Today there was a beautiful sunrise and lots of quiet while the kids played with their grandparents. There was cleaning and knitting and holiday planning and kitchen projects. There was gift making, there was snow to stomp in, there was eggnog. And there was a beautiful sunset too. A day for breathing deep. Just what the doctor ordered.

that sort of day

The problem with saying I'll post everyday is that even on the tougher grumpy days I have to make it here- days I would usually just avoid this space, and probably not pick up the camera either. But I did pick up the camera, and there were some beautiful moments between the grumpies (nothing serious, just not enough sleep...) The boys had a terrific game set up with kapla plank houses for their animals and cars and Ari spent a bunch of of time on his own, cutting snowflakes for the small windows on the porch door and putting them up himself. We decorated our advent candle in the afternoon which we all enjoyed. The boys stayed in their pjs all day, throwing their snowsuits over them for a romp in the snow, and then wearing them to bed again tonight. It was that kind of day. Tomorrow is a new day. I'm off to bed- where we will all hopefully be getting a better sleep tonight!
Goodnight friends.

snow day

Today was such a beautiful snowy day. It snowed all day, big, beautiful fluffy flakes.

The nature table has been switched over to its sparse winter state. The boys have been enjoying arranging the crystals and stones.

More snowflake making today, this time with friends. And some self portraiture. This is Dorian wearing his snowsuit.

Books by the fire while we wait for Papa to get home. A good wintry sort of day

snowflakes

Today was a day for making snowflakes. Ari was unstoppable. I could hardly keep up with all the folding for him.

Tomorrow we will hang them in the windows and as a mobile over the nature table.

The great thing about cleaning up this sort of mess is that it it fun. The boys were "snow cleaners" and shovelled all the bits into a basket, and then we tossed them into the fire which is dramatic and exciting.

We also got the winter books out today. The books that have been put away for awhile are met like old friends. There is nothing cozier than sitting on the couch by the fire reading book after book to my sweet boys. Winter is good.

and I am going to aim to post a photo or two a day here this month- I'll see if I can record this busy, lovely season a little, there will be few words, but I'll be trying to post something that captures the day.

I hope you are all cozy and warm friends!

inside: outside

 Inside we've been:

:: cooking soup using the last of the fresh garden tomatoes

:: knitting with my morning tea

:: building and playing, playing and building

:: playing with friends- these sea captins our sailing their boat on the high seas

::loving up our littlest friend, oh the baby sweetness just fills up our home!

:: a little bit of sewing- finally a proper apron for this mama!

And outside we've been:

::snacking in the snow

:: shovelling the pond and playing on the ice

:  and jumping and sledding and rolling and tumbling and just generally having a good time in the white stuff!

Happy Thursday friends!

homeschooling happenings

We are well into November now, and a few months in on our first homeschool year, and things are going well. To be honest, it doesn't feel all that different than life before homeschooling. The kindergarten year is all about learning through play, and there is a whole lot of playing going on around here- as there was before we began homeschooling. There are some things that we have added in that are specific to Enki kindergarten and these have been going very well. One is the kindergarten Folk and Fairy Tales- we read one each week and each story is told at least 3 times a week. This summer I went through the collection, and picked out the stories I though would best meet Ari. Mostly I have been using these, but it is nice to have a large collection so I can look through and choose something different when the one I had chosen for the week doesn't feel quite right. So far we have read:

The Old Woman and the Red Pumpkin from India
Matreshka from Russia
Jack and the Sass Patch from southern US
The Talking Fish from Armenia
Persimmon Monster from Korea
Little Red Cap from Western Europe
The Star Frog from Peru
Lubachka from Russia 
and this week we are reading a story from Japan called Cherry Chee.

Ari listens closely to these stories, and I often hear parts of the stories reflected back in his play. He especially loves the Baba Yaga stories we have done- she is scary, but the children in the stories always get the best of her which he delights in.

One of the things that really speaks to me about the Enki philosophy is how the developmental issues of children at each grade level is always a focus, and the curriculum is meant to mirror these issues for the children. I can really feel Ari making some of those big kindergarten developmental leaps right now- the new levels of individuality and awareness of self, which, for all children, is both exciting and unsettling. Therefor all the stories for children at this developmental level essentially tell the same larger story- that one can go out into the  world, face challenges, and return to a safe and dependable home. So over and over, these stories are told to the kindergartner to mirror their large developmental questions. And the fact that this same overarching story is being told through stories from around the world feels essential to me- the underlying message (though of course this is never said overtly,) is that all people are on this same human journey together and that we all have the same access to wisdom and insight.  

