Yarn Along

Joining in again with Ginny again this glorious Wednesday.  (It is sunny and is supposed to get into the 60's here in northern Vermont today!)

I am still working on Emmy's vest and am enjoying reading the new issue of Countryside that just came yesterday.  Countryside is a homesteading magazine filled with articles written by people who are actually living the life.  I am still reading The Charlotte Mason Companion at bed time and am learning  much that I look forward to putting into practice in our home.

Looking forward to seeing what you are knitting and reading.
Warm wishes,
Tonya

Handmade Holiday - 2011

I don't have a new project to report on today but wanted to share some links ~

Jen, of Sewn Natural, just posted this great idea for children today - making a needle felting journal cover. (I think this is a great gift idea for parents and children to do together.)

She has some wonderful handmade holiday posts.  Be sure to check out her posts from previous years.

Abbi at Proverbs 31 Living has a weekly Handmade Christmas Post on Tuesdays.

If you have an idea to share, please leave a note in the comment and if you blogged about it, a link to your post.

Thanks so much and Happy Monday,
Tonya

Moments from the Week

They each made their own costumes.

For those that hang dry your cloth diapers, any tips for keeping them soft?

Sweet Emmy and I - our first photo together since her birth.  She is about 6 weeks old here.

Warm wishes for a beautiful weekend.

Frugal Breast Pads

I have been blessed with an abundance (over abundance really!) of breast milk and require breast pads to help with the leaking.  Sometimes more than one set in a day.

Needing more, I came up with this idea to make some with what I had on hand.  Taking a three-ply cotton cloth diaper, I simply cut out circles and sewed around the edges.

Knitting and Reading again for the Yarn Along

I am knitting Emmy a little wool vest using this free pattern and Peace Fleece lavender yarn in DK weight on size 4 needles.

I took my tattered and probably 10 year old copy of The Charlotte Mason Companion.  So much goodness in her methods and Karen writes in such a clear way and makes the reading interesting and gives so much food for thought.

We have an eclectic style of homeschooling but in the days and years to come, will be adding in even more of the Charlotte Mason style of learning as it just makes sense.
An important part of the philosophy (way of living/learning) is to be sure that your children each day have -
~ Something or someone to love
~ Something to do
~ Something to think about
Charlotte's Mason's writngs go on in much more detail what each of these three can mean and in The Charolotte Mason Companion, Karen Andreola does a wonderful job giving examples of each.

Looking forward to learning what you are knitting/crocheting and reading!

Praying for Grace

I have not been taking on the duties of a new mama gracefully.  My words have not always been kind and building up, my mood often grumpy.  The children's homeschooling, the house, and then we have this full time home business that I am an integral part of....  Oh, what about the animals and cooking and baking?    I have shed tears each day wondering how I can ever meet everyones' needs and all my duties.

Our beautiful new gift from God, sweet Emmy, is a baby that desires to be held a lot - which I understand and carry her around on the front carrier  as I go about our day.  But, she also has periods of intense crying where the only solution is to hold her "just so" and walk around and around until she calms herself down.  Thankfully, this is usually in the evenings, between the hours of 7:00 - 10:00 pm.  Practicing gratitude during those moments is what gets me through.  I remember how grateful I am to have a healthy baby, that is growing and gaining weight and now smiles back at us.    I also think about how much her brothers and sisters love her and truly enjoy holding her and spending time with her.

We bought a pacifier yesterday to see if that might help, something our babies have rarely used.  Last night she didn't want it, but we may try again.

Even before the birth of Emmy, I had been praying for some balance to my life, that God helps me to prioritize and find peace within my too filled brain.

So, for me - I need to -
1.  Spend time in prayer and reading the Bible each morning
2.  Put my husband and children before all us - get the homeschool planning done before wrapping up the business orders, for example.
3.  Care for our home - keep it neat and tidy and organized but don't fret over the dust and that for one day the laundry piles grows instead of shrinks.
4.  Remember that this is a season in my life and to enjoy the seconds as they pass so quickly; that the moments are all I have.

