Update, update!

I've been pouring a lot of my time these last two weeks into getting The Amethyst Network's website up and going (and all the behind-the-scenes stuff). So I have not blogged much, but I wanted to do one of those newsy update posts.

Halloween is a comin, and I am sewing costumes. Last year (at 37 weeks pregnant) I didn't do much. Wolf went as Hubby. As in, he dressed up in his church clothes and tie, I stippled a little beard on his chin, and he wore daddy's work ID badge. It was terribly cute (Hubby says that this year maybe he'll go as Wolf!) However, this year mommy is back in gear and ready to sew! Bear has opted to wear a costume out of the box, but I'm sewing for Wolf and Eagle...and if I get all my chores done I may even get to make a pretty gown for myself. (I did buy the pattern and fabric--thank you sales and coupons!--now it's just a matter of whether I have the time to make it.)

I'm reading "The Mists of Avalon" and it is very cool. Also a bit of a heavy book to hold one-handed while nursing a baby. I begin to see the appeal in Hubby's desire for a kindle. 8.5 oz has a certain appeal after this book which I'm sure weighs several pounds!

Wolf struggled a lot with the first few weeks of french horn. It seems that the elementary band teacher does a lot of talking but not much showing, and at a month in he only knew how to play one note (because the kid one chair over showed it to him). Thankfully we have a delightful friend who happens to be a music teacher at the high school, and she came over and gave him a little lesson so now he can play four notes. She says she is willing to continue teaching these little lessons, especially if we pay her in food (we have her over for dinner around once a week, as she is a single lady and I like feeding people). It was so nice to see the one-day turnaround from "Can I quit band? I hate it" to "Music is my favorite, can I go practice again?"

Hubby makes a positively sinful smoked salmon dip. With salmon he caught and smoked himself. I never liked smoked salmon, but I do like this dip. Mmmmm.

Eagle is 11 months old. He walks and runs as though he thinks he's big, and he says three words. One is "dada" and the other two are not. If I figure out what the other two are, I will try to remember to let you know. ☺

I canned apple pie filling and applesauce and chicken broth this week (yay for bringing home my steam canner and pressure canner from Utah with us!!)

I continue to seek personal calmness though letting go of things, releasing judgment, and generally not allowing myself to get uptight or worry over things. I'm spending more time touching the earth (the actual dirt), and sitting in the sunshine. I'm spending more time with books and less with screens. I'm cooking and knitting and generally enjoying the present.

We are making plans for Samhain and the other holidays of the darker half of the year. I find I am always ready for the new seasons as they come, even here where the cold and dark ones are very cold and dark. Fall is in the air (it's below freezing every morning when we get up) and I can't smell the snow yet but I know it is close.