In the advent calender that I made for Aloka, I alternate After Eight mints with a hard candy bonbon. Today is the 11th, so she opened the corresponding little envelope. She pulled out the little mint and the activity of the day (Decorate your tree!) and she said "Mama, what are these chocolates called?"
"After Eight's" sweetie, I reply.
She get's that furrowed brow confused look and says "After 10 you mean?"
She's cleverer than I am, it took me a second to realize what she was saying!
Today's the 11th, right!
Friday, December 11, 2009
Sunday, December 06, 2009
Advent calenders and sleepovers
Oh how did a month slip by me? I have so much to post and only one hand (nursing sleeping baby) and not a lot of time. I swear this will pick up again soon!
I've been so busy working on my site www.bumblebeetoys.com amd it's the Christmas season, so it's been crazy. I'm also the class rep for Aloka's class and I'm juggling so much right now.
I have lots, but can't type too much right now...so...pictures are worth a thousand words, right?
The first batch of pics is summer reminiscing. We have hoards and gobs of huckleberries growing on our land, and I still haven't posted those pics:
We picked many many pounds all in all and I made lots of jam, and still have tons in our freezer!Aloka had her first sleepover last night and she had SO much fun! The two girls get along great (her friend Avie). The mess they made was astounding.
Yes, Aloka painted her face. That's her "cheetah" look.And lastly, I made an advent Calender for Aloka this year. I found an envelope template online and collected all my papers that i've got laying around. I filled each one with an After Eight mint chocolate wafer and a hard candy, alternating. Then I put a little activity or craft in each one.
So far, it's been a huge hit!
Laying them out and putting the activities in each one. They are written on coloured foil origami paper.
I was given these adorable clothespins, with little felt trees, by Aloka's Kindergarten teacher, Debbie Sunflower!
Aloka loves it!
So far, it's been a huge hit!
Laying them out and putting the activities in each one. They are written on coloured foil origami paper.
I was given these adorable clothespins, with little felt trees, by Aloka's Kindergarten teacher, Debbie Sunflower!
Aloka loves it!
Friday, November 06, 2009
Democracy vs. Dictatorship
Has it really been a month?? Time flies by in certain ways. Junie is now 14 months just about. Halloween was last weekend and it was spectacular. I didn't get any photos, unfortunately though...
First we went to the Waldorf Halloween Journey, which as usual was incredible. This year, I coordinated and wrote one of the scenes. There were about 8 scenes, all very magical... A Fallen Star, Grandfather Cedar, the Elf King, Jack Frost, a Pirate (our scene), a Bee Hive with Queen Bee, a Peruvian Folktale, and Grandmother Moon. Each scene told a story with one or two actors, and then gave a gift, symbolizing the story that was told.
Our scene was a Pirate who had been searching for treasure for 150 years and has almost given up. He asks the children to help him and he stands up (he had been sitting on a bench by a campfire) on the bench is a giant red 'x' which he had been sitting on the whole time!
The children loved it, shouting 'It's right there!! It's right there!!"
The bench was actually a chest, which contained lots and lots of gold! (gold painted rocks).
After that, Josh, Richard and I took Aloka trick-or-treating and she had SO much fun! She got tons of candy, and when we got home we divided it into piles; the cow dairy pile (she can't eat) hence the Daddy pile, the Aloka pile, and the "Great Pumpkin" pile, where the majority of it ended up after Josh's was set aside.
So she ended up with a nice small little basket of treats, and then put out the Great Pumpkin's into a basket with a little note and drawing for him/her. (She was wondering if it was a boy or girl)
The Great Pumpkin replaced all her candy with yummy treats (mama, I think the Great Pumpkin shops at the co-op) er... she got peanut-ginger chews, sesame sticks, carob covered almonds, fruit leathers, peanut butter pretzels, a cool little card game and a YOYO!! She was very excited about the yoyo and had been asking for one for a while. That clever Pumpkin.
She was very very happy with her trade.
