The Unexpected Cut

I'd been thinking about Ellie's hair. After the big girls' hair cuts, I realized that hers also needed a cut, but I wasn't sure just what to do, so I waited. Evidently, I waited too long, so she decided to take matters into her own hands:

Sigh. These photos just don't do it justice - it's horrible. All my kids have cut their hair at one time or another, but it was always fixable; a small chunk, down low. Not this time - there are parts in the front where her hair isn't even an inch long.

I had a go at fixing it:

It's better, but still obviously not right. Oh, well. Thankfully, this is the season of sunhats...

The Family Funnies Book

We have a book that we started when Abi was small - the Family Funnies Book. In it, we record some amusing things that happen or are said by members of the family (namely, but not exclusively, the children). What kind of things? Well, things like:

• 
  
  2 Oct '05 - Abi appears in the doorway of our bedroom, hands on hips with a disapproving look on her face and asks, "Who did this?", referring to the mess she made in her room.


• 
  
  April 7, '07 - Driving past a field, Kelly says, "Oh, look - 'moo-cows'." Toby laughs, to which Kelly says, "Oh yeah, I forgot the girls weren't in the car. I don't need to do 'toddler speak'". Toby laughs harder. "No, dear," he replies. "I'm laughing because those are horses."


• 
  
  July '08 - Kelly is preparing dinner when Abi walks in wearing a beaver's mask. "Mommy, what can I do to help?", she asks. "I don't know. What can a beaver do to help?", Kelly responds. "Well, I can chuck wood."


• 
  
  Oct 23, '10 - Praying with the older girls before bed, and after they had been particularly wild, Toby prayed that God would settle their hearts after being particularly rambunctious. Anna prays, "Dear God, I pray that you would tell me what rambunctious means..."


• 
  
  Dec 14, '10 - According to Ellie, one day she will be married, Dan will be married and Noah will be a pirate. Noah was very excited by this idea.

I love this book. The kids love this book. They love the idea that they were little and did and said silly things that cannot remember. They often pull the book out to read to guests (and can't understand the lack of interest). I love it because there is no way I can remember all this stuff on my own, but to have all these funny stories written down brings it all back to me. Plus, it's a much more manageable means of recording childhood (for me, anyway) than scrapbooking or trying to keep up with those tyrannical baby books.

A suggestion - if you don't have one, pick up a cheap hardback book or composition book - maybe cover it, maybe not - and record a few things that spring to mind. Then wrap it up, write a card, and present it to your husband or father for Father's Day. And be prepared to keep adding to it - memories are always the best gifts.

It must be summer

Summer hair cuts - before...

...and after

Broom's Bloom

Not to mention the garden growing, swimming, picnics, BBQ and my personal favorite - air conditioning!

'Tis the season...

...for shorts! It's been so warm recently that the kids have been getting through all 3 pairs of their shorts faster than I can wash them. That means that the sewing machine (along with the washing machine) has been busy.

Made out of an old skirt made unwearable by a hole, I cut the pieces out near the bottom, so I didn't even have to do any hemming.

These were for Anna - the top pair made with normal elastic in a casing, the bottom pair made with the delightful Fold Over Elastic. Good stuff.

You can make them out of the basic cotton or denim, or repurpose an old T-shirt or even an old adult skirt (which is what I did for Abigail's shorts, top). Repurposing means less junk lying around, extend life and usefulness, and less cash outlay. All good stuff.

I like Noah's pair, but I realize now that he really doesn't have much in the way of shirts that match. Not that that has ever stopped him before.
Ellie's are jersey with fold over elastic.
Dan's top pair are made with bottomweight fabric from my stash and the bottom pair are made with leftovers from the Lily Pants (more fold over elastic here).
Yes, that is Eleanor's nose in Daniel's backside. I have no idea why she would do this.
Yes, he really does love mud.

So you know, shorts are a very easy, very inexpensive thing to make yourself. Really. Once you've done it a time or two, you can put together a pair in under an hour. (That's pretty quick when you factor in diaper changes and emergency lifts out of the tree house.)

Lily Pants

So, a while back, my friend showed me a pair of pants on Etsy and asked if I could make something similar. I was up for a challenge, so I thought I'd give it a try.

Here's what I came up with - The Lily Pants.

I promise, they're really not lopsided - getting a good photo was really difficult!

I'm really excited because this has been my first "commission" project, and definitely one of my first "designs".

Made of tobacco-colored linen with an elastic waist and purple rosettes at the gather for some extra pretty.
I'm rather pleased with how they turned out, and even Toby suggested I make some for our own girls. Don't be surprised if they turn up in my own Etsy store!

