Foot Spa

Enjoying a Foot Spa from Lemongrass Spa--one of the vendors who participated in our First Annual Holiday Bazaar to help promote A to Zen Books.

Paula Sands Live

Allie enjoyed helping Paula Sands do her promos for our local Channel 6 "Paula Sands Live" show.

It's A Girl!

This week our adopted caterpillar, Lucy, successfully became a beautiful Monarch butterfly! We know she's a girl because the black veins in her wings are thinner, and there are no black spots on each wing which would indicate male gender.

Making a Dandelion Wish

On Stage

Allie standing on stage at the musical "Pinkalicious".

Nature Frame

At our Kindernature class we collected items from nature and made a picture frame with them:

Little Girls' Day

In 2008, after observing Mothers Day and Fathers Day in our family, my 3 year old daughter asked me how long it would be until Little Girls Day arrived. I replied that there is no Little Girls Day, only Mothers and Fathers Days.

"How Come?" she replied. There are some questions to which I simply have no good answer. This was such a question. There is apparently a Childrens Day, but no Little Girls Day.

And so it was that we selected an upcoming date and proclaimed July 26, 2008 the first annual Little Girls Day. We walked to the store and Allison chose a bouquet of flowers she loved (see photo). She was Princess for a day and we celebrated with a special meal that evening.

The second annual Little Girls Day is just hours away and we are very excited. Daddy will bring home flowers to his little girl, we plan to go swimming and go somewhere special for dinner with friends and family. Allison already received a card in the mail today from Aunt Shari in Georgia!! We will also send messages to all the other little girls we love.

Here's wishing ALL little girls a wonderful day filled with love and contentment!!

When You Thought I Wasn't Looking

When you thought I wasn't looking I saw you hang my first painting on the refrigerator, and I immediately wanted to paint another one.

When you thought I wasn't looking I saw you feed a stray cat, and I learned that it was good to be kind to animals.

When you thought I wasn't looking I saw you make my
favorite cake for me, and I learned that the little things can be the special things in life.

When you thought I wasn't looking I heard you say a prayer, and I knew that there is a God I could always talk to, and I learned to trust in Him.

When you thought I wasn't looking I saw you make a meal and take it to a friend who was sick, and I learned that we all have to help take care of each other.

When you thought I wasn't looking I saw you take care of our house and everyone in it, and I learned we have to take care of what we are given.

When you thought I wasn't looking I saw how you handled your responsibilities, even when you didn't feel good, and I learned that I would have to be responsible when I grow up.

When you thought I wasn't looking I saw tears come from your eyes, and I learned that sometimes things hurt, but it's all right to cry.

When you thought I wasn't looking I saw that you cared, and I wanted to be everything that I could be.

When you thought I wasn't looking I learned most of life's lessons that I need to know to be a good and productive person when I grow up.

When you thought I wasn't looking I looked at you and wanted to say,'Thanks for all the things I saw when you thought I wasn't looking.'

Photos From Today's Nature Walk

Bridge to trails

Wild Strawberries

A path less traveled

An insect friend

Fountain

Learning To Fish

Making Pretty Kites

Climbing Around

T-ball pose

Fine Friends

My Ballerina Princess

Grave Rubbing

Recently, my 92 year old grandfather and I visited local cemeteries where various of our family members are buried. Most fascinating to me was the tombstone of my grandfathers maternal grandparents (my great, great grandparents). While there, grandpa held down my paper and I rubbed a crayon over the very old tombstone which was no longer legible. On the side of the tombstone is the engraved name of their son Willie, my great great uncle, who died in 1898 at age 19 in the Spanish-American War (see above).

This outing was an adventure for me, but was also meaningful for my grandfather, who fears that, when he is gone, no one will care enough to visit or take care of these gravesites any longer. I feel it is important to have a connection with those who came before us, those who paved the way. My four year old daughter has expressed interest in accompanying me to the cemetary next time, and together we will help carry on grandpa's wishes, now and after he passes on. Perhaps, a picnic with the ancestors...how 'bout it, Willie?

