Slime and Sun

Let's start out with a little something distasteful and grim for this Friday the 13th shall we?
Last night the baby got some sort of belly bug and she threw up all the contents of her belly (and then some). That really was so sad to see. I wanted to sleep with the light on just to watch her and make sure she was OK- that idea was vetoed. She wouldn't nurse she just sort of retched every 5 minutes and then passed out. Finally a few hours after her final hurl she woke me to let me know she was ready to refill the belly and so far she's been fine ever since. I just have this awful fear that we will all be stricken now. When M1 was almost a year old she got some sort of bug and did the same thing for a night and then a couple of days later I was in class at the time and I had to leave early because I felt so nauseated. I picked up M1 from her Nanny Nan's and rushed home to find that her daddy was home from work early too and we both were so sick that we had to call my parents to come get M1. I have a very vivid memory of my parents calling to check on us and we were both laying in a heap of filth and trying desperately to crawl (really crawling) out to reach the phone but we missed it. I have never felt as weak as that moment when I was stricken with the M1 plague as we call it. A couple hours later that night both sets of grandparents were all raging with the plague too. It was so horrible- always of reminds me of this classic tale. That was more than 8 years ago and every time one of the kids starts getting sick I'm still convinced it's the return of the plague! Well, how's that for a spooky tale of bile and retchedness?

Moving on...
Before the sad events of last night, we had a pretty nice week. We got a little preview Spring around here and it was very welcome. I actually got to take the little ones out without a jackets for some fresh air two days ago. C3 loved playing in her pen for a couple of hours. Babies find traffic noises to be calming I think. And M2 got to burn through some of her endless energy thrashing around in the sunshine...

As for the biggest Lumpkin, she made me very proud using my sewing machine for the first time ever. She's usually very reluctant and somewhat scared to try anything new especially if there is even a minuscule chance that she might hurt herself in any way. I knew she'd do fine. And her first project? Little surprise valentine pouches. We came up with the idea after a friend of ours brought these cute little felt pouches full of favors to her birthday party. We opted to use paper because it comes in lots of cool valentine patterns and it will be easier to tear open. I sewed up the sides will she was at school and when she came home she stuffed the them with stickers, tiny Nerd boxes (our favorite), and some tiny paper heart confetti. I explained how everything worked and she had took some practice runs on some scrap paper and then she took over and sealed each little pouch on the sewing machine all by herself. (proud much?)

Tomorrow we head out to Pittsburgh for "Mid-winter break" (it's some sort of Waldorf invention I think, and I love it). I'm not taking my sewing machine in an effort to pay some good ole' fashion attention to my own little pack of Lumpkins. Not that they need it or anything. I'm going to try out the vacation mode on Etsy for the first time. I'm also very confident that a weeks vacation will be enough to inspire me to list the rest of the items I've been stalling on for so long when I return.
On tap for next week
(and the reason why I'll likely gain 30 lb and develop a soy allergy if we move to Pgh):
vegan pizza
vegan ice cream
vegan blt
followed by
vegan belly ache
(see above)

I'm going to do a little Valentine post tomorrow if I get a chance.
See you then!

One Month

Baby X
Well, baby's first month flew by in a flash, as usual. I'm sure next time I look at her she'll be huge and doing some amazing new tricks. You can't look away for second! She still has no name, which I hear is completely ridiculous at this point (everyday, from everyone I meet). Soon, very soon.

In the meantime, I finally listed some of the new goodies I've been working on for the shop. I love the new sweaters. I love making them. Most of them require lots of different skills, so I don't ever get bored with them. From the moment the yarn arrives at my door from Rachel-Marie I'm excited about those little sweaters. Unfortunately, since they are each unique and rather time consuming, I tend to become very attached to them, so hard to see them go after all the time we've spent together. I have to say, seeing a little one wearing the sweaters makes all that sadness melt away though.


So sweet! I knit each one freestyle, that is, I just start knitting and see what happens. At first I thought I should try to write down the patterns as I go, so I can duplicate the sweaters later, but I get so easily bored creating the same thing over and over again (as I've experience with my beloved seamonster collars). I'm happy with my decision to keep them OOAK, it makes kids feel extra special knowing they are the only one to have that particular sweater.

In other news, the fam and I will be heading out to Pittsburgh for most of August so any orders placed during August won't ship out until late in the month. Bummer, I know.
Have a loverly weekend.

Snow day part II

Well, it's happened again, the rare double snow day. It's truly beautiful outside but inside the family is getting feisty. I dare not venture out onto the ice with the girls in my condition and tempers are flaring while we are cooped up. So, we bake... This time Chocolate Chip Muffins and a recipe for once too!

Chocolate Chip Muffins (vegan)
1/2 +1/3 c. whole wheat pastry flour
1/2 +1/3 c. unbleached white flour
2 T. sugar
1/4 t. salt
1/2 t. cinnamon
1-1/2 t. baking powder
1 t. baking soda

1-1/4 c. soymilk
4 T safflower oil
1 egg replacer (EnerG)w/the water
1 T. apple cider vinegar

1 1/2 c. vegan chocolate chips
sugar and cinnamon for dusting

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Grease one muffin pan.
Sift dry ingredients. Wisk together wet ingredients.
Add wet to dry and mix thoroughly. Stir in choc. chips.
Pour into prepared muffin pan. Dust top with sugar/cinn.
Bake at 400 for 20 minutes or untiltoothpick comes out clean.
*makes 12 magnificent muffins

I'm using up the last of my real deal sugar before i make the switch back to more wholesome sweeteners like agave and rice syrup. This recipe only has a little actually sugar, the chocolate chips do the rest. they are really yummy and half whole-wheat, so you won't feel too guilty.

Yesterday I told you about some projects I'm working on, well here's one of them now.
I have been making booties as a starter project for my beginner spinning efforts. All of the booties are hand knit with fiber I spun myself with my drop spindle. Except one pair on the left made of organic cotton commercial yarns. None of the booties are actually finished yet, but soon. I also completed my second sweater vest using a new batch of KDG yarn I recently ordered from Rachel-Marie. I'm really pleased with her yarn, the colors are fantastic, the weight is very substantial, but it's also nice and soft. Perfect for little my Spring jackets and vests. I'll post a picture of the second sweater once I figure out which buttons to use on it.

And lastly, speaking of knitting, my 8 year old daughter, M1, brought home her gnome which she's been working on at school this year. She knit the entire thing and chose really great colors I might add.
She also photographed her handwork next to the cat she made last year. I'm so impressed with her. I've recruited her to teach my friend who's pregnant with triplets how to knit because M1 knits the right way (unlike her mother) and she's so much more patient than me. What an amazing person, that's all I have to say, except...
Let it Thaw to You All!