Advent Begins

This weekend the feelings of excitement and anticipation were in the air as the Autumn decorations came down and the Christmas decorations went up (and are still going up....).

The first light of Advent is the light of stone--

Stones that live in crystals, seashells, and bones.

The second light of Advent is the light of plants--

Plants that reach up to the sun and in the breezes dance.

The third light of Advent is the light of the beasts--

All await the birth, from the greatest to the least.

The fourth light of Advent is the light of humankind--

The light of hope that we may learn to love and understand.

by Rudolph Steiner

The first day of Advent was Sunday and to start the celebration I made an advent wreath. The circle represents the endlessness of God with no beginning and no end. The live branches represent continuous life, and pine cones symbolize life and resurrection.

We burn the big candle a bit each day. We lit the first little candle for dinner, then after dinner I read a bible verse and an advent story. We will be doing devotions and reading Advent stores all this month.

We also have four other advent calendars around the house to help us count down the days to Christmas. One of the calendars has a piece of chocolate and a verse from The Night Before Christmas behind each door. I think that one is Grant and Johanna's favorite!

The first light of Advent is the light of stones. So, the nature tables and manger sit empty this week, except for stones and crystals. Next week, the candle symbolizes the light of plants and then I will add pine cones, evergreen branches, etc to the tables.

Happy Advent!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Family and Friends. Great Food. Warm Home. We are Blessed. Happy Thanksgiving!

Julia and Kitty Man

The Week of Thanksgiving

This week we were focusing on Thanksgiving and gratitude. I read Grant a book about the Pilgrim's and their journey to America, their hardships, how they met the Indians, and their triumphs before bed on Sunday night and he said he knew all that stuff from watching the Charlie Brown Thanksgiving cartoon, including the name of the ship, the names of the first Indians the pilgrim's met, and that there was a baby born on the Mayflower.

On Monday, I took some pictures of the kids outside before our walk.

This is a picture of Julia thinking about "running" (she can get going pretty fast) away from me:

This is a picture of Julia running away from me:

Unfortunately, I was not fast enough to catch her before she went into the dog kennel (I was right behind her, really) and stepped right into a pile of dog poo. I picked her up, and at this point still didn't know what had happened until I put her down outside of the kennel and Johanna says, "It smells like dog poop." I didn't think much of this, because, hey, we have dogs and they poop. Then I smelled it, looked down and realized poop had rubbed off Julia's shoe onto my pants, and onto hers, too. Eew, yucky! I went and got a wet towel, wiped us down (they were small spots and we did change our pants a little later) and we continued with our walk. Johanna even did some posing for me, and then joined Grant with throwing rocks in the pond.

I read the kids a story called The Littlest Pilgrim. After that we talked about what food the Pilgrims would have eaten as we drew pictures of cornucopia's.

pumpkins, pumpkin pie, sweet potatoes, corn, squash, bread, fish, turkey, apples, berries, nuts, (Grant says broccoli) = YES.

pizza, ice cream, fish sticks (Grant hesitated on this one because he knew they had fish), anything from a can = NO.

When we were done with our drawings we played a couple rounds of Pin the Hat on the Turkey.


Mom's drawing:

Grant's drawing:




On Tuesday I read them a book called Thanksgiving is a Time to be Thankful. We talked about what we were thankful for, and how an attitude of gratitude will attract more blessings into our lives. I asked them what they wanted more of in their lives.

Grant - Lego's and blankies.
Johanna - Angels.

They made leaf drawings and then we used beeswax to make pumpkins and apples for our mini cornucopia.





On Wednesday, Johanna saw Julia wearing her pink and brown striped shirt, and said "I want to wear my pink and brown shirt." But it didn't stop with the shirt. I started to put some grey pants on Johanna and she said, "No. I want my brown ones like Julia." We had to dig those out of the hamper. I decided that dirty pants were better then a meltdown.

In school, I decided to focus more on the Native Americans. I read them a Cherokee legend about how corn came to be. I sang a song about Indian Children as the kids began drawing "hand turkeys" (Julia got in on this project), and Grant and Johanna used corn kernels to make necklaces. We also set up the tee-pee in the driveway. They had fun playing in that.

Johanna's turkey is getting rained on (more like he was caught in a torrential down-pour):

D and R

This week Grant is learning about the letters D and R.

Our school week didn't start until Tuesday, as we were coming back from Mexico on Monday. We also had a quick visit from Grandma and Grandpa Webb, and Cory's Aunt Jackie and Uncle Paul as they were on their way from the Mexico trip. After we gave them a tour, we had a bit of a late start, so we had to shorten the lesson a little. After some movement and bean bag games, and our new music lesson, I read Grant Hansel and Gretel and then we drew a picture for the letter D. I also introduced the form drawing for the week.

On Wednesday, we wrote the summary to Hansel and Gretel in Grant's book and talked more about the letter D, and practiced the form drawing. Later that day, Grant received his Highlight's magazine in the mail, and wouldn't you know, it had an activity page with a ryhyme about a dinosaur and you had to find as many D's on the page as you could. Talk about good timing!

