zing☼day

Oh Florida!

I thank God for rest.  Yes, to bask in leisure, to relinquish all responsibilities save for dressing ourselves and driving ourselves from one amusement to another.  To forget the holes in the wall that need drywalling, the hurricane swept toy room, to leave behind rushed pace as we're driving from one event to another.

But rather to find refuge in my mother's home, where she caringly builds a nest of peace and ease for all of us.  Or to simply sit for a two hour drive in the car, visiting with my dear man while I indulge in a green tea Frappuccino.  Or even to catch up on Season Two of Downton Abbey (now Amazon prime wants me to pay for Season Three and I'm ever so tempted!)

But that's me talking.

If you were to ask the kids how vacation went they would simply say "I thank God for FUN!" (I'm paraphrasing of course!)

Hmm....could it be the days spent by the poolside, chasing lizards in Grandma's garden, tea parties for Little Miss Socialite, roaming freely throughout the neighborhood (this was my one anxious bit of our Florida stay, to see my two big kids turn the corner and out of my view for about fifteen minutes at a time.  But I'm remaining confident Christ will watch over them as they take these steps towards independence.)  Or perhaps playing in Atlantic waves, zooming down monster slides at waterparks, driving junior sized Jeeps at Legoland or canoeing amongst man-devouring alligators.

And how could I have forgotten you Sun! You make all things glorious.  Oh the weather was perfectly hot and sunny making all our restful and fun vacation dreams a reality.

'

 

Uh...why did this alligator cross the river?  Why is he not scared just like all the others have been?

The answer is yes, to get to the other side of course but also to park himself right at the fisherman's fishing line float.  Yep, that trickster (dare I say, cheater), had his eye on stealing the catch!  

After all the rest and fun, it is good to return home recharged and repurposed and most definitely ready to tackle that toy room.  For some reason it didn't clean up after itself when we were gone!

A Very Fairy Party

Oh little girls and their birthdays. They're really a big deal.  So much thought and anticipation are invested in it by said little girls, the theme, the decorations, the party bags and of course the cake. Months in advance, paper, tape and markers are strewn around the house as she creates... white paper decorations, cut outs to tape all over the windows and the walls, brown paper bags are decorated with stickers and drawings for the courtesy guest bags and a cake is begged to made.  And oh how I love her eagerness and excitement and so that's why this Mommy takes so much satistaction in making her fairy dream party come true.  

We started with a little bit of Fairy Lotion scented with an Apple Rose essential oil. It was a big hit with all the little fairies!  This recipe was inspired by my favorite bloggess, SouleMama.  Doesn't it just look magical?

Instead of white paper banners we chose a softer approach and covered it with as many bows as one can possibly fit.

A fairy cake, just as we imagined a real fairy cake would be, must be simple and decorated with wild flowers and fairy dust (edible fairy dust that is), thanks to this inspirational recipe.

And since the birthday fairy is partly Brazilian, no birthday in this house is ever complete without a generous offering of brigadeiros. Yum!

And you can imagine our delight when we stumbled across Halo Heaven, a budget friendly business, that allowed us the affordability to outfit every fairy with her own crown, tutu, wings and wand. Thalia later told me handing out the bags to her friends was her favorite part of the party.  Oh she makes me so proud with her generosity and love of giving. 

Some lovely springtime decorations is always a must.

Including a fairy garden that was handmade by three little ambitious hands, which was one my favorite moments since I got to witness my children work so creatively and with such cooperation.

And after much dancing and magical incantations we sit down for the birthday song and I watch my little girl, and she looks happy.  Enjoy my little fairy, it's all for you.

The Best Birthday Gift

We live in such a blessed nation, a rich time, where all we want is just an immediate touch away from the click of our fingertips.  My children's toy closet surely reflects this age of prosperity and abundance but with this also comes a measure of expendability and waste.  So when Christmas' or Birthday's arrive, I don't just want another trinket, another something that will be taken for granted. It's time to get creative and find that extra something that won't just be a collection to the already bursting basket of toys and tossed on the floor with disregard after a mere short days or hours of play.

This year I'm taking a risk and investing many hours in several homemade items for Thalia's seventh Birthday Celebration.  In good "me" fashion, I'm running late on all but one of the three planned projects. Partly, because I don't multi-task. I find it almost painful to start one project when I still haven't finished Colin's sweater, you know the one, the burnt orange I started last fall, and am just hours away from putting it all together!  My second excuse, if you will allow it, is that I get lazy to work so secretively! I have to pack and unpack the projects every stinking night to prevent my see-all, know-all, acutely observant daughter from seeing it! 

The one project I did manage to complete was made possible (again) by a darling husband who made it possible for me to spend about five hours (did I mention I'm a slow worker too?) at a Starbucks with a shere determination to produce at least one thing for that quickly impending deadline of spring day.  Yes, I may have been one of the few people on earth who was hoping for a few more days of winter! 

