Our Pickwick Papers

a gift for a friend

2012-01-25T09:28:00.000-08:00

I hate it when the kids are invited to birthday parties. Is that bad? I hate it because then they want birthday parties of their own, and I hate putting together birthday parties. And I also hate buying presents for kids that the last thing they need is another toy. That is the story of American kids these days---mine included---they have everything, and the toys drive the parents crazy!!So, I tell the kids they have to make the presents for their friends. This forces them to be creative and to work on developing a skill. Luckily, this particular friend was a girl---they tend to be easier to make gifts for--- and she likes to play with dolls. So, Amelia and I put together a little doll quilt. She was much more proud of this present than one she would have bought at a store. We made a gift bag out of newspaper and the kids decorated it. Gift plus wrapping = $0.You can't beat that.

Winter Solstice

2011-12-22T07:56:00.001-08:00

Today is Winter Solstice, and normally we would be busy making paper snowflakes and other activities, but today we are busy packing for our trip to Virginia instead. Christmas is only a few days away, and it has come so quickly! I didn't even get half the stuff done that I planned.

And yes, if you look close enough you can still see the big white Christmas tree tag still on the tree! We have been busy, busy, busy. The kids have taken a little slower pace than myself though, and have spent many hours during these colder days playing games of chess.

We've also been busy making stuff for the holidays. I'll have more on that after Christmas. But one thing Malachi was able to work on was a constellation board. This is a great project for any kid that likes to use hammers and nails.

He picked out his favorite constellations, I drew them on the board with a pencil after he painted it blue, and then he nailed all the stars. After that, I strung it together.

Amelia plans to make one next, and they are also pretty neat gifts to make. You can purchase them on etsy for $65!! or you can make it yourself!

big boy

2011-12-07T15:01:00.001-08:00

Someone very important in our home turned three a few weeks ago.

His turning three was talked up by his brother and sister for weeks. He knew that for some reason it was a BIG deal to have a birthday. He began to inform, and still reminds me, that he is not the baby anymore.

I tried hard to get a decent birthday picture of this little boy but failed. He enjoys being silly too much.

stone soup and pilgrims

2011-11-17T14:19:00.001-08:00

Have you heard the story of the stone soup at the first thanksgiving? It's about the Native Americans and Pilgrims sharing ingredients with each other so that they don't have to flavor their soup with just stones. Well this is a little play set that we made to go along with that story. The idea came from the last issue of Rhythm of the Home. The kids have a ton of fun playing with it and acting out that first Thanksgiving. These little peg dolls might not be historically accurate but that's okay. It's always nice when the kids love the toys we make together, especially ones that are so cheap to make. Next is actually making stone soup to eat.

Another Thanksgiving activity we ventured on was making corn husk dolls. Not just any corn husk dolls, but fancy ones. We wanted to make pilgrims for the holiday to decorate with. It's nearly impossible to find instructions on how to make these. You can find tons of instructions on the very primitive corn husk dolls, but that's not what we were looking for. Finally I found a YouTube video of a lady that filmed some ladies in Mexico that make them. So, we just adapted the Mexican version to a pilgrim version.

I think it would be fun to make a tradition of making this every year to give out to neighbors along with a basket of pumpkin butter and scones, or a pumpkin pie for Thanksgiving.

2011-11-14T10:28:00.000-08:00

These are a few of the autumn activities that I did with the kids. October was an extremely full month. Corn maze fun

Hay ride

The streets of NYC

Pumpkin patch

Lots of apple picking!

And with all those apples I used a mandolin slicer to slice those apples really thin. You put them in the oven and they crisp up real fast. They're like eating really tasty, thin, potato chips. They were really really good.

And, oh yeah, the freak snow storm at Halloween

A visit to Sleepy Hollow

2011-11-04T06:26:00.001-07:00

In early October we took the kids to visit Sleepy Hollow. I couldn't live so close and not go around Halloween. We first went to visit the Sleepy Hollow Cemetery. It was such a beautiful place. ,/div>

We went into the Old Dutch Church, which is where Ichabod Crane was trying to get to when the Headless Horseman was chasing him. They still use it for the Christmas season.

We walked around the cemetery which is where Washington Irving got many of the names used in the Legend of Sleepy Hollow. And we had to visit Mr. Irving's grave as well!

And the famous Sleepy Hollow bridge which is a reconstruction of the real one.

Most of the Halloween activities there are said to be too scary for children. But, one thing we could go to was the Blaze. It is a tour of 4,000 carved pumpkins at an old Manor.

Mock farmhouse table

2011-10-17T08:58:00.000-07:00

So I always have these fantastical (that's a fun word to say) ideas. I've always wanted an antique farmhouse table but I've never wanted to pay the price for one. So my fantastical idea ( as Justin rolls his eyes) was to build one. I thought to myself, 'hey we already have a table, lets just pull the top off, and put a new top on!' Lucky for me I have a husband that goes along with these ideas even though he's muttering under his breath the whole time. So off to Lowe's we went and we purchased four 2x10 boards. Plus supporting beams for underneath. What helped a lot, because my way of putting things together isn't always the sturdiest way, Justin was able to find a post about another lady that had the same idea, and so we were able to follow her instructions. See, I'm not the only one with fantastical ideas!

I think it turned out wonderfully well, even though it is one heavy sucker. I hope to one day have my own farm house kitchen that is big enough to put the table right in the middle for extra cooking space. So, now I can enjoy my own farmhouse table, one that we put together ourselves (well mostly Justin put together!) and was waaaaaay cheaper.

Food Prep

2011-10-07T09:32:00.000-07:00

Fall has hit and the air is crisp. It seems that at every turn there is an apple orchard. With the apple abundance I've been making apple butter in the crock pot.

I love apple butter! Because I made it myself, I was able to sweeten it only with a little bit of honey. I will use this apple butter in place of jelly for PB and J. The sugar intake is drastically reduced this way.

I also came across the idea online about freezing individual soups for the winter. I happen to be making a bunch of chicken stock and thought I would continue and make a big batch of chicken noodle soup. I have my own little noodle makers!

And so I filled these little half pint jars and stuck them in the freezer. Now, these can be taken out and popped in the microwave for individual jars of homemade warm soup for the cold months ahead. They will be great for snacks, or after playing in the snow, to take to work, or on a sick, sniffling day.

My little knitters

2011-09-16T11:10:00.000-07:00

The kids have been asking for awhile to learn how to knit. I've been putting it off because it seemed to be a task for more patience than I can muster at this point in their lives. But, then someone gave me a bunch of those round knitting looms--- and I thought aha! So the knitting began.

Hats, hats, they wanted to make hats. Amelia made one for her and one for Elijah.

And oh man are they proud of their hats! 'Mama! I'm actually knitting something!' they would proclaim in excitment.

Next . . . scarves!

Home for a bit

2011-09-07T11:47:00.000-07:00

I got to go home for a few days. It's the first visit to Virginia since we moved to New York. It was brief but very enjoyable and I'm glad we got to go. This was the second year we've canned peaches on Labor Day for the year. There's a peach farm not far from my mom's house. So here a some photos from our weekend. Just enjoying a good ol' Virginia visit.

Mulberries and peanuts

2011-08-01T13:11:00.000-07:00

We have three mulberry trees about 80 feet tall in our yard. Mulberry trees produce a lot of berries and they can produce for centuries. This house was built in 1720 and so it's just shy of 300 years old. I can only imagine all of the families that have enjoyed the berries from these trees.

We can only to get at about 1/3 of the berries but that was still enough to make a good batch of jam made with a lot less sugar so you can actually taste the fruit.

I really try to help the kids to think about making something before buying it. We made jam together and then I thought we would make peanut butter. This way they can see it's really quite easy to make things. A little bit of knowledge will really help with confidence in being less reliant on the big companies for food. Plus I want them to be aware of exactly what's in their food.

We put a bunch of peanuts in the food processor with extra virgin olive oil, salt, and bit of honey. This can be done with almonds as well, or any nut for that matter.

