That is what rain puddles are for....

Annika the big sister

When Lyn is away with her friends it is nice to see Annika take over as the role of biggest kid in the room or as in this case the playground. She tries so much harder when she can be "in charge". With all of her new neurological / psychological new concerns it is nice to focus on the HALF FULL instead of the HALF EMPTY.

Lyn is learning to sew

Lyn's Granny is working with her to help her sew on a sewing machine. She is doing some sewing by hand too. Well, the first order in was for pillows. Lyn made her pillow from the scraps of cloth given to her by Sara my co-worker (and friend). Everyone else's pillows were made from old pillow cases courtesy of Granny. My pillow is the biggest of course!!! Everyone picked out a scent for a hidden sachet within their pillow. Of course I picked rosemary. Annika picked lemon and ginger. Evan picked hibiscus. Eliot picked blueberry. I picked peppermint for Ben. Lyn had already made her pillow so hers did not have a scent picked out. They turned out pretty good!!! Thanks again Granny for all you do!!!!!

The sun was shinning.......

On Saturday after working in the morning I took all of the kids that were at home out of the house to give Dad a break. There is a small church at the end of our street that has a playground. We were given permission to use it with care. It is safe for even Ben to walk around and play. I took the opportunity while everyone was playing to sew a little. I am putting some spirals on some sachet bags. I actually got more done that I expected. The kids had fun. Evan even took a lot of the pictures on the slide show on the sidebar. Everywhere we go he wants my camera / phone to take pictures.

More water

Annika went on a walk and found a puddle of rain water. I sent an empty medicine type bottle with her. Eliot helped her transfer the water she collected to our communion bottle. I am just enchanted by the shape of our water communion bottle. It makes me think of the shape of woman......

My bottles arrived....

I ordered some bottles to use in my oil, lotion, and body butter experiments. And that is exactly what they are, experiments. The rosemary water, rosemary oil, and lavender oil all turned out OK. I am working on some lavender lotion right now but it is not coming along the way I expected it to. We will see......

My own tea tree anti-microbial spray

My glass bottles came in the mail yesterday so I was ready to start making my "potions". The first on the list was a spray for boo boos and ouchies.

What I did today....

A friend of mine on facebook recommended this book and I realized that I had in the car waiting to be returned to the library. I checked it out for the girls but they didn't seem to be very interested in it. I started to read it and it is really good. I had to renew it. To the left of the book is a spring of cedar with cones on it. I just had to pick it. I had never seen this particular species before. (I have to look it up). And the candle is a rosemary one. You know, my favorite scent. I picked it up today.

For my big girls...

I ordered these prints from The Black Apple on etsy. They are just perfect for additions to their Spring gift baskets.

Gladiolus, dandelions, and outdoor fun

The kids helped me work in the yard a little today. OK, they worked and I supervised. We planted some gladiolus, weeded some areas, and aerated the soil. We also just plain played in the yard. Ben had a lot of fun pushing a riding toy around. I put up some dandelion flowers to dry. Lyn collected some to make dye out of. (OK, Annika and Eliot actually collected them.)

Because we live in a house that was once my grandparents we still have some of their tools and supplies around. We used Pa's old hoe to break up the soil. I pointed out to the kids how one corner of the hoe was more worn than the other. This showed he used it just like I do so he must have been right handed to have worn down that corner. We miss you Pa.



More water for our water communion bottle...

Lyn and a friend spent this past Saturday outside exploring.  They spent some time near a local lake.  Lyn collected some water and brought it home.  I think we will leave the bottle out on the altar for a while.  The shape is reminiscent of a woman to me.

World Market rocks.....

After filing taxes this morning hubby and I had a rare moment to go shopping without the kids. I got to walk all the way through World Market and look at everything at adult speed instead of hurry up I have to get the kids out of this kind of store speed. This taper candle was made in Denmark. The small pillar is brow and teak scented. (It is really hard to find brown candles.) And the small spiral spoon is just cool.......

Hubby said I am not allowed to shop at World Market unsupervised. 

Good morning...

Free book giveaway!!!

I came across these books and grabbed up extras. I am giving my 3 year old and my 4 year old ones in their Spring baskets. They are just so cute and a bit weird. Just comment below or on my facebook page to enter to win. This giveaway is open to anyone worldwide. Drawings will be held March 1st. Good luck!!

