Natural Mom Knits

Been doing some Spinning

2011-12-23T05:10:00.000-08:00

I have been spending way too much time learning the new craft of spinning. I hope to actually get back to blogging some day.

Boy Have I Ignored this Blog :-)

2009-07-03T09:24:00.000-07:00

Here's some photos of some of my more recent knitting projects. And some nice new yarn.

Another FO

2008-12-01T18:11:00.000-08:00

Yep I finished yet another project today. I am on a roll. This is a shawl for my youngest daughter. The pattern is by Nancy Bush. You can find it here. It is a quick knit. Just seems to take me forever to finish the outer lace edging. I will probably knit it a few more times. I used 100purewool.com in the brown and pink colorway on 1 ply yarn. It is my favorite yarn. Back to knitting....

Finishing Up

2008-11-26T06:01:00.000-08:00

I have been quietly working on finishing up projects in my knitting bag and my sewing bag. This week I finished my Dad's Vest for his Birthday and my oldest daughter's socks. I am on a roll. Now back to knitting.....

Cool Projects

2008-08-10T06:15:00.000-07:00

Fabric Boxes and another one.
Cute kimono.
Cute Apron.
A cute Dress.

Just a few things on my already long to do list.

Still Knitting

2008-08-09T14:02:00.001-07:00

I am still trying to get some knitting done. Lots of folks are doing some crazy knitting during the Olympics. I have decided to just try to finish as many projects as possible during this time. I actually could finish a pair of shorties today. I have some shawls that need attention. So much to do so little time. Also check this out. It is a beautiful Estonian Lace Christening Shawl that I am seriously thinking about getting. I am doing several KAL right now and probably do not need to start a new one. But I have visions of this one in a nice white alpaca lace.....
I am also getting ready to try something new and that is lace knitting with beads. I am hoping to find some beads at hobby lobby. But knowing me I will get them online. Here is the KAL that I will be doing the beads on. I am pretty sure it is still open to new members. I have become addicted to the lace knitting lately and instead of looking for more projects I guess I could try to finish up some. LOL

New Knitting

2008-07-23T10:53:00.000-07:00

Finally got started on my first Anne Hanson project over at Knitspot. I am very happy with how it is turning out and how wonderful her patterns are to knit. She is truly one of my favorite designers. Now I just need to start my to do list of projects.

Lifelines Again

2008-06-29T05:51:00.000-07:00

Got a good tip from my LYS yesterday. Use dental floss for your lifeline. I was having trouble with my yarn wanting to catch on the other yarn so it was very hard to get it through the stitches. So now I have yet another reason to go to Wally World considering we do not have the regular wax stuff here. Have I mentioned that other than shopping for yarn or fabric on the Internet I really hate shopping......

Lifelines

2008-06-20T18:26:00.000-07:00

Well I have learned the importance of a life line. I got overly excited to get started on Gale by Anne Hanson and decided against stitch markers and a lifeline cause it was going so well. I just had to rip it out because I could not figure out where I went wrong. I am using Fantasia II colorway by purewool and I am loving it. So when I restart I will add a lifeline here and there so I do not loose all of my work. How long would it take me to finish otherwise.

Lookie At What I Made

2008-06-12T09:43:00.000-07:00

I am so terribly excited. I made this totally cute wrap skirt from Fitz Patterns. The fabric is from Michael Miller one of my favorite sources of fabric.

The only thing I added was the contrasting piece to match the pocket. I went with the medium size and I love the fit. I am a size 8 in ready to wear clothes. This is an amazingly comfortable skirt and I am very excited about making more. It only took me one day to sew it up and that is a huge plus. We are going on a trip this weekend and I needed a skirt in case we go somewhere nice. I wanted something whimsical and comfortable so this is perfect. The fabric I have had in my stash for ages. I meant to make something for my youngest daughter years ago and now she no longer likes it. I love it and I think it makes a very nice "grown-up" skirt.

One More Thing

2008-06-05T07:56:00.001-07:00

This is a wonderful lace shawl that I am doing for my sister in lace yarn from hanpaintedyarn.com. It is my first lace project and I love it. Pattern is from here.

WIP's (What I am up to)

2008-06-05T07:56:00.000-07:00

This is to be a socks that I got from a blog that I enjoy reading. I cannot locate the post but will update as soon as I find it.
A sock for my sister. These are Elfine socks and I have been working on them for a year. Pattern is here.
Fabric that is soon to be Bible covers. I have the pattern cut out and plan to finish these this weekend.

