Knitting In The North

Helping Out

One by one, each of the kids has learned to love helping out in the kitchen.  I suppose it's only natural that Liam would want his turn, too, even at his young age.  It's still a bit hard for me to accept that my sweet babe is becoming such a big boy - in a few short days, his 2nd birthday will be here!   How is that possible?

 

 

 

 

 

 

I love how serious he is at his work - the way he mimics his dad is so sweet.  It's a good reminder of how closely all of the kids watch us, and learn from the way we do things.  (In a bit of a rabbit trail, I just read last night that your teenager will fight with you the way you fight with your spouse - if that's not motivation to fight fair, what is?)

 

 

 

 

The kitchen window is a great place to keep an eye on what's going on outside.  But most important - guy bonding time + food + using big people tools = FUN!

 

 

 

 

Realities & Blessings

Another Friday is here - it's amazing how quickly they are arriving these days!  I've missed the last couple of weeks, but am ready to get some closure on this week, by joining in with Madeline Bea!

 

 

 

 

 

Reality:  Our washing machine has been on it's last legs for a good long while.  We were hoping it would hang in there until Christmas (when we could score an awesome Boxing Day Sale), but it gave up the ghost this week.  It blew a seal, and leaked grease all over a load (even more annoying - the load in the machine at the time held our white shower curtain, a pair of shoes and Liam's crib sheets.  Groan.). 

 

Blessing:  Even though it wasn't in the plan, we were still able to get a new washing machine.  It's an efficient, front loading one (with a wool setting - very important), which makes my crunchy heart happy.  Even better, it's Bahama Blue - oh so pretty.  Maybe I should paint the laundry room to match?  

 

 

 

 

 

Reality:  We're busy getting ready for our Williams Family Adventure this July - a road trip to Ontario, to see Stuart's family, with a stop in Manitoba to see mine, too.  While I'm excited at the idea, the reality of 8 long travelling days with the kids was a little less thrilling. 

 

Blessing:  Enter Stuart, the Wonder Husband!  He noticed that there was an airline seat sale, and booked tickets for me, Katie, Gwenyth & Liam to fly to Winnipeg a few days before we were scheduled to leave.  (Brian can't come, because he has Squirt camp at our local Bible Camp.  He doesn't mind that he's being left behind, since he gets to go to camp, and then have two days of "guy time" with Stuart while they drive to Winnipeg together.)  We'll hang out with my mom for a long weekend, and the boys will pick us up to head on to Ontario.  I'm sooo happy - I haven't had any quality time with my mom for a couple of years, and I miss her terribly.  I can hardly wait - extra days with my mom, and two less driving days with the kids?  Priceless!

 

 

8

 

 

Brian has been waiting for a long time, it seems, but his big day finally arrived on Monday!  We have tried, in past years, to make birthdays more about family celebrations, and not so much about The Party, but this year, the actual Birthday arrived on a holiday, so we decided to throw him a little bash. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The beauty of eight year olds is that a party can still be pretty simple - water balloons, face painting, temporary tattoos, lots of running and screaming and chasing.  Then hot dogs on the BBQ, and a water-themed cake to finish it off.

 

Brian can be a sensitive little guy, and as a true middle child, tends to really feel it if there's a lack of attention or focus on him.  In the same way, a party for him, with his friends and family around him, is really appreciated - which makes it all the more wonderful to do for him.  (Even for me, the mama who finds throwing parties and being surrounded by other people's noisy children stressful and exhausting.)

 

 

 I may not love throwing birthday parties, but I sure do enjoy filling up that little love tank!

 

  

Got Milk?

This post is nothing more than photographic evidence that at least one of my children will drink milk.  After three who had zero desire to consume any of the good white stuff (Katie will drink it now, but it took a good long time), this one actually asks for it!  (This might be helped by having a special "milk cup" given to him by the nice ladies at our little thrift store, but still.) 

 

 

 

Shake It Up

 

Sometimes, even in the most loving families, everyone gets a little stir crazy.  Around here, it seems worse at this time of year, and it makes me feel a little crazy, too.  Last Thursday, first thing in the morning, the kids started in on each other - again.  I was doing daycare all week, so we had an extra 4 year-old around, and I just decided I was not going to do it.  No more grumpies, no more bickering.  I didn't want to hear it, and I didn't want them to have to live with it.

 

So what to do?  Shake things up, of course!  I packed us all up, grabbed a toy fishing rod and a ball, threw some food in a bag, and we drove to the lake.  Now, up here, we do not have lake weather yet.  The water was icy, and there was a definite wind, but I reasoned that it was no different than spending a few hours at the park, so off we went.

 

What a difference!  They ran around the whole time.  We threw rocks, splashed a bit in the water, cast & reeled in with that toy fishing rod, ate every scrap of food.  No fancy toys required.  No big plan.  Just fresh air, and a change of scenery.  (And what scenery it is - how could anyone be grumpy looking at that?)

