Stitches in Play

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!)

 

giveaway in honor of rhythm of the home

For the last three days I have been suffering from the "icks" as we like to call them around here. Basically all the various flu symptoms but in a milder, gentler form because i did get a flu shot back in October.  Greg worked all weekend and my kiddos rose to the occasion and worked together to keep the house from becoming too much of a pigsty. And I even drove them to Taekwondo practice - kiddos received loads of exercise while mama sat in the car and watched though the window so as not to infect the innocent.  I woke up feeling much better this morning and headed right back to volunteer at the very place where I contracted the illness - my kiddos' school.

Enough about me.  The Spring issue of Rhythm of the Home launched yesterday and it is gorgeous and full of wonderful ideas and information.  I could not stop reading this piece on keeping free range bunnies - how awesome is that!  And under the section for 'warmth' you can find my article on using and making lavender drawer liners. 

These are so simple to sew and a great way to encourage kiddos to keep their belongings neat and put away.  

Now about you.  You can have your very own lavender drawer liner along with a heart tea towel for your kitchen.  I am giving away 2 sets  - just leave a comment on this post and I will announce 2 winners on Monday, March 7th.  There is also a giveaway on the Rhythm of the Home blog where you can win items donated by many of the contributors so be sure to leave a comment there too.  I had intended to donate my items to the ROTH giveaway but missed the deadline - enough said.

I hope you sew some of these - they will make your drawers (and clothes) smell wonderful.  My girly (she's six) now smells her underwear each morning before putting it on to "make sure the drawer liner is working properly!"  Quality control at its finest, people. They also make great gifts - my kiddos gifted these to their teachers for Valentine's day.

Have a wonderful Wednesday and don't forget to leave a comment for the giveaway!

 

random making

It's been busy around here. 

But when I have a moment I glance over at the daffodils and smile and breathe deeply.

And when I found  bit of time to 'make' I realized that I didn't have enough light hued solids to finish up my boys' quilts.

So I ordered some of these from here and here they are  - waiting for their turn in the washing machine. (oh, and the circle fabric is here)

So I used my bit of time to make some new pillows for our couch.

They match the quilt that we've been snuggling under.  I wrote about the quilt here.

Here's a pillow close-up:

It's pouring rain here today so I had to prop it right up to the window.  Just some 5" squares I had left over from the quilt and a bit of linen for the bottom.  I did some straight line quilting about a 1/4 inch from the seams.

For this pillow I randomly cut and inserted 3" strips of fabric into the pink background fabric.  It's the same technique I used here.  And some linen for the bottom. 

In between sewing the pillows I took a break with an Italian sandwich cookie - these are filled with the yummiest raspberry jam.

Last night Abigail took a little rest on this pillow and proclaimed it her favorite.  She asked not to be photographed but I snuck one in anyhow - years from now she'll thank me for having taken this.  (Right?)

 

Now all I need is to find some free time to settle down on the couch and sink back into my new pillows!  But with the weekend coming that is a lot easier said than done!

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!

green inspiration

Today I set aside a small bock of time to make Ezra's Valentine's day gift.  I had an idea in mind but things were not coming together as planned.  At one point I started over using different fabrics but when i began taking pictures of the half finished product it became clear that what i had created was not going to be Ezra's gift. 

I needed some inspiration, something to get the creative juices flowing again, anything to make me forget that i had just wasted two precious making hours.  I was still holding my camera when I decided to take pictures of things that were green.  I'm not sure why i choose green other than the fact that i was wearing a green sweater and it was the first color to come to mind.  So here goes...

 

 

And then it came to me...SOLIDS.  When sewing for a big boy, solid colored fabrics are the way to go.  Big, bold, bright blocks of color.  It's snowing tonight so let's hope tomorrow's not a snow day because i cannot wait to get started - again.

Seeking out the color green was so inspiring I will be doing this again - there are so many beautiful colors out there, just waiting to be photographed.....

stream of consciousness

Since I was last here...

Everyone in our home is healthy once again.

My kiddos are back in school after a four day weekend (our county is saving money by closing down the schools resulting in many long weekends). 

I truly enjoy having my kiddos home the extra days.  This weekend we visited the space museum. We visited the library and read new books in our pj's.  We watched this visually stunning film - i just love streaming movies through netflix.

I have been knitting a bit.  A cardi for Abby.

