a little crafty nest

moments from the week

This week we leapfrogged over late spring and landed, kerplop!, into the middle of summer.  Lots of sunshine and hotness and seeking the shade.  And lots of...

...experiments with water...

...new skills learned...

...favourite places to climb aboard...

...bits of togetherness, with Nana and with each other...

Yes, a good, hot, summery week ~ in Springtime! 

Tonight is night #3 for night-weaning my youngest.  He will be two years old in about 5 weeks and my exhaustion is pushing me to do this.  I feel very ready...and very reluctant.  The first two nights proved that it does not get easier with each successive child.  Huckley is by far, showing the most resistance to this most unwelcome of changes.  Poor fellow.  It is so tempting to succumb to the tears (both of ours) and just give him what he wants, but for many reasons this is best for all.  As soon as Mr. Sun wakes up in the morning, he gets free reign again with his beloved oy-yoi's.  (Yes, Huckley calls them oy-yoi's because it seems all too often I would collapse in a chair to nurse him and quietly exclaim under my breath, oy-yoi-yoi!)  All I can do is hold him all night long, sit with him and try and calm his aching little heart.  I am hoping tonight will be less of the marathon we experienced last night...oh, how hard it is to hold back the thing he loves so much.  So.  Hard. 

And this too shall pass.

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend...it is a Long Weekend here in Canada which means Papa will be around here more ~ hooray!!!

moments from the week

Stormy spring weather continues, allowing the garden to drink up fresh rain, turning everything into a vision of emerald abundance...I will never tire of the vibrant shades of spring greens, tinged with yellows...proof that miracles happen in the ordinariness of today.

My friend, Melanie, made a post about an ordinary day, which made me instantly think of something I read recently.  Many of you may know about Taproot magazine, brought to you by the multi-crafty-talented Soulemama and friends.  Well, my favourite essay in the whole lot was written by her husband (what a team!) and he wrote, "...somehow great things occur under that false cloak of monotony."  These words have stayed with me, whispering in my ear, reminding me to accept and even embrace this very moment ~ no matter how mundane it may seem.

When I look back through the camera card that records our week's everyday moments, they seem more than ordinary.  They do, in fact, seem extra-ordinary.  I feel blessed for these miracles that are occurring right before my very eyes. 

See my helpers, eager to do the simple tasks of our household...

a blurry photo of a determined Huckley bringing in the kindling

Forrest wanted to help me pick the first nettles of the season...well-protected

pancake morning...Sunshine mixes the wet ingredients til they are good and frothy

while Huckley is in charge of the dry ingredients, focused on keeping it all in the mixing bowl

After the more serious tasks of the household, comes the real work of childhood, imaginative play.

Josh brought these two rootballs home from the bush, on two separate excursions, this spring.  Sunshine is sitting in the fairy castle, with the knight's armament beside her against the woodshed.  There are already grand plans for the adventures of all the gnomes and fairies.

Indoors, the four season's playmat ignites their imagination.  A friend from maplerose made this beautiful work of art which is a real treasure.

Many a spring day you may find us beside our creek, throwing rocks, poking at the mud, playing with snails and toads, or just swinging.  On days like this, I sit quietly beside the littles, drinking in the spring goodness.

This last photo is a tender one for me, as it signifies the first time I really had to put solid boundaries down regarding nursing with Huckley.  He is 22 months old and still nurses on demand, around the clock.  I am happy with this arrangement, too, as he truly is the best night-time snuggler.  However, for awhile he has begun nursing in earnest at night, leaving me exhausted and sore.  After a few sleepless nights, I realized he wasn't eating as much for dinner, making him hungrier than usual during the night.  So, I have decided to be firm and consistent about eating first, nursing second.  Well, after nap on this day, it wasn't going to fly very easily and Huckley's determined streak came out.  Let's just say it was a long, tear-filled half hour...for both of us.  Forrest and Sunshine encouraged me to just nurse him, but I explained that he needed to know I wasn't going to give in on this one.  I held Huckley, I told him I loved him countless times, I acknowledged this was a hard thing for him to understand, but that it was important.  I told Forrest and Sunshine how I night-weaned each of them at about the same age and it was difficult, but necessary to the health of our household.  I'm not sure they believed me, but when Huckley finally understood he just had to take one bite before he could nurse, the tears dried and my sunny boy re-emerged.  Mama was forgiven.  Hours later, I'm still taking the Rescue Remedy for that one, but experience has shown me that this is just another of the many trials of motherhood.

Indeed, these mundane and everyday moments are what we make of them.  For me, they form the memories of my little one's childhood.

And they remind me, in a beautifully humbling way, of the wonderful company I keep.

moments from the week

We are feeling that quickening pace of spring already, with more activities beckoning us to leave the comfort of our property and venture further afield.  This week, we have had friends come play with us, we have visited our favourite goat farm, we participated in a children's nature walk along the river, we (nearly) finished a little home renovation (details coming!), and we accidentally found a lovely new place to play on our land that has us very excited indeed!  Phewf!  Yes, it was a busy, full, lovely week of clear weather sprinkled with spring storms...I love it!

Little boy blue come blow your horn...

Dancing on the pallet tower (soon to be our newest compost bins).

Snails and slugs are still rather sweet at this point in the gardening season.  By August, not so much.

On the spur of the moment, we decided to clear an area lower down our creek for a better compost system.  Josh used his brushsaw and his chainsaw to take out some stubborn hawthorn bushes and suddenly we discovered a whole new world.  As we raked and stoked a fire to burn all the nasty little thorny branches, Forrest used the clippers to make a path into the woods beside the creek, whereupon we discovered the perfect branch for making a swing.  With a quick hole drilled into a branch and a piece of climbing rope slung over teh branch, we had a daring little swing that even holds me!  Our little creek has begun to swell, and just overnight with the rains washing down some snow further up the mountain, the quiet murmur has been replaced with a raucous babbling.  How exciting to swing out over the rushing water on a branch swing...

