And one more thing...

I'm sponsoring a giveaway over at my sister's blog Creme de la Creme...go have a look and enter if you like! :)

Leap Day

 {Homemade Almond Milk Anyone?}

 We are quite happy with the results...in a pinch I've even used it as a substitute for my beloved cream in my coffee...certainly not the same as cream but infinitely better than black coffee! For baking and smoothies however I can't tell a difference. 

 With the resulting almond meal we have been making allot of  "scones", a little honey butter and oh. my. goodness... if anyone is interested I would be happy to share a how-to! 

A recent snap shot of my kitchen...tidy before, chaos in the middle, tidy after...that's just how we roll. 

{Those are gf-banana-oat-pecan-cinnamon chip cookies if you'd like to know}

It's quite rainy here on this last day of February...how did that happen?? I am really looking forward to March...after so many days spent on that tummy bug I'm looking forward to "restarting" our Lenten plans...stomach bugs do rather have a way of throwing any sort of plans into absolute disarray. Tomorrow I have a date with a hot drink and a table at the local coffee shop so that I can finish writing up our schedules and chore lists and menus and other such overwhelming wonderful things. These kiddos need some structure and some rhythm and a whole lot of some responsibility...to say nothing of my needs along the same lines... What is that thing they say about what bothers you most in other people is what bothers you most about yourself? Yeah...I don't know what they're talking about either...

Weekending

Stomach flu...fingers crossed that today is the last day...? I've been far luckier than the kids, but I think I am the most excited to see it go. I thought I would share a few non-sickness related shots from the weekend... above you can see the epic and amazing stripey walls of my foyer and hallway. (And how about those sick baby eyes? Totally sad.) And below we have a very yummy batch of raspberry oat bars... (disregard those paint swatches, m'kay?) I hope your weekend has been less...memorable ;)

{Thoughts}

{pictures are un-related, and of a recent, beautifully frosty morning...it rather makes one believe in fairies, yes?}

I recently noticed that I haven't really written much in this space lately...perhaps it's the new camera enthusiasm,  perhaps it's the grogginess that comes with my giant baby's all-night-nursing and a few rounds of nasty colds and viruses and ear infections...and then of course there's this short term single parenting business...that certainly keeps one busy too.

Lately I have been having that feeling, the one where everything just sort of starts to look the same, and it takes a day or two, or perhaps sometimes a week or so, to realize that it's that feeling of too much. Too much laundry, too much clutter...and then instead of thinking too much, I'm thinking it's actually not enough...not that we need more clutter--ooooh no-- but not enough order, not enough simplicity, not enough trips to goodwill with a full trunk. So my brain has been full, in between all of these runny noses and coughs (and there have been many of them).  I realized that this year I am very much looking forward to Lent...which is new for me. I mean, it's not exactly a terribly exciting time, right? But I think this year it is exactly what I have been looking for...a time for simplicity, and making do and doing without. A perfect time for all of those goodwill runs. A bit more thinking later, and I realized that it's also the rhythm of Lent that I'm loving...it is one of those things that comes around every year, like the change of seasons, my birthday, Christmas...always. To put it mildly my life is lacking in rhythm these days...all efforts to instill some sort of order to our day has been half-hearted at best. 

So that's going to be a big part of my Lent this year, and oh will it be a lesson in discipline! I have nearly finished working up a nice (practical) daily schedule, morning, evening routines, a weekly rhythm...next will be menus and some basic cleaning charts. I know the kids will like it love it, and that after I get the hang of it so will I...I know my home certainly will benefit and that can only lead to good things...it might even open up time to finally open that new sewing machine and break her in...get some garden plans sketched out...perhaps I'll even get the beds made (garden beds, but those things we sleep in could use some work too)...

{this moment}

Joining SouleMama today...

{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.

{My Favorite Things ~ My Mama's Kitchen}

So I have been thinking of starting a series of posts of some of my favorite things. All sorts of things, some weeks might have one photo, some might have 30...but I thought it would be a fun way to share...if any of you readers would like to join in go for it! Just link back here please, and leave a comment with your post! This week I'm sharing some pictures I took in my Mama's kitchen...because even though I'm busy (most days) in my own kitchen, this is the one that always feels like home. 

