New places to play

I have been busy making spaces for thriving children.  I am no where near finished (I never am), but I've carved out a few pretty spots I want to share.  

First of all the kid's room;

I removed the slide tower from our old swingset, and painted the tower white.  I fastened it to their bunkbed and viola, free castle-bed!   

Then I put 4 c hooks up on either side of the bunks and strung wire from one to the other.  I strung up some cafe curtian rings onto the wire.  Cafe rings are brass, really inexpensive (around 2$ for 12), and can be found in your local retail store.  Next I clipped my ikea curtians up lengthways onto the curtian rings (the stripes are really supposed to go up and down).  

If the kids try to swing from thier curtians the rings will loose thier grip and the curtains will fall.  I figure it's better for the curtain to fall then the hooks to pull out of the wood or wall, or the wire to break.  This way I told them if the curtian falls because they yank on them, they can do a chore so I will reattach it.  Also if I need to wash the curtains I can just unclip them.  

The kids are now calling me the "coolest mom ever" for pulling off this new bed and Dorathea wants to hold a cool kid's room contest because she is sure will win.  They both love the privacy of the curtians as well as the fun of the playground equipment.  Doesn't every kid need a place to hide?

Most of the time I am loosing my kids to the backyard.

Remember the post on my personal blog about our move here?  I asked for a lot of things, space, a studio garage, full grown fruit trees that God answered with this house.   Well that just keeps happening.  I was thinking it would be nice to plant some blueberry bushes, and what to you know, there was a giant blueberry bush!  

I told Ted we should look for a dinner bell to call the kids from all the hidden places in the yard, and vioala!  Their was a dinner bell on the back porch.  

.  I have always asked God for place for the kids to hide, a playhouse maybe in the yard.  I think being outside is the best way for kids to organically grow up loving God and feeling peaceful.  

Well, There is the circle of giant rocks hidden away for adventurers to climb on, 

An overgown cedar bush by the house that Dorathea calls her "Hangout", and 

some lovely apple trees that make a great perch, and 

A mud puddle that the kids have made a "mud restaurant" out of.  

Here they are having tea a teddy bear's birthday.

"Toast!", with peppermint tea.

I am loving watching this yard unfold each season of flowers fruits and surprises.  

So thank you to the God who hears my prayers!

Next post will hopefully be of the rest of the house.  I can't wait to show you!

Peace to you and your home too!

Allison

The Keys go camping

The Keys arrive

Check out the view from the tent

and inside

Parents start to cook hotdogs and kids explore

a thousand, "can I have a marshmallow's", and "No, not until after dinner"'s later we open the bag and;

Dorathea- "We don't have any books, so can we tell stories instead?"  So we all tell stories about princesses and kangaroos and fireflies and then D-"Can you sing me a lullaby?"  So Daddy and I sing lullabies as the sun goes down all of us snuggled up together in the tent.

Morning breaks, mist rises off the river, and Ted rises to make the first fire.

Soon Jonathan and I get up too hungry to sleep.  I put the coffee and biscuits on to cook and admire my boys.

The coffee is so warm in my hands and perfect with a biscuit with strawberry jam.  Why do things taste better outside by a campfire?

Canada Geese love this spot and pairs proudly parade their fuzzy babies right in front of us.

The kids eat there fill, we put away the campsite and are off on a hike on the sandy-trailed riverside.

Chasing babies.

nature boy stops to play

Dorathea picks Sweet William all along the way.

At some point the sand starts to sparkle.  Like it is filled with fairy dust.  And a beautiful clearing sweeps in front of us.  The kids play in the sand and we listen to the river's song over the rocks.

She decorates her castle with her flowers. Our first camping trip since children is a triumph, and so we leave sparkling sand and go in search of Asheville and a wonderful restaurant called Mayfels and then home to celebrate Mothers day with roses and chocolate.  I love my family

The Good Day

It started with a puppet show.  I made it with two expandable tension curtian rods, and an extra set of curtians.  Dorathea asked for water and grass and picked out a rug and cloth for her scenery.  Her puppets cast below are from the dollar tree.


While Jonathan napped, I took Dorathea to the Library in the bike trailer.  We got some new Mo Willems Easy Reader books.  Here is a favorite, "The Belly Button Book".  This book led to Jonathan's nickname, "Beboo"



Then onto the playground beside the library to meet Daddy and Jonathan. Girl posing with full book basket.



Girl posing in tree.





Boy arrives riding squirrel.



Boy sharing ride.





We ended the day eating at a neighborhood seafood place.  Then home to entertain young Misty and Ted and talk until late, late.  Lovely, Lovely Day!

Easter 2011

German is about to be packed up to make her debut at the Easter Egg hunt.  Jonathan tries to sooth her anxiety with dandelions.






 
Sweet boy, he knows she loves to eat flowers.

Who let that bunny out anyway?  It's ok, she's on a leash.  It is very much fun to let your bunny hop around the yard while you walk her on a leash.



The kids think it's fun to hop along too.


Jonathan has a knack for being gentle, especially for a two year old boy.

The egg hunt;



Jonathan gets to work hunting

He finds more than his sister




Dorathea gets discouraged at not finding the prize egg and finds a place to hide away instead (and eat candy)





German (the rabbit) gets to sit on many laps and have her picture taken a lot.  We pack her and us all up and go home to await her cousin the Easter Bunny tomorrow, "He will come and visit German tonight."  Dorathea says.

Birthday Morning

The morning of D's 5th birthday.  The surprise has been said and the presents have been opened.  But we blow out birthday morning candles in blueberry bread with pink icing.



Just another special moment to mark her birthday

And here she is with her lovely new apron and her decorated jewelry box, "I'll put all my rings in it!" she says excitedly.  Happy Birthday again and again, because you never stop being special.  xoxoxo Mommy