Little Acorn Learning

And the Winner Is.....

2012-02-10T15:45:00.002-05:00

Congratulations to ROJO of Our Lovely Mess for winning the Wooden Camera Giveaway from Pure Play Kids! The winner was chosen by using a Random Number Generator:

From ROJO:

"my kids love to act out two of their favorite book series: Narnia and Harry Potter. we have a lot of (stick) wands around our house and plenty of swords, daggers and bows. i'm a photographer, so this camera would be amazing to add to the mix of toys! thanks for the chance!"

Please contact us at info at littleacornlearning dot com to claim your prize!

Thank you to all who participated and check back on Valentine's Day for another SWEET giveaway!

xoxo

Little Felt Purses

2012-02-09T20:51:00.003-05:00

The girls were inspired by these sweet little felt purses in the Felt Wee Folk book I have so we took out our supplies and spent the afternoon together creating.
Keira decided that she wanted to do a bluebird :)
And Maia loves everything with horses so she created her own horse design for her little purse.
And look at the beautiful result. I'm very proud of my girls.
Brianna will be working with Mommy tomorrow to get her doggie purse done. She helped with the cutting today.

xoxo

Many Ways to Learn...

2012-02-08T23:09:00.011-05:00

After a very difficult year and my deep desire to give home education a try we decided to take Maia out of public school for the rest of this school year. She’s been crying each morning and having a horrible time in her class. Both my husband and I have been unhappy with her experience but we were not sure which route to take.

As many of you know, I have a love/hate relationship with public schooling in general. There are many good things and programs offered in the schools. Yet, the intense pressure, the standardized testing, the lack of creativity in the classroom and the over-crowded classrooms... well you get it. And as I have worked with so many homeschoolers over the years, I have come to realize what an amazing experience it can be for children. They are not sitting at their kitchen counter all day with their mother... they are exploring the world and being exposed to many different people and places.

At first, I was thinking up a way to bring Maia over to the Waldorf School but the commute, the tuition and the amount of work I would have to do to make it happen are just really too much to commit to right now in our lives. That's not to say we will not go that route down the road. My little one is still attending their three day Kindergarten program and thriving there.

And, there are some wonderful local educational programs that Maia can be a part of now including cooperatives and drop-off programs with tutors teaching science, math and language. One in particular I am very interested has a class of approximately 7 students (perfect for Maia) and runs 4 hours in length each day that they meet. While not Waldorf school, it will be a nice bridge for us as we transition out of public school and search for a better fit for our family, giving her a classroom experience and taking some of the pressure off of me as we begin. And on the days that she is home I plan on incorporating waldorf educational methods.

This year we've had a hard time figuring out the best educational choices for our girls. While my older daughters are "getting through" school, public school was a complete disaster for my youngest daughter Brianna which is why we switched her to the Waldorf school.

Then, Maia's experience at school became so miserable for her that she began crying each morning not wanting to go to class. She was getting lost in the shuffle of the large crowd... often having to stay in for recess because of a large group of misbehaving children or sit through countless lectures on good behavior when she was already behaving. She asked if she could bring books in from home because her reading bin was empty as she already read all of the books at her level.

So I had to ask myself... is this really what is good for my child? Just because it is what "everyone" is doing? Is this healthy socialization and an ideal educational experience. At this time my answer is no. It may work again for us in the future but right now it is not.

I know well-meaning family members and friends may worry and question our decision and have concerns about things like "socialization". I do not look forward to being questioned and having to justify our choices. But when I visited my child for lunch one day, I couldn't believe the "socialization" I was exposing her to. I left there knowing in my heart that this was not the right fit for my child. I think often we do not even realize what our children's school environment is truly like and just assume it is fine.

So all I can hope is that family and friends will support me as a parent, regardless of their opinions, knowing that I will always be very involved in ensuring that my girls are getting a good education regardless of the approach. And I hope they know that our choices are not done to isolate or over-protect our children. Quite the opposite, we are working hard to find learning and social environments in which they will thrive and have the freedom to be their true selves.

Maia will now be able to follow her interests deeply in writing, art and science. She can join groups (and there are SO many here) and choose who she wishes to spend more time with. She can leave home as often as she likes to go to events, classes and programs. She will be able to foster a deeper relationship with her sisters.

And it may not be forever. I'm not sure how long it will be. For now, we are just finishing up this year at home. It was definitely the better alternative. I guess we will do it as long as it is working for both myself and the girls.

I am open to public school if that is what my girls want and need. My fifth grader and my senior are both currently in public school and as long as they are happy and learning that's all that really matters to us.

Wish us luck!

Wooden Camera Giveaway!!!

2012-02-07T09:41:00.003-05:00

A Warm February Welcome to Little Acorn Learning's newest Sponsor, Pure Play Kids!

February's Featured Sponsor

Pure Play Kids offers one of the web's largest selections of kid-powered (battery-free, TV-free), creative playthings. Pure Play Kids focuses on creativity, safety and natural materials, and the vast majority of its toys are made in America. Remember, play is the work of the child!

Pure Play Kids welcomes Little Acorn friends with 15% savings. Just use checkout code ACORN15!

One lucky winner will win our exclusive Pure Play Kids' Camera by entering our giveaway at Little Acorn Learning!

Just leave a comment below telling us what your child likes to play with the most! The winner will be randomly chosen on February 10th and the camera will be shipped to you directly!

Good Luck!

Weaving Sticks

2012-02-06T21:28:00.010-05:00

Up and down

We are weaving on a stick

Up and down

We are weaving very quick

~Jennifer Tan of Syrendell

What do you do with a 'Y' shaped stick? You turn it into a piece of art. That's what. Find one.. pick it up .. and wrap it with anything cool, stringy and colorful that you can find - then display it on your wall, your windowsill, your front step... anywhere.

See the weaver sit at her loom,

Quietly humming the weaving tune.
The shuttle flies from left to right,
Swift as a swallow darting in flight.

Through the warp and the weft her busy hands go,
Under and over, now to and now fro,
Weaving a pattern of dark and of light,
Till a weavework is finished of joy and delight.

~Paul King

Guest Post: Winter Crafts for Little Ones

2012-02-05T21:34:00.007-05:00

Winter Crafts for Little Ones

Winter is the perfect season for making crafts. Crafting with children is a wonderful reason to enjoy indoor warmth and spend time together. These winter crafts help children learn about the beauty of winter along with some basic science concepts, like how water freezes into ice.

Paper Snowflakes – This winter craft helps little ones develop their dexterity and scissor skills. You can either use patterns found online or in a book, or you can let your children come up with their own designs.

The key to making them look like snowflakes is to fold them into sixes –a number of tutorials can be found online. You can even get more creative by making snowflakes in different colors or decorating them with glitter. They can be decorations on a wall or window or strung into a mobile to hang from the ceiling.

Ice Lanterns – This idea comes from Willowday. It’s the perfect craft for teaching children about how water freezes and for bringing a little light into the dark of winter! All you do is fill a balloon with water, attach it to the end of a watering can, let the water freeze, then take off the balloon. It creates a beautiful sphere of ice that looks like crystal and you can place a candle inside.

Pinecone Birdfeeders – This craft provides children with a way to observe birds in their natural habitat all through winter. Have them cover a pinecone in peanut butter, then roll it in birdseed and tie a ribbon to the top. This craft is easy and messy, which makes it perfect for little ones – though they might end up licking lots of peanut butter off their fingers!This idea comes from Willowday. It’s the perfect craft for teaching children about how water freezes and for bringing a little light into the dark of winter! All you do is fill a balloon with water, attach it to the end of a watering can, let the water freeze, then take off the balloon. It creates a beautiful sphere of ice that looks like crystal and you can place a candle inside.

Snowman Snacks – This craft allows children to be creative and make a healthy snack. You need round crackers, cream cheese, carrot shavings, raisins, pretzel sticks, and anything else that might work as decorations. Kids can have fun making a snowman (or several) out of these materials and then eating it up! Who says kids can’t play with their food?

Watercolor Birch Trees – This idea comes from Wee Folk Art. It helps children discover the beauty of winter landscapes and practice watercolor. Tape sheets of watercolor paper to the table (perhaps with newspaper underneath) and then have children tape tree shapes and branches onto the paper. This allows them to freely paint in blue watercolors all around the trees. You can also sprinkle salt on the paper to create snowflakes. Once the paint dries, peel away the tape and paint little lines on the birches for a natural look.

Jan Pierce is a 4th grade teacher who has over 20 years of experience in the classroom. She also owns the site Elementary Education Degree for students interested in earning a degree in elementary education.

Playgarden in Winter

2012-02-04T23:39:00.007-05:00

Lilah collecting wood for Ms. Eileen's fireplace.

Cleaning the stone wall for Candlemas :)

Discovering ICE!

Making ICE soup...

ICE soup.

Free play after school hours - homework can wait...

Time to be.

Happiness.

“Teaching children about the natural world should be seen as one of the most important events in their lives.” ~Thomas Berry, The Dream of the Earth

Candlemas and Goddess Brigid

2012-02-02T08:11:00.004-05:00

Quiet, quiet, do not make a sound,

Holding now the string so tight

We all make some winter light

Quiet, quiet, do not make a sound.

Dipping, dipping, candles smooth and round

Holding now the string so tight

We all make some winter light

Quiet, quiet, do not make a sound.

~shared to parents from my daughter's Waldorf Kindergarten Teacher at Housatonic Valley Waldorf School

Today is Candlemas. A beautiful festival celebrated in many cultures as well as Waldorf families and schools across the world. It is the midway point of winter when we can look ahead with anticipation of the coming of Spring. It is a festival of candles and the warmth of the hearth. Many schools and parents choose to make homemade beeswax candles on this day or decorate candles. See an old Candlemas post of ours here with many ideas.

Candlemas (and Groundhog's day which is also today) both stem from very the ancient festival of Imbolc which is one of the four Celtic fire festivals and the very word means 'in the belly', as in a celebration of the life hidden within that will soon appear to us in Spring. For that reason, the lamb or newborn animals are very symbolic on this day. Imbolc honors the Celtic Goddess Brigid who's legend Christianity later took and evolved into St. Brigid.