{Not only is this just an awesome spot in the kitchen, it is one where most of my favorite things are in one place. My brother and I built her that pot shelf...power tools! And that is "my spot" there in front of the cookbooks, most often when I am over, you can find me and my bag of knitting tucked just out of the main path, near all of the hustle and bustle...it's a good spot.}

 {Another Beautiful Sister}

 {Oh gappy toothed grin, I will miss you}

{I know exactly where I get my love for storing things in canning jars}

{The Cookbook Shelf}

St. Valentine's Day

This year, I found myself in need of a valentine for the first time in many years...despite Joe being gone for work I was determined to make the most of this oh so delightfully pink day. So I called up a sister and made some plans...because really I will take any excuse for a girls night! Olivia picked up "Crazy Stupid Love" and "The Help" from Redbox and brought her laptop with her (we have no sound on our current computer and no other way of watching movies)...and we got busy with a proper girls night in....

Gluten free pizza, thanks to the Bob's Red Mill mix, it was very good and I will certainly be using it again, most of their gluten free mixes have corn in them, which makes them not really an option for us, but this one is really really good. Yummy sauce, orange peppers, chicken breast and cheese finished off this amazingly yummy pizza. The movies were both really fun, I was so excited to finally see "The Help"! I read the book last month, and while I do prefer the book, the movie was really excellently done. 

 {Beautiful Sister}

 Next morning we had a festive breakfast of gluten free banana bread and freshly squeezed orange juice. The freshly squeezed juice is really something that just slipped in...Bobby LOVES oranges in all forms, and asked me so sweetly for a "Juicing thing to make orange juice", how could I say no? However he learned that despite being the biggest almost-four year old I've ever seen, his hands were not quite up to the task. So now I make us orange juice and oh my is it delicious! Three oranges meet their end every morning, we each sip our 4oz with delight, and I wonder how on earth I wound up squeezing oranges every morning. ;) I'm pretty sure it has something to do with this face...

I mean, you'd make that face orange juice too...

 {Roses for Miss Olivia}

Our breakfast table, due to all of the painting and room moving around we actually haven't had proper meals at our table in quite a while, so it was nice to get back to normal with a meal all together. Olivia was nice enough to offer some atmosphere with her 80's power ballads pandora station...my children were very impressed that I know all of the words...

This little fellow on his first St. Valentine's day...he really should have been asleep, but I think he could tell something exciting was going on because he kept fighting those long blinks...his favorite teething toy right now is this lemon, and it leaves him smelling delightfully fresh. I leave you with extra pictures of His Plumpness...hope you all had a great day yesterday!

 <3

Crafting On ~ Longies and Lovies

My first needle felting project, just some simple little lovies for my two oldest. Bobby adores all things rainbow-stripey so I had a little extra fun with his. I have to say that needle felting is much simpler than I expected, I can see that it will become a new favorite for sure!!

 Working on some longies for Nomi (Dominic), we are trying to switch over to wool covers as our next "adventure in cloth diapering". The pattern is Picky Pants, the yarn is Malabrigo worsted. I am LOVING these colors, they are so perfectly "him" to this synesthete mama. 

And because it's St. Valentine's day I can say that knit stitches always make me think of hearts...so "knit with love" seems rather appropriate, yes? More on our Valentine's day tomorrow!

Head over to Frontier Dreams for more {Crafting On} posts!

In the Kitchen

Apple Berry Crumble from the Whole Food Kitchen workshop...so good!

Saturday...

Watching the snow, sharing a blanket, snuggled in jammies. 

{this moment}

<3

{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. ~Inspired by SouleMama

Crafting On

A week or two ago I got a phone call from (one of) my lovely sister. She was at Target looking for a beret, but the only one they had was a sort of "eh" color. Now naturally she was calling to see if I thought the color mattered, or would it be over shadowed by the cute slouchyness? What was a knitting sister to do? As I stood there, up to my chin in painting my foyer/hallway in stripes (pictures soon!), I heard myself saying something like "Oh, well if it isn't pretty don't get it, I can make you one in like, two evenings!" It was agreed upon and I got back to my painting. I totally forgot about the hat, until a few days before my sister got into town. A quick trip to the yarn store yielded some yummy Rowan tweed in the perfect shade of purple... and it turns out I was right, you can totally make a beret in two evenings. ;-) 

{Ravelry details Here}

(see? Totally Lovely Sister)

(Picture credit goes to my sister...or as she is the subject, I suspect my brother-in-law)

 Linking up with Nicole at Frontier Dreams today for Crafting On, head over to see some other great crafty goodness!

One last bad picture ;)

My little Lovey in his new hat...playing with the drill. ;) Have you ever seen such squishy cheeks?? Or fluffy hands? Don't get me started on the belly...and the legs!!!!  {Ravelry link HERE}