Sacrifice at the Porcelain Volcano

"So buddy, what do you want to do today?" I asked my eldest son. I balanced precariously on the ladder of his bunk bed, tugging at the sheets and blankets. Baby Girl played contentedly on the floor at my feet.

"I dunno. Maybe we could go to the park?" he suggested.

"Hmmm. Maybe." I climbed down the ladder and set to work making the lower bunk. I realized my two-year-old was no where in sight.

FLUUUUUUUSH.

I heard the unmistakable sound of a toilet flushing downstairs. Strange. My diaper-clad toddler had no legitimate reason to use the washroom.

"Ummm ... where's your little brother?" I asked my son, "Do you think you could go check on him for me?"

"Sure, Mommy." My four-year-old raced down the stairs. I heard young voices, and then two pairs of small feet ran back toward me. I finished tucking the blankets under the bed as my sons re-entered the room.

"Hi Mommy!" my bubbly two-year-old exclaimed.

I turned toward my son and assumed my best stern mommy expression. "Buddy. Did you flush something down the toilet?"

"Yes!"

I waited for him to elaborate.

My son looked up at me with wide, blue, adorable eyes.

I sighed and asked the inevitable question: "Well, what did you flush down the toilet."

"It was only a palm twee, Mommy."

I processed this revelation. "You flushed a palm tree down the toilet?"

"Yes!"

"Well, why did you flush a palm tree down the toilet?"

My son gave an exasperated sigh. "It was bwoken."

Oh, yes. How sensible. Why hadn't I thought of that? Anyone knows that broken palm trees make perfect sacrifices to the toilet gods.

Apparently, our toilet can indeed swallow an entire palm tree without ill effect. Who knew? Later in the day I also learned our toilet can handle a plastic cookie wrapper and several stickers.

What's next? Boxer shorts? An apple? I'm seriously considering taping the lid of the toilet closed. (Although that solution presents a whole new host of issues ...)

Ahhh. Never a dull moment. Never a dull moment.

Spring (Fling) Reading List

My husband went to the library yesterday to pick up several books for me. One of the books he brought home was Kevin Leman's Sheet Music.

The book has been in our house a little more than 24 hours. My husband has read the entire thing through, cover to cover.

I believe I will cut my computer time short this evening. ;-)

Spring Reading Thing ... An Update

I've been reflecting on my Spring reading list. You know, I think it is a little lopsided. I am slightly addicted to Karen Kingsbury's novels these days, but my goodness, I need not share my secret weakness with the whole world. I'm a bit embarrassed.

At any rate, I've added another non-fiction title to my list to help even the playing field. I recently spotted Me, Myself and Bob in the Christian Publications flyer. Our kids love Veggie Tales, so I am interested to read Phil Vischer's story. I placed the book on hold at the library tonight. (I may also be slightly addicted to surfing the library's online catalogue. What's not to love about choosing books from the comfort of my living room couch?)

Oh the Drama

Only 25(ish) days until we depart for warmer climes. Our vacation to Mexico is quickly approaching. This morning our entire family had an appointment at the International Travel Clinic for ... (cue the ominous music) ... shots.

Our four-year-old son had been dreading this morning's appointment, but he knew that in order to go on the trip he needed to have a shot. This morning in the van we finally discovered why our son was so terrified.

Our little boy thought he was going to the clinic to be shot. With a gun. A great, big needle gun, apparently.

Oh, my.

The long and the short of the story is this: Our son did receive his needle. He screamed something fierce in the clinic room, but survived to tell the tale.

Mexico, here we come!

Culinary Delights

My two-year-old happily sat beside me in our favourite restaurant. As he munched his way through an order of (animal-shaped) chicken nuggets and fries, I picked up one of the nuggets and playfully marched it across his plate.

"What have you got here?" I asked, "Is it a dinosaur?"

My toddler looked at me with serious eyes. "No, Mommy!" he stated emphatically, "It's chicken."

...............

The children were bathed and clothed in warm jammies. My preschooler turned somersaults across the bed as he waited for Bible time. His two-year-old brother attempted to leap on the bed as well. In the process, he banged his shin against the side of the bed and burst into tears.

"Mommy! Kiss my leg!" he demanded as he pulled up the cuff of his pajamas.

I planted a kiss on my son's bruised leg and pulled him into my arms, preparing to listen to the Bible story.

He extended his index finger toward me. "Mommy..." he started to say.

I promptly kissed the end of his finger, thinking he had injured it as well.

"... I got a booger," he finished.

Ready, Set, Go!

My calendar tells me Spring has officially arrived. However, the view out my window this morning told a slightly different tale. Who ordered the snow? Where is the warm weather we've been promised?

I suppose I can patiently wait a few more weeks for Spring to truly arrive. In the meantime, I plan to dive into a great big pile of books! (Can life get any better?) In my opinion, nothing beats curling up with a good book on a quiet evening...

"Just the knowledge that a good book is awaiting one at the end of a long day makes that day happier." (Kathleen Norris)

I especially enjoy reading books in series. I also get hooked on specific authors. A few months ago I discovered Karen Kingsbury's novels. (Where was I?) I'm thankful she is a prolific author, as I have many of her books yet to read. Right now I am working my way through her Firstborn series. I have also started reading Jan Karon's Mitford series, and I am looking forward to reading the next book in the Thoenes' A.D. Chronicles series.

Without further ado, here is my Spring reading list. Most of my selections are fiction. I have placed nearly all of the titles on hold at the library. (For one of the books I am number 78 in the queue. The library has a few of my other selections on order. I hope I get a chance to read them before the end of Spring!)

Fiction:

Ever After, Karen Kingsbury

Family, Karen Kingsbury (Firstborn Series, book 4)

Forever, Karen Kingsbury (Firstborn Series, book 5)

Like Dandelion Dust, Karen Kingsbury

Sunrise, Karen Kingsbury

Fifth Seal, Bodie and Brock Thoene (A.D. Chronicles, book 5)

At Home in Mitford, Jan Karon (Mitford Series, book 1)

A Light in the Window, Jan Karon (Mitford Series, book 2)

Non-Fiction:

I Like You, Amy Sederis

Sheet Music, Kevin Leman

The New Birth Order Book, Kevin Leman

The Baby Whisperer Solves All Your Problems (By Teaching You to Ask the Right Questions), Tracy Hogg

On a related note, I also plan on committing several random acts of literacy this Spring. I've caught the BookCrossing bug, and I have a tall stack of books on my desk waiting to be set free!

