RasJane

Sewing for G

2011-04-05T13:37:00.000-07:00

After finishing projects for his brothers, I needed to give G equal time. I let him look through some of my patterns and he chose the jacket and T from Ottobre 1/06
I don't have the T started yet. As in, not even traced. But I did finish the jacket. Hooray! It was only a bit of an ordeal. E and baby M managed to loose my buttonhole foot. But I got creative and did snaps on the pocket instead of buttons. I haven't lined anything in a long time, so that was a nice mental challenge to do again.
I asked G if he wanted the "OttoJeans" print on the back or something else. He was adamant about it being "OttoJeans" so there ya go. He did figure out that my machine does letters, so he had to have his name on the jacket somewhere. Not just his initials on the front patch. So I did his name on the inside lining.
He's happy, I'm happy. Happy! Happy!

Ostara

2011-03-28T13:59:00.000-07:00

We had a great Ostara this year. It was our first time celebrating with others and it was a nice change. I have been taking classes through Lyceum of Trees which have been wonderful. The group hosts regular Sabbats and Esbats that are open and often kid-friendly. We were a little late getting to the party as G also had a birthday party to attend for one of his friends. So, we missed the egg dying with natural dyes (boo) but everyone was so sweet and reset an egg hunt for my kids. Here they are hunting for eggs.

I love this last one. E figured out pretty quick that the eggs had CANDY inside. Forget this gathering for fun stuff. He had to stop right then, empty his pockets and start eating immediately. And since big M couldn't eat the candy and G just wasn't as interested as his younger, sugar addicted brother, E made a right haul. Below is the haul. Yeah, we had to drag him away. Guess what his favorite holiday is now?

Our friend Gina and her kids loaned us some books, so we read the story of the Rabbit in the moon. After eating some candy, we enjoyed the potluck. Mmmm, yummy food!
Then, with a slight break in the rain, the Lyceum elders conducted the Ostara ritual. We held our eggs and thought of something good we wanted to bring into our lives. Ostara is about the coming spring full of growth, potential, things taking root. This is literal as we watch plants start growing again, but also figurative as we begin thinking of new projects and areas of our lives we want to improve. So we held our wishes in our eggs and promised to take them into ourselves as we ate the eggs. I'm bad at describing it, but it was beautiful, I promise. :-)
At home, we talked some about the newness that Spring provides. I love Spring. I love watching the flowers start to bloom. I adore trees in bloom! We have sung "Popcorn Popping" about a million times. More or less. And I am thinking about the garden. I planted some kale, spinach and kolrabi. I am waiting for the new moon when I will plant the rest of my seeds. I'm running a little late, but better late than never I guess. Those seeds will hang out in the greenhouse until the temperatures rise a bit and the rain stops pelting so hard on a near daily basis.
Anyway, Yay! for spring. May all the good you are hoping for take healthy root in your life, and may the warming sun give you strength in your endeavors.

Sewing for royalty

2011-03-28T13:17:00.000-07:00

These are 3 of the crowns I made for E's preschool. I keep forgetting to take pictures of the ones I made for my OWN children. I also made a cape for E and will make one for little M too. I totally love sewing like this. Quick and easy. Instant results--well, almost instant. But much faster than entire outfits, that's for sure.
These are Ottobre again. Issue 4/04. I cut down the size on the crowns just a little. Since I was making them for preschool heads, I just removed one side of the tab. I also used velcro on the capes. I never use anything that ties around the neck. The pattern may actually call for velcro, I don't know as I didn't actually read it LOL.

Amazing!

2011-03-12T13:22:00.000-08:00

First, a picture for Grandma. She sent this cute tutu and onesie for the girl. Don't forget to check her out at Etsy.

And now comes the amazing-ness.

First, the before image. And really, it's not even a full before image. I had already been working for quite some time when I snapped this. It just took me that long to say, "hey! I'd better take a before so I can truly appreciate the change!"

It had gotten so bad that I just couldn't do much of anything in my kitchen. I had some space next to the stove, but even that involved shoving stuff out of the way. And I couldn't use the snack bar at all. So I cleaned all day yesterday. I kept wanting to give up, but I had promised myself a trip to IKEA if I got the living room and kitchen cleaned up this week. I'm going to see if I can add the younger boys' room to that list for next week. Then I'll go during spring break week after next.

This is the next day. After making dinner, breakfast and lunch and a trip to the grocery store. So I'd say we're doing pretty well. I can look around and see a million more things I need to do, but really the counters were the main problem and they were the worst they'd been since we moved in.
Another reward that the boys had a blast with was the coin jar. I've been tossing coins in a can and bowl on the counter for ages and never gotten around to taking them in to do anything with them. So this morning we took them to the grocery store and dumped them all in the coinstar machine. $93.52!!! Holy crap, that's a lot of spare change. So now we get to shop around at Amazon and see what strikes our (my) fancy.
I have to say it is very disheartening that despite my week of cleaning and organizing and purging, my house is still a mess. I'm more of an instant gratification type. This is slow work. And every time I get something done, littles are dumping something out. But such is the life of a mom of younglings. I'm trying to appreciate their incredible curiosity. Although, included in my plans for when I have older children, is the plan to do some decorating when I can reasonably expect things like curtains to stay on the wall and small furniture to not be used as forts and projectiles. Any guesses how long that will take? Anyone want to come help me decorate then? Because I'm clueless!

Sewing Projects

2011-03-04T13:09:00.000-08:00

It's been awhile since I really sewed much. Little bits of things here and there and some mending, but not much "real" sewing. Part of the problem has of course been time! But I got bit by the bug last week (or the week before?) and bought some new patterns.

The first FO is from this new Oliver+S pattern I bought. Click on the image to go to the pattern at Oliver+S. Sooo cute!

Here's my variation. Aren't you impressed that the only thing NOT from my stash were the buttons? The red knit is from a bin of fabric I got from my IL's friend. The blue linen-look is from a cotton IKEA curtain. The Curious George was just in my bins. I cut out motifs from the print and appliqued them all over. E is very happy with his Curious George clothes. I will definitely be using this pattern again. It was easy to sew and came out great.

This is for Big M. He likes sweatshirts and is forever in need of pants. Can we all take a moment of silence to mourn the fact that the sweatshirt fits me?

Ok, thanks.

