I have not been motivated to post lately. Perhaps because life is trudging along at a safe pace and is just normal. Not too busy, not too lazy. Simply summer. I have done a lot of sewing though. Venturing into the unknown world of making my own clothes. Here are my first two attempts and now I wonder why I have ever bought a skirt in my life. They are so easy and quick to make.

Hazel will be a year near the end of the summer however she still has yet to crawl! I'm in no rush! Her and Elizah "play" together all day long just fine with Hazel remaining in one spot and it makes my day more efficient not having to always wonder where she is or what she is getting into. Her hair has turning a beautiful strawberry blondish brown. Can we say Aunt Sarah?

I am often flooded with thoughts of Elizah's education. This is the year I will begin "preschool like" activities with her preparing her for kindergarten. At times I feel inadequate and unsure about what would be best to be doing with her, but I just have to put those thoughts behind me and go with my gut. She is so physical and I feel this is how she learns best right now as well as any 2 almost 3 year old. Motherhood is always challenging in new ways. One's which I have never experienced before and now I must undertake another level which is what I have been doing all along. Training. It will just begin to manifest itself in different ways. Here is Elizah slinging her rabbit.

The Golden Egg

Whenever I make dough or pie crust or anything I have to roll out Elizah has to make her own creation with what's left over. This is her contribution to the kitchen most times. Sometimes I sprinkle it with cinnamon and sugar or drop some blueberries on it and bake it. So, I have made her an official dough squeezing apron. Her creativity inspires me and helps me to let go in the kitchen and be okay with flour being everywhere and dough globs on the floor. She is exploring and creating and that is far valuable than a clean kitchen. Just one of the few lessons she has taught me.
The apron isn't our only creation lately though. Yes, we have had our first egg! It is so tiny and cute and we are so proud of it. I was so thankful for that egg that I almost didn't care of the chickens pooped all over my patio. (By the way if anyone knows how to keep them off without putting a fence around it let me know. It's driving us crazy!!) At last I don't have to buy eggs anymore. In fact yesterday I wanted to make a pound cake but didn't have enough eggs. I waited and kept checking and waited and waited and finally there was one so into the kitchen I went and out of the oven came blueberry pound cake.

This is Elizah roasting her first marshmallow for her first smore. Camping always causes us to have many firsts. Like the first time Hazel has slept on my chest for two nights in a row or the first time my husband and I have bathed in the creek while our girls sat on the bank wondering why we were trembling as we splashed freezing snow water on ourselves. Trying to get clean while camping is absolutely in vein. Dirt is everywhere so we might as well embrace it and have fun in it. Also, the first time I woke up and couldn't walk because I was so sore from hiking almost ten miles throughout the weekend with Hazel on my back.

Before we had children, Josh and I were backpackers and now that aspect of our lives seems to be on hold until our kids get a little older. So we have replaced it with car camping. It's not what we prefer, but sometimes we just need to get away from society and out where we can see 1,000 stars and hear the babbling brook all night and be awakened by the singing birds and the sunshine. We felt like the girls were just happier too. It was so nice and my brother, sister-in-law and their son joined us for a night which was a joy to see our kids running around filthy and having the time of their lives!

We bought Elizah a little kitchen table so she could eat at and do art or paint or whatever. Little did I know that she would want to eat all her meals at the little table and not care to eat with us any longer. Hmmm....I'll have to think of something. I made these place mats so she could set her place herself and at the same time learn where the various items are placed on the table. This has been a huge help. She now has a bottom shelf of the pantry where all of "her" dishes are kept so she can get them and just set it herself. I got the idea after reading an article about Montessori (my sister-in-law is really into it). The idea that kids can do a lot more than we give them credit for and thus should be taught to be independent in what they can do. It's way more complex than that but I guess that's the idea behind the place mat creation. She also has a little pitcher filled with water so she no longer has to ask me twenty times a day for water. She can just get herself a cup from her shelf and open the fridge and pour herself a cup of water. She loves the independence and thrill of doing it herself. The fabric I used is from Moda Fabrics.
I love most of their prints.

