miss wrangler and the koalas

* sweet and simple homemade ornaments *

2011-12-24T10:49:00.000-08:00

snow day fun!

2011-12-19T21:02:00.000-08:00

Snow Paintings!

What you need:
-food coloring/water
-empty dish soap/shampoo bottles
-fresh snow canvas to work some colorful magic upon

Cheap, easy, and terribly fun.

um ..no... Of course he's not pretending to pee! What do you think he is, a 4 year old ?

Happy Solstice!

holiday babies

2011-12-19T20:38:00.000-08:00

So we threw together a spur of the moment photo shoot with baby cousin, Althea.. and i must say some of these shots turned out pretty darn cute. How could they not though, seriously...

Children of a Revolution

2011-10-21T19:51:00.000-07:00

T-Rex won't stop playing in my head.

Here at the Koala house, we are finding the Occupy movement an exciting and beautiful thing to witness and take part in. On Friday, I got to take Serge down to the capital where the "tent city" had been recently demolished (the first time) and some people still remained, strong, even after a long night, arrests of fellow occupiers and torment by police officers.
We joined them for a bit.
Of course I am not going to worry Sergei with gorey details, but I explained what was happening as: when we want to change something we feel is important in our world, gathering together helps to make our voices heard. He seemed happy with this explanation, and wanted to hold a sign with another little girl there. He saw that the cars were honking and cheering at him- at us, and he felt the energy.

Then on Saturday there was a march, and I went down to join and wore Finch in the carrier.
Incredible, the thousands of people from various walks of life marching together, demanding that their voices be heard, that things need to change. Many, many things need to change.

I think this is a decent summary of the movement:

Below are some photos from the march. Not much, as i was wearing finch on my chest and his little grabby mcgrabbers wouldn't leave the camera strap and lens alone (as usual)
This march was unfortunately followed by more arrests and bullying by the police force. Sorry, but it's true.

(finch takes a nursie break)

We will be attending this concert tomorrow and if you are local, maybe I'll see you there???

Gotta say it woulda been nice to be there to sing with Jeff Mangum in Liberty Park earlier this month...

geeeeez....!

On a side note: if you have not closed your bank account and moved your money to a credit union or stuffed it under your mattress, now's prolly a good time to do that.

done, and done. now onto that hat...

2011-10-15T10:36:00.001-07:00

Late night sewing escapades = badly lit photos(sorry)

I'm waiting on the hem for serge's fleecies, since I realized the pants I have always used as a template are highwaters these days...

And Finchy's hippie play pants. Foldable cuffs leave plenty of room for my suprisingly long and lean lil' fella(opposite of his bro) to grow.

alley scores of the week.

2011-10-13T23:08:00.000-07:00

*A stack of amazing magazinses for kid/ mama art.

* Also a neat stack of black and white photos...

*4 bamboo drawers, very useful for sorting/ storing mail and bills. Im thinking they'll live on the fridge where that pile resides right now...

*My favorite. Super light metal chest. Hope this guys ready for little mod podge decoupage action...

And... found nail polish o super sale.. Ooooooooo Weeeeeeeee!

Let the fun begin...

2011-10-11T23:17:00.000-07:00

So, it's true. I don't get out much. And that's ok. I don't drive, and my bike has a flat and has for longer than a month... (Now that I think about it, I have to fix that problem before friday..)
Anyway, my life is packed jam full of a lot of stroller walks (to and from Serge's school, the library, coffee shop and grocery store) and then the rest of my days are usually spent, cleaning, feeding little people, and keeping those same tiny humans busy outside and inside of my house.
My house.
I spend a lot of time here .
But...I must admit (and at times remind myself), this is what I want my days to look like at this point in time in my life and the evolution of my family. My kids are young and I want to be with them. I have the rest of my life to go back to school and work, hang out with adults and tie up loose ends and such. For now, I am mama. And the rest of my life is just going to have to wait a bit..
That being said, I have nothing but the utmost respect for all of the mamas that ARE doing it while their kids are young. Working hard to find great care, and persevering to make the best life for them and their little ones. All situations are different and I know I am very lucky (though broke as all get out ;) to be able to stay home. To have a house where I am able to watch other children, in a location where I won't go crazy from isolation, it is an ideal scenario for this.

So, I never get out is what I was saying, and a sweet lady friend of mine grabbed me up for a fabric store run the other day. A real treat. I know it sounds crazy, but Ikea one day,and Joann fabrics the next? I was seriously excited, friends.
So I got some sale fleece for soaker (diaper cover) and jammie makin'

(camping was only $3 a yard! )

some Joann sensations angel hair yarn to make my little Finchy a hat. This hat i think.
But possibly without the earflaps...

and some super fresh mushroom fabric I've had in my sights for a while. Play pants? Another throw pillow for sergei's bed? I think it would make good pockets too! Or kitchen curtains or an accent on an apron.
What do you think?

saturday night IKEA trip.

2011-10-09T21:46:00.000-07:00

Holy. Cow.
Delicious eye furni-candy, frosted with strangely low prices...
Until now, my home has been furnished by thrift, craigslist and alley scores but, i dont know, i'm feeling bit twitterpated, i must admit.

Just in time for my complete house cleanse, inspired by Simplicity Parenting , and carried out with help from a book called Organized Simplicity..
Seems to be a theme here, eh?
Haha! Carried out, I suppose that would imply that i am finished with this purge, well not quite. but I have done enough to justify (to myself) a bit of ikea finishing touch on a sweet, newly organized space, Sergei's bedroom. He's sleeping in there now, so I cant take a pic, but lets just say, I got rid of 3 large garbage bags stuffed to the brim with toys, baby blankets, dress up excess, etc... And sold a large amount of Vintage golden books in order make ikea fundage a lot less painful. In fact, it didn't hurt a bit. Unless you count the heartache i felt when i had to leave because they were closing.
I'll snap some shots tomorrow, for now i share what i splurged on.

For his bed:

For his brain:

For his floor:

Sergei's room is the coldest in the house in the winter, so I think with this and the help of a space heater we'll be golden.
and...

I got them matching giant and tiny carrot softies. How was i supposed to resist? seriously.

Not sure why I am feeling the need to share this with the entire world, guess I'm just that excited.

A couple of shout outs. Other blogging mama friends of mine...

2011-10-08T11:30:00.000-07:00

http://delanieholton.wordpress.com/
http://intothedigitalnegative.wordpress.com
http://mamamcgovern.blogspot.com/
Elizabeast Homemaker
Conflicted Premed Mom
Radical Parents
Home from the Hip

Domestic Simplicity

2011-10-08T09:06:00.000-07:00

A super mama blog which I've mentioned before, Domestic Simplicity. Feeling like I should give another shout out, in case any of you haven't checked it out yet.
Written by a long distance friend, and inspirational working mama of 2. Her pictures are absolutely beautiful, and posts are comforting and sweet, as well as inspirational. She makes it look so easy, not sure how she does it.

