woman's work

around here

2012-01-28T15:02:00.001-08:00

Eleanor turned six years old. She asked for a fire in the back yard for her birthday party and we lucked out with a beautiful January day. The kids played outside all afternoon. It was wonderful.

I made s'more cupcakes. They were delicious, but very messy.

Around here, Henry has become quite the storyteller. He is chattering non-stop about all his favorite things and favorite people. Listen carefully...

Brian and I just finished a three week cleanse. After all those eggnog lattes and Christmas cookies, it feels so good to eat energizing, clean food.

Around here, Eleanor lost her first tooth. It had been loose a long time, but we both were still surprised when it fell out. It's amazing how teeny those teeth are! Another tangible reminder of how she has grown... Is growing... I am in awe.

Around here, we enjoyed our snow days. It was so nice to settle in to winter a bit, stay home and rest. (And then it was so nice to have all the snow melt and get out again!)

Around here, I have been enjoying lots of tea. My favorite right now is homemade yogi tea with a little almond milk and honey.

What's new with you?

merry christmas!

2011-12-25T20:34:00.001-08:00

peace and love-
April

day 23

2011-12-23T20:10:00.000-08:00

We have had small celebrations with out-of-town friends and family the last couple days. I enjoy spreading out the celebrations and keeping them small for a few reasons, but most importantly, because the kids get to really spend time with grandma or whoever is here. Spending time with special people is the gift.

The other reason I like to spread out the holiday love is that my kids tend to get easily overwhelmed with too many gifts. They are fine with one or two, but if there are many more than that, the kids tend to focus on just one thing and push the rest of the gifts aside- or push them all aside and play something else entirely! Simple really is best, isn't it?

I can't believe tomorrow is Christmas eve already! I have been keeping a steady pace on my holiday to-do list, but it is crunch time now! Yes, I will be shopping for a couple things tomorrow, as well as wrapping everything.

But tonight, I need to make a stocking for Henry.

Santa didn't leave anything for Henry his first Christmas, (since he was only a couple months old and Eleanor wasn't old enough to notice). Last year, Santa left Henry's stocking stuffers in a pile on the coffee table. (Again, no one would remember, if I weren't writing it here, now!)

The thing is, my mom gave me a couple kits to make felt stockings that are embroidered and embellished with beads and sequins- much like the beloved stocking my mom made me when I was little. Knowing they would be a big project, I pulled them out this summer to start, but I just could not get excited about making them.

When I saw this swedish star fabric I began to day dream about a much simpler stocking.

This afternoon I embroidered Henry's name on a nice piece of linen using metallic floss. (That metallic floss was kind of a pain, by the way. Wouldn't recommend it.) I traced my small-ish stocking to use as a pattern, but have not yet wrapped my mind around the best way to put my pieces together.

So, here I am, with a cranky sewing machine, trying to make this project work. Nothing like leaving a project to the list minute...

Are you making something at the last minute?

day 21

2011-12-21T21:28:00.000-08:00

Even
After
All this time
The sun never says
To the Earth,
"You owe me."

Look
What happens
With a love like that,
It lights the
Whole
Sky.

-Hafiz

day 20

2011-12-20T21:44:00.001-08:00

Eleanor and her magic Christmas dress, (similar to this one)...

2009...

2010...

2011.

She wears her Christmas dress all through the year and frequently when playing dress up. What are the chances this very loved dress will still fit next Christmas? (Maybe with leggings?)

day 19

2011-12-19T20:35:00.001-08:00

Today: admiring the ornaments on the tree.

Tonight: finishing up my holiday cards.

day 17

2011-12-17T22:20:00.000-08:00

I finally put up all of the Santa photos and Christmas cards we have sent out in the years since Eleanor was born.

Love that washi tape! Perfect for a temporary photo display.

Today was a full of errands and cooking, preparing to host a family gathering here tomorrow.

Swedish meatballs and gravy...

Chocolate blocks...

and Chocolate-espresso snowcaps. I'm hoping to squeeze in some gingerbread cookies, too. Maybe tomorrow morning?

What are your favorite holiday treats?

day 16

2011-12-16T21:43:00.000-08:00

10 good things

The photo calendars arrived today! phew. (Thanks, Apple!)

Love these free gift tags by Camilla Engman.

Eggnog latte habit. (And yes, I try to stay away from eggs and dairy and coffee. I can't explain it.)

Beautifully simple feather ornaments.

Christmas lights around our head board.

Snowflake panels.

Henry's favorite word: sailboat.

This chair:

Miso-curry delicata squash with tofu, potatoes and kale.

Coming home to find this note on the table:

day 15

2011-12-15T21:06:00.001-08:00

I didn't feel well this morning. In fact, I fell asleep during savasana at the end of my yoga class. In that lovely place between dreams and wakefulness, I could hear myself snoring away...

It was dark all day. The kids played so well together. I was able to get quite a bit of sewing done while they made forts and pretended that Henry was Eleanor's baby or dog or whatever.

Later, I took the kids out to split an eggnog milkshake. They had never been to a dine-in-your-car restaurant, so they were excited about the novelty, as well as the treat.

As the daylight hours grow even shorter, I feel myself wanting to hibernate- especially on gray, overcast or rainy days like today. I've had coffee the last few days to kick start my mornings and had a cup of strong tea after dinner tonight. The caffeine is no match for our internal rhythm, is it? I just need a little more sleep this time of year. How about you?

day 14

2011-12-14T20:09:00.001-08:00

I started Eleanor's birthday sweater. I'm using the same pattern as last year, but changing the neck line a bit to make a V-neck. Because I don't have any experience with color work, my plan is to knit the whole sweater plain, then stitch the design over the top. I checked in with the ladies at the yarn store and they said it's legit. (And if it doesn't work? Hey, I will still have a perfectly nice vanilla sweater.)

I am using Spud and Chloe sweater and am planning to just dig through my stash for the color bits. (Remember the Rainbow Brite legwarmers? Yup. Lots of colorful yarn.)

I'm also working on a couple little sewing projects, but I can't show you those.

Are you making anything right now?

day 13

2011-12-13T22:01:00.001-08:00

We pulled out the Christmas socks today. Chubby toddler feet in toe socks? Oh, yeah. Merry and bright!

These are the only pair of toe socks I have, and since I only wear them at Christmas time, I never really get used to how they feel. For me, toe socks are like bras, tight jeans and braids: they feel good when you put them on, but it feels great to take them off!

day 12

2011-12-12T22:46:00.000-08:00

Christmas, 2008.

Look at that snow! That was a very snowy year- so unusual for Seattle, but so fun. Could we have a white Christmas this year? It is cold enough tonight...

I just finished my annual photo calendar. I am relieved its done and crossing my fingers they will arrive to me in time to send on to grandparents and great-grandmas. I never tire of looking through all the photos, especially the ones of the kids. I got teary a few times looking back at the pictures of Eleanor when she was a tot. (I know I say this every year), but how can we be planning her 6th birthday party?! Six seems big to me.

day 11

2011-12-11T21:59:00.001-08:00

Eleanor and Santa, 2007.

Might I suggest a little egg nog in your coffee tomorrow morning? It was so good this morning.

day 10

2011-12-10T21:44:00.001-08:00

My mom took Eleanor and I to the Nutcracker. It was even more magical than I remembered.

After, we took the kids to see the trains at Seattle Center.

Later we ate fish and chips. And cupcakes and coffee.

On the way home we drove through Olympic Manor to oooh and ahhh over the Christmas lights. Eleanor suggested we sing Christmas carols. It was so fun.

day 9

2011-12-09T20:40:00.001-08:00

Breakfast with Santa at our local senior center has become one of our Christmas traditions. Unfortunately it has become so popular that it was sold out by the time I went to buy our tickets. I have to say, Eleanor took the news very well, but I felt like I let her down.

Of course, there are Santa's at every major shopping area right now- and those are just the places we are trying to avoid this time of year.

Nonetheless, yesterday we got the kids dressed and brushed their hair and took them to the mall. As Brian and I were walking down the long stretch of mall hall, in complete sensory overload, we looked at each other and wondered aloud, "what are we doing here?!" The mall before Christmas is (almost) everything I dislike about the holidays. We quickly made a pact, if we did not *love* this Santa, we would just turn around and walk away and find another one, (not in a mall).

But look at this Santa Claus... Suspenders, striped socks, flannel teddy bear shirt, real beard! Birkenstocks!

And just look at our girl!

