Stitches in Play

seeking flow

“Most of us spend many hours each week watching celebrated athletes playing in enormous stadiums. Instead of making music, we listen to platinum records cut by millionaire musicians. Instead of making art, we go to admire paintings that brought in the highest bids at the latest auction. We do not run risks acting on our beliefs, but occupy hours each day watching actors who pretend to have adventures, engaged in mock-meaningful action.

This vicarious participation is able to mask, at least temporarily, the underlying emptiness of wasted time. But it is a very pale substitute for attention invested in real challenges. The flow experience that results from the use of skills leads to growth; passive entertainment leads nowhere. Collectively we are wasting each year the equivalent of millions of years of human consciousness. The energy that could be used to focus on complex goals, to provide enjoyable growth, is squandered on patterns of stimulation that only mimic reality.”

Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi  Excerpt from Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience

Spent time this week clearing out the things that get in the way of play, imagination, creativity and peace of mind.  Now we have the room find flow through engaging in activities that bring us joy and challenge us.

thank goodness all the colors go together

Last week I finished the star blocks for this quilt but realized I didn't have enough white kona cotton for sashing.  So I ordered the white kona and waited...

Then I chain pieced a whole bunch of 2 1/2 inch squares together.

Then I mixed them all up in a basket and pieced them once more.

It's a good thing all the colors go together.  Last week a very nice landscape designer lady told me the blue plant I liked didn't go well with all the yellow of our house.  Why is it that blue and yellow don't play well together?  I feel all the colors would get along just fine if people gave them a chance.





Then the white kona arrived in the mail.  And it, too, wanted to play with all these colors.  So I let it - encouraged it even.  I'll share more on this quilt top soon.  But I've been busy taking dozens of photos of my kiddos because yesterday Ezra turned 14 and the years are flying by.

And I don't want to miss these moments.

Still playing with the maco lens rather than reading the manual. 

A big thanks to Jane for letting me know that macros take great kiddo photos.

Hope to be back here real soon. 

In the meantime, do what you love.  Don't be afraid to make mistakes.  And remember that all the colors go together - no matter what anyone else says. 

observing valentine's

Valentine's Day 2013 in pictures:

On this Valentine's I took pictures. 

Abby went off to school with a bag full of Valentine's cards, candy and small gifts.

Ezra and David are in middle school and no longer exchange cards or candy in school so they have to settle for the cookies and brownies that mama bakes.

Above photos of plastic rings are from Target.  $1.50 for a pack of eight. Abby asked that we buy some for her girlfriends.  There were three left and they are so lovely when the sun hit them that I couldn't stop photographing them. 

Martha Stewart's heart sandwich cookies were beautiful but not terribly flavorful.  The chocolate were much better than the pink sugar variety. They were, however, a ton of fun to gift to friends and neighbors!

There were hearts in my ivy plant and pink streaks in the sky.  It was a wonderful day!

I bought myself red tulips from trader joe's for $4.00.

Greg bought me what I really wanted for Valentine's.  (I had to tell him what I wanted ahead of time but after nearly twenty one years of marriage we are both just fine with that)  And now I cannot stop smelling myself - and i'm just fine with that too!

The morning after shot...

Have a wonderful weekend everyone!

that happy feeling

For this year my goal is to be happy.

Simple right?

I figure that in order to be happy I need to feel happy.

And in order to feel happy I need to do the things that make me happy.

Things that make me feel happy all the time: My family, long walks with my doggy, good food, great books, a clean house, sunshine, music.

But I also feel happy when I clean the house so that it is no longer messy. 

I feel happy when I go to bed early even though I want the time to read or knit.

I feel happy when I am grateful that my family is healthy and thriving instead of dwelling on the kiddos' squabbling.

This morning I even felt happy when I paid the bills because it meant I could cross it off my to-do list.

This year I hope to choose to feel happy as much as possible.  I plan to count my blessings each day. 

And to refer to this quote that I have posted on my refrigerator:

“Happiness is when what you think, what you say, and what you do are in harmony.” Mahatma Gandhi

 What are you going to do to feel happy in 2013?

finding sunshine

Following the light...because sunshine makes me happy.

Because light makes everything look extraordinary.

Following my kitty...