Another aspect of Enki that really drew me was the sensory integration activities that have been put to seasonal song and verse. I discovered Enki before I had children of my own when I was working as a music teacher in a local public school. I was really drawn to these activities for the classroom-  integrating the movement and sensory activities children need to learn and grow, with music and poetry that follows the seasons just seemed so beautiful to me. I wondered though, if I would be able to use these activities at home, as a "circle" can feel a little forced in a small family setting. I chose to give it a try though,and it has been going really well. I have been keeping circle very short and very active with lots of leaping about and boisterous singing- and so far the kids are into it. I have mostly been using the Enki materials, though I have been digging into the music teacher repertoire for some of the songs I remember kindergartners really enjoying. I am choosing activities that target the sensory integration aspects I think are most important for Ari, while making sure it stays short and sweet. I am hoping in the next few years we can get together with other homeschoolers and have our kids experience the feeling of a larger circle. We enjoyed this at Enki camp last year, and I would love to have this be a regular part of our week.

Ari has also, on his own, been exporing letters a lot, asking how to form the letters he doesn't know yet, making large strings of letters he wants us to read to him (he finds this very funny!) and copying words he sees. I really am sold on the idea that kids don't need to be "taught" letters and reading yet at this age- seeing the delight and wonder he experiences just by playing around with letters on his own is evidence enough. If I was "teaching" at this point I know it would shut this discovery process right down. I love seeing how organic and self-motivated his learning is at this stage. There is plenty of time for "teaching" and language instruction. Admittedly, the teacher in me can hardly wait to get started on the grade 1 materials- but it feels right to wait until Ari is really ready.

All in all, things are going really well with our home learning. Of course, some days go smoother than others, and some days the "official" curriculum stuff just gets lost amidst the chaos of the day. But the days when our rhythm is strong and we are able to keep all the piece in place- they are lovely indeed. Though learning at home will always have has its own struggles, there really is no place we would rather be right now.
Happy Thursday friends.

hello winter

Winter has arrived in our little mountain home. The kids are delighted and much of the weekend was spent out in the snow, building and sledding and getting good and wet and tired.

We still don't have proper winter gear for Ari, so the poor boy has been getting very wet indeed- though that doesn't seem to slow him down any. And Dorian thankfully loves wearing the snowsuit Ari wore last year. He even asked to wear the sweater I knit him under it one day! It was just the once, but it's progress!

There were also plenty of indoor projects this weekend- the boys did a lot of painting, which I didn't get any pictures of. And there was a farmers market and some house cleaning and purging (oh how I love getting rid of things! A whole box of my clothes went to the thrift store and it makes me so happy!) and, of course, plenty of culinary projects.

Almond flat bread has become a staple lately on days we are going to be away from the house. I don't miss the taste of grain bread much, but the ease of having a kid-friendly, filling, packable food is something to be missed. This bread pretty much  fills the bill.



Kimchi bubbling away on the top of the fridge. I followed a recipe from a Korean cookbook I ordered recently, and it definitely seems more like what I remember eating in Korea. I had Perry's parents bring me some Korean hot pepper too, which helps (thanks Nana and Grandpa!)  I hope it tastes as good as I remember!

I switched up our Enki circle for this week with some winter snowy verses to match the new world outside. I think tonight I'll pull the winter books out too- it looks like this snow is here to stay!

happy Monday friends.



stripes

This little stripy sweater was made for Dorian's birthday. This is  the first sweater I've completed, aside from a doll sized one and a newborn sized one. I used Elizabeth Zimmerman's percentage based, seamless raglan pattern, and I once I had the gauge all sorted out, I found it really easy to follow and to ensure a good fit. I wanted something warm and form fitting so that Dorian could wear this under his snow suit comfortably this winter. I also hoped that if the sweater wasn't too bulky, I might have a better chance of him actually wearing it, as getting him to dress warmly is a daily challenge right now. He was also going through a stage when I cast on for this sweater, of only wanting to wear striped clothing- nothing else would do- so stripes is was. The neck is rather wide, but it works alright with a hoodie underneath.

