Sundays Dubbed Family 'Creation Day'

It is winter. We hibernate. I love the adventures and outside interactions of spring and summer, but winter is where I draw in and dive deep.

This winter we have been especially house-bond with one vehicle and a newborn, so my son has been regularly watching an hour or two of videos a day. It concerns me, but he also is stuck to my leg every other minute of the day, so I have let it go on. I feel like a bad mother.

Inspired by Momnicent's blog post about taking a Sunday as a family to unplug and reconnect to each other, I decided to make Sunday's "Creation Day" for my family.

Sundays have always been a family day for us, usually starting with a big special breakfast, like homemade waffles with whip cream and strawberries. We usually tend stick around the house, doing things to reconnect to ourselves, and things to clean up the house. So, what a perfect day to add in a creative element.

The Rules:

Everyone must create something individually on Sunday; 

Everyone must create something with another family member.

As mentioned in my post about The Essence of Creativity, being creative helps to inspire and reconnect with your unique spirit. I thought it would be a great way to make sure my family was flourishing and growing together. (Not to mention my secret agenda of getting my son away from the TV for at least one day a week).

The added bonus - by focusing on creative outlets, it overshadows more potentially spirit-robbing practices such as unhealthy/mindless eating, thinking about what to buy, shopping, watching TV, playing video games, compulsively checking emails/texts, ect. 

The Results:

First, I pumped up my family with how awesome Creation Day was for us. I told my son that he and I were going to create a "show", playing out a story for daddy. I dropped in the word superhero and he could barely contain himself for the rest of the morning. He was definitely jazzed.

After lunch, while my husband worked on a new song, my son and I got to work brainstorming our "show". First we picked characters. He chose to be Batman, and then told me to be the bad guy, named Esa. We further defined our characters on paper, so I could keep referring him back to the plan in case my son got off task. Then we outfitted ourselves in our costumes, and together created and rehearsed our "show." 

I was impressed that my son, only just three, went along well with rehearsing the same story line. We both totally got into it:

Evil Chef Esa out to poison the customers

 "Ah, I am Esa, the evil chef, mixing up dinner for the customers in my restaurant. Ha ha ha! Little do they know I am going to poison them all!!!!" 

Just then Batman comes in to save the day! "Stop that at once," says Batman. And off we go with a whole charade of fighting, including me dumping the poisonous dinner on Batman, getting lasso'ed by Batman, lots of running in scripted directions, escapes, and eventually *gasp* Esa gets clobbered by Batman, bringing the evil chef to the floor meeting her demise. The show ends with Batman putting one foot on me, thrusting his hand into the air, and screaming, BATMAN! 

Then the applause. The bowing. The hugging. The smiling. The rapid breath. The pleas to do it again. The husband scurrying out of the room as fast as he can escape.

We did it a few more times, then created two more scenarios, but less scripted, and not presented to dad. All in all, it was a deeply focused hour-and-a-half of play.

Batman

Later on, my husband and son played creatively together while I ran some errands. For my individual project, I am to hem the curtains. Okay, not so creative, but it has to get done. I figure I would do it now, and then get into some bigger fun stuff like making a rag rug for the kids room, or painting a big beautiful tree to hang in our front room.

Dedicating one day a week to harness our creativity has helped me to relax and clear my head a little. This winter has me twirling in circles of creativity and renewed focuses. So much so that my head has spinning. Now with Sundays to focus on my creative things, it frees up my energy the rest of the week for my other projects. 

My son asked to watch videos, and was a bit off quilter from our usual routine, but I just said it was Creation Day, and that its a day to play and create, not a day for TV. He was okay with it. He actually played well on his own today too. And curled up on the couch and took a nap! Shocking.

In fact, we all went to bed buzzing with life. It was a happy, fun day. Sure, there were moments of grumpiness, and scolding, and I am a bit spent, but overall it was a wonderful inspiring day. We just started out small with the creative elements, given all the extra stuff I had to get done today, but I can see Creation Sundays growing into some beautiful moments and memory making to come.

It feels so good to let the creative juices out. It really feels good to create with someone. Now, if I can just think of a way to get my husband to create something with us! 

My Go-To Indian Recipe

Feeling in the need for a little Indian spice, but don't know where to begin? Here is a simple, and delicious Indian dish to try.

It has been one of my life-goals to learn how to cook more scrumptious Indian food. A few steps into this journey, I have concocted this recipe mixing a few others I have tried. I love this dish because it has depth beyond just curry, without being over-the-top spicy. My three-year-old gobbles it up. As well, it is filling enough to be a one dish meal.