With the homemade bread it becomes a simple, healthy, independent lunch.

summer greatness

2011-07-01T05:41:00.000-07:00

We've been blessed to be able to live on a organic biodynamic farm. That means that they don't do any spraying at all--not even commercial "organic" sprays. And they only fertilize with manure. So, the vegetables are as natural as you can get them. Most of their veggies go to local restaurants and to their local CSA subscribers, but they also pass on baskets loaded with veggies to us! It has been a bit of challenge to figure out how to use some of the stuff, or even to figure out what some of it is. Luckily my kids don't mind eating vegetables, and it has been fun to learn new recipes, and to try new things.
So, I thought I would share a little summertime recipe that kids love---or my kids anyway. I've been making spinach popsicles for years now. These are requested just about every day during the hot summer months.

Again I don't like to buy things at a store when I can make them, so that I control what goes in them. Spinach Popsicle Recipe

a few tablespoons of orange juice concentrate

around 4-5 tablespoons of water --or just OJ if you have it already made

1 banana

about a third to a half a cup of yogurt (I use plain or vanilla)---not necessary but I add for the probiotics

2 big heaping handfuls of fresh spinach

honey

add all this to a blender---I just usually eyeball how much stuff I put in and don't measure anything out. Blend everything up. Blend the honey in after the rest is blended testing for sweetness. You shouldn't have to add too much honey. Put into the molds and freeze. You might have to adjust the recipe to fit the type of molds you have. We have little rocket molds and there is often a bit left over that I just drink. If there isn't enough you can just add a bit more water--or better the whey from the yogurt for extra protein. These ingredients are items I always have on my shopping list, so I always have the stuff on hand to make.

And I thought I would share a dish detergent recipe with you. This is natural and cheap, and simple!!

Dishwasher Detergent Recipe

1 cup of borax

1 cup of washing soda (again I buy mine online at www.alice.com. You have to buy six boxes at a time but it's cheap and there's no shipping. They will ask you when you want it delivered again and I always put that I don't know so that I can order some more whenever I run out and not on some schedule.)

2 packs of lemonade mix (without the sugar.) This is a cheap way to get the citric acid that is needed with hard water.

Mix all of these together well, and you should only need about 1 T per load.
Now I'm going to tell you a BIG secret. Most people don't have success with homemade detergent because it leaves a white film on the dishes. The advice is to put white vinegar in the rinse compartment of the dishwasher, but this doesn't work. Here is the secret. You put a few small splashes of vinegar directly in the bottom of the dishwasher, underneath the bottom rack. I don't know how or why this works, I just know it does. This also works if you use regular commercial detergent but you have really hard water, and it leaves a film on your dishes. The vinegar in the bottom makes it crystal clear. You don't need to waste money on commercial chemicals just use vinegar!

Malachi turns seven

2011-06-21T09:27:00.000-07:00

My oldest turned seven. SEVEN! It's hard to believe I have a seven year old. One of Malachi's obsessions of the past year has been WWII, especially the planes. He makes planes constantly and hangs them from the ceilings all over the house. He insists they add and completely blend in with the home decor.

I am notorious for experimenting with birthday cakes. This year it was the frosting. I used coconut cream (the cream part in the canned coconut milk) instead of butter or shortening for the frosting. I added a bit of flour to thicken and powdered sugar to taste. I've heard you can use honey but I thought that would make it too runny. You can add cocoa powder to it for chocolate but that isn't what Malachi wanted. I didn't add any flavoring to it so it had a strong coconut flavor to it. Which I don't mind, because I love coconut. Anyway it turned out fairly well. Not too sweet. And not full of all the junk that is in regular frosting. You won't get a pretty cake out of it, but it's fine for just a family cake.

Another obsession of Malachi's is the Calvin and Hobbes comics. He reads them constantly! He follows me around the house all day reading them to me as I'm trying to get things done. Probably not the best reading material for a little boy that already tends towards the mischievous side, but at least he's reading. I like making something for the kids on their birthdays and a Hobbes had been requested. So I attempted a Hobbes. I'm far from an expert in the Hobbes making department, but a certain seven year old is thrilled with him.

Out plotting something mischievous I'm sure!

New Loves

2011-06-08T10:16:00.000-07:00

Sometimes I make discoveries that I'm glad I no longer have to live without. It's these discoveries that make everyday life just a little more pleasing. These are very simple discoveries and that's what I love about them. The first is avocado ice cream. The original recipe came from Mary Jane's Farm, but like with everything, I tinkered and experimented with it until I was completely satisfied. So, here is the recipe for those of you that would like a small adventure.
Avocado Ice Cream
1 ripe avocado
the juice of two lemons
1 cup of half and half (try to find a natural brand that doesn't have anything added to it)
2/3 cup of pure honey ---this was a bit sweet so next time I will start with 1/3 cup and then add until it's sweet enough
1t-1T of poppy seeds
put everything in the blender and mix well. Pour into a small container and freeze.
that's it! I like to top it with fresh mango. Veggies for dessert--you can't beat that! The kids love it. A banana in place of the avocado would probably also work if you want to switch it up---they have a similar consistency. Happy experimenting!

The second is homemade hand soap. I like to make everything I can so that I know exactly what's in it. And I like simple, simple, simple recipes! And this one is.

Handmade Soap recipe

reuse old foaming bottles or buy a few

fill 3/4 with water--always add water first

2-3 T of pure liquid castile soap

and you're done! you can buy liquid castile soap at health food stores or even some higher end grocery stores. The most common brand is Dr. Bronner's. So simple, quick, natural, and cheap!

this also can be used as a face wash, body wash, for dishes, etc.

LOVE it!!

Phew the snow is gone

2011-04-27T13:48:00.000-07:00

It is finally warm in our part of the country. We were beginning to think it was winter all year here. The kids playing outside all day are here again. And the house stays so much cleaner!
Easter came and went. That famous bunny filled baskets with sewing kits, woodworking kits, little notebooks, and a little candy.

During the winter months both Malachi and Amelia managed to teach themselves how to ride a bike. They would go out to play and the next thing I knew they would come running in excited that they figured out how to ride a bike.

And riding bikes they do . . . fast and furious . . . much of the day long.

Another fun thing about the spring are these two lovely ladies that have been added to our yard.

a christmas gift completed

2011-02-07T07:24:00.000-08:00

I've been dropping pretty big hints the past few years to Justin that he needed to learn how to make furniture. He would look at me like I was crazy. But I had confidence and so I kept dropping the hints. Finally . . . finally . . . he committed to making me something. For Christmas I was gifted with a bunch of wood with the promise of a storage cabinet. Well, it has happened! And man I am excited. Justin is much less excited because he knows a list of new items to be built will be handed to him. But oh isn't it beautiful!
I painted it and added a few stencils and now it is ready to be filled.

Shelves . . . glorious shelves. Storage . . . pretty storage!

We only need about four more of these . . . . HA! I keep telling Justin it's a wonderful skill to have, and a skill I want our boys (and Amelia if she chooses) to pick up through the years. I'll have to keep the pressure and the nagging going strong!

Her art for the year

2011-01-27T06:32:00.000-08:00

Amelia loves to draw. All the kids love to make things, but Amelia probably draws a few things each day. Well the drawings add up. For a long time I didn't know what to do with all of these creations. She would color or draw something, bring it to me with pride, I would exclaim how marvelous it was, and when she wasn't looking I would sneak it into the trash. I know that's horrible, but I can't stand all the papers lying around on the tables. So I found a pattern to solve my problems in the book A Handmade Home, by Amanda Soule. In the book it's a pattern for a letter satchel, so I just enlarged it for an art satchel. I made these about a year ago. And from then on it has been wonderful. She will come to me with a drawing, I will praise her, and then tell her if she wants to keep it to put it into her art satchel. Into the art satchel everything goes, and it doesn't clutter up the home. I decided that on each birthday we will pull out the art for the year and display it, so we all can admire what they have done throughout the whole year. We will pick through the ones they want to keep forever, file them away in the attic, and have a cleaned out art satchel to start the next year of their life. Now I feel guilt free of slipping stuff into the trash.
Malachi took it upon himself to decide which pieces should be presented on Amelia's big day.

