Before I forget - Our Thanksgiving

We had a relaxing thanksgiving. We had planned to hang out and eat some turkey at my moms. Mom wasn't feeling to well so we canceled. It was a good thing because Corbin and I were still recovering from our colds too. So we had a quiet day at home.

The kids did some Thanksgiving drawings:




(Yes, those are guns coming out of the turkey. Maybe it's a turkey revolt)

Corbin dressed up for the occasion:





We did not cook up a big holiday meal but Stephen did make a quiche and some apple pie (my favorite.) Jade made a pumpkin pie to take with us. We packed up the car the next day to go visit the in-laws.

Afghan - It's all done

This cold weather has me more excited to work on this afghan. So over the last few days I've slip stitched the last of the squares together and added the border too. Most of the ends have been woven in save a few stragglers. I hate weaving in ends.


Almost done here, just one more panel to add.


Here is all finished, all 5'4"x 3'6" of it.

I'm used the Supernova 12inch square designed by Chris Simon. You can get the pattern here. Some of the blocks are much larger than the others. Hence the waviness of the border. It was was lesson in gauge and keeping track of the correct hook. I used an H hook for most blocks but might have used a J hook too. I made it with Caron Simply Soft in Raspberry but I didn't keep track of how much I used.



I slip stitched the squares together. I really like how that turned out and framed the each square.



I had grand ideas for the border but gave up on them after the first round. So the border is a simple mesh pattern with a single crochet to finished off. Overall I am pleased with it despite it's failings. It is my very first afghan after all. Despite it's less than perfect nature, it will keep me and the kids warm snuggling on the couch to read or watch movies.

Holiday Planning

Now that all the birthdays are done (until next year that is) and Thanksgiving is over, it's time to plan for Winter Solstice. We have some traditions we've created over the years and it's time to start some new ones.

Last year after some discussion on my local homeschooling list about our holiday traditions, I was freed from feeling this ridiculous need to fit it all in on the actual holiday. Over the next few weeks there are some things I hope we get to:

• Holiday cookies
• Winter Solstice Cake or something else to honor the dark of the night
  
• This year I want to make some suet cakes for the birds. In years past we have made pine cone peanut butter bird feeders.
• Make holiday cards for close family and friends. I did a yule tree theme last year, not sure what my inspiration will be this year. I'm leaning toward a snowflake theme.
  
• Decorate the house with snowflakes and wintery things.
• Finish up on holiday gifts. I'm making lots of crocheted items. Jade wants to make fancy soap again so I picked up some more melt and pour glycerin soap and we have plenty of essential oils to add to make them to make the soap smell good.
• Some years we have made our own paper but we might not this year it depends how much of a crafting mood I will be in. I also love it when we have find some vintagey paper at the thrift store.
• This year the kids want a real tree but we have budget concerns so me might not.
• Plan our Winter Solstice meal and breakfast meal. In years past we have done cheese fondue to represent the light and chocolate fondue to represent the dark. Last year we did something different so we might do it different again this year but who knows.
• Inspired by the others traditions, this year I hope to get lots of balloons and blow them up to surprise the kids solstice morning or maybe we'll do it together.
  
• We plan to keep the gift giving for our family to a minimum partly because I want to focus on celebration rather than gifts and we don't have a lot of money for gifts this year.
• Jade wants to leave out sun cookies for the sun. So we will try and make them on the longest night.

As luck has it, Stephen needs to take time off this month or lose his vacation time so we will get to do more of the these things together as a family.

Happy Holidays

On and off my book shelf

I recently finished an audiobook, The Last Days in Dog Town by Anita Diamant and narrated by Kate Nelligan. The Last Days in Dog Town shares the stories of widows, orphans, and spinsters in the mid 18oo's. In some ways it's so sad the trial so many had to face. At the same time the stories are so uplifting because the main women in the story are so strong and true to themselves. They see the good in everyone. I really enjoyed the story and felt I got to know the characters.

The narrator,Kate Nelligan, did a superb job with the voices. She's narrated a few books by Mary Higgins Clark, a mystery author I enjoyed in my college years. I may have to check some of those out when I'm in the mood to listen to a mystery.

