life in a garden

Moose!

2011-05-29T21:05:00.000-04:00

With family visiting we headed to Algonquin Park for a hike and the hope of spotting a moose for our guest. And we weren't disappointed. There were two younger moose happy to pose for photos.

Family Visits

2011-05-28T21:07:00.001-04:00

When we were in Wales last year we had the pleasure of meeting family that I hadn't met before. It was wonderful to have Julie come for a visit. We got the chance to know each other a little bit better, spending a little time sharing a common love- the outdoors.

Track and Field

2011-05-27T21:13:00.001-04:00

The track and field event, which is put on by a local private school and includes the homeschooling community caught us off guard with the timing. Where did May go?
But no one hesitated joining and participating in all the events. For the three older kids there was relay races, running races, long throw, long jump, triple jump. Aria was very successful at the obstacle course. Elias was thrilled to have completed his mile in 7 mins without any practice. Ben out threw boys twice his age. They all ended the day with ribbons, tired and a bit too much sun.
This was the first year they offered the younger children junior and senior kindergarten, an activity. Shai loved it. There was bean bag toss, jumping, walking on lines and throwing. The races were by far his favorite. His little arms just pumping away as he ran. So much fun.

A few more

2011-05-27T21:01:00.001-04:00

Lego World

2011-05-25T11:37:00.000-04:00

All of the rain has meant lots of Lego time. Tables were arranged, and the building began. Its been days. And they are expanding and growing. There is a pub, a community centre, a garden, bridges, and more. My favorite; the stories that go with each part of the creation.

Salamander/Newt Trail

2011-05-24T11:31:00.000-04:00

Our friends who took us on this Salamander trail last year invited us back. We were all thrilled to be on the look out for newts and salamanders. It is a beautiful trail that in the neighbouring town, along the river, ravines and woods. At the top of a waterfall is the jack pot. We turned over logs and rocks to find lots of red backed salamanders. Their little feet are so incredibly tiny, they amaze me.

We were all thrilled to see and hold the Jefferson salamander, which was huge! As big as Aria's head !

There was lots of time in the woods, despite the misty weather. Followed by lunch and trampoline time. Great day!

And even more!

2011-05-23T11:36:00.000-04:00

More Hike

2011-05-23T11:33:00.000-04:00

Science Day

2011-05-22T21:59:00.000-04:00

Science day was lots of fun! We invited the homeschool group over to our house for some science experimenting. Stations were set up around the yard for trying out. We had oobleck in one area, with items to test if they would sink or float. There were hoop rockets vs. paper airplanes for distance. Once the kids learned to through these straight into the air instead of on the grass the bubble bombs became a hit. Before we moved inside (the black flies were starting to become bothersome) we did the favorite mentos and diet coke and elephant toothpaste. The latter didn't have the effect it did in the video unfortunately, but most of the kids hadn't seen the mentos so that made up for it!

The kids had a chance to try mixing oil and water together while painting some paper, getting a marbled effect which the younger kids enjoyed. Everyone was really impressed with themselves when they mastered this cool experiment. The last experiment, hover crafts, were fun to make. They were a little temper mental, requiring really, really flat service. Once we figured that out we were set.
It was a great morning. Some kids did a few of the activities, others did all of them. A few kids altered the experiments for different results. The parents were placed at different stations to guide or give a hand. My kids never get enough of these kinds of activities, so it was nice to finally give a whole bunch of them a try.

A Whole Watermelon

2011-05-22T07:55:00.001-04:00

The kids took there money to the grocery store. I was imagine them coming home with snack foods of the bagged kind. Instead they each bought a whole watermelon. They were cut in half and eaten with no hands to start, then when that became too hard it was spoon. The juice was finally finished with a straw. I am told it was money well spent!

More Birds

2011-05-21T21:53:00.001-04:00

Are you tired hearing about birds yet? Since we were getting three day old baby ducks it was easy for us to decide to get ready to lay hens (4 months old) as opposed to newly hatched. We still have three chickens from our first 'batch', which meant we needed to introduce the new birds to the old ones. To help transition everyone and avoid a problem with bullying we were given advice on how to fool them all.
First the new birds were kept in their box, the original 3 girls were put into their own box. The coop was empty. Then, under the cover of darkness we quietly and quickly put them all back into the coop. It felt a little bit like a secret undercover mission. All six of us, in silence passing birds around.
Doing this meant they were all tricked into thinking that no one was new, that they were all part of the same flock. So far so good. The new birds are a little slow, they haven't caught on to everything yet. Like we mean food, so to come running when we are near. Or that the dog is going to chase them so stay away. But generally its all going smoothly. So know we are up to 13 chickens.

Maple Syrup

2011-05-20T21:54:00.000-04:00

I love producing our own Maple Syrup. There is something so satisfying about going through such a long process; tapping, gathering, boiling off in two stages, preserving, for something so incredibly yummy. This year I really didn't do much except act as cheerleader, encouraging everyone else to keep at it. This year Chris made candy and maple sugar. Wow was that good. In total it was ten litres of liquid gold. At the rate it gets eaten I don't know if it will get us through the year.

A Beautiful Owl

2011-05-20T20:27:00.001-04:00

A few weeks ago we were thrilled to be treated to having an owl sitting on the post close to our house. A few days later I noticed something under the big pine tree at the side of the house. Assuming it was an item of clothing left behind by the kids I asked them to get it while they were playing. Minutes later they were all rushing in the house, talking over each other. It was not clothing, but a dead owl. The bird was fully intact, it hadn't been attacked by anything as there was no marks or damage. We were in awe of this amazing bird and the opportunity to see it up close. We were also very sad. To have this majestic, powerful bird laying lifeless in our hands.
We happened to be heading to the Muskoka Wildlife Centre a few days later which seemed like a perfect opportunity to talk to someone about the bird. The naturalist at the Centre confirmed our guess that this was a Barred Owl, most likely an old one. She showed us the breast bone and how there was very little meat on this one, indicating that it was most likely sick and undernourished. The bird might have had poor eye sight due to age making it difficult to hunt. It was at the bottom of the tree, making it very likely that it died and fell out. We were shown how to take the feathers out, for keepsakes.
The centre is an educational facility, with a component of travelling around to grounds teaching them about local animals and conservation. After some consulting we decided to leave the bird with them, where they will bury it in their compost heap. Here the bugs will clean off the bones of the bird, leaving them with a fabulous skeleton for teaching. We made arrangements to head back next year to see have the bones look like.

