Lamzeydievey

2009-01-26T12:27:00.005-07:00

Heroicism takes new form in Baby Soldier, a new character Cam has created about his little baby sister. Baby Soldier has quite a superpower too, she can thwart the evil plans of powerful villains without ever leaving the comfort of her swing just by spitting pacifiers at them!

After losing reams of paper to comic characters, and spending ages every night picking that same discarded paper off the floor, I came across a tutorial for these lovely little handmade twig books. Perhaps this is the solution I have been looking for!

2009-01-25T21:49:00.002-07:00

Gyspy is starting to develop her own little personality. She can finally stay awake for a decent amount of time and has so much fun swinging in her bouncy chair watching her sibs playing throughout the day.

I finally broke down and got her a proper place to sleep. It was hard to find an infant hammock that would last through the toddler years, and I had to rearrange my whole bedroom and take out half the furniture just to make it fit. But the Kanoe looks so pretty and comfortable that it was worth the effort. I love to see it swinging in my room and wish they made one my size!

snapshots of my week

2009-01-21T13:39:00.003-07:00

2008-12-22T09:52:00.006-07:00

There is over a foot of snow outside and a sick baby inside. The kids have made their snowmen, their snow fort, their snow thrones and now we are inside trying not to get restless.

It helps that we had a Christmas tree to set up, and snowflakes to cut out.

It helps that Campbell doesn't mind keeping an eye on his baby sister while he reads the Lemony Snicket novels so that I can take care of the other children.

It helps that their father is helping them make a very cool castle out of paper, and that when he is not available they can play Cathedral together, and that when they are tired of Cathedral he tapes together an entire room-full of newspaper so that they can color in castles, knights and dragons.

And it helps that at the end of the day they all (for the most part) go to sleep nicely. And that I am left with a moment of peace, rocking Gypsy in the soft glow of the Christmas lights.

2008-12-13T11:10:00.004-07:00

This is the hutch I picked up off the Freecycle list last month.

I wish I had taken a picture of it all put together before I took everything apart and started working on it because it was so truly horrid! The person I got this from must have had it in their kitchen for a very long time because the whole thing was sticky and entirely covered in grease. There was dirt and all sorts of things stuck to that. I ended up taking almost the entire thing to pieces and scrubbing it all.

This is the bottom painted but not assembled. Some of the fiberboard backing couldn't be salvaged so I had to cut that off completely.

Now that it is finished I wish I had done a more careful job with it because I actually like the way it looks and don't mind having it in my house. I wasn't very careful when I put it together and think I may have actually glued some of the pieces together crookedly. I also should have painted it with a gloss but didn't want to spend the money so found some eggshell in the back of one of our closets leftover from the previous homeowners. I also replaced the knobs with some white ceramic ones from Target. That oyster color is actually kind of nice and I am thinking about matching it this summer when I paint our Living Room.

It is not very sturdy and probably won't last too terribly long in our crazy house, but for now it looks kind of pretty and is doing a great job displaying my favorite cookbooks- and hiding the kid's messy schoolbooks behind those bottom doors!

A baby is born

2008-11-15T14:17:00.004-07:00

Gypsy Jane
Nov. 5, 2008 @ 4:55 pm
5 lbs 8 oz & 17 1/2"

It rains here

2008-09-09T08:48:00.004-06:00

As a kid in Memphis I remember days and days of light rains. At the end of almost every summer day the clouds would roll in and gently cover our hot city in cool water- causing mist to rise from off the streets. My dog and I would go walking and I would enjoy the sound of water dripping off the trees and the feeling of raindrops running down my cheeks.

Where I live now the rains are not as friendly. We have no rain at all most of the time with a couple weeks of thundering downpours during the summer and then everything is dry again. The other day though, we had a Memphis rain. My kids and I congregated in the carport to listen to the water dripping and hear the birds singing through it. Towards the end Pepper and I went puddle splashing. It was fun to watch her twirl, splash and run in the water. We watched the water pouring into the storm drain and made up songs about it dripping off trees.

The next day everything was dry again but the plants in our garden had magically grown bigger, greener and happier. We felt happier too.

2008-09-07T21:30:00.006-06:00

well it only took me a year, but i've finally finished pepper's haiku sweater. i am so glad that i decided to knit this a size too big and then messed up my gauge, which made the sweater much longer than planned, because it definitely took me a lot longer to knit than i had expected.

either way, it is finally done and just in the nick of time for cool weather. i wove in the ends before church and so she has been wearing it all around looking very cute today. the yarn is debbie bliss cashmerino which knit up so beautifully and has such a nice drape that i am already planning what to make out of it next.

this was only my second project from a pattern so in all i am very happy!

