After a lovely little cold and some house cleaning, I finally feel like I'm myself again.  For some reason, I feel the need to catch up on some past stuff before I can move on to the new year and future plans.  I forgot a few things that I made for Christmas.  The pictures were still on my camera until this morning.  My siblings and I have a gift giving rotation.  Last year, I tried to finish a quilt that one of my sisters had started.  The top is finished, but I haven't finished quilting it yet.  Maybe by the time the rotation goes around to me having her again?

This year I took another go at finishing an unfinished project for another sister.  Several years ago, she had started working on a wool saddle blanket, like this one.  I knew she had stowed it away in her attic, so sometime in October, I snuck into her house and swiped it.  Sort of.  Actually, I broke a shelf while trying to hoist myself into her unfinished attic access door.  It took some stealthy gluing and sweater rearranging to cover my tracks as well as a more flexible and tall husband to finally get up there and hand down the project.

I also made her some sheep potholders from old sweaters.  I originally planned on making a pillow, like some of these, but I just didn't have it in me.

I found a picture of the ninja suit, which was an even bigger hit than I expected.  Too bad we left the pants at Granny's house.

And here's the football cake that he requested.  The kid didn't pick a theme, unless it was just "BOY".  He wanted a dress-up party with a football cake at a bouncy house place.  So that's what we did.

We've been enjoying this July January weather.  Yes, that is my husband wearing a t-shirt outside in January.  We actually got outside to do the fall clean-up that didn't happen in the fall because winter was here then.

My husband and I celebrated our 8th anniversary.  "Celebrated" gives the impression that we did something special.  We cleaned the bedroom.  It really needed it since that was the dumping place for all Christmas projects and supplies.  He also brought me some flowers and a sweet card, once again proving that we have completely switched places on the card giving spectrum.  I guess "special" is all relative.  He also called me into the office and surprised me by playing 'our song' and dancing with me right there.  That was special to me.

I have a few other things on my mind too, such as trying to figure out why the salt is sabotaging my baking.  Is it possible for salt to be saltier than it should be?  Everything is coming out too salty, no matter how much I cut the salt back.  Maybe I have a little kitchen elf "helping" me...

I'm also needing to go through my pantry and figure out what I need more of, and how much has been used, but I'll probably never get around to that, so don't hold your breath.

It's getting cold outside!

Happy Halloween!  We're a bit behind in the holiday department.  Finally got most of the pumpkins carved this weekend and roasted the seeds last night.  Of course I left the costume preparation until the last minute and was up late last night altering the vampire cape so it wouldn't drag on the ground.  The witch hat disappeared for a while, but was found again, in the closet of all places.   

Almost a year ago, we wandered through a store and found costumes for almost nothing and thought we were so clever for buying next years costumes when they were cheap. I managed to out-smart myself in all of this however. We purchased a cute little duck costume for the little one, but I had to put it away because the big kids kept trying to squeeze into it.  Now, it's Halloween and I can't seem to remember where I put it away exactly.  Aren't I clever?  Wherever it is, it's safe. 

We enjoyed a very nice October, but the nights have gotten very cold.  I harvested everything I could out of the garden and cleaned it all up.  It felt good to finally get some order to the jungle and be done for the winter.  I had planned on putting in a fall garden, but I just never got to it. 

Growing up, we always had a snow storm on Halloween, but it doesn't look like we'll get a storm tonight.  Hope you have a happy, warm and safe Halloween!

End of Summer Cramming

Phew!  We've been busy, busy!  Mostly traveling, but I also started a new job doing graphic design.  It's a nice, stay at home type job, but I am out of practice.  It's kind of like stretching a muscle you haven't used in a while, so that has been taking up lots of time.  Actually, I should be working right now, since the kiddos are asleep and the husband is doing husband things, but my brain seems to have reached capacity for today.  I realized as I was cleaning out the fridge and dumping out moldy, forgotten food, that I must be avoiding my work if I was actually cleaning out the fridge.  I never clean out the fridge if I can help it.

So, I figured I'd take advantage of my shirking of work to post a quick thought here on my blog.  I have been trying to check in with the blogs on my reading list, but I know I've missed some good stuff.  I was all set to post a garden update, but then I lost the camera for about a week.  I found it again, at my mom's house, so hopefully tomorrow I'll share some pictures of what's going on there.  Or maybe it will be the next day after that.  I'm hoping to cram one more activity in tomorrow before school officially starts.

