leetal kelman @leetalkelman - Tumblr Blog

Peace on earth. (at Minnetonka Loop Trail) https://www.instagram.com/p/CIwgpQ1lkCm/?igshid=1wk1545r1yw1e

Nothing like a warm home to make you count your lucky stars this time of year. This is ours, and we love her. (at Minnetonka, Minnesota) https://www.instagram.com/p/CIrSgrClXYI/?igshid=6goul71iavpk

All ready for 8 nights of magic. As some of you know, my family’s heritage is largely Jewish. It’s so fun to blend the holiday traditions in a way that’s meaningful to our family. Will share more soon, but for now and tonight, Happy Hanukkah 🕯 (at Minnetonka, Minnesota) https://www.instagram.com/p/CIofrZiFOMJ/?igshid=suvaogk0a5xj

The perfect encapsulation of this kid right now. I don’t know how we got this lucky. She’s everything. (Bent over belly laugh prompted by the ducks wildly quacking within earshot.) (at Minnetonka, Minnesota) https://www.instagram.com/p/CImn79WFmA3/?igshid=i7l45ljnoaz5

Hi! Many of you are new followers of mine—thanks for popping by! The cozy host mama in me wants to invite you all in for some tea and learn about you, but since I can’t (for so many reasons), I’ll share a bit about me! Feel free, if you like, to scroll right on by—I won’t hold it against you! ☺️ As I recently shared, I am a wife and a mama. Our little girl, Mae, will be 2 (!!!!) in January. We live in a simple cube of a house in Minnetonka, Minnesota. Our life together is just as such—simple. Simple, but rich. We center our household around kindness, nature, handcraft, learning and love, and whatever crazy intersection of those comes about. We kiss each other on the lips. A lot. We make messes. We eat a lot of chocolate. And potatoes. And sausages. And pizza. But we also find immense joy from a successful farmers market haul and sorting through canvas bags full of fresh veggies. We have random papers that sit on the counter, driving us nuts, despite our best efforts. We’re happy. Like, really happy. That’s really it. Nothing special. I don’t weave baskets in a forest for a living (how awesome would that be?!). I’m not an expert in sewing, early childhood education, home improvement or the like, but I’m learning all of those and more. And so that’s what this account exists for—purely to share what I explore. Because social media is a fickle thing, bringing us so much but also, if we’re not careful, costing us so much. It should be a place of inspiration without eliciting dissatisfaction. Of learning without humiliation and hostility. Of the same kindness you would offer someone face-to-face. Of celebrating the imperfect, messy, upside down thing life can be for all of us, whether we choose to show it or not. If I can move the needle in this direction in any way, or if I can simply bring a little brightness to your day, I call this account a success. What do you think? What do you want to see more of? I may not be able to serve you a nice warm oolong, but I’d still love to learn more about you! ✨ (at Minnetonka, Minnesota) https://www.instagram.com/p/CIip3bCH3Bo/?igshid=lc67zcjy5js4

I feel thankful to have arrived at this version of myself that finds a true, complete joy in a simple morning walk as a family. Today was extra magical. We saw: 1) Pairs and pairs of ducks swimming down the creek as we walked in, only to find them further downstream in an open bay quacking wildly and having a swim. (Mae, as you can imagine, was beside herself with excitement. Deepest belly laugh video available upon request.) 2) 3 deer prancing through the woods, then across the trail right before our eyes 3) Little pigs carved out of wood hidden in fun little kid-high spots 4) Lots and lots of doggies Some of the best things in life aren’t found until we’re forced to accept new sources of joy. For those of us who didn’t experience tragedy this year, those of us who are lucky enough just to be tired of it all and nothing more: just imagine how full we will feel—how much richer our lives will be than ever before—when we start to get the old sources back too. I’ll leave you with that thought as you go into a new week. ✨ (at Minnetonka Loop Trail) https://www.instagram.com/p/CIe3f51nsh7/?igshid=19z2pex2xemll

Always finding something new. If 2020 is just way too much by now, my number one suggestion is to find a trail and just go. Plan nothing, wander without abandon, chase the daylight. I promise you won’t regret it. (at Minnetonka Loop Trail) https://www.instagram.com/p/CIWl4AKncmP/?igshid=14pigj5tdwjnr

Bells on every doorknob. 🔔 (at Minnetonka, Minnesota) https://www.instagram.com/p/CIT0nnenR4e/?igshid=1e9xz9niwy91e

Little DIY holiday collection starting to gather up high out of toddler sight. :) Note: not all projects go perfectly well. The bear sweater sewing experience without a serger elicited multiple profanities and ended up way too small! But, good enough for a toddler, and will get us through the winter. 😆 Then, it’s linen bear rompers for days. Bear itself from my best morning shopping @hideandseekmpls! (at Minnetonka, Minnesota) https://www.instagram.com/p/CIMDneenpgN/?igshid=10ye1qzemupdd