Best Summertime Desserts #2

2008-08-22T14:13:00.004-06:00

Fruity Jigglers

Pour 1/2 cup of your favorite fruit nectar into a small bowl.
Add a packet of unflavored gelatin.
Bring an additional cup of the juice to boiling in a small pan.
Mix the hot juice in with your fruity gelatin mixture and whisk together.
Pour into an oiled baking pan or tray and refrigerate a couple hours.
You know it's done when it sets up and is all jiggly.
Wash your kids hands, give them some cookie cutters and then let them go to town.

2008-08-17T09:33:00.009-06:00

Just getting to my last trimester and Baby #4 has been causing quite a bit of mischief lately. I have been finding myself in the kitchen more often than usual- baking bread for the family or testing out new recipes to work off some excess stress.

After recently discovering 101cookbooks.com I now have new fodder for my culinary obsession. Old Fashioned Tapioca speckled with vanilla bean, Zucchini Bread with poppy seeds, crystallized ginger and curry powder or cardamom-spiked Blackberry Limeade..yummm!

It doesn't help that Chris bought 6 lbs of the most delicious organic blueberries for dirt cheap at Whole Foods the other day, which gives me the perfect excuse to make chocolate ganache.. or that Gourmet Magazine just published a mouthwatering cheesecake recipe with minted blackberries.

So you may be seeing more pictures of food than children on this blog for a little while- or just more pictures of children eating food- because heaven knows, if I can bake it they surely will eat it!

Best Summertime Desserts #1

2008-08-09T18:04:00.008-06:00

Have you ever noticed that only red sprinkles melt on your skin?

Frozen Banana Pops

Stab banana halves with a popsicle stick
Freeze on parchment paper for 15 minutes
Melt semi-sweet chocolate chips together with a little oil and dip banana pops in.
Cover with rainbow sprinkles, chopped nuts, oameal or whatever else catches your fancy
Freeze at least more 30 minutes- or up to a couple days.
Serve cold, of course.

2008-08-07T20:19:00.005-06:00

This is Bird.
He likes to chew my favorite shoes and dig holes in the garden.

2008-08-05T08:39:00.003-06:00

Things to do with a bagel

sneak up on it

threaten it

enjoy it

2008-08-03T18:13:00.008-06:00

For a while now I have been toying with the ideas of functionality vs. commercialism, and of how we can live the simplest lifestyle possible in an urban environment. I feel like so much of what I am programmed to want for my family is wasteful and unnecessary. Not just the big house, nice cars and proper furniture- but even pet ownership and a grassy green lawn.

So this month I am asking myself:
How simply can we live in the city? How do we properly balance function and beauty? And how do I make healthful choices for my family while still finding time for myself?

Weekend Projects

2008-06-30T20:23:00.005-06:00

Family weekends are our opportunity to get a little extra done around here, and seems as though we are always working on one thing or another. Sometimes our projects are planned ahead and sometimes we just fly by the seat of our pants. I thought it would be kind of fun to use my Monday post to talk about our project from the weekend before..kind of as a Weekend Idea Gallery.

Hope you enjoy.
-Sarah

Weekend Projects
Idea #1: Dispatch a Chicken

Yup. You read that right.
We hadn't planned on eating this gorgeous egg layer but after an unfortunate run-in with Bird (our dog) it seemed like the humane thing to do.

Here is our victim:

Here is the man of the house.
Looking smart and handsome before starting his dirty work.

Here are his helpers.

Cam actually assisted with the hanging and plucking. Izey was in charge of telling our dog off for 'hurting the best and most favorite chicken in the whole world, when there will never be one as wonderful as her ever again.' Bird seemed duly chastised and has not gone near the chicken cage since.

We will skip the dirty work and go straight to dinnertime reactions over eating a precious pet.

So far so good...

Getting better...

Wow! So tasty that in his haste to devour a juicy leg he skipped the veggies and went straight to forgetting his table manners!

Well the natives have spoken and the hen lived a life well spent. Providing us with hours of entertainment, delicious eggs and finally- a tasty meal.

And as an aside, did you know hens don't naturally have *that much* meat on them after all? And that they are actually a much darker meat with a rich, slightly nutty flavor? Storebought meat now seems very unnatural. So now starting with that meal, except for when we can eat own home raised meat, we are officially vegetarians.

