small successes

Here is an idea as a pick-me-up from Faith & Family. Sometimes I start to feel overwhelmed with what I have to do and how there is still so much to prepare for the new baby (just over 3 weeks away now!!!) etc., etc., so this helped to list 3 small successes, which for mothers can amount to a tremendous success!


1- I cleaned every nook and cranny of my kitchen counter-tops. No small feat.

2- I have been diligent in getting into the Great Outdoors with the boys at least 3-4 times a week; this has proved tremendously worthwhile in the adventures,
exploring and good old bonding times we've had. We're trying to be in different
habitats... visits to the pond, beach, forest, and fields... I'm thankful for
where we live. Also began nature journaling!

3- Refining, refining, refining our curriculum and learning center plans for next
fall. It's ever a work in progress but it FEELS like a success whenever I add in
a nugget of wisdom, great idea or book, or delete/modify current plans. For not
being a huge planner in day-to-day life, I LOVE homeschool planning. Check out
our seasonal notebooks I made: chock full of themes, ideas, feastdays, reading
lists and crafts for each time of year. There will be constant additions to this.

must say

how much I love Crafty Crow again...

Just entered in the fabric contest!

it's waning...

I'm feeling less and less inspired to blog these days. The problem is Facebook. Most people who read this blog are on Facebook and it feels rather redundant to post updates in two places. Plus there are some on FB who never read blogs and it's easier to keep up with them there. I can't deal with more than one social network online at a time I think. So, even though I've been posting only monthly or so, don't expect too much from this anymore. Get a facebook account! See our photos, updates and very important ridiculous quizzes there!!!

That said, here's the latest bullets:

• Steve is neck deep in EMT classes. They are very time intensive and consuming but I'm really proud of him for buckling down and ploughing through his homework every night. We have 2 more weeks to go and so far this hasn't had a negative effect on our marriage like I thought it might. The communication is still great and we're on the same page with everything. Last night I felt so loved as he even took it upon himself to make dinner and SERVE me and the boys while I was sewing. Then he did the dishes and cleaned the kitchen! I pointed out to my boys how Papa was showing his love for me and the family and they marveled at it. (Steve in the kitchen isn't too common, unless he's rummaging for cookies.) Steve said "That's right boys, this is how you make love to a woman." hahahahaha! I'm so blessed. In addition to the EMT thing, Steve is also one of the coaches for Xavier's T-Ball and that takes up 1-2 evenings a week. Plus Wednesday night bowling league which he does for the chance to hang out with his brother.


• I went to the NW Catholic Homeschooling Conference and it was very nice. I loved how the kids all just jumped in and played with each other, big and small, old and young... pick up soccer games for all. The talks were okay, nothing too novel for me since I already have a good grasp on what I want in an education and how I want to accomplish that. But I did get a chance to browse a lot of great vendors and get my hands on a lot of the curriculum that I've only READ about so far (managed to BARELY stay under budget in my purchases). As of now, I'm 33 weeks along and still without any set baby names... have a feeling it's going to come down to the wire with this one! I'm feeling fine, reading lots of books, spending lots of time outside, organizing the home when I'm motivated...


• Xavier loves T-Ball; he has a GREAT throwing arm. He likes everyone on his team and this has been an overall positive experience. He's looking forward to going to the Mariners game we got tickets to later this month.


• Leo is still his own special self. He's at his finest when he and Xavier are buddies at the moment. His tantrums are slowly becoming both less frequent and less intense; thank you Lord. He still needs some special attentions to help him work through some of his emotions occasionally. He and Dominic play awesome together when Xavier is at his games.


• Dominic is a loveable lump of cuddles, preferring his father to anyone else on earth. He cries when he can't play ball at the games with Xavier, he wants to do sporty things all the time and he is the child who is always most eager to spend time outdoors.

There you have it! Here's the boys' Easter picture.

best investments

Okay I know I should probably do a life update or somesuch, but I've not the motivation right now. But I have been thinking lately about toys and the boys playing and such and it's caused me to reflect on what have been the BEST and WORST toy investments in our home. Strange how certain things appeal to us adults but not the kids and vice versa... or how price tag has nothing to do with the appeal on some toys. We like to have a limit on toys in general just because we don't want the boys to get too dependent on being entertained... and I've found that they'll spend more time outdoors and doing creative things than other kids we know just because their own toys are limited. So a couple times a year we gather up toys that we don't use or want and let them go! The boys expect this and are fine with it because they know there is always an 'incoming' of toys they can expect throughout the year on holidays/birthdays and garage sale finds etc. So as long as we have a healthy purging of toys now and again, I have no problem acquiring more.

