enough already

I know I said my goal was to be mindful and present with the weather, but I am finding it progressively more difficult as the snow continues to come down. Looking back at our weather journal, this time two years ago we were weeding the garden.

I've had a bit of the blog blahs lately, partly because I am finding photo taking uninspiring with the never ending white views outside. sigh. We did have a lovely Easter though, even if it is hard to celebrate spring when we are still wading through snowbanks and shoveling the walkways.
We've been talking to King Winter around here, asking him to take his court up north and invite spring back home. Hopefully he hears our pleas soon.

so lucky

Sometime last week we got an unexpectedly large package in the mail from our dear friends on the other side of the country. On the outside was a sweet little poem for us and our boys, and inside- this bike! Ari was thrilled beyond belief. It is currently set up as a tricycle, but can be adjusted into two different sizes of scooter-bike with a quick turn of a wrench. It's sturdy and speedy (Ari is happy to demonstrate this fact,) and wooden. We are all rather in love. Dorian is not quite big enough to zip around on it himself, but he gets to be entertained by watching his brother zoom past, which he seems to enjoy a great deal. We are hoping to have a chance to take it outside soon- when the snow has melted enough- (please melt. oh please.)
Indoors though, this bike has been facilitating plenty of fun pretend play. He rides to to the ice cream store (where an adorable conversation involving ice cream flavours and payment for ice cream and size of ice cream cones ensues,) and the train station and the restaurant and the hairdresser. I've actually discovered that I can get a lot done while he rides around his imaginary town so long as I am willing to play along. For instance, I am not just cleaning up, I am the noisy street cleaning machine, I am not just busy cooking supper, I am the cook at the restaurant making up his order. I even managed to comb out the tangles at the back of his head and trim his bangs this way, something he would have never let me do if it wasn't for the bike and the hair dresser roll I was playing. He even came back for a second cut saying "I like your voice, hairdresser." Though if you were to look at the uneven-home-haircut style I gave him in my hairdresser role, perhaps you would not be counting this one as a plus. Oops. Sorry kiddo.

But back to the bike, it is just so gosh darned terrific and we are feeling pretty spoiled rotten. Expect lots of future pictures of summer kid flying through grassy fields upon it's adorable frame. For now, here is one of Ping the duck catching a lift.

And while we are on the topic of luckiness- look how lucky this boy is and what the box the bike arrived in turned into. His Papa surprised him (and me too, he did this after I had already headed to bed) by transforming the box into a castle.
Complete with drawbridge, windows and rainbow flags (he is the teacher sponsor for the Gay-Straight Alliance at the high school where he teaches, so they are in good supply around here!) I think this castle is proof of what I have been suspecting for awhile now- that he might just be eligible for the best-papa-ever title.

All round, we are feeling pretty lucky. Now, off to make one of those giant mango chocolate ice cream cones my boy is ordering up.

travels

Well, the computer news is both good and bad. The files are fine (phew.) But the motherboard is a goner, which costs more to fix than a new machine, so we are in a bit of computer limbo. I shouldn't complain though, we do have this laptop that is working just fine, I just have to muddle my way through using it for photos and blog posts. Though all our photo files are still at the computer doctors, there are new ones to share, like these ones from our spring break trip (which already feels like eons ago) We had quite an adventure on our little journey to the coast. No, we never had to use that little hammer they provided as our emergency exit, but we were on the train a very long time asthe passenger train had to stop and wait for several freight trains to pass for upwards of an hour at a time. Ari found this thrilling- going up to other passengers saying "there's a freight train coming! It's gonna be very noisy!" His excitement about riding the train made the whole trip worthwhile.Cutest little train travellers around, if you ask me.
The trip itself was, well, rather cold. We hardly ventured from the little area our B&B was in due to the snowing, blowing, ice-cream-headache-blizzard weather we had. So we have some museum shots, and some staring out of window shots, because that is what we spent our time doing. Also sitting in cafes, and having baths and knitting in the wonderful family room at the B&B, which didn't get photographed.
The B&B we stayed at was right on the docks, so staring out the window at the boats coming and going and at a small dock being built was entertainment enough for Ari. And Dorian and I managed a nap together right in the middle of the afternoon which felt like a holiday unto itself.

And speaking of naps and breaks, I am writing this right now in the middle of the afternoon while both boys nap. A small miracle really. Maybe I'll go celebrate with a cup of tea and a magazine or something wonderful like that. Or I could sweep the floor. Maybe.

technical difficulties

We are back from our trip but having some computer issues. Hoping that it is fixable and none of those (un-backed up. gulp.) photo files are lost. Fingers crossed.

making me happy

Paper rolled out to make "long long train tracks" complete with animal, human and matrioshka spectators. A new knitting project on the needles. How my boy snuggles up in my lap as a "baby kitty" when he is in need of a hug. Big wet wide-mouth baby kisses. And baby giggles.
Good bread made with our own hands. Gathering with friends.