I would like to thank Katrina at Callapidder Days for hosting The Spring Reading Thing. Please check out the Mr. Linky at her site here.

Happy reading! Welcome Spring!

Woolly Sheep

Today the boys and I made fluffy sheep to celebrate the first day of Spring.

This craft uses common materials --- toilet paper tubes, tissues, cotton balls, cotton swabs --- all things we found hiding in our bathroom. The boys loved gluing the cotton balls to the paper tubes. My two-year-old's sheep turned out especially well. He made most of it by himself.

My four-year-old, however, ended up ripping all the cotton off his toilet paper tube. He said he wanted his sheep to be bald.

Menu Plan Monday
March 19th

I met Laura from Org Junkie (another Canadian blogger!) at The Ultimate Blog Party. I've been enjoying her blog a great deal, and thought I would join Menu Plan Monday this week. So here goes ... my first menu.

Monday: (No cooking!) supper at chez Mom
Tuesday: Roast sticky chicken, mashed potatoes, french beans amandine, carrots and peas
Wednesday: Leftovers
Thursday: Vegetable lasagna, caesar salad
Friday: Chicken soup with alphabet pasta, homemade brown bread
Saturday: Leftovers
Sunday: Sweet potato and cauliflower tagine, whole wheat couscous, spinach salad

Roast Sticky Chicken

This recipe is super-easy and the meat comes out moist and flavourful. I like to roast two birds at once; then I have lots of meat left over and can make soup with the bones. A note: don't try to make gravy with the drippings. It will be much too salty.

I found this recipe in Dining on a Dime by Tawra Kellam and Jill Cooper (p. 207).

4 tsp. salt
2 tsp. paprika
1 tsp. cayenne pepper
1 tsp. onion powder
1 tsp. thyme
1 tsp. white pepper
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1 large (10lb) whole chicken, chicken parts, or one (20lb) turkey (double the spices for a turkey)
1 C. chopped onion or 1 sliced orange

Combine all the spices. Remove giblets from chicken. Rinse chicken. Rub the spice mixture into the chicken, both inside and out, making sure it is evenly distributed and down deep into the skin. Place in a 9x13" pan, seal with foil and refrigerate overnight. If using chicken parts just rub spices over both sides of parts.

When ready to roast chicken, stuff cavity with onions or oranges. If using chicken parts place pieces on top of onions or oranges. Roast, uncovered, at 250 degrees F for 5 hours. Roast chicken pieces 3-5 hours. Roast a turkey 8-10 hours.

After the first hour, baste chicken with pan juices every half hour to 45 minutes. Of you don't have enough pan juices after 3 hours to baste add 1 C. of water to the pan. The chicken will be golden to dark brown with caramelized juices on the bottom. Let chicken rest about 10 minutes before carving.

A Round of Applause and a Great Big Kiss

I would just like to share that I have the most wonderful husband in the world. He is a man who knows his wife well.

Ben understands that I can get caught up doing things --- cleaning the house, cooking, shopping, running after the kids, making projects. He also knows that I am not exactly a high-energy person. I take on too much and then collapse from exhaustion.

My wonderful husband did a great deal for me today. I took a (glorious) two-hour nap this afternoon. He went grocery shopping, took out the garbage and recycling, attended a meeting at church this evening, and helped me clean out the basement. What a man!

A Slice of Canadiana:
Why a Timbit is a Dangerous Thing

What is Canada to me?

Canoes, beavers and the maple leaf
Polite, friendly neighbours
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police
The Rocky Mountains in my backyard
Clean water, rich soil, an abundance of resources
Vast stretches of land
Snow and ice and skiing and skating
Youth, innovation
A patchwork quilt of cultural diversity
A heritage built on Christian values and beliefs
From sea to sea to sea

And nothing tastes more Canadian than a steaming double-double with a donut on the side.

Every so often, out running errands or on the way home from church, our family will drive thru Tim Hortons. If the kids have been good we'll pick up a box of timbits for a treat. The line up of cars is always long, but as we sit in our idling van, talking and listening to the radio, we share a sense of camaraderie with the other vehicles. For a few minutes we pause, and together engage in a truly Canadian experience.

This morning Ben pulled into that familiar parking lot. The line wound around the building, at least twenty cars long. I flipped the radio dial to CBC, for the sake of the moment. Ben pulled up to the window and ordered (glory be!) the 40-pack of timbits, an extra-large double-double, and a large decaf mocha.

I think there is now one timbit left in the box (maybe two). Timbits may be small, but they are dangerous things. Perhaps Ben and I need to re-think our dream to purchase a Tim Hortons franchise. I doubt my willpower (or waistline) could withstand such a venture.

Every Computer Needs a Name ...

After a great deal of deliberation and careful thought, I have bestowed my new toy with the following name.

Henceforth, she shall be know as Blossom.

(Yes, of course my Apple is a girl.)

Spring Cleaning

I've had a somewhat frustrating day. I started my morning with a fairly long list of tasks to accomplish. I worked steadily all day, but along the way I discovered more and more jobs around the house. Suddenly my list is longer than it was when I started out!

I feel stressed. It seems like I have a huge list of tasks looming before me. The two biggies on the list are:

1. Sort through everything in the basement, box it up, and cart it off to storage. (A contractor is coming to finish our basement in April. Yeah!)

2. Prepare our tax paperwork and take it to the accountant. (This is a pretty big job, as I'm about nine months behind in the bookkeeping for the business. Yuck.)

I'm also at bit stressed about my music exam in May.

We leave for Mexico April 17, and I feel like I must have all my studying / cleaning / bookkeeping / etc / completed before we go away. I really will need a vacation!

It's late and I'm tired. Life always looks a little brighter after a good night's sleep.

Works For Me Wednesday

Vegan Cooking
(Not to be Confused With Cooking Vegans)

We have a few friends who are vegan. They don't eat any animal products --- no meat, dairy, eggs. It's hard to invite these friends over for a meal because I never know what to cook.

