Stacey's Happenings...

Gobble, gobble!

2009-11-11T21:27:00.002-05:00

These were a lot of fun! I like it when I seeing the kids enjoying the crafts...they did these themselves too...only a little assitance by me... We also sang some cute festive songs while we were at it...

This is it! October '09!

2009-11-11T18:09:00.007-05:00

During daycare, the kiddos got to dress up...

Here's me and my little witchling...right before we headed out!

We trick 'or treated with my sister and niece..

Spooookyyyyy!

YUM-O! Pumpkin pancakes!

This was a fun craft to capture this beautiful season!

Roasted pumpkin seeds from our festive Jacklyn 'o lanterns!!!

My hubby's creation! :)

Painting rocks into Jack 'o lanterns!

I made these for my 5yo's Girl Scout troup...They have fresh fruit inside! Everyone loved them and went for them before the cupcakes!!!

Play time at Nature's Nest...

I love seeing these toddlers engaging in their play...

My girl...

Catching up - September '09

2009-11-11T16:03:00.009-05:00

Early on this fall, we took a trip to Turner, ME to go to Ricker Hill Orchards..

She just stood there making friends with these sheep, she loved them...

John Deere girl!

Bubby and little sis...

Cranberry bog...

My son and daughter...he took her down to see the bog...

This tube was a blast for ALL of them!

She jumped down all around this huge hay stack!

Weeeee...

A regular day... Story time sitting in a doll bed :)

OK, but it was inevitable!!!! They really luv each other! :)

This was a fun early fall project me and catriona and one of my daycare kids...

Beautiful works of art!

Nice fuzzy catepillar!

My new sofa and love seat set! I am really loving them!

Right before I lopped off 5" and it's still almost too long!!

Just as sweet as he looks!!!

Grammy's angel...

Catching up - August '09

2009-11-11T13:07:00.019-05:00

And here we are....Catriona's first day of Kindergarten :) (bitter-sweet for mama....) She LOVES it though!

Mama's pretty, pretty doggies....I love 'em!!!

Mud.....mud......I love mud, I'm absolutely, positively WILD about mud!!!

Catriona was having a tea party with her knew porceline tea set...

She wasn't even aware that I was taking pictures, she was so engrossed in her "tea party" :)

Helping cousin get pretty for the party...too sweet, these girls...

Catriona turns 5!!!!!!!!!! :(

Catriona really wanted a pinata for her birthday, so we got one and filled it with organic sweeties and treats :) It was a lot of fun!

QUICK! Grab some loot!

This white dove arrived on Catriona's birthday...It stayed for a month then we never saw it again...It was very sweet...

Storeyland was SO much fun, a nice way to end our summer...as I took the summer off, we were able to plan for more...We also went to Funtown Splashtown, but unfortunately I forgot my camera!

Soooo much rain!!!

We had fun anyway though!

This Christmas store was alive with all things Merry and FUN, LOL The adults loved it as much as the kids did!

Covered bridge...Jackson, NH

Beautiful Jackson Falls, NH
Rectangle :)
Circle :)

Triangle! :)

This was a very interesting store! Although it was closed, we had just as much fun looking at it!

Beth was behind the camera!

The things hubby finds in our yard...and if he doesn't Catriona does and if she doesn't then the cat does, if he doesn't then the dogs do...oy!

I shot this picture through the window, I love it...she helped daddy all summer with hanging laundry out...I have a bad neck, so I'm not able to hang them, I can take them down though...

Catching up - July '09

2009-11-11T12:17:00.010-05:00

This year for the 4th of July I decided to head up to Easport, Maine where my mother is from and where as a child, we would spend our 4th's there...I have many good memories from those times... It was great to be back and see family and the old stomping grounds!

My brother and my niece in the "Baby doll carriage Parade"

My niece won "Little Miss 4th of July" in the Eastport pageant!!! I was so proud of her! :)

Here is one of the best parts in any parade! :)

Ooo, so loud!

We are BIG Scooby fans, it was so cool to see him in this parade!

Cousins...

Here is my Aunt and Uncle, we stayed here during our visit :)

Aww, close cousins...

The girls have so much fun when together!

And here's an introduction for our newest member of the family~~~Miss Daisy!!!

She is a newfoundlander/lab mix and just as sweet as they come! She lived with my Aunt in Eastport, ME for her first 3 years and is now with us forever :)

Making herself at home already!At the beach with the dog kids! :)

They loved it!

...and so did they!

This is my all-time favorite of Catriona for this summer!

Catching up - June '09

2009-11-11T11:22:00.007-05:00

It's so dear to me that my youngest child and my grandchild are able to grow up together, almost as sibblings :)

Our Anniversary, 10 years and still going :)

Loving the swing and the gorgeous day!

Silk play...

My precious grandbaby getting so big!

This is from Catriona's bridge crossing at the Ashwood Waldorf School...

So much love for the children...

My nature girl...

She loves everything in nature...

Catching up - May '09

2009-11-11T10:20:00.007-05:00

Yay, Richard finally got Catriona's room finished!

I love this picture of my sweetie...she's growing up so fast.

Our first camping trip of the summer! Right on the ocean, we had so much fun and will go there again, even if it is just down the road!!! :)

The wooden camp "kitchen" was made by my dad and passed down to me at this first trip out...it is the handiest thing! Keeps everything organized, which I LOVE!
Big happy smiles!

Our first morning...Richard was having trouble with the fire due to wet wood! A running theme on most of our trips this summer! LOL

Breakfast the second morning! Yum!
Home finally :)

There was a lot of interest in dinosaurs during this week that we made these...

My own May fairy :)

These are beeswax candles we made for Mother's Day.

My neice is ONE!

2009-04-25T23:04:00.003-04:00

Just a happy-go-lucky ball of squishy cuteness!!!

Happy 1st birthday my sweet little neice!

Aww, Catriona and her cousins...

The proud mamma! My beautiful sister-in-law!

Proud Daddy, my brother :)

Aw, she LOVED her yummy banana cake!

Catriona's first nail polish! She was in awe, it was sparkly especially in the sun :)

Proud Auntie and sweet little birthday girl :)

It was a fun day! The kids had a great time! I love going to my brother and SIL's house, we always have fun!

My Catriona...

2009-04-25T22:59:00.003-04:00

What? Doesn't she have lovely hair?

Ah, much better!!!

What a beautiful afternoon me and Catriona had together this day...the first really warm day! She's just precious to me...

Our new sandbox!

2009-04-25T22:46:00.004-04:00

Kids LOVE this sensory activity! It's very relaxing and satisfying for them.

I love Catriona's imagination... Our fairie house!
Ah, the Easter Bunny wouldn't forget the fairies!

Happy Easter!