Okay so in no particular order these are the items in our home that we've gotten the most bang for our buck: I'd love to hear YOUR most loved, best investments also... please share!

Hot Wheels (and other smallish cars):

We've got to have close to 100 cars or so in this house... but they don't seem to get old. They have a wide age-span of playability and they are very flexible with what the kids can do with them... they are a consistent presence in the play here on most days. Check out the new parking spaces I discovered when I opened up the piano the other day. Plus at only $1 each, you get to constantly flush in and out of new additions to the car box.

Unit Blocks:

We've had many little block sets come and go in the home... they've all gotten played with but eventually the paint chips or they just aren't taken care of etc. Unit blocks are a MUST in any home, in my opinion. These differ from other block sets in that they are sized to correspond with each other (e.g. Two square blocks are the exact size of a base rectangle; two triangles equal a square etc.). They are larger, sturdier (maple I think) and inifinitely fun in what the kids can do with them! Blocks around here build houses, race tracks, fire stations, roads, towns all kinds of things. We bought each boy a set for Christmas a couple years ago because they more you have, the more you can create, and they are forced to share and collaborate. The ones we bought were on sale at amazon at the time. A great investment!

Random pieces of cloth:

I'd love to buy some quality silkies like those shown here, but they're out of my price range. But I've picked up basic squares of different cloths at Wal-Mart or garage sales and such and the boys have been able to make capes, robes, ipromptu picnic blankets, and all kinds of costumes. Just a basic rectangle about 3 feet wide/tall or so and imaginations run wild.

Stuffed animals/ Baby dolls:

Now I never thought little boys would get into stuffed animals or dolls so much but they each have their own little boy baby, and we have a plethora of stuffed animals that seem to be constantly flushing in and out of our home and as long as the stash isn't GROWING, I'm fine with that. Generally new ones come in as gifts or from rummage sales etc, but older ones (except the most beloveds) find their way out the door too. Anyway, the boys do all kinds of pretend play with their animals, they dress and feed and wear (!) their babies, drive them around in laundry baskets etc. So while I'm not personally a fan of stuffed creatures, I see that the boys truly enjoy them and do imaginative things with them so they're here to stay!

Balls of all shapes and sizes:

I'll be the first one to admit that our house is a rough and tumble kind of home. Things don't always get taken care of they way we'd hope. Many basketballs, footballs, baseballs, bouncy balls etc., have come, gone, been lost, popped, ruined or roofed over the years. But, we ALWAYS have balls around. And they inevitably get used in one way or another or enjoyed for spurts of time while interest is there etc. And the advantage to this just became obvious to me. For example, people who have musical instruments lying around have a greater chance of raising musicians and just exposing kids to a variety of musical styles... it's the same with balls from all sports. Our kids shoot baskets, throw footballs, catch baseballs, bounce play balls, kick soccer balls etc. And they are all getting better and more coordinated at it. Xavier is in T-Ball this year and he's got the best arm on his team when it comes to throwing and catching (batting, not so much). It's obvious that he's had a lot of experience throwing things around and playing catch with his brothers and Papa. It amazes me to see some of the other kids throw the baseball with astounding inability... I'm talking 6 year olds who don't get the concept of when to release the ball and the thing only goes 3 feet in front of them, it's quite sad. So yes, balls of all types, have been great investments for many reasons.

Markers/Crayons/Colored Pencils/Paints/Paper

These also are in constant flux around here since they get ruined half the time, but I keep a close eye on the GOOD ones we have... but having consistent access to drawing and coloring materials has been essential in allowing the kids to be creative in an artistic way. They do some kind of drawing or coloring a few times a week it seems... and they even go in phases where they'll take a box of crayons, a couple coloring books, and spend the whole afternoon in their room!!!! It's crazy... but I'm not complaining!!!