First of the Season

2011-05-20T19:05:00.001-04:00

It doesn't take more than a little sunshine for the call of the water to win them over! All four of them planned to go in after dinner and all four of them dove under! Far braver then I. It wasn't the chilling temps of the water that brought them home, but the black flies. Despite the bugs everyone is thrilled to have beach season upon us. Yay!

Little one

2011-05-19T07:59:00.000-04:00

Last summer he would often fall asleep late in the afternoon from exhaustion, keeping up with the big kids is hard work. It is rare that he falls asleep before bedtime despite how active his day is, he has passed over that hump. Tonight, was the exception. Dadda's warm arms wrapped around him was enough for him to give into sleep. Those glimpses of being little are fading, I will take them whenever I can.

Discoveries along the Path

2011-05-17T22:49:00.000-04:00

Scat is very exciting around here. Our hike at Algonquin Park had us jumping for joy at all the animals signs to follow. Moose must have been in abundance considering all their markings.

Stars of the Show

2011-05-16T22:28:00.001-04:00

Needless to say the duck love continues. The video camera is out and movies are being made. Today it was interviewing the ducks, among other questions there was "How did you remain calm when you realized you were going to have to break yourself out of the egg?"

And after much consideration, negotiating and debate the ducks have names. The one with more black around it's neck and who splashes a lot in the water is named Puck (Midsummer Night's Dream is being reread). The one with more yellow then black is officially named Apollo after the sun god, however most people are choosing Sunny as its nickname.

And More!

2011-05-15T22:34:00.003-04:00

Spare moments are used for duck snuggles. They stop cheeping really loudly when you hold them close. Their down is so soft and their little wings are so tiny. Uber cute! They are still nameless...but there are lots of ideas floating around- Lily, Pan, Eddie, Tiny, Flap, Splash, Big Foot, Maple, .....it's getting interesting!

Lakeside

2011-05-13T22:46:00.000-04:00

The weather is warm, the bugs aren't here yet and there is no where else we would rather be.

New Friends

2011-05-12T22:39:00.001-04:00

Shai likes to have the ducks follow him around the house. When he puts them down the two will run behind him wherever he goes, their little webbed feet padding along on the floor. They do have little claws at the ends of their 'toes' which can be a little scratchy. Socks on your hands apparently work!

Ducks! We have Ducks!

2011-05-11T22:43:00.036-04:00

The first time we went to the farm store to find out about having chickens we learned about the huge variety of birds you could order. Varieties of chickens, turkeys, ducks, peacocks, and geese oh my! Just having the option of raising ducklings was enough to plant the seed. Now that the new chickens have settled in, we were ready for our two day old Rouen ducks. Wow are they ever cute. CUTE! They are so soft, tiny and incredibly cute. They are yellow and black at the moment, covered in down. When they are full grown they will look very similar to Mallards.
We don't really know much about raising ducks. As is our way, we are just learning as we go along. They ducks will stay in an aquarium as until they get too large under a heat lamp. Amazingly baby ducks don't know how to swim right away, so we need to ease them into shallow water and build up their swimming strength. Its a good thing they loved being held close because as you can imagine they are getting lots of love!
It's another wonderful adventure having ducks.

Happy Mother`s Day

2011-05-08T22:52:00.004-04:00

We had a beautiful day, the kind of day that reminds me of all the reasons I am thankful to be a mama. A mama to four pretty great kids. The sun shone while we hiked on a trail we enjoy, climbing rocks, picnic by the lake, chasing the dog, taking in the view.

Reading Challenge

2011-04-17T22:29:00.002-04:00

We did it! We met and exceeded our goal. Everyone read feverishly, soaking up every book they could. We got together for a celebration with friends for themed snacks (ie. little itty bitty cookies for the Littles). It was a challenge my kids loved. Books on their shelves that hadn't been read were taken out, recommendations were being shared and new styles of books were read. I hope this becomes a yearly event.

Art

2011-02-11T15:05:00.001-05:00

An Inukshuk, a family tree and a pendent. He combined lemon juice and olive oil to make his own polish, bringing out the colour in each of the pieces.

Welcome Luke

2011-02-06T15:19:00.002-05:00

As soon as we knew we were going to my parents to celebrate birthdays we blocked a chunk of time to meet a special new friend. It goes without saying we fell in love instantly. A perfect new addition into a family who holds a special place in our hearts. The cuddle time was heaven.

2011-02-05T15:13:00.001-05:00

Bowling Bash

2011-02-05T15:11:00.001-05:00

To celebrate Elias and Grammy's birthdays we decided to go bowling and out to dinner to celebrate. It was a great choice of activities, all ages enjoying some friendly competition. It turns out we all had our own 'style'. There was the leg slide, the power house, the wobble, the one pin standing, the ramp but I think we could agree without a doubt that the most memorable and unique was the stomp. Incredibly my sis could throw the ball and as soon as it left her hand she would extend her leg as though she was going to do the classic leg slide but at the last minute stomp it hard on the ground instead. Impressive. Ben even got an action shot!
Needless to say to was fun.

Lots of love

2011-02-05T03:16:00.000-05:00

Happy Birthday!

Filing

2011-01-31T15:38:00.001-05:00

For his birthday his friends gave him files, ranging in all sizes and shapes. Such a fitting gift for a guy passionate about woodworking. The files were put to use immediately but not with what I expected. From the back of the craft cabinet Elias pulled out his collection of soap stone. I don't think he has done anything with it or even thought about it in over a year. The files stirred something in him about this forgotten art and dust has been flying since. The creations are beautiful (and all meant to be gifts- and therefore can't be shown). There is even plans to make his own polish.

Saturdays Steal the Show

2011-01-29T13:19:00.000-05:00

The three older kids are participating in the Jackrabbit Cross Country Skiing program at a nearby park. It is two hours every Saturday, during which time the kids learn the skills of this activity. The group organizes scavenger hunts, obstacle courses and fun lessons. The leaders love the sport and the kids which totally comes across. Each week they learn more, become more confident and enjoy it even more. In fact most weeks they wish that it lasted longer.
Today there was a mini race, low pressure with focus on personal best. The track was 2km long, with lots of hills and turns. Elias came in first for his group, which was particularly nice since it was his birthday. All three of them crossed the finish line with smiles and praises for how fun (and hot) that was.

