curtains for the 6 year old

naomi wished curtains for her bedroom. and that's definitely a wish i loved to hear.
we were in the city last friday and stopped at a curtain place just before it closed. in the back corner of the store was some shelf space reserved for "scraps" i love those corners and it didn't take long to find what we wanted.
we got four pieces of fabric, light blue and plum. good quality day curtain fabric. it's more gauze like and i loved it right away.


in one evening i was able to get all the gliders on. and yesterday morning, when naomi was in kindergarten i took the opportunity and did the hems (with the 'new' machine from my mom).


there were some wonderfully knit curtains from my mother in law to find in one of my boxes (from the move)
as well as an idea found in soulemama's book "the creative family".


i wanted some playful and changeable curtain for naomi. something which can be rearranged often and in many ways. there were already two metal rods up mounted on the sealing, so i just had to come up with things to hang on gliders...


the different "objects" can be moved back and forth, except the knit curtains, they are fix in their places.


of course now there have to be more of those garlands...
with lot's of enthusiasm is naomi now at work to add to her window dressing.
it seems like she loves it and i like the idea, that she can add and change and switch.

6th birthday

what a great pastry grosi made for her grand daughter! so yummy, puff pastry sheets with vanilla creme and of course pink icing! we all loved it and did not stop until it was all eaten. the candles needed two blows by naomi.


o and the presents...
a big token toward a new bicycle, this will be used in a couple months, when the snow is all gone (it has been snowing for the past three days and looks like it will snow a few more).
and can you see the the surprised and happy look on naomi's face upon the unveiling of a big stash of hello kitty tissues! of course something her mama would not buy, we are a fabric handkerchief family...
tomorrow a few more photos, i was able to finish a little room improvement project for my girl...

by the way do you notice that yellow dress naomi is wearing? it's one my older cousin owned and ran around 32 years ago. for some reason my mom kept it and naomi's older cousin piked it out of a stash of dresses a few years ago and now it's being passed down the row. it makes me happy to see old things being in fashion again.

one small change

through solemama's blog i stumbled upon hipmountainmama's blog and the whole challenge of "one small change". it has been very interesting to see what folks are changing in their lives, i love to read through the list and blogs of changes...

we live car less, we use water saving shower heads. we compost organic matter, recycle what ever is possible, paying bills paperless, "upcycling" cloths, hang our laundry, use cloth diapers and mostly second hand cloths. we try to buy local (this is relatively easy in switzerland, compare to the US).
though the laundry detergent is not at all eco friendly, this is a bit tricky, as we live in community. we share our household with 8 other adults and i have to figure out how we can shop eco friendly laundry detergent.
some of the folks seem to be in love with fabric softeners, they want the scented detergent and they also don't want to spend more money on detergents. but i will do some research and figure out what compromises we can make and hope to be able to feel good about the planned change. we all use the same washer and buy detergent in bulk, but it really should be a "safe" detergent if you ask me, let's get started...
and i'm sure there are many more small changes we could make in our every day life to aid to cure our planet!

vacation days 3

the first two should have been posted yesterday...
sorry i totally forgot them in my file.



i love both of these photos, it's so much amos and it brings his personality out like not many other photos. he is our entertainer, he loves to make people laugh, he enjoys himself so much if everyone starts to listen and watch him, he is language savvy and comes up with quotes and knowledge from how knows where.
we love having him in our family, life is never boring with him around.




in contrast to our people person amos, elias loves the solitude! yes when ever possible out there in the woods or as here in the snow! he also had a good time on vacation, it snowed and he got to build ramps for sledding and just plain shoveling for the good reason to serve other people, and of course earn money....


this the view from the south facing windows of my parents, what an intriguing shadow this tree has. i just love to be on vacation. no haste to go or be anywhere else, just be and enjoy! (this last photo is by joel)

vacation days 2

at my parents there is a wooden tub in the back yard!
of course the kids love it. from the beginning of splitting wood with the hatchet, firing the stove up a few hours prior to bathing and then of course jumping into the warm water is the best. and doing so at night even better!
for new years eve all of the kids got to light some sparklers. everyone was excited though i think it was me who was just taken by the moment. standing still, watching, enjoying the moment, hoping it would last for ever.


and even more fun... you can imagine it was just a blast joel's entertainment cracked all of us up. and together with the kids, munching on the last bit of chirstmas cookies, makes for a very cheerful, happy round.

vacation days 1

it's best to be at my parents and enjoy a good meal together. this time it was rainbow trout, i love it but rarely prepare it myself. thank you ma.