Joy Riding

"Mayo" celebrations

During the week of Cinco De Mayo (May 5th) we celebrated Mexican culture in various ways. We went with a friend to see Dora the Explorer, hear bilingual stories and songs, and enjoy Mexican snacks and games.
Later in the week, we shared a Mexican fiesta including Mexican Wedding cookies, and broke open a homemade Fish pinata, all crafted by our friend Rebecca. Mmmmm...

Whether you tend a garden or not, you are the gardener of your own being,the seed of your destiny.
- The Findhorn Community

Spring Seed Planting

In celebration of Spring, we planted some herb seeds in plastic cups. We made sure to place some seeds on the side of the cups so we could observe the growth process as the seeds transformed, began to root downward and then grow upward.

Exchanging Eggs

A charming legend tells how the Saxon goddess Eostre found a wounded bird and transformed it into a hare, so that it could survive the winter. The hare found that it could lay eggs, so it decorated these each Spring and left them as an offering to the goddess.

Among other traditions, Iranians give gifts of eggs dyed red to mark the new year's first day. Ancient Egyptians, Greeks and Romans also celebrated Spring with colored eggs. Traditionally eggs were dyed red to symblize Christ's blood, and red is also associated with fertility and rebirth. The Russian tsars Alexander III and Nicholas II gave their wives exquisite enamelled Faberge eggs at Easter- a custom which became fashionable among aristocrats and royalty in early modern Europe.

My Grandmas

Eggs

Today I got out the painted glass eggs that belonged to my grandmother. I remember these eggs sat regally in an antique egg tray in grandma's beautiful dining room. Memories return of going to grandma's house on holidays such as Easter; the air filled with the aroma of grandma's wonderful cooking/baking. I recall all the relatives gathered around the large, finely decorated table. This wonderful, secure feeling of family connection is one I hope to pass on to my daughter.

This was our first year dying Easter eggs and we decided to experiment with natural methods of coloring. We combined resources with friends and used beet juice, red cabbage, turmeric, and onion skins to create very light hues. The turmeric turned out to be the strongest color, turning out a lovely yellow.

Max's Story

Meet Max. We adopted Max (formerly "Rico Suave") from a local animal shelter a week ago. We are guessing that he is a mix of German Shepard and Border Collie?? He and a sibling were strays who were both very sick; the sibling did not make it. Max was nursed back to health and we met him the day he became available. He is a sweet, seven month old puppy with lots of energy and little training. We are all attending puppy school and learning a lot!

Today was a good day for sidewalk chalk.

Round Up

I'm told it's "kindergarten round-up" time. Some of our friends are participating in this ritual; parents trying to convince their little ones that it will be really fun- wondering how the time went by so quickly and their child is growing up so fast. Soon their child will spend most of her day time with other people.

Ready or not, drop 'em off. Don't stay to "coddle" them--they'll get over it.

Schedules and routines will change. There will be new standards of behavior to adhere to, new lables assigned. Will their child become the "smart one", the "cooperative one", the "stubborn one", the "kid whose parents are annoying", the "student who's too sensitive", the "hyper kid who needs medication", the "bully", the "math whiz"...

We've decided not to throw our hats into this ring at this time. Just the name "round-up" brings to my mind images of cattle being herded.

We've decided to continue to grow together at our own pace, surrounded by the loving encouragement of family, friends and mentors. We will sit in the sunshine, observing nature. We will play in the rain, and watch clouds, and gaze at stars while we gain knowledge about weather, seasons, science, astronomy, astrology, and mythology. We will examine snowflakes and leaves and bugs and plants while we drink tea and eat treats we've made during our math learning.

We will play with our dog while reading interesting books, then finger knit or finger paint. We will run in the halls without a hall pass, go to the restroom and get a drink without asking permission (and possibly being denied it), eat healthy food that we prepare and perhaps even grow ourselves. We will do these things for as long as we like without the interuption of a bell that signals switching to a new activity like musical chairs.

We will visit the places we love and explore new places too. We'll go to actual places of history and see them first hand. We will not be chastised for working ahead, or for lagging behind. We will socialize with people of all ages and all walks of life, not just those in our same age group or neighborhood ("district"). We'll listen to our favorite music, dance, and sing at the tops of our lungs without consequence.

We wish the best for our friends who are being rounded up. We're gonna sit this one out for now.