Simple Pleasure of the Week

The other night I had a very strange nightmare.  It probably classifies as more of an anxiety-dream......one tailor-made for a Wool Fairy.  I dreamt that I was in my bedroom and spotted a pesky clothes moth fluttering around....and then there were two, and six and ten.  I looked up to see that the entire ceiling of my bedroom was covered in cocoons, with moths "hatching" from them faster than the eye could see.  Somehow my new Miele vacuum (which was a very exciting, recent, long-awaited purchase for me) could not suck them up quickly enough! 


I'm never pleased to see a moth fluttering inside our house.  I found a couple while cleaning out our closet the other day and was quite distressed.  My husband just purchased new wool suits for the fall and moths are the last thing we need nibbling on them. With the doors open and closed (and often left open) by the boys 1000 times a day, it is inevitable.  Ironically, I have moths to be thankful for lately as they have been keeping the kids entertained for a small spell each day.  We have been spotting some very pretty moths lately around our house.  The boys have been leaving the outside night on each night to see what they can attract.  The first thing they do when they wake up is run downstairs to see if they can spot any new creatures.  I love how children can help you stop and take notice of the simple pleasures in life.....even teaching a Wool Fairy to find a soft spot for moths in her heart.  My 9 year old actually remarked, "Wow, there are so many lovely moths today!".  Here are our favorites from this weeks "catch". 

polyphemus moth

Luna Moth



Waved Sphinx

Although I'm starting to see the beauty in some moths, I'd prefer they stay away from my woolens!  Does anyone have any tips for keeping them out of the closet??

Fall Flavours

After a very summery weekend, fall seems to be creeping in this week.  I lit the woodstove for the first time yesterday afternoon, making the house feel so warm in cozy.  It got me in the mood for “fall flavours”. 

I grew ground cherries in my garden for the first time this year.  I primarily used them as toppings on salads, but the kids also enjoyed snacking on them.  The papery husk gives you the feeling that you are unwrapping a little present from the garden – kind of fun for the boys!  I had been planning on trying a ground cherry pie, but never got around to it.  I had a small bowl remaining and thought I might pair them up with apples in a crisp.  I just tossed them into my regular apple crisp recipe.  I think it turned out fairly well.  My husband loved it, but the boys picked out the ground cherries in favor of the apples.  I topped it with Greek yogurt and maple syrup as a substitute for whipped cream.  I’ve been using Greek yogurt in place of whipping cream and haven’t heard any complaints so far.  Maybe it’s the maple syrup on top (:  No yogurt for me, of course, with my dairy-free experiment in the works.

Tuesdays are relaxed in our house because we have no after-school activities.  Since I wasn't on the run, I was able to roast a chicken for dinner while the boys puttered, played and had before supper baths.  I have been thinking more about incorporating a pattern in my meal planning.  Roast chicken on Tuesdays would mean leftovers on Wednesdays and soup on Thursday.  I think it might be my new kitchen rhythm for the fall (or at least until everyone is sick of chicken!!).

Anyone else have creative uses for ground cherries or favorite fall desserts?  Pumpkin pie is next on my list with Canadian Thanksgiving just a few weeks away. 

Chocolate Chunk Yummies

 

A favorite lunch box treat these days is chocolate chunk cookies.  I have been making double batches and freezing them (aka hiding them from my husband) so they are on hand to pop in the lunch boxes each evening.  I’ve been experimenting a bit lately with different chocolate chip cookie recipes as I’m currently trying out a 6 week dairy free period for myself.  I recently started using the Enjoy Life brand of chocolate chips, and they are getting a thumbs up from all my little taste testers.  Although they are certainly still a treat, they have a more “pure” ingredients list than the Chipits I used in the past.  Since my mom was asking for the recipe, I thought I’d just share it here (:  I’m not sure where I got the original recipe, but I have made some adjustments to make it dairy free.

