{this moment}

A Friday ritual (inspired by Soulemama). 

A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. 

A simple, special, extraordinary moment. 

A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

yarn along

Joining Ginny over at Small Things for the regular Wednesday Yarn Along!

Two of my favorite things are knitting and reading, and the evidence of this often shows up in my photographs. I love seeing what other people are knitting and reading as well. So, what are you knitting or crocheting right now? What are you reading? ~ Ginny Sheller from Small Things

PapaQ came home from running some errands last week and presented me with a small gift that he picked up at Barnes and Noble.  Isn't that sweet?  Major Pettigrew's Last Stand by Helen Simonson was a charming and quick read. Made me even more in love with the British and even more determined to go and visit that lovely island across the Atlantic (I know, it is shameful how little I've traveled the world). I enjoyed the book, though was a teensy bit disappointed in the ending. I'll try not to ruin it for anyone, but really... aren't we past (love) stories where the (white) man plays the knight in shining armor and rescues the damsel in distress (who is perfectly capable of saving herself, thank you very much. Why on earth doesn't she? Is this another nod toward white colonialism that is justified in "saving" the savages)? The characters were so well-drawn and interesting until the end. If you've read it, I'd love to hear your thoughts.

Other good reads include a bit of poetry by Richard Wilbur and Mary Oliver. I've been trying to expand my cooking repertoire, thus the cookbooks. And I'm still working on Pink Brain, Blue Brain, though Major Pettigrew trumped it this past week. But it is so comforting to have a shelf-full of books to turn to while I'm breastfeeding or have a moment to myself.

As for knitting... well, I get a few rows done here and there on the sweater, but no major progress. Ah, dear me, I'll be lucky if I finish before Christmas, which means all the other projects in my queue will have to wait until the new year. So much for giving everyone handmade gifts this year. That's always a bit of a pipe dream anyhow, but now that newborn twins have been thrown into the mix it is doubly so!

Hope you've been enjoying some cozy, good reads and a creative outlet as well. xo!

the perfect tree

Despite dropping temperatures we made it out for our second annual tree-cutting. I went along for the ride and even managed to get out with both the twins strapped to me in the Moby wrap, but it was so cold and they were crying that we quickly retreated to the minivan and cranked up the heat and the Christmas music, nursed a bit, and did the proper ooh-ing and aah-ing when Mayumi and PapaQ returned dragging the most beautiful tree!
A quick drive down to the farm market was in order. While the strapping young lads there shook and baled our tree we indulged in hot cider and donuts and picked up some apples to take home. Since then there has been much merriment as the decorations have gone up.
What is it about a Christmas tree? Those gleaming lights, the ornaments collected through the years, those fragrant evergreen boughs...
Well, no one really wants to hear me wax poetic, so perhaps you'll welcome Mary Oliver's words:

When I Am Among the Trees

When I am among the trees,
especially the willows and the honey locust,
equally the beech, the oaks and the pines,
they give off such hints of gladness,
I would almost say that they save me, and daily.

I am so distant from the hope of myself,
in which I have goodness, and discernment,
and never hurry through the world
but walk slowly, and bow often.

Around me the trees stir in their leaves
and call out, "Stay awhile."
The light flows from their branches.

And they call again, "It's simple," they say,
"and you too have come
into the world to do this, to go easy, to be filled
with light, and to shine."

~ Mary Oliver ~

Oh, to become closer to the hope of myself! I love how a Christmas tree indeed invites one to stop and stay awhile. Those twinkly lights, so hypnotic and soothing. 

More tree loveliness to come!

{this moment}

A Friday ritual (inspired by Soulemama). 

A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. 

A simple, special, extraordinary moment. 

A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

giving thanks

Hope your home is full of loved ones, good food and the happy recognition of abundance and blessings. 

Happy Thanksgiving!

{this moment}

A Friday ritual (inspired by Soulemama). 

A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. 

A simple, special, extraordinary moment. 

A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

yeah, I was the crazy woman nursing my baby while eating a steaming hot bowl of ramen over his head at a restaurant. 

sleep assassins

That's what PapaQ calls these two little boys of ours. I like to call them "boobie terrorists."

We've been reading up on "colic" and cluster feedings and how to calm a fussy baby... colic is definitely alive and well in our household.

A recent conversation:

Friend: How are you holding up?
Me: Great! Fine!
Friend: Really?
Me: Sleep. I don't know... They cry. And breastfeed. All night long. Gas. Maybe?
Friend: You're having a hard time stringing together a sentence.
Me: Yesh...
Friend: From your blog it looks like everything is going so well.
Me: Optimist. Liar. Both?

They grow out of this stage, right? Right?

breastfeeding twins

Yup. I do it at the same time. Some people call me Supermom. I just call it the only way to stay sane and get some sleep...

La Leche League International has some great articles and resources, just in case you're interested.

Free Printable Gratitude Jar

I just received this e-mail today with a free printable for a Gratitude Jar from Paper Coterie. I know that this would probably be super simple to make on my own but when someone has already made it for you, it is soooo much easier to just download and print.

