Something New

I love learning. And researching.  And understanding.  I'm a dog with a bone.  If you ask me a question and I haven't the foggiest, I'll gnaw on that thought till I've wrapped my brain around it. I love doing things in a self-sufficient way.  If I see something I like, my first thought is, "Can I make that myself?"  Last year I learned how to make jam and took up canning.  I learned how to raise chickens.  I learned to play fiddle (a little).  I explored new gardening methods and took composting to new levels.  I learned to sew fancy flower girl dresses.  I learned to knit a rug.  I learned to slack-line. I learned how to take apart a piano.  And how to take apart a turkey.  I learned how to install lighting.

It's a problem I have. 

Unless it's math. I have as little to do with math as possible.

It's another problem I have.



So anyway, I've been gnawing on a new bone in the last couple of days.  Here's a peek:

Cheers to all my friends and family who love to learn something new!

Feather Ornaments

I have a yearly tradition of making my daughters an ornament for our Christmas tree.  Usually, it corresponds with some new craft I learned that year or something that was new for the kids.  One year I knitted little cardinal birds with their initials on them.  This year I was inspired by our Year of Chickens.  Having begun the chicken raising adventure at the beginning of this year, I thought it might be appropriate to design an ornament to commemorate that.  After all, my children are the ones who now snobbishly refuse to eat store eggs because in their words "they taste like chemicals!" :-)

Once I got on the ornament making train, I couldn't stop myself.  I made more than just one for Noodle and Hopers.  I made one for an ornament exchange party.  I made one for a friend.  One for my mom.  Here are a few of them that I grabbed photos of:

I used only things I had already, like buttons, fabric scraps, beads and lots of hot glue.  In the aftermath, I only ended up keeping the two I made for the girls, but I want more, more, more on my tree!  Plus, they were fun to make.  If you're not careful, I might end up making one for you too!

Identify That Shoe

I have girls.  They are not so close in age, but oh so close in size.  We seem to spend way too much of our time asking, "Whose shirt is this?"  "Who left their shoe in the middle of the kitchen?"  "Which one of you dropped this sock?"

It's the way life is.  Unless I freakishly color-coded everything they own...one child only wearing orange clothing...The other only wearing purple....

I've come up with one small step toward sanity with their shoes, however.  Those with laces, anyway.

Alphabet beads.

Anyone with female children knows what I mean.  We have thousands of them.  Beads! Beads! BEADS!

*cough*

Anyway.  I simply slide each daughter's corresponding initial into their shoes, and I instantly know who to yell at when I find a soccer cleat baking in the front yard.

This is not just for shoes that are identical.  This helps out dads who have no idea what their kids' shoes look like because, well, they're dads.  It helps kids select the right shoes at a quick glance as they're flinging themselves out the back door.  It's also for the times when shoes get left at friend's houses, giving them just a bit more identification.  You may have to use the full initial set on them if you did what my mom did and name all seven of your children with the same first initial.  Or, your children may be like my sister Tabitha and me and have the exact same initials, and then I ask you why? Why have you done that to yourself as a parent??

In the months or weeks to come, when your children have grown out of their new shoes and must pass them on, the bead is just removed, or traded out (sorry all you hand-me-down younger children out there!).

Thanksgiving Camping

For the last several days, I've been living in a tent, cooking over a fire, and not bothering to brush my children's hair. No, we didn't suddenly become vagabonds.  We celebrated Thanksgiving!

Our tradition, going back since I was a kid, has been to pack up and slip away to the woods for several days during this special holiday. No one has to worry about hosting a fancy dinner at their house (or even cleaning it for that matter).  No one has to answer work email or phone calls (no cell service).  Nothing but God's creation, plenty of play time, and of course, lots of food!

This year the involved families were: ours (Me, Seth, Noodle, Hopers, and Poppy the dog), my parents' family (Amie, G-Daddy, Tobi, Tabi, Teegan, Tate, and their 5 dogs), and Seth's sister's family (Jena, Dave, Kirsten, Katelyn, David and their two dogs).

We went to Aiken State Park in South Carolina. Originally, I was skeptical because 1. it wasn't booked up for Thanksgiving like every other state park in America, and 2. most of the reviews I read said it was "quiet", which in my mind translated to "ugly and boring."

