Merry Making!

This year I have purposely created time for the small fun things we love about the Christmas season and have purposely chosen to not do things that bring more stress than merry! So far this has been going really well, I hate feeling like Christmas is so overwhelming that I want to skip the whole thing. Hopefully we have not overly offended people but in the grand scheme... 

So here is a bit of our merry making so far!

Saying YES to mini marshmallows!

Our Winter/Advent nature table is one of my favorites.

I am going to be so sad when I don't have a little one who gets excited for the Little People Nativity. I both this for Riley's first Christmas.

Nativity art is always so sweet!

Kirsten got the Lucia outfit this year! And that Nutcracker just next to her is the one my mom splurged on when I was 5 and she took me to see the Nutcracker for the first time.

St. Nickolas Tag ~ we learn about the St. Nickolas and his desire to tell children of the coming Christ Child's birth. December 6th we wake to stockings full!

Christmas crafting with friends!

St. Lucia ~ the Saint of Light celebrated with light and warm goodies!

Cold snowy mornings enjoyed indoors with noses pressed against the windows and warm cups of tea.

Beautiful, yummy, Texas pecans! I could be back in my Grandma's house with the ceramic light up tree when I taste these! 

Beautiful Christmas music and performances! 

And finally a tree carried by my guy...I am a lucky mama!

What are your favorite ways to make merry?

Yarn Along...Books Galore!!!

So I think maybe (I don't want to jinks it) I have finally come out of my knitting blahs! And the reading has been a little out of hand even for me! So I thought I'd join Ginny in celebration of getting over the knitting slump! Wahoo!

Reading: Well I finished The Mists of Avalon for book club and I really enjoyed it. Then since of course there was just nothing on my shelves to read...and since all the Outlander talk...I bought the kindle version (it was only $4.99). I read that in 4 days...yea its 870 pages long... After two 800 page books I thought I'd pickup something a little less committal so I borrowed A Lady Cyclists Guide to Kashgar, but I just could not get into it. So I splurged on the second in the Outlander series Dragonfly in Amber. It is of course really good so far but I'm taking it slower than the last (plus we started school this week so there is less reading time anyway). And the library just let me know that Delancey is available after being on the hold list for a few months so maybe I'd be starting that too! BOOKS!

Knitting: I finished a quick garter stitch scarf for the Sheep to Scarf knitting class I start teaching next week at our homeschool co-op, I might sew the ends together to make a cowl because I'll get more use out of it and then the kids can see another way to finish it. My co-teacher is finishing her's with multi-colored pom-poms. We found this yarn at Hobby-Lobby it is a wool blend and nice and squishy with a few colors available for the kids to choose from.

And to go along with the Outlander fun I am knitting a caplet style shrug in a beautiful Scottish sky blue (at least in my imagination)! Even with a little "pocket Jamie", ha ha! The pattern is Joanna Johnson's Blackcap and the yarn is Knit Pick's Wool of the Andes Bulky in Cadet. 

Why is it that knitters are so often bibliophile?

Around Our Little Homestead!

The weeding fairy has visited my garden area and it is oh so LOVELY!! And now I can share more of a "whole picture" of the garden although that tomato jungle is hard to photograph around!

Also my crazy waterer-tipping chickens got their new un-tippable and un-poopable in watering system. Those red waterer nozzles are called chicken nipples. Ha Ha! My whole life revolves around nipples! They are growing fast and a few of them enjoyed a field trip to my garden area during the weeding to help with the massive pincher bug colonies. Bleck!

And we had the most lovely summer evening cake last night!! It was light, not too sweet, still warm, and just wonderful! It is a Lemon-Blueberry Bunt Cake I found over at Acorn Soup that she adapted from Smitten Kitchen (who served it with a frosting but it was too perfect as is)! We tweaked it further to be both gluten and dairy free.

Lemon Blueberry Bundt Cake

Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose gluten-free flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 3/4 cups sugar
Zest of 1 lemon
3 large eggs, at room temperature
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup coconut milk + 3/4 tsp. apple cider vinegar 
3 cups blueberries

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and generously grease and flour the bundt pan. Combine coconut milk and apple cider vinegar and set aside for 5 minutes.

