Halloween Grinch?

I might be the grinch of Halloween because although I didn't steal it, I did make it a little less fun for some people. I passed out healthy treats. Kind of funny considering I remember the exact people that did that to me when I was young (and didn't like it), but I did it. I really don't like a holiday that celebrates something that we at all other times of the year forbid. Is candy really necessary? Does it not cause cavities on Halloween? I also don't like the 'scary' aspect of it. I tried to get Maetia excited about dressing up in a costume but everytime we went somewhere she kept seeing a witch or ghost and was perplexed by them and started to be afraid of them too. I told her they were just silly people with green faces or googly eyes but she was scared. We did carve pumpkins together which was fun. Maetia requested one with it's tongue sticking out and one with the first letters of her and Eli's name. In the end she saw her cousins all dressed up and she wanted to do it too. It was great to have my sister from PEI and her kids there for the fun too. At one point, there were 4 princesses, Maetia being one of them. This is not what I would have chosen for my daughter's costume considering I am sort of anti princess but I digress.... she had a lot of fun. Eli was good sport, kind of wondering what the fuss was all about. So it wasn't so bad, I dressed up in a long embroidered dress and we didn't see too many witches that night. Maetia didn't really even notice when we took her candy away after a few days.

Lest we forget

Today in Canada, it is Rememberance Day. It is on this day in 1918 that World War I ended. We have services to remember the fallen and those who have served to keep our country safe. I don't agree with the war in Afghanistan where many Canadians have died, but I do remember them, pray for them and pray for an end to the violence in that country. On Saturday our Government did something good for my community. As a part of celebrating 250 of democracy in our country, grants were given out to create monuments to commemorate this. Our little village of Woodville has about 300 community members and on Saturday we unveiled and dedicated a monument to remember 88 soldiers from this place who fought for our democracy. There are times when I can be negative about government officials, jobs, handouts, lack of support, etc etc...
I honestly don't know what bothers me more, an election campaign that lasts 2 years and wastes alot of money or one that starts and ends in just 5 weeks almost as if it never happened. Well today (and Saturday because people had to come from very far away), I was very proud to say I am a Nova Scotian, a Canadian and I will always remember what other people have done for me, my children and my country.

Blisters

Maetia turned 2 1/2 this month which was really strange for me because in some ways she seems much older but then in other ways, I can remember her birth, her first attempt at scooting and walking. Now she is a chatterbox that is busy all the time. She loves to play and has a great imagination. She has fun with her play kitchen and she pretends to do a lot of gymnastics. She is good big sister to Eli, and likes to try and hold him (and carry him if I am not looking)! She has a few dolls that she loves and for some reason, one of them gets 'breastmilk' and one of them gets a bottle. She is growing well and eating better. She is off all her medication and although we have to be careful when she gets a chest cold, her breathing and reflux are almost gone.

Maetia has a bit of an attitude and because she is so observant she knows when I am making something up to satisfy her questions. She will ask me things like "Where does the vegetable live?" and I explain. Then she asks me "What makes the carrots orange?" and I explain. Then she will say "No mommy you are wrong." So I say fine, whatever and she demands a new explaination. It is tiring when I am busy or at 7pm but also really funny. Every night we pray for our family and friends and lately she is asking "where is God and why doesn't He sleep in my room? Ask Him to come down from Heaven." I did tell her that He is everywhere and even in her room but then she started looking around and that got confusing.
Yesterday she had a splinter and I took it out for her and she kept telling everyone she had a blister. When she would look to her foot to show people, she couldnt' find it and told me to put it back!
She says sweet things like, "Mamma, where is Daddy?" I say he is at work. "Why is he there?" That is his job, I say. "What is my job Mamma?" To be a little girl and have fun and learn. "What is your job Mamma?" To be a good mamma to you and Eli and sometimes I am a farmer. "I like your job, you are good job mamma." Awww, we love her so much!!


Feeding Tido in the tub

Dress up time. She says I am a woooman at the groocy stowa.

Helping daddy with the Timber.

Before

After
Her new haircut makes her look so much older but so sweet too

At rest

Two weeks ago I ended my CSA season. It was really nice to be done and yet kind of sad too. I stayed at my sister's house in PEI after Thanksgiving for an extra 4 days which I couldn't have done if I was delivering. Then I cleaned and organized my house which is already a disaster but it felt nice for a few days. We are getting accustomed to the new routine of Mama not leaving and although I like being in the garden, I also like to be in my pajamas until almost noon. We have been heading out for walks or bike rides while the weather holds up. Fall in Nova Scotia is amazing and this year our colours were spectacular again! My father helped me deliver on our last week because I doubled up the baskets (to be finished by THanksgiving)and my truck wasn't big enough. It was nice to have him help me bring the heavy, squash filled baskets up into some of the buildings and introduce him to everyone. It makes you realize that not all buildings are handicapp accessible. Ramps and automatic doors should be madatory!
For the last week, I let customers choose what items they wanted for storage. I had apples, pears, potatoes, carrots, squash, and turnips. I did this to see if next season, it could work to let them choose each week what they want in their box. Some CSA's do this and I commend them. Some people put in their order right away but others waited until the day before and some didnt' even get back to me. It was a nightmare and way too much to keep track of (for me) each week. I was going to go to a conference in Ontario about starting a new CSA but now I think we are going to New Brunswick to visit two different CSA's there and pick those farmer's brains to see how I can improve. I will take any and all advice. But for now, the garlic is planted, the plants are composting and I am really looking forward to spending more time at home as the garden is at rest.

Here is Drake and I before we loaded the squash and pumpkins on the truck

We can't get enough of him

Eli turned 6 months this month. He is already a half year old. Time flies when you are busy growing. He is an amazing little boy and we love him so much. He has already mastered crawling, sitting and much to Michael's delight, saying "Dada". He is a very rough and tumbly boy with lots of smiles and shrieks. I first had to mourn the sweet smelling poopy diapers because he started some solid foods but now he is completely weaned and his diapers are no fun, not even with cloth.
Eli has been a beautiful blessing in our lives and although we are busier, we couldn't be happier.


Outside with a hat

Bathtub fun

Together at the cottage for a party to celebrate his baptism

Inside with a hat (cold in our house!)

Huggable

Renovations

Michael has been working hard at fixing up our place. He recently put in a timber frame in between the kitchen and living room. While preparing the wall for the timber, he found shavings for insulation (not so fire retardant!), a sardines can and some papers from the Sunday School teacher in 1952. It looks great, way to go Michael!!

Camping

We thought we would back up a bit since we haven't blogged in a while. We were able to get away for a few days and go camping as a family. Well, we will call it camping although not much time was spent at the 'camp'. We had a great walk-in tent site with lots of good food and toys/activities galore. We were prepared for rain, sun, wind and no sleep. We were not prepared for the layer of mosquitoes that covered our children within minutes of arriving. We spent most of the time in the tent with the kids while the other person made the food or went to the bathroom. We made up for it by spending two whole days outside on the beach and went on some really good hikes. When the forecast was 'rain and then a damp day following', we decided to pack it in. We left early in the morning and made it home before lunch. We went up to the cottage and unpacked and cleaned up and put cream on the children's swollen heads. That night we had a bugfree fire on the beach and a restful (as restful as you get with two little ones) sleep.

Waking up in the tent

Silly Maetia at the cottage

Eli and I snuggling on the beach with the Mobywrap

Maetia playing in the sand

Eli loves his jolly jumper so much. He gets a lot of height!