Spring - it is finally here!!

September (March) bustles in on windy feet

And sweeps my doorstep and my street.

She washes and cleans with pounding rains,

Scrubbing the earth of winter stains.

She shakes the grime from carpet green

Till naught but fresh new blades are seen.

Then, house in order, all neat as a pin,

She ushers gentle springtime in."

- Susan Reiner, Spring Cleaning

And of course one of our favourite composers Vivaldi's Spring

Blessings to you and your homes,

 

Spring Play Ring

It's inevitable!!
At the start of every season I get a desire to create a theme based craft to reflect the season.
Of course sometimes that is all it is - a desire, and then at other times I actually do manage to make something.

This time I wanted to make a Spring Play Ring like I had seen in the expensive 'educational shops' and due to the fact I have wanted to make one of these for some time I actually had the materials on hand
Not that you need lots of expensive items for this anyway.

First off you need some timber curtain rings. I bought mine in a pack for around $6 for 8 of them at Spotlight.
Next add a little bell to the metal loop, you will need pliers to open the hook and then re close it.

Cut as much ribbon as you like in the desired length you want

Wrap and tie the ribbon on either side of the bell.
I added three to each side in non-matching colours

Give it to a cute little person to run around and play with.

Make sure you make more than one at a time as you will surely have the other children want one too.

I made this in less than 10 minutes while waiting for children to get ready to come in the car.
That's how quickly this craft really is.
Enjoy!!!

Blessings to you and your homes,
 

A little Girl + Flowers = JOY

As I hung out the washing I was joined by one of my favourite people who just wanted to keep me company.
While I worked she chatted and strolled through the wildflowers looking and picking and sharing her enthusiasm for the handiwork of our Creator with me.
It wasn't hard to share as I totally LOVE wildflowers and being surrounded by them and so was keen to join in.

 I totally enjoyed this time with her and the beauty around us. Simple and yet so powerfully enticing in it's ability to create feeling of serenity and joy.

I could not resist sharing the images of this time we had together and cherishing the memories that were created.
Of course in my opinion this beauty needs to be shared with all.......
So go ahead enjoy the beauty of these most humble flowers and our precious girl who shared the joy with me.

Blessings to you and your homes, '

It is Springtime......hooray!!!!

Spring, Spring, Spring!!!!
Today is the first day of Spring and it is a beautiful day outside.
It is also Fathers Day and we will be celebrating with the first BBQ of the season.

So have a beautiful Sunny, Spring Sunday and enjoy the beautiful sounds of Vivaldi too.
Blessings to you and your homes,
 

Spring Fairies

As we settle into new life here in Wagga and setting up the new house we finally exchanged our Winter theme for a Spring one.  Son't you just love the Spring Fairies? They are so much fun to make!

Believe me when I say Spring is really here this far north and I am enjoying it and the children are sooooo very keen to get into the pool as soon as possible. They look out the kitchen window each morning and just bask in the Summer possibilities.

Next week we are hoping to get started back into lessons, even though we are still not completely organised. In fact my desk and other lesson essentials are still in Melbourne waiting to be shipped here.

I am really looking forward to starting some Spring themed activities from the Spring book I had in my giveaway recently.

The younger children are really searching for some structure and the big kids are saying they need to do  some more constructive work which to them means lessons.
They are starting some new English based work that we bought before the move and are anxious to get started on them.

With the start of new themes and chores next week I hope to get some more time for relaxation and crafts and perhaps some more blogging too!!

Linking to Nicole today

Blessings to you and your homes,
 

Holy Week Activities.......

Holy Week Activities~

We are looking at different Egg activities and I am thinking these look like fun: (list below)
Most we won't do but will attempt a few new ones this week. They will be a great resource for future years!

We actually have started some of them and enjoyed them. Although I really MUST remember for next year to NOT do multiple activities with ALL the children, both older and younger at the same time on the same day. I have some examples of what we achieved from both this list and our 'normal, every-year' activities too.

I know I keep saying 'I won't do that next year' BUT I get so very excited to be trying something new each year. Although Autumn says to me that I should stick to the same things each year.

Now while I LOVE traditions and reusing them each year I also love to try new things.

Some days I love to compare myself with Ms. Frizzle of The Magic Schoolbus DVDs (Free Online). I love how she says "take chances, make mistakes, get messy" I can so totally relate to her and her enthusiasm.

