Nettsie's Knittings

A new beginning

2010-09-25T21:04:00.000-06:00

The wait is over! I will no longer be using this blog because I have moved to http://tenaciouslace.blogspot.com/

I will keep this blog open for any reference needed and will occasionally link back if it seems appropriate. Thank you for reading and I hope you will take a little trip over to my new 'home'.

Have a wonderful weekend!

Season of change

2010-09-22T21:26:00.000-06:00

This year I have been dreaming and soon I will get to share that dream with you. It is because of many of you and my supportive husband that I have been able to make one of my dreams come true.

Please check back soon.

Wandering Wednesday :: 6

2010-08-25T19:27:00.001-06:00

Here I stand (barefoot again) with a wealth of inspiration at my toes. Several years ago we discovered cob building. Hopefully within a month or so we will get to visit a cob home during our trip to Oregon.

Here I stand beside a crib that is no longer needed by either of my children. Our son moved into a Daddy-made bed and our daughter moved into a toddler bed. It is wonderful being able to place a kiss on both their foreheads as I check on them before I head to bed.

May your nights be filled with beauty.

Wandering Wednesdays have been brought to you by GardenMama.

Wandering Wednesday :: 5

2010-08-18T14:25:00.000-06:00

What would Wednesday be with out sharing some of our wanderings over at GardenMama? Will you not join us?

Here I stand with the beginnings of the Winter season gifts.

Here I stand with "Salida". She is the friendliest alpaca in the bunch and she loved all the attention her guests gave her.

Here I stand with my bag of Aardwolf Alpacas roving my mother-in-law bought as an early birthday gift.

I can't resist sharing the cuteness and beauty this place holds.

This baby alpaca is a beautiful black. The newest alpaca was only 10 days old but the others were not far ahead. It was so fun to see the freshly sheared, little bodies bouncing around.

Here I stand while "Salida" takes time to greet me properly with lots of smelling . She is rewarded with gentle rubbings which she enjoys, wagging her tail with delight.

A few more ladies offered to pose, all the while knowing how gorgeous they look.

Here I stand enjoying the morning light while checking in on our surprise visitors to our strawberry patch.

May your days hold the magic of new adventures and visiting new places right around the corner.

Creative Times

2010-08-14T20:48:00.000-06:00

brown paper and tape kitty :: cardboard guitar

echinacea planted in the yard :: future medicine for our family

child's chair made by my husband :: companion to their chalkboard table

scones :: learning to adjust recipes to fit our choices

mandala woodburning :: naptime activity

We hope you have a creative day!

Wandering Wednesday

2010-08-11T20:51:00.000-06:00

Here I stand - with only the bare essentials getting done and choosing to surround myself with simple beauty and to wear pajamas all day while I fought off some head sickness.

Here I stand- okay, recline while I travel to the distant lands of Australia and England while I am surrounded by afternoon light and cheerful quilts.

Here I stand enjoying a little foot soak while my little mermaid is calmed by the water at the end of the day.

I hope you have enjoyed some wanderings of your own. Please share them over at GardenMama's, we would love to hear of your adventures. If you have been a little under the weather, take time to breathe and rest and may your days be full of simple beauty and pleasures.

Wandering Wednesday

2010-08-04T22:11:00.000-06:00

Here I stand giddy with anticipation for the adventure of learning about healing in my own backyard. I was thrilled to learn that the author has her farm nearby and I will be looking for opportunities to learn from her in the future if possible.

I recently read about plantain and gathered some to have on hand if needed. Just yesterday, my son was stung by a wasp and my husband brought him in knowing that I would have something to help. I hesitantly chewed up a plantain leaf I had drying and applied it to his thumb. He quickly stopped crying. As my husband watched him to be sure he was not having any allergic reactions, I collected a couple more leaves and ground them up in my mortar with calendula oil to spread on his thumb. After awhile, he was eager to get up and go back outside so we collected some mud and spread it on just for save measure since this was all new to me. By the end of the day he had only a small puncture where earlier he had some swelling and redness surrounding the wound. This was certainly a delight and affirmation for this mother who has juggled with the idea to pursue more healing knowledge.

Here I stand with fresh from the garden, green beans about to be dehydrated along with some banana slices for future eating. Our plants are being devoured by spiky, yellow worms so I am not sure how much more we will get to harvest. It seems the more attention we give our garden the more attention the wildlife and bugs give it too.

And here he stands, my boy, who wants to have some fun like his Mama. He is delighted to have a turn with the camera and I am thrilled with his interest to look at things in a different way.

Here I stand choosing green "ice cream" of spinach, pineapple, banana, orange concentrate and ice as an example to my family that healthy eating can be fun and tasty too!

Make your way over to GardenMama's Wandering Wednesday and share your wanderings too.

Wandering Wednesday

2010-07-28T19:55:00.000-06:00

Join in on the fun for this week's Wandering Wednesday.

Here I stand wanting a little space to get breakfast in the oven but noticing my little one needing to be close by.

Here I stand in our nearby park during Fiddler's along the Arkansas. My children just a step away swinging, while my husband and I wish the fiddlers could begin their music before we leave to put the kids to bed.

Here I stand filled with joy to finally have some pictures to hang on our walls, each a precious moment I want to remember.

Wandering Wednesday

2010-07-21T19:23:00.000-06:00

Here I stand determined to brighten up my day after finding deer had stolen big, green, roma tomatoes from my plants in the garden.

