outdoor winter adventures

Here in the Willamette Valley, some often complain of our eight months of endless rain and gray skies.  I usually bundle up inside and watch the weather from the kitchen.  Reflecting on my parenting and wanting my children to love the great outdoors, I feel an inner pressure to get them out there into it all.  My Waldorf friends and my environmental classes are finally rubbing off on me.  Or it could be our passion for Little House books.  We are now reading The Long Winter and Hannah is eagerly awaiting our first big blizzard of the year.  (She'll have to keep waiting.)  We know kids are healthier outdoors and the weather here has been remarkably mild.  It's just a matter of bundling up and getting our nature deficient kids out there.  I'd like to get outside for a daily walk, perhaps one that includes lunch or a park.  We usually just head out for riding bikes and investigating the bugs and leaves and mud.  Sometimes we are able to stop at a nearby park or head to the beach.  Regardless of the weather, we hear the great outdoors calling to us.  Sometime soon we'll head out the door for another adventure.  But why wait?  Let's go now!

little Liam discovers leaves and a mud puddle after a windstorm

Hannah following her brother's example and plunging into the mud puddle

thinking about climbing to the top

running past Liam's decorated cherry tree

scaling logs on the Oregon beach

trying to bury the little Liam, but his foot is resisting

I love how these two love each other.

chasing his missing shoe out of a great pit

"It's not a snow angel, Papa.  It's a sand angel."

Does that say "Bow down to Washington?"  No, it says Bath Night.

Philip Foster Farm

This month we were thrilled to go on a homeschool field trip at Philip Foster Farm.  Hannah and I are reading Laura Ingall's Wilder's seventh Little House book.  This farm brought Laura's world to life for us.  As we were waiting for our adventures to start, our toes began to freeze.  They stayed that way through the field trip, as there was little heating in any of the buildings.  They were authentically cold. We sang jingle bells while pointing out the one horse open sleigh in the barn.  A blacksmith hardened steel the children had twisted, created a square-headed nail, and showed us around his shop.  The kids hopped onto a 1914 wagon, used a cross-cut saw, read stories upstairs in the cold bedroom, gnawed on hard gingerbread cookies, and looked through tools.  One challenge of the day was the shortage of volunteers and a lack of acknowledging children's wishes to sing Jingle Bells with the old time piano.  And it was so cold, but that added to our experience.  We really enjoyed how Philip Foster Farm brought Laura's adventures to life outside the beloved books.  (After our visit, I checked out all the Little House extension books I could find.  So far my favorite is The Wilder Life by Wendy McClure.)  We look forward to attending an open-to-everyone event at the farm in the near future.

Hannah cross-cutting in my childhood prairie dress and her own Mickey Mouse jacket

1914 wagon and a little covered wagon in the background

sacred Thanksgiving

Each year we gather our families together to celebrate Thanksgiving day.  This occasionally includes my parents, yet this year they were at the coast celebrating their 40th wedding anniversary.  All our guests this year were  from my husband's side of the family: his cousins, a cousin's mother, brother, sister-in-law, nephews, and a niece.  We prepared a 20-pound turkey for our party of 18.  As Hannah gets older, she is more involved and excited by making holidays special.  This year she created the decorations.  My husband and I prepared some edible staples (turkey, gravy, mashed potatoes, stuffing) and left to the rest to our visitors.  It was a festive comfortable gathering.  I am so thankful to have this one day to assemble everyone under one roof.  It is easy to leave family drama behind with my straight-shooting in-laws.  Or maybe I don't see much drama because I know it isn't mine.

Each year we come together over our Thanksgiving meal in different ways.  Last year we went to my brother-in-law's home with our seven-week old-son.  This year my baby boy is running instead of sleeping.  We have lost a member and welcomed three new baby boys into our family circle.  A cousin's father has sadly passed on after a long battle with cancer.  Our health continues to change as we grow older.

In trying to cherish and preserve this sacred time together, I wish for so many rituals yet to be practiced.  I want us all to gather together, to sit down and eat at one long table, and for us each to give express our gratitude for any part of our lives.  I'd also love to roast a few organic chickens in a variety of ways in place of a general turkey.  I fantasize about getting a tablecloth everyone can sign year and year and embroidering over the signatures to show the history of our group.  Change is inevitable, yet it doesn't always happen quickly when we want it to.  Often times changes happen too quickly.  For now, I shall be content to spend the next year dreaming up activities to help us share our gratitude with one another.  I am thankful to have this family with which to share this sacred day.

