m a m a :: m i l i e u

O' Warmth, Where Art Thou?

2012-04-24T08:54:00.001-07:00

The promise of summer and warm weather always spurs an outdoor nesting of sorts--preparing the spaces outside of the home for enjoyment and play. Noah, most excitedly, has thrown himself into all of the tasks to be done--helping Daddy break ground for our first Canadian vegetable garden, helping to nail little wooden steps to his favorite climbing tree and offering building tips and advice from inside the window to the workers building the new deck below.

Despite the snow and freezing temperatures that the Canadian spring has sprung on us today, I am hopeful that we'll be able to get back to our nature nesting soon.

All In A Good Week's Play: The Backyard Edition.

2012-04-14T05:48:00.003-07:00

I guess you could say it's typically spring-like around here--sunny and warm one afternoon, rainy and cool the next. No matter the bite, we try and bundle up at least once a day to bank some much needed and enjoyed hopping, swinging, digging, skipping time. While we can't wait for the warmer temperatures of summer and all the outside dinners, firefly catching and water play that it brings, we'll take what we can get in the meantime. After all, sunshine is sunshine.

A Hopping Easter Indeed: Baskets, Bunnies + Bogs.

2012-04-12T11:20:00.002-07:00

Easter passed with a fluttering of the eye--here and gone before I knew it. Noah was up at the crack of dawn on Sunday morning to seek the stash left by ol' cottontail. So excited that many of his eggs contained bouncy balls to add to his ever-growing collection, he barely noticed the few that did contain a few of his favorite treats. After an exhaustive hunt, we settled down to an oral tall tail tale with felt hand and finger bunny puppets finished in just the nick of time (Fern's got a little stitch or two well into the next day...but, shhhh, she'll never know).

Dean took Monday off and we found ourselves enjoying the cool but sunny day exploring the Sifton Bog. A boardwalk over the bog extends along for most of the main trail and dead ends at a small pier overlooking a pond surrounded by wild cranberries and brush dotted with tiny orange butterflies. The smaller trails that wrap around the outer skirts of the bog were thick with bush and fallen trees--all excellent fodder for the small herd of white-tailed deer spotted nibbling for a late afternoon bite.

The holiday weekend was all that it promised to be and I am once again reminded of how fun holidays are with little ones around. They infuse the day with such wonder, excitement and awe--the simple little things that bring the kind of pleasure that is harder and harder to often come by as we age.

peter, polly, paul + pedro.

6:00 a.m. hunt

cracked eggs

dos hikers

pier snack

"there are FISH in there!"

bog baby

bog fauna

Hoppity Hopping Into Easter: Felt Bunny Crafts + Naturally Dyed Eggs.

2012-04-05T18:48:00.000-07:00

Easter is a wee on the early side this year, but with the spring-like weather I don't mind a bit. We gave another go at coloring eggs with natural dyes this year and achieved the most beautifully muted shades of pinks and yellows using combinations of freshly grated red beets and ground turmeric. I have a hunch that I enjoyed the process more than my little cottontail, but once it comes to seeking out those little beauties from beneath bushes and behind trees he'll be happy we did.

Easter crafting, too, has hit full swing as I busily prepare handmade goodies for Noah and Fern's baskets. Last year, a half dozen crocheted eggs and two bunnies--one knitted and one sewed felt (a la our Waldorf class)--were all I could muster. This year, I am hitting the felt crafts big time thanks to these too-sweet-for-words bunny finger and hand puppets over at The Purl Bee. To be perfectly honest, the whiskers on the finger puppets gave me a hell of a time the first go round. But the rest was as easy as pie. So, whip out your sewing needles and give these little hoppers a go--you've still got time!

Natural Playscapes.

2012-03-28T19:34:00.000-07:00

Moving from California to Canada has gifted us a real backyard--the fenced-in, green-grassed, tree swing kind of backyard--the kind of yard that inner-city and beach ranch living just don't make possible. Any plans to settle into our backyard oasis last year were a bust. Just 6 months after moving in, the birth of Fern in late May combined with summertime travels put a kibosh on planting a garden, composting, rain barrels, clothes line, hammock hanging and any other kind of backyard cozy-up. We built a sand box, hung a tree swing, and that was the extent of it. But, since spring has met us early this year and the warm temperatures have lured us back out for patio dinners and long swing pushing sessions, we have begun to ponder once again all that we'd love to do with the space.