My skepticism was for naught.  It was gorgeous. The landscape reminded me of the rolling, hilly woodlands of North Florida. The park boasted of two small lakes and a winding little river passing through it.  We soon discovered that, yes, it was quiet, and no, it was definitely not boring.

I think we were the loudest ones there.

Tate, Teegan, Katelyn, and Jena

We played a few games of impromptu football and soccer.

Hopers, Tabi, Noodle and Tobi

The kids roasted marshmallows pretty much any time they thought about it...which was whenever they were awake.

Dave and Seth

The guys channeled their inner manliness and spent lots of time hunting down wood and chopping it for the fire.

Seth and Poppy (left).  Poppy and Kirsten (right)

Poppy enjoyed camping as much as the rest of us because she got lots of attention.

On day 2 we found a big tree to play in.  It was my dad's idea: create a zip line for the kids.  You know whenever my dad thinks about trees, it means my husband will end up in the top of one.

Dad brought all kinds of climbing ropes and gear to play with.  Everything was super-duper rated for holding up huge things.  Like Tabi.

Me making a harness for Katelyn (left).  Seth trying his own harness (right).

I learned how to make a harness out of a single strap, some knots and a carabiner (Dad researched it and taught me). I became the harness queen, tying and untying straps on children as they took turns on the zip line. Seth thought it would be faster to use a ready-made harness, but after OW OW OW PUT ME DOWN he decided not so much.

Noodle, takin' a crack at it.

Everyone took a turn flying through the air and loved it.  Well, not Teegan and Tate.  They declined in favor of staying close to the ground.

Hopers

Katelyn zipping toward Tabitha. Aghhhhh! Tabi moved just in time.

I decided I needed a turn on this crazy contraption. I whipped up a harness for myself (I knew all those hours of knitting would pay off!) and clipped in.

Me, David, Hopers, Katelyn, Tobi, Noodle, and Dave

The kids thought it would be a breeze to pull me up to the highest point.  (They ended up needing a little help.  Darn you, apple pie!)



Wheeeeeeeeeeee!

Next to our zip line trees was one of the lakes.  Did I mention this place was gorgeous?  I managed to hold down a couple of girls for photo ops.

Noodle

The girls.  Aunts. Cousins.  Tobi (9), Noodle (11), Hopers (6), Kirsten (13), Tabi (7), Katelyn (10).

On day 3 we found the other lake and decided to do some fishing there.

It was pretty, but the only thing we caught were frogs.  I think someone lied when they said the lake was stocked with catfish.  Either that, or the catfish were smaller than the frogs.

Hopers enjoying herself while Noodle pouts about the fishing.

We hung up our fishing poles in favor of a little canoeing.  There were canoes for rent to either paddle around the lakes or to take down the river.  My gang, plus David, were the only ones brave enough to travel a river in 55 degree weather, so we rented two canoes and jumped in to our little adventure.  We brought Noodle's i-pod with its waterproof case with us to take pictures.

The river was beautiful, the water was freezing, and Noodle was REALLY nervous about the boat tipping.

Me, Noodle and Seth were in one canoe.

David and Hopers were in the other canoe. 

Being split up, we lost sight of David and Hopers for a while, as they were the first ones in the water.  As it turns out, Hopers wanted to race us, but they spent a good amount of time getting stuck in low branches!

Every night, we settled around the fire after eating (way too much food).

Noodle, Seth, Tobi, and Kirsten

The kids took to drawing and playing hangman in the sand by the fire and singing songs...

Tate and G-Daddy (left).  Hopers (right).

...and making silly faces....

Jena and Teegan

...and telling stories....

...and giving the doggies some love.

Even with the temps getting down into the 20's on the last night, we all stayed cozy in our tents thanks to the great invention of the space heater. 

G-Daddy with Tate's frozen pants that had been left out to dry.

