Just a little while ago we added a new pet to our menagire.
She/he is an albino budgie.
This was on the heels of recieving my box taffy from the State fair.
Malone's state fair taffy
and well the bird is white the taffy is white
we'll call her Malone.
Malone belongs to Harper.
Unlike the other budgie who belongs to Ryland,
Malone is somewhat friendly.
In that after you corner her in her cage
and grab her and hold on through all the bitting,
she settles in to relax on your finger or hide in Harper's hoodie.
Since she is so approachable, Malone is currently in trianing,
she shows great shows promise as a performer.
After about a week of training her bird Harper put on a show for us.

We were sent invitations with tickets.



On the day of the show the her brother was drafted to take tickets at the door.
Yes you had to have a ticket to get in.
As well as to hand out programs.

I haven't been to very many bird shows but
I would say this was the finest one I have ever seen.
If you get invited you really should go.


Posted in: on Wednesday, November 4, 2009 at at 2:18 PM 0 comments  





I promised to share some Halloween joy.
Well........
Here's the clan not a terrible looking bunch of people
The cider with shrunken heads was a huge success


the Goblin fingers were a hit


the fire dancer though....
well you can't really compete with fire


Posted in: on at at 1:33 PM 0 comments  






It was a busy but creative week here.
We finished our study of Greek Gods and the children each did a diorama that had to tell a story about the god they chose to research. Lots of time was spent on the computer and at the craft store. They are wonderful. No bias.

Harper's shows the final battle in Troy. The Greek soldiers have finally gotten into Athena's palace and they find a girl clinging onto the statue of Athena. They rip the girl off and carry her away, denying her the protection of the Goddess.
Notice the tile floor and columns.
Her soldiers really do stand up and the entire thing was her idea and creation.
Harper made a second one showing a scene five minuets later where Athena asks for Poseidon's help in avenging this insult on her. Thus beginning Odysseus's Odyssey.




Coulson's is about Posidoen and one of the many battles he wages against sea monsters.


The kids also had to make up a Greek God family tree.
With only minimal help from me here is the convoluted life of the gods.

Those bits of string represent marriages.
The limbs are for the more prodigious Gods
The base is Chaos himself. All very cool to learn and do.
Lots more to share and hopefully a repair to my camera soon.
Coming tomorrow Halloween.


Posted in: on Monday, November 2, 2009 at at 8:45 AM 1 comments  


The pancake supper has been served.



the dishwasher broken

The ice maker hooked up



The giant bowl of popcorn popped




The girls room got a much needed face lift


And even the nature table was made over
(not that you can see it because the light bulb blew out and I haven't gotten to that yet)


Now it is time for the movie and wine. I miss Michael but today we are doing fine.
Did I mention I've almost finished the scarf
read: no more bobbles! EVER






Posted in: on Saturday, October 24, 2009 at at 6:49 PM 0 comments  

It's just a quick thought but did you ever notice that the Duggars do not have pets?

I'm just thinking that if you included my pets, well then we are nearly even and none of my "pet children" ever help out around the house. Not even so much as taking out the trash, unless you count dumping it on the kitchen floor.

Maybe it's not the children aging me it's the eternally dependent animals. I was just thinking about it that's all.

Posted in: on Thursday, October 15, 2009 at at 9:14 PM 0 comments  




It rainy and cold here today.
The shop is open , the school on a delay.






Sorry the pictures are so bad. I still don't have a camera so these are taken with my phone. Definetly leaves something to be desired.


I love these.
I think we might have to go to the laminator.
Oh!!! Office supply store.
Teehee. I love new pens, pencils mmmmm legal pads.
Oh yes a rainy day at the office store then the library.
Lovely.

Posted in: on Wednesday, October 14, 2009 at at 11:24 AM 0 comments  

It is Officially Autumn!



Sometime around the first week of every October for the last 20 years
I have recived a package from my father.
Every year I scoop up the package and wonder what my Daddy sent me.
I am curious and giddy and I hold my breath as I open the package.
What could he be sending me??
Then at some point about half way through the tape I remember what it is.
My October treasure.
It is a warm blanket from my childhood.
It starts my holiday season off with a smile
and a genuine felling of well being.
Every year with out a note or a signiture my father
puts his love in a box and sends it my way.
It is fall, it is family time it is the child inside.
All of those things in a silly box of state fair taffy.