Fishing

About two weeks ago, we suddenly realized that school was upon us and we hadn't accomplished a fraction of the things on our list that we wanted to do this summer.  I hate how school abruptly ends summer like that.  Can I homeschool my kids until October and then send them to public school?  I'm not ready to be tied down like this.  There's still so much nice weather ahead.  Trails to be hiked, marshmallows to roast, creeks to swim in, fish to catch!  It's a panicky feeling knowing that the freedom of summer is nearly over.

Anyway, we tried to cram as much in as we could.  We've been fishing and hiking and camping and museum exploring and grandma visiting and I think some fun memories have been made.  We did discover that the baby is not yet responsible enough to sleep in a sleeping bag, or anywhere else that allows too much freedom of movement.  We did not sleep well because she did not sleep well... that and we forgot any padding to sleep on.  I am amazed at how uncomfortable the ground is now that I'm past 30.  I used to camp all the time as a younger person.  We would sleep right on the ground without a tent.  I don't remember ever being uncomfortable.  I am  now joining the -camping with an air mattress- club.  My 16-year-old self is ashamed, but my back insists.

Aerospace Museum

Tomorrow, I hope to go for one last hiking/fishing expedition before I admit defeat and surrender to the inevitable start of school on Thursday.  Who starts on Thursday anyway?  Who starts before Labor Day, for that matter?  Obviously, nobody asked my opinion on this matter.

Checking in

My goodness!  I haven't posted in a while, have I?  Work happened and then spring break happened and then I got hooked into a book.  An audio book, actually, but it doesn't seem to matter.  When I get into a book, I can't think about anything else.  Audio books are good because I can still make dinner and do dishes while "reading".  The book is now over, so here I am.  :)

Spring break was an adventure.  The kids and I traveled to the ranch and were enjoying the beautiful spring weather.  The snow was melting quickly, and there were bare patches in the meadows.  Of course, I forgot the camera.  I did use my  mom's but I forgot to email myself the pictures.  Typical of me.  Then, we woke up one morning to 8 inches of snow.  Eight!  It kept snowing all that day too, but it was harder to measure since the snow was melting at the same time.  Crazy old man winter.  I think he's getting a bit senile.  I understand that he doesn't want to feel like he's not needed anymore, so I tolerate frosts and little skiffs of snow into May, but 8 inches?  He is obviously in denial, so if someone could strongly hint to him that his services aren't needed anymore, I would definitely appreciate it.

I'm trying to get caught up with the blogs on my reading list.  I hope I haven't missed anything too important.  I've missed my blog world while I've been gone.

A refined palate

Rocks, leaves, grass, dirt, sticks... all things that a one year old loves to eat.  Why do I try to share my food with her?  Or stress about her getting enough fruits and veggies?  All she wants to eat is bird poop from the yard!

She is loving being outside though.  We spent quite a bit of time wandering around, her sampling everything and me trying to convince her to stop doing that.  Finally, she was content to just carry some rocks around.

I have one more spinach sprout.  That's how desperate I am for spring, I'm giving you updates on each measly little spinach plant.  Just one more week, and I think it'll be time to plant some peas!  I'm used to getting things started really early in order to get any kind of harvest at all, so I'm antsy for things to get going.  I feel kind of silly though, since none of the neighbors have even started looking at their garden plots yet.  They probably think I'm crazy, lining up re-purposed 2-liter pop bottles against the fence, and peeking in through the spout everyday. 

Photo by Terry Sohl

I did do a little research on my "chickens".  Turns out they are called ringneck pheasants and they are not native to America.  They somehow got here from China and made themselves right at home.  The females only lay eggs in the spring, and they will lay up to 20, then sit until they hatch.  Their life expectancy is only 10-20 months, perhaps due to the fact that humans like to shoot them and eat them.  So, they might not be the best laying hens to have around.  I don't really want 200 fertilized eggs in April, and then none the rest of the year.  Besides, it sounds like they need all the baby chicks they can get!

Spring, is it really here?