The pants and top are both from the 1/2010 issue of Ottobre. I have plans to make him a coordinating t-shirt as well. Just as soon as I find a knit I like. I want a stripe or a subtle woodland type pattern. Do you know how stinkin hard it is to find decent knit prints for boys?? Well, boys over 4?

Anyway, the top is design #38, the New Generation sweatshirt. I made a size 152. I hope it's big enough. The body is from a cotton french terry I found at Mill End. It's grey with a thin brown stripe. The inner collar is a stone wall print from Moda. M likes the pockets in the middle. Oh, and the cuffs are some random bit of teal ribbing I had in my stash.

The pants use more the Moda Stone Wall and are made from ripstop cotton. Also from Mill End. They are design #40, Casual Cut sweatpants. I know, I know, the pattern is for a stretch knit. And I worried about it the whole time I was sewing them. But I think it turned out okay. I left out the drawstring and just used the elastic on its own. I really should have used contrasting topstitch thread. The pockets have a neat topstitch detail that just doesn't show up in this picture. Oh well. I like them anyway.

The plan for the t-shirt is to 1--find a knit I like. Then I'm going with a design from a previous Ottobre that has a cotton placket on the shirt. I'll use the stone print again on the placket and in an accent tab. Then the teal ribbing for the sleeve and neck edgings. That should tie it all into a complete outfit.

I also have black and red fabric to do a jacket and shirt for G. He wants an outfit too, but he wants jeans. I've made jeans for the kids before, so I suggested I improve upon a rtw pair of jeans. He's okay with that. Phew!

Then, to include baby M (of course!), I have coordinating apple print, stripe and dots. She will get the pinafore dress and pants from Ottobre 1/10 and a cotton top from (I think) 1/2006. This should all keep me occupied for a while.

BUT, I also want to do some sewing for me. I just have a hard time finding the right fabric for the right pattern. You know? That and I live in jeans or yoga pants and t-shirts. So I have a hard time justifying the time and expense of sewing something new.

A little creative variety

2011-01-28T11:35:00.000-08:00

My dad, PapaCoyote, had the idea to let my kids experience a different kind of gardening. So he gave them mushroom kits for Christmas! M especially has had a lot of fun tending to his various fungus. E could care less, so M has taken over all 3. Why all 3? Well, if you take over responsibility for 2, they're all yours, right? Besides, G has the Wii basketball to master, so he's busy. I believe Dad bought the kits from Territorial Seed.

Anyway, we had our first Shitake harvest today. Here's the take. I don't know what we're having for dinner yet, but it includes fresh sauteed mushrooms!

The crayons have been popular lately and the kids really want to color together. Well, make that Baby M really wants to color with her brothers. And on the wall. Time for a 2 birds with one stone solution. I grabbed a roll of paper and taped it to the wall under the window in the dining room. Just cheap IKEA paper. This is my thoughtful young artist making sure his castle has everything it needs. It took him all of 1 minute to adapt to the idea of sharing art space with his sister. He is such an awesome and patient big brother! He amazes me everyday.

My camera ham. I get out the camera and she poses in front of it. What's funny is that her brothers have all done this too, but she is so different! See? What a nice, sweet pose! She smiles too, but every time I snapped the picture, she stopped. Oh well.

Getting ready for Valentines Day! I made this felt heart banner this week. Every other heart has a candy heart-type saying on it written out in fabric paint. If anyone is interested in a how-to, let me know.

Cheesecake Ice Cream

2011-01-21T17:56:00.000-08:00

I've had a request for this recipe, so I thought I'd share it here. It definitely doesn't belong in my allergy-free blog!
This makes enough to fit nicely in my Cuisinart 1.5 qt freezer.

Cheesecake Ice Cream

8 oz cream cheese
2/3 cup sugar (I use superfine for ice cream, but any sweetener you want would be great. Some people may want more.)
dash salt
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup buttermilk
1 cup heavy cream

In a mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese until it is smooth and creamy. Beat in the sugar, salt and vanilla. Add the buttermilk and beat until smooth. Add the cream and mix well. Chill in the refrigerator for an hour or two then freeze according to your ice cream freezer's directions. If you NEED an ice cream fix fast you can certainly just skip the refrigeration step.
You can serve it as it or top it with any toppings you want. I've thought of making some fruit sorbet and serving it layered with sorbet. Sorta like cherry cheesecake only in a sundae! Chocolate sauce is always a winner too.

Don't melt

2011-01-19T13:40:00.000-08:00

It's hard, I know. When you see something this precious.

Don't mind me, I'm just photo-hosting. This picture was taken back in Sept. Before the great hair cut. *sniff*

Pants!

2011-01-18T13:45:00.000-08:00

My mom and I went to the Goodwill Outlet Store last week. We didn't get a huge load, but found some fun stuff. Of course! One of my finds was a Gap XL blouse in a lightweight, light pink cotton. It had a beautiful eyelet hem on the body and sleeves.
Today, I cut off the sleeves and turned them into pants for Baby M. I should have taken pictures of the process I know! Sorry. I couldn't even find a picture of the shirt since I cut it up before taking a picture. Oh well. It was very simple, really. I cut off the sleeves. They were raglan, so that gave me more length to work with. Then I eyeballed a crotch curve. I used the sleeve seam as the pants inseam. When I got the pants put together, I realized there just wasn't enough width in the back. So I took out the back seam and put in a triangle of fabric. It looks a little sloppy, but I plan to make a tunic-style top to wear with them for summer, so I'm not too worried about it.
The body of the shirt will be a skirt.
Here's pictures. Oh, and they need some ironing too. But I have to un-bury my ironing board. I'll get there.

New Year, New Projects

2011-01-07T14:50:00.000-08:00

If you know me, you know I like to have projects going. Mustn't be bored. No! NO! Not that my life has much risk of leading to boredom of any kind. But better safe than sorry right? So, some of my projects for the new year...
First, a crafty project. I love, love, love crafts. You may have picked up on that. Did you? One craft that I haven't done since I was little is embroidery. I like it, it's beautiful, I just didn't feel much need to do it. But I have been drawn to it again. The universe aligned and I'm back to embroidery. :-) My kids are getting a little bigger and a little more independent. So having a needle, thread and work with teeny stitches is becoming more realistic. Then, Alicia Paulson came out with her new book, Embroidery Companion. If you craft, you really should check out her books. The other is Stitched In Time. It is a beautiful collection of crafts.
Anyway, the amazing Annette at A Simple Breath is hosting a year long sew-along for the Embroidery Companion. "Just the thing," I thought! A group of crafters, all working on the same project each month, providing me with some motivation and accountability! So, I am currently working on the first project--Tea Towels! Fun! I am enjoying it very much, but I am having to do it in such teeny-short bursts I fear I am going to have 12 more UFO's at the end of 2011. Some things to work on in 2012 I guess!