To celebrate this day, you can make homemade candles with your family. It is also customary to eat pancakes (maybe for dinner?) . You can also make a Brigid's Cross (we did a paper version this year as show in the photo above)... put images of lambs, baby animals on your nature space and honor candles and creating a fire as Brigid was the Goddess of Fire and the Hearth.

Dear Saint Bridget of the Kine

Bless these little fields of mine,

The pastures and the shady trees,

Bless the butter and the cheese,

Bless the cows with coats of silk

And the brimming pails of milk.

Bless the hedgerows, and I pray

Bless the seed beneath the clay.

Bless the hay and bless the grass,

Bless the seasons as they pass,

And heaven's blessings will prevail,

Brigid, Mary of the Gael"

Chip-Chop

2012-01-31T21:16:00.007-05:00

Friday is our Soup Day at Little Acorn Playgarden. It is a very special day because each child brings in their very own vegetable to share and therefore our soup is different each week. Because I have three children at different age levels (Age 5, 3 1/2 and 1) - it works out just perfectly because everybody has a special job. Brianna is the oldest so she helps me peel the vegetables...

Chip-chop, chippity chop,

Cut off the bottoms and cut off the tops.

What's left in the middle goes into the pot.

Chip-chop, chippity chop!

~Sweet verse shared with me by Sara Wilson of Love in the Suburbs as taught to her son in StarBright Garden Preschool in Fair Oaks by teacher Pati Callan. How wonderful how these verses get passed around and shared with so many children worldwide?

Lilah is the second oldest and she is learning how to cut the vegetables safely with Ms. Eileen...

And little Fiona is the youngest and she likes to help us place the vegetables in (and out) and in (and out) of the pot until we are ready to cook them...

Soups on!

Our New Caregiver's Calendar is Available!

2012-01-30T23:44:00.004-05:00

These calendar pages include important festival and holidays information, the color and grain of the day, an activity to do for each day of the week and an idea or inspiration for each day to help you create the Waldorf home or school environment you wish for your children.

To get an idea of what the year will look like - check out our free sample month for January!

Transformational Walks

2012-01-27T14:02:00.023-05:00

One of the ways we can find our true selves and connect to the inner peace that lives within us all is by finding time alone to ask and listen while we are surrounded by nature.

I would like to challenge you all to find time each week to go on a spiritual walk or hike alone or with a mindful partner on a search for something more meaningful than you have ever experienced.
Many of us struggle with the day to day questions and long term challenges of finding our true place in this world and figuring out where we fit – what we are meant here for – and how to discover and live an authentic and fulfilling life within our current circumstances.
As you work on your spiritual connection through these transformational hikes, begin by taking one of the following truths into your heart and trying to keep your mind and heart focused on that one truth throughout your entire walk. Be sure to let silence be your guide, breathe fully and deeply and create an open awareness of all of the signs and messages nature is sending to you as you open yourself up to this process.

Life’s Pure Energy Lives Inside of Us

Despite our struggles, sorrows and challenges – deep down within every single of one of us is a Light – a source of creativity, joy and pure love… there is no exception to this truth. This is the
life energy – the gift we have been given from our very first moment of being and regardless of circumstances, experiences, resentments, anger, bitterness, pain or belief systems – underneath all of our layers remains this pure spirit-filled light burning inside each and every one of us.
Some of us were lucky enough to have been nurtured in a way that allows our light to shine brightly and just need to remind ourselves to stay centered. Many of us have experienced difficulties and events that may have created too many protective layers over our true selves and we find it hard to get back to that place. And, some of us may have had such extreme events and conditions occur as we carried through life, that there may be so many tough and thick layers, it
is difficult to even imagine a light can be found within at all.

But it is.

It is always there and it is waiting for you to peel back the layers, the protective barriers, the roles, the falsehoods, the past, the pain, the anger, the worry….

So it can once again be revealed and so you can begin again and the world can start anew.

So you can begin to experience a transformation. A change. A chance to be reborn in light.

Walk today and hold this truth within you, ask and receive as you experience the world
around you during this process.

You Already Have the Answers
One of the most amazing things about this light within you is that it knows all. We all struggle with hard questions in life – many of us are unsure of our current paths or how to handle a difficult person in our lives. Some of us struggle with addictions or habits that we are unsure of how to break. There may be choices presented to us and we are unsure of which way to go. We may have such sadness or pain that we feel we have nothing left to ask.
Often, we seek answers everywhere else but from within… in self-help books, from friends
or family, a trusted mentor, consulting experts or therapists – sometimes we choose not to seek at all and just give up.

The thing we fail to realize is that the answers are already there for us. They are within the light that we hold inside. If we can truly connect to this sweet source of energy, all we ask for will be received. All we want to know will be revealed.

As you walk today, hold this truth in your mind, body and spirit. Bring your questions and worries deep within yourself and let them be filled with your light. Breathe in the world around you, watch and feel for answers.

To Experience Your True Self You Must Open Your Heart

Oftentimes the reason we are unable to connect to our true selves and receive the answers we are looking for is because we are not living our lives with an open heart. We are closed off, we protect
ourselves by putting up walls, we use sarcasm or judgments to keep from communicating and connecting to others and life in a true, honest and raw manner. We do not want to be hurt. We hold past experiences in our minds as we analyze events or experiences that come into our lives and then we place judgment on them, sometimes even twisting them into something they are not.
Before you can connect to your light, you must work to let go of all negative thought and judgments about the world around you and your experiences within it. You must approach life with an open heart – taking in what it gives you, letting it soak within your true center and
waiting for the answers to rise up.
As you walk today, practice being open to all experiences in the natural world and all discomfort and annoyance that may come your way during the process – barking dogs, a loud lawn mower, cars passing. Let these things flow in and out of you without placing any negativity,
expectations or judgments on them. Accept them all as a part of your true experience without trying to change any of it. Wait and feel yourself deeply as you see that you can be centered and at peace in any situation, even those that would have made you feel stuck or frustrated in the past.

Try to move through your week in this manner, shifting your thoughts and judgments and allowing yourself to experience the truth of life without trying to change it or condemn it in any way.

What you may find is that by doing this – by not changing anything at all – you begin to transform your experience while staying in the exact same place.Ask and You Shall Receive
Regardless of your spiritual and religious beliefs, holding these truths within you as you seek answers to life’s difficult questions and every day challenges will lead you on a path of true discovery and knowledge.

When you have practiced opening yourself up and holding these truths within you sufficiently, take a specific concern with you on your next walk.

Remain open and filled with love while you walk, breathing and watching for nature’s signs to you. Listen fully to yourself, feel your emotions and your body. Hold your question within you – open – and bring it deep within the light inside to keep. Ask for answers that will also
help you serve others. Ask for answers that can not only change your life, but answers that can help change our world.

Your answers may not come immediately…. It is important to remember this is a spiritual journey and you have just begun an amazing process of seeking within, rather than without. If you remain open and connected each day, you will find that the answer will be very clear to you
within time.

Take Action

When your truth has been revealed to you, take action.

If you have discovered that it is time for a career change, seek a position that fulfills you and also makes a difference in our world. If you have found that you must forgive someone to be able to remain open and loving moving forward, let down your guard and do so. If you are still waiting
for an answer, keep practicing openness and non-judgment each day and keep your heart and mind open to receive. It will come and in the process you will find peace and really, that is what we are all truly seeking.

***This piece was originally published in the Little Acorn Learning May Enrichment Guide

Cookie Cutter Bird Treats

2012-01-26T18:49:00.004-05:00

Sing a song of Winter

Pocket full of Rye

Throw it out upon the snow

Call the birdies nigh

Birdies chirp and flutter

Seize it and away

Do you always feed the birds

on a winter day?

Today at Playgarden we made cookie cutter bird treats. We used our cookie cutters to cut shapes out of bread this morning and then poked a hole through each one. Then we let it sit out for a few hours before threading string through for hanging. Brianna was very proud to be able to be the one to tie each piece.
We first experimented with using syrup but the seed did not stick well so we went back to the tried and true peanut butter hold and we were in business. Lilah enjoyed buttering up her bird feeders all by herself.
After dipping each piece into birdseed we sang a little birdie song:

Little bird, little bird,

Fly around,
Up to the sky,
Down to the ground.
Little bird, little bird,
Flap your wings.
Open your beak
And sweetly sing.
Little bird, little bird,
Fly to your nest.
Now it is time
To take a rest.

And we bundled up and went outside to hang them on our tree.
Like magic, it started snowing as soon as we got outside.
A symbol of good work, I think.
And Brianna is such a sweet helper. Visiting here, I think, to teach me so many lessons.

“If we do not believe within ourselves this deeply rooted feeling that there is something higher than ourselves, we shall never find the strength to evolve into something higher.” ~ Rudolf Steiner

Competition in Children

2012-01-24T14:10:00.012-05:00

"You were placed on this earth to create, not to compete."

~ Dr. Robert Anthony

In our society, we have often taught our children that to be “number one” or the “winner” is the key to success. Many parents and teachers even feel that competition can be healthy and create a drive in children which is necessary to succeed in our fast paced world.

In fact, the opposite is true. Teaching children to compete against one another is actually sending the message to them that they are not good enough - that they must work harder than someone else to be better. When two compete, only one can win and one must fail. Losing creates feelings of inadequacy and winning sometimes creates a false sense of self-worth based on external factors rather than an internal knowing of one’s true self worth and value.

When we think of what we hope for our children it often includes a healthy self-esteem, a giving spirit, intelligence, health, close relationships and self-love and acceptance. Yet when children are asked to constantly compete against one another in all areas of their life, they can learn to define success and something to be ‘won’. And the desire to win and get that recognition and response from others can become quite addictive and feed the ego rather than the soul. What we should really be teaching our children is how to recognize their true beauty and potential within and how to work with others to create.