Posted in: on Tuesday, October 13, 2009 at at 2:25 PM 0 comments  




Here is the yarn that lives in the bowl
that is making the scarf
that follows the pattern
that has the bobble
Here is the yarn that lives in the bowl
that has failed to make the bobble
that has added the stitch
that has been ripped out, again.
Here is the yarn that lives in the bowl
that will make the scarf
that will warm the baby
that pulled out all the yarn.


Here is the yarn that lives in the bowl.
All praise the bowl of yarn!





Posted in: on Tuesday, October 6, 2009 at at 2:05 PM 0 comments  




It has everything to do with small victories

A car cleaned both inside and out.

A new stitch found on on youtube

A helping hand from a child growing up oh so quick

Not getting a GROSS for the explanation of the facts of life
A Full explanation.

And then the icing on my truly charmed life

Dry tidies whiteys from the whole night and day

Cool things done on the etch-a-sketch


Posted in: on Wednesday, September 30, 2009 at at 6:58 PM 0 comments  

It is time to come back. Back to who I am/ who I was.
How I see myself has changed so in the past year. I have lost some myself,
perhaps the parts that where not necessary.
Perhaps not.
But it is time to to come back to community.
To my love of people and environment.
I have moved the furniture and nested as much as I can.
Not that the couch didn't need a tour of the other rooms today but it must have been sad to only be dragged back to where it started.
You never can go home
Never walk the same path twice
But sometimes you find yourself back in the same place,
Unchanged only completely different.

" A few minutes ago every tree was excited, bowing to the roaring storm, waving, swirling, tossing their branches in glorious enthusiasm like worship. But though to the outer ear these trees are now silent, their songs never cease. " John Muir

I am on a journey for my song again. It is not in the house or even in the wood. But in me and though i have lost track of it. I am certain to find it again. As i have lost it before and picked up a new tune that carried me on.

Posted in: on Monday, September 28, 2009 at at 9:15 PM 2 comments  

Welcome lovely September.
You sweet lusty tramp of summer
some days so hot others sweater cool.
bring me a wonderful new nephew
cool breezy mornings in the garden,
children full of school and new ideas,
new shoes and at least one new sweater
Fall is coming.
Make me a pot pie and a glass of vino
a day knitting in the sun
children in other worldly sweaters. 
Yes come fall and wash away the bugs  
so we can open our windows and clear out 
the stale summer air. 

I am ready come fall come!



Posted in: on Tuesday, September 1, 2009 at at 8:45 PM 0 comments  





So lovely, so simple, so right. 
It isn't often that the gift you think will be perfect actually is.
 But this time we had a winner. 
A simple wooden train was all Simon got for big day. 
Each of the six cars was individually wrapped and each got a wow from Simon. 
He has already shown us how trains can fly and how to transport stolen jewelry. 
You can even use an engine to cast spells in a pinch,
and a box car is perfect for running off the nasty family cat.

It's good to be slowing down and not burying our child in stuff.  
He is so full of himself, so joyful and easy. 
Can you tell he's asleep? 

Posted in: on Thursday, August 27, 2009 at at 7:04 AM 3 comments  


 I am coming out of (I hope) a strange malaise that took hold of me this summer.  I didn't garden much and I didn't relax and enjoy it as much as I should have. To many distractions I suppose.  In an effort to narrow the scope of my life I stopped reading the blogs and I am trying to limit my time on the computer because it tends to suck me out of my life.  It was a busy summer, too busy.  The weeds took over the garden while we were in California and we never went back into it to reclaim it. The blog got completely neglected. The house -- never mind. 

 But I see order rising out of the chaos. A two year old who will not always be two and destroy everything we do. No task is complete until Simon has undone it. 
Four children and homeschool was alot to bite off and I am so glad that first year is behind us. The children are back at school across the table from me. Finding all sorts of comfort in having a routine once again.  Even if that means math work.  