This is the begginings of a washcloth.
The last pair of shorties I will probably ever knit since my youngest is potty trained. As usual they are Picky Pants from Little Turtle Knits.
My first pair of Monkey Socks by Cookie A. The pattern is found at knitty.com. I absolutely love these socks. The yarn is jojoland. It is a wonderful yarn to work with.
Yet another simple washcloth.
And here is a shawl that I am working on for my youngest daughter. I love the pattern. It is by Nancy Bush and you can find it here.

Canning

2008-05-28T19:16:00.000-07:00

Today I canned my first strawberries. It was a wonderful success sort of. I was hoping to make a thick strawberry spread but ended up with a syrup. The girls and I did come up with a list of things that it would go well with like homemade ice cream, angel food cake, & homemade cheese cake. The wonderful part for me and what makes it such a huge success is that the jars sealed and the syrup has a great flavor. Luckily too I am pretty sure what I did wrong and it will be easy to fix. The good thing is it did make quite a bit. I guess I should write down what I did just in case it is a big hit. I am really going to have fun this summer playing with different recipes and foods. I can not wait!!!!

The Stash Well at least Most of it

2008-05-13T10:24:00.000-07:00

The bags and boxes are yarn. I have other areas that are just to hard to get pictures of. The good news is I have not added anything new to the stash since my last post!! Yeah for me.

Stash Busting

2008-05-05T11:42:00.000-07:00

Okay I have to admit that my storage area for both yarn and fabric is full. As of this very moment I am on a yarn and fabric diet. I will not be buying either until I put a significant dent in my stash areas. (Yes I have several.) I tried to convince myself that I was just insulating my house really really well but Cleopatra I am not and I can not longer be the Queen of Denial.
I have of course already committed to some goodies in some buys and I will follow through with prior commitments but no new stuff!!! Now I just have to figure out if vintage fabric counts. :-)

Hemp and Wool Dishcloths

2008-04-28T05:31:00.000-07:00

I have been looking for an alternative to those yucky sponges and plastic dish things that simply do not work. Well I got myself in gear and actually knitted some dishcloths out of my hemp and wool yarn stash. I should have done this a year ago when I got the yarn because let me tell you my dishes are actually clean. My glasses do not have that film on them at all anymore. It is so weird because all this time I thought it was my dish soap that was causing the problem but it wasn't. It was my sponge. The great thing about hemp and wool is they both have wonderful antibacterial qualities occurring in them naturally. Not to mention you just throw them in the was and hang them in the sun to dry. I have recruited my oldest into helping me make more because this week I am throwing out all of our sponges. Great thing too is my new dishcloths are environmentally friendly. If you are in search of some hemp/wool to make your won I suggest going here. Stacey is great to work with.

Edit: Forgot to mention Wool felts so if you use 50/50 Hemp/wool there will be some shrinkage if you wash it in the washer.

Knitting OCD

2008-04-18T05:11:00.000-07:00

I have to admit that I have a little bit of OCD going on off and on in my life and it is interesting to me to see how it will manifest itself in the different areas of my life. With my kids it is their names. My first child's name has 5 letters and each child after has one more letter than the previous. There are other number things that I do but that would take a book to explain. :-)

I have recently noticed the OCD creeping into my knitting life. In my knitting bag I feel the need to have on the needles something for all the parts of the body. What this means is I currently am working on a hat, sweater,mittens, shorties, and several pairs of socks. When I finish up a sweater it is replaced with another sweater project. I am currently trying to figure out if a shawl is in the sweater category or if it will fall into it's own little area. I am thinking it will have it's own special place but if that is the case I need a bigger bag. :-)

Hmmm I think I will make myself a new knitting bag. I have this bag pattern by Amy Butler that I have been wanting to make for a long time. The question is do I use my current stash of fabric for it or do I wait for my Midwest Modern to show up. I have an idea for a little bag for my sock projects. I keep losing my tape measure and my extra DPN's in my bigger project bags. When I start digging around for them I end up with a big ol' yarn mess. So I hope to have that pattern worked out this weekend. Well looks like I have a lot on my plate so I better get going.