we prepared jar lanterns with, very simple and enjoyable. ma and the kids made them. winding wire around the to of an empty jar with a tea light.


perfect for an evening walk, as the night comes early around this time of year...


and here we are, grilling sausaces, drinking tea on the last evening of the year


and of course fire sticks and whistling. what would we do without joel playing a few tunes for us. it has become so much a way of celebrating and being together.

but there will be more, we had such fun last week!

thank you mama

a friend of mine played the song for me and i absolutely love it. it was like honey for me to hear it. especially as i'm wrestling with the change the kids go through now.
it's not a smooth ride to help them settle in their new surroundings. to find their place in a new class room, be one of 20 other kids, having to figure out how the teacher want's them to do their school work.
and then it's me their mama who is also expecting them to tell me about their experience at school, how they feel and what they did and if one could help with home work and many more expectations on my end.it must be overwhelming.

and me mama is dealing with not being in charge all the time, not being in control, not having to be responsible either if things don't pan out the way they imagined (or better put, i hoped for). there is a lot which is in my heart in my brains of being a mama, a loving, gentle and patient mama.

the photo

we realized that we forgot to attach the family photo, here is it.

last of december 09

all of a sudden i remembered the cmp ATC exchange... i absolutely forgot about this commitment. but it's just the second last day of the year, i grabbed a few things and sat down. hope is the theme, and it didn't take long until i was able to start with the words who where spinning in my head.


elias was with me in the office, reading and relaxing. after a bit naomi joined us too, she wanted to work on her atc's. it's a very creative afternoon, of course as soon as i take out paper scraps and markers the kids are all in with me, and then the glue and the scissors have to be used too.

things i want to do in 2010

in the days in between my thoughts were pondering what i was able to do and make in the soon ending year. i made a list and realize now, that i did follow through with most of my things to do in 2009 ... and now on to my list for the next year.
soon enough there will be some photos again of our days at my parents. i'm not able to pull them together right now, but they will come...

here my new list
1. keep on speaking english in our family
2. start and finish one project each month (pants for thea, quilt for a, socks for amos)
3. get a sewing machine and keep on quilting
4. go for some real sledding adventure in the mountains (february)
5. go for hikes in the woods regularly
6. take the kids to see some shows at the marionette puppet place
7. becoming a better listener and more patient mom to my kids
8. sitting down and drink a cup of tea, before i get going in the afternoons
9. try one dozen new dinner recipes (more with less $)
10. keep on taking photos and get used to the flash
11. harvest the fruit of our trees and preserve what we don't eat (assumably 1000kg)
12. make lots of jam this summer
13. teach amos to knit and crochet
14. go to maier's for a session with joel
15. keep on doing the monthly cmp atc's

family christmas

lots of gaming going on, how wonderful to have lots of uncles who love to play games and who love to play those games with kids...


of course some wonderful dinner times around one, oh now three tables. the family has been growing a lot over the past few years but we still fit in one living room. it's soooo good to be with family for holidays. we do really treasure this year, as we have not been with family for the past 12 years!


of course you noticed the chamber pots...
it is my mother in laws passion to collect them. she has lots more and some are very very beautiful.
and yes it is true, almost every where people use real candle's on their christmas trees. it is very pretty and i'm glad we are now able to do this again. there is a big reason why this is possible. people here get their christmas trees just a few days before christmas and the trees are decorated on christmas day. this means that the trees are still very fresh when the candles are lit.
the christmas trees then stay in the living rooms until epiphany (january 6th). a wonderful tradition to enjoy the light and fresh smell of the tree during the holly days.

the next few days will be spent with my parents, there will be photos coming starting next week.
so far, enjoy the rest of this year!

a package from JP

the package was shipped across the ocean and made it on time!
thank you soooo much a, a and m, it was a great surprise.
amos was not to be stopped at all, his friend was the sender...



and the love note was the best. there is so much in a note from the friend of a life time...


one of my favorite ornaments, an old fashioned snow flake all made of wire and glass beads. i hung it on one of our door handles. a moment of still when i pass by makes it into this years holiday season memory of mine.

merry making...

we played music, lots of tunes and of course hymns too.


lighting candles was an integral part during all the time of celebrating. who would want to live through the darkest time of year without those wonderful shining candles...


this is the selection of christmas cookies we enjoyed at our own house. there were many different kinds at my parents house and then again an other assortment at the in law's house.
we all like those sweet treats and would not want to miss one kind of them.

i will post some more photos of happenings of the past days, stop by tomorrow.

hard to resist...

i just stumbled across this commercial, it's just so beautiful and subtle...