We will be celebrating a big birthday today for Simon.  Becoming a two year old is something he is taking very seriously.  Lots of hitting, throwing, spitting, biting. So much lovely time spent on the timeout stool.  It's my time to shine as the piranha of the playground.  There are just to many mothers out there in the world that only have one sweet docile little girl.  My son narrows in on those singletons like a heat seeking missile. On minute they are telling me how cute my son is the next they are glaring at me like no on ever hit their precious little angel on the head with a plastic bucket before.  I mean really it's not like I go around the house showing him these things.  Nor do I shout "way to go!" when he wields  the toddler equivalent of a lead pipe! It's not my fault they have wooden dowels for beating drums with at the museum.  If the museum had ask me I would have told them plainly "this stick thing is asking for trouble." Then again so is sand, places where children can climb above other children and thus kick them, and all water features ANYWHERE.  What can I say he's a "pistol" and until I'm guessing he's 13 we are going to just have to play at home. Where all the good stuff has been taken away or broken. Who knew if you threw a Melissa and Doug puzzle hard enough it would shatter? Until yesterday I would've said no way

As luck would have it he has started talking and everything he says too sweet to kick him out of the house.  I had no idea Harper, shoes and neea (aka Ryland)  could so sound so sweet. Well here's to my last round of the terrible twos. I think I am sufficiently unprepared for how bad it will be. I am certain I don't recall it being this bad before. 
 Like labor it'll be over eventually at least. 





Posted in: on Tuesday, August 25, 2009 at at 8:03 AM 1 comments  



Summers coming to an end here. The garden so completely neglected it has turned on us and breached it's borders. School starts in a week and the pace of a routine will be greatly appreciated.  I have floundered and flopped since swim team ended. But now there will be lunches to pack and lessons to give, a gym membership to use, stews to make.  I have made these bags for Ryland's lunches but they are working great keeping the fruit flies out of our tomatoes. 

It's a simple muslin bag with  a drawstring closure. 
I added the toggle to make it easy for Ry to use. 
Less chance of it getting a knot. 
Now I have to make a ton of them because they are going to be so useful.

It is either too hot or too rainy to go outside. So we pillaged the 
thrift stores and have comfy new pillows and dozens of new books and 
mystery yarn to snuggle down in our giant open air fort. 



We ran over to the fabric store today, while to two bigs were at tennis camp, 
and might if all goes well have new Ryland skirt to share tomorrow. 
She had hoped for a kimono alas the pattern was definitely not on sale. 
Simon's picture is probably posted in the break room at JoAnn's now. 
There are worse places to wreck havoc I suppose. 
But as I only have two fabric stores in town I'd rather not be banned from them. 
At least we gave the  staff something to do should they 
find themselves with down time.  Of course some of the more tricky places he hid 
things will take moving the store to find.  
Maybe inventory will reveal where he hid my pack of bias tape? 
Oh and as an aside not that anyone NEEDS to know this. 
Fresh blueberries are NOT the snack to bring to the fabric store. 
Hmmmmm. 


Posted in: on Thursday, August 13, 2009 at at 11:13 AM 1 comments  

I could've cleaned the house, cooked dinner, or packed for our trip. 

But then we wouldn't have these. 

And that would be sooooo sad!
They are far from perfect. 
But that's how you know someone who loves you made it by hand. 
They will serve as our library bags when we get home. 
Love, love, love this quick project. 

See you in a week. 

Posted in: on Thursday, July 16, 2009 at at 8:24 AM 1 comments  


I feel pretty oh so pretty!

Gotta run three to go.

Posted in: on Wednesday, July 15, 2009 at at 1:36 PM 0 comments  


Hey all, we are coming out from six weeks of swim team nuttiness. It is amazing how slowly time flies when you are pool side with a two year old who can't get in the water.  He was amazing, he could the difference from the days we were there to swim for fun and the times we were there for practice. He never asked to get in the pool when it was swim team time.  The city meet was a horrendous hot and humid two day affair.  1000 people should not have to share a space that hot and sticky with small children.  
I don't know why they get proportionally more sticky the hotter and more frustrated you get but they do.

Outside of the natatorium was actually blissful. There was a breeze that made you peaceful and serene. I had learned from last years boredom, so I this year I brought sidewalk chalk, a beach ball and music. The only toys a children need it turns out. We were the hit of the event parents kept walking by and stopping to draw a rainbow or hopscotch. The kids got into it too.   All in all a very fun weekend the kids swam great and loved everything about it including cheering and keeping tabs on the heat sheet times. 

We are only back in this world for a brief four days. Ms H turns 10 (ugh) Sunday and her party is fast approaching.  A Harry Potter movie party. (Thank you Warner bros this time next year would be great.) There will be the new release and then back here for food and drink ala Potter style. Some cool games and decorations all while getting ready for a week long visit in sunny southern and northern California.  
My head might explode from all of the work to be done here. 