Anyone know where we can get some rabbits?

The End.

Why I Love Summer

2008-06-25T08:58:00.005-06:00

Reason #4
Fruit at every meal.

Why I Love Summer

2008-06-19T08:55:00.000-06:00

Reason #3
Puddles of mud.
for cooling off at the end of a hot day

Why I Love Summer

2008-06-18T13:52:00.000-06:00

Reason #2
Fresh flowers.

Why I Love Summer

2008-06-17T13:45:00.003-06:00

Reason #1
Family picnics.

2008-06-16T20:07:00.006-06:00

life has been giving me a bruising lately to be sure! fortunately i am not sure that my family has suffered quite as much as this blog has, but i have fought tooth and nail for balance, positive energy and inspiration in my life recently.

my dear husband has picked up a lot of slack as i spent months in the throes of extended morning sickness, only climbing out of bed to hug the kids or crawl to work. he attacked homeschooling, gardening, cleaning and cooking with a vengeance, enforcing strict schedules and discipline upon the children, pets and myself. it may not be my own personal style, but by golly it worked for him, and i even have to admit that my children seem happier and more settled after a few months in his active and project oriented company.

it has been a pleasure to pull my computer up to my pillow in the mornings and spend some time in the company of my favorite bloggers and thanks to them now that i am returning to normal, with my stomach settled and my belly already rounding out, i feel full of enough new ideas and inspiration.

a lot has changed since i last looked around. the fridge needs a good sorting out, my room is piled high with clothes that need folding, my kids have grown bigger and smarter, our apricot tree is full of fruit this year and our little garden is lush and green. i will be happy to roll up my sleeves and be on my feet again!

2008-03-07T19:39:00.003-07:00

After an unexpected and welcome group of sunny days last week, signs of spring have started popping up everywhere. Tulips showed up at the local florist...

Snow and ice began melting off our roof, leaving Pepper completely enthralled by the streams of water which flow into our herb barrels and the boys busy for hours stomping and digging in the slushy muddy lawn...

Regular calls from the hen house announced fresh eggs in need of collection...

The garden catalogs are arriving, full of pictures of lush gardens overflowing with flowers and fruit. Despite my efforts to be realistic about our limited gardening possiblities here in the high desert, I can't help but feel optimistic that this year will work better than last, and that despite all the odds; the dry weather, the burning sun and the ever persistent groundhogs, this year's garden will flourish and produce more abundantly than ever.

2008-01-24T23:50:00.001-07:00

Izey believes in always having a fashionable breakfast.

2008-01-23T18:34:00.001-07:00

If a woman's desire to nurture really is something that must be learned, rather than a natural instinct for her sex, maybe Pepper is fortunate to be learning so early.

2008-01-22T09:24:00.000-07:00

It is amazing how much order happens just through the thinking of it all. When I make a concentrated effort to bring peace and harmony to our days the children respond. It is also amazing how easily (and how often) that little lesson is lost on me in the daily shift of our lives.

2008-01-21T11:05:00.000-07:00

This year I am resolved to finding balance. Balance between work and play, between sweet and sour, between noise and quiet...

Along those lines I'll be browsing my favorite sites for some winter crafting with kids inspiration and simple posts every day this week to push myself back into blogging .

2007-11-19T08:21:00.000-07:00

Snow has been forecast for Thanksgiving here. It snowed once already last month. Somewhat strange for Mid-October but welcome nonetheless given the dry weather we've had. I have ordered wool felt, beeswax, cotton wick, spices in bulk, some good Virginia wine and various other necessities in preparation for holiday crafting.

I am ready to begin.

The wind is strong. It steals our breath and makes our eyes water; but we are bundled and cozy, with new sweaters for all, sent with love from Nana in Australia.

2007-11-16T20:33:00.000-07:00

She is walking! Who ever said she could do that?

Pepper didn't start walking like the boys did. With them it was a careful balancing and wobbling in the air with arms outstretched before the tentative step and tumble to the ground, followed by them getting straight up and trying again.

I saw Pepper waiting and calculating for days. She would stand and play but never attempt a step and then, when she was ready, she stood up and walked across the room.

Across the room! Just like that.

I made a big deal of course. It was a combination for me of a happily overflowing heart and this profound sadness that my baby was growing up and there was nothing I could do about it.

So pleased was she with the fuss I made that she quickly stood up again, grinning from here to there; and walked forwards, backwards,sideways and finally burst out laughing so hysterically that she fell to the ground giggling wildly.