Because he knows how to find the sunshine - and soak it up.

When the shine is shining I breathe deeper, I have a smile on my face, I dance while folding all the laundry, I rid my house of clutter to make room for more sunshine.  I wish I liked dusting because all the sunshine makes that dust oh so visible...but who cares when the house is full of light!

Hope you are soaking up the sunshine today where you are.

"Far away there in the sunshine are my highest aspirations. I  may not reach them, but I can look up and see their beauty, believe in them, and try to follow where they lead." - Louisa May Alcott

 

focus

Time for another installment of focus, a little photo project that Sarah and I are collaborating on.

Each week we hope to take time to Focus ourselves and to Focus our cameras.

To Focus on looking and seeing,

to Focus on how we spend our time,

to Focus on friends and family and what's important,

to Focus on what's been there all the along but we just didn't take the time to look.

This week our Focus is on 'the kitchen table." 

But first a little disclaimer.  I waited until the last minute to take these photos.  I wish I hadn't because the past 48 hours have been kinda crazy around here.  First, my husband fell off his bike while racing through the woods with Ezra, and hurt his ribs and wrist.  Just hours later, I decided to clear out the garage and dropped a wood board on my toe, causing it to swell and turn a lovely shade of blue - also, it hurt a bit!  So I sit down at the kitchen table, injured foot elevated on nearby chair, and decide to focus.  To take a minute and breathe deeply.  To feel grateful that Greg is feeling better with a brace on his wrist.  Grateful that I only hurt my toe and not my whole foot.  To take a photo of my kitchen table for this photo project... When the thunder storm causes us to loose power.  So much for making a nice family dinner.  Greg drives the two blocks to the nearest Subway and we eat sandwiches for dinner.  I must say they were pretty tasty (subway now offers baby spinach) and I was glad to not have to cook. And for dessert we ate all the ice cream melting in the freezer.  You gotta do what you gotta do ...and when the power goes out the whole family must suck it up and eat ice cream!  By candlelight.

This morning I get up to find cereal bowls left on the table from the 7am breakfast. (most mornings there's also a 9am breakfast followed by lunch at 12:30)

And the girl eating last night's popcorn for breakfast. 

So I make myself a cup of tea and sit down at the messy table - foot elevated, of course...

When David walks in and tells me that he just fell of his skateboard!  A whole lot of living takes place around our table.  Good thing he's old enough to apply his own antibiotic ointment.

Later Ezra read a book on how to repair whatever was misaligned on Greg's bike.  Then he went and fixed it.  A whole lot goes on at this table.

Oh, and sometimes, we also eat our meals at the kitchen table.

Hydrangeas courtesy of Trader Joe's.  Abby and I stopped by while the boys were in taekwondo and we couldn't resist these blooms.  For five dollars.  They help me focus.  On beauty.  On seeing.  On what's important.  On all that goes on at the kitchen table.

(By the way, I am doing just fine.  I'm able to get around.  My toe isn't broken so Greg just buddy taped it.  I am, however, limited in the shoes I'm able to wear:)

Making space

The other day I came across this quote by Henry David Thoreau -

 "Go confidently in the direction of your dreams.

Live the life you've imagined. 

As you simplify your life, the laws of the universe will be simpler."

So fitting for my life right now.  In our new home we have pared down all the stuff and simplified our life.  We are living with less stuff and less clutter.  We have traded that in for wide open spaces and tons of natural light.  We are all so much happier in this smaller, lighter and brighter space. 

In our previous home I had a small studio space in the room above the garage.  This worked well in that I didn't have to clean up my mess at the end of the day because no one wanted to go up there - it was always cold in the winter and hot in the summer and quite dark and dreary.  On the down side, I could only work there when my kiddos were in school or late at night because I was so far away from them that every time I went up there, within seconds someone needed some form of immediate attention and I had to come right back down.  In our new home I will be working and making in a bright corner of our living/dining area.  I'll share once I have it all set up but here are some storage solutions for thread and fabric and my sewing machine and iron.  I will be working beside the kitchen and the living space alongside my family.  I will be right here with them - solving problems, helping retrieve their snacks and refereeing their arguments from the comforts of my creative space.  Or maybe i'll just tune out all the noise and stare out the huge window and onto the creek that runs along the back of our property....  i'll keep you posted on this one!