Go HERE to get your free printable, find an empty jar and start being thankful!

{this moment}

A Friday ritual (inspired by Soulemama). 

A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. 

A simple, special, extraordinary moment. 

A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

yarn along: good reads and a new project

Joining Ginny over at Small Things for the regular Wednesday Yarn Along!

Two of my favorite things are knitting and reading, and the evidence of this often shows up in my photographs. I love seeing what other people are knitting and reading as well. So, what are you knitting or crocheting right now? What are you reading? ~ Ginny Sheller from Small Things

I've started another book in the gender/sex studies genre in addition to Pippi Longstocking and the plethora of seasonal reads we have going on. I'm excited about Pink Brain, Blue Brain by Lise Eliot because it is a bit more scientific in nature and explores the field of neuroplasticity. I'm intrigued by her assertion that "your brain is what you do with it. Every task you spend time on... reinforces active brain circuits... [so] it's all biology, whether the cause is nature or nurture." Now that I'm raising both a girl and boys, I feel as though I need to read up on how to do that in the best (or least harmful!) way.

And though I promised to tackle that sweater this past week, I haven't really had the chance (or as my mom would say, "You haven't made the time"). Perhaps I need a new project to feel guilty about not getting done? I was hoping that making a pair of these darling hats for the boys might be some instant gratification and get me back on the needles again to finish that pretty sweater in time for Christmas!

from Ravelry

Hope you've been enjoying turning pages and playing with wool during this yummy fall season. 

good citizens

We went for our first foray outside the house today... to VOTE! 

Bundled the babes up in the double stroller ($20 from the thrift store) and big sister Mayumi was excited to push it (with Dad's help ) the few blocks to our voting locale. 

Beautiful, brisk autumn day. No lines to wait in. Hope for the future...

You're never too young to practice good citizenship!

oishii: savory bread pudding

Cooler weather finds me searching for nourishing comfort foods. We've always been a fan of sweet bread pudding but this is my first time trying a savory one. Yum! It was just what I needed to use up leftover stale bread, some veggies in the fridge and have something relatively healthy that we could eat for several meals.

Savory Bread Pudding with Veggies
Ingredients:
olive oil
1/2 yellow onion, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
bunch of asparagus, chopped
bunch of beet greens or chard, chopped
2 cups whole wheat stale bread, cubed
5 eggs
2 cups whole milk
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
1/4 cup grated gruyere cheese
salt and pepper

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Sautee onions in olive oil. When softened, add garlic and asparagus. After a few minutes add greens and cook until wilted, just a minute or two.
3. In a large bowl whisk together eggs, milk and cheese. Add bread and vegetables and a dash of salt and pepper and mix well. Pour into a casserole dish.
4. Place casserole in oven and cook for 50 minutes, until puffed and browned. Remove from oven and serve!

it takes a village

Love and support reveal themselves in so many different ways: a visit from a friend to peek at the babies, an offer to take big sister for a play date, delicious and nourishing dinners (oh we are so grateful!) and perhaps my favorite - homemade gifts! So much time, so much thoughtfulness, so much love! I oooh and aaah over the needlework, the combination of fabrics, the intricate crochet and knit designs, the adorable wee-ness of it all. How did we accumulate such good (talented!) people around us? 

I whisper a million thank yous to our village.

{this moment}

A Friday ritual (inspired by Soulemama). 

A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. 

A simple, special, extraordinary moment. 

A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

oishii: lactation cookies

At first I thought it was a joke when my next-door neighbor Heather sent over a bag of delicious oatmeal cookies claiming that they were "lactation" cookies. But then my friend Elizabeth sent over a bag of her version as well. It was the first I'd ever heard of such a thing. A quick Google search (isn't that how we confirm everything these days?) revealed that there is some substance behind a milk supply-boosting cookie, largely thanks to the oats, ground flax seed and brewer's yeast in the ingredients. Add some chopped nuts (and okay, lots of sugar) and you have a powerhouse of a cookie. 

PapaQ claimed they were so delicious that even he was starting to feel his mammaries swell. How nice would that be? Then I could have some help with those nighttime feeding sessions.

You can read a bit more about lactation cookies and find variants on the recipe on the Peaceful Parenting blog and the  Progressive Parent blog. If you're too pooped from those midnight feedings and  don't have the time or energy to make them yourself you can always order them from Yummy Mummy Cookies or from Milk Makers. Two batches was not enough for me so I went ahead and made myself some more (folding the laundry can wait!). 

Not that I really need help boosting my milk supply (I am soaking through those nursing pads like a demon and everything around me smells like breast milk). But no matter, these cookies are good for you and whether or not they are contributing to my over-production, they are perfect for snacking in between meals. I imagine they are good for you even if you are not nursing (as evidenced by dear hubby) so go ahead and indulge. But don't hold me responsible if you start leaking...

Fontana di Nettuna in Italy