A Busy Start to the Summer

The past two weeks have been a bit of a roller coaster, hence no posts


Schools done which is awesome! For being on summer vacation for just two weeks we have done quite a lot. We have gone on a mini-road trip up to my mom's. I love going up to Bancroft, ON. It means I am super close to one of my happy places. It is a store called "The Shed" and it has the awesomest stuff. It has cool handcrafted furniture. It has awesome art work and the coolest wooden flowers. Each time I go up I buy some more flowers to grow my year round garden.

here are my latest purchases

On Canada Day we went to the movies (which is a rare occurrence for us), we got to splash around in a friends pool and then the older girls and my husband went to watch fire works. I stayed home with Miss P. and went to bed at a reasonable time.

Then on the weekend my church had a BBQ and then we went to some other friends new property and swam in their pool. (I don't think we will have to worry about not having a place to swim this summer!)

Then on Monday we went to Kiwanis Park to swim. Tuesday we went mini-golfing. Wednesday we went for a bike ride. Thursday we went to Music and Movies in Waterloo park. One of our favourite local entertainers, Erick Traplin, was the musical presenter. We always enjoy his sets. And the the movie we watched was Sponge Bob... definitely not my first choice, but the kids liked it.

Miss V waiting for the movie to start

There have also been trips to the library, the optometrist, other errands and hanging out. What a busy time!

the supersquad

Now we are trying to turn our focus to building the girls a little play house in the backyard and refinishing a part of the basement to make it our office/craft room. I will definitely have more posts on that coming up.

What fun things have you been doing this summer.

My Christmas Crafting Gifts

Well Merry after Christmas to you all! Was your Christmas exciting and relaxing and everything you wanted? I had a nice quiet Christmas. Once the girls had unwrapped their presents they basically disappeared for the rest of the day playing nicely with each other. They only surfaced when they were hungry, which, is pretty typical.

This mean I could relax and do my logic puzzle book in relative peace. With my favourite fourth child (aka my dishwasher) we were able to keep on top of the dishes and kept the counters and sink looking as sparse as can be.

This year we tried to keep toys to a minimum, as they all ready have a gazillion, and those gazillion drive me crazy. This mean a bit of crafting on my part. There was one Christmas project I didn't even get started, but I figure, I will save that for their birthdays!

This is one of the crafty presents I made. I got the idea from this blog.

I found these canvas letters at Michael's and then hot glued a layer of white/cream buttons down.

I then decorated them with colourful buttons, usually trying to hide any gaps the white ones might have left. It was fun making them. And I have never been so grateful for a glue gun before in my life. Those things are miracle workers and they rock!

I got the idea for the next gift from this blog and I got the pattern for the bag from this blog.

I meant to put this fort kit together for my own kids, but ran out of time and energy. This is the one that I sent to my brother in-laws family. When I am done with the holidays I will put one together for my own as well.

This fort kit is genius. There are always cushions missing and chairs being taken from the dining room, all in the effort of building the ultimate fort. The kids seem to always be asking me for blankets and moving them all over the house. It can be a little frustrating. While I don't want to burst their creative bubble, I don't always want my dining room chairs and my bedroom comforter used as their forts. In comes the fort kit. It has everything you could want or need in one convenient bag. They have dedicated sheets, ropes etc. to make the best fort ever, and best of all, my comforter stays where it belongs, on my bed!

I didn't bother adding the tabs to the sheets, as suggested in the patterns blog. I think it will work out with out them.

I hope you enjoy this next week of festivities! Have a very Happy New Year! See you in 2015

No, Because I Love You

from Toysrus UK website

Christmas is on Thursday. While I will be enjoying the quiet festivities of the day the lead up to it is not quite as enjoyable. And that is mostly to do with the stuff and me being a bit of a Grinch this year. I don't really want much for Christmas. And anything I do want is ridiculously practical. I would rather have a new faucet then some crazy bauble that I will have to dust. I don't need books as the library is amazingly awesome at satisfying my reading itch. I actually want less stuff than more. So perhaps a great Christmas present could be cleaning out on of the rooms that we haven't done yet (hint hint).

But that is just me. Unfortunately we have kids in the house. And while their lists are not crazy, they are still pretty long and I am like, I don't think so. This year we are trying to keep it simple but it can be hard, even when you are trying to be less consumeristic. It is also sometimes hard to explain to kids that they have sufficient when they see their friends given so much excess. 

This whole dynamic can be summed up in a conversation that took place in our vehicle a few weeks ago. We were driving home, after picking up my husband from work. Miss G. called from the back saying she had something to add to her Christmas list. When asked what it was she said, "A Frozen lunch bag". When you think about it, it's not that crazy of a request. It doesn't cost a fortune and it is useful. But, my response was that she couldn't have one because we love her. Then Miss V. said "I don't think you heard her right, she said she wanted a Frozen lunch bag for Christmas". I told them that I had indeed heard correctly and that the answer was still no, because we love her. Well that kind of confused them. What does it mean that I love Miss G. when I say that she can't have what her heart desires at that point in time?