2009-04-20T13:50:00.005-04:00

Easter morning was so much fun with the kids...Nicole came over with my grandson and his daddy.... Then we had a nice dinner together and celebrated Springs arrival of all new things to come! The Earth is alive with renewal!

I was so excited to get Catriona this little handmade mermaid, as she's been pretending to be one for weeks! :)

Big kids still love Easter....gee we don't need to wonder why! lol

Quick! The Easter bunny hid eggs all over and around, the yard!

Big sis just had to help!

So cute, and so much fun!

Wait, what's happening here? A race to find the last egg, the one no one has found yet, the one that we call the "special" egg! hehe

Aaaand, as the older kids battle it out (jokingly) the little one swoops in and finds it! WooHoo Catriona! :) *as it should be! lol

Nicole is NOT walking away sulking? Oh yes she is! hehe (she's a riot!) as Kurtis humbles in his defeat!

All is good in love and war!

Aww, Uncle Kurtis and nephew Robbie, so sweet!

Aww, my precious girls!!!

Picture perfect...

The elders :)
I count my blessings often...

Awwwww!

2009-03-29T22:55:00.002-04:00

Auntie Catriona with Robbie...just arriving..

Sweet babies... He loves her, perks right up when he hears her little voice... It fills my heart with joy to see :) That's blessed.

Happy 15th Birthday my son!!!!

2009-03-29T22:41:00.002-04:00

We decided to go to Joker's for Kurtis' b-day, he brought 3 friends (in the back)...It was fun and I know they had fun too, they're great kids!

Their waiting for the laser tag room! They said it was pretty cool! They all had thier own story about their experience with it...it's fun to here them! lol BOYS! :)

oops! (sideways) Catriona had lots to do too!

Here's Richard playing air hockey with Catriona...

and here I am playing...this girl LOVES this game! lol

What a ham! I love you Kurtis...

Catriona's new dress...

2009-03-29T22:33:00.002-04:00

Dance baby girl, dance!!!

My own little Laura Ingles :)

March mud pies anyone...

2009-03-29T22:23:00.003-04:00

Mud....mud...I love mud....I can't go around it, I've got to go through it, absolutely, fabulous MUD!

It was awesome to watch Catriona and Harry play for almost 2 hours this day, in the mud alone!

And the funniest part of this day was how my son was inspired enough by the mud chocolate cakes, that he decided to come in and actually make us all one!!!!Awww

Robbie baby...

2009-03-29T21:47:00.003-04:00

Look at that great big smile from a 2 month old!!! :)

Awwwwwww!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Sweet!

I'm gonna eat 'em up, I swear to everyone I am!!! hehe

Well good morning handsome!!! My wee grandson, Robbie...

He's getting big...just growing like a weed!

This picture is sidways, but it's sooo cute...his mommy loves her kissies :)

Aww, proud daddy! They are adorable!

Spring and March...

2009-03-29T20:46:00.007-04:00

FINALLY, the Spring nature table! The kids have been enjoying it!

Spring, Spring....Spring is here!!!! My favorite moment is when I hear the song birds singing again! Natures symphony...

Catriona insisted I take a picture of her with her babies...she was my only child today and she made the most of her time without the day care kids...

Two of my favorite puzzles the girls put together, they were very proud!

I was feeling crafty, so I sewed two dolly blankets and two pillows for Catriona's dolls...

I whipped this dress up in a jiffy...I guess she liked it, she wore it two days in a row!

They all enjoy cooking.

These rainbows came out sooo cute! I should add a picture of them finished...

Look who's walking!!!! Little miss Gabriella! She's zooming around even more since this picture was taken! (sorry it's blurry but i was laughing and hurrying with the camera)

I loved this! Catriona just created it all on her own...then our cat came over and actually pushed a couple of them out of order! lol Catriona made sure to fix it...so I snapped a shot of it since it meant so much to her...

A winter outing up Mt. Battie...

2009-02-17T09:37:00.004-05:00

Our hike up Mt. Battie :)

What a pretty doggie! :) Good thing we took all that time to groom him, he had lots of other doggies to meet and greet on our way up :P

The "castle" or look out tower :) Catriona LOVED this!

This picture looks out onto Camden harbor and I believe the Island in the backgroun is Vinal Haven.

He was pooped, so were we! It was a great day though! A nice winter hike!

Grooming day!

2009-02-17T09:32:00.002-05:00

What a hair ball! hehe

All clean! Just look at him smiling :)

Happy Valentine's Day!

2009-02-17T09:01:00.003-05:00

We made felt hearts for Catriona's classmates...

These are all the valentine's Catriona recieved from her classmates...they are all handmade, I love it! She has quite a few treasure's to keep!
Catriona kept busy making mommy and daddy valentine's too :)

A grandmother's love...

2009-02-09T22:37:00.002-05:00

Welcome to the world my sweet grandson!

2009-02-08T23:36:00.003-05:00

My precious wee grandson! Robert Philip...

I'm so proud of these two! Especially my daughter for giving birth so bravely!

My first of hundreds of pics with my grandbaby! :)

Falling in love, Auntie Cat :)

What and angel...
Mama and baby doing wonderfully!!!Mama, baby and daddy.....happy and content :)

Felt flower babies...

2009-02-08T23:31:00.002-05:00

These are the little felt flower babies I made for Catriona's 1/2 birthday at the Ashwood Waldorf school! I think they came out really cute!

This one is Catriona's :)

Child Care fun in January 09!

2009-01-19T22:11:00.004-05:00

Aren't these snowpeople adorable! I made them for Catriona and the kids, for the Snowpeople counting song! Catriona loved it :)

Here is a counting game I made for the kids, the pebbles are suppose to resemble "ice"!

Catriona is testing it out :)

Reading while I was cleaning up...

Hasn't she grown, miss ONE year old! :) Happy Birthday Gabriella!!!

Here are the kids playing with the Winter nature table!

It was much too cold to play in the snow OUTside, so I brought the snow INside!!! The kids LOVED it!!! :)

Family, Christmas 08

2009-01-19T21:30:00.007-05:00

Christmas this year was quiet, but nice... I came down with pneumonia for the first time, so I was not not feeling well for a long time... After 2 cycles of antibiotics I finally recovered! The kids were happy so I was happy :)

Woohoo, Santa came!!! :)

The stocking's have always been the kids' favorite's!

Still waking up, lol!

"Reading" a new book! Llama Mama...

She LOVED her doll house!

Catriona and "bubby" playing connect four :)

Yay, snow angels!Aw, she is an angel...

Nature's Nest holiDAYS :)

2009-01-19T20:58:00.004-05:00

December was a lot of fun with the Child Care children! We kept busy with our imaginations of Santa coming and crafts and activities! It has been far too cold to go out much, like 0 and below, cold!!! brrr!

Giving baby dolls a bath...The one Catriona has is mine when I was her age and the other one is the same doll we found at a salvage store! I couldn't believe it! Mine is over 39 or so, years old!