In a bowl mix together the 2 1/2 cups of flour, baking power, and salt. Set aside. Using an electric mixer cream the butter, sugar, and lemon zest. Beat for 2-3 minutes. Make sure you scrap the bowl a few times. Add eggs one at a time, mixing well before adding the next. Add vanilla. Then take the flour and milk and add alternating, half the flour, half the milk until it’s all incorporated. In a separate bowl mix the blueberries with the 2 tablespoons flour. Then add blueberries to the batter using a spatula. Careful not the break apart the berries.

Pour into pan, smoothing the top and bake for 55-60 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean. Let cool for about 30 minutes before turning out onto serving platter. (Not sure we made it that long...)

YUM! 

The Jungle aka: My Garden

And it is such a jungle since coming home after our 4th of July road trip that I could not get a picture of the whole thing! Crazy! Here is the tour:

This is the bed we eat out of most often right now, chard, wild kale, and soon cucumbers on the end!

The center bed behind has a tomato, 2 cucumbers, 1zucchini, & 1 crook neck.

This was the bed I had to scrape out of the weeds, two zucchini, and one patty pan in the middle.

This is a crazy bed, peppers, eggplant, watermelon, dino kale, lettuce, cilantro, and basil!

These are the three potato boxes, they're doing pretty good.

And the tomato jungle! These grew so much while we were gone it was amazing! They have popped a couple of the pvc ribs and man are we going to be in tomatoes soon! 3 different kinds of cherry tomatoes then 3 different large heirlooms.

There is now also water going to each bed and as soon as we figure out the soaker hose issues we will be set! We have grand plans but this is a good start!

How does your garden grow?

Yarn Along!

Joining Ginny today for the Yarn Along!

We've been home for 3 days from our road trip, everyone is still tired and "off" none more than myself (it's no fun for anyone when mama is off). The 100 degree weather and yesterday's high humidity (we live in the high desert so thats not normal) makes everyone just a little more restless. Plus we just seem to be in a season of bickering kids. NO FUN!

Ok to the topic at hand: Knitting...it's going...fine. I could frog this or finish it and it would be...fine. Maybe it's just the off-ness of this week. Hopefully. Maybe I should go look at buttons, picking out new buttons is always fun! (Still the In-Threes with Cascade 220).

Reading: I finished Call the Midwife at my mom's and then started My Story by Elizabeth Smart off my mom's shelves. That was a quick read and so now I have started my book club read, The Mists of Avalon. It's good but not compelling yet but I know that will come.

Adios till next week!

Yarn Along-the Road!

I'm yarning along on the road today!! It's nice to actually have to sit and only knit! Thank goodness for the long strait parts!

I'm knitting another In Threes and I'm reading Call the Midwife. My hubby bought me the set in London last time he was there! He knows me so well!!

Last weeks post has links for the project and yarn and BEAUTIFUL project bag!

Happy Trails!!

Ebb & Flow

There has been a strange (to me) idea brewing around in my head that I just could not put words to. But today I was happy that someone else found a way to put it into words!! Amanda over at Soulemama has a way with words and they were just perfect today!! "...it feels SO good to be more casual about our dinner planning. Taking a stroll through the garden with a basket deciding what to make for dinner really is one of my very favorite things."

YES!! 

This is my garden this morning (yes I am also a tumble weed farmer).

This is my usual crazy level of shopping and cooking, but it's been hard the last few weeks and just not working. During winter this is a comfort and it works well but now...

This feels better! Yesterday I did some shopping and I just skimmed around the store and got a few staples...without a list! without a meal plan! Maybe I'll have to run to the store to pick up something that goes just right with something coming out of the garden and right now I am just fine with that! It feels like the ebb and flow of the seasons that renew and fill us all.

What changes do you enjoy with the seasons?

Yarn Along with very little knitting....

Joining Ginny today for her yarn along!

Well knitting has hit a few snags so my reading has been fruitful! This week I finished both The Thirteenth Tale and Minstrel. (Reviews on Goodreads!) Now I feel lonely for the stories and characters, you just should not finish two books within a day of each other! ;) I have so many books on my list and in my stack that I'm having a hard time picking one to start. I also have my book club book for next month which is long, but I'm not sure I'm ready to start that (Mists of Avalon). Maybe The Nature Principle...