Huckley insisted on trying it, too (of course), but I couldn't take a photo as I was holding him upright!  Besides, he preferred to be close to his chainsaw-wielding papa...he truly loves big, loud, noisy machines.

I do think we will be using this swing often in the coming months...it is within sight of my big garden which is exactly where I want to be right now.  I can see some fun weeks ahead of us, for sure!

Friends, I wish you a lovely weekend in the fresh air, nurturing whatever gardens you find yourselves in!

moments from the week

As the snow recedes, though not disappearing quite yet (it snowed today!), we are expanding into recently uncovered areas to play.  Once again, we found ourselves drawn to the shop, to be close to papa and hear the buzz of his saw.  Before he begins his first contract of the season next week, he is working on a little home renovation ~ of the inexpensive variety...love those!!!

But over the bridge and to the shop we go...to climb, chisel, and teeter-totter ~ country style!

When I moved the long board over, I asked the children to stay clear, and it looks like they took it to heart.  I suppose they are not used to seeing mama move big boards around, but they look nervous, don't they?

Indoors, this little bug is as snug as one can get...he loves to get cozy in tiny little spaces, and there he sits until he is discovered, upon which he gleefully giggles!

We have been spending the last of our homeschool money...for science experiments like this worm garden.  Indeed, it is fascinating to watch the wormies compost the leaves and dig their tunnels.  Forrest was right into this activity, trudging out in the pouring sleet to dig up some critters from our gardens.
We also purchased a beautiful "real" guitar for Forrest to begin Suzuki guitar lessons in the fall.  I had intended to hide it away til September, but he asked me if I had bought it yet, so I showed him.  He is thrilled!  He really seems ready to begin...and, as he says, "rock out!"

Oh goodness, do you see his haircut?  He hadn't had a trim since a family event at my parent's last summer, and it was really getting too long.  So, I just began to trim it up here and there before realizing that I should NEVER cut my family's, or anyone's, hair ever!  Luckily, he doesn't know any different, but Josh reminded me of the time I managed two distinctive clearcuts up the back of his head with the clippers that forced him to buzz his whole head.  Yes, I can manage to shave hair, but not trim it.

And finally, we spent a few moments here and there this week in our garden, reconnecting with the soil that is coming alive again!  Critters of all sorts are visible, waking up and greeting this new season.  My little girl preferred to help mama in the kitchen garden while the boys tended a bonfire across the creek. 

Yes, indeed, it feels good to be back in this space...how I've missed it!

moments from the week

Lots of outdoor time this week, though our best day went unrecorded.  In fact, it was our best day in weeks!  We visited another homeschooling family who live directly across the river from us and so we naturally call them, The Boys From Across The River.  We visited their homestead and it was such a perfectly wonderful afternoon, none of us wanted it to end!  The sun shone in a cloudless blue sky, the snow was so strong and icy, we walked on and on over hill and dale without breaking through.  The six children and us two mamas saw an eagle, ducks, and six swans!  The littlest two boys played alongside each other at the river's edge, content in their own worlds, shoulders nearly touching.  My daughter tried to keep up to the three older boys who ran and hollered and investigated and spied...it was sheer delight!  And, sadly, not one single photo.  This wonderful afternoon will be embedded in our hearts for weeks to come!

However, there were some photos from outdoor play around here...

A visit to our neighbour's horses.  Danny-boy is so beautiful, and becoming so friendly with my children.  Forrest is teaching me how to feed him properly so your fingertips don't get nipped.

This is how we travel for a winter's walk.  I pull littlest (or two) in the sled, though I'm trying to encourage Sunshine to walk more.  This day, she walked the whole way, although we had to turn around far too soon as I didn't prepare for all her activity and she had a diabetic low.  Usually, I have a juicebox, crackers, and a banana with me, even to just cross our creek into the meadow on our own property.  I don't know what I was thinking to venture so far from home with just a juice!  Here she is doing what she does rather frequently lately, sipping a juicebox to bring her back into range.  I never would have thought I would feed my children juice boxes, let alone several in one week!!! 

We ended up turning around at this point, a 15 minute walk home.  It was a beautiful day, clear skies and crunchy snow.  Little signs of the seasons changing are becoming apparent...birdsong, creeks murmuring, and even pussy willows peeking out!
With all this spring anticipation, Huckley heads straight to the sandbox while I look for snowdrops beneath our beloved oak tree.  We will have to wait a bit longer, which is just fine, as usually the snowdrops don't arrive for another few weeks yet. 

I used our shovel to clear an area for Sunshine to get back on her swing.  Oh, does she soar when she is in her happy place!

And finally, the tooth fairy has made not one, but two appearances here in the span of three days!  Forrest's top tooth was dangling about for weeks, and the night before Valentine's Day, it popped out.  I still have to take a photo of him with both top teeth out, which is so darn cute!!!  I'm having a hard time not smiling when he speaks right now...it is simply adorable!

And yet another wondrous thing...Forrest found his mama-made hat from the fall!  He wore it for two weeks or so in October and then it disappeared.  I usually don't worry too much about this, knowing it will eventually show up, but this time, after one month, then another passed, I sadly dismissed it as truly lost.  I really liked this hat ~ my favourite on Forrest so far.  Well, we were in town at the toy store, of all places, and Forrest came running over to me telling me he spied his hat...it was behind the cash register and had been for four whole months!!!  Oh, lucky day!!!  However, in four months my son's head sure did grow and so now, this hat has been handed down to Huckley.  But what matters is that it's all in the family, right?

