Snow day

It is such fun to have a good snow at last!  We spent yesterday following church at grammie and grandpa's.  I must say getting to church was a feat in itself.  The morning the snow just poured down in thick, swirling flakes.  Pretty from a window seat, but not so much from a driver's seat.  Thankfully we made it there and back again without any incidents.  

The kids loved the snow.  Sledding, shovelling, jumping, and whatever else they could think of doing with that tons of white stuff all happened.  We haven't had a proper Canadian winter this year.  Too many gaps between snow falling and the inevitable melt two days later.  Soggy weather for winter.  They are hoping this snow sticks around.  

And as for me, I am just happy for another reason to get outside.  :)  With the fridge full from a weekend of cooking, I am looking forward to a bit of a break in the kitchen and perhaps a few projects alongside those necessary errands.

I just have to mention that M is really into Monopoly, as you can see.  The day isn't complete without a request for a "quick game".  We can't always say yes, but he is a happy camper when we do.

S is plugging away at a game above.  We lay a bunch of sandpaper letters out on the table or floor and then she has to find which letter that matches the sound I ask for.  It's just working on getting her to recognize or find the letters faster so she can start stringing them together in words.  I love how Montessori makes it so easy for them to read.  No complicated rules, just recognize and memorize the sound each letter makes, then off they go.  Beautiful!  I think she will start before she turns four in the summer, but that's entirely up to her.  She does love practical life activities, especially ones that involve snack.  Pouring milk (her favourite), cutting, peeling, whatever.  She is good about cleaning off the table too!  

Last night D and I watched the documentary Food Inc.  Scary stuff.  I sat with my crocheting the whole time just blown away.  I don't know if Canada is on the same level as the US in terms of how food is produced, but what a scary wake up call regardless.  If you've never seen it, you have to watch this film.  I was totally turned off meat.  And what good timing with Great Lent coming up soon...

Wishing you lots of snowy fun and good health this coming week!

Space jam

I am crocheting right now as I sit with D, waiting for the yogurt to finish setting.  We generally still make our own yogurt - sometimes even with some raw milk, though usually without.  We go through a lot of yogurt.  If the kids aren't eating it as a snack, we are serving it as part of the meal.  Love yogurt.

So, I am crocheting hearts and stars for the kids out of various colours of yarn.  A little Valentine from mama.  :)  Nice to use up some leftover yarn too!  My stash is getting out of hand, at least for the space we have.  I have left yarn work for a long time because I just didn't have the desire.  But suddenly, just as inexplicably as she left, she was back, knocking at my door again, begging to start a cozy stripped afghan and bring a little joy to my babies.  So here I am with new projects tucked into little corners and nooks around the place.  :)

Forgot to add this photo from Christmas time last month.  Just too cute to pass up, so I posted it now!  

The weather this winter has been unseasonably warm so far.  Many many days above the freezing mark, no snow, lots of rain.  Very odd, at least for the Canadian winters I'm used to.  You'd like this would be incentive to take the little ones out more, but I am still guilty of not taking the kids as much as I feel I should.  Fresh air always makes me feel better, but at this particular time period, I am struggling to get at it!

We rearranged some of our furniture in the main living area of the condo to accommodate a much-needed workspace for the kids.  We have a small desk for the computer, but it's full of, well, the computer!  The kids, particularly the older two, are old enough to need a space to work on their work, on their projects, or just spread out without needing to clean up for a bit.  As you can see, even baby M has her own space now under that table.  :)  Anyhow, I have more plans for that table.  I think this is something I enjoy doing every so often, the rearranging part I mean.  I can't yet decide if it's just a nice change in scenery, or if it's a bid to optimize space.  Maybe a little of both?  

This is our dog.  ;)  He is the sweetest little feathered friend!  D has trained him to lie on his back and be groomed or "petted".  Actually, he LOVES being groomed around his head.  He'll fluff right out and just zone out.  Hilarious to watch.  Really does remind us of a dog in some ways.  Little Romanos has brought a lot of joy to our lives right along with the kids!  

Anyhow.  I'll finish here because I'm just having a hard time keeping my eyes open!  Past my bedtime I think.  Sweet dreams!  

Post-holiday happenings

Our holidays don't seem to be as restful as we'd like.  It's just with a big family and many friends - all great blessings in our lives - there is a lot of entertaining and being entertained.  It is nice to catch up with old friends though, so I'll take it.

After the holidays were through, we settled into a more relaxed rhythm.  Everyone helping around the home, doing a little academic work together (mostly math and writing), and some excursions to round things out.  The kids did a lot of baking with me, including those cheese pies.  Come to think of it, I don't think I did much besides the prep work.  They pretty much put them together and I stuck trays into the oven.  Done.  It's actually a wonderful feeling to have helpers in the kitchen.  It's taken a few years of "training", lots of messes, plenty of patience and encouragement, but they seem to be well on their way to self-sufficiency in this area.  