Chocolate Chunk Oatmeal Cookies

1/3 cup coconut oil

1/3 cup Earth Balance “butter”

1 cup brown sugar

1 egg

2 tsp vanilla

1 ½ cup oats

1 cup flour (I did ½ white, ½ whole wheat)

½ tsp baking soda

½ tsp baking powder

¼ tsp salt

Bake at 375 Celsius for 8 minutes.

I like to pull them out before they seem cooked to ensure a chewy texture. Yum, these are tasty!

 

No Regrets

I tacked a few additional kilometres on my morning runs the last couple of days. I will admit that the Green Pumpkin herself indulged in one too many Tootsie Rolls on Halloween night. It felt so good to bag up all that candy at the end of the evening. I will send it to work with my husband tomorrow and the temptations will be gone (:

The Great Green Pumpkin was a huge hit in our home. I was nervous the boys would be feeling some regret in relinquishing their entire booty. The truth is, I let them have their fill just following trick-or-treating and I think they may have realized they'd had enough sicky sweetness. The allure and mystery of the Green Pumpkin was more enticing to them then a few dozen chocolate bars! I keep a small suitcase of treasures and trinkets for last minute gifts...etc. My husband refers to it as my "stash". In exchange for all those treats, the Green Pumpkin left behind a very teeny weeny Lego set, a dinky toy and a few thrifted hockey cards. I was initially worried they had unrealistic expectations, but it turns out I underestimated the allure of a $2 dinky toy! There were no regrets and no mention of treats from either of them!

So with the month of November stretched out before us, I'm in the mood to snuggle up with a knitting project. We've got the wood stove running full force these days and I love to spend the evenings lounging on the couch reading or knitting. Since it looked so great on Soulemama, I've decided to tackle an Annabel cardigan for myself. I have all my skeins dyed, but I'm still waiting for them to dry out! I pulled the last of my goldrenrod blooms from the freezer for this dye project. I regret not collecting more in late August, as I've fallen in love with this beautiful shade of yellow. In fact, I just completed a little goldenrod sweater vest for Muffy. He proudly wore his "Mommy Love Vest" to school today....melt my heart (:




We are all enjoying the cleansing effect of this crisp fall air! Thanks to the Green Pumpkin, we are back to our healthy habits.

Fall Fun

Friday was a PD day at the boys' school, so we were happy to enjoy a bit of a long weekend. I really try take advantage of these free days and plan something fun for the wee ones. This time around, we hit the road for a sleep over at Nanny and Graga's house. My sister and her boys also tagged along. Although the combination of four boys ranging from 4 to 6 is very exhausting, I'm so happy they are able to spend quality time with their little cousins. There was lots of squealing, Halloween crafting, a few soggy science experiments and a vintage Scooby Doo movie. (a moment of peace for the mommies and Nanny).

Chi-Chi, Muffy and I enjoyed some quiet, peaceful time raking leaves in my parents' yard. This might sound silly, but I truly miss raking leaves and the simple act of doing so flooded me with childhood memories. The sounds and scent brought me back to my own experiences hiding under piles of leaves and just enjoying the quiet and peaceful space of the backyard where I grew up. I now live in the land of alders and spruce trees. These trees and shrubs seem to thrive in our harsh, coastal setting. Chi-Chi and Muffy had a great time building piles, and of course thrashing them to bits! When playtime ended, they helped me bag those leaves. I threw them in the trunk and brought them home to serve as mulch on my garden beds this winter.

The boys are super excited about Halloween this year. I'm looking at keeping things pretty simple. Tonight I made up a batch of silly spider whoopie pies for dessert, just to add some fun to Sunday night dinner. I did make a couple of cute spider costumes this year, but they were easy peasy. I'll share them once I get a chance to photograph my little creepy crawlers tomorrow night. Although I love the spooky fun of Halloween, the candy over load that goes hand in hand is tricky to manage! Because the houses are quite spaced apart in our community, we usually have to take the car trick or treating. We only visit a handful of neighbours, which helps limit the amount of candy the boys receive. I allow them to indulge in a handful of treats the evening of Halloween, but the rest are tucked away and served as dessert during the days that follow. I love some of Mary Beth's ideas over at Salt and Chocolate. The "Green Pumpkin" may be visiting my house this year to gobble up the excess candy in exchange for books! Great idea!


