Father's Day is coming our way soon, and I've been seeing a lot of crafty goodness in my feed over at Blog Lovin' (shameless plug, you can follow me over there, too).

I'm taking a different bent and showing you some of the great art pieces I've found on the one and only Etsy, featuring my favorite medium - letterpress. I was able to create with a letterpress for two of my classes in college, and I became a quick addict. The quality of ink on paper, the dimension to the letter forms, the richness of material all come together for the unmatched beauty of letterpress.

Here are five great finds, that are affordable, too, for the dad or husband in your home.

For the quirky foodie or chef dad:

 this from here

For the risk-taker dad:

this from here

For the dad that's full of philosophy:

this from here

For the old school, outdoorsy dad:

 

this from here.

For the artsy, retro dad:

this from here.

Etsy has great finds for dads, moms, and everyone else on your lists. Happy shopping. And give some letterpress printers a little extra love this Father's Day.

Thanks for coming over!

XOXO,

MJ

When warm weather hits the Midwest, you'll find me eating every meal I can outside. I have no problem with the little challenges of outdoor eating (bugs, extreme heat, lawnmower noise), and I'm hoping my kiddos will catch the love for dining in the great outdoors.

We purchased a dining set for our deck many years ago, and the circular shape is a great fit for our fam of five. Finding cute, durable tablecloths for said table, not as great a fit.

So, rather than purchase another all-weather, old-timey looking tablecloth, I decided to create some durable placemats from a bright, striped oblong number I found at Walmart (for a happy $3). These summer stripes had me at orange. Seriously, just like Wilbur the pig, so radiant.

I made these in 30 minutes, and I'm ready to make another six out of the remaining fabric. Oh, and those happy potted succulents, see

how to make those here

!

My favorite was hearing

M

tell

C

, "Mommy made these for us." Yes, I did. So spill away, little ones! There's more watermelon and popsicles where those drips came from.

Are you an outdoor diner, too? Any tips to share on how to enjoy a great meal in the elements?

Happy crafting.

XOXO,

MJ

Happy Tuesday, friends! I missed you all. Did you have a restful holiday weekend?

We had a fabulous three days of no alarm clocks, sprinklers and s'mores, vegetable garden planting, and good old-fashioned hanging-out-with-friends time. It was just what we all needed.

And now, to get back in to the last round of activities before the school year ends.

I had a little extra time in the kitchen this weekend, and I wanted to share with you some yumminess we put together for a sweet little BBQ/water play date with friends. I was able to shop my own herb garden to make this salsamole (it's got too many tomatoes for a traditional guacamole and too many avacados for a traditional salsa so I've named it salsamole). It's super fresh and pairs nicely with a lime salted tortilla chip.

I became acutely aware of how much I am not a food blogger as I was making this and trying to shoot attractive photos. So I'll offer the throw away line that this tastes so much better than it looks (although it looked better than it photographed, too). And I'll tell you that food photographers are geniuses.

I got this lovely recipe from a friend and adapted a few things here and there to make it just to my liking! So, here you goes...You'll need:

7 medium tomatoes (romas are awesome here, but if you can't get them, or only have big or small tomatoes, think the equivalent of seven medium tomatoes. I am a no stress ingredient kind of chef so make some good guesses, it'll still taste great.) Cut these guys up to about a 1/4 inch.

3 large ripe (Haas) avacados, diced about the same size as the tomatoes

1 1/2 c of thawed frozen corn kernels

1 T of corn oil

3 T of chopped green onions (we took our scissors out to the garden!)

1/4 c fresh cilantro (again, hooray for a short trip to the herb store for us)

1 t pickled jalapeno

1 t minced garlic

1 1/2 t salt

3 T lime juice

1/2 t cumin

1 t apple cider vinegar

 

(this photo is taken from inside the bowl. Be the ingredient.)

Preheat your oven to 450. Put the corn on a baking sheet and toss it with the oil. Roast, tossing once, for 7-8 minutes until golden good. Let corn cool.

Fold tomatoes, avacados, cilantro, green onion, jalapeno, and garlic. Stir in the vinegar, lime juice, vinegar, salt, cumin. Add in the cooled corn.

Cover and refrigerate. Can be made up to 24 hours ahead. Pair with a great chip and eat quickly...your family will try to gobble it up before you can get your helping. Oh wait, maybe that's just in my home. :) Happy eating.

And if tomatoes and all those vegetable aren't your thing. Well then here's to many happy s'mores.

It's beginning to look a lot like summer around here. And I love it!

Hoping you found a little bit of Heaven peeking out from around the corner this weekend...and that you keep it with you as we head back into the usual.

XOXO,
MJ

Happy Friday! We made it to the holiday weekend. Can you believe it?

We celebrate Memorial Day, and in my faith tradition, we'll be celebrating Pentecost (50 days after Easter), too. It's the birthday of the Church...so we're going to party!

We're making Pentecost Pinwheels. Ever since I was a little girl, shopping with my mother, I have been fascinated with pinwheels. When I used to whine and fuss, she'd treat me to a simple pinwheel and my world would be made.