Cheer is here. ✨ (at Minnetonka, Minnesota) https://www.instagram.com/p/CIJz6pln4_z/?igshid=1vxcr4ad2aqhr

Peace, joy, books. (at Minnetonka, Minnesota) https://www.instagram.com/p/CIHuSjmnciV/?igshid=v2bspplmoptc

Seeing lots of generous offers popping about my feed this weekend, and while we’ll indulge in some for some things we need, I’m really trying to make some of our holiday treasures this year. Inviting you also to feel empowered to make at least some of your gifts and decor this year! You can do it! If you have any worries along the way, reach out! If I don’t know how to help I’m sure I know someone who can. :) Pictured here: little needle-felted pocket bundle babies! (at Minnetonka, Minnesota) https://www.instagram.com/p/CIG0fCJHawx/?igshid=mbivtf815fjd

Thankful for lots of things today and everyday, but these two top the list. Also, first new family Thanksgiving tradition: morning nature walk. (at Minnehaha Creek) https://www.instagram.com/p/CIEBlK6n-0D/?igshid=qxywdvip5msn

As much as I love the sun, you can’t deny the comfort these still, drizzly days bring. The water droplets just barely cling to the branches in the still, heavy air. Not a sound but ducks quacking as they frantically fly overhead and the sweet little voice of discovery. (at Minnehaha Creek) https://www.instagram.com/p/CH_jHKDHIGV/?igshid=1wbddfevqrs0e

A Montessori-style functional kitchen. You may see these all over the place, so I thought I’d share ours. It’s no grand ikea play kitchen hack, just the simple omission of the top part (for now) and the pretend stove top. She has a cutting board to prepare food on, like cutting up a banana or prepping her instant oatmeal. She washes her hands and brushes her teeth using the water from the pitcher in her little sink, and we’re working on introducing dish washing as well. (I parted with one of our wooden dish brushes and cut down some bigger sponges to be toddler palm-sized!) The towel is there for easy access when she spills (no matter where in the house), and she knows to run and grab it to wipe up. Below are her real plates, bowls, cups and utensils, as well as a mini squeeze bottle for hand soap that she loves to use. And recently we added hooks to the right with a broom, dust pan/brush (which she loves) and the apron I made for her. She’s definitely taken over this corner, but she loves it so much and it’s amazing to see her independence blossom. And, as I recently noticed from @bringingupbabe (one of my main montessori inspo accounts), when she is big enough to start using our actual kitchen with a step stool, we can turn this *back* into a play kitchen with all of the parts we saved, making for lots of great pretend play. Any questions? I’d be happy to answer them! (at Minnetonka, Minnesota) https://www.instagram.com/p/CH-mRU4HlpQ/?igshid=fe9x06n8l0rt

They’re done! 3 little stockings for our little family of 3! Used an awesome tutorial by @suzyquilts to make these and since we don’t have a mantle yet, here is where they live! Made entirely of fabric I had lying around already, some thrifted from the @textilecentermn garage sale or @hideandseekmpls and some gathered from our travels to Japan! (at Minnetonka, Minnesota) https://www.instagram.com/p/CH8I71RHwpK/?igshid=jhgmoxto118p

We’re faced with a lot of decisions. I think I can speak on behalf of all parents when I say we are tired of making decisions this year. But I want to share this because it really weighed into some tough decisions we made yesterday: I went in for an annual OB appointment, and when she asked about our thanksgiving plans, I told her about our carefully-crafted plan that included preemptive covid tests, driving in lieu of flying, etc. My normally polished, poised doctor looked so worn out, stressed, depleted. She implored us to stay put within our own household for thanksgiving per the guidance from the governor. I think what we aren’t understanding is the impact our decisions make. It’s not just if you may get covid or not, and the chances of it, or how severe it’s likely to be given your age, health, etc. Our health system is so overwhelmed that doctors are being called to deal with covid patients—called out of retirement, out of delivering babies, out of addiction treatment, all to care for covid. They’re begging us to take this seriously, even for just a month. Think about it for a minute—your risk may be low, but what if you got in a car accident and no one was available to care for you? Or you needed emergency prenatal care? Or your child spiked a scary fever? Or a million other things we take for granted that we can get treated for? It’s one holiday season. If everyone takes this seriously, makes some sacrifices, we can maybe have some more freedom very soon. Don’t rationalize it. Dial it back. Do it in case you need a doctor and they won’t be there. (at Minnetonka, Minnesota) https://www.instagram.com/p/CH3ENlfHnTc/?igshid=zzejypszvbc6

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