syncronised sleeping -

- our family's new sport. This is how I found miryam and Éamonn in bed the other night - in the exact same position. I am constantly amazed in the ways that they are so different and so alike. Daily I look at Éamonn and say either "that's so new, your sister never did that" or "wow, I totally forgot Miryam did that all the time".

I'm currently enjoying a weekend with just my little boy. Andy took Miryam down to Maryland for the weekend to visit his family and go to a wedding. I just couldn't see driving 6 hours with a baby in the car or spending the cost to fly. Instead it's an Éamonn and mama weekend here. It's been really wonderful - I'm not lonely like I would be staying home by myself because Éamonn is great company but it is so much quieter and calmer with only the baby to pay attention to. Last night I got him into bed before eight and stayed up late cutting out denim for a wrap skirt I have been meaning to make for a while. It was nice to start a project and feel pretty confident that I could finish it without interruption. I got all the fabric cut out and tidied up my mess before crawling in bed with my warm snuggly baby in what felt like a giant bed. Perfect.

Today I got together with a few other mamas to dye some clothes for the kids. They are now washing and drying awaiting our reconvening for a sorting-out and pizza get-togther. I am feeling so rejuvenated, this is just the weekend I needed.

On a crafting note, these are some blankets I made for Éamonn just before he was born. They made from white handkerchief weight linen trimmed with cotton. I used this tutorial for how to attach it and they came out lovely. Perfect for a spring/summer blanket when he needed some coverage from breezes and sun but I didn't want him to get too warm. Next summer I'd like to make Miryam a long sleeved swim suit cover up out of similar linen and trim it the same way.

blueberries and building

I'm a bit behind here. Andy has started back at school teaching and tutoring and Miryam started preschool this week so lots has fallen on me day-to-day which leaves little time for blogging. I have been thinking about homeschooling Miryam because the private progressive school are so amazingly expensive and because it would fit our lifestyle well, but it seems that all of her friends are now in school (some of them full days even) and so she is lacking for play friends. The local school has a 2.5 hour 4 days a week preschool that we could afford and we felt like that is a good middle ground for us. It is play-based which is important to me - if anything children need to play more not less - and they play outside except in the most extremes of weather. So ideally I'll take Miryam into school in the morning, bring Éamonn home for a nap and have an hour and a half or so to myself 4 days a week. I'd like to use some of that time for staying up to date with this little blog here but also for sewing and working on the Herbal Medicine for Women course that I have been slowly working through this past year. This week, however I have been spending that time cleaning, washing dishes and now trying to figure out what to do with a bin full of dirty cloth diapers and a broken washing machine. eek.


In any case...several weeks ago we went blueberry picking. Grandma, mama, papa and the kiddies. Many blueberries were consumed, 17 pounds were picked and locally made blueberry icecream was enjoyed.


We froze half and used the rest for jam (14 half pints) though I wasn't terribly pleased with it. I made it with a friend who wanted to go with the no-sugar pectin so it is just sweetened with honey but the texture is not my favorite and it just doesn't taste the way I want it to. Not bad at all just not perfect. I worry that I am just being crazy about it because I like to do things the old-fashioned traditional way but this no-sugar pectin just isn't my cup of tea. Ah well. Live and learn. This summer has been a great lesson for me in preparing and storing foods - I'm sure next year will be even better.


We also spent a weekend while Andy's mom was visiting to make a bean bag toss...thingy for our friend Max who was turning 3. It's hard to see from the pictures but each hole is ringed with light green paint. The back legs are on a hinge so the can fold up or fold out to any angle your want to make it harder or easier. We delivered it and Miryam and Max had a great time trying it out. I loved it so much that I think we'll make another for us in the spring.