Santa's Helpers/Waldorf Playstand

We really hoped to keep this Christmas low impact- didn't want to end up with a mountain of toys that will be forgotten within days. And with the long, cold winter at our door we also thought it'd be wonderful to have some sort of an indoor play structure. I always loved the idea behind Waldorf Playstands for obvious reasons- they are a never ending source of fun- a pretend house, kitchen, puppet theater, shop…anything one's mind can imagine. So even though we had never built anything- we thought why not. We borrowed the tools from some friends and less than $100 of lumber later- we had the awesomest present for the kids- one that we were so proud of and that gives us and them so much pleasure to play with. We followed the directions from mainelycraftymama, with a few height adjustments. We also ended up just finish it off with a beeswax polish and I love the softness and shine it gave to the playstand. It even smelled like a Waldorf school for awhile. We love the result.

Happy Holidays

In this house we celebrate a little of everything…when I was little we celebrated only New Years, but since moving to the U.S. I have embraced a bit of the Christmas traditions, so our advent calendar houses gilt chocolate coins and winter solstice is celebrated with gusto. Happy Holidays from our Family. 

Siena insisted Reed needed a Tshirt from Santa- Santa knows us well enough to bring a NASA T-shirt

Siena really wanted a wooden microphone- really hard to find online- incredibly easy to make! 

Siena reading one of the many books she got next to the drawing she made for Reed

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And so it ends…

A portrait of my children, once a week, every week in 2013.
As always joining in with Jodi's 52 week project over at cheandfidel.blogspot.com

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Can't believe this year is almost done. Everybody here is so excited for the holidays and spending loads of lazy days together. As always joining Jodi over at cheandfidel.blogspot.com and the 52 project. I have really appreciated having the incentive to take these images over this year and loved the 52 community- some incredibly talented folks.

A portrait of my children, once a week, every week in 2013.

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Siena and Reed went sledding (first time for Reed). Last image is what happens when mommy is taking pictures for project 52 rather than stoping a sled headed for the shrubbery and the woods.

A portrait of my children, once a week, every week in 2013.

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A portrait of my children, once a week, every week in 2013.
Joining in with Jodi over at cheandfidel.blogspot.com

Not great pictures but great moments:)

48/52 Thanksgiving Edition

A portrait of my children once a week every week in 2013.
Joining in with jodi at cheandfidel.blogspot.com

Reed- helping mommy and Siena cook our Thanksgiving meal
Siena-enjoying our meal..the day was perfect, it was just the 4 of us and I could not have imagined a nicer Thanksgiving (more pictures coming)

Winter Lantern Walk

A year ago or so, when we still lived in Australia we belonged to a Waldorf school that held the most amazing Winter Lantern Walk. This is us trying to recreate just a piece of that. Luckily for us, we have the Harvest Preserve; a lovely piece of land on the outskirts of town that has been protected and shared by a local family. It is rather magical, with pieces of art and hidden mailboxes full of goodies at every turn, with giant sacred boulders from Indonesia and statues of ballerinas, ponds, hills and broken trees perfect for fairy hideouts…it is a never-ending surprise and it was a perfect place to do our yearly lantern walk.

All the girls got a little winter fairy right after the Mother Nature and Lantern story…a lovely story about how stars came to be in the sky

As I said the Harvest Preserve is spectacular

The pond house at the Preserve

Walk was followed by a story, a few songs and some scones and cider in the pond house (and yes those are kids running by)

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A portrait of my children, once a week, every week in 2013.
As always joining in with Jodi over at cheandfidel.blogspot.com

Winter is here with temperatures in the single digits (F) and unforgiving wind. It's going to be a long winter inside, with not too much to do in our little town. Reed loves sitting on the window sill. He gets all surprised every time a car goes by or a squirrel. God forbid a bird or a bunny hops by- nothing short of a minute of pointing and screeching at me to come see will do. Siena has started loving this same spot as well…the good sister she is, she is often sitting there next to him making sure he doesn't decide to stand up or jump. Our ten day Thanksgiving vacation has started (one more reason to love the academia) and we are looking forward to lazy days spent together, slow cooked meals, crafts, drawing, lots of pj dance parties and a few short hikes.

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a portrait of my children, once a week, (almost) every week in 2013.
As always joining the talented jodi at cheandfidel.blogspot.com

Halloween and last days of autumn….winter is coming:)
Reed and Siena had loads of fund as super kids…which they are
Last two- trying to enjoy one more warm day before winter is upon us with below zero temps and snow.

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A portrait of my children, once a week, every week in 2013.
As always joining in with Jodi over at cheandfidel.blogspot.com

Siena and Reed have loved sitting on the windowsill watching the world go by recently. And they have also loved being together pretty much anywhere. Siena is the most patient, loving older sister a little boy could ever ask for.

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A portrait of my children, once a week, every week in 2013.

"All good things must come an end," not sure I like whoever came up with that, but alas summer is officially over. We harvested all we could from our planted-too-late-garden before the first frost last night.

Siena-helping separate the chard (silver beet) stems from leaves for blanching and freezing.
Reed- the very last 2013 picnic on the grass from more than a week ago...

loving from last week: this reminds me that when reed was about 8 to 10 months any problem in the world could be solved by taking him on the porch to watch the cars go by, words are really not needed,  little hipster.

As always joining with Jodi over at cheandfidel.blogspot.com

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A portait of my children, once a week, every week in 2013.
Inspired by Jodi over at cheandfidel.blogspot.com

My thoughtful children...

Reed is getting to be so big. He turns 18 months today, and most days he feels like a toddler to me rather than a baby...
Siena is loving homeschooling...and the freedom to do all sorts of things. These two remind me so much of each other...very mellow, thoughtful and loving little monkeys.

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A portrait of my children, once a week, every week in 2013. 

Reed-since what's better thing to do than pick pumpkins at a apple picking orchard:)))
Siena-life is friends- already! Love seeing her be a child and free.
Couldn't resist- the girls have been so nice to Reed- love!

As always joining in with Jodi and her 52 week project over at cheandfidel.blogspot.com