Rag Dolls

My girls are obsessed with the Laura Ingalls-Wilder books. We have been borrowing quite a few of the series 'My First Little House Books' from the library lately. I hear them pretending to be Laura (C) and Mary (K) on a daily basis now. K even recently told Purple Grandma that she wanted us to donate our car and get a wagon and horses, instead (Me too, little one!).

I really adore how much they love these books. The stories really seem to go hand in hand with the simple life we want to live as well as with Waldorf education/living.
Well, Today K declared she wanted to wear rags in her hair to bed so she could have curls just like Mary and Laura. So I found some old scrap fabric and tied up her hair. She was thrilled!



I have to say they look rather cute on her, even with her short bangs... yes, she cut her hair, again.You can see the first time here.



C wanted to have rags in her hair, too so I found as much hair as I could and tied it up. She seemed pretty satisfied. She wants to be just like big sister, so badly.



Now to see what their hair looks like in the morning. I know they can't wait!

Rag Dolls

WIP Wednesday : Slow Return of the Creative Mojo

After a couple of months of feeling too sick to create anything, my mojo is back *knock on wood* (I don't want to curse it). I am starting small so I do not overwhelm myself. I have a few big projects I started before the morning sickness hit but I am not going to pick those back up until I know for sure I am fully back.

I started out by finishing a small project K needs for school in just a few weeks - her felted mittens to match her gnomie hat. I only had to knit and attach the cuffs so it was quick and simple. I couldn't justify buying yarn to match the rainbow colorway perfectly, so I used some leftover red yarn from K's Little Red Riding Hood cape, instead. Now I just need to lanolize them to make them really waterproof and they are set to go.


Pictures taken before I washed and blocked them

Speaking of school projects, I have a few sewing ones I really need to start but am still avoiding - place mats, napkins, cloth bag to hold her extra clothes... I feel like there is more that I am forgetting. To help my sewing procrastination *ahem* I thought I would knit up some legwarmers for K to keep at school. K was gifted with a couple of dresses and tights so I thought legwarmers would help keep her warm when she's outside playing. I am going to use up the rest of my beloved Georgia Peach yarn leftover from her neighborly.



So, not a whole lot going on but I think I can say I am slowly but surely coming back around. I hope the nesting hits soon so I can really get back to work!

What are you working on? I would love some beautiful inspiration.
Happy creating!

WIP Wednesday : Slow Return of the Creative Mojo

Whole Life Learning

This was an exhausting but extremely exciting week for us. I am going to try to condense it down best I can.
On Monday we had our home visit with K's kindergarten teachers - Miss Robin and Miss Regina. (Funny enough my friend Hillary had her home visit the same day across the country. You can read about it here.) The visit was even better than we ever could have imagined. The scheduled 30-40 minute visit lasted almost 2 hours! We didn't want it to end. Both of her teachers are so kind and full of love. I feel so blessed that K will get to spend 2 years of her life with them. We are so ecstatic about them, I really feel there are no better teachers in this world to help K grow. This was meant to be. I didn't expect to have such strong feelings for them, but I do, as does K and C. K keeps telling me that she really loves them. I have decided now that they really are angels in disguise.

During their visit we baked our yummy sugar-free carob cake. I ended up doing all the work on that, though. The girls were so engrossed in K's teachers, even baking couldn't pull them away!



While I baked, the teachers and the girls sat over on the girls' side of the kitchen and talked and played. The teachers were fed soup, fruit and drinks until they could eat no more.



Then they sang songs and made the girls butterflies out of some pipe cleaners and fiber. It was truly magical to watch. C started singing 'Angel of Mine' and K joined her. Then, would you believe Miss Robin knew the words and joined in as well?! If only you could have seen the look on K's face when she did that.

I had a few questions I asked and every answer was just so in tune and just what we were looking for. K is going to be able to keep her symbol we already use for her at home (a ladybug) in the kindergarten. That will make her transition even smoother. I also asked about changing our home rhythm to follow her new rhythm at school, but they told us to keep it the same. Home rhythm is just that - the rhythm at home and her school rhythm will be her rhythm at school. Makes total sense to me. Plus, K gets the best of both worlds now! She is excited that she'll have 2 baking days instead of one (they bake on Thursdays while we bake on Mondays). Oh and all the things she'll be making in class - applesauce, soup, bread (and she even gets to grind the grain into flour!), butter... I want to go to school, too!



K gave them a tour of our home including her bedroom. Miss Robin really loved all of K's angels and said she will feel 'very much at home' in their classroom. Both of her teachers told me how fortunate my girls are to be surrounded by such a nurturing environment at home. This meant a lot to me because I really try my hardest.


'Purple Grandma Baby' in a sari Miss Robin made

We were lucky to spend the next day with K's teachers as well. There was a playdate at a nearby park scheduled for all of K's class. Surprisingly, we were the only ones to show so once again we had her teachers all to ourselves. We played for hours and I had some amazing discussions with both of her teachers about Waldorf teaching, Steiner and the innocence of childhood. I won't go into details of the day now, because I said this would be the condensed version, but another time. I will say Miss Regina made me blush when she said she could see me as a Waldorf early childhood teacher (my dream someday).