Here I stand visually seeing the mess that I feel inside.

Here I stand knowing that I just need to take things one puzzle piece at a time.

Here I sit with my family around the table for our third and last meal of the day. My son touching my foot every few seconds with a smile to warm a weary mama's heart.

GardenMama is at it again. Come join us.

Seven year anniversary

2010-07-17T21:10:00.000-06:00

Our little get-away for our anniversary

A peaceful greeting as we walked in the door to our log cabin

During a morning walk down the road we witnessed such beauty

I noticed how similar my hands look (freckles) to my Grandfather's and my Papa's and hope we will be as happy in our marriage down the road as they are in theirs.

Old buildings have always been a favorite and this ghost town had plenty to share

Another enchanting view at St. Elmo.

We loved the chance to sit back and soak in the peace, quiet and tranquility.

And to you all of you who are celebrating your love for one another this summer, I wish you pure joy!

** I want to share with you another adventure I am on...learning to spin with a drop spindle**

Today at the farmers' market I caught up with Tammy who I had met last week. She taught me the basics of the drop spindle while my little ones devoured a chocolate muffin beside me. This indeed is a learned skill and although I did not do so well while there at the market, this afternoon proved some success.

Uneven though it may be, I am in love with the spinning and I am sure more is in my future. Please, take a look at Tammy's A Wren's Nest Farm to purchase your own drop spindle kit and look around for she has some delicious handmade soap too!

Wash Wednesday

2010-06-30T19:06:00.001-06:00

At the end of the day sometimes you just need some comic relief.

I'm so thankful for my family and how they humor my little quirkiness.

Head over to GardenMama for this week's Wash Wednesday.

Wash Wednesday

2010-06-23T21:12:00.000-06:00

Rhythm is a common topic lately, and Wash Wednesday has become part of my weekly rhythm. It seems strange that something so simple as following Nicole in this adventure to capture and visit clotheslines would have made a big impact in my life, but that is the truth. I am so thankful that she started this rhythm for so many people around the world.

My 17-month-old helped me hang the laundry out this morning. She loves to shake the clothes like her Mama and seems to love the simple interaction in our shared task. I know the time will come when she would rather be doing something else with friends and not be hanging out with her Mama anymore, but for now I cherish the sweet moments we share together.

This evening I had a few moments to myself to hum in the evening sun filtering through my apple tree while hanging up a second load of laundry on the line before I heard the summertime sound of the screen door slamming as my kids decided to join me outside.

Please join so many others who have enjoyed Wash Wednesday over at GardenMama.

Creative Spaces

2010-06-17T19:54:00.000-06:00

Visit Knock-Off Wood to make one yourself.

We will share our story later, until then hope you enjoy the sneak peek.

Wash Wednesday

2010-06-16T20:16:00.000-06:00

As I gather the clothes from the line I notice the shadows on the ground by my basket. I love the way light plays around me in the evening.

The light reminded me to play around myself and I observed my clothesline from different angles.

It is enchanting to see hanging laundry can be seen as art.

A time to take it all in

2010-06-10T13:27:00.007-06:00

Seasons are becoming more important to me. Not just the seasons of the year but seasons of learning and of sharing. For a while now it has been a season of learning which is a process and has many levels. I am gathering a plentiful bounty from other women who know so much about healthy eating, rhythm, caring for young children, yoga and meditation, living days at a slower yet meaningful pace, DIY in a variety of areas, knitting, photography, sewing and creative expression.

Please, in my long periods of silence/learning, don't miss out on others who are in the season of sharing. You can find wonderful places to visit on both sides of this blog.

I do have a story to share before I go.

This morning the kids and I were enjoying a peaceful rest on the porch where we watched three squirrels playing in the trees. They roamed from one to the next with ease...mostly. One squirrel came to a spot, high in the treetops where it hesitated while the others leaped confidently. We watched and cheered the squirrel as it attempted over and over to take the leap and safely find it's footing on the next tree branch. It wandered all over trying to find the courage and safest way across to join its friends. Finally, it decided that it was all or nothing and leaped into the air and found that it was capable and successful.

So many times in life we are scared and hesitant when we come to a place that needs us to stretch out of our comfort zone. We have a great longing to make that leap to the next part of our journey but we don't know if we will be successful and land with our feet firmly under us. As we cheered for the squirrel, I thought about my life and what paths I am hesitant to explore, not sure if I will be successful and land safely on the other side.

Wash Wednesday

2010-06-09T20:09:00.008-06:00

The summer air was thick and warm today. After watering the garden this morning I hung up clothes before the sun had reached over our large cottonwood tree. My kids were already playing in the sand with their straw hats perched on their heads to shield the rising sun.

As the day wore on I let the clothes bring color to our landscape until this evening when the storm clouds decided to drop their heavy load. As I raced out to snatch up my clean, dry clothes I heard the beautiful words of a All in a Day that I love by Cynthia Rylant.

"Rain could show up at your door and teach you how to dance."

Nikki McClure's papercut illustration shows the family running in the rain carrying clothes fresh from the clothesline. Oh how I love this book! I hope to add it to our family library.

Wash Wednesday #3

2010-05-26T19:08:00.003-06:00

I struggle to find words to describe this week's Wash Wednesday. Seeing my son and daughter wash and hang laundry was so enjoyable. They had such great fun helping each other and playing in the water. I was amazed at how capable my son was at hanging and pinning the clothes to the line. Not to be outdone, my little girl was eager to help too.