I will also have to keep my space neat and tidy.  And hopefully this will encourage me to complete projects before starting new ones, to work in a more organized fashion, and to try out new ideas that fit our new space and way of living.  I cannot wait to get started!

Abigail organized my thread and fabric.

Thread on the left. Fabric on the right.  In this cabinet in the master bedroom - which is right outside the dining area, which just happens to be where my new work space is located.

Sewing machine and iron in new workspace....

Which is right by the table where my girl loves to arrange flower bouquets.


I have more supplies and lots of patterns and inspiration tear sheets which i'm storing in this great file cabinet from cb2.  This cabinet fits a ton but truly I have chosen to limit my supplies to the things that i really love and need and enjoy working with. 

Have a great weekend, everyone!

 

summer update

Third week of summer break is in full swing around here.  We are very busy with swimming and playing, dance camp for the girl and guitar lessons for the boys.  Of course there is still tons of taekwondo and torah study for the boys who will be chanting torah for the first time during high holidays this year. There is also tons of cooking and eating which requires much grocery shopping and many farmer's market visits.  The plumbing issue I mentioned in my last post turned out to require major pipe replacement and drywall repair - could've been a lot worse but I do have a major patch in the guest bathroom that still requires taping, sanding and painting. 

Through all the playing and driving and learning and plumbing I have managed to take a few pictures.  Not much is new but David no longer wants to have his picture taken.

Ezra is still reading two to three books per week.

Abigail is becoming more independent each day - unfortunately all this independence is accompanied by a heavy dose of sassyness.  Today she asked me if other seven year olds still sleep with a stuffie.  I told her that she shouldn't concern herself with what others do and should continue to do what feels right for her.  Without missing a beat Abigail said,"You're right, I should just follow my own path."  Indeed, each moment of every day this girl follows her own path - which keeps this mama on her toes.

And speaking of me, I hung these mirrors in the foyer. Just trying to pretty up the parts of the house that still have drywall!

I spied this deer in our yard. Turns out there are lots of deer in the city where hunting is not permitted!

I let this girl out for some fresh air.

I baked heart shaped brownies to celebrate a job well done.

I restocked supplies.

And I read John Green's books The Fault in Our Stars and Looking for Alaska - both amazing! Both novels are quick reads geared for the teen audience and they make just perfect summer reading. 


I also managed to sit here for half an hour and read before the thunder storm rolled in.  That's Ezra on the rocks - he wasn't as bothered by the huge storm.  Hope your week is wonderful!

"The fishermen know that the sea is dangerous and the storm terrible, but they have never found these dangers sufficient reason for remaining ashore."  Vincent van Gogh

summertime and the living is easy

We are officially into our second week of summer break.  Two weeks ago David "graduated" from elementary school - making me the proud mama of not one, but two middle schoolers.

We've been spending our mornings in our pj's but around 10:30am everyone gathers around the kitchen table for a snack (second breakfast really) and tries to agree on a place for us to go because they've already done "everything" and will be "getting bored soon."

On this day we played and explored and ate at the shore of the river by our home.

Hope your summer is off to a great start! 

(I'm waiting for the plumber right now because we have a water leak that has me quite concerned so please send good thoughts our way  - i'll update soon.)

mother's day in pictures

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

stuff + Happy Mother's Day

Since I last posted:

I have been crazy busy. 

I have had a lot of fun with my family.

I enrolled my three kiddos in school in the city.

Greg and I celebrated our 20th wedding anniversary.

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

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

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

I have laughed a lot - sometimes at myself.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Warning: i plan to resume blogging very soon

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

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

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

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

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

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

Wishing you many giggles and much joy this weekend! 

weighing benefits

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

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

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

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

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

Accompanied by the benefit of a welcome fortune that reads:

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

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

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

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

  - public parks with play equipment and restrooms,

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

 - well maintained walking and biking trails,

 - summer concerts in the park,

 - weekend farmer's markets,

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

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

 - museums, aquariums,

 - zoos, and botanical gardens,

 - local yarn store,

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

 - our temple and all our friends there.

