a little crafty nest

pretty little frocks

Those pretty little frocks my daughter has acquired over the past few years are slowly gathering into a pile of outgrown clothing.  It makes me kind of sad, in a materialistic way, as so many of them were so darn sweet.  And in a mama-kind-of-way, it means my little girl is growing up!  Sighs.

But I don't feel quite done with them, yet.  (I mean, the dresses).  So what to do with several beautiful but tight-fitting outfits?  As many of you do already, I re-purposed them...into skirts.  So simple, so easy, so functional.  And so stinkin' cute!

Most of them required a little snipping here and there, a waistband added with an elastic and finito!  The orange and white sundress only needed straps to be taken off as there is a zipper up the back.  Each skirt took less than 20 minutes to fix, if that. 

Sunshine tells me she will wear them for fancy times.  I'm not sure what a "fancy time" is, but I look forward to finding out!

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.

prairie girl clothing

Though, as many of you know, we live in the mountains.  I had to call these clothes prairie girl clothes though, because they just seem to suit any little cutie-pie in a Laura Ingalls kind-of-way. 

Something about ruffles on a pair of pants just seems to make them all the more sweeter.  And they easily work under skirts, too.  (I'll show you the skirts we upcycled next week).

The three pairs of pants I made are such a modified version of a store-bought pattern that I don't even know what it is anymore.  I simply add ruffles or even elastic to the bottom to make a pair of bloomers.  Very easy and very comfy.  My daughter was in such need of new clothes and these are just the thing...for now.  Afterall, it is so much fun sewing for a little girl.

I used Anna Maria Horner's pattern "The Prairie Blouse" from her book "Seams to Me ~ 24 New Reasons to Love Sewing".  I like that it is adaptable for all ages...I might test this one out on myself one day soon.  Afterall, these kind of clothes made up my wardrobe not that long ago.  Anna Maria's patterns are so easy to follow and so straightforward...I recommend her books just for the simplicity of sewing nice garments.

I think Miss Sunshine also loves her prairie girl clothes, especially the pink ones!  Good thing this mama is happy to keep sewing for this little one...especially when it is so easy to create such affordable outfits.
And there are lots of ideas generating right now for more, I just have to find some time.  For now, these prairie girl clothes will keep my little one fashionable attired, in a Little House kind-of-way.

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!

a summer raspberry

Joining Ginny for a little yarning-alonging...

Off the needles and onto a happy little three year old...

It's big and boxy right now, but despite the snow you see, it is supposed to be Spring, and that means I wanted it to fit for next fall and winter.  By the looks of it, that shouldn't be a problem.  In fact, I think I overdid the needle size and would probably opt for a slightly smaller needle than what I used.  But it is warm, and soft, and with just the right amount of pink to satisfy my little raspberry lover.

It was a real gamble, this sweater, as I made up the design as I knit, using three other cardigan patterns for inspiration.  I began with just three buttonholes, and saw how roomy it was becoming, so switched to buttons all the way down the plackett.  Then I had to go back and sew up two buttonholes which was trickier than I imagined.  But I'm happy with it...and so is Miss Sunshine.  Afterall, there are six butterflies adorning her sweater and she tells me, "Mama, I am a butterfly, too!"  (Good thing today wasn't the day she felt like a unicorn)!

As for books, I am reading a great novel by Joseph Boyden called Through Black Spruce.  It is a tale of Annie and her Uncle Will Bird, who are both from a reservation near James Bay in Canada.  Annie is on a quest to find her missing sister who left for big city life, while Will is fleeing to the bush from the harsh realities of rez life and his past.  I am so enjoying this read and I recommend it if you have the time to read, because it is hard to put down.

ravelry notes here

moments from the week

Thank you to all of you for your well wishes with the flu that some of my family battled this past week.  It was intense, but relatively short-lived and we enjoyed taking care of Papa.  He received lots of teas, hankies, cuddles and kisses over the four days he was in bed, and this Mama had a few moments here and there to share some quiet time with one child at a time ~ so special!

Between intense sweats and dozing sessions on the couch, Papa read to whoever would listen.  I love that!  He is back at work today, not nearly 100% but good enough.

As always, Forrest has been drawing and drawing and drawing.  He particularly likes to draw knights and castles and dinosaurs and skiers.  For a change of pace, I saw him quietly setting up a desk by the south-facing wood door.  He told me he wanted to "capture the sunset". 