But onto the gift itself. One I hope my dearest girl will delight in for a lifetime.  One I know that will help preserve her treasured childhood memories.  One I know that will illustrate how cherished she is those who love her.

A year in the life of my Thalia, beginning from her 6th Birthday Celebration throughout the whole year highlighting special moments such as family trips and ballet recitals and those common everyday memories of playing in the park or helping her little brother, was made possible by an awesome product from Shutterfly.  

When she was about two years old she started asking me questions like, "Mommy, who made me this dress?" or "Who gave me this doll?" so I figured out quickly that gifts was her love language.

A homemade gift may just be the jackpot of all birthday presents for this beautiful girl of mine.

Pack Forest (Or City Kids Meet Ice Take Two!)

Our second attempt at hiking Pack Forest was a hundred fold more successful than our first attempt. The higher temperatures and improved preparedness (is that a word?) were key of course even though that pool of water at the parking lot continued to entice the children so that I did have to caution them to "stay away from the water".  Oh my, did I test my parents this much?

With a backpack filled with pistachios and bottles of water we headed up the old logging trails, into some spectacular semi-old growth and peek-a-boo views all the while looking for any evidence of bigfoot of course.  We did see one reoccurring sighting. I managed to photograph him, you can see for yourself! He's the one wearing the inconspicuous orange shirt!

Fresh air plus beautiful evergreen foliage of the Pacific Northwest and the beloved company of cousins makes for a very exciting day for young and old.  Yes, we're hoping to return very soon.

Winter Hiking

It's so easy to lose the outdoor momentum in these winter months, but not on this particular day when we climbed out of our hole in the ground to meet up with some friends for a short hike through Point Defiance Park.    

Not only was the weather perfect but our friends introduced us to new trails in our favorite city park I never thought of exploring.  And I just love trails.  Can you tell?

Maybe I find a lot of comfort in following the steps someone has laid out before me.  Especially when children are involved.  I want to follow a path I know my children and I will be safe on.

Because when you stay on paths you're guaranteed a rich reward at the end.

Yes, good weather, good friends and safe trails are a few of my favorite things!

 

A Show

When Colin discovers an interest, he dives into it wholeheartedly. He explores library books, watches shows, plans, dreams and talks about his passionate subject until the whole family is well versed on the subject at hand too!  Some of his topics are short lived and some have remained with him throughout his childhood, but they're always varied and amusing.

"What will be the next thing that he'll grab onto?" Joe and I often wonder.  Will it be something he's never heard of before or will it be something familiar that captures his attention in a novel way?

Well, I'm here today to announce his new found interest but before I reveal it, I wanted to walk down memory lane and reminisce over his past hobbies with you.  Reviewing these past years has been such cherishing and wonderful time for this Mommy, to see my boy growing, discovering and learning about the world around him.  I hope you enjoy it too.

When he was about three he was absorbed with street signs and their significance. He was especially entertained by what he calls the "truck great big hill" sign and the infamously fatal sign, "dead end".

"Why is it called a Dead End?", he would continually ask. And for about two years, I couldn't drive by a Dead End street without diverting our journey down it in hopes that the question would finally be answered.  I agree with him, it is truly a confusing and a macabre name when you think about it!

Next came a fascination with volcanoes and the Cascade Range, where he would absorb himself for hours mapping out the major mountains across our living room floor using blankets, rugs and pillows or by modeling and painting play dough.  To fly over the Cascades with him is such a joy as he yells out the names of all the mountains outside his window.

There was a short fascination with castles, especially Neuschwanstein but Germany still remains one of his top destinations to visit.

I'm not sure when the appeal of snakes began but this curiousity, unfortunately for Joe and I, remains as he continually asks for a pet snake for his birthday.  "Not in our house", we answer! Instead, we take as many trips to our co-op, blueberry farm and YMCA for some close encounters to satisfy that reptilian curiousity.

This post wouldn't be complete without mentioning the love of trains.  It was because of him, after all, that I came to know what a hopper car was and it was because of his love for watching trains that I would sit at the "train park" and record the trains passing by so he could later watch them on my camera.  But then, we discovered YouTube where there are plenty of other train fanatics willing to entertain my son while I try do some cleaning!

Ever since Colin was born we have been flying across the country to visit family, but on one trip the aviation bug hit him hard.  He begged us to buy every commercial model airplane available on Amazon and wore the wings the pilot gifted him for days, slept with it (to my apprehension) and then was devastated when they were lost.  This passion is also the second reason he'd like to visit Germany because when you have a love for model airplanes you must, just must see Miniature Wonderland Hamburg Airport!