This is very much a Macgyver craft. All you need is a square piece of paper, scissors, a pin, and a straw (or pencil with eraser top). For our craft we crafted with our unused Chick-Fil-A straws (from dinner last night) and sparkly pipe cleaners, too.

I was inspired when I saw Jennifer's use of the pinwheel to explain the work of the Holy Spirit, and I also wanted to include the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit since both of my little ladies have been learning about them in school lately.

So, to all pinwheel newbies, no worries. Here's what you do:

1. Cut a square of paper. The lighter weight of paper you have, the better to make a functional pinwheel.  For ours I didn't stress over functionality and glued two pieces of construction paper together, on.

2. Cut four diagonal lines, one at each corner, leaving a small circle of uncut paper in the middle.

3. If desired, write the gift of the Holy Spirit on the front and back flaps (awe, reverence, courage, knowledge, good judgement, wisdom, understanding). I added in the word Pentecost and a dove as the eighth flap.

4. Fold down alternating wings of the pinwheel and poke a straight pin through the ends of all four.

5. Poke the remaining pin into a straw. I covered the sharp end of the straight pin by wrapping a pipe cleaner around it.

As we breathe out to move the pinwheel, we remember the presence of the Spirit alive within us and around us. Happy Pentecost!

And happy loooonnng weekend, friends. I hope the holiday of it all seems endless to you! Meetcha back here next week.

XOXO,

MJ

 

"Pentecost commemorates the coming of the Holy Spirit to the apostles. After Jesus rose on Easter, he appeared to the apostles over the next 40 days, teaching them the significance of what had happened to Him. They listened, but didn’t really understand, so Jesus promised to send the Holy Spirit, who would enlighten them and give them everything they would need to carry the Good News to people all over the world."

Helpful information like this found here at OSV.

Last night I had the pleasure of hosting my super smart and always entertaining book club ladies. A strong-minded group of eight, we can make any book into interesting, extended controversy and conversation.

I had made a strong push that our May book should be Hunger Games. I, unlike the rest of the civilized world, had not yet read the book, but I knew that I could add some spunk to the menu and decor for our evening. I love being able to throw myself into hosting, and thinking about each person in attendance, and how I might surprise them with a little extra goodness.

The good thing about being way behind the times is that there are now oodles of resources out in libraries and interwebs, and I'm excited to show you what made its way to the final round.

Most helpful spots to visit:
Fictional Food: a full list of every (there are a ton!) food mentioned in the book with many, many recipes attached
DaFont: always a source of awesomeness at beautiful prices (!) and for this night a key Hunger Games font. Downloaded, check.
Pinterest: search for boards with Hunger Games in the title and you'll find memes, quotes, and recipes galore.

In the story, early on, Katniss receives the ointment she needs to heal her wounds in a silver pouch from the sponsors. I decided we definitely needed some silver pouches. It was so much fun to capture memorable quotes and wrap them up in a silver (foil) bundle, sealed off with an arrow (also known as a doodled-upon bamboo skewer).

One quote for each silver bundle, one bundle for each of us. The recipient of the "May the odds be ever in your favor" was the winner.

I wrapped each quote in aluminum foil, hole punched the top, and then speared each with one of Katniss's arrows.

Sign accompanying: The sponsors have found you worth and sent you this.

Our eats and treats:
1. Prim’s wrapped goat cheese: goat cheese wrapped in our very own basil leaves
2. Peeta's saved bread: purchased cranberry bread with homemade brown sugar and cinnamon butter (mmmm)
3. Mr. Mellark's cookies: recipe here with some of our own District 12 sparkle sprinkles.

4. Fresh strawberries - just as Katniss and her family had eaten the night of the reaping.
5. "Cheese that melts on your tongue served with sweet blue grapes": baked brie with cranberries and gigantic purple (as close as we get) grapes
6. Mint tea (and mint/blackberry water...so refreshing!) just as Katniss recalls enjoying with her family after meals.
7. Nightlock berries: raspberries filled with chocolate chips (a super easy, yummy idea from a friend of mine). The opposite of poison.
7. Wine - nothing to do with the book, but what's a bookclub and great friends without wine?

We rate our book 0-4 starts (4 stars is tops), and we had a great range of reviews and philosophical discussion.

I started out as a 3 for the book, and since we re-rate at the end of the discussions, I found myself eeking up to a 3.5.

Undoubtedly a fun one to prepare and share with my pals.

Have you read Hunger Games or seen the movie? What did you think? I'm intrigued to see how the movie will compare to the film I created in my head.

If you're hosting a party or just a Hunger Games uber fan, drop a comment, and I'll happily send off to you all of our sponsor's quotes in PDF.

Thanks for stopping over, friends!! You should totally try those raspberries stuffed with chocolate chips, simple goodness!

XOXO,
MJ

PS. We'll be tagging along here and there with Hello Moxie for a summer read of The Happiness Project. Hope you'll be inspired to more happy with us. :)

Happiness is a bowl of ice cream.