So, I can't remember if I mentioned our wonderful Thanksgiving we had. We had Josh over and our friend Tony with his daughter Avie (a good friend of Aloka's). I brined a turkey (OH MY GOSH it was amazing, I will never cook a turkey any other way) and Richard made his famous German red cabbage dish with apples and cloves. It was a huge feast, and here's a little clip of all of us hanging out in Aloka's NEW room Richard built in the new addition. Soon we'll post the before and after photos to see the transformation of this home. It started as a teeny little trailer, and now it's a 1200 sq ft house. Aloka's was the first room to be completed, and the bathroom is almost done. Next will be the kitchen, we're just about to hang the cabinets. So, more pictures soon!
Ok, and some very exciting news: Josh and I have officially gotten permanent residence in Canada!!! We're SO excited, and totally relieved. It's over!!
So, yesterday I was talking about how we'll have all the same rights as Canadian Citizens except that Permanent Residents can't vote:
Aloka: What's voting?
Richard: Oh, it's complicated Aloka. Maybe when you're older...
Aloka (slightly distraught): But I'm a curious little child!
Mama: well, say there were 6 kids on the playground and you wanted to make a new rule. You asked everyone whoever likes your new rule, raise their hand, and you count 4. And whoever doesn't like the new rule, raise their hand, and you count 2. The most hands wins. So now there's a new rule. And that's voting.
Later on that night, I was in the bathroom with Aloka getting ready for bed. Juniper was sleeping in our bed (where we all sleep) and I told Aloka we couldn't read our story in our bed like we usually do. We'd read it in her room. She'd didn't like that.
Aloka: Mama, I really want to read a book on the couch instead!
Mama: No, sweetie. Let's read in your room.
Aloka: NO, I want to read on the couch. Hey, mama? How 'bout lets vote.
Mama: Ok, now here's where I'm going to explain the difference between a Democracy and a Dictatorship. In our country, it's called a Democracy, where everyone votes on things. But in some country's, there's a ruler and everyone has to do what that ruler says. In our house, it's a dictatorship. So you need to do what i say!
Aloka: NO. I still want to vote.
Mama (being reasonable): Well, tell me why you want to read on the couch so much?
Aloka: Because it's nice and warm, and cozy, and my room is cold and far away from everyone.
Mama: Ok, so what this is called is a debate. Where you try to convice me of your position.
Aloka: Can we vote again? Everyone raise their hand who wants me to read on the couch!
Richard: (raising hand) It doesn't matter to me, let her read on the couch.
Mama: (smiling and raising hand) Ok Aloka you win. We can read on the couch. Good convincing!
Aloka was very happy.
Here's another video of Aloka in her very messy room, and she totally stuffed herself in a leotard. It was hilarious.
And here's cute little one of Junie. it's amazing with the second, everything Aloka does, Junie imitates. Here, Junie is imitating making her stuffy talk...
And one more funny copy cat clip... Junie copying aloka putting on lotion:
First we went to the Waldorf Halloween Journey, which as usual was incredible. This year, I coordinated and wrote one of the scenes. There were about 8 scenes, all very magical... A Fallen Star, Grandfather Cedar, the Elf King, Jack Frost, a Pirate (our scene), a Bee Hive with Queen Bee, a Peruvian Folktale, and Grandmother Moon. Each scene told a story with one or two actors, and then gave a gift, symbolizing the story that was told.
Our scene was a Pirate who had been searching for treasure for 150 years and has almost given up. He asks the children to help him and he stands up (he had been sitting on a bench by a campfire) on the bench is a giant red 'x' which he had been sitting on the whole time!
The children loved it, shouting 'It's right there!! It's right there!!"
The bench was actually a chest, which contained lots and lots of gold! (gold painted rocks).
After that, Josh, Richard and I took Aloka trick-or-treating and she had SO much fun! She got tons of candy, and when we got home we divided it into piles; the cow dairy pile (she can't eat) hence the Daddy pile, the Aloka pile, and the "Great Pumpkin" pile, where the majority of it ended up after Josh's was set aside.
So she ended up with a nice small little basket of treats, and then put out the Great Pumpkin's into a basket with a little note and drawing for him/her. (She was wondering if it was a boy or girl)
The Great Pumpkin replaced all her candy with yummy treats (mama, I think the Great Pumpkin shops at the co-op) er... she got peanut-ginger chews, sesame sticks, carob covered almonds, fruit leathers, peanut butter pretzels, a cool little card game and a YOYO!! She was very excited about the yoyo and had been asking for one for a while. That clever Pumpkin.