I LOVE that she loves to draw. And I love her art work. It makes me giggle every time.

The art work of a four year old is something wonderful. And this newly five year old was more than delighted to share her masterpieces on her special day.

I'm excited for the prospect of pulling these out to decorate her sixteenth birthday. She may hate me for it.

easy art for kids

2011-01-21T06:27:00.000-08:00

The kids love art projects, and this is a great one for little kids. Also it's something they can hang in their rooms and be proud of---and oh my, they are proud! I picked up some 18x24 canvas from A.C. Moore. This size canvas is normally seventeen dollars a piece, but in January they are on sale for 5.99. Then all you do is try your best to make a picture with painter's tape.
Once they are done painting just peel off the tape to complete the picture.

It's such easy wall art that they can do themselves.

I had to guide Elijah quite a bit with his. He has one love right now and it's trains. I also had to persuade him to branch out from the color blue, which is the only color he even wants to talk about. This project is a bit old for a two year old, but he is at that age where he will NOT be left out of anything!!

A few sewing projects

2011-01-13T05:41:00.000-08:00

Through the months I've made a few things that I haven't blogged about. I've decided to share a couple of those things I was able to make that we've gotten a lot of use out of. This is our first winter in a place that is actually really wintry. So far, we have quite enjoyed ourselves. I desperately want a woodstove insert to put into the fireplace to make this cozy house even more cozy. But, those dreams will have to wait until the day we can own our own home. The kids have enjoyed the snow, making snow forts and sledding, and then venturing in for a cup of steaming blueberry tea with scones. After their outside time is their quiet time. This is when they go to the book corner for an hour and read or draw. A while ago I made reading pillows for them. Big ones where they could lay on and be comfortable on the floor. They have gotten a lot of use especially on these balmy winter days.
I realized later that I should have made three. I guess another is in order.

Another thing I'm really glad I made are these bowl covers. With kids after meals there is always something left over. I got tired of constantly using plastic wrap or bags, or plastic tupperware to store things in. I do have vintage glass refigerator containers, which was the norm before tupperware was invinted. But sometimes it's just easier to put a cover on things. These bowl or plate covers are wonderful. I made a couple in small, medium, and large. They have rip stop material on the inside and are washable. I love them because they are reusable, so there's no waste, and plus when you're bringing a dish to parties they're much prettier than plastic wrap or aluminum foil!

Lastly, I finally made something just for me. A bag that I can pile books in or knitting, or whatever I want when I'm going out. I love the material, which I ordered from Fabricworm, because I haven't found a decent fabric store around here yet.

finally

2010-12-27T08:42:00.001-08:00

Finally prayers have been answered . . . . many, many prayers on behalf of some of the little folks around here.

The sleds got to be used for real this time

where's the snow?

2010-12-17T10:45:00.000-08:00

The kids ask me everyday if it's going to snow. We've gotten plenty of snowflakes but no real snow. When I told Malachi it has snowed in North Carolina three times already he started to cry. I keep telling them that technically winter hasn't even started yet. They've been wearing their snow pants and snow boots for weeks. And now they have begun to just go out and sit in the sleds.

I'm sure the neighbors get a good chuckle out of it.

Sinterklaas and Krampus

2010-12-06T07:01:00.000-08:00

This past weekend we went to a dutch settlement called Rhinebeck a little north of our town. There they were having a Sinterklaas celebration. The Sinterklaas story is the same as the St. Nicholas story. Except for one big difference---the Krampus. The Krampus escort Sinterklaas around town and take all the naughty children away. In Europe this is serious business. They are evil looking creatures that carry long sticks around to actually hit people with. I mean they chase people down and really beat people with them. Sometimes they even come to your home.
But in America they could never get away with that---so things are really tame.
A couple of days before the festival Sinterklass arrives.

At Rhinebeck they call the Krampus--Grumpus. And they aren't nearly as scary. They wonder all around town and give the kids a little fright but are mostly just friendly.

The kids were frightened at first but got over it---kind of.

They had a band that followed them all around town and they would do a Grumpus dance that was very entertaining. During the parade they handed out candy to the kids.

Sinterklaas parade

2010-12-06T06:43:00.001-08:00

The parade started in the evening and it was a lot of fun!! They had so many huge puppets and just neat things to look at. These are just a couple of pics from the parade.
A very large Rumpelstiltskin
A big glowing snake

Lots of people carry glowing suns and stars throughout the day and during the parade

Gotta have some bagpipes.

And the famous Sinterklaas riding his white horse. Santa Claus also made a visit near the end of the parade---this is America after all.

our Sinterklaas

2010-12-06T06:23:00.000-08:00

We added a new tradition to our Christmas season. This year the Sinterklaas came. The kids put the shoes out with carrots for his horse. And then we read the story of how Sinterclaas (St. Nicholas) started.
The next morning the shoes were filled with these little guys.

I didn't want it to be about the kids getting more stuff, but something we could enjoy as a family. We put these up on the mantle to add to our Christmas decorations so we can all enjoy them.

Because Sinterklaas is mostly celebrated in Germany, Austria, Netherlands, etc. I wanted to get vintage Christmas things from those countries. I'm thinking each year we will add to our new collection of vintage European Christmas items.

two

2010-11-28T13:50:00.001-08:00

A special little person in our family turned two this past week.
It was a low key affair with just us--but I think that's how this little boy prefers it.

When thinking of gifts for the kids I try hard to find used items. Most vintage items are better made and are without all the chemicals in the toys made today. Plus there's no extra carbon foot print on the earth. He was extremely pleased with his sturdy new-to-him tractors.

I also try to make at least one thing for them. Because we now live in a colder climate my brain is turned towards staying warm. I came up with this idea of making Elijah a hat that would completely cover his head, not come off during play, and had a built in scarf. I made this one out of an old sweater. I make the kids play outside everyday, even in the cold weather, so easy warm weather stuff is a must.

I think he's as cute as a button. Malachi and Amelia decided he either looked like a bunny with one ear or a green ghost.

The General

2010-08-25T09:17:00.001-07:00

There is a lot of dressing up that happens in our home. I love to watch the ethusiasim of becoming someone different trickle down to even the smallest.
Lately, General George Washington has been making frequent visits. The General's bravery and intellegence has a big appeal. I was told that I need to be on the look out for a white wig.

He has even appeared in all different shapes and sizes.

I think this soldier marches to her own drum.

"Green" living

2010-07-19T06:52:00.000-07:00

I love this new craze of green living. Basically it's frugal living and building home skills, and everyone benefits including the earth. I think it is hilarious that it's so popular now to be cheap, I mean "re-use" everything. Hanging your wash out on the line is the "in" thing to do now. Cloth diapers are also the thing to do, and we made the switch about six months ago. Going back to the "old way of life" is what society is encouraging. Hey, this is something I've always gravitated towards and if that's what is popular right now that's great.
I've experienced with a making my own toothpaste. I've tried a few different recipes and finally combined knowledge and created my own that I think works quite well. The first recipe I tried used a pure castile soap and so it left a slight soapy taste. Nobody in my family was in favor of this one. Next I tried a baking soda based one and tweaked it to be more tolerable. The ingredients you need are baking soda, virgin coconut oil, xylitol, and peppermint essential oil. The xylitol is actually a natural sweetener and is really good for your teeth. You can go to dentist.net to check it out. Xylitol helps to prevent cavities and tooth decay. It can be found at a health food store. So can the essential oil.

The recipe:
4T of virgin coconut oil. You may need to heat this in the microwave for around 30 seconds to soften it up.
6T of baking soda. Mix this in with the coconut oil.
8T of Xylitol. Mix in.
80 drops of essential oil. Sounds like a lot but it really isn't. Mix it in.
A nice paste should form.