Then I fell down beside her and we both laughed together.

2007-09-04T23:03:00.001-06:00

These long lazy days of summer are slowly giving way. Being replaced instead by cool evenings, crisp fruits and a steady movement towards the home.

Labor day was marked by activity as we pulled up the remainder of our summer vegetables, painted Pepper's closet and cleaned the cobwebs from the joints of our many windows which have remained open all summer long.

The children followed us around as we went about our tasks, Campbell keeping up a constant flow of conversation as the little ones offered regular amusement.

Isaac, looking ragamuffin as usual, caught a chicken.

And our normally prim and proper little girl spent well over an hour in the mud under our apricot tree, squishing handfuls between her fingers and lecturing any bug that happened to wander nearby. By the time she was finished her little pink outfit was covered in mud and she looked like Miss Piggy.

There was a time not that long ago when I never could have imagined a weekend spent in such a quiet and satisfying manner. But I reckon that even as the warmth of home calls us indoors when the outside world turns cool and dark, so my heart has been pulled home by the love and warmth which flows so freely from this dear family.

2007-08-23T22:12:00.000-06:00

Sweet Pepper is mobile now, and getting around at a pace much faster than I feel capable of keeping up with.

It started about a month ago with her putting her two hands forward and rocking, then she started scooting her butt and now she is everywhere and in everything! She is especially fascinated with her big brother Isaac and follows him all over our house.

Even though he acts grumpy towards her I think that he inwardly enjoys the adoration of someone smaller than himself, and spends countless hours shouting orders at her and bossing her around. She is never dismayed by this, but instead hands him toys in exchange for his stomping and beautiful smiles to melt even his fiercest frowns.

Despite the extra mess and constant worry it is nice to have her moving herself around behind the boys. It seems like she needs me a little less these days; they all do, and though it is a bit of a relief I still feel some sadness at how quickly they grow. I often sit beside my three little ones, close but not too involved, and watch them playing so nicely together. It is my sincere desire that as they each grow in their own way that their growing will be like their playing, together; and that by the time they reach adulthood they will be mature individuals who share the closest of bonds. That bond of Family.

2007-08-20T22:46:00.000-06:00

Well about two months ago Chris counted the number of tomatoes ripening on our four plants. He counted about twenty-eight overall. We were so excited! Especially since most of the other plants weren't doing that well. Peas were ok I guess, strawberries were pretty happy, but everything else either got chomped on by wild animals or scorched in this crazy New Mexican sun. I quickly made all sorts of plans and pulled out my favorite recipe for genuine homemade tomato sauce which called for massive amounts of the fruit and which I planned to can and store away for winter.

We waited and we waited, but long after the other vegetables were ripened and gone those tomatoes remained shiny green and stubbornly attached to their hosts. People told us all sorts of things about the trouble with growing tomatoes here:

You need water walls around them.
Put shade cloth over them.
It's too hot here during the day.
It's too cold here at night.
They will grow but never ripen...

Just as we thought all hope was lost, a tomato in the front started turning orange. Very quickly all its relatives began to follow suit, so that in the past two days we've harvested ten Romas and there are still at least twenty more on our four bushes!!!

And so now, my friends, even Pepper and the boys enjoy eating their freshly sun-ripened tomatoes; and this truly gives our story a very happy ending.

2007-08-17T15:52:00.001-06:00

The adorable little onesie that I have been eagerly looking forward to from Jen has finally arrived!!! I was so excited to get it in the mail, and it looked so cute as though it just had to be worn *now!* that I promptly went in to wake Pepper up so that I could take pictures of her in it.

Chris stopped me of course, he is ever so practical you know, but while I wait for her to wake up I have smoothed it over my front, danced around the house showing it to everyone in the household and now I want to show it to you.

Hmm I wonder if this comes in a larger size?

Oh dear, now not only am I a total blogging slacker, I'm also a onesie-wearing picture-taking freak show, and you are all witnesses to this very strange phenomenon.

On the upside, Jen's store reopens on Wednesday so if you are coveting my goods there will be plenty available over there next week.

2007-08-08T22:14:00.000-06:00

Chris and the boys helped with baking our weekly loaves last night.
I don't know what they did differently this time around but later that night when the timer went off I opened the oven door and this is what I found.

The bread actually rose so much it was almost touching the roof of the oven and the loaves were lopsided and stuck to each other. Do you also think they look as if they are kissing one another? To be honest I felt almost guilty walking in on them!