She was very very happy with her trade.
So, I can't remember if I mentioned our wonderful Thanksgiving we had. We had Josh over and our friend Tony with his daughter Avie (a good friend of Aloka's). I brined a turkey (OH MY GOSH it was amazing, I will never cook a turkey any other way) and Richard made his famous German red cabbage dish with apples and cloves. It was a huge feast, and here's a little clip of all of us hanging out in Aloka's NEW room Richard built in the new addition. Soon we'll post the before and after photos to see the transformation of this home. It started as a teeny little trailer, and now it's a 1200 sq ft house. Aloka's was the first room to be completed, and the bathroom is almost done. Next will be the kitchen, we're just about to hang the cabinets. So, more pictures soon!
Ok, and some very exciting news: Josh and I have officially gotten permanent residence in Canada!!! We're SO excited, and totally relieved. It's over!!
So, yesterday I was talking about how we'll have all the same rights as Canadian Citizens except that Permanent Residents can't vote:
Aloka: What's voting?
Richard: Oh, it's complicated Aloka. Maybe when you're older...
Aloka (slightly distraught): But I'm a curious little child!
Mama: well, say there were 6 kids on the playground and you wanted to make a new rule. You asked everyone whoever likes your new rule, raise their hand, and you count 4. And whoever doesn't like the new rule, raise their hand, and you count 2. The most hands wins. So now there's a new rule. And that's voting.
Later on that night, I was in the bathroom with Aloka getting ready for bed. Juniper was sleeping in our bed (where we all sleep) and I told Aloka we couldn't read our story in our bed like we usually do. We'd read it in her room. She'd didn't like that.
Aloka: Mama, I really want to read a book on the couch instead!
Mama: No, sweetie. Let's read in your room.
Aloka: NO, I want to read on the couch. Hey, mama? How 'bout lets vote.
Mama: Ok, now here's where I'm going to explain the difference between a Democracy and a Dictatorship. In our country, it's called a Democracy, where everyone votes on things. But in some country's, there's a ruler and everyone has to do what that ruler says. In our house, it's a dictatorship. So you need to do what i say!
Aloka: NO. I still want to vote.
Mama (being reasonable): Well, tell me why you want to read on the couch so much?
Aloka: Because it's nice and warm, and cozy, and my room is cold and far away from everyone.
Mama: Ok, so what this is called is a debate. Where you try to convice me of your position.
Aloka: Can we vote again? Everyone raise their hand who wants me to read on the couch!
Richard: (raising hand) It doesn't matter to me, let her read on the couch.
Mama: (smiling and raising hand) Ok Aloka you win. We can read on the couch. Good convincing!
Aloka was very happy.
Here's another video of Aloka in her very messy room, and she totally stuffed herself in a leotard. It was hilarious.
And here's cute little one of Junie. it's amazing with the second, everything Aloka does, Junie imitates. Here, Junie is imitating making her stuffy talk...
And one more funny copy cat clip... Junie copying aloka putting on lotion:
Monday, October 05, 2009
Fall has arrived
and I'm sad about it. I could have it be summer for another few months! Like, summer, summer, summer, summer....snow!
Actually, I can't really complain. Fall in Nelson is simply beautiful. Sunny and warm days, cool crisp evenings, and leaves turning all the beautiful October colours of golds, oranges, reds. Washington never gets real fall, just grey and wet.
My garden is as beautiful as ever and I just got my last and final hurrah as far as summer colour with this beautiful lily:
We also had Juniper's first birthday! How time flies! We had Josh, Margaret and Emily over and I baked Junie a delicious banana cake with banana icing which she loved. She LOVES food, have I mentioned that?
Margaret brought all the raspberries from her garden, and she gave us 7 raspberry plants as well! I can't wait to have our own raspberry patch next year. Our little plants already made some berries this year, tiny as the plants are.
And as I've said before, I will be posting videos soon. My connection is slow, so it's harder to get the movies uploaded.