Aside from all of the functional uses mentioned above, I have also been envisioning ways to incorporate inspired playscapes--something in lieu of the traditional purchased play structure--and imagining what I could do with stumps, limbs and branches and began scouting out viable sources for wood. Luckily, a neighbor of ours was in the process of removing a tree to make way for a garden of their own and offered the wood for my outdoor endeavor. It's still very much in the making, but it's a start and already a hit with Noah. Stump jumping, reading and snacking in the fort and constructing roads and towers with cut wood blocks has been added to his list of favorite backyard past times. The imagination and ingenuity that a natural playspace has the ability to encourage with its limitless possibilities of creation is what draws me in the most. I love its impermanence and fluid construction--the ability for it to be one thing one day and something entirely different the next. I hope to add large stones, a fire pit (for the family), tree house and perhaps large logs on their side for sitting, balancing, etc. It's clearly been as much fun for me as it has been for Noah.

Happy Playing!

Ward's Island Love: Toronto, Can You Get Any Better?

2012-03-25T18:16:00.002-07:00

Dean's work space has experienced radical shifts over the years--from a Sunset Boulevard recording studio, to a home studio on the cliffs of Malibu, and most recently to an Industrial Park in the White Oaks neighborhood of London, Ontario. While his current gig does leave a stealthy lot to be desired in the aesthetic department, it does occasionally bestow trips to Toronto in business' name. This time it was to speak, mingle and schmooze at Canadian Music Week, again--and the kids and I tagged along to hit the streets and sights.

We found ourselves staying harbor-side for this visit instead of a hustling city center spot as per usual. Cityscape, construction, and harbor views from our window kept Noah engrossed for much of the stay and our proximity to the water required that we venture to the islands just on the other side of the bay. We took the late afternoon ferry after kissing daddy adieu on the first day only to find ourselves swooning on the shores of a quaint and cozy little finger of land just spitting distance from the towers and skyscrapers of downtown. With not a car in sight--only bicycle and walking shoe cladded locals--and charmingly understated, and in some cases brightly painted, cottages it looked and felt a lot like the tiny island in the Bahamas that Dean and I honeymooned on. The locals were just awakening from a long winter's slumber as the summer-like temperatures had everyone out raking leaves and otherwise preparing the earth for spring's fresh buds. A few crocus and daffodil were already peeping from beneath the heavy moss. As we made our way down to the beach on the opposite side of the island, I was plotting how we could establish a permanent homestead on this newly discovered paradise. The rest of the day was one for the history books. Noah splashed and played in the frigid and eerily still waters of Lake Ontario, collecting smooth stones and digging holes in the sand while Fernie and I soaked in all of the afternoon's rays. It was by far one of my favorite days in Canada so far.

A stop for a wee bit of window shopping and tacos on the Danforth and exploration, albeit tiredly, at the Science Museum with friends who came up from London to join us rounded out the cooler and rainy days that followed. It was a fabulous trip and though we didn't get to see much of Daddy, it's one that we would gladly do again and again as Toronto continues to capture our hearts with each visit.

Feeding Little Foodies: Rescued, Soon Renewed + New Recipes.

2012-03-18T18:29:00.003-07:00

Many of you read my sorrowful post regarding the purchase of my www.feedinglittlefoodies.com domain a few weeks back by someone in Spain. Well, all smoothed out just smoothly and the domain is happily back in my hands and to kick things off, there is a brand spankin' new super simple and delectably delicious recipe. So, come on over and give it a taste: Coconut Shrimp Curry & Easy Homemade Naan.

Thanks to all of you who sent your heartfelt support and concern during the debacle. It is touching to know what a resource the site continues to be. Thank you.

Happy Feeding,

Joni
The Mama Behind, Feeding Little Foodies

Fern's Floor Bed Featured On Bedstart!

2012-03-15T17:42:00.000-07:00

My post a few weeks back about Fern's new Montessori floor bed has brought many visitors to the blog--apparently the floor bed is making a real come back--and Anne, of the brand new website Bedstart, was one of them. She sent me an e-mail a few days ago asking if she could feature Fern's room. I, of course, enthusiastically agreed and, et voila, the site launched today! Stumble on by if you have a chance.