Since starting my job I have just felt so uninspired at home. Even though it is part time I feel as though my brain is constantly there. I keep hoping that surely balance will come again soon. And so the little times like these become even more precious, when something unexpected happens which brings my heart once more back home, the place where it loves to be most of all.

2007-07-30T22:40:00.000-06:00

Oh dear readers,
I am so sorry to have ditched you like this, without even an explanation as to where I had gone or what I'd be doing. The truth is that I thought I would have time to post a little "going away" message before leaving for a friend's wedding in Memphis but carefully laid plans quickly gave way to chaos as I readied myself for the trip.

Memphis is home to lots of amazing antique malls. It is quite impossible to do any shopping without rescuing at least a vintage hat or two...

Now I am back home and life has taken an unexpected turn. A non-profit organization that I have been volunteering at has asked me to fill a part- time position they had available. Now, you must understand that I thought I would never have to work again and I am even ashamed to admit that I have at times felt somewhat snobbish towards mothers who could stay home but choose to work instead. But this org. provides a service which I am passionate about and if they need me how can I say no?

And so now after being a wife and a mother, in between gardening and homeschooling, and right before crafting and canning; I will be working part-time.

By the way, this is the picture I promised two weeks ago. Jars and jars of Plum Jam, Stewed Plums and Apricot Jam. Oh dear, surely I will still have time to can all the Apple Butter and Apple Sauce which is coming up next? We shall see...

2007-07-16T23:24:00.000-06:00

One priceless porcelain washbowl, over 107 years old and seven generations in our family, destroyed in under five seconds by a single curious youngster. So sad.

After last week's frustrating pace, broken computer and testy tempers everyone was relieved that today was both pleasant and only slightly busy. Once the children were in bed I set to work bustling around the kitchen. Projects are usually best done at night here and this quiet evening peace is wonderful after a full day, it gives me a moment to wind down, relax and prepare for the following days activities.

It is late now, but perhaps tomorrow I will show you the fruit of my labors.

2007-07-15T14:09:00.000-06:00

During the night a mysterious animal got through the fence and chomped our grape vine down to a stump. It also nibbled the pumpkin leaves and sampled our pepper plants. It left no tracks or scratches in the soft dirt surrounding our garden but I did find what appears to be a single long black horse hair. Does that make any sense? I thought not.

Oh the upside, even though fruit from our Apricot Tree in the back yard was pretty much wiped out by a double frost earlier this year, we have collected 3 lbs of Apricots from our small tree out front and there is still plenty left. Hmm it must be Apricot Jam time!

2007-07-09T22:27:00.001-06:00

I have come to seriously believe that grasshoppers were created solely for the amusement of little boys.

And could catching one and observing it all day long possibly count as school? Science, perhaps?
Either way, these little critters are something worth loving. They put up with all sorts of creative play and maybe not-so-tender abuse and at the end of a long day are usually let loose in an unfamiliar part of the yard, exhausted and battered.
Yet still, they keep coming back for more!

2007-07-09T21:49:00.000-06:00

You would think that by the time I got around to weaning Baby #3 making homemade baby food would have finally lost some of its appeal. Not so!! Every time a new child comes along I start blending up those organic steamed carrots, peas and beets and never cease to be so amazed by their vibrant colors and lovely aromas.

Making baby food is so fast, fun and inexpensive that I cannot encourage enough moms to try it out. There are loads of resources on the internet to help you out and you don't need much equipment. About twice a week I make Pepper her food. Some fruits for breakfast and veggies for lunch and dinner, along with oatmeal and rice.

When Isaac was a baby I bought The Petite Appetit Cookbook - Easy, Organic Recipes to Nurture Your Baby and Toddler by Lisa Barnes and it has remained a steadfast kitchen companion, even when I am looking for some snacks to cook up for my older ones.

Pepper always dives into her fresh food with such gusto. I feel good knowing exactly what is in it, that it is the freshest possible and made with much love.

2007-07-02T20:34:00.000-06:00

It is the heat of summer here, and everything around us is arid and sparse. On our walk the dirt crunched beneath our feet. I felt like some sort of Pioneer Woman, braving her way through the southwestern frontier.

We explored a sandy mound with huge boulders gracing the top, we admired many twisted and withered trees, and Isaac found treasure.

I love the way he finds wonder and excitement in even the simplest things, and I hope that he never loses his enthusiasm for the life around him. Currently when he is not collecting rocks, weeds and sticks his creativity is finding outlet through dressing himself with a mesclun mix of varying styles all thrown into one very creative outfit. On the menu today; large sunhat, oversized bib, plaid dress shirt, camo pants and slippers.