Just Cause

2011-01-28T13:16:00.002-05:00

He cracks me up. He has taken to wearing safety glasses most of the time and he does this little dance that is more like a jig. It's even cuter in snow shoes.

A Fitting Party

2011-01-28T13:11:00.001-05:00

I love the fan fare, all the glitter and extras. Not everyone feels the same. A birthday without the horns and whistles may go against my natural inclination but it feels just right for some and when its your birthday you get to choose. For Elias' birthday I think we came up with a perfect way to celebrate, to honour another year and all the wonder that goes with it.
A few friends were invited for an outdoor party, which makes sense for my outdoor guy. We met at the provincial park where we went tubing. We had a campfire for roasting dogs, hot chocolate and cupcakes with 'snow' icing made by the birthday boy himself. There was just the right balance of celebration, sparkle while remaining low key.

It's In the Ice Cream

2011-01-26T14:45:00.000-05:00

It was an average week. The kind I like, a mix of regular activities, a few special and a pace which allowed for enough time at home to bake, read and sew. The week started off bracing the extreme temperatures outside at Muskoka Woods, a local camp which offers a homeschooling program. Tubing and orienteering were dangerously chilly- but fun. Shai decided to go into the nursery for the second month, loving soccer in the gym and what time is it Mr. Wolf!
The rest of the week was much warmer and the sunshine was beautiful. We did some snowshoeing, cross country skiing and tobogganing. There was swimming, a play date and evening programs. A highlight was definitely the arrival of a much anticipated birthday gift for Shai from Grammy and Grampy....an ice cream maker!!! Chocolate Gelato was the big hit....what week wouldn't be great with an ice cream maker hard at work!

Joining Us at the Table

2011-01-24T16:20:00.000-05:00

Shai asked the other day to have some 'work' of his own. The thought of sitting with us during our 'table time' doing what the big kids do is so appealing. He practiced the letters of his name for about 30 minutes, in a book of his own. I thought it was cute.
It got me thinking how different my hopes, expectations and concerns with my first child differ so greatly in many ways then with my fourth. I had a shelf filled with workbooks, a list of objectives and a bucket full of shoulds in regards to learning. Time and trust in my kids as given me the confidence to follow his lead. Perhaps his interest in writing will stay and he will want to keep at it, or not. Perhaps he will want to learn to read in the next year, or not. I know those things will come. I don't have that same list of objectives, they have switched to reading together more, bringing out the playdough more often, getting to play group every other week.
This reflecting isn't so much about Shai, or any of my kids. It is about me, the place I am in our journey as homeschoolers and as a parent. I have fewer worries for him, because I have more confidence in me. I can just enjoy his dabbling in writing without making it about the end product. It's a great place to be.

When the Weather Outside is Frightful

2011-01-23T19:16:00.002-05:00

It has been cold. Freezing. Our outdoor programs were cancelled this weekend, there were weather warnings. The temperatures were well past -30. There was lots of tea, hot soup, a classic to watch and extra layers. While we are looking forward to the temperatures rising we have taken advantage of the extreme cold to try a new experiment. You take boiling water and throw it into the cold (-30 and colder) air. When the water hits the cold it evaporates and turns into snow. Very cool. This is where we got the idea.

Reading Challenge

2011-01-21T19:33:00.001-05:00

Around the dinner table our conversation very often is sharing what adventures we have been transported to through the books we have been reading. There has been lots of reading happening, especially in these cold dark days. One of our conversations led to wondering how many books our family thought we could read in two months? or a year? With some more exploring around this challenge we decided it would be fun to start off such an idea with company. We invited our homeschooling group to join us in this challenge.
We met at our house; readers, pre readers and those who are being read to. We set goals for our families, how many books we would read over two months and then added our totals together. With 9 families our combined goal is 1200 books in 8 weeks. After we worked out the specifics of numbers we set to work on some books of our own. Each person made a book of their own to record the books they read and perhaps a few words about it, or a rating of sorts.
We also made tree branches of our own, to place leaves for each of the books a family member reads. When we come back together for our celebration we will assemble our reading tree as a visual of our accomplished challenge.
I better get reading!

Happy Birthday Daddy-O!

2011-01-19T10:56:00.001-05:00

It's the month for birthdays in our house. We are excited to be celebrating Dadda's special day.
What a cute group!

Ice Time

2011-01-18T11:16:00.000-05:00

The waters are frozen, skates are sharp and the thermos is in full rotation. We have been meeting our friends for skating days which have been loads of fun. Pick up hockey, practicing our skills and playing in the snowbanks.

Party Zone

2011-01-16T08:46:00.001-05:00

No contemplating was needed when it came to a theme for this birthday party. Hands down it was cars, trucks, large equipment and whatever falls in between!

From there the decorations included caution tape streams, road signs, a road table cloth, pylons, buckets full of food, a cake with diggers and 'dirt'. We played pin the parts on the dump truck, had a scavenger hunt for stop signs, made flags for the car races, played simon says and hot potato with a tool belt for everyone.
We laid out areas for the kids to play in with trains, a car mat, a little town, a construction area with blocks and dumpers. The big hit was the race track Chris whipped up the morning of. The kids sent cars down endlessly!
Shai had lots of us friends over whose company he was thrilled to have share in his party. Despite the cold winter weather we so appreciated and enjoyed having our family come out for this special day.

2011-01-16T08:30:00.000-05:00

A Puzzle

2011-01-12T08:29:00.000-05:00

The move we made two years ago may mean that we don't get to see good friends as often as we would like but it hasn't meant we don't connect with them. Mail has taken on a whole new importance, emailing is something even the youngest gets in on and when we make the far too few visits down they are crammed with a very long to do list always leaving things for the next time.
We have some very creative friends who have been sprinkling us with puzzle pieces in the mail, during visits, scattered for us to find hidden. The puzzle came out the other day just to check how it was looking. It is definitely a photo .....but we can't guess all the faces yet. There are lots of guesses, which then leads naturally into story sharing and in turn future plans. There is hope we will make a visit soon and maybe in turn discover some more puzzle pieces. thanks guys we are still loving them!