The thing about "green" living is that it's frugal but also it is what is healthiest for your body. Commercial toothpastes contain glycerin which coats your teeth. It takes about 20 rinses to get rid of the glycerin. When the glycerin remains on the teeth, they can't re-enamelize. This actually causes decay. Plus there are a lot of scientist out there against the use of fluoride. Also a lot of commercial toothpaste contain some form of whitening agent that is horrible for your teeth and causes them to be brittle. Most dentist will tell you that a homemade toothpaste is far better for your teeth than commercial toothpaste.

I put it in a glass jar, and dip my toothbrush in it and just get a dab. You don't need a lot of it and this jar should last you a long time. The baking soda also disinfects your toothbrush! How often do we actually remember to clean our toothbrushes.

I thought I would also do a quick post on the laundry detergent I make. I felt like I was always buying laundry detergent and I hated the idea of all the chemicals in the store bought versions. So, I've been making my own for a while now and I absolutely love it. You can tell I will soon need to make more. I prefer the powder version because it's easier to make and not so messy.

The recipe:

2 cups of washing soda---I have to get mine from Alice.com because I can't find it in the stores here. The shipping is free.

2 cups of borax

1 cup of baking soda

1 whole bar of fels naptha finely grated. I also can't find this in the stores around here. I bought mine on sale from a soap making company for one dollar a bar and ordered a whole case.

I use 2T for a large load and I absolutely love it.

I also make my own body moisturizer with beeswax, coconut oil, and olive oil that I absolutely love as well. I can't give out this recipe because I don't remember. I did it by eye and didn't write anything down. When I have to make some more I'll write it down.

My next venture is deodorant. I have all the stuff I need to just put it together. If you make the toothpaste you will already have the ingredients. Deodorant is something I've wanted to do for a long time because of all the health risks in the aluminum that commercial ones have. But, this is the south and it is hot and sticky. But, I hear the recipe that I have works really well, so I'll have to give it a try.

Az trip 2010

2010-07-08T05:33:00.001-07:00

While in Camp Verde, AZ the kids played in the lake that was always in the front yard.
Got to know cousins better.

Played with some old friends that aren't so little anymore.

And celebrated a birthday of a now six year old boy.

The Big Hole

2010-07-08T05:21:00.000-07:00

It was Malachi's idea to go see the Grand Canyon. He had big plans of hiking down to the bottom and seeing the river or the village down there. I told him he wasn't quite ready for such an adventure. So he had to stick with just looking at it. Yep, it's as dad said, "just a big hole in the ground."
We did come across this . . . reindeer? Not sure. But, it was impressive.

This little girl has a nasty habit of wandering off and getting close to edges.

Hopi Rez

2010-07-08T05:04:00.000-07:00

We got to spend time on the Hopi Rez while we were in AZ. It was a lot of fun. We got to stay with family and the kids got to play with cousins they've never met. We also got to see three different Kachina dances. One of the dances had around fifty different Kachinas. They were absolutely beautiful! It is something you have to see in person because there are no pictures of Kachinas. We also got to tour parts of the rez that are closed to visitors. It was a really fun experience and I think the kids learned a lot. They had a blast getting to know the Hopi side of the family. Malachi and Kam, who is about a year older, were two peas in a pod.

This is Ta'ha or Uncle. He was teaching the kids how to shoot the bow and arrow. Elijah thought it was the neatest thing ever.

We can't wait to go back and visit again.

memorial day fun

2010-06-01T07:12:00.001-07:00

A little hiking . . . actually a couple hours of hiking. We took the trails up Occoneechee Mountain.
A picnic at the top. Here is a delicacy by Amelia of Reese's peanut butter cups dipped in peach yogurt.

And a little fishing.

the pool

2010-06-01T07:06:00.000-07:00

They wanted to do a little swimming. Desperate times call for desperate measures . . .

strawberry thief

2010-06-01T06:16:00.001-07:00

We have a strawberry patch in our garden. For the longest time I couldn't figure out what was eating the strawberries. I figured it was a chipmunk or the red robin I see trying to get nibbles all the time. Sometimes there would just be a big bite taken out of the the strawberry and the rest left on the vine. Well then I found the culprit . . . the biggest chipmunk I've ever seen.

Which is fine. That's why I planted them. The garden is in good use if the kids can eat strawberries from their own yard when they please.

Playing with Snakes

2010-05-11T08:23:00.000-07:00

When we moved in a neighbor warned us about Copperheads in the area. So, we've kept an eye out and told the kids to stay away from the ditches, brush, and woods. But, they never do. The other night Justin spotted one in our driveway. Because it was dark it was able to get away. But the next day Justin was able to locate it and kill it. This lovely Copperhead was just hanging out a few feet from where the kids play. Well you think that would be the end of the road for this snake, but no Justin decided it would serve a greater purpose . . . dissect it with the kids.
The kids were completely thrilled and captivated by the whole process.

Justin showed them the hole in the trachea and how it led down to the lungs. Then he had the kids locate the other organs.

Malachi loved this . . . .and here is a snake heart. Next they found the liver, stomach, intestines, etc.

Even though this was gross, I think it's way cool that Justin took the time to do this with the kids. I would have never done this in a million years.

Next they have plans to make something with the snake skin. That should be an interesting project.

Half Marathon

2010-04-27T09:28:00.000-07:00

This month I was able to run a half marathon with my friends Casey and Theresa from high school. This was a first for each of us. We ran it in Charlottesville, Va which is a little too close to the Blue Ridge Mountains. This race had waaaay more hills than we expected.
It started at 6:30 in the morning and Elijah wasn't thrilled to be up that early on a Saturday.

This is us waving to Elijah and Justin as we run by.

I'd have to say it was a lot more enjoyable than I thought it would be. It was a blast running with friends. I think that made all the difference. We have plans to run more together through the years.

I did manage to gain some injuries. I strained the muscles in my foot and ankle along with gaining a stress fracture. I'm not sure which injury came first. But it did start about half way through the race. I didn't realize the damage and so ran on it for seven miles. I was in some intense pain especially near the end, but all I could focus on was finishing. Even though I'm still on crutches nine days after the race, I don't regret finishing. The race was still worth it.

My Birthday

2010-04-27T09:16:00.000-07:00

Look at this beauty . . . .
This is a New York style cheesecake made from scratch with a homemade chocolate ganache on top. This is the cake Justin made me for my birthday. Who has a husband like that? I'd have to say it was the best cheesecake I've ever had. Just writing about it makes me want another so badly. I'm pretty sure I will request this for the rest of my life.

It was a hit! Elijah loved the berries . . . covered in chocolate. Ahh . . . it's wonderful to have a husband that can cook like this.

Civil War

2010-04-27T08:45:00.000-07:00

Well we do live in the South . . . and so you must experience the history that surrounds you. We decided to expose the kids to a Civil War re-enactment. We explained the very basics of the war to them. It was a huge event. There was a large area to peruse that was the civilian camp.
It was fun watching all of the civilians go about their daily business of cooking, cleaning, whittling, talking etc. as everyone walked by to look. They actually slept there at night and cooked all their meals over open flame, so everything was very authentic.

All the troops were camped in the woods close to the battlefield, and so there was a huge soldier camp to walk through as well.

It was all interesting to see but I would prefer a much smaller gathering next time. There were so many people that it was hard to see the battle.

But, it was a great way to make a history lesson really come alive for the kids.

Making Valentines

2010-02-12T05:46:00.000-08:00

making valentines for kindergartners . . . hmmmm. I decided that it would fun to do writing/drawing books. I figured these would be a little different and useful. My kids love to write notes and to draw pictures but it's hard to know what other kids enjoy doing.
A busy bee hard at work cutting out the hearts.

The finished project. We made an extra for Malachi that he got busy drawing in right away.

We put a little picture of Malachi on the back of each one so they would know who they were from.

Helping the coach

2010-02-10T08:17:00.000-08:00

Justin announced the other night that Malachi and Amelia could sit on the bench during the next game and help it out. I have to admit I was quite leery of this idea, but I wasn't going to give up the chance to be able to watch the game without them pestering me the whole time. Lets just say things could have gone better. I'm not sure if Justin has his head in his hands because of something that happened during the game or because of the kids.
Soon into the game I noticed Amelia starting to do acrobatics on the seats. This was not a good sign.