Even with the stripes and the non-bulky-ness Dorian was not impressed. He will not wear this sweater. Even as I was taking these pictures he was telling me he needed to take it off, and only would wear it under his hoodie. Humph. I am hoping once it gets a little colder out he might change his mind and get a little more willing to wear warm things in general. The main issue I think is that his brother doesn't have one a sweater like this, and he takes all his cues from his big bro. So the only reasonable solution is to knit one for Ari too! I don't know when that will happen, as there are lots of solstice projects on the go right now, but I've added a EZ raglan stripy size 6 sweater to my knitting to-do list. Maybe gray and red stripes? They would look pretty cute in matching stripy raglans if I could only get them both to wear them!

 Dorian's reaction to this sweater did take the wind out of my sails a bit. I think I probably wont be knitting much for him until the picky-about-all-clothing stage passes. But the sweater I am knitting Perry is coming along, and he is not picky at all, so it is all good. The solstice gift that I am making the boys does involve knitting, but it isn't something to wear, so hopefully that will go over better.

I've had to work hard to let go on Dori wearing this sweater, not only because I made it for him and filled it full of good mama love, but also because I think he is just so darn cute in it. Sigh. Three is wonderful and adorable and ever so contrary sometimes!

There has been a little bit of snow flying today, and it looks like it just might stay. Who knows, maybe the wee lad might decide he is cold enough to put on something warm and stripy?

Happy Monday everyone!

pumpkins, rocketships and coconut candy

Can it really be thursday already? This week is just flying by. The above are some more halloween shots- butternut squash faces and the rocket ships the Switch Witch left the boys (taken with pics from an ipod I don't know how to work very well when I left my camera at my friend's house.) What you can't see is how disenchanted I am feeling about the celebrating of halloween and how determined I am to change this celebration for our family in the coming years to contain more magic and meaning. I was inspired by this post at This Cosy Life, about creating a magical nature-focused Samhain for kids. I also love the sound of some of the celebrations that are held at Waldorf schools like the wonderful one Jules wrote about. I was chatting with a friend today about creating something magical for our kids next year- we'll see where that goes I guess.

  

And I had some requests for the coconut candy recipe that I made the kiddos for halloween. I'm not sure I can provide a recipe exactly, as I was mostly just experimenting, but I think I can offer enough of a method that you could give it a try yourself. I think these are a very tasty little treat. True, we have been eating very simply lately, so a little bit of honey tastes crazy sweet and good, but I think this would taste good to anyone, not just those doing an allergy diet! The consistency is quite chocolate-like - very rich and creamy. If you eat chocolate, I bet a bit of cocoa powder mixed in there would be divine.
So here goes and attempt at a recipe of sorts.



Coconut Butter Honey Candy

you will need:

coconut butter or shredded coconut

honey

extracts or essential oils for flavour

natural food colouring (optional)

foil candy wrappers

If you have coconut butter, you can put  this into your blender straight- as much as looks right for how many candies you will be making. I used less than a cup and that made enough for my kids, with a few enjoyed by the adults too. If you are starting with shredded coconut, you need to blend that up to turn it into coconut butter first. In my (ancient) Vitamix I was able to blend it into a flour-ish consistency, and then adding a little bit of melted coconut oil made it blend into a smooth creamy butter. If you are doing this anyway, make a bunch. It is yummy stuff to have around.

Blend coconut butter until smooth and add honey to taste. Coconut is pretty sweet on its own so you don't need much. At this point I got something quite moldable, so I mixed in some flavour- I split the batch and added a drop of mint essential oil to one half and almond extract to the other. I had some natural food colour in the cupboard so I added a little to make it all the more exciting for the kiddos.

Roll mixture into small ball shapes- size may vary depending on the size of your candy wrappers. Roll them up and twist the ends and ta-da! healthy candies!



It would be fun to try different flavours with different essential oils or natural extracts. The mint was so very yummy, but I just bought anise and orange essential oils for making toothpaste (I'll let you know how that goes!) and I bet both of those would be very tasty. These will definitely be making an appearance at solstice this year- I have lots more of the gold foil wrappers and they seem like the perfect wrapping for some treats to celebrate the sun!

Enjoy your tasty treats! Goodnight friends.

ETA: sorry for any confusion between "coconut creme" and "coconut butter" in the original post. I think it should be clearer now!