Another Reason to Love Winter

2011-01-11T16:52:00.002-05:00

Our front door area has a new addition; three sets of cross country skiis. This weekend Elias, Ben and Aria all begun participating in a cross country skiing program. We finally compiled three sets at the beginning of this week, so they have been practicing every chance they get. Two of them were up and out before I was even thinking about waking up! They have set up a track around the house, the pond, up over some hills and back. And yes you know the dog was part of the fun! There is talk of training for this crazy sport we went to watch last year.

Happy 4th Birthday

2011-01-10T12:31:00.001-05:00

to my sweet boy, forever my baby.

I love how you

*like to whisper in my ear

*never, ever tire of playing cars or trucks

*love ice cream so

* have taken to climbing into bed with Ben in the middle of the night

*never forget to come cuddle with me in the morning

* lay next to Myca and tell her stories

*stand on your chair at dinner to make sure we are all listening

*play air guitar

*when you hear a song your body starts dancing like it just can't help giving into it

*you like to kiss everyone before bed

2011-01-10T05:02:00.001-05:00

When you are four your best day includes going to play group, then out for a treat with your brothers and sister. Dinner is around the campfire, giving him a chance to try out his new snowshoes. Ice cream with candles and a party at the end of the week to top it off. Being four is looking good.

The Elusive Moose

2011-01-09T16:36:00.001-05:00

One of the things that kept everyone moving on the trail were clues left behind by a MOOSE!
There were tracks about the size of my hand following around the edge of the frozen lake. In a clearing we found a large patch of very long dark brown hairs. It appeared the moose had a little rest leaving behind its mark. It was quite an adventure! We didn't spot it, but we think we were hot on it's trail :)

Sunday Hikes

2011-01-09T16:29:00.000-05:00

I love Sunday hikes. This Sunday was cold, crisp but sunny. We headed out to Algonquin park and explored a trail we had never been on before. Peck Lake isn't a long trail, but quite rough with the snow so it turned out to be a perfect length for the littlest pair of walking legs in the family. The kids loved walking part of the trail on the frozen lake. It was great to have some down time in the woods.

Party Time is Together Time

2011-01-08T16:42:00.000-05:00

Shai and I had the joy of attending a friend's 5th birthday party. There was sledding, games, lunch and time together. The time together was a real treat!

Feeling Blue

2011-01-03T21:27:00.002-05:00

Elias has blue hair dye and is often sporting a whole or partial head of blue hair. The other day he decided to share it. I was late on getting a photo- this is after a few washes!

Happy New Year's

2010-12-31T21:29:00.001-05:00

We rang in the New Year with all our favorite things! After bowling we came home to some finger foods, got bundled and headed around the corner to the local ski hill for a fire works display. We had fun with glow in the dark glasses and sparkles. Back home for some more yummy treats, party crackers and party drinks. The kids were thrilled to be playing bartender and mixing party drinks. The favorite was cranberry juice, orange juice and gingerale. After we heading upstairs for pj s and watched a movie projected on the wall. There was lots of hooting and hugging to bring in 2011!

New Year's Eve

2010-12-31T21:23:00.000-05:00

It's been a long time since we have been bowling. It was a lot of fun! Even Shai was able to bowl without any assistance and had a lot of fun. The kids gave us a run for our money for sure !

Handmade Christmas

2010-12-28T19:13:00.001-05:00

Every year I continue to be amazed at the beautiful gifts we create. We want to share them, but even more we want to remember them and therefore I record them here.

* Aria sewed a tool belt out of brown corduroy and batik patterned material for Elias, our woodworker. *Elias and Aria teamed up to put together a cook book for Ben, filled with some favorite recipes and some new to try in a material covered binder.

* Likewise Ben and Elias teamed up to sew a mattress, comforter and pillow for Aria's special doll.

*We all freezer stenciled Chris a t-shirt with a bull fighter, to mark our summer trip to spain

*I sewed a quilt for Elias using a good amount of jean from all the pants he wore through in the past year. I was thrilled with the results

*For shai I made a pair of wings for him to sing and dance around in- they turned out a little big needing a bit of modifying

*a embroidered camp blanket for Aria

*a water bottle holder for Elias from Ben

There were others, but these were our highlights.

Christmas Day

2010-12-25T19:05:00.001-05:00

Christmas day was a beautiful day weather wise which just called for us to be outside and enjoy it. The kids took their grandparents and aunt and uncle out to our toboggan hill. Despite the height, speed and forest obstacles (which all freak mama out), they braved it and met the challenge. There was air taken, bruises earned and crashes happened, but most of all lots of fun.
We ate lots of great food, played games, caught up and enjoyed Christmas day.

Merry Christmas!

2010-12-25T16:51:00.001-05:00

Christmas Morning

2010-12-25T05:01:00.000-05:00

After very little sleep, then waiting in the hallway since 4 am, the kids finally wore the parents down to go downstairs to see if a visitor had come.
One of the things I love about Christmas morning is the excitement, the wonder and the love my kids show to each other. They are equally excited to see what gifts have been chosen for them as they are to give the presents they have created for their family. It's beautiful and magical.

Christmas Eve

2010-12-24T18:25:00.000-05:00

It was a beautiful sunny day, perfect for a hike (and the secret intention to tire little ones out before the big night!). Followed by chinese take out and reading the Best Christmas Pageant Ever.

Celebrating Light and Warmth

2010-12-21T16:25:00.001-05:00

Winter Solstice was a beautiful celebration. Treats for our animal friends decorated the trees, sparklers, a lantern lit walk. We were even at 2 am to see the eclipse, which was very impressive.

Some great books, a few of which are part of our own celebration.

Christmas Around the World

2010-12-18T09:09:00.001-05:00

At the last minute we decided to host an afternoon travelling the globe exploring Christmas traditions. We made some poinsettia magnets after reading a little bit about their significance in Mexico. The craft took longer than I anticipated- but the kids enjoyed it so much we went with it! We divided into two groups, one where the kids could play with a dradel and another to play tradition twister. We used a floor map from another game, it is similar to twister. You spin the needle and it lands on a body part and a continent. For this days game we added one part; traditions. I gathered traditions from different countries and sorted them into continents. When you landed on a continent we read out a tradition while you positioned yourself on the map. The kids loved it. Of course.
There was snack sharing with chocolate letters from the Netherlands, dried fruits from Northern Africa and the Middle East. I personally loved the shortbread with creme de leche from Argentina, the stolen from Germany and a special cake made in a coffee tin from Italy. Throw in some music and carols, sharing our own traditions and friends making it a great afternoon.