As a last note, it's been nearly a month now since we began experimenting with the new sleeping arrangements and are so very happy to report that all eyes are still slumbering seamlessly. Though the transition has signaled the end of exclusive co-sleeping with Fern, the floor bed has maintained the established sleep connection while providing a new physical space that both encourages and fosters "independence, concentration, movement, self-esteem, decision-making, and balanced, healthful development of body, mind and spirit". I can still snuggle, nurse and cuddle as often as needed--something that just couldn't be done with a crib. For more reading on the Montessori floor bed visit my earlier post, The Montessori Floor Bed: Connecting Space, Sleep, Play & Development .

Teases of Spring!

2012-03-14T20:22:00.000-07:00

The happiest baby on the block has the blues, the teething blues. We've been in somewhat of a teething hell lately, literally. Several days following 3 days of an otherwise symptomless fever, Fern has been in worse spirits without it than with it and from what I can tell it's all due to those blasted top two front teeth that have just begun nudging their way beneath the gums. She has been a whining, fussing, crying, little wee teether who wants to be no further away from me than my butt hair, day and night. It's proven exhausting and most especially because outside of another quick and isolated teething episode she has truly been our easy peasy smiley and bright kind of gal. I guess she's allowed. But I hope she'll make it snappy--for both of our sake's.

All of this enameled agony has not kept us from enjoying this somewhat surprisingly early spring here in Southern Ontario, however. Last year, we were still shoveling our way from beneath snow and frosty temps well into early May. Think, Easter egg hunting clad mitten and snow gear. Not exactly the Easter we're used to. But this year we've already picnicked in the park twice and that Irish day of green has not even lucked on by yet. Lucky, lucky us! Last weekend found us playing in the park and hiking down alongside the river and today, at the sugar bush (maple syrup "farm") soaking pancakes with local sweetness and going on a horse-pulled carriage ride. Once we got home from syrup tapping, I dusted off the outdoor furniture and toys as I resurrected them from their basement hibernation. Noah was most giddy about discovering his red crocs from last summer. The frosting on the cake was that they still fit.

All In A Good Week's Play: Homebase.

2012-03-09T17:10:00.001-08:00

lunch

fort

book

crawl!

breakfast

moose

stool

drool

Happy Friday, mes amis!

Two Steps Forward, One Step Back.

2012-03-07T17:57:00.000-08:00

My mama friends on Facebook will probably meet this post with a rolling of the eyes. I just recently hashed out this very issue in my status update over the course of several days. Following my whining, their loving comments, my venting, their loving comments, I came to a realization...my little boy is growing up.

Noah is 3.25 and over the last few weeks, we have been trialing a program at the Y that requires I sit outside while he participates inside. While 3 seems to be the magic age for this, it's a first for us. All of the programs that we have ever attended have been together, so I was tentative at first but was willing to give it a try if Noah was. On the first day he joined without much urging, but came running out half way through in tears and has done so every time until last week when he flat out refused to go. He gave it a try--a real effort in my book--and while I won't go into the ins and outs of why I agree with him I will say that I believe it is very telling of our current growing pain.

Over the last few weeks he's kept closer, cuddled more and slept lighter. He's cried when I didn't expect it and has asked for me when he previously would not have. I was growing worried, filled with concern and frustration and considering "solutions" and "fixes". And, then it dawned on me--he was in doubt. And so was I. I was doubting his ability to determine his own readiness. I was choosing for him and pushing, gently pushing but pushing nonetheless, when he wasn't ready.

This new world with all of its "without mom possibilities" has only just recently begun computing in his little processor. And I have noticed that our Y experience, casual conversations about possible Jr. Kindergarten (Canada's Pre-K) enrollment this fall and my own attempts at urging autonomous play at home have triggered a pulling in rather than a moving out and away. After watching a pee-wee karate demonstration in awe this past weekend, he quickly turned to me without provocation and refused to ever take a karate class (by himself)--then it was swimming class, a yoga class and music class. Noah has always been eager to jump into social situations--excited to connect with playmates for engagement and group fun. But it's now clear that the idea of all of this without mom nearby is foreign and, therefore, scary leaving him feeling unsure and insecure. My perceptions of where he should be now that he's 3 have been clouding my observation and honoring of where he is at developmentally. As a result, I have not been unconditionally offering him what he has been needing the most as he navigates this very unsteady new territory--more, not less, of me and time.

