there's a Spring in my step

The seemingly LONG awaited arrival of Spring is now here! Oh, how I itch to plant my seedlings...and now I can!
This week I'll be putting a bunch of work into the garden. So much to do! You're actually 'supposed' to wait until the last week of March to plant around here, but I am throwing caution to the wind!! What a rebel I am!!
Liv and I have been searching for 'signs of Spring' for the last few months. Yesterday, we took some pictures of the ones we could find. Aren't they glorious?

Happy Spring everyone!! (and Happy Fall to those in the Southern Hemisphere!)

SUCCESS!!!!!!!

We made bread! Edible bread!!!! Hope is restored! That recipe rocks, man!!! How come anyone uses anything else??? Rises only once?! Four ingredients?! Fab!

I made some leaves (to signify Spring) for the front door wreath. It still had the hearts from Valentine's on it. I toyed with the idea of eggs or chicks but decided that there is no such thing as 'Labour Day eggs'. ;) I may add some flowers soon....
We had an amazing lay-on-the-floor-and-make-cupcakes-and-sing kind of day. It was fabulously relaxing and SO needed. The sun came out and we blew bubbles outside. It felt like a Sunday from when I was little - quiet and mellow.

I got some fabulous pictures of the kids today. I'm trying to think of a creative way to make them into a birthday gift for Jeff to take along with him while he's at sea. Any ideas?

walk and talk

I went for a LOVELY Spring-like walk today with our friends, Krista and Michele while Liv was at farmhands. I so enjoyed our walk and our talk. It is fabulous to be able to talk to these other homeschool mommies (and our littler ones) about our successes and failures with lots of laughter along the way. I really relish these times and thoroughly look forward to hanging out again.

When I got home from our walk, I noticed a clipping that I always have on the fridge and it made me think of our conversation:

10 Ways We Misunderstand Children

1. We expect children to be able to do things before they are ready.

2. We become angry when a child fails to meet our needs.

3. We mistrust the child's motives.

4. We don't allow children to be children.

5. We get it backwards (instead of accepting our parental role to meet the child's needs, we expect the child to care for our needs.)

6. We blame and criticize when a child makes a mistake.

7. We forget how deeply blame and criticism can hurt a child.

8. We forget how healing loving actions can be.

9. We forget that our behaviour provides the most potent lessons to the child.

10. We see only the outward behaviour, not the love and good intentions inside the child.

(From the Natural Child: Parenting from the Heart by Jan Hunt)

There is not much giggling in this clipping but the feelings were the same, I think.

I love how human and flawed we can be together. I cherish the insights and forgotten comforts that other mommies have to share with eachother. And even though in 'blog-land', we can all pick and choose what the world sees through our 'open curtains' (thanks Michele!) we ALL have moments that we wouldn't want to be recorded.

The point was made that although we try our best to make our children's childhoods the BEST that they can be, we also must parent in the way that gives us joy as well. I had never thought of that and it warms me inside that my children and I can enjoy this journey of learning together.

Anyhow, I am not sure if this sounds like one cohesive post or like a bit of aimless rambling, but it's what I thought about today and wanted to share.... :)

P.S. I just listed these little bunnies on Etsy ! I am hoping to get a few more things on there in the next little bit...

Spring is COMING!!!!

We have been finding so many ladybugs in our house over the last few days! I'm not sure where they're coming from, but it seems to me that they're heralding Spring.

We have occasionally been outside without coats and sweaters the last week. It is delicious to open the windows and hang the sheets on the washline to dry. Today, it is pretty stinkin' cold, though, and we are in the process of lighting the woodstove. I LOVE woodstove heat. So cozy.

I am finding the imminent arrival of Spring creating a bit of panic in me...happy panic, but panic, nonetheless. So much to do in the yard!

I am trying to plan out the garden and have it all arranged and worked out before I stick one seed in the ground. I am trying a few new veggies this year. Kidney beans. Pickling cukes. Cilantro (okay, this one isn't new, but I have a HECK of a time growing it, so it would be new if it actually grew!) Delicata squash....and more that I just can't seem to remember at this fine moment.

Liv and Briar have decorated and furnished the bean tepee now. The interior of the tepee is dominated by a table (our chopping block for firewood). There is a piece of bark for the welcome mat and some twigs that I pruned from the garden as a fire. Oyster shells as used as dishes and a plant saucer is a sink! Rocks are used as stools and a garden gnome is the greeter at the door. It reminds me of when we were little, we used to make 'bunny houses' in the woods and use what ever we could find as furnishing. SO fun and imaginative!