Have a wonderful weekend, dear friends!

moments from the week

While last week was filled with flowing rhythm, this week was anything but!  I felt so challenged...by living with diabetes, by my children's energy levels, by my distinct lack of patience...Ahhh, it's been a tough one and of course, late at night lying in bed, I go over the countless ways I could have handled things better.  I know you know what I mean.  I really needed just ten minutes to myself to gather, to center, to regroup.  Josh is away on long long days, we don't see him at all until bedtime, and I have really felt the burn-out this week. 

I must add, though, that this is exactly where I want to be...at home, with my family.  I just struggle sometimes understanding how in the heck a western world's nuclear family is suposed to thrive, let alone survive?!

So this week, I have been experimenting with different ways to gain a few moments to myself amidst the bustle of living with three small people, with only myself to lean on.  It's a balancing act, this motherhood gig, I tell you!

However, the best way to center myself is to review the week in photos, and to see the happiness that was indeed there, shining right before my very eyes!

These three little ones are my joy!  I plunked the oldest in the snow, and the others gleefully demanded the same.  The snow is soft and heavy ~ Spring Snow.  I'm certain there will be colder days ahead, but the rink is finished and we are onto sledding and snowshoeing.  And yes, these are specatator sports...

We also did our new monthly visit to the library ~ how did I ever manage before the blessed library became a part of our life?  Forrest is so anxious to dive in, he hadn't even undressed completely before he was immersed in his new stash of books.

Youngest boy loves his books, too!  All the older people in the household model to this wee one just how wonderful books are, and he doesn't ever want to miss out on a thing.

I am also trying to incorporate a new quiet rest hour after lunch...again!  I could see how tired the older two were getting from late nights waiting for Papa to come home, yet they are too old to nap.  So I purchased some inexpensive CD players for their bedrooms and while I lay down with Huckley, Forrest and Sunshine sit on their beds, reading, drawing, or making puzzles while listening to a story or soft music on tape.  Right now, James Herriot's collection is a favourite.

I have never "plugged" them into anything before, but it is sitting well for me.  After a short while alone, I went and sat beside Sunshine while she lay quiet, basking in the warm winter sunshine streaming in her window.  It was so lovely to snuggle and cuddle my sweet girl for half an hour, alone.  I think this is going to be a helpful activity to give me some much needed quiet time...and the children, too.

We have also been spending some quiet afternoons by the fire playing these cooperative boardgames.  Do any of you know about these games?  They are really very simple, ranging in skill levels but many games can be played with 3 year olds.  Our favourite right now is Snowstorm and we all work together to clear the roads so we can get our errands down about town.  Good times!

And then, there has been handwork...lots of embroidery and (finger)knitting...a true joy for me to see my own children delight in handwork.

While it was a hard week for mama (and inevitably everyone feels that, right?), I look back and see that there was a lot of goodness, too.  It is so helpful for me to savour these little ordinary moments, at the very least they are a reminder that there certainly is some beauty radiating out of these three sweet souls I am honoured to call my children.  What wonderful teachers they are for me...I am truly blessed!

Have a lovely weekend, friends, filled with beauty, goodness and Light.

moments from the week

Around here in wintertime, if the sun is shining in a blue sky and the powder is deep and fluffy, we call it a bluebird day.  We have had many of these this week...

Lots and lots of snow.  It almost feels like Spring snow.

We were even snowed in at home with a crazy, powder-packed driveway ~ perfect for a little snowboarding!

While Papa took Forrest to the ski hill, the rest of us went visiting.  Do you remember being three with your best friend?  For these two girls,and a brother, there was a lot of doll play, dancing, and dressing-up, of course!

We also spent  some time at the ice rink...can you tell?

And all three of them pretended to be going off to school!?!

I busted this little imp sneaking almond butter in the kitchen...he thought that was great fun, seeing mama's surprised face peering over the other side of the island.  Oh, how he laughed!

A rare photo of my littlest and me after dinner...

There was a little dancing in Sunshine's bedroom with the boys.  Huckley found an outfit that he insisted on wearing ~ I'd love to know what he thought he was up to here!

And there was one happy, dancing, singing, blissed-out little girl!

Enjoy your weekend, friends! 

Next week, I am excited to be a guest blogger at the Homespun Waldorf Winter Carnival!  There will be many Waldorf inspired homeschoolers sharing ideas and inspiration over the course of four weeks...come and check it out!

moments from the week

The January cold snap arrived this week, with a pile of snow...and more on the way!  It was easier getting the children outdoors, with all the fresh powder possibilities beckoning. 

Lots of skating at the local outdoor rink behind a little restaurant near us.

Yesterday we arrived long before our homeschool friends and the ice was covered in a few inches of fresh snow.  Using a shovel, we made a series of meandering trails to skate along ~ perfect for playing "tag".  My sweet girl is now skating on single blade skates and her sense of balance is incredible.  In her very own Sunshine fashion, she refuses to use a chair for support, but insists on doing it her way, at her own pace.  This is her third day skating, and she is now beginnng to glide.

And this eager, active boy is so happy to be playing hockey!  Hard to believe two weeks ago he was using the chair for support.  It is a real testament to homeschooling as we have been spending a lot of time here during the week when most of the local children are in school.  I have felt really good about it, knowing that my six year old simply wants to be active...all the time!   Some days we skate with just one other homeschool family, wth six little people on the rink...and other days we are here when there are more than forty people on the ice!