What a crafty day! I also made this new cover for my KitchenAid mixer because of the continual dust that makes it's home in my bowl. I like the way it came out and it fits my kitchen well. This fabric is from Maywood Studio. We are off to go camping this weekend and it should be a wonderful adventure. Hiking, bathing in the creek, campfires, dirty babies and instant cook oatmeal. When we come back we will probably need a vacation. That's usually how camping is with children right? Have a great independence day celebration!

This year for my garden my sister-in-law convinced me to make a square foot garden. I have been able to plant so much in such a small area. I love it! Thank you Bekah. It looks beautiful and delicious! We have tons of lettuce, cherry tomatoes, large tomatoes, okra, cucumber, yellow squash, pole beans, bush beans, beets, carrots, scallions, basil, coriander, marigolds, nasturtiums, bell pepper and so on...can you believe that all fits in two 4x4 square blocks? I don't even have to take a trip to the farmers market anymore.
It is so hot here that none of us feel like eating much. There's something about the heat that does that to you. It zaps your appetite. It's a good thing for me though because I can just pick what is ripe in the garden and eat that with homemade bread. Voila', a delicious garden meal! It's so cute to watch Elizah to go pick tomatoes for dinner too. I am thankful though that the climate does allow pretty much anything to grow almost year round here. I really can't complain.

We try to give each other alone time and this was my husband's last week. Yes this was his superman sheet when he was probably Elizah's age. Some things never change. I think when he uses it he feels sort of like a baby in his mothers arms; secure. I am so thankful for him. He is an amazing father of our two daughters. He is such a present and intentional father towards them. He plays, changes, disciplines, teaches, prays, cleans, clothes, cooks, reads to, makes them laugh so hard and so much more. I am indebted to this man for all he does for us and am thankful for all he is. Thank you Joshua you are an amazing father!


Summer is officially here!. It is so hot that even I have ran through the little blue elephant sprinkler yelping with joy for the little relief from the heat. We even broke down and bought a kiddie pool. I know, I know, nothing screams suburban track home like a little, blue, plastic kiddie pool. And ever since we bought it I have been struggling with that. Elizah is at the coast with my mother and grandparents for the whole week! This is the longest she has ever been away and I was quite reluctant, but when my mother suggested I would be able to sleep in past 5:15 am I latched on. What can I say? I am a selfish being. It's true though I slept until 8:30 this morning. I have not done that for almost three years. I also want her to be able to spend as much time with her great grandparents as possible. I want her to glean from them (as much as she can at 2 years old) and I want her to remember them. Most children do not have the opportunity to know their great grandparents as she does.

My Uncle was a very kind man who seemed to know something about every subject. He loved children, but especially babies. Some years we would toast to different things and he would toast to "more babies". He was a visionary and had new ideas. He was loved by so many. He was an extremely hard worker and instilled a strong work ethic in his children. He seemed to have so many dreams and aspirations of which remain only dreams now. He went to be with the Lord on May 20, 2008. I know there will be a great void in my families lives during the days and years to come. Saying goodbye to a child, spouse or father has to one of the steepest mountains one has to climb in life. Thank you Randy for your life and your interest in building a relationship with Jesus Christ.

My husband grew up in Vermont so we just got back from our annual vacation there. It was so beautiful! The apple trees and lilacs were just beginning to bloom. The trees were all different shades of green. It almost looked like fall except with a different color scheme,and it was cold. Elizah played, and played, and ran, and ran outside everyday with her cousins. (Yes, I'm sure that's something Elizah had to get used to as we live in suburbia with a small backyard.) We were able to spend a lot of time with Nicki (who is an awesome mom) and her three kids. We enjoyed being there so much and would love to live there.

We also took a side vacation to Maine with Josh's Sister Bekah and her Husband Toby's family. We stayed on Schoodic Point which is across from Bar Harbor. We were able to do some hiking, which was more like taking walks, because of the little ones. The scenery there was stunning and the cost line so jagged and rocky. We steamed the largest lobsters I have ever seen and then gorged ourselves! We had a great time.
This is on the top of Cadillac Mountain in Arcadia National Park overlooking Bar Harbor.



Hazel and Phare, who just turned 1, are three months apart and were so cute together grabbing and pulling at one another. They don't even know it yet but they are going to be great friends. Bekah is so nurturing and attentive to her needs. It was encouraging to watch her love and care for Phare.