I love spring, when 44 degrees feels like t-shirt weather.  It feels so nice out, I just had to get outside for a bit today.  My winter sowing experiment has at least yielded a few sprouts.  Apparently, mustard greens are the hardiest of the seeds I planted, with one little spinach sprout following after.  It gives me hope for my other seeds at least.  The kids and I played in the dirt today a bit, planting some lettuce and carrots.  They love to garden and their eyes lit up when I pulled out their garden bags from last year.  They got their own hand tools for Easter and somehow, they didn't all get lost.  Their gloves are a different story. 

mustard greens

The wonderful weather inspired me to take a stroll with the baby, something that hasn't happened since the fall.  Not too many other signs of spring around.  There are still little piles of snow here and there and lots of mud.  I did see some plants pushing up through the mud.  Maybe spring really is here to stay.  This is my first spring in this area, so I really don't know what to expect.  Everyone here makes it sound like spring is pretty tough.  I don't think they know what "tough" is.  My hometown got another winter storm yesterday, and they still have a few feet of snow in the yard.  If this is tough, I'll take it.

I wasn't quick enough to catch a picture of a wild rooster that was in the neighbors garden.  He flew up on top of her house and ran out of sight.  He and another rooster or two hang out in the pine tree in the yard.  I've seen a bunch of hens hiding out under a neighbors pine tree, under the low hanging branches.  They sure make a racket when they take off.  I wondered out loud to my husband if they would start laying eggs anytime soon.  We can't keep any chickens here, since we're renting, so I thought maybe I'd "domesticate" the wild chickens that are everywhere.  When he finished looking at me like I was crazy, he decided it is probably illegal.  I should look into it I suppose.  Wouldn't that be a fun way to keep backyard chickens?

Snowy weekend and a suprise visitor

I'm back from a tiring weekend at my mom's house.  I agreed to watch two of my sister's children over the weekend, but weather made it impossible for her to bring them to me, so she took them to my mom's house, where I also went.  However, being at my mom's house, I end up watching even more children.  So, including mine, I watched 7 children, ages 8 and under during the day - only 5 at night.  They didn't sleep well.  Who does at a slumber party?  My sister also failed to mention that her boys wake up by 6:30 am.  I am not used to that. 

So, I am tired and in denial of needing to get into a new week.  Meal planning?  Who needs it?  Actually, I planned on sloppy joes, but I seem to be out of burger.  Which is unheard of in our family.  My mom sneaks burger into our freezers because they have so much.  I guess she's been distracted, or I moved too far away.  I am planning a full on assault of my chest freezer as soon as the baby goes down for her nap.  If I don't find some lonely package of burger, I'm bound to find something else that wants to be dinner, right?

While at the ranch, we looked out the kitchen window and saw...

a baby moose!  I realize he seems large, but he's not quite a year old.  He (I say he because he seems like a he, not because I actually know...it's too fuzzy down there) and his mother spent last spring and summer by the river that runs through the ranch.  Sometime in the fall, his mom disappeared.  I don't know if someone shot her during hunting season, or if they were somehow separated and she just hasn't found her way back, but he's still here and still alone.  And apparently lonely. 

He is standing in the backyard, surrounded by dogs, children, tractors, horses, people, cars in and out... you name it.  We don't usually see wildlife right here.  We're just too loud.  Yet, there he is, bedding down in "pirates cove" by the creek and wandering through the willows and crab apple trees.  I don't know if he'll survive the winter, he doesn't seem very lively, but I hope he makes it through.  My sister wants to make a pet out of him and I admit, his ears look so fuzzy, I really want play with them. 

The kids also enjoyed a sleigh ride, complete with sledding off the back.  There is a lot of snow right now.  Spring is nowhere in sight, but that didn't stop me from doing some garden planning.

But I definitely did not sit on the swing.

Fun family weekend

What a lovely weekend of family time and injuries.  We had a fun Saturday, starting with watching a bunch of six year olds try to play basketball.  It was very entertaining, since the only real rule was that you couldn't double team.   That and any blatant fouls.  I got such a kick out of watching those little faces light up when the ball that they had hurled with all their strength actually went into the hoop.