We as parents and guardians have to say no sometimes. It sucks but it is necessary. We need our kids to know that just because something is beautiful or the current fad, doesn't mean that we need to go out and buy it. Miss G. has a perfectly functional and pretty cool looking lunch bag as it is. Why would we get a Frozen one when she already has one. Teaching our children to make do with what they have and, in a way, treasure what they have is so important. When all around them they see a consumer driven society it means we need to be ever vigilant of our consumer mindset. Does that mean we never buy things? No. But it means it should be a thoughtful purchase instead of in the heat of the moment. (That is something I need to work one. Oh, my magpie tendencies.)

Deciding what type of person we want to be correlates into the type of parent we want to be and the type of people we want to raise. While we love them and want them to have beautiful things in their life, we also need to give them the permission to say no to things, the blessing of saying no to things, the attitude of contentment with themselves. You don't need to say no to everything, but I think it is important that we are a little more selective about when we say yes and what we say yes to. Saying no, can often mean I love you.

12 Days of Decluttering 2014

For the past few years stores in Canada have been taking their cue from the stores in the United States and have been holding Black Friday sales. To me it seems a bit ridiculous, but then that's me. I just don't get why we have to copy things that are done in the U.S. especially since it isn't even a holiday weekend for us in Canada.

Right now, I am trying to limit the things that come into my house, so a sale on things, which is really trying to entice me to spend more and buy more things I don't need, and is merely a good deal, really doesn't thrill me. I guess I could be seen as being the antithesis of Black Friday, and that is o.k. with me.

As I have been thinking of the coming of the Christmas season and all that comes with it I have been thinking of my current junk and my lack of enthusiasm for doing anything with it. With Miss P. still not sleeping through the night I am tired. November is a blah month, where it isn't quite fall but winter hasn't quite set in yet. I find it the month of annoying transition, and I don't feel like doing much. But, Miss V. and Miss G. really want to get the Christmas stuff out and start the whole Christmas season.

Now I like Christmas as much as the next person. I love the music, the decorations, the baking and the lights. What I don't like is when my junk intrudes on the decorations and there is a mix of greenery and junk. It looks so horrible and detracts from the whole spirit of the season.

So with that in mind I have decided to launch the 12 Days of Decluttering and I am hoping you will join me.

What is the 12 Days of Decluttering? Well I'm glad you asked. This is something that shouldn't take a lot of time and add to the stress of the season. It should help you in the celebration of it. Every day for the first 12 days of December you will clean off one shelf, or organize one cupboard, or deal with stuff on one horizontal surface.

I am not asking you do clean out an entire bookshelf or your entire pantry. Just one small shelf. You can do that. This way your pantries will be ready for the baking, your horizontal surfaces will be ready for decorations, and hopefully you will have give away bags to take to your local thrift shop.

I will do my best to document my 12 Days of Decluttering. If you decide to join you can grab the button or leave a comment below. Let me know how you are doing with it. Share pictures of your success. Hopefully this will help all of us get out of this decluttering funk and help us be able to relax more during our Christmas time.

So you have the weekend to come up with your plan and then we start Monday December 1st. Have a great weekend!

Getting Inspired by the Past

This past Monday was a holiday here. We have a pass to the regional museum so we decided to go for the morning. They have a village there that is set for the time of 1914. It was fun to walk around and look at how they did things back then.

The girls liked seeing the old fashioned washing tub and ringer. They also liked playing the different games, like crokinole, horseshoes and the egg toss. They also gave walking on stilts a try. My husband was pretty good.

These pictures are from last year's Canada day. I really need to remember my camera!!

I liked going into the general store to see the different products in tins and how beautiful it looked. I also liked going into the old mennonite house and I was drooling over their cellar. It was beautiful with built in stone shelving for their preserves. I told my husband that it was my dream house, though I would prefer to have electricity, running water and a few other modern conveniences.

I also saw the chicken coop and run of my dreams. Right now the city doesn't allow chicken coops in our back yards but I am hoping that changes soon.

I like going to these "pioneer villages". It gives me inspiration for things I can do now to get back to the basics. It makes me want to make beautiful quilts for my home, get it organized so it can be productive and comfortable, and makes me want to reduce time spent using electronic devices and increase the time of actually living.

It also reminds me that these people did not have giant rooms or their own craft space or what have you and they were still able to be productive in their home. One of the houses in the village was a log cabin that had the kitchen and two smaller rooms on the first floor and then the attic for the children to sleep and play. This woman did have her own dedicated room for her sewing set up or her books or her craft storage. She made do with the room available. I need to do that too. Instead of moping about not having the space or not having the kitchen gadget I really want I need to just get on with it.

Living the simple life does not mean having to live without modern conveniences or like a pioneer. But we should be looking for ways to cut back, to come to grips with what is truly necessary to do in life and what will give us fulfillment and then concentrate on those things.