Henry would have none of it. Would not even walk close to good ole St. Nick. As much as I wanted him in that picture I decided not to bribe him with a candy cane. (I don't really want to teach my kids to sit in the weird guys lap for a little candy, you know?)

I need to do something with all the pictures I have of Eleanor with Santa. I could frame them all to put out each year with the rest of the decorations, but I'm not sure I have space for that. My other idea is to make a holiday photo album with just a few pictures from each year.

What do you do with your Santa pictures?

day 8

2011-12-08T21:41:00.000-08:00

I finished putting the lights on the tree today! Tomorrow: decorations.

I am almost done shopping. Tomorrow: ordering. Then: making, followed by: baking, (and repeat until Christmas day).

I bought the yarn for Eleanor's birthday sweater tonight. I can't wait to knit up a little swatch and do some experimenting! (More on this soon.)

This week I have been vacillating between overwhelm and excitement about the holidays. In the morning when Brian is getting ready to leave for work, the kids are energetic and needing direction, and the house is a mess: overwhelm. Tonight, with so many things crossed off my list, children happily snoozing, and the house is twinkling with hundreds of little lights: excitement!

day 7

2011-12-07T21:20:00.001-08:00

These little muffins made my family so happy today! They are easy, delicious, satisfying and so convenient to have around. Not too sweet, not too big, pumpkin mini muffins are perfect at breakfast next to yogurt or eggs and sausage. Perfect next to soup or salad at lunch. Perfect with leftovers at dinner. We took them to share at our play date at the park. In fact, I think I might have to grab one as a little snack before bed...

(Gluten Free) Pumpkin Mini Muffins
(adapted slightly from Baking: From My Home to Yours by Dorie Greenspan)

1 c. brown rice flour
1 c. gluten free flour mix (I used Bob's Red Mill)
2 t. baking powder
1/4 t. baking soda
1/4 t. salt
3/4 t. cinnamon
1/8 t. freshly grated nutmeg
pinch of allspice
1 stick butter (room temperature)
1/2 c. sugar
1/4 c. brown sugar
2 eggs
1/2 t. vanilla
3/4 c. pumpkin puree (unsweetened)
1/4 c. yogurt
1/2 c. raisins
1/2 c. chopped walnuts
pepitas

Preheat oven to 400*. Whisk together flours, baking powder, baking soda, salt and spices. In a mixer, beat butter until soft. Add sugar, then one egg at a time. Add the rest of the wet ingredients. Add dry ingredients. Stir in raisins and walnuts. Fill each muffin cup and top with pepitas. (I like quite a lot of pepitas on top, so I press them into the batter a bit.) Bake for 13 minutes. Makes 40 mini muffins.

day 6

2011-12-06T20:18:00.001-08:00

It was a rough morning. I knew what I had to do: get outside, get us moving in the fresh air.

Problems that seem big in the house often seem small out in nature.

There were many dead salmon and a few still swimming, just barely, in the creek. Even at the end of their life cycle, salmon are amazing and the kids were very interested.

The short, gray days are so much more enjoyable when we are outside for a few hours during the day and cozy inside, resting, after the sun goes down.

day 5

2011-12-05T20:54:00.000-08:00

Eleanor and Santa, December 5, 2006

day 4

2011-12-04T20:09:00.001-08:00

I was undecided about Eleanor's birthday sweater until I saw this:

Oh man, do I love it. (Love everything, actually. Found via Wee Textile.)

It will be a stretch, but that's the fun part, right? I have a plan, now I just need a little time at the yarn store- without my sidekicks.

Wish me luck!

day 3

2011-12-03T21:53:00.001-08:00

We bought a Christmas tree at our usual lot today. We pulled out our lights and decorations. The kids were excited about every decoration I pulled out of the box- Henry was literally gasping, his eyes so wide and bright. Eleanor wants to know why her stocking doesn't have very many sparkles. I see myself sewing sequins in the coming weeks...

day 2

2011-12-02T20:16:00.000-08:00

I should have bought the little rakes weeks ago. They were cheap, they really work and they are a big hit.

It feels so good to work outside on a cold day then come inside for hot cocoa.

day 1

2011-12-01T20:48:00.000-08:00

In an effort to get back in the habit of sharing with you all of the things I love, I am going to try to post here every day until Christmas- an advent, if you will. It might just be a picture or a link, it might be something more. I might not be able to post every day, but I'm really going to try. (I have tried before!)

Eleanor started her letter to Santa today. She is always full of surprises.

Later, I found Henry quietly looking at a book by himself. I had to tiptoe away and sneak back to get this picture. Who dares interrupt a child happily engaged in a book?

snowy owl

2011-11-06T20:57:00.000-08:00

Eleanor surprised me completely when she declared she wanted to be a snowy owl for Halloween. (She has not yet entered the world of Harry Potter.)

I thought of these darling wings and we went to the fabric store.

The wings were easy to make, but time consuming to cut.

I added a few layers of "feathers" to a thrifted turtle neck and voila! Snowy owl!

She choose face paint over a mask. It was more difficult than I thought.

(I really love this owl mask, found via bloesem kids.)

We had such a fun night.

Henry refused to wear his elephant costume at the last minute. He actually took it off and stomped on it while yelling, "NO!" Then he sat down and asked, "Owl? Owl, mama?" Of course he would want to be the same as Eleanor.

Eleanor and I went trick or treating around our neighborhood while Henry stayed home to pass out candy with Brian. The elderly women seem to especially enjoy visiting with Eleanor since she was by herself and eager to chat. I love checking in with our neighbors and walking around the neighborhood in the cold, dark evening, holding Eleanor's little hand. Eleanor asked Brian to build us a fire in the fireplace- our first of the year. Another Halloween tradition.

I hope you had a Happy Halloween, too!

apple sauce, apple crisp, apple butter, apple pie, apple cake...

2011-10-17T22:15:00.000-07:00

Not pictured: face painting, Johnny Cash covers, a hay ride, tire swing and caramel corn for the drive home.

I hope you had a great weekend, too!

10 good things

2011-10-14T20:05:00.001-07:00

The "hotels" she has been drawing.

Grilled cheese and tomato soup weather. (These are making my mouth water.)

His naps.

Heart shaped bokeh.

Yoga.

The lovely little necklace she made me. (A double rainbow.)

Celebrating Henry's birthday again tomorrow.

Homemade nut milk.

Honeycrisp apples.

Fairy wings.

kcwc: origami pocket skirt

2011-10-12T20:55:00.000-07:00

I started the Kids Clothing Week Challenge with a simple skirt.

This skirt was heavily inspired by this one. I didn't have time to mess with a pattern, (since I started the skirt last night after the kids went to bed), so I just folded some fabric until I figured out the pocket and sewed them on a very simple skirt.

I love the indigo with the mustard peeking out around the pockets and the hem. (I might have to get her these leggings to wear underneath the skirt this winter.) Because the indigo is so dark, the skirt really needed the contrast stitching and teeny bits of mustard, otherwise the pockets might blend in completely!

Best of all, she loves the skirt.

What are you making?

celebrating henry

2011-10-10T14:40:00.000-07:00

Adding another leaf to his birthday crown... Preparing little gifts... Making and hanging a birthday bunting just for him... Apple bundt cake... and so much love for our little guy.

(I hope you had a great weekend, too!)

10 good things

2011-10-05T20:31:00.000-07:00

... in no particular order:

The birthday sweater in action.

Preparations for a small birthday celebration this weekend.

Autumn's golden light.

Cross stitch iPhone case.

A blooming interest in books.

Selfish knitting. (Ravelry link.)

Leaf walks and art projects.

Listening to Bossypants in the kitchen. (When children are not present. She occasionally drops the F bomb.)

A new swing in the backyard.

Eleanor riding her bike without training wheels.

henry's birthday sweater

2011-09-29T11:18:00.000-07:00

Henry's birthday is just around the corner- two years old! I almost can't believe it. Except... I'm watching him dance and skateboard and play with his sister. I hear him say, "You ok, mama?" (A full sentence!) I feel the full length and weight of his growing body in my lap, in my arms and carried on my back. I marvel at his hands, still so small, yet sturdy as he wiggles away to avoid having his nails trimmed. My heart melts with every toothy, dimple-y smile. We all secretly giggle at his pouty lower lip and furrowed brow when he does not get his way. He really is almost two years old.

He does not really need anything, at two years old. He spends hours each day- and I am not exaggerating- playing in the dirt in the backyard, usually with a stick in hand, or maybe a dump truck or bulldozer. This boy needs to be outside. Rest assured, the rain gear has been purchased. And his birthday sweater is now ready to layer underneath.