In the afternoon, we went sledding.  My little man was having a great time, when he noticed some college students starting up higher on the hill.  Of course, he thinks he's invincible, so up he went and down he came, only he didn't make it very far before he wrecked and scraped up his wrist.  It was a nasty looking scrape and of course I was worried that there might be a more serious injury that I couldn't see.  But, after a movie and a treat, (and a bandage and ice pack -which the kids seem to think is the cure for everything) he was back to his normal happy self.  Kind of cut our winter sports short though.

On Sunday, our family had been asked to speak in church.  The kids even got to take part, which they loved.  Not much stage fright in my kids, it seems.  After all our meetings, the little man informed me that everyone told him what a good job he did, and after a passing person said something similar, he said thank you,  and then turned to me and said, "see!?" 

With my husband in tow, I ventured to do some serious couponing this Monday.  He has the kind of mind that can strategize how to get the best deals.  It's a bit much for me, especially when I have the kiddos with me.  We did not get any amazing deals, or come out spending only pennies, but we did knock a few bucks off of the diapers that we were running low on.  Yippee.  They say that you get a high from couponing.  My high is finally leaving the store, buckling the kids in and then standing there, outside of the car, enjoying the quiet before I have to actually climb in the car with them.  That's my enjoyment while shopping.  The checker at Walgreens assured me that I would catch on quickly.  Apparently he's seen people like me who wander the isles wondering what they're supposed to do become pros.  We'll see.

Also on Monday, thinking that we should maybe cool off on the sledding for a bit, we decided to finally go cross country skiing.  My sister collects skis of all varieties and sizes.  I don't think she can help it.  It's like an addiction for her.  It's nice for me though because I can ask if she's got any skis that would fit a six and four year old, and be pretty confident that she does.  And she did.  We brought them back with us about a month ago and the kids were so excited, they tried to ski in the backyard that had barely enough snow to cover the grass in some places.  Almost everything melted back in January right about the time we finally got the kids skis and the various parts of my skis gathered and brought here.  I have been dying to go all winter.  Finally, finally!, we got some more snow!

Let me just go off on a tangent here and explain why I love cross country skiing.  We get a lot of winter here in the mountains. It can get kind of depressing.  Cooped up inside for some of the fall, all of winter, and most of spring can get really old.  I needed something to keep me from becoming depressed.  I like to sit in the afternoon sun in the kitchen to get some vitamin D, but I just start to feel so fat and lazy in the winter time.  Cabin fever can make you crazy.  We decided to try cross country skiing as a way to get outside and enjoy the beauties of the ranch, without having to wade through the deep snow.  It's amazing how my perspective of winter changed just by skiing.  I actually enjoy the winter and even though I'm excited to get gardening, I was really happy that we got so much snow this weekend.

We drove to a nearby park with lots of open areas and got ourselves ready.  It was lucky that we were at a park since the dancing queen was done before my husband and I had gotten our skis on.  She was in no mood to try yesterday and would fall over and then flop like a fish, screaming her head off.  (unfortunately, I didn't get a picture)  It was clear that she was not going to enjoy it.  Thank goodness there were swings right there.  She had a great time while we skied nearby.  The little man took off like he's been doing this forever.  Twice around the field and he decided to sled down a tiny slope.  The baby got to relax in her sled and be pulled around by mom and dad.  I was worried about how she would react, but she never made a peep until we would stop and then she would screech for us to get going again.  All in all, a fun day.

Nativity Scenes

I never intended to collect nativity scenes.  I would really like one out of olive wood, but I'm afraid I'd have to buy it one piece at a time in order to afford it.

What we do have is a strange bunch of very different sets that have been acquired in meaningful places or handed down to us from others.  The two that I bought are the little wooden one and the pyramid that I bought in Germany.  It's nothing fancy, but it reminds me of my Christmases spent there.  Those Germans know how to celebrate the advent.  The Christmas markets were so much fun and everybody seems so happy during that time.  The plaque type one was given to us for Christmas one year and the shiny ones were my Grandmas.  I noticed as I put them out that my aunts initials are on the bottom, so I should find out if she wants them.   We also have a set that I let the kids play with, and boy they have.  It's been fun to listen to their play and their version of the story.   I thought that having their own would keep them from playing with the others, but it didn't.  The pyramid is now up high and the shiny ones are all lined up dangerously on the dressers edge.  I found Joseph down the hall.  I remember wanting to play with my mom's set and sometimes she would let me.