Ahhh rosemary

I have said over and over again to the point that my friends and family roll their eyes that rosemary is my favorite scent. Thank you Whole Foods for having rosemary essential oil and rosemary soap!!

Outdoor fun

This weather is so out of season.  The kids are enjoying playing outside in the warmth of the longer day.

Card from one of my kids...

Thank you Jennifer

Happy Valentine's Day!! A co-worker (OK my boss) made these heart shaped crayons for my little kids. I am sure they will enjoy them!!

So sad Sara

I let Sara borrow a book that I thought she would like to read. Well, she accidentally returned it back to the library instead. Oh, Sara!!!!! I forgive you. I would like it back one day........

A day in the sun

We had a wonderful day today. At church Annika and Lyn helped with the story for all ages. They were groundhogs in a skit for the whole congregation. They did great.

After church the little kids waited to meet their secret friends in their classroom and then they went upstairs for a little party.



After church we stopped by George Ward Park to run off some steam. The little kids played on the playground while Annika and Lyn explored. Lyn found some mistletoe in a really old oak tree with a low hanging branch. She was wearing a skirt so she did not feel comfortable climbing the tree. There were a lot of kids at the part and a young man around her age came to the rescue. With a little boost from me he was able to get everyone a piece of mistletoe. There is a little stream that flows through the park and Annika collected some water for our water communion bottle.

The sun was still shinning when we got home so the kids played outside and even had a little picnic lunch outside. I used the opportunity to clean the front porch and play "catch the baby" as Ben was crawling all over the yard.

All in all it was a great sunny day!

Working on Granny's Valentine's Day card

Take it from Granny, my mother. She had to send the kids a Valentine's Day card that was "homework"!

Thank you Evan's secret friend

The kids enjoyed painting with the paints given to him by his secret friend. It took him a while to eventually realize it would be more fun to share his paints than to keep them all to himself. Thank you secret friend.....

Water in Me

This is a guest post written by my daughter Annika;

The way I move I look like a river

The way I talk is like waves rushing on the shore

And the way I love is ike a mother's hug

For Eliot

I am collecting small gifts for the kids for their Spring gifts. Yesterday I met a mother during the scope of my job that makes and sells stuff. She had a lot of her items laid out in the living room with price tags on them. This little bracelet called to me. It is so small it must have been made for a three year old. And I always feel better when a purchase has a story behind it.

Secret friends

At church some adults have been paired with some young children as secret friends. Annika, Eliot, and Evan all received their first gifts today. They will receive one each day this week and then at the end of the week they will find out who their secret friend is. This is a great way for the older generation to get to know the younger generation. Lyn is a little bummed  that she is too old to get gifts......

There is a thyme for everything...

I came across some thyme at the grocery store for $2.00. I could not resist getting some. I potted it next to my rosemary beside the hearth. Mmmmm, now what to use it for? Traditionally thyme has been used to treat winter illness. Since I still have a few sick little ones I may give it a try. Check out the book below to see how all kinds of herbs can be used to help heal.

There are dragons here.......

We all have our personal dragons. Today at church that was the topic of the sermon. It was an inter-generational service so the big kids all had their coloring sheet about the different kinds of dragons from different cultures. There was even some "interpretive dance" to accompany the minister's sermon. It was great. We even sang "Puff the Magic Dragon". Go to the this link to listen to the podcast of the sermon: Dragons Hate to be Discrete.

I have a lot of dragons in my life right now. Most are still tame enough and kept under control. I will give everyone I know when one or two get loose just to be on the safe side.

Thank you Sara

Check out this wonderful tea mug! Its lid serves as a coaster too. It is so cool It came with a fruity blend of tea that I am enjoying right now. I would not have bought this mug if it weren't for Sara. (And it was 50% off!) This mug is replacing the broken one from weeks ago that made me so sad. Now for the bracelet.... Sara also gave it to me. OK, not really to me. She gave my big girls some jewelery she had "out grown" But I claimed the bracelet as my own and hardly ever take it off. Thanks again Sara... You're the best!

Thank you Emily

Emily must have not been able to sleep last night. She drew this for me. Thank you so much Emily. This picture means so much to me...