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!

Organizing Kids Clothes for School

For me, the key to keeping organized is good planning and everything having it's own place. I used to find the childrens' clothes a nightmare.  Clothes for different seasons, clothes that's too big, too small, boy's clothes, girl's clothes, good clothes, play clothes... too much to keep track of! I'll share in a few upcoming posts how I learnt to simplify and organize it all. An save my sanity.

Today, let's tackle clothes for school. Have you seen those collapsible sweater holders that Velcro onto a closet rod?  I picked one up last year and it was the best 7$ I ever spent. Seriously. Check out Charlie's closet.

He wears a uniform to school, but this would work for any child... or me for that matter.  When I put away laundry, I simply toss a pair of socks, underwear, pants and shirt in each cubbie, one for each day of the week.  I keep his out of season uniforms in the top spot. 

At a glance, I can see if he has clean clothes for school.  The best part is Charlie can dress himself every morning, no fuss, no panic.  He knows Monday is the bottom cubbie and to work his way up from there. You could add the days of the week to the shelves to get the kiddos used to seeing and reading them. Educational and oh so useful at 6:30 in the morning!

Underneath the organizer, I keep a large box for outgrown clothes. As soon as I notice something no longer fits, I can toss it into the box in his closet.  When it's full, I simply pack it up and store it or pass it on. It's already clean and organised by gender and size. Simple and easy since it's all right there in a logical spot when I need it. No more piles in my room or in the laundry room waiting to be put away!
Thanks for reading!

Mmm... cake!

I was the lucky recipient of this birthday cake... mmm.

Talk about a sugar rush!  I forced my hubby to make it for me. Chocolate cake, chocolate icing, Kitkat bars around the sides and Smarties on top. 

It was easy to make and I knew the kids would love it.  I saw a similar one online over the summer so the idea wasn't my own. I can't seem to find the link, I'll add it if I do.

Yum! Thanks Marc!