August 2009

Oh It Got Messy!!!

August 31, 2009

You know those moments when you are having so much fun, that it literally hurts to laugh? Yeah, we had one of those yesterday. No joke, having a messy party (or going to one) is one of the most entertaining, hilarious things that you can do. I think that it might have been the kid’s highlight for the summer.

I love to get crazy, and let my kids go wild. I just think that seeing children engage in pure fun, having a great time with each other, there just isn’t much else that can beat that.

We had 6 families join us yesterday for an afternoon of wild, gooey fun. Since this was the first time that we had thrown a messy party, we kept it somewhat small (watch out next year, because we are going big!!!!). We started out with flicking paint onto a table covered with paper. Now, this might not sound so crazy, but once the kids realized that they were free to paint themselves, the trees, etc., well then they got super into it. The painting actually lasted for almost 30 minutes, and it kept them well entertained. By the time they ran out of paint, there was little space on them, or on most of the yard, that was not covered in washable tempera.

Then we moved on to Plaster of Paris. I wouldn’t exactly say that this was a messy exercise, but the kids thought it was awesome to see the plaster being mixed, and how quickly it set. The got a few fun beads and things from nature to top it off with before it dried, and it was a nice souvenir to take home.

From there, we moved on to the serious fun. A food fight! Gluten free brownies, Ready Whip, Jello and sprinkles were put out onto the table, and then the kids were challenged to pile it as high as they could. From there, we told one little boy to start throwing, and I wish you could have seen the look on the their faces when they realized that they were allowed to have a food fight. Oh chocolate brownies were flying EVERYWHERE!. Now, my kids have never experienced canned whipped cream and jello, and their organic, no preservative mother was a bit freaked out by it. I had to remind myself that it was just this once, and really, shouldn’t everyone at least know what Jello tastes like?

They were honestly covered head to toe. They were laughing, we were laughing, and it was time to clean them up. So, what better way to clean off all the goo then with water balloons. We had about 5 buckets full of warm water filled balloons, and we caught them completely off guard. My husband had gathered them together to tell them how disgustingly dirty they were, and that they needed to get washed off, before we hit them from behind. Everyone, adults, kids, dogs, got into the fun. By the time it was over, we were all sopping wet.

The evening ended with us all getting washed up, clothes changed, and into the house for a warm potluck. We had so much food, it was hard to even know where to start. Warm Savannah Bisque was served (thank you so much Bernadette for introducing me to this soup, I served it with salty almonds like I had at your home when Z was born), GF zucchini bread and fritters, prickly pear and cactus, black bean brownies and zucchini cookies, GF cheese bread and crackers. It was all perfect. The kids ended their time together with a piece of train cake, and then with bellies full, headed home.

We had 6 wonderful families, a lot of laughter, tons of messiness, and enough laughter to last a life time. It was perfect.

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Artist At Work: Shelley Caskey of Waldorf Mama

August 29, 2009

Today we are joined for our weekend Artisit at Work series by Shelley Caskey, author of the popular blog, Waldorf Mama. Enjoy!

Tell us a bit about your feelings on what makes the Waldorf method special and unique

I have always been drawn to the Waldorf way of life, from the very first moment I was introduced to it almost 20 years ago. The first time I stepped into a Waldorf kindergarten, I wept…as I truly felt as if I’d ‘come home’. Not only because of the aesthetic and artistic environment which, in the kindergarten, included softly painted peachy-pink walls, handmade natural fiber dolls, silks, playstands and beautifully handcarved wooden toys (although that was a big part of the initial attraction for me)…but because of the way the philosophy and curriculum truly speak to the ‘whole’ child – head, heart and hands (thinking, feeling, willing). It is based on respect for the developmental stages of the child which, in turn, determines when curriculum topics are introduced. Respecting this development and the ways in which children learn is an essential foundation of the Waldorf philosophy.

Daily rhythm plays a huge part in Waldorf education, what has yours looked like, and what made you choose that particular rhythm?