FO

2008-04-13T07:36:00.001-07:00

I have a finished project!!! I ordered a charm pack of the Ginger Blossom line of fabric from Hancock's of Paducah. I really love this line but could not decide which fabrics to get so I got a sampling. I made a bath mat based on this tutorial. I am very pleased with how it turned out and plan to make another one for our kids bathroom out of some Heather Ross fish fabric that I have here. I must say I am completely addicted to charm packs. I have all kinds of ideas floating around in my mind for them now. I picked up a few more at our Local Quilt Shop yesterday. They have an absolutely amazing selection of fabric. They have Japanese Imports!!!!! I love all things Japanese and this was the first time I was able to actually see them in person. I am very excited about my sewing future. :-) Okay off to get some knitting done before running errands.

Went To My LYS Today

2008-04-12T16:52:00.000-07:00

I am terribly excited. I went to my Local Yarn Store (Knitwicks) today and sat and knitted for a while with some wonderful ladies. It was the first time I have ever done anything like this. Since becoming a mother I have had a horrible time connecting to other women. In the mommy and me type groups I was always too crunchy. In other groups I was not crunchy enough. Then when the kids got older I started looking for a nice homeschooling group to join but found it very difficult to connect to any of them. In some we were to religious and in others not enough and then there was the crazy one where we were too poor.
But here age did not matter, religious preference not a problem and money not needed. All were welcome and knitting advice shared freely. It felt a little surreal at first because I have not felt this welcomed in a long time. I was so excited to see a group of women of all ages come together in such a positive environment. I have been looking for something like this for a really really long time. I am so excited about getting to know all of them better.
We just recently learned of the passing of a close friend that had suffered for many years from MS. She was very close to my age and it made me realize that I have become isolated from other women and I need to reconnect. I had to make myself go today and at first I just looked at the yarn in the store and felt like I could bolt at any minute. After a few minutes I realized that they were not going to bite me and it is okay to be afraid but not okay to not try. I am very glad I did. Well now I had better go save my husband from the kids.
Peace

Stash Enhancement

2008-04-11T14:12:00.001-07:00

These are some of the goodies that I have gotten recently. I got a drop spindle from the Etsy store ford4him . I love it. It is great craftsmanship for a great price. I am taking a spinning class at my local LYS in a few weeks. I am going to use some roving that I got from Peace Fleece.

The fabric is from Fabric.com. It is one of Stephen's Special Assortments. It is an amazing deal. All half yard cuts for only $19.98 for the lot. Some of the Heather Ross prints are retired. I have wanted some yellow gnomes to go with my blue ones for a really long time. I want to make a special quilt from this fabric. I plan to make a bath mat with the fish fabric.

The charm packs and wool pack are my very first order from Hancock's of Paducah. I love this place. They have fat quarters of some of the really cool designers like Alexander Henry and Amy Butler. I love getting a little bit of an entire line. It is great for smaller projects.

Now I should probably go on a diet but my LYS just got in some new Schaefer Yarns.....

Out in the Yard

2008-04-09T13:52:00.000-07:00

It was nice and sunny earlier this week and I was able to get a wee bit of yard work done. We are putting in a bed along the fence in the front yard for more veggies. In the top picture you can see how much is left for me to do. In the bottom picture is what I was able to get accomplished before I ran out of steam. This is where we plan to put our tomatoes, cucumbers and melons this year. I am starting to rethink my plan to dig beds. Maybe a tiller wouldn't be so bad after all.....

Wee Wonderfuls Spaceboy

2008-04-05T09:58:00.000-07:00

This is our Spiderman Spaceboy. He is a wonderful design by Wee Wonderfuls . I love Hillary Lang's designs. Our guy was made from Spiderman fabric because my son has a love of all things Spiderman. It was so easy to put together because of the great instructions. The only thing I will do differently next time is I will use better felt. His felt belt is only 30% wool. That is just not as strong as it needs to be for all the activity my 4 year old puts this guy through. Now all I need to do is finish up his robot companion for my two year old.

What I Did While We Were Sick

2008-04-04T13:14:00.001-07:00

I also started another pair of shorts that are multi colored and some socks. I am nearly done with the shorts and hope to finish them this weekend. I just happen to be resting again due to some cramping and it is perfect time to knit. I just heard "Daddy's Home!!!!!!" so I better go see.

Where did March Go?

