A few firsts

We had a delicious long weekend visiting our dear family.  It was full to the brim of goodness.  And lots of firsts.  First time milking a cow, first time riding a pony, first time mucking out stalls, first time travelling by night.  For the record, all our firsts turned out to be wonderful experiences.  (Whew!)

   

By the way, raw milk is everything it's cracked up to be and more!  It's so creamy and rich and delicious!  Tastes different than the store bought kind, even the 3%.  And when you're the one who's milked the cow, you know pretty much all you need to know about your milk.  :)  The kids drank lots of milk.  They even had homemade frozen yogurt.  Yum!  I think that was one of S's favourite parts.  

This my farmer boy.  And what a funny sight for me as I find that usually he won't go near the source of any bad odours.  Not so here.  Did I mention how much I want a farm?  A mama can dream.  Although the bug situation was absolutely incredible!  So many bugs!  Flies, mosquitoes, you name it!  All around.  All the time.  Poor M got eaten alive. 

My equestrian children.  They couldn't get enough rides.  I think they must have ridden for at least an hour.  Enough for me to put the baby to bed and take a nap myself.

With all the fresh air, space and love, the kids were really in heaven.  My heart was so full there.  We all seem to find a sort of inner rest in Panagia's garden.  

We drove back during the night and the kids conked out for at least the last 2 hours.  And I must admit I did too.  Thank goodness D was our trusty driver.  He never disappoints.  I feel blessed to have him around so much.  

Hope you had a lovely weekend too!

Little scientists

So, those dandelions from last week?  They spoiled.  I should've known they needed to be fully covered with oil, but no, a few heads did poke out.  And now we must needs start over.  Good thing there are still plenty of dandelions around!  But goodness, I feel so scatterbrained these days.  (Or maybe I've always been that way and I'm only seeing it now at last?)

A few messy things taken care of and now I can focus on the shopping part of my list.  The biggest item is a new bike for J.  She is patiently waiting, though I hope to surprise her before next week when the weather gets much nicer.  My kids do love riding their bikes anywhere they can.  And because it's getting ridiculous trying to fit three bikes and a stroller in our trunk, we're on the lookout for a decent bike rack.  :)

We are hoping to plant some tomatoes next week.  It may have to be a little later, because, of course, schedules have a way of getting ridiculously busy all of a sudden.  And that's ok.  The plants are already growing in their cosy pots, so we have some time.  I love spring.

This past week we learned that pine cones can help predict the weather.  They close when it's going to rain and open if not.  This is to guard the seeds inside the pine cone, of course.  It has to do with the moisture in the air.  We put one in a cup of water and it closed in about 5-10 minutes.  And then we set it on the window sill and the next morning it was open!  The little ones just LOVED it! Fascinating stuff these pine cones.  M took one to school for a class demonstration.  If you've never done it, it's so worth it just to see the kids faces light up with wonder.

I think the next thing we need to research are ants.  They are fascinating to little eyes and hands.  Here the kids are making a mountain for the ants.  They actually buried a colony they found and just kept building "ant mountain" upwards.  They even dug a trench around it.  Perhaps we shall even get to medieval castle building if there's time...  

Wishing you many such adventures with little scientists to keep you young at heart.

The best things in life are free

Life has changed so much since two months ago.  Baby M is not sleeping as well as she used to, so I get wakened up at least a couple times each night.  It's ok.  For some reason, could be that rosebud mouth or those cheeks, it doesn't bother me.  Also, my body seems to be able to function remarkably well with less sleep.  This is great news to me.  I don't ever remember feeling like this with the other three.  In fact, I often grew cranky being woken up so much at night.  Can only guess why it's not the same with this little lady.  Perhaps it took that long for me to understand or absorb an important truth: this too shall pass, and that precious baby will be grown up by tomorrow.

We went to the park this week almost every day after school.  The weather was beautiful and we all just ached to be outdoors.  :)  Once while we were there, I brought a bag and we picked dandelions.  There are so many of them in the fields and along the roads.  Even next to a small forest we found the ground just littered with golden blossoms.  Our picking didn't even make a dent in their numbers.  We are infusing them right now and are hoping to use the oil later in salves and soaps.

