A much belated update

S washing dishes

My, how I've neglected this space!  Time just seems to fly by and priorities shuffle around accordingly.  Which is to say that I haven't been here because I haven't had the time, nor found it incombent to make the time.  :)

S with the sandpaper letters

There has been just too much going on.  I am simultaneously reading three or four different books.  Simplicity Parenting, Siblings Without Rivalry, and Square Foot Gardening.  I have three crocheting projects that are just missing ears, and I have a cape pinned up and ready to sew.  Schooling has been the main reason though why I haven't been here.  The kids have quite a bit of homework on a given day, and when they don't (or when they're done) I don't want to waste the precious time I have with them.

The two older ones and I went skating this past Monday outside at Celebration Square.  Oh how fun it was!  I have forgotten the joys of skating.  And those two were just priceless.  My phone is full of photos from our morning skate.  In the end, I had to drag M off home.  He just didn't want to leave.  And boy, you could tell how much he loved it!  Trying to speed skate around the rink and falling every so often when he lost balance.  I can't say how often I laughed gleefully for the pure joy of watching those two learn such a fun sport!  We are planning a repeat for today while the cold weather lasts.

Last weekend we managed to get to our favourite retreat - Dormition monastery.  Such good timing.  And how we've missed it.  Whenever we get back, we notice how we feel more uplifted and how the kids have sort of re-calibrated, if you will.  It's beautiful.

S and J scrubbing potatoes

S colour matching while J sorts beans

These days, it's S keeping me busy during school hours.  She is motoring along with her "work" and I am following her lead as best I can.  I wish I knew what I know now earlier so the other two could have enjoyed similar activities and attention from mama.  I am doing my best to make up for it though.  J loves working in the kitchen, and it's not hard to get M in there either.  All is not lost.  The other day, we took a much-needed break at home to recuperate and recharge together.  While not perfect by any stretch, I found the day to be very profitable on so many levels.  And that just makes my heart sing.  :)

Little J turned 5 early this month.  She loved all her gifts, and they were all very hands-on, which is where this little one is right now.  She loves to make things and play dress up.  She has gotten a lot of use from her new "bead box" and has been very generous sharing with M and S.  There has been a lot of bracelet and necklace making going on.  

And baby M was baptized on the 31st of Jan.  (Two more reasons I haven't been around, incidentally!)  Speaking of baby, she is a doll.  Laughing away whenever someone takes the time to notice and talk to her.  She talks right back to us too!  This is actually a sore point, because I so often have little time to give her, and I feel so guilty!  It's no wonder I try to make up for it while I'm waiting in line at the store!  Those old ladies must think I'm a new mama the way I go on with her.  :)  C'est la vie, je crois.

J sorting the items in our nature box

Right now, we are turning our attention to plants.  Tomatoes in particular.  And cucumbers.  Some seeds need to be started soon and I am unprepared on so many levels.  But, here we go again.  Diving into another growing season with our sleeves pulled up and ready to get dirty.

M and J completing their Montessori sun together while S looks on

M experimenting with mixing colours

Another item on my list is organizing this space.  I think I mentioned I was trying to organize the kitchen.  Well, that has spilled over into the entire house.  It's a big job.  Bear with me.  It won't be done this month.  Probably not this spring.  I just have to be realistic with four kids and a full, full, full life with them.  (In trying to find an adjective to describe our lives, I really think "full" is the most successful...)

The cape I must needs finish and my little sewer stitching her little fox purse

Anyhow, excuse me as I have a cape to sew and a poster of the life cycle of a frog to start.  And if I was being honest, I'd have to say that I'll probably have to wait on the poster for next week.  Kids do need to eat, I'm told.  So dinner trumps poster.  But not cape.  Funny how that works, eh?

Wishing you a wonderful and preferably peaceful weekend.

