EKjourney Backup

Here is a little peek into the Family Thanksgiving Feast.  I got the camera out for only a short while and the children were running around and playing so I didn't catch up with them.   My mom always puts on such a beautiful table and a delicious spread.  I love that our Thanksgiving dinners are a mix of traditional as well as non traditional.  The turkey was cooked in the Wood-fire oven with tamarind, cumin, ginger, smoked paprika, garlic under the skin and served with two different quince chutneys.  There was the traditional cranberry sauce with orange, cranberries and honey.  The side dishes were sauteed spinach with blue cheese and hazelnuts, a fresh green salad, mashed cauliflower and potato with mustard and bacon, fermented carrots, plus the hors d'oeuvres of olives and smoked salmon.  Desserts were crustless pumpkin pie and apple tart. Poor Phil has been sick the entire vacation and his throat was so sore that he didn't even eat dinner.  (A...

I am so blessed to be Sawyer's mother!  As my children grow older, it is such a pleasure getting to know them, watching their personalities develop, teaching them, and spending time with them.  Sawyer is such an inquisitive minded boy.  He is sensitive, kind, smart, and funny.  He has my sense of humor and wit.  I not only love this boy but I really like him too! One decade ago...did this little tiny 7 pound baby turn into a big 10 year old boy?  In another decade, Lord willing, will this tiny baby be a 20 year old man?  Time stand still!!!!! All of my birthday banners and streamers are missing so I made a little sign and hung balloons.  The menu was store bought cold cereal for breakfast, caramel popcorn for lunch, and Thanksgiving dinner for dinner. Ready to open gifts as soon as everyone woke up. Look at this sweet face! Trekking poles from Dad and Mom. Birthday well wishes Still trying to wake up. Where are my trekking poles? Next up on for a ...

Two weeks or so ago, my friend Ronda contacted me about making her a crochet shawl.  She had a dress in mind for a formal occasion as well as wanting something that could be everyday.  She sent me a few pictures and I set to work on a pinterest search for patterns and inspiration.  I found several possibilities and we dialed it in more specifically to a rectangular shape with an "open weave" pattern.   Next came the yarn selection.  I went down to the local yarn shop and looked through all the off white yarn.  I had hoped to find something big and chunky or thick and thin but nothing seemed suited to the project.  In the end, I picked out a lovely single ply yarn made of wool, alpaca, and silk that was just the right color of creamy white.  It could see the project taking an elegant spin rather than being someone arsty funky.  I liked it so much I put all the skeins that they had on hold.  I bought a few other skeins so Ronda could have ...

Just a long slow and a somewhat boring and blah lull here at the end of November. It seems like I spent the entire week after our trip to Seattle just catching up on chores and caring for sick children and this past week was a continuation of that.  Sawyer came down with another ear infection.  He has never had two ear infections back to back, not even two ear infections in one year.   We finished up our homeschooling co-op Fall Term with our last class and a party.  (Only the 3 older children went because of the sickies).  People with home business were invited to bring in their items and set them up on a table.  I wasn't going to do but at the last minute brought my trees, clips, color wheels, wands, felted bowls, etc.. and set up a table.  No one bought anything.  Sigh.... We have missed several days of homeschool due to sick children.  Sawyer slept an entire day, from breakfast to dinner.  I decided to do school this week even though...