Last weekend, we had our diabetes trainer come visit our home to set up Sunshine with one more piece of technology.  I think I'll save the details for February's Pink Elephant, though I will share that in less than one week we are seeing the benefits of using the sensor, a continuous glucose monitoring system.  It has taken us several days to get used to all the bells and alarms that ring, but it is worth it! This is a photo of Forrest playing with Lenny the Lion's pump and sensor.  Diabetes nurses use this stuffie to help the little ones feel more comfortable with injections and needles, and indeed, it works! 

Housekeeping in the little playspace beneath our stairs.

Playdough pie...just like mama's.

Inventorying our seeds from last year to get ready to make some orders soon.  With all this fresh snow, it's hard to believe it's almost time to begin our starts.  Though, if the truth be told, I'm always thinking about the garden ~ all year round!

Adventures in a boat in the middle of a lake.

I'm not sure words are necessary here.  It speaks directly to my heart.

 Friends, have a wintery, snowy weekend full of fun!

What are your moments from your week? 

moments from the week

I'm posting this a day late, as yesterday was our one year anniversary of being diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes.  

The first week of 2012...a time for making New Year's resolutions.  I often find I've compiled a long list of things I'd like to do, to be, to seek, only to crumple up my list by the end of the month...maybe as far along as mid-February, if I'm lucky.

But it seems 2011 really kicked me in the pants, and I'm just grateful to be firmly planted here, in this new year.  There sure are a lot of things I'd like to do and be and seek, but I think, this year, I'll let them unfold like little gifts as they arrive. 

This week, we had a lot of fun outdoors...

Our family enjoyed a New Year's Day skating at the local, outdoor rink.

Forrest and Sunshine are spending a lot of time outside in the kitchen garden building "Snowflake Village".  Each of them has a house with lanes meandering in between.  They built one for Huckley, too.  There are grand plans for this little village...each home will have windows, and bookshelves, and chairs, and candles.  So far, the walls are 6 inches tall and we are awaiting more fresh snow to continue.

My little dishwasher.  *He loves to play with the suds...until he gets so wet that he shrieks to be changed.  And then, back again to the suds.*  (Repeat from * to *).

I made Forrest and Sunshine new sewing cards to add to their dog-eared collection.  They will sit for long periods of time, stitching "up from the earth, up to the sky".  Sunshine is crazy for unicorns right now, and Forrest wanted knights.

A third child in one of my first knitted projects.  I made these overalls for Forrest.  They are so heavy as I used three strands of alpaca wool.  I have learned so much about knitting since then, five years ago.  It makes me so happy to see the children wearing, and liking to wear, their mama-mades.

And wee little Huckley is now one and a half years old!!!  We celebrated his half-birthday with some simple decorations, a special cookie after dinner, and some lovely Huckley activities...trucks, books, racing about!   I was inspired by Melanie celebrating her children's half-birthdays, and it nicely bookends yesterday's Diagnosis Day with Sunshine's half-birthday on Sunday.  And these three little ones love to celebrate!

Happy Weekend to all of you...enjoy the weather, whatever it may bring!

moments from the week

How can it be that Solstice is next week and Christmas is on the weekend?!  Time is indeed slipping past faster than I am comfortable with!  I suppose, though, for the little ones, it is crawling ever so slowly...Papa was away a lot this week training some of the team for his mountain work.  The four of us stayed close to home, though I definately felt the long days ~ it is such a transition from Josh's non-winter work when he often is home for lunch, or at least to help with getting dinner on the table.  I have to admit, it hasn't been as smooth as the last couple of weeks...for whatever reason(s). 

A few weeks ago I discovered that second-hand stores have a ridiculous amount of cast-off Christmas stuff!  One visit there and you can verily inhale the consumerism that is thick in the air in any North American town this time of year.  But one thing leaped out at me and, well, I just couldn't resist.  I forked over a whopping 50 cents for a seasonal addition to our tickle trunk...

Tacky?  Definately!  Necessary?  Nope.  Adored?  Absolutely!  (I'm a little sheepish now about my disdain for the holiday clutter and materialism, but really now...50 cents!)

Huckley, who some of you know, is quite the jokester.  I took this photo not too long ago and it wasn't until tonight that I realized he is holding up his sister's dolly bib and pretending to wear it...and laughing hysterically!

Ooops...so very out of focus!  One of these days I must read the manual to this camera.

Please meet St. Nicholas and his elf, wonderfully inspired by Jan Brett's rendition of The Night Before Christmas.  I'm not sure why Sunshine is wearing the sunglasses, but I'm assured it is a necessary part of the ensemble.

Outside, Huckley loves his snow trike...

And the neighbour's horses love our visits...

Inside, the boys imagine where Papa is in the mountains...

And Forrest's beloved Erla gets a bath and some Papa-sling love...

Indeed, there were many different moments this week, often with high emotions.  It was so wonderful to squeeze in two different sledding parties amongst the solitary days...our long driveway is like a luge run and we can nearly land on our doorstep with one crazy swooosh! down. 

This next week will be one of crafting and baking and get-togethers with family and friends.  Oh, it is a jolly time of year!  Enjoy your weekend, friends!

moments from the week

A week of sunshine, and lots of outdoor play.  We can feel the energy increasing as holiday cards arrive in the mail, the amaryllis blooms, crafting is consuming most of our indoor activities, and of course, a specail visitor arrived on the 6th.

Thank goodness for buttons while Mama needs a little quiet time to make dinner.

And of course, there's beeswax, too!  This really and truly is a marvelous thing...and smells heavenly.

This week we added moss, pine cones, evergreen boughs, and rosehips to the crystals and stones adorning the path Mary and Joseph travel to Bethlehem.  I love that every year our advent garden grows in beauty and in meaning.  It is a delight as much for me as it is for the children.