We decorated our Thanksgiving tree with 20 of our favorite little turkeys.

foam+ googly eyes+ a bottle of white glue= one of our favorite turkey day decorations

acrostic poems with our guests' names

an awesome book I found after Thanksgiving

a thankfulness tree we may try out next year

Portland Scrap

Today we ventured out with my mom and friends to Scrap in northeast Portland.  It was our second time there, yet there were so many new treasure to find.  We sifted through bins and boxes of bottle caps, beads, yarn, cards, fabrics, and wooden scraps.  Hannah, my mom, and I bought everything our hearts desired (three bags of goodies) and spent about $15.  I was thrilled to take time to cherish the antique measuring scales, slide projector, and accordion.  My friend's three children usually stay focused together on a task for only 30 minutes, yet they stayed to hunt and craft in the back workroom for two hours.  Her children stayed busy painting, cutting, gluing, coloring, and planning other projects.  Hannah bought some tools to weave on plastic mesh like her great-grandmother.  We found stars of all sizes that we'll paint and decorate at home.  I bought embroidery thread so I can finally darn all my holey socks.  We purchased huge needles so Hannah can begin sewing on her own.  Scrap even has classes and summer camps.  The shop definitely had our creative inspirations flowing!  We are already plotting our return for more creative materials and ideas.

our smallest crafter enjoying a piece from the wood pile

chatting with friends and coloring wooden stars

walls of ideas

a roll of future grocery lists on a real cork board

Our Eight Nights of Hanukkah (kindergarten book club)

Inspired by our cousins and friends who celebrate Hanukkah, we hosted a party to celebrate the Festival of Lights.  With this book in hand, Our Eight Nights of Hanukkah, we gathered together with friends and family for holiday crafts, games, foods, music, and stories.  My Jewish friend who throws the most awesome Hanukkah parties thanked me for helping her child build strong holiday memories.  I hadn't thought of these children's book clubs in that way, but she is so true.  The adventures we share with our children, routine or random, help them build memories for their futures.  We aren't only having a great time, we are also helping our kids them to grow healthy within their childhood community.

sour cream atop latkes, mac'n'cheese, eggnog, and an olive penguin

decorating Star of David cookies

Star of David salt dough magic wands

Cedarwood Waldorf School's Winter Faire

This month we attended a Winter Faire at the Cedarwood Waldorf School.  The crafts and activities were quite impressive.  We entered the enchanted cookie coves, rolled and dipped beeswax candles, felted wool around soaps, took in a variety show, were anointed with fairy dust, made a wooden necklace, talked with students and teachers about the school, made new friends, and felt inspired to do more hands-on crafts at home.  We are so thankful our homeschool friends invited us to this event and we look forward to attending again next year.

Hannah hand-dipping beeswax candles all by herself

Winter Faire candles hanging to dry

showing off the rolled beeswax candles made for Hanukkah

family stroke of gratitude

My parents called me yesterday as soon as they heard the news.  Last week my mom had a minor stroke which left her with permanent blind spots in her vision.  My independent, retired, loving-her-freedom mother is a few days from her 63rd birthday.  We hope tests will reveal her vision is the extent of the health challenges, but we are waiting.

My parents called me last night.  My father was fairly silent and my mother said she's not sad, everything is just fine, and she gets to ride city buses for free now.  I know she is frightened, yet she's open to new experiences.  This small stroke has made my mom count her blessings.  She is grateful for her family, her friends, her altered freedom.  I am also filled with gratitude.  I am thankful for the time I've had with my parents, that they know knows how much I love them, that my mom has had time and patience to work out kinks in her relationships with her mother, her husband, and myself.  I'm grateful that she adores her two grandchildren just as they adore her.  Grandchildren can do wonders for lightening the hearts of their grandparents.  Each day I am more grateful for the mother she was and the mother she continues to be.

This time sandwiched between aging parents and small children goes so quickly and is a time to be cherished.  We continue to observe and attempt to enjoy these changes together on this roller coaster of life.  None of us knows how much time we have together, and I am so fortunate to have this time with my mother.