Wash Wednesday

2010-05-19T20:18:00.003-06:00

Handmade apron that was a thrift store find- I knew exactly how I planned to use it.

Okay. So no washing today because of the rain that watered our garden and cleaned the spring air, but I did do some folding. It probably would have taken less time but my lovely kids needed lots of mommy kisses on knees, elbows, head or whatever spot that just got hurt. My little one needed to be held close and often. I tried a Moby for a bit but gave up for a walk around the block.

Last night I did get to remove laundry from the line and then sit back and rock in the hammock as I looked out on our glorious evening. That is one beauty of using a clothesline instead of the dryer inside, it allows us the opportunity to get out of the house and observe the little joys that might escape our notice.

Wash Wednesday

2010-05-12T08:57:00.004-06:00

A recent find at the thrift store mirrors the spring blue sky

Laundry is not one of my favorite chores. Honestly, it piles up and is overwhelming. Come Spring, there is a saving grace to laundry. Hanging clothes on the line is refreshing. The world is greening, the flowers are emerging, the wind is blowing through the fruit trees full of blooms. In the heat of summer, the cool fresh clothes brush against my skin. In fall, the leaves float around me as they make their way to the ground. In winter, I find myself struggling with my static filled clothing from the dryer and long for the clothesline.

There is a sweetness in putting on an apron full of clothes pins and carrying a bushel basket of clothes to the line.

Join us in Wash Wednesday by visiting GardenMama's photo challenge post today.

Give-away Love

2010-05-04T17:39:00.002-06:00

I love me some give-aways, even if I don't win. But you could. Check out these give-away posts and try your luck.

The Pioneer Woman is having give-aways all week.
Once Upon a Parent has some beautiful earrings.

Good luck.

This and That

2010-04-11T10:04:00.003-06:00

Spring Chicken for our nature table

Dyeing playsilks

Knitting for babies and dreaming of new needles

Change is in the air

2009-12-08T08:20:00.002-07:00

If you have not noticed there are some things changing around here. Not only here but in my family's life so it might take some time for this site to be completed but that is how change happens, sometimes slowly and sometimes quickly.

You know you read too many blogs when...

2009-08-02T22:54:00.001-06:00

Hi, my name is Lynnette and I am a blogaholic. Throughout the day I write posts in my head that are witty, full of pictures and informative. Unfortunately, when I get on the computer and sit down to actually write a post they turn out nothing like what I had in mind. So I console myself by spending way too much time reading other peoples' blogs. You might be wondering what on earth could be so interesting that I would let laundry pile up, dishes consume my kitchen and toys take permanent residence on the living room rug. For those of you who actually are wondering and have a few hours to kill...please indulge with me:

The Pioneer Woman: This is a new one for me but it has me hook, line and sinker. Ree's must read is her Black Heels to Tractor Wheels.
Blue Yonder: It is truly a hoot to read about Stefani's days with her boys. Don't overlook this recipe for Blue Yonder daily bread...it is a constant at our house now. We love it. Daily.
Balancing Everything: All I can say is that I often read bits of Jessica's posts to Jonathan while laughing my head off. Here is a good example.
Centsational Girl: DIY galore with thrift store finds. It inspired me to redo a base cabinet we had in our upstairs bathroom that was moved to the laundry room and finally upstairs in our nook to be my wonderful sewing table. (pictures to come)

And just so you don't think I am a total slacker...yesterday, I made four loaves of whole wheat bread (for which I ground fresh flour from our 50 lb. bag of wheat sitting in our kitchen), made a batch of whole wheat peanut butter cookies, and cleaned the kitchen, washed a load of cloth diapers and hung it outside to dry before the rain came in, took care of our two little spitfires (one that is potty training) and lived to tell you about it. I have my days. Good and bad. Blogs keep me sane.

cloth diapering

2009-06-05T15:15:00.002-06:00

http://simplemom.net/the-simple-mom-cloth-diaper-review/ has been taking us through cloth diapering 101. Take time to look at the information provided in the week long break down of all you need to know about making the change to cloth diapering.

My family is making the switch for a couple reasons:

To help cut the cost of keeping our kids' bums clean and covered.
My kids have sensitive skin.
We already recycle a lot of our packaging and compost so diapers and the packaging they come in take up our small trash can every week.
The house always smells like dirty diapers with the disposibles piling in the trash.

Need more information about making the switch for your family? And did I mention a giveaway at Simple Mom?

D70s

2009-06-02T09:28:00.000-06:00

Those of you who know me well will realize what a stretch it is for me to say this... I own a digital camera by choice. Jonathan surprised me with a Nikon D70s. It is a digital SLR body that I can use with my lenses from my N4004. I will be taking photos at a special wedding next month which was a great excuse to take the plunge into the digital world more seriously. Also, I have not been able to practice my darkroom skills or for that matter my film skills either. So, now with the digital SLR I will be able to practice without breaking our bank. We have been saving money here and there as we sold the extra stuff that has been just collecting dust and cluttering our home. It is always hard for me to buy the bigger purchases but we are so excited for me to pursue a passion that has been sitting on the back burner waiting for me to pay it some attention. I'm not giving up on the black and white darkroom magic but in this season of our lives it will have to wait.

