Week of Feb 7, 2011

This week rabbits are our connecting theme. Lyra's fable is How Brer Rabbit Lost His Fine Bushy Tale. We will all be hopping about ( and getting some winter energy out) to songs and games about bunnies at circle time. Lyra has been making pom poms for a valentines garland, but these week they will turn into little bunny rabbits.

The riddle of the week:

What can you hold without ever it touching you hands?

From a Future American Farmer

Lyra's letter to the President regarding GE alfalfa.


Dear Mister   President  Obama:
I hope you stop the GE alfalfa  for  the organic farmers and people like me.  It is not  good  for  you  to eat  them.  We want to eat food that is from nature not from scientists.
I want to be a farmer  when I grow up and to grow seeds not tainted by GE plants.

Thank you,
Lyra Cauley
age 8

riddle of the week

Several weeks ago, I started giving Lyra a riddle at the beginning of every week. It serves many wonderful purposes. First, I read her the riddle instead of writing it on the board. She spends time trying to make sure she has written it correctly and practices her spelling.  Secondly, I do not give her the answer- but she may ask anyone we see all week. Thus, involving all the friends and family in our life into her schooling. I find this nice, honestly, because it shows a bit of what she is learning and how we teach her. And thirdly, she must think from outside the box, inside the box and underneath and above the box.  So much fun, and so much brain and character development.
This week's riddle was found on Our Little Nature Nest



It hasn’t any windows
It hasn’t any doors
Although it has a ceiling
It hasn’t any floors
‘Twas built without a builder
A hammer or a nail
Because you see this funny house
Belongs to ___________.

beautiful bread

I wanted to share this post from Susan at farmgirlfare.com . I've learned so much, actually almost everything I know, about bread making from Susan's posts. She's actually the very first blog I ever read. At the time I was looking for information on kitchen gardening. Lyra and I had just rented a garden plot and I needed info on making it work out. She is a wealth of information on all things wonderful from the earth and oven.

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.

KIM: this post is for you.

I added several books to the nurtured life favorites on amazon and also added a link to the blog on the right. And, I've added the list of blogs I follow to the left.  So, between those resources, and the others already added to the blog, I think you'll have a real good start and be reading for the next year straight!  Plus, if you have questions you can post them here. And others, like Mariah, can give you links to resources they have found helpful.  Mariah- I showed her some of the resources you have lent me, but if you wanted to highlight the pros and cons of Oak Meadow for Kindergarten, I'm sure Kim would love to hear.

and on several different notes.

First, I would like to offer the link to Heather's beautiful post that has touched me and many others. Often times when you do things in a slower, old-fashioned way, or are just plain happy with what it is you do- you hear comments that can be hurtful. This is an honest offering of the feelings that come up with in us. And the comments after the post offer much support and insight into so many other mama hearts.

Secondly, I need to express how very happy I am to have chosen to homeschool Lyra and to have trusted in myself and the Waldorf inspired method I follow. We have just started our saint legends as Lyra will be turning eight this month. When I finished telling her the story, she handed me her knitting " Can you please fix this, I got so distracted by that story,I don't know where I am any more."
The next day she spent a half an hour drawing the story. We haven't even written out the summery. At first, I started to rush her along (we don't have all day to do her schoolwork!) and then I realized that this is what she is supposed to do. This is why we do this! She will remember this story for a very long time after drawing and thinking about it for so many days.
And math- ahh, I love math now. I love its beautiful patterns and connections. I am almost brought to tears that my children will truly understand the beauty of the world from this perspective. And I can't wait to get started everyday.

Thirdly, I've been asked to share this absolutely wonderful gingerbread recipe. Its just so good. The babies were following me around trying to get the crumbs from the dustpan. We've made it twice this week and only stopped because we are out of molasses.

Circle for the week of January 10th, 2011

This week Lyra is doing her first Saint legend with the story of Kentigern and the Robin. She will be making some origami twirling birds to go with the story, which I think the younger girls will like as well. When they are done twirling we will turn them into a mobile.

She is going to read the fable of the Peacock's Complaint to the smaller girls at circle time. We will do some peacock stories and yoga in circle as well this week. The stories all have a theme of recognizing with gratitude our own strengths and strengths of those around us.
And finally, our songs for the week involve the cold winter outdoors and keeping ourselves warm and healthy.