2 tbs olive oil
1/2 tsp black mustard seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
2 tsp curry powder (or more if you like it spicy)
1/8 tsp cayenne
1 medium yellow onion, diced
2 cloves garlic minced
2 medium potatoes peeled and diced into 1/2 inch (or 1 reg potato and 1 sweet potato)
1 medium carrot, thinly sliced
1 13.5 oz can coconut milk
1 cup basmati rice
1 cup water
salt to taste

Optional:
1 cup broccoli cut into small pieces
1 cup peas
1 cup garbonzo beans


1. Heat oil over medium heat. Add mustard seeds, cumin, curry and cayenne. Cook stirring constantly until mustard seeds begin to pop (about three minutes). Add onion and garlic. Saute until onion begins to soften (about five minutes).

2. Add potatoes and carrots, tossing to coat with spice mixture. Add coconut milk, rice and water. Simmer covered until rice is almost cooked (about 25 minutes). Add more water if necessary.

3. If adding broccoli and peas, do so now, simmering until broccoli is cooked. Then add garbanzo beans and salt to taste.

A note on curry: The fresher your curry the better your results. The better quality curry, the better your results. Always store your curry in an air-tight tin, or light proof container.

Hand To Hand

In the rush of the day, sometimes I forget...

Between the million distractions, sometimes I forget...

Looking into your wise eyes that remind me that there is no time or place or space, and sometimes I still forget...

But at night, when the lights are off, nestled in bed. Everything is quiet.

I hold your hand.

Your baby fist barely wrapped around my two digits.

And finally I remember...

just how utterly tiny and new you are.

Together, holding hands, we soften into our slumber,
sharing a quiet moment, through hands, that words can't convey.

The same moment shared when I was a little girl holding hands with my mom or dad.

Like moments holding hands playing when my brothers were small, or holding hands with my first love, or on my wedding day, or now swinging my three-year-old son.

It has taken a while, my baby girl, but you finally trust me.

I see you surrender. I feel your warmth. I bask in our love.

Oozing Pure Joy!

When I was growing up, I loved to sew. I especially loved sewing things for others.

My first solo sewing project was a bikini for my mom. I was five. I remember sitting outside in our backyard on a sunny summer day, blissfully sewing together scraps of white fabric with red apples on them.

I can still feel the needle flowing in my hand, and see my big white stitches running down the fabric like a yellow line dotting the road. I was proud of those stitches darn it. It took all my concentration to get them just so. As I sewed away I thought, Oh how lovely my beautiful mom would be when she wears this bikini I made for her. (Funny, but I never got to finish that project. I wonder who could of sabotaged it?)

When I was older, I loved to get my creative juices flowing at Christmas time. My crafty Aunt and Godmother was the special recipient of my sewing projects. She always encouraged my craft skills and gave me something for Christmas, so I started a tradition of making her little dolls each year. I would spend hours upon hours immersed in intricate, serious doll-making work. I loved.every.minute.

There is nothing like the joy of being immersed in one's creative work. Combine that with the joy of giving, and the love I feel for the person I make it for, and it about blows my mind.

I found myself reliving a little childhood bliss this year. I decided to make my new baby daughter something special for Christmas.

HABA's cotti lamb

I really wanted to buy this adorable HABA lamb stuffed with spelt seeds from our local green store, Barefoot Kids/the Green Nursery. My little one is always cold, so the added function of warming it up seemed perfect for her.

I also love the oh-so-vibrant Blabla dolls. I mean, how could you not! But at $46 for the full-size, and $36 for the mini - ouch, it hurts your bank account.

I got thinking, it would be even more green (and definitely more special) to make something for my daughter.

So, I used some of our extra cute receiving blankets, and filled it with white rice so I could warm it up in the *gasp* microwave for her. For added scent, I added some of our homemade lavender oil, from lavender picked from our garden.

The shape was a no-brainer. Ever since our ghost experience, I have a heightened need to protect my baby. So the shape of my creation became an angel. Not to mention my daughter's name has to do with becoming like an angel.

The angelic sewing creation

I suppose the final product functions like a blanket, and less like a doll. With each side having double flannel it is super cozy and warm. It is so cute to see the angel wings wrapped around her like it is really protecting her. I think the extra weight of it makes her feel secure too.

See, she loves it!

Not only did it bring me such joy making it, but every time I see it on her I get a little fluttery in the belly. I can't really explain it. It feels so good. Like I said in my last post about the essence of creativity, being creative connects me to my spirit. I am so happy I took the time to make her something unique that came from the inner me.

The poor girl is going to be bombarded with crazy little dolls and odd sewing assortments for the rest of her life. I can see her rolling her eyes at me in no time. The thing is...I don't care!

The Essence of Creativity: Why being creative is so important

There is a reason they call it "creative spirit."

When in the "creative spirit," I feel like I am plugged into my inner self. Once engrossed in the creative task at hand, I am zoned.

