Blessed to Have Warm Weather

Giggling girls. Walks. Lakes. Swings. And sunshine.

What a delightful weekend as a Family of 4.

 Surely it won't be much longer until we have another face to fill our cameras with memories.

How Does Your Garden Grow?

Much to my suprise, things are GROWING on our back deck. We haven't made our raised bed because Drew is killing himself to keep the gumballs from taking over our backyard. However, Miss Moo and I are enjoying our daily afternoon ritual of check on our plants and watering them.

So far we have strawberries, beans, spinach, basil, lettuce, and tomato plants all sprouting and looking fabulously green.

Moo was particularly excited about our first strawberry.

Doesn't it look delightful?

Very proud of her berry.

 

And the taste test!

I'm very glad that we've been able to do more planting this year. Last year I was GREAT with child right now and trying to plant or maintain flowers for my porch seemed like climbing Everest, much less plants to tend daily for food. Moo has enjoyed planting and having her hands in the dirt. She's much more aware of what we have to do to keep our plants healthy and growing this spring.  And she's delighted to pick the berries each time they appear.

We are also using our plants as another way to ease into homeschooling. Moo is learning the proper tool names for the gadgets in my gardening pouch and has a set of her own.  We are also working on a very elementary discussion of photosynthesis by discussing why our sprouted plants, and our big plants and trees, need sunlight, water, and their pretty green leaves and hidden roots. I was skeptical that any of our discussions were sinking in. I know my kid is bright but she's still two and a half and some concepts could be difficult to understand.

While driving towards the store this week, Moo pointed out the window.

"What's that, Mommy?"

"Those are trees."

"Tees? We need to take care of tees, Mommy. They help us have air to live."

"That's right Baby Girl!"

That's MY kid.

A visit from One E. Bunny

Life is sllllllowly returning to normal after Easter, NanaPop, and "Spring Break."  Miss Moo is back to her routine and Miss Roo has another tooth - for a grand total of 5. I am still behind on all I need to get done and I'm starting to accept that as the norm around here.

Moo was very excited to see that Mr. E. Bunny visited us on the morning of the 8th.

The girls shared a basket.

Roo happily received a book, a Waldorf doll from a local artisan, and a wooden bunny teether.

Moo was elated with her dragon and rider, book, coloring book, and CAMERA!!

Moo is ecstatic about her camera. She's been interested in our big camera for a while, but I've been too frightened to let her try. Although her camera IS plastic, it is highly reviewed as durable and should last us through her sister.

She spent a few days taking pictures of herself, NanaPop, Roo, and the ceiling and floor. We haven't loaded them to the computer just yet, but at this point its all about process and not product. 

We also plan to use it as a way to engage her in things she otherwise might find - less than fun. I am hoping that giving her a way to document from her perspective and be able to share that with us will bring us another type of bonding and a new platform for discussion.

Or maybe it will just be something fun for her while I take pictures with the big camera.

Sunny Spring Sunday

The girls (and Daddy) napped at the same time today, so I was able to accomplish some desperately needed spring cleaning. Our family room is 2/3 done and I have bags of gently used (and mostly plastic) toys to be set out on our porch for the Veterans tomorrow. Once they are asleep I hope to quickly finish up in that room to prepare for the week to come.

I also cleaned and vacuumed Miss Moo's old car seat in order to install it in the van for Miss Roo.

 It was a bit bittersweet taking out the bucket that has carried both of my sweet baby girls and accepting that we are creeping out of babyhood towards the toddling months to come. I am reminded daily how much Roo is changing. Each morning promises a new skill. Today she has mastered standing on the bed without holding on to anyone or anything and at dinner tonight she clearly asked for "Fish". Her personality flourishes as she attempts new things and acts silly with her sister. Seeing the joy shared between them always melts my heart.

We were also productive as a family today. After naps we went onto the back porch to plant some seeds to begin our garden. Moo helped me set up and plant lettuce, spinach, sweet basil, and beans as well as a one big pot for our tomatoes. We also planted cat grass in some foil loaf pans that fit nicely into our Easter baskets. ( I saw that idea at Pink and Green Mama- BRILLIANT!)  Having dirt under our fingernails felt great. Daddy was also able to work on our compost pile and we were able to talk about how we were going to make the soil even better for our plants by making new soil for them. Moo was very excited - and very messy.

As we spend more and more time outside and I see how engaged Moo becomes in all the beauty of nature. I have been researching the Waldorf style of education for a while as we do plan to home school.  I want to be sure to use a curriculum that suits us best as a family.  Moo does enjoy basic "academic" play but loves to be outside collecting treasures and finding ways to play with them. Dragons are also pretty cool to her. We need creative outlets and to focus on the process not the product.

 It is my goal this week to create a nature table in our family room with her help and to increase our shift at home to the Waldorf style.  Our table will help us study and discuss the seasons and begin to develop a rhythm together.  Perhaps we can use that momentum as a way to create something for Roo's big day!!

Ahhhh, Spring!