Anyhow.  The one bad thing I'm noticing is that I seem to have my sweet tooth back in full force.  To the extent that I know it can't be good for me to eat all that sugar.  After having exercised a little will-power during Lent, you'd think it'd be easy afterwards.  Not so.  I am in need of more "no sweets" periods.  Always found it easier to go cold turkey that be moderately restrictive.  Again, I puzzle as to why!  This bothers me because I have babies to take care of, and sugar robs me of needed energy.  Also, I can't fit my old clothes and I can't bring myself to buy new ones.  Catch 22.  Something's gotta give, I suppose.  I shan't give up though.  My body feels better with less sugar!

I am working on a few projects, lots of summer time activities for the kids.  And shopping.  J needs a new bike, D needs some clothes, a few gifts need buying.  Trouble is, I don't have the TIME for all that AND housekeeping.  Sometimes it's nice to have a helping hand.  I was so happy that M helped make pancakes Saturday morning.  To be fair, I had to be right there with him, and I ended up frying them.  However, we are on a path that will end with him relatively self-sufficient in the kitchen!  He really enjoys working with his hands so far.  Loves to build, construct and dismantle.  Very interested in how things work.  Only recently has he started asking why they work a certain way or what makes them function so.  That is an exciting journey since it opens up a whole new world to both of us.  Yesterday he finished building a model 4-cylinder gasoline engine.  We are learning the mechanics of this together.  Really cool stuff I tell you!  :)

And we are fast becoming a musical family.  The kids are humming, chirping and just singing all the time!  Catch them playing alone and they're usually singing a new tune.  I think it's the weather.  The change in seasons, more vitamin D, more physical activity... whatever it is.  I love it.  And I hope it's a herald of the coming days.  

A post-Pascha post

After over a month, almost two of being absent here, you'd think I'd be bubbling over with news and goings-on.  The only real thing I feel like sharing is just how tired I am!  These past weeks have been just beautiful, and draining, and lovely and hard.  And now, descending slowly down to earth from heaven, if you will, I am struck by how spent I am.

In fact, the only ambition I have is to make a good hearty pot of bone broth soup.  That's what my body needs, I think.  And curl up with a good book, perhaps outside in the sun.  :)  I doubt very much any of that will happen, except the soup, but it's nice to dream!  I am so thankful for the sunshine.  It just perks my mood right up!  In fact, on this second day of May, I am thankful for many things...

- for Skype, WhatsApp, and connecting to far away sisters

- for birdsong, and the muted chirping going on just before dawn

- for seeing a 5-year old so excited to paint something

- for kindred spirits, dear friends, and good company

- for feast days

- for quieter and often cuddly moments with a certain 2 year old darling

- for baby coos, smiles and peekaboo laughing (and those kissable cheeks!)

- for the warm sunshine on my back, my shoulders and my hands... especially after a seemingly long winter

- for the joy of running after little children outside

- for planning gardens, plants, and just anything green sprouting!

- for deep conversations in the car with a seven-year old on route to wherever

- for painting.  Oh how I've missed painting.  I could shout with the sheer joy of picking up a paintbrush!

- for reading together in the evenings before bed

I wish you many such thankful moments!  Christ is risen!

A little rearrangement

We did a little furnitre shuffling this past week to accommodate a new set of bookshelves.  (Have I mentioned yet how much I love Ikea?)  And I must say that I just love how it looks!  We are using it for all our school supplies, work and such props.  It's wonderful having it all in one place.  The kids have already been going on their own to a shelf to take down and work on an activity they are familiar with.  And I'm noticing that clean up is a breeze too.  I can't imagine how we lived without these shelves!  

This is J doing some chalk art.  (I think she said that was a portrait of me.)  And the second photo is showing her working on pouring liquids.  We do a lot of baking, so those kind of things are definitely helpful in a tangible, everyday way.  :)

The kids really are gearing up for summer.  I mean, the weather is consistently warm, and so they are full of plans.  I haven't really sat down to think about what we need to do this summer, except maybe with our curriculum goals.  I'd like to have some activities lined up for July and August - nothing crazy... I'm still exhausted these days and nausea does come and go - something for us to use when we need a change or some new fun.    

D decided we need to plant more spinach and parsley, so we kept a couple extra pots.  Guess what we're doing today!  Actually, today has been a great day so far.  Cleaned the bathrooms, folded the laundry and working on the dirty pile, swept the house and balcony, and set up the play kitchen outside.  A summer space for little ones.  

Hope you have a cheery and productive week!  I'm off to take my afternoon nap.  (Can't last without one...)