Knitting...I'm still mulling over options for the Technicolor Madelinetosh yarn and I started contemplating THIS shawl again while looking for something to knit. This all had me in such a quandary that I set them both aside and started knitting another In Threes (although now I wish I'd started a larger size). So I'm knitting a 0-3 size In Threes in Cascade 220 super wash in a medium grey color that was in my basket from making my baby gnome hats.

And what is the GORGEOUS project bag you spy?? My new Drawstrings bag! It is the most lovely thing! My husband even noticed it and commented on how nice it is. It is so pretty (and so very well made) that I can't help but smile whenever I see it. Who would not want to carry around such a project bag everywhere they went! I had to find something to knit just so I could use this bag (because it did arrive after my knitting quandary began). Plus it is made by an experienced knitter Wanda who knows just war a knitter needs in a bag! (Mine is a medium!)

What are you reading and creating this week??  

Yarn Along - HELP!

Joining Ginny today for the Yarn Along!!

Lets just cover the easy part first...

Reading: I am still listening to Minstrel by Marissa Ames and last night I finished The Captain of Her Heart by Anita Stansfield. I enjoy reading Anita Stansfield books when I just need an easy, get wrapped up in the story, (but not a trashy romance novel) kind of book. Most of hers are historical fiction which I really enjoy. This one is free on the Kindle but beware! There are 5 books in this series and only the first is free! Sneaky! This one is set during 1777 which is a time period I enjoy.

Ok...the hard.

Knitting: Actually there has not been much knitting. This shawl is not working and so...rrriiibbbiiittt! Yes I'm going to frog this one. But I need ideas for this yarn! HELP! Textured shawl? Honey Cowl? What would you make for yourself? It's Madelinetosh Merino in Technicolor Dream Coat and I have 3 skeins.

Thanks!! XO

Weekend Lazy

Happy weekend! I hope there is a little lazy in it! ;)

I just thought I'd share a couple links that I've been enjoying this week!

Summer Reading Ideas ~ Modern Mrs. Darcy

Bring Reading Rainbow Back! ~ Kickstarter

Geninne's Stamps ~I AM DROOLING!

Potato Asparagus Salad ~ I've possibly made this twice this week... 

New Popsicle Mold for this summer! ~ parenting win!!

  

Adios! 

San Diego!

As most of you knew (from my plethora of instagramed beach pictures) we ran away to San Diego a couple weeks ago! We stayed a Grandpa's house and had a wonderful time playing on the beach and playing with family! Unfortunately I did not get pictures with dear friends we got to visit nor our family get-together in O.C. But here are a few...  

For Mother's Day we were actually all together! My parents, my sister and our families!

Our "second mom" Norma, came and celebrated Mother's Day with us too!

Of course we had to get a picture of mom and her daughters!

Leili and Koa are super cousins. They are super fun and cute together!

Our big adventure was braving L.A. traffic to go to the California Science Center to see the Space Shuttle Endeavor. I am a shuttle nerd and totally cried. It has been a life long dream of mine to see a shuttle.

It was amazing and wonderful and hard to walk away from. 

On our way out of town we made a quick stop at the San Diego Temple, my kids love to stop here. Leili did not remember it and now refers to it as a castle. ;)

Be sure to check out the other pictures on instagram! It was a great getaway! 

Yarn-a-Long

Joining Ginny today for the yarn-a-long!

Well homeschool co-op is over and so Wednesdays are a little less crazy so lets see if I can get this written and linked up today! Wahoo!

BOOKS:

I just finished Someone for book club this week, I am reading The 7-day Christian and listening to Minstrel on Audible.

KNITTING:

I finished my Spindleberry in San Diego visiting my Daddy and blocked it last week! And I started a Cosette Wrap on the flight back home. I am calling it my Technicolor Dream Shawl as I am using my Valentine's Day yarn from my honey! Dan asked, "Your making ANOTHER shawl? I never knew you were such a shawl person!", but really its just that I have gotten some yarn "for me" recently and its not enough for a sweater and I just don't know what else I'd use! In between I knit a sweet baby hat in white for a dear friend who needed comfort and prayers for her babe in utero. Sadly he was just not strong enough.  

Happy Wednesday! And thanks for visiting!

Awakening!

Easter 2014 next to my almost blooming lilacs!

