five

He is five in the blink of an eye. This amount of time again... he will be ten. It makes my heart hurt to think how short and fleeting this childhood time is. And that I need to do all I can to create loving, warm, and significant childhood memories, for them to carry with them always.

Some things I have learned in my five years as a mother, and what I might have said to myself five short years ago.

Don't rush them. Be patient. Help them when they need it. Independence will come, and there will be a time when help is not wanted. I often get frustrated, or impatient with a now five year old when he asks for help (and I know he doesn't need it), but I need to remember it is okay for him to just want it. Through my actions I am teaching him to rely on himself, and also know how to rely on others.

Create a sense of peace and security with gentle, consistent daily rhythms, traditions and rituals. I want him to always know what to expect from me and never question my love or actions. Being consistently consistent is my biggest challenge, and yet it is the thing they need the most from me.

Build them up with words and loving actions. Strong words. loving words. guiding words. Words can hurt little spirits, and create detachment, or they can strengthen a bond and nurture a soul. Let my words always come from a place of love.

Let them have their own experiences. Let them play unguided, unhurried, without interruption, and without projecting your ideas. They make sense of their world through their play. Don't think for a minute that play is a luxury, or what you do if you have extra time. Time to play IS one of the most important things you can give a child.

So many lessons I have learned, and so many yet to learn. My prayer is that I am always open to hearing and knowing what God wants from me as a mother, and that I can use the grace and love that he shows me, to show my boys what love feels like.

Happy Birthday my sweet Owen. Thank you for these last five years together. Thank you for making me a mother, and challenging me every day to be a better person.

Love, Mommy

Off the needles

Two projects done!

Owen chose this "rainbow" yarn for his hat. The colorway didn't work up the way I expected (stripes), but it turned out cute none-the-less, and Owen loves it. The yarn is Paton's Classic Wool in Autumn. A basic "beanie" 2x3 ribbed, and then knitted in the round to desired size.




and the vest... I have to say, this is my first real garment, and I think it came out very cute. Elliot loves it. There is such pride when my boys where a "Mommy made" item. This is also Patons classic wool. The color is charcoal. I used a modified version of this Pebble vest.



It is very soft, too. and looks great with a fireman's hat & PJ's.

and many more projects await!

k

finding

My sweet husband just showed up on the door step.... with a door. He has brought so many fun things home over the last few months. He job requires him to drive around a lot, and his job-sites are often old buildings with vintage goods being cleaned out to make room for the new. We can't seem to pass up good trash, so our home is slowly being filled with lots of good treasure. Which I am very happy about!



Thanks, honey!

k

Discovering Cattails

Have you ever wondered what was inside a cattail? I never had either,... but my sweet Owen, who wonders about everything did. And he does not wonder about things for long. He gets right down to the business of finding out.





Joy was the only word I could use to describe what he felt when he realized what was inside. He spent over half an hour chopping away at the cattail, and shaking the "fluff" in the air. It was quite magical, if I do say so myself. Never underestimate the joy of a simple treasure from nature, brought home by Daddy.

k

Advent ebook

Just here for an moment today to share with you about an exciting Advent book. My sister has put together a wonderful 25 day study that focus on the life of Christ, with daily readings and activities for all ages. This study is a perfect way for children and adults alike to focus their hearts on the true meaning of the Christmas season.

Please take a moment to read more over at her blog, A Bokros Kind of Life!

Happy Weekend!

k

Cranberry bread

We (Dave, actually) have been making this bread for about 7 years. He takes pride in his bread. He was a little thrown off last year when I asked him to vegan-ize it - but he pulled through, and it was very tasty. He makes me laugh every time he makes it. Clears off all the counters, gets out his ingredients, towel over the shoulder, mood music on... quite an art. And quite a contrast to my time in the kitchen everyday.

The prep involves cutting 1 1/2 cups of cranberries in half, and the boys teamed up with him this year to help with the slicing. They are in there now chopping away.




Yum! It's going to be good.

What are your favorite Thanksgiving traditions?

k

Collecting leaves

Yes -lots of talk about leaves here lately.... but I thought I would share this simple idea for collecting leaves with your little ones. You can use this to gather leaves for Thanksgiving decorations, or just to enjoy some time outdoors. This was an activity Owen and his class did a few weeks back to decorate their classroom.

Gather up your supplies: Paper clip and some yarn or garden twine cut to about 18"(shorter for a small child). Tie the paperclip to one end of the yarn, and knot the other end several times to make a large knot.




Head outside and string on some leaves! Simple poke the paper clip through the middle of the leaf, and slide it down.




Hang them in your home, count them, identify which trees they come from, swing them in circles... whatever you like!

Happy leaf gathering,
and I wish you and your family a very blessed Thanksgiving!

k