Birthdays for my boys

Well the month of boys birthdays has come and gone in the Biggley house. All my boys are 1 year older. Nesta is 16 yes you read that right, he is 16! He is 6'2" and wears a size 12 shoe. We're hoping he stops growing but with the way he eats there is little hope of that. He has taken to drawing and can't seem to get enough of it. Despite his autism he is a typical teenager in may ways. He goes to bed late, hates waking up early, likes to be alone in his room and hates when people touch his things.

Noah turned 11. Wow 1 more year and he'll be in young mens. Noah has had a very successful year. He has joined 4H where he did his public speaking project. He was able to move on to the next level but was beat out there from some stiff competition. It was hard for him that he didn't move on but it was a good lesson in preparation. Noah is also at the top of his class and recently brought home a perfect math and spelling test. Noah has also accomplished great things at church including memorizing all the 13 articles of faith:) He also joined cubs and likes it very much.

Sam is now 7. Although he has struggled with being the youngest he has started coming into his own lately. He is an amazing reader, probably our best one yet and if you know our other children that is quite an accomplishment. He is also very good at math. Josh and I both agree that he didn't get it from either of us but agree it probably came from my dad. Sam has finally lost his two front teeth and I think he looks super cute:)

Knitting- Knitting-sewing-baking

Lately I have taken to a new hobby. One that I have been struggling to learn for years. Knitting! Know that I can do it I love it and like so many of my hobbies I kind of became obsessed with it. I didn't want to knit a scarf I wanted to knit socks and cables. I am happy to say I have knit both. I even managed to knit a hat on round needles. The next project I want to tackle is a baby sweater but after 3 failed attempts I might(yes might) take a break from knitting. I must say to anyone who hasn't tried it, it is a great hobby. It is easy on my hands and wrists(unlike crocheting), you can bring it anywhere and most things knit up pretty fast. If you haven't tried it

you really should.

The green hat is a slouch hat but has yet to go through the wash so it's still kind of pooffy. I tried to upload a pic of my socks but the camera battery died:(

I have made some skirts since sharing patterns with my talented friend Kristine. In fact I think I might have made too many. Hahaha you thought I was serious! A woman can never have too many skirts. Or is that shoes or maybe purses? well whatever I'm happy to have plenty of them all. No pics yet since as you already know the camera battery is dead.

And what would a blog update be without mention of food. Yes I am still baking all the kids snacks and bread. In fact I make just about everything we eat from scratch. I even make pasta:) I made my first ever black forest cake, pasta sauce with grape juice in it, perfectly chewy granola bars and have fallen in love with making artisan bread. I only have a pic of the cake not because of the camera but because they seem to get eaten up before I can take a pic. Which I guess isn't a bad thing.

Well I guess today will be spent doing a little knitting, sewing, baking and blogging.

reflecting on the past and looking to the future

Since today is New Years Eve I did what most people do, I reflect on the past year and look forward to the new year.

Reflections from the past year:

I have achieved many of the things I wanted to this past year

I have learned alot about my children(Noah has grown in the gospel and become a great example to our family,Nesta has become an amazing artist, Paige has been a great example of friendship and Sam has started to find his own personality)

I have a greater appreciation for my husband and his many talents

I grew a garden (and figured out how to make it better next year)

I got my chickens

I stopped buying processed foods (cookies and such)

I make almost all my own bread

I have improved my baking and cooking skills

I have learned to love my home

I have made and sold many items

I have improved on my sewing skills

I learned how to knit

I have learned to HATE shopping



with all these things accomplished I still feel like I have fallen short. It took alot longer than I thought to get settled on this little island. I feel like I have finally made our house a home and have helped the kids settle in but like I said something is missing. I want to have more balance. I have always been a little obsessive compulsive so balance has always eluded me. Now I am determined to have balance. Balance is my new obsessive behavior(heehee)So looking forward to the new year I want to :

plan meals so less time is spent picking things up(which ultimately ends in picking up way too many things and spending way too much money)

spend less time worrying about my house and more time enjoying it

volunteer at least 1 day a week

get to know more of the women at church and in the community

join womens institute

serve more

worry less

enjoy more

I think if I can focus on the last 3 things I'll find balance and contentment

With all my blabbing done what do you envision for you new year?