Ladybug Girl and her grandma

Berenstain Bears and the Big Spelling Bee

Homeschooling is such an adventure.  We are all learning so much, just by attempting to learn as a family at home.  I am halfway between unschooling and structured sit-down instruction.  This means we go about our days playing with friends, seeing the sights, reading signs, working on mazes and workbooks, writing pen pal letters, and exploring the world around us.  Hannah's papa talks about work and responsibility and how to fix things.  He told me a few weeks ago that I really needed to focus on homeschooling and getting our just-turned-four daughter to read and write.  "Her (three year old) cousin's classmates are reading at a third grade level!  We've got to compete!"  Well, I know my daughter is doing just fine academically.  In my eyes, Hannah's incredible.  When her papa announced one morning she was going to have a spelling test, I did my best to step back and let him do his own thing.  He sat our daughter down for a test without ever teaching her how to spell any of the words.  And afterwards he sat her down and crossed off her words and showed her how to spell them correctly.  Not one to be entirely silent, I told him what I thought of his spelling tests.  "How do you expect her to know how to spell if you don't teach her and you just test her?"  He waited a week to give her a second spelling test.  Thankfully they had first practiced together and all the words ended with the same two letters.  Hot, spot, dot, pot, ....

When talking with a friend about spelling, she said she remembered learning to spell certain words as a child.  And I also recall learning new words.  At age 10, I practiced spelling as I sat on the curb in front of my house, waiting for my grandma to visit from Utah.  My spelling word was "neighbor."  My mom told me our old neighbor spelled this word "nerber," so spelling was indeed important to learn the skill of spelling.  I continue to learn spelling through helpful friends and spell check.  And my daughter is learning spelling in a variety of ways as well.

One of her favorite books right now is Berenstain Bears and the Big Spelling Bee.  It reminded me of my spouse's enthusiasm when he started that first spelling test for his own daughter.  In this book, Sister Bear learns spelling through reading many books.  After winning a spelling bee, Sister's papa strongly encourages her to cram for an upcoming spelling bee.  When Sister correctly spells vicarious to win the bee, Papa realizes he has been vicarious in "taking undo pleasure from the achievements of others."  And he steps back, as we all do from time to time when helping our children learn and grow.  Learning to write, like parenting, is a fine balance.  There are so many ways to learn to write.  As our children grow, we will discover new ways of balancing one another and of incorporating language into our world of home learning.

writing in her work portfolio

The Easter Egg Artists

Two years ago, Hannah and I read and loved The Easter Egg Artists book.  And we continue to come back to it for inspiration.  A few days ago I said, "When I grow up, I want to be a doctor and go to other countries to help people through the Doctors Without Borders program."  Hannah, now age four, responded with this.  "When I grow up, I want to travel all over the world and go shopping and be an artist and paint buildings like Easter Abbott."  (His real name is Orson.)  I can imagine Hannah in another land painting stripes and polka dots and flowers upon a bridge or airplane or skyscraper.  She will most certainly enjoy painting the world with beautiful colors.  And all inspired by another awesome book we found at our local library.

my two babes painting the world a glittering purple

upcycling old crayons and discovering vibrant colors

a rainbow of colors

The Clothing Cycle Continues

What is the life cycle of your clothing?  From where does it come and where does it go when it has expired?  My friends and I have been putting some thought and energy into using and sharing our clothing.  We continue to keep our children's clothing circulating between family and friends.  It is nice to see our boxes of clothes in constant circulation.  As an adult who doesn't enjoy shopping, I am very blessed to be able to make room for my friends' unloved clothing in my own closet.  Last week several female friends collected their unwanted clothing, threw it into a pile on my floor, and dove in to find new threads.  Size didn't seem to matter, as we had clothing too large and too small for all of us.  Sorting through the pile, I found a sweater that started in my closet, spent a year with a friend, and now is happy at home with me once more.  I now have new-to-me colorful clothing, many new shoes, a green military flight suit, cotton fabrics for my rug-making friend, a bejeweled belt and sassy dress for a night of 80s dancing at the Crystal Ballroom, and a smaller pile for the thrift store.  (Never mind that pile of mending in the corner that I am sure to get to eventually.)  Someone even left with a nice rug found at the bottom of the pile.  We were all thrilled about the new threads that came to us with laughter and friendship instead of cold hard cash.  And with any new learning, this has me thinking about... a toy swap!  Who could ask for more than a fun evening swapping trash for treasure with friends?  Not me.

