the rhythm is gonna get you

I hope this song gets stuck in your head for days...... because try as i might- i cannot get it out of mine.

But, to be serious for a moment... bringing rhythm into our daily living has done more for the quality of our lives than any other single thing we have implemented.

In the past year we have-

• gotten rid of all plastic toys (except playmobile.... i cannot imagine my life ...erm..... ira's life without playmobile). It has all but squashed the "disposable toy syndrome".

• cut back on how much & what quality of media ira is exposed to. Im not a huge fan of absolutes... i dont like to deal in extremes..... so tv, tv stays, and a healthy relationship is being established. Id rather not have my child turn into a tv addict in her teens/twenties when she discovers HGTV.... oh.... wait... im talking about me again.

• daily arts & crafts.
  

• RHYTHM. this has changed sooooooo much. it feeds our need for consistency, alternating quiet & active times, outdoor play, etc. We are not strict about specific times, but sticking to a general playbook just WORKS for us.

In case anyone is interested, ours goes something like this.

• Wake, brush teeth, start laundry. Pick up kitchen, listen to music, cook breakfast, free play.

• After about 2 hours, liv goes down for a nap. we have quiet time, books, quiet play, etc.

• Two hours later- we are up and i make lunch while ira & liv are playing. This is when we run errands, i clean, we go outside, etc. If we do not go to any activities, we do a craft of some sort. Sometimes we do a long hour of library books/circle time. Puppet shows. Bake.
  

• Nurse liv to sleep, quiet play/rest time. Usually lasts an hour.

• Nature walk, park, etc. Lasts anywhere from an hour to three depending on when we head out..
  

• Come home by 5, Dinner prep, dinner.

• Bath, story time, bed by 9 ish.

I started for ira- to give her a solid routine she could rely on. turns out- i needed it too.

It works for us....

unicorns

we are reading, crafting, playing UNICORNS.... a loooot lately.

unicorn puppets, unicorn playmobile, unicorn puzzles, etc.

So the other night at the bookstore she found this book on the bargains rack:



we used colored pencils to stencil the shapes....



painted & glued the pictures:



and the beautiful results!

Fridays Neverending Nature Walk

Walking "polka dottie"



watching all the ducks chase after us- we did not bring duck food, but they were not convinced.


We walked around the lake, looked at fish, went on the swings. Took pictures of the rising almost full moon.

Two & a half hours later, we went home and had a craft night.

in the neighbourhood

we went on an adventure today.... just out & about in our area, but it sure was full. full of laughter, great questions, keen observations & lots of unprovoked hand holding & I LOVE YOUS.

we did some cloud gazing.





snacked on some apples


played in some leaves



daydreamed under the palm trees


came home to o ur saguaro


and took note of our spectacular front door view

first wave of completed presents

i made 2 of these faerie rings

Hat & Wand

what kept ira not interested in what i was crafting.....

saint nicholas day!!!!

we woke up shouting!

its here.

Ira opened the last & final box of her playmobile advent- revealing santa claus.... such a lovely oppurtunity to learn about saint nicholas and his beautiful generosity.

We discussed how saint nicholas would walk through the town, and that children would leave their boots outside with some hay for his horse.... in hopes of him leaving a coin, or golden walnut, or chocolate or some other bit behind.

We also talked about how the current practice of pretending santa is real came about from this saint... and that the real reason for honoring saint nicholas (or santa) should be about his unselfish love & spirit of giving & taking care of those that needed when in the position to do so.... and so very much NOT about prettending that their is a happy jolly man leaving loads of plastic melamine laden piles of presents in their living room because they were "good".

great lesson for children & adults alike, no doubt.

given the recent atrocities of this past black friday.... our convictions in this home to stay very far from anything christmas/consumer are stronger than ever.

on a very special saint nicholas day, i hope these words find everyone, safe, warm & full of love!

Pagan Preschool

*click here*

Pagan Preschool

Im writing my own curriculum, its gonna be great.


I spent hours and hours last night going through all of my books and searching all of my links.

One month at a time, on month at a time.

I will be starting october 1? lol

it just does NOT feel like time for any kind of structure here in AZ! It is still very much our summer season.... which means all play allll day ;)

Look for it in october ish here......

August 7th

We... ok well I... decided that we must reconnect with nature.

Throughout the long heat of the desert summer, we tend to run from door to door- longing for the cool blast of the a/c on our melting flip flopped feet.

I took us waking up at 6 am a sign that today would be the day. It was just about 80 degrees (downright chilly, huh?) when  we stepped out into the sun. Strolling down the street, Liv in the sling, Ira bounding forward, stopping here and there to pick up rocks, leaves, etc. 

Each time with excitement greater than the time before.

"OOOOH MOMMA! LOOK AT THIS ROCK!"

My eyes see the same river rock that she picked up two houses before...but not  her. "this rock" she tells me "is so beautiful... i never SEEN   a rock so beautiful as this one"..... that is until the next rock ;)"

We went home and sealed her findings (sans rocks) in wax paper. 

We finished up this awesome morning with a yoga session.