Enchanted Mama

Weekend::

Images of a quiet weekend...

:: A scarf that I knit for my friend's birthday.  Then ripped out.  Then, re-knit.  Then gifted, even though it wasn't done, and I didn't leave enough yarn to finish it, yet she loved it anyway.  It is beautiful yarn!  So she ripped it out, with my urging and blessing of course, and lovingly re-knit it.  She has been wearing it almost everyday since.  Yes, I offered to knit it again for her but she thought it looked like way too much fun and decided to do it herself.  So, essentially I gave her the yarn...."Here's your present, now knit it."  Wow, and it worked!  

:: Breakfast ala the Big Daddy.  Delicious.  

:: A bird on my wee one's head, who turns nineteen months today!  It's the only clip I can seem to keep in her hair right now for all of about two minutes.  She's not a fan of the adornment, I see.   

:: Ginger Cake...yes, again.  I know.  

:: Sunset Show stopper.  

:: Cozy hat for my sister-in-law.  Love that she appreciates hand-knit gifts.  The yarn is so luxurious that I find I'm knitting slower to make it last.  Is that wrong? 

:: Interesting fountain in town that gurgles water out of his mouth in the Spring and Summer.  There's something very intriguing about it.

There was also some skiing.   A late night Downton Abbey watching session, or early as the case may be. Sniffles, coughs and a clean up of the backyard.  All of which I did not take photos of but happened none the less.  

Hope you had a weekend full of moments, Won't you tell me about a few? 

 

End of Week::

Valentines have officially been started.  There are many to be done and little time left to accomplish said task.  We will hope for good weekend Mojo and free time to create.  

My children are sniffling and snuffling.  Not a positive sign.  My plan includes a pot of soup and brewing up some tea.  Oh, and rest as I believe that would do us all a world of good.

The Big Daddy will be learning about fresh handmade pasta and sauces at chef school this weekend...and yes, we are happy about that.   

 

Various knitting projects are under way.  

My brilliant knitting buddy helped on Tuesday to puzzle through the "issue" with the Shimmer Sweater.  Yahoo!  I say brilliant because most knitters probably wouldn't have even noticed this glitch.  So, I will post information on Ravelry for those of you interested.  And, I will be giving full credit to my friend who figured it all out.  Thanks K!

There will be a Bach Cello performance on Sunday by my twelve year old which I'm sure will be lovely and quite an accomplishment for her.  Do you suppose it's normal for the parents to be more nervous than the children?  She performs so often in her Waldorf school with plays, music, public speaking, etc. so it nevers seems to bother her in the least.  Me? on the other hand?  Ner.Vous.  

 

The snow is still lovely yet, cold.  I've been a'shivering the last few days.  Needed to pull out a few more wool items which is honestly never a problem!  

We have the final performance of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight this evening and then all the parents and sixth graders will enjoy a wee party.  Ah, I look forward to that.  

My wish...a relaxing weekend after what proved to be a "flurry" of a week.  

What are your wishes for the weekend?  

 

 

February Colors::

The snow is falling again today and there is a sense of quiet outside.   

I'm noticing the many colors around me--the rich chocolate brown, the taupe's, the grays, the golden yellow. And, the light.  The February light, that is both dramatic and stark at times yet, casts its own glow on everything.  

Plans are percolating for many different projects.  

Valentines need to be started soon since the number is over twenty-five and we've yet to do anything. 

I took a peek through my fabric yesterday and find myself drawn to spring ideas--skirts for me, shirts and dresses for the girls, pants for the boys.  Fun to dream about with the weather outside today.  Though I'm in no way rushing the snow as we have needed it so badly.  

The view from my chair is beautiful and if only we could find the snow shovel, which is undoubtedly under one of the big piles outside, we could clear a path to the car.     

 

Last night I assessed all my various knitting projects "in the works" and although I'm fine with multiple knits in progress I'm feeling the need to clean up and clear out.  I yearn for that sense of accomplishment.  The "last stitch in" kind of joy.  

Hopefully, you will be seeing some things here on the blog soon.  

Of course, not my shimmer sweater, as you can see it has been unraveled and now knit up to the eighth row, again.  Where I'm sure there must be a mistake.  Same spot as last time and I was quite meticulous in my knitting.  Well see.  My two knitting buddies are braving the snow to come over for a bit today and have some knitting time.  Between the three of us, I hope, we can figure this thing out.     

 

I decided I needed to wear some glitter today to perk up.  I feel a bit less than sparkly today.  

How do you do it morning people out there????  I try to wake earlier and end up tired and uh-hmmm, grumpy.  What time do you go to bed?  That may be my problem as my night owl tendencies leave little room for sleeping in between.   

