finding my rhythm

school started and instantly a prevalent school schedule touched down like a tornado. my little one going off to school for another year and it is not what i envisioned with homeschooling in my heart, but it is our reality. in addition to a new school schedule, there were a lot of changes happening in our home. the little guy had just started sleeping through the night, i had survived months of sleep deprivation and i was in a better place to handle the daily ups and downs of poor feeding and to get our family back on track. it did take my body a while to adjust to being able to sleep but once i did get a good night's sleep, the world came alive to me, which is a beautiful thing. but seeing the world with eyes wide open, i saw a huge mountain of things to do around the house. there was so much to catch up on and i was completely overwhelmed thinking about all i had to do.

while, i still am trying to understand and accept the last 17 1/2 months, i know that i was doing the best that i could, but my mind, body and spirit were in crisis mode. i wish to be as far away from that way of living. it is more than wishing, it is having the awareness of what i could do for myself to keep myself calm and centered and slow paced. it really brings the importance of what truly matters in life, the health and happiness of my family. 

and while there was a lot to do around the house and getting everything ready for my daughter to start school, i am only one person. run around with my head chopped off would not have helped anyone out. it was a challenge to keep myself calm, centered and slow paced during this time and i continue to work on this daily. i work on being present. to be in nature, to find my breathe, to be in the moment, to enjoy sweet moments with my children, to nurture my patience and work on my rhythm. i get back to making time to be creative. and caring for myself. and when my head is spinning, i get outside or color mandalas. 

i try to keep my enormous to-do list out of my thoughts. i keep a small to-do list, mostly for memory but i find being able to cross items off my list very rewarding. the list is continuous and i prioritize as new items are added. i also committed to spending 15 minutes decluttering (from the flylady) i work on planning our meals and try out a few new recipes a week to take into account my little one's dietary needs. a very important step is my night time routine, which makes my mornings run smoothly.

of course, some days are smoother than others and i am still working on all this. 
during all this, i did end up having a tag sale against my better judgment and it proved to be too much. i became stressed and ended up getting sick. once again, it presented an opportunity to learn a lesson. life, it's funny that way.
and while, i have made great changes, i still have not found peace with everything, but i'll know when it is here. this nursery rhythm has been on my mind

row, row, row your boat
gently down the stream
merrily, merrily, merrily
life is but a dream

i have been working on this post for a while. still not having the exactly right words that i want. maybe still not being in the place i would like. but, either way, i good way to end.

open eye meditation

a recent webcast over at the waldorf connection on 3 ways to create a nourishing home for your child offers some thoughts. danielle epifanie started off discussing the importance of "creating a space of breath around the child" and to be aware of the "what is presenting itself in front of us". heaven on earth author, sharifa oppenheimer, discussed that "rhythm is life". the inner rhythm of the parent is important (i could not agree more) steady. calm. nourishing. (sleep.) start with an open eye meditation. turn your attention to your heart. breathe and let the breath move in and out of your heart. let it swing in and out of your heart (love that) bring gratitude in. the importance of sitting in nature. lastly, lisa boisvert mackenzie talked about play and the child's world being one of awe and wonder. say, "humm, i wonder" to a child's questions and importance of the child being free to play.
check out the webcast here
websites mentioned:

margaretsgarden.org and elementalmother.com

our heaven on earth
celebrate the rhythm of life 
waldorf in the home

just as i remembered

we had great news last week. our little guy jumped up to the 10th percentile. i usually am right next to the nurse as she marks his measurements on the growth chart but this time i was was just playing around with him, although i did glanced over and saw that his numbers increased from his last check-up. i was not my old anxious self of needing to see exactly where he was on the charts. when our doctor came in and told us, i was shocked. warmth and comfort came over me and i became surrounded by huge arms that filled the small room. i felt secure and protected and i immediately knew it was my grandfather, who i know is still here with us.

my grandfather was not one of many words, although his presence was greatly felt. he has come to me a few times other times to let me know that things will be alright. once, after a medical procedure and two times the day i broke my collar bone when i was 6 months pregnant. my grandfather came to me when i just realized that i broke my collar bone and then in the emergency room when my concern for the baby escalated. comfort and warmth for a short while in-between the intense pain i was feeling.

