kids

Winter Sewing

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My sewing machine spent it’s summer and fall days collecting a nice little layer of dust in my basement.  I never really felt overly drawn to it during those months.  I’m guessing because my time and attention focused on all of the outside work that needed to be done, and sewing never really seemed to fit with that particular rhythm.

But now all of that has changed.  It’s darker earlier, it’s colder outside, and it’s time to begin sewing again.  I have quite the stack of projects in the works, because I couldn’t decide on just one project to start.  It all seemed so fun!  I have forced myself to get a bit more organized in the past few days, and I’ve now completed a pair of nice flannel night gowns for my two favorite gals.  My little ones much prefer to wear night gowns than any other form of pajama, and I’m happy to oblige.  For is there anything cuter than a little girl snuggled up in a warm comfy night gown?  I cannot think of anything better.

Let There Be Light

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A few months back, my girls and I were thrilled to read “Hand-Dipped Beeswax Candles” by Amber Ek in Taproot Issue 7 :: Gather.  The notion of making our very own candles seemed like such fun!  The article drummed up memories from my past when I use to make my own hand-dipped candles in middle school while working as a volunteer at Midway Village, an amazing museum with a Victorian village.  I remember the experience with such fondness and I wanted my girls to indulge in the experience as well.

So, last Tuesday we ventured to the stove, and with a whole lot of adult supervision, we crafted four pillar candles that later lit our Thanksgiving table.  We had such fun that I’m sure candle-making will become an annual crafting experience in our home.

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The Good Stuff

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You know those moments in your life, that as you are experiencing them, you know you will never forget?  This week is shaping up to be one of those weeks, that come around every once in a while, and is sure to be locked away in my memory bank for many years to come.

My husband decided to take vacation this week.  Not to go on a tropic vacation, but to stay close to home, and participate in the Thanksgiving preparations that are all abustle in our house right now.  Monday, while our girls were at school, we traveled up to Madison, Wisconsin to go to Whole Foods and grab those cuts of organic meat we were unable get locally.  We then found ourselves in a little pub, on a beautiful snowy afternoon, sipping some local brews and enjoying some quality one on one time.

Yesterday, after the girls arrived home from school, we spent some time hand-dipping our own candles for the Thanksgiving table (more on this crafting adventure in next week’s posts), sharing stories of our day, and just relishing in the fact that the next five days would be filled with many quality hours with family and dear friends.  This is truly the good stuff of life.

So now down to my “To Do List” for today and tomorrow.  It’s sure to be a little crazy, but a whole lot of fun.

At This Moment

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At this moment, I am…

~recalling a fabulous weekend of crafting and fun.

~returning from a very early trip to the grocery store for our first round of Thanksgiving dinner shopping.  A five o’clock (in the AM my friends) arrival time is a sure fire way to beat the crowds at the ole’ grocery store 🙂

~glancing at my stack of Christmas cards, and thinking I may be able to get them in the mail on Friday.  Fingers crossed.

~looking forward to a short two days that my girls are in school this week.  I cannot wait to spend five full days with my babies!

~preparing for my favorite holiday of the year.  A day filled with family and food. What could possibly be better?

~hoping to get some sewing projects wrapped up this week.

~wishing each of you a wonderful start to your week.  Have a great Monday!

Good ‘Ole Fashioned Fun

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My oldest is now seven.  How in the world did that happen?  Am I old enough to be the mother of a seven year old?  Well, regardless of how time slipped so quickly between my fingers, here we are, wrapping up what seemed like a week long celebration of all things seven year old.

This year my daughter wanted to spend her birthday outdoors, playing some old fashioned carnival-type games.  So we came up with some fall and Halloween-themed games, and had a wonderful day of celebrating my sweet girl.

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Anew

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There are those times when each of us needs a breathe of new life.  When the grind of our day to day tasks feel a bit too heavy to bear, and we need an opportunity for fresh air to fill the fibers deep within our being, giving us a renewed direction and energy to guide us further on our personal journey through life.

This greatly-needed internal recharge took place this past weekend, which I must say was perfect timing for this mama who was trying her best to stay afloat in her desire to maintain a holistic household, while feeling pulled down by the current of a fast-paced, industry-driven society.  Our family made the trek to Lawrence, Kansas and attended the Mother Earth News Fair where we were allowed the wonderful opportunity to interact with over 10,000 like-minded individuals, seeking that same recharge we were so desperately needing.

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Our time was spent learning about everything from primitive drilling skills, to chicken keeping, to fermenting, to non-traditional building methods, and everything in between.

But the most wonderful moment of the weekend came in those last 60 minutes of the fair, when we were privileged enough to listen to Joel Salatin speak.  Back home when my husband or I bring up this name, people look at us with raised eye brows while muttering, “Who?” beneath their breaths.  But at the fair in Kansas, all of these people…

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not only know him, but crowded in amongst one another to listen to him articulate just what it means to be a true steward of the Earth.

