This Moment: On the Street Where You Live

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. If you're inspired to do the same, leave a link to your 'moment' in the comments for all to find and see.

Joining Soulemama

Finding Fall: Evening

If you live in the Midwest, you know each season has it's own distinct color scheme.

The sky can tell you the story of the passage of time and if you pay careful attention, can alert you to the rhythm of the seasons.  And so can the fields.

In the spring the grass grows in a matter of days, in the end of the summer the fields turn gold and red. And the light, it paints swaths of color.

So go out in the evening, find the color that is around you.

What is waiting to be seen? Chase the light before it disappears for the season.

It will change you.

Finding Fall: Homework Time

We escaped the kitchen table, our normal homework spot for the fresh still-green grass, a few blankets and some sweet autumn air.

Isabel practiced her 1st reading for Mass on Friday. She's so excited to be able to be apart of the service.

Truman had to read and digest his Social Studies lesson for homework tonight. Social Studies is Dad's territory. Eric loved reading and reviewing for tests with Isabel, so we're continuing the tradition this year too.

We are so blessed with some quiet nights and evenings outside.


*If you care to, join me for two weeks of Finding Fall.  

Finding Fall: Changing

Do you feel the change in the air? Did you reach for your sweater this morning? I sure did. After weeks of record heat, we are inviting this change in the temperature.

This temperature change helped us settle our souls a bit.

Fall does that, for me, helps me move inward. I think about creating warm soup, baking fresh bread, raking up leaves and wearing flannel.

The air starts to feel a bit electric, maybe it's the grey skies that help the greens and gold pop into existence.

Or maybe, it's how we seek the warmth of home so we start readying it for winter. Like the gardens that are winding down that give off the spicy smell of cloves and nutmeg as they decompose, returning back to the earth.

Whatever it is about this early fall season... I'm smitten.

*If you care to, join me for two weeks of Finding Fall. 

Creating Memories: Late Summer

 

Yesterday, I surprised the kids and took off the afternoon. We've been having early-outs from school due to high heat. They got off the bus, cheeks flushed and a little lethargic. Until they realized that I had icy lemonade, chocolate cupcakes and a cool house for them to come home to!

We pretended we had a summer day off and we packed our day with tons of fun things. The afternoon felt lazy and productive, all in the same breath.

And when I looked back on everything we did yesterday, I am amazed. It was a really great day at home.

-We read a few chapters of James and the Giant Peach while we ate our cupcakes and drank lemonade.

-Truman did his homework while Isabel played with dolls.

-Truman made an awesome Lego, car/airplane as a surprise for Eric.

-We set up a waterless swimming pool for the sheep and Molly. (So our stuffed friends would not 'feel left out' when we played outside.)

-We sat in the kiddie pool and washed all the outdoor furniture, the front door, the side of the house. I drank lemonade, dunked my feet in the pool and I read a few pages of this book.

-We picked up Dad early so he could join our summer fun!

-We played water balloons.

-Eric and I snuck off to the coffee shop for a few minutes while our neighbor watched the kids play outside.

-I made tacos for dinner while the boys made more Lego sculptures. And Izzo took a bath.

-Dinner together was fun and relaxing, we love spending time together!

-Truman took a bath and Izzo did homework.

-We had silent reading time.

-The kids did a few Cosmic Kids Yoga videos.

-They played spies and 'helped' while I finished some 'pick up, put away' in the playroom.

-Dad got home from a meeting and we made paper monsters.

-They got to bed early and read James and the Giant Peach with Eric. 

It was such a glorious day, I wanted a little record to keep in my mind forever.

What did you do yesterday?

Summering: At Home

We had a glorious vacation. But we've been home for a month now and we are reveling in summer on the plains. It's taken a bit of time to settle into summer-- but we have. Here is a little visual list of what we've been up to!

This little man turned 6. "Mom, take a picture of my eyeball!"
He loves wearing my glasses.

His presents all wrapped and ready for him.

Bike riding in the evenings.

Playing in the sprinklers.

Fourth of July face painting.

Truman watching fireworks.

Visiting the Farmers' Market.

Swimming Lessons

Sparklers! Truman's first time!

Jumping off the dock.

Weeeee!

Riding their bikes to John and Bonnie's House!

Truman took all his cowboy gear with him!

Birthday baseball game.

Eric's birthday.

Gluten Free Week: Our Journey (and DONUTS!)

I hope your day was as beautiful as mine, it finally felt like summer. The sun was shining, the clouds were glorious and it was just hot enough to make you think, we might be getting a summer after all. We ate a delicious dinner, frittata with steak, onions and mushrooms and a healthy side of grapes. Ahh for quick dinners that utilize leftovers in a 'new' way! We took a trip to a coffee shop, tried (unsuccessfully) to fly kites and played until it got dark with dear friends!