 

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

 - living on five wooded acres,

 - walking dogs off leash through the woods,

 - kiddos riding bikes down small quiet roads,

 - watching nine chickens happily free range on our property,

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

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

 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

 

appreciating the moments

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

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

Arranging flowers on our kitchen table.

Picking perfectly sweet strawberries from our garden.

Reading and playing together.  (not always this amicably)

 

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

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

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

These days I am being patient with myself. 

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

I have been taking moments for myself here and there.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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!

 

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'.

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

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!

 

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.

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 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.

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.

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.

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

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!

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!

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! 

working the land

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

this monday

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

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

 

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

Happy Birthday my sweet eleven year old kiddo.

 

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

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

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

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

Happy Monday everyone!

still here

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

Outside there has been chalk.

 

And more chalk.

Rock skipping.

Car climbing.

Chasing through the woods.

And many, many walks.

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

I cut the fabric for another apron.

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

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

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

recap

Valentine's day recap. 

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

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

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

 

The boys loved their pillows.

 

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

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

And then lovingly placed in a special spot.

 

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

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

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

finding beauty

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

It's Friday!  We had an awesome week. 

We danced....

We followed trails...

We shoveled...

 

We tossed...

We 'made' friends....

We found treasures...

We searched for inspiration...

 

We found the sun...

 

We received packages....

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

 

We prepared...

 

We found beauty in our messes...

We put down our thoughts...

 

I LOVE Fridays!

Where do you plan to find beauty this weekend?

random thoughts

We had a great, although somewhat rainy, three day weekend.

We played dress-up and counted lollipops. Abigail came to me and said, "Mama, I can't remember if a poodle skirt means I'm a 40's girl or an 80's girl."  I took one look at her outfit and assured her she had both decades covered.

We baked these brownies and they were a hit.  Yummy, chocolaty, and low fat, plus a whole can of pumpkin.  I did add one egg to the brownie pumpkin mixture - just in case.

 

But this morning it was nice to see that there was still a kitchen table under all the craft projects and play dough.

  

And I may have found my next knitting project.  I say "may have" because I really want to knit Lucy's gorgeous Adeline coat but I'm trying to use up stash yarn and I really don't have enough of any one yarn.  I even thought about making it shorter because long coats aren't that flattering on me.  Either way, I must cast on for something soon.  I haven't had anything on the needles for a week and the indecision is making me anxious.

  

I did manage to steal an hour away to design a little pattern.  I will be sharing it later this week.

Tomorrow I have volunteering at school followed by orthodontist appointments in the big city and taekwondo in the afternoon but I hope to be back in this space on Thursday.

Thanks so much for stopping by and enjoy your week!

Welcome 2010

Welcome 2010! 

 

We welcome you with sweets.

 A few special gifts.

And a New Year's Tree. 

(Putting up a tree on New Year's Eve is a special tradition in our family.  My parents, and my husband's parents, grew up in the former Soviet Union where New Year's was the dominant winter holiday.   I have special childhood memories of going to pick out a tree the day after Christmas - often we got it for free! We have continued this tradition with our own children.  On New Year's Eve we decorate the tree and sip sparkling cider while remembering all that was special about the outgoing year - and all that we wish for the year to come.)

And speaking of things to come...

An organized sewing space.  (only half complete)

 
 

A generous stack of wool felt.

A brand new pair of applique scissors.

 

And some reproduction fabric I bought over a year ago. 

I found this stack while cleaning out my space the other day.  I bought it on line and was disappointed by the colors and patterns when it arrived.  But today, by the light and inspiration and promise of a new year I kinda like it.  Or maybe it's just that I can't wait to get back to my space to sew something - anything really.

On this first day of 2010 I wish each of you much love, good health, time spent with family and friends, and a wealth of making.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

much ado about food

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving weekend. 

Lots of cooking.  Much eating.  Abundant hugs.  Considerable giggles.  Immeasurable love.  Full bellies.  Endless stories told.  Loads of games played.  Countless walks in the woods.  No shopping.  Very little driving.

On Thanksgiving days we watched the moon come through our window.

 

And the candles flickering long after dark.

 

The next day some meatballs were in order. (I mean "ordered" - by the kiddos)

 

Followed by leftover chocolate pie.  (funny how they won't eat leftover turkey but leftover pie... no problem.)  Hmmm....