This is not to say that a child cannot enjoy being on a sport’s team or be taught to focus and work hard at school. It is not to say that they should not be met with excitement when they win a game or bring home a winning art project. But putting the focus constantly on being the best and beating the rest is sending the wrong message.

When we are able to teach our children to value true cooperation rather than competition, they will feel true success and the magic that sparks when a group of people work together and share ideas toward a common goal and help one another reach their true potential.

How can we as parents create a non-competitive environment yet also prepare our children to cope in a competitive world? This is not an easy task but the values the children learn within the four walls of their home are the ones that tend to follow them into adulthood.

Here are some ideas:

*Try not to use winning as a motivator in your home or class. Things like: “Whoever finishes their food first gets an extra scoop of ice cream.” etc.

*Do your best not to compare your children and their accomplishments to one another – try not to say things like “Did you see how good John was playing the clarinet? That’s
why we tell you to practice all the time!"

*When you speak watch what you say… things like: “Who is daddy’s favorite little boy in the
world?” or “Your mommy’s little super-star!”

*When your child does his or her best but does not succeed, let them feel as if they did. Success
should be measured by effort rather than end result.

*Watch how competitive you are and what you are modeling for your children. Do you jokingly compete with your spouse about who cooks the best? Do you sometimes talk poorly of others who have not succeeded?

*Purchase cooperative games to enjoy together at home. These games encourage players to all work together to get to a common goal.

*Create opportunities for working together by cooking as a family, doing yard work together and guiding children toward helping one another. If a child is having trouble reaching a glass, ask her sibling to get it down for her. Teach them to help one another and model the same.

*Point out your child's successes and take the focus off of who won and who lost. Say things like "You did a great job passing the ball to Chris today!"

What are some ways that you feel we can help change our world by teaching children the value of cooperation?

Is 'Good' Stuff Still Clutter?

2012-01-23T18:20:00.006-05:00

"Too many activities, and people, and things. To many worthy activities, valuable things, and interesting people. For it is not merely the trivial which clutters our lives but the important as well. " ~Anne Moorow Lindbergh

As we celebrate the Chinese New Year today (the year of the Dragon to be exact), one of the many things that we can do in our homes and schools is to follow the old Chinese tradition of giving our environment a "thorough cleaning". From Wikipedia: "It is believed the cleaning sweeps away the bad luck of the preceding year and makes their homes ready for good luck. Brooms and dust pans are put away on the first day so that the newly arrived good luck cannot be swept away."

Cleaning in itself, while time consuming, is easy enough. Scrub, sweep, mop, dust, organize...

Organize. Hmmm - this is the area where I tend to get stuck. It does not come very naturally to me at all. I'm very lucky to have married a much more organized person than myself. Its not that I do not want to be organized... my mind just does not seem to work that way - putting things in compartments, categories and finding a home for each item is extremely difficult for me. Extremely.

I hope I'm not alone.

One of the ways that I try to get around this is by having less stuff to organize in the first place. Seems simple enough, doesn't it? Declutter down to the basics... down to the good stuff. THEN it will be easier to manage.

The problem?

I have too much GOOD stuff!

Is 'good' stuff still clutter? I'm talking about clothing that is not worn, craft supplies that are still in the packages, sewing patterns I love, toys that are beautiful, wooden and open-ended - even a beautiful Bernina serger that I've never figure out how to use!

How on earth do you let go of the good things?

In addition to good things... I also have many good activities in my life. Lots of volunteer jobs - awesome projects in the works. Oh boy.

So this year... I'm hoping to tame the dragon in my closets, my cabinets and in the toy box... even if its good stuff. I'm going to find the things I haven't worn, touched or my children haven't played with in the last six months and find wonderful new homes for them..maybe even sell them for a little extra pocket money.

Except my yarn. Nobody touches my yarn.

Let's not get too crazy.

How do you keep your good clutter under control?

Snow Bliss

2012-01-21T16:14:00.004-05:00

Icy fingers, icy toes,

Bright red cheeks and bright red nose.

Watch the snowflakes as they fall,

Try so hard to count them all.

Build a snowman way up high,

See if he can touch the sky.

Snow forts, snowballs, angels, too,

In the snow, so white and new.

Slip and slide and skate so fast.

Wintertime is here at last.

We woke to a sheet of white that continued on and on until close to 6 inches deep this Saturday in January. Can you imagine any better way to spend your day as a young child than playing, sledding, digging and rolling in the snow? I can't.

I love how the girls just need to step into their backyard to enjoy the different elements and seasons. Growing up in New York didn't allow for that as much when I was a child but the times that I did get out to play in the snow are imprinted on my mind forever. Pure fun.

The best part is coming inside feeling as cold as ice and warming up with a cup of hot cocoa. Sometimes I have to wonder if the girls want to go play in the snow for the fun of it or for a warm cup of cocoa when they return. These are the mommy moments I live for and cherish so much.

So it's a beautiful, perfect, snowy Saturday here at Little Acorn today :)

What's the weather like where you are?

New Virtual Book Club!

2012-01-20T23:17:00.004-05:00

A New *Free* Virtual Book Club for Mindful Parents!

Join Us and Read Along!

Our First Book to share together will be ‘Weapons of Mass Instruction’ by John Taylor Gatto. Regardless of your schooling choices – this book will get you thinking about our current educational system and model!

Order the book from your library, Amazon or download it to your reader… read it and in between come on over with a cup of coffee to sit in on our Virtual Book Club Facebook Page! Pop on over any time to chat – you’re never behind!

In addition, our first ‘scheduled’ book discussion will be hosted by bloggers Eileen Straiton, Valarie Budyar and Joy Blaser on February 4^th where we will cover the Prologue through Chapter 1 of our book, asking questions and inspiring others as they read along.

Welcome Fiona!

2012-01-20T13:34:00.007-05:00

I wonder what your name is,

I wonder if you know,

Your name is Fiona!

Hello, Hello, Hello.

Today was little Fiona's very first day at Little Acorn Playgarden :) - she did great and really loves playing with the children. She is so very sweet. We are so excited to have her join our program.

Paleontology Club

2012-01-18T20:56:00.006-05:00

Today Paleontology Club went on a field trip to the Natural Museum of History in NYC. I was happy to volunteer to chaperone as it was always one of my favorite places in the world to be when I was a little girl growing up in New York.

After an amazing show at the Planetarium and checking out meteorites, we soon traveled over to the dinosaurs. They are absolutely mind blowing. Just to imagine that these creatures once roamed the earth. Glorious.
The entire trip, while based in science of course, only strengthened my belief in Divine creation. It is all just too amazing - from the stars in the skies aligning, bursting and recreating just so... to these magical creatures that evolved, disappeared - then us, and our very beautiful planet. It just seems so very intentional, designed - engineered to me. That's just what I feel inside.
To think that we are the only living things out there, to me, seems impossible. Doesn't it? Outside of our solar system... how much more is there? Can you only imagine all that we have yet to discover... all that we will never know? Our knowledge is so limited. In so many ways - beyond the stars and the bones... And still, it is all so amazing and breathtaking each day we live.
How lucky we are to have been able to visit for awhile in this beautiful place at this particular time!

Five Enormous Dinosaurs

Five enormous dinosaurs,

Letting out a roar,

One went away,

And then there were four.

Four enormous dinosaurs,

Munching on a tree,

One went away,

And then there were three.

Three enormous dinosaurs,

Didn't know what to do,

One went away,

And then there were two.

Two enormous dinosaurs,

Having lots of fun,

One went away,

And then there was one.

One enormous dinosaur,

Afraid to be a hero,

He went away,

And then there was zero.

Thankful for these days...

Free Caregiver Calendar for January!

2012-01-17T19:52:00.006-05:00

Enjoy this free calendar for January 2012 created especially for Caregivers of Children. This is a free sample for you to enjoy - the entire calendar will be released this week. The calendar includes important festival and holiday information, the full moon, color and grain of the day, artistic activity for the day as well as a tip/activity or inspiration for each day of the month.

Begin with The Children

2012-01-16T11:42:00.017-05:00

"I have the audacity to believe that peoples everywhere can have three meals a day for their bodies, education and culture for their minds, and dignity, quality and freedom for their spirit. I believe that what self-centered men have torn down, other-centered men can build up." ~ Martin Luther King Jr.

~~~

Peace is the world smiling.

Peace is a gentle dove.

Peace is sharing.

Peace is caring.

Peace is filling our world with love.

~~~

A Story for This Week

Explain to the children that no two snowflakes are alike, just as no two people are alike. A fun way to illustrate this story would be to use a white pipe cleaner as the ice needle and add five more as the story unfolds to create a ‘snowflake’. Nearby have a few other items for the different snowflakes it meets: various doilies, a coffee filter, a paper snowflake or two, etc. Make sure each snowflake is different from the other. As they fall to the ground lie them up along side of each other and place a few seeds underneath. When the snowflakes melt, slowly push them away to the side and add green ‘leaves’ cut from felt along side each seed. At the end of your story, place a flower on top of each – your flower can be cut from felt, a real flower top or an artificial flower top.

Snowflakes

Once there was a little raindrop that thought it had played long enough up in the clouds, and said it would go down to the earth and see what it could do. So it started.

While it was falling, it had to pass through a cloud that was very cold, and this funny little raindrop, instead of shrinking together as we do when we are cold, stretched out and stretched out, until it was not round any more, but was long, and thin, and hard like a needle; and that is just what it was, a little ice needle.

As it went on falling, it met another just like itself. The second said, "Little Ice Needle, where are you going?" "Down to the earth, to see what good I can do." "I'll go, too." So it joined the first needle, and they fell together.

Pretty soon they met a third, who said, "Little Ice Needles, where are you going?" "Down to the earth, to see what we can do." "Then I'll go, too." So it joined the others, and they fell together.

Then they met another, and another, and another, and another, who all joined them. Then there were six little ice needles falling together, and they had a new name; "Snowflake".