Next up is a more intellectual pursuit. I have been feeling for sometime that something is missing and that something is ritual and seasonal awareness. Apparently I am not alone! I have found that several of my friends were feeling the same way. To support each other in attempting to bring this to our lives, we have started a blog called, Motherwheel: LDS Families Celebrating the Seasons. We just launched this week! Currently there are introductions to the families participating and some basic information. We plan to share our experiences as we celebrate the 8 Sabbats of the Wheel of the Year. I am also currently working on some book reviews to share as well as some informational posts. One about references to the New Moon in the Bible and one about some history of the symbol of the serpent. Aaaand, I am taking a year-long class related to this project. The classes are once a month and sound just about perfect. My brain is swimming I tell ya! Hopefully I get really good at the embroidery so it can allow my brain some wandering time.

Of course, later in the year, I also have the garden to keep me busy. This will be the first Spring I can plant super early, so I am making some plans of what to plant. Yum! I hope this is the year my kids magically start liking vegetables. LOL
I talked to the kids some about their role in the planting. They are looking forward to being a part of the garden again. They really do enjoy it. M and G are thinking about starting extra seeds this year to sell to people they know. I think it would be an excellent way for them to make some extra money.

And finally, for now at least (ha!), I took the plunge and purchased the kit from LearningHerbs.com. Hooray! I love herbs and we use a fair bit of herbal remedies, but I get frustrated with my lack of knowledge. I had looked into herbalist classes in the past, but couldn't figure out how to make the time and effort to do that. But this is a kit that takes the learning through project by project. Hopefully, by the end of my kit experience, I will have enough basic knowledge to continue to self-teach until I feel ready to take full-on classes. Or maybe I will be satisfied for a time with my level of knowledge. Who knows? At any rate, my kit should arrive in a few days.

So, now that I write that all out, I can say I look pretty crazy. Good thing one of my other projects is to work on including the kids in more housework. I apparently just scheduled my 24 hours and didn't leave room for much else! If you see me dinking around Facebook, ask me how I'm doing and if I have time to be there. The answer will probably be No. At least I have guaranteed no boredom for another year. :-)

Family Photo Session

2010-12-19T20:52:00.000-08:00

C had a photo shoot on Friday, so he left the studio set up and we took some family pictures on Saturday Morning. His studio is in the bonus room, so it is temporary. He sets it up when he has a shoot and then has to get it all taken down before the kids do too much exploring.
Anyway, taking family pictures with 4 busy kids is such an adventure. C still has to go through them and adjust some things, but I just had to share this one. It cracks me up!

When AuntJ saw it, she remarked that it looks like a "hear no evil, speak no evil, see no evil" kind of shot. hahaha

Oh, and I love, love this one. Even though she is almost 20 months old, Little M has to take frequent breaks for Bahb. Milk. She does love her milk!

Cookin' Somethin' Outta Nuthin': Little Plumb Cakes

2010-12-04T14:56:00.000-08:00

Cookin' Somethin' Outta Nuthin': Little Plumb Cakes

I'mn cross posting this because these cookies are so yummy and I know lots of people are looking for holiday baking recipes. I also describe how to make candied goodies. Go check it out!

What's keeping me warm

2010-12-03T13:38:00.000-08:00

I bought this sweater a year ago with a birthday gift card. I heart Anthropologie. It turns out I'm wearing it a lot these days.
You can find me standing around, wearing my sweater, and holding a steaming mug of tea.
Hey. At least it's sunny today! But you know what I learned those years in Moscow at the UofI? Sun in winter = colder day.

Also going on: My sewing got all spiffed up by my Mum. What an awesome birthday present, eh? So I'been taking advantage of being able to find things by making a mess lol. My daughter is potty learning. At 19 months. And she is teeny. They don't make panties in a size 12 mos. So I'm sewing away, making panties and training panties. Pretty ones too. I knew I'd eventually have a use for rose print knit scraps. :-)

And I can't say too much publicly about my knitting project. But it is loads of fun and involves this yarn in colorway chlorophyll. Yum!
I have a million more projects I'd like to be working on. But I have 5 very important projects whom I love very much. Someday more of them will be a bit more self-sufficient. SOME of them may even learn to not fiddle with things they shouldn't in the sewing room. Maybe.
Now, off to make some dinner--that reminds me. I have oodles of recipes I need to get posted to the cooking blog. Including chocolate syrup! Then I'm heading to Alicia Paulson book signing up in Portland tonight. Lucky Me!! Just makes me aware of my lack of a really cute purse when I go out on my own sans diaper bag. :-( But I'll have fun neverless.

Lost tooth!

2010-11-19T16:32:00.000-08:00

I think the picture pretty much sums it up.
He has been wiggling it like mad lately, and it finally fell out just before school today. He was a a little concerned about the whole blood thing, but was reassured pretty quickly. M helped him wrap it up in a tissue and stash it in a sandwich baggy until bedtime. He is still pondering whether or not to let the tooth fairy take it or keep it for himself. The latter requires a written letter around here. We'll see what he decides.

Do you miss me?

2010-09-05T15:44:00.000-07:00

LOL
If you are friends with me on facebook, probably not. :-)

Just had to share a find for my natural family living friends. You all probably already knew about it, but I just found it and am loving it. It is Rhythm of the Home online magazine. Beautiful! It really speaks to me. I'm putting a link in the sidebar for my own reference if you forget and need help finding it again too.
Anyway, I'll try to share more pictures in the near future

Puffed Oven Pancakes for Shady Lady

2010-08-24T19:00:00.000-07:00

Oooh, she got her own title and everything ;-D

Preheat your oven to 425 degF. In a 10" skillet or pie pan, place 4 Tbsp butter. Put it in the warming oven while you mix the pancake.
Wisk 3 large eggs together until kinda creamy. Just well blended--it doesn't need to take forever. Add 1/2 C flour. This can be wheat flour or a GF blend. We like using 1/4C teff flour and 1/4 C tapioca starch.. Wisk that together until smooth. Then add 1/2 C milk and a dash of salt. Pour it into your nice hot pan and return it to the oven for 20 minutes. It will be huge and puffy but will collapse most of the way when you take it out.
Yummmyyyyy!
Serve with anything that floats your boat. Syrup, jam, fruit, cheese sauce, meats, whipped cream.....

