EKjourney Backup

Brighton has taken to saying, "Cheeee" whenever I get out the camera and then of course has to give me an unnatural and goofy cheese smile. I got some new needle felting wool from Felt Alive.  It is lovely stuff and I must say, needle felts up better than roving.  Sawyer had been begging me to let him felt.  He put on this brown button up shirt so he could "look more like an artist".   Playdough  If I were to ever design children's wear, my designs would have reinforced knees!  Cookie cutter playdough  This child is into everything!  Yesterday was the first day in many that we managed to keep the door to the bathroom closed and Glorielle out of the toilet.   Brighton is terrified of the crocodile at the zoo.  I made him a playdough crocodile and a snake.  They fought one another many times and then crocodile became more ferocious by growing spines. Adventure in dying wool: Wet wool soaking in an alum solution.  Yellow onion ski...

I love love love long weekends!  My most favorite time, my most cherished time, is when we are together as a family.  We guard this togetherness, it is a top priority for us!  I love a weekend morning, knowing that we have a whole day to spend together - adventuring, working, playing! Phil had this past Friday off so we took a drive up to Newberg, to visit a spinning and weaving shop.  I got a pair of hand carders.  I am still waiting for the majority of my wool to dry but I have made a few rolags (carded wool, rolled into a small tube that can be spun).  I am not very good!  I am hoping that practice will bring some efficient and even results! Saturday, we picked free apples through Salem Harvest.         We met friends and the children had blast running through this overgrown, mossy, blackberry filled, muddy orchard.  Paradise for sure! It was a beautiful place.     Apples and our makeshift wool drying rack  We...

I always keep a child friendly drawer for little ones to get into.  It used to have toys but now it has cups and heavy hard-to-break plates.   We went elderberry picking and the girls processed all the elderberries!    I got 9 pints of elderberry jam.  I used a "spiced" recipe I found online.  Unfortunately, the results were not edible!  I would like to try again with a different recipe.    Cuteness  Vienna  Skirted wool  Washed, and drying outside on the laundry hanger  Hand twisted yarn  Beautiful mornings, porch view

Field trip day at Bauman Farms!  Grammy and Grampy met us there.  We went on a hay ride, got to pick out pumpkins, gourds, and Indian corn, watched apple cider being made, petted farm animals, played, and had a picnic lunch. So many choices!      Somehow Sawyer managed to get a nice bloody scratch on his wrist.  I was prepared with bandaids and wipes only they were in the stroller parked at the entrance!      The children know all about cider pressing since they help at Grammy and Grampy's annual pressing party!  Waiting to taste fresh cider.    Petting Zoo    Maaaa  It was really windy!!  Climbing      Glorielle spent most of the visit happy as can be on Mommy's back except for lunch in the stroller.