Little Snowflake met others who were also snowflakes but each and every one was different than the other. The snowflakes asked Little Snowflake where it was going. "Down to the earth, to see what good I can do." "We'll go, too. But where shall we go?" "I know," said one of the little flakes. "Last summer, when I was warm and round, I saw a place where a poor little sick boy had planted some seeds which a kind lady gave him. Let us fall on that place and keep it warm, so that the seeds in the ground may not freeze, and the little boy may have some flowers next summer." "Oh! so we will," said they all; and they fell faster and faster, so that they might get there sooner.

Other snowflakes saw them and went too, and the ground was covered more and more thickly with snow, till there was enough to keep the seeds from freezing during the winter.

When the weather began to be warm, the snow turned into water and ran down into the earth, and the seeds drank it, and swelled and swelled, until by and by, little leaves came out above the ground, from each seed. Then other leaves grew, and, when summer came, little Frank had his flowers again, and all because one little raindrop wanted to do some good in the world.

*More Ways to Celebrate Our Differences*

~Make Paper Snowflakes Together - Talk About How No Two Snowflakes Are The Same Just Like People Find the Differences Among Your Snowflakes and Family

~Take Fingerprints of Each Person in Your Family - Find the Similarities, Find the Differences Talk About How You All Come from the Same Family with the Same Genes, Even Though There are Many Difference in Your Prints

~Put Three Different Colored Apples on Your Table Have Children Note the Differences Between Color, Shape and Size Now Cut Each Apple Horizontally and Show the Children The Star On the Inside of Each Apple and Note How Deep Inside We Are All The Same

