Keeping a tally

In the past week we have seen the following birds which has brought GREAT excitement. (despite the few visible signs of spring)



-a great blue heron

-robin (currently at 5 sightings)

-turkey vultures

-yellow finch

-american kestrel



Both our bird houses are home to new families.
We brought the bird feeders in to be cleaned, took out and put up the beautiful (free) posters we got from here.

Can you guess what someone learned?

How did so many years flash by?

When did they get so big?

A package surprise!

We were involved in a mini swap, crafts and gently loved gifts shared between children. The kids were thrilled to put together a package for two new friends. They knew immediately what they would gift; a bendy fairy, a new bag filled with book making supplies, felted friends, bean bags, pictures, barrettes, a joke book. It was a fun way to spend some cold February evenings.

After checking the mail with high levels of anticipation, the kids came running inside, squealing with excitement and a package in hand. I barely got photos, as everything happened SO quickly. Our friends sent an adorable and soft blue monkey, an apron Aria put on right away, a magic kit which immediately went upstairs for shows to be planned. There was paperclips, books and a cd, a letter, yarn and lots of wonderful treasures. Such a fabulous treat; thank you!

Happy Easter!

Easter morning the kids followed the trail of eggs to the backyard, for their annual egg hunt. Dressed in pj's, winter boots, coats and mitts they walked on top of the snow gathering. After the traditional cinnamon buns they have another hunt for their baskets from Chris and I. This hunt is different every year. In the past it has included following a string trail, reading a map, decoding the clues etc. This year they had to follow the signs of arrows in a numerical sequence. At the end of the trail was new t shirts tie dyed by mum, seeds, pots, crafts from our coop exchange.
In the afternoon we joined my sister's family for a nice relaxing dinner. We combined Grampy's birthday celebration with the dinner. Of course the traditional hat was worn...looking good!

Family Time

We were originally gathering for Easter dinner at my in laws today. We still gathered, but I think it was more about comfort and a sense of togetherness than for Easter, since Chris' grandfather died yesterday morning. As much as it could be, it was nice to move slowly through the day, being together. We had a wonderful walk in the woods, after fueling up on pancakes in the maple syrup shack. It was good to be in the woods, with a really big space to 'be'.
Everyone chatted about life, plans and hopes over turkey. Comfort found in simple moments.

Sometimes I enjoy the quiet and sometimes....

I really pay for it.

Mamas know that sometimes a quiet house or a few minutes on the phone uninterrupted is worth whatever is being done to give it to them, and other times it isn't so worth it. After what feels like a very busy and energy draining week I have been looking forward to the long weekend. However life happens and plans change. So instead of going out with friends I needed to drop off my felted eggs for an craft exchange I was part of.
I had an hour before I needed to leave. The older three were playing in the basement. Shai was playing with blocks. Quiet. I grabbed a book I have been enjoying and started to read. Oh bliss. I could feel the disastrous mess around me fade away, the dread of cooking dinner fade away, the sleepless nights with a growing boy fade away. I was enjoying my book and the rest of the world was fading away. I read and read and read. Uninterrupted. When the thought of how long I had been interrupted entered my mind I passed. That feeling entered, fear. What has he been occupying his time with while I read. I don't see him with the blocks anymore. I hear his little voice, he's chatting to himself. I go to the bathroom, where he has the cutest grin on. I can't help but smile at that beautiful face. Then my eyes dart to the toilet, which is over flowing. My eggs, my felted eggs for the craft exchange, in the toilet. Some floating, some not to be seen. Eggs that need to be delivered.
First thing was first, need to unclog toilet. Move baby and begin plunging, over and over. Finally break suction. Clean up water. Change baby.
Eggs. Now I go into panic mode. Eggs. I get the blank ones and start felting like a mad woman. In the process I break three needles. I have exactly two for each person. Eggs I am not thrilled with(not as nice as what are now referred to as the toilet eggs)...but thrilled to be out the door.
Sometimes a few minutes of quiet is worth the bag of flour all over the floor, or the marker on the wall, or the baby eating the cookie. Today, not so much.

Rearranging....cause we can!

While drawing her 50th picture of the morning Aria says
"I feel like there is an art gallery bursting inside me"

Admits the utter chaos of getting three science fair projects together (gluing, printing, etc) while caring for a one year old, the house an absolute shambles, one wonderful child comments
"Where is your science fair project? If you were more organized mama you could put one in too!"

Group decision
one "Spring has started today"
another "...but we are not ready! (decorations, banner, party) "
the other "it doesn't look like its in any rush...did you see all the snow!"
one "... so let's just say in our house it starts on Monday"
Me "perfect! you guys are great, I can be ready on Monday!"