After attempting headstands on the seats she went to pretending she was a nun with the towels.

Next Amelia was completely off her seat and had gotten Malachi involved in her next scheme. They began riding on the ball cart which was behind the players. Then they began fighting who was going to ride and who was going to push. I was mortified that no one over there was stopping them. Nobody on the spectators side was watching the game they were busy watching the kids. Everyone around me was making comments like, "Look at those kids!" and "All those balls are going to end up on the court!"

Finally someone grabbed the cart from them. But five minutes later they came running around the court to me to ask me for some food. Now everyone knew they were my kids. I tried to get them to sit down next to me so that I could control them somewhat. Amelia starts yelling, "Put me down!" Meanwhile Elijah is trying his hardest to get out on the court himself.

Even though it's blurry this picture really shows how well it went. That is an assistant coach desperately trying to get this kid to leave him alone.

The game did end well for the team, but man I went home and gave them a bowl of cereal for dinner and put them to bed.

Superman says so

2010-02-05T07:18:00.000-08:00

It snowed again today and so Malachi is once again out of school. He only went to school one day this week. Amelia was beyond thrilled to have her partner in crime home to play with.
The adventure this morning . . . superheros. Malachi dressed the part as Superman.
"But Amelia where are your pants?" I asked.

Malachi rushed in. "Sorry mom that's how Wonder Woman dresses!"

Thanks a lot Wonder Woman.

The disappearance

2010-02-01T11:37:00.001-08:00

Someone quietly slipped outside in the early morning hours. He quickly got himself dressed without my knowledge. Quicker than ever before might I add. And before anyone realized he was outside . . . on the moon.

He just couldn't resist the white moon dust.

In 20 degree weather.

Yes those are tennis shoes.

A Whole Vitamin

2010-01-25T09:36:00.000-08:00

I feel like it's always someones birthday around here.
This time it was for my favorite little girl

My mom made the cake again this year----hallelujah! This time a Cinderella cake with the blue dress was requested.

I can't believe how big she is getting. I really treasure these early years when they're so innocent and sweet. I love watching her discover new things and deciding what is important to her.

The most important thing about turning four in her world is that now she gets a whole vitamin instead of it cut in half. She has been waiting a very long time indeed for this.

Gift Giving

2010-01-01T15:22:00.000-08:00

These are a few gifts that were made this Christmas. I'm really trying to get the kids into the habit of making their gifts for family and friends. It forces them to be imaginative, creative, industrious, and it builds skills. Plus to me it means so much when it's handmade.

This is another felted pilot hat I made for my little brother. It's really easy to turn sweaters into felt. Just find an old WOOL sweater that has shrunk, has holes in it, or go to goodwill and find some for cheap. All you do is wash them in hot water and then dry them in the dryer. They are felted when you can cut them and the fibers don't unravel. Sometimes you have to wash and dry a couple of times. Once they are felted you can do so many quick projects because you don't have to finish the edges.
These are silhouettes of Malachi and Amelia I gave to my mom. The actual silhouettes are cut out of foam to give it more dimension. The foam is glued to fancy paper which is mod podged to wood oval plaques.

These are bookmarks that Malachi made for gifts. He drew pictures on linen and then we chose a coordinating material for the back. My favorite is the menorah he drew for someone that isn't even Jewish.

Amelia stitched this for my mom. She did all of the stitching by herself. I drew the picture on a yellow linen and would hold the embroidery hoop while she stitched away. She was very focused and actually finished it fairly quickly. I was amazed at how well she did. Sometimes I forget she's only three.

I made this doll for Amelia. It's called a Jane Austen doll.

Trimming the Tree

2010-01-01T14:01:00.000-08:00

Every year I've made the ornaments for the tree. Nice ones are so expensive and I like the tradition of making my own. Here are a few I made this year.
These are silhouettes. I love silhouettes and they're always classy. I gave these away, but next year I have plans for all different kinds.

I made a few out of beeswax. These were so easy and pretty. I plan on making a lot more for next year.

I love the look of icicles. These are knitted from a knitting tower. They seriously take a minute to make and so easy the kids can make them.

These are paper cones filled with nuts, gum drops, and peppermint sticks. Next year I plan to make enough and string them as a garland for an advent calender. I'll have to think of what to put in all of them besides candy.

this little boy

2009-12-09T11:59:00.000-08:00

I have to do a post about this little boy. His personality is really starting to come out and it still amazes me how different each child is. Elijah is our first child to have a major attachment to a blanket. I doubt he would survive without it. It's the fringe that he loves. We even had to cut a portion off to take with us when we go out.
The biggest difference I've seen is his draw towards sports. He always has some ball or another in his hands. His favorite game is playing pass the ball back and forth. It's strange to see this difference between Malachi and Elijah. Ever since Malachi was little you could tell that he would like playing sports. But, even at age one you can tell that Elijah will absolutely love sports. It will be a passion for him.

He is always looking out the kitchen window . . . longing to get outside and play. It's funny to hear him barking at all of the squirrels.

Malachi is my super creative child and he is always making something and saves every container he gets his hands on---this comes from the Freeman side! This is a helmet he made for Elijah after he was done with the breakfast that morning.

This is a little pilot hat I made for him out of a wool sweater I felted by washing. He's such a sweetheart!

fashion diva

2009-11-25T07:08:00.000-08:00

Just about every day she has a request for me to make something for her. If I was a cobbler and could make shoes her wildest dreams would come true. But alas, I don't have those skills and she settled on arm warmers. Arm warmers? An odd request but an easy one.
Next . . . a big bag to carry her bear (the name is Two Straps), her little pig, and some books when she is going on an overnite visit. I found this all wool sweater at a GoodWill and got it for the purpose of crafting with. So, a bag was made.

Malachi had a rubber band of hers that he was playing with and she took it away from him. I told her it was okay for him to play with it and that she just couldn't take it from him. Do you know what she said in response . . . "Rubbish!"

I didn't know what to say and so I just chuckled and we all went on our way.

Turning One

2009-11-23T17:12:00.000-08:00

We had a little celebration for a very special boy.
He has been so much fun to have in our home. I can't imagine our family without him. He has such a sweet personality.

I'm famous for the turning 1 birthday cakes. Rarely are they edible. I try to make them without sugar because the kids usually don't get sugar before they turn two. This time I made the diabetic version of the upside down pineapple cake. It did have a little bit of sugar but I allowed it since it had the same amount that is in my whole wheat bread recipe. Was it tasty? I wouldn't say so. But it wasn't nasty---and that's a big step up!

I had Malachi and Amelia each make a gift for Elijah. Amelia chose a book because he loves to look at them and is always carrying one around. She drew all the pictures about space because "boys like space stuff." I bound it by sewing it together on the machine and she was so proud of her accomplishment. Malachi drew a robot on some material and then I helped him sew it together. He was excited about the opportunity to sew on my machine. He loved the project and was so excited to give it to his baby brother.

I think Elijah had a good day. He loved the attention. His favorite part of the day . . . the candle and the maraschino cherries!

2009-11-01T16:43:00.000-08:00

This year we had some scary mummies to eat.
Pumpkin carving---just about all by themselves.

A Witch, Santa, and Harold and the Purple Crayon.

Hope everyone had a Happy Halloween.

Leaf Crunching

2009-11-01T16:28:00.000-08:00

With all of the leaves on the ground we couldn't help ourselves and decided do a bit of crunching.
Before we left I grabbed the camera. Amelia asked me why I was bringing it, and I told her so that I could take pictures of the pretty leaves. She responded, "What about me and my pretty eyes." Wow! What has her daddy been filling her head with!

Some leaf collecting . . . our nature table is overflowing.

Elijah is sooooo into leaves and trees right now.

And like everything else . . . it ended with mud.

Studio Apt.