2008-04-04T13:14:00.000-07:00

Seriously, where? I am going to try to post a little more this month. We were under the weather a lot last month with that weird cough thing that went around. All of us had it some worse than others. But I did make a wonderful nourishing soup that helped ease the cough a lot. I am actually getting good at this cooking thing. We rarely eat out anymore and that is really nice. It's kinda weird because I never even think about that as an option for meals. Our garden is going good. We have radishes, lettuce, cabbage, broccoli, onions, herbs and peas. Next year I am going to add brussles sprouts to the list. Turns out with the right recipe they are very tasty. Lidia has the best recipe. Cooking her recipes make me feel like a real woman. I just need my apron to complete the picture.

I Love Baking Soda

2008-03-03T05:56:00.000-08:00

We have this wonderful orange 1969 Ford truck. I love to hear my husband drive up in it. Anyway it was having some problems and needed a new rear end. We got lucky cause my dad happened to have a spare one at his house. Then we were even luckier that Chris had a friend with a garage the tools and the knowledge to fix it. So he spent the weekend at this friends house fixing the truck.
As you can imagine his clothes were filthy. So I had him put them in the tub and I soaked them in some baking soda. I then poured some vinegar on them and sent them through the wash with more baking soda and some sea salt and they are clean. And the horrible ring around the tub is gone. All I had to do was sprinkle baking soda on it and rise with vinegar and it disappeared. Amazing stuff. It is hands down my new favorite cleaner. I just wonder why it is that I am just now discovering this???

Inspiration

2008-02-20T11:20:00.000-08:00

My Sister goes to estate sales and a few weeks ago she picked up this gem. It is so wonderful. The picture does not do it justice. It is a quilt that was done in the 30's and has really inspired me to use up my fabric stash to make some quilts for my family. So far I have started a small quilt of flannel and minky for my youngest. It is larger than a crib quilt but smaller than a twin. Well I am in the mood to sew now. Peace

Busy Busy Busy

2008-02-16T17:12:00.000-08:00

I always thought that winter would be a time of rest and reflection. I envisioned myself sitting by the fire knitting or catching up on reading seed catalogs. Well none of that has happened. I guess when most of your day is spent teaching your kids there is little time for leisure activities. I have got some seeds sprouting for spring planting so I am very excited about that. I have not finished any sewing projects and this winter exposed the need for quilts in our house so I have more sewing that needs to be done. I did finish my oldest son's night night shorts that I knit and he refuses to wear. I am at a loss on how to get him to sleep in clothes that will keep him warm. We did make good headway on school work and I am looking forward to our break in March to really get the garden going. We plan on putting in new beds and expanding some of our growing space. Here's a list of what we intend on growing:
broccoli
onion
spinach
lettuce
tomatoes (trying some purple ones)
hot peppers
squash
melons
Honeydew
Kentucky Wonder Pole Beans
Lemon Cuke
Mexican Sour Gherkin
Purple Hull Pinkeye
Little Marvel Pea
Thyme
Cilantro
Milk Thistle
Kiwano (African Horned Cucumber)
Pumpkins
So hopefully I can keep a journal of all of this here. I hope to have plenty to put up for the winter. Eating from the garden is so much tastier than what you get in the local grocery stores.
Okay off to try and read some Pride and Prejudice.

Please Help A Friend

2008-01-24T05:33:00.000-08:00

My friend Melanie needs help naming her new design. So if you could just go visit her blog and help her out that would be great. I am currently knitting this wonderful little sweater up and I am in love. It is really a nice knitting experience. It is my first sweater and has helped me over my fear of all things that seem complicated. Also if you have a moment go visit her store. She is very talented. Oh I forgot to mention, the person that gives the winning name gets a little prize so go help another mama out.

Happy New Year

2008-01-01T07:24:00.000-08:00

2008 is going to be a big year!! My husband and I will celebrate 15 years of marriage. I will celebrate my 35th year of life. Our oldest will be 10 and our youngest will turn 2. So many wonderful things upon us this year I am so excited to get started.

Today has started off as a very ordinary day. Laundry is going and breakfast is cooked but these are the days I treasure most.

The one thing that I learned in 2007 was to stop living in the past. I have come to realize that we are blessed with 18 years to really get to know our kids. If we are lucky the might hang around a bit longer. I have decided to stop focusing on relationships that have had their day and instead to focus solely on my family. I want a solid bond between my kids and my husband and I so that when they do go out in the world they have no doubt of our love and can really focus on new and more exciting things than "why do my parents not approve".

So on our Anniversary instead of a cabin in the woods for 2 it will be a tent for 6 in the back yard. And you know what it will be the best Anniversary ever.