Actually, I can't really complain. Fall in Nelson is simply beautiful. Sunny and warm days, cool crisp evenings, and leaves turning all the beautiful October colours of golds, oranges, reds. Washington never gets real fall, just grey and wet.
My garden is as beautiful as ever and I just got my last and final hurrah as far as summer colour with this beautiful lily:
We also had Juniper's first birthday! How time flies! We had Josh, Margaret and Emily over and I baked Junie a delicious banana cake with banana icing which she loved. She LOVES food, have I mentioned that?
Margaret brought all the raspberries from her garden, and she gave us 7 raspberry plants as well! I can't wait to have our own raspberry patch next year. Our little plants already made some berries this year, tiny as the plants are.
And as I've said before, I will be posting videos soon. My connection is slow, so it's harder to get the movies uploaded.
Juniper, in her beautiful birthday dress from Grandaddy and Jammy!
Monday, September 14, 2009
Tuesday, September 01, 2009
Jerry et al to the rescue!
So this may not be that exciting to some, but, well, here out at Hall Siding it was a nail biting, meow filled weekend.
A few days ago, a neighbor and her dog stopped by and the dog ended up chasing a cat up a tree behind our house. I heard it happen, but didn't realize truly what was going on, and chalked it off to it being our cat running from the dog.
But later that night we heard crying. We (Richard, Aloka and I) didn't even really take notice until the second day when we realized the crying was not our cat. It was going on continuously and was not coming from the ground.
Richard looked behind our house and saw it, a blur of a cat, waaaaay up high in a big tree we have out back, close to 100 feet tall. The cat was probably 20 feet up it. We figured it would come down soon. But over the day the crying continued, and next day we went out, the cat was now probably 50 or 60 up the tree. Josh was over, and he climbed up and up. But he got to a point where it wasn't safe enough, and the cat was just too high so he came back down.
Next day, now day three, we were all really starting to worry. Besides the fact that we had been listening to meowling for 3 days straight. I couldn't believe this kitty cat was not coming down at all.
Neighbors were starting to take notice, as the meowing could be heard for quite a distance, and I had sent an email to everyone asking if anyone was missing a cat. Nope. No one missing this cat. We were out back for the better part of day 3, calling, coaxing, shaking the food dish. Our neighbors Jerry and Linda walked over and joined in. The cat started getting more excited hearing all the commotion, meowing louder.
Meanwhile, I had left three messages for the fire department, 5 messages for local arborists (one who advertised "pet rescues", ha!), the SPCA, and a local animal communicator. Okay, not the last one...but a lot of messages. As of today, only one person called back, the pet rescue-er. So much for the firemen. Low priority, I guess.
Finally, Jerry, our neighbor and now local hero, got a huge ladder (twice the size of Richards) and ropes and stuff, and climbed up the tree!
Yup, that's Jerry... the black dot over halfway up that tree...
Linda, surprisingly calm and seemingly used to seeing Jerry in daring situations
The on-ground cheering commitee
He got all the way up to the cat, who had then jumped into a skinnier tree standing right next to the original one. This made the rescue a bit more awkward, but Jerry got her. Richard had also climbed up the tree after Jerry with a big net, and handed it to Jerry, who was then able to transport the cat. Rescue accomplished!!
Boo hoo, sniff! We were all so relieved.
This is one gorgeous (and lucky) cat.
How sweet is that?
We weren't sure what we would get when we got that cat down. Was it ferocious? Rabid? (that was Richards fear)
Nope, it was so sweet and mellow. Siamese mixed with tabby, long hair, skinny and hungry, but other than that, very chill. It let Aloka haul it around, we brought it inside and it made itself right at home, even purring when Aloka manhandled it.
I wished we could have kept it, but our cat would've freaked out if she had known what stowaway we had in her domain (luckily she was still outside at this point). Not to mention, this cat had some serious shedding issues, holy cow. It was in our house for less than an hour and I'm still finding long white fur everywhere.