I want to stretch myself so if you have an experiment or specific shot you would like to see let me know and I would love to take a stab at it. Please email me or leave a comment, and I will get back to you.

Spring Cleaning Party (Continued)

2009-05-15T14:13:00.002-06:00

Life happens.

That is why my postings and honestly my spring cleaning is still in progress. Just wait though I will get it done or my name isn't knittingnettsie.

Do you ever notice that your list seems to just multiply instead of get smaller. I am pretty sure I have been working the last week on things that needed to get done but my list feels longer. So, I suppose I will have one really GREAT post with photos once I have a moment when the baby isn't screaming or my son isn't needing to be on my lap wanting to "type" too. ( read: push random keys that make windows pop up)

No rest for the weary.

Yogurt in the Crock Pot

2009-05-05T21:15:00.003-06:00

Yogurt making in our crock pot

I used 2% milk that was on its last leg for the date on the gallon but it turned out fine.

A bit runny but in smoothies fantastic!

This has got to be the simplist thing in the world. The hardest part was remembering to stop what I was doing and take a minute to do the next step. This afternoon we had smoothies with our homemade yogurt.

Spring Cleaning Party: Day Two

2009-05-05T20:53:00.004-06:00

"Spring Cleaning Party"

Oh my! I had that much dust on my fans!

After: Living room floors still wet from mopping

Toys: Before

Toys: After

I will still perfect the toy area but it will do for now.

*Sorry the image is on it's side*

Ceiling fans: Before

Ceiling fans: After

I still need to finish the desk/dining area tomorrow but I did get the majority of the work done today. We even sold our 20" CRT television this evening for some cash in our pocket! YEAH!

Spring Cleaning Party: Day One

2009-05-04T19:32:00.005-06:00

Kitchen counter : Before

Kitchen counter: After

Kitchen floor: Before

Kitchen floor: After

Kitchen bar: Before

Kitchen bar: After

Divider and Desk: Before

Divider and Desk: After

I have been cleaning all stinkin' day! Although it feels nice to have a bit cleared off I am far from clearing off all my surfaces. I did get the main areas cleared so I will have to be good with that today.

Chicken Stock in a Crock Pot

2009-05-04T19:07:00.005-06:00

Vegetables that I added to the bottom of crock pot

Chicken that I bought on sale for .69/lb (bought 3)

WITH the neck and innerds YUCK!

Cooked chicken and vegetables straining

I did put the carrots and garlic in with the broth and mixed it with a stick blender

Removed chicken from bones which were soft enogh for me to squish with my fingers

I only have a 4 qt. crockpot so I got what you see in the picture and 2 cups that went straight into a meal

I like to label my jars with sticky notes with item, amount and date

Chicken stock ingredients

(chicken is in the bowl)

I was excited to be able to cook this in the crock pot but followed these two recipes. Please go visit and see all that they have to say. You just might be in for a real treat.

spring cleaning

2009-04-21T12:26:00.001-06:00

http://www.sewmamasew.com/media/blog/SMSSpringClean.pdf :checklist

http://sewmamasew.com/blog2/?p=786 : cleaning sewing machine

Tomatoes and Peppers

2009-03-30T18:42:00.002-06:00

Today my son and I started tomato and pepper seeds inside. Late maybe but I hope he enjoys seeing them grow throughout the summer.

My daughter went to her two month well-child visit today and got her shots. There is nothing worse than seeing your child in pain.

Ah well not much excitement going on and I have recipes to add to my household notebook

Eliastown

2009-03-28T21:48:00.002-06:00

Photo: Eliastown

After being inside all day because of our snowstorm we were all getting a little crazy so we pulled out the brown landscaping paper, my husband and I started creating a little town that our son could drive is cars around. It is still a work in progress but it has been fun. I plan to put up a picture of the finished project...stay tuned.

photo: Gwendolyn and Elias

3/28/09

And here are my wee ones. My son is sporting a black eye after playing with our dog. When I held some frozen peas to his face he started snacking on them and ate a lot of them too! My little girl is now two months old.

Sweet little nudges for a wanna-be green thumb

2009-03-05T16:46:00.002-07:00

Imagine a neglected garden-yet again- that looks yellow as the weeds and grass from last year are still not tilled under. With my baby wrapped in my Moby and hoe in my hands I set to work. Thankfully, the work I did do last Spring helped this early spring task a bit. What I found was truly exciting.

three baby carrots that were forgotten as spring turned into summer and watering the garden was bypassed for feeling prego sick.
rutabegas that I thought had no chance of surviving... not edible but not a complete failure
ONIONS! yes, that right. I had hung my head low last fall and went out to the "garden" to see what might have made it through my neglect. Pulled up little onions and thought I had them all. But as I took my hoe to that part of the land I came across one onion, two. In great excitement I got on my hands and knees and plunged my fingers into the dirt and found ootles of onions. So of course, instead of leaving them be (since they already proved they could survive where they were) I gently pulled them up, roots and all, and transplanted them around another section of the garden where I will be staking peas or other vining plants.

The tricky part: we want to move so I don't want to plan a garden that will not be harvested. (ok, so this has happened every year but I never PLAN to not harvest my early hard work) Mostly, I will have spring veggies in the garden and the other hot veggies will be in containers that we can move or give to others if we move before winter.

My goal: not to kill strawberry plants this year. I have a thing about those plants, I love them but they hate me. It's a Love-Hate kind of relationship but I will not give up on them. Never.