I have been sewing a bit.  I'll be able to share soon.

I have been snacking a lot.  I like to eat my food directly off the cutting board.  It's fun and there are fewer dishes to wash. (that's goat cheese on the crackers - yum.)

I have been folding laundry while listening to the soundtrack from this wonderful movie.  I recommended this film a while ago but it's definitely worth repeating.  Watch Once first - you won't be disappointed.

I took a nature walk on a rainy morning.

 

 

Since I don't have any completed projects to share and nothing earth shattering (thank goodness) has transpired I thought I'd share some random things about me:

I love a long, hot shower.  I rarely take baths.

I drink a lot of this tea.  Often times I sneak in a second tea bag - this is my current favorite.

My favorite thing to eat with tea is almond biscotti.

For the past several weeks I've had the music of April Smith and Tarja Turunen in heavy rotation. 

My kiddos and I love listening to Vitamin String Quartet - they play some awesome Lady Gaga without any of the offensive lyrics.  Check out all their albums here.

In the past month I have slept in a white tee so that I could just throw on a coat when I drive Ezra to the bus stop at 7am.  I have also worn boots so that I wouldn't have to change mismatched socks.

I could live on brown rice, black beans and salsa...

With blueberry mango smoothies to wash it down. (I buy frozen blueberries and frozen mango chunks at Trader Joe's and blend them with a banana, vanilla yogurt and a bit of water)

For the past two weeks I have written grocery lists and forgotten them on the fridge.  Both weeks I managed to buy everything on them except for cinnamon.  I must admit that our french toast, granola and cookies have been lacking. 

I feel good when my hands and feet are moisturized. 

I think I may be growing my hair out.  Either that or i just haven't bothered to get it cut in a while.

I love to paint my toenails but I don't paint my fingernails.

I cannot hear myself think when the television is on - at least I hope I am still thinking.  I do not feel the same about watching movies.

I try to take my contact lenses out right after dinner - but I often forget.  My eyes do not thank me for this.

I feel truly thankful for my husband.  Not a day has gone by since March 1991 that he hasn't told me how much he loves me.  I know that he means it because he always looks me in the eyes and smiles when he tells me. 

Having too much stuff makes me nervous.  Each time I bring something new into the house I cannot help but think about how I will have to dust, wash, store or otherwise care for yet another thing.

I am happiest when the sun is shining - even if it's really cold out.

I feel blessed to have all our pets. (we have 2 dogs, 1 cat, 2 guinea pigs and 9 chickens)  I talk to them when I have a problem to work out, I get exercise when they take me along on their walks, I breathe more deeply when I stroke the soft feathers of our hens.

Every morning for breakfast I eat eggs moments after they are laid by our hens.  They are the most delicious eggs I have ever tasted. 

Most nights I read for 30 minutes before going to bed.  I wish I could knit and read at the same time.  But I choose to read because knitting often involves watching television.

At times the computer makes me feel anxious.  On one hand I want to know what all my friends are up to and I want to share what I have been doing.  But I also want to spend that time making and knitting and reading. 

I received this book in the mail today and I cannot wait to read the ending to this amazing story.

I don't have an electronic reader.  My husband has one and has offered to download a book for me so that I can try it out.  But I am not ready yet. 

I purchase way too many books.  They take up a lot of room.  I think I will try the e-reader for my next selection. 

I think better, and feel more creative, when I put pen to paper.  I have started keeping all my making ideas in notebooks.  I also doodle little sketches in the margins.  Somehow typing just isn't the same. 

I feel best on the days I make it to the gym.  I have more energy, walk straighter, sleep better and stay healthier when I work out.   I wish I had the discipline to exercise at home but I don't.

I haven't gone to the gym as often as i like this winter because I have been "too busy."  But after reading this wonderful post I plan to slow down, take my time, and get more done!

Hope you take your time and get more done 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!

about giving and making

With my kiddos home for the long weekend, spring fund raising in full swing at their school, and a taekwondo competition on the horizon I've had a full week. 

And with Valentine's Day coming up in just a few short weeks I've been thinking a lot about 'giving' once again.  And of course with giving comes making - oh, how I love the making that proceeds the giving! 

Yesterday I was puttering about in my sewing space, gathering materials for my kiddos' Valentine's gifts when I spotted this gorgeous skein of Koigu wool that was gifted to me by Jennifer. 