Did you see the giveaway? I wouldn't want for you to miss Pamela's baking mix. It is just that good. And no, they are not paying me to say that. I firmly believe it!

Going Gluten Free: 

Starting back when Isabel was in preschool we noticed that she had been having migraines, ones that would make her so sick she would vomit. We noticed it happened mostly after she ate processed food. So we eliminated fast food and that seemed to help. In kindergarten, she got more headaches and they came more frequently near the holidays. 

And then in first grade, she was ill almost everyday after lunch. We had been through a few appointments, her eyes checked, allergist scratch testing and so on. But nothing was really helping. So after consulting with my dear friend who was getting her Master's degree in Nutrition, we had a few options to think about. One of them stood out, it could be gluten.

My twin sister has been gluten free for five years, so I knew that could be a big possiblity. And my older sister has gone gluten free for health reasons in the last 18 months.

After only a few weeks gluten free, her headaches were much better, her daily illness stopped and she was feeling so much better. As a parent, I am still wondering why we didn't try this sooner!

We made just a few adjustments in our diet. We traded wheat for gf pasta, wheat-based crackers for nut thins and oatmeal to cream of rice.

The only things she complained about missing were fish crackers and donuts. She'd say, "the REAL fish crackers, please don't try homemade... it will make me sad." I didn't attempt the fish crackers, but I did try to make donuts.

I found few recipes for donuts on the web. But since I had a bag of Pamela's on hand. I decided to try their recipe. I had to tweak it based on the ingredients I had in the house. And they were really good. So the next time, I made them, I adjusted it a bit more. Now we have a recipe that we love when we are in the mood for donuts. And it doesn't take forever. It's really easy!

Easy Gluten Free Donuts

2 cups Pamela's Baking & Pancake Mix 

Sprinkle of Cinnamon

3/4 cup milk + 1 tsp of apple cider vinegar

1 egg lightly beaten

1 quart light tasting oil

Combine Pamela's Baking & Pancake Mix and cinnamon. Mix milk with apple cider vinegar, it should gently curdle immediately. Combine with dry ingredients, mix in beaten egg.
Start oil at low medium heat. When oil shimmers, drop batter by scant teaspoonfuls into hot oil and fry for 3 to 5 minutes or until balls puff and turn darker golden brown, if you don't cook long enough they will be doughy in the middle. Cooking them lower temp and for longer makes for much better spongier donuts. Drain on paper towels. Roll in cinnamon sugar or powdered sugar. Best served warm.

weekending:: dirt + robots

What a lovely weekend. It was simple and sweet. The skies were grey but the grass is vibrant, eager and promising. It was misting a bit as Isabel and I walked home from a birthday party on Saturday. I took deep, gulping breaths of spring wind. We both agreed we loved the smell of dirt.

Tonight, Isabel and I walked home from our beloveds John-John and Bon-Bon's house-- we were  dancing robots, we skipped, we tried to walk as a three legged race, then we spent the last block humming an empty conversation. I hummed a tune, then she hummed one back. It was more elaborate with every mumbling question and answer. Buzzing lips-- a wild tonic in the rain. We laughed and laughed.

When she was getting her jammies on tonight, she said, "Yeah, but Dad, I have NO IDEA what we even said to each other. But it was nice." It shows you sometimes, you just have to be present and dance like a robot down the middle of town.

 ++++++

We spent our Sketchbook Saturday Morning time around the kitchen table. We took out the paints and brushes plus, we made robots out of butter boxes and hot glue. I started a little embroidery, read a bit of a book and I drank a latte while we watched it rain.

Today, a pot luck at church and a trip to the swimming pool. After we put the kids to bed, I folded laundry while we watched The Bletchley Circle. The drama, suspense and costumes. So good!

Even though, we had lots of little things going on this weekend, I felt like we got to spend a lot of time together, together.

What were you up to this weekend?




Joining amanda for weekending. 

Is it Spring?

This is what Spring has looked like for us. On the left was only eight days ago. On the right, this Sunday. Such a crazy change! There is snow in the forecast again for this week. I am keeping a stiff upper lip. Desperately trying to 'be joyful always.'

What does it look like where you are today?

Weekending: Always Winter?

Well, it's still winter here, it feels like it will never end.

We finally finished reading, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. And I think I know what all those characters felt like always winter.

I know we've loved these months... but today, right now it feels like spring is a far off dream that is just out of grasp. We've even loved the snow-- the quiet it brings to our home and the way that it makes the days seem a bit slower, the sounds of the world dampened by a thick blanket. But right now, we are itching for green gardens, dark deep earth and the unmistakeable sweet smell of growth.

I resolve to be patient, I will practice my resolve... It will be here soon.

