Wednesday, February 24

Colouring Books and Crochet Hooks

I bought myself a colouring book.

Last week, at my Bible study group, one of the kids was colouring quietly beside me while we had our discussion. She had a colouring book. It was one of the most beautiful colouring books I'd ever seen. I spent more time looking over at her colouring book than I did participating in the Bible study. Then, when she went to bed, I coloured a page.

The next day, I went to Citizen Kid and bought the same one.

It's a beautiful colouring book. Not just your usual old colouring and activity book. First of all, it's massive. The pages aren't numbered, but the back says there are over 360, and I believe it. Second of all it's just really darned neat. It leaves lots of room to create, not just connect the dots or stay in the lines. For example, there's a spread with a wolf in the top corner, and on the other page in the opposite corner, some pigs. In the top corner, it says "Oh no! It's a wolf! Make sure he doesn't eat the pigs!" Fantastic. Third, I really love colouring, and have been feeling the need to be creative lately, and am not good at doing that on my own, so, I figure I can benefit from the suggestions and the stepping stones that are laid out in this lovely colouring book. That, and I am forever finding paper to start lists and organize my life, so, why not just have a fantastic-amazing colouring book in which I can do all that stuff, and colour? Sounds good to me.

St. James was sitting beside me as I was looking over our bank info on the computer. "What else did you buy at Citizen Kid?" He asked, as he saw the amount that had been withdrawn. "Nothing. Just the colouring book."
"JUST the colouring book!?! You spent $28.00 on a COLOURING BOOK!?!"
"Yes. It's worth it..."

I then proceeded to tell him all of the wonderful things about the colouring book that I just told you. Then reminded him that we each have our own little bit of spending money, this was mine, and I don't have to justify it. So there.

Today, I bought crochet hooks. Just before Haydon was born, I tried to knit a blanket. I'd get about 4 rows done, make a mistake, not know how to fix it, and start over again. I did this about 5 times. Then he was born, and I stopped caring. But I would like to do something with that beautiful yarn, and I've heard that crocheting is way easier, so, I think I'll try that next. I just am really feeling itchy to create. Something, anything. Even if it is just one beautiful, colourful, to-do list.

Speaking of to-do list, I'd better go write one. I have this beautiful paper waiting...

Tuesday, February 23

Hellooooo out there. I'm still here.

Once upon a time, I blogged. I'm going to try to get back into it. See, as much as I like blogging, I just have a little less time with my hands free lately. And, when I do have that time, often blogging is not high on the priority list. That being said, I do think it is important to take some time to reflect, which is something that blogging helps me do. Sometimes writing things down forces you to organize your thoughts, which can be helpful. So, here I am again. With lots of thoughts; this could be long. (Did you see that? I just used a semicolon. Properly. If you're not sure how to do that, as apparently lots of people in my life aren't, there is a hilarious semicolon tutorial I'd love you to check out.)
I'm loving this baby-mama thing. It's pretty great. Well, Haydon's pretty great. Getting up multiple times at night I don't think I will ever love, but, it's getting a lot better. The past couple of nights have included stretches of sleep up to 6 hours long, and that is cause for celebration! Haydon is a super happy baby, which makes my job much easier. He's pretty content to lay on the floor or sit in his little chair while I cook or do computer stuff or clean, which is good, 'cause it means those things actually happen. He's also starting to coo and laugh a lot, which is so much fun. And, his head is very soft. And smells good. And we cuddle, lots, and it's great. (A note about starting successive sentences with "and"...I was editing some work of my mom's and chastised her for starting a bunch of sentences with and, and then realized afterward it was a quote, from the Bible. Apparently Paul (or whoever translated him into English), is allowed to start sentences with and. And so am I.) I may not be allowed to use parentheses within parentheses, but, I just did.
This past weekend was the True City conference here in Hamilton. True City is an inter-denominational movement of churches "working together for the good of the city." It's a pretty great thing, seeing churches work together across boundaries to bless our neighbourhoods, and some great things have come out of the partnerships. Following the conference this week is a 24/7 prayer room at Philpot Memorial Church. James and I went for some time yesterday morning, and I'm planning to go back again on Thursday. I'd encourage those of you in Hamilton to check it out - it's a beautiful room, set up with various stations to help focus your prayer on different areas in which True City is working - refugees, First Nations, mental health and addictions, neighbourhood partnerships, etc.
I had more to say. I know I did. I just can't remember at all what it was. Bummer.
Related Posts with Thumbnails