Stitches in Play

mother's day in pictures

Hope your mother's day was full of big hugs and smoochy kisses.

Here's a little recap - mostly in pictures - of our day.  If you're wondering why so many pictures, it's because they take up a whole lot of room.  Which means that I have to write less.  Because writing takes time.  And since I'm pretty much behind in every thing that needs to get done today, I have very little time left.  Plus "a picture is worth a thousand words" which enables me to convey a large amount of data to you quickly.  So here goes: 

In anticipation of mother's day I bought myself flowers on Saturday.  I bought them because I was in the market and spotted these gorgeous peonies.  I absolutely adore peonies and have been coveting Erin's for nearly a week now.   Plus I knew that my wonderful husband would arrive home from work early sunday morning and may be too tired pick up flowers on his way home.  He gave me the sweetest card instead and told me how much he loved and appreciated me.  He then told me that he didn't stop to get me flowers because he was sure he wouldn't find ones more beautiful than these peonies (he saw these before he left for work on saturday night). I'm fine with that because we just celebrated our 20 year wedding anniversary and I can honestly say that he has told me he loves me and values all that I do every single one of those days - and on days when the kiddos are fighting he has been known to tell me how much he loves me and appreciates me numerous times in one hour!

Next we ate my favorite cake for breakfast - Raspberry Almond Cake from the Fresh Market.  Yes, there are five of us and we ate over half the cake - it's that good.

Then Ezra presented me with a beautiful letter that made me cry and freshly picked flowers which he picked for me on his morning run.  Never mind that he may have slammed the door on his way out at 6:30am jolting his mama out of her peaceful slumber.  I forgave him because he gave me a huge hug and because he told me he had to get up extra early in order to look up on the internet how to make an envelope - and I love the envelope so much because he made it.  Plus I forgave him because he is now thirteen and I don't know how many more freshly picked flowers and handmade envelopes I will receive from him.

Then I tried to document this special moment between mother and son with a picture when Abigail flung herself into the shot - because this girly of mine loves having her picture taken!  I'm fine with this because frankly, the girl is cute.

Plus she gives a fine pedicure!  All I had to do was sit in the chair shrouded in purple tulle and she rubbed my feet and painted my toes.  Good stuff, I tell you.

She also gave me a card that read "I love you more that donuts, I love you more than cake."  Of course by that time she had already consumed two slices of cake for breakfast - so she may have been sick of cake!  But I choose to believe that my girly loves me a whole lot nonetheless.

David picked me strawberries from our garden.  They may not look like much but they are the sweetest, yummiest things ever!

Then he went outside and played nicely with his sister.  No fighting allowed on mother's day.

This photo is from a few weeks back but I just had to share what the middle child has to put up with. He was watching his favorite show on tv - Chopped on the food network - when Abby attempted to kick him.  It was all in jest (of course!) but this happens so often around here that he just leans out of the way while continuing to watch his show.

Well, all this excitement took place before 10am so we rounded off the day with a yummy salmon lunch prepared by yours truly.  Followed by a trip to the movie theater to see the Avengers. That movie is over two and a half hours of action-packed fun full of violence and adventure which apparently we all love because we really enjoyed it.

Hope your day was spent having fun with your kiddos.  And now I must remind myself that mother's day is long over and that I have groceries to buy, dinner to cook, toilets to clean and homework to check over - all before heading out to taekwondo at 5.  Happy Tuesday to all!

stuff + Happy Mother's Day

Since I last posted:

I have been crazy busy. 

I have had a lot of fun with my family.

I enrolled my three kiddos in school in the city.

Greg and I celebrated our 20th wedding anniversary.

I took my kiddos to an opera - it was a matinee performance and they loved every minute.  Yet another reason to love the city.

We helped with food and clean-up and danced a whole lot at our friend's Bat Mitzvah.

I have collapsed into bed soon after the kiddos were tucked in - except for the night that I folded laundry until midnight and the night that Abigail refused to go to sleep until she finished her book.

I have laughed a lot - sometimes at myself.

We went to an outdoor art fair - the same one we visit every year.  So that my kiddos can meet artists, see, touch and appreciate art - and of course choose a piece that speaks to them to bring home.

I have watched and enjoyed numerous skits and song + dance performances put on by Abigail in our living room. I have the handmade tickets to prove it.

I have written dozens of blog posts in my head while driving, standing in line at the grocery store, folding laundry....sadly I can no longer recall any of them.

I listened to this interview with Maurice Sendack.  And I cried because I will miss him.  I have kept a copy of this book on my nightstand for the past year.

I have watched my boys compose weapons and board breaking routines for taekwondo - they are now second degree black belts and I am so proud of their strength and accomplishment.

Some photos just so that we can catch up a bit -

Abigail is now seven - and she prefers to be called Abby.

Ezra is thirteen - he still loves playing in the woods with his family.  These days he has taken up running  - alongside+through the woods - of course.  He is taller than me and wears a size twelve men's shoe.

David just turned eleven.  He is a wonderful writer, teller of jokes, and greatest supporter of his older brother.

Many things have changed.  But all the important stuff has stayed the same - and that's the way we like it.

Here are a few photos of the new house.  The light was bad and I was in a hurry so this is just the main space. The whole house is really just this one space - plus three bedrooms and bathrooms and kitchen.  I'll post kitchen and bedroom photos once I take them.

That's most of the house. But the best part is that this house sits on over an acre; that this acre is  wooded; and that this wooded acre is on a creek; and that this house on a wooded acre that is on a creek is right in the middle of the city. 

I'll share more soon. Right now I'm off to the kiddo's school to do good deeds in honor of teacher appreciation week.

and while I'm on the subject of appreciation, I'd like to wish a very HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY to all!

Warning: i plan to resume blogging very soon

This is so not a threat; just a "heads up".  Didn't feel it was right to spring a "content" post on you without fair warning after having disappeared from the blogging community for so long.  Truth is I'm not sure i even have any content to share.

Also didn't want to overwhelm you with any stimulating photos I had taken - mainly because i haven't taken the time to upload any pictures in months.  In the time I've been away i turned 41, completed an overhaul of a home we purchased, spent countless hours driving to and from said home, listened to an insane amount of NPR while driving (which actually helped me keep my sanity), played with my kiddos - a lot, attended synagogue with my kiddos - a lot, and stayed away from the computer - a whole lot. 

I am also now officially the mama of a teenager and this past Saturday we celebrated as Ezra became a Bar Mitzvah.  The months that our family spent planning, learning, studying and giggling in the car may just warrant its own post - people, i may have "content" to share after all.  In the interest of full disclosure, there may have been some fighting in the car but I will spare you that because this is my blog and i was in no way involved in said fighting.  My role was to drive the minivan, safely and attentively, with a huge grin on my face while listening to kiddo who was not fighting chant Torah in the back seat.  I will miss that; but not to worry because yesterday was David's birthday - he turned 11 and so it won't be long before Torah chanting in the minivan will resume.

I've also learned new things about myself during these months.  For years I have been a self proclaimed homebody - and a happy one at that.  But purchasing a home in the city changed all that.  I now go to read at the library, fondle wool at the local yarn shop, drink coffee and browse at the bookstore, workout at the gym, study at the synagogue, and last week I even bought ribbon from a brick and mortar fabric shop.  I still enjoy the country but in all honesty, I now have this feeling of being "stuck" when I am there for more than a day or two.  I no longer want to live an hour away from trader joe's, target, barnes and noble, or our synagogue.  In the country (where we live) there is no place to buy organic fruit or veggies, milk or meat.  So after 13 years of country living we are moving.  More on this, and our new home, next week.

Finally, for the time being at least this space will focus more on "play" and a bit less on the "stitches" part.  I plan to post even when I haven't made anything.  I plan to post even if I haven't taken any pictures.  I plan to post even if I don't have anything, in particular, to say.  From now on I plan to post when I feel like writing - because lately I have felt like writing.  I know what you're thinking - and I will admit it; I am a rebel.

I will be back here next week.  Greg is working all weekend so we're on our own and we are busy. Shabbat services at synagogue tonight and tomorrow we head to the statewide computer competition to support David  - Ezra won his division 2 years ago so middle kiddo has a lot to live up to. Then hebrew school on Sunday so that we can meet up with our peeps. 

Wishing you many giggles and much joy this weekend! 

topsy-turvy (but in a good way)

Stopping in to say Hello!  

We are safe and sound post hurricane Irene - we lost power for two days, several trees fell, and there are leaves, branches and debris scattered on our property but we are just fine.  Sending best wishes to those still dealing with the aftermath of this storm.

I've been away from this space so that I can fully partake in the fun, and topsy turvy summer, we've been having.  The kiddos and I have been playing and driving and eating and driving and spending time with friends and driving some more this summer.  All the while we have been enjoying a wonderful and fun-filled summer while redoing the city home.  We knew it was a fixer and were excited about putting our personal touches on this home.  After nearly two months of new roof and new HVAC and tile and countertops and paint everything seems to be coming together to the make the sweetest little city house we could've imagined.  I cannot wait to share our new space with you.  But first we have another week of summer to enjoy around here before school begins. 

Just to prove that we're all about topsy-turvy around here - here's Abigail watching tv. 

She'd much rather pose for pictures than watch Sorcerer's Apprentice with her brothers. 

My guys didn't mind the power outage too much.  Gave them more time to work on puzzle solving.

And picking and eating yummy veggies from our garden.

We have a beautiful bounty thanks to Ezra who loves to tend to the garden.  He has been out there each morning at 7am watering and picking and doing whatever else he does because I'm really more of a garden "planter" - the tending part is really not my thing.  I'd rather be in the kitchen making pasta sauce and lasagnas using these yummies!

I heart you all (and miss you) and will be back once school starts!

a quick PS:  the hubby and i enjoyed a wonderful film via netflix last week.  I wholeheartedly recommend Departures (2008).  Watch it - you will not be disappointed.

weighing benefits

Thank you so much for your encouraging comments on my last post.

You sure got me thinking about the benefits (or not) of country vs. city living.  But first I'd like to share the only benefit that my sewing machine table is providing these days.  Do you think he's dreaming up exciting new quilt patterns?

Lots of benefits to having a pool these first few weeks of summer vacation.  We're in it every day that we don't spend driving to the city.

We even find benefits in cleaning up the pool at the end of the day.  This girl adores her big brother and is so excited that he takes the time to give her "noodle rides."

And some nights this mama finds benefits in eating Chinese takeout for dinner.

Accompanied by the benefit of a welcome fortune that reads:

    "Lucky you make this choice.  Everything comes out for the best."

There's something endearing about the poor english and timing of this fortune that made it feel like more than a ramdom slip of paper found in a stale cookie.

Now for the Benefits of city living (in my opinion/experience):

 - The city provides numerous free or low cost amenities such as -

  - public parks with play equipment and restrooms,

 - public swimming pools so that my kiddos can make new friends,

 - well maintained walking and biking trails,

 - summer concerts in the park,

 - weekend farmer's markets,

 - large libraries that offer e-books for download and fun activities on Tuesday mornings,

 - large chain bookstores kiddos can spend hours reading + browsing in,

 - museums, aquariums,

 - zoos, and botanical gardens,

 - local yarn store,

 - target, trader joe's, joann fabrics, tj maxx, panera

 - our temple and all our friends there.

 

Benefits of country living  (in my opinion/experience):

 - living on five wooded acres,

 - walking dogs off leash through the woods,

 - kiddos riding bikes down small quiet roads,

 - watching nine chickens happily free range on our property,

 - running and playing in the woods without a care in the world,

 - having a pool in our yard, surrounded by woods, where my kiddos can splash and scream and swim in various states of undress.  (some days this one doesn't actually feel like a benefit!)