Yes they all look the same, but those antlers are the kids own hand print and they loved that :)

On this day my niece and nephew visited! The only one not in this picture is the baby, who is 1 year old now! I got her when she was 3 months old...she's still a wee peanut though :)

One of the kids had the left side and Catriona was working on the right...I loved what she did! She is very abstract with her art, just like her big sister!

Circle of Light

2009-01-19T20:08:00.004-05:00

At Catriona's school http://www.ashwoodwaldorf.org/joomla/ they had a Circle of Light celebration to mark the the start of the winter Solstice. This was a beautiful ceremony of light, every child walked around the spiral to get their candle lit, then walked back with their lit candle and set it in the right spot before finishing...when they were finished the spiral was lit with every child's candle, it was breathtaking and the children were all so well behaved waiting patiently for their turn! I was so full of joy watching her do this!

May you always have light in your heart my sweet girl... Mommy loves you.

Nicole's baby is kicking!

2008-11-08T09:36:00.004-05:00

Just precious! Our grandson was kicking and we all had a chance to witness it! :)

The most amazing feeling...that's MY grandson in there!!! I think I cry every time I feel her belly....
She's come a very long way....and yet she's still just beginning... I pray for her health and her happiness...

Halloween...

2008-11-08T08:58:00.006-05:00

We carved pumpkins... Richard did the ghost!

We made pumpkin masks with paperplates for the daycare kids...

My little witch!

This is the beginning of a woodland walk-through, that the Waldorf school put on as an alternative to "trick-or-treating"! They had all these little scenerios going on in different parts of the woods on this walk, like woodland fairies (teens from the school dressed up) dancing around, a knight fighting a beastly dragon to save the princess, a woodsman chopping wood, a native american doing a ritual dance with sage burning...a sprite or two in the trees playing a wooden flute! I just loved it! Catriona was in awe the whole walk...it was about a 20 minute walk through. What an amazing thing to do for the little ones... At the end they had cookies and cider for everyone...

My niece who was a fairy princess and Catriona...just before we left to trick-or-treat on main street...we only go there as they have so much to see, what a blast!

My oldest baby! Beautiful at 7 months pregnant...

Trick-or-treating at big sisters house!
Me on the end with my sister and my friend! I was a witch, as I am every year, but had to give up my hat to my little witch, as hers kept falling off! hehe
Me and Catriona.

October, Child care, random pics

2008-11-08T08:41:00.005-05:00

My sweet group of kids...they are just awesome kids and why I love my job so much!!!

I love how they used the jewelry from the treasure chest box as food for their tea party!

She really does do good hard work for a kid! I'm so proud of her...

Hunter is a big help with his little sister and our littlest!

This was a masterpiece Robot!!!

October, catching up

2008-11-08T08:31:00.002-05:00

Apple picking was fun! I've made 4 pies already and Richard has made 2, plus some apple crisp...I think today with what is left I'll make some apple muffins...

September's firsts...

2008-11-08T08:14:00.002-05:00

Our September nature table...

Catriona's first day of school at the Ashwood Waldorf school!

The entry way of her class...Another student and her teacher Miss Toki...

Catriona had an amazing imagination before she started here, but now, after 2 months it has flourished even more! I love hearing her retell stories and fairytales she has learned...

York's Wild Kingdom, York Beach, Maine

2008-09-11T13:40:00.007-04:00

The butterfly dome was interesting...
Awww, we love the Llama's!

She wanted to just keep feeding the ducks!

Awww...
Feeding goats.
Look at her face, she was worried about what was behind the next gate, lol!
Just prescious!

Oh wait, what species is this, a dear? What a sweet dear, hehe!
Here are the monkey's, I mean my son and my nephews! lol

My brother-in-law, step-sister and nephews, nice family!
Weeeeeee!

Mother and baby...

Time to race on outa here!!!!!
Can't forget the elaphant!
It was a fun day!

Daycare play!

2008-09-11T00:33:00.006-04:00

More summer fun!

This girl knew how to make the best mud cakes I've seen since I was a kid! :)

What a little turkey, decided to splash in the mud all over everyone, but he got the worst of it...just look at that face though! Awww...

Yum! Veggies fresh from our garden, sauteed to perfection!

The kids actually ate most of it too!

Happy, happy birthdya little buddy :)

Picking from the garden was her favorite thing to do all summer :)

A visit with my brother.

2008-09-10T23:42:00.004-04:00

My newest neice! she's growing SO fast! How precious too! Weeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!
Awww
There's her smile!
My beautiful sister-in-law and Catriona.
Ruuuuuuun!

My bro!
Skipping rocks at the beach down the road from my brother's house.My brother is so creative, he made the girls flowerd pancakes and a mother holding a baby for me and my sister-in-law!
Awww, cuzzies :)
The butterly garden in my sister-in-laws flower garden...

My wee girls 4th birthday!

2008-09-10T23:06:00.005-04:00

What a sweet little sprite!

I decided to decorate myself this year with the real flowers...Catriona loved it!

Catriona's cousins. Aren't they adorable!

It took Catriona's birthday to get us all together again! I miss our family time. And I love this picture of us...It was a nice day.

I adore this picture of Catriona and her bubby :)

Yum, yum!

Forget it Kurtis! You don't have a chance against your Grampy! :)

Weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!

Just hangn' out...
My dad and step-mom! It was really nice having them here to celebrate with us!

My sister and I.

My beautiful "glowing" daughter and her boyfriend... They are a cute couple. He is thrilled to know he is having a son! My daughter is as well. It was very exciting news! :) My eyes still aren't dry...

Summer fun!

2008-09-10T22:32:00.006-04:00

Wow, I am sooo late in posting! I have wanted to add these pictures since I took them! Better late than never I guess :)

These are from the month of August!

Sisters :)

We made home-made bread, they really love doing this!

We still use this sheet in the backyard for forts, capes and rolling on the ground! :)

Playing in the mud is the best!

I am going to look back at these pictures this winter and sorely miss these wonderful days with these children! Ah, but we have many more memories to make yet :)

Didn't he have fun with this! Imagine what he leaned!

"Peek-a-boo"

I thought this moment was an amazing one! Here is Catriona “nursing” her baby and as Harry sat watching her, he was trying to figure out how he would “feed” his baby… As I watched quietly as this played out, Harry got up and got a bottle from the play kitchen to “feed” his baby the way he knew… I loved this wonderful outcome on imitation! Just precious!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY HARRY!!!

2008-07-30T20:48:00.004-04:00

Buddies...

...everyone! (most of the time, lol)Balance!

It's a great castle!!!

Birthday cupcakes, mmmm!

We made crowns from paper plates!

Then we did face painting!

A quiet day with just two...