We are so looking forward to visiting our family in Vermont that we've been prepping Elizah for our upcoming trip. Joshua took this video yesterday of them talking about it.

Where has all the creativity gone?

I think at some point most of my creativity was snuffed out of me. I don't know if this is part of growing up or if the school system does it to us. I can remember painting and coloring almost everyday in 3rd grade, but then it turned to sports and academics. For this reason, art and creativity had become obsolete in my life. The great thing about being a Mom though is that in so many ways I get to be a kid again. There is so much creativity which is innately in our children. This is something we should encourage and nurture through the years. There are also so many opportunities in the home to be creative too. At times I just can't help myself. Whether it be cooking, or meeting basic needs that arise. My friend Kristin and I were talking about how both our babies drool so we decided to make bibs for them. So, here are mine and this is Elizah's latest art piece. I cut a part of it out and made it into a colorful card for a fellow toddlers' birthday.

Parenting can be so difficult, but how can I be down when this face greets me in the morning? Really! Don't children bring such great joy to our lives? I try to remember that when I am in the middle of disciplining. Just because Elizah is telling me NO or being defiant I still need to act in love towards her. This becomes a very difficult task for me. "A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger." Proverbs 15:1. The relevancy of God's word for all situations is undeniable. I know that when I get angry, she gets angry and no training is accomplished. Just a momentary modification to her behavior. The truth of this verse allows me to be able to learn to control myself in the midst of teaching Elizah to control herself. Now I just need to recall this verse the next time I have to correct her behavior (which will probably be in about 10 minutes). I love what author Ginger Plowman says on this issue. "The simple truth is that all kids are sinners and will manifest sinful behavior. The question is not: Will they sin? The question is: When they sin, what will you do about it? Will you ignore them, scream at them, make excuses for them, or will you train them up in the way they would go?". What a great reminder.

This morning as we ate our breakfast we watched the girls one by one perch up on top of the box. I think it's their way of saying that they need more space. They are so funny. They just sit up there and watch us with curiosity. We have moved them outside during the days but keep them in at night because I think it's still to cold for them. Then I went for a run by the river and made a picnic lunch for Josh. I met him at his work and we went to a park. Picnics are so refreshing. Instead of going somewhere to eat lunch under florescent lights. We lounged on the grass watching all the cars zoom by going to make more money or spend money or whatever. Sometimes we just need to slow down and take a break from rushing or from our "TO DO" lists. I know I struggle with this and become so task oriented. This was a good reminder.

Granola again?

Yes... granola again!! Today is Granola making day as we are almost out. We have granola most mornings in our home because it is healthy, I know what's in it, it's easy to make, and our house smells like a bakery while it's in the oven. I have adapted this recipe from the cookbook More With Less. So here's the recipe. We have it with milk sometimes or with yogurt and fruit or warm or as a snack. It's wonderful!

Preheat oven to 350
6c. old-fashioned rolled oats
1/2 C. Wheat Germ
1/2 C. Dry Powder Milk
1/2 C. Chopped nuts
3/4 C. Shredded sweetened Coconut
3/4 C. Dried Fruit (cranberries, raisins, currents, whatever)
2/3 C. Oil
2/3 C. Honey
1 t. Vanilla


Put oats in 9 x 13 pan and bake for 15 minutes. Remove from oven and add dry ingredients. Stir. Then add oil and vanilla. Stir. Then add honey and stir. Bake in 5 minute increments stirring after each for 15 minutes. Set out untouched until completely cool. Then break up and put in airtight container.

Not only is Easter the highest point of the Christian year in the celebration of our Savior's birth, but it has always been remembered as a day to spend with family as well. I have so many memories of riding horses and falling off, playing volleyball, or trying to be the lucky kid to find the golden egg my grandmother would meticulously hide during the egg hunt. My memories are filled with days like these and that is the benefit of having a large family and living near them all. They become your support group, your best friends, your children's best friends, your critiques and your advisers. Relationships forged with them are like no other. We look forward to the day when we can form these memories with our family in Vermont as well. It is hard not being near them now, but we know it is just a season of our lives.

