Friday Nuggets

If I had to name this past week it'd be "crash and recoup". That's just what we did.  Monday morning I woke up with some screaming sinus pain.  I was so thankful for Ian to be able to stay home and watch the kids so I could lay my sorry head down for an entire day.  Tuesday I made it until lunch when I called it in.  Again he came to rescue me and again I slept all afternoon and night. It wasn't until Thursday that I truly felt up to snuff.  Felix has been off too all week with some tummy problems and worse than normal sleep.  It's been a doozy.

Even so, I flipped through photos and thought through our week and it's actually been quite good.  

I've rekindled my love hate relationship for the sensory bin and at any given moment you can now find tiny kidney beans all over the house.  But man does Felix (and Louise an Ainsley when they're around) LOVE it.  I'm currently working up my courage to get out the barbasol again some day.  Our dining room table could use a good cleaning ;o).

I'm having so much fun doing activities with Louise.  Her latest favorite is "scavenger hunt" where I make a list of household things for her to count and she runs around finding and counting and writing.   Most afternoons you can find us sipping on tea playing a game while we wait for kindergarten pick up.  She's really up for anything I throw at her.  I love that girl.

Ainsley had her 50th day at school this week. They were asked to dress in 50s apparel so I couldn't pass up the opportunity to make her a circle poodle skirt.  I just bought 2 yards of felt off the roll, measured her waist and cut a circle right in the middle, measured the length we wanted from her waist and cut the outer circle accordingly, cinched the waist with fold over elastic, added a felt poodle and yarn leash, ta da!!!! So cute and fun.  We spent a whole afternoon making circle skirts for dolls with leftover fabric.  After two very successful free skates with Ian I signed Ainsley up for ice skating lessons.  She starts next week and is BEYOND excited.  

Louise has been mentioning sports more and more and I found a park district class for preschoolers that introduces all sorts of sports in a 5 week course.  She starts that tonight and is also very very pumped.  She'd also like to start practicing to be Elsa in a broadway musical.  She'd very much like if I let her grow her hair long and dyed it white.

I keep talking about how when I was their age I took piano lessons, played T-ball and took dance classes but they have no interest.  It's so fun to see my little people emerge, get to know them better, what they like, what they're good at.  I love watching them learn.

Now that Halloween has passed I'm gearing up even more for the holidays.  I'm not going as nuts as I did two years ago with making gifts, but close to it. I need to plan carefully to get it all done.  So of course Im currently working on something totally unrelated to Christmas gifts (and loving every second).  I stumbled across the most beautiful skein of hand dyed merino when I was at our local knit shop looking for a skein for another more practical project.  It screamed MY GIRLS! to me and I just had to get it.  I've been wanting to make them both small cowls (neck warmers) since last winter and now seemed like the perfect time.  I'm using the honey cowl pattern again which shows off the variegated yarn so beautifully.  I totally want one of my own now.  Maybe for my birthday?

Speaking of impulse purchases, I bought a heated blanket at Costco today and it's one of the best decisions I've ever made.  The kids fight daily over the small heat pad we have so a giant throw seemed like a good solution.  As we speaking Felix is conked out bundled under it.  It's just the thing we need in this old drafty house on the cusp of winter.

Cooking is going well despot my sick start to the week.  I managed to make a chicken and rice casserole on Tuesday that we already devoured.  Ian's had a down week at work so as a pick me up Louise, Felix and I went to the store today to stock up for some fun food for the weekend.  Tonight it's penne ala vodka and white cake for dessert.  Tomorrow (or Sunday) I'm going to try my hand at authentic swedish meatballs.  Wish me luck!  Other than food we have no plans for the weekend, which I'm thankful for.  The weeks go by so fast and next weekend/week Ians' off to a conference, then Thanksgiving is right around the corner.  It's going to fly.  I'm thankful for the slow pace while we can have it!

Have a wonderful weekend friends!