The boys have had loads of fun decorating our front door step with their various spooky creations. I gave up coming up with craft ideas, and just let them dream up their own creations. ( I did, however, intervene when I found Muffy drawing scary faces on my lovely wood siding with a permanent market.....ahhhh) I simply could not keep up with the enthusiasm. I pulled out these human skeleton xrays I've had tucked away for over a year! It was fun and educational to assemble the puzzle. Once complete, I posted it on our patio door with sticky tack to serve as a decoration.

Wishing everyone a happy, fun and safe Halloween!

Back to School Blues and Lunch Box Love

The first day of school is fast approaching, though I hate to admit it. I simply don't want this summer to end, for so many reasons. I've got some "back to school blues" going on with Chi-Chi entering grade 1 and Muffy headed for primary (kindergarten). My nest is feeling pretty empty ):

Although keeping up with these two this summer had its challenging and exhausting moments, it's been a magical time. I'm happy with the time and freedom they had this summer - time to ride their bikes, catch toads, make sand forts, learn some ukulele, dine alfresco, hunt for beach treasures ......

So, with school approaching, my mind can't help but jump ahead to lunch boxes. This year, I'll be packing for Muffy as well, who is a bit more finicky than his brother. I've been making lists of ideas and will soon start stocking the freezer with kid-sized servings of chili and homemade pizza. It's convenient to have warm-lunch options on hand.

I also decided to make some new cloth/velcro snack bags. I picked up some super cute fabric on vacation that I thought the boys would enjoy. These bags represent one of my efforts to reduce the use of plastic in our lives. I usually fill them with a little "trail mix" of treats like dried cranberries, raisins, pumpkin seeds and breakfast cereal. This was Chi-Chi's first choice for recess snack last year. I was impressed, he always brought them home and not one went missing all year.



I'm adding something new and fun to this year's lunches. I made up a couple of these fruit cozies in an effort to keep apples and pears from getting bruised and beaten. Those lunches can take a beating on that bus ride to school! The cozies are easy for little hands to slip on and off and should do the trick!

I guess these little handmade offerings are my way of adding some fun to my back-to-school preparations. Oh, and for more back to school fun, check out this great giveaway over at Maple Tree Montessori! I am going to miss this special school so much!

A Penny for your Thoughts...and your Piggy Bank

We are currently in Stage 2 of our summer vacation. This portion is a bit of a "staycation" as we are sticking fairly close to home. Hubby has had the opportunity to pick away at the barn/church project, which is slowly but surely coming together. With Hurricane Irene creeping up the coast, we felt we better get things tightened down a bit! I'm trying so very hard to remain patient as the project creeps along. My mind gets ahead of me with plans and ideas!!



This week saw the addition of some old church windows. They are not from the original structure, but I like that we have retained a bit of the church look and feel. I'm also feeling good about the reclaimed aluminum roofing - both more economical and aesthetically pleasing. The barn is a blend of old and new as we try to incorporate reclaimed materials where possible.





Power tools, scaffolding and eager little helpers are not a great combination! I needed a solution to make Chi-Chi and Muffy feel like contributors, while keeping them a safe distance from the construction action. The boys have been put to work over the last couple of days, collecting pennies for their piggy banks. Their work contract provides them with a penny for every nail they pick up from the work site. There is certainly no shortage of work! At the rate they're going, they just might pay their way through college!

The Blissful Beach

No time or need for many words today and the beach is calling my name. This photos says it all for me - the sky, the sand, the sea, the waves, the discoveries, the peace....and those two boys. It is my definition of perfection.

