Christmas in December???!

So already Cheyne and I are discussing ways of having a simpler,more faith and community oriented Christmas. A few ground rules we have come up with are
1) We are only buying gifts for the kiddos.
2) These will be bought locally,made by Cheyne,or handmade. (Aley is getting a Waldorf doll from Etsy for her birthday on January 1,but her big present for Christmas will be a large cabinet built by Cheyne,with a built in doll bed and wardrobe as well as highchair, and plenty of room for her other stuffed animals to play and sleep there.We have similar ideas for the other kids.)
3) We are going to try to do our own Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners, as well as planning a winter solstice potluck ,advent celebrations, and the super awesome Vintage Christmas party. We are turning off the guilt and realizing that what we create out of the holiday seasons will impact generations of our family,so we want t to be relaxed,joyful,and spiritual.
Our kids are super excited! One idea I have for Sol and Ivy is to buy a really cool science book and then get all the materials needed ready and labeled in ziploc bags. And a tool set for Sol. Maybe a knitting kit for Ivy from Hand Held.
Simple, but way more exciting and fulfilling.

A walk in the woods...

I cannot over estimate how important my walks with my children are to all of our educations. Arlo will come running up to me with a flower, shouting, "This has pollen." When I ask Ivy what she is thankful for, she says, "woman's rights. Because life was hard for women back when Laura Ingalls lived, they had to get married very young and couldn't vote." Aley sings and swirls and dances. And Sol reminds me over and over that he really does still believe in trolls. (something I am so grateful for, as adolescence is peering around the corner, ready to slip him into it's fog)
Something loosens in all of us, Arlo ecstatically helps the older kiddos gather "finds" for the season's able. We all just chat and look around, and try to get a glimpse of the neighbor's cows. Yesterday, when we walked to the pond, Arlo sat in my lap as we watched the leaves fall , and I told him the story of the three bears. It is a time without clocks, or reason, or any purpose outside of the woods. And this is as it should be.
What we are aiming for, Cheyne and I, really fumbling around for, starting and stopping at, but genuinely hoping to achieve a life of simplicity and contentment and wonder for our kids. The trickiest part, folks, is striving towards those things ourselves, really savoring our walks, our books, the fire in the fireplace, the crispness of an apple, the camaraderie of community. All free. All better than any gizmo or whirlygig out there.
It's seeing the forest AND the trees.
And loving every minute of it.

Seasonal Treasures

So, Arlo was a little too young for kindergarten. He had an awesome teacher, and had no trouble academically....he just wanted to play. (I know, a shocking development in a just - turned- five boy!!) So we have been studying together at home, me relying on my trusty Montessori language skills and some fancy storebought workbooks. (He loooves workbooks!) and just talking and walking in the woods. One day a week he attends Homegrown Playschool, a Waldorf inspired, multi age preschool where he hears fairy tales, stories of the saints, and helps create a winter garden. For example, last week they learned about Saint Francis, made bird feeders to take care of the animals, and helped dig a winter garden. They also learn seasonal songs and benefit greatly from the spiritual aspect of Waldorf. A bonus is that Playschool is at his best friend Ethan's house!

When we walk, which we do at least twice a day, I tell seasonal stories about the earth, usually VERY simple. We talk about the leaves changing, look at the moss, listen for the birds nearby. Today we gathered flowers, some red leaves, acorns, empty seed pods, a crow feather, and a blue plastic ball. Why the ball? Arlo explained it to me: "it was Oma's and fell off her necklace."

Me:" So it is special to you..."

Arlo: "Yup."

Fall reminds me that everything that ends must begin again. But it has to end to do so. We struggle with difficult feelings during this time. There is Dia de Las Muertas and All Soul's Day. There is remembering, composting, turning over, letting go, and preparing for the future. It can be pensive, although candle light and snuggling, and community are all tools to make the darkness easier to sustain.

I am loving this time with Arlo. The wisdom of cycles and seasons is best with someone who literally freaks out over red leaves!