Daily Practice

The picture above was taken by Elijah.
I keep it to remind myself that I am still 15-20lbs overweight.

All of a sudden I have a glut of ideas to blog about. A bunch of pictures and a thousand thoughts. But the one that seems the most pressing in my mind is the issue of daily practice.

I've been troubled by the lack of daily routines that enrich my life. I have several activities that I need/should/want to incorporate into my life. But for some reason, I cannot get it together. I start and stop in fits and never achieve the fulfillment that comes from making something a habit, a practice. What I want to know from you, my 5 regular readers, is--


If you have a daily practice of any kind, something that you do strictly for the purpose of bettering yourself in someway, (brushing teeth and other activities of the like, don't count, okay); what is it and what gets you there each day?

For me, these are the top priorities:

1. I want to read my bible everyday and spend time--dedicated time-- in prayer. Not that I don't pray daily, I do. But they are prayers muttered under my breath or cast up in desperation, usually for patience for one child or the other. I want to have the blessing and nourishment that comes from daily spiritual practice
2. I want to exercise regularly, maybe not everyday but at least every other. I need this, I want this and yet it is soooo hard to make it happen. Enough excuses!
3. I miss writing in my journal, sketching and chronicling my day to day highs and lows through art. That seems a far fetched possibility these days. But why? There are certainly mothers/ artists who somehow find the time to create while parenting, such as my dear friends Kelcey at Sweet Mess and Naomi at Naomi Layne Studio.

Do any of you struggle with getting it together like I do? I guess my main gripe with myself is, that I spend too much time wasted each day ( on the computer, watching tv, etc. ) that I could be spending on these other goals. I know I could carve out the time, so what's the problem? Motivation? Determination? Other?

First Snowman!

It has been VERY snowy in Asheville this Winter. My Northern friends may scoff-- but for Asheville, we've had several days that brought a little bit of snow. It's really something special in the South. This latest brush with the white stuff was by far the biggest and best (about 4 inches!).

It was enough to build a snowman-finally! Elijah asks to build one every time we get the barest dusting of snow and up until now, it just wasn't possible. Gabe and Elijah built this one as Adah and I snuggled by the fire.

A lazy little post.

A truly random assortment of pictures, just because.

(Adah, adorable, Adah.)
(Elijah paints.)
(Good friend, Kelcey; her daughter, Lilikoi; baby goats and Elijah.)
(A new set of painted people for birthday niece, Alexia.)

Two Gifts.

Another attempt at Crochet: A headscarf for Jessica, Gabe's sister.
(Who shares my birthday, in January....yeah, it's a little late.)



























And the other gift..... I've been working a bit. I am now working with 3 acquaintances to set up email marketing programs for their small businesses. I am helping them to build their lists, upload them into the mailing program, designing the newsletters and strategizing with them about how to best market to their clientele. Funny, huh? This is not something that I am trained in... marketing and design...and I have only minor amounts of self-taught experience in the work. Nonetheless, I've been busy with this and still not really sure where I am going with it. (Or where it is taking me. Maybe nowhere, after the job with these 3 is complete? That could be it.)
It's not something I planned for or envisioned for myself, but I am not turning away from the opportunity.

A Snow Day with Daddy

Another blizzard here in Asheville. We are up to the roof line with snow... snow forts, giant snowmen, snow shoes, ice skating... yep!

Nope. But we did get about an inch over night. Which for a 2 year, who knows no different, was great! Here are some pictures of Daddy and E. having a "snowball fight" and "sledding".

Getting bundled up.

Teaching Elijah how to make snowballs

Get Mommy!

Daddy hits Elijah with a snowball!

Elijah gets Daddy!

Our attempt at sledding without a sled

Back inside and playing Firemen.