And of course there's the Squatch. His bigfoot days are well documented on this little blog and the hunt for this "elusive creature" is still strong.  

So now we are up to date and current and I'd like to introduce to you the next new topic that has captured this inventive and diverse mind.  Drum rolls please!

Ready!?

Magic Tricks!

Colin has been practicing some magic tricks over the past month and today with an added audience member (a visit from my dear sister) we had the great pleasure of watching him perform a living room magic show.

With tools such as pepper, water, paper, scissor and candles he performed his tricks perfectly. The guests were questioning "How did you do that?, he engaged his audience and came up with lines that had his proud spectators belly laughing. 

It was a good show.  

This one is going to be fun! Do I foresee a Magician's costume for Halloween?

 

At The House

There was a buzz going around the Homeschool groups this week. News that some homeschool rights were being disturbed with an Act.

I wanted to be informed. I read the House Bill. I studied the Homeschool legal opinion against the bill and with eagle focus I dove into the unchartered waters of writing to my Representatives and communicating with my fellow homeschoolers.

This matter, moving the compulsory age of early childhood education from eight to six, is infringing on my children's rights to be children, to learn at a slower and playful pace and it would certainly affect the freedoms of our everyday lives.

So I was driven and compelled to attend the public meeting that was being held at 8am in the morning in our State's Capitol.  That meant I had to leave the house at 7 in the morning with three sleep deprived kiddos and find our way into the intimidating arena that is government.  

I thought I was crazy the whole time (I even kept on asking Joe, "is this crazy to drag them out this early in the morning?") but he was incredibly supportive and so my resolve remained strong.

Now, I had no intention in speaking. I just wanted to sign my name and give any support that I could. But when we arrived we were miraculously approached by a Homeschool lobbyist who was genuinely glad to see us and encouraged me to make a brief statement and even educated me on the greeting etiquette, "Madame Chair and Committee". Yes, me! Your every day pony tail wearing homeschool Mom got to say those little words! And I did so with a three year old on my lap and two extremely well behaved older kids behind me.  

And you know, there weren't any nerves as I spoke in front of the Education Committee, only a conviction of steel that speaking up was necessary in order to protect the rights of my children, these amazing persons. Oh, they're so worth it and so much more.

 

Afterwards, we did visit our Representative's office and though he wasn't present, his assistant welcomed us into his office for some photo ops.  Then we crossed the street from the House of Representatives and toured the Capitol building itself, with all its ceremonious extravagance.

This was an extraordinary day.  A moment where I got to stand up for the rights of my children, to step out of myself and boldly go where a Mommy has never gone before!

actively yours,

Christine 

 

 

Second Chance Horse Ranch

It's such a beautiful and emotional moment when kids connect with the world around them, especially when it comes to developing relationships with the natural world and admiring the special gifts of animals.

This week we had the extreme pleasure of meeting orphaned horses at Second Chance Horse, through an invitation from our awesome homeschool group (my goodness they enrich our lives.)

Second Chance Horse Ranch is an amazing heart-filled non-profit that adopts and cares for thoroughbreads, that after years of racing and physical wariness of competition and decomposition, they eventually become broken, unwanted, unprofitable.

But still in this place they remain wanted, loved, appreciated and valued.

We had a chance to groom these beauties, to feed them and even ride them.  By the older kids at least.  Declan still has reservations about meeting these gentle giants and would prefer climbing the bars and petting the docile old ranch dog who's always waiting for a treat or a good rub.

 

I'd like you to meet Erin, he's four years old and after a short career as a racing horse has just been operated on all four ankles and fortunately because of lots of tender loving care he's recuperating well and ready to grow some more. He's quite friendly by the way, and is always hoping you're holding a special treat for him in your hand.

 We all are wanting to return and visit these dear horses soon.  And there is a tiny fantastical dream of maybe one day of bringing one home with us one day, but of course, that remains in my far future dreams.

equinely yours,

Christine

 

Back to Nisqually

After a couple of weeks in the thirties, the upper forties feel balmy. Well, not quite balmy. But thoroughly enjoyable and refreshing.  Oh to be back in God's Creation.  Nothing feels more serene.

City Kids Meet Ice

The weekend hike with the cousins was planned.

We had attended Saturday evening service.  Sunday was free for the first hike of the year.

Two batches of popcorn had been popped and poured into a large Trader Joe's paper bag, eight PB&J sandwiches prepared, fruit and some lollilops were also packed to be enjoyed on the way home after the scheduled three hour hike.

The cars were filled up with gas and the GPS was set.

Ah, finally ready to go and only seven minutes behind schedule. It's not always easy getting eight people out the door, is it?!

We left a foggy city behind, a fog that hasn't lifted in over three days. 

We left the city stresses and the bad moods there in the fog too.