At some point during this past Hanukkah/Christmas season I realized that I wasn't going to be able to complete a handmade gift for everyone on my list so I turned to my friends for help.  I was so excited to find that Jennifer included this yummy merino wool (just for me) along with the handmade goodness from her shop. 

And very quickly the wool became this.

Which I wore like this.

I love it so.   

Bracelet inspired by one I spotted in a knitting book on our last bookstore trip.

I jotted down: CO 55 stitches.  Seed stitch for 12 rows.  YO buttonhole.

If you know which book this is from please let me know.  I have many such notes that I jot down in the sweetest little notebook gifted to me by another great friend.

The best part is that I have plenty of yarn left for lots more making! Now all I need to do is find more time!

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.

before i clean

This week has been full of cleaning and clearing out to make room for delivery men.  Last week my oven died and I spent Tuesday waiting for the delivery guys - who then spent three hours banging on my cabinetry to try to get the new oven to fit into my old wall unit.  They managed to make it fit, but not before cracking the cabinet ever so slightly and scratching up the adjacent wall! (time to get out the paint again.)

About this same time I finally admitted defeat over my washing machine and ordered a new washer and dryer set.  Our fifteen year old washer was so cracked and out of balance that I have been washing all our clothes on delicate cycle for months in order to keep the spin cycle from spinning our machine right through the wall!  The washer and dryer arrived yesterday, delivered by two young men with a very deep-rooted fear of dogs.  They refused to unload my new washer and dryer until my dogs were locked inside the house.  It then took a lot of convincing (and some cash) to get these young men to actually bring my appliances into the house!  But it did give me an opportunity to show off how well-trained my doggies are - I demonstrated how both Sally and Remy sit, down, roll over (Sally's really too old and heavy to roll over but she frightened the delivery guys nonetheless!) and come on command.   I did all this wearing an apron (read on...) with nine hens cackling in the background and these Sears (in the big city) delivery guys - who were watching me from the truck platform five feet off the ground - must have thought I was some insane county lady who doesn't get out much.  I am fine with that because they quickly lowered the truck platform and brought in my washer and dryer - if only to get the heck out of the country!  If only they knew how much fun we have around here...

Now that I have all that off my chest, it's time to share some making.  It's January again and January just makes me want to sew aprons. 

This is the month that every magazine and newspaper article tells us we need to clean, organize and declutter our homes.  But before you begin such an undertaking it is important to have the right tools. And because I believe in making my own tools (especially in lieu of cleaning) I sewed some aprons. This is my no seams exposed apron - from last January - with a couple modifications.

Notice the cute bow in front.  I sewed this using four 41 x 8 inch strips described in the tutorial.  This version requires one full yard of fabric for the ties, bottom hem and pocket plus a 26 x 18 piece for the apron body. 

Three of the strips became the ties and the other strip was used for the bottom hem and pocket. 

To sew the pocket:  You will have about 15 inches of the fourth strip left over after you cut a 26 inch length for the bottom hem.  Take this 15 x 8 inch piece and fold it in half, right sides together, and sew around the perimeter, leaving a small opening for turning.  Turn right side out through the opening and press flat.  You will have a 7 x 8 inch reversible rectangle.  Lay this where you want it on the apron and sew down leaving the top open. There you have it - a pocket.

Now tie on your apron, pour yourself a cup of tea, and sit down with a good book while you ponder which room to tackle first.  If you are expecting an appliance delivery I suggest you don some pearls to complete the look!  (I had actually just returned from an awards assembly at my kiddos' school but I'm sure the pearls made me look that much more "loony lady".)

Have a fabulous weekend, everyone!

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! 

holiday wishes

 

From our home to yours...

i wish you joy.

i wish you wonder.

i wish you peace.

i wish you merriment.

(thanks to Dani for the button snowflake inspiration)

i wish you warmth.

 

i wish you simplicity.

i wish you wisdom.

i wish you find a bit of magic.



(crocheted trees from Tonya)

I wish you the most wonderful of holidays spent with those you love. 

 

 

the soup and a shawl and forty

Today I turn forty.  I am super excited. I am healthy, I have a wonderful family, the greatest friends, I feel joy in my heart and (on most days) a spring in my step.  Today I picked pajamas off the floor and thought how fabulous it is that my girly still can't seem to pick up after herself because this mama can use the extra squats to keep her backside in shape!  Delusional or not, I am happy to be my age and look forward to an awesome year...beginning with my cake!  (I wrote this on sunday and will post photos of me and my cake as soon as I eat some tomorrow.)