 

Not-so-much benefits of country living (for our family):

 - driving for 50 minutes - 1 hour to get to most parks, museums, bookstores, trader joe's, temple  (with three high energy kiddos in the car)

 - having to leave the house for much of the day when we drive to said city so that our trip will be "worth the two hour round trip drive,"  (this one is difficult with three opinionated kiddos.  just the other day we drove to the city for an hour at the bookstore followed by a picnic lunch and playtime at a wonderful park when a certain ten year old middle child complained that he had no energy for a grocery store trip to buy organic fruits and veggies (we have almost no organic produce available in the country - and no CSA)

 - eating out on many of the days we drive to the city because there's really no way to drive an hour there and an hour back and get home in time for lunch.  (Some days I take along a picnic lunch and other days we get panini's, pizza and fruit salad from the deli section of gourmet markets but i would love to just be able to make a quick trip to target, buy what we need and get home in time for lunch.)

 - having to leave the house extra early and return home extra late.  (the best time to be at the farmer's market is 8am but that's hard when you're an hour away and have to get three kiddos to agree to sit in the car for an hour.  When we leave the summer concert at 8:30pm we are still an hour from home and  end up going to bed way past bedtime.)

 - our temple is an hour away in the city (it's the nearest temple to our home which just happens to have the best ex-highschool english teacher, kiddo loving rabbi who always has time for a knock-knock joke or a game of plants vs. zombies.  My kiddos cry when we can't make it to service - it's their "club.")

For our family, right now, there are benefits to both country and city living and, for a while at least, we won't have to choose.   And for this we feel very fortunate -   "Lucky [we] make this choice.  Everything comes out for the best."

 

appreciating the moments

School let out two weeks ago and we have been thoroughly enjoying our summer vacation.

Eating healthy lunches that include yummy eggs courtesy of our sweet hens.

Arranging flowers on our kitchen table.

Picking perfectly sweet strawberries from our garden.

Reading and playing together.  (not always this amicably)

 

Gobbling up salt water taffy.  (yet another reason to love trader joe's)

Swimming (and splashing and teasing and giggling) in the pool until we are exhausted.

And then resting up so that we can do it all over again the next day.

These days I am being patient with myself. 

After the tornado hit our town the oldest boy has arrived home from am school by 12:45.  With Mondays off from school and my husband working most weekends I have had little alone time. 

I have been taking moments for myself here and there.

Giving myself space to breathe deeply. to pause. to think.

to enjoy the weather.  to walk my dogs in the woods.

I have also chosen enjoy the not-so-pleasant chores.  like cleaning out the chicken coop.  mowing. weeding.  planting. mulching. driving my kiddos to Hebrew school, swim meet, taekwondo, math bowl practice.

Chosen to spend more one on one time with my kiddos.  with ezra leaving for school at 6am I have two hours each morning to spend with the younger kiddos.  Middle child who never gets to sit in the front seat of the car really enjoyed the privilege each morning for the short drive to the bus stop.  even though we barely drove for a mile he loved adjusting the seat and turning on the seat warmers.  I never use these because it can't be that healthy to sit on hot electric coils but i figured that just a few minutes each morning wouldn't hurt.  Plus we giggled as our backsides became warm. 

We also found the time to stop by the ice cream shop after finding out that his team did not place in the statewide round of the great computer challenge.  We decided on ice cream floats to "drown our sorrows" and giggled at how silly we sounded.  In the booth, sitting on extra tall bar stools the boy told me how much fun he had and how well he worked with the two girls that comprised his team.  We agreed that his team would have done better if there was more time to practice bridge construction methods.  We realize that with the short school year only four practice sessions may not have been enough and we move on.

We are living in the moment.  We are focusing on fun.  We are sucking down ice cream and soda through pink straws.

I'm not really making much of anything these days.  Still knitting a dishcloth out of yarn sent to me by a friend.  Washing dishes using the dishcloth she knit for me.  Feeling fortunate to have made many wonderful friends through blogging. 

Just finished washing dishes from lunch.  Peering out the window every so often to see that the rain has broken and the sun is shining.  Feeling fortunate that I have dishes to wash.  Fortunate that it's summer and I no longer have to wake up at 5:30am to get ezra on the 6am school bus.  So happy that I am a mama with many commitments and responsibilities who is finally figuring out that not everything needs to be done immediately or perfectly.  But that each and every moment must be appreciated.

We are also just two weeks away from finalizing the purchase of a small home in the city.  We are just overjoyed.  After years of hoping and dreaming and preparing our country home is nearly paid off and we were able to make a small space in the city a reality.  For the past six years I have been driving to the city several times per week (usually fridays and sundays and some saturdays) to the city an hour away to attend temple services and hebrew school.  This is the closest temple to our home and while an hour drive each way isn't that bad add in three kiddos and a husband who's at work while mama is driving said kiddos and you get the picture.  Plus with two bar mitzvahs in the next three years we are going to love our little oasis in the city even more.  We are already planning lunches and play dates with all of our city friends who have generously invited us over and fed us over the years - this home base will do us a world of good.  I am not even allowing myself to think about the fact that I will have another kitchen and two more bathrooms to clean or bedrooms to pick up and more clothes to put away because I would rather do all those things with my kiddos than spend six hours per week strapped into our car seats driving through traffic.  So if all goes well in two short weeks we will be enjoying our woods and chickens in the country and our friends, temple and community pool and playground in the city.  Oh, and while this had nothing to do with our decision to buy the city house it just happens to be exactly one mile away from a trader joe's and a target.   I am one lucky girl - and I am appreciating each and every single moment because they fly by so fast.

Thanks for letting me share this news with you friends!  Hope you are appreciating the moments this summer.

re entry

"We do not remember days.  We remember moments."  - Cesare Pavese

This is such a good thing because I haven't a clue where my days have gone.

Thanks goodness I managed to take some photographs.

 
 
    

 

 

During the days that I have been away from the computer my middle kiddo turned ten years old and  greg and I celebrated our nineteenth wedding anniversary. 

I have missed you all and I am so glad to be in this space again.

I only have a few moments today and it's important that I make this re-entry slowly.

I'd like to share two quotes with you:

"The greatest gift I ever received was a present my dad gave me one Christmas.  He handed me a note which read: Son, this year I will give you 365 hours, an hour every day after dinner.  My dad not only kept his promise, but he renewed it every year after that.  It's the greatest gift I ever received in my life.  I am the result of his time."   --Someone's Child

And:

Marriage Advice from 1886 - "Let your love be stronger than your hate or anger.  Learn the wisdom of compromise, for it is better to bend a little than to break.  Believe the best rather than the worst; people have a way of living up or down to your opinion of them.  Remember that true friendship is the basis for any lasting relationship.  The person you choose to marry is deserving of the courtesies and kindness you bestow on your friends.  Please hand this down to your children and your children's children for the more things change the more they are the same."  --Jane Wells

Hope you enjoy these words as much as I do.

 

two winners

Oops.  I forgot to post the giveaway winners.  So here goes.....

The winners of Jennifer Casa's awesome new book:  Teach Yourself Visually - Crafting with Kids are:

#41   Jessica from j bee delightful  and

#4  Andrea from at home mommy knits

Ladies, please email me your addresses so that we can get your books out to you.

I meant to get here all week but time has gotten away from me.  We have been working, playing, driving, celebrating, going to school a bit, and dealing with an unexpected issue (nothing particularly good or bad - just something that required dealing with).  I'll be back in this space again soon.  In the meantime we are heading to Virginia Beach tomorrow where my kiddos will compete in the ATA tournament.  Wish us luck!

Jennifer Casa's new book Teach Yourself Visually: Crafting with Kids - review and giveaway!

Welcome friends!  Today I have the pleasure of reviewing Jennifer Casa's awesome new book:  Teach Yourself Visually - Crafting with Kids. 

First a little disclaimer.  Jennifer is my friend, I have loved reading her blog for years, two years ago I won some gorgeous wool in a giveaway on her blog and I have purchased some of her lovely creations from her etsy shop to gift to family and friends for Christmas and Hanukkah gifts.  So when Jennifer asked me if I'd like to review her new book in a blog tour I jumped at the chance.  I was sure it would be filled with fun and creative ideas to make with kiddos....

But then I received this book and saw that it had 75 fun crafts and projects (yes 75!), each illustrated with numerous step-by-step color photographs and using common materials we have on hand and divided into chapters for seasonal making, game playing, gift giving, party celebrating and more! 

Immediately, my kiddos were inspired to grab what we had on hand and create Button Botanicals on page 71. More on that later....

This book is great for so many reasons.

First, every single project is accompanied by so many photos that you don't even have to read (heck, you don't even have to know how to read) the instructions to get the urge to begin making.  The moment this book arrived at my house my kiddos began flipping through it's 240 pages and rummaging through our craft supplies.  What's so wonderful about this book is that although Jennifer provides clear and easy to follow step-by-step instructions the photos provide so much inspiration to get the creative juices flowing that kiddos can easily put their own spin on the projects.  This is a must at my house  - my kiddos love to be inspired to make but they often rebel if they feel that they have to follow precise instructions.

Second, I love that most of the projects call for craft materials that most people already have on hand.  You can complete so many of these projects with just paper, paints, fabric scraps, glue, buttons, foil, toilet paper tubes, popsicle sticks and yarn.  We always have these items lying around the house but need ideas to use them in new and creative ways and this book does just that.  When I was reading this book I often had to stop and say, "Why didn't I think of that?" or "So that's how you make a Kaleidoscope out of two toilet paper tubes!"

This brings me to my third point.  This book is not just for kiddos - it's also great for grown people.  I loved learning about how to make dyed t-shirts, easy play dough, tissue paper sun catchers, marbled paper, and button barrettes.

Around here we love collecting buttons and coming up with new, fun ways to create with them.  So button botanicals was the first project we tackled.  We already had these canvas boards, some poster paint, buttons and glue so off we went.

Even the just turned twelve year old boy was inspired and had a blast making.  And he gifted his creation to his mama!  Then he told me he wants to make watercolor cards (page 148) next.  I just love what a great book can do!

Teach Yourself Visually Crafting with Kids is such a wonderful book to add to your making library.  And yes, Jennifer is providing a signed copy of this fabulous book to one of you.  Plus I will be sending my promo copy to another lucky winner because I purchased a copy of my own  - that's two chances to win!  Please leave a comment on this post between now and Monday night.  Don't forget to leave your email if it's not linked to your profile. I'll announce the winners on Tuesday. Good luck!

Here's the blog tour schedule for more reviews, interviews and chances to win:

Tuesday, April 5 (release date)  -  JCasa *handmade
Wednesday, April 6  -  The Crafty Crow
Thursday, April 7  -  Sparkle Power
Monday, April 11  -  WhipUp
Wednesday, April 13  -  A Stitch in Dye
Friday, April 15  -  Smile and Wave
Monday, April 18  -  Elsie Marley
Wednesday, April 20  -  Maya*Made
Friday, April 22  -  Stitches in Play
Tuesday, April 26  -  Aesthetic Outburst
Thursday, April 28  -  Artsy Crafty Babe

about what matters

I cannot believe i have been away from this space for so long.  But not only did my kiddos get a super long spring break due to budget cuts but...On Saturday a tornado hit our town.  Many homes were damaged and the roof was completely blown off one of our two middle schools and mangled school buses were thrown about the roads.  Clean up is underway.  People are thinking about what is important and which possessions truly matter.  One newspaper article stated that teachers had asked to be allowed to return to the school to retrieve their belongings.  But on Tuesday the perimeter of the school was fenced off and it was announced that the structure was not stable enough to enter.  Everyone received an important lesson on letting go of the 'stuff' and turning our attention to the people and community.

[On a personal note my family is just fine - we lost power overnight and our yard is littered with branches but we suffered no damage.  Today I drove Ezra to the bus stop at 6:30am for AM middle school.  He will attend school until 12:45pm and the students from the damaged school will be bussed to his school for PM classes (1:00 to 6:30 pm!). Thank goodness there were no students in the school when the storm hit on Saturday and thank goodness there are only thirty-four days of school left - i, for one, cannot wait for summer vacation to begin.]