A bit of green and some knitting

A gentle post with some pops of green  from our balcony garden, and some knitting news.  Of course we are deep in radishes by now.  :)  Spinach has sprouted and parsley is poking its head out too.  Just waiting for the mint to come.  I am nervous about mint.  It's my first time growing it from seed.  I try not to check on it all the time so I won't be disappointed at each glance.  Gardens can be nail-biters sometimes!  

This is the first baby sweater update.  As you can see, there's still a ways to go.  No worries.  I have nothing but time.  I've been itching to knit something in this gray, but I'm wondering if it's more masculine than neutral?  I guess I can always add pink trim if it comes down to that.  Or really girlie buttons.  Also, I can't decide whether I prefer knitting or crocheting.  This from someone who just started knitting seriously.   It's a very nice conundrum to find oneself in.  Yarn, I've missed you.  

PS - There's something so right about knitting for baby.  Despite the summer heat, it just feels good.  (Thank God for cool breezes and AC...)

Childhood & some neighbours in need

As my belly swells further these days, I am reminded of how fast children grow.  Look at these little ones!  They used to be much smaller, I assure you.  But last year's shorts don't fit anymore, and new shoes are needed too.  (Not to mention growing appetites!)  It is beautiful to look back through photos and videos of the sweetness that is their childhood.  

Trees are very attractive to a six year old.  And when big brother climbs up, little sisters just have to join.  Crab apple trees are great for little ones to climb.  They always seem to have that large sit in the middle before thick branches begin to fork away from the trunk.  We had a great time at the park that day.  Beautiful weather, and hours of outdoor adventures.  

The weather has cooled down this weekend, but it looks to be a temporary blip.  Looks like more sunshine and heat for the rest of the week.  None of us can wait for the strawberries to debut en masse!  D and I are planning a trip to the Kitchener-Waterloo area farmer markets to pick up some produce in bulk.  We have been told it's more reasonable than Toronto prices, and with the Amish and Mennonite communities around, we're hoping for organic.  (Pretty pricey in a big city...)  I seriously have my jam jars counted and ready.  Strawberry jam ranks pretty highly around here.

I am currently working on a few projects here in the meantime.  Most impressively, I have started knitting a sweater for baby.  I'll try to share it this week.  This is my first knitting project.  My gauge is probably a little wonky, and every so often, a crooked stitch appears.  Despite all that, I love it.  I've always wanted to knit and baby clothes are a manageable project to start with.  I've not gotten very far, but a few rows here and there are just the thing for me now.  I am easing back into some old hobbies.  Things that I can pick up and put down as needed.  (Imperative with an almost 2-year old.)

I read this article today and my heart is just broken.  So much suffering for these people and throughout the Middle East.  So much suffering.  I don't know how they are able to live through it.  What's more, I can't believe how much we practically ignore their plight here.  Those faces, those cries, they rise up like condemnation for every convenience I enjoy.  (Ahem, we had delicious cream of broccoli soup and sandwiches for lunch...)  As the Good Samaritan showed, these strangers living so far away are our neighbours in every sense.  May God comfort them as only He knows how.  And may we not forget to remember them in our own lives; to help shoulder their burden in any way possible; to love truly and completely even those whom we can't see.

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.

Break (not that kind...)

Just came back from Michigan and the monastery there.  Another wonderful, though last-minute trip. So wonderful to see how God's providence orchestrates even the smallest details of our lives.  In the middle of Lent, a call to come.  And so we came.  And here we are, back again from our weekend break and wonderfully recharged.

It's March break now and M is home for the week.  That is a treat for us.  The kids have lots planned for the week.

First off, a treasure hunt.  Preferably in a sandy or earthy area.  (Very good for digging.)  Then a map will be drawn to show all locations where treasure was found.  Then, some carving.  Probably a house built - a real log cabin in the woods, if you please.  And of course a picnic, a trip to visit the cousins, and the maple syrup festival.  I don't know if I got it all down, but you get the idea.  Very creative plans have been fermenting in little minds...

I doubt I'll be around much in the coming week or two for that matter.  (What's new?)  There has been a little school work going on despite the warmer weather.  The kids are learning arabic, so there was a new alphabet board we made.  :)  Not really inspiring perhaps, though it sure is pur-tty to me...

Also, we opened the last jar of peaches canned from last summer.  So good.  So good.  Summer in a jar.  The kids ate a bowl for breakfast.  Then they quickly began planning how many jars we needed to can this year.  Hilarious to listen to.

