could it be?

Could it be? Could I redeem my very unfortunate decision of letting Elijah hold the iTouch only to have it slip from his hand and be cracked?
I was visiting Pioneer Woman today. Her son dropped her iPad on the kitchen floor and it cracked. She of course was devastated. Someone commented with a link to a business called BrokeMyiPhone that repairs cracked screens. I've requested a quote. My fingers are crossed. I may have just happened upon something to make my mistake right again.

Packaging

Do love things in beautiful packages? Do you often wish you had something special to package something you have made? If your answer was yes, I have the website for you. It's called Bake It Pretty
I kid you not, you will be drooling. I spent a good hour (wow that's a long time to give to the internet...sad)exploring, and thinking of all the ways I could use her unique items. Lots of fun.

Trusting

I was reading through some of my journal entries. I came across a quote from "Lessons from the hiding place." The words struck me in a new deeper way, as I considered their meaning in light of our families situation.
"Bestie said, 'It is going to be a harder winter than we have ever had before. We must show through our joy the worth of being a Christian. We should already be doing this, because seeing the dark clouds approaching is often harder than being covered by them.'"
During and coming home from candidates week I started realizing the gravity of what we are embarking on. Health, security, money, culture, heat, language, schooling for the kids, traveling abroad, all these were suddenly before me in a clearer more profound way. How, when, with what strength, and with what wisdom, will I navigate through all these things. Bestie's words challenge me to not grow faint, to not lose heart, but to joyfully head toward the storm clouds. Maybe my life now; how I handle the next year, can be a testimony of the glorious riches of God? Will I fret and worry, complain and grumble, or will I live in the hope of Christ? Putting my life firmly in Him; trusting He will prepare me and guide me now and when the storm clouds are over head.
Jesus, Jesus, how I trust him
How I've proved Him o'r and o'r
Jesus, Jesus, precious Jesus
Oh for grace to trust Him more.
Lord, give me the trust I need. It's by your grace that I will joyfully meet whatever comes our way, so that all will know how great You are.

Communal living

This is a dream of mine. So great to see someone do it.

We're on our way.

Its almost 11:00pm and I should not be sitting down. I have a house to keep cleaning and bags to back. Packing is such a chore. Its a real challenge to know what is really important to bring. I don't want to drag along everything and the kitchen sink.
By the way we are headed to Ontario tomorrow morning. It will be an adventure to put it mildly. We're basically going to Ontario to do a road trip. Why you might ask? Well that's a very good question...I'm asking that very same question tonight. No, not really. I'm excited. WE're doing to road trip so we can see all the people we love, and share with them about our plans for Africa.
I've got to get up now. My husband is lapping me in the "getting things done" department!
I thought I'd tag on these great blog for you to enjoy.
Yes, please - This is a great blog jammed packed with beautiful pictures and great ideas.
And she had this great reminder for me.

Prudent Baby - Yummy homemade pot tarts. Follow her link for to the recipie. This looks like something the Chalmers family is going to have to try...one day when life settles down.

Knitted Vest

On my needles I have a very nice sweater vest for Ian. (pictured at the top) I'm not going to use the contrasting color on the edges. I've been wanting to try Lion Brand's Cotton-Ease. I bought it at Micheal's. When I found it there I was so excited. I had thought I was going to have to order it. I didn't have a pattern in mind when I found it so I only bought two balls of this brown. So had to find a pattern that only used that much. The Lion Brand site has so many great patterns for free.

Little girl hat.

Today I crocheted a hat for Grace. I got the pattern from TheYarnChick on Etsy
I think I'll try selling them here. So if you have a little girl in your life who would look cute in this hat let me know. All $20 will go to our "Car in Mombasa" fund!
Our vehicle in Mombasa is an extra cost, so we're saving up.
Email me if you are interested. thechalmers@sasktel.net
I'll be posting a boys hat soon.
Amie

Links - what I've been looking at

Three Irish Girls Looking for beautiful one of a kind dyed sock yarn? This sight is eye candy just to look at.

Not Martha Is a neat blog. She blogs everything from crafts, cooking, links, shopping, etc... I really like her "Link" blogs. I've found so many neat sites. She is also an amazing crafter and cook. She's got a great recipe for cobbler baked in jars. She also does a pie in a jar. I've got to try that.

The Pioneer Woman This woman can take a picture. Wow! Her blog is linked to this site. look for "Confessions". She also cooks, homeschools, farms, etc... I had so much fun exploring her site. I hope you will too.

Juniper Moon Farm this woman left the big city to start a sheep farm. (If you know me well, you know this is my dream.) She came up with the great idea of people becoming share holders and receiving fleece each year. The quantity of fleece they receive is calculated by the size of their "share". You can watch your fleece grow online,or go visit! What a great idea.