On our trip eastward, we found the sun again. The blue skies opened and welcomed us and we got to see Mt. Rainier again.  Oh how refreshing and breathtaking is that Mountain. It is zing for the soul.

And in those corners where the sun didn't hit, the douglas firs were decorated with a heavy flaky frost. We were entering a white wonderland.

Inside our car (the boys went with Joe while the girls went in my car) we played twenty-one questions (which can be quite challenging when playing with a six year old who doesn't quite understand all of her geography yet!), listened to gypsy jazz and talked high school with my growing niece.

We parked our two cars and the eight of us tumbled out into a frigid cold we haven't had in the city for quite some time.

The kids quickly amused themselves with a patch of ice right by the front of the cars. Oh they were giddy with excitement. And I was so thrilled to see them having a good time with each other and enjoying the outdoors. This is why we're here. This is why parents try so hard to get these city kids outdoors.

"Kids, don't step on the ice." I reminded them, "If you get wet, we won't be able to go on our hike."

It was feeling really cold and I felt the urgency to get moving quickly so Joe and I busied ourselves putting gloves on the toddler, harnessing the backpack and reviewing the map and organizing our sense of direction to find the entrance to the trail which I admit can take a lot of mental effort and preoccupation on my part!

"Let's head this way." we directed the kids.

At this moment, we looked back and walking towards us comes one very very wet kid. His pants are wet up to his pockets and his jeans are so saturated they're hugging his legs.

"What happened?" we say.

"The ice was thinner than I thought when I stepped on it." he says.

"We need to go back home." Joe and I announce simultaneously.

"It'll dry." he says.

"Water doesn't dry here, it freezes." I inform him.

I can tell he's embarassed and disappointed. They're all disappointed and a little shocked, after all they're completely silent. The only exception and objection comes from Declan, my three year old, who is pushing both Mommy and Daddy back towards the trail.

He sits down on icy grass and rings out the water from his socks.

A lesson is learned here without words. A lesson he is learning on his own.

This isn't the time for rebuke nor is it the time for "I told you so's."

And so we tell him with a chuckle in hopes of lightening the mood, "This will be a day to remember for sure. Can you imagine years from now, when you have kids of your own? What will you tell them when they're standing on ice in the middle of nowhere?"

He chuckles in return.

We returned home a little earlier than expected so I got to put a delicious meal on the oven to simmer for a couple of hours and then napped with my littlest guy.

It was still all good!

 

Mushrooming

I have to say, I'm still a little confused. Mushrooms grow in sterile spots even though some thrive in manure? And what's that word I just had to look up, vermiculite?  

I'm speaking fungi since our homeschool Nature Club went on a mushroom field trip to Provisions Mushroom Farm.  It's run by a hospitable and beautifully gentle couple who showered our chaotic group with so much grace allowing my city kids to explore every inch of their woodsy yard and to even chase their chickens until the poor dears hid under the porch crawlspace (to which Colin entered anyways which is one of the reasons I don't have any chicken photos, since I was busy teaching my son some boundaries!)

But back to our lovely hosts.

To make us more at ease, as it was in the thirties, with frost still covering the shady and sunny corners, they hooked up a propane heater for the Moms and kids alike to thaw out our burning extremities.  So thoughtful! I don't think I would have survived this two hour outdoor event without this added touch.

Oh, I just fell in love with this family. Not only for their hospitality but for their calmness and gentleness towards the children and for their passion of organic farming.  They're the kind of people you'd like to have more of in your life.

Steam heated straw covered with saw dust, spores and that funny word vermiculite.

Stuff bags full and poke holes for the mushrooms to grow out of.

Place in the growing room.

And voilá, mushrooms!

Yummy Enoki Mushrooms.

I'll be looking for some excuses to stop by again, real soon.

Thank you Provisions Mushroom Farm.

impressedly yours,

Twanoh

My nephew requested another hike to Twanoh State Park (pronounced Tu-wa-nu-ho, go figure!), so we squeezed six people into a five seater Sedan and made the almost hour trip out towards the Hood Canal.

Oh my bootie got squooshed! (Is that a word?)

With a couple of "are we there yet's?" from even me, we finally spilled out of the car to enjoy this delightful, calm and easy walk through woods and beach.  It was so easy that I got to linger a few steps behind and practice my photography skills.

How can a shot go wrong though, isn't His artistry magnificent?

And the company as always was delightful. My nephew is such a gentle spirit and my do the cousins love having him along.

Now for the ride back!

sandwichedly yours,

 

A Lamb and a Drummer

Colin and Thalia had the privilige of being invited to perform in the Family Christmas Performance the weekend before Christmas.  With multiple performances and much time spent at the House of God working hard and building relationships, this has to have been the best Christmas season yet.