Mothering the Mother

2011-10-08T08:51:00.000-07:00

This is a project supporting single mamas in Boulder, that a friend of mine is working hard on getting off the ground.
Check out/follow her Blog, post the link on facebook, and/or tell your friends about it. Mothering the Mother: Update...

Really should be more of this stuff going on.

"There's a banana downstairs with your name on it.."

2011-10-02T00:16:00.000-07:00

You wouldn't think I was being literal with this claim to lure Sergei out of bed for school would you?

Well, think again!

Strategic, artistic, and/or personalized banana bruising: the next big thing.

Simple genius like this never ceases to amaze me.

Each banana is like a canvas to me now... Life just got a lot more exciting , folks ;).

(geez, I have got to get out more ...)

Flashback to Flashback Friday!

2011-09-30T23:01:00.000-07:00

I just remembered this old tradition I tried to get going some time ago to break up the week a bit. Flashback Friday! So I looked back to what we did in September of last year, and i found a bunch of neat shots of a super fun day spent at Lakeside Amusement Park

beautious old school amusement park at sunset.

chillin'

the girl up top.

the lady in the back .

dad's loaded.

just me and my giant inflatable bat.

And... guess who else went along...

This just puts in perspective to me how much has changed this year. Hard to wrap my mind around it..Finch was just 4 mos in gestation at this time last year. Wacky how time seems to speed up and slow down all at once when you become a mamaperson.

Our leaf banner.. and some mama made woolies!

2011-09-30T20:48:00.000-07:00

A portion of our afternoon before the party was spent with watercolors and brushes, trying to get the perfect autumn leaf color combo.

Pretty sure we nailed it. Had to get lazy about leaf shape variety unfortunately, as we were running out of time.

A bit of Equinox celebratory decor, and yes.. that IS the last summer sunset reflecting off their gleeful little mugs.
The rest of the party is in a post that keeps crashing, but will be next to post.

In the meantime, feast your eyes on the cuteness that is my matching recycled sweater clad offspring. yes, it is that time of year again.
Time to bust out the stash of thrifted cashmere and wool sweaters for some cozy wonderful upcyling of my favorite type. So. much. fun.

Action shot! That vest was his Daddy's when he was a little boy. Super special...(and just a touch dorky <3)

Seriously though, I can't get enough of this guy.

Finchy wants food! What to feed my baby bird...

2011-09-17T06:53:00.000-07:00

"So,when should I start giving this little guy something other than breast milk?" (I ask, honestly, just out of morbid curiosity to see what they are telling mamas these days...)

And what did my doctor tell me? "Start him on rice cereal at 4 or 5 mos, whenever he seems to show an interest in food." Blech.

Well my friends, I do not have a medical degree, but I have done enough research to know that rice cereal is the absolute wrong thing to give a baby. First, or ever.

There are great posts all over the web including here and here and luckily I had Nourishing Traditions when Serge was a baby so I did have access to information similar to this here. I followed these basic guidelines (listed below), with the exception of being vigilant about soaking oatmeal and nuts, etc... More about phytic acid in grains and legumes here(Need to work on that, I am SO bad at planning ahead...) And only did the liver once i think. Also vowing to try again.

And I must say, Serge has always been an extremely healthy kid. Never an ear infection, allergy, or rash. He rarely gets sick and when he does, is usually one of the first to kick it. Not once has he been to the doctor for anything other than a routine check-up.

Route I have chosen for my boys, as recommended by the Weston A.Price foundation

4-6 Months

Minimal foods, as tolerated by baby
Egg yolk--if tolerated, preferably from pastured chickens, lightly boiled and salted(sea salt)
Banana--mashed, for babies who are very mature and seem hungry
Cod liver oil-- 1/4 teaspoon high vitamin or 1/2 teaspoon regular, given with an eye dropper 6-8 months
Organic liver--grated frozen and added to egg yolk
Pureed meats--lamb, turkey, beef, chicken, liver and fish
Soup broth--(chicken, beef, lamb, fish) added to pureed meats and vegetables, or offered as a drink
Fermented foods--small amounts of yoghurt, kefir, sweet potato, taro, if desired
Raw mashed fruits--banana, melon, mangoes, papaya, avocado
Cooked, pureed fruits--organic apricot, peaches, pears, apples, cherries, berries
Cooked vegetables--zucchini, squash, sweet potato, carrots, beets, with butter or coconut oil 8-12 months
Continue to add variety and increase thickness and lumpiness of the foods already given from 4-8 months
Creamed vegetable soups
Homemade stews--all ingredinets cut small or mashed
Dairy--cottage cheese, mild harder raw cheese, cream, custards
Finger foods--when baby can grab and adequately chew, such as lightly steamed veggie sticks, mild cheese, avocado chunks, pieces of banana
Cod liver oil--increase to 1/2 teaspoon high vitamin or 1 teaspooon regular dose Over 1 Year
Grains and legumes--properly soaked and cooked
Crispy nut butters--see recipes in Nourishing Traditions
Leafy green vegetables--cooked, with butter
Raw salad vegetables--cucumbers, tomatoes, etc.
Citrus fruit--fresh, organic
Whole egg--cooked

I liked this book a lot.
Easy read, solid info.

Nina Planck helps make sense of the whole mess of disinformation and "nutritional" recommendations I've come across since I began this quest to feed my kids right.

Pretty sad how hard it is to find the proper information, aka: the truth about what is going to help your perfect little person thrive and give them the most solid foundation for a healthy (most likely cavity, allergy and auto-immune disease free) life.

Basically, don't feed your babies and children processed garbage. Feed them real food. Make sure they get enough good quality saturated fats, real vitamins and minerals from food (specifically vitamins A and D found in quality cod liver oil are uber important) and plenty of good bacteria in their diet (yogurt, lacto-fermented foods, probiotic supplement, etc..)

2011-09-11T22:45:00.000-07:00

Happy 6 month birthday to my little Buddha. He sits like this often, and i am convinced he is meditating.

Feels like days ago that I was typing up his 3 mos letter of adoration. We are so lucky to have this little person in our lives.

Finchy,
Since the day you were born, people would comment that you are a wise old soul, that you seemed to be thinking much deeper and know more than a newborn baby. Said it seemed you were soul searching with each gaze, and some were even a little creeped out. :)
Those intense blue eyes.

Countless friends, family and strangers commented on your "little man face" Though now your looks are changing, and your face (and physique) is filling out and looking more boyish, your eyes still seem to hold this eerie mysticism...

And now for a bunch of random finch facts:

*You are sweet and mellow and easy on your mama. Thank you.
*You love to watch your older brother play and he loves to read books to you and trys to teach you how to wrestle.