All of this has caused people around here to focus on what is important:  friends, family, pets, relationships, health, sunshine...

This article talks about living with less stuff and how we are happiest when we spend our time and money on experiences such as vacations, entertainment and sports because they allow us to create lasting memories. I love the simple quote by Professor Dunn, "It's better to go on a vacation than buy a new couch"  This quote, in particular, speaks to me because last July I painted the walls of my home white and donated two of our three couches.  I fully intended to replace them with a nicer, no-so-worn couch but nearly a year has passed and our family of five has lived very happily with just one couch (and two arm chairs + the twelve chairs surrounding our dining room and kitchen tables!).  All of this leads me to the post I said i would write on how i go about keeping our home clear and clean.  Although i enjoy decluttering, organizing and donating these tasks are not synonymous with having a picked-up home - complete with clean, cleared-off surfaces.

Cleaning up, unfortunately, is a daily chore that I have to constantly remind myself to stay on top of.  To find motivation i tell myself how much better my family functions when the kitchen table, couch, coffee table, and kitchen counter tops are clean and available for play, cooking, and making.  And having supplies for crafting, cooking, and playing games neat and organized allows us to begin a fun project or recipe when we choose rather than waste precious family time searching for the lost game piece or missing purple marker.

My number one trick to quick cleaning is to keep all surfaces as bare as possible.

Only flowers and a candle on the kitchen and dining tables.  I have put away the place mats because crumbs and juice spills get underneath so i have to clean the top and bottom of five place mats as well as the table top. This way i just clear the dirty dishes, throw the napkins in the wash, and wipe down the table.

Only a lamp, alarm clock and a book on the bedroom nightstands. Makes for easy and quick dusting.

Only a lamp and artwork propped up on dressers in each of the kiddos bedrooms.  Everything else has a home in a drawer or on a bookcase.  I can dust all four bedrooms in ten minutes when all the surfaces are free of clutter.

Only a toaster oven, cutting board and blender (for daily smoothies) on the kitchen counter. I do not have many appliances or kitchen gadgets and i have made room for the ones i do have in the cabinets.  My kitchen is tiny with only four pull out drawers and four cabinets and very little counter space.  I have gotten into the habit of cleaning as i work when preparing meals - i am constantly wiping down the counter top and cutting board and putting away ingredients as i use them.  This makes for quick cleanup after dinner because there are no spills or stuck on food to scrub.

Only soap, toothbrushes, and contacts lens stuff on the bathroom counters.  (the kiddos only have soap and toothbrushes).  I dislike cleaning bathrooms the most so very recently i decided that i would wipe down the counter tops and sinks with just a rag and warm water daily.  While i'm there i swish the toilets with a bit of comet cleanser.  I usually wipe down the master bath and guest bath in the mornings and the kid's bath when abigail is in the tub.  This only takes a few minutes per day and i never feel like the bathrooms are dirty.  About once a week i use method all purpose cleaner in grapefruit scent on the counter tops and floors - i get mine at target.  I do not worry too much about killing all germs in the bathroom - there will always be germs and i don't like the thought of being responsible for their death.

In order to maintain all these surfaces free of clutter i do two things:

1.  Follow the rule "if you used it - you are responsible for putting it away."   Your kiddos will do this if they see you doing it.   Remember that kiddos learn by example and love working as a team.  We also have a "five minute put-away time" each night before dinner or before bedtime.

2.  Donate all things in your home that you do not use often or love.  The dilemma here is that often the items we use most are out on tables and counter tops while those that we have no use for and have forgotten we own are neatly stored away taking up precious space in closets, drawers, bookshelves and pantries.  To remedy this, every few months I go through my closets and drawers and donate items that i don't use to make room for those that i use daily.  I came across this book on amazon the other night and judging from the stellar reviews it could be very useful.  I have not read this book - just putting the information out there for those who wish to live with less and want a bit more guidance.

As for laundry, I have recently switched from a big laundry day (where i washed a weeks worth of clothes + bedding and towels) to throwing in a load every evening after dinner.  Some days I fold this load in the evenings while the kiddos are going about their nightly bathroom + snack routine.  Other days I fold the clothes in the morning while everyone is waking up and preparing for breakfast.  The following sentence is controversial but I will admit to putting my kid's clothes away for them and straightening up their rooms and tossing trash while i am in there - my boys rooms are often already neat and tidy but the six year old girly still cuts, shreds, glues and paints on every surface and needs some help to keep all the supplies + the resulting projects organized.  Once a week, in the morning, i wash everyone's bedding and get it back on the beds by bedtime - that way i don't have to worry about folding or putting it away.

Ezra vacuums most of the house every week (or more often if needed) and David and Abby each vacuum their own rooms.

Each of the kiddos dust their own rooms.  I dust the rest of the house (usually in the evenings when the kiddos are doing homework) using a Swiffer sweeper cloth - these work great for dust.  I do not own the stick sweeper that it attaches to because i do not use these to clean the floor (we just wipe up spills and vacuum the floor).

We do not make the beds - everyone just straightens his or her covers/ quilts each morning.

I hope this helps a bit and that you can take this information and apply it to your cleaning routine.  Don't worry too much about what you clean or organize or donate - just do what you can today.  

 Because "You can't wring your hands and roll up your sleeves at the same time."  Anonymous

If nothing else, be sure to clear off a space to create with your kiddos and then stop by here on Friday for a review of Jennifer Casa's gorgeous new book and a chance to win one of your very own!  Book tour schedule is here for more chances to win. 

Big hugs to you and thanks so much for stopping by!

 

making a choice

Last week was spring break and my kiddos and i headed out to play in the sand and surf and to visit cool places.  We were all a bit sad that papa had to work and wasn't able to join us.  The day before we were set to leave my kiddos questioned whether we should leave for five whole days and if we could have as much fun without dad there. I must admit that i had doubts myself.  But i revisited one of my favorite quotes and then shared it with my kiddos:

"There are two things to aim at in life: first, to get what you want; and, after that, to enjoy it.  Only the wisest of mankind acheives the second."  - Logan Pearsall Smith

We decided that we would make the choice to truly enjoy our vacation - and set off for a week of fun.

We had the best time ever because we made an effort to focus on the simple pleasures like:

watching the sunrise over the ocean from our hotel balcony,

taking bubble baths in a tub that mama didn't have to clean afterwards,

wishing on twinkly stars while staying up way past our bedtime,

giving and receiving huge bear hugs,

being tickled and getting ticked,

jumping in the cold, salty ocean, and squealing with delight,

digging for sandcrabs (and collecting and counting and playing with said sandcrabs),

falling asleep each night to the sound of waves crashing (except for the night that the lacrosse team staying on the floor below threw a wild party!)

saying bedtime prayers all together,

playing 'this little piggy' on the toes of my too-quickly-growing kiddos,

sharing a bed with my girly who is always super warm and gives the best good-night hugs,

enjoying yummy breakfasts we didn't have to prepare while reading the newspaper,

feeling the warm sand seep between our toes,

Saying "I love you" and hearing "I love you" over and over again.

We returned home feeling very 'wise' indeed.

Enjoy your weekend friends!

 

spring breakin'

Just stopping in to say that we are currently enjoying our Spring Break!

Thank you so much for all your awesome comments on my last post.  I plan to write a part II on how i tackle the cleaning (and keeping rooms clean) of our home.  Because while i do enjoy de-cluttering and organizing, i truly dislike cleaning and am constantly coming up with little tricks and motivators to get the job done.

Sadly, dad has to work every single day so we are on our own.  But worry not, mama and kiddos are having a blast.  Right now we are heading out for a couple of days of sun and sand and water.  I will be back in this space on Monday but for now here are some photos from our trip (last month) to the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts.  We loved the Picasso exhibit but no photographs were allowed.  You know what that means - Yes, the very minute we left Picasso i began snapping dozens of photos of us enjoying the rest of this huge, gorgeous museum.

 
 
 
Have a wonderful week, friends! 

doing what i have to do

"First say to yourself what you would be; and then do what you have to do"  -Epictetus

I've been thinking a lot about this quote lately.  The calendar says it's spring yet the weather is dark and dreary and yesterday it snowed and rained and hailed and then snowed again.  I can't seem to focus or sit still long enough to complete any making.  Instead I feel the need to clean, to declutter, to donate and toss. 

Back to the above quote.  I want "to be" a mama who spends time reading, talking, playing, and walking through the woods with my children.  I already do these things but i also spend a lot of time caring for "stuff."  So what I "have to do" is keep my home free of stuff that needs washing, dusting, tending to or picking up - this will give me more free time to spend doing those things I find important.

For the past week I have been cleaning out drawers and closets and donating any clothes that have not been worn in the past year.  I feel a bit more free with each to-be-donated bag that is loaded onto the minivan.  I go quickly before I can change my mind because the rational me knows that I will not miss any of these items.  I am sure of this because many of the donated things are items I considered letting go of last year but figured I would find a use for them.  Well guess what? I didn't.  I never wore the cute brand name jeans that never fit me quite right and caused my stomach to stick out.  (Alright, it may not have been ALL the jeans' fault but you know what I mean)  I'd rather wear the same two pairs of jeans (with a white cotton tee from Target + a cardi) everyday and look lean and put together than wear a hundred different outfits that make me look frumpy and cause me to feel less confident.  Actually, I'm wearing more clothes now because I rediscovered several shirts that were buried behind all the stuff I never wore and I have lots of empty hangers for a few new Spring items.  But I have no plans to go shopping any time soon because those bare hangers are making me oh so happy.  Happiness really is in the little things - or in the lack of little things.

I've cleared books off my coffee table (bench, really) which, of course, encourages kiddos standing on and jumping off said coffee table-bench.  But that is all part of the carefree play that is in the "what would be" part of above quote.

I also put away pillows and quilts that adorned the couch.  These inevitably ended up on the floor, collecting dog hair and dust bunnies (I have no idea where these come from as bunnies are about the only pet that we don't have), and causing my kiddos to trip as they race through the family room.  All this caused this mama to reprimand said kiddos so I did "what I have to do" in order to achieve the "what I would be."

Even my husband noticed that two lamps were gone and asked why they didn't make the cut.  For a brief moment I questioned whether I had cleared out too much or left too little.  Maybe I had created a home that was so bare bones that even my guy - who rarely notices such things - realized that we were living with less.  But no, I had not cleared away and donated too much - I took away just the right amount of stuff to create a home where the unnecessary clutter was gone and what was left had room to shine - and that was what greg noticed. 

Yes, my home is pared down to the things that we need and love.  Things that did not serve a purpose had to go - i'm sure that someone perusing my local thrift store right now is seeking a red glass lamp and will be overjoyed when she comes accross the one I donated.  I feel like a giver - which sure beats feeling like a hoarder!

For extra clearing out fun I went through each of our sock and underwear drawers and pulled out items that were worn or didn't have a match.  You don't need to know this but I kept only four white bras - the ones that looked good under white tees and only the underwear that I actually wear.  This really is too much information for a crafty blog but if this helps someone out there clear the excess clutter out of their homes then so be it. 

Since I cleaned out all the excess I am able to breathe deeper and feel less stressed.  Plus I have more room for flowers and more time to enjoy them!

And for moments when you feel like this, I will leave you with one of my favorite quotes:

"Out of clutter find simplicity; from discord find harmony; in the middle of difficulty lies opportunity." -Albert Einstein

just life

Cannot believe more than a week has passed since I was last here. 

During this past week rain has poured down and bright sunshine has shone.

David had strep throat and got to spend a quiet day at home with mama while the effects of his antibiotics kicked in. 