With this opportunity to serve, I being a stage Mom, Thalia being a little lamb and an enthusiastic little dancer and Colin being a drummer and the letter R in "Merry", it has (ironically during this busy time) made me pause, reflect and reassess our celebration traditions during this time of year.

With all the efforts made in preparation for Advent and Elving, then the hampering of illness and the disastrous tragedy in Newtown, I came out feeling that I'm placing too much emphasis on self-centered traditions where instead this should be a season of serving, giving and a complete immersion into building the kingdom of God.

That's what the LORD came to earth for, that's why we celebrate this most magical and universal day.

The day the LORD stepped down from Heaven and to build His Kingdom Here on Earth.

Please enjoy the little production. May it bring a smile to your beautiful face and may it encourage you to praise God and thank Him for our little children.

 

 

 

Sun Stand Still

Celebrating the winter solstice has been a fairly new tradition for our family.  I had never thought of taking time to stop and reflect on the seasons and anticipate the lengthening of days but it has become increasingly popular in so many walks of life and practically every blog I'm dedicated to is wishing me a Happy Winter's Solstice.  The sincered wishes are so respectful and peaceful one can't help but take notice and join in on this lovely truth that today marks the day that light will be returning to our hemisphere degree by degree and minute by minute.

And it fits in so appropriately, doesn't it, with the coming of Christ for He is the Light of the World and He is returning again.  The sun will peek through a little longer with all its energy and life and I can't help but wonder how much more energy and abundant life the Creator of this sustaining sun, how much Energy and Life he shines on us.

And I can't help but wonder when we won't have to count down the days to look forward to the return of the sun because we will be in His Presence, for His Eternal Light will be with us day and night just as it was when Joshua asked the Lord to make the Sun Stand Still. 

So Miraculous! Can you imagine?

So while we wait for his coming, while we celebrate his transformation from the heavenly into the earthly, we can also commemorate His Creation and His Design of the Seasons. And we can spend our time outside on this shortest of days enjoying the company of dear friends.

Thank You, Lord, for never leaving us in darkness and returning us to Light.

 

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Uwajimaya

I'm not quite sure about the timing of this trip. I suppose we could have gone to the craft store for some much needed supplies, or finalized the Christmas menu, or maybe even gone to the post office to send off our cards to our family in Portugal and Brazil (I'm postponing that inevitable long line. Is waiting to send them out until the 26th impolite? Oh, never mind! I'll go today!).

Instead we made a thirty minute drive up to Seattle to visit one of my favorite grocery stores, Uwajimaya, in the pouring rain no less.  Not the kind of rain where the spray nozzle is set at "mist" or "soak", but with the cleaning power of "jet" mixed with that piercing wind that brushes debris off the asphalt and stings the cheeks.

We found ourselves safe and sound inside this little Asian world, oohing over the funny looking mushrooms and roots with holes in them (lotus), gawking at the aisle dedicated solely to ramen noodles, mesmerized by the mammoth sized tank of live crusteceans, trying to read Japanese unsuccessfully, salivating over the beautifully displayed bakery items and trying not to spend to much money.  This Mommy felt like a kid in a candy shop, with all this deliciousness around us.

After shopping we dined in their busy food court.  And I just had to ask the kids, "Which is better, Uwajimaya or McDonalds?!" They answered correctly and enthusiastically!

Korean Beef and Radish Soup

Bee-bim Bop served the right way, in a sizzling hot bowl.

After spending about twenty minutes in the produce section alone, we came away with some nostalgic fruit I used to enjoy during my childhood years in Brazil.  

I used to suck on sugar cane as a little kid. It was sweet as candy and a cherished memory. Unfortunately, this piece didn't live up to that impression and wasn't sweet at all. The guava and starfruit, weren't ripe enough so they weren't as sweet as I remember either though they were still tasty.  These tropical sun loving fruits can't be fooled. They know they've been moved to a cold howling windy state!  

But in Northeast Brazil, you sure can't find yourself a fresh bowl of "Maguro Donburi", tuna sashimi served on a bed of rice.  We sprinkled some shredded shiso leaf on top and ate it with a side order of seaweed salad. It's an easy peasy, healthy and delicious meal.

Now to finally sending those Christmas cards! 

 

Fall Days

With work and school done for the day, we reward ourselves with the outdoors as we enjoy a brisk afternoon on this beautiful fall day.  Oh so good!

Hope you're having a beautiful fall day wherever you are!

For Teasing Weather

After two full days of dark blustery hard rains we woke up to some sunshine, there was some of that blessed blue up above and brilliant rays that was drawing us outside as if the sunbeams were pouring gold.  Knowing that our favorite park had just opened their new playground, that is if the architect had passed the inspection on Friday as he was scheduled (gotta be on top of these things when this park is literally our back yard for these land-starved city dwellers!), we hopped in the car and set off for our five minute drive.  As we descended the hill, a sudden blackness covered the land and raindrops splattered our windshield.  

