Today we took great advantage of our fall weather by dragging out the 3 pumpkins Ken bought, a blanket, and the leaves I bought last year on super discount from Michaels. Ken raked up as many leaves as he could to pile on the blanket and we took pictures. (I really need to get Ken to use the zoom button!) Trinity was rather leery of both the pumpkins AND the leaves but we won her over.

My Angels (Gavin left)

Zander on Left

Baby Girl

With Twins (Gavin right)

The boys took turns working on raking up leaves… next year I need to keep an eye out for little guy rakes I think!

Gavin With Rake

And of course there was some leaf jumping!

Jump! (Zander)

Our other big excitement – Ken brought the little Step 2 slide back inside, cleaned it and put it back together for the little guys. I doubt it will stay in the livingroom – most likely it will be moved into the basement for the winter, but for now (until Trinity gets used to playing on it) it will be up where we can closely monitor… this also means moving some toys to the basement… goodness I don’t even want to THINK about where we will put the Christmas tree (it also requires the play yard around it to keep some semblance of order).

Slide!!

It has NOT been a crafty day for me – I finished my cross stitch last night and then spent much of today chasing kids and sorting school stuff. Trinity passed out in the livingroom with Ken before I got up so he let me sleep in a bit which meant when I got up it was already later than I figured. So I figure TOMORROW I will take a couple hours of Me time and stitch stitch stitch. Though I AM looking forward to posting the free pattern version of the stitch I just finished. I figure I WILL put that up sometime this week along with the other freebies I have waiting for Ken to set up.

Sleepy Baby

What Zander Did !!!

The boys on the other hand, have immersed themselves in bugs bugs bugs. Lots of colouring and chattering about all sorts of bugs… everything from ladybugs to spiders and of course Emanuel’s favourite – bees. I am hoping to be done our bug unit tomorrow and move onto pumpkins. After all we only have the pumpkins in the house in one piece until Saturday!

Gavin Hard at Work

Bugs!

Something I have not mentioned  – but I should have – on weeknights – that is MOST weeknights, my sister in law who illustrates the webcomic my brother writes draws on ustream. She does that comic and her own as well as random drawings. I will warn you, some of the drawings ARE a bit more mature (re boobies) and the conversation in the chat can get a tiny bit racy but it is fun. Check out her blog site, everything else is linked from there! Today she posted a recipe for home made hot pockets that I want to try out… though I think for us  tomorrow we will try out making and freezing our very own french fries!

So Ken is still fighting with Public Health to get the boys (all 3) their dental appointments. For some reason they keep telling us  they will call with an appointment time and then nothing happens. Ken has been on them for MONTHS! We do not have dental coverage or the money to go to a regular dentist so our only option is the Public Health dentist – 10.00 per kid. This would be Emanuel’s first official appointment so I really want to get them in BEFORE their yrly appointments with the doctors.

On the topic of health – I am happy to report Ken’s is excellent and he is down to no longer taking multiple naps a day! It is refreshing to be around him with this new, more positive outlook. He is starting to care more now about things like the house being clean and less cluttered (something that has always been an issue for me), as well as WANTING to be around his family more. In fact, he is much more tolerant and patient with the boys even at their worst. I am so glad!

The new crafty ladies group has already been an absolute godsend – not only am I getting to know some lovely, witty ladies but they are passing along hints and ideas and RECIPES!!! I am now going to improve my hot cocoa even further with the addition of ground up candycanes – I cannot wait  to try that one! And then there is an addition to my apple recipes – apple butter – I am going to try that one with the next batch of applesauce. Not only that but there are crochet and knitting pros! So I may just make my goal of learning to knit in the new year – AND one of my sewing groups (a lovely small one) has a couple of ladies who are willing to mentor a beginner knitter. Talk about wonderful! I am determined to find a new recipe a week…

So our Halloween decorations are up… the costumes are ready… it really feels like fall is here.

Last Year's Bats

Candy Corn Perler Bead Garland

My Island

Perler Bead Tree

Now all we need to do is throw ourselves into our fall, pumpkin and Halloween lapbooks! Oh and go out for some lovely walks – if the weather holds we are heading back to the nature centre on Thursday to check out the paths – think my jogging stroller will do the job over the bumps? It worked at the corn maze!

Smile and Let the World Smile With You

Emanuel’s new thing when he colours lately is to make everything “sparkle.” This coming in the wake of our glitter and glitter gluing with an abundance I automatically assumed he meant he needed glitter added to his pictures, but that was not to be the case. No, for my intrepid almost 4 yr old son, making something “sparkle” all depends on the crayons of the day. In fact, every picture, every stroke “sparkles” right now – be it a bright blue or a dark brown… “sparkling” would be better interpreted as doing one’s best or colouring with heart. Emanuel “sparkles” all day with his simple box of crayons and a piece of paper. So what is my excuse? Shouldn’t life “sparkle” no matter what you are handed? That is my new goal… I want my life to “sparkle” just as brightly as my baby boy’s does!

Let's All Sparkle Ok?