 

I admit, being spontaneous is not really my thing.  I'm a planner, and I like it that way.  But every now and then, it pays to just throw the plan out the window, and go for something different.  (Bonus for me: everyone napped that afternoon, and I got a whole hour and a half of peace to myself - bliss!)

 

 

 

Note to self:  If spontaneity is the new word of the day, perhaps charging the camera batteries regularly would be a good idea.  There is nothing so aggravating as getting to a beautiful lake with gorgeous, photogenic children, and having the batteries die.

 

 

Kiss Me, I'm Irish!

I don't know... would you kiss this face?

Happy St. Patrick's Day!  We generally try to make this a special day around here, but since I'm still (STILL!) sick, it's been a little low key.  Liam did score some chocolate gold at pre-school this morning (with some for the other kids, too, of course), and I'm hoping that will satisfy their need to mark this special day. 

I am knitting something green, though - Erin Go Bragh!  (Now, I just need to get better...)

Relief

Oh, the relief, the giant, encompassing relief! Yesterday was the first day this year for real, genuine Outside Play!  Of course, we've been venturing out in bits, but yesterday, when the big kids came home from school, all four of them ran outside (they're building a raft, I think, although I find it's better not to ask too many questions) and had to be forced in for dinner. 

 

 

 

There were chocolate chip cookie provisions, and important tools to be found (hammer, nails, water pistol), but other than a brief moment here and there, my presence was absolutely not required.

 

 

 

Poor Stuart & I were forced to sit indoors, having a cup of coffee and adult, uninterrupted conversation.  I don't know how we survived.  But... can we do it again today?

 

 

 

Spring Flowers

There are days that are busy - so busy, I start to wonder where on earth is a little space for me to be creative.  I've been really working on finding windows, even on the crazy days, for me to make something, try something new.

 

I can't remember where I first saw a zipper flower, but the idea caught my attention, and this seemed like a project I could fit into one of those hectic days.  It did involve some planning ahead - I picked up the black zipper and a clear plastic bangle at the thrift store.  I also had my hot glue gun at the ready, knowing my moment would come.  That seems to be a big part of making creative time - being organized.  Planning ahead.  Watching for the window. 

 

 

 

There are lots of different tutorials out there for zipper flowers - I ended up following Martha's.  I used an approx. 8" zipper for the flower.  I was looking for a black bracelet to use, but ended up with this clear one instead. I found a strip of vinyl and glued it around, because I felt that the black zipper on the clear plastic was too harsh, and this seemed to bring it together. 

 

The whole thing took me about 15 minutes during an otherwise highly energetic, kid focused day, and gave me a sense of peace and accomplishment at a time when I really, really needed it.  A flower from a zipper may not be the spring blossom you might expect, but these days, I'll take what I can get.  And enjoy each window as they come.

We're There

There has come a point with each of my bigger children, as they got older, that they would no longer allow me to "dress" them.  I mean, of course, that they won't wear what I want them to!  Or, they simply have their own, very strong ideas of how to wear the items of clothing I present to them.

 

Gwenyth has certainly arrived at this place in the last few weeks.  Even though she's always had a mind of her own, over the last little while, every outfit I have offered her has been met with negotiation, and sometimes flat out refusal.  Groan.  This means that I have to come to terms with the idea that if I sew a sweet little jumper for her, she's not going to want to wear it with a button down shirt and cute little knee socks.  No, she has other plans...

 

 

Ahem.  Equally lovely, in it's own special way, of course. 

 

Gwen picked out this jumper pattern from a library book, One Yard Wonders, that we are very much enjoying.  The projects in it are perfect for a little sewing instant gratification, and useful, as well.  Watch for more here as the days go by, especially since my latest infusion of supplies.  It was made from thrifted fabric, which I foolishly believed had already been washed.  Ahem, again.  Mental note: treat all fabric from the thrift store as if it was from the fabric store, and wash immediately.  This jumper is an above-knee clothing piece now, but still being worn in colourful and eclectic ways.  
 

Colourful Recycling

I've been talking to the kids lately about the Three Rs  - they know we try to live this way, but I want them to get the whys as well.  To make it fun, find some more colour, and keep the big kids quiet during nap time, I turned to this tutorial. 

 

In our great art cupboard clean-out earlier this week, I pulled all the broken bits of crayons.  All I needed for this project were these,  and a couple of silicone molds (I've seen people use all kinds of things for molds, though, from candy molds to paper cups).  One is a mini-muffin pan, the other an Ikea ice cube tray we discovered at the thrift store just yesterday - how amazing is that?  I love it when that happens.

 

 

 

 

I would suggest breaking up any bigger bits of crayons ahead of time, as the 4-year-olds found the snapping up part difficult, and decided this project was a lot of work.  All the work was worth it, though - they loved watching the crayons melt through the window in the oven door.

 

 

 

I'm planning a "Rainbow" themed birthday party for one of the kids this year, and I'm thinking a set of crayons like this would be an awesome take-home gift for the guests - what do you think?