Unfortunately the sun was behind the mountains before he even began, but I reminded him to try and take a photo with his mind and draw from that.  He set to work and drew a lovely picture of the sun setting...beautiful.

Sunshine, Forrest and I are each beginning to sew a doll.  Sunshine really loves handwork ~ oh, this just brings such happiness to my heart! 

I really love sitting beside her and hearing her chitchat away while she works.

I was so eager yesterday to plant our greenhouse full of greens, yet I seem to have not thought this out thoroughly.  Our creek is still frozen over and the soaker hoses are unhooked and the garden standpipe is buried in snow...oops!  So I'm hauling water to our greenhouse for our wee little seeds ~ garden dedication at its best!

And my oldest boy found a Viking battle-axe from a party we had six years ago...he is in heaven (that would be Valhalla)!

And one last photo...here is my toothless boy.  Honestly, it is so sweet listening to him talk right now!  He lisps slightly and I can see he is a bit self-conscious about it.  Oh, if he only knew that I would love to just bottle up this fleeting moment of his boyhood, so I might savour it in the years to come. 

It is almost like he is at the threshold of innocence and losing his baby milk teeth is symbolic of him entering into a whole new realm of childhood.  The tooth fairy has let me keep his teeth in a little container, though I'm not sure what I'll do with them yet.  I just know that I find myself looking at this boy an awful lot right now, quietly lingering a little longer with admiration and awe.  He is one fine six year old, that is for certain.  I love him so!

Enjoy your weekend, friends!  May you have one filled with sunshine, family, and perhaps a little garden planning! 

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.

fancy that!

There is nothing like giving a gift that somehow finds it's way back to you, even if it is in a different form.  I'm not talking about re-gifting your favourite scarf or sharing that bottle of wine with your best friend over handmade chocolates.  While both those things are wonderful, what I truly appreciate is giving a gift to someone you love who transforms it into something you would love.

Last week, my daughter received a package from my mom, Nana.  In it was a sweet baby doll blanket and a lovely hat that she had made with yarn I had gifted her for Christmas.  She loves to knit as I do, and this gift has become a sort of tradition from me to her.  One year I would love to knit her something fabulous and "fancy", as Sunshine recently reflected that Nana is just about the "fanciest" person she has ever met.  But for now, I give her yarn.

Ahhh, pink...was there ever such a fan of yours as this girl?!

My mom also returned the leftover yarn to add to my stash...but really now, that yarn never stood a chance!  Within a few sittings, Sunshine's favourite little friend, Maya, had a matching hat and scarf.  Sort of fancy, don't you think?

Yes, indeed, Nana, your hat was very appreciated!  Thank you for your beautiful knitting.

Yarning along this week with Ginny, here's a little update on my shawl.  I feel like I'm sort of wrestling a bit with this one, but in a playful sort of way.  I have undone several rows several times (!) because if I'm not paying attention to the textured stitch, it suddenly becomes very apparent in a very uncharming way.  But it is ok because it is beginning to look more and more like a shawl.

As for the book, my inner geek is delighted!  My husband gifted me this little book a few year's ago, and it seems every year at this time, out it comes...just as the seed catalogues are getting dog-eared and ready for mailing off orders.  I admit to being totally intrigued by little known facts about plants and it does come in handy when shopping for seeds or plants at the local greenhouse.  My grade eight latin skills are dusted off and I spend a few days each year pestering my husband with trivial details such as purpurea is a purple coloured flower and pruriens is stinging or itching ~ oh, how I love this!  My mind stretches and yawns a little...until it dutifully rolls over and goes back to sleep until next year's seed catalogues arrive.

Happy knitting, friends...enjoy your week!

Tomorrow, I am excited (and a little nervous) 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

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

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

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 shy little gnome

It is the season for unusual happenings and uninvited guests.  We have had a special little visitor these last few days...

Trip trap, trip trap...we could hear his tiny little hammer if we were really very still...

He is such a shy little gnome, really! 

When Sunshine came across this photo, she was determined to be a "little gnome with a long white beard" for Halloween. 

I was so happy to make this very simple costume for my girl...for a long while I was crossing my fingers someone wanted to be a gnome!

Once she gets a bee in her bonnet, there's simply no changing this one's mind!