Fisher Price Little People

I'm talking about the vintage ones as seen in our header here. They've played with the newer versions and will enjoy them for a while if they have them, but they always seem to go back to the old skool ones (which I keep in a giant storage bin and only bring out every so often) that aren't sold anymore (we got ours from garage sales, thrift stores and ebay). I've reflected on WHY they seem to prefer the older ones... I mean the newer ones are brighter, more detailed, make noises sometimes and overall more FUN looking. The old ones look boring in comparison. I mean just look at the picture on the top of the blog compared to this:

So my theory is that the kids prefer the older ones precisely because they can imagine more with them... THEY have to make the noises.... THEY have to pretend they're holding things and that their outfits are interesting or bodies are more than simple shapes etc. I really do believe that "less is more" when it comes to toys and if you give kids ambiguous, simple toys, they'll have much more to play with than the toys that do all the imagining for them.

**********************************************

Anyway, there's my compendium for now. Empty boxes also get used a lot around here, and anything new, whatever it is, will get loved and played with exclusively for at least a couple weeks. But as it goes, the boys eventually get bored with these and then shuffle back to their tried and true toys...

(Biggest disappointment? We have received some lovely puppets over the years; I have great visions of my kids lovingly setting up a show and creating all kinds of comedies and dramas with their puppets... but alas... they've not barely used them. I wonder if we have a girl that this will change... because I refuse to part with these whenever purge time comes!e)

intercession

Well, it's obviously been awhile since I've updated this blog. A couple of reasons:

1- My camera is broken. Thank heavens we were still barely under warranty so it's being repaired... but they've been taking their sweet time.

2-We've been really busy!

3-I spend probably an inordinate amount of time on Facebook and much of what I post on here feels rather redundant. I'm thinking about quitting the blog altogether again (I know, I'm such a waffler) especially since most the people who read this blog are now on Facebook so there's that option of keeping up... but I'm not sure.


A quick update before you don't here from me for awhile. I'll be offline throughout Lent; though I'll check my email weekly or so (probably Monday evenings if anyone wants to know).

• I'm doing lots of organizing and spring cleaning around the house; it feels like there's so much to do and not enough to do it. But I am well into my 2nd trimester now so that's usually when I'm feeling my best and I need to take advantage of that!
• Steve and I aren't coming to any agreements yet on baby names so don't ask! :o)
• I'm sewing a lot lately, making lots of mei tais and enjoying that.
• Steve is busy being Superman at work and home doing everything he can to juggle all the demands placed on him. He won Sailor of the Year and may be up for more awards this year on a national level! Still unsure of post-Navy plans... we're putting our faith in God and trying to be patient.
• Xavier is signed up for Little League this year-- his first go at organized sports. What he REALLY wants to do is play football, but he's biding his time. Leo is getting better and better and simple math equations and letter/word recognition. He's quite a bit more advanced than Xavier was at his age. We're considering getting him involved in Tai Kwon Do... just so he has his own focus apart from his brother-- their competition can be brutal sometimes. Dominic is his little rascally self-- snugglicious still and his terrible twos aren't TOO terrible so far.
• Upcoming Peck plans include an overnight date to the Seabee Ball (on Steve's birthday!), babysitting curtesy of my Mother in Law, a WWME retreat weekend in late March, babysitting curtesy of my parents, lots of liturgical Lenten activities around the home ( I encourage you to check out some of the posts written about this season on the old Coffee and Diapers website), a couple different community and church volunteer projects Steve and I are involved in, and a perfect day to celebrate my birthday: Easter Sunday.

So there's all that. Hope all of you are well. And we'll see what kind of conclusion I come to about the blog after 40 days or so. God bless!

crafty crow

Notice the new link on my sidebar to The Crafty Crow. What a fantastic resource! I can spend hours just perusing the craft pictures and ideas... it's so great to have someone cull so many blogs/websites for great ideas and put it all in one place! So glad to have discovered it....

Planning Part II

Well, we've all been sick around here with some kind of "Mississippi crud" that Steve brought back with him, but laying on the couch is getting old and I figured I may as well try and piece together a bit more of our curriculum plans.