~Put Up Photos of Each Child and Their Families (if you are a school or childcare teacher) Keep These Photos at a Level the Children Can See - Talk About How All Families are Different but the Love they Share is the Same

~~~

Books to Share with Children This Week:

No Two Snowflakes ~ Sheree Fitch and Janet Wilson

Sophie: The One-of-a-Kind Snowflake ~ Mary Kilc

Whoever You Are ~Mem Fox

"If we are to reach real peace in the world, we shall have to begin with the children." ~ Gandhi

Our Waldorf Playgarden Has Openings!

2012-01-15T13:48:00.002-05:00

What do you wish for your child? Our little Waldorf Playgarden has openings - Join us! http://www.littleacornplaygarden.com

"Little Acorn Playgarden"

Create a free slideshow with Picnik!

The Mouse and The Weasel

2012-01-14T14:35:00.005-05:00

A small thin mouse gnawed a little hole in a basket of corn. He climbed in and ate until his stomach bulged. When he tried to climb out again, his stomach was too fat to fit through the hole.

A weasel watched him struggling and laughed at him, saying "if you want to escape, there is only one way. You must become as poor and think as you were before you climbed into the basket, and then you will fit your stomach through the hole again."

~Moral: 'Take Only What You Need' - Simplicity is Abundant

Free King Winter Ebook!

2012-01-13T21:12:00.003-05:00

Pop on over to the Little Acorn Learning Facebook Page and give us a thumbs up to receive a FREE King Winter Ebook valued at $15.99! Enjoy this free gift from us to help you warm up your home or school during this winter.

~Beautiful King Winter Handwork created by Jennifer Tan of Syrendell

Crayon Making

2012-01-13T08:27:00.003-05:00

What to do with those extra little bits and pieces of crayon?
Throw them in the crayon making machine, that's what!

Voila!

Hmmm I wonder if we can put beeswax crayon pieces in that machine...

The Soup is Boiling Up

2012-01-12T13:25:00.003-05:00

The soup is boiling up

Stir slow-around we go

The soup is boiling up.

First we add the grain

Stir slow-around we go

The soup is boiling up.

Zucchini we will add

Stir slow-around we go

The soup is boiling up.

(continue on with the verse adding in a new vegetable word until your soup is ready to cook)

Blogger Award

2012-01-12T08:20:00.006-05:00

Valarie from Jump Into A Book has very kindly nominated my blog for the Versatile Blogger Award. Thank you so much, Valarie!

~and now to play along!

This award comes with a few rules.

Thank the person that nominated you. (Thank you Valarie!)
Tell seven things about yourself. (See Below)
Pass this award onto 15 worthy blogs and let them know that they’ve received an award.

Seven Things About Me

I have been married for 11 years and have four beautiful daughters, my oldest is looking at colleges and my youngest has just begun Kindergarten.
I have two high-maintenance dogs and one cat which add to the beautiful chaos in our busy household.
In previous years, I have spent time creating mixed media art - some pieces of which I have sold. This is something I hope to do more of this year as my writing business has taken up most of my spare time.
I was a young single mother at the early age of 19 after a pretty rebellious ride as a teenager. It has been an amazing and beautiful journey of parenthood and spiritual growth to the place where I am now and I am filled with so much gratitude. Looking back, I wouldn't change a thing.
My wonderful husband adopted my daughter after we got married and then we had three more girls together. Poor, poor man.
I have a hereditary iron disorder called Hemochromatosis which I just found out about thanks to a relative's email and I feel very lucky to have found it so early in life. If you are of Irish or European descent, please consider checking for this disorder. It is quite common and easily treated.
I drink too much coffee.

My Blog Choices (in absolutely no particular order - I love them all!):

Enjoying the Small Things

Plain and Joyful Living

Bluebird Baby

Bare Feet and a Free Spirit

By Sun and Candlelight

Love in the Suburbs

Aesthetic Outburst

Exhale, Return to Center

Hannah's Harvest

Bread and Buttons

The Organic Sister

You Know How We're An Art Family

Small Wonders

Frontier Dreams

Bending Birches

Knitting Socks...

2012-01-11T09:45:00.011-05:00

The winter mornings are cold here and waking up early while it is still dark outside is very hard for me. With a new schedule to follow and a small commute on school days, I often push the snooze button one too many times and bundle up for coffee on the couch a bit too long before starting our day. Which can lead to email checking, or a quick look through papers... ooops, now we only have 20 minutes to get fed and dressed! See how easily that happens?

One of the things I would like to work on this year is staying focused. There are just so many wonderful things to do with time... and putting one thing to the side to completely finish up another has always been hard for me. I like to bounce around. I multi-task and my mind spins with ideas and solutions, which can help in many ways with a busy business and four children, but it often shows, especially in my home.

So I have begun knitting my first pair of socks...because somehow I thought that would be a good idea even though I currently have about 4 or 5 other knitting projects left in the lurch.

The pull to stop and pick up one of those other projects is strong... but I'm pressing onward with my new mantra "Stay focused" in my mind. And the sock is actually beginning to look like a ...sock. It's quite exciting. I try not to think about the fact that I actually have to make another one...and that it may or may not end up being the same size.

So that's my knitting focus. My home focus has not yet begun... but I'm determined to get back into a good daily rhythm around here and give attention to many of the areas that have been neglected (like the laundry room).

I am also carving out time to plan our winter foods, activities, projects and festival celebrations both with my own family and in my childcare. All while finding some time to keep creating through my writing. Oh, so many beautiful and wonderful projects I have planned through Little Acorn Learning with so many creative mamas and papas. Ugh, losing focus again... see how that happens?

Ok, off I go... determined and ... focused

First I need another cup of coffee and maybe I'll just check my emails quick :)

Trust

2012-01-09T10:41:00.005-05:00

Today was Brianna's first day at her new Waldorf Kindergarten. She began public school Kindergarten in September and after the first day there had such extreme separation anxiety for over one month that it was affecting her eating, she was nauseous and shaking each morning and I just could not put her through another day of it.

We took a break for a few months and regrouped. I was open to whatever she needed whether that be homeschooling or a new school. When we visited the Waldorf school she was instantly drawn into its beauty and couldn't stop talking about it. She actually expressed interest in going to school again and was excited about it - something brand new for us.

I've wanted my children to go there since they were born, but Waldorf school is expensive and it just seemed out of our reach, especially with a large family. But Brianna has shown us that nothing is truly out of reach if we just *trust*... trust that each child has their own pace and path and they cannot all fit into one mold.... trust that the universe will provide us with what we need to do what is meant to be done.... and most importantly to trust ourselves, our instincts, our inner-knowing - that feeling within ourselves telling us what is right for us and for our family.

Maybe, just maybe it isn't out of reach for my other girls either. We will see.

And yes there were tears this morning... a lot of them. Brianna is highly sensitive in so many ways and any new school will bring those feelings up inside of her.

But there was such a difference in how we were received this time around. At her last school, when she was crying and raised her hand up to be held by the Principal - the woman held her books up higher and did not hold my little girls hand. She expected her to get through it. I remember feeling that it was such a cold way to receive a child who needs something more...

But here, I felt warmth. There were warm hugs (for both of us) and loving kisses - and there were caring and concerned new friends. And when I got home, there were phone calls from friends of mine who knew this was a special and difficult morning for both Brianna and I. And I feel ok inside. I know my baby is in the right place. I hope she feels it too.

On my way back to the car, her teacher gave me a little handwork project to work on to keep my mind off things... I have to embroider a little snail on Brianna's new canvas bag for school.

So off I go to try to replicate the one her teacher did on her new little napkins....

Wish us luck.

Celebrate January with Little Acorn Learning

2012-01-08T20:52:00.006-05:00

Our January Enrichment Guide is Waiting for You!

"Celebrate January with Little Acorn Learning!"

Merry Epiphany!

2012-01-06T08:34:00.003-05:00

At the turning point of time

The Spirit-light of the world

Entered the stream of earth existence.

Darkness of night

Had ceased its reign;

Day-radiant light

Shone forth in human souls:

Light

That gives warmth

To simple shepherds’ hearts;

Light

That enlightens

The wise heads of kings.

Light divine,

Christ-Sun,

Warm

Our hearts;

Enlighten

Our heads;

That good may become

What from our hearts

We are founding,

What from our heads

Through our heads

We direct,

With single will.

~Rudolf Steiner

Beautiful handwork from Syrendell as featured in our Three Kings Day/Epiphany Ebook!

Warmth

2012-01-05T12:24:00.003-05:00

Week One - Caregiver Meditation

This Week’s Reflection: Warmth

“One kind word can warm three winter months.” ~ Japanese Proverb

When we think of keeping warm, we usually think of putting on more clothing, cooking hot foods or lighting a fire. And while physical warmth is very important for the care of our body, emotional warmth is essential for our soul’s healthy development.

If we take the time to listen to our words, both unspoken and articulated, we may be surprised by what we hear. Are the words you choose filled with love and acceptance when you communicate with those around you? Do you express warmth and comfort in your tone? How do you speak to yourself in your mind? Are you kind and forgiving? Do you use positive affirmations and send inspiring intentions?

Spend time this week listening to yourself and work harder to choose words filled with warmth and love. Pay close attention to how this effort makes a difference in the way you feel and the way others behave around you.

New Beginnings

2012-01-04T13:32:00.004-05:00

A very shy snail in it's hard little shell

Keeping to itself with just no one to tell

Slowly growing stronger the desire to come out

Following it's own time, without any doubt

Don't rush it, move slowly and soon one smooth stride

Building upon each day more confidence and pride

Searching, expanding and finding it's pace

Have patience with shy ones, life is not a race

My sweet little Brianna begins her new Waldorf Kindergarten on Monday morning. Her teacher came to visit us at home today and told us that her symbol would be the Snail. After a very hard time transitioning to school in September, this was a perfect symbol for her. I know in my heart this new class is where she is supposed to be and I'm so thankful for Waldorf Education so my child can have this gentle beginning transitioning from home to school.

A Year Full of Memories - Honoring 2011

2012-01-02T21:44:00.010-05:00

'Another fresh new year is here... another year to live!

To banish worry, doubt and fear...

To love and laugh and give!'

I am honoring the year behind by remembering just a handful of the beautiful moments it has given us:

January gave us warmth through very snowy days,

February filled our hearts with love,

March gave life to beauty inside and outside our home,

April threw us a party for years spent on earth,

May gave us wings to fly,

June gave the girls a dance with their sweet Daddy,

July came in with a bang and a golf cart parade,

August gave us space to breathe and be free,

September lit candles for three of my joys,

October stole Halloween but gave us a snowstorm,

November kept little hands busy each day,

December brought all of us closer together.

Thank you sweet 2011. Thank you for bringing this joy into my life.

I'm ready for another beautiful year.

New Year's Affirmations

2011-12-31T12:53:00.004-05:00

This year instead of spending the beginning of the New Year making a list of all of the things you want to change or improve about yourself, why not make a list of positive affirmations about the person you already are. This list can grow weekly or even daily and can be a beautiful reminder to you that you are already good enough and any future positive changes are just going to enhance an already wonderful you.

Happy New Year from Little Acorn Learning!

Christmas in New York

2011-12-30T15:13:00.004-05:00

This week I headed back down to the city with my mother-in-law, Brian's brother and our niece and three of our girls. We went to see the Christmas Spectacular at Radio City Music Hall.
The show was wonderful as usual and we enjoyed watching the famous Rockettes. My nanny used to tell me that I would be a Rockette when I grew up. Just imagine. :)

Afterwards, we took a walk over to Rockefeller Center to see the tree. Brianna loves being on her daddy's shoulders and it looks like another little girl does too:
The ice skaters were, well... skating. And it was a very pretty sight. I've never actually skated there and would like to do that one day. Then we enjoyed the various sites as we walked to go have lunch.
We ended up at Planet Hollywood.
And we got out of the cold for awhile and enjoyed some good food.

It was a great idea to go see the show a few days after Christmas. It wasn't as crowded as it usually is and it made traveling with young children a lot easier.

My Family of Heroes

2011-12-29T18:20:00.008-05:00

Last week my youngest brother Kevin graduated from the NYPD Academy. Following closely behind my brother Billy who is currently a New York City Police Officer and my father who is a retired NYPD Deputy Inspector after 27 years on the force and my grandfather who was a NYPD cop... you get the idea :)