Well that's all you get for now. Ian won't let me continue.

getting bigger every day

Here are some pitures of the kids. Ian is getting more and more personality. I just love watching his character come out. He still hasn't tried to crawl. I'll take it. I'm not interested in chasing him around the house. He's eight months now. Boys, does time fly. He won't take a bottle while mom is at work. This frustrates Jon a bit. We are going to see if he'll take the formula from a cup. He seems to take that better than the bottle. He hasn't starved yet! I don't think he will.
have a great day.
Amie

Eye Candy

I found this amazing blog today called "homespun living". You have to check it out. She is a gifted seamstress, knitter, and home decorator. I am inspired by her art and beautiful photos. It is so generous of her to invite us into her home and work.
I have copied down her pattern for knit dish clothes and am excited to try it out. Need to get some cotton. I might have enough for one cloth. I guess that's a start!
I'm working on a sweater for Ian. I received the pattern from my mom. When I left home she gave me all her knitting supplies and binder of patterns. Its a raglan sweater with finished neck line. ( unlike the last sweater I made which was also a raglan.) I've changed the look of it by knitting a different motif. Its more like a Fair Ilse look. I enjoy uses a pattern but also being able to add my own creativity. My camera's memory card is full and the the battery is dead, so I'll have to up load some photos when that problem has been solved.
I'm looking forward to the day Ian starts taking two long naps a day. I'll start sewing again and get more knitting down. At the moment the sewing has all but stopped and the knitting is done in 5-10 minute intervals. I'm not complaining...just looking forward to the future! :)
Well that's it for me. I'm off to bed. Church tomorrow. Sundays are always big days.
Amie

Mummy's helpers

Here are some pictures of the kids and I working together in the kitchen. Elijah and I made some muffins. He used the mixer all by myself. Grace was especially helpful. She feed Ian for me, peeled the carrot for the soup, opened the cans for the soup and stirred the soup. I think she even helped me with the dishes. I hope this will be a trend that will carry on into her later years...helpfulness!

Ian's stripped sweater.

I'm really happy with the the way this sweater turned out. I had to use needles a size larger than the pattern called for so its a bit stretchy. Its a bit big for Ian just yet. It made it 9-12 months. The neck line is bigger than I thought it would be but I think it will look better when the sweater fits him on the whole. Its so soft and the blue is so bright and warm. I'm so proud of all my seams. I find a sight called Knitting Help. It has lots of videos showing how to different techniques. So this is my first kniiting projects with such great seams.
I've just found this great website in the last few days called Ravelry This is a community that shares patterns, projects, yarn. You can find out info on all kinds of yarn. I haven't yet explored all of its possibilities. Crocheters and Knitters alike will really enjoy this site. Take a look. Lots of free patterns!

Domestic Bliss

I had bought a turkey awhile back because it was a good price. Since, I have not had the time or will to cook it, but today I finally did it. First I roasted it. I boiled the neck, liver and heart with carrot, celery and onion for Ian. I didn't puree the heart or the liver for him but I'm hoping all their goodness got into the veggies the neck meat and the broth. Then I took all the meat off the turkey and put it into a pan to rewarm later for supper. I put some pan drippings in the bottom of the pan to keep it moist. Then I made my broth with the carcass. We definitely didn't eat enough turkey at supper. Lots of leftovers. I'm going to make soup for supper tomorrow with my broth and extra meat. There is a lot of broth so I think I'll give some soup to someone. I'll make a double batch. We can use some of the turkey for lunch meat. I'll freeze some for a cassarole later. I"m not great at remembering to use frozen leftovers. I also have a hard time thinking of ways to use cooked meat. I'm hoping you can use it the way you would meat with less cooking time. I was going to make a lentil casserole this week. You'll find the recipie at my girlfriend's blog on the Jan. 19th entry. I made it a couple weeks ago and everyone liked it. I added some cut up boneless chicken thighs, but I wonder if I could put some cut up turkey?


I thought I would add a picture of the yarn I'm using to knit Ian's sweater. I rolled it all into balls this afternoon. 50g skeins don't take any time at all to ball. I'm used to larger skeins that seem to take a long time to get into a ball.
I put some puff wheat on Ian's tray today and he picked it up and ate it. He loves eating. I actually think he must be having a growth spurt because he's nursing consistently every 3 hours or sooner.

Elijah's sweater

So after i knit Grace's sweater I had to make one for Elijah. So here it is. I used one of his monster drawing as a template for the picture I stitched on the front. I think he really likes it. It is a bit of a heavy sweater. It may be good for the spring, when that's all you need to wear outside.