I know there aren't many photos of creative pursuits these days.  We've put aside a lot of things during Lent.    Sewing, crocheting, crafting, art.  It's not so much for lack of time, though Lord knows how often that is the case.  It's more like an almost unconscious movement towards inner stillness?  A desire to meet Him in the silence after the storm - or perhaps the silence in the midst of the storm.   It seems like there may be a moment here and there.  Most of the time though, there is more reading, more services, more contemplation.  A special season  of the year set aside for just that.

May your week be blessed.

Our first harvest

We harvested the radishes yesterday.  The was so much dirt tracked in on the floors as enthusiastic kids pulled up cherry bulbs and ran to wash them in the sink willy-nilly.  (For crying out loud, this is a balcony garden people!)  Some of them didn't make it that far before teeth took over.  :)  We made a delicious salad to go along with lentils and rice.  They pair so nicely together.  The earthier lentils set off by the tangy bite of the radish.  Yes sir, our little ones love their radishes  And they also love lentils.  For some reason, that makes me happy.  Weird?  

I am looking forward to our spinach and lettuce.  The lettuce is really thriving.  We had a bad storm two days ago and the winds were crazy.  They ripped out some spinach and some of the new radish sprouts went too.  D had the foresight to bring in the tomato and peppers.  Hopefully we saved them.  The parsley, onions and cucumbers seemed to be fine.  I'm worried about the cucumbers actually.  They don't seem to be growing anymore.  :(  

Yesterday I finally put the blocks into a basket which I had found on sale.  They had previously been contained in a small old duffle bag.  Even though they were stored in reach of all three, no one really used them because they weren't in sight.  As if to prove the point, once I had dumped them into the basket, J started building.  We built a castle, a church and and a house.  She even built a pigpen beside the house.  It was a good call, that basket.  

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!  

gardening and a snobby french demoiselle

I have come to the conclusion that I am easily frazzled by too much noise or deadlines.  They stress me out until I either lose it or shut down.  I don't have a large family by most standards, but I find being pulled in three directions is sort of exhausting at times.  And I want so much to give each one all the love and attention they need, and just fill their little hearts with goodness.  Doesn't quite happen that way, though we have our moments.  Many are the times I am split amongst three, or four (or five if I'm included) bewildering personalities and my whole inner is wailing "uncle!".  All I want to do is curl up in my bed until it stops!  (What was I thinking having kids!?)  Some people do so well under stress.  Multitasking pros.  Me?  Not so much.  I guess I'm a work in progress.

This may be why I love crocheting and gardening so much.  They calm me down.  Some people breathe.  Some do yoga.  I garden (or crochet as the case may be).  It works.  And our little container garden is thriving.  Radishes.  How I love thee.  Almost ready for harvest.  Little bulbs of victory are peeking out of the soil.  

And the rest of our pots are well on their way.  The cucumbers are sprouting well and in a couple of weeks we'll be able to start tying them to the stakes.  A happy thought!  Parsley has sprouted at last and we've planted a few more seeds to fill up the pot.  Spinach and lettuce are putting out their leaves now too.  It's all I can do to keep J away from them.  She saw me thinning some pots a few days back and so she has it in her head now to do a little "thinning" of her own.  Mercy!  What a sad crop we would/might still have.  Wish me luck...

M started soccer for the summer.  He's a pretty fast kid for a 5 year old.  I thought I'd have at least until adolescence before he would be able to outrun me.  Ya.  Not going to happen.  Given the current evidence and his genetic makeup (D is pretty speedy), I give it 2 or 3 years.  And nothing makes him happier than racing.  Racing his sister, racing after a ball, racing other 5 year olds...  Loves to race.  Soccer is perfect for him.  Too bad they only have it once a week!  On second thought, given my sentiments above, it's probably a good thing they only play once a week.  

Since today is such a nice day, we decided to make a summer dessert: creme caramel.  My Teta Isabelle was a master chef in her day - and at over ninety she is still going strong!  Years ago I went over to her house and she taught me how to make it from scratch.  Just milk, eggs, sugar and vanilla. From that comes forth a cold, buttery yellow custard quivering in its own caramel sauce.  Despite being a rather snobby french demoiselle, it is the perfect summer dessert - light, cold and elegant.  

Our pans are chilling in the fridge right now, so here's a "halfway there" photo in anticipation of the masterpiece.  And yes, I used pans not ramekins.  (Who with two monkeys running around their legs has the time to deal with ramekins!?)  Not I.  Nay, not I.

Enjoy your Monday!  And cheers!