1. Surprise Crack Eggs
2. Surprise Plastic Eggs ( you can even post them)
3. Spring Easter Download
4. Cute Egg/ Spring Ideas
5. Knitted Nest with Eggs or felt eggs
6. Felt Hide-a-way Eggs
7. Spring Baskets
8. Montessori Easter Activities
9. Pom Pom Chick
10. Fabric look Icing Eggs
11. Spring Egg House
12. Spring Sensory Box
13. Eggs and Nests
14. Activities- eggs and baskets
15. Easter Baskets
16. More Easter ideas
17. String Easter Eggs 
18. Sugar and String Crystal Easter Eggs
19. Crepe Paper Carrots
20. Easter Egg Finger Puppets
21. Wool and Glue Bird Nest
22. Decoupage Eggs

I would like to share this link for a quick round up of Holy Week with you.
apart from our activities we are trying to accomplish a few reflective times as well

Here are our  plans from Last year...really there are so many ideas and links. I do think sometimes I look at re-inventing the wheel each year.

We are planning on attending these special events this week too~
Thursday: Mass of the Lord's Supper
Friday: 11 AM Confession and 3 PM Commemoration of the Passion
Friday we will Start our Divine Mercy Novena too
Holy Saturday: 7:30 PM Easter Vigil
Easter Sunday: 10:30 AM Easter Mass

Spy Wednesday
We will also do our Seder Meal on Thursday before the Mass on Thursday
Hot Cross Buns on Friday
Stations of the Cross and box
Make a Pascal Candle-
We usually use a simple version of cutting out decorative wax and 'sticking' it on the candle.It is relatively quick and looks very good.
In past years we have 'cut out' with a sharp knife the shapes we want and then painted in oil paint the colours to fill in the shapes.
Decorations for our Egg tree (pictures top and bottom from past years) using some of the egg ideas we are making this week.
Last supper Presentation
Journey around Jerusalem
Preparations for the Easter Table for Easter Day

One day we dream of attending this wonderful Passion Play

May this Holy week bring each of you closer to our Lord and be ready for the excitement of  Easter this year.

Blessings to you and your homes,

Spring Themes in our Home

Lamplight is such a relaxing setting

We have been enjoying some lovely spring weather lately, along with some heavy rain, mostly during the night and of course on Saturday, when the children were keen to spend time outside---without lessons to do.

However the feel of spring is in the air and of course we had to change our seasons table to reflect the season.

Our seasons table for spring. Once again I am anticipating making some new items for the table. I have since found our little spring fairy and her even friend.

The All seasons wreath with spring fairies (very easy to make) and birds and butterflies from fleece

Close up of the seasons table. We have made everything on this including the wire and grape wreath tree, Braedon helped me make back in 2000 that the ribbons wrap around.
This was made after reading Sarah Ban Breathnach's Mrs. Sharp's Traditions: Reviving Victorian Family Celebrations Of Comfort and Joy 
This is actually one of the best creating traditions with in the home book I have read.
Our original Seasons table ideas came from this book and not the Waldorf background that also has the same ideas.
The ideas in this book are very family orientated to foster family togetherness that was  a big feature of the Victorian era.

Here is a snowdrop that was captured on the first day of Spring

Vellvin loved the bark coming off the tree in this shot

Our wattle is blooming and if you look in the background all over the hills around us they are yellow with wattle flowers.

I forget the name of this native pink flower, it will come to me soon I am sure.

Our Weeping Cherry Tree in our front garden. I have to stop Rogan from continually cutting the branches as he loves to bring in the beautiful pale pink flowers

Cupcake under the veranda

One of the signs of spring is new life. We discovered that our 'kitten,' Cupcake is about to have kittens of her own.

Another spring sign is the children bringing in flowers to share their love with me. This is one of my favourite things that the children do.

The older children  have taught our babies to bring flowers to me as well.
So Arwen is always bringing flowers or leaves or grass etc.

Well that is all for our Spring Themes as it has actually taken me 3 days to finish this really quick post on our enjoyment of Spring.

Blessings to you and your homes,

First Day Of Spring

Today is the first day of Spring for us. It is a beautiful sunny day in our part of the world.
When talking to the little ones yesterday abut Spring they said very excitedly "can we wear T-shirts and Shorts then?" So funny to hear as it is not warmer until a lot later, actually Summer!!

Today we are finally getting around to our Tasha Tudor Celebration, and I think it very appropriate that it is the first day of Spring.
We have lots of busy little bees helping to prepare for the Tea Party and Mrs Wren and Miss Robin are preparing to deliver the Invitations.

I hope to share our day with you later this evening. Until then here is  Vivaldi's Spring for you.
It is such a favourite piece in our home and I think we have listened to this one at least four times today already.

Blessings to you and your homes,