On Thursday, Grant learned about the letter R. I told him the story of The Rabbit's Wife. We talked abour the letter R and he drew it, and the form, in his lesson book. We also talked about what kind of animals live around us.

On Friday, we had co-op. In the pre-school group the teacher read stories and they did crafts centering on Thanksgiving. Grant had a conservation agent speak in his community helper's class. What do you want to bet they talked about some of the local wildlife??

Our Trip to Mexico

Cory, Grant and I had a wonderful trip to Mexico to celebrate the wedding of Cory's brother, Andy, and his fiance, Heather. Grant was very excited from the start. He loved the plane ride, and always wanted to be in the window seat. One of the pilots even let him sit in his seat, and wear his hat.
After an hour-and-a-half shuttle ride, we arrived at our resort, Barcelo. We were greeted with fancy drinks (even Grant had a special one), found our room, put on our suits, and found the rest of our group soaking in the sun on the beach. Grant wasted no time, and jumped right in the ocean. Heather gave him a floaty ring, which he loved and spent a lot of time in riding the waves over the weekend. We enjoyed a Mexican buffet the first evening, and then went to watch the nightly show put on by the resort. This one was called Fantasia, and the performers were acting out scenes from Disney movies. It was a bit cheesy, but Grant enjoyed it. He was getting tired, and the music was a little too loud for his ears so we left early.
We woke the next morning, indulged in a yummy breakfast buffet, and headed to the beach. We enjoyed a nice morning relaxing with Cory's older brother and his wife. Grant went back and forth from the beach to the water playground, as well as snorkeling with Cory. We made him, very reluctantly, stop for lunch and go to our room to get ready for the wedding. Cory was a groomsman and Grant was the ring bearer. The weather was great and the ceremony was nice. Later that night, there was a reception where Grant showed off his awesome dancing skills. Everyone was very impressed!
The next day we had a full day of doing nothing. We enjoyed playing beach volleyball, tossing a rugby beach ball in the ocean, laying around, eating (once again, Grant was not happy about having to leave the water), and watching Grant play with newly made friends. My sister-in-law and I had a massage on the beach (very relaxing, even with the sounds of a bingo game going on somewhere in the background) while Cory and Grant went snorkeling again. I heard they saw a stingray, lots of cool fish, and pretty coral. We had dinner that night at the resort's seafood restaurant. Grant had fish fingers, and Cory and I had lobster. By this point, Grant was very tired, and was almost in tears because he said he missed his sisters. We went back to our room and started getting ready for our departure the next day. The next morning I got up early and went and took pictures of the sunrise. It doesn't get much more amazing then a sunrise on the beach. After I got back to the room, Cory took his walk on the beach for one last time while we let Grant sleep in a little. We finished our packing, went to have breakfast and said good-bye to family and friends, as we were all leaving around the same time. We took our hour-and-a-half shuttle ride back the airport, did a little more shopping, and boarded the plane. What a great trip! I made an album with some pictures from the trip which you can view at the link below.


http://www.photoshop.com/user/in8knows/?trackingid=BTAGC&wf=share&galleryid=ada1214647a447b6b566ae85f6402415

Martinmas

This week we are celebrating the festival of Martinmas. This festival celebrates St. Martin.

"St. Martin of Tours was born in 316 and died on November 11, 397. He is known as a deeply religious man who shared his cloak with a beggar and represents the attitude of brotherliness. According to old customs at this time, as the days become shorter and the stars appear earlier, children would walk with lanterns through the streets singing. As the world grows darker, the inner light of man wants to shine forth." – from Shepherd Valley Waldorf School

We began the celebration on Monday as I told the kids a story of St. Martin. This verse sums up beautifully the story I shared on this day:

St. Martin, St. Martin,

St. Martin road through wind and snow

On his strong horse his heart aglow

He rode so boldly through the storm,

His large cloak kept him well and warm.

By the roadside, by the roadside,

By the roadside a poor man arose

Out of the snow in tattered clothes

“I beg you help me in my plight

or else I’ll die of cold tonight.”

St. Martin, St. Martin,

St. Martin stopped his horse and drew

His sword and cut his cloak in two

One half to the beggar man he gave

And by this deed his life did save.

After I told the story, Grant and I drew a picture of St. Martin. Grant and Johanna also started learning a song for the lantern walk we will be taking on Wednesday night.

On Tuesday, I told a story about a boy who made a lantern to guard the last rays of Autumn Sunlight to help guide him through the dark season ahead. As it grows cold and dark, the warmth and light is deep inside us, hidden from sight. We also began making our lanterns. This year we used balloons and tissue paper to make the lanterns. The fun part was popping the balloons!

On Wednesday, the kids heard a fun Martinmas story from the book, "Festival of Stones. The Tales of Tiptoes Lightly" by Reg Down. Next, we finished our lanterns. After dinner we went on our Lantern Walk. Our lanterns glowed a rich orange, and we had a beautiful, clear evening for the walk.