2008-07-30T20:36:00.002-04:00

Thursdays and Fridays I sometimes only have one or two kids, so this day it was just Landon. They were painting "green frogs" aren't they cute!

Then they fingerpainted with green!

When we went outside, I had Catriona collect 5 flowers, 5 leaves, 5 sticks and 5 pebbles, she loved hunting for these things and it kept her busy. Then when we came in she made a wonderful collage of them!

Landon was enjoying working on his hand and eye coordination with beading wooden beads onto a pipe cleaner, which is much sturdier than string! What a ham, so cute! :)

Random daycare fun!

2008-07-30T20:23:00.002-04:00

"Hmm, this is interesting" :)

Monkey see, monkey do? :)
Sweet.
Follow the leader!
Daycare love :)
She said she was making a waterfall...

This little hole in the ground has turned into many things since this day! And they are really loving making cakes and pies and soups from it!

A wonderful visit from my cousins!!!

2008-07-30T20:12:00.003-04:00

My younger cousin Tammy and I at the beach! It was so much fun having them here, I only wished they lived closer :(

Catriona digging in the sand with a bucket and shovel she found :)
Catriona loooved her cousin Tammy! she bonded with her quickly!

That's Frankie! What a sweetie!
I'm sure I'll be seeing them again soon :)

Caught in the act :)

2008-07-30T20:08:00.002-04:00

I finally got a picture of Gabriella sucking her thumb! How cute! My oldest, Nicole sucked her thumb too, until about age 11 :)

Precious...

A day in the fun at Nature's Nest...

2008-07-30T19:55:00.002-04:00

Natalie playing with the baby...she is so gentle and sweet with her!

Catriona joining in...
We had colored 4 trays of ice cubes with food coloring and put them in the pool for a refreshing experiment! They melted WAY too fast! :)

Pretty girl...she's growing so fast...

Nature's Nest in July!

2008-07-30T19:19:00.005-04:00

Stamping with shells...

So sweet...Natalie is such a caretaker.

Fun in the sun on a hot July day...

Look how busy they are playing...

Aww, just adorable!

Aww, I think they're bonding :)

Homemade juice pops are the best in the summer heat!This summer has been a lot of fun with the kids...we're just trying to relax, make some nice memories and enjoy the sun and stay cool when it heats up too much!

Week of 4th of July

2008-07-30T16:40:00.005-04:00

A nice unexpected visit from Grammy!

Spoiled by toys from Grammy :)
My niece Willow and Catriona playing...
Smile pretty for the camera!
Weeeeeeeeee!
"Look mommy, daddy has hair"!

My sister Julie, her hubby Alan and thier kids :)

Me and hubby :)

Nature's Nest as it is today...

2008-06-22T23:40:00.004-04:00

Alot has changed in my space since I last posted pics of it! These are the cubbies that hubby built, I just love them and they work so well for the kiddos! I can also use the top of it as a sort of desk, it works out well!
I finally got the long maple table I had been wanting forever for the kiddos! It works great!
The green volour chair was a thrift shop find and I LOVE it! It is so comfy, and get this, it swivels and rocks! I can fit just about 3 kiddos at a time on my lap, lol!
I really cherish all the books, it's hard to put any away for the seasons, lol...I've really been working on my story telling from memory as well...the kids like that.
The Waldorf style kitchen hubby made :) The kids play with this stuff for hours on end!

This is the home-made, wall unit, diaper changing station hubby built, it has been working wonderfully! It just folds down and folds back up out of the way!

Our summer nature table!

2008-06-22T23:37:00.001-04:00

It's a bit busy, but I'm sure there will be some small changes here and there... Catriona loved this change!
HAPPY SOLSTICE everyone!!!

Kurtis' 8th grade graduation!

2008-06-22T23:30:00.002-04:00

Well it's official, my son is now a freshman! Oy! how the time flies by... Kurtis is my only son, my sweet boy, sensitive yet strong...humorous and serious... I love you Kurtis, you will have so much fun with your friends this next school year, make some wonderful memories :)

He brought me his certificate and a rose :) aw...my eyes welled up with pride!
One of his best buds...
Gal pals :)
a sweet boy and his proud mamma!

Let's have a picnic!

2008-06-22T23:21:00.003-04:00

In college I learned how to put together a prop box for the kids... I used a real picnic basket for this "picnic" prop box! As you can see the kids had so much fun pretending to pour different kinds of juice and serve up all kinds of different sandwiches and I asked them what else would be good to bring on a picnic? It was fun to hear their answers :)

New wooden animals.

2008-06-22T23:19:00.001-04:00

These wooden animals are so pretty, what a great investment! Catriona and the other children should get many hours of play with these :)

Feathered friends...

2008-06-22T23:05:00.002-04:00

The strangest thing happened to us last week! This parakeet landed on our picnic table in our back yard, just right out of the blue! I was so surprised to see a domestic bird just fly into our yard like that, we had no idea how long it had been loose either... After I took these photo's I captured it and put it in one of our cat carrier's with news paper on the bottom, a dish of water and a dish of bird see that we just happened to have! I went to Walmart that night to pick up a cage for it and some real parakeet food and a couple of toys, and in the meanwhile I had bumped into the Animal Control Officer! She said a cackatoo had landed in her yard just two weeks before and it was doing great! And come to find out she new who was letting these bird go... Apparently a nearby neighbor was at her quota, or something like that, for these exotic birds and was just letting them go! Well, I'm not at all into caging animals of any kind, but this bird needed a home, so I was going to give it that! On my way home I called hubby to touch base with him and he told me the bird had died...was lying on it's side in the cage...I was actualy sad. All I can think is at least it got to experience the beautiful outdoors before it died. It was so pretty and so very friendly. Here are some photo's of it.

Gardening...

2008-06-22T22:58:00.004-04:00

I'm so proud of my hubby and Catriona for getting such an awesome garden going! He even used our own compost, I love it! He has taught Catriona so much about planting, and I'm sure he'll continue with each new Spring... I'll post some more pictures of the garden soon, it has sprouted all over the place!

This year I chose not to involve the daycare kids as I'm such a novice gardener, it's hubby that has the "green fingers" (as they call it in Scotland!)...so, maybe next year I will section off a small area for the children and I, to "experiement" with, lol!

Nature's Nest today :)

2008-06-22T22:45:00.003-04:00

These are the children I have now, plus my Catriona... Christian, who was 5, no longer comes here, his stay with us was short, but he was a very nice boy...

"I see you all having fun over there" hehe
Mud pie anyone? YUMMO! What fun!
Solitary fun!
Nature walk in the yard...

My brand new neice!

2008-06-22T22:35:00.003-04:00

Mikayla Skye, born April 23rd. Welcome to the world little sweetie!

Here I am holding my new neice and her sister Madison in the middle and Catriona.

