{Sick Day}

Hey there, sorry for the sparse blogging this week. We're all a bit under the weather here. I did finish my scarf and wanted to share this quick picture I got the other day while we were enjoying some of the cool morning temps. (I was still in my pajamas in fact, but my children and mug of chai didn't seem to mind). I'm going to go take a few days to try to kick this cold before it really takes over. We have plans to go to our local fiber festival this weekend so I'm determined to not get sick before that. I hope you and yours are well! ~Mackenzie

{Crafting On}

Oh my, where to start? I was so excited when Ginny announced that she was releasing the pattern for her lovely Sunday Sweater. I offered to test knit if she needed any more hands...so when Ginny emailed me and asked for help proof reading the pattern, I was beyond thrilled! She promoted me to "test knitter" and I loved having an excuse to knit during every spare moment this past week. I love Love LOVE this pattern. She has really created something special here...Jenny and I are both absolutely thrilled with the results! It's delightfully feminine, but comfy enough for play, and perfectly styled for fitting over her dresses. I'm bummed that she's already in the biggest size! Be sure to look at Grace's peek of her test knit!

{Fall Cleaning}

This post could also be titled "Declaring War on Stuff", or "I Am Tired of Moving In", or "What is That Smell?" In nicer terms however, I am fall cleaning. My first big top to bottom cleaning of this house, and in some areas, possibly the first this house has had for a while.... (Seriously people, take three minutes and clean your ceiling fans!!) it's dirty, hard (spider killing) work, but it will make for a lovely October. I'm tired of looking around and realizing there are still some boxes sitting exactly where they got deposited...tired of saying "I really need to change those light bulbs", and really, really tired of the walls that have not-my-child's crayon "art". It's just that time...time to rearrange and fluff things up for those cool days ahead. Time to evaluate the project lists and get things done while we can still have windows open and spray paint outside. Time to shove bricks behind the sofa legs so that we can actually use the baseboards. Time to figure out who has flannel sheets and who needs them (and wonder why nobody sells toddler mattress sized flannel sheet sets?), to take inventory on socks and candles and household staples...because this new place of ours is most certainly of the "snowed in" type. 

Really it is my favorite time of year, when the house smells like {homemade} peppermint cleaner and for a short while everything is clean inside and out. Because then the fun starts...the pumpkins and apples and cinnamon, and warm stews and hot breakfasts and woolens and pink cheeks...fluffy down blankets and hot water bottles for icy toes. There really is nothing like that first piece of pumpkin bread, or the first mug of cocoa, and my personal favorite seasonal debate...what exactly constitutes "too early for Christmas music". I'm holding onto these mental images as I stand here with nothing checked off of my cleaning list yet, with piles of clothes from the semi-annual swap (did they really grow *that* much this year??) basically up to my waist on every flat surface, and the thought that Christmas is three months off sounding more like a joke than a fact. It's time to say farewell to the chaotic carelessness of summer and embrace the rhythms and routines of fall... wish me luck! 

{this moment}

{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. For more moments head on over to Soulemama.

Bon A Petiet

“When you wake up in the morning, Pooh,’ said Piglet at last, ‘what’s the first thing you say to yourself?’ ‘What’s for breakfast?’ said Pooh. ‘What do you say, Piglet?’ ‘I say, I wonder what’s going to happen exciting today?’ said Piglet. Pooh nodded thoughtfully. ‘It’s the same thing,’ he said.”

- A. A. Milne, ‘The House at Pooh Corner’ 

{Yarn Along}

I am linking up with the lovely Ginny again this week to see what everyone is reading and knitting! This week I'm busy working on Jenny's fall sweater....since taking this photo I have finished the body and I'm almost done with the first sleeve! I am so close on all three sweaters. Nomi's just needs the button bands re-knit on the proper needles this time (oops!), Bobby's sleeves are a work in progress, and now Jenny's is flying off the needles. {note to self stick with worsted or bulky weight yarn for sweaters from now on!}

Bobby is very fond of the "Duck and Goose" books, and Nomi has just recently discovered their delights this week. I have probably read this one a dozen times in the last two days! I'm trying to find moments to read the wonderful book "Project-Based Homeschooling" by Lori Pickert (and her great blog!). I love her writing style and even though I've just started the book, I can tell it's going to be a favorite. Lots of good stuff there...I am excited to really get into it.

Happy knitting!

{Crafting On}

This girl of mine is knitting! Really knitting...none of the stress and super tight tension that I remember when I learned to knit, just smooth sailing. She's using the same yarn that Bobby is using for his finger crocheting and she looooves the rainbow goodness! I found a lovely little Waldorf knitting rhyme that had her in stitches (I couldn't resist!)...

"In through the front door,

Run around the back,

Peek through the window,

And off jumps Jack!"

She has already passed the stage of saying the rhyme with every stitch...but she is terribly excited to teach it to her cousins! It really helped her to get a good feel for the process, and when she accidentally pulled a few extra stitches off of the needle she called out "Off jumped Jack, and some of his friends!!" She has declared this "will be a mat for Daddy's tea mug for when he is home for Christmas!" and I think it will be the perfect little first project. She is already asking to learn to purl so that's the next step...I have visions of many little crafting projects ahead with her by my side...it's really nice to have a little company, and she already has adapted the general concept of "I only really feel like knitting." Oh Lovey, trust me I understand. 