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Chills formed on my arms before the presentation even began because the energy in this space was palpable.  The words Mr. Salatin greeted us with were, “It’s lonely out there isn’t it? But look around you today.  It feels a lot less lonely right now doesn’t it?”  Tears brimmed in my eyes at hearing these words because yes, I had recently been feeling so very lonely.  Lonely in my thoughts, beliefs and ways of life.  But looking around this space made me feel so whole again because I am not alone.  Not by a long shot.  There is an entire community of people out there trying their best to live more deeply, trying to raise families in a way in which they tread a bit more lightly on the Earth.  I left Kansas inspired.  I left recharged.  I left anew.

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May each of you feel a sense of rejuvenation and renewal as you move through your week.  Today I leave you with Joel Salatin’s final words of his presentation.  I hope they move you as they did me…

May all your carrots grow long and straight,

and your radishes be large and never pithy.

May the coyotes be struck blind by your pasture chickens.

May all your culinary experiments be delectably palatable.

May the rain fall gently on your fields,

the wind be always at your back,

your children rise up and call you blessed,

and may we all leave the world better than we found it.

A Walk in the Woods

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There has been a sickness streak in our house over the course of the last week, so when Sunday greeted us with beams of sunlight peaking through the curtains, crisp air squeezing through the window panes, and a home bursting with people finally feeling well again, we decided to get out there and embrace the day.

We ventured to Atwood, one of my absolute favorite parks in our area.  My oldest daughter has also discovered the magic of Atwood over the course of the last year, having attended a multitude of day camps at this fabulous preserve.  So, when she shouted, “Ok, I’m in charge today.  I’m your tour guide.  Follow me.  Let’s go!”  We all followed close behind, eager for the places she was about to take us.

Without further ado, here is our walk through the woods, courtesy of our six-year old tour guide…

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Basil Lime Gimlet

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Date nights do not often happen these days.  Crazy schedules, shifting demands of the workplace and caring for two young children make it difficult for this mom and dad to have a few spare moments alone.  That is why this past weekend was quite a celebration.  We enjoyed a date night.  With just the two of us.  Alone.

We spent our time at an early evening movie, followed by wonderful Vietnemese food, and all wrapped up with homemade garden-inspired cocktails.  It was a perfectly wonderful evening.

We wanted to incorporate our garden bounty in our cocktails in some way, so here is our best attempt to embody late summer garden freshness in a glass.  We hope you enjoy this little treat as much as we did!

Basil Lime Gimlet

1 cup lime juice

1/2 cup water

7 fresh basil leaves

1/2 cup sugar

Place the above ingredients in a small saucepan over medium heat.  Stir the mixture constantly until the sugar is dissolved and begins to bubble.  Turn off the heat, and allow the mixture to steep with the lid on for at least an hour.  Remove the wilted basil leaves and pour into a glass container and place in the refrigerator until chilled.

When you are ready to enjoy your cocktail, fill a pint-sized Mason jar with ice.  Add 1 oz. vodka, 2/3 cup of the basil lime simple syrup above, and 2 fresh basil leaves.  Now, for that rustic chic charm, attach a lid and rim to your Mason jar and shake away.  I’m telling you, it’s the coolest martini shaker on the market these days 🙂  Once your cocktail is properly shaken, remove the rim and lid, serve and enjoy!

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*A note about all my recipes:  I use all organic ingredients, local when available.  I use non-homogenized milk, and all of the dairy we use is from animals raised on pasture. I also use oils that are non-GMO verified.  All our meat is raised locally on organic feed, and our beef is grass-fed, grass-finished.  All our spices and cane sugar are fair-trade certified and purchased through a cooperative.

Dairy Free Apple Crisp

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Despite the fact the mercury is reading 85 degrees tonight as I write this, I am thinking Fall.  To help force my most-loved season along, the girls and I decided to pick our first-ever crop of apples from two of our apple trees and enjoy them for dinner in our favorite  baked apple form:  a crisp.

Because my youngest is still on a non-dairy diet, I continue striving to find new ways of tweaking our favorite recipes to make them dairy-free.  This recipe is one of those such experiments.  I wanted to substitute the butter in a traditional crisp, without losing the earthy, creamy flavor I think butter brings to the table.  I ended up using a combination of coconut oil, for the fat content, and whole wheat flour for the earthiness factor.  The crisp turned out quite nicely, without any hint of a coconut flavor that sometimes makes its way into recipes where I substitute butter with coconut oil.

I hope you enjoy this yummy fall treat!

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Dairy Free Apple Crisp

1/4 cup honey

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

Heat the above ingredients in a small saucepan until the honey becomes runny.  Pour this mixture over 6 cups of sliced, fresh apples.

Pour the apple honey mixture into a 9X9 baking pan.

In a separate bowl, mix together:

2 cups rolled oats

1/2 cup whole wheat flour

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon salt

Cut in 5 tablespoons of coconut oil.  Crumble the oat mixture over the apple mixture.  Bake in a 350 degree oven for 45 minutes, or until the top is crunchy and golden brown.  Enjoy!

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*A note about all my recipes:  I use all organic ingredients, local when available.  I use non-homogenized milk, and all of the dairy we use is from animals raised on pasture. I also use oils that are non-GMO verified.  All our meat is raised locally on organic feed, and our beef is grass-fed, grass-finished.  All our spices and cane sugar are fair-trade certified and purchased through a cooperative.