When we registered for our dishes (which are still in use ten years later), we selected some ample, deep cereal bowls. Lately, I've been looking for something a bit smaller and frankly more fun for our summer ice cream scoops.

And you know that I love all things chalkboard so I combined the love with the want for these simple charmers.

It's super simple to transform your favorite ceramic piece into chalkboard goodness. 

I bought three classic bowls from TJ Maxx for $1.50 each, and I ordered the chalkboard porcelain paint from Blick Art Materials for $4.99. All very reasonable.

To make, simply paint the shape that you want on the piece and let the first coat dry for one hour. You can see what one coat looks like in the photo below.

Add a second coat and let the whole thing dry for 24 hours. 

 Bake in your own oven at 300 degrees for 35 minutes. And voila! You have cute chalkboard bowls (or plates or cakestands or platters - whatever you can think up).

Here's the best part...

These bowls and the chalkboard elements are all dishwasher safe!

The kiddos are excited to write their names in the circles or their favorite flavors of ice cream or silly faces. So many fun possibilities. I promise to update this post with better-lit photos (these don't do the cuteness factor justice) when I can get these in some great natural light. I just couldn't resist sharing them with you on this Wednesday!

Thanks for stopping over! I wish you'd stay for some ice cream. I'll put your name on a bowl.

I'm pretty sure we'll be making more of these for some teacher presents coming up for the end of the year. Hope you'll give them a try, too.

XOXO, MJ

Yay for Tuesday! I'm off on a first grade field trip today for M, and we're headed to a local botanical garden. I am so ready to be surrounded by buds, blooms, and butterflies, as well as very energetic seven-year olds. I always get itchy to return to the classroom when I get these sorts of opportunities, but my fortunate role on this journey is just to be a proud momma. I love that.

The kiddos, hubby, and I were up to some more garden goodness this weekend. We hit nursery #2 for thyme, dill, and some wonderful fragrant honeysuckle.

I also found seventy-two (72!!) different varieties of succulents, and I've been dying to have some of these beauties in our home. Each species was more intricate and amazing than the next. I forced myself to decide upon just two, and these little hen and chicks found their way home with us.

Add to this two neon bottles of paint that I just had the urge to pick up last time I was at Michael's and here we are with some terracotta neon goodness. The kids and I had fun painting shapes of neon to our pots.

I'm still not sure how I feel about neon making a comeback. I was really into the trend in the mid 80's, and I might have worn out my lifetime allotment of hot pink in middle school.

BUT, neon combined with the natural, I find that kind of intriguing. A happy juxtaposition.

These smiling circles are made with stampers and pencil eraser tops. Terracotta just drinks up the paint so I did apply a second coat to make sure that the neon remained bright. Here you see the dampness of the soil has already added a level of saturation to the colors.

These succulents now adorn our deck, but I think I might even steal them away for a sunny spot in the kitchen.

And best part of these beauties? They are basically indestructible. Perfect.

Have you been adding any neon to your life? Or featured some everlasting succulents in a special spot? Say more, please.

Thanks for stopping over! I have another crafty project I'm super excited to share with you tomorrow. I hope you'll join me again...it's always lovely to have you here. Thank you.

XOXO,

MJ

Happy Monday! It feels great to be back to the ease of Pattern Play Monday. Thanks readers for sticking with me through last week's challenges. This week is going to be lovely and full.

Today I'm wearing my favorite wrap dress with this mint candy-striped geometric. It's fresh and just what I need to kick start the goodness coming our way this week. I've been seeing so many cute geo patterns lately. Can I share some of these lovelies with you?

Geometrics make rad accessories. And this mixed media piece from Shopbop could bring a whole new level of sophistication to the simplest tank.

That fun wooden necklace is from a great DIY from Laurie over at agirlwhomakes. Check her out. I'm thinking my wardrobe could use a little some bright baubles.

The clutch is from Target (I continue my love for Target), and comes in a few different tones to add some new angles and hues to your outfits.

Have you incorporated some new geometrics into your wardrobe? I'd love to hear!

Thanks for stopping over! It's always lovely to have here.

XOXO,
MJ

We've all had the experience of walking down the aisles of Target, intent to find those four things on the list, and somehow realizing that we do really "need" that one dollar pop-of-pink frame or the cute patterned box (I have thought of a hundred and one uses for those...but I think all of mine are collecting dust in the basement). That place is just dangerous.

In prepping for C's birthday, I spent some quality time with the shelves of Target, and it did not disappoint.

I'm always looking for cute gifties for my two little ladies, and trying to keep my eyes open for great presents that we can bring to friend birthday parties that won't thin my pocketbook. Here are three gems that got the thumbs up from my 5-year old.

C is a total natural at Jenga, too. On her first round, she blew me away with her steady hand. That neon and pink zip wallet is a hit and now proudly holds her brand new (pretend) princess phone. And the candy striped slap watch - delish.