I love how magic this time of year is for children, and not just because of presents.  They seem to sense that there is something different and special about it.  We talked a lot at church today about Christmas being the birthday for Jesus.  I was impressed by the children and their knowledge of the reason for our celebrations.

Twenty days left to complete my projects!  I'd better get organized, and quick!

Happy second advent!

Beginning the Christmas season

My goodness!  All day long I have planned to sit and write what is on my mind, but I just never got to it, and now the day is gone. 

We finally put up the Christmas tree!  It's pretty easy, considering that it's fake and only four feet high.  It is our apartment tree, since we really can't fit a real tree in here.  I let the kids decorate it, which means I'll have to move a few things around a bit.  They seemed to like the same type of ornaments all on one branch, but for a 4 and 5 year old, I'd say they did good.   The nice thing about a four foot tree is that kids can actually reach the top while decorating.  That, and the tree can easily be placed up high on a dresser or table so the baby doesn't climb into it.

So now that we actually have our decorations and Christmas books out, let the season begin!

...and let me go to bed!

I'm back!

 Our long weekend became even longer because of the snow.  I got my wish I guess, even though we weren't really snowed in.  The roads were just too nasty for us to go anywhere.  I kind of took a break from the internet while I was gone, and that was nice, although I felt like I was forgetting something and I wondered how everyone's Thanksgiving went.  I've been trying to get caught up this morning, but my house is also in dire need of help.  Our landlady had the kitchen redone while we were away, so we had moved everything out of the kitchen and into any available space, then my children sprinkled toys and books on top of all that.  They are somewhat motivated to help, since I informed them that Christmas decorations will not go up until the house is clean. 

I think my baking day will have to be postponed, although I have some recipes that I'm very excited to try.  Cookies may happen later today, but I'm really planning on making up some "fat-burning" soup, as my mom calls it.  After eating with total abandon this past week, I'm feeling the need to do something that resembles healthy eating. 

Oh what feasts we had.  There was the typical turkey, dressing, potatoes, stuffing, yams and a great big salad that I ate two helpings of simply because there were raspberries in there.  Then leftovers for a few days, with those almonds that I have fallen in love with and some stuffed mushrooms to make things fun.  Sunday, there was another gathering with family members that missed the Thanksgiving gathering and we ate an entire pan of brisket, more stuffed mushrooms, more potatoes and gravy, and then we finished off the remnants of the pies.  As if that wasn't enough, I made a pan of brownies to snack on while we played games, and that also disappeared.  I now have a miss piggy nose, I think.

I did go for walks, so that counts for something, right?  Here's some wintery pictures for your viewing pleasure...

This is how much snow we found at the ranch.

 Obviously, sledding had to happen.

 I kept sneaking out of the house to take pictures.  This is a stack-yard full of hay, with some horses begging next to it.

 Then it snowed, and snowed some more and we decided to wait for the storm to pass before driving home again.

 

I took more pictures, trying to catch just how red the willows turn during winter.

This is how much snow was on the swing when we left.

And then the sun came out and I tried to catch how red the rose-hips look with the white snow and aspen trees behind.   I need to learn how to take better pictures.  I'll just jot that one down for a new year's resolution.

Daylight savings time ended!

...As I'm sure you all know.  We knew too, but we were still late for church, even with the extra hour to prepare.  I really don't like that they keep pushing the date back.  We used to "fall back" at the beginning of October.  Now it's the beginning of November!  I wish they would just leave it one way or the other.

We have been a bit slow getting all the clocks changed, which has caused some confusion.  It's hard to run a house when every room is running in a different time zone.  I was so impressed yesterday with how early my husband got up and ready.  He didn't know he was so early though.  He was about to walk out the door, when he looked at his phone.  Oops, it's not 8:30, it's 7:30.  Got to get the bedroom clock set right!

Hope your change has been without incident!

Fall walk

I love fall.  I love the cool air, the smells, the colors, the quiet feeling.  I love running through the leaves on the ground.  I can't  help it.  Even pushing the stroller, we have to frolic through the leaves on the sidewalk... and then take off my shoes to get all the pieces out.  We went for a walk yesterday evening and we were pretty slow because I kept stopping to pick up pretty leaves.  There have been some amazing colors this fall.  Some trees have three or four different colors going on, although most leaves have already fallen.