Dawn over at Sun and Candlelight has a fantastic planning tool with her monthly themes. I went ahead and copied them for my own uses, only changing up some ideas and making things more relevant to our lives and geography here (e.g. whale migration time, special family birthdays/feastdays, local festivals and field trip destination ideas etc.). I also put my book basket ideas on a separate sheet (hence the previous post) since the list is long and only grows all the time. I'm so very excited to get these all printed out and put in nice notebooks that I've taken extra care to decorate nicely (I find that if I put more effort into something, it'll likely get used/appreciated more... of course). Especially useful will be the concept of being able to put in one place all the different crafting ideas and such... I hated throwing away copies of Family Fun magazine for example... but now I can just clip crafts or ideas I want to remember and place them in my monthly notebook. Here is a great post she wrote on how she plans and then organizes hers.

This has been hugely inspirational to me on how to just be more organized with the rhythms of life in general...

Next up, specific curriculum planning on the academic side of things.

Planning Part I

I've been working like a dog (a happy, interested dog) these past few days researching and compiling ideas for how to stay organized and prepared for next school year.

One thing I've completed is my booklist. While there are loads of great children's books out there, the ones on this list are pretty much seasonally specific. Furthermore, there are plenty of seasonal books that are a whole lot of "twaddle"... so consider this list for the discerning parent who enjoys books about the good, noble, beautiful and true things in life. Good art, good message kind of thing. It's not like every book on this list is a treasure... but every book IS BETTER than some of the twaddle-rific books they pass off as literature these days.

I made this list so I can further implement the concept of seasons, liturgical year and rythym in our day to day lives. Generally we like to check out books from the library on pertinent subjects, e.g., Christmas books at Christmas time etc. But apparently we're not the only ones so if you show up at your library a week before Christmas looking for books on it, you'll be out of luck. This list will help me to get a head start on reserving books for seasons and holidays to put in our book basket. I just put a hold on some February and Valentine's Day books for example. Obviously, you won't be able to get every book on your list, but I like to put as many options on there as possible. To give credit where credit is due, I got most of these titles from Dawn's blog (where I've also been gathering monthly theme pages to be posted here later), the 4 Real Learning Forums, MacBeth's Opinion, Michael O'Brien's booklist in this book, my own bookshelf/knowledge, and Amazon.com reviews/recommendations. It is subject to additions in the future, but my eyes are so worn out from working on this, it may be a while!

So without further ado, please use this list yourselves as a great springboard into the wonderful world of picture books! (Note that it starts in August to match up with academic calendars somewhat...)

BOOK BASKET ALL YEAR LONG

Daybook...

Outside my window... is gray, gray, gray. Chimneys puffing on rooftops up and down the road.

I am thinking... about next year's curriculum plans. I've been running through so many books/blogs/forums/magazines for research gathering ideas and pinpointing goals for our family. I feel really good about the plan; I just need to sit down now and spend a few hours on Spreadsheet or somesuch getting them all together. I am so very thankful for the freedom I have as a mother and educator to design our own learning plans.

I am thankful... for my dear children. I love the phrase my friend Erin's sister used: "authentically boyish." How I delight in watching them play and learn and work and grow.

From the kitchen... a fresh carrot cake sits on the counter. I unfortunately tried to wing it on the frosting, using regular sugar since I was out of powdered sugar. I don't recommend this; the taste is fine but the texture is all off.

I am wearing... a long sleeve shirt, a sweater, and a blanket. I can never rid me of the chills it seems.

I am creating... starting to make a couple baby carriers for some mamas.

I am reading... never just one book. I always have something informative, something spiritual and something mind-candy going all at once depending on my mood. The informatives are: The Omnivore's Dilemma, and rereading Real Learning: Education in the Heart of the Home, which I highly, highly recommend. The spiritual is S.C Biela's The Two Pillars. The mind candy is the final installment of the Kristin Lavransdatter trilogy: The Cross.

I am hoping... that spring will get here faster than I think it will.

I am hearing... three little boys making sound effects for their cars as they play merrily on the carpet.

Around the house... Christmas decorations are taken down but not entirely packed away yet. A bit of mid-winter organizing needs to take place.

One of my favorite things... is a brand new pair of socks. That's the first thing that came to mind.

A few plans for this week... dinner with a friend tonight, Steve comes home from Mississippi late Wednesday, paying bills on Thursday, Adoration with the Master of the Universe on Friday, curriculum writing, stew simmering, tea kettle whistling, foggy walks in the cold, starting a new chapter book with the boys.