It has been a year since I started this blog. I am still looking for my voice, I am still trying to change how I do things to have a simple life, and I have had so much fun documenting what we are doing in little old Waterloo. I am excited for this next year of blogging and hopefully something I write will inspire you, help you, or just let you know that you are not alone. Thanks for dropping by this year. Please say hello in the comments, I love hearing from you.

I won't have a blog post next week as we are busy with holiday stuff, but I will be back on the 21st. I hope your August is enjoyable!

Christmas Is Here!

 Well, I can say without a shadow of a doubt the Christmas season is truly upon us. Last week was a whirlwind of ballet recitals, skating parties, and a kindergarten Christmas serenade. It was not definitely not a slowdown type of week, but it was fun!

On Friday my sister came over and taught me how to make homemade caramels. They are going to be gifts for my daughters' teachers. Man are they yummy. I think I will have to make another batch this weekend. Delectable. The recipe came from the Betty Crocker's Big Red Cookbook. You can also get the recipe here. Even though the recipe says to cut them in 1" squares, I would not make them that big. They are so rich, smaller is better.

My oldest daughter and I then wrapped them up in foil. I hope the teachers like them.

 On Saturday we got a steady falling of snow. In the morning I braved going out to run a few errands. I would say over the course of the day we got about a foot of snow! It meant a lot of shoveling, but I don't mind that. I like shoveling the snow. It is a full body workout. It is also nice and methodical, walking back and forth and throwing the snow on an ever increasing pile. My kids love climbing the snow mountains. Their winter games are so much fun.

 Sunday was spent getting ready for my middle daughter's Christmas Craft Day! She wanted a play date with a few of her friends. So I decided, why not a craft morning and treat day. All the crafts were really kid friendly and the treats were yummy. A big shout out goes to pinterest for some of the craft ideas. I tweaked them slightly, but it was great fun. The kids had a blast and the other moms had a great time too. It was a check for the awesome mom list. We need those every once and a while.

 Of course now my older daughter wants a craft day with her friends. I think I will want until after Christmas and then figure something out. It is hard having multiple kids, and making sure that they each get to do something fun. Of course they never remember all the great things they get to do when they see their sibling doing something fun. It can be frustrating, but I love them and we will work things out. Do any of you have ways that you keep both kids happy and feeling the love?

 Here are some pictures of the treat table. I made the flower arrangement myself at a church activity. It looks pretty nice for a first attempt if I do say so myself. The pine is real and smells heavenly! Also, here is a view from my wintry backyard.

Have a very Merry Christmas next week. Enjoy this time with family and friends! I will see you Boxing Day!

The Best Dessert for Thanksgiving!

I know I said that I would have the budget tutorial this week, but it isn't going to happen. Family life has been crazy and my level of sleep deprivation is at an all time high. I will for sure have it ready for next week.

Since it is Thanksgiving here in Canada I thought I would share what is now my all time favourite Thanksgiving dessert. Pumpkin Coconut cheesecake!

I first found this recipe in Chatelaine, an awesome Canadian magazine, in their October 2009 issue, I still have the paper copy and refer to it often. You can find the recipe online here. I will also give now below.

My one friend doesn't like pumpkin pie because she doesn't like things overly spiced. She can never tell what the pie will be like as each pumpkin pie is spiced differently, depending on who makes it. She loves this cheesecake though. So, if you are unsure about pumpkin pie, give this a try. Your taste buds will thank you.

from the chatelaine website

Ingredients
Crust

• 2 cups graham-cracker crumbs
• 11/2 cups toasted flaked coconut (I usually use unsweetened shredded coconut, as that is what I have on hand)
• 1/4 granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted

Filling

• 4 eggs
• 1 cup canned pumpkin puree (no spices added, just pumpkin)
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp ginger
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 8oz. pkg of regular cream cheese at room temperature
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup whipping cream
• 1 tsp vanilla

1. For crust, preheat oven to 325F. Lightly butter sides of bottom of a 10-in springform pan. In a bowl, stir crumbs with 1 cup toasted coconut, granulated sugar and butter until evenly moist. Press over bottom and partway up sids of prepared pan. Bake in centre of oven until edges are golden, about 10 minutes. Cool on a rack. Keep oven on.

2. Meanwhile..., whisk eggs in a large bowl. Then whisk in pumpkin, brown sugar and seasonings. Cut cheese into cubes and place in a [separate] large bowl. Using an electric mixer, beat in granulated sugar. Then beat in cream, vanilla and pumpkin mixture... until well mixed. Pour over warm crust.

3. Bake in centre of ...  oven until filling is almost set when pan is jiggled, 55 to 60 minutes. Place pan on a rack to cool. Immediately run a knife around inside pan edge to loosen curst and prevent cracking. When cooled to room temperature refrigerate until cold, at least 4 hours. Remove from pan. Sprinkle with remaining coconut.

ENJOY!