* You always smile at strangers and sometimes give so much love out in public that people stop me and talk to you for long periods of time. Pretty sure they'd take you home with em if i offered.
*You have very busy hands, you love to scratch things. I know you are awake when i hear you scratching the sheets through the baby monitor, no crying, just scritch scratch scritch.

*Your arms flail around and seem to have a mind of their own at times, especially when you are tired. While you are going to sleep i wrap them in a blanket so you don't smack yourself over and over in the head.

*You LOVE to suck, and after accumulating multiple arm hickies from you, i decided to offer you a pacifier, and oh boy do you love it.
*You still sleep with Mommy and Daddy all night, and you are a great nurser.
* you are getting stronger every day. You are working on crawling and sitting up. Though your favorite is standing with help.

*You love baths and homemade baby food, even when i spike it with cod liver oil..

*Your little baby dreads. I cut a couple new ones out every week. Bizarre (and adorable)

*Your new baby cousin , Althea. She was born June 28th when you were 3.5 mos old. You don't really know what to make of her yet, but you smile and laugh at her and try to grab her face.

*You absolutely adore Mommy's singing. Sometimes you seem to get so moved when i sing to you that your eyes well up with tears as you smile.

* You've already flown in an airplane, gone camping, seen a jiu jitsu tournament,gone swimming, and spent a week on a farm.

SO, so incredibly sweet you are,little Finch Edward Jacare. We are truly loving every minute of watching you grow and be.

Planting our sunflower house..

2011-06-26T21:31:00.000-07:00

Don't think I ever even posted pictures of last years, which i must say was quite magical..

Ah, well. Here are a couple.. hope we have such success this time around.

First as baby sunflowerini's..

And...big ol' grown up sunflower house...

So, it's that time (well, its actually well beyond that time, but, you know...) of year again!

Step 1: till up a circle leaving a spot open for a door...

Step 2: Mix in some compost or potting soil

Step 3: plant your seeds

If you're lucky, you have an experienced gardener at your side to help spread em' out and "poke 'em" into the dirt.

Here, serge shows us just what they will look like when they are full grown.

Pretty good impression of a sunflower, don'tcha think???

rocky mountain high

2011-06-17T23:57:00.000-07:00

Such pure soul refreshing goodness. Got the heck outta dodge today. A much needed break from the everydayness of things lately. A scenic spiral drive..up up up..and a simple picnic on a river. Toes full to the nails of squishy mud and serge's first real tree climb adventure.

Feeling utterly grateful for a certain friend and her mom-mobile (not to mention the bright, adorable kiddos it totes around)

(couple of serious seafarers)

(a fossil expert)

(and this guy...!)

I would like to take a minute to thank goodness for greased up baby thighs...

and sandy diaper butts.

For new experiences,

gosh darned splashy good times...

and just a touch of living on the edge... :)

Pulling weeds and picking stones, man is made of dreams and bones. Feel the need to grow my own 'cause the time is close at hand. Grain for grain, sun and rain, find my way in nature's chain, tune my body and my brain to the music from the land.

2011-06-14T21:43:00.000-07:00

I finally got some planting done, only a couple months later than last year. Oops. I'm gonna go with the: I moved at 9mos pregnant,then had family stay with us, gave birth 2 weeks early...all natural, breech... and then started watching kids again 5 weeks later- excuse.

Anywhooo, this year we've got a decent variety going, just a smaller scale than my last gardens.beets,spinach,lettuce and carrots in rows... pumpkins,zuc,yellow sq, and watermelon to the left...I'm thinking ill train the viney varieties down off the side of the bed...
Peas along the trellis, and in the back:scarlet runner and yellow bush beans, veronica,and some lemon cukes...tomatoes and peppers in the planters in fromt and herbs to the side.

The first fruit of my efforts...

Still have a few seedlings to put in. Corn and morning glories mostly. To be continued...

tres meses de edad!

2011-06-11T23:50:00.000-07:00

Fastest three months of my life.
Oh, little Finch, we are all completely smitten with you. You are so dear, so sweet and tolerant. Your head smells so sweaty, and flowery and delicious, even though you probably don't get enough baths... Your hair is softer than chinchilla fur, and the sounds you make have gone from cute and funny (you have always been quite a grunter and a squeaker) to full blown drop-dead adorable and engaging... You call us over and gaze into our eyes as you go on and on in your deep little voice. Your personality is already quite apparent. You are a straight up friendly dude, and oh boy is your big brother ever proud of you.

"Finch is funny. Like when he doesn't have his diaper on and he turns into a fountain. And we went to the playground and he pooped all over you, mom."

"When he gets a little bigger, we are going to be Batman and Robin. Finch will be Robin. He really looks like Robin."

" I love you, brudder."

Finch's 2 mos Dr Appt

2011-05-28T00:13:00.000-07:00

Here you were at 2 weeks old...

(2 weeks early mind you, so you were really at about term at this point.)

10th % head

45th % weight

50th % length

And LOOK at you now!

10 weeks old!

50th % head circumference

75th % height and weight!

Bearing weight on your legs (you love to stand up)

and lifting your head and trunk (cobra style)

Dr. Anderson was quite impressed!

xoxo! SO much love , my big strong healthy guy!

2011-05-04T22:58:00.000-07:00

Mama is just madly lovin' her koalas today, i gotta say.
Serge has become such an independent person in the last 2 months. Glowing with a new understanding and intense curiosity... So fascinating to witness and to be a part of his life right now.

*I keep hoping to have time to write up an ode to sweet little Finch.
Brief his amazing birth, and attempt to put into words how much joy he brings every day.
But alas, I type this at almost midnight (way past my bedtime) as I hear him grunting a bit and I feel my milk let down...
I've been on craigslist/amazon carseat/booster browsing.It's always something...

Anyway, guess I should say goodnight.
Hope to be back tomorrow...

2011-04-29T17:03:00.000-07:00

{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. If you're inspired to do the same, leave a link to your 'moment' in the comments for all to find and see.

-Amanda Soule

happiness does have a price. $12

2011-04-27T21:20:00.000-07:00

So, 31 classic kids books on cassette tape from the library book sale...

$12 dollars.

Serge (my little book addict) is in HEAVEN.

And..."So, what's this i hear about you having a blog?" the librarian asks me...

(Does this mean I'm famous?)

Our faithful old $20 craigslist turntable never sounded so sweet...

Finchy approves.

I think I'm back...

2011-04-24T15:57:00.000-07:00

I've decided that if i put the energy and little time i get online these days into my blog, instead of wasting time on face book and such-i may actually have something to look back on in the end- this may be time a bit better spent i am thinking.

My face book friends have been caught up on my world through since my family has grown so perfectly busy, one and a half months ago!
Mostly through pictures, everyone has gotten a pretty good idea of what is going on here, seen brand new Finch and and his big brother snuggle, etc...

But face book is feeling pretty impermanent at this point as I daily have friends ditch, and I think I need to be keeping a little more of an online jounal than just that, for future serge's, finch's and my sake.