With the addition of a little sister, more responsibilities and expectations have been tucked into his pocket. He's asked for some but others have been hashed out by us, perhaps, too prematurely. We expect that with a certain age, readiness for moving forward and stepping ahead magically appears. But as with all things readiness, too, comes best in its own time, in its own way, and at its own pace. As such, I have decided that my best and only role in all of this is not to fix or solve anything--nothing is broken--it's simply to be mom. Therefore, beginning tomorrow, I'll meet his caution with patience, his fear with reassurance, his tears with empathy and glimpses of bravery with encouragement and by doing so, hopefully, foster the courage to take the next step in his own time, in his own way, and at his own pace.

Is This The End, Feeding Little Foodies? And, Orange + Currant Oat Scones.

2012-02-27T07:40:00.001-08:00

Is this the end of an era--well a two year stint, that is, of what was Feeding Little Foodies? Many of you know that I created and ran the web domain www.feedinglittlefoodies.com. It began two years ago shortly after Noah began solids as a place to share all of the yummy homemade baby grub that I was whipping up in the kitchen for him. As his palate expanded, so did the popularity of the site as it grew to include cooking tips and family-friendly dishes and a little homespun business formed--one that offered inspiration and workshops for families who wanted to learn how to feed their own little foodies. While in Southern California, business was booming but our move to Canada and the subsequent birth of Fern last May put a freeze on the site and workshops--and it never regained its once-bustling momentum.

With no time to take the photography I liked to pair with each recipe (most "share-worthy" dishes were prepared after sunset and I insist on natural lighting in lieu of the dreaded flash), there had not been a new post for many months. So when my domain was up for renewal this past January, I was torn with deciding its fate and figured I had time to hash it all out. Upon realizing that though there was no new blog content, visitors from around the world continued to maintain traffic flows by frequenting old posts in the archives. And as I was still receiving comments, messages, and e-mails regarding those, I decided that it was still valuable as a resource while I remained in decision limbo.

So when I logged on last night to pay the renewal fee, my stomach flipped, turned and then ached as I learned that my domain had been purchased by a blogger in Granada, Spain. Not only had my renewal lapsed, but it had become available for purchase by others. It's no doubt my fault. My indecision and lack of urgency resulted in the inevitable. It never dawned on me that the traffic I had spent two years building would be of interest to someone else--effortless and free advertising for them, score zero for me.

While I was unsure about the energy and interest I had in maintaining Feeding Little Foodies, I certainly wasn't ready to let it go--yet--especially so abruptly and involuntarily. It had become an inadvertent chronicle of my adventures in the kitchen from a novice to a rather competent and sometimes adept whipper-upper of fine fare. Over the years, I had invested much time and love into its creation and maintenance and it made me so very happy to know that it was continuing to inform and inspire hungry families.

Now its fate is in the hands of another. I wrote a heart-wrenching e-mail pleading the new owner to release the domain back into longing hands of its creator and choosing another of their own. The content of Feeding Little Foodies still exists. I can always purchase another domain ending in .net, for example, and release the site once again on the world wide web--but then it begs the question...is this a sign? Is it time to let go?

In the meantime, let's hope I am not forced into a decision. Perhaps my pleading will strike the heart strings of compassion and they will take pity and relinquish. While I wait, I'll bide my time with this gastronomical ode to my lost love with a fresh new recipe to fill the tummies of you and your family.

- - - - -

These are some pretty scrumptious little scones that Noah and whipped up for an afternoon treat while Fernie siesta'ed yesterday. They are an adaptation from a recipe from one of my favorite food bloggers: 101 Cookbooks. They turned out deliciously and harbor the possibilities for so many variations. Try them smothered in butter, dipped in honey (our preference), or with jam. Hope you enjoy them as much as we did.

Orange & Currant Oat Scones

Ingredients:

3 cups whole wheat flour

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup turbinado sugar

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1 cup cold butter

2 cups rolled oats

zest of one orange

1 cup milk or buttermilk

2/3 cup *fresh or dried currants

Directions:

Combine and mix flour, sugars, baking powder and baking soda

Add butter using a pastry cutter or food processor to create a coarse meal

Stir in zest and oats

Add milk and currants and stir until the dough just begins to hold together

Remove dough bowl and transfer to a large floured surface

Knead the dough several times (avoid over-working) and gently pat into a large round (if too crumbly, add more milk tsp by tsp--if too wet, add flour tbs by tbs)

Shape into triangles and place on a baking sheet

Bake @ 350 for 12-15 minutes or until golden brown

*Note: I used fresh currants instead of dried as the recipe called for so there was a bit of moisture in my dough requiring me to add a bit of extra flour during the last steps. Because of this additional moisture, I also had to bake them several minutes longer.