 J is working on math now.  She is a playful monkey, so it's tough to stay on track usually.  I have to keep reminding myself that the work she's doing doesn't matter nearly as much as our time together and how we connect.  Not easy.  She is chugging along however and has mastered the collective exercises for addition.  We are working on carry-overs now.  She and Michael partner up for this, and I am the happiest mom watching them work together.  I think J likes it because we make a big deal whenever someone says "ten" as they count beads.  :)  

I have to say that most of our work is done in 10-15 minute increments.  It's very manageable.  In fact, many times the kids move on to a second round of work, or else they do a little extra,  I like that aspect immensely about Montessori.  It doesn't take much.  The trick is to do it as often as possible - if not daily then at least 2-3 times a week.  This repetition helps to cement concepts in a profound way.  I find that even if a child does not grasp every single aspect or angle of whatever the lesson is, they still understand the concept.  

This little munchkin is growing like a weed!  She is past one and walking.  Climbing is more like it.  She climbs everything.  We've had to be creative with this one, she just can't help it.  She loves to by a part of whatever's going on, which usually means getting up onto the dining room table, or climbing all over the sofas and side tables.  She's so happy and so full of zest as she goes exploring, we can't help but kiss those cheeks!  

When evening arrives, the best way to calm down rowdy kiddies is to read with them.  I was so glad when D captured this moment.  I don't think we have any recent shots of us reading together.  Here we are reading "The Quiet Little Woman" by L.M. Montgomery.  The kids love it, especially the older two.  

There is always work to be done in the kitchen.  As per usual.  I don't think we've been terribly creative on that front, but I have had more spurts of energy, so we have had less sandwiches and more hearty fare.  I am trying to stay away from cold cuts, which is difficult because a) it's convenient for lunches, and b) the kids love it.  I've made them steak sandwiches, pulled beef and turkey (from leftover turkey) that I've stashed in the freezer.  I think that's going to be my new system.  Once we have something like a roast or turkey, I will freeze a certain amount to use for lunch meat.  Finally got this down!  

I painted this icon years ago, but the gold starting peeling off thanks to a bad metal size I used.  (Of course!)  Thankfully, we found an experience iconographer to fix it.  I will never use that size again.  Yeesh.  Thankfully, all's well that ends well.  

So, I bring this little update to a close.  It's sounds an awful lot like a point by point rehash of bits of our days, but right now, that's all I've got.  Didn't want to keep postponing it.  Wishing you a great weekend!

Just before Lent

We've had the mildest winter I can remember so far.  This week it's supposed to get into the teens!  (For my American friends, that's in the 50s F.)  We've had sporadic skating adventures here and there, but they haven't been as often as we'd have liked.  That's partly because I wasn't up for skating until mid to late January, and after that because of the periodic thaws we've had.  

That being said, I have to say that skating at night is fun!  It's something I don't remember doing when I was growing up.  I think I prefer the day, just because of the warmth factor of the sun (brrr!), but I'm glad we got to go at night too.

More shots of the little ones here.  :)  Little M is growing.  Cheeks and all.  Our baby is almost 4 months now!  She's easily the best sleeper I've had.  Of course, they change at the drop of a hat, so I'm not really holding my breath.  We shall take things as they come.  My new motto!  (And it took 4 kids for me to be ok with that!)  

We had a snow day (the first this year) and we got to enjoy our day together without rushing.  That is a gift to me.  More and more, I find I can't do rush.  I get anxious inside, I get panicked and that's usually when I start yelling or snapping.  And even if I'm not shouting, I certainly am not enjoying the moment.  I miss out on a lot in retrospect.  M will come to me trying to share a cool fact he's learned, or J will want to have a conversation to process something new, and I'm basically not there for them.  So you can imagine how much this mama enjoys leisurely days with her brood!    

Lent is almost here.  One week left to go.  The Great fast.  My kids are actually very excited to fast.  Their schoolmates are almost finished Lent, but they are raring to go.  I can't say I am excited for the Fast, but I have to say I am looking towards it with a sort of relief.  Perhaps eagerness too.  It is a journey of intentional reflection, of inner quiet, of sober undertaking.  And so, I will most likely be absent here in large part. 

Until we meet again, I wish you a wonderful spring!   

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.

Wise words

I am trying to organize the kitchen somewhat.  Having a small kitchen forces us to be creative with space and selective with stuff.  It is a challenge, especially when I want so much to create a kid-friendly environment.  We spend a heap of time working in the kitchen, which means it's a great starting point.  And so, here I am.  That's what I'm working on today anyhow.  Tomorrow it's time for  ordering seeds.  (Gotta have those tomato seeds ready to start next month.)  And parent-teacher interviews.