2011-03-10T10:01:00.000-08:00

37 and a half weeks: preparing for "Chef's" arrival

2011-03-07T13:46:00.000-08:00

For those of you who don't know, Sergei decided about 5 months ago that his brother's name should probably be Chef. Though he's gone back and forth, (he also likes Crayony and Coffee) Chef is currently back to holding the # 1 spot, and since pops and I have nothing solid as of yet.. Chef it is... for now.

So it turns out that "Chef" is in breech presentation and has been for a while.

We've spent the last 2 weeks or so attempting to change his mind, but have been so far unsuccessful.

I spent quite a bit of time of time upside down,

popping pulsatilla and burning my pinky toe.

All of these are proven, trusted, natural techniques that can in various ways encourage baby to turn.

However, sometimes theres a reason he is positioned this way. Whether it be the shape of the uterus, length of cord, etc... And to push it too much (external cephalic version) may not be a good idea as it could cause stress to the babe, not to mention hurt like hell.

I have accepted the fact that this just may be the way he will stay until birth, as he is already over 7 lbs and hasn't budged an inch in quite a while.
Also, many babies are able to do the big turn while mama is in labor, with the help of contractions.

I was bummed to learn that the midwives and OBs at the practice I am at (University Hospital)send breech presenting babies straight to cesarean, as do all other hospital midwives and OB's around with the exception of 1.
Dr. Michael Hall who works at Swedish Hospital here in Denver is very experienced in and supportive of Vaginal Breech deliveries. So, I have since switched hospitals AGAIN. This time to Swedish. Met with Dr.Hall a couple of times and am back to feeling alright with the cards I've been dealt.

Unfortunately, Dr. Hall will be leaving the country after this weekend until my due date, so I had to make the difficult decision to try a gentle induction this friday,at 28 weeks... or wait it out and possibly have to have a c section if he is gone when I go into labor, which is likely.
I've been having false labor type contractions regularly for the past week, and have begun to dilate and efface already. Given the size of this pumpkin head, and how I have been feeling like he is going to be coming early anyway, I have chosen to try the induction. Let me tell you, not an easy choice.

I'm very lucky to have so much supportive loving family, and so many dear friends to vent to, bounce things off and give my little guy thoughtful, and stylish swag.Not to mention, my Doula, Josie Shapiro with me along this twisty turny pregnancy journey... She has helped me stay positive and well informed about all of my options. Even though this is NOT the birth I had in mind, I know it is going to be so beautiful and perfectly what it is.

2011-03-05T07:47:00.000-08:00

{this moment} - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

* kitchen cart to changing table, transformation! *

2011-03-01T23:49:00.000-08:00

Our sad old kitchen cart, which no longer had a purpose after out new stainless steel shelf moved in...

We took him off his casters and went to work.

Sandy sand sand sand.

Mixy mix mix mix.

Threw some blue acrylic in with some yellow latex paint remaining from last weeks shelf project.

The goal was to make it match our Boon Frog, since it is to be going in the bathroom.

Painty paint...

paint paint,and....

TA DA!

I'll snap a better shot when i get all these tiny clothes sorted.

Getting so super excited over here to meet this busy ittle person in my tum!

Gramma Helen

2011-02-23T22:25:00.000-08:00

practice makes perfect

2011-02-18T20:47:00.000-08:00

Thought I'd let his friends and loved ones in on what serge has been working on this week.
He has had (but not used) a balance bike since his last birthday... we recently traded in the wooden version for a more solid metal version with a skinnier seat (good ol' craigslist) hoping it would encourage him to ride it, or even be the least bit interested ... well, it didn't. Serge has been a scooter/ big wheel kid all the way, up until this week.
It all started on Valentines Day when his good friend Milo stopped by with his mama to walk with us to story time. Milo was looking uber cool on his Skut bike and going really fast and Serge was prety darn impressed. All the way home, he talked about how he wanted to go fast like Milo and decided that he wanted to start practicing every day. Well, he really put his mind to it,and in three days he is pretty much there. He is zooming little hills-legs out totally balancing, hopping over bumps and all.

In case you are wondering if Sergei ever gets out of his pj's and into normal clothes for the day, the answer is yes, most of the time. :) And I must add that this is more than I can say for myself these days...

Please note that these pictures were taken days ago, before he was really getting much speed. Now he is required to wear his awesome daisy helmet at all times. :) Pictures to come...

LUVS.

2011-02-15T11:17:00.000-08:00

We moved! We found a great 3+ bedroom house in a great neighborhood for an unheard of price and had to snatch it up. Though the move was out of the blue, and honestly quite KILLER for this hernia laden 3rd trimester mama, we are finally all moved in and couldn't be happier.

With tons more space for a new little person to join us, and even a craft room/ office space to call my own. No more moving my sewing machine from living room to dining room to bedroom and back to living room for lack of a better place. We have gained at least 500 square feet here and as renters are paying $200 per month less than our last house... we've atill got a huge yard with a raised bed even. I have a feeling this home is going to be quite good for my sanity.

Soooo... coming soon will be some house pictures.

(Befores and afters are always fun, right?)

But until then, thought I'd post about our valentines day (mostly cause i got to try out my new camera lens given to me by a bunch of awesome friends at my Blessingway a couple days ago) and it is the first time I've uploaded photos since January.

Our Valentines day started with bacon and eggs, followed by berry coconut smoothie pops...

And it only got better from there...

Daddy was off of work, it was jammie day at library storytime,

and hearts were abundant.

Sergee got to make and give out his first valentines...

AND got a heart shaped eye patch from a certain crafty mama and kiddo we just so happen to live right down the block from these days. Lucky us <3

On the way home from storytine (which is 2 blocks from our house now, yay!) serge and I scavenged some hearts...

and drew some of our own...

We finished off the day off with a trip to get some new house essentials:including bookshelves for sergees lil' home library, and my love day present from john... and a set of batman jammies for good measure.

out cold

2011-01-28T22:59:00.000-08:00

{this moment} - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.
-Amanda Soule

2011-01-28T22:50:00.000-08:00

Easy Whole Wheat Biscuit Dough Recipe
2 cups of whole wheat flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup butter
1 cup milk
450 degrees/10-12 minutes

a "D" for dad

Alongside some yummy crockpot chicken and biscuits.

little scavengers

2011-01-23T22:28:00.000-08:00

Apologies, as i have so far neglected to share about holiday happenings and crafty presents..
I'll get there, i hope.

I'll just be honest here: with these week 31 pregnancy hormones a flowin,' I have attention span and energy for not much other than Serge, the kids i have in my home during the day, and food.

I do hope to get through all of my random pictures i think i remembered to snap during my whirlwind of holiday gift making (i know i got a couple at least..)
But, for now i'll be posting some simple sweet happenings as of late, round this here home.