Having Mondays off from school has provided us with a true day off.  A day without taekwondo practice or tournaments or hebrew school or swim meets.  We are loving these Mondays.

During this week a sweet raccoon came to visit.  Then it fell out of his super tall tree, right on Remmy's head and bit him on the ear.  This was followed by a visit from the animal control officer, a visit to the veterinarian for a rabies booster, a visit from the county health department.  And many extra pets for our sweet doggie who goes above and beyond the call of duty to serve and protect his family from trespassers, big or small.

I spent two entire days at the kiddos' school finishing up an art fundraiser and setting up for this week's book fair.

I learned that my tires were so worn that they only had 1/32 (how is that possible) of their tread left.  I had them replaced, but not before I drove ninety miles into the big city and back - all the while holding my breath.

I tripped and fell and hurt my knee - it's still bruised and swollen but I didn't twist or tear anything and for that i am grateful.  It happened when I was chasing after my kiddos with a camera and a nosy neighbor came out to tell me gossip about another neighbor.  I was trying to smile politely while keeping up with my kiddos when I slipped on a large piece of gravel and fell.  Yet another reason to dislike gossip. 

My oldest kiddo turned twelve this weekend.  We celebrated with friends and pizza at a park in the big city and then we celebrated again at home with his favorite fish tacos and a raspberry amaretto cake.

The following are some of the many random pictures that I took this past week - in no particular order.

Do you see mr. raccoon high up in the tree?

   

Do you see the girly behind the sunflower?

Do you see the girl's teddy bear - sleeping on the kitchen table?  This teddy goes everywhere the girl goes.  And once a week, when the girl goes to school, teddy takes a bath in the washing machine.

This is what she looks like when i tell her that bear got a bath.

Do you see the girl, way in the distance, who took off down the road - all by herself?  And the big brother who takes the best care of said girl?

He turned his bike around to follow the girl who has no fears or inhibitions.

Girl ended up in the ditch. Boy helped her get back on track.

Then boy got some well deserved birthday cake.

I warned you it was random.  But so are the days of my life.  And it's these little moments that make up the best parts of my days.

And to steal a quote from Oscar Wilde's very funny play, "Life is far too important a thing ever to talk seriously about."

See you back here soon with some 'making'.

abby's new cardi

Abigail could not wait to reveal her new mama-made sweater.

First, she "styled" the look.  (Translation:  she refused to wear the shirt and pants that i had picked out.)

Next, she "choreographed" the photo shoot.  (Translation:  she figured that 'all those people who read your blog' would think that the sweater was 'boring' if she 'just stood there'  so she decided to show you all that 'you can do' while wearing this cardi.) 

Apparently the sweater is good for doing this...

And this...

And for looking directly at the sun.

It's also perfectly suited for pointing at passing brothers...

And for "giving yourself a hug."

Oh, and she thought you should see the back.

Bet you didn't know that my knits were this versatile!  Yours can be too if you let Miss Abby conduct a "photo shoot" for you.

Now for the pattern - or lack thereof.  I wanted to knit Leslie's Libby cardi (pattern in Leslie's sidebar).  But the pattern is a bit too large for my girly who wears size 6-8 so I made up my own using the top-down raglan formula.  This basic formula can be found in many books on top down knitting but my favorite web instructions are written by Laura of cosmicpluto knits. 

Here are my numbers for this size 8 cardi:

I used worsted weight wool (Jo Sharp Classic DK Wool in the colors Limoncello and Antique) and

US sz 8 needles.

CO 70 stitches.

k1p1 ribbing for 6 rows. (for the band around the neck)

Divide for yolk (RS): k5 for button band, pm, k10 for front, pm, k10 for sleeve, pm, k20 for back, pm, k10 for sleeve, pm, k10 for front, pm, k5 for button band

row 2 (WS): k5 for button band, purl to last 5 stitches (last marker), k5

row 3 (RS): *k to 2 sts before marker, kf&b, k1, sl m, k1, kf&b*, repeat from * to * three more times. Knit to the end of the round.

row 4 (WS): k5, purl to last 5 stitches (last marker), k5.

Repeat rows 3 & 4 sixteen times.  (or until you have 42 stitches between the sleeve markers.)

Slip the sleeve stitches onto scrap yarn and continue knitting the body of the sweater in stockinette stitch to desired length.

Work 14 rows garter stitch for the bottom band.  (knit every row)  Bind off.

Laura gives instructions for side shaping in her pattern.  I did not do any side shaping for a child's cardi but i highly recommend side shaping if you are knitting a cardi for yourself.

Slip sleeve stitches off scrap yarn and join stitches to work in the round (i love magic loop knitting method for sleeves) until sleeves are desired length.   Work 14 rows garter stitch.  Bind off.  Repeat for second sleeve. 

For the stripes I just switched between the two colors every 6, 8, 10 and 14 rows respectively.  See how the stripes become wider as the sweater progresses.  Have fun and make the stripes any width you like - just remember to do the same for the sleeves so that the stripes line up.

You can easily make this cardi larger by adding several more kf&b increases in the yoke before separating the sleeves.  Then knit the body and sleeves to desired length.

Hope you find these instructions helpful.  I know that wearing this cardi has helped my girly run faster through the woods, gather dozens of pine cones, and build a fort for all the imaginary students that she schools each day. 

it feels like monday or the winners are...

Oh my, I said I would announce the giveaway winners on Monday... but for some reason I keep on forgetting that with my kiddos home nearly every Monday, Tuesday has become my new Monday.  Thanks so much to all of you who entered - I really enjoyed reading all of your sweet and clever comments.  I couldn't choose just two winners so I chose three:

comment #5 - annri

comment #26 - miri

comment #32 Laura (no blog link)    Ladies, send me your addresses!

In the meantime:

We enjoyed a wonderful three-day weekend full of playing, house cleaning and organizing, and a trip here to see this.  Each of these will receive its own post sometime this week.  I'm off to read with some first graders and pick up a whole bunch of kiddo artwork from the art teacher that will be turned into mugs and totes for our next fundraiser - hoping to raise enough money so that we can have school on Mondays again!

On the home front:

Abigail's sweater is all done,

this quilt top is almost complete,

these ladies are enjoying their morning constitutional,

this kitty is in search of a warm and sunny perch,

and this girly is ready to reveal her new cardi.

Wishing you all a fabulous Tuesday!  (although it sure does feel like a Monday around here!)

 

inspiration at home

Working to finish up works in progress... and, of course, couldn't keep myself from starting a new project.  Not much to share just yet so with a little inspiration from my afternoon pick-me-up - delish coffee ice cream - I went in search of the color brown.  Here goes...

May you find much inspiration this weekend.

"Without inspiration the best powers of the mind remain dormant.  There is a fuel in us which needs to be ignited with sparks."  Johann Gottfried Von Herder

the gift of time - and chocolates

I like to think it happened because Valentine's Day fell on a Monday. 

And because I have absolutely no sewing time on most weekends.  I play with the kiddos all weekend (and drive them around a lot) while my husband's at work.  He returns home minutes before they go to bed, helps out with a few chores, and then wants quality time for us.  Poor me, right?  People, my life is the best - just little time for making.

And it could have happened a little because I took on three big projects, planned my time poorly, and began my making way too late.  However I still think that it's that darn Monday that's to blame!

I did not finish my kiddos' gifts.

I wanted to make them quilts like Erin's but I only got this far...

And i only sewed the D - I - D for David...

And this is Abby's rabbit...

I was feeling defeated - and a bit sad - until I turned to my address book for some sound advice...

And then it came to me ...I would give my family the gift of my time, my undivided attention when they spoke, my help in crafting valentine's for their friends. I would give them the gift of a mama who breathed more deeply and time spent in the kitchen baking brownies.  I also gifted them each a small box of chocolates and a special love note.  Everyone was happy.  Thank goodness for wise quotes in address books.  (Wise address book available here.)

Ezra and David have birthdays coming up in March and April and their quilts will become birthday gifts.  And Abigail will receive her bunny rabbit just in time for spring solstice.  All is well again. 

This is the result of a a girly who grabbed a big pair of scissors and cut through a dozen 'pixy stix'  at once only to make a huge mess on the kitchen table.  When we gathered up all the sugary powder we found a heart.

Wishing that all good things will be yours today!

hi there

Hello there!  I miss you!  Verizon hasn't let me upload for days.  You see they're upgrading our phone lines for all the extra smartphone users and adding iphone service to our area.  Yes, such are the perks of living out in the country!

Thank you so much for all your sweet comments on my last two posts.  Shelby really liked the hat I knit her and the bracelet pattern was indeed from More Last-Minute Knitted Gifts by Joelle Hoverson.

We have all taken turns being under the weather around here.  Abigail was home with me yesterday due to some tummy troubles.  She's off to school today but Ezra is home with a headache and stomach bug.  He's such a trooper and hates missing a day of school - he got dressed, ate breakfast, took some motrin and made it all the way to the bus stop before he admitted defeat and asked to stay home.  Right now he's wrapped in a quilt, nursing a cup of cinnamon apple tea, and reading Make magazine.  So glad he's feeling a bit better. 

I've come to the conclusion that there's nothing more important than one's health.  Each week in temple we take a moment of silence to pray to G-d individually yet all under one roof - I always ask for health for my family and friends.  Some weeks I question whether I should be asking for world peace or an end to hunger or...but I always end up asking for health.  I guess i figure that we can work on fixing most other issues if only we had our health.

And on that note we've been cooking up a storm of healthy yumminess around here.

We baked the moistest pumpkin muffins using Ellie Krieger's recipe.  We omitted the pumpkin seeds and sprinkled chocolate chips over the top to make them even more yummy. 

We also made potato leek soup - twice.  I modified this recipe.  I doubled the amount of chicken stock and added three sliced carrots and some chopped broccoli because who couldn't use some extra veggies in their soup. We used yukon gold potatoes because they make the soup creamier and give it a pretty yellow color. 

And here's some veggie/beef pasta sauce that was a huge hit with all three kiddos. 

Saute 1 chopped onion, 3 sliced carrots, I head cauliflower in olive oil.  (You can add or substitute with mushrooms, broccoli, spinach, etc.)

Add 1 pound ground beef to veggie mixture and continue to saute until meat is cooked through.  Adding the beef to the veggies keeps it from browning and makes it moist. (kinda like meatball consistency)

Pour in 1 can of diced tomatoes with juice, 1 cup of chicken broth and juice of 1 lemon.  Add salt and pepper to taste.

Simmer for 10 minutes and toss with whole wheat pasta. Enjoy.

In case you were wondering  - yes, 95% of the meals i cook are prepared using just one pot - or one bowl.  I have a lengthy lack-of-dishwasher story that I will share at a later time but we do just fine bringing our one-pot meals to the table and digging in!

As long as we're on the topic of food, I wanted to mention that we do not bake the dried cherries or cranberries with the granola we make - we just stir them in once the granola is baked and cooled.  I mention this because Ezra was making the granola this week and came to ask me if he should add the dried fruit before baking - as directed in Ina's recipe.  He knew to ask because we always add the cranberries and cherries to the jar with the cooled granola and shake until it's incorporated.  I must admit that I never read the recipe carefully enough to realize that Ina recommended baking dried fruit for 30 minutes - this would surely make it dry and not very tasty. 

See the hearts?

We have been finding them everywhere lately. 

Turns out you just have to slow down and look!

the tuva hat

Thanks so much for all the apron love on the last post.  And if I had known that you would've enjoyed my washer/dryer delivery story so I would have shared more details of this bizarre delivery.  Like the fact that they telephoned me from my driveway, repeatedly, to tell me that they were terrified of my pups.  And how at one point they ran back to the Sears truck so quickly to get away from my dog, who was busy sniffing their tires, that one of them twisted his ankle and complained about it for the entire time they were here!