I have one resolution this year.

"Simplify"

Peace

Finally Some Pictures of My Craftyness

2007-12-20T14:41:00.000-08:00

The rooster tote is a picture of the bag I made for my mom for Christmas using the instructions from Dacia Ray.

The pink tote is one I did from Amy Butler's Swing bag pattern for my niece for her birthday. The doll skirt was done by my 9 year old as a gift for her cousin's birthday.

A Little Behind

2007-12-19T15:09:00.002-08:00

We just got our Christmas tree put up this week. I am still trying to get it decorated. I have realized that my dream of all the ornaments being homemade this year is just a dream. I have my calender marked to get started in April of next year. I do have a nice picture of some felt ornaments that me and the kids made for the tree and once I get batteries I will post a picture of how they look on the tree. I am actually trying to avoid going to the store until after Christmas. I hate trying to wade through the crowds for something so small.

Who am I kidding I tend to stay out of stores from November to January. I just do not like the crowds of potential viruses floating around. Yuck!!!

Oh Yeah these ornaments are great to do with the little ones because they can help too and being rough with them makes the process go quicker. I just took some of our cookie cutters shoved in some wool batting from Peace Fleece put a dab of ivory soap on it add some warm water and poke it with some chopsticks. 15 minutes later you have nice little ornaments. My 22 month old had a grand time helping out. It was great to finally have something that did not involve glue.

Something I finished

2007-12-19T15:09:00.001-08:00

While I search for batteries for the camera so that I can download my pictures, I thought I would post one of some longies that I made for DS. Proof that I do actually do stuff.

I also did some socks for my older boy. Let me see if I can find a picture of those....

Goodbye...

2007-12-17T13:52:00.000-08:00

Artist: Dan Fogelberg
LP/CD: The Innocent Age
Writer: Dan Fogelberg

An only child alone and wild
A cabinet maker’s son
His hands were meant for different work
And his heart was known to none
He left his home and went his lone
And solitary way
And he gave to me a gift I know
I never can repay
A quiet man of music
Denied a simpler fate
He tried to be a soldier once
But his music wouldn’t wait
He earned his love through discipline
A thundering, velvet hand
His gentle means of sculpting souls
Took me years to understand
The leader of the band is tired
And his eyes are growing old
But his blood runs through my instrument
And his song is in my soul
My life has been a poor attempt
To imitate the man
I’m just a living legacy
To the leader of the band
My brothers’ lives were different
For they heard another call
One went to Chicago
And the other to St Paul
And I’m in Colorado
When I’m not in some hotel
Living out this life I’ve chose
And come to know so well
I thank you for the music
And your stories of the road
I thank you for the freedom
When it came my time to go
I thank you for the kindness
And the times when you got tough
And, pap, I don’t think
I said, "I love you" near enough
The leader of the band is tired
And his eyes are growing old
But his blood runs through my instrument
And his song is in my soul
My life has been a poor attempt
To imitate the man
I’m just a living legacy
To the leader of the band
I am the living legacy
To the leader of the band.

Thanksgiving 2007

2007-11-22T12:09:00.000-08:00

My Menu
Turkey
Mashed Potatoes with Gravy
Purple Hull Peas
Green Bean Casserole
Parker House Rolls
Cranberry Sauce
Green Tomato Relish

Today started with my husband making a nice fire in the fireplace. It was our first fire even though we have been here a few years. It was such a nice warming touch to the day. Helped give an atmosphere of coziness. I actually got up rather late this morning. Opps. Still was able to cook a nice breakfast and get the entire meal on the table by 1:00 PM so I was totally happy. The girls helped me with the cooking and since it is really sunny and nice, my sweet husband took the kids out to play and occupy them.
This is our third Thanksgiving in this house and we have been blessed to celebrate everyone of them here. Next year I hope to have my sis, her family, and my cowboy guru join us. I will have to bribe Cowboy with good food through out the next year to convince him but I feel up to the challenge. I plan to start tomorrow when I go get milk.
Gosh there is so much to be thankful for over the past year. We have all had good health in fact both Chris and I are healthier than we have been in years. He is happy with his job and I am thriving at home with the children. I am so blessed to be able to stay at home with my kids and even more blessed that I truly love all things domestic. We were blessed this year to have food on our table that came from our garden. I am most thankful for my husband. He is a gift from God. He is an amazing provider, loving Father and devoted husband. My cup truly overflows.
Praise God for all his blessings.