Dearest Hannah: Spirituality

Dearest Hannah,

I've put a lot of thought into how to share religious views with you.  I was raised Christian and my parents were raised Mormon and Baptist.  You have an Atheist uncle and a Jewish aunt, yet the rest of your papa's family is Buddhist.  There are views of dying and going to heaven, evolving from furry creatures, or of reincarnating.

Lately I've been feeling a spiritual clarity from listening to my own heart.  We read "All the Mamas" about a long line of women and religion has always been on my mind.  My new clarity has me seeing that these religious views are all right and may be combined.  The god out there may really be inside of all of us.  There is incredible power and knowledge within each of us.  We all sense the right choices for ourselves and those around us, even if that is not the path we choose.  People are attempting to learn and evolve.  And we carry our family's stories within our very cells.  I am of my mother, her mother, her mother, and you are of all of us.  As your mother, my job is to guide you safely through childhood so you can learn to listen to your own inner guide, your own incredible knowledge and power.

This new spiritual journey still leads me towards what I've always known to be true in my heart.  The basics.  I believe in perseverance, integrity, intention, appreciation, peace, joy, laughter, hope, generosity, and all the love we can muster for ourselves and one another.  I share this personal insight with you now because I know you are on your own journey of faith and dedication.  Your path will be your own, your choices different, and I look forward to watching you find your own comfort, strengths, and joy on your travels.  I love you with all my heart, my cherished daughter.

Much love,
Your mama

sharing your love with a pen pal through a photo postcard

climbing to new heights

Dearest Liam (mothering a son)

Little Liam discovering the world around him

Dearest Liam,

You are now one year old.  You are so happy, full of giggles, smiles, sweetness, cuddles, and lots of love for others.  I love having you as my little boy to feed and tickle and cuddle.  After having Hannah, I thought it would be easier to have another girl: the same clothes, a similar psychology.  As a nanny, all the children in my care were girls.  When you arrived, I was and still am so delighted you are my little boy.  I have a plan with Hannah for trying to raise her to be a strong, independent woman.  For you, I know you're only one year old right now, yet I don't have any sort of a plan.  I don't know who you'll grow to be or what tools you'll need along the way to be a loving, thoughtful, strong young man.  I am unsure of these things and I hope you will gently show me the way to being the best mother for you that I can be.  My heart and mind are totally in the role of being your mommy and I look forward to learning so much from you on our journey together.  I have so much to learn from you, my little man, and you are already actively showing me your way.  I love you with all my heart.

With love,
your mama

my curious little climber showing me the way up

raw ambition with a pinch of persistence

Dearest Grandma Elaine

Dearest Grandma Elaine,

I am writing to you with the black pen you sent so you can read my writing easier.  I really enjoyed talking with you on the telephone and hope to call you again soon.  It was nice to hear you had such fun with your children when they were young.  That helps me keep my time with my children in perspective.  It's a lot of work to have small children attached to my body day and night, yet it goes so quickly and I will surely miss this.  This time will provide me with memories to carry me through harder days, days when my children aren't so cuddly or cooperative.  These days with my young children are the good ol' days.

I've been thinking a lot lately about mothers.  I have a kitchen tile from your mother's kitchen that says "Alice's Kitchen."  It sits on my counter and reminds me of the strong line of women from which I've grown.  We've all learned so much from our mothers.  I've learned how to be a woman and a mother from my mother, who learned it from you.  You learned these things from your mother Alice, who learned it from her mother.  We've learned from our mothers details such as mannerisms, love, perseverance, joy, crafts, baking, relationships with others, and many things that cannot be named.  These are the things I want to share with my daughter.

When you get a chance, I wondered if you'd be able to record some of your stories of your mother and grandmother onto these cassettes.  I know your eyes and hands don't work as well as they once did, so hopefully it will  be easier to record these stories with your beautiful voice.  If recording on cassettes doesn't work for you, we'll find a way around it.  I would love to hear whatever stories need to be told and to be able to share them with my daughter, who will in turn share them with her daughter and granddaughter.  Thank you so much for taking the time to share these valuable stories.