So happy Easter....and an early Happy Spring!

Science Fair

Tonight was the home school group science fair. My friend works hard at putting together a wonderful evening!

Not surprisingly my kids love different parts of the process. As always, Aria knew she wanted to be a part of it, what exactly she wanted to do and how it would be done. My only role was to pass the tools to her and type up a tiny bit of information she got tired of writing. She choose to do potions, to mix together things found around the kitchen (vinegar, baking soda, corn starch, water, gum, sugar, lemon juice, flower petals, etc). She recorded what happened when they were mixed. After doing some reading about accidental inventions, as a total aside, she put the two together and decide to put some of these on her board because "you never know what you might get when they are mixed together!"

Ben took his very seriously. He also needed no guiding, his love of rocks directed his project and specifically how to identify a mineral. He came up with the whole concept that mineralogists are like detectives and the characteristics are like clues. He hid the clues on his board and had hands on demonstrations for each of them, including a hardness testing machine (scelerometer) model out of Lego. Again I was just the tool to make things happening, like typing what he told me to do and cutting out letters, etc. He had such a clear vision, such a drive to put it together.

Elias took a long time to decide what he wanted to do. I suggested optical illusions, Dad took it one step further and took him to the library to check out some very cool books. Once he was interested he started rolling. He was fascinated to learn how the brain could be tricked, that it wasn't his eye. He was amazed that something as complicated and fascinating as your brain could be fooled. He dreaded the 'presentation' part, which really isn't as formal as it sounds. People (kids and adults)walk around the tables and look at each display, some ask questions, other leave comments. Often the child who did the presentation is walking around-hence the comment card. So what he dreaded was the thought of someone asking him to explain it. It happened, people asked...and he said it went really well.

There are a few things about the science fair I really love. The process for my kids, choosing something, following where it goes and presenting it. They totally embrace this process, without dread, they freely choose to participate. I also love watching the kids share their projects with others- adults and kids alike. Watching two kids standing in front of a display sharing what they think was pretty cool on the board. It was a great night.

Happy St. Patrick's Day

Listening to the Irish Rovers, eating green: grapes, celery, cucumber, broccoli soup, soda bread, limeade, mint ice cream. That's what all Irish do ...isn't it?

Cherished Closeness

There have been a few things that have hugely impacted who I am as a parent and the path I have chosen. Among those is baby wearing. When I lived in Guatemala I was truly amazed and inspired by the women who lived a physically active day the whole time carrying their baby on their back. The children where content, stroking their mum's hair, listening to her voice,the closeness being so much more than physical. In my heart I knew one day I would carry my babies.

I have followed this instinct and carried each of my children in different carriers, slings and wraps. With each child I have been affirmed of the benefits and discovered new reasons to continue. There has been the calm in brought me as a new mum caring for my tiny premature baby close and safe, transition my toddler to life with a sibling as smoothly as possible- baby close by yet still able to push a swing or play trains with two hands. Daily tasks that can be overwhelming are more manageable with babe on my back to cook food or change laundry. Going for a walk, nursing discreetly, to hide a shy or nervous toddler, to keep unwanted hands away, to rock to sleep, to ease tired arms, to connect daddy and babe in a special way. There are more. There is the physical and emotional benefits for both babe and me, there is the spiritual ones of being so closely connected, there is the comfort and safety it provides. The ease, something I am always seeking more of.

As each of the kids has grown to big to carry, I am aware of how quickly this time goes. I cherish this short time, where we stand as one, swaying together.

Feeling Shai next to me, having his head rest against me as his body is cradled in the sling, eyes gazing at me and fingers playing with my hair. During the busy days, when we have four places to go, friends to mingle with, things to get done , I am grateful for the time in the sling that connects us. Requiring us to be heart to heart. Such a gift.

Weekend Review

-ladies lunch with my mum, aunts and sister (wine, wonderful women and laughter)

-working with wood, creating crossbows and swords unassisted

-college royal, the local university open house to tour the campus, see the animals and have a cotton candy milkshake

-a king sized bed delivered (alleluia!)

-lots of sunshine!

-working on science fair projects and easter crafts

-sewing a birthday cape

LOST- the next episode

The scene: a wooded area, three feet of snow on the ground, blue skies but still cool out.

