Belated

Speaking of birthdays~ I was a terrible birthday blogger this year- waiting to blog the photos until one thing or another happened-and then it never did.  I don't remember what that 'thing' was- probably just getting a 'nice' photo of the children for their birthdays instead of the 'action shots' I usually take of them.  I do remember wanting very much to usher in Corynn's 'teenage' years with a zinnia and cosmo flower crown.  But the idea was lost with the frost.  

So I never ended up blogging ANY of the childrens' birthday pictures this year.  Well, that won't do!

Soooo...from oldest pictures to newest I give you......

Andrew's birthday in April. (sheesh)

ack!  Look at how small Ineke was back then!  Whaaaaaaahhhhhhh!

He desperately needed socks and underwear so I had bought some for him right before his birthday.  As a joke, I wrapped them up as a gift and the sweetness just melted me when he was actually thankful and happy with them as a gift.

And an actual birthday wish was a box of straws.  I kid you not.  He loves building things with them- think 'Arthur and the Invisibles'.

Adele' painted him a freezer paper stencil shirt in honor of his newest obsession~deer.  I love freezer paper stencils because children can make really great looking projects that don't look kid-made but actually are.  We go that route a lot.  ;-)

His requested dinner was soup (Potato Corn chowder) and I only remember that because I remember making antler breadsticks to go with it.

The cake was supposed to look like  an antler drop on a log.  The 'antler' was made with white chocolate and butter made into a 'clay'.  (It was kinda delicious.)

Corynn and Judah's birthday in September (that wasn't THAT long ago since, you know, life happens at lightspeed): 

 It so happened their birthday fell on a Friday night (pizza night 'round here) so we made it special by having a make-your-own personal pan pizza party.

Oh- I remember those bowls of cucumbers and tomato lined tables everywhere. Sigh.  I would love a fresh cucumber right about now.

Judah's requested 'Pond Cake':

You can see the tootsie roll cattails better from here.  A favorite feature.  ;-)

The only thing that Corynn requested for her cake was that it would include Fruit Roll Ups:

Judah's birthday wish was a backpack and binoculars.  I also him this book, which we both love and went along with the pond theme quite nicely if I do say so myself.

Corynn got scrapbooking supplies and books.   Her most favorite gift (though books always rate highly) was given to her by Grandma and Grandpa.  They decided a 13th birthday ought to be an extra special one and splurged knocked her socks off with some horseback riding lessons!  It was the gift that kept on giving- and made her 13th birthday summer sweet with memories.

And that gets us up to date just in time for Ineke turning one in just a couple weeks!  ACK!

A Bunkin Birthday

 

Adele', our little Bunkin baby, turned 8 years old the week of Thanksgiving.  

And for the first time ever, a birthday child has been involved in the baking and decorating of their own cake.  Usually they give me a general theme and then tell me to "surprise them".  So I bake and decorate in secret and they don't get to see until the big 'reveal'.  And I kinda like it that way.   But it was her birthday wish, after all.  

She showed me a picture of a pigs swimming in the mud cake- perfectly fitting because the girl loves pigs most of all.  She helped me bake it, frost it, make the marshmellow fondant and shape fondant animals.  She also unwrapped the Twix- one of those menial jobs I can't stand doing but kids somehow never seem to mind.  Oh- and because she isn't a huge cake fan, she wanted the 'cake' to actually be brownie layers.  Since I am not a huge cake fan either, but seriously love me some brownies, I was all too happy to comply!

Her birthday fell on a Saturday which meant that Papa was home to celebrate- only the *best* birthdays have Papa home all day!  She said her other birthday wish was "that Papa would not go outside at all today unless it is to play in the snow with me."  I said "Well now, maybe you are taking this whole birthday wish thing a bit too far..."  and she grinned.  

I used the woodland fabric to make her a dress.  It was a surprise dress so I couldn't fit her in it as I was making it and it was a dress without pattern or tutorial- just something I made up in my head.  Which means, of course, I made mistakes.  I love the fabric so much I wanted to keep it as intact as possible.  I know it is a more childish style but I am going to embrace these last few 'childish style' years with her as best I can.  They never last long enough, in my opinion.  I should rework the front of the dress so it does not hang so low (either adding a panel or cutting out underarm sections and drawing it up. But I don't know if I will bother- partly because I am lazy but mostly because adjusting it may mean cutting the straps shorter.  And that would be tragic because the straps are edged with real rabbit fur.  Totally impractical, but I couldn't resist!  The fur just makes it, I think.

Her headband is just a bunch of felt flowers and feathers attached to elastic.  She also got a goat marionette I had stashed away and a book (of course). 

I have *just enough* leftover corduroy and rabbit fur that if I am conservative and plan it just so, I should be able to make a coordinating ensemble for the next birthday girl in a couple of weeks.