The Montessori Floor Bed: Connecting Space, Sleep, Play + Development.

2012-02-21T09:58:00.000-08:00

While Dean and I have most often subscribed to Waldorf and RIE parenting philosophies over the last few years, many Montessori principles have occasionally intersected. When I was pregnant with Noah, I came across a Montessori article suggesting the use of floor beds in lieu of cribs. While it sounded appealing and in-line with the kind of natural child-rearing methods that we were in interested in practicing, there was something all too alluring and well-ingrained about a crib-clad nursery. So, when my grandmother offered to buy one for Noah, I eagerly agreed.

But, there it stood. Alone. Empty. Noah didn't do much sleeping for two long years. It wasn't until shortly after he self-weaned just before his second birthday that he finally began banking some real quality shut-eye. Thus, the crib was really never used. We co-slept until Fern was born this past May when he eagerly self-weaned, again, into his very own toddler bed. And, co-sleeping for my husband and I (besides the no-sleeping part) was wonderfully enjoyable, so we never considered any other sleeping arrangement when our little Fern came along--she would be our new bed-buddy until she decided otherwise, too.

But, Fern has been a different baby and I cannot emphasize the different part enough. Fern sleeps. She sleeps naturally, peacefully, without any voodoo, tricks, or trying. She has slept that way since the day she was born and just last week she slept, entirely of her own volition, until the wee hours of the morning with no nursing wake-ups at all. For us, this is HUGE. After a few nights of this slumber-fest, Dean and I began to wonder if moving her from our bed and into a space of her own might mean really restful deep sleep for the whole entire family--after a v e r y l o n g three year hiatus. And, then I remembered the article that I had read so long ago (excerpt from The Joyful Child, Montessori from Birth to Three):

"Every child follows a unique timetable of learning to crawl to those things he has been looking at, so that he may finally handle them. This visual, followed by tactile, exploration is very important for many aspects of human development. If we provide a floor bed or mattress on the floor in a completely safe room—rather than a crib or playpen with bars—the child has a clear view of the surroundings and freedom to explore.

A bed should be one which the baby can get in and out of on his own as soon as he is ready to crawl. The first choice is an adult twin bed mattress on the floor. Besides being an aid to development, this arrangement does a lot to prevent the common problem of crying because of boredom or exhaustion.

It helps to think of this as a whole-room playpen with a baby gate at the doorway and to examine every nook and cranny for interest and safety. If the newborn is going to share a room with parents or siblings we can still provide a large, safe, and interesting environment.

Eventually he will explore the whole room with a gate at the door and then gradually move out into the baby-proofed and baby-interesting remainder of the house.

These are the beginning stages of independence, concentration, movement, self-esteem, decision-making, and balanced, healthful development of body, mind, and spirit."

It couldn't have been better timing, because just this past weekend Fern began to crawl. So, out went the (unused) crib and down went the mattress, onto the floor. Last night was the second night of experimentation and both nights have been the most truly restful in recent memory. But, even more important than continued sleep success, I am moved by how something as simple as this has inspired me to envision the connection of space, sleep and play in a way that fosters independence, confidence and the true freedom to explore, imagine and learn. Because sleep had always been such an "issue" for Noah and us by default, the ability to fathom this kind of autonomous sleep/play environment always seemed beyond all of our abilities to imagine--his, as a sleepless infant and us, as his bewildered and super-exhausted parents. But, after only 9 months of co-sleeping, our little Fern was apparently ready and we recognized the signs.

When Dean and I awoke this morning to the sound of Noah and Fern playing together in their room just across the hall from ours, I nearly cried. Fern had woken, crawled from her bed, chosen a toy, and began to play alongside her brother. Just this afternoon, I peeked into the room to observe her in her new space alone--with eyes still sleepy from a long morning nap, she cooed as she lay gazing at the mobile above and rolling from side-to-side. A few moments later she crawled off of the bed and over to a basket of toys nearby and began playing.