Daily rhythm is certainly the foundation of a Waldorf way of life. It is this natural ‘breathing in’ and ‘breathing out’ time that offers a sense of comfort and security to children. Likewise a seasonal and yearly rhythm encourages a sense of belonging and connection to the natural world around us. Our daily rhythm generally consists of rising in the morning to greet the day with a verse, eating a warm breakfast and then going about our ‘work’ for the day (imitation is the way young children truly learn, so it is important for them to see us going about our daily work cooking, cleaning, knitting, etc…and making sure our activities are worthy of imitation). Regular outside time and boisterous play (‘breathing out’ time) is followed by quiet inside play, craft and story time (‘breathing in’ time). After a hearty lunch we have a rest time, followed by more work and play in the afternoon. Some raucous play when papa comes home is followed by our evening meal, clean up, story time and then bedtime. We also enjoy a nature table that reflects the seasonal changes around us, as well as an annual ring to help us follow along as the year progresses.

Handwork is also an essential part of Waldorf life, tell us a little bit about how your kids learned their handwork, and how you tied your love of knitting, felting, and crafting into their lives.

Yes, handwork is indeed an essential part of Waldorf education and a Waldorf way of life. And it is certainly near and dear to my heart! Knitting, in particular, is an integral part of the Waldorf curriculum as it stimulates intellectual development. Finger knitting is taught in the early kindergarten years. Then as the children grow and develop more hand-eye coordination skills, they move into two-needle knitting. And then crochet, embroidery, felting and many other handwork crafts are introduced. What is unique and special about this particular sequence of learning is that each craft is taught at a time that is specifically related to the developmental stage of the child. Equally as important, handwork instills a great sense of achievement and accomplishment in the child…as well as an intrinsic value of handcrafted items. For more information on the role of handwork in the Waldorf curriculum…here is a great article by Eugene Schwartz, a noted educational consultant and Waldorf class teacher for more than 30 years.

What are some of your favorite books to read to your children? What makes them special and unique?

I hear this question often, yet there are so many wonderful Waldorf-inspired children’s books which I have read to my children over the years that I find it difficult to only name a few! The Elsa Beskow books come to mind, as well as the Grimm’s fairy tales (by a variety of authors). I have actually been planning for some time now to write up a list of all of our favorite story books and I hope to have a special section for this on my Waldorfmama.com website very soon. What I find most appealing and unique about Waldorf-inspired books is the simple and lovely artwork that accompanies the stories. A simple watercolor painting or pastel drawing enlivens the child’s imagination and deepens their experience of the story.

What do you feel are essential aspects of nurturing creativity with your family?

Nurturing creativity with my children is of utmost importance to me. I believe the process of learning should always be creative and active…consciously enhanced by art, music, and body movement to engage the entire being. This is, after all, how we all learn best!

How does creativity, in your opinion strengthen the learning process?

I think creativity and artistic expression is completely integral to the learning process. There is a wonderful quote from Confucius that I always recall when contemplating this, and that is: ‘Tell me, and I will forget; show me, and I may remember; involve me, and I will understand’. It is our role, as parents, to foster and encourage creativity in our children. I believe we do this by being creative ourselves and involving our children in that creative process, providing them with natural materials and tools with which to inspire their own creativity, and placing value on those things that are handmade in our daily lives.

Where do you find inspiration for your creativity?

I guess I would have to say I find inspiration for my creativity in everything around me. In nature, in my home, in my children. Usually my inspiration is born out of some need – for instance, my daughter recently needed a sunhat to wear during her kindergarten outside playtime so I went searching for a pattern so that I could knit one for her myself.

You have a handknit hat store on Etsy, tell us what the inspiration was for that pattern

The inspiration for the silk and wool pilot caps I sell in my Etsy shop actually came from a similar style hat that I bought for my second daughter years ago, just before she was born. It was a little wool and silk cap that was made in Germany and I fell in love with the style and design of that hat! The fitted ‘pilot cap’ style and under-the-chin ties kept her head nicely covered and, of course, I loved the warming properties of the wool. You can read more about my strong feelings regarding keeping children warm, as well as my yearning desire to help other mamas keep their babies’ heads covered in natural fiber hats here!

How does your photography play a part in your craft?

I am quite new to photography and still have so much to learn! But I am finding that it is a new and exciting creative outlet for me. I enjoy taking artistic photos with my own unique perspective – not only of the things I make, but also of snippets of our home life and Waldorf-inspired environment to share with my online community.

Shelley, thank you for sharing a glimpse of your life of raising children in the Waldorf philosophy.

Thank you, Heather, for this opportunity to share my love and commitment to Waldorf philosophy and the Waldorf way of life. I am grateful and truly blessed to be able to experience it in my own life and to give this gift to my children as well. For more insight and information regarding my own Waldorf journey or if you are interested in purchasing any of my Waldorf-inspired handmade items, please visit my site at Waldorfmama.com.