The kids all got along amazingly.  The food was out of this world.  We had our feast, of course, on Thursday, with turkey, fried fish, ham, sweet potatoes, broccoli casserole, macaroni and cheese, winter squash casserole, baked beans, rolls, green bean casserole, and pies.  Then, on Saturday night, we had a chili cook-off between the three families.  Jena made Green Bay Chili, which is a sweet and tasty beef and bean concoction served over macaroni noodles.  Mom made vegetarian chili with a side of "Noodle's Chili" to please my picky daughter who doesn't like onions and bell peppers.  I made venison chili, which has become a mainstay around my kitchen in the winter.

It was a really great trip. One of my top favorites ever, I think.  The kids are all begging to go back there again next year.  However, today is Monday. I am home and in the throes of a two-ton-truckload of laundry.  The kind of laundry saturated with campfire-smoke-knees-in-the-dirt-playing-hangman-loving-on-doggies for five days.  I am inclined at this moment to ban all camping forever! 

Good thing my laundry memory is short and my love for tradition is tall.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Pioneer Girls

In honor of this...

 

And the fact that we have read and loved the Little House on the Prairie books over the years...

 

And the fact that my children have begged me over the years to make them "Laura Ingalls" outfits...

 

I finally did it.

 

And then I died from an overdose of adorable-ness.




And then things got really ridiculous when Hopers asked me to make a matching outfit for Teddy. I laughed and waved her away. And then made Teddy an outfit the next day.

And Noodle wore her dress with high-top, black and white Converse shoes.  And no, I didn't take a picture of them on purpose because we all know Converses don't belong in old-timey photos.


And here's reality folks.  Crazy kids.  Full color life.

We'll just pretend for one day out of the year.

Mobile Blogging, Sewing and Fall Gardens

As I was sitting on the floor in my living room sewing aprons and bonnets for my darling daughters' costumes, I meditated on why I never have enough time to blog as much as I want to. 

Well let's see, there's the fact that I have two kids, a husband, and a part time job.  There's the fact that I have an old house that needs lots of new paint. There's also the fact that, perhaps, I have way too many hobbies.  Everyone likes to have vegetable gardens, sew, knit, refinish and reupholster furniture, run, bake, photograph, craft, read and blog in their spare time, right? Back me up here friends.

Okay maybe I do need to cut out a few things. You know that book If You Give A Mouse A Cookie? My husband says it was written about me. I try to ignore him. I just like to do a lot of things!
So, in an effort to find ways to keep up with more of my favorite diversions, I've discovered I can do some of my hobbies at the same time! (Insert your eye roll here.)

For example, did you know you can read a book and knit at the same time? Granted, it helps if it's digital.  Also, don't be trying to knit anything complicated, like a sock, or you might end up with two left feet. But still, it can be done!  And also, right now I am sewing and blogging at the same time. What??  I discovered a mobile app for my phone while I was sitting and pondering a moment ago, and voila! Found the answer!  I stitch a little while I think of what to say. I type (or swype) a little while the iron heats up.

Being able to use my phone to blog especially appeals to me for two more reasons:
1. I always have my phone near me to take a photo or jot a note.  Big cameras and desktop computers are a little hard to fit in my pocket. (However, this does not mean I will be giving up these items...I just have more options!)
2.  I'm often out sitting at appointments or waiting on my children. Blog a little? Yay! Instant productivity for me!

So, in honor of my first multitasking mobile blogger test run, I will now

(hold on, gotta finish this gather stitch)

I will now satisfy the A.D.D. in me by taking photos of my fall garden and show them to you while sewing and blogging. Thank you for continuing, those of you I didn't lose back at the eye roll.

Carrots

Fava Beans

Bell Peppers.  They're feeling much happier
with those 90's outta here.

Radish.  Almost ready!

A few okra plants still going strong.
The rest, I pulled up to make room
for onions and garlic.

Kale

Lettuce

Eggplant, uh, tree?

A happy eggplant indeed!

Butternut squash 



Red cabbage

Collards

As you can see, my garden is also pretty busy, but I swear it's not my fault! My brother-in-law gave me way too many seeds! They were all just begging to be planted.  And really, who doesn't love to eat food they grew themselves? (Did I mention this is only a part of my garden?)

Well I think that this post has gone on long enough.  I have better things to do than sit around and show you vegetables. 

I'm thinking of taking up basketweaving, anyway.

Under...water.