Cleaning out my bookmarks list

2009-03-04T12:56:00.004-07:00

As I search the web I find sites that I find interesting but don't have time to sit of hours looking at everything so I bookmark it for printing later, reading more or for inspiration for later.

planting the seed

2009-03-03T18:41:00.003-07:00

This evening I sowed some seeds inside in little pots in clear-plastic covered containers.

lavender, lady: 4 small pots
balm, lemon: 1 pot
flat parsley: 1 pot
marjoram: 1 pot
chives: 1 pot
oregano: 1 pot

**edit** um...yeah.. let's try this again.

just for reference

2009-03-02T09:51:00.004-07:00

60% solution to saving over spending

http://articles.moneycentral.msn.com/SavingandDebt/LearnToBudget/ASimplerWayToSaveThe60Solution.aspx

free website help for tracking and budgeting

www.mint.com

other recommended site by others

pearbudget

Snacks

2009-02-26T15:27:00.002-07:00

Photo: Our beautiful little girl

The shopping and longer meal planning is really quite nice. I am learning as I go and for once decided I didn't need to have everything figured out before I started this adventure. I am learning that although I am a tightwad in buying snacks I need to find a way of still having them around the house. Why? Because my whole family likes to snack and if I don't find some healthier and sustainable snacks, cookies will be made too often.

Also, I want to garden but will need to be creative and picky about how and what I grow. I wish I had ideas.

meal planning and shopping

2009-02-21T20:33:00.002-07:00

Today was my second two-week shopping trip. After searching sales from flyers online; cutting and filing coupons; scouring the internet for new recipes; making price sheets at home and while I shopped I have made some helpful observations.

Shop alone: have someone watch the kids and leave hubby home too
keep your eyes open for other sales at the stores that were not in the flyers
coupons do not give you the best price - store brands are often cheaper
don't try and get the HUGE bag of dog food first when your cart is empty- wait until there is weight in your cart to keep it from rolling away while you struggle to lift it onto the cart.
try to leave some food budget for fresh produce or extra/forgotten items -don't just spend what you have because you have it
having a list of possible meals and writing them in a calendar helps the brainstorming side of meal planning.
When trying new recipes gauge your family's reaction to know if it is a winner or not to waste your time and money on it again
portion out needed ingredients so they are not consumed in snacking and label for others and yourself
put labels with leftovers' name and date made on the container - remembering how good it tasted instead of how it looks on the shelf will help consume it before it gets thrown away (aka throwing money away)
utilize the freezer- make bigger batches (of meals you know your family likes) and freeze with labels
if you can get yourself to soak the beans overnight ( my downfall) buy the dried instead of canned and stock your pantry.

New baby in the house

2009-01-30T13:56:00.003-07:00

GMH

27 January 2009

Happy Family 2009

GMH Birthday

We welcomed our little girl into the family Tuesday at 12:15am. She was 9lbs 6oz and 22" long.

Our little lady had a 15" head and 16.25 shoulders... shall we sing it... Oh the ring of FIRE!

Daddy, Mommy and brother are amazed at her beauty and gentleness and look forward to the many joys of having another little one in the house.

Crafts to do list #2

2009-01-21T13:53:00.006-07:00

** completed **

Crockpot Recipes

2009-01-21T12:45:00.002-07:00

Blog with a long list of crockpot recipes

I am interested in healthy and economical dinner recipes that will help my family and perhaps allow me the slight cooking delight without cooking for an hour every night. With a new baby and a toddler there will be nights when I am just not going to want to cook but might have the energy to start something in the morning.

photos of crafts

2009-01-21T12:01:00.003-07:00

Please view the links connected to the TO DO: Crafts list

Stuffed fish for magnet fishing game

homemade play dough rolled flat and stored in mason jar; bags with hot cocoa, popcorn and chocolate dipped candy canes

quilted checkbook cover made from fabric scraps and some repurposed pants material

puppy finger puppet for my son in an origami star box

and finally the pair of knitted slippers

apple pie

2009-01-14T16:05:00.003-07:00

2008 pie making firsts: One for Thanksgiving one for Christmas. Granted I only made the filling from scratch but pie crusts are more than I wanted to attempt and I don't normally like them and they remain on the plate. So, pie crusts are store bought and I like them ( go figure).

The purpose of the post is to share a tradition that my paternal grandma past on to me. She told me to always carve the initial of your last name in your pie crust as the ventilation holes. And because I was making up for the store bought crusts I did a little extra and loved it! So next time you have a pie to bake grab a tooth pick and draw a little and save some scraps and add a little something.

Help is on the way

2009-01-10T13:40:00.003-07:00

Photo: Elias helping put his toddler bed together with Dada

My son has been a handful lately and we have just assumed it was the terrible two rearing its ugly head. In my chasing of rabbit trails on line I came across these wonderful articles from globalmama that I hope will help my husband and I find some peace, quiet and tranquility and my son some balance in his toddler world.

Jedi mind tricks part 1 - picking your battles
Jedi mind tricks part 2 - giving choices
Jedi mind tricks part 3 - natural consequences

Images of 2008

2009-01-09T07:03:00.005-07:00

cooking
playing
and enjoying
life

on again off again...

2008-12-22T08:11:00.002-07:00

this includes my washer.