I think I've found an answer to my cooking dilemma. A few weeks ago I tried the following recipe from Canadian Living magazine (May 2005). It was easy to prepare and tasted delicious. Even my brother-in-law, an avowed carnivore, helped himself to seconds.

The magazine suggests serving this stew with whole wheat couscous. (Gotta love couscous. Even my four-year-old can make it.) We enjoyed it paired with brown rice.

Sweet Potato and Cauliflower Tagine

2 C. white pearl onions, or 2 onions, cut in wedges (I used regular onions)
1 tbsp. vegetable oil
3 cloves garlic, minced (I omitted this)
1 1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. paprika
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper (I omitted this)
3 C. cubed peeled sweet potato (1 large potato)
1 can (540ml) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 1/2 C. vegetable stock
2 C. cauliflower florets
1 C. frozen peas
2 tbsp. minced fresh coriander

Place pearl onions in heatproof bowl; cover with boiling water. Let stand 5 minutes; drain and peel.

In large, deep skillet or shallow dutch oven, heat oil over medium heat; fry pearl onions, stirring occasionally, until golden, 5 minutes. Add garlic, cumin, paprika, ginger, salt, pepper and cayenne pepper; fry, stirring, for 1 minute.

Add sweet potato, chickpeas and stock; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 5 minutes. Stir in cauliflower; simmer, covered, until almost tender, 20 minutes. Add peas, simmer, covered, until hot. Sprinkle with coriander. Makes 4 servings.

................

For more great ideas check out Works For Me Wednesday at Rocks In My Dryer.

Crafts for Kids

Kids Craft Weekly is a terrific site. I have signed up to receive the free e-mail newsletter.

Isn't this cotton ball sheep adorable? I think it would be a great craft for Easter. You can find the instructions to make your own sheep here.

Photo Booth Fun

My son and I had a blast this afternoon playing with my new notebook. It has a camera built right into the screen. Very cool.

We took some great pictures in Photo Booth.

Happy Birthday to Me

I've had a great day :-). Where to begin? Let's see ...

• 28 feels pretty much the same as 27.
• My new MacBook is awesome.
• The boys played with blue balloons all day long.
• Pizza Delight cooked supper for me tonight.
• I received several nice phone calls from friends and family.
• Did I mention my new computer is awesome?

Please excuse the abbreviated post, but I am having too much fun playing with my awesome new notebook!

Last Legs

My finger sat poised over the publish button. I paused and thought, "Wait, I should add one more link." I opened a second window in Firefox, found the page I needed, and quickly copied the URL. Suddenly, the page vanished and my desktop appeared.

Where in the world did Firefox go?! More to the point --- where was my artfully crafted blog post?

Gone. That's where. Totally gone. Consumed by the monster that is my flaky notebook.

As I sit here grinding my teeth, I am comforted by one thought --- tomorrow is my birthday. A little birdy told me I may be blessed with a shiny, new Apple. (Was it a birdy, or was it a four-year-old boy? I can't remember.)

At any rate, I find it ironic that my battered, old notebook has chosen this day to betray me...

A 23-Hour Day

How did our family do with an hour less sleep last night? Surprisingly well, actually. We were on time for church this morning at 9:30. Amazingly, we were the only vehicle in the drive-thru for Starbucks at 9:25. The parking lot at church was also suspiciously empty.

... I wonder how many people slept in?

On our drive in we passed through a speed trap. I'm curious to know how many sleepy people the police caught speeding to church. Very sneaky. What an awful way to start an already difficult morning.

Ben and I were scheduled to help in the nursery at church this morning. (It was a good incentive to arrive on time.) We laughed through most of our shift. One young toddler curled up under a table and promptly fell asleep. The little guy woke up, climbed inside a plastic toy bin, and sleepily watched the other kids play. The other kids in the nursery were very mellow as well.

The weird thing is, today has not felt like a short day. We spent lots of time together as a family, enjoyed long afternoon naps, and took a great walk before supper. The weather was gorgeous all day. Perhaps healthy doses of sunshine and relaxation have helped us adjust to the time change.

I suppose the real test will come when we wake up tomorrow morning, and the regular week begins.

Mr. Potato Head Goes Intergalactic

For the past few days my two-year-old has only played with one type of toy. He thinks Mr. Potato Heads are very cool. He can't get enough of them. My son has spent hours re-arranging their faces, making up games, and singing to the potatoes.

(Although, he refuses to call them anything but tomato heads.)

My little guy is especially enthralled with Darth Tater. (He also has an R2 Potatoo.) I must say, few things are more entertaining than a two-year-old singing The Imperial Death March to Mr. Potato Head.

Bum, bum, bum ... ba-ba bum ... ba-ba bum ...

Yesterday I stole a few moments to catch up on my email. My young son brought his Mr. Potato Head over. He set the toy on the counter beside me and sweetly asked:

"Mommy, can you put on Darth Tater's bum?" (The flap had fallen off of Mr. Potato Head's backside.)

I then uttered one of those weird and wonderful Mommy-responses:

"Sure honey, I can fix Darth Tater's bum for you. Just let me send this email."

... With home-grown entertainment like that, who needs a TV?

It's Been Fun ...

The Ultimate Blog Party has nearly come to an end. Last time I checked, 917 guests had joined the festivities. Phew. That's about 900 more people than my house can hold. This party became much larger than I anticipated!

I would like to send a big "thank you" to the ladies at 5 Minutes For Mom for hostessing the party. They certainly did a wonderful job. I'm sure they were surprised by the tremendous response.

My, I am exhausted. It's a tall glass of water and early to bed for me. Daylight Savings Time starts this weekend, so I need to catch all the sleep I can.

Funky Bloggage

I really have crafting on the brain this week ...

Check out this very cool blog. I found Adorn only yesterday. (It's the crafty girl's guide to embellishing life.) I love this stuff.

Unfortunately, as far as I can tell Adorn magazine is not available in Canada. For my lucky American friends, a yearly subscription is on sale now for only $9.99. Sounds too good to be true. I am very jealous!

Works For Me: The Kitchen Edition

Lock 'Em Out!

In a home full of preschoolers, no kitchen cupboard is safe from curious little fingers. We've tried various types of latches and locks on our cupboards and drawers. Far and away, the most effective locks we've found are magnetic Tot Loks.

