on the needles

It's been hard finding time for knitting the past couple weeks. Parties, family visiting from out of town and other Christmas crafts have been pulling me in different directions. But it's just hitting me that Christmas is just a couple weeks away and I have lots of little gifts I wanted to knit. I did manage to start this cozy Tuesday Night Cowl for my mom (I don't know why it's called that, anyone know?) pictured above and a sweet little pink and white cupcake. My sister, who is visiting for a few weeks, works in a tea shop in England and wanted to learn to knit cupcakes for the window display. I was playing around with it and making up my own pattern to see if I could come up with something easier for her than all the dpn patterns out there. I also whipped out some more acorns and a cute little red and white toadstool (not pictured) to go with the forest critters.

For more knitting inspiration, head on over to  Ginny at Small Things.

a life of less

 

 

 

 

The past few days I've felt a nagging feeling that things are out of balance, my rhythm not quite right. 

Granted there is a new baby in the house and that always calls for a new normal. But with the holidays and hosting three big parties (another next week), Christmas coming up and all the to-dos of this season, the things that I value had sort of slipped to the bottom and I was starting to feel it.

This week I made a vow to put my values at the top and let them drive my day. Instead of days that are full of more (more activities, more errands, more obligations) I want a path of less.

  

It's not that there is anything wrong with activities and all the things on my agenda, it's just that with the more I add to it, the more it starts defining everyday life.

It's during the downtime, the simple everyday moments at home that I'm building connections with my children, deepening the love with my husband, creating a peaceful harmony in our home and finding contentment with this life I've been given.

 

These things I value, the ones I want to create the framework for my life center around this path of slowing down and choosing less. For the past couple years I've found inspiration and encouragement to live more simply and deliberately through daily time with the Lord, various books and websites like this, this,  this and this.

PS. All photos are from today, an ordinary day of school work, piano lessons, Christmas letter mailing and a late afternoon walk.

our favorite simple granola recipe

This granola is a staple at our house. I make it almost weekly because yogurt with a bit of granola or honey is one of our favorite afternoon snacks. A few years ago after trying various recipes I was unhappy with the fact that pretty much all of them called for sugar. So after some tweaking I came up with this easy granola recipe. Without any sugar and just a few key ingredients it is a healthy and very quick snack.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup honey

1/2 cup molasses

2 TBS butter

4 cups old fashioned rolled oats (not quick cook)

1/2 cup unsweetened coconut

3/4 cup sunflower seeds

3/4 cup pumpkin seeds

1 tsp salt

Additional optional ingredients:

1/4 cup flax seeds 

1/4 cup chopped nuts

1/4 cup dried cranberries, raisins or dried blueberries

Any other dried fruit you have

Combine honey, molasses and butter in a medium sized pot. Bring to a slow boil and then turn down to a simmer for 5 minutes (make sure the heat is high enough that it bubbles during these 5 minutes). Mix dry ingredients in big bowl. Coat with molasses and honey mixture. Stir well and spread out on cookie sheet or jelly roll pan. Bake for 20-25 minutes until golden brown.

weekends are for family and fun

this weekend was all about:

1. a toddler boy trying to keep up with the big kids and their many crafts

2. an introduction between a grandpa and a new grandson bearing his same middle name

3. lots of play time with another beloved grandfather

4. celebrating a special birthday girl with a teddy bear party

5. and so many, a dozen, giggling little girls

6. a candlelit advent Sunday with a long time advent tradition: Danish aebleskiver

and some some links from the weekend:

1. simple wooden toys that are in the mail for a certain toddler for Christmas

2. on the needles, a cozy cowl, another Christmas gift

3. little felted people we'll soon be making

4. rereading a favorite book, For the Children's Sake

5. planning to make some teacup candles or these special little dolls with the girls for Santa Lucia day on Tuesday

{this moment}

{this moment} – Joining with Soule Mama for this Friday ritual. A single photo – no words – capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

annah pearl, birthday girl

Happy 7th birthday to my sweet girl, Annah. Funny, giving and kind, Annah is such a joy and treasure in our family.  Annah loves to dance, be silly and play with babies and toddlers. All she wished for was crafts, and more crafts and she got it!

these December days

 

 

With Mimi (my mom) and Granny (my grandmother) next door, the girls are always running back and forth between houses. These days are a blur of activity in both homes: baking, decorating, crafting and lots of "hygge" (Danish for cozy) time together is filling our days. Growing up in Denmark, I especially treasure our Danish decorations, special holiday treats and traditions like lile Jule aften and Santa Lucia day. Yesterday Mimi had the girls over to help decorate her house for the holidays. Always one to turn any gathering into a party, Mimi had cookies to make, crafts to do and treats to share around the fire.