my grandfather was the first man in my life and he was a constant figure in my life. we spent a lot of time together, he and i. if i slept over on the weekend, we would have an early breakfast together (my grandmother always slept in) it was always an omelet and he made the best omelets, i still can taste them but have yet to duplicate them. in the spring, we planted his garden together i remember so vividly the feeling of poking my finger down into the cool earth and how vested i was in the entire growing season. in the summer, i always arrived to a bowl of fresh ripe raspberries and a refreshing pitcher of ice tea with mint from the garden. in the winter, we gathered around the wood burning fireplace and we put in the sparkling colors. those colors were beautiful amidst the flames. and my grandfather always had a big cozy chair. there was always room in his chair for me and that comforting feeling is just as i remembered.

mandalas and the first days of school

school was about to begin and homeschooling still was not in the cards for me this year so i chose the next best thing. we transitioned my daughter to a new school. it was a big decision to make. in making the decision, i sought support and i was able to make a decision from a calm and peaceful place. of course, some family was supportive and some family can not think of possibilities outside of what they know. in the past, i was one who let myself be overcome with stress in making such a big decision. this is such a huge progression for me. thank goodness i am getting more sleep.

coming up to the first day, i have been waking up earlier each day in preparation for the start of school. i wake up before the children and i am greeted by a rising sun that casts a warm glowing light throughout our downstairs. i am able to get a coffee, start breakfast and start the day slow. these are my first days of waking before the children and i remember how great it is to start the day this way and it is definitely a time that one can have a little mama time :) wink wink  

my mind was busy and i could have found a hundred things to do on that first day, but i didn't. i was conscious to keep a slow pace. i spent time with the little guy, we started the dance between inhaling and exhaling, bring more rhythm to our day. while the little one napped, i enjoyed some tea, read a little and worked on some mandalas. the house was noisy, mostly answering the little one's calls to his "sissy" but yet the house felt quiet. i am missing my little girl terribly.

here's a link to the mandalas above
more mandalas here

last night, my little guy needed his mama's comfort. i am still in my jams (pajamas) i have not looked in the mirror nor brushed my hair back, my body is achier than usually. my thoughts drifting and i gave myself TWO tasks today. to find and make a delicious new meal for this evening and tomorrow evening with my 2 beautiful eggplants. and my second task is to have a calm, peaceful ending to my day. giving myself time to savor some tea, mediate, think about what tomorrow may bring and curl up with a book this evening. 

so, i went searching for some recipes and here's what i came up with, some will be modified to be dairy free:

grilled eggplant topped with goat cheese and tomato

rainy day rigatoni here

vegan muffuletta

stuffed foccacia with roasted eggplant and oregano

trenette with eggplant and basil pesto

15 dips and spreads for summer parties

10 vegan lunch ideas

10 vegan breakfast ideas

 

i decided to grill the eggplant because no matter which recipe i decide upon, the grill brings out an amazing flavor. and i remember how much i enjoy this part of the season when we have delicious eggplant to nourish ourselves with. i decided on the rainy day rigatoni for tonight and vegan muffuletta for tomorrow. and i look forward to the trenette with eggplant and basil pesto next. what is your favorite eggplant recipe?

simplicity parenting

i have had this book for a while, but i have not made it past the preface. today, i needed to have already read the book, as our little one's skills of climbing and moving furniture rapidly developed. (well, small furniture), so i had to jump to chapter 3 - simplifying the environment.

we are in the process of trying to rearrange our adjoining living room and playroom (intended to be dining room) to make it safe for a almost 6 year old and 1 year old to share the same space. we had our little guy sectioned off in the living room but he's able to hop up on the furniture that was acting as the barrier. now, we are in the process of trying to rearrange the blockade to keep him safe in the living room. i say blockade because today we started utilizing a smaller wooden kitchen as a gate and by lunchtime he was pulling and dragging the kitchen set over, in order to get to the playroom. with this pic and the fact that he took his first steps at 8 1/2 months, need i say more about my little guys's determination and strength!