Do you have any tried-and-true birthday or just-because presents that you keep on hand? I always try to have a few great picture books and some games ready to go for whenever a happy moment strikes.

Have a bright weekend, friends! We plan to make some birthday party invitations for C's big blast with her girlfriends, read some Hunger Games, and start planting away. Oh, and if I had to guess, the kid's sprinkler is likely to get aimed my way.

XOXO,
MJ

My blogger buds have been participating in this movement going around the worldwide web that I found here, and then added more here. These posts have been a really refreshing way of letting others know "The Things I'm Afraid to Tell You" and to allow us to break down the literal screens that separate us. I have so enjoyed the honest accounts that we have shared in. Yes, I nod as I read them and I feel that little bit of indigestion when a sentiment strikes a chord.

 

True confessions: I am not a rockstar mom. I try, and I (often) fail.

The thing is (I think you see right through this, no?)...I'm not a supermom. I don't wish to blog one way and live another. It is weird to type, however, particularly as a person hosting a blog about happy homes, that I do not have it all together.

And, dear, lovely friends who ask how I balance it all - kids and work and this blog and life. Every day I put in the effort and most days I end up exhausted, trying to be the best that I can for my children.

This week has brought home for me my own limits.. where I forgot school lunches and end of the year Daisy meetings, dropped off crying children at school and completely lost my voice from yelling at the kiddos, and even on a number of occasions asked my dear hubby to PLEASE take over with the kids. I had had enough. I had reached my limit.

And here's what I learned.
 
My children have an incomprehensible capacity for forgiveness.

 

Instant forgiveness.

I sat them all down and in my big Mommy voice apologized for my response to their behaviors.

M: "No problem, Mom."
C: "I love you, Mommy!"
L: "Dats okay, Mommee."

While I am still recovering from how poorly I handled situations this week (my voice has returned)...And fighting my own immaturity to judge them for their actions...these three little people are already over the emotions, the impatient tones, and the harsh words. In fact, I'm not sure they even remember them happening at all.

I have a clean slate. Instantly.

My children have this Grace, still. I realize it's not likely they'll always have this Gift in this way. I realize too that for their own survival in this changing world, they need to have the walls and defenses to learn from mistakes and broken promises and bumps along the road.

But what if?
What if we could really look at one another as my children did and just let it go...whatever IT might be between us?

Frustration, anger, disappointment gone with the gentle breeze blowing by us.

I'm going to try it today.

To fight off my own self-preservation instinct and follow my children's lead. Wanna try it with me?

Pick someone, anyone with whom you are struggling. It doesn't have to be your greatest struggle - this isn't therapy (or even a great self-help blog).

Perhaps it's the salesman at the door who both knocked and rang the doorbell during naptime (URGH!). Instant forgiveness. Poof. Done.

Maybe it's your coworker who interrupted you again or your friend that has yet to return your phone call. Or that guy in the car in front of you who will not stop looking at his phone to go through the green light. Instant forgiveness. Poof. Done.

Maybe that's how these kiddos make childhood look so blissful.

Perhaps it's yourself that you offer the Grace to. Forgiveness is always out there waiting for us, if we only ask God for it. Perhaps you acknowledge this Gift of instant forgiveness...and let it go. Poof. Done.

C turns 5 today, and we celebrate her with the passion and amazing capacity for joy that she offers to the world. Happy birthday, little lady. I hope I grow up to be just like you.

Happy Thursday, friends.

XOXO, MJ

I adore dirt. Deep, rich, perma-brown soil. The potential for life within that faceted color - amazing. My kids laugh every time we pass the farms around us (yay Midwest!), and I point out -  again  - how gorgeous the newly plowed brown dirt is. 

Six Mother's Days ago, when the celebration of mom was a bit different than this year, my hubby created four happy green spaces for me. They all look just like this and frame in our back deck. The paving stones, four rows high, have served as balance beams and butterfly perches for many years now.

I guess I should start off by telling you that I married a green thumb, well, and the rest of him, too, but I was lucky to have a built-in, intuitive gardener right from the start of our relationship. It began with the hanging baskets he nurtured and pruned (and romanced me with) and now flourishes with a full vegetable garden, luscious lawn, flowers galore, and assistance with these four lovely crescents.

My herb garden is open for smells, plucks, and harvesting any time of year. Oh, and you're welcome to come weed and fertilize, too, before I need to plant our latest crop. I wanted my garden to be near our deck and low to the ground for the kids to climb into and be immersed in the cascading smells of herbs. It's our sensory garden.

On Saturday we took the fam to this gigantic place to select the first round of garden goodies. My hubby and I can be dangerous in a nursery, and we can pretty much talk each other into any strange plant that catches our fancy.

Chocolate peppers. Check.
Cantaloupe (in a Midwestern May?). Check.
White heirloom tomatoes. Check.
Marjoram. Check.

We typically make 4-5 runs to all of our local garden haunts before planting season is over.