Now back to the busyness (I mean business) of serious blogging.

For those of you who showed interest in my mushroom soup recipe from Thanksgiving and patiently waited more than a fortnight for me to finally get around to posting I have the recipe - proceeded by a small disclaimer. 

  

Disclaimer: I make soup at least once a week (often twice) when the weather is chilly.  I rarely use a recipe as I have found a cooking "method" that works for me and that my family will eat.  No matter what type of soup I'm making I always begin the same way - by sauteing the veggies in olive oil and then adding broth and leftover chicken or meat or beans.  Thus, this is less of a mushroom soup "recipe" and more of a "method" for making whatever kind of soup you like.  I usually use trader joe's organic chicken broth for most of my soups but mushrooms go best with beef stock.

Mushroom Soup  - the Method

olive oil (enough to generously coat bottom of large soup pot)

1 large onion, diced

8 oz carton mushrooms, sliced

4 oz package mixed dried mushrooms (i got mine at trader joe's)

Saute onion and mushrooms in olive oil on high heat for 5 minutes.

2 carrots, sliced

2 stalks celery, sliced

       2 cloves garlic, minced

1 turnip, sliced

Add above 4 ingredients and saute 5-7 minutes more. (this gives the soup a ton more flavor than simply tossing them into broth to boil). 

2 -32 oz. cartons beef stock/broth

3 cups water

5 small red potatoes, diced

Add beef stock, water and potatoes and simmer 15 minutes.

leftover chicken breast, shredded  (optional)

1 bunch rainbow chard, sliced

Add chicken (if using) and chard and simmer 5 more min.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  Enjoy.

Note:  do not omit the dried mushrooms - they impart the most wonderful flavor and smell to this soup.  Also, there is no need to rehydrate dried mushrooms if you are using them in soups.

Soup Tip:  Leftover soup of any kind tastes great ladled over a bowl of pasta or steamed rice - and satisfies the needs of all the carb lovers at my house!

But wait; there's more. 

I knit this super simple, super cute shawlette.

This is the storm cloud shawlette pattern by ever green knits.  I knit the ruffled version shown in blue but modified the pattern a bit.  To create the ruffle I knit into the front and back of each stitch followed by 8 rows of garter stitch.  There are a lot of stitches here but this small shawl knits up quickly and it's a perfect beginner project - just knit stitches and yarn overs.

I used 2 skeins Noro Kureyon wool left over from this sweater and half a skein of Rowan Pure Wool for the ruffle. (about 300 yards total)

Pattern: storm cloud shawlette

Yarn: 2 skeins Noro Kureyon &  half a skein Rowan Pure Wool  (300 yards total)

Needles: US size 8

Mods: for ruffle I knit into the front and back of each stitch followed by 8 rows of garter stitch (not elongated garter like the pattern suggests).

Finally I learned that I am not the only one getting older around here.  My girly, who turned six in September, is a very big girl and requires a size 8-10 sweater.  And nothing will bring a knitting mama back to the reality of how big her kiddos are getting like ripping an entire sweater (i had been ripping for a while when i stopped to take this picture).  So this year I vow to live each day with purpose, to have joy in my heart, and to be present with my kiddos because the years are passing way too quickly.  I also vow to knit my girly more sweaters now - before she gets even bigger and her sweaters take longer to knit - or heaven forbid she asks to borrow mine!

"Happiness is a sort of atmosphere you can live in sometimes when you're lucky. Joy is a light that fills you with hope and faith and love."  - Adela Rogers St. Johns

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!

the sweater recipe

Thank you so much for all your kind comments about my latest knit.  I must admit that I love it too because it is so simple and versatile that I can wear it all the time.  In fact I'm wearing it right now.  It is super warm and the color is great for winter.  It also doesn't hurt that this jacket looks good with my mama uniform - jeans and white tee.

This sweater began it's life as the featherweight cardigan.  But by the time I got around to knitting it, cooler weather was coming so I decided to use a bulkier and warmer wool.  This is Peruvian Quick in color # 9137.