But enough about that because it's time to move on.  And now that I have finally finished up the last 2010 holiday season gift I feel I can do just that. 

On December 18, after three years of taekwondo training, both of my boys earned their first degree black belts.  I actually wrote a post about this but never published it because the gloomy morning light and the fact that the entire belt presentation & tea ceremony is done with the lights off resulted in some less than attractive photos.

I did post about their Black Belt Recommended testing here.   After the testing I presented my boys with small gifts to let them know how very proud we are of them.  This prompted Shelby, who also earned her black belt that morning, to ask me to knit her a hat for Christmas.  She told me that she doesn't care what style I knit so long as it's black.  I must say that I don't like to knit hats for non-knitters because they don't know what to expect and are rarely happy with the results.  Plus Shelby, standing on the left between my guys, is an eighteen year old girl and a college freshman which places her in the most-difficult-to-please-with-a-knit category.   This is why I gifted  Shelby a very nice (store bought) scarf and an insulated mug for Christmas.  I didn't even attempt to knit a black hat for a teenage girl. 

Long story short, she opens the gift, immediately puts on the scarf and tells me she loves it.  Then she tells me that she really needed a new insulated cup and thanks me for it.  I assume i'm home free when she asks about the hat.  I explained that she may not like what I knit and that I didn't have time to get washable black wool with my kiddos home over winter break.  Shelby stood firm, told me that she really wanted me to knit her a hat and that she would love whatever I knit. 

So I went home and dug through my stash for the black/grey washable wool left over from my rusted root sweater.  And then I knit the Slouched Tuva Hat. 

Which, by the way, looks adorable on my six year old.

It's not truly black.  It's very slouchy.  And it may be a tad large...

But it is 'close' to black in color.  And it's 'kinda' fun in a teenage girl sorta way.

And it looks fabulous paired with pink polka dot boots!

Best of all, Abigail enjoyed modeling it - and didn't even try to take it off once!

 

I must go now.  It's time to feed my kiddos dinner #1.

Then off to taekwondo (where I will gift Shelby her hat). 

I will see you all back here around 8:30 tonight - after I have fed my kiddos dinner #2 and tucked them into bed.

hello 2011

We welcomed 2011 with many of the family traditions we have established over the past several years.

We put up our New Year's tree, wore paper crowns, tooted on horns, drank sparkling cider and played In a Pickle - our new favorite game.  We rang in the New Year at 9:30 pm and everyone was tucked into bed by ten.

On New Year's morning we ate carrot cake for breakfast - for a sweet, bountiful and joyous year.  This symbalism only makes sense if eating carrot cake brings you joy - like it does me!

After some confetti popping, we headed out into our woods...

"I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived."

Henry David Thoreau

we seesawed.

we climbed.

we helped one another reach new heights.

 

we marveled.

we schemed.

we batted snowballs with sticks - simply because we could.

we uncovered.

we contemplated.

we deliberated.

Upon returning home we gathered the makings for breakfast #2.  Because growing kiddos cannot live on cake alone.

Welcome 2011!

Thank you so much for sticking by me through all these kiddo centric posts.   This past summer I stepped away from the computer for a while in an attempt to be sure that I could continue blogging and still be fully present for my family.  The only thing I was able to conclude with certainty was that I missed all of you and this supportive community.  When I chose to return I knew that my space here could no longer be solely about sewing and knitting.   This space must be where I tell my story, express my thoughts, capture the everyday, celebrate accomplishments, and simply share our life and play. 

Thank you for visiting, for sharing, for your support - I hope you choose to continue on this journey with me in 2011.  I wish you and your families peace and joy and light in this New Year.

Having said all that I actually sewed something - and will share as soon as I take some photos.

snow days

This Sunday the snow came down. A whole foot of it!

In the morning I took photos out the window.

But once the wiggles set in and i had three stir crazy kiddos on my hands we took the show - and the camera - outdoors.

  

Then the sun came out and we set forth to explore...

in the veggie garden:

with the girls: who refused to let their feet touch the snow and remained "cooped up" (pun intended) for two whole days.

 

with icicles picked off the roof:

All that play can be exhausting so we took a break.

Then back inside for a snack.

I have been making Ina Garten's Cherry Granola for a while now but when Soulemama posted her granola recipe i decided to combine the two into what turned out to be the best granola EVER!

We just mixed all the ingredients leftover from making holiday gifts for the teachers and we got this half gallon jar + one quart jar full of yummy, healthy, hearty goodness.

We couldn't stop munching on it right out of the jar...

 

But around here everyone enjoys granola best over a bowl of plain yogurt, generously drizzled with honey.

Happy New Year to you! 

no computer means more play or 'I MISS U'

I can't believe I've been away for two weeks.

I am a bit sad to report that my computer is no longer with us.  My IT guy (awesome husband) was able to retrieve most of my data.

I am so excited that a brand spanking new computer is on its way to my house.

In the mean time I have been playing with my kiddos (who have more days off this year than school days), celebrating Hanukkah, cleaning and organizing my home, squeezing in a bit of making time, and wracking my mind wondering what all of you have been up to.

This week, snow days have been added to all the usual days off from school and we have been enjoying every minute.

 

 

 

We received these fabulous chalkboard place mats from Leslie several weeks ago and have loved using them.  The kiddos sit at the table longer playing hangman and tic-tac-toe or patiently await dinner while doodling away.  And each morning they find mama written 'love notes' or words of encouragement under their cereal bowls.  These place mats are brilliant and make me proud to be a part of this community of bloggers who Dream and Create and Make. 

And yes, David does sit at the head of the table because that's where the window is and this middle kiddo likes to read in the kitchen while mama cooks.

I must return to my kiddos who are busily making birthday gifts for their Dad.  We are celebrating his birthday tonight.  I will be checking in with all of you and sharing that soup recipe (yikes!) and some knitting very soon - promise.  For the next several days I will need to kindly ask permission from my husband to use his computer - and wait in line behind the kiddos who are officially on winter break - but no worries because I am up later than they are!

Have a wonderful weekend!

thankful after thanksgiving

Today finds me busily putting together a few Hanukkah gifts  - the first night is tomorrow and I am not ready, many things that I had planned will not get done and I am just fine with that. 

I cannot help but think about how thankful I am that really and truly we already have everything we need.  But because I cannot wrap up hugs nor kisses nor giggles nor time playing or hiking outdoors, I wrap gifts that symbolize all of these to me.

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving full of food, family and about a gazillion games of Apples to Apples Jr. (give or take a few).

Before I share a few images from our week, I'd like to thank all of you who come here and visit and share.  You all mean so much to me and I feel blessed to have you in my life and to call you my friends.  I wish you much joy and thanks giving - not just in this holiday season but throughout the coming year.

This past week we...

Enjoyed the yummiest, tiniest, and most fun brussel sprouts ever.  We roasted them with lots of olive oil, salt and pepper and everyone ate because everyone helped!

Arranged flowers for our table.

Marveled at how the blue eggs are blue on the inside too.

We took cooking breaks to venture outside and breathe the beautiful, crisp fall air.

We shot arrows at targets - or just into the woods.  This boy loves his archery and spends time each day perfecting his shot.

Then we made mushroom soup to accompany our turkey and all the trimmings.  The secret to this soup is definitely in the dried mushrooms.  (two stalks of celery and one turnip also went into the mix)

When it was all cooked, in went this gorgeous swiss chard.

Yum.

In fact, the mushroom soup was such a hit that only half the Thanksgiving feast was comsummed before the masses decided it was time for a walk in the woods.

We walked...

 We ran...

We played hide-and-seek.

And lots of cinnamon hot cocoa was consummed.

See.  I told you we already have everything we need.  But the presents will be wrapped (and unwrapped), the latkes will be fried, all the menorahs will be lit, and there will be lots of silly singing and dancing.

And all weekend long I wore this very warm little gift that I made for myself (finished more than a week ago).  More details as soon as I get the photos cropped.

I'm off pick up my kiddos and rush them to the dentist.  Why is it that I always forget to consult the calendar before scheduling that six month visit?  Winter break and holidays just seem so far off when the heat of June is messing with my last few brain cells!  At least I get to walk through my carpet of red maple leaves one extra time.  I am so very thankful that no one in this family takes the time to rake - these leaves are fabulous!

Be well, my friends!

celebrating each day

I did not mean to be away this long.  I have been busy with all that comes along with this holiday season, both at home and at my kiddos' school.  Seems like we just celebrated halloween and now Thanksgiving is only days away and Hanukkah is a week later on December 1st and all teacher's holiday gifts need to be wrapped and ready by december 16th.  I'm slowly working on several gifts that I'll share soon but mainly I've been unusually calm this year. I'm taking one day at a time and focusing on being present with my family. 

I especially love that Ezra arrives home an hour before his brother and sister this year - at 2:30 I drop everything so that I can spend this precious hour with him. We talk about his day while we walk the dogs, get the mail, check on our chickens and share a snack.  This has become our daily ritual and I cherish every moment that my pre-teen wants to share his concerns and his joys with his mama.

Abigail has been busy decorating our home for the holidays. 

We still had fall pumpkins and gourds on the table when we added bowls of halloween candy.  Over the weekend she placed Hanukkah "gelt" (chocolate coins) right over the leftover candy.  Just as it became nearly impossible to tell which holiday we were celebrating....

Abigail added this strawberry corn and declared us "ready for Thanksgiving!"  While I'm not sure which holiday we are prepared for, we are giggling a lot at all the silliness around here.

And for the past week all of our baked goods have been arranged in a giant latke platter that the girly insists sit in the center of our kitchen table.  This has resulted in nearly daily baking because a dozen muffins disappear quickly when stored in plain sight like this.  (These muffins were made from Trader Joe's Triple Berry Bran muffin mix - yummy and healthy.  I substitute buttermilk for the water and add vanilla extract and semi-sweet chocolate chips. I am not a purist when it comes to baking and often doctor up a boxed mix because my kids don't care - they just want baked goods that are warm out of the oven. Bonus - these muffins each have 7 grams of fiber.)

While we're keeping an eye on the calendar and all that needs to get done, we must not forget that our hens need tending each and every day. 

These girls haven't heard about Thanksgiving or Hanukkah or Christmas or New Year's.  They just provide us with the most delicious (and beautiful) eggs ever - each and every day.  The kiddos have named all of our hens and each time I present a baked good or an egg dish they ask which hen laid the eggs they are eating.   And it's not uncommon to hear,"I'll have one of Rusty's eggs - sunny side up."  I had no idea the joy and laughter and nourishment that these hens would bring us when I mail ordered day old chicks last May on a whim.

 

And while we're on the subject of staying calm and present during this holiday season I'll share that while I finished the jacket I was knitting - loosely based on the featherweight cardi - I could not figure out what possessed me to knit a garter stitch collar.  It is now ripped and i'm knitting a 1x1 rib instead.  I was watching this film when I made the dreaded decision to use garter stitch and so I am tempted to blame Coco Chanel for this atrocity - but just thinking about that makes me laugh out loud so I will assume all blame, savor the process, and re-knit the collar. 

The above photo was taken by Abigail who is six and it is not cropped at all.  After we finished reading her book I asked her to take a picture of my sweater - and she stood so close that she managed to frame it perfectly.  The wool used is Peruvia Quick by Berroco in shade #9137.

May you find a reason to celebrate today.

the long weekend

Today marks the end of a long, long weekend.  Due to Tuesday elections and countywide budget cuts the kiddos were home for a five day weekend.  We had a great time beginning with a huge taekwondo fundraiser for St. Jude chidlren's hospital in which our school broke 2,500 boards in three hours! (there were many soar arms and feet but nobody seemed to mind - or complain too much.)  The kids had a blast with all the excitement of breaking boards, moon walk bounce attractions, and a dunk-the- instructor tank - plus some much needed early Halloween candy.  On Sunday we played at a meet the new rabbi picnic followed by some trick or treating with friends in a new-to-us neighborhood.  For much of the remainder of our long, long weekend we stayed close to home and savored the fact that we did not have to be anywhere or do anything in particular.