I'll admit that many harvests have come and gone without me chopping and creating with my herbs. I don't can or dry or even cook with many of the plants I grow, but I'm okay with that...

Many of them I leave just for L to come by and pick off the tiny lavender flower buds ("dis for you, Mommy"), and C to uproot the scallions and take a deep whiff of the savory, and M to perfect her cutting skills with my herb scissors.

Because this is our garden really, not mine. Just as I always wanted it to be. It's for me and them, and when we're all ready, we'll figure out what concoction we want to create from the rosemary and lavender we love to pluck off in pairings. And that garlic clove will be just as appealing roasted as it is to hold in small hands and observe.

Pars Caeli Sensory Garden for 2012: 

Lavender, chives, rosemary, and oregano (still growing strong from last year)
Sweet Italian basil
Lemon sage

Yet to be purchased in the next rounds at the nursery:

Thyme (who doesn't want more time?)
Cilantro
Dill or mint (these must be contained)

Are you a gardener? Try your hand at herbs? If you have a hankering, plant a small pot of basil and just let it sit with you when you lounge outside. Smells from Heaven.

Thanks for stopping over. I'd love to hear how your garden grows.

XOXO,
MJ

• Pleasing hierarchy of organization through color or font
• Strong, clean banner or heading
• Crisp, colorful photos

These are the top three design elements that draw me into a website or blog. How about you? Have you ever thought about what keeps you coming back, besides content, to certain sites for news, ideas, or inspiration?

 

the original banner for this webhome

Through the great people of Alt Summit, I had the opportunity to learn from the talented Laurie Smithwick, cofounder of Kirtsy and owner of a design studio in Charlotte called LEAP design. I learned a ton, and I adored how she moved us from fine art examples to blog designs - a great recap of art history connected to our modern-day experience of art through computer screen.

Laurie had example upon example to illustrate her points, and already I know I'm not going to do her fabulous skills justice, but here are five simple, doable, put-it-in-your-purse takeaways for your own designs. And, if you can, sign up (for just $15) to take a class with her. You will be delighted you did. Seriously, delight.

1. Use your hotspots

Our literate brains are patterned to follow a certain path, and we transfer that information when "reading" the web. Generally we are drawn to the upper left corner, and then to the right top and then left side bar. Using eye-tracking heat maps (fancy pants technology), researchers have learned our routines so use this natural flow to your advantage (eg: set up your space to have focal points in these three areas). Or, if you choose not to have this flow (and Laurie gave us a lot of great designs that don't), think about the focus areas that you want your readers to follow. 

I like to think of it as a hierarchy of dot to dots. Where should the reader begin, continue, and end?

2. Become friends with white space

 

Did that emptiness there bother you? Did I lose you in the vast wasteland of white?

And there's an example of white space not helping.

But most of the time, white or empty space can allow your readers to enter into the space. If there's too much happening within the design of the page, there's no place for the eye to go. 

Laurie quoted Channel’s stupendous advice, "Look in the mirror before you leave, and take something away." I was inspired and went right to Blogger to add some easy, breezy white space to Pars Caeli. It feels like a great welcome mat to me.

3. "Your fonts are talking behind your back."

Direct quote from Miss Laurie. 

And, I knew they were. Fonts communicate the mood and style on your blog. Choose them carefully and choose them minimally, like 1 or 2, and at most 3. 

A classic serif font makes happy friends with a strong sans serif. For Pars Caeli, I decided that Didot (serif) and Bebas (sans serif) should be best friends forever. Sometimes we invite other whimsical fonts over for a playdate (like Learning Curve over on the right), just to make sure we're staying social and meeting new font friends.

Need to get out and meet some new fonts? Try some of these Laurie recommends:

FontSquirrel.com

Typekit

Google.com/webfonts

Dafont.com

4. Color, the short list

Color is powerful. Use the force wisely. Colors are not there to merely decorate your web space, but they can also play a unique function in guiding your reader through a site.  Are all your post titles in the same color? Does that connect to your menu or to your Instagram feed?

Readers want a way to organize their time in your space. Help them through the use of 1-5 consistent, beautiful colors.

I was torn on this one, and actually asked Laurie, "what if your banner has more than five colors, could that still work?" Funny enough, she took the time after class to come on over to Pars Caeli.

Here's one of my favorite tweets: "And your site is so lovely. I especially like your favicon! Beautiful work." 

I love my little cloud.

5. Look no further than your lunch for color inspiration

Seriously, she had made the most beautiful lunch. Greens, purples, earthy browns. And she used

Genopal.com/pic2color to make color palettes from a photo

Other great places for color palettes?

Colourlovers.com

Design-seeds.com

Kuler.adobe.com

I found this color scheme through Design Seeds after salivating and daydreaming through 100s of great choices. I really have to set a time limit on myself when I hop over there to Design Seeds.

So there you have it, my friends. Ready to recreate and subtract? Even if you're not a blogger or web guru, consider how your fashion, stationery, magazine, and interior design choices follow many of these same guidelines. 

Put it in your purse and take it away.

