Boys and Men

One of my cousins shared this quote on her Facebook status (I assume it was by a friend of hers) and I am taking the liberty to share it here.

“Boys play guitar hero-men play REAL guitars.”

Yeah, I’ve got me a man!

Making Books

I picked up Re-Bound: Creating Handmade Books from Recycled and Repurposed Materials at Chapters the other evening, and it has inspired some more creative book making.  We’re going beyond the card stock, paper, and thread books.

Check it out.

Materials used: stiff cardboard from the back of a sketch pad, silver duct tape, a found key, electrical tape, embroidery thread, Sharpie markers, saved nylon webbing, grommets, two brass brads, and two manilla envelopes altered to fit inside the covers.  Oh, and blue hockey stick tape.

Below is the first shot of Gabe’s book.  We were all getting inspired by what we could re-use for these projects.  I pulled out some old electronic devices that no longer served any purpose – a DVD remote for a DVD player that long ago made it’s way to the landfill, a broken calculator, and an “ancient” computer hub.  The boys were very excited about dismantling these and discovering what lay inside.  It sparked a lot of questions I couldn’t answer.  I think we might be revisiting some electrical experiments in greater detail in the near future.  Oh the discoveries that could be made in the DVD player itself!  But, alas, I can’t keep everything!  At least not until I know I won’t be packing it all in boxes and moving it to a new home!

In other news, I have patched several pairs of pants over the past evening and morning.  I’m feeling very happy about this.  You would understand if you saw the pile of clothes I have to mend ….. or do something with.  A couple of days ago I finally sorted them into piles: rag rug material, repairable, beyond repair but useable for repairing other things and then rag rug pile, etc.  So now it begins.  I’ve been getting a lot of sorting done these days.  Sorting, trashing, giving,  re-purposing, filing, organizing, streamlining ……….  I’m hoping it all equates to an easier packing and unpacking and setting-up-home-again in the months ahead.  And also maybe to some better habits of keeping on top of some of the things that I’ve tended to neglect.

Last but not least, my sweater is still getting longer, row-by-row.  I get the most done when a child has a dentist appointment or I’m getting winter tires put on or new front breaks.  But even at home, amidst all the hustle and bustle, I manage to squeeze in a row or two or six on most days.  I’ll try to take a picture of that progress soon and post it here for my fellow knitters!

More of This-and-That

This afternoon I took the dog around “the loop”.  It was the most uncomfortable walk I’ve had yet (this pregnancy).  Baby felt very heavy and low and I could no longer push out of my mind what I’m in for in a short while.   Oh well.  I had willful amnesia, and I’ve no doubt that when I see that little baby I will start thinking about doing it “one more time”. Who am I kidding?  I’m already thinking about that.

A few nights ago – one or two nights after telling a friend our dog never barks at night – our dog was barking.   He will woof a couple times and then stop, even if a raccoon is up his tree.  But here he was, barking, and not stopping.  I got up, opened the window, and in my deep, mean voice said, “Jaska….”   I was planning to follow that with something like “shut-up” or “be quiet”, but then I saw two coyotes RIGHT next to him.  They were just beyond his reach and casually walking past, pausing frequently to look at him.  I couldn’t believe they would come so close to the city.  I’ve seen them before way across the field and they run as soon as they notice I’m there.  These guys were having a nice little stroll along the very edge of suburbia.  After they left he started howling.  He’s howling right now.  He howls when he can hear them.  I’m bringing him in at night, even though I think he prefers to stay out.  I don’t want him at an unfair advantage against the coyotes, nor do I want to wake up to the barking and howling several times a night.

These are some leaves we waxed a little while ago.

1. melt paraffin wax over a double boiler
2. dip leaves (previously pressed or not)
3. enjoy some cool results

The last thing to discuss is…. why in the world am I still up?   Goodnight.

Laugh ’til it hurts

Oh my.  I spent some time this evening sorting through the masses of artwork that I haven’t sorted through in much too long.  I was working on Gabriel’s pile.  It amazed me how much stuff he had in there that I’d never seen.  Some children like to show me every piece of art.  Not so with Gabe.  I laughed and laughed and laughed until my abs – which aren’t in their top condition as you might have guessed – were really hurting.  I’ll try to post some pictures on here sometime.  I’m not sure if they’ll be as funny to you, or if you have to be his parent.