I cast on 48 stitches divided them 1 front (pm) 6 sleeve (pm) 34 back (pm) 6 sleeve (pm) 1 front and knit the top-down recipe in the pattern.  I increased at the markers until I had about 38 stitches between the sleeve markers, then separated the sleeves onto scrap yarn, and continued knitting to desired length.

I used a US 9 knitting needle which is smaller than the US 11 recommended for this yarn in order to get a tighter knit resulting in a sturdier jacket that doesn't stretch out too much.

The bottom edge and cuffs are done in a twisted knit stitch (just knit through the back loop).  I attempted a knit stitch collar but some things are better ripped and forgotten.  The tried and true 1x1 rib looks so much better.

I love top-down knitting because it allows me to try the sweater on and get the length of the sweater and the sleeves exactly where I want them. 

Pattern: Featherweight Cardigan

Yarn: Peruvian Quick, color 9137 (Plum)

Needles: US size 9

Size:  small, had to adjust guage for bulkier wool (see above)

Mods: added length, twisted knit for cuffs and bottom edge, long sleeves, 1x1 rib for collar

Abigail was sitting by me and reading while I was weaving in the ends.  As the snipped ends piled up she said, "Can I have these?  I can make something cool out of these."

She gathered the necessary supplies - which always include tons of glue and scissors - and worked her magic quickly.  No more than ten minutes later she was writing dialogue for this family of "sweater monsters."  The one on the right has a "weird face"  because it's the family pet, she explained.  In case you were wondering, Ezra built them a curtained stage out of a box and Abby's production was brought to life with the help of her brothers.  Things got very loud when the monsters got their lines wrong (most likely on purpose) and at one point the director stormed off stage and went to her room but we had a blast and making toys out of wool scraps was a wonderful way to spend our Black Friday.

I'm off to get some stuff ready for more Hannukah fun tonight - which will be celebrated early to make time for back to back Taekwondo classes.  We played so hard and had so much fun last night that it will be hard to beat.

See you back here soon with the mushroom soup recipe! 

May your day be full of joy.

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! 

 

makin' treats

Two out of three kiddos are exchanging halloween treats in school this Friday.  There will be cupcakes and candy galore so we decided to combine:

ribbon...

with stickers and gift tags...

to make bookmarks for all.  We need 42 bookmarks in total so I will be making lots more of these tomorrow - good thing they are quick and fun to make!

The middle schooler, who no longer has classroom parties, made one bookmark for himself and then created this arrangement on the kitchen table.  Birds are Martha Stewart crow silhouettes.

What are you handing out to friends or classmates this halloween?

kitty, curtains and quinoa

I noticed that kitty is having trouble getting a good day's rest in my bed.  I figured it may be due to all the light that's streaming though the nearby window.

So I sewed curtains for our bedroom out of this great fabric adorned with orange birdies.  (Fabric is Dolce by Tanya Whelan)

Kitty loves his new curtains.  Photos coming as soon as the sun comes out.  In the meantime, It's Monday so my kiddos are home and we're off to our favorite hiking trail in the park.

On an unrelated note, for the past year I have cut down on my meat consumption by not eating meat for breakfast or lunch.  I've been trying to come up with quick, healthy and yummy meat free meals.  We eat lots of beans and rice + roasted veggies.  I also eat eggs on whole wheat toast + salad.  I recently discovered (quite by accident) that a thinned down hummus makes a thick and creamy salad dressing full of fiber and protein.  Just blend a can of garbanzo beans with its liquid, a couple tablespoons of olive oil, juice of 1 lemon, 1 garlic clove + salt and pepper until smooth and pour over your favorite salad.

Above is our lunch of quinoa cooked in chicken broth + stir fried napa cabbage, carrots, bell peppers, onions and garlic.  Quinoa is a healthy substitute for rice and the cabbage mixture is my version of a deconstructed egg roll - all the filling without any of the wrapping or frying.  I'd love to hear about your quick and meat free go-to lunches.

Happy Monday to you!

i sewed a table runner

This Sunday Dad and the boys went to a nearby field to meet up with some other boys and fly their remote controlled planes.  While they were away the girls set the table in anticipation of the yummy Chinese food that said boys would bring home upon their return.