Thanks for stopping over. It's been really wonderful to have you here.

XOXO,

MJ

We take a break from our regularly-scheduled post to offer some words of celebration.

Happy Monday and belated Happy Mother's Day to Mommas and non-Mommas alike. I know that Mother's Day is a charged holiday for many women (and men) who have felt the pangs of loss, infertility, estranged mother relationships, or their own challenges with the responsibility that comes with those early words, "Mama." I pray that it was a peaceful day for you.

I definitely had some teachable moments in my own day, and it's likely to be a holiday that I won't soon forget.

All three of my kiddos had total melt downs today, all at their own distinct time, so I don't think it was a stellar mom day. And I find myself laughing with my hubby as he jokes that he hopes Father's Day passes him right by if it looks anything like this Mother's Day.

I remember clearly from my days as a teacher that my birthday was always the longest day of teaching. Appreciative students, filled with emotion, often had difficulty containing their exuberance in constructive ways, and I was typically exhausted by day's end, trying to keep a cheery face on while trying to contain some sense of classroom order. Trying, trying, trying.

Mother's Day this year was the longest day of mothering. My excited, young children (remember they're 7, almost 5, and 2) wanted Mommy's attention and created all sorts of unfortunate ways to get it. Trying, trying, trying.

And as I was standing outside (while the rest of the congregation was singing and praying) of our Mother's Day Mass with C, having the tantrum of her life, I was reminded again that mothering has so little to do with Mother's Day.

That being a mom means holding your child's hand as they plead with you to leave them alone.
That long after the carnations and pancakes and crayon wishes fade, mommies remain - waiting patiently for you to be your best, to do your best - while truly looking into your eyes and loving you through all the ridiculousness in the middle.

I am grateful to be a Momma, to be THE Mom of these three amazing little people, and I am every day, usually 3-4 times, completely humbled by it.

Thank you to all of you who mother. It's a lot different then the Hallmark nostalgia of Mother's Day, it's a lot less glamorous, and a ton more life-giving. It's hard work, and it's eternally appreciated.

Happy mothering. Keep holding hands.

XOXO,
MJ

When Louise opened up the invitation for a tea/coffee party, I couldn't pass it up. What a cute idea! And, then, I went looking at my coffee cups...What they lack in design detail and pizzazz, they far make up for in nostalgia and function.

Here are my simple mugs. I love them. My husband and I registered for these as our everyday place settings, and we received them from my boss as a wedding present. They've survived 10 years of marriage and three children, and they've heard some of the more significant conversations of my life. During the busiest times in our marriage, with 3 under 5 years old, my husband and I committed to sharing a hot cup of coffee together at the end (or sometimes the beginning, depending on an infant's sleep schedule) of the day. Exhausted, sitting close on the couch, we'd laugh, cry, and rehash the moments of the day together.

Today we share these mugs after Sunday pancakes, watching our children chase each other around the house, or at the end of day of practices and rehearsals as we review our children's school work and read the daily news. I brew the pot, put in just the right mixture of cream and sugar, and every time he acts like it's the best cup I've made him, always so appreciative. These are mugs of happiness.

Happy Friday! Temperatures here in the Midwest keep fluctuating between humid Summer and chilly Spring, and I am ready to dive headfirst into the poolside days of Summer. I'm so pleased with all the cute suits I've seen out there for my kiddos, and I wanted to share some darling selections with you.

These all make me wish I was 4 again (and in some cases, a boy).

1. Popsicle love found here from mini Boden.
2. Geometric trend found here from LLBean.
3. Flight of the butterfly found here from GapKids.
4. Sub stripes also from mini Boden.
5. Surfer dude trunks found here from CWDkids.
6. Apple a day cover found here again from mini Boden.

Have you purchased any great swimwear lately? I've got my eye on some cute tankinis to mix and match with older suits I have.

Wishing you a bright weekend, friends. Thanks for a record-setting week, all around.

XOXO,
MJ

PS. I'm having virtual coffee with Laidoffmom.com today. Click over to see my happy mugs.

Here's me, one year older. I had a delightful birthday. It was a full day of work and play. My kiddos showered me with birthday hugs, wishes, and construction paper (pop up!) cards. My hubby made me feel honored all day long with hourly messages and sweet surprises.

He's a great shopper, completely in tune with my style, and this year he picked out this breezy, romantic dress. And in true-to-me fashion, I had to put it on right away (here I am, crouched down next to my littles enjoying my new frock).

I've been thinking about all the cute ways I'll wear it to work, to the beach, and even to Church this summer. Here's my fictional styling board of just what else I'd like to accompany my ikat number.

Jacket via Target, Simple drops via Loft, My dress also from Loft, Wedges from Mia, Bracelet from Marc Jacobs, and topping it off with a braid-end bun found from here.

I indulged in some of my favorites bites for our family dinner out: calamari with lemon, butternut squash ravioli, and four-layer chocolate cake. So, so yummy. My kiddos held tight to the reminder, "Let's all be good to each other, it is Mommy's birthday," and we relaxed and soaked in the celebration.