It's Fried Chicken!!!

2007-11-07T09:52:00.001-08:00

Being a Southern girl the ultimate meal is fried chicken and thanks to Susan's recipe I can now fry chicken. It was melt in your mouth good. Much better than the last time I made it. Now I just need to master coconut cream pie.

Been Busy

2007-10-18T05:54:00.000-07:00

Well things have been busy around here lately. I have been doing a lot of knitting, sewing, and cooking. I am almost done with my son's picky pants and have made a lot of progress on some socks for the kids and my sister. I am also working on some Halloween costumes for the kids. We are clearing out the last of the summer veggies from the garden and hopefully will put it to sleep this weekend. Gosh that reminds me; I need to get the garlic in the ground. We also plan to make a trip to see my Grandparents this weekend and I am getting really excited about that. I am taking them some purple hull peas from my garden 'cause Grandpa was so kind to give me food from his garden for years. I might just have to dig up some of his garlic to bring back just to make sure I have enough. It surrounds his entire garden and looks so pretty in the summer.

I do have a confession. Yesterday I took the day off. I was so tired I just watched old movies all day. 2 of my favorites Giant and Doctor Zhivago. I am an old movie junky. I have no interest in new movies unless there is a classic movie actor in it. It's almost like I was born in the wrong era. I especially love how my kids can watch the movies with me without me being afraid that they will be scarred for live. I also spent a ridiculous amount of time on Ravelry. I spend more time reading there then in my e-mails. Which is a good thing 'cause I am spending less money on coops. Well I think the little one is up off for now.

New Books

2007-10-16T18:04:00.000-07:00

I love getting mail. Especially when it contains artsy craftsy stuff. I got a wonderful book through paperback swap by Good Housekeeping. The Illustrated Book of Needlecrafts. It has so much information that I am overwhelmed with excitement. I cannot wait to practice some of it with my girls. I also got 20 vintage knitting and crocheting books/magazines from the 1950's. I am so in love. I love the vintage styles. I cannot wait to get started on my new retro wardrobe. I love the styles and how feminine they are. I will hopefully get pictures up soon for everyone to see. They are in great shape. Off to do some reading.

Coming up for air

2007-10-03T04:54:00.000-07:00

I have been super busy with crafting lately. Nearly got a finished pair of socks and a longy but my camera is dead. So with no pics to show what I have been doing with my time, I will show you some of my favorite things from Anthropologie's new catalog. I get a lot of inspiration from them. Okay they look a little wonky on this post but oh well. With 4 kids, a bunch of pets, and a spouse it is a miracle I ever post. LOL

Peace.

I have found my Guru

2007-09-14T12:31:00.000-07:00

I have finally found my guru and in the most seemingly unlikely person too. He is none other than Bruce the milkman or as my 3.5 year old calls him "Cowboy". He is an incredibly compassionate person and full of kindness. I look forward to our weekly visits when I go to get my milk and a wee bit of wisdom all in one trip. He is kind enough to listen to me talk. And as a stay at home mom with 4 kids I do not get out very often so finding someone that actually will have a conversation with me is a really big thing. Did I mention he is also incredibly funny. Anyway this week we talked about many things but what really made me stop and think was when he talked of how he wanted his kids to laugh. I realized that I used to laugh a lot but it seems to have gone missing from my life. Then that made me stop and think about joy and whether or not I feel real joy in my life anymore.
My life changed the most when my husband and I decided to start a family. I know that adding kids changes things but I wasn't prepared for loosing my sense of self and my identity. My oldest is 9 and a half years old and it was a huge adjustment having her. I was so unprepared it is kinda sad. She nursed every 45 minutes around the clock for the first 3 months of her life. As you could imagine I was ever so slightly sleep deprived and I battled postpartum depression. I also was not prepared for the criticism I received for how I was doing everything wrong. I in my naivety thought that my family would be more supportive of my choices then they were. Don't get me wrong I did not expect to be perfect. I just was not prepared for the repulsion others would feel just knowing that I was breastfeeding and cosleeping. Things started getting better as far as I was feeling around the sixth month and by the time my oldest was a year old I was feeling almost my old self again . I was still trying to adjust to never getting to eat or sleep or read a book in a reasonable amount of time but I felt like I had made it through the worse and it would be smooth sailing ahead. So we decided to add on to our family.