This sweater is a Fisherman's Pullover knit in Cascade Eco Wool. The pattern is long and narrow, so I knit a size 4 and did not add the sleeve decreases until the cuff. If I were to knit it again, I would skip the short rows across the back because I think they added unnecessary bulk in the back, (although it looks a lot better after blocking).

Knitting a birthday sweater was not an intentional tradition, but the timing works out perfectly for me. I can get started on Henry's sweater in the summer and then have until January to finish a sweater for Eleanor. So much less pressure than trying to have multiple hand knits finished for Christmas!

How long do you think I can get away with knitting my kids a sweater each year, wrapping it up, and presenting it on their birthday, before I am met with eye rolling? I do not take these years for granted.

kcwc fall 2011

2011-09-23T21:59:00.000-07:00

Kids Clothing Week Challenge is October 10-17. Who's in?

I ordered some fabric this week, (all from Superbuzzy), and need to dig through my stash and old clothes, too.

I love mixing traditional Japanese prints with recycled clothes and basics like linen and denim.

Pants for Henry and a messenger bag for Eleanor. (A messenger bag is not really clothes, but whatever.)

I'm loving these browns for Henry- better to hide the dirt!

What are you planning?

catching up

2011-09-19T21:21:00.000-07:00

The last couple of weeks have been so full. I have so much to share...

We started homeschooling last week. So far, it is awesome.

Eleanor is taking a Japanese class once a week. Today, after class, we went to Uwajimaya for lunch and looking around.

Henry started parent-tot playschool once a week.

Brian told him there are chickens and bunnies at his "school," and he would not go inside on the first day until we met them.

After lunch at Paseo on my birthday, I took the kids to the Ballard Locks for a couple hours. We were hoping to catch some salmon making way up the fish ladder, but the ladder was empty.

The locks were busy, though. Eleanor boldly called down to the crab boat, "how many crabs do you catch in a day?" It was great.

I told her the boat was named the "Debbie Sue" and she asked if the woman on the boat was named Debbie Sue. I said, "maybe." Eleanor said, "well, someone has to be in charge."

Eleanor was about two days away from dread locks when she agreed to get another haircut. All the kids places were booked, so I took her to Rudy's.

She was so brave hopping up in that big chair for her second ever haircut. The poor guy probably had to use a whole bottle of detangler, but the cut is really cute.

Also, autumn is here. My favorite.

What's new with you?

diablo lake, north cascades

2011-09-13T22:19:00.000-07:00

I asked to go camping for my birthday, (a few days early). We went back up to the North Cascades because we can't get enough. Brian and I have been day dreaming about a cabin way up some day because there is magic in those mountains.

Saturday was nearly perfect: we left early (!), found a great camp site, and hiked the first leg of the Thunder Creek trail. After lots of play around the camp site, (the bear locker was a big hit, of course), and making friends with the neighbors, (two Virgos also celebrating birthdays in the woods!), we ate dinner and enjoyed the cozy camp fire. Henry fell asleep in my arms and I was reminded of my birthday camping trip just a few years ago when it was little Eleanor falling asleep in my arms at the camp fire... And, again, I want to freeze time.

Sunday was not as perfect, but that's ok, too. We did not have enough cash for the ferry ride across the lake, but it is just as well- the trail we planned to hike back washed out and a mama bear and her cubs had been sighted very recently in the area. So we explored the North Cascades Institute, (Eleanor can not wait for Mountain School!), and the Visitor's Center before heading down the mountain. More berries and treats at Sakuma Bros. because that's how we roll.

Eleanor picked me a big bouquet of mountain chamomile. It was just what I wanted for my birthday.

another camping vest

2011-09-01T12:34:00.000-07:00

She has opinions, of course, about whether or not she will have her photograph taken and whether or not she will be wearing the handmade item as requested. I would not have it any other way.

So I will take advantage of her enthusiasm and playfulness in front of the camera and take too many pictures.

She will only be five and a half once,
(and the sweater vest is on the small side).

baker lake, north cascades

2011-08-31T10:52:00.000-07:00

We left late and arrived with no reservations, in our usual style. Lucky us, we scored a sweet campsite right in the center of beautiful Panorama Point campground.

We forgot our swimsuits, but swam anyway. How could we not?

Sunday morning we took off early to escape the mosquitoes and let Henry nap in the truck while we drove around, exploring the area. We thought "Rainbow Falls" sounded nice. We ended up, way up, a narrow mountain road behind Mount Baker. We never found the falls, but did find the most amazing views of the mountain and lake below. Always, always an adventure!

We ended the trip with berry treats at Sakuma Bros. on the way home. Strawberry shortcake and tractor rides? Yup, it's still summer.

buzz

2011-08-23T20:53:00.000-07:00

Have you seen the current issue of Dwell? Swoon.

I am usually not so interested in nesting in the heat of summer, but I've been hanging pictures and moving stuff around for the last couple of weeks. I was digging through some boxes in the garage the other day and came across a whole bin of stuff from Japan- a time capsule from 1998-2000, even stuff from when I was a student in 1996. Feeling inspired...

around the garden

2011-08-22T09:53:00.000-07:00

I planted cilantro in the herb garden on Friday. I know it will be working hard to go to seed, but maybe I can clip it fresh from the garden for a few weeks instead of from a plastic bag in the fridge.

I am kicking myself for not planting dill! How could I forget? Too late for those beautiful heads in pickle jars this year...

Edamame! Fuzzy little pods finally filling out. Four plants for one small snack next to some sushi or noodles. A garden can be humbling that way.

Our happy strawberry plants are sending out runners all over the place! Time to get those little guys in some dirt to root.

This is the first year I have pruned my tomatoes and I am feeling hopeful that I will have more ripe tomatoes with less foliage. I ate my first ripe little Sun Gold last week! (It's a miracle there are any tomatoes on the vine with Henry's curiosity. Those green cherry tomatoes look too much like bouncy balls. "Ball? Mama, ball?)

A cucumber! They are teeny, but the plants are doing well in the tomato cages. I only planted pickling cukes this year because I love their flavor. I'm hoping I'll have at least enough to try a batch of lacto-fermented pickles.

The two squash plants in the middle garden bed are growing great- lots of beautiful blosoms and some fruit set. I'm pretty sure one of the plants is a sugar pumpkin the other could be a sugar pumpkin, a zucchini or a delicata squash. We shall see!

I finally pulled out the squash in the third bed. It just never thrived. So, I cut my losses, headed back to the nursery, and planted some fall greens: kale, swiss chard, spinach and lettuce. I'm hoping a little fertilizer and TLC will revive those sad little beets.

Finally, this is the last year I pay for berries.

Over the weekend Brian cut down three big, old rhododendrons against the west fence. Time to dig up a few stumps, amend the soil, and do some fall planting. I am already looking forward to next year's raspberry jam!

the fair

2011-08-15T21:39:00.000-07:00

I hope you had a great weekend, too.

her magic wand

2011-08-10T08:43:00.001-07:00

Earlier in summer, when Eleanor and I were talking about making terra cotta suns, I mentioned to her another project from the same book, Celebrating the Great Mother: a magic wand. A real magic wand.

Per the suggestions in the book, I told Eleanor to find a stick the length of her elbow to her fingertip and play with it a while. If the stick felt like her magic wand, hang on to it and we would make it a little more special together.

When we were gathering art supplies and birthday gifts a couple months ago, we picked out a natural crystal quartz point. She held it in her hand all day, then tucked it in a safe, cozy nest at home, and her crystal has been waiting patiently there ever since.

I forgot about the project entirely, so imagine my surprise when Eleanor announced yesterday while I was cooking dinner, (of course), that she had found her real magic wand and could we attach the crystal and make it special now, please.

Since I didn't have a leather thong handy, I used a rubber band. Not exactly the kind of craftsmanship one brags about, but a perfect second choice for a five year old who is ready to make some magic and a mama who needs to make dinner, if you know what I mean.

To decorate her wand, she found this beautiful feather in the backyard from one of our friends, Mr. Blue Jay.

Before she was set free with her new wand, we read a little from the book: "A magic wand is a way to amplify and send our personal energy out into the world, so that it can manifest to benefit us all. But, unlike cartoons that make this kind of magic look both intensely dramatic and instantaneous, real wands are not showy or made for instant gratification; real magic takes time to happen. But a magic wand can help to get things going..."

We reviewed the important rule of using a magic wand: only use your wand for good, never with the intention of harming another.

Then she gently held her hands over her wand, and repeated after me, "This is my wand and I will use it to make things better."