My favorite part of the day had to be these little notes I found all over my house and stuff. My dear hubby made sure to put these 30-some messages in all my usual stopping points (the bathroom mirror, my nightstand, the mantle). The top shelf of the fridge made me laugh. :) A simple gesture that made me feel surrounding and reminded of the great love we share.

Thanks for stopping over! Do you have any great fashion finds for a casual family dinner out? I'd love to see your ideas!

And if you're in the mood for a 2-minute break with some fun attached, head over to Molly's site, where she and her readers are helping me decide what statement my new umbrella should make! Voting is open.

XOXO,
MJ

I'm excited to honor Children's Book Week, the national celebration of books and reading for youth. This worthwhile spotlight started nearly a century ago and remains the longest-running literacy initiative in this country.

For my part, I really want to share with you four of our favorite family read-alouds. Reading to my children is such a daily gift. Taking on the voices and speech patterns of animals and inventions, I have the great pleasure of opening up the world to them.

We have a favorite bookstore, discovered a number of years ago while on vacation. As a souvenir from the trip, each child selected a book. We all have such fond memories of that time together, away from the TV and laptops.  I have such warm memories of all five of us huddled up in the big bed, listening and treasuring story and art, as we read and reread these wondrous books.

1. A Visitor for Bear by Bonny Becker

Bear keeps to himself, always has, always will - until he hears a tap, tap, tapping on his door. Enter Mouse. The story unfolds to reveal the ways that Mouse ingratiates himself to the stubborn Bear, with persistence and attention. With its enjoyable repetition of refrain, your children (and you) will find yourself joining in the first sparks of friendships, and the sweet illustrations will stay with you long after the book close.

Bear has a series of other stories, and we happily read those, too, but I think this is by far, the best of the bunch.

2. Manana Iguana by Ann Whitford Paul

My super smart sis, who is also a rocking Kindergarten teacher, recommended this one to me. Manana Iguana is a modern take on the Little Red Hen. Poor Iguana is raring to throw a grand fiesta, and she looks to her three companions to help with preparations. My fave animal in this one is Culebra (the snake) with his quick wit, "I'll help you, Iguana. I'll help you Manana, Iguana, when I grow arms."

The integration of Spanish and English dialogue is seamless and natural to the story. The drawings endear. And I do one amazing, annoyed iguana imitation if I do say so.

3. One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish

What list of children's stories would be complete without a Seuss? This one is my favorite. The ridiculousness matched with the sing song patterning makes it such a great read-aloud.

I've been influenced by Seuss artwork for a very long time, and I see my kids trying to identify what real creature might have inspired the crazy critters that Dr. Seuss brings to life in these pages. Mr. Gump's little ditty is my fave, as I have a melody that goes along with it, too (a book turned into a musical, I'm all about that!).

4. Little Miss Spider by David Kirk

The interior of this book feels and looks like a shiny, polished new car. The dramatic colors are like a rainbow on your lap and each vignette draws you in. C has always loved this story, so much so that she memorized the entirety of it at age 3 and "read" it to her teachers.

Miss Spider hatches into the world, alongside many siblings, but without the presence of her mother. We follow her through the story as she searches and inquires, "Where could my mother be?", only to find that she has discovered the most amazing mother right by her side.

It's a sweet, simple story, again using rhyme, that reminds us of the most important connection between mother and child.

If you're looking for a sentimental something for a momma (perfect for Mother's Day) in your life, try wrapping up this charmed storybook. The book concludes with the verse below - one so fitting for Mother's Day. Cut and paste it into your next email or text to a favorite momma in your life.

XOXO,
MJ

 

On my 25th birthday, I was really struck by the mark of my life hitting a quarter of a century. That significance sat in my soul for the breadth of the day, and a certain reverence for life swept over me. At that time I was living on my own, dating my wonderful now-hubby, and settled into my professional life. I spent the entirety of the day by myself, immersed in writing. I sat on my apartment 3' x 4' deck with a glass of wine and a stack of cards and hand wrote messages to the many important people in my life, thanking them for their friendship and their significance in my life. It was a different kind of birthday, but it felt just right.

My 30th birthday fell on Mother's Day. It was my very first Mother's Day as a mom. I was overwhelmed with the wonder of motherhood, and I was blessed to soak it all in with my momma and 6-month old, M. Becoming a mother put a whole new spin on birth-day, and I was so grateful to my mother for the labor and the process she experienced in bringing me into the world.

In our world of digital communications and electronic reminders, we're able to contact people on their special days in quick, simple ways. On another birthday, I decided to write a post on every one of my Facebook friend's walls, thanking them for their contributions to my life well-lived. Gratefully, my connections numbered only 200-something, and I had something of meaning to share with each person, so the effort seemed natural and worthwhile.

I'm a person inclined to sentimentality and marking the sacred moments in life, and around this time of year, I spend significant time replaying the hard days and the cushioned steps that have brought me where I am today. 

