Celebrating Spring

From Song  

'Tis like the birthday of the world,

When earth was born in bloom;

The light is made of many dyes,

The air is all perfume;

There's crimson buds, and white and blue - 

The very rainbow showers

Have turned to blossoms where they fell,

And sown the earth with flowers.

- Thomas Hood

Reclaim your intention.

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So these Prompts....they are part of an on-going conversation over at The Living Home. Sometimes Maya crafts them, sometimes I do, but in either case, its always personal. These prompts aren't just for you....they're for us too. In fact, they are usually born out of whatever is real & living for our own families at that particular moment. A confessional of sorts.

Magically, so many times it's exactly what's living for many of your families too. Funny how that works, isn't it?

We're part of a not-so-big community. Our town is on the small side. Outside of the transitional college crowd, there aren't more than one or two degrees of separation between any one of us here. It's a beautiful thing, really. It's the reason my children can roam free in our neighborhood & wage mock Nerf battles in the park without a bunch of grown-ups feeling like they need to hover nearby. It's also a nerve-wracking thing though, for me. 

I realized recently that we were Doing a lot of Things. Things after school, Things on the weekend. Lots and lots of THINGS. "Oh! Are you going to the Thing on Saturday?" "Oh! Are you going to the Thing for So and So?" "Our kids are doing that Thing at That Place on Sunday! Will you guys be there?" The compelling feeling that we need to Show Up or run the risk of disappointing our friends. 

I've found myself here before. You would think I'd know what to watch for. What to brace myself against.

See, the truth is, we don't do very well when we try to fit All The Things into our days. As a family, we are much less grumpy, much more centered and joy-filled when we Do very little outside of what our regular routine requires. 

So this prompt? It came from me realizing that we had once again been caught up in that quiet, often well-intended but strong current that pulls us, as a family, off track. Away from *our* best rhythm.  Because we have been here before, I recognized what was happening. Subtle signs from the children. From the cats. From the grown-ups.  Because we had been here before, I was able to act quickly. To put my foot down.

*As an aside, let me just say that I believe putting your foot down does not need to be loud or angry.*

It can simply be a decision. Taking your power back. A conscious choice to say *no* to what doesn't serve you anymore.  A moment where you realize that NOT doing something anymore is going to serve you all better.

A gentle but firm planting of both feet, solidly back onto the foundation of your original intention.

We are done. We are re-claiming our quiet. Our time. Our peace. Or, whatever is living for your family in this moment. What do you need to reclaim for your family?

~Robyn

Winter Inspiration

chalk on black paper by Brian Wolfe

Winter is an interesting season for me. I find this season full of polarities. It's a peaceful time and there is a great amount of work to be done; it's a dark time and we celebrate with lights; it's a cold time and yet, there is warmth all around; the days are short, but as a teacher and a basketball coach, not really. I'm definitely pulled in two directions during this time of the year. I want time to slow down so I can take in every moment with my family, listen to Christmas jazz on pandora while cooking with the kids, drive around and look at Christmas lights, and hopefully see some snow! This is also a time for exciting basketball games, competition, traveling all over for games, and teaching/coaching.

In the spirit of the season, here is a fun chalk drawing drawing of a peaceful winter landscape and a great motivational quote that I heard recently.

"Snowflakes are one of nature's most fragile things, but just look at what they do when they stick together."

Happy Holidays and Stay Warm!

Brian

New chalk tutorials....

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We have two new chalk tutorials to share with you! The Seasonal Landscape tutorial offers guidance and tips for creating a beautiful drawing appropriate for a variety of settings and seasons.   

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The Michael & the Dragon tutorial will guide you through creating a drawing perfect for the 2nd grade classroom, or any classroom during Michaelmas.

Enjoy!!