Finally at the end of a trying day, peace. Quiet and gentle, it envelopes us and prepares us for the road ahead.

2007-06-30T20:21:00.000-06:00

This is the final picture in my set of Anniversary posts and even though it has been fun sharing all this with you I'm very ready now to draw back in and start writing about home and my darling babes again.

It was a tough call deciding the best picture to post as my last, but in the end this one beat out, amongst others, the flamenco dancers in the square and the delicious gourmet food we gorged ouselves upon. Can you believe I actually stopped my husband with his fork poised in mid-air just so that I could take a picture for my blog before he got a bite??? No, he wasn't very happy about it and shifted quite impatiently in his chair while I adjusted my settings and experimented with appropriate angles.

Out in front of a genuine one hundred percent Indian owned Trading Post was this man, delighting passerby as he performed a very lively dance to drum beats and chants projected over a large boom box. Frequently an excited holler or whoop would pierce the air, but for the main part he stomped his feet, leapt in the air and brandished a stick which was decorated on top with a large bird skull, all in the scorching >90 degree heat. Quite brave, if you ask me.

Now my boys would like a costume like this and althought I've got the face paints covered I don't know where on earth I could find that much leather, bone and feathers. Any suggestions?

2007-06-28T20:56:00.000-06:00

The Rio Grande Botanic Garden in Albuquerque has a 10 acre working farm complete with plow horses, apple orchards and the most amazing strawberry patch I've ever seen. Chris and I ~~toured~~ devoured the farm during our weekend and it left quite an impression. Since then I admit I've been somewhat distracted. Added among my current stack of reading material is now Barnyard in your Backyard by Gail Damerow and most browsed site of the week would have to be Farmgirl Fare and her accompanying blog Writings from Windridge.

Although I am quite content with the home we have here it has always been my desire to live on a slightly larger piece of property with room to explore the outdoors and space for some proper farm animals. Over the past couple years my husband has also begun to share this dream. Do you also find life becomes so much easier when you and your partner both can work together towards achieving mutual goals?

2007-06-27T21:47:00.001-06:00

Since I first began blogging I had been posting three times a week. But this week I've commited to posting every day, and it's kind of strange, this new quiet little end-to-the-day-ritual of a glass of wine and time spent browsing some of my favorite spots.

In Old Town Albuquerque there is a little cobblestone side street. The ancient shops which line its path decorate their doors with chimes and brilliant banners. We walked down this street many times during our weekend and every time I couldn't help but pause and admire this.

What a cute knobbly little stump this is!! I wonder how old it is and how it managed to be twisted into such an odd shape. This is located directly outside a small photo gallery and I can't help imagining that one of the local artists saw it while visiting the gallery, recognized it's potential and added the horns and eyes. Either way it must definitely be
the niftiest bull ever.

2007-06-26T21:54:00.000-06:00

Water in the middle of desert is not something to be ignored.
And so Chris and I made our way out to Tingley Beach a group of 5 man-made lakes all set in a nice neat row, one right after the other. It certainly is a far cry from the clear blue tree lined lakes that I have been used to back East, but still there is a certain irresistable peace that comes from sitting by a body of water hearing voices echo across and the gentle breeze that makes it's way nearby. Whether walking along Putnam Pond nestled in the heart of the Adirondack Mountains or sitting by these well organized muddy lakes, I always seem to be making memories along the edges.

And by the way has anybody ever seen a Live Bait vending machine???
I had never heard of these things before this weekend. Quite amazing, actually, in a strange sort of way.

2007-06-25T23:47:00.001-06:00

The past couple days as Chris and I celebrated Year Six were refreshing on so many levels.
I will be posting a highlight from our trip and some thoughts every day this week.

First off, the place we stayed.

This little Bed & Breakfast is in the heart of Old Town. Because I tend to be a bit of a B&B snob, having been fortunate enough to stay in a number of excellent spots over the past couple years, I was a little disappointed that it was on a very busy street, and it seemed the house had been poorly refurbished with little detail to authenticity or comfort. However, it was in a very convenient location and provided the perfect springboard for exploring the local flavor of historic Albuquerque.

"Guests of the Bottger Mansion are welcome to park here. Others are welcome to park somewhere else."

And does anybody else find this sign just a little amusing? Maybe it is the wording, that sweet southern charm.