Snuffy and some Christmas cheer

Little M has hit her first growth spurt.  And caught her first cold too.  We call her snuffy nowadays, but she isn't a happy camper that's for sure.  Her lovely sleeping habits have shifted, of course, and instead of a 5-6 hour stretch at night, she only sleeps in 2-3 hour spurts.  Poor little darling!  I hope it doesn't last too much longer...

We are well into Christmas makings around here.  The kids have little gifts going on for their teachers, and I have put in some time for them while they're at school.  We finished a couple of pine cone owls too since I took that picture.  I am so glad I came across this idea by Lia Griffith.  

I finished a sweet little apron for S.  (I just love the lace with denim... so tempting to make into a dress!)  I had to try it on her for sizing since I had to make up the pattern.  She loved it!  I couldn't get it off her!  And of course, that makes me feel as though she's been getting the short end of the stick most of her 2-year-old life.  I guess it's time for her to have some handmade love from mama.  :)  I think I will try to finish a messenger bag for her too, but let me not get ahead of myself here!  

I have plans to make an apron for M.  A true chef's apron that is, because this little boy like to help in the kitchen too.  (And did I mention that this little boy, for some reason, is so much more prone to making huge messes?)  Thus, my thoughts (oh so naturally) run to aprons.

That there above is my second quilt.  I'm not too sure about that vibrant green I included.  I mean, it works, but I'm not convinced it wouldn't have been better with something less "electric".  Anyhow, J has claimed it and it sits on her bed when not in use on the couch.  They are so handy to have around for cuddling under while reading in the evenings.  And I've added to my wish list a sewing machine that can free motion quilt.

Stay tuned for more Christmas makings in the coming days.  :)

"For a long time it seemed to me that life was about to begin - real life.  But there was always some obstacle in the way, something to be gotten through first, some unfinished business, time still to be served, or a debt to be paid.  Then life would begin.  At last it dawned on me that these obstacles were my life.  (Alfred Souza)  

Changing seasons

With the changing of the seasons comes some sniffles and sick days.  And that's where we are right now.  Sniffles, congestion, coughing, upset tummies and a bout of croup for little S.  That hasn't been very fun, but she's such a trooper.  For a sick toddler, she has slept remarkably well on a mattress beside our bed.  Just within reach of mama's hand.  There she is helping me knead some dough.  Little darling.

The kids seem to be coping better than D and I.  They're on the mend after a few days and we are battling a prolonged version.  I suppose nothing lasts forever, but many are the nights whereon we've wished to be as resilient as our babies.

In the meantime, we are managing with some old fashioned remedies.  Bone broths, lots of flax seed tea, hot lemonades and saline.  The flax seed tea I've found to be somewhat helpful before bed in calming the coughing.  I mean, it's not magic, but it helps with the mucous.  Little J and D have also been drinking lots of hot lemonade.  And we've all been eating plenty of vegetables.  With a little vegan zucchini bread.  :)  Somehow it sits well with little tummies.  

And somehow I am making the time to sew a little.  Every day just a little.  Cut out the pattern, cut out the fabric.  Slowly, slowly.  It's enough.  And the quilt is done save for the binding.  That is a very happy thought!  I can't wait to share it here once I get that binding sewed on.  Right now I am working on a corduroy jumper for J.  She has no winter dresses and loves to wear them.  My mom had a large swath of navy corduroy, and so here we are!  

Enjoy the week!

Back for now

After a rather unplanned and lengthy hiatus, I'm not sure how to return here.  It's been a rocky few months around here to say the least.  I've not been myself.  See, we're expecting #4 this fall and morning sickness has been a nigh constant companion.  Usually I try to live in the moment and keep reminding myself that the present is best.  I can't tell you how much I am looking ahead to the next few weeks where, hopefully, this nausea abates.  

Otherwise, everything is fine and dandy.  I am not working on any projects.  Laundry is a big enough project for now.  I am in the slow lane these days.  I count little victories.  Dinner.  Dishes.  (Mostly D does the dishes, blessed man.)  Getting out to the park.  Things like that.  

