Clean.

For the dads.

In honor of Father's Day, I am sharing my first post over on Mothering.

My post is here. Enjoy. And happy Father's Day!

For the Dads

Lemon balm popsicles and motherhood.

You woke with a tummy ache.

You knew you were going to throw up, so you asked for the pail. Then Papa brought you a remedy.

I drew you a warm bath and sat by your side until you vomited, rested and asked for salts in the bath. ("Somehow I just think after throwing up that salts in the bath are a good idea," you said.) Then you vomited again as we were drying you off.

The salts were a good idea. They help your body detox. I guess you knew that already, somehow. At six.

I often marvel at your wisdom and intuition, even at times like this.

I went and found your softest pajamas and you gratefully let me put them on you, then we headed to the family room to cuddle are read books.

It turned out you were too tired for books.

You fell asleep with the bucket propped beneath your chin in case you threw up again.

Oh, sweet baby. It's hard being sick.

So I held you.

And you slept.

In my arms all morning.

You never heard your papa bring me breakfast or the boys leave for the day in town. You never heard the soft click of my knitting needle or the keys on my laptop. Mostly I just sat. Quitely. By your side.

And as I kissed your hot forehead I realized that there was so very much I could have accomplished that morning. There were dishes to wash, floors to sweep, projects to finish, work to attend to. All of it would have otherwise would have called my attention.

But not today. Not with your silent request for me to simply be with you.

I remember reading a quote as a young first-time mother that said something like, "Everyday you have dozens of things to take care of. But only one of them has feelings." And I got that. I still get that. I guess that's part of why my house is usually such a disaster.

With your exhausted and aching little body in my arms my to-do list simply melted away. It was just us. Nothing else mattered.

And I counted my mama blessings in minutes spent squeezed close in that chair, kissing your head.

You didn't even realize you had fallen asleep when you woke hours later and announced brightly, "I feel completely better. Well, almost completely better," and then asked for lemon balm popsicles.

Again with your intuition. I'm humbled by you.

So still in our pajamas as the clock approached noon we headed into the garden to pick lemon balm to brew into tea. You also asked for nettles to dry and catnip for the cat so we added those to our bags as we came inside.

And then you sat at the table and colored while I made herbal tea and popsicles to soothe your little belly.

And it worked like magic.

And then I felt that familiar maternal relief that all mamas know. The one that only comes when your little one feels better once more.

And I can breathe deep and easy again.

Lemon Balm Tummy Soothing Tea or Popsicles

1 big handful of dry lemon balm or two hand-fulls of fresh

A few slices of fresh ginger root

2 tsp fennel seed

3 C water

1 1/2 Tb slippery elm bark powder (optional)

Honey to taste

Bring all ingredients (except slippery elm and honey) to a simmer over medium heat. Reduce to low and hold at a gentle simmer for 10 minutes. Cool slightly and strain. (You can make a second infusion by adding 1 C of water and simmering again for 10 minutes, then steeping for 10 more.)

Return infusion to pot with slippery elm powder an simmer again for 3-5 minutes. The slippery elm will become quite thick and gelatinous and is ever so soothing to a sore belly.

Sweeten with honey and serve warm or freeze into popsicles.

Lemon balm is great for calming the nervous system, soothing sore throat, and settling sore stomaches. And it's delicious!

DIY yarn storage.

A year ago I scrounged up these old drawers.

And while the old door in that post long ago became this headboard, the drawers were just waiting. For inspiration. Yes, I've used them for shelves and bins here and there, but nothing overly inspiring.

Until this weekend.

I was finishing up the craft room overhaul that I started last weekend and realized I needed a new yarn storage solution.

Because piles, heaps, and baskets of wool only get you so far.

So I shot from the hip and grabbed a couple of those old drawers, cut some branches from our brush pile with a handsaw, and enlisted a volunteer to cut some scrap lumber to size for shelves (thanks, Pete!). 

And, frankly, I'm stoked. My yarn has really never looked so good.

The best part is, you can rock this out in an afternoon.

Here's how:

1. Scrounge up some old wooden drawers. Mine are shallow but slightly deeper drawers would also work brilliantly.

2. Determine which way you'd like your drawers to hang. I arranged mine so that the vintage drawer pulls faced the entrance to the room. Find your right arrangement.

3. Measure the drawer depth and width. Determine how many shelves you would like to add to each drawer. (I added one to one and two to the other.)

4. Cut dimensional lumber to the sizes you determined above.

5. Place your shelves where you want them. Using a tiny drill bit, drill for your nails. (Rad crafty tip: No drill bit? No worries! Cut the head off of a long, thin nail with pliers. Insert the nail as though it were a drill bit. Drill!)