The weather was gorgeous but chilly.  And although this mama usually opts to stay indoors and knit when the highs are in the 50's, we spend most of our days outside.  I often wish that I enjoyed being outdoors more than I do and I am immensely grateful for doggies, kiddos and (now) chickens that force me to get out and breathe in the fresh air!

We had time to revisit our veggie garden and collected its bounty.

Lots of new sweet peppers and ...

grape tomatoes.  Yum.

 Of course some knitting was done.  (more on this later in the week)

Pumpkins were painted.  (using paint markers)

 We were focused.

We were silly.

We were serious.  We had a blast.

 

Today, on the fifth and final day of our break, Abigail decided it was time to sew something out of her "favorite fabric."  We opted for a skirt because it's a quick project and simple enough where a six year old can actually help.  We used the super simple selvage method to sew the skirt.  (Simply sew desired length of fabric selvage to selvage and then make an elastic casing for the top edge and hem the bottom edge with ribbon. Done.)

This skirt took us thirty minutes to sew.  But I had the most fun following the girlie around for the next two hours as she twirled in her new skirt...

and picked flowers (weeds actually - but pretty weeds) in her new skirt...

 
and ran through the woods in her new skirt...

and engaged in conversations with her doggies in her new skirt.

I will honestly be sad to see them go off to school tomorrow.  Good thing the weekend is only two days away! 

 

18 weeks

For nearly 18 weeks we have cared for, loved, played with, petted, named, and been amused by our hens. 

Who knew their feathers would feel so silky soft,

that their dispositions would be so sweet,

that they would come to us so eagerly,

that they would ask to go home each time they flew out of their enclosure,

that that they would look us in the eyes when they "spoke"? 

Oh my, were are so happily surprised by how well these girls fit into our family.

So imagine how excited we were when, several days ago, we found this in the nesting box!

Our very first egg!  It was small, but ever so perfect.

The girly quickly ran to retrieve one of the dozen or so egg cartons that she has so thoughtfully collected for just this moment.

Our first egg was teeny compared to the large organic eggs we get at the store.

But we loved it nonetheless.

 

And now each morning (and afternoon - and sometimes in the evening) we check the coop for more eggs.

Sometimes we need to check again just moments later - just in case.

So imagine excited we were this morning when we opened the coop and found these three perfect teensy eggs.  Like little gifts wrapped in the most precious of packaging. 

Who knew how incredibly exciting it would be to lift this hinged door?

the fall cover

Lately, I've been thinking a lot about fall.  I love the colors of fall and the crispness in the air that it brings and I love snuggling under a cover with a good book.  (Side note: I recently finished this beautiful book and have started this book - i read his book The Corrections a while ago and loved it.

Back to the snuggling under the covers part...  I've also been thinking about covers and how they can be similar to - and different from - quilts.  For one thing, covers do not have to be quilted and this one is not.  

Here's my version of the fall cover:

So easy to make you could be napping under it in no time at all. (also great for pretend napping)

Cut a whole bunch of home decor weight fabric into 13" squares.  To compensate for the lack of quilting and batting I used home decor weight fabric - this cover is substantial and heavy.  I also decided on large squares to reduce the number of seams - again because there is no quilting to hold the layers together.   

Sew sixteen squares together creating a 4 x 4 foot cover.  Press seams to one side.

Sew another sixteen squares together for the back. 

Lay the front and back pieces right sides together and pin all four sides. (around the perimeter)

Machine stitch on all four sides with a 1/2" seam allowance - leaving a 12 inch opening for turning. 

Clip all four corners.  Turn cover right side out through the opening.

Press all four sides.  Topstitch around perimeter of the cover about 1/2 inch from the edge.

Here's a poor photo of the top stitching on the corners but you get the idea.

And there you have it - an easy, reversible cover perfect for fall snuggling.

Thank you fall!  You are my favorite season.

a beginning

After nearly three years of Taekwondo classes, training, tournaments and testings my boys have earned their black belts recommended.  This is just the beginning of their journey as they plan to earn their first degree black belts in December and then continue on to second and third degree black belts.  I am so very proud of both of both my guys for all their hard work and dedication.  And the best part for this mama is watching my kiddos work together, support, and encourage one another at every step.

Congratulations on this new beginning, my sweets - and I cannot wait to see where this journey leads you.

documenting

All three kiddos began school on Tuesday, September 7.  Everyone is thrilled with teachers, schedules, schools (Ezra is now in middle school!) but I have yet to find a moment for myself.  On Tuesday I drove the youngest two to elementary school and stayed at the school until noon sorting fundraising packets, organizing emails and PA announcements, and meeting with volunteers - because this year I am PTA vice president in charge of fundraising. I know, what was i thinking... but the school needed someone and I couldn't say no.  On Wednesday I did more of the same plus cooked a special Rosh Hashanah dinner to celebrate the New Year.  On Thursday I cleaned a bit and then prepared and cooked and baked and wrapped and decorated for Abigail's birthday on Friday.  Yes, my baby is now 6! 

My sewing space is almost organized again, my schedule is packed, and my day is an hour shorter because my middle schooler arrives home at 2:40 but I have missed this space and all of you terribly and my goal is to begin posting regularly beginning today.  

This is a catching up post - I'm easing back in slowly.  Just my kiddos and some food but I will be back soon with some making because I have so many ideas and things I want to try and I cannot wait to share!

Documenting the last BLT sandwich I made using the final batch of tomatoes from our garden.  Summer is over and all our tomatoes are done but I have this photo to remind me of all the yummy-ness we savored and of all the fun we had outdoors.

     

And speaking of fun outdoors...Here are two of my kiddos playing around after Abigail's color belt testing.

   

We also traveled to a taekwondo tournament in Raleigh, North Carolina last month and the kiddos had a great time competing and exploring in a new place.

This is a busy week for us because my boys will be testing or their black belts on Saturday and many an evening is spent in the studio perfecting their technique.

 

Documenting my littlest two getting off the bus on the first day of school.  Ezra got out of the car to be the first one to greet them.

 

Documenting my kiddos' reaction when I asked them how their first day of school went.

 

Documenting that I asked them to move to a spot with better light so that I could take a photo to send to the grandparents - but, as we all know, the staged photo is never as good as the impromptu one. 

 

Documenting that my baby is now 6!

 

Documenting that she received many wonderful gifts...

 

But none evoked more excitement that the rainbow streamer.

"Now I can be a real gymnast!" she screamed as she spun and twirled.

   

Documenting this moment so that we never forget that true joy lies in appreciating the simple things.

 

May you always find joy in twirling a rainbow ribbon, my sweet girl.

Documenting the joy this mama feels when she sees her kiddos sitting side-by-side, deciphering the instructions to a new game. 

Now enough with all the documenting - I'm heading off to do some makin' so that I have something new to share.

 

But before I go I must share how absolutely easy, quick (they bake in just 9 minutes), and yummy these Buttermilk Pudding Cakes are.  Mine are a bit darker because we used whole wheat flour.

Have a wonderful day!

growing

 

Summertime has always been synonymous with "growing".  And there's been lots of growing going on around here.  The chicks are now ten weeks old. 

They have done an enormous amount of growing.  Because at the start of summer these three week old girls looked like this.

 

 

 

Lots of growing going on in the garden.  

 

Growing berries for breakfast.

 

Picked fresh by a girly still in her pajamas.

And this eleven year old kiddo is growing up way too quickly.  I snapped this photo of him around 7pm the other night as I was preparing to send off the fundraising packets for their school.  Abigail was dancing to some not-so-quiet music and David was complaining about the fact that we were out of muffins.  Ezra made himself a sandwich and quietly stepped outside to eat it.  I watched out the window as he took deep breaths and savored the quiet - interrupted only by the sound of frogs croaking and an occasional bat flying over the pool to catch a mosquito.  I don't know how many years I have left in which this kiddo will want to talk to, and cook with, and give hugs to, and share what he's read with his mama. 

But I know he will never grow too big to love and care for his pets.  Years ago I taught our doggies to take walks off leash but these days they listen best to this boy.

 

And watching our sweet hens grow is giving us yet another chance to learn and grow and laugh together.

I have a feeling that these sweet girls will be providing our family with a lot more than just yummy eggs.  They are giving us hours of bonding time and many giggles.

How (or what) did you grow this week? 

I didn't mean to be away this long in 50

"A moment's insight is sometimes worth a life's experience."  - Oliver Wendell Holmes

50.  I did not intend to be away from blogland for this long.

49.  I have missed all of you - a lot.

48.  I initially decided to stay off the computer for the last two weeks of the kiddos' school year.  I had taken on many volunteer and event planning duties at the school as well as a PTA Chair position.  I wanted to do a good job and have everything run smoothly for the kiddos and teachers. 

47.  Ezra was graduating from elementary school and I became very emotional at how quickly my kiddos are growing up so I volunteered some more.

46. I am officially the mama of a middle schooler.

45.  Once school ended, I was so excited to have my kiddos home I wanted to spend all my time with them.  I love taking in all they have to share.

44.  I also began questioning all the time that I spend on the computer.

43.  Our days were spent playing, laughing, cooking and eating.  

42.  When we were done we'd cook and eat once more.   These kiddos are hungry.

41.  We also walk the doggies together each morning, care for our chickens, feed the hungry kitty, and play with the guinea pigs.    

40.  Then we drive to swim team and Taekwondo lessons.  And cook and eat some more.

39.  After a while I couldn't even think of anything to post.

38.  My husband works long hours, including many nights and weekends, as an emergency room doctor at the country hospital near our home.  We always try to spend the days that he is home together.

37.  Soon my sewing space became too hot and I couldn't sit still long enough to get any knitting done.

36.  I began feeling antsy and in need of a creative outlet so I decided to paint the walls in my house white.  I have wanted to do this for a long time.

35.  The kiddos and I headed to Home Depot for paint and supplies.  We listened to music and applied blue tape to every bit of molding.

34.  Then I went on a lengthy quest for the perfect shade of white paint.  Samples were purchased.  Swatches were painted on the walls.

33.  Then it happened.  I found the perfect color white paint and spent several late nights with my husband painting the dining room, kitchen and entry hall - the living room is next.

32.  Around here any activity involving a glass of wine and time alone in the evenings is referred to as date night so the husband doesn't mind helping out.

31.  I will devote a post and photos to my newly painted spaces soon.  But for those of you who can't wait the color is Ralph Lauren's Pocket Watch White which can be color matched in Behr paint at Home Depot (more on this later).

30.  I finally had something to post about and wanted to return to blogland when the kiddos and I had to pack up for our trip to visit friends.

29.  My wonderful husband stayed home to work and take care of "the farm."

28.  Our chickens are eight weeks old now and we absolutely adore them.  We love to watch them spread their wings and fly.  And I love watching my children's faces as they watch the chickens.

27.  We ended up buying a coop instead of building one as I had planned.

26.  This took some "letting go" on my part as I really wanted us to build the coop together as a family.

25.  I wasn't quite sure about the message I was giving my children when the guy pulled up to our house with the completed coop on the back of his truck.

24.  But summer schedules are unpredictable and my husband had to pick up several extra shifts for a colleague. We explained to the kiddos that the chickens needed a home sooner than we could have it built.  And that dad had to work extra to help someone else out.  And that we would use the extra money that dad earned to pay for the pre-built coop.  Not the same as building it ourselves but a lesson was learned nonetheless.  

23.  I had intended to write that I have guilt that we are raising our kiddos so far away from grandparents and family - and that their dad works such long and crazy hours.  I want to be fully present for them and can't bring myself to spend time on the computer.