advent evenings

getting ready is a big part of our advent evenings. lighting candles, finding the right spot to sit down. of course that often is a bit of a scramble, there are the preferred seats, and the two lamb skins to be placed just right...
but usually within a few minutes we are all settled and listening to the story about lukas. (a boy living in bethlehem 2000 years ago)


and then this, i got my advents gift yesterday!!!
guess what, yes a flash for my camera, it's working fine as you can see.

there are just two pockets left for us to empty, they both were filled by amos. this year has been the first, that the kids were helping with putting little gifts into the 24 advent pockets. especially amos was fond of doing so. i love how our advents tradition change and grow with the kids. it is a surprise and a gift to see their way of participation, growing and understanding.

a look out the window

an old chestnut tree with an old mossy bird feeder. this is the view we have, when looking out the bedroom window...

a's house shoes

for a while now was it on my mind to make a pair of house shoes for amos. he was the only one in our family without a pair of warm indoor shoes...
i really wanted to make them myself, as amos is so appreciative of home made things. my sister in law has already knit and felted for her whole family and friends so i knew she would be a good and trustworthy source in regards to wool and pattern.
a week ago we quickly visited, picked out wool from her stash, got the pattern (from this booklet) and nr. 8 knitting needles...
i wanted to start immediately but for one or an other reason was just not able to get the knitting started.


as you can see, they are all done, knitt and felted!
they turned out great, amos loves them.

LillaLotta

i got mail


a few days ago i was browsing on etsy, looking for some gifts. i knew what i wanted overall, but not in the detail.... then i stubled over LillaLotta and could not resist those ribbons!
and for the moment i'm still sulking in the ribbons which i'm now holding in my hands. aren't they lovely!
the matrioshka and the twinkle one are for two of my friends... they just fit so well.
i know i will be late, as they have to be shipped overseas, but that doesn't disturb me at all. they will make my friends happy regardless of being on time or not.

the little hand

there is not a lot to say, i'm just on love with those little hands grabbing what ever they can hold onto!

weihnachtssingen

auf dem schulhof steht seit anfang advent eine krippe, sehr einfach und schoen. umgeben von baumstumpfen und tannenaeste ist die weihnachtszene mit etwa 15cm grossen figuren dargestellt. ich war beeindruckt, dass dies auf dem oeffentlichen platz raum hat und hab mich sehr darueber gefreut.


heute hatten die buben ein kurzes weihnachtssingen von der schule aus. alle kinder der unter- und mittelstufe erschienen warm eingepackt mit zum teil noch mit instrumenten. die lehrerin von amos spielte mit dem saxophon mit, einige kinder spielten auf den trommeln und andere auf ihren querfloeten und gitarren.
amos und auch elias waren gluecklich thea und mich unter den zuhoerern zu wissen und der leichte schneefall konnte uns unter keinen umstaenden die freude nehmen.

doch kalt war es, sogar amos trug seine muetze (die graue muetze und braune jacke im rechten bilddrittel, zweitunterste reihe).

hand's being stitched

there is lots of stitching going on in on right now, i totally enjoy working with the girls on some projects. the hands we make together are all unique and will be worked into presents. i'm so tempted to keep them for me, but especially naomi is determined to give them away!
i think that's good and work on each little piece with lots of enthusiasm and love.
no i will not show the finished products, as there is still some mystery to be kept for the people which will receive the presents.


this is thea's hand, traced with pencil on linen, the linen is "upcycled" form curtains which have been hanging for many years in our living room.


this is naomi's hand, the white fabric has been a napkin, which i decided has to fit an other purpose...

lebkuchenhäuser

gestern abend hatten wir mit der gemeinschft znacht und anschliessend in drei gruppen ein lebkuchenhausbauen. es ist toll in gemeinschaft zu leben, miteinander zu backen, zu essen, zu arbeiten und familie sein zu dürfen.
fuer jede gruppe gab es zwei blech lebkuchen und viel dekorationsmaterial, sowie lebensmittelfarbe und "leim".


der lebkuchen war so hart, dass sich eine gruppe der stichsaege bediente um die gewuenschten streifen zu saegen fuer den turm der ihnen vor augen schwebte...


toll, so ein hellblauer turm, hoch musste er sein und architechtonisch schlank...


amos und naomi waren mit dem anmalen der verschiedensten teilen des "lsd"-haeuschens beschaeftigt, ein genuss fuer die kinder so miteinbezogen zu werden mit all den erwachsenen zusammen zu schaffen.


das "klassische"


der nachbau des eiffelturmes. genau und exakt passte da fast alles zusammen!