But setting the table for such a feast is no simple task.  First mama and the girl had the clean up the Monopoly game that was occupying the entire table.  They joked about how it had become their favorite game since the girl learned to count money, give change, and purchase the properties that had eluded her brothers so that she could sell those same properties back to them for far more than their true worth.  They then fetched the "chicken plates" that they purchased at tjmaxx over the summer.  (Mama and the girl are aware that these plates do, in fact, depict roosters but around here it's all about the girls and hence they are referred to as the chicken plates.)  Then the girl set out the John Derian insect tumblers that she insisted mama get the moment she spied them at target.  Because she was convinced that simple milk and juice would taste magical when consumed from a cup bearing the image of a ladybug and butterfly. This proved to be true.

Once the table was set, mama and the girl felt it was a bit bear.  So they sewed a table runner.  Out of some fun fabric that mama has had on a shelf for a year - maybe two.  And they made it reversible because the girl found that the yellow fabric would compliment the gourds and mini pumpkins on the table that she loved to arrange and rearrange over and over until they were just so.

The girl also thought that some felt leaves would add the perfect touch to the fall table awaiting Chinese food.  So she and mama cut leaf shapes out of felt and the girl arranged them on the runner, just as she had her pumpkins.  Mama considered sewing down the leaves but decided that doing so would make the table runner more difficult to launder.  And in the world of accidents, spills and mishaps in which this mama resides, easy laundering is of utmost importance. 

After all, beauty is in the simple things.  And in quick projects, crafted with eager kiddos that create lasting memories.  And that is why I sewed a table runner. 

since i was here last

I didn't mean to be away for this long.  But I have been sick - fever, stomach, headache, sicker than I have been in years sick.  I'm much better today.

Here's a photo of my nightstand.  I'm hoping to spend a few moments with that yarn today but if all I manage to get done is drinking the orange juice and getting to the grocery store I will be grateful. 

Since I posted last I have been:

Volunteering a ton with the school fundraiser.

Logging hundreds of orders and the accompanying checks, cash and change.

Wondering why people would pay for a fundraiser item with envelopes full of change or rolls of quarters.

Figuring out how to prepare dinner for my children without touching the food too much so that they don't catch this yucky virus.

Making yummy soup out of leftover macaroni, a store bought roasted chicken, chicken broth from trader joe's, and the only three veggies in the fridge.

Before I became sick on Monday night I spent the weekend:

Eating a wonderful picnic lunch with my kiddos and friends after Hebrew school.

Laughing about how all our kiddos have gotten so big - either that or the park equipment has seriously shrunk.

Sharing some stash yarn with a good friend.

Designing a knitting pattern.

Recycling in the most wonderful of ways.  Between the hens and the guinea pigs we have not thrown out a scrap of food in months.

Getting my hair cut.

Drinking hot chocolate with my kiddos at the coffee shop while waiting for the next taekwondo class to begin.

Doodling messages on the paper napkins while we waited for our drinks to cool down.

Watching my kiddos enjoy their taekwondo classes.  In addition to taking their black belt classes, my boys now help teach the younger students and I love how patient they are and how they always remember to say "good job" to the students after they get their forms right.

Visiting a wonderful art fair exhibit with my kiddos.

Loving that they had so many hands-on exhibits for the children to touch and create.

Grateful I was able to purchase a small piece of art for each of my kiddos.  Ezra chose this carved wood "bud vase."  The minute we arrived home he set out into the woods in search of the perfect tree branch.  Then he arranged it just so on the desk in his room.  He has since told me numerous times how much he loves it and how happy it makes him each time he looks at it.

Enjoying more quality time with my kiddos.  This year, due to budget cuts, they do not have school on two to three Mondays per month.  We spent the day...

Playing chase through the woods.

Riding our bikes around the neighborhood.

Collecting leaves in our pockets.

Carving and whittling in pink safety glasses.

Organizing our art/craft/school work drawers.

Stopping by the store for some Halloween decorating supplies.

Pausing for turtles crossing the road.

Thinking how thankful I am for all the wonderful comments you left on my last post.

Hoping that I had more than one cover to give away.

But this cover is going to dani@little fists who wrote:

 

Oh, I'd love this! Thank you, thank you, thank you for the chance!

There are so many great blogs out there...here are a few that I love:

Cherry Tomato: http://cherrytomato.typepad.com/cherry_tomato/

Mandy Gerth: http://mandygerth.blogspot.com/

Elsewhere Living: http://elsewhereliving.typepad.com/my_weblog/

Tip of the iceberg, I know.