Tonight, I want to quickly tell of an enormously fun trip we took around the neighborhood.
I happened to have 4 kiddos at my house, all 3 and 4 years old, and full of energy, needing somewhere to direct it.

I had been thinking about trying a nature scavenger hunt with Serge and this seemed like the perfect crew for such an adventure. So I hopped online to get some ideas...

I think I googled "nature scavenger hunt" ..i snooped here and here and found some workable material.

Indeed this was not planned ahead, probably could have been more cryptic or elaborate, but it sure did turn out to be a huge time killer (this is a good thing) and we all had fun..

So we left. Armed with:

*lists and crayons(for crossing items off, we drew pictures and looked things up when we got home)

*a bag for collecting its n' bits of mother nature off of the ground

*a bag for litter

*4 quarters

(and, of course)

*my beloved Canon.

C is for conifer

We had guesses on who all of the these various sets of tracks that we found may have belonged to, ranging from our own dear O'Malley the cat, to a kid eating bear.

winter flowers?

giant birds nests everywhere!

i swear they were having fun.. ;)

...and of course, what is a walk around our neighborhood without stopping at the cornerstore for a mustache, bouncy ball or piece of high quality jewelery.

2010-12-23T08:22:00.000-08:00

Just got around to designing our holidays card.

Kinda threw it together.

But I think it turned it pretty sweet.

Thanks picnik!

just a little shout out to my favorite gift crafting materials this year.

2010-12-22T14:20:00.000-08:00

Homemade gifts! SO much fun! I'm feeling pretty good about my progress this year, so far, I still have much to do. The goal being ALL homemade except a few choice items for Sergei this year.. I am thinking I just may be able to pull it off, a couple more late night to go... Phew!

thrifted sweaters to upcycle...

old vinyl

wool roving

SOOOOO much potential...

though i use office depot brand.

happy crafting!

Ritchie Valens station on Pandora is helping me along this fine afternoon.No other kids and Sergei is away on a museum field trip yay for childcare trades!

I'll be back to show you what I've been working on soon. :)

So, yule-tidings and all that...

Coconut Popcorn Balls! Corn Syrup Free

2010-12-18T11:13:00.000-08:00

I can't really talk crafting at the moment, as it is all presents, and I dont wanna spoil any suprises...so, food it is!

We got an air popper at the thrift store the other day and haven't stopped using it since. What a cheap and versatile snack popcorn is! Yipee!
After many large bowls full, and a tree covered in it, we decided to get a little more creative. POPCORN BALLS!

I made up this recipe based on what i had in the house and looking at others online. (Was hard to find recipes which did not contain corn syrup in a big way, i must say)

And they just so happened to turn out to be the YUMMIEST popcorn balls I've ever had.

1/4 c water
1/4 c butter
1/4 c honey
1/4 c molasses
1/2 c brown sugar
1 c unsweetened finely shredded coconut
Approx. 2 quarts of popped corn (one half gallon jar)

-Heat water and butter in a large saucepan on medium heat, stirring, add honey, molasses and brown sugar.

-Remove child from scene.
-Bring to a boil and continue boiling until it seems as if most of the water has evaporated and it begins to thicken. This took about 5 mins for us, in a stainless pan on medium heat.
-Remove from heat.

-Stir in coconut.
(Now it is time to add the popcorn and work fairly quick)
- Dump popcorn into the pan and mix till all is covered.

-Dump on a tray or work space to cool enough to mold into balls. But not so cool that they harden and will not stick together. This happens quickly, just to warn you.

Have little ones wash hands and start squishin'

This recipe made about 20 balls. Enough for a large bowl full on the table for snacking, and a 1/2 gallon jar full, for a gift.

Would have been super yummy with some nuts added in, but i didnt happen to have any on hand.

2010-12-17T14:08:00.000-08:00

{this moment} - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

oranges 'n' honey cake

2010-12-15T19:48:00.000-08:00

I am always excited when I find a dessert recipe that tastes absolutely delicious and treat-like, but doesn't make us feel super yucky after we indulge a bit.
(ie: no white flour or sugar involved)

This cake turned out super moist and not a bit lacking in flavor or yum factor, so I thought I'd share.

I adapted from this recipe from the hillbilly housewife (love that name :)

Preheat to 350* Bake 25-30 min

1/2 cup melted butter

3/4 cup honey

1 large egg

1/2 cup yogurt

1/2 cup orange juice (i forgot to measure, just used the juice and quite a bit of the pulp of 1 orange)

the grated rind of one orange

1/2 teaspoon pure almond extract

2 cups whole wheat flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

Mix wet ingredients, add dry, and mix well.

100% kiddo approved.

needle felted playscape in the works...

2010-12-12T00:31:00.000-08:00

We are definitely in the full swing of holiday crafting now. Sergei's present is coming together slowly.
My good friend Loreli, who is also slightly wool obsessed came over recently with a garbage bag full of fresh off the sheep, fleece... A portion of it she had washed prior, and we sat and talked felting for a while as she attempted to card through with a couple of regular o'l hairbrushes, and hey guess what , it worked! Haha expensive carding brushes, in yo' face!

Anyway, she was a sweetie and left me some to play with and it turns out it is PERFECT for rocks and dirt for the base of my playscape! I love all of the shades of grey and brown, and that it still smells super strongly of lanolin. Mmmmm... sheepy.
So, I've begun to construct the land on which his woodland creature home will sit.

I used a felted sweater scrap for the base, this will go around the back, and I will have another piece that fits around the front. the cave is full of super silky merino wool for the gnomes and such to nap in...makes me wanna shrink down and crawl in myself. I absolutely cannot wait to hover over sergei as he gets to know this thing. <3 Also in the plans are tiny twig furniture, a felted campfire, and somehow a little hammock, if anyones got ideas for that please help a sistah out.

So far these are the only inhabitants i've managed to finish. But hey, at least theres some progress being made, it is a serious endeavor, but I am determined! 13 days to go...

our little countdown tree...

2010-12-05T23:57:00.000-08:00

i know i'm a little late sharing, considering we are 6 days in... forgot how hectic it gets around this time of year. The countdown has begun and Sergei is absolutely feelin' the spirit. I decided to go with a "hidden pouch" theme for our countdown to xmas. Each numbered day holds a clue to where his little suprise pouch is hiding. Pretty obvious clues, and i gotta admit, some of them don't really flow. But hey.. thats what i get for trying to get creative at 1 in the morning.

At this point i was clearly beginning to lose it...

and then came the clincher... i know, so weird.

luckily sergei and i have the same strange sense of humor and i know he'll totally get it.

happy countdown!

2010-12-03T18:48:00.000-08:00

{this moment} - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

serge's big christmas present update...

2010-12-01T23:06:00.000-08:00

So...I have come to the realization that there is no flarkin way i will have a quilt done by the end of this month, so I've decided to reschedule such bold efforts to a more birthday-ish time.