we initially were going to move our daughter's smaller things to the higher shelves on her playstands, but looking over at her toys, almost all of them are too small for a 1 year old. she has lots of baskets full of treasures, like sea shells, rocks, pine cones, gemstones, beads, marbles, coins, tree blocks and sticks, wooden balls, beach rocks, acorns and fairies upstairs in the hall (the only other place possible) would take her away from where most of our family activities are and that would not work well for our family.

what i love most is that her treasures are that they are open-ended. from the first time she took some pine cones discovered on a nature walk and set them out to represent our family, i saw the light of open-ended toys. shortly after, flower gardens were created from colored blocks, sea shells were arranged into fairy paths, tree blocks and polished stones became the birds at our feeders and our overgrown Peegee hydrangea bushes became her "secret hideout". of course, along the way, her treasures have grown. 


i do have to go back to the beginning of the book, but, what have you do with all your little older one's treasures? do you scale them back from time to time? do you rotate them?

good morning sun

 

 

 

after waking and coming downstairs, my little ones and i gather around one of our windows that looks out onto our bird feeders and yard. this room catches the light of the morning sun and our sun catchers are strategically placed in the windows. when the the sun shines in, our room fills up with beautiful rainbows. we have always enjoyed our sun catchers and i think it is one of those things that brings a smile to everyone's face. 

it is a lovely way to start the day together, which surprises me that this fell out of our day. we never really told a verse or blessing in the morning, but i would like to. seven times around the sun is a wonderful resource for establishing a family rhythm and rituals. do you have a morning ritual or verse to share?

a new rhythm

the feeling of spring being in the air (even though in between we are still having snow storms) and the recent series of the waldorf connection really inspired a few thoughts for myself and my family. 

first, to slow down more, to take more time in my tasks, to take a little longer changing my little one's diaper, to play peek-a-boo more, even my almost 6 year old still enjoys it. to have more tickle time, to have more cuddle time. 

second, to take an opportunity to get outside for my little one. she really does need it, kids really do need it (i need it). the baby has such a rigerous feeding schedule, which really keeps me inside. but, i feel it is important to find the time to get us outside.  


third, in exploring the parenting passageway, is to get back to the basics in our family rhythm. i admit that i am somewhat all over the place at times. my mind losses focus, but with the baby is still nursing during the night, i'm going to pat myself on the back for still standing, at this point.


forth, to be gentle with myself and continue to make some time for myself, to reflect, to read, to relax, to do whatever i'd need in caring for myself.  

fifth, to be more joyous and light-hearted and not so serious. 


is spring inspiring something new thoughts in you?

waldorf connection - first seven year cycle & celebrating spring

here are some notes i took from the waldorf connection webcast with carrie dendtler from the parenting passageway talked about the first seven year cycle. carrie's website has an immerse achive of waldorf and parenting information. it is a wonderful resource.

why we do the things we do:
1. love, basis of everything we do
2. holistic view of the human being
3. the first seven year cycle is the foundation for the being
first year-walk, second year-speak, third year-think
birth - 2 1/2 becoming upright, learning to walk.
2 1/2 - 5 speaking, memory begin, play begin, first self-awareness at age 3
5-7 children becomes more conscious of the thoughts to what they say

what you bring to your children in these early years is important and it does matter.
- if feeling a little pressure, moms should pat themselves on the backs for trying to having a mindful, conscious, gentler, holistic approach which was different then your raised or saw in your family and for working on their inner path
- as long as you are trying and striving and your children see it
- forgive ourselves for not being perfect, we all can fall short at times, be kind to yourself, show your children how to have grace when you make a mistake
- we are fulfilling a need in our children and they are fulfilling a need within us, together
- relax, more about enjoying the process, not worrying if it is all not perfect, it is not about perfection in the end
- it is about healing and going on from where you are