It's bittersweet really, as all transitions in parenthood are. I thought that I would have her tiny soft body snuggled right beside mine much longer...the soft whispers of her deep sleeping breaths and her warm nose nuzzled close as she suckled at my breast. Last night as Dean and I crawled into our cold, empty, childless bed, I asked him if he thought we made the right decision and if he missed her as much as I did. Yes, and yes, he said.

It could all change at any time, I realize. Sleep, with kids, is elusive and something that is in constant flux. Noah still occasions our bed and I am sure Fern will too--and they are both welcome, anytime, always. But, nevertheless, I have spent the last day or so preparing the kid's room for the change--creating a low shelf with just a few simple objects that I will rotate weekly and ensuring that the space is inspiring, as well as, safe for independent unassisted exploration. There are still so many things that I need/want to add to Fernie's sleep nook--a mirror next to the bed, a homemade felt story board on the empty wall above the toys on the floor, framed pictures--but it's a start.

Love Is . . .

2012-02-14T13:27:00.000-08:00

apple lentil & walnut muffins with beet-dyed cream cheese

cotton yarn in terracotta

fresh berries in february

his favorite chair

knitted valentines

gifts for sweeties

vitamin d in the wintertime

Happy Valentine's Day!

All In A Good Day's Play: Rhythm Of The Day.

2012-02-13T12:14:00.000-08:00

play.

snack.

play.

snack. want some?

He Knows Clothes.

2012-02-10T17:47:00.000-08:00

Noah has an unwavering affection for fashion...which is ironic, really, considering he is often known to many who know him as more often than not, naked. But, winter in Canada is here and clothes are just more than practical, they're necessary tools for preventing frostbite.

A friend and I chuckled yesterday as we spied him eying a little guy's runners at the library storytime--silently coveting the double blue suede velcro clasps. There's no doubt about it, Noah Finn likes clothes. He changes--up to 10 times a day, everyday. It's gotten to the point that I have had to set some ground rules. For example, he gets up to two mama-helped changes a day after the initial morning dressing (correcting an inside-out shirt, getting his huge melon head through a tight neck hole, etc.). After that, if the mood strikes for new attire he's on his own. Crumpled and only briefly won clothes adorn the house floor from downstairs to up. I never know if they're dirty or clean.

I am not by any stretch of the imagination calling him fashionable. No, he has the typical three year old penchant for mismatched madness. Among his favorite duds most recently are pajamas, sweatshirts that he's long since grown out of and most recently, dress shirts together with rain pants. He rarely selects from more than just a handful of things that have usually been categorized by me as "play clothes". All of the stuff that mama considers worthy of a trip out and about, stay perfectly folded in the back of the dresser drawer until they're outgrown.

Today he wore a pair of sized 18-24 months striped cotton stretch pants to his tumbling class. Thank goodness there were no busted seams during his somersault routine. Risk in the name of fashion is apparently the name of his game.

Busy Hands, Happy Heart.

2012-02-09T20:00:00.000-08:00

Living in Canada has gifted us a few things-- an appreciation for true seasons, an intimate understanding of numb toes, "free" health care and most applicable to this post, a knack for crafting. I don't mean the popsicle stick and construction paper variety either. I am referring to the type that requires various needles, practice and patience--lots of patience.

My very sweet friend (and first crochet and knitting teacher), Asami, told me just before we moved that I'd return to Los Angeles a clever and crafty crow in the arts of knitting, crocheting and sewing. I chuckled then with doubt and chuckle now, again, at my error. I am still a novice, an amateur, a consummate beginner, but I have begun to fill the home with lots of handmade goodies as I putter along the long road to learning. She'd be proud.

Most recently, I finished a crocheted heart garland to don some mantle or window of the house for the month of February and just last night, I put the *finishing touches* on a re-purposed cotton sweater dress for little Fern after being inspired by these super sweet sweater pants (which are also on the "to-do" list--I am quick felting an old sweater of mine in the wash as I type). It took only two (late) nights and, et voila! It's plenty far from perfect--it's super bulky, the fabric lining has drastically limited the natural stretch of the cotton knit and as time passes I have already devised two revisions that I will make in the coming days--but it was fun to make and very fulfilling to complete something so functional with my own two hands.

