Guardian Angel Day

Today is Guardian Angel Day. If you come from a Christian background, you may find this day to be a special way to connect with your angel. As caregivers, teachers and parents who practice this type of belief system, we can pray to our Guardian Angel for guidance, assistance, patience, courage and the strength to lead our children the right way.  

While those deeper concepts are too heavy to bring to the consciousness of very young children, sharing a new verse while lighting a candle at mealtime or at bedtime that welcomes our children's angel is a beautiful way to stay connected to the spirit world.

Here is a sweet verse and craft that may inspire you today.

Angel of God, my guardian dear,

To whom his love commits me here,

Ever this day be at my side,

To light and guard, to rule and guide

Guardian Angel Doll

Supplies:

Clothespins with Rounded Top
Yarn for Hair
Fabric or Felt for Clothing
Thread
Hot Glue Gun
Needle and Thread or Sewing Machine

Lay out clothespin on felt or fabric.  Cut the material the shape and length you wish for the doll’s dress.  Hand or machine stitch the two pieces together at the short ends with the right sides together – leave your threads long for gathering later.  Turn it right side out.  Hand gather around the long edge, turning the edge down as you go.  Put the dress on your clothespin and pull threads around the neck of the clothespin.  Gather tight and tie off.  Make wings out of fabric or felt.  You can cut a square and hand gather it in the middle.  Hot glue it to the back of the angel.  Add hair by wrapping yarn around your two fingers 8-10 times, slide off and tie in the middle and then hot glue on top of head.

Be sure to check out all of the Little Acorn Learning guides and publications for more activities like this.

Creating a Homestead on Wooded Land

We have 12 beautiful acres on our new property and we went exploring this week to get to know our land better. When we found this house, the beautiful pond was the first thing that we fell in love with. 

We originally had hoped to find something with land that could be used for a very small farm and found a few homes but the layouts just didn't work. We didn't even consider the town we ended up choosing until this house became available and we fell in love with the acreage and beautiful layout. 

The idea of a traditional farm will not work for us as the majority of the acres are forest so it will be our challenge to use it wisely and mindfully. We love the idea of having our own small nature preserve to help protect the wildlife in this area which is why it was so ironic to find old hunting set-ups deep in the woods. They will not be used here again.

We also came across what we believe to be an old wellhouse which seems to have been rebuilt in the 80's. I'm not sure how, if at all, we can put it to any use but it's very cool either way.

Hunting and gathering was the very first way of surviving for humans. While we do not need to do this for survival anymore, it is a wonderful feeling to reap the benefits of an area like this and it is always good to try to keep your food source as local as possible regardless of whether you are the type to garden or homestead. So much of our food is sourced far, far away from the people who eventually eat it; causing more pollution, a disconnection to the process and cycle of our food and big money jacking up the costs at our expense. 

I was happy to find that there are many safe ways to create and enjoy a little homestead on a wooded lot. Some ways you can make the best use of your land in the forest is:

Natural Streams, Springs, Ponds

While we would not use any of these as a water source for ourselves, they are a wonderful part of the ecosystem and an important source for the wildlife. Our pond has a life of its own and it is amazing to sit, listen and watch. Frogs, dragonflies, fish and so many other insects are busy doing their thing, undisturbed by us. Other ideas we may incorporate:

Koi:

(I believe we already have at least one of these pretty fish in our pond although I've only caught a glimpse once or twice)

Honeybees:

I tried beekeeping at my old home and unfortunately they gravitated to my pool as a water source no matter what I did. Now that we have a pond far away from our pool, we may give it a try again. This is such a gift to the environment and adds honey and beeswax to your homestead.

Ducks:

Ducks love ponds! They are relatively easy to keep from what I understand and would do just fine on a wooded lot with proper food and water. They can be enjoyed as pets or sourced for their meat and eggs. (No duck meat here!)

Chickens:

I've kept chickens before and love them. They are so easy and so very intelligent. Their eggs are delicious and my children just loved having them. Sadly, a fox killed our entire flock so it is extremely important to secure their coop very well. Living in such a rural environment now will pose even more threat to them so before we get new chicks we are working hard to move and secure our coop the right way including adding chicken wire under the ground and building a more secure roof.  I let my chickens free range at times during the day and this is when they got attacked. Moving forward, they will only be outside when I am outside.

