In Like a Lion, Out Like a Lamb

I'm really hoping there are no lions involved in this endless month! Really, there are others with 31 days but March seems soooo loooong. What in the world are we going to do?

Things I hope we get to do this month:

• Make pine cone bird feeders and hang them from our orange tree
• wet felted eggs for the Spring Celebration raffle basket
• plant our Easter grass
• finish planting and not immediately kill our garden
• cooking more for the kids (we're on a snack type meal plan)
• continue to establish a rhythm

I'm sure we'll be able to bang out all of those things, but the rhythm is something we're learning daily. I hope that by the time John gets back we can just usher him in to his place. We've always had some sort of daily "schedule" that went something like: wake up, eat breakfast, mommy fill in the blank, play, lunch, play, mommy fill in the blank, dinner. I'm working on getting the boys to learn the natural flow of the day and include lots of new crafting things and even getting in to a weekly rhythm so we know what we're doing Monday through Sunday. With, of course, room for what may come.

Here's to a break in the rain to get those seeds in the planters!

Learning, learning

My head is spinning from all the information I've been reading about the world of Waldorf. Thinking of the things that work and probably won't work, things I like, things I don't particularly agree with.

What has been working is zero TV during the day. It's been an interesting transition, that's for sure. The boys really look forward to sitting for a show before nap time and before bed time. I've been able to knock out everything but the evening show. I'm not fretting, though: I need it more than they do. It gives us a chance to cuddle up on the couch and regroup and I'm ok with that. They're not going to die, nor lose brain cells over Yo Gabba Gabba.

There is so much to be said about children viewing or not viewing television. I'm not interested in debating the topic, but, rather, making changes within my family. Within one week I've noticed the boys playing together more. There have been less fights (let me tell you, I am always intervening for one reason or another) and they are now "talking" to each other while they sit at their little table. Hey, it might be that a week makes a difference in their development but I'm fairly certain it's because we've really been doing things together. I can say that with the TV on we're spending time together but it's not true time when I'm running around like crazy.

Fun we've been having this week:

potato chip making (baked)

lots of dough* playing

putting together our first nature table (straight up items gathered outside, placed on a table)

starting a garden in our Earth Boxes

baking banana bread (we've tweaked this recipe and I LOVE it)

bike rides

LOTS of story telling! (Turner adores hearing a story and then repeating it. Eli listens and asks for the story again)

Most of this is normal for our week but there have been some changes. Having the boys "help" with housework is a bit difficult for me, though it does work.

The one thing I'm having trouble with right now is trying to do an activity (like baking bread) with toddlers of different ages. I'm hoping to find some insight in You Are Your Child's First Teacher. I've been devouring the book like it's chick-lit. I'm also looking forward to receiving Beyond the Rainbow Bridge and Seven Times the Sun for more ideas about how to better handle the day and to get an idea of what will and won't work for us in terms of rhythm.

*The Best Dough Ever!*

1 c. warm water

1/3 c. sea salt

2 tbs. vegetable oil

3 c. flour

Mix water, salt and oil in a bowl. Add flour and mix well and then knead. Keep wrapped in plastic and enjoy for a few days.