Growing things

2010-08-24T12:27:00.000-07:00

Yay! Garden pictures!
First, an overview. I just love seeing all that green spilling everywhere. Especially green that I planted and want to be growing there!

The other fast growing things :-) Baby M is very aware of what to do with a sword. Thanks to the diligent tutelage of her brothers.

The giant pumpkin! It is very neglected, so it isn't exactly as giant as the boys were maybe hoping for, but they are sure enjoying watching it grow. G is especially proud since he planted it. That kid is a good gardener. He has some magic touch! Nearly every seed he plants sprouts and turns into a very productive plant. I told him he could use the greenhouse this spring to start plants to sell. I imagine his older brother will want in on that one. Should be a fun business for them.

Just too cute a picture to pass up taking. I had put puffed oven pancakes in the oven and the kids asked me to turn on the light. They love watching them puff and it fills the 20 minutes waiting for them to be done nicely. And then they are so cute lined up in front of the oven it makes me happy.

Projects

2010-08-09T14:24:00.000-07:00

First, it isn't a project of mine, and you have to turn your head. Sorry, I'll try to get that fixed. Anyway, while shopping at Buffalo Exchange in Portland, dh spotted this dress. I am in LOVE. It is all silk and I think it is handmade. Very well handmade, but it certainly isn't production. The seams are straight stithced and then serged--not all in one pass. The sheer seams are true french seams. It is just gorgeous. And it fits me. Lot good that does. Where am I gonna wear it? It's is rather sheer, sleeveless, and impossible to nurse in. Oh well. I can love it anyway, right?

Next we have my new skirt. I had been looking for a pattern I liked for my linen I had purchased on sale awhile ago. This fit the bill. Although I still dislike some aspects. It has a bias waistline that ties. I do like the way the panels came together. It was Simplicity 2366 in view B. It went together very fast, except I used my sewing knowledge, or rather applied my sewing knowledge to make the hem turn out nicely. Haha, amazing how taking a little time gives some rewards.

Finally, we have the pajama set I just finished for G's friend. He wants to be a farmer when he grows up, so I thought some farm themed pajamas would be perfect. I used John Deere flannel and some green mottled flannel for the pants. The t-shirt is purchased and I added a tractor detail. You can see the edge of my stencil. I use freezer paper for my stencils. So much fun and it gives really great results. Let me find a tutorial if your'e interested.... Found one

I seem to have lost my pictures of the garden. I'll go take some more I guess.

Hello August

2010-08-08T19:36:00.000-07:00

With such a weird summer, weather-wise, it does seem kinda sudden to have August here with heat and sun and sprinklers and all. We did have clouds the last couple of days, but it's a nice break, really. My garden is loving all the sunshine. I really need to take some pictures! The squash are taking over the backyard, as they are wont to do. There is one giant pumpkin living up to its seed packet promises. G keeps daily tabs (at least) on it's growth. We are still awaiting the first red tomatoes, but the lateness with which we got them in, it's no wonder.
Oddly enough, with all this gorgeous (hot) weather, I am getting bit by the craft bug again. I always like to create things, but once in a while it sinks it's teeth in and won't let go. I am desperately crafty! The large majority of my waking thoughts pertain to making things. Just within the last few weeks, I have made a new skirt for me, 10 AIO diapers for baby M, a dress for baby M, seamed together the blackout fabric for C's studio and started a pj set for G's friend and rest pads for my friend's daycare.
I just bought Cal Patch's book, Design it Yourself Clothes and am soooo excited to make myself some new clothes. I did find a skirt pattern from Simplicity that I like okay, but it's not great. I have been dragging my feet on designing my own patterns because it just seemed like so much work. But this book goes through the steps without a full sloper. The only problems I'm going to run into are budget for the amount of fabric I want and the time it will take to design, draft and sew the amount I want LOL I'll just have to reign in my imagination a tad.
I'll try to get a few more photos taken, but here's one of the diapers

Next week, as in tomorrow, G starts his last summer camp, then it will be on to soccer. He is so dang excited about soccer! After next week, M leaves to go to my parents' house for 2 weeks. He loves that time to be spoiled by both Grandma and Grandpa. Who wouldn't?
Then, all the boys start school in the fall. M will be full-day 5th grade this year. G absolutely insisted on going to kindergarten, so he'll do that. Then I knew with the other 2 boys in school, E would feel left out. So he is going to 2-day preschool at the same place G went to. My friend does such an amazing job. And she is doing this class just for 3 year olds, so it will be super fun for E. And all my brain can think of is that with the lighter kid-load, I might actually get some more crafting time this fall! It's a nice thought anyway. :-)

Camping pictures!!

2010-07-02T09:24:00.000-07:00

These photos are in their un-edited state. And there's a lot. You cand thank PapaCoyote for pushing me along on this project. I'll add some captions later, so check back in a few days if you want to read about the pictures. I have a van to pack up. :-)

Preparing for the road trip

2010-07-01T10:47:00.000-07:00

This year we are travelling to Idaho to be with family for the 4th. This entails a road trip of approximately 7.5 hours driving time. With kids in tow with regular potty and wiggle breaks, this usually figures to somewhere around 8 to 9 hours. Really it only hits 9 hours when we have a small baby who is still only breastfeeding. But still, it's a long trip and I have been honing my preparation skills for many years now.
In thinking about what to take in the car this year, I combined a few previous successes and came up with (I hope) a good plan. I decided to share in case anyone else is looking for ideas for road trip survival.

My kids like kits. My kids like presents. My kids get bored. I think these are all pretty normal. So I hit upon small kits, wrapped up in individual bags, and a varied selection of activities. I just bought a package of plain brown lunch sacks. Cheap and easy. Here's a list of what's inside. Oh, and I put together a bag for each boy and rubberbanded them together in groups. So everyone gets the same(ish) thing at the same time.