These locks are great. They are impossible to open without using a strong, magnetic "key". We keep our key stuck to the top of the fridge, out of the kids' reach. The locks are strong and sturdy. The locking mechanism is also easy to deactivate by flipping a small red lever.

I will admit, the magnetic locks took some getting used to at first. It was a pain to grab the key from the fridge every time I wanted to throw garbage into the pail under the sink. The peace of mind these locks afford, however, is worth that little extra effort. Our bottom cupboards and drawers are as safe as we can make them.

(How's that for shameless product endorsement?)

For more great kitchen ideas, check out WFMW headquarters at Rocks In My Dryer.

All God's Creatures, Great and Small ...

Craft-y Musings

I finally received my first issue of Craft magazine this weekend. Ben gave me a subscription for Christmas. For the past five weeks I have been hovering over our mailbox, hoping, longing, for the magazine to arrive. (Who knew it would take five weeks? Calgary might as well be in the middle of the Great White North, as far the U.S. Postal Service is concerned.) I think the Hallelujah Chorus may have played when I opened the box on Friday and discovered my beautiful magazine nestled inside.

All I can say is this ... it was so worth the wait.

Craft is a quarterly publication. I will be waiting at least three more long months for my next issue to arrive. As such, I have decided to savour the magazine as I would a fine chocolate bar. A little taste here, a small nibble there. I've indulged in a handful of articles so far. I eventually intend to enjoy every word and image between the covers.

Carla Sinclair's opening editorial immediately struck a chord. (I may or may not have read it in our parked van, two minutes after I received the magazine...) The article is titled Copy This. Sinclair shares the premise that duplication and repetition are integral components of crafting. A knitter may repeat the same stitch thousands of times, a beadworker might produce a dozen copies of the same piece of jewellery, a seamstress may create a pattern for other crafters to replicate. Crafting is all about creating copies.

I am the type of person who enjoys mundane, repetitive tasks. When I read Sinclair's editorial, I finally found words to articulate one reason why I prefer crafts to (so-called) fine art. My studio major in art school was painting. I certainly enjoy the process of painting, but in school I didn't like the high brow pretentiousness associated with the painting studio. We were expected to create singular works of art. So much pressure! I can now see that my former obsession with painted grids was tied to my desire for repetition, and I sought security in grid-like lines and patterns.

I am also drawn to the practical nature of crafting. Crafts are meant to be used. They are intended to be handled, worn, manipulated. Fine art, so often, is inaccessible. We are separated from the art, either by a picture frame, a glass case, or by the artist's unfathomable conceptualism. Crafts are easy to understand; they are accessible, everyday art objects. A pair of woolly mittens warm my fingers, a ceramic pot holds my tea, I snuggle beneath a hand-stitched quilt. Crafts are a comforting part of our everyday lives.

The line between fine art and fine craft is blurring. The crafting revolutions speaks to the heart of our hectic, performance-driven, materialistic culture. Yes, I can buy a perfectly good blanket for my bed from Walmart. However, I might choose another alternative. Who cares if it takes me the next fourteen months to finish knitting an afghan? The process is just as important and the product --- the repetitive, meditative act of working with needles and yarn. I believe my afghan is a work of art, and I derive great pleasure from the simple act of knitting.

All this to say, Craft magazine resonates with my artistic sensibilities. I only wish it had existed a few years ago. Craft might have equipped me to better express myself. As an art student, I believe I would have enjoyed printmaking and photography. Both artistic mediums involve replication and the production of multiple copies. Craft has helped me find a new language of expression, and I now understand my artistic inclinations more clearly.

My magazine quietly sits on the arm of the couch beside me, patiently waiting. I think I'll now flip through a few more pages. Unfortunately, the danger is that I will be overly struck by inspiration. I might bite off more than I can chew. I already have several projects on the go, and many more bubbling through my imagination. When will I ever find time to finish everything? My life is full of baby steps ... baby steps.

Let's Party!

Tonight I intend to do some party hopping :-). I'm looking forward meeting some new online friends. See you at your place! (I'll bring along the cinnamon buns. Mmmm.)

Introductions

A warm welcome to all my party guests! I am looking forward to chatting with you :-). The weather in Calgary is quite cold and snowy today, so come on inside and enjoy a steaming cup of tea and a bowl of fresh popcorn. (Oh, and please excuse the Legos scattered across the living room floor!)

My name is Lindsay Inkster and I've been blogging for eleven months now. Little did I know that blogging would quickly become my favourite hobby! As well, I enjoy spending time with my husband and children, Bible studies, playing piano and crafting. For nearly all my life I've been a voracious reader.

My husband, Ben, and I have been married for seven years now. We were high school sweethearts (ahhhh) and are still blissfully in love. Ben is a computer programmer and runs his own web development business. We've been blessed with three beautiful children --- two boys (ages four and two) and an eight-month-old baby girl.

Family is very important to us. Since we started having children, Ben and I have been trying to disengage from the "rat race". We've consciously attempted to make family a priority and not get entangled within a trap of busyness. Both sets of our parents and siblings live within five minutes of our home. We know we are blessed! God willing, we look forward to our children growing up surrounded by loving grandpas, grandmas, aunties, uncles (and hopefully cousins!).

Random trivia...

Favourite colour: green (I also love brown, pink, and dusty autumn, "country craft" colours)

Favourite song: I Can Only Imagine by Mercy Me

Favourite food: popcorn (cheesecake is a close second...)

Favourite pastime: reading (on my own, or out loud to my children)

Testimony: I was raised Catholic. I came to know Jesus in a personal way at summer camp when I was thirteen. Our family now attends a Pentecostal church, but I still hold the Catholic church in high regard.

Education: I completed my BFA at the University of Calgary. I finished half of the requirements toward my BEd and then realized I didn't feel comfortable teaching in the public school system. I started having babies instead :-).

Occupation: I'm a stay-at-home wife and mommy. I taught piano lessons part-time for eight years.

Favourite computer: I'm an Apple girl!

Party Time is Almost Here!

I think I'm suffering from night-before-the-party jitters. Where has the time flown? I can hardly believe March has already arrived and that tomorrow the Ultimate Blog Party begins.