There is a sense of pride you feel when you are a girl growing up in a family of heroes like these men. Ever since I was a little girl, I have been so extremely proud to be the daughter of my father and I have always loved to talk about the work that he did in his life.

Now to see my brothers following his footsteps fills me with the same feeling of pride and, of course, concern... On my way to Madison Square Garden for Kevin's ceremony, I passed by many of the fire stations and police departments who were the first responders on 9/11 - some who never came back. These men and women put their life on the line daily and watching 1600 new recruits sign up for the job that day really just blew me away - and this was only ONE graduation of the year...

In addition to my immediate family, my Uncle was a NYPD officer as well as my cousin's husband...
Better not mess with this girl!

Annual Ornament Decorating Party

2011-12-22T21:38:00.004-05:00

The children are getting older but they still LOVE our annual party of making ornaments together. Each year that we decorate our tree and take out our handmade ornaments, we are flooded with memories of parties past that we created, loved and lived together. And this year we were lucky that Santa even made a special appearance.

Happy Holidays!

A Letter to Santa from Keira

2011-12-21T11:58:00.002-05:00

A letter to Santa I found on Keira's desk:

Dear Santa,

How are you? I hope you aren't too stressed out trying to deliver all the presents. I don't want to ask for too much this year so if you don't get them its ok.

I got your phone call. I knew it was you because you said my name. Just so you know, you say it like this: Key-ra. Did you call because people on my bus didnt believe in you and then *I* wasn't sure if I believed in you after that? If so, thank you because now I'm positive I believe in you.

Is it true that you said my house is first on the list for Connecticut? If that's true we must have been really REALLY good this year! I'll try to go to bed early.

Have a Merry Christmas!
Love,
Keira Straiton, Age 10, Brookfield, CT

Winter Solstice and Yule

2011-12-21T10:29:00.006-05:00

Tomorrow we celebrate the Winter Solstice and Yule. Yule represents the rebirth of light. You can celebrate the returning Sun by making Sun Bread with the children.

Supplies Needed:

2 1/2 Cups Unbleached Flour
1 Package Dry Yeast
1 1/2 Cups Milk
1/2 Cup Water
3 Tbsp. Honey*
3 Tbsp. Margarine or Butter
3 Tbsp. Brown Sugar
1 1/2 Tsp. Salt
2 1/2 Cups Whole Wheat Flour
*added to give this bread a sweeter flavor

In a large bowl, mix flour and yeast. Heat milk, water, margarine, brown sugar and salt on low. Add to flour mixture. Stir several minutes (remember to let children hep during this entire process, have them take turns and be patient. The goal is not to have bread, it is to enjoy the process of making the bread.) Add whole wheat flour until dough forms. Knead on floured table until smooth and elastic (children love this part!). Place in greased bowl. Cover and let rise until it doubles in bulk.

Have children clean up what they can (you will return later to finish), wash hands and go play!

After the dough has risen, you will need to punch down the dough. The best way to do this is to let children pound the dough with their fists. After you have done this, shape your dough into a flat circle. Make slits all the way around the circle spaced apart.

Now to make the Sun's Rays. Twist each 'Ray' once or twice and pinch together with the one next to it to make a triangle. IF you have extra dough, make a face on your Sun Bread or use cookie cutters to add shapes to decorate.

Cover and let rise to double.

After let the children watch you place the bread into the oven in a pan and set at 400 degrees for 30 minutes.

Enjoy this special Winter Solstice treat!

Tree Climbing Fingerplay

2011-12-15T19:13:00.002-05:00

Climbing up the apple tree, (climb in place)

Swinging on a limb (pretend to swing with arms above head)

If I hear a robin, I may (cup hand over ear)

Sing along with him! (whistle)

'And Robin, if you fly away, (wave)

Here's what I think I'll do (Point with one finger)

I'll wish a pair of sparrow wings (flap arms)

And fly away with you (pretend to fly)

When Santa Claus Comes...

2011-12-11T21:11:00.004-05:00

A good time is coming, I wish it were here,

The very best time in the whole of the year;

I'm counting each day on my fingers and thumbs-

The weeks that must pass before Santa Claus comes.

Then when the first snowflakes begin to come down,

And the wind whistles sharp and the branches are brown,

I'll not mind the cold, though my fingers it numbs,
For it brings the time nearer when Santa Claus comes!

All State Academic Scholar Award

2011-12-11T20:39:00.002-05:00

I'm so very proud of Dee as always! She made the All State Academic Scholar Award for Field Hockey. The nominated students must be in the top 10% of their high school academically and be a strong varsity player. Dee worked so hard this year on the field and was amazing! The award is very deserved.

xoxo

So You Can't Afford a Waldorf School...

2011-12-07T20:02:00.005-05:00

But what can you do?

~ You can create a healthy rhythm to each day your children live within your home.

~ You can keep the television and radio off while you are living, loving and creating together.

~ You can choose a select few open-ended toys, a special doll and playthings made from natural materials... keeping electronic, battery operated toys and video games to a minimum - if at all.

~ You can sing and make up stories together.

~ You can do your schoolwork outside on the deck and incorporate artistic methods for practicing and learning.

~ You can focus on all you CAN provide and remember how very lucky you and your children already are.

~ You can remember that the study of Anthroposophy was never meant to be only for the rich... that anyone who longs and strives to know more about the layers of the Self and the Universe around them is welcome to seek and find their own truth REGARDLESS of the educational model they choose for their children. It is not a club. It is for all to enter...Welcome.

~ You can cherish your role as caregiver, homemaker and Your Child's Very First Teacher as a spiritual task and sacred work to be done and set a beautiful example for your children as you do so.

~ You can choose to live within this world on YOUR terms, protecting what you hold to be sacred and true for your family. It is OK to say NO to what seems the rest of the world is doing but feels wrong for you... in doing so, you set the stage for others to follow - and will soon see that there are many more parents like you than you originally thought and you will find your clan wherever you are.

~ You can take care of your own health, interests, desires and creative energies first and be whole and complete to be the amazing parent you long to be for your children.

~ You can accept the fact that we cannot create a perfect world or scenario for ourselves or our children as much as we try. This world is imperfect and so are we. BUT we can work with what we have to create a BEAUTIFUL and FULL existence while we are here. There is beauty in diversity, embrace the world for what it is.

~ You can celebrate the Festivals and Holidays with song, crafting, recipes and community... creating memories and traditions that your children will carry with them forever.

~ You can choose natural fibers when dressing your children and always remember the importance of warmth.

~ You can be an advocate for all children in your community, your school and home and speak up to help create the change you hope to see in our world.

~ You can honor your spouse and work hard on your relationship with one another to show your children how family deserves 100% of our time, commitment and attention.

~ You can slow down... pass on a few after school classes, keep your weekends open and pull out a bunch of board games or go on a hike instead.

~ You can teach your children to appreciate creativity... to use their hands even when not using them may be easier... to knit.. to sew... to cook from scratch.

~ You can keep a seasonal table in your home and encourage your children to add to it with the changing seasons and festivals.

~ You can approach learning, homework or study more holistically - practicing multiplication by using rhythm sticks or sharing fairy tales that incorporate spelling words.

~ You can encourage and inspire your children's teachers and board of education with articles, suggestions, example and ideas.

~ You can volunteer to teach your children's class how to knit.

~ You can host advent spirals, lantern walks and other celebrations for your community or school.

~ You can light a candle and say a sweet blessing at mealtimes.

~ You can have special afternoon for beeswax play, another for watercolor painting, another for baking and so on...

~ You can spend a good amount of your time outdoors with your children.

~ You can remember that the World is ultimately GOOD and seek to find the goodness in all you do and wherever you are. Look for the beauty. It is there.

Good luck on your journey - whatever it may be.

I'd love to add to this list - please feel free to do so in the comments section below...

With love.

xoxo

Saint Nicholas Has Arrived

2011-12-05T23:21:00.003-05:00

Upon his snow white steed

With wind and lightning speed

St. Nicholas leaves the sky

And comes a-riding by...

Happy Saint Nicholas Eve from Little Acorn Learning

xoxo

Santa's Lap

2011-12-04T10:23:00.004-05:00

I like to visit Santa Claus

When Christmastime is near

It's fun to sit up on his lap

And whisper in his ear...

My girls are so shy - only Keira 'whispered in his ear' this time!

Here's a cute little photo of our dog Caicos at home who is hoping for an interview to be one of Santa's Reindeer this year...

Then Comes Santa Claus

2011-12-02T08:29:00.002-05:00

O Children, Little Children

You Must Be Good Because...
A Few Short Days Brings Christmas Eve

And Then Comes Santa Claus!
And Somebody Will Tell Him

All You've Said And Done...
For Many A Week

And If He's Pleased...
Heigh Ho! Look Out For Fun!!!
(this sweet little note was on Maia's desk when I tucked her into bed last night - the spirit of Christmas is truly alive in our house right now)

Family Traditions in Winter

2011-12-01T08:24:00.006-05:00

"Every year at just this time,

In cold and dark December,
Families around the world
All gather to remember,
With presents and with parties,
With feasting and with fun,
Customs and traditions
for people old and young."
- Helen H. Moore

One of our favorite traditions is to use our Advent Spiral Calendar that my husband made for us. We painted a board with beautiful watercolor paints as well as each little star for every day in December. The girls delight in finding the day's star and taking turns putting it on our board in anticipation of Christmas Day.

We also enjoy a tiny treat left in the day's advent box... sometimes it is candy, sometimes small stones or trinkets.

What are some of your family holiday traditions this time of year?

How the Leaves Came Down

2011-11-30T09:06:00.006-05:00

I’ll tell you how the leaves came down:

The great Tree to his children said,

"You're getting sleepy, Yellow and Brown,

Yes, very sleepy, little Red.”

"Ah!" begged each silly, pouting leaf,

"Let us a little longer stay;

Dear Father Tree, behold our grief!

We do not want to go away."

So, just for one more merry day

To the great Tree the leaflets clung,

Frolicked and danced and had their way

Upon the autumn breezes swung.

"Perhaps the great Tree will forget

And let us stay until the spring,

If we all beg and coax and fret."

But the great Tree did no such thing.

He smiled to hear their whispering.

"Come, children all, to bed with care.”

He shook his head, and far and wide,

Down sped the leaflets through the air.

First Sunday of Advent

2011-11-27T10:58:00.003-05:00

In Waldorf Homes many people follow Rudolf Steiner’s teaching on celebrating the four kingdoms separately each week:

Week One begins with honoring the mineral kingdom by placing stones, shells, bone fossils, crystals, etc. on the wreath. Invite your family to choose their favorites from their collections or found in nature and place on wreath.

“The first light of Advent, it is the light of stone.
Stones we find in seashells, crystals, and even our bones.”
~ Rudolf Steiner (adapted)

Today my family and I will spend our time decorating our home, our tree and lighting the first candle on our Advent wreath at dinner time.

How will you spend your day?

xoxo

Giving Thanks

2011-11-21T09:45:00.005-05:00

Giving Thanks

For the hay and the corn and the wheat that is reaped,

For the labor well done, and the barns that are heaped,
For the sun and the dew and the sweet honeycomb,
For the rose and the song and the harvest brought home.

My sweet Junior Girl Scout troop making special turkeys and cards for people who receive Meals on Wheels in our community. My oldest daughter volunteers her time and delivers meals in our town to homes and will bring these along the day before Thanksgiving.

Me & My Guy Dance

2011-11-19T11:01:00.002-05:00

Last night was the 'Me & My Guy Dance' for Girl Scouts. Each girl got a wrist corsage and was so excited to go dancing with their daddy.
I was volunteering to serve refreshments with Keira's Junior Troop so got the inside scoop. Here the group is doing the YMCA.
And the Limbo~!

Such a very fun night and it warmed my heart to see my daughters have such good friends and a great time. Making memories is priceless.

Martinmas Celebration

2011-11-11T23:58:00.004-05:00

This Martinmas we were blessed to have one of our little daycare children come visit for the evening. Her mommy and daddy were celebrating a special anniversary so she came to enjoy crafting, dinner and a lantern walk with our family.
The children all made their own special lanterns to later fill with light on this dark and windy night.
Simple glass jars with tissue paper modge-podged on :)
My husband made the holders for our lanterns out of hangers. Here they are drying while we eat our dinner.
We put a little candle in our lantern and outside we went. The children were SO excited to sing our lantern songs and go for a walk with their lights.

I go outside with my lantern,

my lantern goes with me
Above the stars are shining bright,

down here on Earth shine we.
The cock does crow, the cat meows,

la bimmel, la bammel, la boom.
‘Neath heaven’s dome till we go home,

la bimmel, la bammel, la boom.

I go outside with my lantern,

my lantern goes with me
Above the stars are shining bright,

down here on Earth shine we.
So shine your light through the still dark night,

la bimmel, la bammel, la boom
