Enchanted Mama

Dinner::

Have I mentioned how grateful I am that the big daddy LOVES to cook?  

Well, I am.  Big time.  Because there are literally thirty things I would rather be doing than that.  So it works for our family.  

What I love most about this delish dinner he made, is that we ate one last night and the other? Well, it's for dinner another night.  

Don't you love that.  Two meals for one.  Now that's my kind of cooking.  

The recipe is here from the ever talented Barefoot Contessa.   

Let me know if you try it.  It's worth making. 

At least I can say that after just enjoying it immensely. 

 

Her smile::

I can hardly resist her smile.  Or smiles I should say as there are so many different ones.  My goodness I do believe there is something magical about the eighteen to twenty-four month age.  Don't you think?  

There is just a certain level of cuteness and words and smiles and cuddles that are impossible not to be charmed by.  

 

I started this post to tell you about this dress.  It's out of the yarn I used for the leg warmers last week.  Fun yarn I tell you.  

Plus, there is something about it that seems to make it fly off the needles.  Which is good when you seem to be knitting and knitting with nothing but half sweaters to show for it.

Nice to have a sense of accomplishment once in awhile.  

 

So the Dress is actually modified from this top.  

I added some length and increased stitches to create an A-line dress.  What I love is.... I used one skein for the whole thing.  

It will be great for Spring as the mornings range from cool to snow on the ground.  It's just hard to know what the weather will do.  

The versatility of this dress will be just what we need for that.  

 

The best part of the photo shoot with this girl was that I kept telling her we were done taking photos and she kept saying, "No, one more." 

Hmm...ham anyone?

 

 

Beach time::

After visiting with family this past week, we headed to the coast to enjoy some beach time.  

One thing about living in the mountains is that we dream of the ocean.  To feel the water on our feet and the ocean breeze on our faces is pure heaven.  The sun came out thankfully and although the water was cold we braved the beach anyway.  

We were that determined. 

 

Our nineteen month old spent many happy hours playing in the sand and toddling around after the birds. She then proceeded to fall asleep in the big daddy's arms for a three hour nap.  

 

My four year old ran and ran and ran in and out of the water until his lips were purple and his hands were popsicles.  Then, he bundled up in towels and his hoodie to wait for a slight bit of warmth to return.  Only to do it all over again. Needless to say, he slept well that night.  

 

My eight year old was the ring leader in the boogie boarding adventures and braved the icy waters for most of the day.  Stopping for lunch but not much else.  He dug in the sand and made a HUGE sandcastle.  He even whispered, thankfully, that he had seen a shark in the water, "he thought, he wasn't sure, but probably and it was big-ish".  

 

My twelve year old was happy to luxuriate on land reading the whole time.  

Oh, how times have changed.  

It was a bit strange to have her next to me most of the day.  Though, I will admit the water was freezing by my standards and there was no way I was jumping in either so I don't really blame her for not wanting to swim.

And really, reading in the sunshine by the ocean what could be better?  

 

Knitting was accomplished by small bits at a time.  Enjoying the sun, the laughter and the crashing ocean.  The big daddy had a snooze while the baby slept on him.  

Relaxing it was.  oh yes.  

 

Overall a successful trip.  Time with family.  Meeting a new wee baby.  Catching up with friends.  Soaking up some sunshine and ocean breezes.  

Even the sandwich snatcher, pictured above,  couldn't ruin our time.  

And now...The laundry's done.  The house returned to some assemblance of order, as of this moment at least.  

I hope to make it to the sewing machine today.  As we are in that magical leap day which comes so rarely it feels as though it should be marked with some creative time.  What do you think?  

There's also knitting pieces to share with you in the next few days.

What do you have planned for today?

 

 

Love in Nature::

It's now been eight years since I first noticed them.  All around me.  Everywhere.  

My mom had just passed and I was moments from delivering my second child.  The world felt as heavy as my eight and a half month pregnant self.  In those moments you wonder about life and fairness and well, love.  

Within two days I had gone outside and found eight different hearts just laying there for me to "notice". 

 

I suppose it wasn't meant to hit me until later.  The beauty in this small gesture I had been gifted.  I failed to even realize that this was happening until a year later.  All the hearts placed in my path...

 

Since then my whole family finds them where ever we go.  In fact my son, whom I was pregnant with, spots them even before any of his siblings.  Strange?  maybe.  More beautiful to me now though. He is the one who found all the coral hearts.

 

Now when I see them, I smile.  

I understand that there is so much light as well as dark in the world.  

But ultimately, there is love and all we have to do is be willing to notice.  

 

What have you been noticing lately?  

Found::

 

Found--  These bracelets, in our travels, for fun friendship matching.  They are made out of leather and snap on.  They are quite reminiscent of the 80's, or was it early 90's?  

Love them and the friends we share them with.

 

Found-- The "right" yarn after searching high and low on vacation.  There were no yarn shops to be found, can you believe that?  I will say that the concept of stranded on a desert island came to mind, dramatic yes but that is this knitters nightmare.  

That day we randomly sat next to another family at lunch.  The mother pulled a skein of yarn out of her purse to show her daughter, "Is this the right color?".  

Time stopped.  

"Excuse me, " I said, "Did you find that yarn around here by chance?"  

"Yes, right over there in the guitar/ukulele shop".  what?!??

okay...stay calm...I repeat remain calm....

I had passed by that place a number of times, okay ten times at least.  I had finally given up hope of finding the yarn for a project that I hope to share with you soon.  It was there the whole time??!!??!

I left the chilins' with the big daddy and marched over to the store called Strings and things...in small print the sign said, we sell instruments, movies, yarn and knitting supplies.   I'm not sure how movies relates to strings but who cares, they have yarn.  