We brought it over to Jerry and Linda's who were excited about fostering her and maybe even keeping her if no one claimed her. But the moment we arrived in the driveway, she heard their dog Sampson. She clawed me, flying out of my arms and headed straight for the trees! ACK. I dove after her, Aloka was quicker and grabbed her by the tail, and then I grabbed her scruff and chucked her back into the van. Dang.
It all ended up good though, Linda spoke with another neighbor, Marika, who had no pets and agreed to foster her. She also had a suspicion that she knew the cat and had seen her around her land before.
Yup, turns out, the cat knows Marika too. As soon as I pulled up, Ms. Kitty (Aloka had now named her Daisy at this point) jumped out, seemed to almost 'greet' Marika, ate a little food, drank a little water, and took a little cat nap in the shade of her guest house, like she owned the place. Marika thinks she belongs to an unknowing neighbor of hers. Unknowing and oblivious to the fact that their cat almost became dehydrated cat-on-a-stick coyote food.
And here's a couple videos:
A few days ago, a neighbor and her dog stopped by and the dog ended up chasing a cat up a tree behind our house. I heard it happen, but didn't realize truly what was going on, and chalked it off to it being our cat running from the dog.
But later that night we heard crying. We (Richard, Aloka and I) didn't even really take notice until the second day when we realized the crying was not our cat. It was going on continuously and was not coming from the ground.
Richard looked behind our house and saw it, a blur of a cat, waaaaay up high in a big tree we have out back, close to 100 feet tall. The cat was probably 20 feet up it. We figured it would come down soon. But over the day the crying continued, and next day we went out, the cat was now probably 50 or 60 up the tree. Josh was over, and he climbed up and up. But he got to a point where it wasn't safe enough, and the cat was just too high so he came back down.
Next day, now day three, we were all really starting to worry. Besides the fact that we had been listening to meowling for 3 days straight. I couldn't believe this kitty cat was not coming down at all.
Neighbors were starting to take notice, as the meowing could be heard for quite a distance, and I had sent an email to everyone asking if anyone was missing a cat. Nope. No one missing this cat. We were out back for the better part of day 3, calling, coaxing, shaking the food dish. Our neighbors Jerry and Linda walked over and joined in. The cat started getting more excited hearing all the commotion, meowing louder.
Meanwhile, I had left three messages for the fire department, 5 messages for local arborists (one who advertised "pet rescues", ha!), the SPCA, and a local animal communicator. Okay, not the last one...but a lot of messages. As of today, only one person called back, the pet rescue-er. So much for the firemen. Low priority, I guess.
Finally, Jerry, our neighbor and now local hero, got a huge ladder (twice the size of Richards) and ropes and stuff, and climbed up the tree!
Yup, that's Jerry... the black dot over halfway up that tree...
Linda, surprisingly calm and seemingly used to seeing Jerry in daring situations
The on-ground cheering commitee
Boo hoo, sniff! We were all so relieved.
This is one gorgeous (and lucky) cat.
How sweet is that?Nope, it was so sweet and mellow. Siamese mixed with tabby, long hair, skinny and hungry, but other than that, very chill. It let Aloka haul it around, we brought it inside and it made itself right at home, even purring when Aloka manhandled it.
I wished we could have kept it, but our cat would've freaked out if she had known what stowaway we had in her domain (luckily she was still outside at this point). Not to mention, this cat had some serious shedding issues, holy cow. It was in our house for less than an hour and I'm still finding long white fur everywhere.
We brought it over to Jerry and Linda's who were excited about fostering her and maybe even keeping her if no one claimed her. But the moment we arrived in the driveway, she heard their dog Sampson. She clawed me, flying out of my arms and headed straight for the trees! ACK. I dove after her, Aloka was quicker and grabbed her by the tail, and then I grabbed her scruff and chucked her back into the van. Dang.
It all ended up good though, Linda spoke with another neighbor, Marika, who had no pets and agreed to foster her. She also had a suspicion that she knew the cat and had seen her around her land before.
Yup, turns out, the cat knows Marika too. As soon as I pulled up, Ms. Kitty (Aloka had now named her Daisy at this point) jumped out, seemed to almost 'greet' Marika, ate a little food, drank a little water, and took a little cat nap in the shade of her guest house, like she owned the place. Marika thinks she belongs to an unknowing neighbor of hers. Unknowing and oblivious to the fact that their cat almost became dehydrated cat-on-a-stick coyote food.
