Their visit was such a lovely balance of downtime and activity close to home, with a few quiet adventures. Saturday, we made eggs and bacon for breakfast, the boys played, Nicholas read to them, and we got out for a walk and time to play in the (melting) snow before lunch. While the boys napped, I knit on some slipper socks for Nicholas, Jessica read, we drank half-caf coffee and talked. After naps, we got everyone bundled up a bit, loaded in the truck, and then drove to our downtown so the boys could watch the ice skaters at the park...

Listening to Bruce Cockburn, specifically his Crowing Ignites and Speechless albumsI'm always, always, always with a little kitchen helper by my side. Today we made toasty butternut pancakes (a favorite recipe for a very long time!) and superhero muffins. He handed me carrots to put in food processor, cracked eggs (messy, lol), whisked batter, helped me oil muffin pans (with a silicone brush), turned the crank on the nut grinder, and splashed about in soapy water.Sunshine-y walks, outdoor playdates, and the chance to actually talk while the babies played...

I mention the snow, since it sets the mood for our winter life. It shapes how we spend our time, and it changes both the view and the landscape out our windows. It's been awhile since I wrote a little post about what life is like lately, so I thought I'd include one here:Friends visiting, back in mid-January. Our friends Lauren and Casey visited with their new baby girl! Oh, how normal and good it felt to have them stay in our guest room...

His birthday was at the end of January, on a Tuesday. We celebrated with his family the weekend before, they came over for gifts, and I baked two cakes (a grain free almond cake and a kladdkaka). We lit a candle on his slice and sang, and Cooper was fascinated by the candlelight.It wasn't a fancy celebration this year, but most days, he'd prefer to have a nice meal at home and a cozy evening, tucked in...

General plans and ambitions A pair of socks for my dad! These were actually a Christmas gift for him, but we had our belated family Christmas in early January, and technically, I didn't bind off the second sock until January third. These are his first pair of handknit socks that I've knit for him, and they won't be his last! As such, I did have to figure out a good "recipe" that fits him and I took lots of notes on my Ravelry page so that I can recreate the same fit next time. I think the garter rib looks nice, and it seems to fit well, as well as it's a rather simple texture that still knits up quickly. Details: Yarn: Paton's North America Kroy Socks in the color Eclipse stripes Pattern: my own numbers for vanilla socks (CO 72 stitches on US 1), used toe decreases and notes from Late Night Socks Needles: US size 1, since this yarn errs on the thicker side of fingering to lightweight sportweight Specifics/modifications: I compared the foot length to another pair of socks he had (thanks, mom!) There is one other finished project that is en route to its recipient; I will share more once it arrives...