Saturday we decided to go shopping and experience the MALL. I get sensory overload so the idea was generally not on my top ten list but I thought that if we were early enough it would be ok. (and I had already postponed this little adventure on the Black Friday) Let us just say the day did not go as planned.. but who needs details.

Positive things to be gleeful about:

I am almost done with the lattice slipper that has been calling me names so I would pay attention to it. ( and I found my helpful video again on how to cast on in the middle of a work in progress... look at craft ideas post)
I made chocolate dipped candy canes and put them with a bag of popcorn and a package of hot cocoa mix for family that is in town but would normally not get anything from us.
My wonderful husband put up 400 white simple lights outside just in time for Christmas and people who might visit during the dark hours of the day/night.
My son delights me with his slur of itsy bitsy spider, trying to jump/bounce like tigger- but doesn't make it off the ground, looking in the mirror and turning from side to side like he saw prego mommy do the other day as she looked at how the bundle made her look from different angles, loves to help make whatever in the kitchen, is using sign language now to try and talk with us.
We have several loads of clean clothes that made it through the waterpark...I mean laundry room.
Getting most of our supplies for our home birth so I can rest more peacefully.

puppy finger puppets

2008-12-18T15:37:00.003-07:00

I've been up since 3:30am and had a slight headache from the dry air and early morning. I did not feel like tackling the endless list of things that NEEDED doing like: rinsing and drying the laundry I tried to wash after the water unfroze in the pipes and then proceeded to spew from the drainage hose, washing dishes that have dried on particles from being left unattended, sewing the second slipper before Christmas, washing (by hand) the gifts I have already completed that my cat decided to pee on while escaping the cold snow indoors and not notifying me us his need to use the great outdoors, making the play dough for my son and his cousins for Christmas...shall I go on. Instead....I made puppy finger puppets... I'm on my third. They are rather addictive and fast to knit up so if you happen to be in a funk and your fingertips need a little warmth...go ahead and set everything else aside and make your toes jealous.

Just a little sweet treat

2008-12-15T15:52:00.003-07:00

chocolate dipped candy canes!

Sometimes the simplest things can be the coolest ideas... and time savers.

We have a lot of family in town that normally we don't see and truth be told would probably just get a card about how the family it doing. ( You just can't be expected to buy for everyone you know and love) But because they will be here during gift exchanging I thought this could be just a great little something.

great things for kids' work

2008-12-14T14:56:00.002-07:00

My son hasn't started making tons of artwork but I will be keeping this in mind for later when I am overwhelmed and too attached to get rid of them.

Sudden changes

2008-12-11T13:40:00.003-07:00

My parents came to visit this week. We drove Monday night into the flurries that normally miss us and gathered them up and snuggled down back home. My son loves them so much and I greatly enjoy seeing them interact with him. The distance of our homes makes it hard to visit and they are wonderful about flying into our neck of the mountains even if they only stay a day. Which is what happened this time around. My dad was not feeling well and needed to get back early to see the doctor. I've noticed how much this whole Holiday Season has been overflowing with the unexpected.

I have also noticed how easily I have been getting upset with my toddler. He really is a sweet and good little guy. Learning and choosing to communicate with sign language, pushing in his chair after asking politely to get down, his infectious laughter and giggles and how he sings and dances to the rhythms he hears. And yet, perhaps the terrible twos, he throws fits, does not obey all the time( when mommy is really tired and doesn't think she can handle a testing toddler) and chooses to sit in time out or get a spanking. I do not think I could handle being a single parent. My husband is wonderful. He stands behind me and tells our son to obey mommy, provides breaks when I am coming apart at the seams and helps with the small things that can just get tiring after doing it all day: changing diapers, getting snacks or drinks etc.

Truth be told I know a lot has to do with not getting a good night sleep ( for some reason being 34wks pregnant I need practice not sleeping through the night), expecting my child to obey the first time all the time (right before naptime/bedtime is not the ideal time to expect total submission without some tears) and our unfortunate luck that he didn't come with a manual when he joined our family. ( I'm not holding out for the manual to arrive with our next one in January either) I want to be the nice always smiling mommy who has a plate of goodies and has time to play every moment I am wanted but I must confess for all the see that I am not this magical lady. I have hard days when I am tired, don't want to cook, fall behind on the laundry (from the usual making it to the dryer and sitting there until it is needed), have little patience for toys all over the place and little ones not wanting to pick it up before they go down for a nap so mommy can have a bit of peace as she sits on the couch with her prego feet up to divert her attention with other people's lives and craftiness for a few precious hours (if I am lucky).

I am learning... I am willing to change... I am not striving for perfection just a peaceful home and family where we can all love each other in many different ways - giving each other room to make mistakes and have bad days.

2008-12-04T08:24:00.002-07:00

DIY Solar Food Dehydrator - My greenish thumb is itching already and this is only our second small snow for the winter season. I recently had some dried apples and some apple leather that my SIL made and loved it. I also love the idea that I wouldn't need to can or fill a small freezer with food that just does not look as appealing hiding away in the freezer. If I can only water and keep a garden this year I would like to make/use a solar dehydrator. I'm a trial by error so hopefully I have had enough errors to have a decent garden this year. Of course, I am wanting to use a new method. We need to plan out our ditch watering system so WHEN others remember to water and I am tired with a new baby and don't remember the garden can still survive. =)

At any rate we (my MIL and me) did get one curtain sewn and hopefully two more by the weekend so when my parents come we will have three windows trimmed and adorned with their very own window quilt/swedish shade.