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Chocolate Warmth

August 28, 2009

I got you on the title, didn’t I?

I know what you are expecting, warm chocolate cookies, banana and chocolate bread. Nope, sorry. Today is warm chocolate lavender oil.

When I had my first son, infant massage was on it’s way back as a method to calm and soothe babies (and I think their parents as well). Jacob and I would always end our evening with a bath, and he loved to float with his ears immersed in the water (they say it replicates the sound of the womb). Before we would get into the tub, I would plug my heating pad in and place it under two towels to warm them up. As soon as we were out we would dry him off, and then place him on one towel, with the other over top. My husband and I took a class right after he was born, and we had our nightly list of massage techniques to use for different issues that might be going on at the time.

Jacob loved it, and to this day he will not go to bed without his massage (“Mama, don’t forget the chocolate oil”). Obviously as children get older, the way that we massage them becomes very different, but some warm oil on the boys backs before bed, or on their tummies when they are not feeling well, or a good head massage when the day has been a bit overwhelming always seems to work.

I love anything having to do with a spa, but not being able to afford going much leaves me with the need to try and recreate it myself. My mom and dad still tell the story that growing up, I loved candles and bath salts like most women love shoes.

Colorado, for all of its beauty and fun and adventure, has the disadvantage of being insanely dry. Oils, lotions, and heavy moisturizers are a daily part of life, and a few years back I was trying to find an oil that would really work for the winter months. I decided to just go ahead and experiment with different types of heavy moisture protectors like shea and cocoa butter. What resulted was a very simple, but delicious oil that makes our skin feel so yummy in those dry months.

I really like having home made oil in the house, mainly because I think that the cost of bath products is crazy, and also because I want to know where something is coming from that I am putting on our skin. I am sure that there are 1000′s of recipes that can be googled for making your own, but I thought that I would share one from our family that always seems to make everyone smile.

Chocolate Lavender Healing Oil
Equal parts of avocado, jojoba, apricot and grapeseed oil
4-8 oz of cocoa butter
3 oz of shea butter
1 large scoop of dried lavender, chamomile, and calendula
Vitamin E

Using a mason jar size of choice, add your oils and shea butter. Cocoa butter can be hard to extract, so if needed, use a double broiler method to soften the container, then cut the cocoa butter into small pieces and add to oil.
Add the herbs, stir to combine, and either place the jar in a crock pot of hot water on high over night, or in a pot of simmering water for 2 hours. If using the stove method, please do not allow to boil.
Once the jar is cooled, strain the oil through cheese cloth, bottle it your desired way, and top with 6 drops of Vitamin E.

My dear friends and family are always in search of more oil every once in a while, so we make up a big jar a few times a year and then give them away as birthday party favors, or stocking stuffers. Having said that, your oil will only last around three months, so using the size jar that works for you is best.

Infants skin is so delicate, and their little pores can become clogged very easily. For our little ones, we used a combo of apricot, olive oil, and the herbs above, and then steeped it the same way. We did not introduce the heavy chocolate oil until they were over a year.

Using massage has become a great transition tool for us in the evenings, and it just feels cool to know that they love their “chocolate oil” so much. I have to say, it makes the room smell amazing, and I use it as much as they do.

I hope you enjoy

Tomorrow we are joined by Shelley Caskey for our artisit at work series. Monday the Vintage Swap will be up, and I am so excited to get that going

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To Serge or Not to Serge

August 27, 2009

My phone lines went down this morning, so I had to go the library with only the pictures that I had already taken to do this post. Please excuse me for getting this up so late

We finally painted and covered the paper maiche bowls that we made last week, and we experimented with one of them and tried using fabric, rather then tissue paper to cover it. We were going for an Autumn patchwork kind of feel, and the boys love how it turned out. I may try and add some gesso to it to see it that will finish it off a bit smoother, but all in all I think that it came out pretty well. One more item down for our Autumn nature table.

Remember how the bias tape and I had trouble getting along? Well, I have a much bigger relationship issue that I need some help with. My serger and I have spent YEARS of fighting together, and it is starting to wear thin on my nerves.

My great friend, Bernadette and I try and get together weekly for a bit of sewing, and yesterday she was determined to get the serger and I to patch things up. This was to absolutely no avail, since the machine never seems to want to do anything that I ask of it. I don’t know what it is, but it seems silly that for as much as I love to sew, serging seems to be beyond my talents.