qualities to bring to a young child
1. love and warmth (physical warmth, warm clothes, warming foods, through a home. a home that is warm emotionally and through delight in your child
work as parent is to be connected and loving to a child who is being more difficult than normal. personal development of parent, inner work, be calm, meet child where they are
2. an environment that nourishes those senses. repetition, rhythm, developing the sense of touch, sense of balance, sense of life, sense of movement, everything a child sees or hears. child is seen as a sensory being, with no filters from the world. when child is taking in impressions we need to give a child something worthy to imitate
3. creative, artistic experiences, handwork, painting, modeling
*the first handwork and creative experiences for children is playing with sand, playing in the mud, being outside in all types of weather, polishing shoes, kneading bread, puppetry is a wonderful artistic experience for children (juniper tree puppets, take simple things, simple story lines, nourish a child's soul), look more at the practical things within our home
4. meaningful adult activity that the child can imitate in their play. do something with your hands. loving, rhythmic home life, show them practical work, do tasks for your family in a loving manner, in a joyful manner, sing. do these things because you love your family. let children help. no need to rush through the task. really get into that task and do it joyfully. so your child can see, this is our family and we love each other, this is how we nourish each other
5. free play. children are at the height of imitation. they need to see you doing practical work, they need to get outside to use some of that energy so they can settle down inside. may need to have you help them a little bit, set up play scenarios. how can I make my child's play more creative? arrange toys so they are inviting for play. all toys have a home, that we could really show gratitude and reverence for toys. get outside to get energy out (2-4 hours a day, experiment with the elements, nature stories nourishing to their souls, connecting child to nature) going outside, connecting child to nature, important for disciplining as well
6. growing gratitude, reverence, wonder. the way we take care of our family, the way we do our tasks around the home, the blessings we have before meals, having a place for everything in the home, the wonder of nature
7. humor and happiness. play with them, do silly things, hug them, pat them on the back, play with them, kiss them, smile at them, give them that warm gesture, not using so many words. work with your child, through their body, through movement, fantasy and imagination. what could you do to get their energy out, use that in a creative way and also lead to what needs to be done. the boundaries still need to be held. keep to what is important in your home, what is the flow in your home, what are the rules in your home, what is the rhythm in your home. your rhythm really should carry the disciplining stuff for the younger crowd. having realistic expectations for the age and what a child can do.
8. adult caregivers who are trying to pursue a path of inner development. our actions are worthy of imitation. developing our own will of taking children outside when we would rather be inside.

child inclusive = i am setting the rhythm and tone of my home because i have more experience living on this earth and you deserve so much love, warmth and dignity. and i am going to show you how our family should do things. i am going to include you in all these tasks. here is your part to help. we are going to have time to play, we have time to go outside, and we are going to have time to sit down and have a warm family meal together.
i set it with love and attention to what my child needs are and feelings are, the art of parenting. i know when to follow that rhythm. a flow to your day. lovingly take into account the things that they needs, getting their energy out, creative play, warmth, worthy work to imitate, creative experiences, free play.

disciplining 4 1/2 years = children have a lot of energy and opinions. outside time to diffuse that. strong, steady rhythm, things happen in a strong and steady flow so they know what to expect, to have those have warmth for the child. find support for yourself, finding ways to fill your own tank. if you want to teach a behavior to your child one of the best ways is to do it in front of them. preserving the dignity of the child, having respect for the child and where they are. have tools in your tool bag, use humor, no need to be so serious, letting things go, ignoring things, "picking your battles", use distraction, solve things with warm, protecting gestures, pictorial imagery, positive places with imagery "hop like a bunny over here", phasing it as positively as you can. look at your child sleeping, how innocent and little they are. have a good grasp of realistic expectation for your child.understand where they are coming from. use less words. use gestures. can i say something calming and peaceful to my child. is this worth it? does this have to be addressed right now? child is learning, new and different things.

- sibling rivalry. you need a bag of tricks. when things are falling apart, have something calming. gather for a story. when things are clam, you try and make restitution. give child power to fix what was going wrong. as parent, have your bag of tricks to hold the space more closely

-dad being a part of bedtime routine in a calming way. a warming routine. back rubs. rocking small child. telling a story, singing. dad to decompress on your way home from work. steady routine, cultivating weekends for roughhousing, rough play, outside play

books mentioned:
you're not the boss of me
how to raise your children without sibling rivalry


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the waldorf connection webcast featured eileen from little acorn learning. here are some of her thoughts on celebrating spring

lent. think about sacrifice, think of something to give up. as adults, self-reflection, what you could give up or what you could give better of yourself. can you give up negative thinking, worrying, regret? as we prepare for spring, as mother's we could prepare ourselves, a rebirth, a new, wake ourselves up, inner work to start a new season in our lives with our children. examine our lives and where you'd like to be. maybe give yourself 15 minutes of quiet, maybe a yoga class.