Yesterday evening I did some light planting ahead of the long weekend while the kids rode bikes with Papa.  We wanted to have more space for the kids to play on the balcony, but I'm not sure if I could nix the garden completely.  We have a little wooden play kitchen and I'm thinking to put it outside for the summer.

Of course we are still plugging away at lessons.  I say plugging away, but it's not really as dry as it sounds.  Except for me, maybe.  Everything is hard and dry for me!  The kids are motoring along.  We have an Arabic teacher coming every week, which was a miraculous find for us.  :)  She is wonderful and the kids love her.  Other than that, M is starting multiplication and he is oh so ready for it.  He is also reading to us almost daily.  His reading has improved drastically over the past few months.  It's a wonder how far patience and a little daily effort will take you.  J is also really coming along.  Her reading is much more confident, and she's getting faster at spelling with the big moveable alphabet.  

Our course of study is not very rigorous, especially given this mama's fatigue.  We do a little something every day.  A little spelling, a few fun sums (M's favourite subject is math), a page or two (or 10 if he's willing) from Danny and the Dinosaur.  Sometimes we nix the book work and stick to house work.  Cleaning windows, folding laundry with mom, dusting, mopping, vacuuming.  I'm sure I've said it before, but my kids love vacumming.  And lego.  We all love lego.  (Except maybe D who's constantly stepping on it...)  

Anyhow.  Though by no means comprehensive, I guess that'll do for an update.  I hope I won't be MIA too much anymore.  Fingers crossed.  

Wishing you a great week.

Letting off steam and waiting for spring

I haven't been on this space in a while.  A few things going on to keep me away.  Lots of work getting french materials ready for the summer as well as running the home and working with the kids.  Also kind of slower with Lent.  And sometimes not slower.  But that's usually because of the kids.  :)  They never slow down.  Except to sleep.  And maybe read.  (I love reading time...)

We had some dear friends over this evening.  A bit of a last minute gathering, but so wonderful.  So needed.  To connect and share and go deep.  There is strength in that, and comfort.  The kids were bouncing off the walls though, and for some reason it rocked my boat more than usual.  I mean, I struggle with patience on a good day, but today was not one of my finest.  I felt like I was almost picking fights with them... kind of like a teenager.  Maybe PMS is on the way... yeesh!  

At the end of the day though, all they really needed was to let off some steam.  Things improved once I sent them out the door.  They ran in the hallways over and over on our floor until they were too tired to keep going.  Then we made donuts and had them with fruit.  Cause if you're going to have donuts, you should be healthy about it... Riiiiight.

Then they begged me to sleep beside each other on the floor.  They've been begging for almost a week.  Tonight, I caved in and set up the mattress with some pillows.  This is what I came in to see when I went to check on them later.  (Obviously it was way darker than what the picture shows...)  So sweet.  So innocent and full of childlike love.  They were practically holding hands.  

And that made it all better.  (Well, that and having the dishes done.)  The whole day, my bad mood, my yelling, my stressing out over silly things.  Gone.  

I guess I needed a little TLC too... even if it came from sleeping babies showing it to each others.

PS - Despite the slew of recent -30 days, we are eagerly looking to spring nowadays, as you can tell!  We've planted some radish and parsley seeds in little "planters" for the kids.  Actually, it was M's idea and he started it all.  Now we have 3 little containers sitting on our table basking in the sun.  Stay tuned for the finale!  

Weekend tidbits and a little garlic

A little crafting going on these days...

Almost done J's messenger bag.  Just have to sew in the lining and voila!  She'll have a sweet little bag to carry her treasures around.  Of course, it's almost impossible to keep things secret around here, so she knows she's getting a messenger bag.  I haven't shown her the final product though.  Last night I stayed up late pinning the lining to the outer bag... which leaves everything inside out.  Which means she can't see the bag itself, only the lining and even that is inside out.  Anyhow, best I can do under the circumstances.  Can't wait to show it off!