"Mommy, I thought you said the sun was shining."

"Yes, I said that but it's Autumn weather in Seattleland and for some reason I've forgotten how quickly the weather will turn about."

"I think the weather is teasing us Mommy." Yes, Colin couldn't have said it better.

As the silly Mommy that I am, I neglected to dress my kids in any raingear but we continued anyways and they got soaked climbing and sliding the new structures, running in the rain and of course stepping into streamlets.  (It was nice to see them deviate from the play structures and back into the woodsy areas of the park.  I may be silly but I'm also oh so proud of the them!)

And in this teasing weather I got to wear my new knitted hat (photos taken by older darlings who so nicely took turns, ahem!)  The pattern was a ravelry find called Lotus Hat and is the first project I've completed for myself.  It's a nice snug woolen hat for these temperamental fall days! Ravelry notes can be found here.

We left a little earlier than hoped for as the downpour became unbearable with or without raincoats or woolen hats but the conversation in the car ride home turned into a cozy one of sipping tea and eating toast by the fire that awaited us.

And of course, the sun had come out again by the time we had settled inside!

Bee-bim Bop

There's a fun children's book about one of my favorite Korean dishes, Bee-bim Bop that I've read to the kids over the years.  The rhyme is addicting for the kids and they chant through the house "Hungry, Hungry, Hungry for some Bee-bim Bop!" Linda Sue Park is a genius, I say ,and there should be more books written for children as amusing as this one is that make eating your vegetables so much fun, a futile attempt for this Mom sometimes.

 

Although there are a variety of ways to prepare Bee-bim Bop I use the recipe in the book but the internet is loaded with others such as this one which is delicious too. 

Today I also threw in some mushrooms since I had them in the fridge begging for something to do. That wasn't popular with the kids, nor was the kim-chi but that's okay. More for me and Joe!

(This Kim-chee is a prized gift tenderly made by the owners of our favorite Pho restaurant. Yes, Pho is a Vietnames dish but the restaurant is owned by Koreans whom I actually never see eat Pho.  They don't care to eat it everyday I guess and I can respect that! So I always see them eating Korean recipes with huge helpings of kim-chee. One day I passed their table and commented on how yummy the kim-chee appeared. During our next visit she handed me this jar with a generous helping to pour into my soup. It's the little things, right? The little acts of kindness that exhort us to live thankfully and to live oxygenated. That and my husband and kids of course!)

When served mix it all up into a nice gooey mess and indulge in this tasty and healthy comfort dish. Perfect for a November rainy day.

So good!

September Bounty

September is truly a month marked with reward and bounty.  In this modern day of accessibilty, where the cycle of "want" to purchase to delivery can last only two days (any Amazon prime members out there!!), the planning, purchasing of supplies, seeding, caring,  composting, replanting, watering, weeding and finally harvesting has taken us well into a six month process.  We could have easily taken the five minute trip to the grocery store but what is the fun in that, right?

For us it has been about the process,  the magic of seeds, the anticipation and excitement of the first sprouts, the discovery of the first fruit and the eager hands ready to harvest and taste these summer goodies.

I do it for them. Not for a commendable and necessary green agenda but for them. They drive me to to research planting schedules and fill up Saturdays hauling compost because I want them to connect with this amazing world God has created for our enjoyment.  You can see, feel and taste his creativity and genius through even a garden. And hopefully, they'll love and appreciate His world a little more. Hopefully they'll adore and worship Him a little more as we celebrate our September Bounty.

Seed Dispersal

"Has anyone here been to Florida? Raise your hand!  In Florida, there are lots of palm trees and coconuts."

Yes, that's my confident, capable public speaker.

Colin co-hosted a presentation with me on Seed Dispersals, our current topic of discussion in homeschool science. (We're using Apologia's Exploring Creation With Botany.) We spent the last week studying various types of seed dispersal, an appropriate subject since our gardens and fields are rich with seeds during this time of year.  During our trip to the park this week we were able to collect all methods of seed dispersals: wind, human, mechanical, animal and even water, minus the coconut example of course!

After our small dissertation amongst parents and peers we set off on a little experiment. We covered our shoes in old socks and went off to play in the meadow.  There was one dominant seed that stuck well and dominated all other seeds that we could see with the visible eye...burrs!  Those are sticky little buggers and I'm still removing them off their clothing.  But we kept them on our socks so we could plant them, socks included  in containers we brought from home.  The pots are now sitting by a sunny window in our home and we're anxiously awaiting new growth and the discovery of what exactly we brought back home with us. 