preparing our homes. decorating within the season. different colors. spring cleaning. declutter. recycle old toys. go through clothes. get down to the basics. less is more. donate items. reuse some of these things. do i really need all this stuff? emphasis on less is more. children just need the space to just be.

spring cleaning with the children. make it a point to include them in our tasks. find the patience within us to include them in our work. it gives them a purpose.

seasonal nature table. display symbols of the season in your home. signs of life. small plants. seedlings. empty nests. display the four elements. earth=soil or plant. water, air=pinwheel or kite, fire=beeswax candle.

she went on to discuss spring activities, such as composting, growing corn. if you would like to hear the series on the waldorf connection, they could be purchased.

waldorf connection - learning handwork together

i was lucky to catch the waldorf connection webcast about handwork with heather from shivaya naturals. here are some of the notes i took from that....

benefits of handwork in Waldorf:
perseverance
patience
mindfulness
self-esteem
sustainability
accuracy
builds creative foundation
love of art
therapeutic
focus
connection for child to their whole person
connection to the whole process and their place in that process
development of character

understand the whole process from sheep to yarn: visit sheep farm, wash and card wool, watch wool be spun, creative play and expression with wool and yarn, move into finger knitting and knitting on needles

books that were mentioned:
all year round
the children's year
circle round
heaven on earth
family festivals and food

september planning

September is one of my favorite months, with these last few weeks of summer and the first week of autumn. We'll be enjoying these beautiful days outdoors, picking apples, and experiencing local fairs and festivals and look forward to the arrival of autumn.

This is a perfect time to get back to meal planning. I am having the hardest time getting back into planning meals, let alone finding the time to cook. I have managed to bring back our muffin baking, once a week. Occasionally, we'll make cookies or dessert. But mostly, it's muffins packed with quinoa, flax seeds meal, oats, spelt and all that good stuff. I usually make 2 different batches and freeze half of them. They are great for snacks and sometimes we have them for quick breakfasts. As, for dinners. My old dinner recipes were good for a mama of a 5 year old, when I had an hour to cook and think and relax, while my little one was playing, reading, painting or drawing. Now, I need some new recipes, some new ideas in cooking fast, frugal, and nutritious meals. I have been hitting the mothering meal planning threads for ideas and INSPIRATION. I've found a great idea about specifying certain foods for certain nights. A rhythm for meals. It should sound familiar, shouldn't it? We used to have a soup making day that worked out perfectly. My little one loved helping me out and it was part of our regular weekly rhythm so I am happy to bring this back. I am so grateful for the slower pace that the autumn will bring. So far, this looks like our schedule.

Monday- Sandwich/ left-over night
Tuesday- Slow cooker or casserole night
Wednesday- Mexican night, side beans, tortilla chips & guacamole.
Thursday- Grill night
Friday- Pasta night
Saturday- Soup night
Sunday- Pizza night

I am off to get some new recipes. Any thoughts or tips to share?

last bits of summer saved

:: late summer nature table. our nature table has had a lot of activity with our recent trips down the shore. found treasures occupy the table as we hold on to the last bits of summer

:: my little one quickly pulled this little acorn off the table as I was about to take the nature table pictures. she said if was for fall table, which will soon be here. we talked about the progression of the seasons today. we noticed the green leaves on the trees and just a tiny bit of autumn color coming in, picking apples, picking up pumpkins at the pumpkin patch, celebrating Halloween and Thanksgiving, winter with snow and sledding and making gingerbread cookies and hot chocolate. as she grows older, the rhythms of the year are emphasized by our activities and celebrations.

canning for winter

:: i left a few jars out in the kitchen the other day. upon my return, my little one had been canning some vegetables for winter. celebrating the seasons and incorporating seasonal activities has become an important part of our lives. with each passing year, we discover more experiences that facilitate our sense of wonder and bring us closer into nature. while i have never canned, i know my little one and my family is in need of building these stronger connections. knowing this, we are on our journey towards a slower pace, simplifying our lives and live our lives with more meaning, more intention.


:: aside from a few mouthwatering 'Sungold' cherry tomatoes, this is our first tomato of the season. A 'Orange Strawberry Oxheart'. Not really knowing the faith of our tomato plants this year, we savored every bite.