So what did I get done today? Oh well naturally nothing on the list however I did make this. 

Oh yes I did and yes it is and yes you should. 

I love these. The pattern is perfect and if you are a great seamstress yours will no doubt look better than mine. But I did it about 2 hours with 5 kids at home so I am not unhappy with the results. I will say this the medium is smaller than I would like and when she tells you to leave a 5 inch opening trust in her knowledge of the work. Don't assume that because you used a softer fabric than burlap you can get away with a smaller opening. I struggled to turn mine there was one point that I was making great strides until I realized that in my frustration I had flipped it and was going backwards into the bag and not out. Also get your circle right mine where not and so there are puckers. Not that I mind. This one is for Ms H.  Poor first born, always gets my first attempt, lesson learning projects.  
Just as she is the proverbial pancake so are most of my first attempts but I keep them too out of some irrational love for all the bumps and misaligned edges.  
Sally forth and make yourself some buckets. 
I hope to stop in again and share the others but life is down right blustery here. 
Peace. 

Posted in: on Monday, July 13, 2009 at at 2:07 PM 0 comments  

Something to love so much it hurts. 





Posted in: on Saturday, July 4, 2009 at at 4:50 PM 2 comments  



Glorious day in garden yesterday. Wrangled it back from weeks of neglect due to swim team. I actually love weeding. It's so peaceful out there clearing and cleaning. It is also a chore no one else really wants to do so I am on my own in the early moring in MY garden.  
So peaceful.

The pay off was tasty pesto, allot of it. Yum Yum. 
Made two small batches at a time from my Dad's recipe. 
I love this time of year. 

Posted in: on Monday, June 29, 2009 at at 2:48 PM 0 comments  


What are you waiting for you ask??  
You to get too busy to notice me.
 Now I am HUGE! 

moral: be careful what you ask for. 

I am thinking squash cake. YUM

Posted in: on Friday, June 19, 2009 at at 3:36 PM 1 comments  

Okay seriously too much has been happening here. The kids are swimming twice  a day and while I love that they love the water and the training regimen isn't wearing them out, I'm beat.  No time for the garden or anything house related. Michael has even had to come each day and cook dinner for all of us. How he's making it I don't know. Seriously, no joke everyday he comes home to a kitchen that has not seen an adult since the first cup of coffee was poured.  As I look around me now I there are four books, a lands end box, a coffee pot, card shuffler and box, baseball trophy, crickets ( yes live for the frogs) tape measure, garden scissors, bunny treats, bird treats, wine bottle, and - lets stop there and pretend that's all that is on the kitchen table. I know I should get up and put away at least the crickets but I've got a bikini area to tend to, a snack bag to fill and four swim suits and towels to find all before 4. So it looks like he will once again walk into a crazy disaster and have to cook up something nutritious and on THE DIET PLAN for us. What did you just read? That's right DIET. We are going to break the waist barrier, rather we already have and now it is time to scale it back. We could each stand to lose some weight and there is no time summer to do it. It's too hot to eat and the fresh food is pouring out of the garden. So we are following Dr. Oz's suggestions all be it sometimes not to the T. I'll let you know how it goes. 
As for my crazy life well I could clean the kitchen but I think I will race downstairs and throw a load in the wash and pick up the mess somewhere else. Maybe I'll just play our new mad libs card game. Now how do you explain adverb to a five year old?

Posted in: on Tuesday, June 16, 2009 at at 3:21 PM 0 comments  


What are you waiting for?

Posted in: on Wednesday, June 10, 2009 at at 3:31 PM 1 comments  


Oppsy daisy

It's a two for one today. I hit save not publish yesterday.
Silly me.

Only a brief second to share.
This may be the only time today when my every other word isn't "potty?"

Todays photos are a glimpse of anticpation.


How much longer will we only smell your
lushious tomatoey smell. 
Who will be the first to suck your sweet juices? 
Will you even make it inside the house? 


Sweet tomato ripen and stay hidden for me
Let no bunnies bite you
no worm climb inside you.
Sweet tomato, be just for me. 

Posted in: on Tuesday, June 9, 2009 at at 1:35 PM 0 comments  

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