Season for Singing

2010-12-15T08:57:00.000-05:00

Aria could not have been more aptly named. Since birth she has literally been singing, talking, twirling words. Being part of the local youth choir is something that makes her soul sing. These songs and her own music fill the house. Christmas season means concerts, of which she had three. Such beautiful Christmas events. The concerts are each quite different, one a fundraiser for the hospital with a real community feel, a formal evening accompanied by bells and one which has become tradition done in the a local church. Each year the choir learns new songs, a blend of traditional and new. This year Aria and a friend did a duet; Sisters. She was so excited by the opportunity, not to mention performing in front of her friends and Grammy.

Trimming the Tree

2010-12-14T09:24:00.002-05:00

Every year there are new ornaments added, some handcrafted, others gifted. We always buy or make one that reflects something about the past year. This year there were two. From Morocco we bought a hand sewn leather camel. From Wales a hand painted rock with a light house we visited, strung on a string.

Craft Friday

2010-12-13T09:39:00.012-05:00

I often don't decide until last minute what crafts we are going to tackle on our friday gathering. I organize the morning with a few things in mind. While it isn't a coop in the sense of sharing the organizing, that isn't to say we don't pool our supplies and share. It is important to me that the morning is inclusive, that there isn't a cost to the morning which may be exclusionary this time of year especially. When I choose the crafts I try to pick ones that have supplies to be found in peoples craft cupboards at home.

Everyone has either scissors, glue, paper, tissue paper, glass jars, etc. Sometimes there are a few individuals who have special tools, ie snowflake punch for gift tags that can be shared with everyone. I also hope to make crafts together that can be used, either as decorations or gifts.

This week we worked on 3d snowflakes. The kids (and mamas) made really incredible snowflakes, they totally took them up a notch. Families brought scrapbooking paper, wrapping paper, wall paper. They were stunning, with coordinating colours and patterns. Beautiful.

Thanks to lots of scrapbooking mamas, the kids worked with some very cool tools. There were different shape gift tags to punch out, cards to adorn with stars and snowflakes, letter punches etc. With a stack of cards and tags we are one step closer to being ready.

Family time

2010-12-12T18:59:00.002-05:00

My sister and her family out did themselves hosting a beautiful breakfast- with everyone's favorite foods and lovely hospitality. It was great to spend some more time together this weekend just hanging out (except for very sick Chris who slept and missed out) and catching up.

2010-12-11T18:51:00.001-05:00

This year my side of the family decided not to exchange Christmas gifts. For all of us, it really is about spending time together, so it wasn't a hard switch. My parents generously decided to celebrate by taking us all out to a pantomine, something we used to do as kids. After the show we went out for dinner at The Spaghetti Factory, which is a great family friendly restaurant. It was a wonderful evening, a great way to celebrate the holiday with time together.

2010-12-10T18:38:00.000-05:00

As a family we shift life during advent, our intentions are to focus on preparing for Christmas. We decorate, bake, create. We stop any non seasonal projects and schooling during this time, giving us the 'space' in our day to day for these new activities. There are some parts of the preparation which has become tradition. A few favorites have been our road, a visit from friends, Christmas tree decorating, crafting. One of the new additions that was an enormous success was delivering our secret Santa presents. We dropped off some homemade ornaments, canned goods and baking to friends, signing the cards Secret Santa. The secretive part was great, taking part and encouraging magic in this season was so much fun. The kids took it to a whole new level, planning the execution of the drop off, adding glitter for magic dust, creeping to and from the house so as not to be seen. It's a big job being a secret Santa!

2010-12-05T18:43:00.001-05:00

It's now tradition. This year was second that good friends traveled up to celebrate one of the friends birthday. They don't just come up, they also get a hotel and invite all my kids to sleep over. There is outdoor time, pool time, play time. The kids whirl around the mamas in a blur or excitement while we try to chat over the constant hum (or bellow) of noise. This year there was the addition of two new puppies who seemed to flow right into the mix.

Bits and Bites

2010-11-30T21:41:00.000-05:00

It has been gray and rainy, quite the contrast to the bright white weekend we just had. The shorter dark days of December are here, but I find them comforting as I work through my holiday preparations and gifting list. Spending the evenings sewing or felting is just what I want to be doing, it just doesn't seem to make it to the top other times of the year.
I have been working on this super sweet costume which are at the top of some one's list this Christmas. A quilt for a special person's bed is in the works, which I am a little (ok a lot) intimidated by.
The house is filled with the warming smell of apples, cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg while making some favorite butter in the slow cooker.
A new treat which will be part of gifts this year is this super easy date ball. Since Shai is very sensitive to any cane sugar we try and cook with alternatives such as honey or maple syrup. This is a sweet yummy treat that uses dates to sweeten it. The recipe is from a friend and this is the instructions she passed on. Put into your food processor a few handfuls of pitted honey dates, raw almonds, coconut and dried apple rings. When its all blended into a rough paste roll into balls. Put some in the freezer right away, because you will eat them all if you don't!s
Something big has been happening at night. Shai has been climbing into bed with Ben, instead of us. I loved and completely encouraged this with my other kids. The three older ones slept together for along time, at different times they have slept in different combinations. But he is my youngest, my baby. Even though I have yearned and longed for my bed back for years I am not completely sure I am ready to move on. sigh. growing up is hard.
To end this jumbled post, a quote from my daughter talking to friends who were discussing wedding outfits "Forget the fancy dress, a wedding isn't about the clothes it is all about the cake!"

Let it Snow

2010-11-28T22:13:00.002-05:00

There is rain in the forecast....we are hoping it's wrong, but in case we have been making the most of the snow!

Winter Days

2010-11-27T22:09:00.002-05:00

The snow is here, let the games begin! hockey equipment is out, sledding has started and the mugs are in rotation with hot chocolate!

A Winter Wonderland

2010-11-26T22:06:00.006-05:00

In one day we got buried in snow! It looks beautiful- the excitement is high!

