When I Think of Home...

I think of a place where there's love overflowing......

We went to see The Wiz tonight.  It was a fabulous LVA(High School) production.  It was our third year seeing their spring musical.  I loved when Dorothy sang Home.  I wanted to remember the first two lines of the song.

Black Belt

I finally did it!  Last night I earned my black belt.  The kiddos and Jim also went up a belt.  I don't know whose thumb that is, but....I agree!

Skiing at Flagstaff

This can't be comfortable!  But he didn't complain, and skied like this most of the day.  

Quinn loves Uncle Devon.

Jim and I waiting in a very long lift line.

Valentine's Day dessert, after a fun day of snow play!

Couch Surfing

We went skiing with my sister and brother in law last weekend.  After a nice dinner at the cabin, and a few glasses of wine, my brother in law talked me into signing up for Couch Surfing.  Couch Surfing is an international organization for travelers to host each other in whatever way the host wants, from meeting for coffee to having surfers stay at your home.  He didn't have to twist my arm too far, he has been doing it for years, and I have had some experiences through him, mainly in Ireland.  It was a couch surfer who called us to that glorious town of Killaloe, and then proceeded to invite us to a Waldorf School's advent fair in Ireland-a definite highlight of our trip.   

Today we had our first couch request...a couple from Paris to come next month!  We e-mailed back and forth, and expect the Parisians to be here in March for a few days.  We are all so excited to hear about Paris, especially before we go in June, and to practice our French for a few days.  An international experience brought right to our door!  How wonderful! 

Candlemas

We wrote down what we hope to accomplish in the coming year, and what our passions are.

We read a verse....according to Las Vegas weather on February 2, winter has another flight.

We lit lots of candles and ate crepes for dinner.

Quinn's 8th Birthday

On her birthday, she gets up early for the "Birthday Set-Up".  We gather things from around the house and arrange all her cards and presents on the table.  Usually, I find a verse or poem that reminds me of her and write it out for her as part of the set up.  This year, Jim and I wrote our own poems for her.

For Quinn...

A force of nature I will be

Creating all in front of me

Like wind and rain and sun I mold

As life around me does unfold

A rock, a tree, a mountain high

The years ahead and those gone by

On mother earth I set my feet

Preparing for all that I shall meet

The Holidays

New Year's Eve....this year we all answered questions to be opened next New Year's.  I think the adults should answer their questions before the party gets started next time.  I can't imagine what we will think of ourselves next year when we read what we wrote.

 
We made it out to Red Rock.

Either I really missed or she jumped.

The grandparents came on Christmas day.  It was great to have 3 extra for Christmas dinner, Jim's parents and my niece, Ginger from New York.

We went ice skating on the floating ice rink at Lake Las Vegas.

Jim and Quinn made this gorgeous gingerbread house.  Usually, we just get the kit, but no more!  

We got in some sledding with the Life Learners.

We tried to get a family holiday photo, but it didn't work out, so we never did send out cards this year.

We continued our advent tradition this year.... stories, tea, cookies, advent calendars, candles, verses, advent garden, the baby Jesus ladder...we gathered every night by candle light to read advent stories and go through all the rituals we have added over the years.

 
We made 56 applesauce cakes this year and delivered them all to friends and neighbors.  We enjoyed busy but wonderful holidays with all our visitors.  We are grateful to our family for making the journey to be with us. 

Ireland

We had a trip planned to Maryland for Thanksgiving, but my sister Laurel called with an idea, and we ended up spending Thanksgiving week in Ireland.  We stayed on in Maryland the next week for Jim to do some work on the East Coast, the kids to visit with Jim's parents, and me to have a little get away with my sister in Massachusetts.  Mom and Nick came the night before we left. They house sat and explored the desert while we were gone.  Mom stayed for a week after we returned. 

 
They played and played-not just the piano.  Quinn had fun with her grandpa Nick, I think she got a week's worth of grandpa time in the one night before we left.