The kids made safety pin angels this weekend.  They strung beads onto safety pins, and then onto wires to shape into angels.  A sweet craft, but perhaps a bit much for little hands.  At least so I thought until yesterday when M brought me a whole bunch of safety pins he had strung with beads all by himself unbeknownst to me.  Basically they just needed to be strung on the wire and tied up.  Awesome!  I love being surprised like that!  (Although I think M surprised himself just as much...)

As for yarn crafting, that's kind of an ongoing given.  I am working on a few more hats right now and I hope to share them later this week.  Of course, I am hoping to share finished products by then, but who knows what will pop up in the meantime, so I'll leave it open.  :)

Oh dear, the laundry is piling up a bit and I can start to see the little mountain from where I sit.  As usual, it's not so much dirty clothes, just the clean clothes waiting to be folded.

And of course, illness is still our companion.  This time it's residual nightly coughing and an ear infection for baby.  It was painful for her, but we went the natural route this time and she is doing much better.  (We were so thankful that our doctor was supportive of this course.)  Her treatment was quite helpful in getting her comfortable especially for sleep time.  Nothing fancy: warm, garlic-infused olive oil drops for her ear, saline rinses for her nose, and managing her fever and pain with ibuprofen or acetaminophen.  And I have to say, she's a champ this girl of ours.  Didn't even flinch when we give her the saline drops up her nose.  Same with the ear drops.  I think the oil drops actually helped with the pain, but what do I know.  Regardless, she seems to be back to normal in less than 24 hours.

I am a huge fan of the more natural, herbal remedies whenever possible.  This recipe for the ear drops is pretty basic and really easy to make.  I usually make a fresh batch each day and administer it ever 4 hours or so along with tylenol.  She acts a little weird after I've put it in, but 5 minutes later she's a different baby - definitely happier.  And the healing time seems so fast - ours lasted for about 24 hours.  If you ever have a child with an ear infection, I would really encourage you to try this out.  (Just don't use it on a child with a perforated eardrum.)  Both olive oil and garlic are antiviral and antibacterial (amongst many other things!) so they're perfect for the job.  All this being said, I should also mention that I am no doctor, so please make sure to check with your doc beforehand.  

GARLIC-INFUSED OLIVE OIL EAR DROPS

2 cloves garlic,
4 Tbsp olive oil

Chop and then mash garlic so that it's crushed thoroughly.  Place in a small glass jar or cup and pour olive oil over it.  Allow it to steep for about 15 minutes.  Strain mixture through a clean cotton cloth scrap into another glass jar.  Warm gently by placing glass jar in a cup of hot water for a few minutes.  Test on inner wrist before administering.  Should be just slightly warm, not hot.  Gently administer a drop in the affected ear every so often to help with discomfort and swelling.



Joining Nicole and friends for this week's Keep Calm Craft On.  

Strep, math and liver

Here were are after ringing in 2015... sick.  A nice little strep infection going around alongside a lovely virus.  Enough to keep us at home and somewhat out for the count.  For the record, it is especially at moments like these where I am so thankful for modern medicine.  A simple thing like Tylenol makes a huge difference when faced with a fever over 40.  Very thankful, indeed.

I am also thankful for moments where the little ones take charge of their "school" work.  When his fever is down, M has been very much into Montessori math games and exercises.  Pictured above are the snake game and another exercise of combinations adding to 10.  For the snake game, he records his work on small sheets of graph paper.  The graph paper allows him to keep place values accurately and basically show his work clearly.  He is still working on accuracy with counting those little beads.  (He gets a bit excited towards the end and will sometimes add a few extra in his eagerness to finish!)   He still loves the challenge though and will often ask to play the snake game in the evenings.  

