The Story of the Bodhi Tree

On the up swing

We were able to get out today which made a HUGE difference in moods! This week has been really rough and it was nice to see my boy having some fun in the fresh air.

*I feel like our cold/flu came and went quite fast (though we are not completely better). For this one we had lots of VitC and GSE concoctions, tons of liquids (including water, ginger, lemon + honey tea, and the regular nettle, rrl, + peppermint), and wholesome foods. For B we also used homeopathics and rubbed the olbas cream on his chest and oil of oregano on his feet at night. We had the diffuser with eucalyptus going on as well.
Any other tricks that you and your family use for a cold + flu?

Opa Amaro arrives home

My stepfather is a Rolfer/body worker and spends months at a time in Germany (where he is originally from). This past trip was especially long - from the beginning of October until today.

Bodhi was very excited to pick him up from the airport this afternoon. He was even more eager to open up his gifts from Germany! Although most of the things that Amaro brings back are now available in Canada, there is always something special about getting them right from the source!

These masks are something that I had as a child and always loved. When I lived in Germany there was an amazing store in our neighborhood called Berg's Tea Laden that sold these, along with many other beautiful treasures. We had quite a hoot trying these on today! Fun for the whole family.

A sweet Ostheimer wooden horse

A set of Lyra pencil crayons (the Waldorf selection). We have many a set of these, but it is always nice to have a fresh pack!

Thanks Opa!

Indoor activities

This winter Bodhi has more activities than he ever has before; school, swimming, and art class. I do not believe in having too many things outside of the home, but I have to admit that with this cold rain that keeps us indoors it is great to have something for B to look forward to. This is especially so, since he no longer naps.

Today was a school day, and after that we were indoors. Most of our home activities consist of crafting, art making, cooking, baking, having baths, reading books (over + over again), playing with toys, and playing hockey or soccer in our hall way.

Most days I have to insist that we have a "quiet" time were I lay down and he plays in the room. So far this has worked really well, and I am so thankful for the opportunity to have a rest.

Before we had our quiet time today we did some painting and chalk drawing with B's easel. We have a lovely set of blackboard chalk. The colors are really nice, though they break easily and are a little messy.

What are some of the fun things that your household does on rainy days?

As Bodhi gets older it is not as easy to convince him of certain things. For instance, he always used to wear wool longies, hats and mitts. This year he declared wool to be "too itchy". He will wear wool socks, and if his hands are really cold, he will put on a pair of mittens. So now we have a huge amount of beautifully knit items that never get used. He has also stopped wearing any pants that are not made by me (how flattering, but challenging). Last week I made him a pair of flannel monkey pj's and he has barely taken them off! He is also a picky eater... but last night I had carrot sticks and cucumber out and he actually ate them (I was literally over the moon). I love watching his fiery and energetic personality emerge, he is constantly reminding me to embrace my wild and free spirited side!

new pj's (I always just make my own pattern up)

posing for the camera

This is the sweet baby cap that I was working on. It was a great pattern and I found it quick and easy to knit up. The only thing I have to complain about, would be that the sizing is a bit off. I knit mine in the six month size and it is more like a newborn size.

front of hat

side of hat

Little corners in our home

I hope everyone is having a magical and warm holiday so far!

Weekend fun + WIP's

The past weekend we went to The Parade of the Lost Souls. We have taken Bodhi for the past couple of years, and though it can be a bit intense, we all enjoy going. I really did not take too many photos, but it is definitely tons of fun checking out the different costumes, parades, music, firedancing and much more.

Right now I have alot of WIP's that I want to get finished so I can get onto some new things! I had the chance to finish these baby cubes up.

Tonight I am going to work on sewing up the sideseams of the 6.5 stitches cardigan in size 2. I finally completed the knitted part last night (yay!). Now I am kicking myself for not knitting it in size 3. Silly, silly.

Pumpkin Patch

Despite the rainy weather today, we ventured out to the pumpkin patch to pick up our pumpkins. Bodhi had a total blast in the rain, jumping in puddles and squishing his boots in the mud. He also enjoyed the process of picking out his pumpkins. The pumpkins had been picked over and lots of them were rotting, but we still managed to find a whole wheelbarrow full.

When I was at my mums the other day I noticed an old blanket/quilt in her storage closet. It was one that she had made for my sister in the 70's. It is stained and ripped. I remember that blanket. It was always around. I picked it up and examined it closely. My mum had hand stitched over the design. She use to do that with alot of our things. I asked my mum what type of fabric it was (as if I thought I would get a response). Indeed she did answer. "Oh! Marimeko fabric." How cool is that? Yep, I have a neat Mama. Needless to say, I am repairing it!

This is my tired guy after a full day of friends and play and no nap. I asked him to smile for the camera and it was a no go.

What do you do when it is time to wrap a gift and you have packed everything away? Simple. Go outside and find some tree bark.

::simple baby top wrapped and ready to be gifted::

::fun at the park::

Let's have a hootenanny!

...and that is exactly what we did!