We were very jet lagged when we arrived, and missed the first day completely.  But on Tuesday, we made it out to explore the town of Ennis, and Wednesday took us to Limerick to see King John's Castle.  We stayed in Bunratty, and rented cars to get us around.  Driving standard on the opposite side of the car and road on some very narrow roads was interesting, mostly for Jim, although I did give it a try a few times.

The Cliffs of Moher.  Well... the field around the Cliffs.

Love this picture of Quinn and Lindsey.  We had to buy extra warm hats when we got to the Cliffs-it was very cold and windy.

I love the way the plants grow in Ireland-everywhere.  Ferns and moss galore, it is so lovely.

An image from my favorite place that we visited-Killaloe.  A quaint little village where we met a family who took us to a cafe for lunch, gave us the historical walking tour, and told us about life in Ireland.  I was sold!  Did I mention her son attended a Waldorf School?  It was a magical place.

  
A church in Killaloe.

A toy store in Killaloe.  We had a productive shopping excursion.  They had all my favorite stuff!  And the kids liked it too....

A full rainbow(this was half of it).  My first.

A view from the top of Blarney Castle.  A two hour drive and well worth it.  Our friends from Killaloe told us this was a good one, and it was.  The grounds of the castle were botanically amazing.  It was fabulous in late fall, but I would love to go back in spring or summer to get another view.  The kiddos all kissed the stone, but I skipped it.

A Waldorf school in a magical forest.  That is how it seemed to me anyway.  We went to the school for their Advent Fair.  It was beautiful and wonderful, I was ready to move to Ireland!

Ireland was interesting..... so clean, simple, tidy, green, historical, easy, sparse, friendly...I think I fell in love.

After we returned to Maryland, I was off to the Berkshires in MA to visit with my sister.  Don't ask me what we did, drove around mostly, stopping whenever we felt like it, making no plan. We saw movies most nights, went to a used bookstore, drank alot of tea and laughed...alot.  We got our make up done and a massage at Kripaulu.  Just some of this and some of that.  But wow... was it great.

 It was the first time since I had children that we had time alone together.  It was energizing, inspiring, relaxing, nurturing.  After 3 days, I was ready to go back to my family feeling so wonderful, like my cup was full , and I had so much to give to them now.  In all the homeschooling days, I did not make much time for my own rejuvenation.  Now, I hope to make it a regular part of my year-with my sister, with friends, by myself.  I just couldn't believe how good I felt.  My family likes it when I feel good-Jim already signed me up for next year with my sister!     

The Sock Monkey

When we were homeschooling, I had many ideas for projects that I tried to get the kiddos interested in.  Often, they were not interested.  Now that they are schooling, we don't have alot of time for projects, and Quinn follows me around begging for me to help her with her many project ideas.  Her ideas are endless, and I keep thinking...where was this 6 monthes ago????

Anyway, her idea last weekend was for a sock monkey.  I was busy, and suggested many reasons why we should not embark on such a project right now, but she persisted, and solved all my many problems with the project, and so we did it.  She found an old pair of my wool socks, we looked up a pattern on the internet, we got out the sewing machine, found some wool stuffing, button eyes, and went to work.  I did the machine sewing, and she worked on the hand sewing. The monkey was just perfect, and we had a great time doing it.  

She has also recently got me to make dog treats, pumpkin tartlets, do some beading, play teatherball with her homemade teather set up in the house, and many other things.  It is interesting how much she is thinking up now that we have so little time to pursue her ideas.  

We are very busy now.  I told someone we used to homeschool, and they made some sort of comment about how much work that must have been.  I thought privately that it is not nearly as hard and hectic as schooling the kiddos.  We are all running now.  School, homework, Tae Kwon Do and keeping up with the house.  I hope we can find a balance between schooling and pursuing other interests and projects.  I know it is all important right now!         

The Haunted Harvest

We went to the Springs Preserve for their Haunted Hay ride.  Lefty was our guide.

The scary stories led to scary characters in the desert.

This guy tried to shoot us with a banana.

The kiddos didn't think he was very scary.

It was a fun ride...scary enough, but not too scary.

A radio station was giving out playing cards.  After dinner, we played a few games of crazy eights.  We had a great night.