Well, not that people are knocking my door down for business but for what it's worth, I updated my photography website. I thought about getting a professional web designer but I had to remember that my goal isn't to make this a career... it's just a pastime and I have to keep it humble to glorify God. So I used what VERY little design skills I have to make it what it is. I especially wanted to make it clear on the "About" page that I'm just a one-person, part-time lover of photos... not a major professional or anything.

And frankly, I hate listing prices... because I have often done photos for free for families who wouldn't otherwise afford it. And I LOVE doing this and plan on continuing to do this when the opportunity comes up.

But, I have to also remember that I'm performing a service for others and I shouldn't devalue the entire photography business just because I like doing it; it does take time and my family has to to sacrifice to make it happen also. So I threw some numbers up there because from a consumer perspective, I HATE it when businesses say "Call for prices" or the like. I like to know what to expect up front. So there's that.

our rockin' kiddy table

For Christmas the boys received a nice, quality solid wood table (and we bought two additional chairs so we'd have four total). We've had 2 other kiddy tables before that have since fallen to pieces so we did a bunch of research and really wanted to invest in a nice one this time. So, of course, we're going out of our way to take good care of this table. The first thing we wanted to do was put a protective coating on it so that it would be ultra-protected against spills and such. We found a great bar-top epoxy at Home Depot that is equivalent to 60 coats of polyurethane!! Then Steve told me that we could put pictures or trinkets underneath the coating for it to shine through if we wanted to personalize the table. The table had a great 1/4 inch lip all around the edge of the top that really is perfect for this project. After much deliberation I went through the boys' Stare! game and chose our favorite cards (all retro kiddy prints of some sort) to make a fun border and middle design. Then I decoupaged a single card on the back of each chair to tie it all in. The result is pretty fantastic don't ya think?! The boys love it.

in review

I loved Joann's idea about posting a year in review... here's my take on it, a photo a month for 2008. This was a bit tough since some months were very busy and full of pictures (June, August) and others had almost nothing on my files (February, November) but I'll give it a go:

JANUARY: meet Scut Farkus

FEBRUARY: exploring artillery bunkers

MARCH: Berry cobbler

APRIL: this was for a contest (that we didn't win)

MAY: Academy graduates

JUNE: loving my Leo


JULY: goofing with the Pope kids


AUGUST: Bride and nephews


SEPTEMBER: taking advantage of the beach a mile away

OCTOBER: in the park

NOVEMBER: if only they acted saintly too

DECEMBER: Christmastime

Warming up after a bath

This was just too funny...

In the book basket

Aside from the usual melee of picture books we go through each day, we're immersed in a bit of historical fiction from Clyde Robert Bulla, called "Viking Adventure." Being so roguishly boyish, Xavier is of course in love with this book. I always love to find good books that incorporate a bit of history in with a great story.

I also wanted to share a few of our favorite Christmas books. Now we all know there are a million children's books about Christmas, but only a (maybe large) handful are really TREASURES. Some of these titles are pretty common to other literature-loving mamas, but not all of them. We keep our Christmas books packed away with the decorations and such so when we open up the box each year, it's like rediscovering old friends. These are some titles definitely worth owning... or at the very least reading this time of year. There are plenty of other good books for Christmastime out there, these are just some near and dear to our hearts. (A caveat: you won't likely find these at the library now because aggressive book-lovers and homeschoolers have had these titles on hold for months now.)

1. The Miracle of Saint Nicholas- a lovely story that offers a bit of perspective into a time/place where priests were persecuted.
2. B is for Bethlehem- Unfortunately, I don't own this (yet!) but you can't beat illustrations by Elisa Kleven, they are glorious. This is an especially good book for wee ones.
3. The Donkey's Dream- a true gem that is quite meaningful in its imagery. It tells the Christmas story from the donkey's perspective.
4. Why Christmas Trees aren't Perfect- A sweet story about serving others before oneself.
5. The Clown of God- not so overtly seasonal that we pack this one away, but the climax does take place on Christmas Day; it's a gem.
6. The Legend of the Poinsettia- another sweet story that highlights the virtues of a humble heart.
7. The Story of the Three Wise Kings- this is a hard one to get your hands on these days! But it's so difficult to find good Epiphany stories that it's worth keeping an eye out.