Craft Friday

2010-11-19T20:51:00.001-05:00

I must confess that felted soap is a craft that has left me baffled. Why would I want to cover soap in felt? isn't that a waste of perfectly good felt? The friends attending the crafting day don't have any experience working with roving. After reading through this great tutorial I decided we would give it a try. I am SO glad we did! They are beautiful, the colours so vibrant, the texture so soft and the lather....oh the lather! These are definitely on the list for gifts.
We also worked on beaded napkin rings. There were lots of beads to chose from, as everyone brings supplies to share. We made a set for Christmas day and a few for gifts. It feels great to have some of our presents done before December!

Craft Friday

2010-11-12T20:32:00.004-05:00

We continue to enjoy sharing our space with friends for craft Friday. This week we made solstice lanterns, using glass jars, tissue paper and beaded handles (a family tradition). Our second craft was 3-d stars. Both crafts were a hit. The kids loved hanging out in the yard afterwards.

Remembering

2010-11-11T20:15:00.004-05:00

In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.

John McCrae

Along the Way

2010-11-10T21:10:00.008-05:00

I never cease to be amazed at the very cool things we see in nature. On our walk today we stood for close to thirty minutes watching a beautiful Pileated Woodpecker eat insects from a dead tree a few meters away from us. We listened to two Ravens calling to each other, moving ever closer to each other as they did. There were burr wars and hide and seek in the tall grasses.
Elias spotted some newly cut down trees with clear markings of a beaver. As we went down the river we came to it's lodge, the new logs sits at the entrance.

Making Time

2010-11-10T21:05:00.000-05:00

The weather has been incredible, deceiving us into believing it can't be November. Despite being mild and inviting we haven't slowed down in our schedule very much to be out enjoying it. Thankfully I shook my head and put lots of things on pause. The reward of walking, exploring and spending time together outside was well worth it.

Craft Group

2010-11-04T21:09:00.000-04:00

The Craft group kicked off this past Friday, with 36 people in attendance it was a great success. Lots of friends who joined us last year came and we were joined by new faces. We have the usual age spread 1-15 years old, the crafts therefore need to span abilities. This week we worked on weaving. There were three stations for the kids to rotate through; weaving bookmarks with paper and ribbon, weaving mats on a loom, weaving scenery's on branch looms. It was a great start.

Happy Birthday Ben

2010-11-02T07:49:00.001-04:00

October was a little crazy, we had lots of welcome guests and the programs all started this month as well. This meant Ben's party was a little late in getting organized. We did a bit of brainstorming around ideas, lots of themes have been taken in the past, everything from jungle to pirates and outer space to spies. I guess that's part of having 3 siblings and having a house which enjoys celebratng with birthday parties! Ben knew he wanted to play games, lots of the them. As we brain stormed we decided this was the perfect theme/focus for his party- puzzles and challenges to solve.

Once the friends arrived the games began. Each puzzle once completed led to another, clues needing to be brought together to move to the next stage. The kids liked the first game a lot. On a table were 20 items, they had 15 seconds to memorize what was there. The table was covered back up and they had to write down as many of those items as they could collectively remember. From this list they needed to discover a common thread between the items which led them to their next location. There were maps leading to puzzle pieces, letters and symbols hidden in the woods to decode, string webs to climb through, blindfolded team games, charades, and more.

The kids never stopped running. It was a gorgeous fall day, perfect for an outdoor afternoon. Eventually the trail led to the cake of course. Ben out did himself by making a fabulous Lego cake. He figured out how to make the blocks look realistic, with ten notches - 1 for each year he is celebrating.

The Big Question

2010-11-01T20:45:00.001-04:00

What career do you want to have when you grow up?

It was a tough choice between being a mama and staying home with her kids (heart melts) or being a donkey rider. Donkey rider won out....the outfit was better! (you have nurtured a passion angee!)

The Closing

2010-11-01T07:31:00.001-04:00

The Stisted Fair has a great celebration evening to honour every ones hard work. It is open to everyone who enjoys pot luck dessert. There is a silent auction and time to mingle. People can pick up their prize money, which for my kids is crazy big. Even though the individual money awards are .75 cents to just over a dollar, with a few special categories for a few dollars, it very quickly adds up. The four of them came home with close to $70 dollars ! Even Shai had almost ten dollars. Elias won a trophy for his chicken (we have such fine ladies :).

2010-10-31T21:39:00.000-04:00

A Frankenstein, a Dementor, Cleopatra and a skeleton. The kids worked really hard on their costumes, if they weren't sewing, they were collecting pieces to get a costume just they way they imagined. There were four Halloween parties between friends, cubs and brownies, which meant costumes needed to be done way before Halloween night. This eliminated the all night the night before- can't say I wasn't disappointed. Trick or treating with friends was lots of fun- cold but fun.

Carving1

2010-10-29T22:02:00.000-04:00

Pumpkins and Ghosts

2010-10-29T21:48:00.000-04:00

pumpkin toss, pin the wart on the witch, yummy food, good friends!
Happy Halloween!

Never Enough

2010-10-25T21:21:00.001-04:00

We love having them over. Even though there was lots of chatting, fire time, playing, staying up late, wrestling, tire chasing. It doesn't see to matter how long the visit is....it's not enough. There are always plans for next time.

Celebrating

2010-10-18T09:02:00.000-04:00

The makings of a tradition. Soup, cider and potluck treats around the fire (a really big fire). Lots of friends. A climbing tree to share. Dusk to dark. A beautiful fall night. Easy and thoroughly enjoyed.

The Path Less Travelled

2010-10-15T08:00:00.000-04:00

The fall colours draw in a lot of tourists, bus loads. There is no doubt that its an attraction worth seeing, the colours are truly amazing. Sometimes though, I wish we had it all to ourselves. Without giving it much thought we headed off to walk a few trails in Algonquin park which is noted for it's view. Busy would be an incredible understatement. As we walked along the trail there were times we were single file like school kids amongst lots of other people. One the kids commented that we were like ants taking food back to our hole lol!

With a little more thought put into our second trail we headed to a mostly coniferous one. While we weren't in the thick of colour we were still surrounded with fall beauty and enjoyed a much less travelled trail.

Happy Birthday!