Big smile.

And off she danced into the yard to start making wishes.

Her first wish? To grow wings to fly.

Next: no more bloody noses. Ever.

Then: for Henry to start talking in a way she can understand.

And just before sitting down to eat: a wish for daddy to come home early every night to eat dinner with us.

shooting around

2011-08-05T09:40:00.000-07:00

Brian gave me a new lens for our anniversary. He was able to trade some old lens' he no longer uses, making the deal even more sweet!

Yesterday afternoon we had the library park all to ourselves.

around the garden

2011-08-03T10:37:00.001-07:00

The peas are done. The Kitazawa pea plants barely produced any pods at all.

Henry goes into the garden everyday to search for strawberries. I also planted strawberries in hanging baskets and they are doing great!

I'm trying to grow the cucumbers up in tomato cages. I'm also waiting to cut the lavender- hoping it will draw the bees to the squash blossoms.

Lots and lots of parsley. Hello, quinoa tabbouleh.

The lettuce is hanging in there, but getting ready to bolt now that the days are hotter. We have been eating and sharing lots of green salad with fresh herbs this summer!

Can you see those stubby little beets still, just barely, hanging on? What happened?

Behind the teeny beets are little squash and zucchini plants. They are also hanging on, but not growing fast enough, I'm afraid. The chard did well in that spot last year, so I'll plant chard and kale there next year.

Other notes:
The herb garden was getting crowed, so I pulled out the strawberry and apple mint, but use spearmint a lot- in iced tea everyday! Also, all the herbs got a little haircut. They look nice.

The edamame plants are growing and look healthy, but there are no beans. hm...

Henry has already figured out how to pull a carrot and rinse it in the kiddy pool when he's playing.

The basil plant I bought from the nursery is still alive, but never really filled out. I bought two huge basil plants for $2.99 each from Trader Joes and they are so hardy!

Marjoram is the only herb I planted that I don't use regularly. What do you use it for?

our honeymoon

2011-08-01T10:22:00.000-07:00

We had so much fun celebrating our seventh wedding anniversary over the weekend. I gave Brian a photo book of our honeymoon pictures. It was a long over-due project that was very satisfying to put together. (After feeling overwhelmed with blurb, I used iPhoto and am happy with the results.)

We spent four or five days in Oaxaca, a few days at the beach and had a night in Mexico City following our wedding in 2004. It was really, really great.

gray shawl

2011-07-26T10:53:00.000-07:00

I ignored the camping laundry yesterday and finished my granny shawl. (Details here.)

It's big!

And super cozy.

family camping

2011-07-25T20:56:00.000-07:00

We spent the weekend camping with eleven other families- each with a five year old. It was one of the best camping trips I have ever been on.

I did not take nearly enough pictures. My hands were busy making hot dogs, handing out rice crispy treats, and applying and re-applying bug spray and sunscreen.

There was bike riding (and unicycle for the very brave and talented!), scooters, berry picking, firewood collecting and distributing, dutch oven monkey bread, hiking, swimming, canoeing, campfires and s'mores, hammocks and slack line, homemade bourbon, and lots of just hanging out.

The group was an evolution of my First Weeks group- a drop-in support group for new parents. I started taking Eleanor when she was just two weeks old. It is so amazing to see these kids together now!

I have never seen my children so dirty. We returned home tired and relaxed and covered in bug bites and smiling from ear to ear.

waiting for summer

2011-07-20T09:10:00.000-07:00

We are having another gray, drizzly morning. It was so cool yesterday we wore coats all afternoon at the park.

I feel like I get the Pacific Northwest weather and I try not to wish away the rain. I know summer doesn't start until after July 4 and I waited very patiently. But, man, it is July 20th! Where is our sunshine?!

Last week, the sun came out for a few hours in the afternoon and it was warm enough for the kids to wear swimsuits and play in the little pool. I thought, "this is it! this is the summer I have been waiting for!" So I stopped what I was doing, brought my iced tea outside and sat and happily knit in the shade until it was time to cook dinner. Heaven.

electric car

2011-07-12T22:20:00.001-07:00

She calls the game "electric car." He puts his feet up and she pushes him around as fast and wild as she can.

This is what little brothers and big sisters are for, right?

Watch out.

blog break

2011-07-06T10:28:00.001-07:00

Our computer is off to be repaired this afternoon. (Cracked screen... no one knows a thing... very mysterious...)

Back soon!

Hope you are enjoying these beautiful summer days! xo-

celebrating the sun

2011-06-22T10:19:00.000-07:00

Inspired by Celebrating the Great Mother: A Handbook of Earth Honoring Activities for Parents and Children, and in anticipation of the summer solstice, Eleanor and I made terra cotta suns last week.

We started by scrolling through some Google images of terra cotta suns for ideas, (both deciding big, smiling, happy suns are our favorite). Then we just started playing with the clay- figuring out how to make it work for us. Henry was interested, too, so I popped him in his high chair with a bit of clay of his own.

We had so much fun making the suns, we pulled the clay out again during a play date and made more!

Then we set our sculptures out in the sun to dry and harden and soak up all of that warm, summer energy.

I love the conversation that happens when we are working/playing next to each other: equally engaged, working with our hands, getting dirty, relaxing, creating, in the moment. A kind of space opens up. This sometimes happens in the kitchen, too, or out in the garden, or camping. That space, that shared moment, is magic, I tell you.

This is my sun. I had a very hard time sculpting a face, so I made a simple sun shape and drew a face on him. Yesterday I hung him up on one side of the front door...

...and Eleanor's little sun on the other side. Eleanor's suns were a bit more fragile, but she was a good sport about the rays falling off. oops!

We hung up her big sun near the back door. There is one more that didn't get a proper hole for hanging, so he got stuck in a pot of bright yellow pansies.

Oh, Mr. Sun, we are so happy summer is here!

2011-06-20T07:03:00.000-07:00

I hope you had a great weekend, too.

library love

2011-06-17T09:21:00.000-07:00

I do not have much to share about our garden this week. I have been sick all week and was not able to get much done back there. Maybe it won't rain this weekend?

But if it does rain, at least we can look forward to a stack of new books.

We escaped our quarantine for a couple hours yesterday to stock up on fresh library books and groceries. I ask you, how could anyone in possession of a library card ever be bored?

City of Thieves was a good read, by the way, even if some parts were too gruesome for my taste. I love when a book pulls me in and I am staying up too late, cozy in my bed, listening to my family sleep, completely under the spell of a story. (Of course I had a crazy dream about the Nazi's chasing me!)

Have you read a good book lately? Do share! I am always looking for recommendations.

Ah... so many books, so little time...

wip wednesday

2011-06-15T20:37:00.001-07:00

Although I've been busy this spring cleaning and purging, mending and organizing, I have started no less than four knitting projects. And not one of them is near completion. Wrapping up loose end while simultaneously creating new, literal, ones. Hmm...

While I was knitting Henry's camping vest, Eleanor made it known she wanted one, too. Exactly the same please. I only have a couple of inches knit so far, (it looks much like the last one did here). I had better get busy on her camping vest because it is time to get out there!

I realized when scrolling through past posts the other day that I have shown a few works-in-progress, but failed to show and tell the finished garment. So, here you go:

The vest is simple, practical and cute, but the hood is what makes this project worthwhile. (The pattern instructions let you choose how to finish the hood seam, so I did a double needle bind-off, fyi.)

He will leave the hood on, too. Perhaps he know how cute he is?

art tote and soft doll

2011-06-14T10:41:00.000-07:00

We are settling into our summer rhythm now that preschool is finished. Our mornings are slower, we linger in our pajamas a little longer, and Eleanor and Henry are spending a lot more time playing together. Eleanor and I also have more time to do craft projects together, (which I love.)

Eleanor was invited to a princess birthday party, so we collaborated on the birthday girl's present. Part one: princess dolls.

Eleanor drew the princesses using fabric markers on muslin.

I ironed a border on the fabric and asked her to keep her doll inside the lines so I would have enough space to sew. I also suggested she stretch the limbs and head of her princess all the way to each line, (so the finished princess would more resemble a doll than a pillow), but she wanted to stick with her vision. You know how artists are.

When she was finished with her drawing, I set the ink with a hot iron, added a back piece of fabric and sewed around her drawing.

After clipping the fabric and turning the right-side out, Eleanor really enjoyed stuffing the dolls, although, I needed to do the little poke-y parts. (A knitting needle helps.)

She drew each princess with a dog attached. So stinking cute.