‘Neath heaven’s dome till we go home,

la bimmel la bammel, la boom.

Merry Martinmas from Little Acorn Learning.

xoxo

Woodland Indians Field Trip

2011-11-11T22:58:00.009-05:00

Today the girls and I had an absolutely wonderful day. Do you ever just have one of those? We met some homeschooling friends at New Pond Farm in Redding, CT for a Woodland Indians Field Trip. It was such a great program. Brianna has been doing school at home but this day, Maia and Keira also happened to be home from school so they got to come along.
The photos are a bit out of order but as you can see the girls got to experience and learn so much. They learned more today in two hours than they do in a full week of social studies classes at school and I mean that. And the best part is that they will retain this information because they are interested in it and got to experience it hands-on... they didn't have to memorize the names of the Indian shelters for a test over and over - they got to go inside a Longhouse firsthand and then they got to see a Wigwam and ask questions. They will never forget the names of those shelters because they were taught about it in a way that speaks to their soul.
The program had a wonderful teacher who showed the children EVERYTHING about the Woodland Indians that lived in our area. It is so sad to me to be sitting in the middle of the forest where these beautiful people once populated and realize they are all gone.
New Pond Farm is such a wonderful little place and so close to our home. Maia loves stopping and saying hello to the animals.
Inside the children learned about the three most important crops for the native people. Squash, Corn and Beans which they call the Three Sisters. We saw how the Native Americans would grow these three things together.
We also were able to see the different tools the Woodland Indians created and how they evolved over time.
We learned that the men hunted while the woman took care of the crops and children. Animal skins were so important for warmth during the cold winters in Connecticut which we learned first hand last week with six nights without power!

Outside the children were able to try out some of the tools and explore the land.
There was a fire waiting for us and the children enjoyed popcorn Native American style in the Longhouse.
We learned how the people cooked their food and how they used wooden bowls with hot stones from the fire to make their soup warm all day. We wondered if they didn't mind the ash that went into the pot.
The instructor passed out delicious corn bread with maple syrup and told us that Indians discovered maple syrup and would grind the corn to bake bread.

Keira and Maia enjoyed a simple hoop game made of sticks and twigs.
Brianna LOVED using the tool to get the corn off of the cob in order to grind it later. Socialization will never be a concern of mine regarding homeschooling. These children have the time to be, to make friends, to explore.... to truly discover the world they are in. In school, my children have only a few minutes of lunch and recess and must hurry from class to class in the upper grades. If anything, I think they are the ones who are not getting enough socialization.
The tool is actually animal teeth attached to a jaw bone. The Native Americans did not waste a thing... there was no garbage. If we could only go back to a time like that...
Seeds and raisins were passed around for the children to enjoy.
They learned so much. And so did I. What I learned is that these homeschooling mothers are true pioneers in the name of education. I have such a deep respect for their courage to go against the norm and give their children an education that is based on freedom of learning. I'm not sure where the path will lead my children but I do know that I want more for them than standardized tests and the stress that has come along with No Child Left Behind.
And no matter where our path leads us long-term, I will always be inspired by the homeschooling movement in our country and around the world and I intend to continue to support it in my work through Little Acorn Learning in every way possible.

The Year They Cancelled Halloween

2011-11-11T21:19:00.007-05:00

Well this year we did all of the things we usually do to prepare for Halloween ...
We carved the pumpkins and baked pumpkin seeds. We even painted a few pumpkins.

But we weren't really prepared for a White Halloween :)
And BOY did it snow... it snowed so hard... and so much...

That our power went out as well as 80% of our town - power lines and trees fell down everywhere.... so they cancelled trick or treating...
A friend of ours lives in a very old farm house and invited us over for hotel-style trick or treating. Behind each door of their home, an adult stood with a bowl of candy and the children went door to door.
It was wonderful and sweet... and we were so grateful to have something to do with the children on such a special day without traditional trick or treating allowed in our neighborhood. Then we were invited to some other friends who live in a neighboring town where trick or treating WASN'T cancelled... SCORE!
We hit their place next! Two times the fun! Could it get better than that?
Well actually it got worse.... we didn't just lose power for one night - we lost it for SIX entire nights. After the third evening, the coldness really set in. The house was freezing... so cold that all of our fish died. We had no source of heat except our fireplace so we found every single blanket we could in our home, moved three mattresses into the family room and the six of us plus two dogs and our cat lived that way for a week. It wasn't easy... but it really taught us a lesson or two about how very lucky we are. We soon realized what was truly a 'need' and a 'want' in our lives.... to the extent that we even spoke about the fact that we really didn't NEED a four bedroom home. It was a luxury that we are more grateful for now... but we could live in one room and we proved it that week.
At the end of the week when our power returned, our town put together a Trunk or Treat for the children so they could dress up and enjoy the holiday... soooooo...
Round THREE of trick or treating took place for our girls....
So much for cancelling Halloween - we got triple the candy!

xoxo

Piano Recital

2011-10-24T10:00:00.002-04:00

Yesterday Keira had her first piano recital which was a 'Halloween Recital'. She has been taking lessons for less than a year and has an amazing talent for music. She's gotten through some of the hardest books and plays just unbelievably already. I know Keira was very nervous to perform but she did amazing!
We are all so proud of her and it warms my heart when I see one of my children discover a passion of theirs like Keira's new found love for music. When I was young, I would spend hours upon hours writing and creating art... its what I have always loved to do and I see the same excitement in Keira when she plays.
xoxo

Main Street Up-Close

2011-10-11T15:31:00.007-04:00

I was born in Manhattan and lived in Yonkers, NY until fourth grade. Then my mom and step-father moved us to Westchester, NY until they purchased their first house in Danbury, Connecticut right before I entered middle school. I'll always be a New Yorker at heart (and by the way I talk) but Danbury is the place where I really grew up. The rough type of growing up in small but tough city depending on who you chose for your crew. I must admit it wasn't an easy place to grow up and I didn't make the best decisions. By far.
One of my sidekicks from those wild times so long ago is now a professional photographer and we have reconnected in adulthood and discovered that all of this time we were both artists and creative souls... didn't even know it. We are lucky enough to have truly found ourselves and survived the craziness, coming out alive. I am so happy that we have this new-found adult friendship and whenever she comes back to town, we try to get together. On this particular day, we decided to go back to our old stomping grounds... and get some up-close photos - the things you do not normally see when walking down the city streets of Danbury. The unseen art. Katherine brought me to a beautiful graffiti tribute wall and showed me a few tricks on my camera.

It was the most fun and the most alive I've felt in a very long time. We are kindred spirits and ran up and down and in and out every nook and cranny we could find to look for the hidden art of Danbury streets. I felt like I was 15 again.The best part was that we kept finding the same things - we had the same eye and saw the same art.
We went to a store we used to go to as teens and bought banana clips. I didn't even know they still sold those!

I miss art. I miss creating it and looking for it. It was so wonderful to have someone else who appreciates it the way I do. That sees it too. I have decided I need more of that in my life.
More art. More creative souls...
More feelings like that day of being so alive and free. Bliss.
I'm thankful I survived my time as a wild teen on those streets... and I'm even more thankful I can now go back and capture the same place with new eyes.

Katherine and I are going to her 20th reunion this weekend. Time flies by so quickly...

xoxo

Nature's Sounds

2011-10-07T22:03:00.009-04:00

This week in our Forest School we talked about the sense of hearing. We also talked a lot about the different types of birds in our area and the various sounds that they make.
My sweet Brianna is now a part of our forest program. She was suffering from such extreme anxiety in Kindergarten that she was having panic attacks at home and crying horribly each morning for almost a month. We tried so hard to make it work but it got to the point that I realized she just wasn't ready to transition yet. I knew this deep down inside but I guess I had hoped for the best.
So we are exploring learning together right now... learning in the woods here, participating in various homeschool groups. We've had such a wonderful time and Brianna has begun to make friends and go off on her own without me to play.
I'm not sure where we will end up but right now she is still very young and we are taking each day at a time. I have always been very open to homeschooling but also love the community aspect of being a part of a school for the girls. Luckily, the events that I've been attending are a wonderful way to make tons of friends for both myself and Brianna.
This week we took the children up to the field at Williams Park...
There the children found milkweed and Miss Jen talked about it some...When you break the leaves there is a 'milky' substance inside...
And we talked about how the caterpillars lay their eggs there..

Brianna found one that had obviously helped hatch a hungry caterpillar who then proceeded to EAT the leaf it was born on :)
This really is a beautiful way to learn. Who knows... maybe all of the girls will one day learn at home. I'm open to the idea.
Little Lilah and Brianna have been friends for a very long time. Lilah was in my childcare since she was almost two years old. It is so sweet that they are still so close - just like siblings.
Here Miss Jen took us to a special place in the woods where a big tree fell down after a big storm....
But look at the most amazing part...
The ROOTS all got pulled up - so huge and wonderful!

The children just LOVED this.
Autumn is truly here and there are signs of it everywhere. It is my absolute favorite time of the year.

On our way back to our picnic tables, we used our ears to listen for the animals in the forest. We heard so many beautiful bird sounds...
We then painted rocks to make our very own bird creations...

Below you see Brianna's bluebird and cardinal. :) Fun times.

xoxo

Eileen

Learning in the Woods

2011-09-30T19:54:00.006-04:00

Our second day of school in the woods was wonderful. We spent our morning exploring the sense of touch.

Miss Jen brought out such beautiful samples of nature that we felt with our hands. We asked each child to use describing words and they came up with 'bumpy', 'smooth', 'prickly', 'pointy' and 'soft'.

Then we shared our Mystery Box which was filled with items found in nature. The children each took turns putting their hands in the box and guessing what they felt.

When we went for our hike, we tried to find the same items that we felt in our Mystery Box.

It was very damp from a lot of rain and the bugs were pretty relentless. The children hardly complain though - its quite amazing.

We also looked for beautiful leaves for our project later in the day...

We found sweet worms wiggling under the rocks... Lilah was not one bit afraid and picked them up gently right away. We talked about how worms cannot see or hear but use their sense of touch to know where they are going.

When we returned from our hike to the picnic tables, Miss Jen led our craft activity of making homemade Leaf Presses.

The children used beeswax crayons and leaf stamps to decorate their press.

Then they layered paper and the beautiful leaves they found on their walk on top of each other.

We sealed each press closed with rubber bands and our leaves will sit in our presses until we are ready to use them for craft projects in a few weeks.

This day, I brought along a few wooden toys for the children to play with on our picnic blanket.

We also read beautiful stories - one of them was especially sweet and included different textures for the children to feel as they explored.

We look forward to seeing the children again next week.

Dragon Bread for Michaelmas

2011-09-29T19:02:00.005-04:00

Today we celebrated Michaelmas by baking Dragon Bread :) - the girls all worked together.

As we made our bread each girl took a turn helping...

We measured and poured

And got messy :)

I shared a story of a Dragon who came and stormed a town and ruined the fields and crops..

And how the townspeople were so sad and had no hope

But St. Michael came and told them to rebuild and plant their seeds again...

And he defeated the dragon and sent him away...

We then kneaded our bread and let it rise...

And after an hour - we took it out and pounded it...

And shaped it into a dragon (lol - does it LOOK like a dragon to you?)... and waited for it to rise again and baked it.

Merry Michaelmas!

xoxo

Autumn Crafting

2011-09-27T14:37:00.006-04:00

To celebrate the coming of Autumn, the girls and I spent some time crafting.

I needlefelted a simple leaf which ended up decorating our favorite nature walk basket...

Maia wanted to make a leaf mask :) - she didn't want any help and got busy right away.

Silly pickle!

Keira wanted to make leaves out of felt and craft little leaf babies to go in them...

She traced and cut the leaves...