Various

We passed, perhaps, the most pleasant Halloween ever last night.  It didn’t involve the familiar husband-on-call, hiding-upstairs-with-the-kids, watching a movie trick.  Nor did it involve last minute face painting to send kids out with their dad to collect a bag of loot I’d rather not have hanging around the house anyway.  We enjoyed a lovely, out-of-the-city dinner with friends.  Before dinner activities involved playing in the most leaves I have ever seen in one yard, dads building a make-shift plow out of a metal shelf and mounting it on the lawn mower tractor to push leaves off the lawn, and multiple rake-wielding children.  After dinner involved face painting and the transformation of eight ordinary children into: two Uruk-hai, one dark elf (Drizzt Do’Urden by name), a fairy, a storm trooper, a pirate, a tiger, and Clifford the Big Red Dog.  This variety of characters stampeded out into the night to play for a long time on some straw bales and piles of leaves.   Inside, the adults (and some little people) enjoyed a fire, tea, and good company.  Eventually, a storm trooper curled up on my lap and fell asleep, while his younger brother – Clifford – smeared red face paint on several pieces of furniture and clothing.  We headed home very late, thankful for such good friends, good times, good memories, and such a great escape from Halloween in suburbia!

I am heavy with child.  For most of this pregnancy I haven’t had time to really consider this new little person. Of course, I’ve considered her – and all I eat and breathe and do always has the life within me in mind, but now, as the kicks demand my attention, and the weight of baby on my loosening ligaments is keenly felt, I begin to really think about a new member entering into our family.  I can barely wait to meet this little one, this newest member of the family, this little….. sister…. to so many big brothers.

Also, it is November!  This is the month I plan to have the baby.  Though, if history is repeated it will more likely be mid-December.  Still, we’re getting close.

I’ve never played Settlers……

….. but I like this story.  And I want to get a copy of the game.  Graeme has played, I have observed, and I think it looks like a fun game.  I like the story of how Teuber, the game’s inventor, tinkered with it for four years, testing it out on his wife and children.  When “the enthusiasm on family game night was palpable” he knew he had a hit.

Here’s another little clip from the story:

Teuber got into board games for one main reason: to entertain his wife, Claudia. The two were married in 1973, and that same year they had their first son, Guido, and moved to western Germany so Teuber could fulfill his mandatory military service. Not knowing anyone in town left Teuber with a lot of free time. “We played chess, but my wife always lost—and that’s no fun,” he says. “So I looked around for things we could both play.” This quest eventually lead Teuber to Germany’s game culture and ultimately to creating games himself.

Favourite Sayings

These are a few of the expressions that Noah favours these days:

“Yay for my life.”  (Also, “Yay for my popcorn life”, “Yay for my puppy’s life”, etc. etc.)

“Just ignore me.”

“I can’t do [ x ], I’m too young.”

And because his Ts are pronounced with Ks he calls Charlotte “Charlick”.  

Unfortunately, high pitched screaming remains a favourite, too.

He says, “Oh yeah, I remember” about almost everything.  I didn’t remember.  Thanks for reminding me, Charlotte!

Polymer Gel

Iris, this one’s for you. Going back a while, I posted about a polymer gel the kids made at a university chemistry thingy. The recipe was requested and at last, here it is (PDF).  

 

Our Names

Somehow, at lunch today, the question was posed to Noah, “What is Daddy’s name?” He thought and looked up in the corner of his eye trying to “see” it in his mind. Zach gave him a hint, “Graaaaae….” Noah was quick to complete it as, “Grae of the Rings”. Everyone thought that was funny, so when he was asked Mommy’s name and given the hint, “Angggge….” he quipped, “Angeline the Baker”.

Fossil Hunt

Yesterday, we returned to a fossil quarry that we visited last year.  Everyone had a good time.  (I speak for everyone, but I’m pretty sure they’d agree.)  Although it wasn’t bright, sun-shiny, it was a lovely day.   I was pleased with how selective the boys were this year about which fossils to bring home.  I’m thinking about the moving bill (based on weight) that we will be paying in a few months!