 

I'm off to restock the fridge before Ezra gets home in a little over an hour.  There are 1,440 minutes in a day - hope you enjoy each and every one.

giving away my cover

Remember this fall cover from serveral posts back?

Well turns out that, in my excitement over a new fall sewing project, I cut way too many fabric squares. 

So the other night I sewed all those squares together into rows.  Then I sewed the rows into three more fall covers.

And it just so happens that, while the rest are spoken for, I have one cover to give away.

So just leave a comment on this post by midnight on Tuesday October 12 for a chance to win. 

And to mix things up a bit please include in your comment the name of a crafty/decorating blog that you find inspiring.  This does not have to be your favorite blog of all time - just one that you enjoy and would like to share.  The goal is to create a small reference list of inspirational goodness that we can all enjoy.

I will start this list off by sharing a new-to-me blog that I have found very inspiring.  Go check out Made by Joel to see why.

Have a wonderful weekend!

And look at all this goodness that spilled out of my trader joe's bag today...

Happy Fall to you all!

seeking beauty

It's cold and it's raining.  In fact, it's been raining for nearly a week.  I set out today to take pictures of some fall decorating in the dining room but my house was dark.  I intended to share a new project but there wasn't enough light to take photos.  So I took my camera out in the rain - in search of beauty and inspiration...

 

 




 

And look what all this rain brought us...  The following photos were taken on Saturday, during a much needed break from the rain.
 



 

Besides getting to devour all these veggies, this rain has been a great excuse for ignoring all the weeding and mowing that needs to be done.  This weekend, when I wasn't driving the kiddos to taekwondo, or Hebrew school, or a birthday party I focused on getting the inside of my house ready for Fall.  Because, rain or shine, Fall is my favorite season.

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.

inspired

Although the temperatures are still in the mid 80's around here, there is a definite crispness in the air and obvious signs of fall cover the ground.  And of course, I am thinking of all that I can make to use in this impending season.

 

I always begin my "making" process with some color inspiration.

I bought these books over the summer and the kiddos and I have had so much fun selecting colors and coloring famous works of art.  This is also a great way to learn about how colors work together.

Next I cut up some home decor weight fabric for a very simple - yet gift worthy - project.

This 'inspired by fall' making is nearly complete and I will be back to share very soon.

How is this change of seasons inspiring you?

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!

painted house

I painted the rooms in my house white. 

Ralph Lauren's Pocket Watch White (#WW01) to be exact.  It's a clear, warm white that doesn't feel yellow and it looks great with all the wood molding.  The Home Depot no longer carries Ralph Lauren paint but they have all the colors in their computer and can color match any RL color in Behr paint.

I've wanted to paint every surface in my house white for a while now and then I found this vase at TJMaxx for nine dollars. Its sense of laid back sophistication spoke to me and I was immediately inspired to bring this same feeling to my home.

 

We've been savoring ever bit of summer around here so I've only had a chance to declutter the house and paint and there's not much to look at.  Plus it's nearly impossible to photograph a white wall - there's nothing for the camera to focus on.  But the fact that I took a bunch of boring, poorly lit photos of my walls is not going to stop me from writing a post - because I am a blogger and I will "make it work." (Project Runway reference and I'm loving this new season - but I digress.)  So here goes:

Kitchen table area painted white...

Family room painted white...  (no artwork on the walls yet)
 

Dining room (love how the color compliments the not-so-attractive molding)...
 

Entryway...
 

And while I was painting the walls I decided that we needed shelving by the kitchen table to help us stay organized and to keep clutter off the table so I painted an old black bookcase.  I used Ralph Lauren Basalt (VM121) which is a white color with just the slightest hint of blue. 
 

Then I stocked the shelves with items that we use everyday - those items that constantly end up on the kitchen table and have to be cleaned up before we can sit down to eat. 
 

Thus far, the shelves hold:
 

A basket for extra napkins,
 

votive candles for dinner, 

Chai tea bags and turbinado sugar for mom,

More candles and canning jars that we use for just about everything - from vases to candle holders to drinking cups to pencil holders. 

 

silverware for setting the table,
 

some plates and bowls,
 

notebooks and pencils (these never had a home and had to cleared off the table before nearly every meal),
 

must-read magazines,

 
And this vintage glass hen dish that I thrifted several weeks ago.  Because all these useful, practical, functional items were getting a bit too serious and this hen adds just the right amount of whimsy.

