The Crow and the Pitcher

Ollie's Lesson was from the Aesops Fable, The Crow and the Pitcher.

Ashley drew the picture.  Pretty impressive I'd say.

Of course, Ollie wasn't impressed.

Lantern Walk

This was a magical night!

We started out with warm soup and fresh bread by candlelight.

We then lit our lanterns, which we had made earlier in the day, 

and began our walk out into the backyard while singing

The sunlight fast is dwindling,

My little lamp needs kindling.

It's beam shines far in darkest night, 

Dear lantern guard me with your light.

We reverently walked along our creek singing, until Ava pushed Ollie and made his candle go out.  Then Ollie started getting angry in classic Ollie fashion.

I was about to get upset myself, but then took a deep breath, and Ashley and I were able to turn it into an even more spiritual experience.  We talked to the kids about how sometimes, our candles, or our inner light, does go out.  But just as I relit Ollie's candle with mine we can help others, or ask for help ourselves, if our inner light burns out.

After we finished, we came inside for hot cocoa by candlelight.

It was a simple, quiet celebration and I loved it!

St. Martin

I've wanted to teach my children using a Waldorf based curriculum, but I couldn't find the right one.

But I found it!  A Little Garden Flower!

It's only been a few short weeks, but I'm loving it.

I'm so happy to be embarking on this Waldorf journey with my kids.

I can't think of any other way I would want them to learn.

This is my chalkboard drawing of Saint Martin for Ollie's Main Lesson.

Tomorrow we will be going on our lantern walk, it will be our first, and I'm so excited!

Oh, so are the kids. 

Soaking Up Every Ray We Can

It's about this time of year that we all start feeling a bit crazy.

(I feel crazy fairly often, but this is a different kind of crazy)

We let ourselves believe that Summer is just around the corner, it is after all, Spring.

But we forget what Spring at 6000 feet in Utah means.

It means that on April 1st, it is hot.  Play at the park without shoes and get sweaty and sunburned, hot.

April 2nd, the wind starts blowing.  Hard.

April 3rd dawns with snow.  Inches of snow.

And on April 4th, with half melted white patches still on the ground, we play outside.

We pretend it didn't snow, and we pretend it's not cold.

Because, for goodness sake, it is April 4th, and it is Spring, and every inch of us is yearning to feel the sun on our faces and the grass tickling our toes.

So this Mama and her three little ones, will continue to live in denial.

Doesn't it look like Spring to you?

A Gift

So, guess what my Mom gave me...

What an amazing gift!  

I've been spending all my spare time spinning, 

I'll post pictures of my new girl soon.

This Moment

{this moment} - A Friday ritual.  Inspired by SouleMama

If you're inspired to do the same, leave a link to your 'moment' in the comments for all to find and see.

*** *** ***

On a walk

Spring is here, and we are outside!  

I love Spring.

I'm sure in the next few weeks, we'll have a giant snowstorm that will cover all the grass again, 

but for now, we are walking.

{this moment} - A Friday ritual.  Inspired by SouleMama

If you're inspired to do the same, leave a link to your 'moment' in the comments for all to find and see.

*** *** ***

Summery goodness... in March.

Coming towards the end of a long winter,

nothing tastes better than summery peach butter spread on warm homemade bread.

Canning in September is so worth it, in March.

Art, I Want You.

Ava loves art.  She wants to create things All Day Long.  But Ollie, not so much.  He likes to make Lego creations, which is an art form of it's own, but drawing pictures, painting, coloring, he never wants to do it.  So I'm always trying to think of things to inspire him.

When I came across this video, I just knew both my kids would love it.

They did, both of them, and it inspired them to do some watercolor paintings of their own. 

The key is to use some good pens first, like Sakura Pigma Micron Pens, 

to draw the picture, then paint over it with watercolors.  We just used cheap watercolors, but it would be even more fun if you used artist quality watercolors and let the kids mix their own colors.

I love to see their creativity sparked and have them completely overcome with the process. 

It really makes me happy.

Gnome #2

Another Pointy Elf Hat from More Last Minute Knitted Gifts.

This is such a fun hat to knit. 

It's fast and so simple.

This one is a bit bigger than my last, made for my 5 year old, Ava. 

This one is made from some yarn I spun up on one of my Mom's wheels a few weeks ago.

Ravelry notes here.

On another note, this poor cat, Bumblebee.

I think Ava would love her to death if I let her. 

For some reason, 

Bumble does not share Ava's love of snuggling.

Poor Poor Bumblebee.

Yummy Granola

I've tried so many granola recipes, or granilla as my kids call it,

and I've finally come up with one the whole family loves. 

(Even a certain very picky seven year old).

I'll admit right now, this isn't the healthiest of granola recipes,

but that's what you get when you have a picky little one,

you compromise. 

It's not completely unhealthy, 

it just has quite a bit of sweet in it,

and who doesn't love sweet? 

Mmm Mmm Tasty Granilla 

Heat oven to 325 degrees.

Mix together in a very large bowl:

8-10 c Rolled Oats

1-2 c Wheat Germ

In a saucepan mix together:

1/2 c Raw Honey

1/4 c Maple Syrup

1/2 c Brown Sugar

1 TB Vanilla

1 TB Cinnamon

1 1/2 tsp Ground Cloves (this ingredient is key to the tastiness)

1 tsp Salt

1/2 c Cold Pressed Coconut Oil

Stir on low heat until all ingredients are just melted.

Pour honey mixture over oats and stir to coat evenly.

Pour onto 2 shallow baking trays and place in oven.

Bake for 20-30 minutes depending on your preference for

chewy or crunchy granola, stirring once halfway through.