22.  But in all truthfulness, I love spending time with my kiddos.  They are very funny and say the most clever things and we laugh a lot.  Guilt or no guilt, I would rather spend time with my kiddos than anyone else.

21.  This year my kiddos are 11, 9 and almost 6.  They are smart, witty, independent, stubborn, caring and always hungry.  The good news is that they no longer require naps, diaper changes, sippy cups, or that mama carry a giant purse.  The bad news is that they are growing up so very quickly - two more years and I will have a teenager.

20.  Who was it that said that when it comes to raising children the days often pass too slowly while the years fly by so fast? 

19.   Plus my kiddos do not fight or argue when they have my full attention.  A definite bonus.

18.  I'm glad I took this much needed break from the computer.

17.  But I truly missed all of you - and all that you have been up to.  And I cannot wait to start checking in.

16.  I regret not posting a quick message letting you all know that I would be taking a break. 

15.  It's just that I never planned to be away for so long.  Many evenings I planned to write a post but with the days so long the kiddos were going to bed later and later.  And once they went to bed there was still laundry to fold and dishes to be washed...  And around 9:30 pm my husband would come home from work and I wanted to spend quality time with him.

14.  Yesterday was our 18th wedding anniversary.  My husband is my best friend and marrying him was the best decision I ever made.

13.  Finding balance is important. Finding time for myself is important.  Spending quality time with my family is important.

12. Visiting your blogs is important. I began blogging to share sewing and knitting ideas and to learn from what you all are making.  But I soon realized that I learned the most from the way you are living your lives, nurturing your families, and raising kiddos.

11.  I am a better person and a better mother because of you and all you share. 

10.  Once I made the decision to keep the computer turned off - because let's face it, a quick email check can easily lead to a full hour spent surfing the internet - not blogging was easy.  But I couldn't stop thinking about all the friends I had made and wonder what you were up to.

9.  My kiddos have told me that they are glad I was spending so much time with them rather than blogging - even though I always did most of my making and blogging after they were in bed.

8.  However when Abigail saw me walking around with the camera she asked me if I wanted to take her photograph for my blog.  Kiddos!

7.  Balance is everything! 

6.  I have chosen to continue my blogging  - and living a thoughtful life - because the connections and friendships I have made here are valuable to me. 

5.  While I was away I  gave a lot of thought to the things that are most important to me.  The top three are definitely my children, my marriage and my home. 

4.  My mother worked outside the home while I was growing up.  But I am so very fortunate to have the financial opportunity to stay home with my kiddos. I have the time to truly listen to my children.  To always look them in the eyes when they are speaking.  Include them in family discussions.  Let them know that I don't have all the answers and that I'm still learning and growing.  Laugh with them.  Tell them stories about  my childhood.  Get down on the floor and play with them - even if they are preteens.  Especially if they are preteens.  Read to them and listen intently when they read to me.  Turn off the TV.  If they are watching a movie, I watch with them - preferably while snuggling under a quilt.  Go outside with them.  Play sports together - I now have a pretty good bank shot.  I also insist that they go outside with me to walk the dogs or help care for the chickens.  I have the time to tell them how very much I love them and how lucky I am that I have them. 

3.  My marriage is very important to me.  It is the foundation on which our family is built.  And it is through this relationship that we model love, respect and commitment to our children.  Greg and I make it a point to make time for one another.   To play with our children together.  We do have disagreements and we are thoughtful to talk through them in a respectful manner.  Sometimes we raise our voices  and have to tell the children that people who love each other do not always agree on everything.  But that we will always love one another and we will always remain married.

Greg and I do not go on many dates because hiring a sitter and driving an hour to the city to go eat out is not my idea of a fun evening.  Instead we prefer to turn off and put away all our hobbies and distractions and create a special environment at home with yummy food, wine and a netflix movie that we watch while snuggling.  For the past several years we have designated several nights a week as date nights at home - we mark these days on the calendar at the start of each month so that there are no excuses. 

2.  I have given a lot of thought to my feelings about our home.  We are still in the starter home we purchased eleven years ago and there are many things about our house that I would love to change.  Starting with our teensy kitchen and the lack of a fireplace.  We are looking at houses on the market but nothing has felt quite right.  In the meantime, home is where we create most of our memories and I want it to be a warm, comfortable and tidy space.  If you've ever watched the HGTV show Designed to Sell, you've seen that people like their homes much more once all their stuff and clutter has been cleared out.  Well I've decided to make our house 'designed to live in'.  I've cleared out all the things that weren't getting much use, including furniture,  and organized all that is left.  Having less stuff means less time spent cleaning and more time for playing and making.

1.  Enough with all this thinking and explaining.  I'm off to play with my family - and to visit all your spaces.

In the meantime,

"Don't ask what the world needs.  Ask what makes you come alive, and go do it.  Because what the world needs is people who come alive."  Howard Thurman

the (it's almost summer) weekend update

I realize that Monday is nearly over but I spent the day cleaning the house and restocking supplies (read grocery shopping).

The Bad:  The weather was either hot and humid or pouring rain

The Good:  so much of the weekend was spent in the pool.

The Good:  Abigail floating in the pool without a care in the world

The Bad:  while the boy refills his super soaker water shooter. 

(I do have a photo of what transpired next but I like to keep this blog a happy space - that way when I read over it years from now all the screaming and fighting will appear to be just a figment of my imagination.)

 

Most Clever:  Here's Remmy lounging under a tree canopy where he's safe from both intense heat and pouring rain.
 

The Best Alternative Use: mason jars make beautiful chick waterers. 
 

The Girls:  I'm in love with these twelve-day-old girls who are now able to fly right out of their brooder.  They grow so fast! I only have sixteen left and I am going to have major trouble giving the last batch to their people.
 

The Verdict:  The only green part left of the smoothies around here are the straws.  The kiddos didn't care for the spinach and really it wasn't enough to make a difference.  I find that if I wilt it down with a bit of olive oil and garlic they'll eat a whole bowl full of greens so we're back to these banana, frozen strawberry, watermelon and yogurt smoothies - a definite hit.
 

The Making:  I started the spicy fitted tee from this book.  I'm not sure why I chose to knit a summer tee in black using a thick wool but the pattern is simple and interesting and at the rate I'm knitting it'll be fall by the time i'm done.  Maybe I should knit long sleeves...
 

The Shade:  I spent a bit of time knitting under our Mimosa tree which is flowering right now with these awesome silky pink flowers.  I love the lacy shade canopy that this tree provides but is can get messy once hundreds of these blooms fall to the ground.

We also ate a ton of food (mainly outdoors and using our fingers), read many books, and flew lots of paper airplanes.   Seven school days remaining but it definitely feels like summer.

thankful on memorial day

Feeling so very thankful for the chain of events that brought these girls into our family. 

 

 

We ordered 30 day-old chicks to split with two other people.  One passed hours after arrival last Thursday and the other 29 are in two brooders in my laundry room.  I absolutely adore having them and playing with them and caring for them and just plain watching them grow - and these girls grow quickly.  They are seven days old and already testing out their wings!  We love our pets around here and we can already tell that these girls are going to fit in beautifully.
 

A big thank you to Abi Gayle of SpiderWomanKnits for all the wonderful information and advice on selecting chicks and constructing a brooder.  Blogger friends are the best!

And thank you so much to Kristyn for these awesome handmade + personalized note cards.  I love them.

Our taste buds are thankful for the garden that provides us with fresh green onions and dill to serve on  buttered potatoes at dinner.  (These are the green tops of our onion plants because I couldn't find chives this year.)
 

And grateful for bits of sewing time here and there that allowed me to finish up this large 6' x 6' quilt top.  I'll share more once I get some pictures of the completed quilt.

It goes without saying (however saying is often important) but I am most thankful for my family and friends and my home and dinner time with my family.  My favorite part of the day is during dinner when we go around the table and ask each of the kiddos to tell "What was the best part of your day?" and "What was the worst part of your day?"  Their answers often spark wonderful family discussions and other times we all laugh at how good we have it because the "worst part" wasn't that bad all.  Yes, I am very thankful for dinner time.

What are you thankful for this week?

brick pattern quilt and preping for chicks

Spring has kept me super busy.  We live on five acres and have tons of weeding, mowing, cleaning and gardening to do.  And we have been reading all we can and preparing for our chicks.  They shipped from here today are will be arriving very soon - we are so excited!  

Now on to some sewing and quilting.  In the last post I said I'd share some quick instructions on how to make a random brick pattern quilt like the one I pieced for Abigail.  This is a great beginner pattern because none of the seams have to match. 

 

First, Cut fabric, selvage to selvage, into 6 inch strips.  (The strips can be wider if you'd like  - just make sure they are all the same width)

 

Second, Cut strips into random sized rectangles.  I just lay the strips horizontally on my cutting mat, randomly position my ruler across the strip at any length between 5 to 14 inches and cut using a rotary cutter - no measuring.

 

Third, randomly sew rectangles together end to end into super long strips.  I place all my rectangles in a bowl, randomly pick up two rectangles and sew them together - I only throw them back in if they are the same fabric.

 

Fourth, cut pieced strip into desired lengths and sew these strips side by side to create the quilt top.  For instance, if you want a 5 X 4 foot quilt top, cut strips into eight 5 foot lengths and sew them together side to side. (you will need 8 strips because eight 6 inch strips make about 4 feet)

I'll illustrate this final step in my next post as I only had enough time to piece half my rectangles into one super-long strip.  We spent the rest of the time reading about chicks, watching you tube videos on raising chicks, shopping at Tractor Supply and Southern States and preparing a brooder.  Fun Stuff!

Happy Wednesday to you!

 

textured circle shrug

After months of knitting - or rather not knitting - I finally finish the textured circle shrug by Stefanie Japel. 

 

Now that it's done I have to admit that I really like it but I wouldn't have finished it if I wasn't knitting it along with Meg.  Check out Meg's awesome shrug.  Shortly after completing the back and first sleeve, I realized that this pattern was sized large and may not be as flattering as I had initially thought.  One night I even came close to ripping it and starting over but decided to just "make it work."  And now I'm glad I did.

I made two modifications to the pattern.  The first was to add twenty-five rows of 1x1 ribbing to the sleeves and the second was to eliminate all stitch increases in the shawl collar.  The pattern called for an increase of approximately fifty stitches and I made that second mod at the very last minute with the aid of a glass of wine and this great movie.  My only regret is that I couldn't share this mod with my friend Meg because she had already finished her shrug by that time.

It's still a bit 'saggy' in the back but I don't mind and I think I'll wear it often.

Pattern: Textured Circle Shrug

Yarn:  Cascade yarns 220 superwash, color 1918 (Shire)

Needles: US size 8 and 6

Size:  small

Mods: see above

All photo credits go to my eleven year old son. Here's my "pretending to be in a knitting magazine" shot...

But in reality I'm a huge dork who makes goofy faces when the kiddos are acting silly and can never remember to brush my hair.  Just keeping it real here in blogland.

And when uploading the photos onto my computer I found that Ezra had taken this shot of Abigail with my camera.  Hair uncombed, barefoot, with princess dress on backwards - that's how we roll out here in the country.

 

Hope you all had a wonderful Mother's Day!

going green

My kiddos have decided to help save the earth by reusing, recycling, and saving water and energy.  Today my five year old daughter even used the bathroom in the dark to save electricity!  We are also trying to use fewer paper products and to do my part I sewed some "paper" towels. 

 

Just cotton fabric sewn, right sides together, with an old towel.  Then turn right side out and topstitch along the edges.

These are much more absorbent than the dishtowels we are currently using.  But if we are going to stop using paper towels all together I'm going to need to make some more of these.

 
And speaking of green, my sweater/shrug is almost done blocking.

  

For dinner I added some green to our pasta with clam sauce.