I am so thankful that you are my grandmother, my mom's mom, and that you are still here to share your love and your stories.  Before long I'll be the older lady with great-grandchildren.  Time surely does fly by so quickly.  Thankfully, the older I get, the more I value and understand my parents, grandparents, those before them, and see how we are all so connected with one another.

I'm trying to talk M into letting me visit you with the kids sometime soon.  None of us knows how much time we have together and I'd love for you to meet your great-grandchildren Hannah and Liam.

I hope you are able to read my handwriting.  My hands are used to typing and not writing with a pen.  Hand written letters are a dying art, like manners, but I hear from friends that I am keeping the post office in business with my letters.  Letter writing is a skill my mother learned from you and shared with me.  And surely I am sharing the love of writing with your great-granddaughter Hannah.

Inspired by your handmade holiday gifts for us this year, we've packed mostly homemade gifts for you also: lip balm, melted crayons, jam, a scarf, and other goodies.  I have boxes of a friend's baby food jars here and would like to make candles and jam for them.  Eventually.  I have corn husks here we can use for corn husk dolls when Hannah is older.  We'll include a little turkey we made for Thanksgiving this year.

I've had a cold for a while and my head and eyes are still foggy, yet I have finally found enough energy to call you and now to write you this long letter.  I have the time to write now also, as we have a few hours of babysitting time.  I love you dearly and I send you all my love.  I hope this finds you having a lovely sunny day out of the cold.

Much love, your grateful granddaughter,
jennifer

Hannah's Stories, Age 4

Hannah made a birthday package for her friend.  She chose to write and include a few stories with the gift.  Here are her stories as she told them.

Hillary’s Lost Pedometer

Hillary lost her pedometer.  She didn’t know where to find it.  “Oh no,” said Hillary.  “I gotta go back and see where I lost my pedometer.”  She looked all over and he couldn’t find it, so Hillary was in the biggest take out.  He ran over to the house where he had lost it in and found his papa sitting right next to the pedometer.  “Here you go, daughter,” he said.  So no one could lost their pedometers.  “Maybe I should see where they took it from you,” said Sam, a little boy.  “I know it’s not much,” said Gramps, “but my spin art daughter took it.  Where is your spin art daughter?” asked Gramps.  “In the big woods,” said Mom.  And then when Gran shut the door behind Gramps, they both hurried out to see where Pa’s mobile and pedometer was lost.  “She found her spin art daughter,” said Gran.  “She might have made a spin art head and given the pedometer to Pa.”  Sam ran over and found the biggest hiding place over and out of the take.  “Push that button,” said Sam.  Everyone lost their pedometer.  And then he found his pedometer with the spin art daughter and they all found their own pedometers piled in the machine.

The end.

Babe’s Bear

“Babe lost a bear,” said Mommy.  “Big things aren’t the best,” said Daddy.  But when Babe looked up, she heard a “Boo!”  And then she said a bow.  And then who skipped in was Yinny who tumbled in with all her other cousins she had seen that day.  And then she ran out and did a babysitter.  “I’ll spin, I’ll talk, I’ll eat, I’ll munch, I’ll serve, and I’ll punch.  We will have a great babysitter,” said Babe.  And then who skipped in last was Ago and Uncle Mike.  So from that day on, Babe was a little babe who didn’t forget anything and she found her bear hiding in a raspberry bush.  “Ooh, this looks like a pokey bear,” said Mommy.  Daddy grinned.  And Mommy did grin too.  But when Daddy opened the kitchen door, there was a big “slap, slurp, slap, slurp, slap, slurp.”  It was a ghost!  It said “slap, slurp, boo, slap, slurp, boo!”  “It’s the best ghost mobile,” said the baby, and then all the cousins went home for the night.

The end.