:: found on one of our recent nature walks.

:: dried mud from the other day.

:: wishbone plant to attract hummingbirds.

rhythm returns

my little guy's first tooth finally came. napping times are just starting to be on a schedule and we are starting to get some sort of rhythm going. baking muffins. painting. nature walks. ballet and gymnastics are coming to an end. (phew!) it was a huge commitment for us. and summer just flew by.













:: a shipping box provided a quiet morning of painting. i found myself enjoying my little one's puzzle for a short time until she came to see what i was up to. some beans were picked from the garden. treasures found at a state park were sorted. my daughter was so delighted to find the peach pit on the beach. the smooth beach pebbles were brought in to be explored in our sensory box. the sand was smuggled over to the play kitchen. the funnel always provides lots of fun for my little one.

oh, boy

Lately, we've been ending our day playing some games. "Family game night" was part of our regular weekly rhythm that is slowly being reestablished. We have had this Honey Bee Tree game for some time now and it is still a favorite. There is a moment of silence and anticipation as we wait to see if any bumble bees will be woken. An "oh, boy" follows a larger cascade of bumble bees.

Healthy rhythms

In these last few weeks before I welcome my new baby, I am trying to work on maintaining a healthy rhythm for myself and my family. Allowing myself a balance of rest, mental activity, and physical activity. These days there is a little more rest and more mental activity than physical activity, for walking up the stairs can leave me winded.

Also, finding a little time for myself has been important. It gives me a chance to refresh and to come back to my family with more energy, more patience, and more of myself. This has been something I have struggled with for the entire time I have been home with my little one (almost 5 years.) It is hard not to feel guilty, but, when I come return from some Mommy time, I have much more to give.

I feel staying conscious of my little one's rhythm is going to be very important as our family dynamic will be changing. A healthy rhythm will provide her with comfort and security. While, I may not be able to control what time the new baby wakes the house up, I will be going back to a weekly rhythm. Maybe a seasonal nature/science activity, baking, painting, drawing, gardening and cleaning. I will also be planning more seasonal songs, finger play and verses, as my little one has graduated from her music class. This will also give us a chance to have some time together, just her and I. I'll be getting a list of spring songs, verses, and fingerplays together. What are some of your Spring favorites??

Keeping the ball rolling

:: Our day finished very smoothly last night. Getting back to some regular daily activities with my little one, I feel has helped. We had game night and finished with a favorite game that allows for storytelling, Selecta Variland.


:: My little one loves to help out. This morning she helped Dad paint the bathroom.



:: Planting some seeds has always been a great activity in the past. Here we replanted some moss we had growing in our yard.


:: Pictures created with peanuts. Humm, I never thought about that. Maybe we could make some additional pictures with beans and rice. I wonder what else my little one might suggest. It's always fun to let her help with the planning.


Overall, the last few days have been great. My little one has been acting like my child. Getting back to a daily rhythm with regular daily activities has made all the difference. My little one has been making up all kinds of fun songs and enjoying herself and able to keep herself active the other times, instead of asking about movies, movies, and having a movie day (she means watching movies the entire day) and having a movie night. We even made a boxed cinnamon bread today, just to keep the ball rolling in a wonderful direction.

Games with Dad

My little one looks forward to these times with the family - especially music class (dad is signed up to attend with us this semester), puppet show or dollhouse play, day trips, movie night, and game night. 

Here my little one was playing Pretty, Pretty Princess with Daddy. Dad looks cute with all his jewelry on, too.

More games

My little one is involved in random play today. We are just going with the flow and letting her work through her frustrations from school. She is asking about my jewelry and I seem to know where this may go. 

Baking Whole Apples

We really enjoyed baking whole apples today. It was an easy and fun seasonal activity, found in one of our favorite books, Earthways. The best part is that my little one was involved in the entire activity, all I did was core the apples. My little one mixed up the dates, raisins, walnuts, and cinnamon. Then, she stuffed the mixture into the openings. How fun. She put some water in the bottom of the baking dish and we baked the apples for 45 minutes - 1 hour at 350 degrees. The wonderful smell of cinnamon and apples filled our house and the apples were a delicious treat.