Be on the look out friends (ahem, Dean)...you may be receiving knitted underwear for the holidays this year.

Homebodies.

2012-02-04T09:43:00.000-08:00

lazy saturdays

first sewing project

measuring fern's caboose...

Love, Squared.

2012-01-31T11:13:00.000-08:00

So much effort is spent on wondering how to juggle more than one. But I find, more times than not, it's double the laughs and twice the love. Add a little bit of sunshine and it's immeasurable beauty.

Happy sunshiny Tuesday, mes amies!

Big City Blues: Toronto, We Love You.

2012-01-28T10:04:00.000-08:00

We ventured to the big city this week--just the kids and I--to meet friends visiting from Los Angeles. I'll admit that it was a risky move. It could have gone horribly awry. But it didn't. It was delightfully enjoyable. And after the kids were tucked snug in their beds on the night we returned home back to London, I was researching Toronto rental properties on kijiji. That's right, I've got it bad--the big city blues.

It's no secret to frequent readers, friends and family, that I love the big city. It pained me to leave Los Angeles after more than a decade's habitation and my adjustment to London has taken more than half-hearted efforts. I finally like living here because of the friends and connections that we have made, but I do not like the city and I don't think that I ever will. So, I shall pledge to make the two hour and change trek to Toronto often so that I can get my urban fix--good food, inspired views, creative pulse, surprisingly incredibly kid-friendly locals and a much-anticipated stop at IKEA on the way home.

In the meantime, I'll hold on tightly to the memories made on this most recent voyage urban-ward until, alas, we trek again.

streetcar bum

Snack break at the Royal Ontario Museum.

A very sleepy Fern posing with prehistoric fish bones.

Of Dinosaurs + Armadillos.

2012-01-10T10:02:00.000-08:00

The beginning of a new year brings with it a whole host of promises and possibility all punctuated by the constant fear that another year's end will come without any of them having come to fruition. And then, alas, they become the next's.

2011 brought us change on a grand scale. Though we snuck the move from California to Canada in just under the last nose hair of 2010 (having moved on December 12th), the year was still a transitional paramount. Aside from adjusting to the coldest, longest and snowiest winter that either of us had experienced in a long time--or ever seen, in the case of Noah--Dean and I, adjusted to a whole new host of factors that greatly altered the landscape of our home.

The past 12 months has brought a lot more Dean home than the last eleven years combined--and we lived together all 10+ of them. Hollywood engulfed him whole and left little time to nurture a budding family. Thus, the move to small town Canada where he's home, a lot, and well, that takes some adjusting to. I am used to a lot of independence, and he, the freedom to be totally immersed in his second love, making music. Now we resemble the model of a nuclear suburban family and it's bittersweet--the bitter and sweet taking turns for the more dominant seat. It's predictable, 9-5, and includes dinner being ready on the set table everyday by 6:00, the kids in bed by 8:00 and heavy drowsy eyelids that have us in a slumber around the time that we used to just be getting started. The town is simple, the people are sweet and our lives have taken on a rhythm that can't be denied as familial healthfulness--and that's exactly why we moved. But, I cannot honestly say that I do not miss the brisk, noisy, emphatic pace of the big city--with its museums and cafes and shops and bums and smelly dark alleys and allowances of anonymity, great global cuisine and urban edge.

And then, Fern arrived in May with all her splendor, her peachy sweetness, her dove-y coos, her ability to sleep and smile and happily be a baby content with the world and her place in it. It's baby-ness so different from Noah's early months and it begs to make me wonder if it's not because of where she was born into--warm water, at home, and into the embrace of this new life. If so, then we made a wise choice.

As 2012 kicks off in full gear, I look only forward in anticipation to what this first settled year will bring--as a new family. I still often wonder whether we'll ever make it back to Los Angeles and if so, whether I will look back on our time here in London with as much forlorned heartache as I do the golden west coast now. In the weeks and months following our move here, there were certain songs that I could close my eyes while listening to and smell the ocean, feel its breeze and warmth of the Pacific sun. Their effect has faded as we coast into month 13 and I wonder if that's not such a bad thing.

Here's to looking ahead. Welcome, 2012.

marble ramp

of dinosaurs and armadillos

break, fast

wooly hats and wiggly feet

Early morning monkey-wearing

avocado smiles

Ho, Ho, Hum, Another Year Is Done: Pizza Parties, Poutine + Loads Of Poop.

