A 4 year old birthday celebrated with all of the wonderful things...
:: finding a beautiful seashell left by her guardian angel under her pillow
:: a special cup, crown and picture
:: chocolate chip pancakes for breakfast
:: lunch with family
:: birthday cake and wishes
:: presents and kisses
We are so glad you were born and are incredibly luck to be your parents.
We love you so much!
Mama and Daddy
Every now and then I need new inspiration for our home. I found lovely inspiration in Shannon Honeybloom's book Making A Family Home. The idea of adorning all of our windows with crystals has brought such magic into our home...casting rainbows.
There is just something amazing about how the same light can pass through my kitchen windows as the light that passes through the sun catcher, and yet one makes brilliant rainbows. Sometimes I think this similar to my perspective. The same situation can look ordinary or extraordinary...it all depends on my perspective. Today, I choose the magical.
What is your favorite way to bring magic into the home?
In inspiration,
Hillary
Little creation by T and Miss Mc Nut
Today we had T's home visit for school next year. It made me so grateful that we chose the school we have and that she is going to be lovingly surrounded and nurtured.
Miss McNutt (who T affectionately calls Miss Mixed Nuts...in her own 3 year-old way), played with T, enjoyed the banana bread T and I had made and showed enthusiasm when T showed her all of her rain gear for school. I giggled as T showed her underneath her bed and in her closet. And I was beside myself with awe when T kindly told Miss McNutt that we don't wear shoes in our house.
Truly in the end, I was very pleased with the teacher and her interactions with my spunky girl, and simultaneously grateful for my daughter and her presence and gentle happy nature.
As our visit drew to a close, on the way out the door Miss McNutt said, "I am so inspired. We could have preschool here." Truly, fabulous compliment...especially after the whole under the bed and closet exploration, ahem.
I know T's transition from home to school will be more smooth because of the fluidity between what we do at home and what she will do at school. That continuity makes me comfortable. Having her teacher come and visit just further enhances that continuity. Now the one week count down begins...
Yours in gratitude,
Hillary
Surely this is the stuff that fairy tales are made of...
I loved spying these sites on our weekend adventure. There is just something about the combination of moss and mushrooms that appeals to my visual sense.
T and I whispered to the creatures amongst this sites. Imagining fairies using the mushrooms as shade and protection from the rain.
If anyone knows the kinds of mushrooms and/or if they are editable, I'd love to know.
Dreaming of a fairy tale,
Hillary
So I have knit a few items for our vacation...I know, I haven't told you...but tomorrow I'll reveal more, don't worry though, I am taking you with me (oh and incase you still need to pack, we leave on Friday) :).
My friend Laura went to Mermaid Camp (I know!?! I am totally going someday!). This just enhanced my love of mermaids (remember this quilt?) and decided that T had to have a mermaid doll for our trip. After dreaming up many different ideas, this is what I settled on. I turned "Me" (the name of this doll I made T) into a mermaid. I hope to write the pattern for this Waldorf doll Mermaid Costume and share it...I had fun swimmingly knitting along.
I also finished T's Pinwheel Sun Hat...perfect for a day at the beach.
I think we are ready...her Whimsical Rainbow Backpack and purse are finished ready to travel!
Dreaming of mermaids and a vacation,
Hillary
This is the book version of the tale, I tell my daughter. This book was given to me by my Great-Grandmother (the one T is named after) in 1984. We all know the story...Jack climbs up the beanstalk and finds a different world.
When I weave the story with T, sometimes there is a giant, sometimes there are little people and sometimes there are no people...just creatures. Irregardless...its always a beanstalk. Now with the new realization this sprouting gardening adventure, the beanstalk has taken on a whole new meaning.
Seriously...I know all things grow on their own time, and I don't want my kale or lettuce to feel less, but look at these beanstalks. It's not a far stretch to realize how a giant came about in this tale.
Today Jack's adventures have new meanings for us. We are grateful for this gardening experience.