We live in this day and age of industrialization (and thus commercialization) where the corporates rule. There is so much pressure to conform to societies standards. Sometimes I feel a little bit like a cog in the wheel of the machine. The mass-produced man-made world around us lacks originality. Information is spoon fed to us, to the point where I wonder if my thoughts are my own, or did "they" shape my thinking.

Creativity is the one thing that I can count on to makes me feel like a unique human being. Creativity reminds me that I have a vibrant unique spirit that likes to stand up and express itself.

Also, as a mother with young children, I deeply appreciate 'zone moments' that I get when being creative. Seemingly bombarded with never-ending interruptions each day, time spent deeply engrossed in any task feels few and far between. While serving the young ones needs, staying organized, crossing things off the to do list, it is so easy to loose a sense of connection to the inner Self.

Creation time feels like a kind of meditation. I suppose it is like the Buddhist tradition of walking meditation. However, when in the creative spirit, it is so easy to be zoned. So, it feels a little like cheating!

Not to mention, the certain element of joy that arises when I am creating, or gazing upon the final product.

To me, being creative means connecting to spirit. Connecting to spirit means knowing myself... and thereby growing into my highest self. So if I want to live the path, I have to let my creativity out, and let it rain down every day.

I notice that the days I able to be even a little creative, my mood is chipper, and I think my family and my life are golden.

Sometimes it is scary to let it out. A lot of the times I am scared to fail, or frustrated at the outcome. Painting is a perfect example. I have a deep appreciation of art, especially painting. I have a deep burning desire to paint, but whenever I do, I want to burn it. My painting never turn out as I think they should. Perhaps I should just relish in the zone moment of painting and forget about the product.

Lately, my solution is to stick to the creative things that I feel good about: sewing projects, cooking, paper crafts, mixed media art, writing, decorating/beautifying my surroundings, and making up silly games/activities for my son.

Reflecting on how joyful and connected being creative feels, and how important it is for my spiritual development, I am going to have to make a concerted effort to be more creative.

Tag blanket and turtle I made for baby nephew "W"

Tag blanket I made for baby nephew "C"

10 Weeks Down - A Newbie's Cloth Diapering Review

Ten weeks down, and still going strong. I have to say, I am proud of myself! I never thought I would be able to do it. It did take a bit of adjusting, but now that I am in the routine, it's really is not a big deal.

Actually, I feel so good about it. I love the way the soft cloth feels on my new baby's bum. I love that she isn't peeing into chemicals and wrapped in plastic.

Even better, I have saved nearly 500 diapers from going into landfills*.

Yes, I know. I am using energy and water resources by washing the cloth diapers, but that to me, is a better option than the energy and resources it requires to make disposable ones, as well as the fact that disposables do not break down and will last in a landfill for 500 years!

As well, I would rather have my daughter's first touch experiences be touching something that is soft and comes from the earth. Enough said.

A Little Help
I have to admit, I have had a little help. The gods took pitty on me for having an extremely poopy first-born son, so they blessed me with a daughter who is low on the poop scale. For a while there she would go once every other day or two! Now it is about once a day. But having that wonderful window of no pooping really allowed me to get a handle on the cloth diapering, and not bail. Poo definitely is the worst part of the whole deal.

Secondly, the bio-disposable inserts are a god-send. I usually use them only at night now because they are more absorbent than the cloth inserts. But I have been known to use them when I am behind on laundry, sick, or just feeling like a need a break. They are more expensive, but the gods blessed me again with a big box arriving at my door from my friend Eileen who had extras to pass on!

Yes, the bio-digradible inserts are a bit of an environmental hogwash. Just like regular disposables, the inserts come from a non-sustainable crop - made from paper- and are bleached. You can flush the inserts, but that is also a lot of extra water.

The Surprises

1- Special detergent. I was a bit miffed that I had to buy new detergent just for my CDs. I could get away with some other more regular types, see full list, but I figured if I wanted my CDs to be really absorbent, I might as well splurg. A pack of Rock'in Green Classic Rock Cloth Diaper detergent cost me $15. However, 10 weeks down and I still have half or so left. Not bad.

2- Poo in my washer. Not so bad. The pre-rinse does wonders! My baby is exclusively breastfed, so the poops are just liquidy. If I won't be washing diapers that day, I rinse out the pooey dipe with our handy-dandy water hose that's connected to the toilet. Hmm, I wonder if I will be able to stand the poo problem once we get to the solid foods stages though. I distinctly remember raisins and half-digested food in my son's poo. (Must not think ahead of myself...blocking memories now)

3- A lot of Laundry? Nah, not really. An extra small load every other day or two is all. Hang dry over night. Fold and voila!