Mother's Day

2008-06-22T22:00:00.005-04:00

This year Richard brought me to a local vineyard for my first wine tasting, something I've always wanted to do! Afterwards he brought me and Catriona on a trail walk to a near by lake and we had a lovely picnic. Here are some photo's... This blueberry wine was a nice light wine, great for a picnic.

Richard made the best salad I think I've ever had, he even made the dressing himself! He did such a great job packing a delicious picnic lunch! We spotted some fairy homes and some tree gnome homes!!! :)
Although it doesn't look it in this picture, lol, Catriona had a blast with me building up thes fairy houses on the trai! Our little tree hugger was saying goobye to the trees in the forest... It was a nice day.

Fun times at Nature's Nest...

2008-05-09T14:52:00.005-04:00

These are the oat cakes from the Little Acorn Learning Guide...
Yummy! Catriona had 4 of them!
And this is our wee fairy house behind the "fairy" tree (one of our lilac bushes).
Catriona was whispering to the fairies and giving them an offering of leaves :)

Time at Nature's Nest...

2008-05-09T14:20:00.006-04:00

Catriona enjoys pushing the little kids on the swings...
...so much that Landon fell asleep! hehe cute! :)
Belly swinging, look at 'em go!
This was colored by the whole group, I just love it so thought I'd snap a picture of it...it was a box from the packaging of the new table I got for the kiddos...
Befooooore....

...Aaaaafter! lol

For one of my last projects in school, I had to come up with a thematic unit and present it to the class, well I did Backyard Birds. I had a lot of fun including the children in this assignment! Here they are making baby ducklings with pom poms...

Lauren's visit with us...

2008-05-09T13:42:00.003-04:00

This is Lauren, Natalie's big sister...she joined us for the week of spring break at the public school. She'll also be joining us for summer break! She's a great addition and I look forward to her company. She did very well with the nature bracelets!

She found a dead bee and asked if she could use it, I thought, Yeah, why not!

So Lauren gets the prize for creating awesome nature bracelets, and enjoying the process :)
aww, cute!

The whole gang! :)

2008-04-17T09:34:00.002-04:00

Here is the whole gang! They are great kids...I'm very blessed!

Welcome Landon!

2008-04-17T08:23:00.005-04:00

Welcome Landon!!! What a great kid with lots of energy and laughter! I've had Landon in my care at Catriona's first child care where I also worked a couple of days a week...so it was nice to have him start with us this week! He's made a great transition to our wee daycare family :)

What a wonderful sight! All of these children playing and enjoying themselves! Regardless of how smaaaall the sandbox is right now! lol We're making a built-in one soon.

This is Catriona and Natalie planting their peas that "germinated" :) Catriona had asked "does that mean they have germs?" hehe too cute...

Welcome Gabriella!

2008-04-13T22:25:00.004-04:00

Aww, welcome to our wee family child care Gabriella!

Catriona was keeping her busy with a colorful book...
...then her and Christian started getting interested in it :)
She is a sweet baby, I feel blessed to have her in my care...
Per the Waldorf philosoply, I have since put this book away, and many of my flashy colorful books... Children at this age benefit better from oral communication and story telling/singing/plays, etc... I still love my books though, I've just got a nice small selection out for Springtime.

Welcome Christian!

2008-04-08T16:34:00.004-04:00

Christian joined my wee child care family last week and is a welcomed addition! He enjoyed all the "new" toys to play with and uses his imagination in a very creative way... I've really enjoyed his new energy to the group dynamic we have.

He knows how to keep the little kids entertained with his creative business! :)

They all helped with the yard work...

These are our pea seeds wrapped in wet paper towels...we are learning germination! This activity is from Little Acorn Learning guides.

Child care days...

2008-04-02T14:52:00.002-04:00

This is my Spring nature table... I think it's lovely...

...and the children enjoy it as well :)
Catriona came up with this idea to make lily pads to jump around on like frogs...this was a great way for them to expel some of that excess energy when we can't go outside!

Then after being frogs for quite a while, they decided to do yoga :)

Fun at daycare!

2008-04-02T14:31:00.002-04:00

Playing ring-around-the-rosie...

They love dress-up!
He got soaked doing this, but he was having so much fun! :) Good thing parents pack all those spare clothes!

Tea anyone?

I think my oldest was having just as much fun! :)

I just coldn't resist posting these! My sailor girl :)

Easter morning with my family...

2008-04-02T14:10:00.004-04:00

We decided not to add much candy to Catriona's basket this year...she seems to have a reaction to sugar...even the natural kind, like in fruit...it's an almost instant change in her too...so we have to start being very carful with how much she's getting... But the puzzles and colidascope (sp?), felted barrettes, bobble heads and the peep pen was a lot of fun for her... There were some jelly beans and chocolate too, just not a lot...

The Easter bunny hid "real" eggs this year! The one's we hard boiled and decorated and left on the table for him :)

My new Easter morning tradition are these delicious Hot Cross buns! Typically they are served on Good Friday...

It was a quiet Easter this year, with my two older kids growing up so fast, sometimes it seems as if Catriona is an only child with them being gone so much doing their own thing a lot of the time... I do try and have them included in as much as I can, but they just spread their wings and fly...it's really sad for a mother sometimes...I think it's called "empty nest symdrom"? ;)

Here comes Peter Cottontail =:-)

2008-04-02T13:41:00.004-04:00

I think the kiddos enjoyed the crafts we put together for Easter... Learning new colors while putting together an Easter wreath, finger play stories and exercising those little fingers with homemade play dough was a lot of fun!

The children were so adorable hopping around like bunnies once they put their "new" ears on :)

Saint Patrick's Day fun!

2008-03-18T14:20:00.005-04:00

Ok, so even though I'm Scottish and when we were little we would wear orange to school instead of green AND take the chance of being the only one's NOT wearing green and get pinched, I still like to celebrate this fun and festive day! (believe me I would check my socks and underwear for just a teeny speck of green wherever I could find! lol)

This is the very first time I've ever made home-made playdough and I absolutely LOVE it! It's SO easy and so pliable, the kids loved it! They were playing with it while it was still nice and warm and I put a sprinkle of peppermint extract in it, so it smelled real nice... If I had remembered I would have put some green glitter in it too!

This is a Leprachaun that Catriona made, hehe, aint he cute! lol
Yummy!
Some fresh playdough for the kiddo's to take home with them...

Catriona's first organic Waldorf style dollies...

2008-03-11T19:30:00.004-04:00

Catriona's dress...

2008-03-11T00:00:00.003-04:00

I bought this dress from a very artistic, talented and crafty wahm (work at home mom) who makes these lovely dresses not only for her own daughters, but special orders for her customers... Catriona looooves it too! Now I want one in my size! When she put it on she asked where her glass slippers were, and she was being serious! lol too cute! My little earth child :)
You can view more of this lovely designers work at her myspace page: http://www.myspace.com/oceansky73

Outside with children...