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.

Joyfilled Holiday

We have had a beautiful few weeks here. So many crafts and life lessons, seasonal treats, spiritual growth, new babies ( yay, baby Rhys is finally here!).
With all these wonders to take in and learn from, I feel excited to share thoughts and photos- and also a little swept away in my rhythm.  The advent garland has been so wonderful, as it has kept me on task and the children entertained. I just move the marker and do what I had planned on that day and low, it looks as if Christmas Eve is a few days a way and I am actually on schedule!
So for the time being, I'm gonna let the rhythm carry me and look forward to sharing all our projects in those quite days between Christmas and New Years. I am also looking forward to spending a lot of time with the new bundle, can't wait to spend some hours with that boy!

St. Lucia day

December 13th has always been a celebration in our home as it is the Papa of the house's birthday. So when planning our St. Lucia celebration we blended the traditional swedish traditions with our family birthday traditions. It made perfect sense to continue with the early morning coffee and sweets. Lyra on the other hand, did not like the idea of candles on her head, even unlit ones. So we left these off. I made her a crown of boxwood ( something we do every year around this time) and she wore it while carrying a tray of coffee and cookies with one of our lanterns from martinmas. This year we have studied more about people who have celebrated St. Lucia day, than St. Lucia.  Next year, I'd like us to make some sweet rolls for the girls to serve daddy in the morning.

And here are some other festivities we've been up to  .    .    .

advent circles of our own

Blessed we are to have a little circle of people who share our daily lives, our hopes for our families, and a deep and true love. Friendship is just not a strong enough word to encompass the way I feel about these women and their families.  I confessed one day that I had wanted to give two of them a gift of advent circles for christmas this year, but could not think of a way to make or afford them.  Mariah solved this problem with the simple idea that three of our families would go in together. Mariah and I would give to January's family, January and Mariah to mine, January and I to Mariah's.
Now, our advent circles are a little different then the traditional but they encompass the needs of our families and are all exactly the same. Over the years we will all add and change them, but the basic circle will always be the same- an heirloom for our families and a symbol of our undying friendship.
This is the first year that I have had a whole advent season planned for my family. I have fully enjoyed the whole experience from planning an event to seeing the excitement on my children's faces.

This is the song we have been singing while lighting our candles. It's a slight adaption on a traditional pagan yule song, and it does indeed bring me comfort and joy.

God bless you merry gentlefolk, let nothing you dismay,
Remember that the sun returns, upon the solstice day,
The growing dark has ended now, and spring is on its way,
Oh, tidings of comfort and joy, comfort and joy,
Oh, tidings of comfort and joy.

The winters worst still lies ahead, fierce tempest, snow and rain,
Beneath the blanket on the ground, the spark of life remains!
The sun's warm rays caress the seeds, to raise life's song again!
Oh, tidings of comfort and joy, comfort and joy,
Oh, tidings of comfort and joy.

Within the blessed apple lies, the promise of the queen
For from this pentacle shall rise, the orchards fresh and green,
The earth shall blossom once again, the air be sweet and clean,
Oh, tidings of comfort and joy, comfort and joy
Oh, tidings of comfort and joy.

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.

Winter edition of Rhythm of the Home

The much anticipated winter edition of Rhythm of the Home comes out today and I am very honored to be a contributor.  Just the opening page fills me with excitement, there is so much beauty there. And I know that Rhythm of the Home, keeps all of us connected, reminding us that there are other families living simple and beautiful lives.There are many exciting articles, crafts and ideas for us to browse through. I can't wait!

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!

Thanksgiving

This morning as I rolled my pies with the other early risers in my house, I was so filled with gratitude for the spirit of celebration that has become a way of life.  Yes, it did take focus and years of self-work, but now joy is a natural part of life.  This pies are an example of that celebration

for the farmers that produce of food

for the skills I learned from my mother and grandma

for the people I have to feed and love

for the home that lives and breaths around me

for the joy I find in being me

wife, mother, teacher, friend, lover, daughter, my true, true self.

As I rolled these with my grandma's rolling pin, I could feel her hands on mine, hear her words.  I am thankful for all those generations of men and women who worked so hard before me, that I may have a life I love.

 Happy Thanksgiving, 

may your hearts and bellies be full.