 

I think they'll always remember this fascinating lesson. And, I'll always remember that coconuts are dispersed by water, even reaching to far off continents, thanks to Colin!

A Garden Tour

This video brought to you by the amazing Thalia. 

 

Blueberries and Snakes

We finally did make it back for blueberry picking.  We stayed just long enough to collect enough blueberries for one pie and about two days worth of oatmeal accompaniments before we had to rush to a piano lesson, which the instructor was not there for!!!!  Big breath! Be thankful in all things, right?!  I'm still struggling to think of what that may be yet!

Perhaps we are simply to be thankful for an opportunity to go back. I, of course, wouldn't mind another pie and perhaps some blueberry jam. The kids on the other hand are begging to play with snakes. Apparently, they like blueberries as much as humans do!

An Honest to Goodness Old-Fashioned Swimming Hole

Better than swim lessons, or the new wave pool in town which is teeming with so many people (I do dislike crowds oh so much, can you tell) is Chambers Creek.  It is a runoff from Lake Steilacoom to the Puget Sound not from a glacier although the frigid waters tell a different story.  

I think you have to be a kid in the Pacific Northwest, to grow up here to tolerate this temperature because I don't dare even wade the waters.  The kids on the other hand explain to me as they shiver and tremble that it's just too much fun not to go in the waters and for the life of them they can't understand why Mommy and Daddy don't want to join them!

It's going to be another hot one this week and this is where you'll find us, in a tranquil, lovely, spectacular fun for all ages...swimming hole.

And can you believe it's only about ten minutes from home!?

Shhh...don't tell anyone. It's our little secret!

Oregon Grape

In the cold winter month of January we were graced by these dainty golden blooms.  Seven months later.... 

they, by God's magical design, produced these lovely fruits...Oregon Grape.

They're a little bitter to the taste but they're fun to squirt, more so than plastic popcorn and a lot messier for sure.  I missed the photo opportunity when they were all bathed in purple from head to toe. I was a little too pre-occupied with saving their juice drenched clothes and throwing them in the washer as quickly as mom-ly possible.

Today we harvested these plump little fruits before they started drying into raisins.  I had been going at it a little slow because this poky plant can make collecting a miserable experience. But thankfully, I had a tenacious helper who didn't mind the spikey leaves and who could squeeze herself into the hard to get to places.  

We collected a couple of pounds and followed the Oregon Grape Preserve recipe by Langdon Cook which permeated our home with an earthy, beet-like aroma.  I'm wondering if it's because of the berberine that saturates this healthy berry.  However, to make it edible for the kids and for me, a whole lot of sugar is needed.

I think we can still call it a healthy afternoon snack!

jammily yours,

Harvesting Squash Blossoms

Of the dozen pumpkin seeds we planted only two took off and my goodness what a blessing that was! What was I thinking sowing twelve pumpkin seeds when the two that survived are overtaking my garden, crowding out the spinach and canopying the cucumbers.  Note to self, please take the time to move the spinach and cucumbers.

Watching the blossoms appear and anticipating the growth of the pumpkins has been one of the highlights of our garden experience, for the young and old alike. I've been especially excited, as I tend to be with educational opportunities, because this year we are studying botany and the transformation of our pumpkin patch so beautifully illustrates our lesson plans, that the purpose of a flower is to produce fruit (we call them baby pumpkins) which then produces seeds and then the cycle starts all over again.  We are literally watching our science experiment and a birthing in process.

Can you tell how much I love this?  Could it be that I'm more excited than the kids?

Squash blossoms are not only beautiful but they are edible.  But harvesting them can be a bit tricky because you don't want to pick a flower before it has served her purpose and produced a baby pumpkin.  The kids helped me out with this and they did such a good job.  They had to search out the female blossoms and the male blossoms.  They had permission to pick the male blossoms, you can identifiy them by their thin stalk, but the mommy blossoms had to be examined carefully.  If she had produced her fruit and was starting to fall off, she could be used for dinner.  For example, the one below was still firmly attached so I didn't feel quite comfortable separating her from her baby just yet.  We'll save her for another dish.

Female Squash Blossom

 

 

Male Squash Blossom

 So why eat squash blossoms? Because this recipe is irresistible, delectable and worthy of seconds and thirds.  

But in my case, I skip the seconds and thirds and just pile as much as I can onto the plate and then top it off with a nice glass of red, for digestion of course! Ah-hem!

By the way, the recipe didn't call for tomatoes, but tomatoes go so well with any summer salad and bring such a burst of color to your creation that it can't go wrong.

I shared this dish with my good friend Diane, who introduced me to this recipe through her friend Trisha.  Trisha couldn't join us, she's in London with the Games. But Diane and I did the next best thing and watched the Opening Night of the Olympic Games while she critiqued the sportswear of the athletes (she's a hotshot professional sportswear designer so she's entitled!) and doted over Paul McCartney while I learned to sew. (I'm looking forward to sharing that project here soon!)