6. Nail shelves into place.

7. Cut tree branches 2-3" longer than your drawer is wide. Determine placement (hint: lower is better so that you can get the yarn out easily), then drill with your nifty handmade drill bit, and nail or screw into place.

8. Drill holes through the back of the drawer for hanging, and hang, using a level to insure they are straight.

9. Stuff with yarn and stand back to admire your awesomeness.

And one last thing. A note on perfectionism: At one point Olive made off with one of my branches, gnawing up one end. Lupine noted, "It's okay, Mama. That'll just make it more rustic."

See? Perfection is overrated.

Happy making!

 

{Sponsor Giveaway : : Something-More}

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Every-so-often I bring you an interview and giveaway with one of Clean's sponsors. It's a great opportunity to discover a new small businesses and also a friendly reminder that there are alternatives to the mass-produced products, big-box stores, and the status-quo.

Each sponsor is carefully hand-picked and their interviews never cease to inspire me. Enjoy!

: : :

Today I'm honored to introduce you to Robyn of Something-More. Enjoy Robyn's interview and enter your name for an opportunity to win a free 45 minute coaching session (on the phone or in person).

What is your company and how long have you been in business?

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I am a certified personal and relationship life coach. I call my website Something-More because I have found that we all have a heart that desires something more: more awakening, more clarity, more inspiration, more passion, more compassion, more love, more romance, more silence, more peace...My coaching practice facilitates how each person can discover and live the "something-more" for them.

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What inspired you to go into this line of work?  

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A combination of my financial consulting practice (working with people on an intimate level around the topic of money and the emotions around it) together with being introduced to a life coach and the classes that spoke to my heart calling me into my passion lead me to coaching.
 

How do you believe you and your business are bringing good into the world?

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I am honored to walk intimately with individuals on their journey.  Souls are revealed to me and it is humbling and exhilarating to see the divinity in each human being.  I help people see their divinity and live the life they love.  I assist in the healing process from old wounds and fresh wounds.  I reflect inner wisdom back to my clients that empowers them to make healthier choices in their relationships.  I enCOURAGE people to step into full self-response-ABILITY. That brings good to the world in a miraculous way!
 

What else should we know?

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I value authenticity.  I am a human being with challenges and triumphs just like everyone.  I do not set myself up as anyone's guru. God has taught me that we are in each other's lives to practice godliness...and for me that means wholeness...all the parts (even the ones we label "ugly").

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Robyn is offering a transformational Something-More coaching session to one lucky winner. The 45 minute session can be done in person or over the phone. To enter, just leave your comment below!

{This Moment}

I'm joining Amanda again this week with This Moment. Feel free to link to your own in the comments!

Wishing you just the weekend your heart desires.

Love,
Rachel

Make your heart sing.

 

I remember wandering around my yard with my camera in the rain five years ago, plotting my first blog posts.

A close friend spied me across the yards and gave me a playful teasing. Because yes, I was photographing the rain coming out of my gutters. 

I remember feeling the tiniest bit embarrassed that she had seen me. That she knew what I was up to.

Because really - who was I to start blogging? What did I even have to say?

But I was determined just the same. So I kept photographing. And I started writing.

It was simultaneously scary, thrilling, and embarassing to hit "publish" on those first few posts. But I did it anyway.

And now it's been five years. Five years of sitting down in the early morning light, tea in hand, talking to you.

I don't recall precisely why I started this habit.

I think part of it was a desire to create a little transparency for my business. So that my customers had a better understanding of who I was. That I was a mama like them, not a big corporation somewhere.

I think part was a desire to have a creative outlet with two small children at home. Because I love to write and it had been a while. And what exactly did I do just for the joy of doing it back then? Just for me? I think this was the first thing I started doing almost selfishly. Because I wanted to.

And now five years have somehow passed and my small, quiet blog has remained a small and quiet blog, yet grown to embrace a beautiful community I never expected to find.

And now I write because I need it.

Writing feeds me. It gives me connection to a greater community as I live my quiet, semi-hermit life each day.

And somehow along the way I developed the confidence that I do have something to say. And I believe that sharing here can bring good to your lives and the lives of your kids.

And I didn't expect that.

I'm talking about this today because I know we have full lives. We're busy. Over-extended with too much on our have-to-do list.

But what's on your want to do list?

What could you do if all you had was time?

Then do that. Taste it. Dream about it. Make it a part of you.

Move toward it in small measured steps or great hungry bounds - beginning today.

Because even the long, hard days should be woven with something that we do just for the joy it brings our hearts.

Find what makes your heart sing.

Today. Tomorrow. Any chance you get. Becuase it will help you come alive.

And the joy that doing it brings into your life will transform you.

In ways you never imagined.

Thanks for coming here. I'm honored to have you as a part of my community. And I daresay you have changed me far more than I've changed you.

Love,
Rachel