A Welcome "Weed" In The Garden

The other day I popped into the library and found myself sifting through the "to be discarded" shelf. The sign stated, "Fill a bag for $1". That's a deal that can't be beat! I resisted the urge to stuff my bag full and was very selective in the titles I chose. I'm on a never-ending mission to declutter our home and keep the stream of "stuff" coming into our house to a minimum. There were, however, a few books I could not pass up! I was prettysure BMX Racing would be an instant page turner for the boys.

Both Chi-Chi and Muffy are incredibly fascinated with the sport of BMX these days! I have to admit, as a mother of boys, it's sometimes a stretch for me to be enthusiastic about some of their interests. Having travelled across Canada by bicycle when when Iwas 23, I'm no stranger to cycling.....however the jumps and tricks are a little hard on my head and heart! I actually keep a stash of band-aids in my pocket and I easily go through a dozen or so a day. I am, however, just happy to see them having lots of muddy fun and getting a good dose of daily exercise. Lucky for me, their BMX track is conveniently located within view of my garden. I'm able to keep an eye on the antics while I work away at my weeding.

It's definitely been a weak year for the garden considering the wet and foggy weather we've experienced! My great garden expansion project is still underway, with my efforts this year focusing on soil enrichment. Seaweed gathering has become a favorite activity for the boys and I. I'm betting we will all reap the benefits of our efforts in a year or so. Although the seaweed is currently serving as a mulch to keep the pesky weeds away, this nutrient-rich goodness will be worked into the soil come fall. The beach is just across the street so it has been fairly convenient to gather a decent quantity of it.

My little "helpers" usually assist in the gathering for a short spell. When their interest wanes, they shift their focus to beach-combing and exploring. We never leave empty handed. Our collection of unidentified bones is growing by the day! Today Chi-Chi discovered a starfish on the rocky shore. After confirming it was dead, he decided to take it home for further study. Oh, I do wish I could bottle that pure, raw sense of curiosity and enthusiasm that children exhibit. I found him parked at his desk with his journal, "specimen" and magnifying glass. What's so wonderful is that his questions push me to learn and grow as a person. He identified a "dot" on the top of the starfish and needed some answers!! It turns out the dot is called a madreporite, used to flush water in and out of the creature's body. It is moments like these that I love to capture and document. They serve as a reminder to nurture the boys' curiosity and desire to learn.

I'm Looking Over a Four Leaf Clover...

I enjoyed a little R&R at my parents' house in the Annapolis Valley this past weekend. Muffy bolted out of bed at 6 am on Saturday morning, upon hearing the backyard birds sing. "That sound is beautiful! Look Mommy, it is summer here. Look at all the leaves and flowers!" He then proceeded to wake all inhabitants of the house with the exciting (and very loud) announcement that June bugs were mating on the deck! I think this escape to the sun was in order. The ubiquitous fog in our area has us all going a bit snakey. I left home to a temperature reading of 11 degrees Celsius. An hour later I was donning shorts and a tank top in 28 degree sunshine! It's like another world down here!

I deserve the break! I've been a busy little bee this past week, working like a mad woman on that garden of mine! A big thank you to my sweet mother, who has been helping me out with the house and Chi-Chi and Muffy. With my dear hubby vacationing on the other side of the world, I've been forced to take things into my own hands if I ever want to get those seeds in the ground. Although I most certainly miss his company, I have to admit that I'm missing his muscles right now! Although I'm very active and pretty fit, I simply don't compare in productivity when it comes to manual labour! I've been shovelling, shovelling, shovelling, shovelling heavy wet soil. Each night I find myself hitting the pillow with aching, twitching arms and shoulders. I'm proud to say that progress has been made. In retrospect, I would have done everything differently, now that I'm reading up on no-till gardening.....but live and learn I suppose.

On Friday I planted my first row of Jerusalem artichokes and a small patch of rhubarb! I've been busy designing a garden layout in preparation for the upcoming week. My two sweet boys will be helping me out in this area. Although these two little monkeys certainly know how to get into mischief, I've found them to be very respectful of the garden space. Chi-Chi in particular, is so very careful with his planting - approaching the task at hand with such seriousness! This year I'm trying out edamame - a favorite snack of my little Chi-Chi. Involving the wee ones in the garden and allowing them to take some ownership for it is truly the best way to encourage healthy eating and veggie consumption!