2010-10-11T07:52:00.001-04:00

Happy Tenth Birthday Ben!

Such a sweet, gentle soul!

We love you!

It was a joy to spend a day hiking, surprise gifts through out the day, cooking together.

Thankful

2010-10-09T08:42:00.001-04:00

Thanksgiving is such a great holiday. Really. Our expectations for the day revolve around little else other than getting together. Again this year we had my extended family join us for a wonderful day. Most of the thirty people drove a few hours to be here, which was a great gift in its self. We were all thrilled to meet the newest addition to our clan who happened to be in town visiting from B.C. Many of us get together for Christmas and the occasional big birthday bash, so it was nice to spend the day together.

The weather was warm and sunny, perfect for a scavenger hunt played by all ages. There was lots of tree climbing, soccer games, chatting, making ice cream in the ball, and lots of yummy potluck goodness, dessert outside. I was floored to be able to fit all thirty of us around three tables in the kitchen/living room!! We had time around the fire as the night approached and people headed home. It was a day with wonderful reminders of how much we have to be thankful for.

A Few of My Favorite Things

2010-10-05T21:01:00.000-04:00

What could be better then a yard full of big trucks, heavy equipment and machinery? How about being able to get into and explore all of them, including the horns? How about going with just Dadda? and then going out for lunch and to a big oldies car show! It doesn't get better then that I am told! I don't know who had more fun, Dadda or Shai!

A Great Day

2010-10-05T07:43:00.001-04:00

This was a great day. No trip to somewhere special, no meeting up with friends, no fabulous activity planned by me, or any other extraordinary factor that usually equates a great day. This day the sun was beautiful, the leaves glowed with colour, the leaves were piled high and we were wise enough to enjoy it.

We Are Digging It!

2010-10-01T07:36:00.002-04:00

Together with two other families we have been meeting to explore the topic of archaeology. It has been great exploring this science with lots of hands on activities. We have been exploring possible stories with different artifacts, learning about the different tools used, using these in actual digs. It is giving us a new appreciation for history and the combining of science and stories comes together. Of course its been a lot of fun too!

A few on the list

2010-09-28T21:02:00.000-04:00

Summer seemed to disappear before we were ready. Autumn can be tricky weather wise, sometimes giving us weeks and months filled with sunshine and warmth, but it can also be cold and snowy. I have been trying to take advantage of the days that are warm, by spending them outside at our favorite places. 'Our' lake fishing, the skate park, trails, playgroup.

A Special Seed

2010-09-25T07:34:00.001-04:00

Dainty milkweed babies, wrapped in cradles green,

Rocked by mother nature, fed by hands unseen.

Brown coats have the darlings, slips of milky white

and wings- that's a secret- they are folded out of sight.

The cradles grow so narrow- what will babies do?

They'll only grow the faster, and look up toward the blue

and now they've found the secret, they are flying through the air

They've left the cradles empty, do milkweed babies care?

author unknown

I love this Picture

2010-09-13T08:58:00.000-04:00

Dressed for the horse show. Looking so grown up. His new best friend at his side. Winnings spent on a treat.

The Stisted Fair

2010-09-13T08:51:00.000-04:00

We love the fair. We are completely and utterly exhausted. We crafted, created, baked, canned, embroidered, painted, pressed, sewed, and prepared our little hearts out. It was all worth it. It is such fun to put your hard work and creativity into a project, have it put on display with other people who worked as equally hard. The people who go into the display hall know all the hard work that people put in, and they go in to admire it. That there is all we need to put our stuff in, but the chance of a ribbon is icing on the cake.

This year we didn't enter as much as we have in the past, which was ok because we made up for it in volunteering and being in the horse show.

Shai put in a few crafts this year, a macaroni necklace he painted and dipped in glitter, his foot print was cut out, painted and covered in feathers. He was very proud. Aria entered lots, she loves crafting and needs no reason. She brought home ribbons for handwriting, a treasure box made of woven ribbons, a pretty bracelet, the biggest sugar cookie(she was very clever to write 1st on it!) and pictures. Ben was recognized for a t-shirt he painted, a beautiful farm picture, an unbaked snack, flowers pressed and mounted. Elias choose only to enter a hen, she won first! I entered some jam, my embroidery, some needle felting, and eggs!

The games are looked forward to each year. This year there was a new costume contest which was fun. There was also a hay pile filled with money and lollipops to find. Shai loved this. There were three legged races, egg toss, sack races, wheel barrow races, running races, and more. All with prices of $1, 50 and 25 cents. The kids spent there winnings at the candy concession.

This is only our second year at this fair, it is amazing to me that this is it. We haven't lived here long enough to have attended more. It is the kind of fair that you feel at home for. The kids come and go as they please. They know lots of people, their way around. It has a way of making everyone feeling at home.

Giddy Up

2010-09-13T08:00:00.000-04:00

With the fair celebrating 125 years there have been lots of new additions; a few vendors, a baby pit stop, new games, a costume contest. There were also lots of new additions for us as a family this year; I sat on the board, we volunteered in fundraising, the night before we assembled chicken cages, put up fence posts, worked in the concession stand, worked the craft hall. The biggest and most exciting addition had to have was hands down entering the horse section. Our friend Angee kindly accepted our request to both teach us how to ride in the fair and to show her animals.

Lynn is a beautiful, large 1600lb tan coloured horse, whom Ben was going to ride and I was to lead. Ben had no problems hoping up on her and sitting so high. I on the other hand totally admit to being nervous leading Lynn. When we practiced I always worried we were walking to close to each other and she would step on my feet. She could be a little pushy at times, which meant I needed to be a little pushy back. Lynn was much better at that than I was.

Aria was thrilled to be riding on Percy, a beautiful brown big eared donkey. It was Aria whose love of horses (and donkeys) that convinced everyone to give entering the horse section a try. She would love to horseback ride as a hobby, so this was an amazing opportunity. Elias agreed to lead Percy. When he agreed to lead Percy he also had to accept the donkeys personality and limits. Percy is a sensitive soul, needing lots of hugs, ear rubs and reassurance to convince him to MOVE. Since Percy often decides he isn't moving, or is easily distracted by things like chip bags, there is lots of laughter from the audience.