I also made a Halloween bag for each of them, to collect the various gold dust, gnome's crystals, shooting stars, and rosy red apples that they find on the Enchanted Walk at the local Waldorf School.  It is a magical night and has become a tradition in our family for the last five years.

And my little gnome who has come to visit...well, she's absolutely tickled with her costume.  So is her big brother so I made him a gnome hat, too!  The more, the merrier I do believe!

And so this mama will be fairly busy in the meantime, finishing two other costumes for Halloween night!  There is indeed excitement in the air...we're carving Jack o'Lanterns tonight!  I love how the festive atmosphere is contagious from the littles to the not-so-littles! I'll be back later to share more costumes and fun...

Happy weekending!!!

pink elephant ~ october 2011 ~ one night at a time

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.

Living with diabetes is an adjustment.  There is carb counting, blood glucose monitoring, insulin "therapy", and lots of numbers.  There are mood swings, temper tantrums, unpredictable behaviour, and belligerance.  There are scales, measuring cups, conversion charts, and calculators.  There are band-aids, numbing cream, syringes, and little glass vials.  There are tears, frustrations, fears, and hugging.

Every single day.  Every single hour of every single day.

And then there is night-time.  Dealing with stressful situations on a continual basis, you'd think that a good night's sleep would ready you for the next day of being a pancreas for your beloved child so she can live to see the sun set.  There is no room for making mistakes. 

Did you know that diabetes does not sleep?  Not ever.

To manage Sunshine's diabetes properly, we must monitor her blood sugars throughout the night.  One of us checks on her at 9:30pm, 12:30pm, and 3am.  Every single night, for the rest of her life.  I can't even think about how this will happen when she is living away from us.  But for now, my husband is the one to do this task as I am still night nursing our one year old.  Sunshine sleeps alongside me in a "side-car" bed and I almost always wake up, too, asking what her numbers are.  If they are in range, I usually fall asleep until my baby wakes me up to do his marathon nurse at 5am.  Otherwise, that is sometimes all the sleep I get for the night.

If Sunshine's blood glucose (BG) levels are too high, we "bolus" her with more insulin, as suggested by her insulin pump.  Then we must check her at least every hour to ensure her BG comes down.  It has been suggested to us to actually bypass the pump and bolus her with an injection from a syringe.  We usually don't do this as there is absolutely no way she would sleep through a big poke into her love handle. 

If her BG is too low, it is a medical emergency.  We must quickly rouse her from sleep, sit her up, get her to drink half a juice box, then let her sleep for 15 minutes until we wake her up a second time to follow the juice with a carb and protein snack. After all this, we help her go to the bathroom and brush her teeth. 

Have you ever tried to wake up a toddler or young child from a deep sleep and get them to eat food ~ immediately?  It is not a lot of fun.  She may be agreeable after some cajoling, but usually she refuses, lashes out, and screams.  Before the pump, this was happening about 4 or 5 nights a week.  Since the pump, it happens much less frequently, though as we get her BGs closer to range, it is beginning to happen again.  There have even been many times when her crying wakes up the baby and/or her older brother.  Thank goodness there are two of us to deal with it all.  I'm nervous about the winter months ahead with Josh getting back into his ski guiding work and being away from home most of the time.  I have absolutely no idea how to get through it all. 

One day at a time.

One night at a time.

And when the sun stretches into the room in the morning, every morning, there is my girl, grinning up at me, whispering, "Mama, I love you so much!"  This is my faithful wake up call.  She is my wake up call.  To enjoy every single moment with her, with all three of them. 

One day and one night at a time.

 

 

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.

red riding hood

I finished my second Thanksgiving hat this past week, another Stella Pixie like this one, but a bit bigger.  When I first cast on for it, Sunshine reluctantly told me she didn't like the colour.  It wasn't pink afterall.

 
It was a long knit given the yarn was sock weight.  And row after row, it grew and grew and grew.  Suddenly, Sunshine was showing more interest in her hat.  With the help of an older brother who pointed out the subtle variegations of pink amongst all that red, slowly Sunshine began to like her hat.

 
 
 
Sometimes, what you expect isn't what you get...well, we all know that Red Riding Hood figured that out in the end.

 

So did this one ~ but with a happier ending!

Thank you Ginny for another week of yarning along.