The "clearing out" journey of January continues in the basement.  I tried to convince my children over the weekend that it would be FUN to help out this mama but they weren't having it.  Granted there was epic snow outside so I don't blame them in the least and it was a great excuse to put it off until Monday.

What I find is that the more you clear out the bigger mess the rest of your house gets to be.  Moving a table from downstairs yesterday created an entire shuffle of furniture in the living room AND dining room.  

Yes, there are bonuses to said "mess".  It's a fresh start of sorts and I'm sitting at the table by the window writing this as we speak.  So, if I turn just so I can almost pretend that there are no piles sitting by the back door waiting to be liberated.  The huge mirror leaning against the armoire behind me, isn't there as long as I don't turn around.  You know simple clearing out coping mechanisms.  

I think I'm done.  Thanks for listening...   

What are your plans for today?  

 

 

Snow Fun::

This past weekend was "Snoooow Fun!" as the children would say.  

Most of our activities, or all I should say, centered around some sort of snow event.  There were forts built, both at our house and the neighbors.  Think secret passages, roofs and lots of snow hauling to and fro.

There were flying snowballs and a few tears to accompany those.  Wet gloves exchanged for dry ones every so often.  Children playing and working together that made a mama sigh.   

 My four year old barely made it to his bedtime each night before passing out.  Literally too much fun. When his sister and brother had gone inside he could be found using the snow shovel to move more snow and poke at the ice that was forming near the sidewalk. Quite content to just be outside.  

 

There was Mrs. Snowman with her fancy apple buttons and carrot nose.  Or as I explained to my dear friend, apple buttons made from a wrinkly old apple we found in the back of the refrigerator.   

Three times throughout the weekend we stuck a tape measure into the snow to measure the depth.  As amazed, as all our family out of town, at the sheer amount of snow we were getting.  

Warm meals of soup and chicken enchiladas were eaten and the front door started swinging open quite early each morning with one or more children bundled and ready to play.    

 

I cross country skied at the park with two of my children.  Both who seem to get faster and faster everytime we go out.  Think I might need to practice when their at school tomorrow....maybe?

There were snow angels made and laughter to accompany them.  

Our littlest seemed happiest to watch as her siblings galloped in the snow.  We're not sure she's a big fan yet.

 There was a constant row of snow items-- boots, gloves, snowsuits, etc. drying out by the fire, all lined up absorbing the warmth.  The mudroom aptly re-named the wet, snowy, frozen ice room after this weekend.  

 

While having a dinner out we spied these beauties "about town".  

A huge, at least eight feet tall, bear with a smile of course.  Was it a buffalo? A cow?  Not sure on this one.  The best was the heart up in the tree that the big daddy spied as we were pulling away from the snow sculptures.  Yes, a heart, of course.

 

So, I can't say I got the things done I had planned for this weekend as the snow kept tempting us outside.  Especially when the sun started shining as well, that was near impossible.  There was a bit of knitting but even I had a hard time concentrating inside when there was so much to be seen outside.  

I believe that two feet of snow would be hard for most people to ignore.  Thirty one inches of snow for the local ski resort.  Our neighbor informed us that they had to turn five hundred cars away on Saturday as they were full and beyond capacity.  Five.Hundred.Cars.  whoa.  

So now you know what we were up to this weekend.  

Today will more than likely include all those sheets I didn't change this weekend, towels, the basement, etc. but it was TOTALLY worth it and "snooow fun".  

How was your weekend?  

 

Snow Day::

Today, school has been cancelled.  An official snow day after no "real" snow since October.  

It's hard to know what we will do first...  

::Already we've enjoyed a warm breakfast without the rush to get to school.  

::Books have been read.  

::Snow shoveling has commenced.  

::Snowflake catching has been sighted.  

::Boys, so anxious to get outside, are wearing their pajamas under their snow suits.  

::Inside there are lattes, knitting and a warm fire.  

::There may even be some sledding and snow shoeing happening this afternoon. 

If I didn't know any different I'd say this day is looking up!  

Have a great weekend and see you back here next week. 

Love, 

Kellen

 

p.s. Anyone else see the tiny hearts at the ends of the branches in the first picture?  so cool.  

 

The Light::

This began as a very different post.  

The plan was to talk about the stretching we do as "creatives" to learn new things.  Try new techniques.  Experience new processes.  

Then, it was about this sweater and how it started in a flurry last January after I had finished "the sweater that took forever".  To prove to myself that I could do it again.

Then, I planned to spend time talking to you about steeking and how it involves scissors and the knit project you lovingly knit on for months which normally would send any knitter huddling into a corner.  The process both terrifying and thrilling and after months of plotting "how to" steek it was over in about thirty seconds.  I'd planned on talking about that, shaky hands and all.  

