Celebrating Our Snow Day

There are very few days that we end up with a spontaneous day off. We got a few in the very big snow season last year. But of all those, our papa was always gone for work. Now that we have our own business  we have been waiting and waiting for a snow where he can be at home. Today, we have no childcare children because of the snow and are now anxiously awaiting David's arrival, hoping it will be before the worst of the storm and before "Mariah's Now Famous Cinnabuns" are ready to eat.




 We are also hoping that we will all be tucked in snug at home tomorrow. We have made the most of our day. Watching Little Women twice.  Sledding and shoveling. And we brought out the sewing machines.  Lyra and I do not have a place to leave up our machines and our fabric  (though I think I may have devised a way in the near future). Getting everything out is a bit of a hassle that requires more bits of time and space. She wanted to make a special bag for a special friends birthday. And I took a minute after we were done to whip up some of those snack bags Heather from Shivaya Naturals made this week. I do not use plastic bags and foil, so yes I often have sandwiches in napkins and pyrex in my purse.  I made mine in a large size, since I  feed a whole handful of children. Plus, they could hold just about anything. So now I am fashionably green. Or, at least my food is.

Below are several photos of the time between Christmas and now when my computer would not let me upload photos.

wax ornaments (lyra)

(Hazel) santa got all the credit

Rhys

Lyra lovin' Rhys

Hazel and her Reindeer food ( popcorn, cranberries and sanding sugar)

Ice skating for New Years

paper snow flakes to replace our christmas decor

impromptu yoga class lead by Lyra

Mariah and I were invited to join as students, we didn't resist.

becoming a Brownie

math, we love fours.

and turning eight.

ice skating party with friends

making the purse today

in the middle of the night Hazel woke me up " warmers, warmers". I said well you need to keep the covers on. She said "no, you promised to make me warmers, and you haven't". Needless to say- I got right on that!

And, our daddy made it home.

so we went to play in the snow

the girls have never gotten to play with daddy in the snow

the house will be covered by morning!

now its time for some toasty tea

and, Little Women- one more time.

The New Year

The christmas things are packed away, and the new year rhythm has begun at our house. We had a beautiful quite week between Christmas and New Years. The only little glitch is that I can not load my pictures to my computer. I have some new software and there seems to be something wrong with iphoto. I am anxious to see those magical pictures of my girls on Christmas morning. We have a very eventful tradition of waking up extremely early ( as early as 4:30) and enjoying what Santa has brought to our house.  Then we gather up the girls and bundle them into the car and arrive before sunrise at my father and step-mother's house ( they live one neighborhood over). My sisters moan and groan about how early we come ( they are not married with babies yet), but my dad has been up all night waiting and everyone really is so excited. This is one of Lyra's favorite traditions, going to grandpa's in the dark. We spend all morning there, and then around lunch head to my mother's family Christmas. We spend Christmas Eve evening at my mother and other step-mother's house but Christmas Day we attend the family Christmas I grew up with, every family member in attendance, all but Grandma, who passed away in October of 2008.  Reminds me of the Whoos in Whooville, Christmas comes all the same- with out packaging and bows and even without Grandma.
So yes, it is a busy day full of shifting and some driving. And I know many people complain about this part of the holidays, but to us- it is the tradition. It is the holiday. And in the past, this is what people did on special days, go visiting. My children were obviously covered in packages and treats. And they were so gracious and lovely, I am very proud of them.  Each time they were surprised and enjoyed the generosity of their grandparents and relatives.
Throughout the following week we visited with our Jordan counterparts and stayed in jammies.  I even managed to NOT follow my rhythm while still staying in good spirits. I left the house in its post- holiday state all week long. Then on New Years we went ice skating. AND then I cleaned up, put the decorations away and we started preparing the celebration that looks like everyday life.
For our first day back to school work we did some fable reading, worked on our 4xs tables and started a calendar for the year. We made paper snow flakes to fill the house that looked so bare without its christmas trimmings. Lyra and I started planning our year wheel, and later this week she will do a week wheel.  The youngsters don't seem interested in circle, and I don't have January back from maternity leave till next week, so I think circle can wait until then. Hazel said she wants to learn the song but can I just sing it while she plays blocks. Yes, yes I can.