And here's a couple videos:
Saturday, August 29, 2009
Saturday, August 22, 2009
Marketfest 09
Last night was the last MarketFest of the summer. The Kootenay Hipnotics (our Tribal Bellydance troupe) performed the opening act. It was lots of fun as always!
Saturday, August 01, 2009
"Who paints the rainbows" starring Aloka and Mama
A: "My Dada knows everything"
M: "He doesn't know everything but he knows a lot"
A: "Well, that's true, cuz he doesn't know who paints the rainbows!"
M: "Who paints the rainbows?"
A: "Fairies, the sun, the rain, and Superman."
M: "Superman??"
A: "Well, no, but that's what I tell boys so they'll believe me."
M: "He doesn't know everything but he knows a lot"
A: "Well, that's true, cuz he doesn't know who paints the rainbows!"
M: "Who paints the rainbows?"
A: "Fairies, the sun, the rain, and Superman."
M: "Superman??"
A: "Well, no, but that's what I tell boys so they'll believe me."
Aloka's Pirate Party "Arrrrrr me hearties!"
So, after we had the 'family' birthday on her actual birthday, as promised, we had a pirate party for Aloka and her friends. It was an insane amount of work, and I swear I could liken it to planning a wedding, but it was worth it.
I wrote out little rhyming clues for the treasure hunt, and made them look old by printing an old font on paper, and then soaking the paper in coffee. I let it dry and then painted lemon juice on it and burned the paper with a heat gun. They looked so cool!
Before
After
The other clues
The first clue was a letter that Captain GoldenEye had left for the kids, stuck on a tree at 'base camp'
And here I am reading the letter from Captian GoldenEye. The children were mesmarized! Is it real??
And by the way, my eye patch was awesome! It was a sunglass lense with a skull on it, so I could see easily (with the exception of a slight skull obstruction) 
We used an old chest of Richards and made loot bags out of old burlap coffee bean bags (free from the coffee shop!) and filled them with river rocks we collected and spray painted gold. They looked so cool, even as Richard was painting them, he was gleefully saying how much he would've loved them when he was a kid. They were really fun. We also stuck stickers, bubbles, tattoos, and little cookies wrapped in tinfoil (silver dollars) in the bags along with some other glass "jewels" of different colours.
Painting gold nuggetsI told the kids to come wearing a white shirt, and then we tied a red sash around each childs waist and a black bandanna around their heads. Arrrrrr!
Pirate Josh manning the pirate sword craft table
The swordsThey were adorable running around the park looking for the clues. They found the last clue in a bottle washed up ashore, and the bottle had an 'old' treasure map in it showing where the treasure was buried.
Richard had buried it in the sand on the beach so all the kids dug it out and carried it back to the base camp.
Running across the beach to find the "X" marks the spot. They are way off in the distance there, hard to spot.
The children digging up the buried treasure chest
Everyone carrying the treasure chest back to base camp
There is all but one burlap loot bag left in the chest (there were 15 total i think) and this is Aloka opening hers. You can also see a smattering of gold still left in the chest. I think the kids thought it was real gold, ha ha!
Holding up the treasure map! Larissa and I were up until 2am the night before, getting ready for the party. I baked two cakes and put them on blue posterboard to look like islands. I covered them with graham cracker "sand" and stuck Aloka's playmobil all over the cakes, they turned out great. The cake was dairy, egg and wheat free to accomodate our guests with allergies, but of course, no one even knew! I love that kind of baking! It was a chocolate cake with a raspberry custard filling and almond-vanilla buttercream, yummmmmmmy.
birthday girl
Andreas
Sienna, Jazmyn, Abi, and Aloka
Aloka and Jazmyn
Abi holding a water balloon!
Pax and Kelton, eating cake
Junie's friend, Zaira
Opening presentsAnd some of us grownups
Richard and Junie
My friend Sarah with Zaira, and me
Me, making a slightly weird face
Pirate Josh
Nick and Nile
My sister, Larissa
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