1) a stack of mini post it notes in multi-colors. There is a note on the bag that says, "decorate your window!"
2)Stickers with facial features, dot stickers and crayons with an extra bag. The note says to make puppets and put on a puppet show for each other.
3)Aerials. Each bag has something different in the this one, so they have to work together. Yeah, I know, we'll see how it goes. They have string, paperclips, paper, rubber bands, and scissors. The idea is to run the string through the hooks next to lights at each seat and hang creations from it. Maybe they can send stuff back and forth. We'll see what they come up with.
4) more facial feature stickers and paper and pencils. The note says to make up some people and tell mom and dad about them. They have prompts like, "who is this, where are they going, what are they doing." Basic stuff like that.

Then there is food! One set of bags will have crackers, lunch meat and cheese. Another will be cookies, frosting and sprinkles. Another will be fruit cups. And snack bars and juice boxes.

The bags are mostly packed. But I still need to pack up the food packets. Oh, and hit the grocery store for said food.
And pack the rest of the stuff. Like clothes. At least packing to go to grandma and grandpa's house is pretty straightforward. They really only need clothes. Grandma spoils them with anything else they could possibly need.

The Garden

2010-06-29T14:40:00.000-07:00

I have had many requests for pictures of the garden. Since I just found my camera, here goes.
We start on the ground cover tonight. Some young men from our church are going to come and help us with their nice young backs. :-)

The beds as seen from the deck. The one on the right in the corner will be my perennial bed.

As seen from the yard. Poor broken down gate. :-(

A variety of yummy squashes. Pumpkins, zucchini and I think some gourds. Yes, I was a bad gardener and didn't label my seedlings. Makes for a fun surprise later, right?

E is very happy that his parents finally wised up and provided some proper play things. DIRT!!

Camping at Humbug Mt State Park

2010-06-28T15:21:00.000-07:00

I'll have to apologize for the lack of pictures. They are currently on the desktop in Lightroom, but have not made it past that yet. I promise to get some over here. C got some great shots, as usual.

We started our camping trip Monday and came home Friday. Originally, C suggested a full week. I looked at him with an odd enough look he adjusted the time frame to 5 days. It may have been one day too long, but over all we had a great time.

The campground was a 5 hour trip from home and the kids did remarkably well. It gives me hope for the upcoming 7+ hour trip to Idaho on Saturday. (Yikes!) Loading the car was a bit of an adventure. Just packing enough gear and food for 6 people, 2 of whom are in diapers, takes some finesse. In hindsight, packing extra underwear for 2 of the children may have been overkill.
Unpacking of course is easier. It involves Dad standing at the van and throwing stuff at laughing kids bobbing around. The older boys pitched their own tent with a salting of fighting and insulting. But they got it done and were pretty proud of themselves. They also helped me pitch the big tent while C took E to the beach. Note: Pitching a tent near a 2 year old is ill-advised.
Then, we set up the kitchen. That would be super important to our family. I spent about a week prepping menues and pre-preparing food. The whole food thing went a lot better than I thought it would. We had enough, it all turned out pretty well and the kids ate it. For the most part. Predicting what G will eat requires more prophesying skills than I have.

The first day was beach day. C had purchased a cabana-like thing for us to use which turned out to be perfect. It provided some shade and wind protection and a spot to stash our gear. It also gave the baby a safe place to play. Or rather, eat sand from. Funny girl. She screamed if I took her next to the ocean. She screamed if I sat her in the sand. But she happily shoved fistfuls of the stuff in her mouth. The boys of course had a blast playing in the surf, digging in the sand and running all over. There was a stream to play in too. That provided the most entertainment really. It gave E a chance to stay in the water without worrying where the next big wave was coming from. They floated driftwood, threw rocks and built dams. Physics courses at their finest!

Day 2 was fishing day. Arizona beach has a kid's fishing pond that is quite nice. The pond is fairly large and well stocked. There is a huge amount of grass to run around in and several picnic tables to lay out snacks and fishing gear. The boys became pretty adept casters. G caught 2 fish and M caught 1. That is causing some education in humility.

Day 3 was high adventure. That was the day we set out to climb Humbug Mt. It is 1756' high. The trail is only 3 miles long. I'll pause a second while you do the math there....

Okay. So C and I decided that he would take the older 2 up and I would hang with the littles at their pace. There was a stream about 3/4 mile up the trail and I figured we could play and snack there long enough to wait for the guys to come back and help me down the Mt. Yeah, right.
E, climber that he is, settled on climbing a mountain as the ultimate task for his 2 year old self. He told me everyday, "I want climb Humbug Mountain." All the way up to the stream he refused to be left behind. Finally, C was able to take G and M and head up to the summit. But E would not stop. But he was slowing waaaaayyyy doooowwwnnnn. 3 steps and a pause. 2 steps and apause. Evertime he paused, I would ask him if he wanted to stop, to turn back, to go back to the campground. I finally bribed him to play in the stream with our freeze dried ice cream. But in getting back to the stream, I lost the radio I was using to assure C we were okay.
When E started screaming over eating a cookie, I looked in his mouth. Turns out the injury to his tongue he sustained last week at he playground was much greater than I thought. It was swollen, and multi-colored. And gross. And miserable looking. No wonder he was having such a hard time!
So there I am. 2 kids, no radio and no help. Fortunately I felt compelled to take M in the wrap rather than the mei tai. So I situated everthing in E's backpack, tied him on my back, criss-crossed M on my front, carried the back pack and headed down the mountain. I was apparently quite a sight! But I made it back to camp. E slep almost the whole way.
The next day, we broke camp and made it safely and uneventfully home. With an ibuprofened kid.
Dr says he has an infection (duh) and is now on antibiotics which I hope work completely.
But I do want to point out, much to everyone surprise, that E did not sustain injury on the camping trip! Hooray!!
Now I just need to get everything put away in such a way that it is not too hard to get it out next time.

Images from today

2010-06-07T14:57:00.000-07:00

As promised, here is not just another post, but a picture post! Look at me go!

First, the garden in progress. I took the picture through a screen. Sorry, but going upstairs was the only way to get a good view. At the edge between lots of weeds and icky gravel and not so many weeds is where the fence used to be. It was covered in honeysuckle that had not been pruned in forever. Maybe since it was planted? Anyway, it all came out along with the rotting fence. You can see what the garden beds will look like. The beds have posts that sink into the ground to stabilize them. That means someone has to dig a bunch of post holes though. Hopefully the teen boy who helped last week can come back!