I also made him a hat. I got the idea for the rim off Etsy . I made a pink one for Grace but she seems to have misplaced it already. Very sad. I'm sure I'll find it somewhere and then I'll post a picture of it. I think it made it a bit deep.
My next project is a sweater for Ian. In Regina I bought some beautiful pima cotton, Merino wool mixed yarn. I'm planning on using a Debbie Bliss pattern.
All this knitting has really dug into my reading time. Not really getting any done. Its hard to knit and read. So I'm still not done "Shake hands with the Devil." Its pretty depressing, and very long. I try to read a few pages while I'm nursing. Ian doesn't take too long though so I only get a couple pages read at a time.
We have been watching a whole lot of Olympics. The TV is on alot. Its a bit addictive. I'm getting tired of hearing CTV say, we have a great chance on getting a medal and then we get 4th or 5th. I wish they would stop jinxing us like that.

The kids are all having fun crafting this morning. Ian is watching his siblings with awe and amazement. It makes a big difference now that he can sit all by himself. He'll sit long periods of time just playing with his toys or watching the older two.

A Saturday with the kids

Jon is gone to Yorton for today and tomorrow. He is playing in a mens tournament.
For the most part my day with the kids went smoothly. We went into town in the morning. I wanted to get a few things at Walmart. I'll have to return a few. I definitly bought the wrong colour yarn for Elijah's sweater. It looked redish-orange in the store but when i got it home it was more pick than anything. So that won't work. I remembered to buy diapers for Grace and Ian. Surprising.
I'm reading a book called "Grace based parenting" I'm only a little ways in but he's talked about loving your kids for who God made them. I was reminded of this today when Elijah was begging and pleading for me to arrange a play date for him with one of his friends. I find this very difficult. #1 I don't want to bother other families. #2 I don't want to and often can't leave the house to take him somewhere. #3 I didn't want even more of a mess in the house from having another 5 year old to help my two take every toy out. Not today. I was getting very frustrated by his pleading and need to be with other people. I think I can say no to him and he needs to except that decision but I also think I don't want him to get the impression that there is something wrong with him for wanting to be with people all the time. I also don't want to give him the impression that he is an annoyance to me. This is very difficult. To not allow my frustration with the situation to dictate the way I treat him and talk with him about it. Lord give me wisdom.
I'm going to attempt to go to church tomorrow by myself and the kids. I may have to send the two older ones to children's church on their own if Ian is sleeping. I can't just leave him there in the pew and I won't want to carry the car seat all the way to the classroom. I talked with Cristy tonight and asked if I could sit near her. Then she could watch the Ian when I take the kids.
Anyways, off to bed for me. Never know what Ian's night will be like.
much love
amie

from bum to top...

I knit this diaper cover for Ian last summer while I was still pregnant. Very easy pattern, and you can add legs if you want. I bought the pattern online from Green Way Babywear You can buy them already made or get the pattern to make it yourself. You need 100% wool. Try to find a soft kind like, merino wool. I bought just plain wool but it is processed gently without a lot of cemicals so its pretty soft. Its called Custom Woolen Mills ltd. Make sure its not superwash because you need all the natural lanolin and a bit of felting. If you are interested in learning how to help make your woolies even more waterproof just ask and I'll send you the instructions. I really like them. They are not bulky, and keep baby dry. We live in a cold place but I've read from moms who live in hot places that it keeps their babies cool and dry. The miracles God created for us!


So I finished the sweater for Grace. I took it apart a few time before I settled on what it was going to look like. I used some wool I already had in the house. Unfortunately it was 100% wool and not a very soft variety. So she's complaining that its itchy. Poop! I had her wear it with a long sleeve shirt on underneath. This seems to appeased her somewhat. Elijah wants one now, but I'm not going to go to all that work just for him to complain its itchy too. So I may just go to Walmart and buy some cheap yarn.

Crochet

So I've decided to learn how to crochet. I found this great book at the library the other day. Yes, its for kids.
I chose to make this sweater for Grace. I think it will be good.
I've had trouble getting my tension right. The bottom of my first piece is looser than the top. I might have to take it all out and try again. I might as well do it right.
Elijah told me he wants one next and then I think I'll knit something for Ian. I want to go into Regina to Natural Fibers ( I think that's what its called) and get some nice wool for Ian's project. I got some Bebbie Bliss Knitting books at the library too. I love her patterns.
I would really like to start a knitting/crochet club but don't know who would be interested in such a thing. Its hard when we don't have a good wool shop near by. Regina is a bit far for people to go to get wool. Walmart stuff isn't interesting and their selection is bad.
Jon and I were going to go away for a weekend together this coming weekend, but it doesn't look like its going to happen now. So maybe I can convince him to take me into Regina to get the wool. Normally this would not be a good enough reason to go but under the circumstances I think he owes me one!