I have been seeing a shift in my girl this past year.  She is setting her mind to doing more grown up things like cooking and sewing and reading and crochet and becoming abler by the day.  She is grappling with sin and salvation and finding her place in this big, wide world and in this family, too, as a not-quite big but not-quite-small sort of girl.  And yet, I still find her playing make-believe or hear her talking to her dolls or herself from the other room.  I am incredibly grateful for those quiet little moments where I can catch glimpses of my little Adele', filled with childlike wonder and imagination.  Grow up my girl, but slowly.  Slowly.  

(kcco)

The First of December

A superboy cape and boy for Tye.  

Planted 145 cloves of garlic before the snow fell.  Now they are all snug in their wintery beds.  With plenty of garlic to spare for cooking (I hope!).

Garlic Onion and Dill homemade cheese.  Our personal favorite flavor.

 

That beautiful wintery snow (above) was the first snow of winter and happened over a week ago.
As I type, the ground outside the window is brown and muddy once again.  A rooster just pecked up some water from a mud puddle and the pasture is empty of livestock, them taking up residence in the barn because of all the rain we've been getting.  But that first gorgeous snow really kicked off the season for us and now, with Advent officially begun, we are getting very much in the spirit of things.  I feel ready and refreshed for the beginning of a new year, a new season.

I grew up in the Reformed Presbyterian church and as such, there was no 'church holidays' to celebrate and certainly no Advent.  I hold a special place in my heart for that heritage in which I was shaped and formed in my early years but I have learned that Advent brings such a focus of truth and renewal and hope and light and refreshment and anticipation. We are moderates when it comes to Advent- there is no fasting in our home and we put up our Christmas tree before Christmas Day.  Even still, there is a richness and fullness to the season that was lacking before.  It is as if our year is marked by the coming and going of Christ than any calendar and indeed, it is.  Two Advent books we are going through this year:  Advent and Christmas Wisdom from G.K.Chesterton and God is in the Manger: Reflections on Advent and Christmas by Bonhoeffer.

Little bits of Christmas are popping up here and there.  The outdoor lights are hung (and with the storms, now a bit wet and droopy.  Don't you love it when you hang lights that are working and then, just a little while later- they poop out on you?  I love it when that happens.  (or not.)  I always buy our christmas lights during the post-holiday clearance sales, so unless there are comparable deals at some point before Christmas, we'll have to wait until next year to brighten up that sad, dead and dark portion of the porch.  The kids are itching for our Trim the Tree party to happen this Sunday.  We'll see.   In the meantime, the dollhouse has a new Christmas tree with fancy lights (I love the new seed lights that are everywhere nowadays! Way better than those strands I used to get at the dollar store with ten little bulbs on them.) I found the strand we have at A.C.Moore, using a coupon of course, and discovered not only are there more than 10 lights- but they actually have several different modes!  Faaaaann-cy!  Adele' has been busy making sculpy clay feast food for the dolls and I may or may not have a few presents to tuck under their tree when the time comes.  ;-)

Christmas making is in full swing and I love.every.minute.of.it.  I usually get started much earlier on the gift-making as our gift lists are so extensive but I didn't this year and for some reason, it doesn't seem to be bothering me.  I'm sure it will get crazy toward the end, as it always does, but I love the feel of this slow-paced, all-the-time-in-the-world lingering over projects.

The glass ornaments (above) were made by filling a container with water and drizzling different colors of nailpolish on the top and then dipping glass ornaments into the water slowly.  The children loved the process- and the results are stunning.  My only regret is not having a more varied color palette to choose from- we just used what I had for my own nails.  And I guess another downfall is the fact that all my nailpolishes are now empty.  hehehe  Two things- make sure you use a disposable container- they are impossible to get clean! And- colors with a metallic luster give the prettiest effects.

Corynn is nearly done her entire gift list (and she gives gifts to EVERYONE!) and loves to rub it in that she is on the tail end and I am only beginning.  And of course, we have another little baby celebrating a birth this Christmas- so there is some birthday crafting for Ineke on the docket as well.  I have two cowls on needles or hook (both gifts), lots of peg people being painted (something I find ridiculously relaxing to do), a birthday dress and bonnet to sew, and a doll much like I made once upon a time, a castle...well, perhaps the gift-making isn't bothering me because I haven't taken the time to really consider the whole list?  So, I'll take this moment to stop considering.  ;-)

Speaking of Ineke~ thank you all for your kind care and concern for her and her mouth injury.  We had the follow-up appointment this week and the pediatric dentist was overall pleased with the healing of her bone and a bit disappointed with the healing of her gums- apparently the attachment of lip to gum is pulling the gums forward so they can't stay in place long enough to heal.  More time is needed there and only time will tell if the teeth (and nerves) are damaged and will need to come out...but today we are very thankful for a girl who seems perfectly back to normal.  We gave her cheerios with her breakfast this morning to celebrate!

(kkco and Ginny's yarn along)