The boys and I visited the Wolfville Farmers' Market at their new location on Saturday. What a great space with such a positive, energetic vibe. We picked up some fresh organic asparagus and broccoli - yum! I had to control my urge to buy everything in sight as I know I've got a box full of goodies headed my way from Taproot Farms early this week.

Since reading Animal, Vegetable, Miracle just a few weeks ago, I've had food on the brain. I was scanning my posts from a month ago and immediately spotted the image of the fresh fruit I had purchased for Chi-Chi's birthday party. Certainly, a much better option than chips and cheezies, but all those items were certainly not local, shipped from lands far away, burning up fossil fuels to arrive on our plates. Perhaps I should have opted for apple slices and nova scotia blueberry muffins instead? It's been an interesting exercise to examine my shopping habits outside of my local CSA box, looking for areas of improvement.

So, do you think some good luck with sunny skies might be headed my way? Check out all the four and five leaf clovers the boys and I found during a nature walk this morning in the fields surrounding my parents' home! This is only half of them. Seriously, this has to be a sign (:

A Royally Good Time!

We are all coming back to earth after a wonderful birthday weekend. There is certainly a stillness that washes over the household after such an exciting event. With both boys deeply consumed in exploring some of the presents Chi-Chi received, Mommy actually had time to put her feet up and relax.
I think the party was a hit and everyone truly had a wonderful time. Blue skies and sunshine most certainly have that effect on people. The party was short and sweet and was wrapped up in about an hour and a half. Everyone had a chance to spend lots of time outdoors, running, laughing and just being boys. Good old Uncle P deserves a big thank you for playing the part of the evil dragon on the knight's quest. Allowing himself to be attacked by eleven little boys yielding swords was self-sacrificing and truly appreciated!

For anyone who might be interested, here is the link for the dragon cake instructions. I served it with sparklers flaming from the nostrils, which the children really enjoyed. It might look complicated and impressive, but when you break it down, it's super simple and easy. The key is freezing before frosting! I'm imagining major frustration trying to decorate the small crumbling parts otherwise. The only "roadblock" I encountered was trying to figure out how to create a cool set of wings. Thanks to my good friend Ms. M. for her fruit roll up suggestion. I simply cut the wing shapes out with scissors, wrapped them around skewers and...voila!

The knight costumes were also a bit hit with the littles one! My husband played The King, and knighted each child before setting off on the treasure hunt adventure. I imagine the costumes added a element of magic and fantasy to the event for the children. Once again, this was much simpler than a first glance might reveal. The tunics were made from cheap pillowcases. I snipped arm and head holes and they were done. This took about 15 minutes in total. The belts are just strips of read fabric cut on my rotary cutter. The helmets were the most complicated, but also very simple. I used a Spiderman hood that came with PJ's as a template, quickly sewing up the seems and leaving the rest unhemmed. The shimmery fabric gives them a pretty realistic chain mail look.

Well, back to lunch boxes and laundry with Monday rolling around. Hoping everyone had a great weekend!

Party Hardy or Party Pooper?

I'm in party prep mode today. Chi-Chi turned the big number 6 earlier this week, but the official celebration takes place tomorrow. We opted for a small intimate dinner with grandparents the evening of his actual birthday, but I think he's looking forward to getting together with his buddies for some fun.

Birthday parties are tricky business these days, especially for a mom who cringes at the waste and excess, yet finds herself unconsciously being a full participant in it. Now that my boy is getting older, it is getting harder to manage expectations as he is well aware of what a party can entail in this day and age. I'm hoping to strike a balance this year by attempting to stick to my guns on some issues, without being a party pooper! Hubby tells me I overthink everyhing, but that's my nature!