We made three dolls: one for Eleanor to keep, one for the birthday girl and one for their mutual friend. As we wrapped the first doll to give, Eleanor asked, "What if she doesn't like it?" It was an interesting conversation. I encouraged her to give the doll without expectation- that she had made these gifts with love and intention for her friends, but we can not control the reaction of another person. Thankfully, the princesses were well received.

Part two of the birthday gift was a simple tote with a blank note pad and a set of colored pencils.
Art supplies and a simple tote are one of my favorite gifts to give. The art supplies will be used up and the tote can be reused for any number of things.

I used up some of the leftover Heather Ross fabric from Eleanor's duvet. Rapunzel on the front, Sleeping Beauty on the back. A nice big pocket on the front for the princess doll. All set for summer doodling!

around the garden

2011-06-09T10:44:00.001-07:00

I moved all the herbs into the same bed this year, along with Cascadia snap peas, more strawberries and the two little blueberry bushes that have been in pots the last two years.

I also have a few edamame bushes started. I was so happy to find seeds from Kitazawa at our local nursery!

The kids really love the herb garden and snack so much I have to keep an eye on the mint, especially when friends are over. This year I planted strawberry mint, spearmint, and apple mint. The kids love to taste test!

This garden bed is looking a bit behind. I did a pretty lousy job planting the carrots and need to go buy more seed. We eat a lot of carrots. A lot.

I planted a garden pea from Kitazawa and not many of the peas sprouted. The peas in this bed look sparse compared to the hearty snap peas. Oh well. Trying new seeds is part of the fun, right?

The radishes are always a cheerful little crop! This year I planted Shirahime Hatsuka diakon and French Breakfast radishes. The diakon are mini and so cute! We'll be eating them in our miso soup and pickling some with carrot for ba minh.

In the shadiest bed, last years chard is going to seed. I'll replant this afternoon. Chard tacos for dinner!

Also in this bed, from left to right; Red Ace beets, Olympia spinach, Double Purple Orach spinach, Super Gourmet salad blend, and Buttercrunch butterhead lettuce- all from Territorial. The purple orach is new to us this year and so pretty. I planted the salad greens way too tight, so baby green salads for us every night for a while!

Red clover is definitely the weed in the garden this year. It is popping up everywhere.

But it is not all planting and weeding out back...

Inspired by Farmama, I'm thinking of continuing these little garden updates each Thursday. Check out her amazing farm and the other farmers and gardeners who link in the comments. So fun to see what is growing in different parts of the country and around the world!

wip wednesday

2011-06-08T10:05:00.001-07:00

As we hopped in the truck Mother's Day weekend heading east in search of sun and some happy camping, I grabbed a ball of yarn to indulge in some easy, guilty pleasure knitting. Because the pattern starts at the small end, the project took shape quickly and has been very satisfying.

This simple shawl is a free "pattern" from my favorite local yarn store. Yes, I said shawl. Total granny knitting.

But the thing is, I do get cold shoulders at night when I'm knitting or watching a movie or reading in bed. I think that this shawl may live on my side of the bed or on my favorite corner of the couch- it might be more of a cozy blanket than something wear outside of the house.

The yarn, Manos del Uruguay, was found for 40% off! How could I resist?

fresh paint

2011-06-07T11:06:00.000-07:00

We spent the weekend painting our living room. I'm so happy it is finally done!

I should back up a bit and say that this painting project started four years ago, before we even moved in to our house. My original vision for the house was all white walls. (No one else was really sharing this vision. Hm...) The walls were in pretty bad shape and I just wanted to have a nice, clean blank slate.

But, what can I say? All of those pretty paint chips sucked me in and I made some mistakes in the paint store- the off-white paint for the living room and hall was one, (the green with brown trim in the back room is perhaps the worst. What was I thinking?!)

I remember kind of gasping when the off-white paint was rolled on, like, "this was not what I had in mind." But, we were short on time and I had already bought all the paint, so we finished up that day and left it. Yup, the paint has been unfinished in the living room since we moved in.

Anyway, here are some before pictures:

During:

After:

Oh, I am so happy about the way it turned out. It is clean and bright- especially the door and entry area.

Special thanks to my mom who helped entertain the little ones. (She and Brian are also super-fast painters! If I were doing all of the painting, well, I'd still be painting... I think it might have been a little painful for them to watch, actually.)

The color is Benjamin Moore mayonnaise. (Thanks to Joanna for helping me find this color!) "Mayonnaise" is the teeniest bit lemon-y yellow, in the best way. I think the color is great for our gray, Pacific Northwest weather and for an older home, like ours.

You might have noticed the brown wall stayed, (for now). I like the depth, interest, warmth and contrast it adds to the room, but because the room is low on light, I was definitely considering painting it white, too. (Better picture of the brown wall here.) What do you think? Keep it brown or paint it white?

tiny dancer

2011-06-06T11:40:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was her first time on stage.

I have a feeling it will not be her last.

We watched her roll through a range of emotions- excitement, anticipation, joy, a little fear, (or so she said), and definitely pride- with confidence and humor.

"Mama, did I look like a real dancer on a real stage?!"

It was one of those parenting moments, you know, where my heart is so full it might just burst right out of my chest.

dinner

2011-05-30T21:03:00.001-07:00

Garlic rosemary grilled Copper River salmon.

New favorite.

Sous chefs.

Grilled asparagus.

"Spirit."

Black quinoa salad with herbs from the garden.

Dessert.

Fantastic entertainment.

so much good stuff

2011-05-30T10:34:00.000-07:00

Here's some good stuff I've been thinking about this weekend...

- Good for them at Angry Chicken. I especially love how she points out that our emotional responses are practiced. (Note to self.)

- Memorial Day Weekend sale at PurlSoho.com!

- I think we need to make a mud pie kitchen in our backyard.

- I am also thinking it's time to tie dye some summer t-shirts for the kids.

- Little Things to Sew arrived in the mail last week. (You might say I'm on a kick.) I want to make every single project in the book, but need to start with the bucket hat for the kids.

Hope you are enjoying your weekend, too!

spring: in the kitchen

2011-05-25T20:37:00.000-07:00

Spring cleaning my desk, dusting off my sewing machine and sorting through fabric inspired some simple sewing the last couple days.

It's silly to be excited about an oven mitt, but I love it. I barely squeezed the pattern on to the last of this print. I used a felted, recycled wool sweater for the insulating layer and muslin to line the inside. Up next: potholders!

Check out the mitt in action!

Pulling croutons from the oven for one of our favorite recipes: Spring Panzanella.

almost free pajamas

2011-05-24T13:20:00.000-07:00

I spent quite a bit of time over the weekend, (when not caring for my feverish tot), at my desk cleaning up and getting organized. I pulled out some boxes of fabric, forgotten sewing projects and mending. It is really satisfying to sew on a button and get a favorite pair of jeans back in action.

I found an old pair of my pajama pants in the mending pile. The pajama pants are pretty much threadbare, but oh so soft. Frankly, the only reason I have hung on to them is the cute embroidery on the legs.

So I cut up the pajamas along the seams, drew out a size 6 pajama pants pattern for Eleanor, (leftover from sewing up these pajamas a few years ago), and sewed up my old pajama pants into new little ones for my sweet little one.

I love re-purposing! It feels like free pajamas! Best of all, she loves them.

bird hunter

2011-05-21T20:34:00.000-07:00

She hopped down from the tree. "Mama, I'm a bird hunter!"

"Here, let me show you something..."

"See, these are the birds." (Notice the blue arrows pointing to the different bird parts.)

"This is my map."

"This is my magnifying glass."

"I also need my bird book."

"Mama, I am the kind of bird hunter who hunts birds just to watch them."

kool-aid play silks

2011-05-20T20:46:00.000-07:00

Back in February, Eleanor and I dyed a few play silks from Dharma Trading with Kool-Aid using the instructions found on Hip Mountain Mama.

It was a fun project to do together- Eleanor was really involved in every step of the process, the results were dramatic and colorful, and Kool-Aid smells good.

I was hoping that the "tropical punch" in the blue packet would be blue, but did not realize until the Kool-Aid was in the jar that it was red. So, grape, cherry and punch: purple, red, red.

I have a few more silks to dye, but have not been able to find other Kool-Aid flavors in our local grocery stores. Is there still lime Kool-Aid? Or lemonade? Orange?

It was too dark the day we dyed the play silks to photograph them, so I had to wait for sunshine.

I tossed these out into the yard this afternoon and the kids were immediately running around and dancing and twirling and giggling.

The purple silk became a super hero cape, the red ones became wings.