This weekend, we had a beautiful mix of old friends and new. Dinners, birthday parties, pre-snow trail jaunts (hand knits, capes, sunglasses, neon), gymnastics, church... slowly one thing fades into the other and we magically arrive at Sunday evening. Where we sit comfortably book and journal in hand, Harry Potter 4 in the DVD player and with a cup of coffee (which I will regret while wide eyed at 2 am, I’m sure).

But, if I can just wonder in amazement at these two faces for a moment. They were babes just yesterday, weren't they? They were all limbs, coos and cries, milk faced and sleepy? And now. Now, they are intensely their own.

weekending

This weekend was so beautiful.

Early on Saturday morning, I heard Eric wake up with the dogs. Help the kids find something to do and then he started a gourmet breakfast and did dishes. I can't help but love him so much.

A few of our favorite friends stopped by for lattes, homemade biscuits and pear sauce. Then walked we all down the alley and found more friends upstairs at the Old Factory Coffee Shop. Conversations, laughter and the best coffee in Iowa.

In the evening, after bible study and prayer group-- we played Four on the Couch. Best. Game. Ever. I haven't laughed that hard in years.

Eric made our old gas grill into a charcoal smoker. He used some dry applewood boughs to cold smoke a pork butt. Then he slow roasted it overnight. We had the most delicious pulled pork for our potluck at church today and the super bowl party attended.

Now I'm sitting knitting a simple scarf for Truman (blue please! soft! not fancy!). Bulky yarn on large needles means it's going fast!

I'm thinking about next week, menu planning and declaring a family week. All of our evenings focusing on each other. Good food, good sleep, lots of reading, playing together and getting outside.

How was your weekend? What does your week look like?

I'm joining the habit of being for weekending and Kerry for I love.
And Gratitude Sunday.

For Today

the lumineers album. every. single. song. on. this. album.

lattes. we've been making them almost everyday. and when we don't make them ourselves. we visit Erin and she makes them for us. so spoiled.

the weather. negative temperatures makes all of us want to be home and in the big bed reading books. i love being home.

wool socks. mom got me these beauties for my stocking. loving my growing smartwool collection and my tootsies are toasty.

simple mittens. i am almost done with mitten no. 2. this video really helped with the thumb gore.

girl scout cookies. they are tasty and i do not have to coordinate the sale this year. this is a win win. carmel delites now come stress free. (on sale from today to march 17th... wink wink)

husband. he came home with teacher appreciation chocolate bars + an extra for me. truman wrapped it up along with my favorite-daily-used pen. "i knew you would love the pen. since i KNOW you love that pen." nice thought, Truman! even if he did have to borrow it from me-- to wrap it up and give it back.

this book. this documentary. this show (so dramatic!). this video.

What makes your week happy? What things are you loving?

Yarn Along: Have Patience

Yesterday while getting dressed, Isabel was in the bathroom singing "Have patience, have patience" and I had forgotten we used to sing that song all the time. It has been on repeat in my head ever since.  Especially in regards to knitting.

A few years ago when my nephew came to visit from California he begged me to teach him how to knit. We sat down and I tried to explain how to hold your needle, how to cast on, how to make knit stitches. He did ok, but it was hard to explain in terms he'd understand. I don't think either of us had much patience.

So last year, I gave him a knitting book, needles and yarn for Christmas. Hoping that it would spark some creative exploring on his own. And it did, he had gotten pretty far on a project... but he abandoned it and forgot how to start again.

One night while the rest of the family watched TV, we sat a ways back in the room. And again, we worked together on knitting. He caught on quickly and since I started him out on size 15 needles, the project grew quickly. And he spent much of the end of the trip knitting!

It felt so beautiful to pass on one of my great loves to him.  In a patient and enjoyable way!

photo

Last week I finished the book, The Pillars of the Earth. So. Good. It took me 41 hours to listen to, so I'm not sure I'm ready for the sequel (or another audio book... to be perfectly honest). It followed a web of connected people for most of their adult life, completely interesting and a bit of a Medieval soap opera. But well crafted and well worth the time.

All is Calm, All is Bright

It's New Years day and the family started their journey home. I am sitting in a quiet kitchen with a cup of pumpkin spice coffee while the kids are at their own activities. I've already vacuumed the living room and I'm about to start a load of sheets. Folding up the blankets was a quiet reminder of the people who only a few hours ago, filled up this space with laughter. The house is markedly quieter--a bit empitier.

This trip was so lovely, I was amazed at how well the kids played together. They spent their afternoons crafting, playing in the snow and piling in the tent (set up in the playroom!) to watch movies together.

I was blessed by lots of crafting time with my sister in laws.

My heart was fulfilled by watercolor painting with the nephews and nieces and teaching my oldest nephew to knit. Pots of tea, carafes of coffee, jelly belly beans, homemade tamales, holiday meals... all of it shared with so much love.

This year our theme is going to be "All is Calm, All is Bright." I think we are already off to a great start.