Food is an easy one for me! Cake and ice cream make a perfect treat and any junk food beyond that is really not necessary. I opted to have a morning party this year. I feel that children (and adults!) are at their best this time of day and is makes more sense to have everyone in good spirits when dealing with a large crowd of excited and energetic little boys. Snacks and nibbles will therefore be breakfast-like in nature as I'll be offering healthy options of fresh fruit, mini bagels and cream cheese and apple juice or milk to drink.

The cake is always my favorite part of party prep! I'm certainly no gourmet chef, but there are lots of fun things you can do while still keeping it simple. Since the theme this year is knights and dragons, I'm making a couple of basic dragon cakes from scratch. I find with parents often sticking around, one cake is simply not enough. Chi-Chi wanted banana and I did up another in chocolate zuchinni. I actually baked and assembled them lastnight and popped them in the freezer. Tomorrow morning I will frost them while they are frozen to limit the frustrations of crumb-filled frosting.

The "entertainment" offered these days at parties can be a bit intimidating for parents who want to keep it simple and host in their own homes. It seems that most parties involve a pool, bowling alley, magician, bouncy castle...the list goes on. My invitations advised parents that "His Royal Highness will be sending the knights on a secret quest. All noble knights are requested to come prepared for inclement weather (i.e. rubber boots and rain coats!)". Rain or shine, these boys will be heading outside to burn off that cake! King Hubby is in charge of this portion of the party. The boys will be lead on a treasure hunt through the woods which will result in the discovery of goodie bags. I did this last year, and it was a huge hit. The treasure in the previous year was a pinata filled mostly with candy. I was trying very hard not to be a party pooper when Chi-Chi requested that pinata - but I will never do another pinata. The candy was excessive and I hate the frantic scrambling that goes on. Muffy vomited twice afterwards - enough said! After the treasure hunt, they are free to play outside until the pick up time.

I've never been a fan of the traditional win/lose party games with prizes. I picked one quiet activity to get them settled at the table before snack. This is probably a bit over the top, but I decided it was something they would all love and it would have a use later instead of ending up in the garbage bin. Each child will get a bit of Lego for a "build your own dragon" activity. I designed a tiny dragon myself and purchased the invidivual pieces. I'm not giving instructions, maybe some samples to look at and they can do as they please.

The gifts are the trickiest business of all. I appreciate the generosity of people, but I feel like it is such an overload of stuff. Last year I put a lovely note in the invitations that gifts were not necessary, but if they wanted to bring one, a book would be perfect. Chi-Chi truly is a bookworm....but he was upset! I'm still getting flack about the fact that he didn't get any toys from his friends. He may be forgetting that we bought him a goalie helmet and both grandparents bought him Lego. I thought it was all appropriate, but this year I'm just letting go of things. I don't want to be a party pooper. Some people have asked for suggestions so I mentioned Lego and science-experiments. I read a great article once that stated we have 364 days a year to teach our children about limiting waste and giving to others, and that on that one day we should just let go and have some fun. So hard, but I'm doing it (:

The guest list is another tricky item. I really, really, wanted to keep it small and not too overwhelming for him. I'm at 11 right now, which I think is manageable, but still on the heavy side. So many people these days invite the whole class, which is sweet and generous, but I just couldn't do it.

I was doing great at keeping it sweet and simple. Here is where I went off the rails a bit and I always do! I love, love, love making things, so I could not help myself on this one. I wanted them to be "properly outfitted" for their adventure so I made little knight costumes for each of them. I'll show these in a later post, but they were very simple to make. I bought some pillow cases and cut out arm and head holes. I cut strips of red fabric for belts and sewed simple head pieces out of glittery fabric. I left the edges rough on everything, no hemming to save time and effort. Hubby told me there was no way we could have a knight party without swords. I tried making some out of foam and cardboard, but knew tears and injuries were inevitable. So......I bought some horribly junky blow up swords that don't hurt when you get accidently sliced in the head with them. It killed me to do it.....(still trying not to be a party pooper). I'm at least hoping the costumes will have some lasting value for imaginative play beyond the party.