Then the game changed and the silks became part of a giant birds nest and were needed to keep the eggs warm.

Silks are amazing for open-ended play.

Eleanor uses them for dress up and as blankets and other props.

Henry likes to play peek-a-boo or put a silk over his head and walk around the house bumping into everything. (Does that game have a name?)

On a rainy day, play silks also make great forts inside the house. Outside, they can easily be made into tents for shade or hiding out or resting in a quiet spot.

Simple toys really are best.

low tide walk

2011-05-18T21:57:00.001-07:00

Kids + very low tide + sunshine = very good day.

kcwc: done

2011-05-16T20:29:00.000-07:00

I jinxed myself last Wednesday, didn't I? "Check back with me tomorrow..." Bad blogger!

As much as I wanted to keep sewing projects going, last week just didn't work out for me. You know how it is, one kid is cutting teeth and starting his day between 5:15 and 5:45 each morning, the other hosted a rowdy fun play date Thursday afternoon. And did I mention the sun was out? Well, can't be inside sewing when the sun is actually shining. Sewing can wait for a rainy day...

Anyway, I finished the pants and I am happy with the way they turned out.

The fabric is hickory stripe that I have had forever. I don't remember where/when/why I bought the fabric, but I like it a lot. It reminds me of all the loggers and mill workers and good old boys I grew up with.

The dark red contrasting panel across the rear is a traditional Japanese pattern and I think I got it from Superbuzzy.

The pattern is roughly from Anna Maria Horner's book Handmade Beginnings, except I didn't make the pants reversible and I didn't follow her directions, (since I couldn't read my copies. hm...)

They turned out pretty cute, huh?

kcwc: day 2

2011-05-11T11:12:00.000-07:00

I started on a new pair of pants yesterday. Same pattern, different fabric from my stash.

The stripes photograph so strange!

I'm going to try them on my little bub and hem the pants today. Maybe start something new tonight? Check back with me tomorrow...

kcwc: day 1

2011-05-10T13:03:00.000-07:00

It's Kids Clothing Week Challenge! The challenge is to spend an hour each day working on sewing clothes for children. I am a little lame and unprepared so, I spent most of my hour digging out and dusting off my sewing machine and setting up the ironing board. I tried to throw together a pair of pants for Henry and, well, here is my first problem:

The chambray looked cute and casual in the fabric pile, but began to look suspiciously like women's dress slacks once cut into the shape of pants. ugh.

Still, the fabric was cut and the house was quiet, so I decided to keep going and finish the pants. Then my project went from bad to worse:

Alright, it is really hard to photograph those tiny stitches, but let's just say my sewing machine was not happy. Sewing machine worked perfectly one minute, I changed the color of the thread and now it is totally tweaked.

And that is when I decided to go to bed.

bright spots

2011-05-09T15:41:00.000-07:00

Last week was tough. I mean, it was 90% good, but the 10% that was challenging just left me exhausted.

A few bright spots from the week: my new (to me) sweater...

... and strawberry rhubarb sorbet.

I got just what I wanted for Mother's Day: an evening at Olympus Spa with a friend and a quick camping trip. The forecast was rain in Seattle, so we drove east in search of sunshine. We ended up at Potholes State Park. It is so awesome to leave the gray, drizzle of Seattle and hop out into the dry, warm wind and sunshine of the Columbia Basin. If you have been there, I'm sure you can imagine the wonderful smell...

We had never been to Potholes before. The mosquitoes were not too bad (yet) and the birds were amazing- Potholes are a major stop for the migratory birds along the Pacific Flyway.

But this was the brightest spot of my week:

my two beautiful children happily cuddling and enjoying each other. Ahh... the best.

may day

2011-05-02T09:33:00.001-07:00

Fish and chips by the water.

Too late to dance around the maypole.

She was so happy to finally be at the celebration, even if we missed the main event. There were hula hoops and women with flowers in their hair wearing long, flowing dresses and kids and dogs running around the park at dusk. She quickly made a friend- always fitting right in. Showing us the way...

easter

2011-04-28T10:29:00.000-07:00

We also celebrated Easter last Sunday. The bunny brought little baskets with egg-shaped sidewalk chalk, child-sized garden hand tools, a book each (his, hers), and a little rabbit. The Easter bunny put a couple special glitter eggs in Eleanor's basket filled with teeny chocolate eggs that were eaten in secret that morning while she hid under her bed.

The Easter bunny "hid," (in plain sight), a dozen plastic eggs filled with Annie's bunny crackers and graham cookies, (snack treats I never buy), around the living room. Henry found the first egg, squealed in delight and chucked it to the floor, sending bunny-shaped cheese crackers flying everywhere. They were so excited!

After they gobbled up all the bunny snacks, they took their new tools outside to try them out. I haven't planted much yet, so they have lots of space in the garden to dig and play. (Might have to have a dirt pile somewhere after the garden is planted...)

Later Sunday morning we went to our annual egg hunt. It was a fun day catching up with old friends who are really more like family now, great food and fun.

one warm spring day

2011-04-25T10:08:00.000-07:00

It has been the coldest April on record in Seattle.

Last week I heard the weather man predict that Saturday would be sunny and warm- in the low 60's! And then the rain would return.

What to do with one warm, spring day?

Get outside, naturally. My first thought was to head up to the mountains for a hike, but Brian knew it would still be chilly up in the woods. So we headed just about an hour north, (somehow avoiding the Tulip Festival traffic), for a long walk out through the Skagit wetlands... soaking up the sun... spotting bald eagles, (and a huge eagle nest- with babies?)... enjoying the changing trail and the many different birds along the way...

The trail was just dry enough for us to walk all the way out the mud flats to the sound. Unbelievably, we had the whole trail to ourselves. I am already looking forward to going back with binoculars and our bird book.

We made it home in time to mow the lawn, pull the grill out of the garage and goof off in the back yard until bath time- practically collapsing in bed, so full of sunshine and birdsong and the excitement about spring.

felted nests

2011-04-20T11:26:00.000-07:00

I'm whipping up some little felted nests this week using up some of the wool left over from Henry's camping vest. If you knit, I'm sure you can figure these nests out without instruction, but I'll tell you how I did it anyway. (And if you know a better way, you tell me!)

I'm using Cascade Eco Wool and size 10 needles. Cast on 30 stitches and knit in the round for a couple inches. (I alternated knit and purl rows so the edge would not roll over, but I'm not sure it matters since the nest will be felted.) Rapidly decrease: knit two, knit two together until finished. Weave in the ends.

To felt, use hot, soapy water to vigorously wash the nest until the fibers bind together. Rinse, shape and let dry.

A soft, cozy little nest just waiting for spring treasures!

bye bye crib

2011-04-18T21:33:00.001-07:00

I have been doing some spring cleaning when the sun is shining and inspiring me. Last week I took Henry's crib apart to wash the crib skirt. The mattress was on the floor and Henry was thrilled. He would not stop playing on his little bed- bringing over little toys and books, curling up with blankets. And jumping.

So, we decided, let's just get rid of the crib. (No one likes it, anyway.)

With a few small tools and a little tool box, two eager helpers had fun being "workers" all morning.

Can you tell he likes it?

wip wednesday

2011-04-13T10:59:00.001-07:00

So I took my very large looking tomten to project help night at my favorite local yarn store and learned a few things:

1. I am kind of a loose knitter, which I find somewhat surprising. (Bamboo needles are "stickier" and will knit a bit looser, apparently.)

2. The sweater is knitting up to the correct width and will likely tighten up a bit around the arm holes when I start the sleeves. (Not to question the great Elizabeth Zimmerman, but I still can't see how this size could be considered "2 and up." Hmm...)

3. Project help night is the best $5 I have spent in a very long time. I had two hours of one-on-one help with a smart, funny, very experienced knitter. I came in with a list of questions and a basket of projects and left feeling more confident and inspired.

After we worked out the size/gauge issue with the tomten, the kind yarn store lady said, "you know, you could just put this sweater aside for a while. If you are knitting it for your son and you know it is much too large, you don't have to finish it right now..." I had not even thought of that! Isn't that funny? I have ripped out projects, but not once, ever, set aside a knitting project to return to at a later time.

Which brings me to my current work in progress: Knitting Pure and Simple's Bulky Hooded Vest for Children. A quick and easy knit to break up the monotony of all the garter stitch of the tomten sweater. Just a little vest to fit right now- a little cozy something to layer in spring and fall and wear in the mornings and evenings all summer here in Seattle. Perfect for camping trips.

