Introducing Monkley

I've been hard at work on handmade Christmas presents over the last few months.  I'm trying to do handmade as much as I can this year and it is making Christmas more meaningful for me.  I really enjoy the time I invest in each gift and I hope it will help quell the consumerism of Christmas in our family. Anyways, here is what or should I say "who" I've just finished working on.

May I introduce to you, Monkley - at least that is what I am anticipating his name to be.  Isaiah has been mildly obsessed with Curious George for some time so when I saw a pattern for a very cute sock monkey in this book (see below) I thought I would make him one for Christmas.  I made his pajamas to match the ones I've made for Isaiah for Christmas Eve.  I hope they become good friends.

The book, Craft Hope, has a lot of really interesting patterns and craft ideas for you own loved ones or for ones you've never met.  It is compiled by Jade Sims but each craft is submitted by a different person.  SouleMama has a pattern for baby hats made from re-purposed t-shirts.  Each craft also has a list of charitable organizations who accept and actively look for these items.  It is a great book full of wonderful ideas so let me know if you want to borrow it!

Journeying

So, I haven't written much about life at Matthew House yet and I think it is part due to the constant learning and flux that has filled our time here thus far.  I'm coming to realize, however, that this is unlikely to change so I might as well start to document it. :)

We are still awaiting our insurance papers and so remain resident-less. This leaves us in the somewhat awkward position of having a very large home, two children, a lot of things that don't belong to us, and multiple well-known but not-yet-familiar volunteers who come by to help us.  The awkward part is in the helping.  You see, since we don't have others living here and have only had a few "events", the sticky juice spots they scrub off the kitchen floor, the pantry whose contents are falling out they are organizing, the cereal they are vacuuming off of the carpet is largely the mess of my family.  It is a difficult thing to let other people, particularly those you respect and would love to impress, see the underbelly of your life.  I have but a few friends I would feel comfortable letting see the toilet before I've scrubbed it.

I feel like I have been learning this same lesson of community-living for a few years.  When Isaiah was born, it was the first time I really couldn't do things - like vacuum or lift the laundry basket, for six weeks.  When my friend, Diana, would come over, she would do the dishes.  Sometimes she'd wait until I went into the bathroom to start so we could avoid the "No, no, please sit down."  "I don't mind doing them, really." conversation.  It was the first time I had to learn how to let others help me.  When you think about it, our parents have invested a great deal of time training us up to be independent, to do things for ourselves.  We don't know how to ask for help and we feel we're imposing when we do.  This is one of the lessons of living in community - letting others help.  And it is a hard lesson.  It is not easy to let others into the minutia of your life - but evenso, I think the rewards will outstrip the inconvenience by far.

Isaiah playing with his cars by flashlight under our bed


And so, I'm going to let Kim clean out and organize the cleaning supplies closet that I've been meaning to get to for a month, and I'm going to work on my own to-do list and remind myself that this, Matthew House as well as life, is a team effort.

This Moment

Joining SouleMama and her followers in this moment - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. If you're inspired to do the same, leave a link to your 'moment' in the comments for all to find and see. 

11pm snack.  Sometimes when the kids are sick and can't sleep, peanut butter sandwiches and warm milk is the best remedy.

Reasons Why Yarn is a Weapon

Just when I was feeling a bit gloomy from being busy and discouraged and, let's face it, grumpy with my kids, I got this beautiful gem of a book in the mail from my friend Pam.  I must have rubbed off on her during all those Sunday nights of board games with NHL200whatever in the background.  I'm quite sure she would never have bought me book of horrific, scandalous and emasculating yarn catastrophes, complete with less-than-appropriate commentary.  But she did, and I love her for it.

Oh, how I love that knitted helmet!

Now, I'm not sure I'm supposed to be posting pictures from this book, but it is all in praise of Stitchy McYarnpants and her work in uncovering these treasures from the past.

This is one of my favourite parts.  It has long been discussed in yarny circles, this problem with knitting for our manly loved ones.  After thumbing through this chapter I think Keith would happily wear anything I knit for him provided he never ended up looking like any of these chumps.

And onto my the most entertaining and perhaps most disturbing chapter on knitted toys.  I have now seen enough terrifying clowns and babies in knitted unitards with gun holsters and cowboy hats.  It has definitely made me rethink the toys I've thought of making for the kids.

Thank you, Pam  for this fantastic book.  Whenever I start to feel discouraged about my own knitting disasters it will be nice to have this little piece of perspective!