Down below us on a little used road, Forrest road-boards.  I am so amazed at how effortlessly and naturally he is learning so many physical skills right now.  He is using this no-board like it is an extension of his body ~ a big difference from a year ago!  I absolutely love to watch him as he grows into his body, revelling in discovering what he can now do.  I sense he is beginning to soar...

Meanwhile, these two pixie gnomes stick with the snow racer...who knew my girl would love speed so much?  I do a lot of the grunt work, marching up the long driveway towing these two ~ though, Sunshine will walk if necessary.  At the top, I turn them around and run in front helping them steer.  If Sunshine chooses a solo ride, I send her off with a little push, giggling as I hear her squeals echo in the crisp afternoon air.  Oh, the freedom that being outside gives us is such a delight!

And here is our annual holiday card photo.  I've taken one every year since Forrest was just weeks old and we've gotten pretty good at distracting all three of them.  It takes Josh to divert their attention with ridiculous antics behind me while I click away.  Mission accomplished and now we have a weekend of stuffing envelopes with good tidings.

May you have a wonderful weekend filled with seasonal cheer!

a few special moments

Dear December, I am so glad you are here!  You are the month of excitement, of magic, of happy hearts.  Outside, everything is fresh and still, quiet and peaceful...yet, within there is an undercurrent of motion, of energy, of activity.  Dear December, I have learned to embrace you again through the eyes and hearts of my children. 

Advent has really begun in earnest around here.  With our Nativity scene and a store-bought calendar, this is our third calendar that I made over the past few years.  Now, the three little ones have something to do each day, taking turns in a rotational way.  How exciting the morning has become, to race downstairs and move forward one more day towards the return of the Light.

This little fella is full of beans, I tell you!  He loves to make people laugh, especially when he is egged on by his older siblings.  At snacktime this morning, I went into the kitchen for something only to hear great guffaws from said older ones.  Never a good sign.  This is what I returned to...one big yogurt disaster!  (With mama smothering her own giggles, too)!

We've also been dealing with congested little people...(I know, I know, yogurt is not a good idea when the noses are faucets, but it was all that was on hand this morning).  The two younger children sleep in our bedroom at night and it is like they are having a contest on who snores the loudest!  There has been less sleep than usual this week, and our usual is already at a minimal.  Huckley is 17 months and still nurses during the night...and right now, that is a large majority of the night.  I've been finding myself recalling (with fondness) when I night-weaned the other two.  But this is my last baby and I am holding on...besides, he loves it so much!  There is really nothing like curling up around my little baby at night, all snuggled together, often holding his little hand in mine.  We fit so well. 

I'm not sure if this is a global thing, but where we live, November has been called Mow-vember.  Lots of photos of Tom Selleck and his big mustache all over the place to promote men's health...which I think relates to prostate but the guys just call it "men's health".  All over our little ski town, men are sporting all variations of mustaches.  They look ridiculous and it is all too obvious something is going on in town.  Anyhow, my six year old picked up on it with his keen radar and came downstairs tonight like this...

Do you see how serious he looks...that's because he is serious about this look!  Lately, he's very conscientious about his "style".  You'd think we get out lots, but nope.  We see other people mabye once or twice a week.  Imagine if it were more often...

And then there is wee little Huckley and his phone.  Honestly, I can barely answer a phonecall in a day...if I do, suddenly our 1500 sq ft home shrinks to the 2 sq feet around me, with little arms grabbing at me, little people squabbling at each other, and oh yes, please please please mama may I use the carving knife to open the coconut milk can?  Does this sound familiar?  I choose the path of least resistance and usually let the answering machine pick up ~ much to the chagrin of relatives.  And so, seeing Huckley wander about with this useless stereo remote (where in the heck did he find that, I wonder) was, well, comical.

One last photo from this week...Sunshine pointing to her brother says it all...

Sniffles, spills, and silliness, oh my.  What a week this has been!

Wishing you a wonderful weekend, friends!

moments from the week

Sometimes, the camera card reminds me of the week we've had...the photos ~ and moments ~ that slip by my memory, only to show up on my screen days later.  This was such a week, and here I am mystified that I barely captured any "moments" this week.  I'm trying to think of why...and I suppose it's because we are in a good rhythm right now and time is seamlessly unfolding, without a moment to pause and grab for the camera. 

It has been a good week...of rain then snow with a lot of wind weaving the two together.  We've been mostly nestled inside, carrying on with homeschooling and playing and crafting and all those mundane sounding things that actually make up the rich fabric of our days.  I am thankful for being here right now, nestled with my favourite people, weaving together one day with the next.

Forrest moved quickly from fingerknitting into "real true" knitting...in a matter of hours!  I had thought to wait until grade 1 next year, but he told me he was longing to knit, so of course, we began.  And he took off with it...he loves it so much, he sat and knit for two hours that first day.  That night, and a few more after that, he even took his handwork basket to his bedroom so he could wake up and knit in the morning ~ a dream come true for this mama!

We moved the doghouse last weekend, hoping one of our two girls would put it to use if we positioned it so they might see our front door from their front door.  Worked like a charm...for Nyla ~ who refuses to share with the young Cocoa Marshmallow Puff Puff.  I suppose she'll just have to come inside more often!  (That's a secret hooray for me)!

Today we gathered heaps of rosehips to decorate our home.  I love this time of year, awaiting Advent...on Sunday my friend and I will be creating a special Advent Spiral for a few Waldorf Homeschooling families in the Valley.  We are both really wanting to celebrate the seasonal festivals with meaning and beauty, in a home-grown, home-schooling way.  If any of you has any suggestions, I would be so grateful for advice on how to make simple celebrations in community.

Almost 17 months old!!!  Already.