I was really drawn to the natural wools, especially the cream colors, (in part because of my current obsession with navy, but that is for another post). The kind yarn store lady gently steered me in the direction of this mousy brown-gray. Good for hiding dirt and sand.

little happy things

2011-04-12T12:01:00.000-07:00

I treated myself to a new pair of very high, (cheap) shoes yesterday.

Daydreaming about weather warm enough for sandals and date nights with my handsome husband... Blame it on the sunshine.

scenes from our weekend

2011-04-04T20:58:00.000-07:00

I hope you had a great weekend, too.

wip wednesday

2011-03-30T10:00:00.000-07:00

I have been wanting to write a post about how awesome Japan is- the beauty, grace, humor and generosity of my friends, co-workers and students, my host family, and the exchange student who stayed with us when we were kids. (His name is Toshiyuki. He loved rock-n-roll and thought he was going to Los Angeles. Imagine his surprise to end up at my family's house in Port Angeles...)

My heart is just broken for the people of Japan.

And then the kids got a nasty stomach flu. (And there was the laundry that followed...)

And Henry broke the living room window with the coffee table. (He wasn't hurt, but our living room window is now barricaded with all the living room furniture. Awesome.)

And then Brian went out of town.

You know how it is...

So, I put the sourdough starter in the freezer. I made a lot of soup. I haven't been sewing or crafting, or even reading much, but I have been doing some knitting. Always just squeezing a row or two in here and there.

Knit knit knit and knit some more. Uh, oh...

Yes, friends, this was intended to be a sweater for Henry- to wear now, not in five years. As you can see from the photo, the sweater is huge. I swear I knit a swatch and my gage was correct, but by the time I realized the sweater was way too big, I had already knit so. much. garter stitch. I decided to go ahead and finish the sweater.

Although I am tempted to blame this large mistake on mindless knitting for comfort, you know me too well. You have seen the giant wool panties/diaper cover, the booty shorts/kanoko pants, and the sweater vest that was ripped out twice. I have a gage problem. I'm taking myself to my local yarn store tomorrow evening to get help.

(She gave me this mug shot even though I bribed her with chocolate! I had to share her stripes-extravaganza today.)

buzz

2011-03-25T21:13:00.000-07:00

thrift score!

2011-03-07T14:57:00.000-08:00

After a week of disrupted sleep, (I mean, more than usual), and the intense kind of parenting that sometimes comes when little ones are not feeling well, I was looking forward to getting out of the house and enjoying a couple of quiet hours to myself on Saturday.

Right before I left the house I showed Brian this shirt in the Anthropologie catalogue. About an hour later I was at the thrift store trying this shirt on:

Now, it is not exactly the same shirt, but, come on! That is pretty amazing, right? And it was $3.

The rest of the loot:

... springtime polyester special for me and a work shirt for Brian...

... little denim dress for Eleanor, (might need cuter buttons), and red cords that fit me perfectly, (I kind of want to try dying them dark brown or black)...

... and a few good books. Score!

in the kitchen

2011-03-03T15:50:00.000-08:00

Our kitchen is a busy, busy place these days...

Toys are not nearly as interesting for Henry as washing dishes or baking. These days I always have a little helper (or two) at my side.

I am brewing my second batch of kombucha. The first batch is so tasty! (Thanks Joanna!)

I am still working on my sourdough. Although my last two loaves have been sad, flat failures, I'm not giving up! I'm going to try Peter Reinhart's method of fermenting the grains overnight in the sourdough and then adding yeast the second day to give the bread plenty of lift. Have you tried this?

We are so grateful Orangette did the research because the Make-the-Morning-of Waffle has become our weekend tradition. Brian whips up a double batch so we have a few extra during the week. (They reheat amazingly well in the toaster.) I prefer my waffles plain, but these hold up nicely to toppings. I think these waffles are Henry's favorite food.

Last week I made toasted coconut shortbread and it was good. If you give them a try, beware that toasted coconut quickly turns to coconut butter in your coffee grinder. Also, mine were finished cooking in 12 minutes, (but I think I rolled them too thin).

I have been sticking to easy, family favorite dinners: soba salad with coconut peanut sauce, black bean taco salad, yam falafel, ba me, curried chickpeas and sauteed kale with garlic, miso soup, baked salmon and quinoa, chard tacos with roasted yam, and red lentil soup. Tonight we are having split pea soup and Irish soda bread.

The dinner I make most often these days? Teriyaki chicken thighs, roasted broccoli and brown rice. My family can not get enough!

What's cooking in your kitchen these days?

you are all winners

2011-03-02T12:07:00.000-08:00

...but since Carrie's comment was picked by the random number generator, last month I put together a little package with her in mind and was able to surprise her with some fun mail.

(Sorry for more phone pictures. And I guess I could have cropped out the bird poo on the side of the house. geesh.)

Anyway, I made this little tote using Echino oilcloth and some leftover Echino prints. Bright green and water proof- ready for spring!

Because it was my first time sewing oilcloth, and I did not want to punch any extra holes in the fabric, this simple tote became a fun challenge.

Of course, I had to add a phone pocket inside.

Other goodies to make a girl feel special: favorite chocolate, (or "mama chocolate," as it is known in our house), and my favorite cookbook.

Thanks for reading my blog, Carrie!

A blog is a funny kind of reciprocal relationship, isn't it? Thanks for coming along.
xo- April

wip wednesday

2011-02-23T13:30:00.001-08:00

I'm finishing up a pair of kanoko pants for Henry. This is my second attempt at getting the size right. I had my gage way off on my first try. I didn't realize how big the pants were knitting up until I started the first leg and was thinking to myself, "my, that was a lot of yarn for such a little pair of pants..." So I tried them on. Yes, my friends, I (accidentally) knit a pair of brown hotpants.

I had a good laugh at my own expense and then I ripped those suckers out fast.

Other works in progress: Eleanor is still really into making books.

Sometimes she illustrates the story and asks us to write the text as she dictates.

Other times she fills in her stories with her own lettering.

When she is not creating these books, she is asking us to read them to her. Over and over. It's okay because I love them so much.

Henry is working on learning to jump:

cinderella

2011-02-14T09:29:00.001-08:00

Yesterday afternoon Eleanor and I went to see the Pacific Northwest Ballet's production of Cinderella. The matinee had special crafts and storytelling activities for children before the show, but Eleanor preferred to wait patiently in her seat.

It's a lot of ballet for a kid to sit through. (Next time I'm bringing a snack in my purse for intermission. The lines were so long!) There were some variations in the story that she did not quite follow, (the "Theatre of Marvels" during the ball was confusing). But the show is visually captivating and Eleanor did great. As someone who does not regularly attend the ballet, (but shuffles Eleanor back and forth to dance class every week), I was so moved by the athleticism and grace of the dancers. wow.

The production ends with the prince and Cinderella dancing together on a blue stage. They are both dreamy in white after the fairy godmother performs a wedding in the clouds. The prince twirls Cinderella as a white snowflake pattern moves gently at their feet and glitter rains down on them. They are a vision of the music box ballerina come to life- a scene so full of innocent childhood dreams, beauty and magic and that I had to fight back a tear, (really!). We entered a fairy tale and were inspired.

As we left, Eleanor had such a happy spring in her step. Twirls and skips and so many questions!

a bigger bed

2011-02-09T09:19:00.000-08:00

(I have to start with some bad news. My camera is broken. Actually, I'm hoping the camera is fine and it is just the memory card glitching. Either way, I am not using my camera right now and it feels weird. Until the camera is fixed, I'll be using photos from my phone. Bear with me.)

Eleanor's birthday present was a bigger bed. (Was that already a month ago?) She has been sleeping in a toddler bed until now. Since we often cuddle in bed with her at bedtime, we have been snuggled into a toddler bed, too. I'm not sure if toddler beds are a standard size, but ours was the same size as a crib mattress. (Imagine Brian and Eleanor sleeping on a bed that tiny... I think we were more excited than she was for a bigger bed!)

When I asked Eleanor what kind of bed she wanted, she exclaimed, "Princess!" Now, she may have been thinking hot-pink Disney extravaganza, but I did some careful steering and I think the end result is a princess-y bed we both love:

After watching Craigslist for a couple months, we ended up buying the cheapest bed frame offered at Ikea. The pine is unfinished, so we might stain it red at some point. (I just can not resist a pop of red in a room.)

My first princess-y idea was the net canopy from Ikea. It is soft and a little dreamy and she loves it. The canopy makes the bed nice and cozy, but is also light and airy enough to not fill up her small bedroom.