Are you interested in joining in on the fun, too? Head on over to 5 Minutes For Mom tomorrow. The party runs from March 2nd to 9th and everyone is invited! Joining is easy --- just add your name to the Mr. Linky hosted on 5 Minutes For Mom. Write and link to a special "party post" sometime during the week. Then get out and mingle with the other guests!

This party should prove to be great fun. It will be a terrific opportunity to meet other bloggers and visit new sites. 5 Minutes For Mom is also offering some pretty cool prizes!

See you tomorrow!

Taming the Laundry Monster

When my boys started sharing a room my husband and I put the boys' tall chest of drawers in our bedroom.

What a time-saver!

On laundry day I can put away folded clothes quickly because most of the kids' clothes are stored in our room. I am also able to put away clean laundry even when the kids are sleeping. The boys' room is less cluttered without a dresser.

As an added bonus, our bedtime routine is more streamlined because the boys grab their jammies from the drawer, get dressed in our room, and climb onto our big bed for Bible-reading and prayers.

It's a simple solution that works for me!

The Crazy Pantry Make-Over

We moved to our current home two-and-a-half years ago. Our previous place had a wonderfully large kitchen with oodles of cupboard space. Sadly, our new kitchen is a bit small and I sometimes wish for more cupboards. As well, the pantry closet is awkwardly placed around the corner in our front hallway.

The pantry closet became a "catch-all" space. I decided to keep non-perishable food items in (an awkward) bottom cupboard near the sink. (I guess I thought it made more sense to keep the food in the kitchen.) The pantry became cluttered with small appliances, plastic bags, potatoes, excess canned goods, the kids' art supplies, serving dishes, picnic supplies, and sundry other stuff.

Our cluttered pantry started to drive me crazy!

The idea finally dawned on me to put all our small appliance in the bottom cupboard by the sink. I neatly re-organized our non-perishables on the pantry shelves. In the past, I was forever digging through that deep bottom cupboard, looking for cereal or rice or vinegar. I often misplaced food items because I couldn't see everything I had. Even though my pantry is a bit inconvenient (around the corner) at least I can now clearly see everything on the shelves.

I'm afraid I didn't have the foresight to shoot a "before" picture of my project. I am pleased to share the results, however! I placed food items on the top three shelves, my serving dishes and stock pot on the lowest shelf, and I neatly stacked the kids' craft supplies on the floor.

I am surprised at how functional our newly-organized pantry is. I love being able to see all our food clearly, and having the space to stack bulk canned goods. I must be a geeky girl, but all those neat rows of cans and boxes give me great pleasure. :-)

Quote of the Day

"Mommy, dinosaurs are too scary ... no, not scary ... too stinky!"

Maybe You Should Get That Checked Out ...

This is the sophisticated technique my husband used to impress the banker. Lovely. What a way to win friends and influence people ...

Make: Saturday Mornings

If you visit our house on Saturday mornings you may catch the Inksters in all our geeky glory. We might be watching Bre Pettis' latest Weekend Projects video podcast. We could be conducting secret science experiments. You might even catch a glimpse of Ben building a cool robot or circuit bending an old electronic toy.

We've dubbed our geek-fest Make: Saturday Mornings in honour of Make magazine.

Make: Saturday Mornings are usually quite spontaneous. We don't plan our projects in advance. (They are mostly determined by the materials we have on hand.) However, this Saturday was exceptional --- our theme for the day was All About Trebuchets!

(Hooray for medieval siege weaponry.)

We even made stylin' t-shirts for Daddy and his boys because, hey, everybody's trebuchet is special.







Next weekend we plan to construct our own trebuchets out of paper clips and launch massive mini marshmallow attacks. Stay tuned ...

On This Day In History ...

Eight years ago today, on a blustery Wednesday in February, Benjamin Inkster got down on one knee and spoke the words I had been longing to hear since the eleventh grade. He asked me to be his wife. :-)

Seven years of marriage and three kids later, here we are ... still blissfully in love. Ahhhhh.

I love you, Honey!

How Precious It Is ...

"Come on, Buddy," I sighed, "It's time to go upstairs."

I balanced my baby on one hip, a full laundry basket on the other. I'd climbed half-way up the basement stairs before I realized my toddler was not following.

"No!" he emphatically stated, in the language universal to all two-year-olds, "I play down here!"

"No way, Buddy. You come upstairs with Mommy now."

"No! I not come!"

"If you come upstairs I'll get the Tinkertoys for you," I gently coaxed.

"No!"

"Fine," I said, "You just stay here then ... but I'm turning off the lights and going upstairs." I started trudging up the stairs, pretending to leave.

"No, Mommy, no!" I heard my other son cry from the living room, "You can't leave him down there by himself!" My preschooler came running to the basement door, panic-stricken. His bottom lip began to quiver.

"You can't leave my brother alone in the dark!"

My toddler rounded the corner and appeared at the bottom of the stairs, curious to see what all the fuss was about.

"Hi!" he called up to his big brother.

"Honey bear," I soothed in a gentle voice, "I wouldn't really leave your brother down here in the dark. I was just trying to get him to follow me up the stairs."

"Are you sure?" My son looked at me with dubious eyes, ever his brother's protector.

"Oh, sweetie," I smiled, "I love your brother very much. I would never leave him all alone."

Baby Girl gurgled happily from her perch on my right hip. The laundry basket began to slip from my grasp. I hauled myself up the final few steps.

"Hi!" my toddler called out again, "I come play now?" He carefully walked up the stairs, totally oblivious to the trauma his big brother had endured on his behalf. The two boys met in the doorway.

"We play Tinkertoys?" asked my two-year-old. My son threw his arm around his brother's shoulder, and the two best buds ran off to play.

Paper Quilt Project

I found this very cool link on the Craftzine blog. Check out the Paper Quilt Project.

I'm thinking I might play my BFA card and pretend to be an "real" artist. I'd love to get in on this project.

"Why yes, I am a sandwich artist ..."

Think they'll go for it? (And do I have the guts to try?)

A Language Experiment

My four-year-old son seems to be an auditory learner. His ears are like sponges. Lately, he's been experimenting with some of the phrases he's picked up. Sometimes he figures out the correct context for words. Other times ... well, his attempts at using adult language are always entertaining!

"That is not its intended purpose!"

"Mommy, stop stealing my commandments."