Then, I thought of the long months of knitting away, secretly mind you, finalized the night before christmas.  The project then wrapped and tucked under the tree.  The fact that I somehow ended up drawing my honey's name in the family handmade venture well, pure luck I tell you.  I thought I'd talk about that.  

 

Instead I'm just loving that the light finally gave me what I wanted.  No, not the true color of this sweater, as that seems to be truly elusive but rather back-lighting and camera flare.  Two of my very favorite things in photography.  Yup.  That's really all I wanted to say after all.   

 

Oh, and even without the light, I'm pleased to see that this cardigan looks pretty good with some baby on it too!  

Happy Wednesday to you all.   

 

*For those of you interested...the full set of photos and knitting details will be on Ravelry next week.*  

 

 

 

New Years Eve::

The Disco Ball is hung... 
The Caramel Corn made... 
The Bubbly Chilling... 
The Disco Playlist at the ready...

Our family is ready to celebrate.

 

Have a Happy New Years!

 

So Easy::

That's what this recipe was supposed to be.  Easy.  

I tried.  I really did.

I didn't think it was possible to mess up---melt chocolate, pour, spread, etc.  

Yet, I did.  

With the three youngest children banging around the kitchen and the clock showing--late afternoon I should have seen that train coming from a mile away.

I didn't.  

It all started on twitter.  Mentions here and there about peppermint bark.  Small comments.  Others trying it.  

I had to have some-and-quick.  I would whip up a batch or two, or four, and give them as gifts and take them to see family and, and, and....

I pulled out the necessary pans.  The chocolate and peppermint. I loved the idea of this so much because we could use dark chocolate and the white chocolate without all the gross stuff.  Peppermint without the dyes and artificial flavoring.  These were going to be delicious.  

Then dodging two of the three children I filled the double boiler with chocolate and went to work.  I spread the melted chocolate on the pan and only when I had finished this did I remember that I was supposed to add the cream and peppermint extract to the dark chocolate.  

"Oh well, what's the difference?"  I thought.  

I proceeded to pour these items into the white chocolate and melt them together.  All was going well I assumed.  Until the white chocolate turned yellow.  I'm pretty sure it wasn't supposed to do that.  

More rambunctious children and now the littlest decided she wanted extra attention and I have a boiling mess of yellow chocolate fit for a laboratory.  

I pick up my girl poured the second batch of chocolate one-handed onto the cookie sheets.  Hoping for the best because really I had no other choice, and spread it out evenly-ish then dropped some peppermint on and shoved the whole thing into the fridge.  

I'll tell you that hot liquid chocolate may not be the best time to have the children bounding around the stove.  Nope.  It is not.  

Most of the time I have one to four children around whenever crafting or baking.  It just seems to work that way.  Unless they are in bed, they sense mama is up to something and they are magnetically drawn to me and whatever I'm doing.  Usually, I'm prepared for this.  This day, I was not.  

I tossed the dishes in the sink and sat down frustrated.  That was supposed to be easy.  Easy.  (The very word that I will now be on the lookout for---tricky trickster that it is).  No one else mentioned any difficulty.  Theirs came out perfectly.  And, delicious.      

An hour later we took a chance and tried some after dinner.  The surprise was that it tasted pretty good.  Almost edible.    The problem began two minutes later when it hit the air and it all turned gooey on top.  GOOEY.  That is no exaggeration.  

In fact, if you look at the above photo again I think you will see it.  

See?  

My family ate it of course.  We thought the "peppermint mess", as I have delightfully re-named it, could be stirred into some ice cream and wouldn't that be good?  If not a-bit-too-sweet.   

 

Note to Self::

*One might need to read the recipe, regardless of how easy it seems, at least the first time. 

*Working with Hot Liquid Chocolate may be better when the children are in school. Or the little one is napping.  Or it's not late afternoon when everyone here seems inherently grumpy.  Yeah, I'm talking to you mama.   

* Try this recipe again, because who knows, next time it might work.  

 

Any recipe mishaps for you this season? 

 

Over the Mountain::

Over the mountain and through the woods we went to find our Christmas Tree.  

It's become an annual adventure.  This year I was unsure if we would make it due to the "back situation" with the big daddy.  Mostly because he's the one who hikes, cuts and carries the tree down.  

With a bit of re-figuring and the help of the older children we found, cut and put the tree on a sled all the way down the mountain.  New tradition perhaps?   

We arrived at the site and found that we were the only ones there.  It's extremely quiet in the forest when there isn't a soul around.  So we hiked, hauled the sled, and wound our way up the mountain.  

The big daddy right away found what he thought would be our tree.  Think Dr. Seuss....Long trunk big bunch of pine needles on top.  It really did look like something Dr. Seuss would have drawn.  

Uuh-hum, it didn't come home with us though.

After hiking for about an hour we found two trees that we liked.  We all sat down in the snow to admire one and see if this was the one to come home with us.  

