Happy Earth Day!

April is a wonderful time of renewal, reflection and reuse in our house. April has been deemed "use your stash" month by many sewing ladies so I have been furiously digging through my piles of fabric to finish up projects and do new projects. It is such a good feeling not to run to the fabric store (we only have JoAnn's here and I am not a fan) and to know I am not spending money on more fabric (and shipping!) that I will just have to pack up and move in the next few months anyways! I recently made Kasper a vest and AnaSofia a dress using a vintage tablecloth, leftover fabric and a fabric from etsy I have been sitting on for a few months. I was inspired by this lovely lady and tried to create something fun and unique for the kids. It is really fantastic to know a little Danish!
Here is the photo shoot of sorts, I guess I should have ironed the clothes (do people still do that?!) and yes I had to use lollipops as bribery...



This one is for Nana... She is always frantic when we are on the phone, "is everything okay? What is happening? Is he all right??!!!" My response, "um... whaaat?" Kasper is the king of yelling, crying and complaining for no apparent reason and I am starting to tune it out. He makes this face (below) and will scream and carry on and in the middle of it look up at you and if you catch his eye he can't help but giggle (because it is all just an act) and then again screws up his face to pout. It is hilarious. I think he will sing opera or be on stage with his name in lights.
He is really adorable these days for many reasons...



So beyond recycling fabric this month I am also making an Earth Day pledge:
No more paper towels will be used in this house, which is a huge thing to say because we use them a lot. But there are so many alternatives so microfiber towels - here we come! Make an Earth Day pledge too - even if it is just for the month. A little challenge to keep things interesting!

Outdoors and Playing

It is that time of year again - soccer and playing outside ALL DAY LONG. I love love love it. The kids play so well together outside, it is really fun to sit back and watch. I am waiting for the day when I can actually read a book and watch them play - doesn't that sound fantastic?
AnaSofia is really into soccer this year and loves practice. She is such a little athlete, it is fun to watch her tear around and to watch Kasper try and keep up (when he isn't chatting up all the other little sisters! see below).



Kasper is happiest outdoors, even first thing in the morning - pjs and big sister's boots on at 6:30 am...

We also have been doing a lot of cooking, AnaSofia likes to write down the ingredients for me - can you tell what we are making? I'll post some photos one day.

Happy Spring days and enjoy the long evenings outside - we are able to eat outside without any bugs these days - pure joy!

Spring Weekends

We are getting into the weekend groove around here. It took me a few years, yes years, to realize Soren works six days a week. Six, not five - not even the sometimes four days when other families are vacationing or on holiday. Now that I have accepted it, life runs much more smoothly for us all. Soren's one day home is a special day to do things we like to do together, like watching the wood ducks in the backyard, walking to the lake and going fishing.


THIS is my family. AnaSofia eating, Kasper clinging to you and holding something (usually a coffee cup or a toy dog) and the big man's strong shoulders taking care of us all.

And on the weekend day I am a little sad wishing Soren was home with us, I have found it is best to tuck in, stay home and do something for someone else. Lately that has meant sewing skirts, baking bread, making soup and doing special presents for new babies. It is working for us right now and we are all pretty happy.


I hope you all are enjoying a family filled weekend with your loved ones.

Easter Weekend

Easter is a big event around here. Such a celebration of life, the return of Spring and family. We managed to color Easter eggs three times this year and must have eaten two dozen hard boiled eggs before Sunday even rolled around...

Momma smartened up halfway through the week and realized coloring eggs outside was a fantastic idea.



We baked bread Easter morning.

And while we waited for it to bake, the kids found their handmade Easter bags I made that were filled with books and art supplies and a few fun things.

Both of them loved hunting eggs, although Kasper might have preferred taking eggs from AnaSofia's basket and "running" away giggling.

Signs of Spring...

The peepers are gossiping all night long, the mergansers are shaking their "cool dude" white mohawks all day and the river otters are frolicking in the water...

Little feet are almost always bare,

and little heads are still covered but lying on the green earth.

Everyone enjoys morgenmed (morning meal) with Far before his busy day.

And we have been busy too - sewing (Kasper loves sewing with me).

Hanging out in the airplane,

and we are leaving our little pond every week to go to the coast and explore...



All the signs of Spring outside make me realize time will keep turning on no matter how much I want to slow down and savor each moment so I am trying to embrace the pace of this year and enjoy the ride!