Tuque Time

It is freezing out this morning! There was frost on the roofs and our breaths released big white puffs into the cold morning air.  I'm so not ready for winter.

I knit Charlie a balaclava to wear to school.  I love how practical it is because it's like a tuque and scarf in one.  He can wear it different ways, depending how cold it is.

Don't you love those big brown eyes? 



Of course, his favorite way to wear it. Boys.



pattern: wee-balaclava

raveled here.

have a great weekend!Thanks for reading! (and keep warm! :)

Kale chips... really?

I just had to try baking a batch of kale chips since some claim they taste like potato chips. Well, I don't know if it was the cook (likely) or the fact that they are kale but they were not a hit here.  I felt I was eating papery dried herbs.  My assistant had lots of fun though.


Kale washed and ripped into pieces



Smells good!



The chips are in there!



Done

At least they looked good. I'm tempted to try again with a different kind of kale and using olive oil instead of cooking spray.  Any recipes to recommend? 

Organizing Kids Clothes - Storage

As I've mentioned before, I love hand-me downs when it comes to kids' clothes.  I will happily take any clothes your children have outgrown, if you have any, please send them this way! : )  But seriously, I have been lucky to swap my boy's clothes for girl's clothes with a friend.  I also am given some items from friends and family every once in a while.  What to do with it all so I can actually find it easily when I need it?

First step, sort by gender and size. I don't sort by season or type of item since it then becomes too complicated to manage and requires multiple bins. Simple is best. It doesn't matter to me if there are shorts and winter coats together. 

Next, label the box.  I love reusing my old diaper boxes since they are sturdy, have handles and I can write the gender and size directly on the box.

Finally, have a designated spot for each child's clothes.  I now keep Charlie's too big items in bins under his bed.  It's tidy, hidden away and his clothes are there in his room when I need them. 

Lola is still in her crib so I keep a few boxes of upcoming sizes on the top shelves of her closet.  The rest goes into our tiny storage room downstairs. Do I ever miss my huge walk in closets (yes, plural) from our previous home. Even the home office had a walk-in! Sigh!

I'm always open to new ideas and suggestions.  What works for you?

Does this happen to anyone else?

I'm working on a Christmas skirt for Lola (yes, I said Christmas... groan) and needed some red thread. So I made a quick stop at the sewing store for this:

Since Charlie was with me, I only took a minute to poke through the remnants bins.  Looks what came home with me:

How comes it all coordinates?  Last time this happened, all my fabrics were grey. Does this happen to anyone else?

Weird.

Apple Picking

We have a tradition of going apple picking as a family every year.  We almost missed out this year since we've been so busy.  We finally had the chance to go yesterday.  The trees were pretty bare and the apples were far from perfect but they taste amazing, the weather was gorgeous and we had fun.

Thanks for reading!