Vegetables:

I have enough cleared space to make a nice vegetable garden again and I really look forward to doing so. Sunlight is important and I really recommend keeping your garden as close to the house as you can so it gets more attention. I would like to learn how to can and have the supplies but first we will need to actually grow some things and that will have to wait until spring. I prefer raised beds as they eliminate weeding and are so easy to maintain after set up. Square Foot Gardening is a great system for anyone new to the idea.

Fruit Trees:

I planted apple and cherry trees at my last home but was not able to have much success. I hope to start again here and make sure I do it the right way. This takes time and patience as it takes a few years to see the fruit of your labor but it is another wonderful option for land with less open space.

Berries:

Since my children were little, we have LOVED harvesting berries. I plant raspberries, blueberries and blackberries and we love wineberries. Some wild berries can be poisonous so do not allow children to pick unless you've planted.  Wineberries are safe as there are no other berries that look like they do.  I hope to plant some nice berry bushes in the spring as well.

Mushrooms:

This is an area that I don't recommend you experiment with unless you have someone with you who really knows what they are doing. Many mushrooms can be poisonous and while we love looking at all of the different types, we do not touch or eat them. I do see so many amazing people in my feed and groups who are true experts in foraging mushrooms but I'll leave that to them...

 Maple Syrup:

My children and I experimented with maple syruping and it was such an amazing experience. It is, however, extremely time consuming and if you are planning on producing a lot of syrup be sure you have a lot of time, trees and patience. Our new property has so many trees that I am really excited to do this again on a larger scale. The best time to identify maples is during the fall so we hope to scout our land and mark the trees to tap early next year.

Goats and Pigs:

I've heard goats and pigs are a wonderful addition to a wooded lot but they also require a lot of work so it is not something I'm yet ready to think about. 

~~

I'd love to hear any feedback from those of you who live in a similar environment and how you have made your wooded homestead work best for your family. 

Do you know what Michaelmas is?

If you are not familiar with Waldorf Education, this mysterious Fall Festival which falls this Saturday, September 29th, may not be something you are familiar with.  

From the Little Acorn Learning Autumn Equinox and Michaelmas Festival E-Book:

"The significance of the Michaelmas festival in Waldorf schools is seen in the story of a simple boy, who acts out of bravery and righteousness on behalf of others, can overcome fear and darkness. Light must be honored and respected, and can be the greatest weapon we possess in the face of frightening challenges. The older children are taught that we all have within us a dark side, and that we must acknowledge it, learn to control it, and not act out of our destructive emotions. Our dark sides can be a source of strength, inspiration, power, creativity, and mystery—but they must be balanced and harnessed by the light for us to live healthy, happy lives and do good in the world."

"During this time of year when the world is growing dark and we travel inward to find our own inner light to offer to the world around us... (we are much like Michael)..This is the time when we gather up our strength and wield our swords of courage and upright living to slay our inner dragons of depression, egoism, untruth that try to arise. " ~ written by my dear friend, mentor Marianne Frost 

We obviously do not bring these heavy concepts to the little people in our lives. For them, the idea of bravery and truth need not be communicated, it should be emulated naturally. Simple celebrations of the season are appropriate instead and do not have to be done just today – bring them through the next month or two to enjoy each day of through autumn.

• -        Go Apple Picking
• -        Make an Autumn Nature Table
• -        Read Fall Books
• -        Make Homemade Applesauce
• -        Bake Dragon Bread
• -        Hold a Family Autumn Feast
• -        Go for an Autumn Nature Walk
• -        Share Songs and Fingerplays of the Season
• -        Weave Yarn around a Pinecone

Michaelmas Fingerplay

*repeat verse for each finger
(taken from our September Afterschooling Guide)
Five brave knights
With swords held high,
Rode their white stallions
Across the sky.
The dragon roared fire
From the mountain top
One horse ran away
But four did not stop!
Four brave knights... (continue verse as above)
Three brave knights...
Two brave knights...
One brave knight
With sword held high
Rode his white stallion
Across the sky.
The dragon roared fire
From the mountain top
The knight looked back
But would not stop!
The swords raised high
The stallions full speed
Five brave nights
One good deed.

Autumn Comes Tomorrow

Soon down to earth will flutter
The withered autumn leaves,
The meadows all are empty,
And earth in silences grieves.

The days begin to shorten,
The nights are long and chill;
The birds have all departed,
To find another spring.