Will be more exciting for him to open something he can play with anyway, duh. As his imagination is where he resides most of the time these days. He has finally become quite fond of my ghetto little farm playmat which i constructed last year. And that makes me oh so happy.

It also makes me think he is ready for a sweet-@$$ little gnome/fairy abode like THIS one,which I luckily scored for $54 on amazon last week. Apparently prices are going up for xmas?
SO much potential here, and instead of buying all the little premade add on's I figured I will just make my own.
(lil' characters, woodland furniture, mossy felted playmat)

I'll keep you updated on my process, have found some helpful sites and such, think it is very doable.
As long as serge continues going to bed at or before 9 so I am able to have a moment without his big, sweet, round face asking me to be mommy cow... or wonder woman... or sing that song again...

"jingle bells, batman smells, robin laid an egg..." it IS the most hilarious song ever written, you know.

On a side note, Sergei has been working very hard on some artwork of his own to gift.
Although most of them it turns out,are for Michael Jackson. Hmmmm...

Phun with Phyllo

2010-12-01T22:22:00.000-08:00

So we've had this box of Phyllo (this company makes organic white, wheat and spelt dough and it is sold at whole foods) we've been meaning to play with for a couple weeks now. So when we got news that we would not have any kiddos coming over till 10:30am yesterday, Serge and i decided it was time.

I decided to wing it on the recipes as anything you stuff into flaky pastry usually tastes delicious, and I gotta say, it was quite successful.

Breakfast:-6 eggs (scrambled w/sea salt and pepper)
   -10 sheets of phyllo
   -5 slices of provolone
   -5 slices of ham (we use Applegate Farms black forest)
   - few oz's of grated chedder.

1. layer em. 2. butter on top.
3. bake it. (350*,45 ish min)
4. yum.

Then came these delicious little envelopes of goodness.

Mixed together:

-1 egg beaten w/sea salt'n'pepa
-4 or so oz's of feta
-6 or so oz of cottage cheese
-thawed package frozen spinach

I sliced phyllo sheets down the middle for this one.

Plop it on, and roll em up however you choose.

i really wanted to do the little spanokopita type triangles, but my pregnancy brain was not allowing such computations at this time.

shlick em with butter, and pop em' in the oven.

So good. just ask serge.

Then came dessert, and by this time there were only about 8 remaining half sheets, so i did what i could with em'

crepes anyone?

Really, not bad for 1 package of Phyllo.
Will i do it again? Indeed i will. And soon.

little family, little table, big thanks.

2010-11-25T23:00:00.000-08:00

We did thanksgiving at home this year , just our little family, for the first time... and it was absolutely SO MUCH goodness.

From our chaotic last minute grocery trip this morning, to the unboxing and detangling of christmas decorations, to our yum yum turkey feast set to cheesy holiday music (because Sergee and I just LOVE our cheesy holiday music) it was all just so simple and perfect.

I have a lot of fun with these 2 guys, and times like this get me all the more excited to meet the next member of our little crew. <3

I admit, I had to be gently cut off during my turn, as I'm pretty sure I would have gone on into dessert and beyond about what I am thankful for this year...

Really did plan on taking food pictures, because this was a damn beautiful meal. But you know what? As usual I got distracted by the deliciousness and instead had to eat it. This is why I am NOT a food photographer.

But, I did manage to get a pic of my beloved cranberry sauce, made with fresh cranberries, grapefruit and honey. amen.

wet felted earth booties

2010-11-22T21:15:00.000-08:00

My first wet felting experiment!

I made these booties using a "resist" that i cut from cardboard. You basically felt the fibers around it and then cut it out when you are done. You can also make resists from plastic or foam that will last through more than one project.

You will want to have a dish soap type bottle of hot soapy water handy and a bowl of hot water for controlled dripping.

Thirsty cat and sleepy snuggle bunny recommended for company, but not required.

Disclaimer: I would not recommend using this post as a tutorial

I learned all I know from this site:

http://www.feltinglessons.com/

She is a wonderful teacher, and will walk you through each step in quick videos.

I got the pattern here: http://members.peak.org/~spark/FeltBootPattern.html

The resist/pattern should be significantly larger than you actually want the slippers to be.

These were actually supposed to be for Sergee but ended up shrinking down even smaller than I had planned, so I guess that is something you get better at calculating with practice. When laying out wool roving, layer in alternating directions until desired thickness. I used 2 layers on each side. About an oz of wool total.

First stage of felting, done by covering with hot soapy water and gently rubbing through mesh. Took me about 20 mins for these.

I cut into 2 separate slipper pieces after sufficient felting had occurred.

Then I took out cardboard and gave them some hot, soapy attention in the bathroom sink. Can be rpretty rough with the little guys at this point.

(Alternate hot and cold water to shrink quicker.)

See the difference in size!?

And.... Ta-da!

Personally I am a huge fan of imperfection, so I find these to be fantastic!

thankful x 1,000

2010-11-22T10:02:00.000-08:00

What a thanksworthy weekend we had. Serge attended his first yoga class taught by someone besides his own Mommy, and LOVED it. He's been showing me random poses here and there ever since..

.......................................................
We got to spend some time with friends whom we just don't see enough of these days. Life is flying so fast right now, it is easy to get caught up in our own little world, and not make time for random romps with those we love. Just gotta do it.
Pick up the phone, make those plans, and stick to them. It's so worth it. Therapy I tell you.

Friends smile at you.

They like your face.

They want to be with you,
Any old place.

Friends have fun with you.

Friends share

They’re glad when you’re happy---

When you’re sad, they care.

-unknown

.......................................................

I purchased our holiday travel tickets (and used the $150 voucher from last year when they lost our bags for a week.)
I am so excited to spend time with my family and have them snuggle my tummy and have this little fella inside of me hear the voices for the first time, of those he will be so close to and already love him so much.
.......................................................
I got my first and (hopefully not last) prenatal massage followed by some much needed sitting in the steam room. Heaven. The whole time I was there I had this strange little guilty angel on my shoulder that I kept having to flick off. What a frivolous thing to spend money on...

(massage table with 2 little holes for your boobies and one for your tum.)

I did try several times to talk John out of it, thinking this $ could be put towards serge's holiday fun, our trip, etc... But he insisted,and now I'm glad that he did. I came out of there feeling refreshed, motivated and overall elated. Feelings which, as I've been reading (listening to) in Deepak Chopra's book: "Magical Beginnings, Enchanted Lives" were also being felt by the sweet little dumpling that I am carrying around in my tummy, and helping to shape his overall outlook on life in this world. And THAT makes it worth every penny to me.
(not to mention, he had a $20 off coupon) ;)

.......................................................
Also, crafting news to come... Come check back tomorrow and see what I've been up to...k? k.