The airplane has crashed. The passengers (mostly children)realize they are lost, their priority is to build a shelter and start a fire . The only supplies they have are a garbage bag, a tarp, some wood, a piece of paper, a match. The 20 children divide into three groups on their own. Each group contains ages ranging from 2-12years. They each find a place that is safe from the elements and nature. They quickly get to work setting up their shelter. One group creates a wall and floor with theirs, another makes a roof and the third makes a tent. Each of the shelters having unique qualities that will provide different comforts. The challenges faced include untying the two year old who got tangled in the rope so it can be used for the shelter, reaching the highest branch, convincing the hungry to focus on the task, finding the lost mitten. They succeed.

On to the second task. Fire. Heat. They pat down snow, create a pit for the fire to be protected in. Finding a rough dry (the latter being the challenge) surface to strike the match to light the one piece of paper, to then light the wood. It takes awhile. They try the bark of the tree, they try keys, a metal zipper comes close to working, at last it is the saw on a friends multi tool that comes through. A little flame. It counted as a fire.

They are then rescued. Taken back into warmth, fed and patted on the back.

Wet MIttens

With lunch in hand we headed with friends

to mutually favorite hiking spot. Our intention was to look for nature items to put in our package for our Quebec pen pals. While we did come home with a container filled with pine needles, cedar, moss, fungus, buds, berries and sticks the afternoon was filled with snow play.

The warm air brought the perfect packing snow. Large snowballs were quickly rolled and snowmen built - complete with olive eyes, carrot nose, pepper mouth and strawberry tongue. Once complete, moving on to build even more snow sculptures and a wall of snow. Everyone came home with sun kissed cheeks and ready to curl up and finish the next favorite book tape.

Cookies, Cards and Colour

We invited Grammy for lunch and an art date. Our water colour paints, paper and a few books were put out for us to experiment with and chat. Grammy has a fine arts background, as we sat together she shared some techniques and the way to wet your paper and tape it when using watercolours. She brought amazing cookie dough and chocolate for the kids to mix and bake. Lunch was followed by a few games of cards. It was a wonderful, relaxed afternoon- a treat to have a grammy we all love to be with.

The local mill rats

Audio books are something we devour here. Sometimes they capture all our attention, leading us on a path we never would expect. Leading to a book list at the library, exploring websites, playing new games. Such is the case at the moment. Dressed in their 'mill rat' costumes;pants, suspenders and newspaper boy hats, they are busy sorting spools of thread and planning a way to escape on the train to Canada where children are not allowed to work in a factory. The historical fiction Counting on Grace written by Elizabeth Winthrop is the place this new journey began.

My friend Penelope tagged me in a meme. Thanks for including me :) It goes as follow

As I read yet another book review of a memoir this weekend, my husband told me that I should write one. I said that my story would be much too short and rather boring so when I ran across the following book I decided it was just my speed. A six word memoir! Written by Larry Smith and Rachel Fershleiser, Not Quite What I was Planning: Six Word Memoirs by Writers Famous and Obscure is a compilation based on the story that Hemingway once bet ten dollars that he could sum up his life in six words. His words were- For Sale: baby shoes, never worn. There’s a video on Amazon with examples from the book, it sounds like a fun read! I’d like to start a six word memoir meme and here are the rules:

1. Write your own six word memoir
2. Post it on your blog and include a visual illustration if you’d like
3. Link to the person that tagged you in your post and to this original post if possible so we can track it as it travels across the blogosphere
4 .Tag five more blogs with links
5. And don’t forget to leave a comment on the tagged blogs with an invitation to play!


My memoir is

possibilities endless on roads less travelled



i won't tag anyone but if you would love to play let me know :)

Across the generations

Today Grampy joined us for a hike at one of our favorite hiking trails (which we have often shared), and lunch at our house. It was a beautiful morning, the sun peeking through the trees, frost covering those it hadn't reached. White mounds of snow covering the branches, ice in the river and blue skies.

As we walked along the kids pointed out their special places, and favorite

spots to find fairies or where they see the most ducks. My dad was happy to give boosts up to a higher tree branch, sit on their special 'chair' and listen to stories. It is wonderful to see my kids loving their Grampy, and my dad loving my kids.

Snow So Deep

With a few of us on the verge of a cold we decided we wouldn't venture too far from home. A walk around the neighbourhood and a nearby pond seemed the perfect outing. The snowbanks were incredibly high, and the snow incredibly deep. At the pond the kids explored the cattails that barely emerged out of the deep snow. Much to their (and my) surprise they fell straight through the snow up to their waist, or neck (depending on the person!). After getting a picture (LOL!) and making sure everyone was safe, it was a source of great entertainment.

So much so that they took Dad before dinner, to show him how they could sink so deeply.

Shai didn't try the deep snow, but so that he didn't feel left out the others buried him. Oh, to be the fourth!