I wasn't sure how the kids would handle the unpredictability, despite seeing first hand in practice. Aria wasn't swayed at all, she sat in proper form the whole time, her smile never wavering. Elias just worked Percy over with lots of love and when the smell of chips took Percy over to the fence he was patient. He was great at working with him, confident and relaxed,

Elias entered the ring first. He had to lead Percy around the ring, present him in front of the judges, trot and then stand back in position in line. There was no trot, and positioning was a little wonky, but he did it. It was a great start. Next he presented in his age group. Again he did great. He was never visibly frustrated with Percy, which I think Percy sensed. They won first place, a beautiful red ribbon. Next Elias took Aria in and I took Ben. I was thrilled to be leading her around the ring. She was a dream. Angee kept telling me that Lynn loved to show, but I kept thinking of her feet! But of course Angee was right and she knew just what to do for me. Such a great experience.

The kids went on to play some games on horseback. I needed to run back and forth from the animal judging so I was thankful for a new friend to lead Ben and Lynn for these. The riders held a cup of water while riding around. At the end the winner was the one with the most water left. There were more ribbons handed out.

The kids loved all of it. Grooming, dressing, riding, leading. It was a great experience. Thanks Angee for sharing your four legged family, your time, patience and skills- we really loved it!

All Dressed Up

2010-09-13T07:21:00.000-04:00

The games were a nice addition to the horse show. The one the kids were really excited about was the costume contest. With your horse or donkey, dress up together. So yes, this year I can officially add to my resume or list of life's accomplishments sewing for a horse and donkey!!!

Ben knew right away what he wanted to dress up as. He bought a beautiful embroidered two piece navy blue outfit when he was in Morocco and Dadda had a fez hat to top it off. I made two humps to fit over the saddle and tassels for her halter. And poof Lynn was a camel!

Aria had a harder time deciding what she wanted to be. A knight, astronaut and rocket, princess, lots of choices. She decided a mermaid on her....SEA HORSE! lol! I made her a tail skirt over leggings so she could still ride on Percy, shell accessories. We glued shells on tulle and wrapped it around Percy and Aria sat on a dark blue covering.

The other contestants included an officer on an OPP horse, a jockey on a winning horse, a girl dressed in traditional German clothes, Tonto. The kids tied for first, which was perfect for them. Their creativity was rewarded with pride long before the ribbons, but it was a great way to end the horse portion of the day.

A Horse for All Sizes

2010-09-13T06:51:00.001-04:00

Karen, these are for you! Shai entered the stick horse riding competition. With mum at his side he ran the ring and tied for 1st!

This is me at the end of a very long day in my costume. Only for you :)!

Eight Years Old!

2010-09-04T19:40:00.001-04:00

Happy Birthday Aria!

It is such a gift to celebrate Aria. She brings such flare and life to our family. Her stories have been a welcomed constant since birth. We are amazed at how appropriately we named her, for when she is not talking, she is singing. I love how silly she can be, her love of snuggles, the intense need to create, her unique outlook on life. Aria is such a blessing!
For her birthday, her brothers went all out. Knowing how much she loves crafting, they explored a few of the books she spends time dreaming in and picked a few for fabulous gifts. Ben sewed a ribbon bag, covering the front in an array of beautiful colours. Elias choose to paint a shirt with stencils of starfish and a sea horse to commemorate our trip to the sea. We surprised her with a ceiling covered in glow in the dark stars which were a big hit!

Party Time

2010-09-04T08:05:00.001-04:00

Our outdoor campfire/movie night required a little tweaking due to lots of rain and a high of 10 degrees! (crazy since we are normally in swimsuits while celebrating!) We had games, friends, a barbque, movie on a BIG screen, ice cream sandwiches and FUN! It was a great celebration!

Puppy Cuteness

2010-09-03T21:57:00.001-04:00

She is lots of fun still, which is a good sign. No one has lost any shoes, although there have been attempts. We are all enjoying having a dog again. Shai while walking with me shared that he liked Mica, in fact he loved her and as a real sign of love he said she could ride in his monster truck when he grows up. Now that is a compliment from my little guy, not just anyone gets to ride in the monster truck!

Getting Together

2010-09-02T22:09:00.000-04:00

It was wonderful having my parents, my sister and her family down for a visit. September, as for most, begins schedules, commitments and a different sense of busyness. So before all of that begins we spent time around the fire, at the beach and chatting. We shared our pictures with each other (I know at this rate- you will have to come to my house to see the trip photos! ) The kids enjoyed lots of lake time, in fact I don't think the big kids actually got out of the water except for a few munchies. Lots of us went for a canoe ride despite the busy lake, Elias even took Grammy for a little paddle.

Hey Ho Away We Go!

2010-09-01T21:53:00.001-04:00

The fall fair is one of the reasons we love September so much. The Stisted Fall Fair which we fell in love with last year is coming ever closer. Which means we are busily sewing, pressing leaves, printing photos, canning and planning. As is with every year we are way behind on where we want to be in terms of preparation. To make that an easier task we thought we would try a few new things. The first was sitting on the board of directors. This means that I am in charge of the livestock; getting them into their designated areas, making sure the judge has a clerk to work with and actually working the day of the fair.

The other part we have added to our fair experience is entering the horse competition. Both Ben and Aria are riding on a horse and a donkey, while Elias and I lead them through the competition. We are participating in some more classic western style competition as well as some not so traditional such as costume contest and seeing who has the most water in their glass after going through a course.

We went over to our friend's house, who is both teaching us the ropes of the competition and handling the animals, she is also kindly lending us her beautiful sandy colour horse Lynn and her sweet sensitive donkey Percy. I will be leading Lynn, which I am a little bit nervous about. Her feet are so large and she weighs a mere 1600 lbs, I am forever worrying about getting my foot under hers. But with practice I am hoping it will lessen.
Elias is leading Percy. He doesn't worry about being stepped on, but Percy moves when she feels moved to. Being a sensitive fellow, this donkey needs a lot of love to get going. Elias hugs it, whispers sweet nothings it his ear and bribes him with apples. Being the centre of attention is not what Elias (and I think Percy feels too) enjoys, but he is totally stepping out of his box on this one and I think its great!
We have a little over a week to practice, and we have lots to cover. I need to start sewing- for both the kids and the animals! (costumes for a horse and donkey are new ones to add to the resume!!)
We will keep you posted on the fair!