I hope you find new meanings in your gardens as well as Mrs. Thaw has swept up and Spring shall arrive on her butterfly carriage shortly (from Ollie's Ski Trip).
Warmly,
Hillary
Please click here to go to the Beyond the Rainbow Bridge Give-Away.
We try to make a regular habit around here of going to our local library. T particularly enjoys Story Time, and I'll have to admit, I enjoy it as well. This morning we all went as a family. In the rush to get out the door, a last minute decision was made to wear her giraffe dress (a dress in her closet that was mine in childhood and one she has yet to wear prior to today). She was very excited about wearing this dress because her favorite puppet (did I mention there are puppets at Story Time too? Love.) is Jimmy Giraffe. I thought this was a moment worth capturing.
I am grateful that our local library is so accessible. It allows me the opportunity to check out books instead of buying them, saving money and trees alike. I can go online and hold the books and even renew them online. I feel like it is such a treasure to have such easy access to so many wonderful books and resources.
Here are the selections we came home with today. I can say that Barklem's Brambly Hedge Winter Story is just darling. It had both T and I excited to turn every page.
(Oh and as a note, as I have now previewed all of these books...The Country Bunny and The Golden Shoes does not get my stamp of approval.)
I am overwhelmed at the love and interest in the Beyond a Rainbow Bridge Give-Away. Perhaps some of the most touching comments were from readers who do not have access to a local Waldorf School...so in honor of you, I share these lyrics to T's current favorite song.
Before the song begins, the teacher passes a little basket around the little woolen tufts that the children and parents can use as sheep.
White Sheep, White Sheep
White Sheep, White Sheep,
On a blue hill,
When the wind blows,
You all stand still.
When the wind stops,
You walk away slow.
White Sheep, White Sheep,
Where do you go?
At the end of the song the children take the sheep and hide them behind their backs. As we sang this song today, we got out some roving and have enjoyed recreating the song and finger play over and over. I hope you will be able to enjoy this song in your neck-of-the-woods.
With gratitude,
Hillary
We've begun the parent-toddler classes at our local Waldorf School. Both T and I are enjoying our time in the class. Every week T looks forward to flocking the groats (pressing whole grain oats), enjoying tea and porridge with her friends, nature walks, story time and the songs. I had to giggle last week, when the teacher transitioned us from circle time with songs to imaginative play...T asked for more songs. "Here We Go 'Round the Mulberry Bush" is a current favorite.
One of the items in our packet when beginning school was a copy of Beyond the Rainbow Bridge. Since we have a copy already and have enjoyed it immensely, I thought what better to do than have a Give-Away here and share the love.
The book covers a wide variety of subjects in an easy read. It covers warmth, play, the seven year change and senses. It has an index of resources and a fairy tale reference. It even has a few craft tutorials, including a knot doll and puppet. I love how the book breaks down the ages...I can read about where my 2 1/2 year old is and what I can do to support her and her imaginative path. The beautiful cover lends itself to the magic inside...
For the Give-Away, I am offering a brand new copy of Beyond the Rainbow Bridge and a handmade bookmark (by me :)). If you would like to be entered in the Give-Away, please comment on this post. If you want to increase your chances of winning, please post about this Give-Away on your own blog and come back and leave another comment with the link. I will then enter your name *three* times. I will close comments on Valentine's (Sunday, February 14th) at 9pm CST. I will announce the winner and share the love, the next day.
I am grateful to share this book with you all. I wish I could give each of you a little gift, but for now, this will have to do. I truly am grateful for all of my readers!
Warmly,
Hillary
so i had all of these posts planned out in my head...about our holidays and what we did. with today being the last day of christmas, epiphany, i realized i never got around to all of my verbose posts. but i think that was natural, a good thing. i had the thought that for once, you may be like the child in me...more interested in the photos. with a bazillion photos at my fingertips, i decided to make a holiday collage.
as i have said many times in my day to day life...so much so that T says it out loud now too, "I am only ONE woman" and to me...that is a little bit of an epiphany, indeed.
wishing you an epiphany,
hillary