Pictures to come of: Thanksgiving apple pie, finished windows, and christmas gifts.

2009 reading list

2008-12-02T13:12:00.003-07:00

so I just had a great long post and low and behold it call disappeared and when I tried to go to the draft it had autosaved right after erased everything.

I did find out that my local library and another close by has all the books on Simple Mom's Book Club list. Yeah! Now that is frugal.

Creative fun

2008-12-01T19:34:00.002-07:00

I just learned a herringbone stitch and I love it! I am trying it out with some chocolate brown and sky blue yarn. I'm a bit of a tight knitter so my challenge is to keep it loose enough to work the stitches easily. I will post a pic. when it is done.

2009 ideas

2008-12-01T07:44:00.004-07:00

I tend to get carried away with my ideas.. and they are not all that reasonable. BUT some of them can be and really are if I have time and the energy to try them out and not hold fast and hang all my hopes that they work out. So, I am going to be looking into experiments for this next year. I will be making a list of things I want to make, try out, change etc. and have time frames that are of course flexible. And the biggest thing is not to make these experiments a requirement for my whole family. If they work out for me they can decide if they would like to try them, they might be better than what we do now but they may not work for my family. Here's for trying new things and being willing to change.

Ideas:

baking soda/apple cider vinegar rinse
Extra virgin olive oil/castor oil face wash
make some simple pure soap and see how it compares $ wise and quality
natural cleaning that will not have detergents that irritate eczema
getting rid of clutter
learning and practicing more of my passions/interests ( photography, knitting, crafting, sewing, watercolor, gardening)
keeping up with family and friends through whichever means they like the most. (letters, phone calls, pictures, newsletters, visits)
vacations ( this is something my family actually would all like to do )
gardening effectively with irrigation and vertically growing methods. looking into this method
learning a new skill... my husband and I want to build a cob home in the future and let us just say I tend to let him do the jobs with power tools because frankly they scare me a bit. =) but I want to build our home together and learning some handy skills is necessary.
To cloth diaper or not to that is the question... baby due in Jan. ( this will be a transition for sure and will require me to do more changing instead of sharing with my husband if we mostly cloth diaper) But it could cut down on the huge amount we send to the landfill if we at least cloth part of the time or cloth diaper my son who is older and will still have another year before he is potty trained.
freezer cooking some... I do like to cook, just not all the time.. this could save on those nights when I just can not get myself to do what needs to be done.
learn about other areas where we could move to and settle down.
make gifts for people in advance and send gifts/cards to let them KNOW we do care.

So this list is quite long and will probably get longer but it will help when I loosely plan my next year's adventures.

If you find this and have any suggestions feel free to drop me a line or link. Thanks.

giveaway

2008-11-29T14:55:00.002-07:00

Check out this great giveaway at Simple Mom and brag about the cute things your little your little ones do.

Plans don't always work out but that doesn't mean that something more rewarding doesn't take its place.

Thanksgiving Day+change of plans + prego emotions = too much

2008-11-27T10:58:00.004-07:00

As it states today as well as many days this week have not turned out like I thought. As of this very morning plans for Thanksgiving changed. I understand in my head but my prego emotions have had about all it can take and I will probably have a good cry today and leftover chili from last night.

Maybe I can use this free time to get Christmas gifts worked on and maybe for fun we could put up the Christmas tree.. why not?

edit: well it appears that we will change plans again and will be joining our next door neighbors for Thanksgiving meal. What a week!

Stuart Little by E. B. White

2008-11-17T14:12:00.004-07:00

Elias and I just finished reading Stuart Little and the last paragraph was so delightful I wanted to share.

The sun was just coming up over the hills on his right. As he peered ahead into the great land that stretched before him, the way seemed long. But the sky was bright, and he somehow felt he was headed in the right direction.

Visit this site to find out about a book club coming up soon.

To do: crafts

2008-11-16T09:49:00.017-07:00

Please follow links to see inspiration and credit where credit is due.

I actually made up a pattern as I went but this was one I liked.

**lattice slippers**

helpful hint video for casting on with work in progress

**2 card deck holder** - I made mine in a basketweave and without DP needles but this is where the idea came from.
plastic crate cover - I have two that I have held onto and will finally like looking at.
Flannel Rag quilt rug
**Recipe card booklet**
Homemade playdough
fishing pole and fish magnetic game
bunting for my son's birthday in Feb. - I hope to get contributions from family members that want to make some triangles and I will stitch them all together. They will probably be a mix of knit, quilted/sewn and felt triangles that will spell out his whole name.
Manly slippers
**cabled knit purse**
garden markers - what gardener isn't thinking about next year's garden before this year's snow even comes?
playhouse -
sketchbook
**puppy finger puppets**

I will be adding to this list mainly for my own benefit. But if you happen to stumble onto something fun please feel free to let me know.

**completed**

30+1

2008-11-15T13:36:00.002-07:00

Midwife appointment went well. Complex carbs and protein will be my focus for the rest of this pregnancy. I'm not good at having either but will need to put my best foot forward to make it happen.

Handmade gift update: somehow my list keeps growing of ideas yet my finished list is at a standstill. Perhaps it is my toddler and my goal to just keep up with the house.

Need to start getting my supplies and pool ordered for my home visit in 6 wks.

