giving thanks and Advent

~flowers on the table


~pecan pie

We had a great Thanksgiving weekend with our family. Lots of food, laughing, and noise (of course with plenty of kid cousins running around my sister-in-law's house). I am very grateful-for so many blessings seen and unseen. The Lord has been good to my family and I hope to keep in my heart a song of praise and a song of gratitude.

For the last two years we have started the tradition of an Advent calendar. Last year I used cardstock to make our calendar.

~a snapshot last year's calendar


Right now (ok December 1st is tommorrow right?) I need to come up with something fast. I think I might just take what I did last year and change it up a bit-since I like a little change. Usually for Advent we share a verse from the Bible with each other (in the evening, before bedtime) and then I give the girls a small treat like a journal, pens, stickers-which I purchase from the dollar bin at Target or elsewhere. Other nights the Advent treat may include baking something simple, making hot cocoa, or doing a small craft.They are looking so forward to tommorrow night and so am I.

reading and dreaming

I love books. I buy a lot of books, and have a huge pile of them on the floor beside my bed. In the photo above are a couple of things I've been reading through (one a magazine, one a book) which make me yearn for some type of farm life. Yes I've have probably romanticized living on a farm (with bees and chickens, mind you) to some degree-but I have a dream, a dream of at least giving this type of life a try in some type of way that works for us as a family. Really the book I have been reading about bees is pretty fascinating. Bees truly work as a unit, each type of bee has a purpose, function, job which totally relates to keeping the hive thriving- its amazing. Reading, dreaming, doing, then adapting if need be seems like a pretty good formula to me (and it doesn't necessarily have to be in that order you know?)
But of instead of reading about bees I think its time to crack open a cookbook. Pie crusts need to be made because I know Thursday will be here in a jiffy!

thrifty Wednesday and holiday thoughts

thrifty Wednesday, originally uploaded by *nichole*.

Did some thrifting this morning and found all sorts of little treasures~napkins, a book, a potholder and some wool yarn. Really I love finding craft stuff at the thrift store, but at times it just reminds me that instead of just obtaining craft stuff, I actually need to make something with this stuff. I've been trying to find some more time to craft and knit lately, usually right before bed-and truth be told, sleepiness seems to overwhelm me after only a few stitches have been knitted. I know if one really wants to do something he or she will make time for it, so that's why I'm making time to sleep (:
The holidays are fast approaching and I've been wondering what my take should be on gift giving this year. Most likely it will be the same as last year-making those on my list something to eat-homemade candy and cookies-just trying to keep in line with my ideals of homemade, handmade goodness. To me buying people gifts is a bit tricky, but hey-giving them something that they can eat-well to me that is a win-win! I have some craft ideas brewing too, but I'm not going to be overly ambitious with anything. I want things to be manageable and doable, so that I am able to avoid being a grump for the holiday season. For Thanksgiving next week and we are headed to my lovely sister in laws house for dinner-my contribution will be pecan pie and this. I can't wait to see everyone and enjoy the laughing, talking, and wonderful chaos of family togetherness.

macaroon madness

Today I whipped up some macaroons and of course I just had to fiddle around a bit with this recipe (I don't think I handle simple recipes well, I'm complicated so I added a bit of vanilla extract and a small amount of flour). I also ended up using these huge coconut flakes. Well maybe I should have just stayed on course. These macaroons are tasty nevertheless, but the bigness of the flakes make them very chewy-great for exercising the jaw muscles I suppose.
Do you like macaroons? And if so share your foolproof recipe with me-I won't change it up, I promise (:

turkey

This is a turkey that my daughter made in her kindergarten class (I don't think he has a thing to worry about, even though Thanksgiving is fast approaching :)

Have a great weekend!

knit away

I knew it would happen. As soon as the weather turned cooler, the need for some wool in my hands became so clear. I'm still working on the bag, here it is so far~


can't wait to see it all done up and felted.

A trip to the local yarn shop yielded some malabrigo cosecha in my hands. The oranges, browns, greens are just wonderful representation of the Thanksgiving season-so that's why I'll now call this cowl my Thanksgiving cowl~



Knitting, with its rhythmic, repetitive movements has a way of letting my mind just focusing on what is at hand-literally. It helps my mental outlook and lets me realize (even when some of my stitches are less than ideal) that you just need to keep on keepin'on, both living and knitting.

(Sorry, but really its kinda of impossible for me not to look for life lessons everywhere- it's just me I guess :)

Happy Wednesday friends!