First snowman of the season...and it's only beginning...

Happy Advent weekend to all of you, my friends!

a few special moments

In November, at winter's gate, the stars are brittle.  The sun is a sometime friend.

~ Cynthia Rylant

And yet, in November, when that first snowfall quietly and completely transforms the yard that we know so well, then there is a whole new world beckoning us outside, waiting to be discovered, explored, and even tasted!

We also have been reminded of November's darker side...the drearily short days where the brittle cold snaps at us to stay indoors.  With a little transformation of some of the play areas, old toys become new again.

The magic of fairy-tales sheds new light on everyday objects.  Rumpelstiltskin inspired Forrest, and then his brother and sister, to experience one of Mama's spinning wheels.  I do believe the rhythm of the wheel mesmerized each of them into a quiet stillness...round and round and round...whirr, whirr, whirr...learning to take turns has never been so effortless.

Along with the snow and the cold keeping us quiet, my sweet little girl came down with a very very high fever, lasting three or four days.  On the fourth, she broke out in the pinkish lace-like rash of roseola...so common in early childhood.  My dear Sunshine has been uncharacteristically quiet and still as the sickness overwhelmed her spirits and body.  Tonight is the best she has been in seven days, with the rash fading and her health resuming.  Gratefully, her BG's (blood glucose) have been mostly in range...very unusual for a sick child with Type 1 Diabetes.  Her big brother has been especially doting, helping monitor her BG's and "reading" to her to keep her company.  Oh, how I love them both!

And in November, there is no better month to learn how to fingerknit.  Using the wool he dyed in the summer, Forrest quickly began to fingerknit on and on and on.  I introduced him to it last spring, but it was really today that he soared with this new skill!  Oh, I do believe I'll be handworking in earnest with this boy very soon.

In November, I am reminded of the importance of our home-life.  Of how we treat each other, talk to each other, help each other, and love each other.  I am reminded of how much the atmosphere of the home resonates in each of our souls, shaping our days, holding our hearts. 

moments from the week

This past week has been a little hectic with a lot of birthday prep and celebrating.  There was a whole lot of present making, secret wrapping, menu planning and scheduling of naps.  Extended family came and went in a whirlwind, celebrating three birthdays in one day.  Aside from a certain boy turning six, there was also a shift from outdoor to indoor play as the cold weather has descended.  Balancing the energies of three young children in a smallish space can be a challenge, one that requires my conscious efforts.  However, overall it has been a good and busy time ~ and now we find ourselves well into November.  Goodness, how did that happen?

working together

experimenting with Papa's camera

kitchen help...of the entertaining variety

Forrest is beginning to help cook on the cookstove...he said these chantrelles and leeks were the best yet!

Papa gnome.

Birthday morning.  Big love.

Have a great weekend, friends!

a little magic

We're in the midst of a festive season over here.  Halloween may have just ended but in a few days we are celebrating a birthday and then a lantern festival.  Despite the rapid succession of activities, I am soaking up the excitement my children are emanating.  It really is such a fun time for them!  They love to dress up, to try on a costume, an idea, a personality.  We have a few "tickle trunks" that are really overflowing baskets that I keep meaning to clean up.  But then out comes the Mexican poncho or the Viking helmet and I throw my hands up!  Let them dress up...it really is so much fun!  This Halloween, Sunshine wanted to be a gnome, Huckley declared himself a mushroom (!), and then...

...with Forrest's obsession with a bow and arrow, he really wanted to be Robin Hood for Halloween.  I made the hat (adult size so it was pinned to fit his head with a wool hat underneath it) and the tunic.  The rest of the costume was from the tickle trunk or borrowed from friends. 

I tried to find an age appropriate version of the Robin Hood story but it seems that the best version is straight from our mouths.  The true legends are so intertwined with the history of various kings, it loses a lot of the magic for a not quite six year old.  And magic is definately what Halloween is about! 

 Halloween for our family is not about the trick-or-treat thing.  We have a five year tradition of going to the local Waldorf school for an Enchanted Journey.  It is a beauitul, magical walk through the grounds of the school, stopping to visit various "scenes" along the way.  A few favourites are the pirate who doesn't realize he is sitting on his treasure, Jack Frost painting frost flowers in the gardens, the Fisher King hooking wishing stars upon the roof of the school, and a scarecrow who jumps alive after the children chant the magical verse.  There is very little candy involved, perhaps a lollipop at the end, but the children collect seed pods, feathers, acorns, hunks of "gold", little crystals, an apple.

This year, my personal favourite was in the Eurythmy room at the school with a silent dance by some older students dressed in silks as the four elements.  Quietly, they stopped at each child to give a different coloured magic bead.  The look of wonder on my children's small faces was breathtaking!

Driving home from town, there were some slash burnings going on up on the mountain tops.  Forrest wondered if they were the fires of gnomes visiting from underground on this magical night.  For just a moment, it was clear to me what he meant.  A little magic leaped from his heart into mine, and I believed he was right. 

Wishing you all the magic of the season! 

a few special moments

Friends, I am having trouble with our computer lately...certain keys aren't working, and I can't seem to leave comments on blogger or blogspot ~ so frustrating as I type it all in and when I press enter, they erase.  So forgive me, I do believe my computer is fritzing out!

The past few weeks have been so very full of so very much.  Here is a little taste...

 
My littlest boy has become a confident climber and everything is fair game to him.  I now find him here, there, and everywhere!  He is so pleased with himself to figure out how to get into the treehouse (which means that there is no longer a mama whistling away in the adjacent garden, but rather hovering beside said treehouse ~ a lot)!