Where does the time go? I kind of feel like I've missed a few years during this crazy ride. Some seasons are well etched and vivid in my mind, some are like a far away memory and some I just don't remember living through! But it also helps me to really GET what an experienced grandma once told me, that there are different seasons of life and you can do it all but you have to do it in the right season (she was enjoying a fulfilling career after years of being a stay at home mom). I am in this weird place in-between seasons, I am trying not to hurry the end of the one or the beginning of the other. I am not the mom of babes anymore (and after so long in that mode it is very strange). I did not go to the "Big Cloth Diaper Change" nor will I go to the "Big Latch On" this year. Instead I run to piano, or scouts, or homeschool co-op and dig my heels about how much technology comes in... 

It's also an awakening in a sense. I have started to remember who I am and desire to be me again. Can you believe I have interests and talents in more than pinning a explosion proof cloth diaper (although I proudly wear that accomplishment)! I'm glad to be a mama but I am also glad to find out that after years of surviving and being a different form of myself that I am still me! I am different and  changed from the experiences of the last 14 or so years but it is comforting to find myself under all these layers.

My kids still need me (some days more than possible) but it's not the same constant need. They can scrounge up things to eat if I'm absorbed in a sewing or knitting project, they are even great at helping me unearth the kitchen after an amazing cooking storm (or a few rough days worth of dishes)!

I know in a few years I will look at this picture as I now look at others and think how young they all were and how little I knew, but right now I see this picture as a time of change. And I'm happy with the change, there may be some growing pains but I think this is all good.

And Happy May Day! Who will you give flowers to today?

Tax Return Miracle!

Well we have had a wonderful "Tax Return Miracle" and now I sit here at the computer desk actually typing with all of my fingers on my new computer! The funny thing is we have not bought a computer since Riley was toddler (we've just always had hand-me-down computers). Crazy!

So this means a couple things, 1. I can actually take pictures with my real camera again (I've had no where to download them or any easy way to use them). And 2. maybe I could get blogging in a little easier and maybe even pick up blogging on my other blogs. We will see, it is spring and so there is lots to do outside!

 So I have a few links to share and then maybe I will find a good blogging groove. The picture up there is me and my Grandma J. reading my Gold Bug book by Richard Scarry. Both of my grandma's read to me often, it is one of my most fond memories.

:: The Dalai Lama's Ski Trip 

:: Life-Changing Bread - on my list to try this week!

:: Awesome YouTube Video on the power of words!

:: Plantain Chip Nachos - on my list for the week too!

:: Fern & I are excited to go to the first ever General Women's Meeting together tomorrow night.

:: Olive Us video - who doesn't love seeing siblings having fun together!

Have a great Friday!

XO

Yarn Along & Links for the Day!

Yarning along today...

The beauty of this post is that I did not have to hack Dan's computer nor am I typing on my thumbs, yep all the saving up and waiting has paid off! This week we went over to best buy and bought a computer! I am still getting use to it and learning but so far it is wonderful! 

I am continuing to knit my Spindleberry and I have another baby hat on my needles for when I need a portable knitting project. 

I have only about 20 pages left in Song of the Lark so I will be finishing that today (which is good since book club meets tomorrow)!

I finished listening to Bringing up Bebe which I borrowed from the library, their digital offerings are really growing!

A couple things around the internet I thought I'd share:

The Knitmore Girls Podcast

A friend who could use your prayers! 

Ceramics class fun! photos #2, 5, and the little one in front on #8 are creations from my kids.

Dairy-free Banana Chia seed pudding! Yum!

Yarn Pyramid

I think that is it for today! Hopefully I'll find my way here more often now!

Yarn Along - On the Needles & Off the Bookshelf

Busy busy! Joining Ginny today for her Yarn Along from yesterday. ;)

Reading: Song of the Lark (and getting serious about getting through this since the book club deadline is quickly approaching!).

I'm listening to Bringing up Bebe with the library's uber cool app and I'm still reading the crazy fun knitting books from Stephanie Pearl-McPhee here and there. 

Knitting: I finished my project bag, I love the pattern but not the suggestion of using plain cotton. I want to make this again but with either a thinner weight cotton or with a cotton blend. 

I am also working on my Spindleberry, it's awesome I love the pattern and I love the yarn! I have to watch the pattern so I am only knitting this at home which means I need to start another project that I can take with me. ;)

What is on your needles and off your bookshelf?