I showed Eleanor the Far Far and Away II collection of fabric from Heather Ross and she choose this colorway:

FOR REAL. Eleanor pointed right at that gray Sleeping Beauty print and said, "that one is my favorite."

Me: "Are you sure?"

Her: "Yup. I like that one best."

Me: "You are positive? Did you notice it's not pink?"

Her: "Yes. I said I like that one."

So I ordered the fabric and when it came, I showed Brian and we both shook our heads. "Nope, send it back. That's not Eleanor." But it was Christmas time and I was busy and when I pulled it out to mail it back Eleanor saw it and again told me she really, really liked it.

My idea was to make a large patchwork duvet cover for a new down comforter. I had only ordered two yards of fabric and planned to pull in a couple of solid colors. I was dumbfounded when I laid out on the ground her new twin comforter- it looked way too big. So I checked, double-checked, took some measurements and had to make a last minute fabric order. (Thanks, Kathy!) Luckily, a duvet cover sews up really quickly.

I backed the duvet with a solid pink sheet, so the pink is more of a surprise when crawling into bed. I have some fabric leftover to make pillow cases for throw pillows. Does a child's bed need throw pillows? No, probably not. But I am always looking for them when trying to prop myself up to read her stories at bedtime.

buzz

2011-02-05T15:25:00.000-08:00

new vintage

2011-02-03T16:00:00.000-08:00

My vintage clogs finally found me! It only took two years...

eleanor's school sweater

2011-02-02T10:46:00.000-08:00

Her new sweater was not, in fact, finished in time for her birthday. In the end, I had too many gifts to make and not enough time. (Big ideas, not enough time... have you noticed a theme here?)

The pattern is Knitting Pure and Simple Children's Neck Down Cardigan knit in Dream In Color (Ruby River). I loved the pattern and the yarn and look forward to using both again.

Eleanor also likes the sweater and has already worn it a lot, partly because I started calling it her "school sweater." I pick it up every morning as she is looking for her shoes and she puts it on without protest. I told her the sweater was knit with mama-love in every stitch- that she is wearing a hug from me all day.

winner!

2011-01-31T14:57:00.000-08:00

I used a random number generator, (I've always wanted to use one), and the number was five!

That's you, Carrie!

I am putting together a fun little prize pack of some of my favorite things and some things I know Carrie will like. I will share with the rest of you once Carrie receives her surprise.

little rituals

2011-01-28T08:49:00.000-08:00

On Thursday mornings Brian works in Eleanor's preschool class. They come home hungry at noon, so I prepare lunch in the morning so we can all sit and eat together.

Preparing the lunch, setting the table ahead of time and lighting a candle when everyone sits down, is my little ritual.

Because Brian works late, we rarely eat together during the week. We sure do enjoy each others company. There are always entertaining stories to trade about our morning adventures.

We have been eating our favorite lunch every Thursday all month: smoked salmon on Wasa with yogurt-dill sauce and kale avocado salad. (Yes, this is the second time I've linked to this recipe- you must try it!) I just throw the yogurt-dill sauce together: yogurt, dill, finely chopped red onion or shallot, squeeze of lemon and teeny pinch of salt.

blogiversary + giveaway!

2011-01-24T13:39:00.000-08:00

January 15th marked my three-year blogiversary! When I started up this blog I was not sure if I had anything to say or if I felt my creative ideas and projects would be worth sharing, but I decided to do it anyway. I squeeze blogging in when I get the chance- never having enough time to write as much as I want- or as eloquently as I think I might be able, but I publish the posts anyway. I occasionally worry that I am boring you to tears, but I like to look back on the record of projects and reflections of motherhood, so I keep going.

I want to thank you so much for following along with me in this space. It is so fun to think of you stopping by. For those of you who have left comments over the years, or shared with me in other ways that you read this blog, I want you to know I think of you each time I arrive at the computer to put together a new post. I enjoy each one of your comments- they really make my day!

So, on the occasion of this third blogiversary, I would like to have a small giveaway. If you leave a comment by 6pm (PST) Thursday, I will choose one lucky reader and send you something nice- something you will like. (I am happy to ship internationally.)

Good luck! I'll be back to my usual adventures Friday.
xo- April

dress up birthday party

2011-01-10T10:53:00.000-08:00

Eleanor chose to have a dress-up birthday party this year. The kids came over Saturday afternoon all dressed up in favorite Halloween costumes or play clothes. They had a dress up clothes gift exchange, (in lieu of gifts for Eleanor). Then each of the little party guests posed with Eleanor for a picture. I love how the pictures turned out!

After pizza the kids put on coats and shoes and went on a flashlight treasure hunt in the backyard. This was my attempt to embrace what makes January special: it gets dark early and it's cold.

The kids really enjoyed running around outside with flashlights as the sky was getting dark. It was a little bit scary walking around behind the big trees and very exciting looking for clues and finding the pirate treasure. The "treasure" was a little favor bag of dress up items for each child: a crown, wand, pirate eye patch, firefighter badge, and a Chinese-style paper fan. And a kazoo.

The treasure hunt was a favorite part of the party and might have to become a tradition.

Later there was cake and ice cream. Eleanor requested a big cake with raspberries, so I made the "perfect party cake" from Dorie Greenspan's Baking: From My Home To Yours. Of course, Dorie's cake is picture perfect and mine was... tasty. Or as Brian said, "homemade." This was my first time making/spreading butter cream frosting. If I had made it before I would have known that spreading it over a layer of jam would not work and that it would be a terribly difficult cake to cut and serve. That said, the cake was delicious and had a nice, tidy crumb. (I have to add that I find most recipes in this cookbook too sweet for my taste, so I only used one cup of sugar for the cake. Just right.)

It was a fun party! The birthday girl felt loved and enjoyed the company of her friends.

happy new year!

2011-01-04T20:52:00.000-08:00

We spent New Years Day snowshoeing. It was Henry's first time out and Eleanor's first time wearing her own snowshoes. She was such a trooper!

It was a beautiful day. The sun was so bright, the snow so sparkly- the forest was like a winter wonderland.

It was not a "perfect" day, however. There were missed naps, cold fingers and one very leaky diaper. We got up there late, had to park far away, and then hustle back to the car when the kids were done. Any one of those things could be a reason for us to just stay home, but then we would have missed the adventure together.

henry's mobile: winter

2010-12-30T17:09:00.001-08:00

This is the same twig I used to hang the fall leaves a couple months ago. I snipped off the leaves and taped on some snowflakes. I had to hang it quite a bit higher because that is how fast babies grow.

wip wednesday

2010-12-29T10:26:00.001-08:00

I am hoping to finish this simple cardigan in time for Eleanor's birthday. I have ten days and quite a bit of knitting to go. I need a road trip.

(She will be five years old in just ten days!)

merry christmas

2010-12-28T11:22:00.001-08:00

welcome baby

2010-12-20T21:10:00.000-08:00

I spent the weekend at the hospital. Mostly, just waiting. I tried to be helpful when I had the chance. I got quite a bit of knitting done and not a lot of sleep.

But I got to be there the moment new mama and babe looked at each other for the first time. Pure magic. A joy so big and full I get teary just thinking about it. Her smile so sweet, voice cooing. His bright eyes staring back at her.

It was an honor and a privilege I will never forget.

wip wednesday

2010-12-15T10:38:00.001-08:00

Yet another pair of favorite booties for baby boy who will be making his arrival no later than this weekend.

Babies come into our lives in so many ways. There are the surprise! babies. The carefully planned and perfectly timed babies. And then, there are the babies that are years and years in the making.

All this time of hoping and wishing and dreaming and we get to finally meet him in a matter of days.

breakfast with santa

2010-12-14T11:25:00.000-08:00

soaker

2010-12-13T11:10:00.000-08:00

This is the Vanilla soaker knit with Lambs Pride worsted, (tormented teal), using the 10 ply, large pattern instructions on size 7 needles. I realized way too late how that it was huge. I'm talking, too big for Eleanor- even if she was wearing a gigantic cloth diaper. It kind of looks like I was knitting myself some thick, wool-y underwear.

It's a good thing I can have a sense of humor about ripping out knitting, or I would be crying all the time.

giveaway!

2010-12-13T08:55:00.000-08:00

imagine childhood

o christmas tree

2010-12-12T10:40:00.001-08:00

It took the whole week to get the tree inside, wrap the branches in lights and hang the ornaments.

It is easy to find an unfinished project frustrating, but I am learning to enjoy the process. Surely, it is the small things we do each day that add up to a special season for all.