2008-03-10T23:50:00.002-04:00

We finally got a break from the freezing cold on this day, so I thought I'd snap some pictures of the girls swinging! They were so excited to get back on them!

Here's Catriona pusing her cousin Willow, very nice...

My winter nature table...

2008-03-10T23:44:00.003-04:00

I'm so anxious to set up the Spring nature table!!! But I have enjoyed collecting bits and pieces to make this winter one... I also have a mantel above this where I keep candles and some nice incense... I light the incense only at night when the kids aren't around, but the smell lasts into the next day which is nice...

Some lovely tulips that dh brought home to bring a little Spring our way...aw! :)

Daycare fun!

2008-03-10T23:40:00.001-04:00

This is Nicole (my 18 yo dd) leading a marching band around the table! They went around the rooms about 10 times, it was so cute!

Making a snowperson!

2008-03-10T23:32:00.004-04:00

Here's Catriona, Daddy and Findlay making a snowperson in our backyard!

Valentine's cooking,,,

2008-03-10T23:22:00.003-04:00

Well, this may be late, but I still wanted to share... Me and the kids had fun cutting out all the pretty hearts, oh and taste testing the dough! hehe

All the kids had some sent home with them to enjoy with their family :)

Beautiful girl...

2008-02-07T10:32:00.000-05:00

I just had to post this picture, it's just too cute not to share... This was her daddy's hat that shrunk when he washed it, now she has claimed it. Look at those "Rome" cheeks! lol

So spunky and fresh, full of energy and life...sassy and sweet is my girl Catriona...

Art and Auntie's

2008-02-07T10:18:00.000-05:00

Catriona was so proud of her "turtle" she made with this home made playdough! I love it that she's getting so artistic!

This is her friendly monster she made... Lately it seems she's been trying to create friendly monster's, I think as a way to not fear them...
This is Willow's rainbow snowball's she made. All equal sizes :) Very good for thier fine motor skills.
Painting and crafting jewelry at Auntie's house.

Camden Snowbowl fun!!!

2008-02-07T08:58:00.000-05:00

This was the funnest family day ever! We went tubbing and tobogganing for Richard's birthday and had a blast! http://www.camdensnowbowl.com/

Getting ready...

WooHoo!

Mommyyyyy! *She went down backwards the whole way, LOL! Poor Nicole! hehe

Ok, now it's my turn...

...and I went down backwards the whole way too! LOL

Daddy and Catriona's turn!

It was a success, she loved it! So did Richard!

Ok, do you SEE that drop! Yikes! It actually drops down once your on the sled... Down comes Richard, Kurtis and Nicole! hehe

If you click on this picture to enlarge it, look at their faces, especially Nicole's! hehe too funny! It was so fun doing this! What a rush!

The toboggan went all the way out to the frozen lake!

This was Nicole (I made her be first! She loved it even though she screaming her head off, lol!), Kurtis and me, I was so scared I hid behind my kids, haha! I don't even go on roller coasters! But honestly this seemed safer somehow :)

After this we all went to dinner at McMillan's in Camden, it was a very nice way to end our day together.... We don't always get to do this stuff, but we're making more time for it now...

I can't wait for our next outing together :)

Yummy winter soups!

2008-02-07T08:35:00.000-05:00

This soup was made with an organic all-veggie liquid boullion for stock then carrots, celery, mushroom and wild rice were added...

This soup has "stock as you go" base, lol, which means I started with water and as the carrots and turnip were cooking I added salt, onion powder, celery seed, tarragon and thyme. Lastly, I added the peas and alphabet pasta! Yum! With the turnip and the tarrogon it was almost on the sweet side, it was really good! And the kids, surprisingly do LOVE the soups :) (Catriona is my pickiest eater)...

Art fun and child care...

2008-02-07T08:07:00.000-05:00

If you can't beat 'em, join 'em! hehe Sharing is good!

This is a fairy doll kit Catriona got for x-mas. We had a lot of fun putting her all together, we just love whimsy! :)

I love the flowers Catriona was designing here!
Fingerpainting is great for sensory education.
Masterpiece!

Crown's for Epiphany!

2008-01-13T22:53:00.000-05:00

Well, we didn't make the King's cake unfortunately, for Epiphany (twelfth day of Christmas), but we did make the crown's! The girls had a lot of fun putting the glue and glitter on them...

Awww...
Ok, Catriona wants the snow gone! lol
Go, girl!
WooHoo! :)

Cooking with the kiddos!

2008-01-13T21:31:00.000-05:00

Oooh this chicken vegetable soup, made from scratch, was sooo good! I had 2 bowls of it this day!

This is our new friend at my home child care...I'm expecting more children soon as well! I'm very excited about this opportunity!

Catriona loooves to cook with her mommy!

Yummo! Was this good! The kids loved it too... This is an all organic pizza, made from scratch...you can really taste the difference :)

Burried in snow!

2008-01-04T19:58:00.000-05:00

Hello winter!!! We've been burried in snow this winter! It is beautiful though, wouldn't you agree? My fire pit!!!!!!!!!! haha!

Here we goooo! :)
Do we really wanna venture in Findlay?

Oooooh, yeah!!!

KNEE DEEP!

THIGH HIGH!

Somone is pooped from trudging through all that snow! lol That's Catriona and Findlay sitting on the surface of 2 feet of snow!

Winter CAN be fun! :)

Yule/Christmas 07

2007-12-25T22:50:00.000-05:00

On Saturday December 22nd, my sister, her husband and their children came over to celebrate the Winter Solstice and Yule with us... My father and step-mother also joined us.

Here are mine and my sister's children...from left, Willow, Alex, Catriona, Kurtis, Kelsie, Nicole and Nolka.

Willow loved her new dolly! Poor thing was not feeling good this night either...

I was explaining to Catriona how Santa was going to come down the chimney and leave gifts for us, along with the ones to her and her sister and brother, from mommy and daddy...

Of course, none of them wanted this picture taken! Can you blame them, hehe!

Aww, this child loves, loves wee, teeny things...this is a teeny baby doll... I love watching her cradle her dolls and even imaginary babies...

Ok, every year someone makes me cry...this year is was Nicole...she got this frame that says "A mother holds her child hand in her heart forever" and she put an old picture of her and I in it, a time when it was just her and I...

I'm trying to convert my kids over to the organic side... Kurtis really liked the smell of this organic men's aftershave, yay!

And this is one of my attempts with Nicole...it's Burt's Bees body lotion...well it smells so yummy, she looked at me after smelling it and said "your lucky", I'm thinking "hello, there are lots of yummy organic, natural smells!" Well, hubby ended up getting me one too and I didn't even know it! Mmm... I think we really need to pay attention to what we put on our skin and in our mouths these days...