2007-06-21T18:24:00.000-06:00

If there is one thing that has really captured Isaac's interest while his grandfather is here it is the carpentry.

My father is a skilled woodworker and he has wasted no time in getting the children involved with his projects. Currently they are building a chicken coop. But when grampy is busy doing other things there is still plenty to be done. Isaac gathers up the wood scraps, the sawdust, the nails and his hammer and spends ages pounding, sifting and sorting.

Chris and I are going out of town for our anniversary tomorrow. Hopefully we will be able to spend some couple time. Not that we need a break from our little darlings so much as we just need quiet time with each other! We'll be staying at what I think may very well be the only Victorian in the entire state of New Mexico. Although I am seriously looking forward to a little quiet and relaxation with him it is starting to look like Pepper may be tagging along after all. She is nine months old and still refuses pretty much everything but the breast.

However, we will see about that tomorrow. Until then, I'll keep planning our wonderful and romantic child-free weekend.

2007-06-20T22:24:00.000-06:00

In the mail this week, a sunny package to cheer up a dear friend.

My parents are here visiting us from Virginia for a while, which is why I didn't post at all last week. It is so nice to have them nearby again and my Mom has been hard at work cutting, sewing and brainstorming in an effort to squeeze plenty of projects in for the kids during her stay. If she had her way they would be stocked up with completely new wardrobes, fresh curtains upon the windows and quilts for all.

The kids, of course, have entirely different plans and are constantly chasing parents and grandparents alike with pleas of "Can you play cars with us? Can you read books to us? Can we all play together under the sprinklers?"

Why yes, of course we can! Because that is what time with Grandparents is for.

2007-06-08T21:26:00.001-06:00

It has finally arrived!!! After weeks of slobbering, biting and fussing Pepper's first tooth is actually here and we are all very relieved.
Oh my, they really do grow so fast... she has already started on number two!

2007-06-07T16:31:00.000-06:00

Since today is the final day of Low Impact Week I thought I'd post our biggest recent lifestyle change. Something that I have always wanted was to have my very own free range chickens. Finally this week we took the plunge and bought 8 little Araucana chicks. They should start laying blue and green eggs sometime around late September and I am so excited! Chez Pim blogged back in January about fresh local eggs and the hens that laid them. She has some gorgeous pictures of her diverse dozen that inspired me to look for this particular breed.

They are very cute and cuddly. I find myself escaping outside to their pen during the day for little moments of peace and relaxation. I sit on the grass and watch them scamper and scratch. I lay on my back and stare at the tree above me as they peep near my head. I think about going out there while I am changing diapers and washing dishes.

These hens should provide us with delicious nutrient rich fresh eggs for most of the next 2-3 years.
After that they can go in the pot and provide us with good food there.
They will make excellent natural pest control in the yard and garden.
They will leave nitrogen rich droppings that can be composted and turned into wonderful dark soil which will go back into the garden, make my plants healthy and attract more bugs for them to eat! It really is a wonderful cycle.
They will also provide hours of entertainment for my homeschooled children and teach them many useful lessons about responsibility, natural sciences and an appreciation for where our food comes from.

2007-06-05T23:01:00.001-06:00

As I was thinking this weekend about Low Impact Week and what it means to my family, and myself in particular, I began mentally listing changes we have made over the past couple years to reduce our footprint on the environment.
Here are some practical things we have integrated into our lifestyle. Some of them are big (like choosing a home near the places we frequent in order to be able to ride our bike or walk), some are small. But I think that each choice serves to streamline our vision and clarify our thinking, so that in each decision whether large or small, we are more conscious of the bigger picture around us.

Currently we are:

Composting
Recycling
Using cloth diapers & wipes
Buying biodegradable detergents & cleaners.
Gardening.
Push lawnmower instead of gas driven.
Eating organic/local produce whenever possible.
We make all meals from scratch (not pre-packaged or prepared)
Turn off lights we aren't using.
Only buy what we *need*
No battery operated toys.
Use rechargeable batteries only.
Replacing appliances and bulbs with low energy ones, when needed.
Riding our bike or walking instead of using the car (this includes grocery shopping)
Wearing only natural fibers.
Using cotton bags when shopping.
Not buying garbage bags but instead re-using plastic shopping bags for trash.
Keeping heater as cool as possible in the winter (wearing sweaters when necessary)
No Air Conditioning.
Running a small wholesale natural products co-op to encourage other people in the green lifestyle as well.