7th Anniversary

Seven years ago today two young, dumb starstruck kids got married...

... and believe it or not, they're still more in love than ever!

A profound insight

I'm reluctant to be considered brilliant or shrewd... but we all know that these 5 question tests can pinpoint personalities with amazing accuracy right?! This is all you need to know about me:

You Are Chess

You are brilliant and shrewd. You can often predict what people will do in the future. You thrive in complex situations. You deal with contradictions well. You can have many streams of though going on at your mind at once. You keep track of things well. You are very patient. You have lots of endurance, even when your energy dwindles

You Should Live in South Carolina

If you don't want to live in South Carolina, you might also consider: Alabama Kansas Kentucky New Hampshire North Carolina

What State Should You Live In?

You Are Granola

You are creative and inventive. You don't do much the ordinary or normal way. You like to explore new ideas and lifestyles. Something isn't for you just because other people do it. Quick breakfast fixes are definitely not your style. You're the type most likely to cook yourself an amazing homemade breakfast.

What Kind of Cereal Are You?

You Will Not Be a Cool Parent

And that's pretty okay. While your kids may not think of you as a friend, they will respect you. You know that kids need discipline and structure, and you're not afraid to give it to them.Just be careful that your strictness doesn't lead to rebellion.It's good to have standards and rules, but you don't need to have an iron fist when enforcing them.

Would You Be a Cool Parent?

You Are 15% Redneck

I'll slap you so hard, your clothes will be outta style.You ain't no redneck - you're all Yankee!

How Redneck Are You?

What Your Pizza Reveals

Your appetite is pretty average. You don't go overboard - but you don't deprive yourself either.You aren't particularly picky about pizza. It's so good... how could you be? You fit in best in the Western part of the US.You like food that's traditional and well crafted. You aren't impressed with "gourmet" foods. You are generous, outgoing, and considerate with your choices. You are cultured and intellectual. You should consider traveling to Vienna.The stereotype that best fits you is geek. You're the type most likely to order pizza to avoid leaving your computer.

What Does Your Pizza Say About You?

What Your Burger Says About You

You are very gluttonous. Even if you're full, you'll still clear your plate. You are likely a fairly picky eater. And you're secretly a little squeamish about some foods. You are a very open eater. You like many types of tastes, and you'll eat just about anything. You tend to gravitate toward strong, pungent foods. Even if it means having bad breath! You are straightforward, honest, and ambitious. You tend to be direct about what you want when it comes to food. You are emotional. You have a big heart, and you tend to go for comfort foods. You have trouble making decisions quickly. Everything looks good to you... especially at a restaurant. You are social, outgoing, and a risk taker. Among your friends, you are the first to try a new food.

What Does Your Burger Say About You?

You Are an Onion Bagel

You are spontaneous, savvy, and multi-talented. You enjoy taking risks, and you're not the kind of person who makes long term plans. Of all the types, you're the most likely to eat something new for kicks. You tend to have something unusual for breakfast... if you even have breakfast at all.

What Kind of Bagel Are You?

You Are 15% Pirate

Arrr, yer nay a gentleman o' fortune, an' ye dasn't make like yer one. Ye rather stay on dry land than take to the seas lookin' fer booty. Peg legs an' eye patches really aren't yer thing. And parrots scare ye. So stay away from the Caribbean, unless yer prepared to walk the plank.

Would You Make a Good Pirate?

You Are an Apple

You are strong, powerful, and even a bit stubborn at times. You have enough strength to help those around you in trouble. You are adventurous and charming. Many people are drawn to you. You love life, and you enjoy traveling the world. You enjoy fine food, art, and culture. People have accused you of being a snob, but that's not accurate. You do enjoy the best things in life. Unlike snobs, you truly appreciate quality... not just pretend to.

What Type of Fruit Are You?