2010-11-20T23:34:00.000-08:00

As I glanced over at the hall mirror on my way out the door to take the kids for a nice fall walk i realized...

"this baby carrier is BY FAR the most stylish thing I am wearing today...."

You Mamas know what I'm talkin' about.. high five!

recycled magazine necklaces!

2010-11-17T22:08:00.000-08:00

Such a fun project.

Multiple steps (cutting strips, rolling beads, stringing necklaces)

keep the kids busy throughout the day.

And they turned out truly pretty.

Only materials necessary:

-old magazine(s)

-scissors

-glue stick

-straw or pen to wrap strips around

-yarn for stringing

that time of year again...

2010-11-16T21:55:00.000-08:00

Old man winter is shaving his beard on our lawn. ( wow, I just made that up and it's really dorky, sorry.)

Brrr... Time to bust out the fibers, throw on an audio book, (thank you, Denver Public Library.com) and let my little fingers get to work. I'm thinking it was about this time last year that I tackled my first scarf. Since then there have been hats and bags, scarves and skirts. Crocheted of course, I have yet to attempt knitting...

So, I've tackled something new, and was quite pleased with the outcome i must say. I am quite sure this baby's birth is going to come before i know it, considering how quickly these first 5 months have flown and i would like to have at least a few wool soakers made before he arrives, he will be a winter baby after all and i think little buns look so stunning decked out in wool. So, here is the first.

I googled "easy soaker pattern" and this is what I found. http://crochetcastle.wordpress.com/2009/04/17/easiest-crochet-wool-soaker-pattern/
I like the ribbing, makes for a good stretch and i think it is quite handsome. It took me 2 very short evening sittings to complete and is supposed to fit from beginning to end. As usual I didn't follow the pattern quite perfectly, improvised a bit. But as usual, it turned out just fine. I dont think I want od make leg cuffs for this one as it is more of an itchy wool, though I'm sure that will change some when I lanolize it.

For any curious hookers out there it is basically:
80 half double crochet x 30 rows, (all worked in back loop)
Slip stitch up each side, leaving 3 inches open for leg holes.

Apparently the coming of cooler weather does something different to Serge...
But then again what DOESN'T make this kid wanna strip down and dance in his undies?

look out holidays , here i come!

2010-11-14T20:59:00.000-08:00

Feeling crafty, nesty and excited! I just decided what sergei's big holiday/solstice gift will be this year. I am going to attempt my first quilt! I was browsing fabric.com for the perfect inspiration and I knew the moment i laid eyes on this yummy fabric line, appropriately named, "Farmer's Market" that i had found it. Delicious! They are even selling 4.5 yards worth of fat quarter rainbowy goodness, all ready to go! We've been putting a lot of preparation in, in terms of serge sleeping on his own once the new baby comes..

Until a couple weeks ago, he was calling me into his room every night at least a couple times so that I usually ended up giving up and just sleeping with him. Things are definitly moving forward, and I think this will be just the added comfort needed to help him feel like his bed is a super special and cozy place to be.

Ultra happy to be able buy plane tickets this week to visit family in Vermont during the holidays.. Also, feeling good about our decision to stay in Denver until after Christmas Day, so we can celebrate as a family for the first time . John has missed out on Christmas with Serge the last couple years because of work obligations, so he is pretty stoked on getting a real tree and watching Sergei open presents on xmas morning at home this year. Just our little family, will be so special, Im getting all tingly just thinking about it, I also find myself planning an elaborate breakfast christmas morning.. . im thinking eggs benedict and bluberry pancakes, mmm... (pregnant much? god, i love food!)

2010-11-11T21:23:00.000-08:00

Wow. Didnt realize how hard this was going to be.
Apparently I fall asleep at the same time as Sergei now. Granted his nap/sleep schedule is all sorts of messed up, and for some reason it is seeming next impossible to keep it regular for more than 3 days at a time...

I can be planning all day how I am going to spend my "me" time after he goes to bed...
Maybe I'll upload a few pictures, sew up yet ANOTHER pair of recycled sweater mittens for Sergei (because he has lost one of each of the first 2 pairs i'v done already this season, my strangely mitten obsessed little boy...)

I could zone out on facebook, or kill a few pages of one of the 5 books im reading at the moment...
Then, I lie down with Sergei to read him his nightly superhero novel... or spanish vocab book, depending on his mood, and boom. Im out.

I keep thinking "i am not that pregnant, i don't need all those extra hours of zzz's... and this mama alone time is so important" and then, i wake drooling on my son (who is clinging to my belly to stay on the small twin bed) at 4 in the morning, not knowing what happened... last thing i knew it was 8 o clock, and superman was saving the day...
No photos shared, no mama reading done, no bloggy blog. But hey, guess i should sleep while i still can, right?
Also in my defense, I had (4) 3 and 4 year olds today. Fun times, but not a moment for sitting.

(i know, it looks so mellow, right? ;) boy, did that change...

good morning! in the mood for a little yoga?

2010-11-05T23:54:00.000-07:00

Enjoy, as Henry, Milo and Sergee (or should i say dragon, pirate, and batman) walk you through a few favorite poses!

home birth

2010-11-04T23:40:00.000-07:00

This second time around I have so much clearer of a vision of would like my birth to be. More freedom, less tubes and wires, more comfort, less sterility.
I want to be able to play the music I want, burn candles, have the lights low, and most importantly , not feel rushed. I want to give birth to my baby the way my body tells me to. Get in a hot tub if I feel like it, and heck maybe even pop the baby out in there.
I want to be able to take a walk, drink some tea, snuggle my boys, lie in my bed, breath at my pace.

Yes, I am aware it is going to hurt. It may take a very long time, and I may have thoughts of "what the hell was I thinking" and attempt to scratch Johns eyeballs out in the process... but I know I can do it, and I know it will be beautiful and, that in the end, I will have no regrets.

I met my midwife for the first time today. Her name is Lynette, she has been the Midwife in over 100 home birth settings, and attended many more than that. I felt so comfortable with her right away, it all just feels so right. I also have an absolutely sweet and helpful Doula named Josie working with me, whom I am excited for John to meet within the next couple weeks.

I had never met a single person who came into my hospital room during Sergei's birth before in my life, including the doctor who delivered him. He and I both had various complications all resulting from unnecessary intervention, and the clincher was really the fact that I did not really even get to hold him for almost an hour after he was born. Kinda heartbreaking, I must say.
Not the welcome I want to give this baby, thats for sure.

As long as all goes as planned, Lynette will be doing home prenatal visits on a regular schedule, until the birth. She will be on call for me and deliver the baby in my home. She will come back for a few weeks following as needed for postnatal care as well.
All home visits!

AND my insurance will cover all but $700 of this. Mindblowing!
I am so grateful and excited that this is all seeming to work out, I feel so lucky and I am completely looking forward to the remainder of this pregnancy and to my second lil' koala's birth.

