quiet

an almost full moon

just me and my boy ... oh I love him

how cute is he?

my sweet girl reading

A quiet moment to myself. Because when the kids are up and at it, life is anything but quiet. 

Sometimes (not always), but sometimes, when Noah is at school, and Katia is napping, and I'm maxed out in all sorts of ways, I take some time to sit in the quiet, drink a cup of tea and catch up on what ever it is that I want to do. Not what I need to do (get dinner ready, clean the kitchen, load and unload the disy washer for the umpteenth time...)... no, I do what I want to do, and that is perfectly okay.

Right now, I am enjoy the build up to the season that is before us. The community is starting to come alive with Christmas bake sales, an auction, craft nights and things to come. I am thankful that there are things to do here, for things that bring us together, where we can congregate and have fun. It's so important.

And since we are completely surrounded by snow covered mountains and forests here, it's been so easy for me to start pulling out our winter books and start making plans for my winter craft making with the kids. I'm excited to try candle making (rolling sheets and pouring wax) with Noah this year. There is something so lovely and natural about beeswax. I'm also thinking about making a wreath again this year for our front door.

This year I have a few plans up my sleeve for making some seasonal traditions. the first one that I am very excited to introduce is the lighting of advent candles from Dec 1 to Dec 25th. I grew up going to church, and lighting the advent candle was always one of my very favourite traditions. I plan on using some material from the children's program from our church. It will be simple, but I hope it adds meaning and wonder for our family, as we celebrate the Christmas season.

The other tradition that I plan on continuing is a Winter's Solstice celebration. I really don't do anything differently than what I'd normally do, except I like to light as many candles as I can and have a special meal. In the past I have invited friends over, I like the idea of celebrating the longest night together with friends.

Yesterday, Noah and I took a walk down the firebreak ( a large path cleared close to town to stop forest fires from coming into town), to look for some spruce boughs. I have plans on making some outdoor decorations for the front of our house. I also took him down a small hill a few times on the sled. which he loved. Back home, Katia napped with Winslow, so it was just Noah and I. I love having special time with each of my kids, individually. I think it's so important that they get that one on one time.
Today to beat the cold morning we spent some time collaging and painting. Collaging is definitely one of my most favourite projects to do with the kids, because it is open ended and there is no "right or wrong". It's also a relatively clean project, if you know what I mean :)
 I learned a while back that if you lay out the craft nicely and have it some what orderly, then it can be a more successful craft project. I like to re-use our old wooden Melissa and Doug containers for when we do collage. They have little compartments which I fill with a glue stick and little cut up papers. I think I'm in need of stocking up our craft cupboard with some fun new colourful papers.
And that's it for a little hod podge of what is happening here.
More soon I promise.
xox