2009-10-21T09:01:00.000-07:00

This is a corner of the playroom that I've redone for a certain little girl I'm partial to. Her own little apartment. There's a table I got at a yard sale years ago and repainted off to the left out of view. It doesn't have a kid size bed (which was requested) but it has her doll bed also out of view.
The kitchen set she got for Christmas last year with help from my mom.

I stitched this little wall hanging for a decoration because it's playful and I love the poem.

The Whole Duty of Children:

A child should always say what's true

And speak when he is spoken to,

Behave mannerly at table,

At least as far as he is able.

--Robert Louis Stevenson

The wicker set Malachi spotted at a thrift store awhile ago and begged to have it. They were in rough shape. He liked them because they were blue. Well the paint was coming off of them so I didn't tell him at the time I had complete plans to redo them. I spray painted them a nice bright yellow and sewed little cushions and pillows for them.

All three of them love the new area to play. Elijah's favorite thing to do is climb up on the wicker couch and then scream for help because he can't get down.

By the way, he's a little walker now. Ten months and walking---must be a third child thing.

A Nay and a Yay

2009-10-14T14:18:00.000-07:00

A trip to the Farmer's Market. I made some eggplant pizza. The "bread" was the eggplant. It looked really good and the kids were excited to taste it--having no idea it was eggplant. A nay for them. They wanted the kind with the bread. I liked it just fine. Was not a bad way to eat eggplant.
Lots of apples resulted in wild blueberry-apple butter, sauce, and pie filling. It is soooo good and soooo easy. After you've peeled and cored with your apple peeler corer machine pop into the crockpot with blueberries and spices. First I made the applesauce, then the butter, and lastly the pie filling. The applesauce is great for Elijah. I can't wait to use the pie filling. I just put a handful of organic blueberries in to lightly flavor and also to dye the apples. It will make the apple pie so much prettier.

Game Time

2009-10-14T14:08:00.001-07:00

It's fall and that means football. We braved it and took all three kids to a game. It was nice because UNC scored a lot of touchdowns (42 points by halftime) thus resulting in a lot of fireworks.
Tarheel Blue . . . the color of the heavens. Look . . . I see a little angel.

Justin explaining how a player catches the ball and everyone tries to knock him down. Amelia announced, "This is a very silly game."

around the house

2009-10-14T13:49:00.001-07:00

ahhhh . . . such fashion sense. Yes she does get it from me.
A little boy so happy to have gotten an apple. Actually he yanked this one out of his sister's hand.

This time he climbed up this chair to get to Amelia's chicken pot pie. Am I just not feeding him enough?

Drawing time. I love this picture. It's funny how one gets an idea and the rest follow--even Elijah.

Elijah--10 Mos.

2009-09-25T11:08:00.001-07:00

Our little Lijy has just turned 10 mos.--I can't believe how fast he's growing. He is quite the character. He is always on the go and plays really well by himself. The changes have been quick. This is me trying to snap a picture of his teeth---he managed to pop out five within a month and a half.
Still for two seconds . . .

I'm going to have to pack up all of his baby toys. He is no longer interested in them and only wants to play with trains, planes, and cars.

In the last few months he has learned to wave Hi and Bye and say them--kind of. He also loves to clap. ANd he has mastered the pointing for the things he wants. The cutest is when he barks like a dog--oh it melts your heart. A big boy already.

2009-09-22T11:53:00.000-07:00

I LOVE Autumn. It is my favorite time of the year--the colors, the crisp air, pie, cute jackets, cozy sweaters, funky long socks, pumpkins, football games, a holiday devoted to scaring people and candy, a holiday devoted to eating and giving thanks, did I mention pie . . .
I'm determined to learn to make an amazing pie crust. So far not so great. Who do I turn to . . . why Justin just happens to make an amazing pie crust. Lucky for me I have a mentor in my own home.
Don't you just love these apple peeler, corer, slicer things. They are the coolest!
I'm excited to begin canning applesauce and apple butter now that apples are cheap.
So, I will keep practicing with the pie crusts--I'm sure there will be no complaints. I've been watching the show Road to Avonlea. Thanks to Netflix---I just love Netflix. One of the main characters is a girl, Felecity, who is determined to one day be the best homemaker. It's a cute show about simple times and old fashioned goodness. I love the kitchen scenes and watching them prepare their meals. I also love the idea of having locks on all the cabinets so little hands can't reach in and grab sweets. Here is a clip--don't forgot to turn off the music if it's on.

2009-09-22T11:28:00.001-07:00

Lesson #2

2009-09-14T08:13:00.000-07:00

Ever since the sheets Amelia has been dying to make a blanket for her doll bed. She had the material picked out for weeks and I finally got around to it. I decided to go for a quilt because she picked out three different fat quarters. I have never even attempted a quilt so I just completely made this up. This is probably about the size I will ever attempt. Well maybe I will do a real one sometime--when I learn how and I have the time!
Amelia loves it. I pieced it all together and she helped sew the square pattern all over it. She kept moving my hands out of the way because she wanted to do it by herself. She isn't ready for that--so I still helped guide her as much as she would allow.

I have the perfect little dolls to make in the plans for Christmas that will love this bed.

Yorkshire Pudding

2009-09-14T08:02:00.000-07:00

I'm new to Yorkshire Pudding--I don't remember ever having it growing up. Justin did have it growing up and so he made it one evening. I liked the idea of such an old English recipe and thought it would be fun to explore it.
After some research I made these. To get them so high (there are many contests in England on the height) you have to add a ton of eggs. The recipe I looked at called for EIGHT eggs. Well I just couldn't do it. So I added three eggs and then six egg whites which would be the equal of six eggs all together--- but healthier. They got nice and high, but as you can guess they had a strong egg taste. You usually eat the pudding with gravy from a pot roast but with the eggy taste they are eggsellent (sorry!) for breakfast with maple syrup or jam.

Lesson #1

2009-08-29T07:04:00.001-07:00

My mom gave this doll bed to Amelia a couple of years ago. The white sheets that were on it had been played on and played on, and so they were looking a little sad. So, I thought this was a good opportunity for Amelia to learn a little about sewing. I helped her guide the material through the machine and she sure thought she was something. It was a quick and simple project and she is so pleased with her new sheets.
And what was her favorite part about sewing??? Wearing the pin cushion!!

nap time

2009-08-26T10:21:00.001-07:00

A couple of days after finishing Malachi's airplane pillow he was requesting to take it to school. Well . . . I guess I just don't think about these kind of things. They are asked to bring a towel to school for nap time--in my time it was those cushy mats--but that's not the case anymore. So he just has to lay down on the hard floor with a towel and so he wanted to bring the pillow for his head. How could I deny this request? So, I made this little pillow for him to take.
It's not very big or fluffy so it easily fits in his cubby at school along with everything else. He loved it and was so eager to take it to school. He doesn't nap at all, so I know the whole time he'll be pretending to be blasting off in a rocket.

On the back I just stamped these elephants on it from a stamp I had carved a while back. The whole thing took maybe an hour--while the baby was awake! Now he has a little something handmade from his mama to rest on at school.

The Art of Pie

2009-08-19T06:54:00.000-07:00

A couple of days ago Amelia got a bee in her bonnet and decided she wanted to make a blueberry pie. I agreed to go along with her determination. Now, I decided that because she is three and asking to make a pie I would teach her how to make it from scratch. There is an art to pie making and she tends to lean towards cooking, so I figured I should teach her right from the start.
She was tickled to death at the whole process and was very proud of her work. I'm sure she will be asking to make many more pies and we will be able to try many different crust recipes to find the perfect one.

Cozy Pillows

2009-08-07T08:33:00.000-07:00

I embroidered some pictures the kids had made for pillows. I love little kid drawings and this is a fun way to keep them forever. Sorry I couldn't get better pictures of these our camera is messed up. Malachi drew this picture of a plane.
Amelia drew a picture of a centipede. . . a very happy centipede.

The kids are so delighted to see their artwork on a pillow. It's just a little handmade something by their mama to make their bed cozier as Amelia says. Hopefully they will be able to one day pass them on to their children.