2008-11-07T05:15:00.000-07:00

Since the time change our family has been getting up early.. husband at 3:25am for work, I am up anytime from 4am - 6:30am and Elias unfortunately has decided to wake up around 6- 6:30am. What that will mean for this weekend staying at someone else's house with 13 other people.... oh golly I better take a book and some prego snacks for the early morning!

I do a lot of thinking in the early morning when I can't get to back to sleep. The ideas are always genius... or at least they seem that way. this morning I think I actually hit on something doable and frugal.. my favorite. I've been reading on some great sites about getting organized. One suggestion was to get a fire/flood proof box for your important papers and put a zippered pouch in for each family member. All their important papers go in their own pouch. Well I love school supplies but if I go down those isles I am too tempted by the notebooks, paper, pens and what have you. So, I decided I have plenty of extra fabric... I also love remnant fabric... and the local thrift stores always have a zillion zippers for dirt cheap. I'm not the best sewer but I think that will go on my project list for after the holidays. Another suggestion for those zippered pouches... the envelope system when you budget and have cash divided at home. Those white plain envelopes just don't hold up well. Perhaps I shall make more than four. =)

Have a wonderful weekend.

2008-11-03T12:41:00.000-07:00

It seems I write blog notes in my head and when I sit down to write them nothing comes to mind.

I've somehow started living like I would like to: taking care of my family in the way the house is kept and being creative in frugal and sharing ways. Our son is coming up on two with another on the way in January. My husband is trying to pursue a career in the electrician field that will require commitment and flexibility. We are trying to plan for building our own cob home and we only have the debt of our low home payments. No other debt. and the only extra we have is DSL which my husband uses to bring in self-employment work. (ok and the perks of being online with the phone free, tv programs without paying for cable and countless resources at our fingertips)

This year most gifts are handmade which truly makes me giddy when I get them done. Thing is I hate keeping in good secrets ( ones that are mine ) and to make handmade goods you have to start early so now I have gifts that are all ready and won't be given until I am about to burst with excitement.

Knitted projects

2008-10-22T19:27:00.000-06:00

Pictured above: Hand purse with cabled front, first slipper of two, scarf with cabled pocket, green basketweave 2 card deck holder.

cabled pieces where part of a different project that just didn't turn out right. I took the pockets off and made the purse and hand bag.

Artistic Dreams

2008-07-17T13:08:00.000-06:00

My problem:

need to create income while at home with kids.

Options:

create postcards/paintings in watercolor of local attractions to sell
sell photography in a town of cheap people
knitted gifts
quilted baby blankets
bookkeeping part-time under someone who works from home

So I have been brain storming a bit and need to work on option one and look into the others. I might just have to do most of them just to make enough to help out. Could be fun though.

Prego Post

2008-06-03T20:26:00.000-06:00

Six weeks I believe into my pregnancy. I feel extremely tired everyday. Naps are a must, thankfully Elias is taking a long afternoon nap so I can take a shorter one but still relax or get something done while he slumbers. My house is a wreck even though I am in love with a household notebook it does seem to be quite the magic wand I imagined at this point in time. Of course, having a 15 1/2 month old running around that hasn't quite picked up on picking up. =)
My husband has been a blessing, kind and understanding, very helpful and reminding me to nap.
My midwife called back and we don't need to see her until 12 weeks so my refined sugar and non-pasteurized dairy diet will continue strong until then. Man! that is six more weeks!
funny how the two things I didn't want to give up fall into that category : dark chocolate and cheese!

2008-05-29T19:21:00.000-06:00

This morning my dad fell and broke three ribs while trimming trees in his backyard. How thankful I am that he did not land on his back! also he did not appear to harm his lungs or kidneys. Praise the Lord! Thank You!

2008-05-24T08:58:00.000-06:00

This morning I woke up and found out that Jonathan, Elias and I will be welcoming a new addition to our home early next year.

then I looked out the window and a single beautiful red poppy danced in the morning light.

Tonight I will have people over for a foot spa party. What could be a better way to celebrate?

2008-05-22T13:57:00.000-06:00

It seems sick somehow that my day keeps going on like it always does. On the way home from dropping my parents at the airport, we followed an ambulance on its way to an accident. We finally came to the accident and I was the second car on the road behind the ambulance. How can my day not be changed by what happened? A person was laying on the road that normally has cars driving 60 mph or faster that are now at a complete stand still. My heart aches for the person involved even though I do not know who was injured. For the people involved in whatever took place. For the people who know and love the person hurt. For the people who stopped to help before helped arrived.

People in the long line of cars waiting had no idea of what was going on up ahead. So they step out of their cars to get a look.

Have we seen so much on the television that we become callous that we can not ache for people who are hurt on the side of the road?

Local Attractions

2008-05-21T20:52:00.000-06:00

Royal Gorge Bridge
photo by Dan Meeks

Parents visited and we went to see our local attraction.
One of several things our friends can see for themselves when they come to visit.

We are currently watching the weather to see if the record snowfall in the mountains will cause minor flooding.

My son

2008-05-06T15:49:00.001-06:00

We eat bananas!

Contentment

2008-04-21T11:35:00.000-06:00

This is my son, Elias. He is now 14mo and trying to decide which is a better mode of getting around: crawling fast or walking slowly.

This morning I realized something: Just as Elias is only momentarily content with what he just moments ago could not live without, we too are always seeking the next thing we want.

Contentment... ease of mind, satisfaction. Do we find satisfaction in our life?