Now, I'll tell you our littlest one loves to shake her head "NO". The Big Daddy decided to ask her if this was our tree.  She looked from him to the tree and back to him and shook her head emphatically "YES".  

So we knew this was the tree for us.   

 

The big daddy commenced with the cutting and then the older children had a chance with the saw, cringe, which made them both very happy.  

Soon she was set on the sled and we headed down the hill.  Traversing tree stumps and rocks the whole way.  We made quite a merry party of six tromping down the hill through the snow with the tree happily bouncing on the sled, the four year old in the lead and the two older children guiding from behind.  Our littlest girl even had a small ride on the sled at the very bottom of the hill with this mama running along beside.  Fun. Fun.  

 

This site happened on the way back down the mountain and I just had to share.  A motor home painted like a log cabin?  Have you ever seen such a brilliant thing?  It did require that the big daddy double back and go all the way around so I could get a picture but it was worth it don't you think?  

 

Then, home to set the tree up and get the lights put on.

 This I can say I have "Tom Sawyered" my honey into doing.  I've done it for years but last year he "volunteered" and I loved that I didn't have to do it.  So, this year there was a lot of "oh my you did such a nice job on the lights last year" and "wow you make that look so easy it must be because you are so talented" and a few "You are a professional!" thrown in and he did it again!  yes.

I hope to have officially passed on that tradition.  After all he's now done it for two years why not three?!??  Right?

 

On to the decorations after bath time.  I've shown you in past years our trees and ornaments.  I love that eighty percent of them were made by the children.  It makes me smile to see over the years how we can now fill a tree with them.  

 

One of the highlights this year was our littlest girl and her fascination with the tree.  

She LOVED it.  

In fact, she was very interested in putting the ornaments on and pulling them off.  She would put one on and pull three off.  It made the decorating last just that much longer.  

Since last night the bottom of the tree is quite bare and I'm thinking that the ornaments may have to move up the tree a bit.  Though to tell you the truth I'm enjoying her excitement when she toddles over and brings me a handful of ornaments.  At least handmade ornaments means they are more durable.  

 

So there she is.  Our lovely, skinny, charlie brown tree.  One that has it's own pine cones growing on the branches and as of this morning has begun to drink water like a fish.  

It feels officially like the holidays now with the house spruced up with decorations.  This morning I'm off to knit and sew with all due haste as this week marks the final week before vacation.  And, this mama has a few things to do...

How are your projects going?  OR are you already done?  

 

 

Pause::

Yesterday morning as I rushed out the door to get the children to school on time, slipping through the ice, carrying the cello, gym shoes and someones lunch box, I wished for the hundredth time that we had left earlier.  

Why, when leaving for school at the same time each morning, does it always seem to be a scramble in the last five minutes?!!??  Backpacks flying.  Someone isn't finished with breakfast.  Someone else hasn't even thought to brush their teeth, put on their shoes or find their gloves.  Every morning.

Our big daddy's been down and out since Saturday because of a "long-underwear-back-wrenching-situation".  Though, if you ask him, he's attempting to come up with a better story...like a guy and a thing and some sort of scuffle, you know.  So we were on our own in terms of an extra pair of hands.  

I slip into the front seat of the car and throw my purse down beside me.  One look in the rear view mirror shows all the children, phew, in their seats so I start up the engine.  Instinctively I reach up to hit the defrost and wipers at the same time when I see the ice crystals clinging to the windshield.  

Just sitting there looking amazing.  

So there we are--late, rushing, wishing for more time.  I paused.  Thought briefly and then pulled out a camera to capture the light.  I breathe.  Inhale beauty.  Mother Nature leaving her own type of message. 

 

It's been cold.  Rosy cheeks.  Toe numbing.  Snow, Melting, Freezing, Snowing again, kind of weather.  Ridiculously cold and quite dreary.  Yet, when the sun finally decided to peek through there it was, A Winter Wonderland. 

That was the moment.  Ice crystals on my windshield back-lit by the sun.  That was when I slowed down.  December can be about remembering to wait and watch.  To see what is literally right in front of us.   

 

And, that's what I did.  With all the children in the back staring at this mama, I took a breath and recognized the magnificence around me.  Then just as quickly, I focused on the road, the clock and delivering my girl to school while still driving in a sane manner.  

Note to self...She was there on time.  

In fact, we all got to the places we needed to be and I remembered that moment all day.  Happier.  Probably even more productive.  So there.  Proof for myself that pausing can make a BIG difference.  Even if my daughter had been late.

I'm attempting to hold onto that beauty as I traverse another day in this holiday season.  Wishing for more time.  Wondering why I didn't start sooner.  Knowing that it comes the same time each year.  Oh my... 

How is December treating you?  

I hope she's being kind....