So, now that I'm reading this over, it's looking way more complicated and excessive than I had dreamed of. See how it gets away on you, even when you are conscious of it? Is this all a sign that I'm getting old! Am I already of a generation that feels that times were simpler..."back when I was a kid"? My mom would host a handful of kids over to our house for a few simple games, a homemade cake and that would be it! I have a good friend who skipped the party, popped an ice cream cake in the trunk and invited a few families for an evening of skiing. I think she had the right idea! But I'm going to roll with it this year...

Boning up on Bones!

I truly believed we were turning a corner weather wise this week....until I saw snow in the forecast for today! I made every effort to enjoy that lovely sunshine while it was around. Although we had a busy day of errands ahead of us, Muffy and I took a little detour to enjoy a tour of the boardwalk at Fisherman's Cove in Eastern Passage. We always seem to find some interesting treasure on the little beach. I do fairly well with beach glass, consistently finding three to five pieces with each visit. During our last beach combing excursion, I discovered a piece of worn pottery dated 1940. The boys enjoy the view up the Halifax Harbour where they can spot Daddy's office building. It always strikes me how close we are to the city, yet how far away I feel. Wrapping around to the other side gives a stunning view out into the Atlantic Ocean. I love the contrast.

Muffy was thrilled with his most recent find - a small lower jaw of a fish. He likes to keep up with big brother Chi-Chi who has done his fair share of bone hunting these last few weeks, inspired by the Sue the Dinosaur Exhibit at the Nova Scotia Museum of Natural History.

I've been doing a bit of minor rearranging around the house to allow for some new Spring science activities I've got up my sleeve. I felt we needed a better set up for displaying and studying some of our recent nature finds and artifacts. I set up a small table by the window to allow for good lighting and a quiet place to work. The display of bones jogged my memory of something I've had tucked up in the hall closet, waiting for the right time and opportunity to introduce. I purchased this awesome set of animal x-rays ages ago. They are made in Canada by a company called Roylco and I thought the price was pretty reasonable at $16 for 13 images. I intially saw them at the boys' Montessori school. In the classroom, they were displayed using a light table, something I could not justify around here. I came up with the idea to use self-adhesive velcro to attach them to the window for clear viewing. They seem to fit just perfectly in our new little space. The boys are super excited about them and are being careful and respectful of their fragility. I find myself holding back learning materials at times, waiting for the right opportunity to introduce them, when the interest is initiated by the children. It's usually worth the wait!

One of the most exciting aspects of bone hunting is the mystery behind them. I'm quite certain the teeth and jaws belong to a seal, as in that case, most of the skeleton was present. Chi-Chi's fish skeleton and large vertebrae are a bit tricker to identify. "Some kind of fish" is simply not cutting it for this detailed little guy. He actually toted them to the museum, but they weren't able to provide an exact answer. If anyone out there has any suggestions on how to identify our bone collection, please let me know! It's time for me to bone up on my bones!

Early to Bed, Early to Rise

I've always been a morning person at heart. As a young child, I was the first one up on Saturday mornings. While the rest of the family dozed, I tiptoed down the stairs, fixed myself a bowl of Mini Wheats and settled in with the Smurfs. During my teens and early twenties, I definitely strayed from my natural tendency to be an early riser, opting for any last second of sleep before throwing on crumpled jeans and dashing off to class. I took up running about 13 years ago, and rediscovered the beauty of greeting the day with the sunrise. My early morning runs gave me energy and cleared my head before a long and often stressful day as an accountant. It felt good to start each day doing something just for me.

As the days grow longer this time of year, I find myself willingly crawling out from under the quilt earlier each day. It turns out dear Muffy inherited the early riser gene and is my faithful companion in the wee hours of the morning. Although I awake at 5:45 am, I usually rise around 6 am and head downstairs to get the breakfast routine started. I've noticed an increase in the appetites of my two growing boys so I've been making an effort to provide more hearty breakfasts. Quick bowls of cereal have been replaced with hearty porridge, French toast, scrambled eggs and yogurt and granola. The sound of clanking dishes drifts upstairs and soon Chi-Chi and Hubby appear.