This Saturday, September 22 marks the beginning of autumn.  In Connecticut, the air is already starting to get crisp with temperatures in the 60's and 70's the last week and the leaves are beginning to change. Living in a new town with so many beautiful trees surrounding our property is such beautiful inspiration for writing again and I truly love the change of each season. Autumn, always being my favorite.

~Are you looking for ways to celebrate the beautiful early autumn festivals and months with your children?  Little Acorn Learning has put together amazing guides filled with verses, fingerplays, poems, songs, crafts, meditations, book recommendations, circle times, recipes and much more to assist you. We have been writing since 2005 and our programs are loved and cherished by Waldorf mamas and papas internationally.  Here are some that you may find useful:

Autumn Equinox and Michaelmas Festival EBook

October Preschool and Kindergarden Program

October Afterschool Enrichment Program ~

Like every autumn, we went apple picking and began decorating our new home for Halloween. I am excited to be putting my full attention once again into my writing and Little Acorn Learning business after a difficult two years of change and transitions. Festivals, holidays and traditions are a wonderful way to keep us grounded when life is ever changing around us, and it is something I am grateful for.

The cooler air also is when I tend to do more knitting and cooking. I have been trying very hard to only eat vegetarian and it is much easier when there are good recipes to make. We made a delicious vegan chili, homemade pizzas, sauce from the tomatoes in our garden and roasted vegetables.

I love the colors, the warm recipes and all of the delicious vegetables that are in season this time of year. My dog seems to love the yarn.  Each time I begin this sock pattern and walk away, I find it eaten and unraveled by him. So, I've restarted quite a few times and learned to keep it up high and out of sight unless I'm right there. Knitted socks never go well for me... I've lost one, frogged a bunch and broken needles.. but I am not giving up!  Hopefully you will see a pair of completed socks on the blog at some point.  

Always remaining grateful for inevitable and constant change... leaves, seasons and life... and remembering to always try to focus on the present and the good in each moment which becomes more and more clear when you hold on and remain hopeful through all transitions.

4 Ways to Celebrate Today's Full Moon with Your Children

Happy New Year to All of You!

May today be the beginning of a beautiful new time and year ahead filled with peace, love and mindful presence with the children you care for.

Today is also the first full moon of January.  This moon is often referred to as the Full Wolf Moon in Native American culture.  It is a time when food becomes scarce, the cold and darkness is surrounding us and we look to go within, find warmth and strength to endure with the promise of the rebirth of Spring in the upcoming months. You can imagine the wolves and other animals in nature working toward this same sense of survival, strength and endurance at this time.

January 2018 also has a blue moon. When two full moons happen in one month, the second is referred to as a blue moon.  This year, the second moon will occur on January 31st.  This is a beautiful sign of abundance at the very start of a new, fresh year.

Ideas to celebrate the Full Moons of January:

• Depending on where you live, consider having an outdoor winter campfire tonight.  For us, temperatures have been hitting the single digits so we will instead make a fire inside and cuddle up with some hot cocoa or tea.  

• Take a full moon hike.  Bundle up, bring flashlights and go on a walk in the moonlight.  Be sure to take time to be still and look up at the night sky. 

• Paint or draw the full moon or a winter scene together. 

• Bake moon bread or cookies. Simply follow your favorite recipe and challenge the children to make the shape of moons and stars. Alternatively, cut moon and star shapes out of dough or beeswax. 

Wishing you a beautiful 2018!

xoxo

7 Simple Snowflake Patterns For Every Kind of Crafter

Winter is a perfect time to start a fire, make a hot cup of tea and pull out your crafting supplies. And with some snow approaching this weekend in Connecticut, it was a perfect night to make some pretty crocheted snowflakes. 

I complied a list of 7 Simple Snowflake Patterns that are fun, easy, free and will appeal to every type of DIY crafter. Knitting, crochet, felting, embroidery, paper, beads and fabric are all included here.  Dig out your stash and see what you can make!

Many of these snowflakes would make perfect gift toppers, ornaments and decorations.  If you decide to try one out, be sure to pop back over and leave a link in the comments. 

Enjoy the Snow - Real or Homemade! 