Barry’s Babysitting Shark

The author wrote ten books at the first page.  Barry said, “Binda, I lost my paydek chair.  It was too much fun.  I would go home.”  Binda said, “I would too, but we have to do the babysitter before the dane comes.”  So when Barry opened the door he heard “slurp sloppya, slurp sloppya, slurp sloppya” until he reached the end of the gate and then he found the place of the curious garden.  And in the biggest place next to the curious garden, there was a shark biting him right on the leg.  “Oh no, don’t bite me!” said Barry.  “It’s just a big torn shark,” said Binda.  “Yeah, that’s how it happens.  It’s one of my favorite sharks.  Best things, even though all the things I know are very hard,” said Barry.  “I thought that was new,” said Barry.  “Yeah, it’s new and it’s better than a babysitter,” said Binda.  And then he heard a big “pppt, pppt, pppt.”  It was the shark throwing up because the shark bit Barry’s leg.  He knew that the shark was sick, so when the shark got the biggest cold, Barry helped.  But then the shark came to a stop.  “Oh no, I forgot I could do that.  It is not the same,” said Barry.  “But it is the biggest present I’ve ever saw, better than an ordinac.”  The end.

homemade, heartfelt gifts: muffins and stories tucked into a decorated toolbox

Our little man gets his love of writing from his sister.

please pass the energy...

There are times when I need a little extra energy to get through the moment or hour.  As I embrace the changing emotions and lessons of full-time parenting, I find I need more tools to hang on for the ride.  Lists bring me joy and I feel it is appropriate to make a list of things that refill my energy.  When I have enough energy, I am able to share my joy with others.  I explain to my four-year-old daughter that I need to have energy to do things for her, like prepare meals and play games and read long chapters out of Little House books.  Things that drain my energy are typically one child being unkind to another or endless crying or whining.  What do I do to get my energy back?  With this helpful list in my figurative handbag, I am able to replenish a bit of my energy and make it through to the next wondrous moment.  What helps you, dear reader, to recharge yourself?

Energy Fill-Ups
Give my helpful preschooler some of my chores (dishes, laundry, assembling meals, sweeping, etc.)
Get outside to romp and stare at trees
Walk to the park or just around the block
Draw on the sidewalk with chalk
Sing to some of our favorite music (Elizabeth Mitchell or Anne-Louise Sterry)
Draw on blank paper with my children
Read some of our favorite books
Assemble puzzles
Bake and share cookies or cobblers
Make myself a cup of tea
Sit in pajamas and sit on the floor with the kids while they play
Listen to my daughter tell me stories or watch her jump rope
Watch my son dance or unload an entire kitchen drawer
Hang out at the library
Set up a date with friends (adults and their children)
Write and mail a love letter for someone special
Hear from a friend that they've felt the same way
Remember that this is all temporary and one day I'll miss whatever is now causing stress
Take a bath (when my spouse has the kids)
Pull out my journal and write for a few minutes about anything
Share and eat a dark chocolate hazelnut bar

fine balance of parenting (part one)

It continually amazes me how little things can knock us off our fine balance.  Give me a month with only a few hours away from my children (instead of a few hours each week) and I realize how valuable time alone has become.  Add to that hormones, a heavy work schedule, breastfeeding trouble, 20 unread library books, a week without naps, many unfinished projects, and cold weather, and the days get a bit harder.  The pressure and the snippety attitude were building.  I wasn't on my best behavior for my beloved family.  Finally I could hear the disequilibrium screaming that some changes were needed to make my inner mama and my family happy once again.  My family could hear it too.

Sometime last week, after a month of having my children attached to my body in one way or another, I got out of bed around 3am with my congested uncomfortable little boy and drowsily paced around the kitchen with him in my arms.  Somewhere in that darkness I saw the light at the end of the discombobulated tunnel.  I found some relief with a simple thought.  The pressure finally gave way and burst like water gushing from a water balloon when I thought one simple thing: "I finally made it to my weekly bath day!"  And there was more personal time on the horizon for the coming days: dinner and movie date, babysitting time, and lunch with my spouse.  There was once again a little time for myself, enough to reinstate a bit of balance.  I could make it day to day with these precious hours of personal time.

Despite the moments of balance and relief, each day feels like an amazing roller coaster.  There are so many ups and downs, joys and sorrows, challenges and solutions.  I continue to look to some moments alone, a few minutes with my journal, a few quiet moments each day.  And I hang on and feel the movement of the unpredictable roller coaster.  And I search for more patience and forgiveness for myself.  I am a limited individual.  I can't run on empty.  I don't know what I need or how to ask for it all the time.  I don't have all the answers.  I remind myself I cannot be everything to everyone, no matter how hard I try.  One day I will miss the all-consuming territory of being a full-time parent, though for now I will try to laugh and smile and appreciate this time with my small children.  And I can fantasize about someday having a couple nights all by myself at the beach.  I breath easier just taking time to cherish my children and knowing more personal time is on the horizon.