I'm currently listening to The History of Love by Nicole Krauss. So far I have met who I believe to be the two main characters of the book. At some point, so the review at amazon says, the character's lives intertwine somehow. Last night, I put that on my shelf to finish listening Dragon Fly in Amber, which I have been waiting impatiently for.

Before bed I'm trying to read some from The Revival by Max Yoho but I am not having much luck staying awake. We are staying up too late. I'm torn between reading it now and reading Darwin's Radio by Greg Bear. I read this book a while back and enjoyed and felt like reading it again. It's a futuristic novel so maybe I'm needing a break from the historical fiction I have been reading lately.

I'm off to take a break form the cleaning I've been doing to finish up on an afghan and Listen to Dragon Fly in Amber.

Why Fiber Star

I've been meaning to explain little bit more about my blog's name. It's true to some extent I have always wanted to be a star. Now, being the "Fiber Star" means more to me than that.

I call my blog Fiber Star because I was trying to think up a coolish title and to honor what I have learned from my kids, to dream big. When they imagine their future they see themselves as Virtuoso's or Artists or Expert Skate Boarders. They see themselves purchasing the rights to Astro Boy and redubbing it. They see themselves as fully capable of reaching whatever goal they imagine. They don't let their dreams get trampled by reality. They are always the star of their dreams no matter where they are on their journey.

I think as adults we can remember that even if we do need to make sure the rent is paid and there is food on the table. We can still dream big and shine!

Thursday Thirteen#3 - NaBloPoMo#30

Thirteen Books that have inspired and influenced me:

1. The Continuum Concept: In Search of Happiness Lost (Classics in Human Development) by Jean Liedloff
2. Learning All the Time by John Holt
3. Ishmael: An Adventure of the Mind and Spirit by Daniel Quinn
4. Reviving Ophelia by Mary Pipher
5. Nonviolent Communication: A Language of Life: Create Your Life, Your Relationships, and Your World in Harmony with by Rosenberg Marshall
6. Parent Effectiveness Training : The Proven Program for Raising Responsible Children by Thomas Gordon
7. Buddha Never Raised Kids & Jesus Didn't Drive Carpool: Seven Principles for Parenting with Soul by Vickie Falcone
8. Hold On to Your Kids : Why Parents Need to Matter More Than Peers by Gordon Neufeld
9. Unconditional Parenting : Moving from Rewards and Punishments to Love and Reason by Alfie Kohn
10. Spiral Dance Starhawk
11. When God Was a Woman Merlin Stone
12. The Dance of Intimacy: A Woman's Guide to Courageous Acts of Change in Key Relationships Harriet Lerner
13. The Teenage Liberation Handbook: How to Quit School and Get a Real Life and Education Grace Llewellyn

What We've been up to Wednesday - NaBloPoMo#29

This is a brand new meme, what do ya think? So when I have a mind to I regale you all (all 8 to 10 people who actually read this blog) the amazing thing the kidlets and I have been doing together or on our own because I most sure ya'll are burning to know.

So here goes:

Jade spent most of her birthday money on a gameboy advance of her own. So she's spent most of the last few days holed up in her room getting through the stages of a Mega Man game which requires lots of reading. This game is also filled with lots of "tests' so who says unschooling kids never take tests. While playing the game she's listening to Harry Potter for the umpteenth time.

Corbin's bought a few gamecube games with the last of his allowance. He also made monsters in the sand with a friend on the unseasonably gorgeous day we had Tuesday. We've been "playing war" with the nerf guns he bought Thanksgiving weekend. So much for a peaceful household but we sure are having fun. Just before we went to bed, Corbin dressed up as a knight and told me a dragon slaying story. I sure wish I had perfect memory because I would share it with you.

I've been crocheting up a storm trying to finish up holiday gifts and listening to audiobooks. Making a list and checking it twice to make sure we do all the things we want to do this holiday. Of course I've been blogging regularly too. I'm still getting up early about every other day to take our clothes to the river wash to the laundromat. The plus side is I get a little uninterrupted crocheting or reading time the down side is it's expensive. So even though we don't got money, I'm still in love with you honey, we've figured we might as well buy washing machine now rather than later at the rate I'm spending quarters to do our wash we will have bought a washer. So a brand new washing machine will arrive here soon. I am much thankful for that.

Now off to do the laundry again.