A cherished book

This cook book belonged to my mother. I don't remember where she got it. (Mom you can comments and tell us.) As a child I remember her using it often. It must have gotten wet in some accident in the kitchen at some point because the pages are wrinkled in places. This just makes me love it more. My mom often used the biscuit recipe on page 13. It's the only one I use now. The book naturally opens to the page. When I married a Mennonite and he told me about these little cookie his mom made, of course I wanted to make them for him and on page 279 I found, "Pfeffernusse". This young bride had a happy husband.

Recently, in an attempt to make cheap, healthy food for my family I decided to try the very affordable cut of pork, 'the ham hock.' What's a girl to do with ham hock? I opened my cookbook and there I found a wonderful recipe for Split Pea Soup (pg 41) Because I love this recipe so much I thought I would share it with you.

1 ham hock

2 1/2 quarts water

2 1/2 cups split peas

1 large onion

3 medium carrots

Salt and pepper

Cook ham hock and peas together slowly for about 3 hours. Dice onions and carrots and add 30 minutes before severing. Season.

It's that easy! I added celery and cooked it longer that 3 hours because I started with a frozen ham hock. I also added the meat off the bone (its not that much) back into the soup. Mine is really thick after cooling and I like it like that. But if you didn't want it really thick just don't cook it till it gets to that point. And if you do just add water when you are reheating the leftovers! Yummy, easy, healthy, affordable soup. What more could you ask for.

At the end of the book the author has included a little jewel.

"Food for a Barn Raising" This list was found in an olds handwritten recipe book.

115 lemon pie

500 fat cakes (doughnuts)

15 large cakes

3 gallons applesauce

3 gallons rice pudding

16 chickens

3 hams

50 pounds roast beef

300 light rolls

16 loaves bread

Red beet pickles, pickles eggs, cucumber pickles

6 pounds dried prunes, stewed

1 large crock stewed raisins

5 gallon stone jar white potatoes and the same amount of sweet potatoes

Enough for 175 men.

Wow!!!! That must have taken quite the cook force. Talk about team work.

So there you have it- my favorite cookbook. Maybe one day I'll have the privilege of giving it to Grace...if she wants it...if not...I'll keep it!!!!

blessings

The Jungle Book

I was putting some books away today. I picked up "The Jungle Book" and flipped through it. The book opened to the story " Toomai of the Elephants". This is the poem the story begins with.

I will remember what I was. I am sick of ropes and chains.
I will remember my old strength and all my forest affairs.
I will not sell my back to man for a bundle of sugar-cane,
I will go out to my own kind, and the wood-folk in their lairs.

I will go out until the day, until the morning break,
Out to the winds' untainted kiss, the waters' clean caress:
I will forget my ankle-ring and snap my picket-stake.
I will revisit my lost loves, and playmates masterless!

I was moved by this short poem. I was a nice moment in my day, amid all the folding, cooking, disciplining, bum wiping, nursing and so on.

Shake Hands With the Devil

I am currently reading L.Gen. Romeo Dallaire's account of the genocide in Rawanda. I had read a book earlier this year which was a personal account of the genocide. I of course was moved by the story and became interested in learning more about what could have caused and allowed such a massacre to occur.
Dallaire's account is lengthy. There are times that I skim pages as he details all the politics and work that went into even getting a small force of Peacekeepers into Rawanda. I have to admit I love a story, so when the book become more detailed history I getting a little bored. The endless names and ranks are confusing. Not to say that this is unneeded. I'm sure there are lots of people who understand and I feel as though this book is Dallaire's account to the nation and the world for his actions and the events that unfolded.
Having a family member in the Armed Forces, I am very interested in the way his mind works as a soldier, the affects his work had on his family, his honesty about his failings to the job and his family, and the affects the genocide had on his mental health. He is very candied about his pride and ignorance going into the mission. It was his first mission overseas and he was still quite young.
In the introduction he describes a scene in which he and his patrol meet a lone boy standing in the road. The stop the truck look for his parents in the forest surrounding them and can not locate anyone who is caring for this child. (This is well into the genocide.) The boy runs into a house near by and they follow him. Inside the boy sits down beside his dead mother. The rest of his family is lies dead there too. Dallaire takes the child out of the house and he clings to him. I quote, " I made up my mind: this boy would be the fourth child in the Dallaire family. I couldn't save Rwanda, but I could save this child." I think this situation is a good example of his compassion and utter need to do something about all the destruction and death he sees around him. Who would not want to take this child to safety and give them a home? His humanity compels him to save this child. O fcourse the story ends with the child running off into the forest never to be seen again.
I"m not quite done the book yet. I'm sure once I'm into the account of the genocide I'll have more to write about.
blessings