We were blessed to find out that we were expecting twins when our oldest was around 18 months old. I had always known I would have twins so it was not that great a surprise to me. I felt such contentment and joy despite constant morning sickness and more criticism for having a huge family. At 23 weeks gestation I had a placenta abruption and went into labor. It was an incredibly peaceful and pain free labor even though I was given no meds. My sweet girls were born crying which was a great sign. We had them with us for a short 17 hours before we a had to let them go. I am grateful for every moment I had with them. One would think that this would be the lowest point of my life but it was actually a highlight. My husband and I became very close and for the first time in my life I realized just how strong our marriage is. I did still have the normal sadness that follows such a loss. For several months I felt at peace and we struggled with the question of do we try for more or do we stop at one. Well being somewhat insane we decided to try for more.

We had another healthy girl the next year and have since been blessed with 2 very healthy boys that really make life interesting. (Read choatic) I have added homeschooling and gardening. I try to cook all of our meals from scratch. I have taken up sewing and knitting just to have a hobby for all of my free time. I am still brestfeeding, cosleeping, and we also infant potty train too. I realized that I have gotten so busy being a mom that I have forgotten to enjoy the life that I have and to really stop and laugh. I am finally starting to revisit the artistic side of my life and I am on a journey of self discovery. I think this is one reason I stumbled on my Guru in the first place. I am finally ready to really live life and not just be on autopilot. I am also so done with all the naysayers in my life. I do love being a Mom but the biggest mistake I have made along the way was forgetting who Christy is and what she loves.

It's amazing that one would need to be reminded to have a good laugh every day. It is so important to enjoy the life we have and use it to the fullest to help bring joy to others. At one time in my life I had a really good sense of humor and made a lot of people laugh and it is time to bring that back.

Last weekend I did get away with my sister for a bit. It was the first time in about 6 months that we managed to spend some time together. So we went to an outdoor mall and of course it started raining. We both got soaked but it was funny and we did laugh a lot.

So thank you "Cowboy" for reminding me to laugh. I hope that wherever you are right now you are laughing too. Chances are that you are probably up to your eyeballs in cow shit and just thinking about that makes me laugh. Hmmm I think I might just need to get some milk soon.

Peace

What Fun!!!

2007-08-09T19:08:00.000-07:00

An Anne of Green Gables KAL and Read along!!! Check it out here:
http://anneknits.blogspot.com/

For My Sister

2007-07-29T18:28:00.002-07:00

Happy 14th

It's been a long time...

2007-07-29T13:05:00.000-07:00

Since my last post. We had a round of illness that lasted for a few months. I am happy to report that all is well now.:-) I have been very busy in the garden and the kitchen. I was able to put up several quarts of tomatoes. Next week my mom is going to bring me some green beans and I hope to have several quarts of those. I have also had success making kefir and cream cheese. I made some of my salsa too. Here's the recipe:
Christy's Tomitilla Salsa
Tomitilla
Tomatoes
Red Onion
Cilantro
Lime juice
Salt
Garlic
Now cut up however much of the veggies you want. Season to taste with salt and lime juice. Cut up a cup of fresh cilantro and mix it in with the veggies and seasonings. Now enjoy with tortilla chips. If you have a lot of juice leftover freeze it and add it to chili or stews come winter.

I have done a wee bit of knitting lately too. I did my first heel on my first sock and I am very proud of it. It is a short row heel and not near as complicated as my mind tried to make it. Nap time is nearly over so I must leave. Be back soon...

Illness

2007-05-30T17:51:00.000-07:00

I have been in bed now for 5 days. I have had 6 totally natural childbirths and not spent this much time in bed all 6 times combined. I have honestly never been so sick in my life. I have pneumonia and strep throat. My sweet wonderful husband has really stepped up and done a wonderful job taking care of the kids. I am very lucky to have him in my life.