Then with full bellies, they settled in to watch this movie.

 

And mom (that's me) made herself a plate of yummy leftovers.  Dad had to work.

 

The next day dad was home and we added roasted cauliflower, mushrooms and onions to our leftover bonanza.  I was about to write "just to brighten things up a bit"  when I realized that mushrooms and cauliflower were not the brightest of veggies.  But they are quite yummy!

Then on Sunday, dad took the boys to the flying field to test out their new airplanes - and socialize with other folks who "get" what they're talking about.  While the girls (that would be Abigail and I)  stayed home and made soup from the final bits of turkey.

Large bowls of this soup were gobbled up by all, with no complaints or requests for peanut butter and jelly.  And my daughter told me that I was such a great cook that I should have my own show on the Food Network.  But Ezra quickly chimed in with, "But if she's working on the food network she won't have any time to cook for us!"  No worries kiddos - this mama is plenty happy right where she is... besides, the food network hasn't called.

And so concludes my Thanksgiving post of food - mainly because very little crafting was done.  It was nice to turn off the computer and sewing machine and just "be" with my kiddos for four days.  But I did get in a bit of knitting,  and several of the handmade gifts I purchased arrived in the mail today, and I will be sharing some holiday gifts that I'm working on real soon.

Hope you had much to be thankful for this Thanksgiving. 

Happy Monday Everyone!

different but equal

I must confess that on some days we reuse our napkins.  Is this weird or do you do this too?  For instance, on many mornings the kiddos' napkins will be clean but for some crumbs - so I shake them out and have them use it again at dinnertime.  The problem is that they no longer trust me to keep the napkins separate and with cold and flu season going around who came blame them.   So yesterday I used this fabric to sew some different but equal napkins.  Now everyone can easily find his or her napkin at dinnertime.

Another dinner time dilemma averted.

Don't you just love it when you can resolve family issues and have an excuse to sew?

And speaking of sewing, I finally finished my October blocks for my 12 squared quilting bee.  These are for quilter extraordinaire Melanie of swim notes.  I really enjoy working with fabrics and designs that others have chosen.
 

The pattern for the big girl neighborly is written up and the sweater is all dry and ready for photos - hopefully the weather will be nice tomorrow.  I'm off to clean my house now - we have company coming for dinner tonight.  Have a great weekend everyone!

it was a busy day but typepad now offers 'quick compose'

Today I had one hour to myself.  I spent it finishing up the 'big girl' neighborly.  (be sure to check back in a few days for the pattern)  Then I decided I was not going to finish the francis revisited sweater, although I will probably knit it again in a much finer gauge.

 

When the kiddos came home, Abby and I stepped outside to photograph the sweaters.

And we spotted these lovely seedpods.

And David doing his homework at the dining table.

Happy Tuesday everyone.

That's all she wrote.

'mom's in a fret' or thank you so much Lisa

No crafting, no sewing - just cleaning house, packing backpacks, and lots of cooking! (plus we've lost power twice in the last 24 hours which means no shower for me since we're on well water and need electricity to power the pump.)

Mom's in a fret.

But the corn was so sweet and yummy!

And Lisa sent me this wonderful surprise gift - a "Shine stone' - that I admired on her blog.  Thank you so much friend.  I've placed it where the whole family can see it as we're getting into the car and heading out to school - i intend to point it out each morning and remind my kiddos to shine!  I LOVE my gift!

I did manage to run out of my stash yarn while knitting my scoop sweater - and I wasn't sure I wanted to order more yarn because the neckline remains questionable.  So green it is!

And we so enjoyed our time at the beach! I could so use a getaway like this once a month.

On the way home we stopped at the Children's Museum, where David told Abigail that she needed to jump from the letter 'B' to the letter 'Y' in oder to spell Abby.  Here she is trying to figure out how she's going to make that jump.  Of course, the letter 'I' (to spell Abigail) is right below her!

Shadow, the kitty, says, "Mom will see you all back here on Tuesday, when the kiddos are in school.  She'll probably still be in a fret, but at least she'll have a moment to herself!"

Enjoy your Labor Day weekend!  and don't work too hard!