So there you have it - the "painted house in progress" tour.  I'll post more as I add pieces, paint anything else that holds still long enough, and otherwise decorate.  In the meantime, hope you find a way to add some whimsy to your days.

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!

 

quick projects

My girlie asked for a "cover" to wrap her bear in.  You see Berry ("spelled like the berry in strawberry, mama - and not like the beary in brown bear.") doesn't have pajamas and is cold at night.  How could this mama possibly say no to keeping sweet Berry warm?

So we picked some fabric, cut it into strips, and pieced together a cover.

 

Even the kitty likes how it turned out.
 

This design is so simple and super quick to sew because it is pieced randomly and none of the points match.  I'll be back in the next couple days with some quick instructions on how to make one of these random brick pattern quilts.
 

 

The best part about this cover is that it also doubles as a super hero cape!

 

My husband was home today because he will be working all weekend and we spent a few minutes cleaning up the garden and "picking" our lunch.  This is our lunch at 11:45 am.

 

Lunch at 11:50 am.
 

Lunch at 12 noon.

(Arugula sauteed with olive oil and garlic served over leftover quinoa and corn.)  

Hope you find some quick, easy and satisfying projects today!

had I not

This week sped by way too quickly. 

I met a friend for lunch and then tagged along to a nearby antiques/thrift store as she searched for a farmhouse table.  We saw some great pieces and I took lots of pictures.  But the prices were quite high and neither of us got anything.

 
    
 

Then on my way home I stopped by a local thrift store and spotted this 14 piece glass dish set for $15 and I had to get it.  It was so cheery and sparkly and well priced.  And absolutely perfect for summer ice cream sundae parties.   I don't think I would have wanted it so had I not spent time in the pricey antiques store, but things happen for a reason and I am so glad that these dishes came home with me.

 

I played around with a pattern for the hundred-or-so triangle blocks that I pieced.  And I would have been happy with this zigzag pattern had I not come across this fun configuration on flickr.  Which would you choose?
   
 

And had I not entered Imene's hand dyed wool giveaway I wouldn't have won this awesome skein of yarn and these lovely hand crafted stitch markers.   Thanks so much Imene - I love them!

 
And now for the most round about had-I-not of all...  The other day I met a real estate agent to view a house that, judging from online photos, seemed perfect for our family but was put off by the long and muddy dirt road that led to the property.  I came home a bit disappointed and began perusing decorating blogs for some inspiration on how to make our kitchen function better. (Reading blogs always makes me feel better)  I clicked on some links and ended up on this great blog.  Then I read this post on their family's awesome portable chicken coop.  I followed the link, showed my husband, and we immediately agreed that building the Catawba coop would be the perfect way to keep chickens on our property.   We cannot wait for the instructions to arrive so that we can begin building our coop - and order our chicks! 

If you are still reading this had I not gone to view the house I may never have found the home and harmony blog.  Had I not found the blog I might not have come across these portable coop instructions and had we not found the portable coop we would not have gotten chickens because we don't want to clean out a traditional coop and we have too many animals out here in the country to allow chickens to free range.  Bottom line is that my kiddos are so very excited.

Oh yeah, and had I not met my friend for lunch in the city I would not have been by Trader Joe's and we wouldn't have this big bowl of yummy organic fruits to munch on.  I also got organic frozen berries for smoothies, naan bread, strawberry kefir, and chocolate orange sticks and spicy dried mango.  Yum.

 
 

Have a wonderful weekend full of adventure...you never know where your path will lead!

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!

noticing

"All there is to thinking is seeing something noticeable, which makes you see something you weren't noticing, which makes you see something that isn't even visible."  Leo Strauss

Noticing beauty in the ordinary....

 

noticing how much i love all the little stars lined up along the rim of the jelly jars that hold our silverware. 

noticing all the pollinating action on the azaleas.  

noticing that a nine patch quilt top would make an awesome rug on my floor.

noticing how keeping my dryer sheets in a pretty dish provides just the motivation i need to transfer the laundry into the dryer.

noticing that reading these books in bed each night has caused me to dream of painting every surface white.

 

noticing how many compliments I receive when i wear this dottie vintage bag created by Beki.  Jeans, white tee, gray scarf and this purse = very stylish.

Have a wonderful weekend!