And I am grateful. I am grateful...

because birthdays are like Thanksgiving, minus the cranberry sauce.

 

this from here.

So, what's planned for today? Well, M tells me that there's a surprise in store. I think this will involve a blindfold and a trip to my favorite restaurant, but I can't yet be completely sure. I love how the little ones get so excited about these journeys.

Me, at 3.

For my part, I'll be spending some time in a Sacred space, thanking my Creator for the fullness and depth this year has brought to me, in the darkness and through the light. And I'll be offering my simple words of praise and thanksgiving.

Thanks for stopping over and sharing in my little piece of Heaven. It's been wonderful to share this birthday with you.

XOXO,

MJ

PS. The top image will be a part of a Tea/Coffee Party hosted on Friday over at Laid Off Mom. I'm sharing my story on these happy mugs.

Welcome back, friends! It's a celebration over here at Pars Caeli this week. Little ole me (kinda little old me, too) has a birthday tomorrow, and another year of life is totally a gift. Looking forward to telling you some ways that I love to spend remembering the day I was born!

In the meantime, I'm starting off Monday with my fav-o-rite shirt. This odd, large-scale print adorns a beautiful ruffle tank that makes me grin (I mean who thought a toucan on a shirt could look that good?). As someone without a lot of pattern in the closet, this purchase was a big, bold move last Spring from Banana Republic. I'm delighted to see that some other great large-scales have made it into the early Summer collections.

The dress on the left is from Lands End. And I have to tell you, in prep for this post, I pinned this dress, and it received nearly 60 repins in 60 minutes. I find the large leaves against the white so fresh! And the cute top on the left is made by J Crew. Who needs fresh flowers when you wear something so gorgeous?

Hope you're daring to wear something large scale today (maybe a great big necklace or shoes that really make a statement?).

Thanks for stopping over. It was really lovely to have you.

XOXO,
MJ

Happy Friday, friends! I am ready to downshift a bit from the hectic of this week and transition to the wholesome with ballet, Daisies, and soccer mixed with some great sunshine (pretty, please strange Midwestern weather?)

As promised, I wanted to share some goodies I learned over with the innovative educators of Alt Summit. I feel like a four-time proud alumna (check out my recap of Growing your Readership), armed with more knowledge and idea inspiration.

When I saw this course title come up on the Alt website, I immediately clicked in. Victoria over at asubtlerevelry.com led us through "How DIY posts, no matter your niche, can drive readership." Victoria is a totally dedicated, passionate mom of twin daughters who specializes in the "art of merry making" and that kind of just sounds awesome to me because I love to be merry. In her eyes DIY can make a huge difference and can elevate your site from okay to a-mazing!

Blogger buds, happy weekend: here are my 5 helpful takeaways on DIYs.

#1 Be original

Yes, we're developing a theme here. This was Nicole's big push in the readership class, and Victoria stressed this need for great, original content. According to Victoria, original = not done before, done in a new and unique way, used in a capacity that makes the project original in its design.

Here are some nifty ideas from her on how to allow the divine and clearly original inspiration to seep in. Let your brain relax. Take a walk (without the mobile device), a shower. Look at old books and (more so than blogs even) and let yourself be inspired.

#2 Begin it

If you're still feeling desperate for that magical, fabulous post, she encouraged beginning something. Just start working on something, and as you go through the process of creating, other things will inspire and bring new energy and creativity to you.

#3 Keep it accessible

Victoria is an established crafter and blogger, and she's even headed over to the pages of Better Homes and Gardens very soon! And yet, I was edified to hear that her most popular DIY post remains a simple heart ice cube for Valentine's Day. It also brought home the point to me that you gotta keep the materials easy to find, make the steps simple, know your audience, and what they can do. And put the links to your DIYs in a really obvious location on your blog so your readers and new visitors can find these right away.

#4 Maintain beautiful in the process

Use pretty materials. Invest in nice tools. I have never critiqued my pair of scissors or noticed the quality of my kraft paper. Victoria suggested painting or wrapping your scissors with colorful washi tape to give them a fresh feel. Make every aspect of DIY photos fun and interesting, even the shots of the supply list. She encouraged all of us to take clear, well-styled photographs on a simple blank backdrop and focus on taking a killer final shot of our DIYs (even more than the step-by-steps, which, if need be, can be less than perfect compared to the final work).

#5 Schedule time

And last, but best of all in my books, was her example of how she schedules time in her week to be inspired. This is not an easy task no matter your lifestyle but poses a particular challenge to a mom of two small twins. Victoria pulls out her calendar and marks off a few hours every week to leave the house and head to the bookstore to imagine new possibilities.

Put this one on the to do list for me: Set off time to be inspired.

Along this theme of DIY, I've got a fun project coming up in collaboration with Molly the Waffler. I'm stopping over there on Wednesday because I think she may just be able to help my broken umbrella situation.

Have a fabulous weekend. Keep it bright. I can't wait to see your DIYs next week.

XOXO,
MJ