Hair

2009-08-07T08:22:00.001-07:00

So, I'm not a hair person. I know it's a shocker. My own hair is pulled back every day. And Amelia, well she's lucky if she gets her hair brushed that week. She always always has her hair in her face, so I thought we could use something that would help with that. These are so quick to make and are elastic so they just have to be slipped on.
The next time I'm planning on having Amelia help me so she can develop some sewing skills herself. She's more than eager to start.

Plus, they're reversible. Amelia has claimed her two favorite colors are pink and orange . . . whatever.

I was thinking of finding some vintage wool and tweed to make some fun winter ones as well.

Bob the Tomato

2009-07-22T12:10:00.000-07:00

Amelia and I made some spool dolls. She said they were just like Bob the Tomato on Veggie Tales. She was delighted with them. I didn't plan to make them look Asian. It just came out of me that way when I began to paint the faces. I hope these aren't offensive!
They provided hours of entertainment--at least for one afternoon.

Somehow this scene is familiar.

Your life is over . . .

2009-07-16T07:40:00.001-07:00

Malachi started kindergarten this past Monday. He has been so excited to go to school. But he began to get nervous and anxious about the whole thing about a week before because Justin kept telling him that his life was over and that he would be in school for the rest of his life. I was nervous as well, him being my first baby off to school. I wanted to scream "Don't do it! Don't go! You'll never be the same innocent boy again." Plus school somehow manages to eventually suck the will to learn right out of you. Everyone begins life eager to learn new things and school manages to squash that desire. You don't find it again until late in life when you've finally finished school but then you're too busy to learn all the things you want to. Not to mention too tired. The whole subject is a bit depressing to me.
This is a little work area we set up for him.

This is what he wore to go meet his teacher, Mr. Kirby. He told me he wanted to look handsome for his teacher, so I said go for it. And yes he even picked a rose to put in his pocket. He wanted to give the rose to his teacher, which he did even though he somehow managed to crumple it so much it was just a pile of petals. Mr. Kirby appreciated the gesture anyway and everyone got a kick out of his outfit.

This is his gear . . . we spaced it out for him.

And he's off . . . good luck kid.

Land of the Free

2009-07-05T13:41:00.001-07:00

Happy 4th of July to all.
We live in an amazing country. Thanks to all those that are serving to help protect this country. Because of their hardwork we were able to celebrate and have a nice day.
We enjoyed a bit of--

::FUN:: it can't be fun without being a little crafty

::FOOD:: he's thinking big

::FAMILY:: Malachi likes that bald head

Tradition

2009-06-24T10:53:00.001-07:00

My mom's family owns a cottage down at Kure Beach. My mom went growing up, I went growing up, and now I get to take my kids. These are just a few images of play at the beach.

Some Faves

2009-06-24T10:46:00.001-07:00

These are a few of my favorite pictures from the trip----
For the first few days this was about as close as Amelia would get to the water.
I love, love, love this picture.

Elijah enjoying the sand.

I think it is so much fun watching how kids eat ice cream cones.

The Big One

2009-06-24T10:26:00.001-07:00

We were at the cottage for Malachi's fifth birthday. The oven didn't work and needed to be replaced so baking a cake was out of the plans. Malachi picked out strawberry shortcake and decided it would be a good idea to eat it for breakfast. Well . . . why not, we're on vacation!
Opening gifts . . .

A ferry ride over to Southport . . .

For dinner he chose pizza--which wasn't a shocker. And then we went for ice cream. This is Malachi after a long day celebrating. I think he's pondering his future---or just stretching his stomach out so he can finish that cone.

Bag Love

2009-06-24T10:15:00.001-07:00

I made a few bags to collect things in. Whenever we go "exploring" the kids give you a bunch of stuff to hold. So these are their treasure bags. They are made from oil cloth so anything can be put in them. If the treasure is wet, sandy, dirty, etc.--no problem--they can just be wiped clean.

This one I couldn't help making for myself. I use it as an everyday bag. I put oil cloth on the bottom and strap just to give it a little structure.

Starting a collection

2009-06-24T08:41:00.001-07:00

:: THE WALK::

::THE PLAN::

::THE HUNT::

::THE PLAY::

::Conclusion:: The butterflies and dragonflies are a lot faster than they are. But they have perfected their lightening bug skills. They catch jar fulls and are quite proud of themselves. I will keep everyone updated on the bug collecting quest.

YUM

2009-06-09T19:26:00.000-07:00

Yes . . . I finally made my own yogurt. I've been wanting to attempt this for some time. Mainly just to see if I could do it. It has two benefits: 1. You know exactly what's in it. 2. Yogurt sweetened with honey tastes so much better to me than the stuff sweetened with fructose or whatever it is. This is the recipe I followed: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YOltrfr2W3w

The lady is a big goof but it works well. I did change the recipe a bit. I used skim milk and so I used 1 1/2 cups of the non-fat dry milk to thicken it up. It could probably even use more. I also only left it for eight hours. The longer you let it sit the tarter the yogurt.

Add some honey, granola, and some berries.

stitching

2009-05-25T08:14:00.000-07:00

I love free-hand stitching. I guess I just don't have the patience for cross-stitching, plus this provides such freedom. You can stitch anything you want. This is a bread bag I made. The design is based on the book "A Child's Garden of Verses" by Robert Louis Stevenson. I love the illustrations in this version which are done by Alice and Martin Provensen. The bag is a yellow linen.
This is a little elephant pull toy I did to hang above Elijah's crib. So easy and quick!

My Day

2009-05-11T08:50:00.001-07:00

I hope everyone had a happy Mother's Day. I spent mine with my children and wonderful husband. What else could you ask for? These are a few images of the day . . .

:: an injury--the third scar on his face and he's only four. This doesn't bode well for the future!

:: feeding a sweet baby-- that thinks he's ready to do everything by himself.

:: a weekly ritual-- making bread with my little girl.

:: a scrumptious meal--homemade biscuits and gravy made in a new cast iron skillet, with a side of cheesy bacon grits. We live in the south folks! It was delicious and I had a wonderful day--thanks to my husband for all the hard work, and to my kids for being who they are.

Plein Air

2009-05-05T07:18:00.000-07:00

We spent a morning out focusing on art. My kids don't naturally gravitate towards art so I try to expose them to it as often as I can. Plein Air is supposed to be painting outside, but with three kids I didn't want to take on that challenge. We brought their art journals, pastels, and color pencils.
These are pencil rolls I made for them awhile ago. I made Malachi's out of a rocket material--what else. I love the material for Amelia's. It has the old-school bikes on it. The name is "Lightening Bugs and Other Mysteries". I probably would have bought it just because of the name.
After the art they quickly moved on to more "fun" activities. They began with hide-and-go-seek. I love how the leaves touch the water.
Then it moved to "fishing" and poking the turtles with sticks.

D.C. Trip

2009-05-04T07:05:00.000-07:00

Till We Meet Again

2009-04-09T09:26:00.001-07:00

Dougie Rackliff Dec. 22 1946- April 1, 2009

2009-04-09T08:56:00.000-07:00

The passing of my father has brought mixed emotions. I do miss him and I wish that he was able to meet his grand kids. But, I am glad that his life on earth is over for him because it was a hard one. I posted pictures of him when he was younger because maybe then he was a bit happier. Maybe not really happy but hopeful. As the years passed life wore on him and he never seemed to be happy. I wish I knew more about him. He was never one to talk much about his past. We have very few stories from his childhood and youth. It was one of struggle, heartache, disappointment, and trouble. Because of this my father was rarely serious. He was always joking and he had a very twisted sense of humor. My memories growing up with him aren't the best. I don't think he really knew how to be a father. His favorite past time with us was taking long walks on the railroad tracks. I've seen a lot of country side from the lonesome tracks. I do have a few very positive memories. I don't remember how old I was but I do remember one valentines day he ordered flowers for me at school. I'm not much of a flower person, but that day I was and I'll never forget it. He also took me to see the Broadway production of The Sound of Music. Just the two of us. I know if he didn't have so many troubles he would have been a wonderful father. The passing of my father was a surprise. He lived out in Seattle far from us, and after the years of abuse his body finally gave up. He had been sick for months and none of us knew. He died alone without any family or a single friend to be there as he slipped into the next life. This is the biggest struggle for me to get through. I fear he thought nobody would have come, or that he wasn't worth the trouble. I hope he knows now that was not the case. We loved him deeply even though he wasn't the person he wished he could have been.

