You know you are a hippie kid when...

Yes, yes, and yes!

Jesus is the reason.

Set up our Playmobil nativity scene. Yes, you read that right...

Nothing quite says Christmas like a little plastic baby Jesus.

But as they played I appreciated the way that the kids "normalized" the birth of Jesus, as well as the story of Christmas. Comforting him when he cried, changing his diaper, gathering the animals and people around to welcome him.

And then Windy started singing this song:



And while I watched the kids act out the lyrics, I appreciated it even more.

Finding our Winter Rhythm

Despite the occasional 65+ degree day (!!), we are well on our way to finding our Winter rhythm. Now that Windy is six we are getting into a more developed and structured routine as we move through our "school" day.

Breakfast, getting dressed, making beds and clearing the table, getting the laundry going, venturing outside or constructive play with blocks, playdoh, or their knights and dragons...

I'm finding that keeping myself in "teacher" mode vs "mom" mode helps quite a bit, especially when it comes to diffusing the squabbles.

Luckily, those don't happen very often.

The kids have been working together to make amazing block "ships" that are transporting cargo that double as elaborate landscapes fit for dinosaurs.

It's all so delightfully fluid...

Lunch, Nap/quiet time, circle time, craft time....

We've been reading winter stories and verses and following it up with craft time. Yesterday, we filled our window with snowflakes while watching the yard filling up with snow, albeit temporarily. The kids tried to match the flakes they cut out with the ones they were seeing...



This is the time of year that the watercolor paintings that are not "for keeps" get re-purposed. They get cut up into snowflakes like these or used as wrapping paper or fashioned into thank-you cards.

Tea time, playtime, making dinner time...

My favorite time of day lately has been Tea Time.



Did you know that you can get your breakfast and lunch dishes washed while the water boils?

I've been really enjoying our new rhythm, especially now that they baby is a little bit bigger and I can get a little bit more done while all three kids play happily, or sometimes do chores along with me. I don't feel so "underwater" with the household upkeep anymore.

I am grateful for this, but at the same time a little torn. It means my baby isn't so much a baby anymore.

And of course, when she does chores with me she doesn't look like much of a baby anyhow!

(Click on it, it will take you to a sideways video. sorry!!)

Dinner time, family time, getting into bedclothes, bedtime story...

And on and on and on in comforting consistency.

Life is work.
Life is life.
Life is.