Danish Christmas Star

My Grandma is sick with Cancer. We learned that her health was in jeopardy 3 weeks ago at which point they gave her 6-12months to live. She has given our family many Christmas Traditions including Christmas Rice Pudding with the whole almond surprise, Turkey dinner Christmas eve, Danish stars and flags on the Christmas tree, Advent calenders, a love of candles and lights. Today Noah and I struggled to make the danish stars from some packages I bought while in Denmark while pregnant with Noah. The instructions were difficult to follow even though the danish was accompanied by pictures. So we were grateful when we found this instructional video Although in Danish we could see how to make them! YAY we did it Noah is very proud of the star he made. Next year when we use this link we will think of you Grandma Yetta and know you are with the ancestors you have given me a love for. Smiles
Jenny

Noah''s Intro to the Fiber Arts

My extremely talented girlfriend Emma who also carries the title of "very patient neighbour" lives in the townhouse bellow us. I asked her to watch my kids for an hour and she so kindly said yes. When I came to pick the boys up Noah was drop spining sheep's wool with a spindle. He loved it. She sent me home with a few you tube links, also 2 & 3 of Abby Franquemont teaching how to do drop spining, so I could help him. The videos were great and having watched Emma patiently teach Noah the how tos I was even able to learn this fun technique. Noah had learned to Finger knit last fall and this was warmly welcomed as a next step in knitting. Today when his brother napped we were reading The Sign of the Beaver by Elizabeth George Speare  the Attean was teaching Matt the white boy how to make a snare with the roots of trees striping them and then twisting two pieces together. As I continued to read I noticed Noah with his spindle and wool.  Noah had  remembered the wool tucked on the top of a shelf where it had been stored sometime earlier to keep it from being used as a weapon. We finished spinning the wool and Noah wanted another lesson from Emma on how to make it 2 ply as she had told him that was the next step. We called Emma and she found me this you tube video on plying yarn on a drop spindle - Adean Plying Tutorial. Due to the possibility of cutting off circulation to the middle finger I opted to do the first step but once we made the ball Noah took over the spining. Now he wants to know if we need to soak it and when we are going to the store to buy dye! I am glad I have an expert close at hand because I don't know the answer to either of those questions. Yay for Community.  

Who knew a 6 year old could spin wool?

Noah and Jarom spent the morning with a friend while Hudson went for an Ultrasound - As an aside - yay for healthy children - I feel so very blessed. and yay for good doctors and nurses. They had us seen by a specialist and sent to an ENT doctor and then sent for an ultrasound in less than 2 months. 2 days after the ultrasound the ENT's Secretary calls to let me know everyhting is normal the report will go to my doctor and if I have any concern or questions to call and make an apt anytime.

My girlfriend is amazingly talented in all things homemaking, homespun, homegrown, natural. She taught him how to spin sheep's wool! He came home with some to finish spinning and then she will help him with the next step after.

Want to learn how check out these videos they are great!

Drop spindle spinning
Intro to Spinning - part 1 
Intro to spinning - part 2

Jam - Ready set ... lets hope it sets!

Summer fruit has got me excited to make jam ... that and the fact that we just ran out of last years jam : )  will start with the leftover frozen berries and peaches.

Make your own pectin?
I think I might try it from these instructions.

oh, and lavander - How do you preserve it?
Check this out - I had mine hanging in the sunroom - will move it to the storage room!

Learning the gospel from little boys

Their favorite you tube video at present is Elder Anderson speaking about Sid Going who gave up his Rugby career to serve a mission in Western Canada back in 1963 only to return home and be named Super sid with an awesome rugby career.

I love learning with these wonderful boys.

Favorite activities for learning and FHE:

- we acted out Daniel in the lions den, Joseph smith's first vision ( with the picture of Heavenly Father and Jesus and a large falshlight, a "grove of trees" - a green blanket over a chair

- Prayer - the 4 parts of praying written on strips, they taked about them and sang

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Easter

April is a busy month full of wonderful things, General Conference. The words of the living Prophets streaming easily into our homes and, we pray it flows as easily into our hearts. This outpouring of light came this weekend and on palm sunday and for the first time I understood it as this and took it in. I have tried to read the gospels in preparation for easter and have felt renewal and strength in the life and minestry of the Saviour, through listening to His words and learning of His life.

Noah turned 6! What a wonderful birthday. I can't believe he is 6 already. My little boy 2 years away from eight. And he chose to have his birthday with his family friends. all his best friends. I am so happy that he is happy and content in our family. We have many moments that don't sound like this. He is a good boy and will yet teach me so much. He is a wonderufl example. He has a black eye from bumping the table while we teased each other and tickled. He didn't like all the attention he was getting from it and said he wanted it to be healed by sunday so people wouldn't ask about it. We talked about things he could say so that he didn't have to tell the whole story again. Ah its "old news" is the phrase he liked and has used since. It is fun to so him use it. I do wonder what people think it is a nasty black eye. I thought he had even missed the table as he hit the ground dashing away from tickling fingers but his shrill cry made me know immediately that he was in pain! he is such a good trooper. When his eye first turned bright blue and purple and It looked like he had been using my makeup he decided it looked less like makeup and more like "boy tough".

Easter has arrived. With sunshine and fresh air. Jarom sick and vomiting. My poor boy tucked himself in wiht a blanket on the couch and let me know he was going to have a home day because his tummy didn't feel good. Hudson is a little out of sorts and clingy or throwing kicks and punches to try and convince the rest of the lazy gang that it is time we went outside to play hockey! or share that dart gun. Noah was thrilled with the presents of a nerf gun ( mom finaly caved with a strict set of rules around use) and lego, a backpack, some toonies, to name a few. Jarom was so thrilled and happy for him he gave Noah more hugs and pats on the back hten I can count. Good Job Noah! or Noah look what you got! It was wonderful. Jarom had asked me to buy Noah some Ninja lego from the store for him to give Noah. Noah had asked during the day to look at lego and Ninja lego specificaly as we looked at the website Noah found a particular set that he wanted to look at I got it wrong no that one he siad pointing to the screen and it was the set Jarom had wrapped for him. Jarom loved telling this story over and over again. About how he wanted to get Noah this special Lego because he wanted him to be happy.

My testimony of the saviour and His life and Ressurection burn in my heart today. I have visited the church website and watched some of the bible movies and talks from the leaders surrounding easter. My favorities include:

Plus I have plants and hope to make a grace garden with the boys later today. I saw it on the blog I like called Holy Experience writtings by Ann Voskamp a mom. I also saw this hymn listed by Fernando Ortega "Stricken, Smitten and afflicted" on her site and found it on you tube as well as I need thee every hour, and Come thou fount of every blessing . I am enchanted by the music on her web page though it takes me to such a nice palce in my head and heart. The Gift by David Nevue.

I start writting and get on so many different tangents Like the you tube video of a woman who auditioned in England and blew the audience away with I dreamed a dream. What a moving song! I love music and performance. How it moves me!

New Years Resolutions

I'm giving myself a month to set them.