Today D made dinner.  We had liver.  (I can hear the gagging!)  But he has a way of making it that totally changes the taste.  I can't divulge his secret simply because I'm not exactly sure how he does it, but it involves garlic.  Glorious garlic!  Grlic pounded into a paste with olive oil and somehow incorporated with the liver.  We eat it with bread sandwich style, or with french fries - the kids eat their liver with ketchup too (gross!).  It's moist, almost juicy, meaty and somehow comforting despite the garlic kick.  I used to hate liver until I married D.  So ya, I thought I'd brag about D's more exotic kitchen skills.   Especially given that I'm the one profiting from them! :)

At least life is not all terrible.  I am hopeful we have turned the corner and are on the mend for the most part.  Hopefully!  

Shooting beads

The other day, my three year old ran into the living room.  "Mama, I have a bead in my nose," she informed me gravely.  I, not able to keep calm the way I would have liked, repeated, using much higher pitch and volume, "You have a BEAD in your nose!?"  "Yes," she replied simply.  

This, my friends was how it started.  It ended with a trip to the emergency room.  The in-between part is a little fuzzy.  I remember walking away to calm down and think rationally about what needed to be done while D sat alongside the victim trying to see up her nose.

After I decided that it needed to be the hospital instead of the clinic, we executed our mission pretty fast.  A short drive, a short wait and in to see the doctor.  While J sat in the chair, I explained to the medical student attending us what had happened.  She hunted for an instrument for a few moments, then went to bring her supervisor.  In walked the doc.  He chuckled at our story and assured me that we weren't the first to come in for that reason.  Then he turned to the student and asked, "Have you ever seen the oxygen trick."  "No, can't say that I have," she responded.  He then explained to the two of us how it worked.  Afterwards performed the trick on my daughter.  Here's how it went.

He took a tube of running oxygen, had me close J's mouth with my hand, and quickly placed the tube over the nostril without the bead.  The next instant, a smooth, perfectly round, golden bead shot across the room.  Shot.  Across.  The.  Room.  I kid you not - it was like a gunshot but without the explosive sound.  It rebounded off the wall toward us and eventually rolled under our chair.  I have never seen a human propel anything quite like that.  It was amazing.  All that in an hour.  

I will remember the oxygen trick.  (Thank you, doc!)  Hopefully I'll never need that knowledge again.  Gah!  

As you can tell, my daughter is a true masterpiece.  Yesterday, she came bouncing out of her room, curls spring-spronging everywhere, as she commanded, "Look at my new pjs, Mama -  I am a zebra!"  Indeed she was with striped pants and zebra adorned shirt.  

With all her precociousness, the first thing that strikes you with J is her hair.  She can't help it.  Tight curls streaked with blond each marching to the beat of a different drum - just like her.  Wild and free.  In a way, it's like a preview into her character.  She is tightly wound and likes to bounce.  What a fun girl she is.  Loves to snuggle, loves to laugh.  And never stops going.  

I've seen hair like hers before on two of my sisters, so she probably gets it from my side.  But my hair is just frizzy and puffy.  Kind of wish I had curls like that little lady.  And a personality to match.  With all her pouty faces, she can wrap her dad around her finger.  (I still haven't managed the trick...)  And mostly everyone else.  Mostly.  Me, no way.  I see right through that little monkey.  :)  She is a charmer though.  A real charmer.  Her middle name is trouble with a capital T.  I confess, I am worried for her future.  I mean, look at that face!  At least I know she can take care of unwanted attention.  I mean, not every kid can shoot beads from her nose.  

Beware.  

Before I sign off for today, I though I'd share some art.  I haven't been very diligent with posting artwork these past few weeks.  It's not because art hasn't been a part of our lives, it's just that I haven't always been able to file it in my sketchbook.  My art is for the kids these days.  Constructing houses from recycled boxes, sketching cars for little handmade books, drawing ladybugs on posters.  That kind of stuff.  It's just part of the rhythm of our lives.  Sometimes I have the time to sit down and draw for myself.  Sometimes I don't, but usually because I've chosen to do something else, or indulged art in other forms.  (I consider crocheting art.)  I believe this is a healthy rhythm for our family, a flexible one.  We have structure, but it is a fluid structure.  Never demanding, never stress-producing.  