I might have heard the song "Heaven, I'm in Heaven...." start playing in my head but I'll never say for sure.  Inside there was yarn.  Yarn I say.  Not just yarn but beautiful, locally dyed, amazing yarn.  The kind of yarn that makes you forget how much yarn you already have at home and decide your on vacation anyway so...

So that was a good day.

 

Found--  A new hooper in our midst.  Who would have thought?  She can get the hoop swirling around her on the ground like no ones business.  Watch out because soon she will be walking...

 

Found:: Some classics in my bookshelves begging to be re-read.  Count of Monte Cristo done!

Found:: My seven year old may be "growing like a weed" when he said to the big daddy, after consuming a double cheeseburger that it was "a nice snack."  Umm, good thing we had some more salad and veggies to offer him.  

 

Found:: Kombucha in a place where we never thought we would find it.  Delicious, refreshing trilogy flavored Kombucha.  That day I felt very lucky indeed. 

Found:: That I love hearing from all my dear readers out there.  If I haven't told you yet today, I enjoy all your comments and emails.  It makes my day and I really appreciate you coming to visit!  

Hope you find some lovely times this weekend.  See you on Monday!

 

 

 

Hoop Love::

I have a new love, or an old love as the case may be.  

Hoop Dance. 

At the beginning of the summer I began hoop classes and I discovered that I love them.  Love them I tell you.

I've talked about hoops before and our deep love for them as a family.  

But, this feels different somehow.   

 

There is a whole world out there of hoop dancers.  

Some dance with fire.  

Some with led lights in their hoops.  

Some with multiple hoops at one time.

And some, with old school hoops made from tubing you find at the hardware store.  

There's a freedom that one can experience in the presence of other hoopers.  Finding peace in the center of your hoop.  

I don't know that it would be that way for everyone but I know I've discovered something that really works for me.  

 

The amazing feeling of freedom and joy.  

I just know that when I hula hoop, I smile.  I laugh.  I have loads of fun.   

There must be something about it then...something that works, right?  

 

So here's to hooping on the beach and a bit of shadow art.  

I believe the last shadow art I shared was here.

 

Have a lovely weekend!  

 

 

 

Blue River::

Well, these projects are all done.  yeah. wahoo.  

This shawl has in fact been done for awhile...I guess I've been having too much fun this summer? to get it posted.  Or maybe it's the four children all together all the time that makes my time not seem quite like my own.

Either way it's done, and it's July so it will be folded and put away for a bit.  

 

This is a lovely pattern.  Quite easy and required very little concentration which seemed to be one of the main reasons I enjoyed it so much.  

The yarn was a gift for the holidays last year.  It's lovely and fluffy and so nice to knit with.  That may have added a lot to this project.  I can't say I'm a variegated yarn user very often or a super wash yarn owner for that matter but this yarn was worth it!

Plus, this colorway reminded me of a running river or stream, hence the name.  Don't you think so?

 

I know I'll enjoy having a bit of summer wrapped about my shoulders as the fall and winter set in.  

Remembering the running streams and rivers that are so predominate now.  

Remembering how I love the feel of wool when the temperature drops.  

Remembering that now I get to think of new projects to knit...maybe even things for the holidays. 

 

Here's to the summer craziness, joy and no schedules.  Maybe even forgetting what day of the week it is.  Yes, that seems like summer the most.  

 

What sounds the most like summer to you?  

 

 

Treasure::

My brother is visiting from far away and brought with him this bit of treasure.  Treasure in the edible form.  He grows heirloom-local-organic tomatoes in his town.  He sells out at the farmers market in an hour.  Yes, an hour.  Pounds and pounds of tomatoes.

Brandy wine, black cherry, lemon boy, green zebra...

 

This makes me quite proud for a number of reasons.  

First, is that this has been his idea from the start.  He saw a need, researched and found just the right varieties then pursued something important to him.  I love that he's having fun, learning a lot, working hard and making plans.

Second, I love that people want this--they want local produce and to know their farmers face.  That's beautiful isn't it?

 

All I can say is that I've tried these tomatoes in many forms since their arrival and I truly understand now why they would sell out so quickly...they. are. delicious.

Do any of you have recipes you would like to share?  My huge box of heirlooms and I would love to know...  

 

Birthday Girl::

Today you are twelve...  

You're a young lady on the bridge between childhood and young adulthood.  The world opens up to you even more today.  Let them see your beauty as we do in all that you already are.

Happy Birthday to our darling girl!  

 

 

Mother's Day means::

:: Grilled chicken tacos with lime on blue corn tortillas.  

:: Left-overs....oh yeah. 

:: A delicious latte brought to me by the big daddy, just in the nick of time.  

:: A day spent in the garden---planting, clearing, sprucing and soaking up the sun.  

 

:: Outside pots that no longer look sad, sad, sad.  Rather they are full of blooming Spring.  

:: A watercolor photo of a sunflower and a small pack of seeds to plant in our garden.  Not ordinary seeds I'm told, but special seeds that grow to twelve feet tall.  Maybe it was the little hand that dropped them into mine and the look of awe on his face but certainly those must be special seeds.  Magic seeds perhaps. 

 

:: Lots of gardening helpers.  The "help-iest" of helpers.  At times maybe too much help.  We had quite a few boys ready to dig a hole or fill it with water from the hose at a moments notice.  Like I said, LOTS of help.

 

:: Flats of flowers that were planted.  Some annuals but mostly perennials, as I like those the best.

:: A surprise handwork gift from my daughter.  Which pretty much documents the day.   

 

:: The afternoon sun hitting our new lilac bush and hopes for future blossoms.  

:: All of us muddy, sweaty, tired and happy walking back into the house after a long day in the sun.  

 

Yes, a good day.