And began sewing together a little body for her baby...

I love spending time together at our dining room table being creative. And Autumn is my favorite season ever.

Mix a Pancake

2011-09-24T14:57:00.002-04:00

Mix a pancake,Stir a pancake,

Pop it in the pan;

Fry the pancake,

Toss the pancake,

Catch it if you can.

Closely Knit

2011-09-23T16:54:00.004-04:00

This sweet little chick was knit up by my daughter Keira for a creative project she had to bring in for school. The pattern is just a simple square folded over and sewed up just right from the book Toymaking with Children.

Did you know that you can knit anywhere? Up on a playset...

At the dinner table...

In bed with a special doll...

Maia is also a little knitter. She knows how to knit the regular way but really loves her knitting tower that she got for Christmas.

Simple finger knitting with a tool to make the coolest, thick, warm chain...

So much fun.

What are you working on?

Remembering Alexa

2011-09-19T12:17:00.001-04:00

Some of you who have been following my blog may remember our most sorrowful loss of my oldest daughter's best friend, Alexa to suicide three years ago. Alexa was only 14 years old and just about to enter high school. She was caring for our animals the week before she died while we were on vacation and we returned the night before she took her own life. On our kitchen table, she left sweet notes that were full of joyful comments, smiley faces and doodles... she also left a book there that Dee let her borrow. We never could have imagined that those simple gestures were her way of saying goodbye to us.

The pain of losing anyone you love is often too much to bear but when you lose someone to suicide, it is even more difficult because there is such a stigma attached to the word.

In our desperate attempt to cope and help Alexa's family, Dee and I organized our first community walk to remember her life through 'Out of the Darkness' run by the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. Looking back, I'm not sure any of us knew if we'd ever walk again... or breathe again for that matter. But we had to do something.

So when the second year came upon us... we walked again.

Three years later, we once again met to honor Alexa's life yesterday. This time, the walk moved to our home town in Brookfield - sadly, because another young man committed suicide here 14 months ago and his family decided to organize the walk in our town.

This year Alexa would have been a senior. She would have been looking at colleges and planning her future just like my daughter is doing. Her mother and father would have been preparing to send her out into the world to begin her own life. I can hardly stand up when I think of this. The pain is so intense just for me, a friend... I cannot imagine if it were my own child.

It is three years later and we are still here - still standing... walking... living... grieving and remembering. We are determined to do whatever we can to prevent another child from experiencing the pain and loneliness that Alexa felt those last days of her life. If she only knew how much she was loved.

(Alexa's mom, Dee and I)

Our lives will never be the same again. We have become very close with Alexa's mom and dad and although we wish it was for different reasons, we are here to lift each other up and do some good in this world... to make a difference.

Diondra is thinking about going into psychology to one day help girls like Alexa. I hug my children a little bit tighter and thank God for each moment I have with them each day. Alexa's parents were a big part of an anti-bullying law that was put into effect in Connecticut and are a part of an organization in our town to help those suffering from depression and mental illness.

While we wish she was still here.... there is no doubt that her life brought us goodness.

And for that we are thankful.

Happy Birthday, Loves

2011-09-18T16:02:00.003-04:00

Yesterday we celebrated THREE of my favorite people's birthdays with family and friends :)

Maia's birthday is at the end of July but we've had to cancel it twice - poor thing! The first time, Keira came down with a case of the chicken pox - the second time hurricane Irene blew through - I guess the third time was a charm... she was able to celebrate right around the same time as Brianna and Brian's birthday.

Brianna turned 5 this year - on the same day as her daddy. Its so amazing that they were born on the same day.

Maia was so happy to finally celebrate her special day.

We had our traditional pinata outside for the kids and lots of good food and drinks. The weather was cool just the way I like it :)

My dad and I.

Our clan. The girls are getting so big.

We had a great celebration and are going out to dinner tonight to once again celebrate Brian and Brianna as a family.

Hope you had a great weekend too.

xoxo

Preschool in the Woods

2011-09-15T22:01:00.000-04:00

“Passion does not arrive on videotape or on a CD; passion is personal. Passion is lifted from the earth itself by the muddy hands of the young, it travels along grassstained sleeves to the heart. If we are going to save environmentalism and the environment, we must also save an endangered indicator species: the child in nature. — Richard Louv, Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children from Nature Deficit Disorder, 2005

Today was our very first day of Forest Preschool. We spent 3 1/2 hours immersed in nature with these sweet little children. Looking back, I can't believe I am getting paid to do such wonderful work. How very lucky I am.

Our theme today was 'Our Senses and The Environment: Sight & Shapes'. We began by making these fun shape necklaces to take on our hike. We learned about the 5 senses: sight, smell, taste, touch, and hearing. Then we talked about shapes - what are our favorite shapes? What makes them special? What kinds of shapes can we find in nature? Then we used our sense of sight to find different shapes as we walk through the woods!

Here’s one of the songs we learned before we headed off into the woods:

The Leaves on the Trees
The leaves on the trees,
They sway in the breeze,
They sway all around, all around.
Slowly first, then faster
Until all the leaves fall down.
(Repeat, gradually getting faster each time)

The children made these recycled boxes to hold all of their treasures in. And there were SO many treasures and especially NUTS!

Miss Jen and I found a Hornets nest - absolutely amazing - luckily, it was not near where we were working with the children.

Hmmmm what type of nut is this?

We found so many shapes in the forest....

A square is a square (make square with fingers)
No matter which where (turn square all around)
Turn it here, turn it there
It’s still a square (hold hands out to side)

Lilah found an Oval... do you see it? Look on the ground below...

And we were so excited to find these little mushrooms - they look just like fairy umbrellas... we talked a lot about the fact that many berries and mushrooms could make us very sick and be dangerous so it is important not to touch them unless an adult says it is ok.

A circle!

We found a piece of bark on the ground and when we turned it over we saw these wiggly worms :) - it was a perfect opportunity to talk to the children a little bit about habitats and being gentle when we are in the forest and careful not to disrupt things. I asked them if they thought this was the worms' home and that maybe it would be nice if we covered them back up... so we did :)

What letter is this? Kylie found the letter Y... not only one time but twice.

Gavin and the other children enjoyed playing boat with the leaves in this stream...

Alex used his stick to test the water.

Can you find the big letter 'V' we noticed?

Afterwards, we came back to our table and had snack. Then we decorated our collection boxes with the items we found. The children were tired but still excited about the rest of the activities we had planned.

Miss Jen had a tree identification book that we were able to use to find out what type of tree this nut came from. It was a Shagbark Hickory... which is actually an edible nut.

Very cool indeed.

We then pushed some nature materials into this plaster of paris to make a fun take-home craft.

And after lunch together picnic-style, we listened to a few sweet stories until Mommies came to pick up the children.

What an amazing first day! I have the absolute best partner to work with, a beautiful location to teach and four little souls just absorbing it all in.

I feel so alive and filled with gratitude :)

xoxo

The Very First Day...

2011-09-01T22:41:00.001-04:00

Well the day has arrived. The day that I send my last child off to school. My heart was leaping and breaking at the same time. So many hours I spent worrying about how she would handle school... if it was the right choice for her... which place, which method, which option...

Back and forth I struggled with this issue for all of my girls. I want the best for them. I want what works best for us as a family. I simply want them to be happy.

Bree was so lucky this year to have a little friend who lives right next door who is also starting Kindergarten... and her bus stop is our driveway! Bree has struggled in the past with a lot of separation anxiety which made me extra anxious about how it would go. I wasn't going to force her if she wasn't ready... but I guess she just was.

Watching her sisters go off to school each morning surely helped. Maia started second grade this year... what a big girl she is now. She has a very nice teacher and one of her best friends in her class from last year. Her classroom is a cooperative class with two teachers and students that learn together in various groups.

My oldest is starting her Senior Year... can you imagine? How can I be the mom of a Senior in high school? And she is just such a good kid. I am so lucky.

Keira began middle school this year. She was so very excited that she woke up at 3:30 a.m. the night before and could not get back to sleep! We were up with the birds together and enjoyed a warm cup of tea before starting our day. She also has her best friend in her class (amazing) and really loves her new school.

So my girls began a new chapter in their lives... and I began a new one as well.

For the first time in a very long time, I was home - alone - in silence. I missed them very much... but I also felt that the solitude is much needed for me right now. Being a working mom from home is extremely challenging and requires many late nights awake so I can be the best I can be for my girls during the day. To be able to work while they are learning and then be fresh, ready and engaged when they return has felt very good.

A part of me feels so guilty for that truth. But, for our family ... right now... it is working. I am open to anything the future holds.

Regardless of your schooling choices, I hope you too have a wonderful year full of learning and love.

xoxo

Hurricane Hike...

2011-08-30T16:47:00.003-04:00

Well Hurricane Irene ripped through our little town and even though we were prepared, it was scary. What we were not prepared for were the intense winds after the hurricane passed through - it must have been the tail end winds... but Sunday night was much more dangerous than early Sunday morning was. Living in an area with so many trees doesn't help so we all slept in our basement for two nights until everything finally passed.

After a long summer and then having this week of poor weather and Hurricane Irene, we were all a little restless to say the least. Tensions were building and the girls were running out of things to play. Amazingly, we did not lose power during the storm - we always lose power so this was a huge blessing ... BUT the power went out last night after everything - thankfully, it was only for a few hours. Today I took the girls out on a 'Hurricane Hike' to see what we could find.

They gathered lots of little nature treasures from the debris. We had a lot of trees and power lines down but it was mostly cleared up in our neighborhood by the time we went on our walk.

The first day of public school in our town was supposed to be this past Monday but they already had to cancel school two days. Imagine already accumulating 'snow days' before the year even begins!

The rest of the town didn't fair as well as we did and I will try to take photos of things I see when we get out and about. The weather after a hurricane is the most beautiful weather you could imagine.

At our home, we were lucky to only lose one small tree and it did not hit our home. It ALMOST hit our deck but thankfully it didn't. Brian was so happy to have a opportunity to use his chainsaw!

Needless to say, I know my girls will remember this experience forever... sleeping the basement with our entire family and grandma was a lot of fun but we are glad to be safe and get back to normal.

Did Irene come your way?

The Hid(e)away

2011-08-24T19:35:00.004-04:00

My sweet girls decided to name their clubhouse 'The Hideaway'...

The funny part is that when Keira made the sign she forgot the 'e' in hideaway... sooo instead of getting frustrated and starting over, she decided to leave it be and write I'm hiding away the letter 'e' - that's my girl!

Kids Only (except for the occasional mom or dad who needs to help get rid of a scary bug or bring snacks or nail signs up...

Here they are at their little table inside. They created a secret club that not even I am allowed to know about :)

My husband made little windows so they could peek out and get some light - we've decided to make window shutters of some sort so less bugs will find their way inside.

We may also wallpaper or paint the interior. At first, we left it natural to draw, write notes and decorate with markers but over time the words are fading so maybe a change is in order...

Did you have a secret hid(e)away, clubhouse or treehouse growing up? I wish I did...

Making Eye Pillows

2011-08-19T23:29:00.005-04:00

Our eye pillows have such a special place in our home. We make them together, choose the fabric - trace - cut - fill - sew and put them in our freezer.

Yes I did say freezer - we like them cold.

They are used right before bedtime or if anyone gets a boo-boo.

They are a little piece of home to take when going to grandmas...

Sometimes they are a pillow for our favorite doll or part of our play...

They smell good and feel good..

They feel great right after yoga...

Our daycare children always get one - make one - sometimes bring them home as gifts...

They are a simple, sweet part of our lives that get so worn out and used up that we needed to make a new batch today and it was fun :)

Sweet dreams.

xoxo