360 moons ( give or take)

Earlier this week Lyra asked us how many months old she was. And January and I helped her figure this out in her head. To us and our nature based life, her question about her age in months became her age in moons. Well my birthday is today so of course we did me too, and found that I was 360moons old.  It sounds very romantic and wise so I think I'll keep it.  I have no issues with turning thirty. My husband and all my friends are older than me, for one. But secondly, I like growing up. I alway have. I don't mind getting older, as long as I don't get old before my time. Which I currently do not feel in danger of.  I look forward to the day of white hair ( I do hope to get my grandma's pure white locks), in their time. I have spent my whole life waiting for this lifetime. All my hopes and dreams were for these early adult years. I had goals and dreams and they have been fulfilled with more joy than I had hope for.

In my early twenties, as a new mother and wife- things were not going exactly as I had imagined. I had a sick baby, a very stressed husband, a negative balance in the checking account and a lot of confusion.  How could this be going so wrong? Well, I just flat out refused to give all the joy I had waited for over to worry and heartache.  This would not be stolen from me, and especially not BY me. I found yoga. I actually didn't find yoga so much as start a regular practice. And from that practice, I found the whole world I had been looking for. I found other people who believed in themselves and nature. I found cloth diapers.  I found CSAs and farmers markets. I found beautiful friends. I found my true self and permission to be happy despite unsettling things in the world or my life.  I found that my husband was more wonderful than I had let him be.  I found all the problems in my life were my own making. And over the years, I tended the path, and practiced, and meditated. And so here on my thirtieth birthday, I sit a real, full grown woman.  I am no longer in a rush to get here. I am no longer in a rush at all. I am ready to linger over all the future days.

Advent Garland

I had really wanted to get this post up before the 1st. Not only because it is the start of December, but because I wanted a nice foot forward as I hoped to be making some new friends with the winter ROTH edition. But as fate, or family life would have it, that did not happen. I had been planing this garland for some time, many, many others have influenced it.  Much gratitude to all you  talented women and your inspiration.

I took out the felt last weekend and before I could start the project, it disappeared. Really it did. We looked every where and then today at the last moment- it was found! In the puppy's toy bin. So the crafting began.

                     Lyra helped trace the stars and trees in pencil. I used a pen on the darker colors.

And I let her take pictures.

I let the girls cut out some stars to make fingerknit crowns. And they let me do the rest of the cutting. We do so many projects together. I just wanted this one for my own.

After they were asleep I cut out the events of the next month on little postage labels.

Cut little slits and strung them on some twine.

So there will be this surprise in the morning.  I have noticed that my oldest learns best when things are hung around our home. And I wanted them to see and anticipate what was coming in the way of celebration. Now she can read them each morning and we can move the little marker and count the days till Christmas.

Wishing joy to you and your families this season.

Circle the week of November 29th

St. Nicholas Verse

Upon his snow white steed
With wind and lightning speed
St. Nicholas leaves the sky
And comes a-riding by

Illustration from Santa Claus Comes to Americaby Singer & Baldridge, 1942

The little hare hops nigh
And lifts his nose up high
The stag with pointing horn
Leaps over bush and thorn

And all the creatures dear
Are drawing quickly near
Before St. Nicholas bow
Their little heads so low

And we will learn a tune
Of sun and star and moon
And sing our happy lay
Sing on St. Nicholas Day!

cupcakes

Big sis is out camping in the woods with girl scouts. Little sis, cries and misses her. Here I thought that I was going to get a little person who would be oh-so-happy to be with just me, and a me that was going to be mad anxious about my bigger one. Nope.  Turns out, I'm not worried about the elated little face I left in the woods. And turns out, also, that I was the one excited to spend time alone with my littlest love.
This morning at 8am, we picked up five beautiful cupcakes from our favorite bakery.  These cupcakes are for my step-daughter's birthday. We go to ballet, we pick up Emilee ( an hour away), we go shopping for hours, we spend quite time lounging in the house. All the time Hazel waiting patiently (she only asked cheerfully every 15minutes, when we would have cupcakes). Finally, we blew out candles so she could have hers. Oh such pure and full enjoyment. I only wish I had a video tape. Hazel has the most expressive expressions and gestures of any human I've ever meet.  I sat and watched her enjoy every single bite, without a word between us.  I never actually tasted the cupcake, but I feel as if I did, just watching her. Apparently, it was quite wonderful.

Now, which one shall I choose? And may I enjoy it as fully as my  three year old.

celebrating autumn

the shelter in the woods

Making Owl Nests

Shelling Acorns