 
Suddenly, it seems they are all growing up by enormous leaps!  Forrest learned how to handle a knife today, for the first time.  He is peeling railings with his papa for his bedroom loft.  I was quite uneasy about this whole affair, but I knew I had to leave it to the two of them to work out the safety of it all.  I often find it challenging to let go and trust both my child and his papa to handle such seemingly dangerous tasks.  But I also know in my heart that the confidence these tasks instill in my boy is immeasurable.  Needless to say, I spent much of this activity indoors.

 

Forrest suddenly wants to be doing chores just like papa.  He offers to go out (in all types of weather) to fill up our woodbox.  I'm not sure who's more pleased, this boy or his parents.

 
Sunshine is happy that scarf weather has arrived!

 
And with the cooler weather, outdoor tomato plants were harvested...as well as some early apples.  Our climbing boy doesn't seem to know, or care about, the difference betweent the two.  I'm really behind on cleaning up our gardens...this Thanksgiving weekend will be spent largely outside, putting beds to bed.

 
A big game around here right now is "dentist".  Just before visiting our dentist this year, I played with the children to model what happens in the dentist chair, all the while trying not to show my own fears!  Well, the visit went off without a hitch, and not only did Miss Sunshine try out the reclining chair, she had her teeth cleaned, too.  I was so impressed!  Unfortunately for Forrest, he has to go back four (!) more times which surprised us as his teeth are so beautiful looking.  Ahh, but it is all that lurks between the teeth, so we've learned!

 
Huckley and his ukelele.  He likes to sing along, too.

 
In the mail this week, I was overwhelmed by the generosity of a super crafty mama, Melissa, at Wild Faerie Caps.  She is such a kind spirit, sending each of my children one of these knit and crocheted figures that she sells in her etsy shop.  The beautiful rainbow bird arrived a few months ago and hangs from our homeschool hutch.  Honestly, they are adorable and the children are so delighted by them!  Please check out Melissa's blog and her shop...there are some wonderful things happening there!

 
Here is Forrest with his latest obsession, archery.  Oh, is he ever determined!  The first bow was used for a few days, with the arrows merely dropping at his feet.  This new bow shoots sticks up to fifteen feet away!  Little does he know but a homemade bow and arrow is being made for his birthday in a few weeks.

pink elephant ~ september 2011 ~ the boys

Our family's "white elephant in the room" is really pink.  Our 3 year old daughter was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes in January 2011 at the age of 2 1/2 years old, and it has changed our lives forever.  Every month, I post a little update on how we are coping with her condition.

I remember very little of our stay in the hospital.  I do clearly remember thinking all the doctors and specialists were misdiagnosing my daughter and soon they would realize their mistake and sheepishly tell us we could go home.  Go back to life as we knew it.  Well, it took me two full days of this until it all really sunk in how life as we knew it was over.  A whole new life had begun, whether we liked it or not.

Family and friends who visited us there, and afterwards, often ask how Sunshine is doing, how we are coping.  Very few people think to ask how the boys are faring.  Afterall, their world has been turned upside down as well, particularly our older son who remembers life before diagnosis.  Now, we think twice about what and how to feed him when he exclaims that he is hungry.  Sometimes, we talk him out of healthy snacks like raisins or granola or muffins or a sandwich, just because these carb-rich foods are not at the right time of day for Sunshine.  Sometimes, he feels guilty and will quietly sit, hidden from Sunshine's view, so he can enjoy a peach.  His language around mealtime involves words like "insulin", "bolus", "carbs", and "blood glucose".  Forrest is five years old.

 
Diabetes may have affected our three year old's body, but it has impacted each of the five of us.  There is little flexibility in mealtimes and we think twice about going to potlucks.  We changed Forrest out of his soccer group so we could be home for our regular dinnertime.  When we go to town, we often eat sandwiches in the car rather than going to our favourite bakery restaurant because we can't count the carbs in any of the meals.  I know all this will gradually change with time and with learning more about how to properly utilize Sunshine's pump, but for now, our lives are regimented and dictated by diabetes. 

 
As a mama, sitting here writing these words, tears are silently falling.  I've been putting off this post for a long time, probably because I know in my heart that we are all feeling the impact of this condition.  My heart is so tender when I see Forrest volunteering to hold his little sister's hand when she gets a set change and her needle is being inserted.  How far he has come over these past several months when her screaming would send him running to hide in the pantry.

 
Recently, I came across a blog written by a woman who grew up with a sister with Type 1 Diabetes.  This woman is married with her own family and she writes what her life was like living with diabetes in the family.  She doesn't paint a pretty picture.  She holds a lot of resentment to her parents for being so worried and stressed and concerned with her sister.  Perhaps this woman has a lot of other issues going on, but it struck me that it was such a monumental experience she felt the need to create a blog about it.  And so much of what she says are my greatest fears...stifling my boys, making our lives secondary to diabetes, and preventing us from living a normal life.  It is a tricky balancing act, and I know I have to be forgiving of myself as a parent.  I will make mistakes, as we all do.  I will do things I will regret, as we all do.  It has only been nine months, and I know it will all get so much easier.  Right?

 
To be honest, my biggest fear weighs on me daily.  Not a single day has gone by that I don't worry that Forrest or Huckley will get diabetes.  Daily, I check Huckley's palms for the unmistakeable sweet scent of strawberries that Sunshine exuded for over a year before her diagnosis.  I quietly monitor how many glasses of water Forrest drinks in a day and how many times he visits the bathroom.  Almost twice a month I do a random blood glucose check on each of them.  So far, they have both been normal, even though I sometimes smell strawberries on Huckley.  It's not easy checking Forrest's blood.  He has a justifiable fear of needles, despite never having had one in his life.  I've heard countless times that siblings only have a 10% greater chance of developing diabetes...but why do I keep meeting people who have multiple children with this condition?! 