Warm Weather Dessert

You don't hear too much about the lowly parfait anymore, but I'm suggesting a comeback. For one thing, it's pretty. The aesthetic pleasure goes a long way, I think.

It's seasonal - all those berries ripening up are put to excellent use here, and you don't need a lot of them.

It's quick - we're talking about layering yogurt (vanilla is best, use low/no fat for calorie counting), fruit and granola. Do it till the dish is full. That's it. No hot ovens to deal with.

It's healthy - almost everything is low or no fat. I use my own granola recipe, but almost any granola you enjoy will do.

And the wine glasses? They just make me feel like a grown up...

Please share any yummy summer dessert suggestions!

Tea for Anna

This has been done for quite a while - I can't believe I haven't shared yet!

Done in the same yarn as my own Tea Leaves, this mini version is the same size as Abigail's - sharing is almost inevitable.

Some changes: I didn't do the decreases in the arm. No need. And I lengthened the arms, as well. She'll be able to wear it longer, especially since she'll get no use out of it at all for the next few months...

I've also learned that I love wooden buttons. They're cute and sturdy, standing up to washing, playing and tugging. And they match almost anything.

I love this pattern (I may have mentioned this before!). I suppose it'll be Ellie's turn next, though I think I'll wait a few months until it's needed. :)

Yummy Ugly Cake

Last night, I was in a baking kind of mood, and since the bananas on the counter had reached a "use 'em or chuck 'em" state, I dug out a recipe for banana cake. I'd never made it before, though I've made banana bread before, but never the sort you'd ice.

Now, I love to bake, and I'm pretty good at it, too. I've had my share of disasters, but they are fortunately not the norm. So I was a little surprised to pull my 2 little cake pans out of the oven to find that both centers had sunk a bit. Usually I'd blame that on the kids running through the kitchen, but since it was about 9.30pm, that option was unavailable to me.

Once it was finally cool, I started icing it, and oh. dear. As much as I like to bake, I seem to be generally rubbish when it comes to icing things. I can never seem to get it uniform and smooth and without loads of crumbs smeared throughout. By the time I was through with this sucker, it looked as if someone had tried to eat it and cover up the missing bits.

However, it was unanimously voted the best banana cake any of us had ever had. Those of us who don't like banana bread loved it, and even the dessert snob (that would be Eleanor), who turns her nose up at pretty much anything but ice cream and cookies, inhaled her piece. So, I am pleased to share with you the recipe for the Yummy Ugly Cake (aka Banana Cake), found here.

2 cups sifted all purpose flour

1tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1/8 tsp nutmeg

1/2 cup butter or veg shortening

1 1/2 cup sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

1 1/4 mashed ripe bananas

2/3 cup buttermilk or plain yogurt

1/2 cup toasted chopped walnuts (optional - these would probably be great, but some kids have "views" on nuts in their food)

1. Grease and flour well 2 round cake pans.

2. Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and nutmeg.

3. Separately, cream butter. Slowly add sugar and beat till fluffy. Add eggs one at a time. Add vanilla. Add flour mixture alternately with bananas and buttermilk and mix until smooth and blended. Add nuts if using.

4. Spoon batter into pans and bake at 350 for 25-30 min. Cool for 10 min, remove from pan and cool completely before adding...

Vanilla Frosting

4 tbsp butter, 2 tsp lemon zest, 3 cups sifted confectioners' (icing) sugar, 2 to 3 tbsp cream or milk, 1 tsp vanilla.

1. Beat butter and lemon until creamy. Gradually add half of the sugar, blending well.

2. Beat in 2 tbsp cream, vanilla, and remaining sugar. Add enough cream to make icing smooth and spreadable.

Just do a better job of icing the sucker than I did, please.

Mighty Acts of God

Here is the lovely book that led us through our homeschool Bible time this past year:

Mighty Acts of God has been such a wonderful tool for our family. Each day we'd read the passage (this might take a couple of days if it's covering several chapters), then the chapter in the book. I say chapter, but it's only 2 or 3 pages per chapter! At the end of each chapter are questions that really helped our discussion time go from "Any questions?" to something rather meaningful.

There were several times when I was either stunned or moved or both by how clearly and helpfully some difficult concepts were explained. Of course, the true test of a good "school" book is if the kids will read it outside of school - and they did!

Add in a memory verse each week, and Bible time it sorted. Obviously, though, this would serve very well to help lead through family devotions or even for a curious kid to read through on his or her own.

I hereby recommend it! So do these people...

My funny kids

Like Mommy, he can sleep anywhere!
They were supposed to be "Princess Leia buns", but they turned out more like "Shrek ears".
When I first found her, she was completely covered, doing her math work. Of course.

All the sudden, I heard "Mom, look!" I looked long enough to take a picture, then I couldn't look anymore...