So last night’s cinnamon buns, though not pretty, were VERY delicious… I was not overly happy with the topping they suggested – it was just too darn sugary. BUT they were good enough to warrant making another batch this afternoon. Now I am wondering what else my bread maker can do… though Ken has requested banana chocolate chip muffins (no bread maker involved) which as the 23rd IS his birthday, I will definitely make, once I get the chocolate chips.

Mmmm

There has been some general upset in one of the egroups I am involved in regards to OT (off topic) conversations and whether or not they should be allowed/included/etc. in the group. I fear my daily posting of my blog update may have been a catalyst. Although my site is hugely cross stitch oriented as I am sure most people know, it is not always talking about my sewing or even pattern development. As much as I love/am addicted to stitching I have to admit this blog is heavy on the kids, hubby and life in general. Now I don’t think that is a bad thing – it is how this blog has evolved… it is me in a nutshell… BUT I wish I would have known a month or so ago that they would rather I DIDN’T post my update email. I must admit now I am a little unsure as to what I should post about as my stitching has become firmly enmeshed with the rest of my life, being as each piece is developed with a person or situation in mind. Even our general patterns come out that way (though I do have a couple in the works that are general and have no official first recipient). I think right now I will just sit tight and post only when I have a stitch completion. But as I said in my general reply to the thread – you never know until you are told and now I know. I actually will only be posting that I updated on Facebook and Twitter for the time being. Better safe than sorry!

Anyway onto other things… our weather is delightful – with the melting of the snow the boys are back on bikes and playing on the swing set. It really makes going out on errands a whole lot simpler. I am hoping the weather will hold until AFTER Halloween – I am not sure Gavin’s costume will fit over snow gear!

Gavin (yellow) and Zander - Ready for No Training Wheels Soon??

Our church has a new system for Sunday School – one Sunday a month there is no Sunday School (besides long weekends) so that the kids can sit with their parents. That means this month there are only 2 sessions! Different for us! So, next Sunday no school… I am hoping we can all go to church anyway but it will depend on Ken’s birthday party and our pumpkin carving event that weekend. Today only Ken and the twins went – Trinity was up until 4 am so I was exhausted and Ken decided to let me sleep in — until they were ready to leave! Trinity went to bed pretty much as they walked out the door and tonight I am hoping and praying we do NOT have a repeat! I think I have figured out WHY I am so tired lately (besides the energizer bunny of a baby) – I keep forgetting to eat! And my baking – ends up in the boys! So now I am going to find recipes to try that sound particularly appealing to ME! Mmm maybe more muffins and a cake or two? Oh and healthy stuff too!

We have also been pumpkined! Ken and the twins bought 3 lovely pumpkins from Superstore on their way home from church (just under 4.00 a piece!). Trinity for some reason does NOT trust the pumpkins… she does not like to have her backs to them or anything! I am hoping I can get her to at least tolerate them in time for the carving. This will be the first time for our kids to really experience that! Last year we just did a foam one at Michaels..

Zander Carrying 1 of 3 Pumpkins

So we are nearing our family photos with our favourite photographer, starting a Pumpkin lapbook, and decorating for Halloween… life goes on and I am actually feeling like I can face what is next with a head held high – as long as my hand is being held tightly by Ken and my children are along for the ride!

For Aunty Esther!

Snakes, frogs, fish and salamanders… we saw them all – and everything BUT the fish was fed – ok fish were fed TO the snakes! The boys were in heaven… the nature centre is now their new favourite place second only to Grandma’s house and the “store with water in it” (I am PRETTY sure that is the pool back in the town where my mom lives but not 100% sure!).

When we go to the nature centre there was also a group of Brownies there enjoying the educational lesson. The girls were so helpful – showing the boys some of the fun activities and things to see, making sure they could see and get a chance to touch the snake (all 3 of the boys touched the snake! Go figure!!), and that we had all the craft supplies to make the session’s craft – a frog handpuppet!

Emanuel Touching the Snake!

Frogs!

Ken took each of the boys off to check out the bees who were much more active than our last visit. I think the beehive is Ken’s favourite part of the whole centre. Although the next time we go – if the weather holds as soon as the middle of this week – we are planning on checking out the hiking trails. So here’s hoping this FALL weather holds and we DON’T see more winter right away.

Ken's Best Bee Picture

The girl in charge of the session was great with the kids and had a ton of wonderful facts and information about each of the individual animals (including the rather overweight salamander who had the nickname Chunky Monkey). She also passed along the info about the sessions for the next two months which has my mind reeling with possibilities. Not only for the nature centre but the John Walter museum we went to on the free admission day – they are only open on Sundays 1-4 but there are sessions each Sunday and many of them are interesting to me! Not only was there information on those two places but other activities and events so now I just have to see if I can interest other friends and homeschoolers to join us!

Feeding the Salamander Crickets (Gavin left)

After the nature centre we had our weekly run to H&W… they had a sale on lemons (3 for 1.00) and limes (6 for 1.00), not sure what I am going to do with them, but I am going to find something fun! Of course more apples, bananas and carrots… and this time a cantaloupe since they were only 2.00 a piece and huge, so half in the freezer, half in the kids.