Facelift

I just needed to do SOMETHING to the blog. So there's my solution. Notice all the links on the sidebar... a couple "real life friends" and a couple 'e-friends' PLUS some other random blogs I frequent occasionally. Have a peeksy huh? These are all much more polished than this little blog here. I've not the inclination or patience to photograph steps to a recipe I made or steps we took when crafting something. It makes for a more interesting read I agree... but I'm trying to get out of the mindset of "Ooh! That would make a good blog post, I better get the camera" ... into the mindset of just enjoying the moment and perhaps sharing it with you all as an afterthought. If you'd like some jolly recipes, I do have to recommend one lovely bit... pumpkin bread (I made muffins... my quickbreads never seem to turn out right). Not just any pumpkin bread... friends, the QUEEN of all pumpkin breads. And please please please know that the KEY to any muffin is the gentlest mixing possible of wet and dry ingredients! Do it by hand, slowly and just barely enough to introduce the wets to the dry! This makes for a delish muffin! So I made this Downeast Maine Pumpkin Bread and loved it as is... but my mouth began to quiver with delight when I imagined adding a streusel topping to it (just copy the streusel recipe from something else on that site: type in "streusel". Oh the glory that beckons!!!

So that has been my gastronomic delight of the month, along with making a batch of Tinga up last month. Tinga, you may or may not know, is one of the BEST authentic Mexican foods out there. When I stayed in Cuernavaca oh so long ago, it was hands down my favorite dish. You can't find it here in the US, insofar as I've searched restaurants and such. I used to be a literacy tutor for a Mexican woman back in Cali and she once made a batch up for me and that was the last time I'd had it until recently when I found a recipe for it online. So I'll share that with you if you appreciate GOOD, AUTHENTIC Mexican food. Be sure to follow all the recommendations in my review (my name on that site is "gimmedatcheesecake"... don't ask) That picture on the site is mine too! Enjoy!

Finally, I'm trying my hand at the slide show thing... it takes a million years to load onto blogger apparently so I'm just going to link you to it. These are pictures including Leo's 4th birthday (his cake was a disaster, try not to look at it closely), Halloween, All Saint's Day and the beach... enjoy!

All Saint's Day

... more photo catch up to come, but here are St. Michael the Archangel and St. Maximilian Kolbe!

You do the math: 1200 sq. ft house x 5 adults x six under age 6 x 13 days

We've had our dear friends Joe and Steph in town from Utah, and their 3 boys (two of whom are our godchildren). So imagine a smallish, 3 bedroom house filled with 5 adults (my sister lives here remember) and 6 BOYS-- under age 6... for almost 2 weeks!!! Their stay got extended quite a bit because their truck broke down and they had to special order the part for it and it was just a crazy extensive mess. BUT, for all the chaos and constant sensory overload of the past two weeks... it was worth it. It's always good to see those true blue kinds of friends and especially good to get to know our godsons a bit more (they are Leo's godparents) since we've barely seen them since leaving CA.

Anyway, it was an eventful first half of the visit. They have some kind of timeshare thing in Victoria, B.C., so we spent a couple nights there in a lovely room overlooking the harbor. The kids had a blast at the Bug Zoo, riding the double decker bus, going to Miniature World etc. The adults had some fun (mostly after 10 pm when the kids were finally asleep and damage control duty was off, and we got to sit in the hot tub with a nice drink and catch up on life.)

After the trip, their truck broke and we were pretty much incapacitated to go anywhere in one vehicle being so large a group, but we did manage some time at Fort Ebey in Coupeville and got to spend lots of time shooing the boys outdoors to dig in the pea gravel etc.

Now, the house is quiet and the little squabbles and noises of my regular crew seems like nothing... all is well. Tomorrow, Sia (another good friend, Dominic's godmother) is coming to visit (with her two boys, one of our godsons)... so we'll be in the visitor routine again. But these visits are a treat for us. Sometimes we can feel quite isolated from family and friends up here on the island and it's nice to have a flow of visitors occasionally. I suppose I should share some photos... there are too many. I'll pick out a couple faves.

This is our godson Braxton:

This is Joe, Steph and baby Marcus:

This is our other godson, Corban:

This is sweet Dominic's favorite run to a parent with open arms and tongue a-wagglin':

This is five boys in a bathtub:

This is Steve-O at his finest with the boys in Anacortes:

This is the view from the condo we stayed in:

This is the kids wishing we had one of these at home:

This is the view from the front seat, level 2 of a double decker city bus in B.C.

This is Dominic holding one of the MANY bugs he got to handle at the Bug Zoo.