February's FIMBY Finds

February 16, 2009

Mama Speak:. A couple weeks ago I read this post on servant motherhood by Sorta Crunchy. Her blog is veering towards writing a book on Christian attachment parenting your baby so I'm not sure I'll keep subscribing. I'm long through that stage. My personal baby & toddler care philosophy (those years are hazy I can't remember much) was lots of nursing & cuddles, firm boundaries and daily afternoon naps - for little ones and mommy. Also, it behooves (I love that word!) me to say the first AP parent I really got to know was decidedly secular and taught me so much about servanthood. As I parented my colicky baby number two I was indebted to her self-less mothering example. She saved my sanity and changed my mothering paradigm.

But back to Sorta Crunchy, what she says relates to all of motherhood but I'm warning you, they're tough words to read. This is not the usual "find/fufill yourself" stuff that moms often hear from the media & self-help type magazines. This is the die to yourself and serve others message - ouch, ouch, ouch. Sorry if you were looking for something different but these are the words that speak to me.

Homeschool: If you haven't noticed, I love Camp Creek blog, this month is no different. What a great post about choosing the perfect homeschool curriculum. Pst... It doesn't come in a box.

And for some practical inspiration how about Think. Take a bunch of household stuff and make something useful, or not. I'm excited that this will give a little direction to my kiddo's "what can we make today" inquisitiveness.

One more, this time art related. I just found this site called Art Projects for Kids and the recent post on Joan Miro Watercolor Painting is so inspirational. I love that it gives me, an artistically challenged mother, ideas for channeling and developing all that artistic energy my kiddos have. And this tutorial includes art history - I love it!

Urban Homestead: I've never made this spray but if I cared about such things as mostly-germ free counters (when you eliminate animal products you worry less) this would be a good recipe to use.

This recipe I did use last week for making supper and it worked, wonderfully. My friend Cindy in Costa Rica sent the link to The Magic Loaf Studio ages ago and I finally tried it. I'll definitely use this site again. My family loved the custom designed lentil and brown rice loaf I made.

Neighborhood: Again, my SIL is making me think but unfortunately I have no answers to her question Do I Spend Too Much Time with My Family? I know that by giving my best to my family I have less to give to my community, this weighs on me often. But I have no idea how to make a home and raise a family and take care of the needs of those children in my very neighborhood who are unloved. It breaks my heart when I start to think about it, so I don't.

Gallery: Me Ra Koh is having an on-line giveaway (honest to goodness, no commenting, twittering, linking required) for 3 Sony DSLR cameras. Wow, I'll enter that kind of contest.

And I've just learned to knit to this past week so this handknitted scarf photo, for lack of a better word, "spoke" to me. I found the photo on this cool blog, Handmade Homeschool.

You know the story. So many blogs so little time.

Hope you are all cozy this month with a hand knit scarf to keep you warm. If not check out KnittingHelp.com. Ah, stop already... no more finds.

Just a friendly reminder that the Math-U-See CD giveaway ends tomorrow and Laurent's knitting needle giveaway is on-going till Friday. He's tickled at all your comments - thanks!