We have finally decided to feed Hazel something other than breast milk. I wanted to feed her something sweet and creamy sort of like breast milk. So, I mashed up some banana until it looked like snot and said "ooooopen uuuup". She was not amused and as the spoon touched her tongue I saw a look of pure fear in her eyes. Why I ask myself am I feeding this person who cannot pick it up with her own hands, does not have teeth to chew it, spits it out and dislikes the experience all together? All of these things working against me and sabotaging my efforts. This stage is such a short amount of time that I am tempted altogether to skip it in anticipation of the day when she can pick up her own glob of food and stick in in her own mouth. Did God really intend for a baby to eat solid food at 6 months? I doubt it.

Love with Abandon

It's refreshing to take a trip and have it consist of people rather than places. This past weekend we visited old friends in Southern California. I miss them dearly and wish we still lived near them. Each of their lives are changing so much and they are all growing into great people and people we want to raise are children with. This weekend really caused me to think of how little I consciously make it appoint to love people. Yet as Christians this should be our goal. To love others self-sacrificially. How much I want to be this person and desire that to be my goal with people. Instead so many times I find myself focusing on myself and my family alone. So many others in our family and friends have loved us in this way and I want to return this love. I am thankful to each of our friends! They are wonderful people who have enriched our lives beyond our expectations. We love you and we miss you!

This morning Elizah pulled at my leg "the pieces, the pieces" wanting to read The Missing Piece. This is by far one of our most ritualistic activities. In fact I think Elizah would have me do nothing else but read to her all day long if I agreed to it. I have begun to think about what sort of schooling we will provide for Elizah. I am in great conflict over this and have no idea what we will choose. I know that here I don't want to put her in public school because of the poor education she will receive and the private schools seem for the elite and I would love to home school, but I don't want to unschool. I want to give her my time and attention. Can I really do that with other babies in the house? There are so many people with strong convictions in this area and I really have none. I was sent this link and thought it was an interesting perspective. In fact this got me thinking about what we will do because the time will pass so quickly and before we know it she will be ready for her first day of kindergarten.

Spring is here

The air is fresh, the flowers are in bloom, and the birds sing their song. Everything is alive again! Yesterday I planted flowers all day and laid in the grass with the girls. They seem more cheerful now again as they are able to play outside. Elizah asked if she could join me for tea and I quickly obliged although she didn't drink any of it. A cup of tea in the afternoon is like the calm in the storm of songs, activities, snacks, cleaning, calming, playing, rocking and teaching. A must every day.

Our Daily Bread

Having young children is a great time to start good habits that will hopefully carry on to them. Most of the time though my intentions are good but I fail to carry through with them. Like, I have been trying to wake up at 5:00 every morning to have some quiet time before the house wakes up, but I have yet to crawl out of bed at that wee hour. However, one way I have been intentional is how I nourish my family. Not only spiritually but physically. I want to know what is in the food I'm eating and where it came from. Bread is so expensive to buy and so cheap to make! So, for about a year now I have been making all the bread we eat (except for the occasional croissant I can't resist) but up until about three weeks ago it was all by the bread machine which yielded a good but dry bread. Many times homemade 100% whole wheat bread has a strange strong yeast flavor that is so dense you have to drink a gallon on milk to get it down. I came upon the best 100% whole wheat bread recipe I have ever had here. It is delicious. I have the mixer kneed it for me and it's a cinch. It's a great way to get the kids involved in the kitchen too if you don't mind less than exact measurements and flour on, in, and over everything. Oh what joy this season of life brings.

I've Stopped Dreaming

I don't know why it has taken me this long to blog but I guess it's the inevitable continuum from the old tattered journal. I have the urge to catch you up on things, but I will resist and begin with today. Today I will take risks rather than dream about them. For a long time I have been in a waiting mindset. Waiting to educate my children until I go back to school or waiting to grow my own garden until we have more land or waiting to plant flowers until we own a home. This new beginning has many potentials and the first are these three chicks: Maple, Mable and Model. We will have our eggs in a few months and it will be wonderful. We have had to sort of learn as we go, but hey they are still alive! Yes, we live in the suburbs and yes, we have a small backyard but that won't stop us. I want to begin now living out these dreams.