I encourage you to evaluate your own lifestyle and see where you can make changes. We live in town on 1/5 of an acre, and yet we find space to garden and do other things that are important to us. You don't need 40 acres to live well. Crunchy Chicken has listed many areas where changes can be made and awareness increased. Good luck!!!

2007-06-01T18:58:00.000-06:00

Can you see it? That future juicy sweet plump golden apricot right up there in the left corner?
What you are looking at is the very first of what I am hoping will be a bountiful crop. We did have a couple pretty hard frosts late in the season this year, but after waiting all that time, with only the expectation of, come spring, being able to sink our teeth into delicious fresh fruit to get us through ... you can see the type of pressure that poor tree is under to perform nicely.
And if only you could see our little strawberry patch, green and brimming with blooms, your mouth would surely water.
This is what I love; the expectations and excitement, the two (or three or four) daily walks out to the apricot tree to count how many little green balls we can find hiding amongst the green, green leaves. Watching them grow and form, and the conversations my children make with me about when they will be ready and how they will taste and what delicious foods we can dream up to put them in.

Today marks the beginning of Low Impact Week, bravely organized by Crunchy Chicken . I'll be sharing on Monday what we personally have done to lessen our impact on the environment.
Have a wonderful weekend!

2007-05-31T23:21:00.002-06:00

I remember when I was a young woman and first learned how to use my eyes to flirt and to beguile.
What a dangerous weapon they quickly became!!
My children are already realizing they can use them to their advantage. The day Chris' mom came to visit us from Australia Isaac was on her lap giving her a rowdy hello. She dipped her head to kiss him just as he tried to headbutt her chest and she ended up receiving a bloody nose! But it was impossible for her to be angry at him, he just appeared so cute and innocent.
And really, who can resist a set of those baby blues?

2007-05-29T14:17:00.000-06:00

Aside from the obvious beauty of these darling handmade linens, they are precious to me simply because of the shear amount of work that I know must have gone into them. Most of these were recently rescued from a local thrift shop. After my initial shock that someone would actually even send them there I snatched them up and squirreled them away.
It wasn't until after they were safely home and had been handwashed, starched, pressed and folded that I began to wonder what I was actually going to do with them. It seemed like such a shame to tuck them away in my closet where they wouldn't be displayed.
Gradually they have found homes in my nooks and crannies. One tucked in a little basket on Pepper's dresser, a few decorating the top of our commode, memories of a time when needlecraft was precious and women took pride in their handwork.

As I sit down at my own hoop this morning to begin the day's stitches I contemplate the work of women who came before me and can't help but wonder if one day my projects will also fall through the cracks and be forever lost and forgotten, or if like my thrift store linens they too will be found (and rescued!) by a stranger who sees a value greater than simply having something new.

2007-05-25T22:01:00.000-06:00

Our first picnic of the year was spent with friends.

Not much eating was done, but there was plenty of laughter to go around and lots of model rocket launches as well.

Pepper thought it was exciting that she had a friend to play with, and the two girls spent lots of time staring at each other, as babies often do. Isaac wore his slippers and stuck his feet into the photo just in time. He really is a bit of a rascal at times.

Next week I'll be following Amanda's lead and doing a "What I Love" set.
Until then enjoy your holiday!

2007-05-23T21:12:00.000-06:00

My bed used to be situated so that at night I could look right out the window. From there I spent many a sleepless night staring above the trees which whispered gently in the evening breeze at the stars as they twisted and turned, at the silvery clouds wandering past, and at the moon as it ambled slowly along it's track.

Sadly, my bed has now been moved to make way for furniture and other such practicalities, and I often lie in bed staring at the blank white ceiling wishing I was in Pepper's crib.

This is what she has to stare at, a jumble of silken fairies fluttering above her head, dancing in the occasional breeze that makes it's way through her open window on a warm night. Twisting and turning; and, I like to imagine, maybe sprinkling her with a dust that brings good will, like Tinkerbell sending her on wild adventures full of mystery and adventure.

If you could gaze at anything as you drifted off at night what would it be?

2007-05-21T09:54:00.000-06:00

Lately my mind has been racing with new ideas.
Start a blog
Create things for Etsy
Work in the garden!!!
So many ideas swirling in my head, I think it must be spring.

Do you also feel refreshed and ready for new things once the snow is gone and the grass is green?

Does the glimpse of a beautiful fabric also send your wheels turning?

And so finally I have heeded the call and along with the many projects I am currenly working on I started these, soon for sale.
Today I am crafting and cleaning and playing and writing with my children by my side.
Oh what a beautiful day!