 
So how am I to cope with it all?  How do I stop worrying, obsessing?  How do I ensure that my boys will look back on their childhoods and say that it was normal, and oh yeah, Sunshine had diabetes.  How do I ensure that their childhood is not like the one that lady with the blog experienced? 

 
One day at a time.  That's all I can do right now.  Every day is truly a gift and it often takes almost all of me to see it this way.  The tears aren't shed so often anymore, but when I sit down and really think about it, they easily flow.  I remember hearing, back in January, that when a child is diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes, the whole family is diagnosed.  Indeed.

a few special moments

Looking at my photos over the week, I see a theme weaving them together.  There has been a lot of learning going on here, as there is every day with every one.  But many of these photos show my family trying new things, discovering new talents. 

 
We bake bread here about once a week.  I can see that this is going to be increasing very soon as suddenly, my biggest boy is ravenous all the time and my littlest boy is beginning to get a healthy appetite.  Here, Sunshine is teaching Huckley how to knead the dough, accompanied by an exaggerated rocking motion. 

 
Forrest spent a long while in quiet concentration learning to wind his wool that he dyed this week.  Funny only because moments before he sat down to this, he was bouncing off the couch with such full, boisterous energy that I was finding so challenging in that moment.  When I asked him if he wanted to wind his wool, he mellowed out instantly, and patiently untangled his skein.  I find he just needs redirecting when his indoor energy is so full ~ now, if only I can remember that next time!

 
Oh, the magic of a sword for a little boy!  Huckley is loving his big brother's swords and often grabs one up from the dress-up pile to wave about frantically, all the while grunting in a fake, deep voice!

 
While Papa worked on our new woodshed, Forrest worked on hammering and building himself a retractable sword (!).  He spent hours at this, over a few days, and was so excited "to eat lunch outside from a bucket with Papa so we can discuss how the woodshed is coming along".  Simple joys.

 
One of just a few photos I took at a local garlic festival on the weekend.  The children were the most excited for the beach alongside the festival.  You'd never guess, but this lakeside was packed with other families...many whom we know from our small community.

 
Huckley Finn.

 
Wheelbarrow rides by Papa...good times!

Wishing you all a beautiful weekend as summer winds down.

reading the signs

My littlest one is just 14 months old.  He walks ~ no, runs ~ and climbs and loves to snuggle.  He also tells me things that he is thinking, that he wants, and how he is feeling.  It is not guesswork on my part, he literally is telling me all sorts of things...and who knew a non-verbal toddler had so much to say.

Well, he isn't exactly non-verbal.  He has a terrific grunt that he uses in various pitches for nearly everything.  He says "Boooooop" for nursing, "Mama", and "Pap".  When he was ten months old, he could say the dog's name...every five minutes!  Then he began walking and words took a backseat to simply experiencing wonder.

Huckley is my third baby and like his brother and sister before him, he uses baby signs.  Each of them began at different times...Forrest was using signs a lot at thirteen months, while Sunshine was very chatty with them at ten months old. 

 
"dog"...We see a lot of this one!

Huckley is more casual about it, and that's just fine.  We are pretty laid back about the whole thing...if we remember to make the gesture when we say the word, then he learns that he can use that gesture too.  Both Forrest and Sunshine are the real teachers here, and they are the ones helping Huckley learn to communicate.

 
"hungry"

I never really sought out to do this baby signing.  It kind of just evolved from the universal baby gestures of waving goodbye and pointing.  When I browsed through the book "Baby Signs ~ How to Talk with your Baby Before Your Baby Can Talk", I saw how helpful signing could be for both the child and the parent.  All mamas know how upset their babies can get, usually due to frustrations.  With signing, those frustrations are hugely reduced, if not eliminated.

 
"all gone"...he is waving his hands back and forth.  He really likes to use this with food or with toys.

Huckley has a fairly good signing vocabulary : he names objects (dog, book, poopy diaper), he expresses needs (thirsty, hungry), he describes things (more, a little bit, all gone, listen, where is it?), and several more.  Sometimes, he'll wake up from a nap and immediately and repeatedly make the sign for dog (panting with his tongue sticking out) and won't be settled until we go find the dogs.  Did he dream about his dogs?  Does he miss his dogs?  I'm not sure about the details, but it was easy to go find the dogs and reassure him.

 
"dog", again!  This is his favourite sign, as well as "more" (food, books, fun)

I especially like it when Huckley uses the signs like "Where is it?".  He is asking me a question and together we can find what he is looking for.  Sometimes, he is playing a game with me and hides the ball behind his back and signs "Where is it?"  Then he erupts into hilarious laughter.

 
"listen" or "do you hear that?"...usually it's because we hear the horses or the dogs barking

When I first saw this book I was so sceptical, thinking it was like teaching a dog a trick.  But truly, it amazes me how much my baby can tell me and only from simply repeating gestures when using certain words.  For each of my three children, it was really quite simple.  Soon enough, Huckley may begin to put two or three signs together...or even substitute a word for a sign. 

 
"thirsty"...although, this is a funny version as he usually strokes his throat up and down

I'm also not worried tha"t my baby will fail to learn language because he is so effectively using signs. My older two children are so articulate, despite Sunshine not wanting to speak until Huckley was born.  (And then within six weeks of uttering her first words, she was speaking in sentences).  Perhaps the best part about baby signs is that Huckley is more actively expressing himself, letting us glimpse the person within.  And that little soul who is emerging and colouring our lives with his vibrancy is one amazing person indeed!

I'd love to hear if anyone else has used baby signs?  What are some of the more unique signs your baby used?