This Moment

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. 

 joining Soulemama as always.

Yarn Along

Again the week I'm excited to be joining in on the yarn along.

On the knitting end I've been busy finishing hats for the kids.  This pattern is great, simple and fast on size 9 needles!  I especially love that the ear flaps are double knit to keep them good and cozy.  I will be making more for sure.  I was planning on moving on to mittens next, but I happened to see the latest petite purls and my oh my  I'm in love.  I got started on the tummy warmer vest for my gorgeous little baby niece Charlotte in a lovely Debbie Bliss baby cashmerino burnt orange for fall.  I'm also making one for a new niece/nephew on the way over in Vermont (so exciting).
 As for reading I'm working through The Quarter Acre Farm, it's a fun book, sort of a memoir of this woman's crusade to live off her little piece of land.  I'm enjoying it.  I also read Made from Scratch last week.  Honestly I didn't enjoy this one as much.  It was cute, but I had a bit of a harder time relating to the writer. 
I've also been thumbing through How to be an Explorer of the World.  I picked this up for the kids, has anyone used this book?  I'd love to hear thoughts.

As always thanks to Ginny for hosting.

Tossing Aside Our Books

"And if the homework brings you down, then we'll throw it on the fire and take the car downtown"

David Bowie "Kooks"

Really it's not so much that the work is bringing anyone down, actually the kids are giggling as they work on long division together.  But It is a beautiful day and I am feeling the need to be out in nature! 
This wall just isn't cutting it today!

 Isn't that the beauty of homeschooling?  We can just toss our books aside and go outside and just enjoy the world?  I'm pretty sure that most teachers in the public school system would given the choice do just the same.

We're off, I don't know where this adventure will lead, but I'll be sure and let you know!

The Fair

We know that Autumn is officially here when it's time for the Common Ground Fair.  I look forward to this fair more than any other, there is just something magical about it.  Something real.

I don't recall a fair day that has been so warm!  Usually we are wearing fall sweaters and hats, but this year the kids were running under sprinklers and begging for ice cream.  No matter what the weather, this annual trip is something not to be missed.
Hoping your weekend was full of autumn bliss as well.

This Moment

Joining Soulemama for

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. 

Making

 applesauce

 

yogurt

  

hats to keep ears warm as the cooler weather hits

 

a birthday apron for a special friend

 

a jumper

 

friends

 

mischief 

  

memories

It seems crazy that it's been a week since I posted in this space, but as you can clearly see we have been quite busy.
What have you been making?

This Moment

Joining Soulemama in {this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

Listening

Music is a huge part of life in our family.  When we aren't listening to it live we are usually listening to an iPod or MOG.  The ease of listening to music today is wonderful.  Both kids can find exactly what the want to hear with a few taps on computer keys or an iPod dock.    Amazing that this is really all they've ever known besides the "real stuff".

Recently Corey has been asking about the records in our attic storage space.  Greg has many cases of albums that he has collected over the years.  A few times we've discussed getting rid of these things as they take up so much space and we have all the modern technology to listen to anything.  However in the end we always end up keeping them...

Today I'm truly glad we did.  We recently purchased a turn table and the boy has been anxiously waiting for it to arrive.  So last night when Greg got home from the recording studio he showed the kids how to use this ancient machine and how to properly handle and care for a record.  I found Corey at 7:00 this morning listening to Glass Houses (when was the last time you listened to that album?).  He and Greg had such fun looking through albums and trying to pick which to listen to first.  He's had a crazy mix this morning going from Billy Joel to The Clash, The Who, Harry Nilsson and Cat Stevens to name a few.

It looks as though today's homeschool focus will be on music appreciation.

yarn Along

Oh that chill is in the air.  Our days are gorgeous, we wear shorts/skirts and short sleeves, but in the evening or early morning it is there...which of course puts me in the mood to knit.  This week I've started thinking about hats and mittens that we'll soon need for early morning nature walks long before the snow flies.

Last night I started the ear flaps for this hat.  I love that the ears are double knit for extra warmth just where you need it.  I'm using a bunch of different colors of malabrigo worsted from my stash.  This stuff is so soft and yummy...great for warm winter hats and mittens. The first color combo I'm doing for Miss Molly is orange, pink and purple...yup we get a little nutty around here sometimes, but she'll wear it with pride and her ears will be warm.  The cover mittens on  this book are pretty much a go to for me.  They are pretty fast and fairly easy, the color work is small and simple enough that I can do it!  I'll use crazy color combos as I've done in the past, and I usually have the mittens mismatched...more fun that way.
That's it, no other reading right now...just too busy with school and teaching a child birth class.

What are you knitting?

Joining Ginny's wonderful yarn along again this week.  Thanks for hosting.

The Magic of a Fire

This past weekend was a work weekend for me, which of course means I spend most of my time at the hospital seeing those lovely new babies come into the world, and then at home I mostly sleep.
Last evening when I came home to chill in the air (which can only mean fall is just around the corner) we had a fire in the beautiful fire pit that Greg built over the summer.
I must say that I was feeling very rushed...I wanted to get dinner finished for my family.  The kids were running around playing with dirty feet (oh no!) and Greg was busy "playing" with his fire.  Very frustrating, still in my scrubs I must have said (maybe even yelled) "dinner is ready" and "wash up for dinner" 10 times before everyone listened.
Everyone rushed through dinner and I got s'more fixings ready while the kids invited a couple friends.  Funny but still I'm feeling rushed.  " Does everyone have a stick?"  "Don't let the dogs get the chocolate!" "Don't poke yourself in the eye!"  "Don't poke your friends in the eye!"  "oh no you have marshmallow all over you!"
This whole time Greg has just been smiling, laughing, dancing even...while roasting marshmallows (he IS the master) and keeping chocolate warm on a graham cracker near the fire.
It wasn't until I noticed the beauty of the moon through the trees that I started to slow down and see all the beauty that was happening around me. I sat down beside that pesky husband of mine, and with his arm around me listened to children (full of s'mores) playing off in the distance.  "I love the magic of this fire" he said.  "Makes me feel like we're at camp".
He was so right!  The fire was mesmorizing...I suddenly felt so relaxed and happy.  What a wonderful way to end my hectic weekend.
Thank you sweet Greg for so subtly reminding me to relax and enjoy this life we have.

This Moment

Joining Soulemama with {this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. 

A Little Bit of Love

So many things to be grateful for and lots of things I'm loving right now.

 Like long dirt roads in Northern Maine.

Making Rachel's German Pancake

and watching it disappear!

Twig buttons made by Miss Molly and myself.

Beginning school again,

and seeing how methodically placed the children's supplies for a science experiment are.

A quiet morning cup of coffee before everyone else comes down stairs...

 All the uses that these wonderful branch hooks from Vermont Branch Company.

Inspiration all around me!

And how much Tucker loves a fresh carrot from the garden!

I am feeling truly blessed this morning by all that is around me.  Hope that you are feeling the same...

Yarn Along

Joining yarn along this week with the excitement of a finished pattern! I did it, I finished Molly's Autumn Snuggles Sweater and it looks great!

Adorable and she loves it!  The pattern can be found on ravelry here I hope!  It's been a long morning of trying to get the silly thing up on line, but I think we have success.  If you have any questions feel free to contact me!  It was a fun easy knit and using such bulky yarn gave me fast results (something I need sometimes).
As for reading, I've been quite busy getting our first week of homeschooling in order so nothing new for me.
Excited to see what others are up to this week.