Art really is a part of our daily life.  M started drawing dinosaurs and human skeletons (it's not morbid - he is obsessed with the human body).  The two older ones love cutting, gluing, stencilling, doodling, and just getting right into the process.  That may or may not gift me with the space I need to do likewise.  It depends on my priorities for the day.  (Dinner really does get first dibs.)

Kitchenry and hot lemonade

I've been fighting off a terrible cold this whole week.  I finally succumbed - I mean completely and totally succumbed - on Friday.  I had nothing.  Not even a smidgen of energy.  Even now I am still out for the count.  A red, bleary eyed, snuffling, coughing, sneezing mess.  

God bless hot lemonade.  Hot water, lemon juice and a little sugar (sorry, I can't do without...).  It's actually kind of soothing, in a tough, raspy way.  (No, I am not making sense now, am I?)  Well anyhow, my husband swears by eating raw lemons and so far he's held out.  I can't do that.  So I drink them.  (Next best thing?)  

Needless to say I've been taking it easy these past few days.  A little crochet here, a little (umm, ok fine a lot of) reading there, some resting, lots of soup, lots of tea (and hot lemonades).  That's me anyhow.  The kids are still going full throttle.  It's tough for them to slow down for mom.  

Not to say that we haven't had happenings in our home and kitchen.  It's just much, much slower; much fewer culinary projects happening simultaneously.  Slow, slow, slow.  That's where I'm at.  Happily, I did manage to make that apple custard pie for tomorrow's Thanksgiving feast.  Small victories.  (I will post the recipe someday - it is probably the best apple pie we've ever had.)  

Happy Thanksgiving, fellow Canadians!

A rare afternoon

Last Monday I found a weekly pick up soccer game going on at the park beside us.  We were actually at the park on our way home when I stumbled across it.  A few questions, logistics smoothed over with D, and I was on my way back to the field with cleats and shin guards in my bag.  It was a glorious game.  I haven't played since before Michael.  Six years.  That's a long time to me.  

Anyhow, after the game was finished, I trudged home happily.  Secure in the knowledge that I would be a very sore mama the next day.  In fact, I was not only sore, but I pulled a muscle in my ankle - the one I broke two years back.  Given I had never really "rehabilitated" that foot afterwards, I figured I had better play it safe, try to keep my feet up and generally take it easy.  (Broken bones = no fun!)  I managed to put it up for a few hours during the day, which was so helpful as it feels good as new now.  

And that is the story of how (or perhaps why) I managed to finish this bunting for J.  (Injuries can be blessings in disguise!)  Well, almost finished.  I just have to make the letters and sew them on.  That however, is work for another afternoon.

Enjoy your weekend!  

A sickly start to the year

Well, if this month is any indication of the rhythm of things, this year is going to keep us closeted due to illness for a good while!  We've been sick for almost a month.  Do you know what that means?  It means, my good people, that true sleep has become a thing of the far past!  That and December has come and gone without much notice on our part.  

Yet, somehow, there is light at the end of this long tunnel.  A whisper of clean air perhaps?  An almost vague smell of sunshine?

Little (and big) bodies are tired of fighting, yet valiantly continuing to fight on.  It brings a sweet warmth somehow (in a non-literal sense, obviously) when feverish little ones curl up against my side and ask for a story, or to help hold the little hand mixer.  And the kind ways my dear husband lifts my spirits and shoulders my burden.  We are learning patience, friends.  Patience with our bodies, patience with each other, patience waiting on the Great Healer.  