2010-11-03T20:26:00.000-07:00

Well i gotta say, what a nice feeling it has been, to be able to take a break (a fairly long one at that) and not be bothered or questioned as to where i've gone, or when i may begin sharing again.. AND on top of all that, not lose any blog followers! What a faithful bunch you all are! Thanks you so much for that.

A lot of change happening in my tiny little corner of the universe...

New daily kiddos and friends have come and gone, as have a couple seasons of garden goodness. There has been much deeply satisfying closet cleaning and purging; plenty of reading, learning, living and planning...

But, by far the biggest and most exciting change upon us now is the newest member of our family arriving in March! A baby boy whom I have been growing in my tum for 5 months now. We got to see (and find out he was a him) for the first time this past weekend, and it was 100% magical.

I have a feeling you'll be seeing a whole lot more of this guy in the future...

2010-06-08T23:28:00.000-07:00

We celebrated Sergei's 3rd birthday yesterday with a new bicycle,strawberry cupcakes and museum going...

I feel like all day I may have been on the verge of tears trying to savor the last few morsels of baby sergee that we have left. More sweet than bitter though i must say, are these days as we watch him quickly morph into this incredibly intelligent (beyond what i could have imagined) kind, and thoughtful person whom i must say , it is a pleasure to spend time with.

Sergei is so special and wonderful, and I am the luckiest mother in the universe, i am sure of it.

the raddest pillow case dress on earth..

2010-06-06T11:51:00.000-07:00

And i've put together a couple aof recycled wool diaper covers with wool felt and needlefelted wool embellishments.. pretty darn cute.

play pants galore!

2010-06-01T23:57:00.001-07:00

Been mastering the art of play pants on my sewing machine. Just using scraps and pieces of old clothes I've decided to start an inventory to sell locally, and /or on Etsy.

alley scores and ghosts and smores...

2010-05-22T17:20:00.000-07:00

we have had some serious blessings in the alley find department lately..

couple weeks ago it was an amazing 4 foot rainbow kite...

and this week...

I'm tellin you, it PAYS to shop alleys.

@ least round these parts:)

So waht better friday night activity than smores and ghost stories.

Fun. fun. fun!

Serge and i actually ended up bringing our story inside with us as it got late.. as you can see here i am Big Foot, being slain by a brave young "Super Guy".

I have a feeling there are going to be many summer nights that will play out quite similar...goodie gumdrops, bring em on:)

misty rainbow jumps of joy

2010-05-18T21:37:00.000-07:00

After planting the kids garden

(2nd time around..first planting of seedlings didn't make it)

And giving it a good watering...

a couple of adventuresome gardeners i know decided it would be a good idea to get a litle sprinkler action in.

It didn't take long before they remembered that everything is more fun in your birthday suit,

and stripped...like, literally 90 seconds from hose on to naked.

(yard and garden posts soon to come i promise: alot has been happening in that department)

2010-05-14T13:42:00.000-07:00

-Amanda Soule

(imagination)

paint and fences

2010-05-12T06:54:00.000-07:00

And Mama's turn...

2010-05-11T07:54:00.000-07:00

soooo.. Sunday is normally family day @ the spicy apple abode. The only day that big Spice, lil' Spice, and I are all 3 here all day, with no other little people around. And this Sunday just so happened to be a very special family day, a day to celebrate and honor mommyhood and all that it encompasses.

Serge and I got to choose what we wanted to do...hmmm, what did we feel like?

Bagels and flowers of course.

Serge chose to go out for bagels, quite possibly his favorite food in the world, which i intentionally do not keep in the house because if i did, that is what his diet would plainly consist of.

At least he enjoys a salmon shmear;)

(this guy came too of course)

it was mama's turn to choose our destination...

and Paulino's Gardens it was.

A bit of flower and herb shopping had to be done.

Turned out more than a bit was necessary as i have no self control around plants. I truly should not be allowed in these places.

A couple hrs and a full cart later and a half, i had to cut myself off...

... home to barbecue various backyard projects we've got in the works...

A perfect Mothers Day by my standards. Yes indeed.

bookworm speaks...

2010-05-06T21:33:00.000-07:00

Let's preface by saying that i am a non-fiction/ spiritual/ self-help/ childrearing/ craft/gardening... book junkie.

For reals. Ive been around the block. I am not joking that i have 70 books checked out of the library right now.. granted, some of those i've checked for friends and some are the kids'... but at least 1/2 if not more, are in my bedroom bookcase (aka: stack of milk crates spray painted gold to blend in) ssshh, dont tell...

So, i've made my way through my share of parenting books.
For inspiration, to be mindful, slow down, think about how i am reacting and what i am saying to these small in stature, but incredibly intelligent little people i interract with all day, you know?...

and I gotta say, i keep coming back to these 2 books(which i did end up purchasing off amazon, cheap...)

Their messages are tender and positive, and make sense. I am a huge fan. If you have kiddos in your life, i'd highly suggest you check them out.

Also, I love love love "Everyday Blessings: the inner work of mindful parenting" by Myla and John Kabat-Zinn.

(i have it in my books to the right, think you can click it and go to a review..)
these too...

(click me<3 )

(me too!)

miss wrangler and the koalas

* sweet and simple homemade ornaments *

snow day fun!

holiday babies

Children of a Revolution

done, and done. now onto that hat...

alley scores of the week.

saturday night IKEA trip.

A couple of shout outs. Other blogging mama friends of mine...

Domestic Simplicity

Mothering the Mother

"There's a banana downstairs with your name on it.."

Flashback to Flashback Friday!

Our leaf banner.. and some mama made woolies!

Finchy wants food! What to feed my baby bird...

Planting our sunflower house..

rocky mountain high

Pulling weeds and picking stones, man is made of dreams and bones. Feel the need to grow my own 'cause the time is close at hand. Grain for grain, sun and rain, find my way in nature's chain, tune my body and my brain to the music from the land.

tres meses de edad!

Finch's 2 mos Dr Appt

happiness does have a price. $12

I think I'm back...

37 and a half weeks: preparing for "Chef's" arrival

* kitchen cart to changing table, transformation! *

Gramma Helen

practice makes perfect

LUVS.

out cold

little scavengers

just a little shout out to my favorite gift crafting materials this year.

Coconut Popcorn Balls! *Corn Syrup Free*

oranges 'n' honey cake

needle felted playscape in the works...

our little countdown tree...

serge's big christmas present update...

Phun with Phyllo

little family, little table, big thanks.

wet felted earth booties

thankful x 1,000

recycled magazine necklaces!

that time of year again...

look out holidays , here i come!

good morning! in the mood for a little yoga?

home birth

the raddest pillow case dress on earth..

play pants galore!

alley scores and ghosts and smores...

misty rainbow jumps of joy

paint and fences

bookworm speaks...

Coconut Popcorn Balls! Corn Syrup Free