5.  Don't worry if I am not facilitating as many creative seasonal projects as I like to - The truth is I didn't even ask the children if they wanted to carve pumpkins, I was hoping they would forget.  But yesterday afternoon Sarah remembered and how could I possibly say no...

Thank you Ginny  for writing truthfully yesterday.  I know that I am not alone and there was one comment that really helped me to keep it all in perspective -
Sarah wrote, "- the MOST important thing you can give you children is that sweet little brother. Life may be overwhelming now, but Silas is a more valuable gift than all the messy crafts and math lessons in the world. Sleep will come eventually and until it does, slow down, savor the sweet baby and the turning leaves. Read to all the kids, snuggle your sweet little boy, and enjoy this short season. It will pass and your rhythm will return...."

Handmade Holiday - 2011 - Knit Hat and Felt Hearts

I finished Mike's hat.  Nolan tried it on for size and it fits pretty well, but I think for the rest of the boys' hats I will just cast on 88 stitches.

Sarah worked on some more hearts this past week for our advent heart basket.

Looking forward to reading about some ideas to get started on a new Christmas project this week.

To share leave a comment with your link.

Warm wishes,

Tonya

It felt like Christmas morning in our house this morning

(Sorry about the blurry picture - I took it through our window inside)

As Mike, Emmy and I were still resting in bed this morning, at about 6:45 (Sundays we get up a just a bit later than the rest of the week), we could hear the children saying - "There is snow!, Snow!"  Oh the excitement.

Right after breakfast, the winter clothing hunt began.  I had just sorted through the hats and mittens yesterday but had not pulled out snow pants and snow boots.   Then outside for a time - tracking, throwing snowballs, and just laying down in the snow.

To be joyful  like children on the morning of the first snowfall! - something to strive for.

Blessings to all and warm wishes for a peaceful Sunday,
Tonya

Favorite Pumpkin Recipes this Fall

So far this autumn, these are my two favorite pumpkin recipes:

This first one is a nice morning bread.

Spiced Pumpkin Bread 

3/4 C demerara sugar or sucanat 

1/4 butter, softened 

1 egg 

3/4 cup canned or fresh pumpkin puree 

3 T. orange juice 

1 1/2 cups white whole wheat flour 

3/4 teaspoon baking powder 

1/2 teaspoon baking soda 

1/2 teaspoon ground cloves 

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon salt

Instructions:

In a medium mixing bowl, beat sugar, butter, egg, pumpkin, orange juice, and orange zest. Set aside. 

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the remaining dry ingredients. Pour pumpkin mixture into bowl with dry ingredients, and stir until no lumps remain. 

Lightly grease and flour a loaf pan. (This recipe makes one 8x4 loaf) 

Bake in a pre-heated oven at 350 degrees for about 45 minutes. Check with a toothpick or fork (should come out clean).

This next one is a delicious dessert!

Pumpkin Bars

Ingredients:

3/4 cup oil

2 cups sugar

2 cups pumpkin

4 eggs

2 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

2 tsp. cinnamon

2 cups flour

Mix in large bowl.

Pour into a greased 13 x 9-inch pan

Bake 350 degrees. Bake 35-40 minutes or until pick inserted comes out clean

Icing:

3 oz. softened cream cheese

1 Tbs. orange juice or milk

1/4 cup butter

1 tsp. vanilla

1 3/4 cups powered sugar

Yesterday

Sarah's new hair cut.

Abraham playing in a "fort" of scrap wood beside the barn.

Sarah pushing Abraham on a tricycle we found at recycling.  Oh, what a beautiful day it was yesterday!

And we celebrated Mike's 45th birthday.  Notice the duct taped paper bags for gift wrapping from the children:)

Handmade Holiday 2011

I don't have anything too exciting to share this week as I am working on a very simple knit hat for dear husband.

I know it would probably be neater to knit with circular needles but then I would have to buy size 8 circular as well as size 8 double pointed needles.

This is a simple pattern - just cast on 92 stitches.  Knit 2, Purl 2 each row across for 2 inches.  Then stockinette stitch for 4" and then begin decreasing.

Looking forward to seeing what you are working on.

Warm wishes,
Tonya