Here is my question, can anyone tell me why I am getting this little bunch of thread in the beginning of my serging? Neither Bernadette nor I could figure it out, no matter how many ways we changed the tension. I know that many of you use your serger with love and affection, so I am just wondering

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A Remedy

August 26, 2009

OK, now I know that I have mentioned this a couple of times over the past few months, but the weather that we have had here has just been strange this summer. Colorado is normally a very hot and dry place to be between June and September, and this year it has been wet, flooding and humid. Now I am originally from Boston, so I know humidity and rainy weather, but this is just getting ridiculous. As I sit here typing, I have the fireplace on, the heater turned up for the first time since May, and I am knitting socks. This just does not seem right. No wonder I have made so many posts recently on the coming of Autumn.

Last week my husband came down with a nasty cold. It started off normally enough, but it has since descended into his chest and seems to be taking up personal residence. He came home from a business trip at about 2 am on Wednesday morning, and I was pretty sure that we might be making an emergency visit to the local hospital.

I love being married. I really do. I married my high school boyfriend, I could not imagine loving anyone else, but I gotta say, on those days that my poor husband is ill it takes all the strength I have not to throttle him. I know, it is weird, I mean when someone is sick those are the moments that you should be taking care of them unconditionally. I, of course, realize this, but you see my husband will tell you that he is sick every 36.2 seconds of the day, all day. I am not sure if he fears that I am not comprehending the situation, or if he just thinks I can’t hear him, but no matter, he will still tell me. In order to control my incredible need to duck tape his mouth shut, I cook (this also seems to keep him quiet for a bit, which is helpful).

I grew up with the same motto that all of you did, “chicken soup is the best remedy for a cold”.

I love chicken soup, any kind, almost any time. When anyone in my household gets ill we whip some up and serve it in special bowls, normally in the covers, and with a special spoon. It is a sure fire way to cure any ailment (or at least make it feel better for a while). As I think I have mentioned, I am one of those people who will just use what we have. In these kinds of situations, I am not keen on running out to the store, which always keeps the soup interesting. Potatoes, rice, zucchini, kale, chard, onions, celery, spices. What ever is here, we use. Last night, it was carrots, onions, zucchini, thyme, rosemary and oregano from the garden, and celery, chicken and rice added to it. I like my soups thick, hearty and steaming hot.

I also was lucky enough to have just finished a set of place mats for Autumn (see, there I go again). I used the pattern in Amy Butler’s book In Stiches, and they turned out pretty well. I like the sturdiness, and the stripes on flowers are always a favorite. Soup served on new place mats, good timing.

Now, yesterday I also did something I almost never do (it has been three years in fact). I made homemade bread for my husband. My husband does not always eat gluten free (although he really should, because he has the antibodies for celiac). When he eats food that the boys can’t consume, it is almost always outside of the house. He travels every week, and right now he is just finding it to be too big of a challenge to stay on the GF diet.

I was always a bread maker, I just grew up that way. Weekly bread making was a part of life, and it is something that I certainly carried into my marriage. When we first arrived here in Colorado, I was not exactly aware of how to adapt recipes to a high altitude, so I went straight off to the culinary school in Boulder and took a class. When my oldest was diagnosed with Celiac, out went the flour.

My mom and dad live right down the street, so on the very rare occasions when I make something with regular flour, it is done (graciously) in their home. So, off I trotted to make my husband his bread. On the advice of Bernadette, I used the book Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day. All that I can tell you is that if you bake bread of any kind, run, do not walk to get this book. I thought that it was a joke, or a stupid gimmick, but I do not think that I could have been more wrong. Just trust me, you want this book.

All of us gluten free eaters, no fears, because the same authors are coming out with a book in October called Healthy Bread in Five Minutes a Day: 100 New Recipes Featuring Whole Grains, Fruits, Vegetables, and Gluten-Free Ingredients. I can not wait!

So, the soup was served, the book was brought, the blankets and pillows fluffed, and I had a happy husband (of course, he had to do all of this in the guest bedroom, because he could not get gluten anywhere that the boys would be. As I said, bread making really not worth it if you have GF family members, but I gave in just this once).

As an extra measure of precaution, fresh mint tea was the final closer on the meal. I have no idea what it is about mint, but I just feel that it is always an appropriate drink to serve. I grabbed some fresh orange mint from the garden, and called it a day.