I managed to get E to go to sleep in the stroller last week sometime so I thought I'd try it again today. WhooHoo!! Double bonus. Aren't they so stinkin cute? It was really nice to have some sun in which to do this. I may make this a regular daily event. Good for me, good for the kiddos.

While I walked in the glorious sunshine, kid 2 did this:

And I found kid 1 doing this:

Yeah, he pretty much eats non-stop. Not always the best food choices. He prefers things of a sweet nature like the above pictured ice cream, but he's 11.

Sorry about that

2010-06-06T18:55:00.000-07:00

I stopped by to clean up the comments. What an incredible selection of options. I could travel, get any illegal drug I want and see pictures of things I never thought possible. Or thought of at all, really. For any of you who (used to be) are subscribed to comments. My deepest apologies.

But since I'm here.....
My kids are still amazing. And exhausting. It's raining and my plants are drowning. Life goes on.
C is getting more practice with photography. He is amazing! I'll try to get some pictures moved around such that I can post some here. C had a maternity photo shoot a few weeks ago, he has another portrait shoot this week and a senior portrait shoot in July. He is also working hard on the yard. I posted one collage picture of the house back when we first bought it, but I don't think I ever posted a good picture of just the yard. It was crazy overrun with weeds. Nothing had been cared for in a looong time. So we have a bit of work to do. Soon, (I hope) the landscapers will be able to tear up my front yard and make it look like less of an eyesore. They will also re-seed the backyard and make a new flowerbed.
For now, C and a boy from the ward have been working on the garden. The house had an amazing garden area. But the soil is not great, it doesn't really drain, and the amount of weeding we would have to do after 3 years of weeds taking over a going to seed was scary. So raised beds it is. Seven 8x4 beds and one perennial bed of a different size. The ground is prepped, the sprinkler pipes are in, the lumber is cut and 2 beds are in. 3 total are built. Next up is digging holes for the posts and building the rest of the beds. Unfortunately, C hurt his back, so nothing more is gonna happen there until the nice young man (with the teenage back) can come help again. What with the rain and the construction delays, I am looking forward to a nice fall garden.

Baby M is now 13 months old. She is trying out some steps and is so cute with those wobbly little legs. She is also getting to be a pretty good climber. She loves to sing--with hand motions! And she is getting curly hair. Oh, and she loves the potty. Me thinks I'll be helping 2 kids potty learn in July. I would do it sooner, but I am NOT taking 2 potty learning kids camping for a week and on a drive to Idaho. NOTNOTNOT!

The boys are getting restless with all the rain. I send them out to play as much as I can. But I do need to keep an eye on E or he gets into all kinds of trouble. I don't really want to stand out in the rain. Plus there are always a million things to do inside. I miss the sun.

G is done with his year at preschool. I put him in preschool because he would ask every day who we could play with. He loved preschool. Adored it. Then when he found out preschool would end, demanded to go to kindergarten. None of this be taught at home with mom junk. He wanted to ride the bus, be with kids every day. So I've signed him up for kindergarten. He is just mad he has to wait until September to start. So I've ordered some stuff from Rainbow Resources and am going through the old homeschool supplies so we can "school" this summer. He is sooo different from his older brother!

Speaking of older brother. This has been a rough year with M. I suspect a lot of it is me, but we were conflicting so much during the day, that I screamed "Uncle". Our relationship sucked big time and C and I were arguing over M learning. So, M has been attending public school in the mornings since March. On the one hand it has been really rough on him. He is not too good at the strictly age-peer environment. Of course I could go on for some length on my views about a strictly age-peer environment. But he has made tremendous advances in his writing, spelling and math. What is really awesome is that I feel like he and I are getting along much better now.
It has been really weird to deal with the school though. Just not something I'm used to. I am laughing though that we are legally homeschooling for the first time ever though. Since he is enrolled only half time, I had to fill out the paperwork to declare M as homeschooled. LOL At the same time, I am now trying to figure out my role as essentially a non-homeschooling mom. We will homeschool this summer. I'm hoping that M having experienced public school, learning to write, and me having had a break, we will do pretty well. I have always said I would never send a child to middle school. I am hoping to be able to keep that promise.

For pictures of the kids for now, I'll just send everyone to my dad's post about their visit to see us this last week. Hopefully I'll be back to write more before another 5 months go by. I'm off to help with bedtime. That's a process around here to be sure!

Babies grow fast, Boys have tons of energy, and Be Nice is my mantra

2010-01-10T18:39:00.000-08:00

My baby is 8 months old. 8 MONTHS. This is crazy. I lost time there somewhere. She is pulling herself up, trying to crawl, scooting pretty effectively, and can charm the most grizzled of old men in lines at the store. She is still tiny though, so that is some consolation. I can still cuddle her like a tiny baby. She just started wearing 9 month clothes and many of her 6 month clothes still fit well enough. And she coos brilliantly, of course.

I am updating this blog from my bonus room. I am up here to keep the kids up here so my wonderful husband could load the dishwasher, take out the garbage and do general dinner clean up. As I sit here on the large floor pillow, clickety, clacking along, the boys are running in relentless circles around me. They are trying to see who can lap who and how many times. E solves this competition by just shoving people over as he comes up behind them. His brothers don't seem to consider him part of the competition, but no matter!

Sitting in the bonus room watching all this craziness amidst a million bits a pieces of toys makes me wonder. Should I have them pick up the bonus room more often? Should I purge the toys again? I think we have too much. I know we have much less than many families, but I hate the way it all gets piled up and forgotten as they move on to the next toy and the next. I especially hate that there are lots of pieces to different sets that never seem to make it back together. Games are the worst. I don't buy games, puzzles or toys with lots of intricate "must go together to make it work" pieces. Yes, I know the value of puzzles and games and putting stuff together. I LOVE puzzles. I have an insane addiction to them. But I have an aversion to having a stack of things no one can play with because it doesn't have all its pieces anymore. What people buy is plenty and seems to balance just fine.

Because my boys are boys, I find myself repeating "Be Nice" over and over and over. Definite mantra. Toys fly towards heads, fists swing, bodies crash upon bodies, toys are snatched away, cruel words are spoken, tattles are wagged.

"Be Nice"

I say it so much I wonder if maybe it's just background noise to my children now.

