We built a fire pit.
It’s quite large.
For the Daddy:
Top Ten Reasons that You are Loved
by Galen
A portrait of my children, once a week, every week.
All of the above are from Easter.
I went simple, simple, simple this year. I didn’t make anything or gather up a bunch of little personalized gifts. Just a collection of lots and lots of snack-ish things to bridge the gap between brunch and dinner. And a balsa wood airplane as a little something to play with. Simple and sweet. There were dried bananas, mango and apples; beet chips, yam chips and a handful of organic jelly beans each. I made a batch of Paleo Marzipan and one night after the kids were in bed, Steve and I made some little things from it; nests with eggs, little ducks, carrots, chocolate chip “cookies”. I used to always put seeds in their baskets, my my Mother-in-law now sends them a big envelope full of seeds as an Easter gift, so that’s already taken care of. I used to do books, but we have so many books already and with the fabulous inter-library loan system, access to just about anything we might want. Art supplies, musical instruments, little home-made fairies and elves and things…really we’re good at the moment. We have all we need. Simple is better.
If nothing else, I suppose it’s convenient to be out of commission at a time of year when I have such a backlog of photos and experiences to share.
Our woodland neighbors appreciated the edible ornaments we put out for them (the people type neighbors got chocolate covered apricots). Our Solstice was absolutely enchanting. The children and I walked, under the moonlight, through the flurries, singing merrily down the road to our neighbors house, where there was a good, warm, gathering of friendly souls. Iain and Elijah helped to lay out an evergreen spiral. And after we had all walked the spiral, little Màiri’s face terribly solemn by the glow of her candle, it was Galen who lead the whole group in and out of the spiral in a dance. It was surely a memory to be treasured and a tradition we’ll be eager to keep in years to come.
Today I am grateful for the blue, blue sky, so clear after yesterday’s clouds and the evenings wild winds. Somehow this sky had the look of sugar weather and the kind of sweet, comfortable associations that go with it.
Just stopping in to say hello, happy New Year! and I’ll be back to posting regularly soon. We had an eventful, sometimes sad, sometimes hard, but mostly good new year and now we’re enjoying the last full day of my sister’s visit before switching to getting ready for Iain’s 13th (!) birthday party on Saturday. There is just so very much going on right now. But life will slow down soon and when it does, I have so much to share! Until then, may your days be merry and bright and may all your birthdays be white (Galen really wasn’t ready to give that song up for the season just yet).
Don’t unicorns and feathers randomly appear in your tree when you turn your back?
Everyone’s favorite Christmas Eve tradition, Pop-pop’s reading of “Twas the Night Before Christmas“.
A new idea this year; houseplants in the kids stockings.
This year’s Christmas pajamas…
fabric: ‘Woolies’ flannel by Maywood Studio
pattern: Kwik Sew K3945 for all three boys, with some length added for Iain. I didn’t use a pattern for Rosebud’s, but this was my inspiration.
I was bored with my usual red and/or green color scheme and decided to try something new.
I’m so very sleepy. Not much to say for myself tonight. We have house guests arriving with yet another snowstorm tomorrow and much more celebrating to come. All is well here.
love,
Melody, Steve,
Iain, Elijah, Galen,
and
Màiri Rose
1 & 2 There are paper snowflakes everywhere
3 why yes, that is a horseflake
4 & 5 gift making
6 & 7 and wrapping
8 late night knitting with coconut sugar cookies
9 sending off their first order
10 the kids had stamps out while I was addressing Christmas cards so I added some sweet little blue birds to the back of the envelopes
11 & 12 Golden Goose and Fairy trees seen while out and about.
13 nut butter caramel and red raspberry leaf and nettle chai
14 dreidel
15 late night knitting with orange
16 nativity by Iain
17 the enchanting Winter in White by Robert Sabuda
18 making music (why yes, those are more snowflakes on the floor behind him)
20 & 21 we made Swedish straw stars
22 & 23 while she made an empty yarn cone into a Christmas tree
24 We made a whole mobile of ballerina snowflakes. They twirl and drift about gracefully and it’s like just before intermission at the Nutcracker. template here
As part of their school work this year, Iain and Elijah have been charged with the task of starting their own business. What better way to learn business math and a multitude of other things as well? I guess it shouldn’t come as a big surprise to anyone that children from this house would decide that the best way to go about this would be by making things.
The two of them have teamed up and their new Etsy shop, The Enchanted Toy Shop, is now open!
They have many (many) more things to go out there, but I am slow at getting the listings together.
Currently available are: wooden swords- some painted and some finished with beeswax polish, a selection of beans for kitchen play, mini-gnomes and some very cute Santa/St. Nicolas ornaments.
They have decided that 20% of their profits will go to charity (proud, proud mama here). The charity of choice for the month of December is our local food pantry which boasts the amazing statistic of having 97% of every dollar donated going directly towards food for people in need.
Check back often as more listings will be added soon. And feel free to contact me here or them there with custom requests.
The makings of our holiday…
Flannel napkins from fabric scraps for the kids by Iain and Elijah.
Linen Pulled Fringe Napkins for the adults, by me, tutorial here.
Iced tea brewed from heirloom sweet thyme grown in our garden.
Pastel turkey by Iain.
Lego turkey by Elijah.
Double Rope Braid Bun Tutorial
Birch bark place cards by Iain.
Spiced and Super-Juicy Roast Turkey recipe found here. Bacon-Blanketed, Herb Roasted Turkey recipe found here. (I used the brine from the first recipe and the cooking method from the second)