"You're stealing my limits!"

"Mommy, don't be so silly. You're begging me."

"Eee gee, for example..."

Construction Paper Art

This is from a very cool post on the Makezine blog. Jen Stark is a young artist who creates sculptures from pads of construction paper. (This is a girl who loves a good exacto knife.) Take a look at her website here.

High Fashion for Moms

Absentmindedly, I fiddled with the rolled cuff of my jeans.

"Gosh, these jeans are long," I thought to myself, "I really need to hem them."

I paused. My fingers felt something small and mushy. Something small, mushy and disgusting was trapped in the cuff of my jeans. I pulled my foot forward to investigate.

A wet, partially-chewed cheerio fell from the leg of my pants. (A tasty remnant of the kids' breakfast.)

Yum. I always enjoy carrying soggy cereal bits in the cuff of my jeans. They're nice fashion accessories.

This afternoon I pulled out the sewing machine and hemmed my pants.

It May Be Time to Potty Train When...

...Your two-year-old son asks his four-year-old brother to change his diaper, brings him a clean one, and helps put it on himself.

Date Night

Ben took our two-year-old on a special "Daddy date" tonight. Before they left I asked our excited little guy where he would like to go. He thought for a moment and replied:

"On a bus!"

He's an easy guy to please :-).

The View from My Porch

My friend and I hiked through the streets of an affluent neighbourhood in suburban Calgary. We snooped through the yards of enormous half-constructed houses and toured a dazzling show home. One newly finished house caught our attention.

"Wow, look at that gorgeous wrap-around porch," I raved. The home's exterior was absolutely beautiful, with intricate stone detailing and a wide porch along the front and side.

"Bet the owners never use it," my friend replied.

I sighed. She was probably right. What type of family would live in such an extravagant house? I can imagine ... A family where both parents work at demanding, high-paying jobs. A family where the kids come home from school to an empty house. A family where the parents drive expensive vehicles, shutting the door of the triple-car garage without saying hi to the neighbours. A family where everyone is stressed and over-scheduled.

Not the type of family to spend a leisurely afternoon sipping lemonade on a gorgeous wrap-around porch.

Calgary is a crazy town these days. The economy is red-hot. Some people are suddenly making more money than they know what to do with. The real estate market is unbelievable, and most properties are grossly overvalued. Many Calgarians are caught up in living the big life. This is a city of affluence.

Ben and I are trying not to get caught up in the wave of prosperity sweeping our city. We figure the economic boom cannot last forever. Though we've often been tempted to upsize, we've chosen to be content with our comfortable condo for now.

Sometimes it's hard to see some of our friends buying large homes, driving fancy vehicles and taking extravagant vacations. We feel like we're being left behind. At the same time, we also often wonder ... What happens behind the closed doors of those large, impressive homes? How much stress is caused by a massive debt load? How many families are caught in a dual-income trap?

Someday I would love to live in a home with a wide wrap-around porch, but not at the expense of my children. Not at the expense of my marriage. Not at the expense of friends and relatives.

If ever God blesses me with a beautiful front porch, I intend to have the time to fully enjoy it.

A Brush With the Law (or How Not to Steal a French Fry)

"Hey, Buddy. You hungry?"

"Starving. Let's go grab a bite."

"JBCs?"

"Sure."

The two men set out to find food. After a long and arduous trek (across the street) they arrived at popular fast-food joint.

"I'll take a double junior bacon cheeseburger. Large fries. Coke."

"Same for me. Hold the mayo, please."

"That'll just be a few minutes, folks."

The men leaned against the counter, talking, laughing, impatiently waiting for their food. The server set several trays out on the counter. She poured drinks. She added burgers and ketchup. She turned to help the next customer in line.

"Man, I'm starving! Hope they bring our fries soon."

The hungry man turned to his buddy to tell him a joke. Caught up in his storytelling, he barely acknowledged the server as she returned with several steaming orders of fries.

"Finally!"

The hungry man reached across the counter and grabbed a couple of fries from a tray. He popped them in his mouth. His friend stopped laughing.

"Dude. Those aren't your fries."

"What are you talking about?"

"Look, this is your tray. That tray there ... it's his."

The hungry man slowly turned, an apology waiting on his lips. He eyes met those of a tall, muscular, deadly-serious man. A man in uniform. A man with a gun clipped to his belt.

He gulped. "Umm, I'm really sorry officer."

"Just don't let it happen again."

Lesson to be learned: Keep your eyes on your own tray. And never, ever steal a fry from a man with a gun.

O Canada

Happy National Flag Day! On this day in 1965 our proud maple leaf flew over Parliament Hill for the first time.

Happy Valentines Day!

The Virtues of Borax

I am falling in love with Linda Cobbs' Talking Dirty With the Queen of Clean. This book is jam-packed with helpful homemaking advice. (It also doesn't hurt that I received it free as a cereal box prize.)

Linda Cobbs shares numerous helpful tricks for using natural, common cleaning product such as lemon juice, baking soda and vinegar. She also discusses the many and marvelous virtues of borax.

Ahh ... humble borax! (Sodium Tetraborate Decahydrate.)

You can find 20 Mule Team Borax in the laundry section of the grocery store. It comes in a green box. Borax rocks! It's a naturally-occurring mineral and is great for de-oderizing.

I've only recently added borax to my cleaning arsenal, but I have already found one terrific use for it --- borax helps my stinky, disgusting diaper pail smell fresh. I sprinkled half a cup of borax in a small plastic container and placed it in the bottom of the pail (under the plastic bag).

A quick solution that works for me!

Sorry

I apologise for the comments I made yesterday regarding Black's Photography. I was beyond frustrated, but my words were too harsh.

This evening we returned to Black's to have our boys' passport photos retaken. The store took new photographs and also refunded our money. Essentially, we received the boys' passport photos for free. That's good customer service.

Just to clarify: This was the fourth time we tried to have our boys' passport photos done, but only the second time we visited Black's. Our first attempt was at Sears. (The camera broke.) We also went to Walmart. (They ran out of paper.)

I suppose one good thing has come of all this --- our boys have the "passport photo routine" down cold. No smiling. Close your mouth. Look straight ahead. Don't blink! Tonight we captured perfect pictures of each boy on the very first try.