Autumn Spider

A Visit From Geese

We started out this week with a sunny, 70 degree day. While I enjoy this nice weather and not having to bundle all the kids up, it just doesn't seem right for a November day to be so warm. It is also keeping all the little critters up and awake around the house. The spiders, flies, ladybugs and wasps are everywhere you turn just waiting for jack frost to send them all into hiding.

On Monday, Grant learned a new note on his penny whistle during his music lesson. He was very excited! I introduced a new form and we learned about the letter G. I told him the fairy tale of The Golden Goose. We practiced drawing the form and letter in the air, in flour, and on the chalkboard. (You will see the form drawing for this week in the background as the mountain range in the chalkboard drawing below.) We also started our drawing from the story.

Just as we are learning the letter G and talking about geese, we got a visit from six geese Tuesday morning as they landed on our lake. I guess we got a little too close for comfort while we were on our walk and they flew away. Once inside, Grant did some copy work and then we wrote his summary from The Golden Goose in his lesson book, and we finished our drawing. While Grant was doing his copy work, I did a "lesson" with Johanna and read her a fun book about geese that we checked out from the library. When we went outside, Grant, Johanna and I played "squirrel chase". I tucked silks into the back of their pants to give them squirrel tales and then we ran around chasing each other trying to pull the silks out. They had a lot of fun doing this. Julia wasn't quite fast enough for this game, yet.

Mom's Golden Goose Drawing

Grant's Golden Goose Drawing

Grant's copy work.

Squirrel Tail!

On Wednesday, we learned about the letter K. I taught Grant a new tongue twister: "Kindly Kittens Knitting mittens Keep Kazooing in the King's Kitchen." I read Grant the story of King Thrushbeard. This was one of my favorite Grimm's fairy tales so far. We modeled some very basic King Thrushbeard's out of beeswax. Grant thought they should be surfing, so they are standing on their surfboards. The pink and green mound in front is Johanna's creation.

Here is a picture of the finished pottery that the children painted a few weeks ago. They were very proud of them!


On Thursday, we reviewed K, wrote the King Thrushbeard summary in Grant's lesson book, and drew the form and the letter K is his lesson book. That finished Grant's first lesson book, and Grant loves looking at it and showing it to people.

We have been enjoying the nice weather this week!

15 Month Old Talk

Julia is now 15 months old, and it is amazing how fast those little legs can carry her!
She is saying all kinds of words. Some of her favorites are:
Whoa!
See (this is always accompanied by finger-pointing)
Shoe
Doggy
Kitty
Eye
Mommy
Daddy
Outside (this is shortened to "side")
Hi
Bye
Whee!

She will sit and have a very serious conversation with you in baby talk. She is also getting four teeth in right now! This should be good for next weekend when Mom (and Dad and Grant) take off to Mexico for a wedding for four days!
Her favorite position for sleep is stretched out on her back with her hands behind her head and her ankles crossed. If she is feeling especially cuddly when you pick her up, she likes to tuck her hands down in between you and her. She is so cute!

Then - Julia on October 13, 2008

Now - Julia on October 13, 2009

Have A Smooky Halloween!!

Smooky = "Johanna-ese" for Spooky. No matter how many times we told her it was sPooky, she always said Smooky. It made us smile every time she said it.

The rain clouds returned this week, but we still had our share of ladybugs flying about inside the house. Despite the rainy mornings, we started with our walk on Monday. Once we were inside, we did our circle time activities of bean bag fun, jumping rope and a little game of "which hand is the acorn in". After that, I read a fun Halloween story and we played "pin the face on the Jack-O-Lantern". Grant and Johanna came up with some pretty funny looking faces. Yes, that would be Grant's nose way up on the door! Then we drew some ghosts with a white crayon and painted over them with black paint.

Grant's Jack-O-Lantern Face

Johanna's Jack-O-Lantern Face

On Tuesday I read another Halloween story and we made ghosts out of wool roving.

All Soul's Day is November 1st, and it was traditionally a time to honor and remember the loved ones that have passed. On Thursday, Cory and I told stories about our Grandparents while we showed the kids their photos. Dad also helped us carve pumpkins.

Grant and I finished our handwork project for the week. We call him Mr. Bones. Johanna was more than happy to pose with him for the photo.

We finished up our Halloween week with trick-or-treating in Grandma and Grandpa Hedberg's neighborhood (not much trick-or-treating going on in Truxton). Uncle Jeff and his girlfriend were also there for the festivities. We ate a warming dinner of chili and cornbread with pumpkin whoopie pies for dessert before getting the kids suited up. Once we returned it was time to dump out the bags on the floor and inspect the goodies. Julia's favorite part was walking all over the candy. They got to sample a of few of their treats. After that, they picked out ten pieces they wanted to keep and the rest we left on our porch for the Halloween Fairy who left a small thank you gift in return. While they were eating their candy, Grant came over and whispered in my ear, "Mom, are my teeth going to fall out?" I smiled and assured him that they would not.

The very first thing Johanna wanted to do the next morning was put on her Halloween costume. She was still wearing it two days later, and will probably be wearing it for a few more days (at least). I overheard Grant telling her she wasn't a real witch, and Johanna said, "I know that Grant". Then Grant said, "Your only a real witch if your face is green."