Before I announce the winner of the Fairytale Frocks & Lollipops giveaway, I just wanted to thank all of you that commented on my last post. You guys made me feel so much better!
Lately I've felt so overextended and just "down". I find this happens to me every year around this time. It probably has something to do with the snow continuing to fall and not knowing when, if ever, it is going to end! I can't wait to see green grass and smell rain. On Vancouver Island where I grew up, it rained all the time. Makes sense as it is considered rain forest. Anyway, I don't think I have seen rain in at least 6 mos!
Isn't it funny. I expected to miss the mountains, expected to miss the beach, but rain never crossed my mind. Now it is one of the things I actually miss most.
Well, and my laundry is truly getting me down!
But! It is now spring break which means no school for 2 weeks! This makes me happy. I like having the kids home all the time. It's a bonus too to not have to go out in the snow, and to have lazy mornings. I also don't mind playing barbies here and there. :)
Now for our extremely lucky winner!
Remember, the winner of the Fairytale Frocks & Lollipops giveaway is going to win a $25 credit towards anything they would like in this sewing boutique!
And our winner is....
- Wow! awesome giveaway -- so much to choose from! I would definitely choose a pattern. The Krew Coat from Lily Giggle caught my eye on your post but upon looking at it, I totally fell in love! upcycled pockets and hood? seriously? My boys grow through hoodies so fast but we loooove our hoodies in Canada, eh? I'm putting this pattern on my 'I need it' list.
For those of you that weren't lucky enough to win, Fairytale Frocks & Lollipops is still offering 15% off your order until tomorrow! Enter SPRING 15 at checkout!
I know this blog post is all over the place, but stick with me. :)
I have hesitated to post on the devastation happening right now in Japan. The reason is I feel like I don't have the right words. It is horrible and my heart breaks for everyone there as I watch what is going on in the news. As much as I have tried to make sure my kids have only heard and seen age appropriate things about the devastation, little dude watched a video of the tsunami with me. I didn't realize he was paying attention and now it is all he talks about. He keeps asking me if we are going to have an "earthcake" in our world (his way of asking me if it is going to happen here). He also keeps telling me that the people there are crying and their houses are broken.
Hearing these types of things from a 3yr old, my 3 yr old, breaks my heart. I hate that he is worried about it. He talks about it everyday no matter how much I try to reassure him.
Yet, we are safe. We have homes and food and our family is together and happy.
I wish there was some way that I could help make that possible for those people in Japan that are struggling with all of the above. I know you feel that way too.
I just saw on my blog feed that Living With Punks is hosting a sew-a-long to send shirts to the children of Japan, using a free pattern from Pink Fig. Click over if that is something you might be interested in.
As much as I know we all wish there was something small we could do to help, I think what the folks in Japan could probably use most is money. I'm not sure what the mail is like right now, or how easy it is to get things to and from Japan, but I know there are many charitable organizations that can get the money where it is needed.
If you think you can spare anything, consider putting your weekly latte money somewhere it can make a small difference.
Again, I hesitate to post a list of organizations to donate to, as that is a personal decision.
I recommend The Canadian Red Cross, but that is only because that is the only organization I have some experience with.
If you can donate something, donate to an organization you feel most comfortable.
Thank you again for all of your kind words, and thank you again for reading my blog. :)
Just have to tell you how much I love your blog - I too have been devastated by the tragedy in Japan - my sister-in-law is from Japan, all her family is safe, but it still really hit home. I am making hearts sewn like the flag of Japan, and selling them on my Norw etsy store - but I have later realized that Japan is turning down a lot of help - they say they have what they need - what might be worse in the end is that Japan is the 5th biggest contributer to third world countries - and these countries may now suffer the most because of the tragedy in Japan.
ReplyDeleteTone
I've never posted a comment before, although I'm an avid reader of your blog - so hello!
ReplyDeleteYou're not alone in being concerned about how to talk to your kids in an age-appropriate way, that will neither deny what's going on or give them nightmares. School Library Journal did a nice article on how to address this tragedy with your children, and it includes some books you can share with them.
http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/slj/home/889735-312/eight_tips_and_books_for.html.csp
(I'm a children's librarian.)
I know how you feel, my three year old daughter saw a video over my shoulder and really, all that particular one was was the first one I watched, a very zoomed-out view of the tsunami going over mostly just land with just a few houses. Yet she still picked up on it, and just obsessed over it, and kept drawing pictures of houses with water beside, and asking about it. The hardest thing for me was how to explain it to her to reassure her she was safe, I could not just tell her that nothing like that would happen here because we are expected to have major flooding in southern Manitoba again this year, and my fear was that in her mind she would decide I was wrong and just be filled with fear.
ReplyDeleteI'm trying to think of a way to make her feel better, she is so worried for all the people in Japan even though she has no idea how bad it even is. I may just let her try sell some of her paintings at a craft sale to donate the money to Red Cross.
What a real post! What I mean is, I love reading about real feelings. I know what it's like to feel like the snow will never end, and how sad the constant grey skies make me feel. And how missing the little things from home is hard. BUT, the snow will stop and the sun will come! Much love in the mean time <3
ReplyDeleteAlso, such beautiful words regarding the devastation in Japan. It seems to sink in a bit harder when our little ones are so effected by it too, don't you think?
Thanks for the shout out on the Sew Along Christine! :)
ReplyDeleteI'm am planning to join in on the Living with Punks Sew-a-long. I also wanted to let everyone know that Cheri over at I am Momma Hear Me Roar! is offering a lovely handbag pattern to anyone who donates to Japan. Go here for the info. http://iammommahearmeroar.blogspot.com/2011/03/wake-up-wednesday_16.html
ReplyDeleteWe actually had an earthquake here a few days ago. My sons know nothing of Japan's tragedy, and I'm glad I kept it that way since he's been worrying about our house falling down. The latest quake was very minor, but he remembers a much stronger one last summer, and the shaking brought back bad memories. It's so hard to figure out what they can handle when they have so little context to frame situations outside of what they know.
ReplyDeleteThe Content/ remarks were helpful. From http://www.hyderabadonnet.com
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