What's Not to Love About Canadian Bureaucracy?

I am absolutely fed up.

For the past two weeks we've been valiantly trying to get our passport applications processed. (Mexico here we come! Only 66 more days to go, but you know, who's really counting? It's a balmy -20C outside today.) Last month it became mandatory for all Canadians to have a passports to travel to the U.S. As a result, every man and his dog suddenly need a passport and the bureaucratic backlog is astronomical.

Luckily, we happen to have a Canada Passports office just five minutes away from our house. You'd think that convenience would make it easier for us to get our applications in. But you'd think wrong!

Aaarg!

Our family needs to submit five applications, along with professional photos of every family member (even the baby). All of the paperwork and photos must be notarized by a guarantor. Pretty simple, right? You'd think so...

We've had photos taken three times so far. And guess what? After my husband stood in line outside the passport office for an hour early this morning (it's a balmy -20C, remember) he was informed that our sons' photos were not quite right. Apparently the contrast is too dark. (Thank you, Black's Photography. Your photos were also the most expensive.)

So it is to be another trip to the photographer's for us. Then a third visit with our guarantor so he can sign yet another piece of paperwork. Will it never end?

I suppose I should be thankful that three out of our five applications are being processed. The passport officer also assured my husband our documents would arrive within one month (not the two months the media is reporting). I guess it's also good that Ben received a "golden ticket" that allows him to bypass the horrendous line next time he goes to the passport office. (Grumble, grumble.)

What a headache. I am so looking forward to having our boys' photos taken a fourth time.

Quote of the Day

"But Daddy, I can't fall asleep. My puppy is keeping me awake because he's barking so much."

- Said by a creative four-year-old boy (trying to blame an innocent stuffed toy).

The Hot, Hot Date

"Feel like going out tonight?" I asked my husband at supper time. "You know, we could put the kids to bed early and ask your sister to come and babysit."

"Absolutely!" Ben replied as he picked up the phone.

"Whoa, wait a minute! We need a plan first," I protested. I wiped sticky apple sauce from Baby Girl's chin and spooned more beans onto my son's plate. "We can't just call up a babysitter without knowing what we're doing."

"Okay ... any ideas?"

"Umm, well, umm, I don't know." I thoughtfully chewed my meat for a few seconds. "What do you want to do?" (Dodge.)

"Maybe a movie?" Ben suggested.

"Nah, it's the middle of February. There's nothing good out right now." I used my napkin to wipe a sticky spot off the table.

"Okay, anything else?"

"Oh well, umm, I don't really have any other ideas. Just a sec..." I caught my toddler's milk cup moments before he turned it upside-down. Baby Girl finished eating and my four-year-old started to fidget.

"Wash me off, Mommy!" he demanded.

I fetched a wash cloth, scrubbed down the kids, cleared the table, put away leftovers, loaded the dishwasher, wiped the counters, picked up tinkertoys, and read my toddler a story. Suddenly it was seven-thirty.

"Time for baths!" I announced.

"Honey ... didn't you want me to find a babysitter?" Ben gently prodded.

"Oh, yeah, ummm, I kind of forgot," I said sheepishly, "Maybe we should just stay home..."

...................

Let me tell you, it has been a hot Saturday night in the Inkster household. I finally caught up on my ironing and mending. Ben's been reading a riveting document entitled Asterisk: The Future of Telephony. I plan to give my husband a snazzy haircut before the night is through.

What else is there to do at home on a frosty February night? Maybe Ben and I will turn in a bit early... ;-)

The Blogosphere

My head is spinning. For the past few days I've been expanding my (virtual) horizons. I have been taking tentative steps towards becoming a more active member of the blogging community. Who knew blogging was so involved?

The new terms swirl around me: memes, carnivals, tags, blogrings, blogrolls, trackbacks, Mr. Linky ...

Unfortunately, even my resident geek (aka: my husband) is unfamiliar with most of the terminology. I'm discovering that blogging involves more than just spewing thoughts out into the blogosphere. Sure, a blog can serve as a public journal of sorts. However, bloggers can also use their blogs to form friendships and make connections.

Blogging Basics 101 is a good resource for newbie bloggers.

As you can see from my sidebar, I am slowly working on expanding my blogroll (a list of blogs I like to read). I've also posted a link to "The Ultimate Blog Party". I'm planning to add some cool decorations and maybe even a funky new header to my blog for the party!

Blogging is a great way to practice becoming an outgoing introvert. I can party from the comfort of my own living room couch :-).

Quick Tip

I was browsing through Talking Dirty With the Queen of Clean by Linda Cobb and I picked the following housekeeping trick --- a used dryer sheet works great for polishing chrome faucets.

After I folded the laundry this afternoon I gave the kitchen faucet a quick wipe with the dryer sheet. Voila! It really does work!

Freedom!

This morning I released my first book into the wild. I've decided that I will only release books I enjoy reading and can recommend without reservation. That is, I want to give away books I would love to receive myself.

Rick Warren's The Purpose Driven Life is now floating around somewhere in southwest Calgary. (I may or may not have "forgotten" it in a public washroom...)

If you love your books, set them free!

Recommended Reading

Better Off: Flipping the Switch on Technology
Eric Brende

Eric Brende conceives a real-life experiment: to see if, in fact, all our cell phones, wide-screen TVs, and SUVs have made life easier and better --- or whether life would be preferable without them. By turns, the query narrows down to a single question: What is the least we need to achieve the most? With this in mind, the Brendes ditch their car, electric stove, refrigerator, running water, and everything else motorized or "hooked to the grid" and begin an eighteen-month trial run --- one that dramatically changes the way they live, and proves entertaining and surprising to readers.

By turns poetic, philosophical, and comedic, Better Off is a thoughtful and engaging read. Eric Brende carefully examines touchy issues. He asks insightful questions as he wrestles with our society's over dependence on machines and technology. Brende candidly shares his family's journey as they live among the "Minimites", a conservative community even the Amish might consider primitive in their adoption of technology.

My husband and I read this book together. Though we harbour no aspirations to return to a simpler life devoid of technology, Better Off provided meat for several deep discussions. Eric Brende is gifted at weaving historical and philosophical context within his accounts of daily life in the Minimite community.