Watch it carefully, 

there is a fine line between toasted granola and burnt granola 

and the latter will make you very sad indeed.

If desired, stir in:
1-3 c Raisins or Dried Cranberries (or a combo)

This is so yummy sprinkled over yogurt, ice cream, or just in a bowl with milk.

Enjoy!

A tote for a trip

I just got back from visiting family in Southern California.

It was just myself and my youngest, Opal.

I left my house at a frigid 20 degrees 

and stepped off the airplane in Long Beach to a pleasant, 

almost hot, 80 degrees.

The day before I left, 

because I'm kind of crazy, 

I decided I had to have a new bag for the occasion.

I've had the book,

 Weekend Sewing: More Than 40 Projects and Ideas for Inspired Stitching,

 for quite some time now, and have made several projects from it.
It is really such a great book with simple, yet satisfying, projects.

This was my first attempt at the Everything Tote and I absolutely love it!
The name is so fitting, literally.

It's like Mary Poppins bag.

It holds everything without looking too big.

It has a contrasting lining and inner pockets, very cute.

It was the perfect size for the flight with a little one.

It fit everything I needed, including a bulky knitting project I'm working on, 

but wasn't to big to carry in addition to the baby in my arms.

Oh sunshine, I miss you already!

My Little Gnome

I've always wanted a Gnome of my very own.

Now I have one.

Meet Opal the Gnome:

Although, I never knew a Gnome could be so cute.

The pattern is Pointy Elf Hat from More Last-Minute Knitted Gifts and is so easy.

I hope to make a few more very soon.

The yarn is my own hand spun.

My mom has been a hand spinner for most of my life, 

and until the last few years, 

I haven't had much interest in learning myself.

I started knitting about 3 years ago and my desire to learn to spin has been growing ever since.

How amazing it feels to create something from start to finish.

I don't have my own spinning wheel yet, 

but my mom has 7!

Did I say 7?

Yes, 7.

7 spinning wheels.

Maybe next time I go to visit her, I will document them.

Anyway, I'm sure I won't have any trouble trying to find one to learn on.

Opal wants to wish you a very gnomey day!

Very Owley

I homeschool.

It wasn't something that I ever thought I would choose,

but as my first born was getting older and his schooling days were fast approaching,

I started researching, and checking out my options.

It turns out, homeschooling is perfect for us.

We're currently studying, among other things, Owls.

Tell me these aren't the cutest owls you have ever seen.

Homeschooling is hard.  

It's hard to not have a break from the kids.

It's hard to keep them excited every day.

It's hard to keep them, and myself happy.

But it's so worth it.

We learn together.

We struggle together.

We teach each other.

All day long.

toxic

So, I've kind of jumped on the crazy wagon.

I'm currently obsessing over the ingredients in our beauty products.

I'm probably a little behind on this, but did you know?

I have naively believed in the past, that because I live in America,

toxic materials would not be knowingly sold to me as beauty products!

Kind of a rant, but do your homework, you'll be sad.

Anyway, a few months ago I starting using olive oil to clean my face.

I know, I know.

How could putting oil on your face, clean it?

I read about it here, and it really works!

My skin hasn't looked this good since I was 10.

Birth: part 2

With baby number 3, I was a little more informed and experienced, 

and decided to follow a different path.

My midwife, Suzanne, wears a tight bun on the back of her head and a pencil behind her ear.

She's very experienced, with over 1000 births under her belt.

I felt very confident in her ability to deliver my baby safely.

Unfortunately, I lived too far away for her to attend at my own home.

Instead, I chose to have my baby at Suzanne's birthing center.

My contractions started early in the morning,

but they were completely irregular.  

They continued all day, becoming more intense, but not regular.

In the early afternoon, we headed to my parents house 

(we lived an hour and a half from the birthing center, and they were only thirty minutes from it).

When we finally decided it was time, I was convinced we had waited too long and I was going to have my baby on the side of the freeway!

It was pouring rain, and there was an accident on the road, but we finally made it.

Suzanne was there waiting for us.

I delivered my little Opal into a pool of warm water, one hour after arriving at the Birthing Center.

Even though this baby was my third, I had never experienced anything like this delivery.

The pain was so insane I felt like I wasn't even in my body anymore, 

and then I was holding a beautiful little girl.

I was able to stay in the pool for awhile, just getting to know my new tiny baby.

No one took her away to weigh and measure her.

No one poked her or prodded her.

She was just with me.

I loved her instantly.

So peaceful, no crying.

And I had brought her here, all by myself.

Birth: part 1

My first two babies, I had in a hospital, with all that that implies:

induction, pitocin, epidural, episiotomy, 

numb legs, postpartum depression,

and doubt.

Doubt about my contractions.

Doubt about pushing and if I was doing it the right way.

Doubt about breastfeeding and if I was capable.

Doubt about my own ability to mother.

My ability to mother?  Are you kidding me?

I am a Mother, that is what I am made to be.  Of course I know how to mother.

But still I doubted.

Why did I doubt?  Why would I doubt?

The more I thought about it, the more I realized why;

Why wouldn't I?

If I couldn't push out my own baby, without the help of Doctors, Nurses, Monitors, and Meds,  then how in the world could I feel capable of caring for the little one?

And so, upon this realization, I decided the third time would be different.  

I decided, but had no idea how different it would be.

I know, what a lovely picture.

Shhhhh

I have a secret:

I have always wanted to have a blog.

Well, I had one, once.  But, I didn't take care of it, and it died.

So I'm trying again, and this time, I will keep it a secret for a little while.  Just until I prove to myself that it isn't going to be neglected and that I won't kill it.

So, here I go! (Again)