Gorgedly yours,

More Water and Play

A day at the the beach during low tide gets you a load of squid eggs....

 

four red rock crabs to take home for dinner....

 

 

and mud zombies!!!

Animals, Friends and Water

It's been awhile since I have taken the kids to the zoo. I concentrate all our efforts on parks and places away from crowds and I forget the treasure we have that is right here in our city, the Point Defiance Zoo and Aquarium.   So when our homeschool friends posted they were going to the zoo on facebook, I decided to confront my hatred for crowds for the kids' sake and join them.

I spent all my time counting 1,2,3 (all accounted for) and did manage to take a few photos here and there.  The birds stole the show on this particular day from feeding budgies to the playful bobbing puffin and the baby barn sparrows (not part of the exhibits but a good find on Colin's part) who were nesting in the musk ox cabin.

And yes, that's a rat Declan is touching, suspiciously! 

As our grand finale, the kids played in the spray park with their friends and got completely and wonderfully drentched.  I guess I was too busy having fun watching them to take any pics to share. I'm always amazed they don't seem to mind getting wet when it's in the upper sixties that is until it's time to walk to the car and then they don't mind the run.  

Animals, friends and water play. Does it get any better than that for a kid?

Where are the Blueberries?

We made a trip to Charlotte's Blueberry Park, a free city park run by volunteers.  I've known about the park for years but it wasn't until now, in one of my efforts to expose the kids to nature that I took the time to read about the history of the park (which makes for a fascinating read if you have nothing else to do!) and load the kids into the car to visit it for the first time.

I found a web site that mentioned the blueberries were ripe in the first and second week of July of last year but I had my doubts because of our rainy and cloudy June.  But I brought a little bowl, just to stay hopeful.

I should have known the crop wasn't ready when I pulled up to the parking lot and only one other car was there.

We tried. We really tried to fill our bowl but even the ones that weren't green were still in that reddish purplish stage. But that's okay.  I think it was educational for the kids to see the stages of the blueberry growth and now we get to look forward to returning in a few weeks, provided they're not all gone.  The other family in the park warned us that during prime picking season it's impossible to find parking within two blocks.  Maybe we'll have to leave at 7 in the morning to fill our bowl!!!

In the meantime, let the park exploration begin.  Tall grass? Perfect place for little lions to play! Or maybe even find a garter snake!

 

Chalk Play

Fortunately, clean up is easy and fun thanks to hosing everyone and everything down with the hose! Even when a lot of the chalk ends up in the pool and the water becomes murky (ideal for snapping turtle hunting according to Colin), I just add some bleach and voilà all clean again!

Now these are the kind of messes a Mamãe can really live with. And best of all, it's so fun to just watch them, be covered in gooey chalk from head to toe!

Maybe I should just let the pictures speak for themselves.

 

Shakespeare in the Park

Last year, we read the Tempest and I was pleasantly surprised how Colin and Nene sat through the entire unabridged play on a cold and wet summer day in August.  Not only were they mesmerized with the play but they were also fan-struck with Caliban.  Fortunately for the cold night, we hardy and blanketed souls were one of five families in attendance so the kids got a chance to meet the actor who played Caliban and shake his hand.

This past year, we enjoyed A Midsummer Night's Dream by reading Bruce Colville's Book which is illustrated so beautifully and whose books are a great Shakespearean introduction for children. We also listened to Charles and Mary Lamb's Adaption on Librivox, watched the amazingly entertaining movie and of course acted out excerpts of the play.

As the grand finale to this year's Shakespearean play, we packed a picnic and took a Sunday trip up to Seattle's Volunteer Park where Green Stage performed a free production of the play.

Like last year, tonight's play required jackets.  I think it just may be a Seattle tradition. However, there wasn't the looming threat of showers so there were about fifty people packed behind the "stage". 

The hearing was a bit difficult because of the planes that kept flying overhead but they did provide lots of entertainment for our littlest one.  Eventually, Daddy had to take him for a walk but Colin and Thalia managed to stay throughout the entire show with a squirm here and there from the both of them...I don't think Puck caught their attention as much as I had imagined he would have.  He lacked that famous impish quality and his humor wasn't fully appreciated by the younger audience.  The kissing did catch Nene's attention.  She kept asking me if they married?  I just love her innocence.

The fairy folks were clad in leather and lace in contrast to white worn by the human quartet of lovers.

My independent Nene wanting a closer view.

The troublesome fairy Puck waiting for his cue to return to the stage.

A standing ovation!

It was voted. The play was enjoyed by all.  I just may try to squeeze in another play before the summer is over.