Since the school bus picks up at 8 am, an early start to the day provides a great opportunity for Chi-Chi and Muffy to eat, relax and play at a leisurely pace. I feel that this unstructured time is so very important, particularly for Chi-Chi who faces a fairly structured day in his Primary classroom. I have mixed feelings about it all, so I make every effort to ensure the time spent at home supplements what might be missing during school hours. Physical activity and time outdoors is so very critical for these boys. They simply can't get enough of it. The school schedule allows for a 10 minute outdoor recess in the morning and a 35 minute recess over the lunch hour. Coming out of the winter season, these breaks were often held indoors due to the weather. I struggle with this.

On this beautiful sunny morning, both boys were dressed and out the door at 7:15 am. This allowed for a full 45 minutes of unstructured play and exploration in the backyard and on the trails down to the bus stop. Before his school day officially began, Chi-Chi was able to:

- paint a picture of the sunrise over the Atlantic ocean
- collect spruce cones to plant for seedlings.
- perfect his mourning dove call as he mimicked morning visitors at the bird feeder
- set up an elaborate system to collect sap from a spruce tree, convinced maple syrup will result
- upon hearing quacking, spot, two mallard ducks flying over head
- collect two fresh eggs from the chicken coop
- run through wooded paths and squeal in delight
- retrace the steps of a coyote
- smash ice with pure pleasure

I'm convinced this time to stretch his muscles and mind freely will allow him to better focus during his structured desk time this morning. As I sit and write, little Muffy is completely engrossed in a very complex and detailed Lego construction. He is working so quietly and independently, seeming so settled after being outdoors.

I've always felt that time spent in the early morning hours, particularly outdoors, is almost a best kept secret. For those who like to sleep in and catch every last wink, they simply don't know what they are missing!

Toys for Big Boys...and Little Boys

This morning I woke to the sound of rain hammering on the rooftop. As the days grow shorter, darkness lingers longer in those early morning hours. The rain this morning made the bed just a bit cozier and I had to give myself a pep talk before peeling the quilts off.

Muffy and I occupied ourselves in the kitchen this gray morning. I worked up a batch of pumpkin muffins and he worked on a huge batch of play dough with his mini excavator. There is much interest in construction equipment of all sorts in these parts. We've got a huge machine working in our backyard - literally. It has been providing a great deal of entertainment all week for my two captivated boys. We are STILL working away at cleaning up the devastation to our property from Hurricane Juan back in 2003.

Luckily for us, the rain clouds made way for blue skies. Muffy and I decided to take a walk-about to assess the work being done and take in some fresh air. I have to admit, I'm getting pretty excited for the snow to fly after checking out the new "sliding hill". This entire area was impassable with twisted stumps and fallen debris. The space may also serve as a grazing area for potential animals (think baaaa, baaaa) in the future! It's great to see how enthusiastic both children are about the new outdoor space and the grand plans they are dreaming up.

With the crisp autumn winds blowing, Muffy took the opportunity to try out one of his birthday gifts. My sweet little boy turned four this past weekend. As the boys grow older, it is getting a little trickier to hand make their gifts. A homemade hockey stick is not likely going to cut it on the rink! I did feel compelled to come up with at least one small gift made with my own two hands. I created this "magic wand" for my costume-loving boy. I had a long play silk scarf on hand that I dyed in a sea-inspired color scheme. The handle is made from a piece of driftwood I lightly sanded and waxed. My favorite part is the moon snail shell! I glued it to the top of the wand to help secure the scarf and to add a whimsical feel to the wand.


Oh, and check out our boots! Last night's showers certainly mucked up the path ways. I swear, no toy could make a little boy happier than good old fashioned mud!