he has been going outside more and more lately. 1 day after the trash truck came by...ugh. Should I just leave it in the trash can until next week, or will I die from poisonous dead fumes by then?

Fare Thee Well,
jm

The Teapot Cottage, Totoro's Farm, and the Sharing Gnome

I'm once again entering the annual Fairy Garden Contest, sponsored by one of my favorite blogs, The Magic Onions. You can check out the rules for the contest and enter your own here! http://www.fairygardens.com/contest/ But don't delay...the contest ends tomorrow!!!! And this year, I was involved in a miniature gardening workshop where I began this gnome garden. A shout out to Buchanan's Native Plants here in Houston, TX, where I picked out all these adorable props! As you may notice, the gnome is feeling rather festive with his bunting flags and musical wind chimes! It's too bad my cat, Merlin, snipped off the top of the front plant with his blood-thirsty fangs before I snapped this photo...ughh cats...

'The Teapot Cottage' by Jaylyn Morehouse, age 29 Houston TX

Briggs was also inspired to use a few left-over props and other pieces we had lying around the house. He wanted to keep his on top of his dresser in his bedroom. Don't you just love that little froggy on top of the mushroom!

'Sharing Gnome House' by Briggs Morehouse, age 5, Houston TX

And finally, we have a collaborated effort, but giving Finn most of the credit since he is always playing with these cutezy wootzy Totoro figurines. I'm quite fond of the cat bus in the cactus!

'The Totoro Farm' by Finn Morehouse, age 3 Houston TX

Well, that about does it for now. Stay tuned, because I'm already plotting my next visit to the garden center to pick up Autumn themed props for the next one!

Not Back to School

This week has been both good and awful.

1. Monday-Briggs turned 5, and for his birthday we explored the Butterfly exhibit at the museum. This week we are focusing our activities around butterflies and bugs. We started backyard observation journals, and filled up our hummingbird feeders to get ready for migration to begin.

2. Tuesday-Briggs got the flu, and the only thing good to say was there was less fighting between the boys that day.

3. Wednesday-It hasn't been very humid out at all for the past 4 days! There's an underlying coolness to the air...very subtle, but you can tell that fall is around the corner. Finn and I gathered sticks to make spider web cachers. So far no spider has spun anything in them.

4. Thursday-Finn got the flu.

5. Friday- No one is sick, everyone feels great! We found out where the Arboretum Nature Center is, and took a nice stroll in the woods this morning. We also saw a snake that startled me very badly! We're invited to a pizza making party this evening.

Cat update: Our raccoon, Merlin, is doing well. He's able to open doors, cabinet drawers, and probably other things that he shouldn't be getting into. He loves to kill plants. The tips of all my house plants are yellow because he bites them. He must have venom in his teeth that poisons the leaves! He sleeps all day under our bed covers, and is crazy in the evenings. We have to shut our bedroom door because he runs around all night long being too loud. I'm glad he's friendly though.

Beating the Houston heat

Thought I'd update everyone on what we've been up to. We have a lengthy list of projects we've completed, but the one I'd like to share is our gnome kingdom. We've discovered that every plant (in the gnome section) loves to die in this weather, so the ones that have survived are the succulents and a few natives that I'm nursing back from wilt every day with a jug full of water :( The boys have been making tiny gardens of their own, and then placing them around the yard. Here's a few photos I snapped of our magical little land.

This is a mom design.

Cowboy gnome has eggs and cabbages for sale. And the most sought after cottage in all of Gnometopia!

Just outside of the castle grounds lies a unicorn flower garden.

Briggs' very own design

Finn's dino garden that he named, "Party"

I'm having fun learning about fall gardening here, and am slowly planting things that are appropriate for the season. So far: tomatoes, peppers, pumpkins, cukes, okra, and zucchini squash. I'm even trying my hand at a couple citrus trees. The hummingbirds are supposed to be on there way this month, so I'm keeping my feeder fresh to lure them into the yard. I've strategically placed my plants in a way that I'll be able to squeeze in as many as I can. Will be using the wall to trellis, and train some to go different ways, and grow under taller plants..hopefully without crowding each other out too bad!

First attempt at raised bed gardening...sure takes some getting used to!

It's no surprise that swimming is a part of our daily lives. We have the pool, twirling sprinkler, and wiggly noodle sprinkler to choose from. But after about an hour, the water starts feeling like you're in a hot tub.The boys were excited because today we found new swim trunks: SuperMan and SpiderMan...their recent obsessions.

Twirly sprinkler plus the pool!

Also, Ted and I have decided to start a cooperative (parent owned) preschool for the neighborhood/surrounding areas. We are meeting with other parents this week to discuss our short term goals and develop a solid plan. I'm thrilled to be a part of this!

That's about all I have time for today, so fare thee well.
Jaylyn

Move to Houston

Among the boxes on our last day in Lawrence

Just a few highlights from the last 2 weeks of moving madness....

Participated in a 4th of July bike parade and everyone wished us a "Happy 4th". One house we pedaled by even had a patriotic song blaring on repeat! We must be in the South?

Our house is full of musical appliances. I still can't get over that we have a dishwasher, it's just too easy!

Oh and outside of the house, there are remote controls for opening and shutting things all over the place. Gates, garage doors, fans.

Today I met the community gardening group, got advice on seed starting and the planting calendar for this coastal climate, and came home with a bag full of the most delicious figs.

Max started crawling 2 days ago!

Ted has built us a bunch of wood things: Work bench, Bunk beds, Swords, Coat/hat tree, and fixed a broken chair and broken bookshelf. Yay for garages!

He has a garage, but I have a she-room with A.C.

We've discovered some fun parks and playgrounds during our morning outings. The boys liked the "train playground" in the Heights.

I've become a rewards member at a new favorite garden center, and have really racked up the points there.

I started a gnome garden, of course, and yesterday added a herd of unicorns to the kingdom.

First thing on the list: Put grill together so we can feel at home

Runs are very hot here

Finn sharing his birthday goodies with the bros

Last week it rained a lot