And heading into spring break week. A much anticipated train trip to the coast, where it won't be warm, but it will be green. Looking forward to more snuggling, knitting, smooching and munching in our future.

winter march

March is the very longest month of the year up here in the north. Though spring equinox is fast approaching, there is nothing spring-like about this month in our part of the world. We've had a recent spell of -20 weather and it is snowing outside as I write this. Crocuses, buds and bird song

are a good month or more away and no amount of wishing will make it otherwise.
I am trying to see this last month of winter as a sort of meditation- a chance at mindfulness, a reminder to see things as they are and not as I wish them to be. Because really, it is beautiful right now, sunshine and blue skys, chickadees flitting to and from our feeder. And my kiddos are a good reminder to be present- though Ari is getting a little tired of all the winter bundling, he can still have a rollicking good time in the snow, and is often hard to get back inside. And Dorian happily gazes out at the white world from his sling- the only world he's seen with his fresh little eyes.

So here's to being present in my northern home, to seeing things as they are and not as I want them to be, to embracing the end of winter- snowsuits and snowstorms and snowdrifts and all.

storybook theatre

I managed to get my contribution to the "handmade with love" auction together just in time. Between our epic 10 day flu and a broken sewing machine, I wondered if I would get it done. But one of my landmates also sews and lent me her (much nicer) machine to use, and I got it together without even having to pull any all-nighters. We set it up the morning of the fundraiser to test it out and Ari was entranced- cementing my plans for gift making for his upcoming birthday.

I used the pattern from Bend the Rules Sewing, and decided on a storybook theme. I had a fat quarter of this beloved Hansel and Gretel fabric in my stash which was the inspiration, and managed to squeeze out two curtains from that little square. The rest of it is made from linen and needlecord, and those wonderful red dingleballs (ball fringe?) I couldn't have done it without the dingleballs.
It all folds up into this little case and can be hung up by a tension rod in any doorway. Though I love the end product, I was a bit growly with it while sewing. Sort of like making curtains- so many long straight edges to hem and potential to have things get wonky. I kept having to remind myself of the theme of the auction. Made with love, not made with a bad case of the grumps. And didn't I just say I planned to make another one of these? So it can't have been that bad.

And anyway, being treated to a puppet show before we even got out of our PJ's was a fine reward. Here, baby bird says "uh-oh, the thunder storm is coming!" Hopefully it will inspire many more stories and plays in its new home.

And me? I need to find myself a new sewing machine.

I wish I had pictures to share of the fundraiser this weekend, but the shots I took were not great, and all had faces of folks who might not appreciate being posted in blog land. It went really well though, we raised $5000 and had lots of fun doing it. There were 45 kids at one count, most under the age of 5, and music and good food and beautiful handmade things for the auction. Makes me feel lucky to live where I do, where people will pull together, knit a hat or bake a cake or sing a song to help out a family who is needing some love. And the baby girl is doing well, nursing and smiling and recovering quickly from her surgery. Feeling lucky.

towers

Thanks for all the get-well wishes. Ari is feeling better today, and actually has an appetite again, which is a relief. I still feel pretty tired myself, but I think we're all on the upswing. I do look forward to when we might be able to get back into our daily rhythm, but for now, getting through the days with everyone fed and clothed and washed and as happy as possible is as much as I can hope for.



We made it outside today, for a nice big walk, but mostly, we've been doing a lot of playing in the house. Ari has been building lots of towers. The top one has taken lots of forms and must be built in the middle of the kitchen floor.

I took out this sweet board game hoping to play a simplified memory game with Ari, but no. More towers. After being sick for so long, the last thing he wants to do is sit still and listen to mama tell him a bunch of rules to follow! The rules of towers are simple. Build high. Build carefully. Topple with delight.

still sick

I posted some time last week hoping we were done with the flu over here, and I'm afraid that was a whole lot of wishful thinking. My poor boy has been sick on and off all week, and just when it seems he's over it all he has another bout. Lots of honey tea and videos around here. And Dorian's second tooth is just making its appearance, so there is not a whole lot of sleep happening in this little house! We postponed Papa's birthday until next weekend when hopefully all bellies will be able to enjoy cake and a fancy supper (and mama can finish crafting the present!) We'll just keep dishing out the honey tea, and maybe make a doctor trip if things don't look up in the next day or so. Sigh. This is when winter seems sooo long.