small wonders

There was much drawing and cutting and making this week- Perry brought home a couple new notebooks (Dori is going through drawing pads at an amazing pace,) which inspired lots of new artwork.

there was cutting of paper dolls (and goats!),

and going through the huge stash of vintage zippers from a friend (thanks Nik!)- I think I need to make a whole pile of zipper pouches with these.

The living room was tranformed with various impressive set-ups and many elaborate castle themed games, 

                  (I especially love this little shop selling smoothies,)

Valentine making,

My funny valentine. (This picture is so quintessentially Dori-he loves it when I take the camera out so he can practice his poses and silly faces!) And look at those letters he just started writing spontaneously!

Strawberry lemonade as a valentine treat. We were planning a big cookie-making endeavor  but the day got away on us, and a sweet pink drink was a welcome substitution.

Ari and I are enjoying this math block we are working on- he's really taken to the characters from the 4 processes story, and moving from story, to manipulatives (first with word problems and then on the grid sheets,) to writing equations has been amazingly smooth and fun for him. I remember math from my own childhood mostly being a series of dry and confusing workbooks and (scary!) drills and flashcards, so it is refreshing to be part of this wonderfully creative and intuitive method for learning those same skills.

Flowers from my love.

We've been getting some warmer weather the past few days- I actually could smell melting soil on our walk the other day! I am always a little reluctant to browse the seed catalogs and get too focused on spring when there is still so much winter ahead, but I just might sneak a peek. Or maybe I should just strap on the ski boots and accept that I live in the north!

I hope the sun is shining where you are, friends.