On the Hunt

I had hoped that while the littles where on a scavenger hunt for matching socks and clean undies in the unfolded laundry basket, I'd find they had folded as they went. Not the case, instead I discovered one half dressed and both snacking midst a pile of clean clothes now on the floor. That was fun!

Our Super Bowl

Our Super Bowl went a little like this...

...with a little of this...

While Zac and two friends watched the game in the basement, the littles and I camped out in the living room. They played I Can Do That! (it has become a fast favorite with them both) and I knit a dishcloth, start to finish. Not as planned, but sometimes that turns out alright.

{this moment}

{this moment} - A single photo - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. via

Cranky Spot

A long while ago Piper and I discussed creating her a space to 'retreat' to. A small space for big emotions, if you will. Piper has personality. That's my gentle way of saying what it really is, crabbiness. I'm convinced its genetic. I have my bouts of it still, as a kid I drove many of my family to the brink. Not to say that she's always like that. In fact, usually, quite the opposite. She's bright, caring and happy. However, on occasion I'm frustrated and without answer. 

The other morning it was coming on, Piper turns to me and says, 'I need a crabby room. You said we'd make me a crabby room in my closet.' We abandoned our other activities for the morning and put together a cranky spot. Somewhere she can go to on her own, or prompted, when she needs a bit of time alone. Comfortable and small where she can mellow out and emerge happy. 

Luckily her closet is decent sized and had some empty space to be made. We moved all the clothes to one side and removed the hanging rod. One of the many tension rods I have stashed away came in handy for hanging a remnant of vintage sheet to close off her new space.

Borrowed a couple cushions from the family room to make a soft spot to sit. Pulled out a pillow that went with the crib bedding. Another that my mom made. It's contents is my blanket from childhood. Worn and tattered - and given back to me when I got married, just as I was promised when it was taken from me.

A shelf left with the house was added to hold a stack of books to read while hidden away. Piper added a fairy statue from her stored for winter fairy garden - to have something pretty to look at. I put together a calming jar, a massive amount of glitter in a water and glycerin mixture, for the shelf. She can shake the dickens out of it to match her feelings then calm herself as the glitter falls.

For a bit of cheer we moved the tissue paper pom-poms from over her bed. The tape holding them over the bed wasn't holding well anyway. Just the bit of brightness needed for a closet cranky space.

To battle the dark that comes along with being part of a closet, we put up two of those LED push on/off lights. Zac's brilliant idea! It doesn't make it very light, in my opinion, but Piper claims it works for her.

She's used it once or twice, for the intended purpose. It worked. Her and Calder (who calls it 'new home') go in to hang out. Feeling like it will get some good use, intended or otherwise.

The Perils of Pinterest

Do you have a Pinterest account? Is your house work suffering because of it? Mine's not, if not this it would be something else keeping me from housework. I'm not a huge fan. I've wasted spent a fair amount of time on that site. It's the best of the internet on one site! So. many. good. ideas! After my boards started to fill up, I decided that I needed to put this to use or it was really just a waste of time. Perfectly timed with my resolve to make more, buy less processed, and focus on the food portion of our lives more. Without further ado, the perils of Pinterest: 

 : : Bagels : : 

I've made them a bunch of times, I've lost track of how many. They are very good, and not too hard to make. 

 : : French Vanilla Creamer : :

This is the end of my second batch. Its decent, not exactly like my favorite Organic Valley French Vanilla. But in the spirit of buying less pre-made, processed food, it will do. 

: : Graham Crackers : : 

Third batch. I think I eat just as many of them as the littles do. I tweak them a bit each time and they just get better and better. 

: : Granola : :

So I've made granola before, just not this recipe. Since I was having good luck with recipes found, I wanted to try this one. The littles love granola with yogurt (on the list of things to try making). Piper says this isn't as good as store bought. Hoping she'll come around. 

: : Mayonnaise : : 

MAYO! Tackling this felt way out of my league. Surprisingly easy, with a bit of help from Calder. And a tip from my brother. Only thing that could make it better is if the eggs were from our own chickens. In time. These eggs came from Ninepatch - which is the best we could ask for. The flavor is richer than store bought, yum. 

: :  Wrapped Cord : :

When I saw this it was done on ear buds. I'm not 'hip' enough to use ear buds. In fact, my iPod is nearly the original version. I wrapped up the conversion kit for the car's cord. While doing so Zac asked me if I had nothing better to do. Of course I did. However, it made it so much prettier.

Oh yea, and then there's this...

: : Haircut : :

My sister says I look 23, my brother says I look like me from high school without the pouf. (For the record, that was middle school - I promise I was much cooler in high school!) Ah, it's just hair, easily changed if it doesn't work out. 

We also have had a few new dinners, this, this and this. Piper declared the chili 'nasty' before even tasting it. Calder follows the leader. So it goes.There is so much more I want to try. 

Things Missed

As we go through our days, I happen upon the littles in the midst of play, together play. I'm comforted that they get along - for the most part. Moments like these I wish I would be carrying my camera on me all day. But I don't. I make a habit of keeping it with in close reach, on the kitchen counter or atop the fridge. Even then it's a bit too far. By the time I retrieve my camera and return to them, they're on to something else, or have detected me and I've interrupted them. The moment is gone, saved only in my mind to be recounted later.

Sometimes, just sometimes, I do catch them on 'film'. Proof that I can show them years from now, when they're teens potentially sick of each other (that will never happen right), that they were friends once upon a time and will be again. Often I feel that there is so much pressure on their friend/sibling relationship because there is only two of them. There won't be another sibling to run to when they're mad at each other- like I had times seven. This is it for them. I hope with my whole being that they each turn out to be people that the other can love, accept, support, defend and be friends with.