Hannah's Stories, Age 2

reading all by herself

reading to Oscar the cat at 16 months

making cards at 20 months

Hannah loves reading and writing stories, but she loves telling stories most of all.  She dictated these four stories to me when she was a pinch past two and we included these in holiday cards.  

There was a hand print.  And then there was a goat trying to take the hand print.  Along came an ozzy and hurt all of 'em that were scared, so scared.  Along came a ayzee and he ate them all up.  And then there were no left to have.

Once upon a time it was so quiet until a mouse walked, walked, walked.  It swimmed in the water like a big fish and popped itself right on the nose.  And then along came a fish and popped him on his eye.  Along they were sleeping in a small bed.  They were so happy when somebody slid and wake them up.  They were sleeping by now and a sled came and woke them up and it was all nighty.  Then they woke up and were gone with the sled.  And that's the story.

There were words on the story, but they didn't have found.  And then they popped and popped and there were stripes all over them.  There was a warthog he didn't have found.  A line, line, line, line, line, line, line, line, line, line.  And then there were stripes all over the line things.  And then they went to sleep.  "Nighty nighty," said the one that scared them.

There was a big splash of water from a warthog.  "Let's go nighty, let's get a stripe and get bundled up for the snow," said the warthog.  And there were stripes, pipes.  Then came a mousie.  A pp up peener.  And then "bee-een."  There was a big "klklklkl" and then "pop!"  The mouse came back and asked for food and a nappy.  They went to nappy and that's the end of the story.

Happy Valley Park harvest festival

This is our second year to enjoy the harvest festival at our local park.  I never realized what awesome resources are right under your nose until Hannah was born.  Happy Valley Park is the center of a lot of celebrating throughout the year.  In October, they have an awesome harvest festival with a pumpkin patch, petting zoo, face painting, live music, a scavenger hunt, pumpkin decorating, hay rides, kids in costumes, jack-o-lantern judging, and food and other vendors.  Since the birth of my second child Liam one year ago, we've trimmed our schedules and attempt to stay local.  Instead of spending time strapped and crabby in the car driving to a different community, we now venture outside for walks near and far within our own community.  This year we walked to Happy Valley Park for the festival.  It was such a pleasant experience to slow down and enjoy this autumn afternoon in the park with friends.

She was loving on the llama!

He was full of giggles and grins in the petting zoo.

our little pumpkin wearing a pumpkin

Justy's Produce (pumpkin patch)

Last autumn we went to at least four different pumpkin patches.  Being pregnant and nesting could have something to do with our activity level.  This year, however, while adjusting to the needs of two children, we three enjoyed a couple hours at a little pumpkin patch behind Justy's Produce and called that our grand pumpkin adventure, complete with photos.  This is a quaint little market with spray-free produce that is locally owned and near our home.  The nice older gentleman inside told us his son opened the market about 25 years ago.  He told my children that he fixes the tractors and grows the gardens.  He tried to guess my children's names (Mary? Susan? Bill?) and suggested they come back for a job when they were a bit taller.  

When we arrived, we were enamored with the dahlia patch.  The blooms were huge and colorful.  We chose a wagon and meandered past the flowers, by the grapes, watched the birds busily enjoying the sunflowers, and found our way to the little pumpkin patch.  Each child immediately picked out their favorite pumpkin and then spent some time figuring out how to take it with them.  When they were thoroughly muddy and delighted with their adventure, we found our way back to the market and hopped on a hayride with a friendly school group.  

When compared with driving 30-45 minutes for a pumpkin patch and hayride, this was a simply awesome excursion.  Now we not only have a new favorite pumpkin patch and friendly grandfather figure, we have also discovered a spray-free friendly market nearby.  And we went home with juicy grapes and in-the-shell hazelnuts (also known as "hours of enjoyment").

a field dahlia's at Justy's Produce

discovering the pumpkin patch

dahlias as large as dinner plates

Look at that happy grin!  There's nothing like your first pumpkin patch.

Yes, she was able to get this one into the wagon.  It is still awaiting a future as pie, muffins, breads, etc.