2012-01-04T07:16:00.000-08:00

Oh the weather outside is frightful and the kids are undelightful, off to the drugstore we go, shovel the snow, shovel the snow, shovel the snow...

Though it's 4 degrees Fahrenheit outside with a -15 degrees windchill, our home is no more desirable a place to be. Fernie is in a fitful, sleepless, teething hell and Noah's as ferocious, unpredictable and temperamental as a wildebeest with a hangnail as he fights off whatever's ailing him.

I am dying to get outdoors--out into the nearly 2 feet of fresh snow recently dumped upon our Canadian homestead. There are snow angels and snowmen waiting to come alive and plowed powder drifts the height of Godzilla to jump our way into. But, alas, the sickies are keeping us cooped up inside with the stale, brittling tree and dusty holiday decor. All that's left to do is reflect upon the month that passed with such flurriful haste and bundle up enough courage to begin the great post-jolly-season-tidy.

Noah's 3rd birthday and preparing a Christmas morning for two, for the first time, kept me bustling a good part of December. Noah had a wee fête mid-month clad with a monkey mask craft, top-your-own homemade mini pizzas, pin the banana on the monkey and story time with "Curious George and the Pizza". It was a simply lovely time. Christmas morning, too, went by with lovely memories to keep and cherish but in our minds, only, as we didn't get the first picture of the grand gift opening affair--video only. What were we thinking? I wanted much of the present exchange with the kids to be homemade and though I didn't finish all of the projects that were on Santa's list, I'm happy with the outcome--consumer-free as it could be.

My Dad and sis hoofed the 16+ hour drive up from the Carolinas on the 26th and managed to forage their way up and out of the house only once (aside from a few grocery store ganders) to partake in Noah's first ice skating effort and an uniquely Canadian poutine feast (fries topped with cheese curd, gravy and any other vein clogging topping you can shake a defibrillator paddle at). Only shortly after our dining experience, they both took on differing but equally miserable ailments that rendered them couch bound for the rest of their short visit. New Year's Eve was equally non-eventful. We all managed up a game of scrabble with wine and made it to approximately 11:31 p.m. when Noah awoke crying from his first fever to date. After several trips upstairs to quell his moans and whimpers, I threw in the towel and spent the midnight hour scrunched in the dark in a sweaty toddler bed with not even a clock near to mark the arrival of 2012.

So, there you have it. 2011's laid to rest. 2012's here. What this year will bring remains a mystery and god willing, it's all pleasantries only.

Happy New Year to All!

Noah and his homemade birthday candle

Birthday Sis & Daddy

Storytime--"You naughty little monkey"

Christmas morning--Fernie shows interest in Keith Richard's new biography

Liking the wooden chew worm that Santa brought

Christmas snuggles

First time on the ice: "A" for effort

Victoria Park

Nursing a sick Pop Pop and Auntie Meg

Dueling guitars

Another Wordless Wednesday: December Is . . .

2011-12-14T19:33:00.000-08:00

Maybe this happens in the lives of all bloggers? I have so very much to say but so very very little time to say it all, lately. As such, this blog has been in desperate need of content, real content...the kind of musings and mulling that engined its start over three years ago. Of late, it has become nothing more than a host for pictures lucky to be paired with a brief caption.

Oh well, here's to another Wordless Wednesday while I search under and over for more hours in the day. Enjoy!

December is . . .

Waiting for the tree that Daddy cut to fall

The smell of fresh fir

Breastfeeding by the campfire & toasting marshmallows (tied with forgetting your coat at home)

Runny noses and woolen hats

Making snow angles

Choo choos in the snow

Gingerbread houses

Snuggling indoors

Afternoon sunshine near the Christmas tree

Loving your kitty mask from the Waldorf Winter Fair

Playing peek-a-boo

First bites

Second snowman of the season

Wordless Wednesday: Happiness Is . . .

2011-11-23T18:20:00.001-08:00

learning to button your own sweater

sleeping siblings

bum-sunning in the afternoon


irish brown bread in the morning

babywearing your monkey while talking on your train

new seasons for the nature table

Wordless At Week's End.

2011-11-10T18:47:00.001-08:00

Fern, in Daddy's arm: 5 months.

Noah Finn, breaking bad in the backseat: almost 3.