Sunnyside Up Please

2007-05-28T09:02:00.000-07:00

My sweet Dimitri is 3 years old and just teaches me so much about life that at times I feel overwhelmed with being the steward of his learning years. Yesterday he came to me and said eat. I was busy nursing his brother and told him just to wait a little bit and I would be right with him. I heard him go into the kitchen and then I heard the sound of pans. I thought he was just helping himself to the pasta on the stove because when he is hungry he wants his food pronto. So I figured well he took care of himself so that buys me a bit more time. When the little one was through nursing and taking a nap I went into the kitchen only to find two perfect eggs in a pan just waiting on me to cook them. What was so amazing is that he did not break the yolks and there was just a smidgen of eggshell in there. You see no one has ever told him that he cannot cook eggs so he was able to do at 3 what took me 30 years to learn or unlearn as the case may be. I realized that if no one puts limits on you then the world is without limitations. The beauty of it all is now he has that out of the way he is free to explore and learn so much more. He did not learn this by sitting in a sterile environment being told what it is he should be learning. He learned this by having a limitless environment where he can explore at will and try new things as he gets a whim too. The great thing is that no one calls a 3 year old fickle so he can change his mind and explore new things constantly instead of stagnating in a self imposed hell of I can only do one thing. I am 33 years old and a SAHM for now but some day I will be a nurse and a yoga instructor. I will paint silks and sew beautiful quilts. I will knit socks and see the world because I can learn from a 3 year old. As long as you believe it and can imagine it, it will be.

Got Yarn?

2007-05-16T15:03:00.000-07:00

I have new yarn!!!

The pink is Tahki Stacy Charles cotton classic and the other is knitpicks yarn. I am going to use the pink to make a cute little chirt from knitty.com for my 5 year olds next birthday. The other is to be socks and a winter hat. I am still not sure what patterns I will be using for them but I could not pass up the price. $1.99 and 2.99 a skein and I had to give it a go. :-) Now I should be working on the UFO's that I already have on the needles or should I go make dinner?

Our Next Project

2007-05-16T05:07:00.001-07:00

I am now embarking on teaching my daughter to sew.

I am very excited about this project. We will be doing the bunny from wee wonderfuls . These are the fabrics she picked out. The bunny print is a by Michael Miller, one of my favorite designers. The kicker is I am a novice sewer so this is going to be an interesting journey. I am hoping that we will be able to finish in a decent amount of time. I am amazed at how much I love to sew. More amazing is the fact that when I do get around to sewing I typically make up my own patterns. It is my dream to pass this excitement on to my girls because it is such a pleasure and such a boost to my confidence when I see what I am able to create. My project list is long and I know that I have enough fabric to last me decades. As with most things I put 200% into my obsessions so I went overboard on my stash. Luckily I have not gone as crazy with my yarn stash but that probably has more to do with lack of space than lack of desire. So lets not even get into my crossstitch stach. :-) Well the material is in the dryer drying so off to gather supplies in anticipation of starting a new project.

Spring is in the Air..

2007-05-16T05:07:00.000-07:00

We had a late frost this year that put us back to winter but the flowers are finally blooming and they are beautiful. This is one of my Peonies. I love these flowers. Well up until a big rain that turns them all to mush. :-) My tomato plants are doing great. I have about 40 this year and I plan to actually put some tomatoes up for the winter. I also have 4 onion plants. Yep the frost got most of those. I have a ton of garlic. Hopefully soon the weather will be warm enough to get the purple hull pinkeyes in the ground. I am well on my way to being a gardener. The first step in my quest to self sufficiency. The next step Raw Milk!!! That's this weekend and this time I get to get 5 gallons. I am hopping to be able to at least make a little butter or something with my milk this time. Last time we drank it all. MMMM it is good. Well the kids are up and my time has come to an end. At least this morning I got 30 minutes to myself before they got up.

Peace.

Another Knitter is born

2007-05-06T12:14:00.001-07:00

I got an earlier Mother's Day gift from my 8 year old daughter. She made me a glasses case. I am forever losing my glasses so not only is it practical it is also hand mde. Wonderful gift. She is really doing well with her knitting. I am so proud. Enjoy.

Picture Of New Yarn

2007-05-06T12:14:00.000-07:00

Here is the much awaited picture of my sock yarn that my husband mistook for chocolate:

Yummy isn't it.:-)

Gotta Love Yarn

2007-05-04T19:07:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I recieved some wonderfully wrapped yarn from Wear Your Art. My husband got a glimpse and thought it was chocolate. Nope for me it was even better it was sock yarn. It was wrapped so beautifully that he demanded he get to see it. Of course I got the yarn to knit him a nice pair of socks for Father's Day so he ruined his surprise. But let's face it I have 4 kids so he can expect them by Christmas at the earliest. This week was a great week for yarn in the mail. I also got some Aplaca yarn through my natural living swap group. It just might be my new favorite yarn. It is very soft and heavenly. Well I am going to give up hope for a bit on getting pictures up and will go ahead and post this so I do not have a naked blog. :-)