Saute lots of garlic and basil in olive oil for several minutes.  Add two cans chopped clams (with liquid), chopped tomatoes, red bell pepper, and baby spinach leaves. Saute for five minutes.  Add salt and pepper to taste and toss with whole wheat angel hair pasta.  (I also added 1 cup of starchy pasta cooking water) Enjoy.

 

And mustn't forget all the green outdoors.  We added some fresh mulch and I set out the 'shine' stone that Lisa sent me last year.  All this green sure is making me smile.

Hope you are finding lots to smile about today!

from the weekend

Another weekend flew by way too quickly. 

 

Third strawberry was picked from our garden.  This one is for the girly.

 

She took it into her fort and away from brothers, for "safe eating."

 

This brother tends to the garden each day.

This Saturday he led his team to victory in the state annual Great Computer Challenge.

Then he climbed a tree.  Congratulations my sweet boy.

On the crafty front, just two long seed stitch rows from finishing my shrug.   

See you back here soon with some crafty stuff.  It's been five whole days since I've seen my sewing machine... but first I need to spend some time cleaning up around here.  Have a wonderful Monday!

  

the past couple days

These past couple of days have been rainy and windy with a bit of sunny thrown in and we've spent as much time outdoors as possible.

Playing with caterpillar friends.

  

Taking her doggy for a walk on the toddler trike because mama tried to donate it.

Loving my napkins and dish towel from Kim.  Thanks so much to Lisa for hosting the swap.  So much fun to make napkins for a new friend.

   

Putting said napkins to use right away.  (greek yogurt with honey and berries)

 

Enjoying a bit of sewing time.  More on this soon because I really did only have a wee bit of time.

 

Quilting my basted nine-patch.

The days seem to be passing so quickly lately that I don't feel that I get anything tangible accomplished.  It scares me to see how fast my kiddos are growing up and I am making every effort to fully enjoy them.  I want to have fun with my guys - to laugh, play and work with them, to listen carefully to all they have to say, and to make our home a happy place.  I have been feeling super thankful for all that I have, especially my family and friends.  I want to thank you all for the sweetest comments and kindest emails ever - you always brighten my day.

Hope you are having a wonderful Thursday!

working the land

We had a busy and exciting weekend full of sport's tournaments and competitions but each evening we could not wait to return home and "work the land."

 

We turned our old sandbox into a planter box and filed it with sweet onions and arugula and cherry tomatoes. 

 

Ezra and David took great pride in planting everything just so.

 

We liked our new bed so much that we built a second one for strawberries, cucumbers and more tomatoes.

I had to take a minute to let it sink in that my kiddos were growing up and had chosen to turn their play space into a garden.   We do live on five acres and they still have plenty of space in which to play but for the past ten years they have swung and climbed and jumped and dug and been pirates and super heroes in this space.  But today they are gardeners who are taking great pride in selecting and growing their own crop.  My kiddos are growing and that's a good thing.

Then we watered all our little seedlings and wished them to bear loads of yummy, healthy, fruit.

And then, just to show this mama that we are not all grown up just yet, we watered one another!  Good times.

In the meantime, I finished assembling the nine-patch quilt top only to realize that I have completed three quilt tops in the last month - all of which are patiently waiting to be sandwiched and quilted.  I better get to work.

But before I go I'd like to share that I just finished reading the book Lighting Their Fires by Rafe Esquith and I cannot recommend it highly enough.  

Hope you get a chance to work your land this week.  And if you think you don't have enough space watch this.

break in review

We're back from the beach and I spent the better part of today doing laundry, grocery shopping, feeding my family and driving to swim practice.  I'm glad I took pictures to remind me of how much fun we had because the chores and responsibilities begin the moment you walk through the front door.   Here are some vacation photos and I hope to be back real soon with a bit of making.                       

 





 

I call this photo, "country kiddos see elevator in the big city hotel."  Makes me so happy that they have this time to be kids and run through acres of woods with big sticks - there will be plenty of time to ride elevators when they're all grown up.

And now I'm off to catch up on what you all have been up to...  Happy Monday!

quilt + play

We're heading to the beach for a few days and the kiddos are packed and ready and giddy with excitement.

I started to put together a tutorial on piecing nine-patch blocks out of strips but life got in the way.

I'll have this quick and ever-so-simple tutorial all ready to go early next week. 

Hope you take the time to enjoy every moment that is Spring!

this monday

Today is a rainy day... and it's a Monday. 

But we had a wonderful weekend full of food, friends, sunshine, and many exciting outings in celebration of my guy's eleventh birthday.  Of course all those photos are on my point and shoot camera (which my husband accidentally took to work) so today I will share what I have.

 

This amazing kiddo, who whittled the wood to create this bo staff,  is smart and wise, positive yet realistic, caring and thoughtful, and an all around pleasure to parent.  He loves books and spends hours each day reading, he conducts research and sets up experiments to solve science and math questions, and these days he is passionate for the art of taekwondo.  On Saturday he turned eleven which means he is big now - but still young enough to want to spend time being silly with his mama.  And this mama could not be happier.

Happy Birthday my sweet eleven year old kiddo.

 

I finished his Spring cover just in time with some quick squiggly quilting and fun red binding.

Here's a close-up of the quilting and binding.  (all my cute photos are on the other camera)

I have been busy on the home front with sports tournaments, school events, another birthday to plan...  But I have so much I want to share with you including two small tutorials (because you asked) and a giveaway that will be hosted on another blog later this week.  I also received a beautiful blogger award from my friend Rose of Sand in My Yarn where I am supposed to tell seven interesting things about myself but I have been going so fast lately that the only interesting thing I can think of is that my current favorite snack is chai tea with bananas and walnuts - eaten together.  It's the perfect combination of sweet, spicy and crunchy. Yum.

And I'm sipping tea out of my new Liberty of London cup that I got at Target this weekend.  (the Target just happened to be across the street from the space museum where we celebrated Ezra's birthday and my kiddos were so exhausted from all the fun they didn't even complain - and even kind of enjoyed - a bit of shopping with their mama.) 

Happy Monday everyone!

pi + day

Today is 3.14 or Pi Day, as well as Albert Einstein's birthday, and so we celebrate with pie.

Greg and I have baked pies on Pi day for the past eighteen years.

Yes, we are geeky that way.  And we have been married that long.

This weekend began with rain.

But then the sun came out and off we went exploring.

Then Abigail and I went on a little shopping adventure while the boys were busy preparing for the big taekwondo tournament. 

 

First, we got these at the thrift store.  Love.

 

Then we filled them with these from Trader Joe's. 
 

And finally we got these because they made us smile. 

All in all, it was a very good Pi day! 

still here

The weather is warm.  The sun is out.  And I have barely seen the inside of my house this week.

Outside there has been chalk.

 

And more chalk.

Rock skipping.

Car climbing.

Chasing through the woods.

And many, many walks.

Inside it's been quiet.  I've been running errands, attending meetings, volunteering at school, driving to the orthodontist, preparing taxes, planning two birthday parties, and shopping for groceries - twice.   The highlight of my morning was the thirty minutes I spent knitting with one of the mama's that I volunteer with - she's a new knitter but she's fast and her stitches are so even that I will be helping her cast on for her first sweater next week.   So very exciting. 
 
Then home for a quick lunch (I had toast and avocado too) and off to assess the damage in my abandoned sewing space.

I cut the fabric for another apron.

And I browsed through my favorite quilt books for inspiration on piecing this fabric. 

Finally, I cut lots of this yummy home decor weight fabric in preparation for sewing birthday gifts for my boys.  If all goes as planned I will be sharing a tutorial for this super easy and quick project soon. 

Just to let you know, Kathy of Pink Chalk Fabrics is offering 50% off many home decor fabrics. 

another snow day or quilt top all done

I finished this quilt top.  It was inspired by this photograph of Leslie's vintage quilt.  Piecing instructions can be found here.

So while outdoors it looked like this:

Indoors it looked like this:

Here's a picture of my girlie claiming the quilt as her own.  Please don't mind the single pigtail and abundance of hair clips - she was in the midst of playing hair stylist when this photo op arose. And this girl of mine knows the importance of seizing the moment.

The quilt top measures about 58" x 72 inches.

Remy says, "Whoof!"  but what he really means is "I like you a lot and have a great day!"

See you all back here tomorrow - for some fun q & a and the giveaway winner.

monday wrap-up

We spent a fun, quiet weekend close to home.

I finished all twenty squares for this quilt. 

It took no time at all - which begs the question of why I let all those strips sit around my sewing room for months, mocking me every time I passed by them.  I will have to discuss this inability I have to complete a project with my therapist.  Oh wait, I don't have a therapist - instead I rely on blog friends to set me straight.  So why is it so difficult to finish something that you know will bring you so much joy when it is complete?

I hope to have it all in one piece tomorrow.  Really.

We read, played, checked out many books, and paid an overdue book fine (oops) at the library.

Then the girls shared a picnic while...

While the boys did ... whatever it is that boys do.  And why is it that the things that boys do always make this mama have to remind herself to breathe? 

Happy Monday friends.  And I hope you find the time to finish something fun today.

happiness

It's Sunday night and I'm feeling happy.

 

Happiness is kiddos who no longer ask what's for dessert. 

They already know we're having apple oatmeal cake  (topped with semi-sweet chocolate chips of course).

Happiness is knowing that no matter how much things change, kids' crafts remain the same. 

I got this circa 1974 craft book at our library book sale.

 

Happiness is spying my febrile girlie (who spent the day in her pajamas) enjoying some restful quiet time.

Happiness is playing with gorgeous, simple, handmade toys that entertain children of all ages. 

Because when kiddos tire of playing the intended game they make up their own rules and keep right on playing.  Thank you Tonya.

Happiness is the opportunity to play with super cool fabrics for this months 12 squared quilting bee.

Happiness is when my ten-year-old son takes a photo of me for no reason at all.

He borrowed my camera to take a picture of an ice crystal formation in the woods.  He said he took this picture because he wanted to know what i was thinking.  I told him that it was fifty degrees out, the sun was shining, my kiddos were playing a game in the woods, and the birds were chirping all around - and I was thinking how happy I was.

What is making you happy today?

recap

Valentine's day recap. 

Each of my kiddos received a mama-made message in a heart pillow.  These smell so yummy because they are stuffed with buckwheat hulls and lavender. 

I ended up writing each of the kiddos a larger love letter that didn't quite fit into this heart pocket.  But I intend to use the pockets for shorter and more frequent "i love you's" throughout the year.  

If you'd like to make one for your sweet, the tutorial for this pillow can be found in my circle of stones interview on Heather's lovely blog.

 

The boys loved their pillows.

 

The girl loved her pillow.  (apparently, they make excellent dance partners) 

I even spotted the pillows in use during a private brother conversation.

And then lovingly placed in a special spot.

 

It was a beautiful day filled with cooking and baking and the writing of many very special love notes.  My kiddos peppered their notes to one another with phrases such as "i love you with all my heart"  and "even though we fight I love you each and every single day."  What more could this mama ask for?  

The tulips were from my very special valentine - we later realized that this was our twentieth valentine's together.  Hope you had a beautiful weekend.

Happy Tuesday every one! (feels like a Monday to me because of President's day)

finding beauty

I would like to thank my dear friend, Heather, for including me in her beautiful Circle of Stones Interview series today.  Heather shares her thoughts in the inspiring blog, Shivaya Naturals, and I am honored to be interviewed by her.  Head on over to her space and check it out.

It's Friday!  We had an awesome week. 

We danced....

We followed trails...

We shoveled...

 

We tossed...

We 'made' friends....

We found treasures...

We searched for inspiration...

 

We found the sun...

 

We received packages....

(all this amazing goodness from Tonya at Natural Earth Farm.  find more goodness here.)

 

We prepared...

 

We found beauty in our messes...

We put down our thoughts...

 

I LOVE Fridays!

Where do you plan to find beauty this weekend?