But then I'm watching a movie with E.
"Nice," he says as the villian returns to screen.
"He's not being nice, is he?"
"Nice," he repeats with a slightly familiar inflection.
Maybe background noise gets picked up once in awhile.

evil laugh

2009-12-08T08:35:00.000-08:00

G and E snatched the camera a few days ago. They changed the settings, fought back and forth, and even took some pictures. Here's one the G snapped. Totally unedited.

I love the look E is giving. He must have had an idea how to get the camera back and was about to act on it. LOL

Waiting for seasons

2009-12-02T11:09:00.000-08:00

Many who know me well, know that I'm not a particularly patient person. I realize that God is trying very hard to teach it to me. I'm not a quick study.
Anyway, one of the things I have a hard time with is waiting for the next season. Not Winter/Spring/Summer/Fall, but the next season of my life.
I got a bit spoiled by having a nearly 6 year break between my first 2 children. Maybe that was the blessing that came out of that incredibly tough time? But then G was such an easy child. I enjoyed sewing and knitting and many of my other persuits all the way through. Sure I had a few months at a time where it was hard to do different things, but I managed.
As soon as E was the least bit mobile--as in directing his chubby fingers were he wanted them to go--I lost much of my ability to persue my hobbies. I couldn't knit, read, sew, or even do much cooking. Granted, much of the cooking got done because I could wrap him and he couldn't reach it. But it is hard to have the fine muscle mobility to knit or sew with a baby squirming (hard!) on my back. One lunge and that piece of fabric/knitting needle goes flying! Yeah, that's talking from experience. Trust me. I tried.
Now that I have the 2 littles, it's even harder. Baby M would be pretty easy as far as crafting near her/wearing her. But E requires Constant Vigilance. Moreso when his sister is within reach.
I am trying to finish up advent calendars for each of the kids. I loved mine and feel so bad that they haven't had that experience. I get so frustrated only being able to work on then in such short snippits of time. This morning I was sewing (really sewing!) on a Christmas gift. I just wanted to finish one chunk of it. I pushed through a little too long. There were tears and frustrations all around. I feel so bad. I don't want my children to think of me as grumpy and mean, nor to equate mom's craft time with negative emotions. I get so, so much out of creating. It is theraputic and gives me that break that I think makes me a better mom/wife/person. But is it really working if I'm screaming at my kids while doing it?
I'm trying to tell myself that in just a short while I'll be able to craft again. E will take less one-on-one supervision. Baby M will not be a baby and will be a tough-as-nails little girl capable of taking out all 3 brothers if need be.
Soon.
Soon.

Replies

2009-11-25T12:46:00.000-08:00

I've had 2 encouraging replies to my letters. The first one mentions the hearing being canceled, but it was rescheduled (it seems) as a way to halt the flow of letters and throw us off the trail. Didn't work. Over 100 midwifery supporters showed up. It made an impression for sure!
I promise I have hundreds of posts in my head. I'll do one soon!

Dear Ms. :

Thank you for writing Representative Maurer on the issue of a woman’s right to choose where and with whom she gives birth. Of course he recognizes that it is a family decision as well, as he has heard from a number of fathers who have written e-mails who have written letters in support of their partners birthing circumstances. For all of you- both the professionals and the clients (note the absence of the word “patient” as Rep. Maurer believes pregnancy is a natural state as opposed to a condition which routinely requires some sort on medical intervention) please understand he is committed to keeping Oregon a leader in the nation regarding mid-wife options for those who wish to use their services.

I apologize that I am unable to answer each of you individually who wrote this week but rest assured I have read all of your e-mails and have keep Rep. Maurer fully aware of how seriously you take this issue. I have just received a revised agenda for the House of Representatives Interim Health Care Committee on November 17, 2009 and it looks like you have been replaced by H1N1 as the last topic of the day. Between sessions committees meet about every eight weeks and these meetings are informational in nature. I stress this because I want you to know that I do not think that there will be any current change in policy at this time. Based on the fact our next session in February 2010 is only 4 weeks in length and each member is allowed only one bill I do not believe there will be any changes to the current law during the upcoming session.

I would be remiss if I were not to caution to remain vigilant and informed about what your legislators think about this subject. Be sure they understand your reasoning in a polite and articulate manner and your opinions will be taken seriously.

Best regards,

Allison Mac Mullin

Chief of Staff

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Thank you so much for your email about midwifery and home birth.

I have received over 130 emails in the past 10 days from moms, dad, midwives, and students of midwifery telling about their experiences with home birth. As someone who has experience with home birth within my own family, this issue hits close to home for me, too.

During the hearing, I understood the concerns regarding home birth that were raised by the Home Birth Safety Committee, but I also heard you loud and clear: it should be up to parents how they choose to bring their children into the world. I promise to balance my consideration of safety with the rights of parents if this conversation continues.

Your advocacy is important and I appreciate it. I hope that you will be in touch with your legislators about this issue and others going forward. In the meantime, happy Thanksgiving to you and yours.

-ben

---
Ben Cannon
State Representative - House District 46
900 Court Street NE
Salem, OR 97301
(503) 236-3351 (Portland)
(503) 986-1446 (Capitol)
rep.bencannon@state.or.us
www.repbencannon.com

My letter to the Oregon House Health Care Committee

2009-11-11T09:53:00.000-08:00

Tuesday, November 17th the Oregon House Health Committee will hold a hearing on direct entry midwives (DEMs) at about 4pm in Salem. I am going to try to figure out how to be there! There is movement afoot to make it very difficult to have a midwife-attended homebirth in Oregon. NOT OK!
I am e-mailing this letter to the committee members. I'll make some phone calls too. Please do the same if you can. Thanks!