Laurie in 10 years!!

2009-03-18T09:58:00.001-07:00

Eggsellent

2009-03-11T17:32:00.001-07:00

Getting ready for the Easter Holiday.
The kids dyed the eggs and collected flowers and items from outside to glue to the eggs.

We gently hung them on our egg tree.

Ayr Mount

2009-03-11T17:20:00.000-07:00

We made a great discovery. This is Ayr Mount which is a historical site just a few miles from our house. It has 236 acres and a little hike called the Poet's Walk. It is now our new favorite picnic spot. The day we were there others were out enjoying a lunch as well. But the grounds are extensive and so everyone is well spread out. I'm excited for the trees to get leaves and the flowers to bloom.
Elijah enjoying the sunshine.

Amelia taking a stroll with her doll

The boys playing a little baseball.

Elijah 3 Mos. Update

2009-03-02T09:32:00.000-08:00

Such a cute little man!

lazy sewing

2009-02-26T09:13:00.001-08:00

I've had a sewing machine that has caused me many problems. Probably because it only cost me five dollars. So, after never being able to get the tension right I decided to get a new one with automatic tension. Happy Birthday Mama! I put together a little play dress for Amelia. I didn't use a pattern, measuring, pinning--none of the normal sewing techniques. I just did it to see if I could figure it out on my own. It's a good thing it's just a play dress. She loves it and that's all that matters.

You Better Not Pout

2009-02-22T12:20:00.001-08:00

Malachi desperately wanted to be Santa Claus for next Halloween. My plan was to just stick him in a red jogging outfit and put a Santa hat on him. Well Grandma got wind of his ambitions and she whipped up this little outfit for him. Needless to say he is thrilled. Thanks Grandma!!
Santa asked me what I wanted for Christmas. I told him obedient children. He pondered that one and said, "Sorry lady I only have toys."

Questions

2009-02-19T08:08:00.001-08:00

These are the questions I was battered with this morning by Miss Amelia all before 7:30am:
1.How do you make cups?
2.How do you make spoons?
3.How do make napkins?
4.How do you make fire?
5.How do you make airplanes?
6.How do you make swings?
7.Why do people need two legs to walk?
8.Do squirrels eat people?
Thank goodness this last one was easy to answer. Needless to say this girl hits the floor running when she wakes up.

V-Day (as in love)

2009-02-16T07:27:00.000-08:00

So, I'm not a very sappy person. I don't really like getting flowers, unless they're stolen from some one's yard :) Hey ma remember when Bruce would always steal flowers from yards for mother's day! It's the thought that counts right. But, I am a big fan of candy. And my favorite of all--cadbury cream eggs. Thus the eggs in the shape of a heart. The best ever! It's nice they start putting them out in the stores before valentines day now. Justin also made us chocolate waffles with cherries. It was yum! I love you.
Yes, she thought it was funny to put the straw up her nose. That's my girl!

Malachi is singing a little tune through his straw--that's the Freeman coming out in him.

Charlie Brown Band-aids

2009-02-11T11:13:00.000-08:00

The weather got warm for a few days and we were all excited to be out in the sun to play. Amelia for some reason couldn't stay on her feet. We have a paved driveway that she managed to trip on. She came running in and I put some medicine and band-aids on her. An hour later I hear her screaming again and I look up to see her down on the pavement with her baby doll laying beside her. She managed to scrape her previous band-aids off and add to the wounds on her knees. Thus the collage of charlie brown band-aids.
Even though she isn't showing it, she is quite pleased with her decorated knees.

Getting Bigger

2009-02-09T08:16:00.000-08:00

A couple of sleepy boys.
Malachi is still thrilled to have a little brother. Just wait until Lij gets old enough to play with his toys.

He got a new toy and it just tuckered him out.

Look what kitchen appliance we picked up at sears.

Doctor Freeman

2009-01-27T08:56:00.001-08:00

The tools needed to get a baby out. I'm glad I never needed tools!
The process . . . imagine getting your temp. taken during delivery.

Cleaning the baby

Success!! A very happy mama--that still needs her temperature taken.

A Musical Moment

2009-01-21T08:52:00.000-08:00

At family home evening the kids love to get out instruments and have concerts. Malachi likes to pretend the banjo is an upright bass. This is the song they chose last night.

Snowy days

2009-01-21T08:00:00.000-08:00

It snowed! Only two inches but that was enough for the kids to get excited. They wanted to know if Christmas was coming again. This is Mela attempting a snow angel.
What's he going to do with that snowball?

They named this little guy Elijah.

The big 3

2009-01-21T07:41:00.000-08:00

I can't believe Amelia is 3. This is the magical age when they just seem so much older and begin to grow up so quickly. The other day she taught herself how to swing alone without any help. I'd have to say Mela is a little fireball and can hold her own very well. But, much to chagrin, she is girly--yes girly and it's very hard for me to accept. My mom made this cake for her and when I saw it I realized my kids will never ask me to make them another cake again. Needless to say the cake was a hit in the eyes of a dreamy 3 year old. I didn't have the time to plan much for her birthday so we went to the Marbles Museum in Raleigh. They were having a Magic School Bus exhibit and I knew that would be highly welcomed.
A happy 3 year old girl that we love.

I'm so proud of this picture!

Mela's b-day at the museum

2009-01-21T07:38:00.000-08:00

Mini Cooks

2009-01-14T06:38:00.001-08:00

Little kids are always wanting to help cook. Wilton makes some miniature pans so I got a few different ones for Malachi and Amelia to make a few things just right for them. This is the whole wheat bread they made. They love to eat "baby" sandwiches for lunch.
Sleeping Beauty whipping up something for Prince Phillip.
Little apple pies!

Colonial Williamsburg

2009-01-07T13:39:00.001-08:00

Time with Grandpa

2009-01-07T11:34:00.001-08:00

I love this photo. Sleeping Beauty and her Grandpa are all tuckered out.
A couple of handsome fellas.

The kids would sleep every night with grandpa before he had to fly back to Arizona for work.

Building a Velociraptor

2009-01-07T11:08:00.000-08:00

Grandpa and Malachi worked hard putting together a velociraptor that Chi got for Christmas.
I'm not sure what's happening here.

Once finished Malachi promptly began to dress the dinosaur up. This is a train conductor dino and Chi is giving him his ticket to get on board.

Now the dino is a viking that plays the guitar. Apparently he wears a tie when he preforms.

Malachi loves to pretend he's a paleontologist. In this clip he is busy excavating and dusting off the bones.

Hey man it's the Holidays

2009-01-07T10:53:00.000-08:00

Justin's family was able to come all the way from Arizona to visit. Grandma made a gingerbread house with the kids. Refraining from eating the candy was a major challenge for the kids.

The finished product!

Check out this clip so see who else got in the holiday spirit.

Christmas 2008

2009-01-07T10:27:00.000-08:00

We had a great Christmas and hope all of you had the same. We were able to spend a lot of time with family which was a blessing and made the holiday season special. I love this picture of my boys.
This little girl is such a cutie pie--when she wants to be.

Elijah's first Christmas.

Whoville

2008-12-15T07:22:00.000-08:00

We have a little Christmas tree in the playroom that I told the kids they could decorate any way they wanted. Well they had watched How The Grinch Stole Christmas and noticed that the presents and toys were actually on the tree. So . . .
Malachi likes to pretend he's the Grinch. Amelia plays the role of Cindy Lou Who. I'm just glad they haven't attempted to make a Roast Beast.