Quiet Time

It is quiet time here.  It is the time of day, right after lunch, when I put the kids in their room for sleep or quiet play and I come downstairs, make a cup of coffee and do - whatever.  Some days it is cleaning or paperwork, answering emails or making food. Today I've opted for sitting on the floor of the office, over the register that is blowing blissful warm air on me.  It reminds me of when I was a little girl and I used to sit over the register on those cold Wintery mornings with my knees bent and tucked inside my nightgown, trapping in the warmth, tucking my face in the neckhole so it would blow on my face.

Now my fingers are busy with knitting a hat to keep my ears warm on those Wintery mornings and the warm air is a comfort, as is the coffee and the mindless TV show I watch for company when the chaos has been tucked into bed for a time. Today is quiet time for Darcie, not wife or mama or any other hat I wear, just for Darcie :)

Thanksgiving Weekend

One of my favourite times of year; Thanksgiving.  I wasn't cooking a turkey dinner this weekend since we're having a Fall Potluck for some of the refugee claimants we've been working with, but the kitchen at Matthew House was not idle :)  We've made cinnamon buns and pumpkin pie, apple sauce and bread pudding.  Quite a tasty weekend, if I do say so.

Keith's parents are here visiting, having made the drive to Ottawa yesterday afternoon.  Today we drove to Perth for the Autumn Studio Tour.  It is always neat to see where artists hone their craft, create, and display their work.  We ordered a beautiful print on canvas by David Zimmerly.  I can't wait to put it up in our room at Matthew House.

I hope you're having a wonderful Thanksgiving weekend!

~this moment~

My mom and Lucy in August 2009.  I know this photo isn't from this past week, or even year, but I just got off the phone with my mom and I miss her and so do her grandkids.

Granola and Yogurt

 My favourite breakfast :)  Ever since I worked in the kitchen at a Christian "behaviour modification" (aka boot) camp back in the Summer of 2001 I've loved having homemade granola and yogurt for breakfast.  It was the meal I most enjoyed to prepare and it just felt so hearty to eat. Admittedly, after that summer it wasn't until I had kids that I tried to make it again from scratch.  And until last week I had only made the yogurt from skim milk powder (since that's what we had to work with at the camp).  But oh, how yummy yogurt is when made from milk :) Thank you, Soulemama for posting your recipe.  So simple. My recipe for granola is Keith's mom's that I've tweaked with over time.

Yogurt - Soulemama

The amount of milk you use will roughly equal the amount of yogurt you make.  If you'd like to make a quart of yogurt, you'll need a quart of milk.  You'll also need some starter yogurt.  You can use the leftovers from the previous week's yogurt or store-bought yogurt that has active bacterial cultures.

In a saucepan, heat your milk to 180 degrees F (I don't have a food thermometer so I heated it until it was just about boiling or scalded.  You then cool the milk down to 110 degrees.  You can do this more quickly by putting the saucepan in a bowl of cold water or in a sink of cold water (be careful not to get any in the saucepan).  When the temperature reaches 110 degrees (or when you can put your finger in the milk comfortably), stir in your yogurt.  Soulemama figures it is 1/4 cup per quart or 2 cups/gallon. You can then ladle the mixture into mason jars (be sure they are very clean). Don't put the lids on yet.  Place your open jars in a cooler and wrap a towel or blanket around it and close the lid of the cooler.  Incubate the yogurt for 7-10 hours at 110 degrees.  When it has thickened, put it in the fridge (it will continue to thicken up a bit).  There are lots and lots of ways to incubate your yogurt (in a gas oven with the pilot light, etc.) check out Soulemama's post for more ideas.  You can eat your yogurt with some honey or maple syrup mixed in - or just plain.

Granola - I sometimes half the recipe depending on what the supply and demand is around here.

8 cups quick oats (not instant)
1 cup wheat germ
1 cup wheat bran
1 cup oat bran
1 cup shredded coconut
chopped or slivered almonds, sunflower seeds, any other nut or seed you'd like to toss in.
2 cups water mixed with 2 cups oil
1/3 cup honey
In a large roasting pan mix together dry ingredients.  Stir in oil mixture and honey until well coated. Bake uncovered in oven at 250 degrees F for 2 hours; stirring every 30 minutes.  Add raisins and leave pan in oven while it is cooling down (this will plump up the raisins).

If you'd prefer, you can use 1/3 cup maple syrup or 2 cups brown sugar instead of honey to sweeten.

Add some fresh or frozen berries and you've got yourself one delicious and nutritious breakfast!

~this moment~

Joining SouleMama and her followers in this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. If you're inspired to do the same, leave a link to your 'moment' in the comments for all to find and see.