Thoughtful Thursday

Missing Montessori Papa....
I can't remember exactly when this photo was taken but as I have missed placed (I refuse to say LOST) my camera, I have no recent photos of my amazing husband. Also given the fact he's been away for almost a month...finishing his Montessori training...it would have been a challenge to actually capture him on film.

BUT tomorrow he returns and I am so happy!
You see, I haven't had much time to do much of anything besides take care of small and 'taller than me' people (and clean up after them) these many weeks Montessori Papa has been away.
And to be honest, I'm VERY tired. Especially of the house cleaning part. It's endless, as I am sure you can all relate. And this morning Middle Man accidentally kicked Little One in the head during a rough and tumble tickling session.

I have so many things I WANT to do, art work is calling me, unfinished pictures in various stages of gluing, then there are these two felt dolls I have been working on for months and they need faces! How horribly sad, dollies without faces are.
I HAVE written several new stories for my beginner reader book series but the images to accompany them are fading from my mind as more time passes from when they were written.

I realize I've been complaining allot lately, almost every post, and I apologize. That was not my intention for this blog. I have been fortunate to make some blog land friends all over this globe, and I feel blessed because having friends (even ones you've never met) makes all the difference in this life.

So, when my best friend returns tomorrow, I am sure I will blog less complaints and share more ideas. Thanks for hanging out with me, reading my rants and for your understanding.
In PEACE
Jennifer

a work in progress....

One day while visiting my favorite blogs, I was so taken with this photo, that I asked if I could turn it into a paper cut design, the photographer said YES! Now that I've drawn a pattern, the fun begins! More photos to follow.
PEACE to all,
Jennifer

Silent Sunday

Puppet Mania!

July is flying by....
While Montessori Papa is away we have been busy!
As usual I have no camera and therefore lack photos to share (and oh how I wish I did!)
Okay so it's puppet mania around here, it's been raining for WEEKS, but, out of the boredom was born a wonderful idea. And the puppet production began. It started with a special gift.

A family friend offered to give us a most generous gift:

A professional puppet theater!

It's amazing, truly, with its red velvet curtain that pulls open with an unseen string to its hand painted theater masks that are it's crowning glory.

Our plan: To sew, paint and build our own puppets for plays that Middle Man has written over the past dreary rainy weeks. I'm working on the back drops etc. and Little One is mastering his clapping skills to lead an audience of children at the end of August. Locally a new playground is being constructed, it is our hope that our puppets and stories will be finished and ready to be performed the weekend the playground is ready. We want share what we've worked on all summer with other children, and to provide a FREE and fun event for families.

While it rained we visited the following sights for creative inspiration:
The Fairy Houses Web Page
The Jim Henson Legacy blog
The Snail's Trail a homeschooling extravaganza!
The Crafty Crow

And just for me, some professional inspiration:
Montessori For Toddlers Blog
Montessori Materials (who knew!)
Still looking for my camera...it may be time to give up. I think I'll post so older photos (I'm such a visual person, these posts without photos are driving me batty) it may be time to consider purchasing a new camera??? Some day....

PEACE
Jennifer

Standing on the Side of Love

July 27 marks the one-year anniversary of the tragic shooting at a Knoxville, Tennessee Unitarian Universalist (UU) church that killed Greg McKendry, an usher at Tennessee Valley UU Church, and Linda Kraeger, a member of Westside UU Church. Six others were injured. The entire community was affected.

As July 27th approaches I feel compelled to re-post the post I wrote after learning about the tragidy and to ask you ALL to visit Standing on the Side of Love, a website dedicated to confronting exclusion, oppression and violence based on identity.

Below is my post from July 27th 2008:
Today's Hero: Greg McKendry

On Sunday July 27th Greg McKendry attempted to stop a lone gunman by stepping in front of his gun, blocking the 25 children performing a play in front of their congregation. The Sunday Tennessee Valley Unitarian Universalist church service had just begun, excited children dressed in costumes stood before their church family smiling, proud parents pushed record buttons on their video cameras but in a matter of moments their whole world would change.

Tragically Mr. McKendry lost his life, but because of his selfless bravery so many others did not. He slowed down a mad man wielding a fire arm, preventing him from doing more harm. Other members of the congregation were able to pin the man to the floor until help arrived.

I'm sorry for posting such a sad and scary story. I just can't stop thinking about it. As the former director of religious education of our UU church, I have lead many a children's play. I have stood proudly before the a packed santuary, introduced an enthusiastic bunch of performers and been filled with joy for the children; sharing their spirit and knowledge with so many. I have shared in their anxiety and joy, whispered forgotten lines to nervous preschoolers, and snapped photos for our church scrap book.

My heart is breaking for the Tennessee families and the innocent children who will be plagued by nightmares for years to come.

There is speculation that this was a hate crime. Implying that the shooter disapproved of the UU church's "liberal values". This is especially painful to read.

This morning I say a prayer for this congregation, for the families who lost a loved one on this tragic day, and for the intolerant who may carry hate inside them, may you find peace.

"Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that."
~Kathryn Oliver

In PEACE
Montessori Mama

Locks of Love

'Taller Than Me' is home!
(Fast sketch...Quinn and Maddie smilin')
I am still looking for my camera. I can't wait to show you my Air, Land and Water mat. But I'm keeping busy making dolls and working on books for children.
PEACE to all~

Please tell me it's SUNNY where you are? We here in mid-coast Maine have yet to see a summer day!
I cut my hair yesterday, I couldn't take it anymore. I am way too LOW maintenance for long hair. 'Locks of Love' now has a ten inch braid of my hair. I think I like it...it's still too early to tell. I like that it is not snarly.
:)

One, Two, Three

1.) Something is odd about my blog. My hit counter reached 200,000 hits and then went back to ONE. Has this happened to any other blogging Mamas out there? Strange but true. Please let me know what to do, if anything. Thanks.

2.) My husband leaves for his month long Montessori 6 to 9 training this weekend. Happy Fourth of July (she says while gritting her teeth!). It's going to be tough.
Sure he's that much closer to having a Masters degree in Elementary Education with a concentration in Montessori BUT...four weeks without him is a long time. Here I go...grumble, grumble..

3.) POSITIVE NOTE: 'Taller Than Me' is having a BLAST in the BIG city! And he remembered to call me! I LOVE that.

Thanks for reading...
PEACE
Jennifer