This truly is the beginning of a beautiful adventure for all of us. I love that not just the child, but the child's entire family is truly embraced and part of the school. Waldorf education really is whole life learning at it's best!


Oh yeah, and I got to hear my little baby's heartbeat at my midwife appointment on Wednesday! There really is a little someone in there!

Whole Life Learning

Rescued!

Our family has expanded, yet again. The latest member is of the furry kind, which is probably not at all surprising. I think it's pretty known that we have a soft spot for animals in need. We do already have quite the zoo and taking on another dog is a lot but we couldn't refuse this little guy.



Meet our new little man Beowulf. Or as Kevin calls him 'Sir Beowulf the Brave'. This brave little guy was horribly neglected and abused but he was one of the lucky ones, he was rescued from that horrible situation and is now here with us. It has only been a few days but he is truly part of us already.



The girls are just smitten, and K has already declared him her puppy. I don't think she realizes this little guy will more than likely grow to be even bigger than our other two dogs. (He's an Alaskan Malamute/Siberian Husky/wolf mix.) For now she is enjoying having a puppy that is just her size.


Playing in the dirt with C (in her bathing suit before swimming)



Here's to rescued animals of every kind and the hope that someday there will be no more need for rescuing them!

Rescued!

Gratitude

Thank you, thank you so much, everyone, for your sweet words on my big news. Your kindness brought tears to my eyes. I feel so very blessed and fortunate. Thank you!



Wow, I didn't mean to be gone for another week! Morning sickness came back pretty strong this week, keeping me from doing much of anything. The irony is that I scheduled K's teacher home visit for this upcoming Monday thinking that my morning sickness would just be a distant memory by now. Opps! K's teacher is absolutely amazing, though, and she completely understands. She has even been calling to check up on me. I feel so blessed that K will be starting school with such a sweet soul, perhaps even a angel in disguise...

We celebrated my birthday today, which was not so easy considering I can't look at, smell, or be near anything remotely sweet right now (my poor family!). I woke up to the beautiful set up pictured above on our kitchen table. K (with a little help from C) set it up for me the night before. It was one of the best presents I could ever ask for. How did I get so lucky to have such thoughtful and loving girls?

Well, I suppose I should get back to last minute cleaning before our home visit Monday. Thank you again, everyone. I hope you have a beautiful weekend. I should be back here Monday.

Gratitude

This Moment : What February NOW means to me...

Thank you so much everyone for sharing what February means to you. I loved reading each and every one. As I promised, it's now my turn...

Before you were conceived, I wanted you
Before you were born, I loved you
Before you were an hour, I would die for you.
This is the miracle of love.
~ Maureen Hawkins

This Moment : What February NOW means to me...

WIP Wednesday : February

A sweet little blanket from Project Linus. Pattern & my notes here.

When you hear February, what comes to mind? Do you think of a loved one, a month, a holiday, or perhaps what the weather is like where you live? Do certain smells and tastes tingle your senses like a lit beeswax candle or hot apple cider? Do memories of your childhood come rushing back or maybe more recent memories of doing things with your own children?

Think about it and then please share what February means to you. I would love to read what everyone thinks of and, in fairness, I'll share what February means to me on Friday.

WIP Wednesday : February

Summertime Rolls

Wow. I can't believe it's been about a month since my last post. The virus really took it's sweet time working it's way out this time. Oh well, moving forward now.
I feel like I have so much to share, and I really want to hear your thoughts on quite a few things I have been thinking about, but I don't want to turn this post into a novel so they will wait...just for now.

Would you believe me if I told you I barely knit, didn't sew at all nor do any other handwork? Completely unlike me. I can never sit still and always have to be doing something with my hands, but there was a good reason, trust me! I'll go into that a bit more later in the week. For now I thought I would share a few very late summer decorating and nature table pics. We love the changing seasons and it is always so much fun for the girls and I to take down last season's things and replace them with the new season. They really look forward to it and it helps them to follow the rhythm of the year.


The girls helped a lot with decorating the nature table. I love their fairy in the boat. I took this pic more towards the beginning of summer, so the nature table has changed a bit now with a lot more nature finds.


Welcome back Father Sun!


Our summertime meal candle (We use this for every meal we eat)


Summer books


Father Sun wet on wet watercolor painting to symbolize summer (We use symbols for everything in our home instead of words, until the girls will learn to read, much later on)


Blue sky and clouds canopy on the playstands with birds flying below


Summer picture on the girls play kitchen


Summer picture above play kitchen


A couple of summer pictures in the hallway


Our summer light

The picture below isn't exactly summer but I had to share it. I could have sworn I had posted it in the springtime but I somehow managed not to. My beautiful and talented friend Rae made these gorgeous wooden eggs for the girls and surprised us with them. We absolutely adore them. K keeps hers on her nightstand by her angel candle holder and C has hers in our room in the window by her side of the bed. Sweet treasures, for sure.
Thank you again so much Rae!!



I hope you are all enjoying your summer! Wishing you all love and light!!

Summertime Rolls