4 - I can live without wipes! Disposable wipes that is. I just use cloth, and wash them with the dipes. For poo, I wipe with cloth, then spray with a waterbottle/soap solution, and wipe again. Presto! So easy, cheap, and green! I can't believe the money I spent on disposables now, not to mention the chemicals.

Second-Hand Diapers!?
It may sound disgusting, but it's true. There is a whole market for second-hand cloth diapers. With sun-bleaching, and fancy-dancy detergents, the diapers come as good as new. And is a heck of a lot cheaper! If there was not a second-hand market for cloth diapers, it is safe to say, I would flat out not be doing it. It is too expensive up front.

All, but one, of my CDs are second hand. As mention in my previous post, I scored some new g-diapers for cheap at Once Upon a Child ($15 for four). Another two were given to me (after a few uses) from Contentedly Crunchy, and the rest I bought off of Diaper Swappers.

As for my one new luxurious cloth diaper, a dusty rose colored GroVia AIO, I have www.thegreennursery.com to thank for it. Check out my little darling baby featured with it on their website. I have to say I like it. It is soft, very absorbent, and the cover doesn't seem to dampen while in use.

G-Diapers
Mostly I have been using G-diapers. They are classified as a "hybrid" in the cloth diapering world. As mentioned, you can either use cloth inserts with them, or a special disposable insert.

G-Review: The Good

• Best feature -  you don't have to pitch the whole diaper in the wash. Many times I've been able to just switch out the insert and keep the cover going (as long as it is still dry). I have some all-in-ones, and it seems like such a waste to have to wash the whole darn thing after one little pee.
• The fit is pretty good on my baby so the leaking is minimal.
• Cloth or bio-degradable disposable insert options.
• Not too bulky looking.

G-Review: The Bad

• Worst Feature: the velcro. Ugh! The older the dipe is, the less sticky the velcro gets. Many times I've had the diaper come undone on some of my older G's.
• Expensive to buy (luckily I got my all second-hand). And they come in small/medium/large so you have to keep buying as your baby grows.
• Their covers and inserts are not organic.

Going Forward
With my 11 pound two-month old slowly getting bigger, I will soon have to abandon my stash of small g-diapers. I have to decide what to go to next. I am thinking I may try some prefolds, with waterproof wraps, that way I can just switch out the cloth insert and reuse the cover. I'd like to keep some "hybrids" for my lazy days or traveling times. And if I can help it, no velcro!

But, like a true cloth-diapering queen, I will probably have a little bit of that, and a little bit of this.

* If you figure newborns use about 7 dipers a day, then I have saved almost 500 diapers from going to landfill in the last 10 weeks!

How a Real Mom Does Yoga

It is afternoon, and the three-year-old is settled down in front of the tv for his alloted screen time. He has enough snacks and drink to last the hour, or so I hope. The baby is asleep in her swing. I pray she stays sleeping. (She is a newborn, a good sleeper, but you never know).

The lulu's are put on. The candle is lighted. The mat rolled out. The toddler beckons. I politely attend to his needs and remind him I am going to be doing yoga so I can't be readily available.

Inspiring music hits the airwaves. I can already feel my body soften. I start my ujjayi breath while kneeling over and picking up toys. With the space uncluttered just enough to exsist in my concentrated yoga bubble, I say a little prayer for help to stay focused on the task at hand. I only  have so much time...go, go go!

With divine power I hit the mat, trying to ignore the kitchen to my left where dishes are piling up, seemingly expanding exponentially each minute. Curling into child pose, arms extended, I draw deep breaths up my spine and into my back ribs.

Twentish minutes into the practice, the baby wakes up calls for my attention. With all the sun-salutes and vinyasas, I am thankful for the concentrated time I have had (while fighting  the compulsion to pick up that random piece of cereal on the floor). I try not to desire more time to practice. Desire creates attachment, I remind myself, and attachment leads to samsara.

I get the baby and place her on her pillow next to my mat. She remains pretty contented there, and I buy myself another 15 minutes. My practice now is less focused, but I am enjoying being able to get through some more poses.

Rushing into the closing poses, hoping to finish out the practice, the baby gets fussy. I pick her up and bounce her around, trying to settle her down, while attempting to keep my own mind calm. I put the baby down and manage one more pose, but without success. She needs me. I feed her and concentrate on the flow of my breath, in and out, in and out.

I remember the words my first teacher always spoke, "try to find a sense of peace and equanimity no matter what the challenge." Today my challenge is wanting to finish the practice I started. The energy was building, I was feeling so connected, but now it feels like it all went flop.

After feeding the baby, I blow out the candle, roll up my mat and turn off the music. No use trying to fight it. My practice is over. And that is okay. I am blessed with the riches of little spirits around. And with a smile I kiss my baby, knowing that tomorrow is another day.