I am a midwifery client. I chose to have a homebirth for the birth of my daughter in April. I had a hospital birth with my son 11 years ago and witnessed the births of my 2 adopted children in hospitals.
I did not make the decision to homebirth lightly. There seems to be some misconception about those who choose homebirth or birth center births. I am a 33 year old homemaker with a BS in Child Development. My husband of 13 years has a MS in Mechanical Engineering. I read extensively about birth, researched birth choices and gave the matter a lot of thought.
In my research, I learned that for uncomplicated birth, home is safer. Even in more "complicated" birth situations, such as breech presentation, twin birth or VBAC, for me, I felt safer with midwife who trusted my body's ability to give birth. I have found that many people look only at data showing whether or not mom and baby lived through the birth experience. The fact is, there is so much more to it than that. What about morbidity? Including, but not limited to, sever and disabling consequences from C-section mistakes, infection, reactions to medications, birth experiences that are so traumatic they leave the mother depressed or dealing with PTSD?
The reason I chose a homebirth was so I could maintain choice and control over my birth. In a hospital setting, women give up all autonomy over birth. Fear is used evey steop of the way to coerce families into going along with what the doctors and nurses want. What they want usually translates into "more convenient" or "more likely to hold up in court". Insurance companies and fear of litigation run the show. Research and evidence are ignored outright.
My midwife was very open with me about what the research said. I signed countless forms stating I understood the risks and benefits of each choice I made. I know that I was fully participating in the decisions made about MY baby and MY birth.
There was no carelessness or disregard for my safety. My midwife spent a full hour at every appointment. She looked for any signs me or my baby might have any sort of complications. She had a contingency plan for everything. If I had developed a complication and wanted or needed the care of a physician, she would have happily helped me obtain care from one.
Pregnancy and birth are not medical emergencies. By treating them as such, we are actually creating many of the problems we are trying to avoid. Too many babies are born premature because of doctors' hastiness to induce or surgically extract babies. Usually this is based on tests of questionable reliability. Trust in medicine is being eroded. For me personally, if my midwife has to "risk out" for everything under the sun--especially breech, twins and VBAC's--I will NOT choose to birth in a hospital with a doctor instead. I will birth with an unlicensed midwife or birth without any assistance at all. Based on conversations with other women, I know I am certainly not alone in this sentiment.

Bath time creativity

2009-10-24T14:55:00.000-07:00

Awwwww
Watching her crazy brother. See how bewildering he is?

We have all been sick. Even poor baby M. So far it has been mild. Fever, coughs, runny noses, general aches and cranky's. When G got up this morning (after a very uncharacteristic trip to mom and dad's bed) he was shivering. Sure enough, he was burning up. I wrapped him up in sweats, socks and a blanket and let him have reign of a section of couch. This afternoon when he complained again of his hands hurting, I thought to take a look. They were red and swollen so we called the dr and they said to bring him in. Because of his history of Kawasakis, there is a danger to his heart. His body tends to swell, in the veins and arteries. As in aorta. Scary. So he has an Rx for tamiflu, which we have decided to fill given the risk his heart
Anyway to keep E occupied while I cough up my lungs, I put him in the tub. He thought the baby bath looked like a fun boat. So in it went. Then in went E. There was a bit of a learning curve to avoid capsizing it, but he figured it out. Then it was in and out. In and out. In and out.

Now I need to go cuddle my G and sit and nurse Baby M, which is apparently the only acceptable activity right now in her mind.

Trip to Rockaway

2009-10-18T09:34:00.000-07:00

Several months ago, my mom asked if we would be interested in taking their week at the beach. She had bazaars and Dad had meetings so they couldn't go this September. I jumped on it! So, ight near the end of the month, we packed up and headed to Rockaway Beach, Oregon for a week of family vacation time.
The thing I love about Rockaway, well 2 things really, is how peaceful it is. Quite a few towns on the coast are so touristy and busy. Rockaway really isn't. The other thing is how much beach there is. Not a rock for miles. At low tide it feels like you are in an entire county of smooth sandy beach.
The unit we stay in has a bed, kitchen, dining in one studio-type room, plus a bedroom with two queens. It was far from E proof--but nothing really is. So that kept us hopping. It also made sue we got out and about everyday! Lots of walks on the beach and trips to the swimming pool.
I never did get a picture of the kids in the pool. They were so cute. Baby M decided the pool was just grand. She splashed her little heart out. :)
Here's a few of the pictures from the adventure.

C helping E fly a kite

M on the same day. For some reason, when everyone else was in shorts, M was bundled. *shrug*

We took a morning trip to Oswald State Park. C took the older 2 over to see some tide pools. They naturally walked in the surf on the way back. Something happened (dunno what still) and G totally went down. Face first. Into a wave. That frosted look to his hair is all sand. His mouth is fine btw, he just needed, like, 5 crackers at once to feel revitalized. He was completely fine. We were just glad it was G and not M that ate it. Or the rest of the day would have been miserable. G is such an adventurer.

The evening walks were more apt to get chilly. Especially for wet little toes. Here's my little E and me, finishing up a walk.

G displying his kelp find. He was too chicken to touch it for awhile, but warmed to the idea eventually. Not long after that, we found a dead squid that had washed up. It hadn't been dead for long, but we don't have a clue as to cause of death. I didn't have my camera and C is a bit squeamish about that kind of thing. So we don't have pictures, but I wish we did. It was huge! And in perfect shape. M had a great time poking at it as we did a semi-science lesson. I would guess the body was a little over 2 feet and the tentacles a bit longer still.

Walking back from town. The boys are racing. You can see just how vast the beach is here. Baby M took all her walks in the wrap, of course. :)

An accurate family picture

2009-10-17T20:17:00.001-07:00

Pics of the kids

2009-10-17T20:03:00.001-07:00

Pictures of the kids hope this works ok - S is trying to use Lightroom

Shorts

2009-10-08T08:44:00.001-07:00

Me: G, it's too cold today for short sleeves and shorts. How about one of your new pairs of pants?
G: No way! I love shorts. I'm always gonna wear shorts.
Me: Well, its getting colder. When you play outside, your legs will get cold.
G: I saw somebody else wearing shorts. I can too.
(discussion about the wonders of having our own brain to think with and the importance of not doing things just because someone else does it)
G: wanders off singing a love song to his shorts

15 minutes later
G: Is it almost time to leave for school?
Me: About 5 more minutes.
G: Is that enough time to change my shorts?
Me: Yes
G: Good, cuz I hate wearing shorts!

Me: Chuckle sigh

Happy Birthday!

2009-09-11T07:35:00.000-07:00

The E is 2 today!
As is our family tradition, we sang "Happy Birthday" to him this morning. Near the end of the song, G waves his hands saying, "Stop! Stop! You can't sing that. Not yet!"
"Yes, Sweetie, it's his birthday, we can sing to him today."
"No, not yet. There's no presents!"
"Oh," I explained, "it's his birthday all day. You can even have a birthday without presents."
Stunned and offended look.
"Why?"
"Because a birthday is the celebration of the day you were born. It's a day, and sometimes we have a party that day."
"With presents."

Gotta know your priorities in this life!

Pictures

2009-09-04T08:56:00.001-07:00