We decided to fly kites since there was a breeze blowing, but by the time we got home to get the kites, the wind was gone.  We had a very pleasant evening.  You could see the snow up on the mountains, and today, it's here.  It's a cold, wet, snowy day today.  I'm so glad we got our walk in yesterday, and hopefully, we'll get a few more in before winter really decides to stay.

Thanksgiving Thoughts

Thanksgiving has long been my favorite holiday.  I've kind of been bitter toward Christmas for a while because it seems to overshadow this wonderful day.  The observance of Thanksgiving has become a day to eat until you are sick, watch football all day, and plan your Black Friday strategy.

My husband asked me at some point in our marriage, why I like Thanksgiving so much.  At first, I said it was the food, but as we got talking about it, I realized I don't like turkey all that much, and soggy bread is something I just can't eat, so stuffing is out.  I do like mashed potatoes and gravy, but I can get that any Sunday.  Pumpkin pie is great, but I like other pies too.  So it's not the food...  I like college football, but I don't need to watch it all day.  It certainly isn't that.  Family has a lot to do with it, but even getting together with family, I feel that something is missing.

Growing up, we had  a long-standing tradition of going to my great-aunt's house to eat a huge meal, most of it home grown by her, visit with lots of relatives, and then play and relax, and even watch some football.  The smells of her house still come to mind when I think about it.  My Aunt Allene is gone now, and we've been kind of lost on Thanksgiving ever since.  We can re-create the food, gather family, and watch football, but something has changed.

I think it's her.  My great-aunt knew probably better than anyone what it meant to starve, to have nothing.  She practically raised her children by herself.  She dug post holes for a dime a piece to make money.  Her garden wasn't a hobby, it was survival.  When she was able to put on a Thanksgiving feast, she was truly thankful just to be able to eat.  Despite her hardships, she was the happiest person I knew.  She really knew how to be thankful, and it could not be contained inside her.  Her home was warm, not just from the cook oven.  She made it that way.

Ever since I came to that realization, I've been trying to find ways to really observe Thanksgiving.  It seems to me that Thanksgiving should be tied to Christmas, but not as a shopping holiday.  Doesn't it make sense to start the advent with overwhelming gratitude?  I know I am very thankful for the birth of the Savior.  Can Thanksgiving be observed as a spiritual preparation for Christmas?

Last year, I attempted to read the old testament again.  Not just the interesting parts, all of it.  I still haven't finished, but I did get something that I had never realized before.  Thanksgiving is actually biblical.  It started way before the pilgrims.  In Exodus 23 we read about three feasts that the Israelites were to observe.  Everyone knows about the Passover in the spring, but I had not heard about the other two: the feast of the harvest, when the first fruits were harvested in summer, and then the feast of ingathering, at the end of the season when everything was harvested and tallied.  It hit me that even way back in the bible, people were inclined and even commanded to be thankful for the crops that the Lord had given them. 

So how do we show true gratitude today?  Are we content with what we have?   Is "thank you" a common phrase in our speaking?  I know I really want to teach my children to be grateful for everything in their lives, but I also need to teach myself.  I get frustrated with my son because he is never satisfied.  If you give him one candy, he wants three.  Go to the zoo today and he wants to go tomorrow too.  I am somewhat the same though, so I need to work on myself first.

Here is what I plan to do this year and I hope to include my children as well.  We are going to write down people that we are thankful for.  Try to think of someone other than close friends or family. This year, I am very thankful for a few families in the neighborhood that have been so open and kind to us as we moved here.  In past years, I have chosen people that taught my children at church, because that is a hard job sometimes.

Once we have a list, we will think of a gift to give them, but this is not about buying things.  It can be as simple as a verbal thank you, or a note.  I like to give a homemade food item, or something that is useful.  I think this year I will be making more of those cinnamon sugar almonds to give.  In years past, I have given homemade jam with fresh bread.  The point is not to be fancy or expensive, so that the "thank you" of the gift can shine through.

Hopefully, we can make this holiday what it once was for me, and maybe my kids will learn a bit about gratitude on the way. 

So, who are you thankful for?