Pretty Snowflake Crochet Pattern (the one I made tonight here:)

 Easy Cross-Stitch Snowflake Pattern

Needle Felted Snowflake Pattern

Felt Snowflake Pattern and Banner

Paper 3D Snowflake Pattern

Pretty Beaded Snowflakes

Fabric Snowflake Star Pattern

The Day Saint Nicholas Came

In Holland, children set their shoes

This night outside the door;

These wooden shoes Knecht Clobes sees

And fills them from his store.

But here some hang their stockings up

On handy hook or nail;

And Santa Claus, when all is still, 

Will fill them without fail. 

Speak out, you please, speak out

And let us hear your views;

Between a stocking and a shoe,

What do you see to choose?

One of the most lovely traditions I began with my daughters when I found Waldorf Education was to celebrate St. Nicholas Day. The evening before, the girls leave out their shoes and he comes and fills them with a few small treats, fruit or candy. This year... hot cocoa and chocolate coins. It is a long rooted tradition in many other countries but we enjoy this annual sweet precursor to Christmas and also still put our stockings out for Santa to fill on Christmas Eve.  

If you did not remember to leave your shoes out last night, do not feel like it is too late. St. Nicholas will come to you too. You can put them out whenever you wish.  I have a beautiful Advent and St. Nicholas Day festival ebook I created with my friend Sara Wilson of Love in the Suburbs to help you celebrate this month with the children leading up to Christmas Day if you are interested.

I've been working hard to continue the traditions I created with my children this year. It's a year of change for us and I often had to dig deep within to keep the consistency that I know my girls desperately need right now.  However, I feel that something has shifted in me recently and I am once again fully feeling, living and breathing these things I once cherished so much with them instead of just "acting as if". Maybe it is a sign of healing. 

I think when we are in pain and struggling through something, it is important to allow ourselves rest and freedom without guilt to let things go and just care for ourselves... but it is also a good practice to continue to strive, to try, to act "as if" in order to push forward toward the light of a new, happier tomorrow. I'm glad I did.  And I can see that my girls are glad I did too. Even teenagers who may act as if these things are silly and non-important need them desperately to remember that life goes on, happiness can always be found, and while many things change many things can also stay the same.

These beautiful candles were made by myself and my girls during the Candlemas Celebration my Lifeways group made during the last training I helped organize in Newtown, CT. I thought it was a perfect way to pull the year together by using something we created in the beginning of the year now at the end as we welcome in 2018.  It is both symbolic and meaningful to burn these candles away toward a new start.

Each year at Advent time, I put out this very simple nativity set. I love how pure and unassuming it is.  It reminds us not to be distracted this time of year by the colors, the lights and the bling.. but to remember what the true meaning of this time is and focus on the unseen truths all around us.  Each day we will move Mary and Joseph closer to the manger and on Christmas Day the baby will appear along with the wise men and the other animals.  

I've been preparing for the winter and decorating indoors and outdoors. We also chose and chopped down a live tree this year.  I'm grateful to be able to start new traditions while also keeping some old ones. 

It is empowering to do things that I relied on others to do for me for many years. I will never regret putting my career on hold and raising my girls but one thing I do regret is giving up my independence by becoming so consumed by caregiving for others. It is possible to raise a family without losing yourself or your knowledge of important aspects of your life. And it is not healthy to always feel responsible for others who should be able to be responsible for themselves as well. We also best serve those we love by helping them to be able to do for themselves. As a woman, I will make sure it is the one lesson learned I do my best to share with my girls. Never put your future or your life into other people's hands, even those who have your best interest in mind.  Do not lose your independence or your sense of self for anyone, even those you love with all your heart.

I am grateful to once again be able to model independence and strength to my daughters even during difficult times.  Our children are with us only for a short while... our dreams and goals matter too. Care for yourself and do not be sorry to do things that will provide you with happiness, independence and a future you can enjoy when your children are all grown up. If you are in a partnership, make sure it is just that. Be a part of it, not on the sidelines. You never know what life holds.

  

These girls have the biggest most loving hearts and came out to help me when they saw me working outside. I'm so lucky to be their mom. 

This year I thought how fun it would be to start a simple tradition of making gingerbread houses.  

Simple it is NOT!

We had so many laughs as we struggled together to keep our walls from falling, our icing from dripping and a huge mess on our hands.  Our houses were something hysterical to be seen... but we did make some pretty great memories. Better memories than if they turned out well, I think! 

 I would love to hear what type of traditions you and your family share during this time of year.  

Wishing all of you peace, love and happiness.

xoxo