My husband Loves the Harry Potter series! Can you tell! LOL

Catriona kept putting her silk veil in front of her face, I think like a bride?

These are pretend wooden eggs!

Ok, so how typical is this??? She's playing with a box on Christmas morning! lol

This is a flying raindeer airplane! Uncle Fraaank! lol

Because we celebrated Thanksgiving this year with my brother and his wife, at his sister-in-law's house, we decided to have a small turkey for our Christmas dinner... Growing up this is when Richard and his family have turkey, considering they do not celebrate a Thanksgiving in Scotland.

Ok, I really think my kids were tired of the camera, hence their silly expressions! lol

Oh well, it was a long day :)

Happy Yule, Happy holiday and a very Merry Christmas to all my family and friends out there! And a very spirited New Year too!!!

Ornaments

2007-12-25T22:32:00.000-05:00

My mother has been getting each of my children a new Christmas ornament every year, since they were born... Here are their latest ones :)

Since Nicole is now 18, this is actually her last one... So my mom made it very special by writing Nicole's nick name on it that she has always called her... Kolabear, very sweet, Nicole loved it!

Kurtis recieved a 2007 Jeff Gordon race car ornament... He is a trophy winning race car driver!

And lastly, Catriona recieved a Disney princess ornament... She thought it was beautiful!

Thank you mom! In total, the kids have collected 34 ornaments from just you alone! Nicole now has enough to decorate her own tree some day...

Handcrafted Yule gifts...

2007-12-25T22:21:00.000-05:00

This is my first attempt at a Waldorf doll, it was made for my neice who is very happy with it! (see x-mas '07 pics)

This set of mittens and hat are also for my neice...they are made from 100% wool and will keep her ears and fingers warm and dry!

This set is for my nephew! The self striping 100% wool yarn, came out beautifully! And the color just looks stunning next to his blue eyes! :)

Third week of Advent...

2007-12-18T23:37:00.000-05:00

This is my second attempt at my Advent wreath...the first one, well, it kind of broke apart because I didn't keep it moist... This one is artificial. It's simple, yet elegant. We're all really enjoying celebrating Advent this year... Thanks a lot in part to Eileen from Little Acorn Learning.

Unit blocks...

2007-12-18T23:27:00.000-05:00

Block play discovery... She made hearts for me....aw!

Natural Gift Giving for the Holidays

2007-12-13T19:55:00.000-05:00

Natural Gift Giving for the Holidays

Watching our child’s eyes light up with excitement during the holiday season is one of the many joys of parenthood. With our love, each year, many of us go to the ends of the earth, wait in long lines for hours and spend more than our budget permits in an attempt to create a magical experience for our children.

More often than not, we return from our shopping trip overwhelmed and over budget. And when the holiday arrives, we are understandably disappointed to see our carefully found treasures thrown into a pile of accumulated things while our children move on to open the next package.

Not long ago, the holiday season was a simple time of family traditions, gratitude, and gift-giving from the heart. The magic and beauty of the season did not come from how much one could receive but from how much one could give.

Decorating was beautiful and modest with candles and branches of evergreens draping the doorway. Family and friends would gather together, bringing along homemade treats and small gifts of appreciation.

Most gifts were made by hand and simple. Mothers would knit sweaters for their children and fathers would search local shops for the perfect gift. Children would receive much less but appreciate much more. A new set of blocks, a special doll, or a set of books would be cherished for years to come.

Toys were natural and open-ended, leaving room for hours of imagination and free play. They did not blink, flash, need batteries, or keep children indoors for most of their day.

How, in a world that is much different now, do we recapture the truth and surround our children with warmth, simplicity, and peace this holiday season?

The Benefit of Natural Toys

Toys of today are much different than the basic and sturdy toys of our past. In addition to the more recent concerns of lead paint on some foreign-made toys, some of the components that are added to products made with PVC plastics have been linked to cancer and other serious ailments. “A recent Greenpeace study revealed that PVC softeners known as phthalates have been found to cause liver and kidney damage and disrupt hormonal systems in children (see "Teething Toxins," In Brief, March/April 1998). In response, several European nations have banned PVC toys altogether. U.S. toy distributors are still debating the issue.”

With the very safety of our children’s playthings in question, many parents are choosing to buy natural toys and products for children this year. But safety is not the only benefit of items made from natural materials such as wood, cotton, silk, or wool.

Children, like sponges, absorb their environment and the world around them. The quality and essence of the things that we surround our children with can have a direct effect on their behavior, health, and ability to learn. Holding something beautiful that is made from the earth has tremendous positive psychological effects on human beings.

In fact, natural materials teach children correctly about the world around them. When a child picks up a rock that is made of plastic, it feels light and weightless. In nature, rocks are heavy and solid.

Toys that do not require batteries invite open-ended play. This type of play sparks children’s creativity and requires them to finish the story on their own. Many electronic toys have a predetermined ending – leaving little room for imagination causing the child to lose interest quickly.

More often than not, loud toys over-stimulate young children. Blinking lights, loud sounds, and so much going on muffles the child’s ability to hear his or her imagination speak. We must quiet the noise in order to allow our children to listen to the true magic that is within.

Equally important is the fact that natural toys are better for the environment. Plastic can sit in landfills for hundreds of years and is not biodegradable.

If you have a skill such as sewing, knitting, or woodworking, consider making your child something special this year. Not only does this send a message of love, but it also teaches patience. The time spent on creating something from hand is a wonderful way to show your children the benefit of working toward a goal.

If you are not particularly crafty, there are plenty of retailers that sell natural toys online. Before purchasing, be sure to ask the retailer where the toys are manufactured and what materials are used during production. Here are some wonderful places to start shopping for natural children’s products.

https://www.taraluna.com/Fair Trade, Organic and Green Gifts and Products

http://www.atoygarden.com/A Broad Selection of Open Ended, Natural, Creative and Fun Toys for Children. Fair Trade and Made in the USA toys as well.

http://www.kinderdolls.com/Waldorf Inspired Dolls and Toys.www.achildsdream.comNatural Crafts, Toys, Supplies, Dolls and Books.

http://www.waldorfsupplies.com/Waldorf Home and School Supplies - Many of the art supplies are imported from Europe.

http://www.threesisterstoys.com/Natural Playthings and Waldorf Toys.

http://www.ecotoytown.com/Earth Friendly Non-Toxic Toy Store

http://planethappytoys.com/Every product sold at Planet Happy must meet or exceed current US and European safety standards.

http://toyspectrum.com/Traditional wooden toys and children’s gifts.

http://www.willowtreetoys.com/European Waldorf toys, natural wooden toys, Montessori toys and dolls that are educational and encourage open-ended, creative play.

http://www.novanatural.com/Waldorf dolls, children’s books and natural craft supplies to stimulate creative play.

http://www.oompa.com/Natural and Wooden Toys and Products.

http://www.thewoodenwagon.com/All of The Wooden Wagon's toys comply with the rigorous European testing standards.