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas to all our friends and family who read my blog. I was a little worried about being away from family for the first time at Christmas but it turned out to be one of the best Christmas' in a long time.
Our day started at 5am. Yes I said 5AM. Thanks to Nana and Papa who live in a time zone 1 hour behind us the kids were forced to wait until 7AM to open up their presents. Once we were all settled we called Nana and Papa on Skype and they were able to watch the kids open their gifts. The kids were very happy with what they got so that was nice.
We had the missionaries for brunch and spent the morning setting up toys(as usual). We played some games, started a puzzle and cooked the turkey.
By 4:30 we were rushing out the door to head over to Rand and Liz's place for our Christmas diner. We spent a great night there with them and the Ross's. The food was great but the company was amazing:) Unfortunately we had to cut the night short on the count of being up since 5AM. But we are looking forward to getting together on Sunday night for some good food and some serious board game competition.
Now we are home. The kids are asleep, the chickens are tucked in, the dogs asleep in front of the fire and Josh and I are heading to bed to read. Life is good.

Starting over again

I have been a monster slacker when it comes to keeping up my blog but I am going to recommit to blogging on a regular basis. Our summer was soooo busy it made it very hard to make blogging a priority. During the summer we had Josh's brother came to visit, then his parents and we ended our summer with a visit from my dad and Diane. We spent a lot of time at the beach with Kristen and Monty. Our new friends who moved from Ohio.

We got rid of T.V so the kids were outside playing all day long. It reminded me of how we played as kids. Out all day, home long enough to stuff some food in their mouths and then back home to crash for the night. They had many great adventures with their neighbourhood friends. the T.V is back but it will definitely going away again come spring.

Josh worked most of the summer but took some time off to volunteer at the Canada games and do some antique browsing with me. Besides that we spent most of the time hosting guests.

The kids have started a new school year with Sam attending grade 1 and Nesta starting high school. They are all doing very well and we were very happy with their first term report cards.

To update everyone on our chickens, we have 8 laying hens and the roosters were sent to slaughter. It was a tearful morning when they left but at the same time it was a good experience for our family. We have gained a greater appreciation for where our food comes from and what is sacrificed for us. The remaining hens have been laying for a few months now and we are getting between 6-8 eggs a day. Even with me baking all our snacks and bread I have had a hard time using up all those eggs so many of our friends and neighbours have received a carton or two.

We have now reached the Christmas season and all is well in the Biggley home. The kids have emailed Santa with their wish lists and have filled us in on all their Christmas wants. This will be our first Christmas without family but we have been blessed with great friends here who have included us in their Christmas day celebrations.

So with my blog sufficiently updated I will make a new attempt at keeping it current.

Look what I made

Over the past while josh and I have been committed to buying locally, handmade and fresh. So as part of that we have decided to make as much as possible for ourselves. This has involved learning many new skills which have included bread making(without a bread maker) sewing my own clothes, raising hens, growing a garden and most recently canning. Kristen and I went berry picking on Thursday and got a ton of blueberries and raspberries. The next morning I made my first ever batches of blueberry and raspberry jam. guess what? They turned out perfectly:) I used the no sugar needed pectin and added only 1 1/2 cups of sugar per batch which is much better than the 7 cups per batch with regular pectin. We will be getting 300 lbs of peaches and 100 lbs. of pears in the next few weeks so that should keep me busy for a few days:)

crafting

Since it has been like 90 degrees(that's Fahrenheit Liz)all I've done is hang out at the beach and sew. The kids only have 3 weeks left until school starts and they all need new kit bags. So we headed to the mall to check them out and once I saw the $30+ price tags I knew I'd be making them instead of buying them. It then required a trip to the fabric store(woohoo) where I found 100% wool for $1 a meter yes that's right $1 A METER!!!! The first messenger bag I made was a little big for the kids so I guess I'll be forced to use it:) but the second turned out awesome. It is a grey wool outer with a skull and cross bones fabric on the inside. Noah loves it and thinks he looks pretty cool with his new bag. now there are only 3 more to do but since I know how they go together they should only take about an hour or two each to make. I am going to make the younger ones lunch bags too but I'll spare Nesta and let him paper bag.

I have made a few purses for myself( A girl can never have too many purses) and a few pairs of PJ pants($1.50 a pair) But the best so far has been the shirt I made for Paige last night. It was so simple, it only took me about an hour to make and all materials cost me no more than $1.50 a meter. I love bargain priced fabrics!.