Not everything in life stops with us.  We watch, as though glued to a window - outside, apart from everyone - the world pass by at no mean speed.  The merrymaking, the festivities, the cheer, all serving to remind us of the time.  Then they drift away like smoke and time once again becomes a stranger in our lives.  (At least insofar as time means dates and deadlines.  Nap-times and mealtimes are non-negotiable.)

Our projects are not idle hobbies to pass the time.  They have become ways to keep love and laughter alive.  A few new peg people for the little ones.  A woodburning to send to a far-away friend.  A dabble in cheesemongering to save some old milk.  (That last one was a triumph of no small proportion.  Mozzarella is hardly a beginner cheese...)  

And so, another year is closed.  May the new one find you replete with health of spirit, quiet joy and inner peace.  (And maybe with a few loving projects of your own in queue?)

Christmas medley

I've been MIA lately because we have been running the gauntlet of illnesses.  Yay.  It's not just stuffy noses or little coughs.  That stuff is easy!  These are the full out, fever-with-a-hacking-cough-throwing-up sick.  It seems to happen all at once and always in the winter.  Maybe I should keep this as a spring-summer-early fall type blog.  With three kids passing viruses around, the winter is too unpredictable.  

Anyhow.  Christmas preparations have been limited here.  We've baked a tray or two of cookies (when fevers were down and moods were up...), done a few cards and lined up a few other crafts that have yet to be tackled.  No real shopping has been done, except for children's tylenol.  (Possibly the perfect gift for all our parent friends?)  We have actually considered buying shares...  Mostly though we're making pots of soup, peeling oranges (they say the vitamin C is good...), cuddling up under blankets, and basically doing what we can to help our bodies fight this off.  

We were planning on spending this Christmas in Michigan at the Dormition.  Doesn't look like that will happen at this rate.  I am disappointed.  I am also sad that I haven't been able to do very much to prepare for Christmas.  I don't lament the shopping, truth be told.  It's the other stuff.  The baking, the cooking, the decorating, the festive making and crafting.  D told me that this year, we're going back to the roots of Christmas - the real deal.  Without all these distractions and fuss, we have no choice but to focus on Christ Himself.  That is a very beautiful and comforting thought.  

In fact, while our situation is not comparable in the least, these past few weeks have made me think profoundly on the terrible war going on in Syria.  Not the war itself, but the hundreds and thousands of Christians who are being persecuted for their faith in Christ.  And here I am wondering what to buy for D.  How's that for a dose of perspective...

On a less serious note, though not one to subtract from the previous sentiments I hope, I wanted to share this funny story.  I had put on a load of laundry in the washer and left to do another few chores.  When I came back, both my kids had pulled up their soft chairs in front of the washer and were staring with wide eyes at the load spinning and sudsing up with soap.  They were there for like 15 minutes!  It was honestly as if they were watching TV, except they were watching a washing machine!  Some kids enjoy video games.  Mine prefer a good round of dark clothes to capture their attention...

Donut therapy

We have been sick.  Oh yes.  First it was strep throat with a little scarlet fever.  Then it was a viral cold.  Now it's hand, foot and mouth disease.  (Gee, it sounds so much more serious with "disease" at the end!)  The viral cold was actually the worst and we all succumbed, though not all at once.

Our bodies are recovering thankfully and the kids are again sleeping through the night, minus little S of course.  Obviously, it was high time for donuts!  The whole process is actually kind of therapeutic for me, and I try to do it when a bit of quiet reigns in the house. Watching spoonfuls of runny dough swell up in the hot oil to little golden puffs.  Noticing each donut's shape is different and enjoying each unique imperfection.  Sprinkling cinnamon sugar over them and popping one in my mouth while they're still hot.  I don't know why, though I suspect it's the comfort factor, but donuts are best when eaten fresh and warm.  

And since she's been filling my days with so much sunshine, I think it's only fair to share.  

My sweet girl.  How much my heart swells when I see you.  How much you are loved.