I heartily recommend this book to anyone interested in exploring the role of technology in society and the dynamics of community. Turn of the TV, curl up with a cozy blanket, and dive into simpler world through the pages of Better Off.

A New Name

Ben and I have come up with a new label to apply to our growing brood of young ones.

Henceforth, the Inkster children shall be known to all as:

Inklings

(hee, hee)

Sun, Sun, Sun

Our patio is covered in a blanket of white. Tiny ice crystals sparkle in the brisk night air. Our steep driveway is slick and treacherous; the van requires two tries to make it into the garage. I bundle the children in hats, mitts, boots and parkas. It's wintertime...

...and we are escaping it all!

This week my parents booked a tropical get-away for our entire family! My mom, dad, sister, brother-in-law, and our troupe of five are going to Mexico for one week! Yippee!

We are planning to stay at a child-friendly all-inclusive resort in Playa del Carmen on the Mayan Riviera. My parents visited the same resort last year. Mom and Dad enjoyed their vacation so much, they decided to take all of us with them this time around!

Ben and I have never travelled outside the country together. The longest trip we've taken with the children is a seven-hour car ride to Saskatchewan. Our boys are extremely excited by the prospect of riding on an airplane. (Ben and I are thankful that the adult-to-child ratio will be 2:1 for this trip!)

I've been busy starting the paperwork for passports and researching travel immunizations. I ordered new birth certificates for the boys (because the government revised the document requirements) and our family had passport photos taken last night. Early one morning this week I plan to brave the long line at the passport office. We've heard that the processing time for new applications is eight weeks, so I need to get a jump on things.

I'm looking forward to escaping to a sunny resort. Ben and I plan to spend most of the week lying on the beach, playing with the kids, hanging out with my family, and eating good food. We simply want to veg. I'm also looking forward to going out for a night with my husband sans les enfants.

April can't come soon enough!

The Lunchtime Scheme

My husband has a weakness. If you know Ben, you know he loves to eat fast food. Unfortunately, hamburgers and french fries are a staple of his diet. He has managed to avoid supersizing his paunch (thanks to a good metabolism) but I sometimes wonder what his poor arteries look like.

When Ben moved his office out of our house he fell into a bad habit. He started eating out for lunch nearly every day. All those hamburgers are horrible for his health, and they're putting a serious dent in our budget!

The boys and I have come up with a brilliant plan to combat Daddy's fast food addiction :-). For the past few days I have been cooking extra-large suppers and freezing single servings in reusable plastic containers. I bought some paper lunch sacks and plastic forks. The boys and I decorated a bunch of the bags with colourful drawings, stickers and "I love you Daddy" messages. Ben doesn't like to eat sandwiches, but he does have a microwave at his office. Now I can send him to work with a nutritious, hot, made-with-love lunch every day! (This afternoon my son and I even made a big batch of chocolate chip cookies for Daddy's lunches.)

Now let's just hope Ben doesn't forget his fancy lunch in our fridge tomorrow morning!

The Humble Semi-Colon

In continuing with the theme of life-long learning...

I have another educational goal to share. This year I would like to improve my grammar. In particular, I want to learn to use semi-colons properly.

It's a lofty goal, I know; but until now I hadn't figured out what semi-colons were for. I found them somewhat intimidating, to tell the truth.

A quick Wikipedia search reveals the following helpful information:

In English, the semicolon has two main purposes:

1. It binds two sentences more closely than they would be if separated by a full stop/period. It often replaces a conjunction such as and or but. Writers might consider this appropriate where they are trying to indicate a close relationship between two sentences, or a 'run-on' in meaning from one to the next; they do not want the connection to be broken by the abrupt use of a full stop.

2. It is used as a stronger division than a comma, or a "super comma" to make meaning clear in a sentence where commas are already being used for other purposes. A common example of this use is to separate the items of a list when some of the items themselves contain commas.

There are several rules that govern semicolon placement:

1. Use a semicolon between closely related independent clauses not joined by a coordinating conjunction: "I went to the pool; it was closed."

2. Use a semicolon between independent clauses linked with a transitional phrase or conjunctive adverb: "I like to ride horses; however, they don't like to be ridden by me."

3. Use a semicolon between items in a series containing internal punctuation: "There are several Waffle Houses in Atlanta, Georgia; Greenville, South Carolina; Pensacola, Florida; and Mobile, Alabama."

I suppose semi-colons aren't so intimidating after all. They are really quite useful. Hooray for grammar.

If at First You Don't Succeed ...

"Well, I wouldn't say that is the best choice," my music teacher diplomatically stated.

I sat on the wooden piano bench, shoulders haunched. I had been on my feet all day, cooking food, cleaning the house and chasing after three active children. It was nearly 10pm and I was in no mood to analyse fugues or write introvertible counterpoint.

"What would you suggest?" I quietly asked as I reached for my well-loved eraser.

My teacher paused. "You know," she said, "In Russia my teachers often used the following phrase..." She rattled off a sentence in Russian, "It means something like this: 'You must learn from your mistakes'."

I sighed and stared at my music homework. The page was a mess of scribbles, eraser smudges and chicken scratch. For someone who claimed to be a piano teacher, my understanding of harmony and counterpoint was depressingly meager. I removed my glasses and rubbed the bridge of my nose.

"Okay," I said, "Let's start again at the beginning..."

.....................

My music lessons this year have been a humbling experience, to say the least. Every Tuesday night I steel myself for an onslaught of (honest) criticism. I can't remember the last time I have felt so academically inept. Has bearing children caused my brain to turn to jello? Some days I wonder.

This year God has been teaching me an important truth: A wise woman learns from her mistakes. As well, a humble woman can admit she doesn't know everything and is willing to learn and grow. God is working on my pride. Ouch!

In the past, I was often afraid to try new things because I was scared to fail. I am now learning that I don't need to be perfect. I can try and fail, learn from my mistakes, and try again. Learning is a process. Whether I am making a pie or writing a fugue, I must swallow my pride and be willing to mess up a few times. What's the worst that could happen?

I sit here tonight nursing my bruised pride once again. Why do I even bother taking music lessons? God is molding and stretching me. I'll likely not use seventeenth century counterpoint for any practical purposes. The life-lessons I am learning, however, are priceless.

Silly Kids

Life with three small children is anything but boring...