Sunny Days!

We have been enjoying the garden this week. The sunny afternoons have been so lovely~Yesterday we found a frog, saw a dear running down the trail, and saw an amazingly bright Bullocks Oriole!

This is our chicken Aziza. For some crazy reason, she laid an egg in this bamboo barrel.
by Sofia

Window with a view

View from our dinning room window, as night falls we are beginning to hear the frogs sing.

A Fall Garden

I guess it's time to say goodbye to summer.

The Simple Woman's Daybook~

FOR TODAY~

Outside My Window... the flowers are gradually opening, my roses are simply amazing, and my peonies are finally blooming, I have been waiting three years!

I am thinking... about my family in a tender way, we have recently experienced a loss.

I am thankful for... my family, our home, friends.

From the kitchen... summer soups, just made carrot curry bisque tonight and it was wonderful!
and we had salad from the garden~

I am wearing... flannel pj's my husband bought me for Christmas.

I am creating... two needle felted sea fairies for my girls, and a knitted hat.

I am going... near future, nowhere hopefully. I am really wanting to stay put for a while and catching up with things.

I am reading... Living Crafts magazine, Waldorf & Montessori curriculum books .

I am hoping... to find an inner sense of calm with my house and homeschooling.

I am hearing... a documentary on FDR

Around the house... things are lying everywhere, books, and craft supplies-we have been spending way too much outside time to pick up.

One of my favorite things... seeing my little girls dance, exploring a city with my husband.

A Few Plans For The Rest Of The Week: a pool party, my dance class, Spanish co-op, an important meeting Thursday........

Here is picture thought I am sharing...Peace.

Please visit Peggy at The Simple Woman to read all the other inspiring entries ~

600 Pieces of Fun

This is what has been going on at our house.
Geography mania~I got this puzzle and when I opened it and saw the sizes of the pieces, I thought, that is never going to get done~well it looks pretty good doesn't it??
Sophia and her dad have been working very hard on it every night, and I am really proud of them. See that pesky little missing piece? Can you believe it? Oh well........

The education (& the tamales) are happening~

I have been overhauling the office/schoolroom this week while everyone has been down with various sicknesses. It has been great for me to re-vamp.
I am trying to get things sort of all together again, instead of that stuff completely all over the house method. I would like to actually start using the dining room table again for~eating. Since I have decided to incorporate mas Montessori, I have noticed my needs have changed. Of course I need more shelving, but I will tell Santa about that.

We have really been having a good time celebrating the Advent season this year. Lots of crafts and feasts. We made Guadalupe grottos for our altar. Anything that requires glitter & sequins in a hit around here. A very nice morning....

During the weekend, we prepared tamales. The girls really got into it. So adorable. It was an all day project.

I remember how much I loved making tamales with my grandma. I would try my best to study everything she cooked~prepare the masa....if it floats, it is good to go. Then the big job of spreading the masa on the husk, placing the meat, folding them, steaming them... Little packets of fun and goodness.

Ok, back to modern day...Lucy had such a good time helping, and Sophia really did some great ones!! We read Too many Tamales
and went to bed.

For some info on Our Lady of Guadalupe, and Hispanic Fun
check out this http://www.casaq.com/