I have also started playing the piano again.  After an 8 year hiatus,  Not pretty, my friends.  But it's so wonderful sitting down again... just wish I had the same enthusiasm back then.  (I hated piano lessons and having to practice everyday!)  Michael has started playing more seriously too, though he usually finishes "practice" time with some choice explorative pounding.  So we take turns tinkering.  And learning together.

This picture above is one of my favourites.  The older three sitting in front of the oven waiting for their cheese sandwiches to finish melting.  A little pre-bedtime snack.  It was hilarious to see all three noses literally up against the oven door.  (And in the time it took me to grab the camera, some of them became unglued.  Naturally.)

I am noticing that with four young children, it is tricky to give each child some one-on-one time with mama or papa.  S gets the most because she is with me during the day while the older two are in school.  I love that she follows me literally everywhere around the house with her little lamb and bunny.  And often a sippy cup.  And while I sit and scrub toilets, she sings twinkle-twinkle little star.  Of course, she has her own work to do while I putter around the kitchen.  Pouring things, making smoothies for everyone from the overripe bananas, and playing with Romanos.  I really try to make her a part of what I'm doing so I don't feel the need so much plunk her in front of a film.  Some days it's easier, and others are harder.  We take one day at a time as much as we can.  I'm always thankful for those good days.  They remind me how much fun it is to have little ones!

How I wish for more time like that again with each of my babies.  They aren't kidding when those older ladies (or gentleman) pass you and remark how fast time passes and to enjoy the present day (even moment!) with your kids.  Yep.  Sage advice.

Quickie update

On Friday we got our new budgie, Romanos.  He's an English Budgie and the kids named him.  I must say it is a fitting name - he chirps quite melodiously!  :)  Thankfully he is hand-raised, so he's quite used to be handled.  I say thankfully because my older three do not leave him alone for a moment when they are awake.  (Sometimes mama has to intervene for birdie's sake!)  But he really is a good bird, very tolerant and relaxed, despite being manhandled by 3 well-meaning children.  And they love when he eats from their hands.  While I'm told he will eat anything, we've found he prefers apples and broccoli.  So far.  

D started a new contract in the new year and it's keeping him quite busy.  Otherwise, life is the same.  Except on Mondays when there is skating.  Then, there is somewhat of a scrambling to get home, eat, read a story, work on a math problem, build some Lego, and then get out to skating.    It's not terribly crazy, but it's different from our usual routine.  My crockpot is a great friend for days like these.  A nice roast, a whole chicken, chicken soup.  Bonus, I can leave the house while it's cooking to do errands.  I think everyone should have a crockpot!  :)  

By the way, the kids love skating.  First, J thought she'd be skating circles around the rink.  She was disappointed the first lesson was all about getting up after falling.  M remembered from last year's skating episode.  And he actually was able to walk/skate a bit on the ice.  With plenty of tumbles mind you.  And we love watching our babies.  Our babies that are not quite so little anymore.   

Quieter pursuits

Things have been a little quieter on the home front this past week as the kids started school.  Its always a little confusing for me.  Just as we finally get into a rhythm that feels good we have to up and change again.  More than that, I have mixed feeling about them starting school again.  On the one hand, I miss them and I miss all things we could be doing together - that we should be doing together!  On the other hand, I am thankful for a quieter and tidier space.  (I'd trade the latter for the former any day mind you.)

To calm my confused and somewhat low spirits, I have picked up my crochet hook and knitting needles.  Nothing like yarn to match a contemplative mood - and it really does bring me to my happy place!  That there above is going to be another hooded cowl.  Haven't decided between rabbit or wolf or perhaps another cat?  Speaking of wolf, there is a wolf hat I have in my unfinished project bag waiting for me to get to it.  Maybe I'll make this one a wolf too and we'll have a pack?  (Oh the possibilities!)  Also, when you're feeling off, chocolate cake can't hurt.  A sour cream chocolate bundt cake.  Preferably drizzled in a delicious chocolatey ganache.  

This is my 3rd in action.  (She is literally my Montessori poster baby... thrives on routines that one does.)  She is cutting up a banana for her morning snack.  I ended up eating it for her since she preferred to munch on carrot sticks and broccoli trees.  We're flexible like that.  :)

 I finished (I think?) a watercolour robin yesterday.  The kids all did watercolours alongside mama.  They are all marked as gifts.  I will ask them if I can share their work here for the next post.  I'm going to frame theirs either way.  I was so happy to break out the paints.  An impromptu art session.  I miss art.  

Here's to more art in 2016!