I have been busy working away on a few projects of my own, but they aren't quite ready for sharing yet...I did complete this lovely hat for myself though! {Ravelry notes} It is in the same blue  Brambleberry yarn as the (now finished) scarf from last week. And this almost-fall weather is *so* close to being cool enough to wear them...any day now...

I'm linking up with my friend Nicole for Keep Calm Craft On, hello to any visitors from the link up, and if you're looking for inspiration go check out what everyone else is sharing!

{this moment}

{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.

So good...

September. Somehow it's nearly half way through the month and I'm not exactly sure where those days have gone. Not in a life is too crazy way, but in a these days are so good right now kind of way. We are soaking up these calm, lazy days...the windows are open again, the kids are enjoying their new school routines, the meals are warmer and sooo yummy, the cups of chai are hot instead of iced, the knitting is flying off of my needles...it's all just so good. Everything feels simple, and soothing after the chaos of summer's heat and all of the rushing here and there... Fall is most definitely my favorite season, and while I usually view September as "October Eve", this year I find it claiming my attention...forcing me to exhale and let it all go. 

I'm embracing the shift. We paired down a lot when we moved, but I keep finding one more box or bin to fill up with things we don't really need...things that might bless someone else now instead of causing me grief simply by sitting around my house. The more I clear out, the simpler I want things around here to be...the less stuff I have to deal with, the more time we have for all that good stuff. The kids and I are soaking up more stories, baking, singing and taking more nature walks... fall is here now, and it's just...oh, so good.

{Crafting On}

Hello there! I'm joining up with my friend Nicole today for {Keep Calm Craft On}, a special hello  to my visitors from the link up! My first project to share this week is yet another pair of leg warmers, this pair for Nomi's sweet chubby baby legs. I used Ginny's simple little pattern and really love the results!  He's quite large for his age, just like Bobby was...I was a little nervous that they might not fit over all of his baby squish...but they fit well and were very quick to turn out, just one evening each! The yarn is from the lovely Luna Grey etsy shop...it's just delightful! Toddler legs aren't the easiest thing to photograph, but my sister got some beautiful pictures of him for me. {Ravelry notes here}

Oh my...I can't seem to stop taking pictures of my latest project. It's just so...pretty. smile I'm using some delicious Noro Taiyo and some organic merino from Brambleberry Yarns. When I got the blue yarn I had every intention of using it for a wool soaker...but then I saw how amazingly it went with that Noro that was in my yarn shop's sale bin...what was I to do?? It's just a simple scarf for me, I'm loving it though, the garter stitch is a good pallet cleanser while I finish up the sleeves on Bobby's sweater. I hate knitting sleeves...but I do love the sweater and I'm determined to finish it up quickly! I just needed a break...something to remind me of the loveliness of knitting and get me geared back up for sleeve number two! {Ravelry notes here} And now a few bonus baby pictures... *smile*

 p.s.} I made myself a blog button!! Would you like to swap buttons with me?

{Wool Unit} part one

{Beautiful rainbow yarn from Kattikloo on etsy}

I have been working on pulling together a little unit study on wool for a while now...I'm *SO*EXCITED* to finally be working on it with the little learners! I have a basket full of books, several exciting projects to introduce to them, and a wonderful field trip planned for the end of the month...I thought I would share our progress each week along with my book lists in case it might be helpful to some other mama in the future. This was a short week full of busyiness as we start to find our school rhythm. It's the first week of school of many over the next...million years so I don't mind that it was a slow, light week. We'll get there...wherever "there" is. 

This week we started with my very favorite book...in the world.

~ "Weaving the Rainbow" by George Ella Lyon is just so very lovely, and is a lovely view of the process of wool...from lamb to loom. 

~ "Pelle's New Suit" by Elsa Beskow is a sweet book about a boy who raises a lamb and then exchanges jobs to get it processed into his new suit...the illustrations are of course absolutely charming.

~ "The Goat in the Rug" by Charles L. Blood is another process book (you'll notice a theme *wink*) about a Navajo woman who goes from her goat, Geraldine, to woven rug. 

~ "Spring Fleece" by Catherine Paladino is a great book about shearing day...I like the simple photographs in this one!

~ "A Symphony for the Sheep" by Cynthia Millen is a beautiful story of sheep in Ireland, told from the points of view of the shearers, the spinners, the weavers, and the knitters.

Our crafting this week was simple, Bobby started his first finger knitting and seems to like it in very small bursts. I'm encouraging him, but not pushing it too much. Jenny has mastered finger crocheting and I think we're going to play with finger knitting before we start her on actual knitting...but honestly I'm more excited about teaching her that so if she isn't too interested I'll just move onto needles. I do like the way that finger knitting helps to really see how knitting works...it takes the some of the confusing mystery out of the learning process I think. I plan on sharing more of our unit each week so be sure to check back! 

{this moment}

{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.

Joining Amanda today...