I have managed to basically finish my gift stitch. I am VERY happy with the result and debating whether or not to post the pattern up here before it is gifted. The next pattern I should be able to post as I stitch it. It is hard to do something I simply can’t show off, but it was obvious what it was pretty much from the start!

The tutu is completed I think – pom poms have been carefully glued on with fabric glue and the effect is quite satisfactory. I do so love making these, I just wish it was cheaper to buy tulle around here – to make a profit I would have to sell them at at least 25-40.00 depending on size… but making them for my own little girl and friends and family is fun too. That is not to say I WOULDN’T make them for someone else, just that I am not seriously debating ADVERTISING doing it.

Strawberry!

Our gaming for tonight got cancelled… Chris and Chris were busy all day and one of them was feeling under the weather so I have taken the now open evening and crammed it full of crafting, cleaning and cooking (the 3 C’s!). In a stroke of genius… ok in the wake of a craving for cinnamon buns… I drug out my breadmaker cookbook and searched through to find a recipe. Talk about YUM! AND everything I needed was already in the house! Bonus!

Cinnamon Rolls using Breadmaker

1 cup milk at room temp

1 lge egg

4 tblsp butter

3 1/3 cup flour

3 tblsp sugar

1/2 tsp salt

1 1/2 tsp bread machine yeast

FILLING:

1/4 cup butter, melted

1/4 cup sugar

2 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp ground nutmeg

1/3 cup chopped nuts (we left out)

use dough setting on breadmaker

1. Add milk, egg and butter

2. Add flour, 3 tblsp sugar and salt. Tap  to settle dry ingredients, then level ingredients, pushing some of the mixture into corners.

3. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients; add yeast. Lock pan into bread maker.

4. Program for dough. Start bread maker. When done, unlock pan from bread maker. Place dough on a floured surface. Knead for 1 min, then let rest about 15 min.

5. Roll dough into a rectangle, about 15×10 inches. Spread 1/4 cup melted butter over dough to within 1 inch of edges. Then sprinkle 1/4 cup of sugar, the cinnamon, nutmeg and chopped nuts evenly over dough. Roll dough up tightly on long side. Press edges to seal and form into a 12 inch long, evenly shaped roll. With a knife or 8 inch long piece of thread or dental floss, cut roll into 1 inch pieces. Place rolls into greased 13×9 inch baking pan. Cover and let rise in warm, draft free place until double in size, about 30-45 min.

6. Bake in preheated 375 F oven for 20 to 25 min or until golden brown. cool in pan on rack for 10-15  min, then drizzle with powdered sugar icing made by combining 1 cup powdered sugar with 1-2 tblsp milk and 1/2 tsp vanilla. Blend until smooth. Cut apart and remove from pan.

(Pictures to follow tomorrow but trust me Ken did an…. interesting…. job with the dental floss cutting them!)

The craft part I have already covered with the tutu and the stitch… the cleaning… well it is more of an ongoing attempt at order among chaos than a cut and dry clean and done. The homeschooling corner has grown and morphed into some sort of clutter, avalanche inspiring mess… so I am cracking down on it and sorting EVERYTHING. You would be amazed at the amount of construction paper I have! My intention is to basically take stock of everything and then plan some activities around the supplies with excess and have the kids go nuts. I refuse to do a before and after picture BUT here is the shelving where I HAVE made some semblance of order!

A Start (the one on the right we still need to find the wheels for)

Ken’s birthday is next weekend – the 23rd actually – he will be 32! It will be the traditional Ken celebration – computers, beer and pie. Thankfully all pretty much in range of the budget… though I am hoping people bring some beer as presents as that is the one item that makes me cringe price wise.

Because of the lack of budget everywhere with the stressful situation we are in I have not had the ability to buy him anything – an issue he reminds me does NOT bother him. Of course it bothers me! So the boys have decided they want to make him something (every year they make him AT LEAST a card) and I am debating whether or not I could simply bead up something complicated I KNOW he wants and have him iron it on his birthday and put it together – something he enjoys or attempt to iron myself. He is such a pro I hate to do it myself and have it not be uniform. What he REALLY wants is a D20 dice… of course I have NO idea how to even start with that one! I guess search online and then go from there. Hopefully someone ELSE has thought of it first!

I have a pretty strong promise that I SHOULD have my patterns ALL up by tomorrow night. Ken is still working on things in regards to Paypal. I am looking forward to having ALL the examples of our work up so I can start properly advertising and gathering interest.

Well with church tomorrow (Sunday School for the twins) and 3 Colours and Shapes Lapbooks to complete Sunday is going to be busy! Add to that the Insect lapbooks, my stitching to do and of course family photos on Tuesday and I will be keeping busy. But then when am I NOT busy?

Emanuel, Gavin and Zander

Gotta Check Out Those Leaves While You Can! (Gavin)