Always an Adventure!

Eight kids eight and under have been ransacking my house for almost 24 hours.  So fun!  Life is always an adventure!  No time for blogging, just popping in to say DON'T FORGET THE GIVEAWAY!

Now, back to all of those kiddos!

Yarn Along

~ Two of my favorite things are knitting and reading, and the evidence of this often shows up in my photographs. I love seeing what other people are knitting and reading as well. So, what are you knitting or crocheting right now? What are you reading? Take a single photo and share it either on your blog or on Flickr. Leave a link below to share your photo with the rest of us! ~

This picture is actually from last weeks "Yarn Along", but due to technical difficulties, it never got posted.  I am knitting a "Noro Hat" using my sisters pattern and the amazingly fun to work with Noro Yarn.  I am further along now than I was when the picture was taken.  I can see a few mistakes cropping up, but overall I think it will be very cute.

Unfortunately, my book has been returned to the library.   I was really enjoying it!  It is called "Gentle Healing for Baby and Child".  It is chock full of ideas for herbal and natural healing, but is very practical and well balanced at the same time.  The authors general tip is "use remedy xyz, found at your local health food store" so I coupled this book with another (title forgotten and since returned to the library!) which gave recipes and method for making your own remedies.  It was a great combo!  I will have to go re-check them both out at some point.

And here is a gratuitous shot of an adorable baby, because I can't resist those big blue eyes!  

And don't forget to enter the giveaway!  Everyone needs a signed copy of Zita the Spacegirl!!

An Easter Octave Giveaway!

In honor of the Easter Octave, and because my brother is visiting and, therefore, accessible, I am hosting my first ever GIVEAWAY!  What fun!

My brother recently published a new graphic novel.  It is a great story of adventure for any 7+ child.  My kids love it!  This is your opportunity to win your very own SIGNED copy of Zita the Spacegirl!

To enter, just leave a comment before noon on Sunday April 30.  For extra entries, post a link to here on your blog or Facebook (or both!), but remember to come back here and let me know!

And here is a little extra fun to get you more excited about this great book!

Zita the Spacegirl: Trailer from Ben Hatke on Vimeo.

Happy Easter! Rejoice!

Happy Easter!  This is the totally wild bunch of cousins on the trampoline.  All eleven together, but it is impossible to get eleven kids ages eight and under to look at the camera at the same time!

And Greta eventually got fed up and ran away.

Parties, Potties, and Potty Parties!

Over the weekend, we went to a Bar-b-que "contest" at are neighbors house.  Coincidently, my sister was asked to play music for the party.  My neighbor didn't know we were sisters, he only knew how well she can sing!

The party was cold and rainy, but still really fun.  PeterXavier won the contest!  His daddy makes the best bbq, but he wins the most votes.  That kid can really play a room.

After the party, Annie and Martin and the girls came over to play for a bit.  And too use the little pink potty.

It was a fun time!

Hey looky, a video!

My first embedded video!  Go me!

Check out our always so eloquent President.  Start at the two minute mark to get the best of the best.  This guy's a real winner!

Three Years

Isabella turned three last week.  It was much anticipated, as she was so eager to be three just like Anja and Julia!  We decided to mark the occasion with a very special gift -- a wonderful wooden play kitchen (also, just like Anja!)

And it was even extra, super special, because Andrew made it himself!  I am so proud of him!

Andrew is a rather amateur woodworker, so this fantastic kitchen is quite exciting.  Before Christmas, we were drooling over all of the fantastic toys in the Nova Naturals catalog and lamenting the fact that we couldn't afford to buy everything!  So instead, we decided to by a bandsaw and Andrew tried his hand a wood crafting.  It turned out the be a great investment.  Now, we not only can give the kids great wood toys -- they are even better because they are handmade specifically for them, with great love!
(For more pictures, see Andrew's FB page!)

Our day in pictures

 Studying the recipes -- rewritten in her own hand, after the ingredients are assembled.

Grace is becoming quite handy in the kitchen -- she bakes cakes and cookies, almost unsupervised!

"Reading", drawing, eagerly awaiting finished cookies!

Yarn Along

~ Two of my favorite things are knitting and reading, and the evidence of this often shows up in my photographs. I love seeing what other people are knitting and reading as well. So, what are you knitting or crocheting right now? What are you reading? Take a single photo and share it either on your blog or on Flickr. Leave a link below to share your photo with the rest of us! ~

I have been trying for weeks to join the "Yarn Along" and finally got to it!  I am currently working on this kimono style sweater for Avila.  It is worked as all one piece and easy-peasy, if I could just find the time to work on it!  The yarn is Lion Brand fisherman's weight virgin wool.  And I think it's u.g.l.y.  Can't wait to cast off and toss it into a big vat of dye.  I am thinking a nice moss green.  We shall see.

I am reading Nina Plank's Real Food, which I love.  But it is coming along about as slowly as the sweater! Andrew borrowed "Food Rules" from a colleague, so I am flipping through that as well.

Check out Ginny's delightful blog for more yarn along or to join the fun!