"Hunting"

Yesterday Erik only worked a part day so we took the kids to Tillamook to get a few new pairs of rubber boots, had lunch at Denny's (Hannah and Ivan still had their gift certificates from the library summer reading program) and then came back up to Nehalem to go "hunting".

I was the only one who "shot" anything.

It was a gorgeous day and the views where amazing. No views of deer though. I think the deer heard us coming a mile away (at least).



Marilyn was hunting in style. The pink sunglasses only lasted so long though, and then they ended up in my pocket.


Clayton was the proud person in charge of the binoculars. I believe he is explaining to me the art of sighting deer. And he's wearing a tie with his sweatshirt. Now that is classy hunting wear.

We hiked down through some forest.


All the while looking for deer sign. Marilyn pouted because she wasn't quite sure that hiking through brush much taller than herself was any fun and momma wouldn't hold her.


The kids got really good at spotting deer prints, poop and rubs.

While Marilyn made sure that someone was still paying attention to her pouting and non-joining-in-ness.


And Ivan tried to hide like the deer.


We made it out of the trees to the logging road we drove up and started hiking back up to the van. Marilyn became the party responsible for the binoculars and as a result she and I lagged considerably behind the others.

But I eventually picked her up and made it back up the hill.


Erik had taken the boys hunting Saturday night and Sunday morning during Children's Corner at church the question was asked, "Does anyone know what time of year it is? What season?"
To which Clayton very promptly and loudly announced, "Deer!"

Looking forward to many more hikes in the future.

Projects

My fingers have been happily hooking with my crochet hook for weeks now.

I don't know if it's the fall weather or what but projects and ideas for projects have been swirling in my brain for weeks now and I start to go crazy if I don't release some of them.

So here are the projects that have left my hook:

A baby blanket for my new nephew William Heath Dante:
(Sorry I don't have a picture of the baby, I haven't met him yet.)


A little hat and booties for a friend's baby...

A blanket that I made for simple reason I wanted to try the pattern and I had a bunch of cotton yarn that I don't remember the project I collected it for in the first place. Love this one. The colors make me happy.


I suppose that doesn't look like tons when it's laid out like this but I've also been quilting like crazy. It helps that our church has started up a "sewing circle" on Monday nights and it's at a time that I can go. I've loved having Monday nights to sit and drink tea and work on projects while visiting with some of the women of our church.

Peanut Butter

This choosy mother does not choose Jif when it comes to peanut butter.

But I do hate stirring peanut butter. For awhile now we've been buying Kirkland Signature Organic Peanut Butter from Costco. It's in smaller containers than the Costco Adams peanut butter so it makes for easier stirring. I mean, slightly easier though still difficult, annoying and messy stirring.

I hate stirring peanut butter. Oh wait, I already said that. And usually there's always a clump that didn't get stirred in, or you didn't quite get to the bottom of the jar so the end scrapings of peanut butter are dry. I've even tried those lid stirrers that they sell with the mixing wand-thing attached...yeah, doesn't work so well unless you buy little tiny jars of peanut butter (I don't).

Enter my mother, "Oh, I just dump the whole jar into my kitchen aid and mix it for a few minutes and then pour it back in the jar."

So thinking my mother brilliant, last time I was at Costco I picked up Adam's Peanut Butter in the big jar; saved myself a whole dollar (which, when you're shopping with a calculator and hoping to squeeze out a few dollars to buy that school work book for your kids in the book section of Costco, is huge) and I got more ounces of peanut butter to boot.

Today, I dumped the whole jar of peanut butter in my kitchen aid mixer and used the dough hook. Turned it on. Left it for a few minutes. Came back to perfectly mixed peanut butter. Poured it back into the jar and the mixer bowl was an easy clean up.

I think my mother is brilliant.

And not just 'cause she knows how to mix peanut butter.

Wool Dresses and Vests

Wool vests and dresses finished, worn, and loved; though Ivan thinks his vest needs pockets.


"I want a picture, my baby in my tummy." - Marilyn
'No, please put the baby down and stand with Hannah."


Um...where's Marilyn?


Uh-oh, Daddy took the baby doll away.



"Hey look, it's a earth!"


"Nope, that's the moon."
"Oh."

Wigs

Take a good long look at this picture. It was taken at the Ecola Retro Party when Erik was AD dorm RA. Hannah found this picture in the "junk" drawer yesterday.

"Mom, were you wearing a wig?"

"Yep."

"The wig you let Aunt Mindy borrow?"

"Yep."

"Is daddy wearing a wig?"

"Nope, his hair really looked like that."

"Wow, he had a lot of hair on his chest."

"Okay, um...well that was a wig."


It's nice to know we've grown up a little since THAT retro party...

"sing me sleep" - Miss Moddy

Most nights my precious kiddos ask me to sing them a few songs while they are laying in their beds awaiting sleep.
Some nights I do.
Some nights I say, "Sorry but Momma is tired tonight."
Tonight I was exhausted.
But tonight I sat in the girls' room and sang and watched the eyes of my littlest slowly close. And the eye's of my oldest peer down from the top bunk and her mouth sometimes form the words with me. The words of the old hymns that I love and words of scripture that my dad has put to music.
And as I left their room I heard my eldest boy whisper, "Mom, can you sing US some songs?"
Life's not fair, but tonight I played fair and went and sat down on a bed and sang the same songs once more for the boys.
And it hit me in a new way.
I get to sing blessing and words of truth over my kids right before they slip off to sleep.
It's an honor and a privilege.
And I got goosebumps.