Quality over Quantity

Let us keep in mind that it is not only the quality of the gifts we give this year but also the quantity. How much is really enough?

Before holiday shopping, take a good look around your home. How loved are your child’s belongings? Gifts lose their value when children are surrounded by so many things. It is unfair of us to expect a child to cherish a new toy when they are surrounded by so many of them.

When deciding to purchase an item for your child, be selective and ask yourself the following questions: What purpose will the toy have? Does your child already have this type of item? Does it engage all five senses and encourage imagination? It is much better to offer fewer, higher quality toys that your child will get more use out of than an abundance of toys that will go unappreciated.

This is a wonderful opportunity for parents to teach children the lesson of giving this holiday season. This year, many children around the world won’t even have a holiday meal, let alone presents. Talk to your child about this and then spend a day sorting through items that are no longer cherished or age-appropriate to donate to others. If the charity only accepts new toys, considering selling your items and donating the money earned to a worthy cause.

Simplify and Reduce Stress

Much as young children take in the aesthetics of their environment, they also absorb the feelings and emotions of their caregivers. We must be mindful of the message we are sending to them during the holidays and throughout the year. Here are a few ideas on how to limit stress and create a more peaceful celebration for yourself and your children:

§ Try to limit the number of commitments you make. When possible, combine functions to avoid excessive travel or entertaining. Consider scheduling some events for after the holidays so you can relax and truly enjoy the company of your family and friends.

Create beautiful traditions with your children. String popcorn, make ornaments, or go caroling. Allow even the youngest child to assist with preparing the holiday meal, setting the table, or baking cookies.

Demonstrate kindness. Visit a nursing home, adopt a needy family, or write letters to those who may be alone this holiday season. Children can add so much to the lives of others who have so little.

Consider shopping online for many of your gifts this year. This is a wonderful way to save gas and reduce your stress by avoiding busy stores and shopping malls.

Above all, let us remember that true happiness cannot be wrapped and placed under a tree. When we teach our children this, we have already given them the greatest gift.

Eileen is a work-at-home mother to four daughters. She writes and publishes monthly nature guides for parents and caregivers of young children at http://www.littleacornlearning.com/ and has many ideas and activities for parents on her blog at http://eileensplace.blogspot.com/

Little Acorn Learning

Monthly Curriculum Guides

Celebrating the Seasons with Young Children

http://www.littleacornlearning.com/

Visit Our Blog

Pumpkin Bread

2007-12-13T15:53:00.000-05:00

Can we say YUMMO! This pumpkin bread was divine! Ok, so I went a little too heavy on the powdered sugar, but it was delish!!!

Pumpkin Bread

1 3/4 cup sugar
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 large eggs
1/3 cup water
1 cup pumpkin
*powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine all dry ingredients, mix well. In another bowl, combine pumpkin, water, eggs, vanilla, and oil, mix well. Add dry ingredients to pumpkin mixture and beat thoroughly. Pour batter into a greased loaf (bundt/cake/or muffin pan). Bake for 75-80 minutes (less than this for muffins). Cool 15 minutes before removing from pan.

*Sprinkle with powdered sugar for a festive look.

Enjoy!

Putting up the tree.

2007-12-13T15:32:00.000-05:00

This tree looked much smaller when we picked it our amongst all the other ones in the woods! She was so excited to decorate the tree with "her" ornaments!

I poked my finger 3 times this year stringing the popcorn and cranberry garland, not blood though this time, so I'm doing good! lol

It's just so very pretty...and old fashioned, I love it...

We had to leave it fairly plain due to Catriona and our dog, but it's still beautiful :)

Catriona's Canopy that I made for her...

2007-12-08T23:33:00.000-05:00

Catriona's new canopy that I made for her tonight (ignore the ugly outlet!)...It's not silks, like I'd like for it to be, but it will due for now... The sheers were once Nicole's (for something similar), years ago...now Nicole wants Cat to have them :) It's our attempt to create a "big girl" bed for her, even though it's still her crib, we've taken the side bar completely off, so she's training now for a twin size bed.

I think that smile means she likes it! It was a surprise I did for her...

Aww, nighty night sweet pea... She wanted to go to bed right away tonight!

Off to find our Charlie Brown Christmas tree!

2007-12-08T23:00:00.000-05:00

Thus begins our outing to get our Christmas tree... These are Richard's co-workers' work horses, they are truly grand beasts! Whoops, don't get your fingers too close, the're looking for a snack to nibble on!!! hehe

Oooh, it's just not often enough I can get them all "still" enough for a photo together, these days!

Oooop, down she goes! Nicole just isn't the outdoorsy type! lol
Yes, Catriona was warmer than all of us! lol

Are we there yet?
Not that tree, Kurtis! As all the snow came falling on top of him! lol
How about this one? Perfect, son!
Oooo, BEAR! (just kidding) hehe
Kurtis sawing down his first Christmas tree!
Tiiiimberrrrr! Look out Catriona! :)
Daddy, where did everyone go??? lolOn our way back... What a beautiful 100 acre farm!

My crazy, zany, energetic and beautiful 18yo with my 3yo

2007-12-08T22:51:00.000-05:00

Awwww! :)

Catriona was having sissa time up in her room, what were they up to anyway??? lol

Nicole loves her little sis to bits! And Catriona really loves her sissa! They are both leo's and I can see so much of Nicole in Catriona when she was that age...it's scary, but wonderful!

Blocks, the many possibilites :)

2007-12-08T22:16:00.000-05:00

This was a race track, but more importantly was her focus while making it! I loved watching her do this and helping a bit...

These were a cool set of stairs, until she knocked it down, but isn't that the best part! :)
This started out as a round fence with animals in it, then it turned into a pond with fish, that was fun...then we started sorting the different sized blocks and pretending certain ones were all of us :)

Who needs a $99.00 balance beam when you can use blocks! Actually, hubby is making her one soon, for free! :)

And lastly, a block chair for her wabbit... It's actually named Angelina, but she likes calling it wabbit :) Her Aunt got her this when she was born, it's special...

Yule gnomes...

2007-12-06T19:49:00.000-05:00

Just look at these 4 wee gnomes I whipped up for our nature table! They are adorable! They're made from acrylic felt and 100% cotton balls, instead of all the nice wool, but they're gnomes and they're cute and Catriona loves them! :) Just look at her smiling face...

We're getting our x-mas tree this saturday and I know when I pull out all our ornaments and such, I'll have more to add to our nature table, but for now it is what it is...I did have out our nesting Santa already...I love him...so do the kids... I thought he made a nice addition to the table...anyway, apparently they're meant to be a work in progress. The wee basket has some acorns, chestnuts, mini (fake) guords and pinecones and also some pumpkin seeds in it...