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Spring 2013 Contributors

Mary Ellen VanMarter has spent most of her career as a Montessori educator, but has benefited greatly from Waldorf wisdom, both as a teacher and a parent. Additionally, she is a teacher consultant with the National Writing Project and holds an MA in Reading and Literacy. She lives with her wonderful husband and [...]

Connecting to Season & Self

At Rhythm of the Home, we love to see not only children engaging in creative play, but adults as well. Nature affords us, no matter what season, a space to come together and reflect. Nature is the perfect place to gather for any creative endeavor, to see our world in a bright and vivid light, [...]

Spring Vignettes

Making crafts from seasonal materials found in our backyards is a childhood tradition. For generations, kids have been pressing pretty flowers in the summer, making stamps from apples in the fall, gathering evergreen branches for wreaths in the winter, and using plants to make natural dyes for eggs in the spring. Even with all the [...]

Mama and Child Flower Arranging

From the first daffodils and crocuses poking up through the snow, to the flashy red tulips that follow, to the lilac that always lets me know that winter is really gone for good, spring is a time for flowers. And that includes bringing flowers into your home! I was a little skeptical when my two-year-old [...]

The Natureweavers Place

In a local wildspace, somewhere….. We sit quietly, awaiting the arrival of children. We have found this space, walked this track, explored this forest and we know where the treasures are. We wonder, will they find the same treasures? As the sun moves across the morning sky, the children arrive like leaves being carried to [...]

Christopher Robin Pullover Knitting Pattern

Inspiration A. A Milne’s witty and tenderly crafted stories have become a part of our family treasury of favorite stories. The various animal characters, with their distinct personalities, quirks, and foibles, are both endearing and unforgettable. As we watch our children grow up, as we hear from our readers who have created the knitted and [...]

Sprout :: Spring Dances for You and Your Child

We dance all winter in our home. The record player indulges us in the sweet story of Mary Poppins while the children frolic from one side of the room to the other. Our large old Vermont farmhouse proves challenging to heat throughout January and the only real solution is to keep moving and be grateful [...]

Labyrinths of Sand :: A Walking Meditation

Circling inward, eyes down, the sweeping lines of the labyrinth guide me. Though my mind wants to make sense of it, and plan ahead, I quiet it down. All I need is trust: follow the pattern, go with the flow. My feet follow the spiral path which will lead me to the center and out [...]

Spring Fairy Doll Knitting Tutorial

This knitted spring fairy could be a nice addition to a nature table, or you could use her to enhance your springtime storytelling. Simple finger puppets are surprisingly quick and easy to make if you know how to knit in the round. If you don’t have sheeps wool or cotton wool, you could just use [...]

Pancake Day

In the UK, six and a half weeks before Easter, people are whisking, frying, tossing and tucking into pancakes. It is a long tradition with its roots in Christianity, with believers ridding the house of rich ingredients before the start of Lent. Shrove Tuesday, or Pancake Day as it is also known, is a well-loved [...]

Mountain Sage Community School: How One Grassroots Effort to Grow is Blossoming

This is the second in a series of pieces we are doing that follow the progress of Mountain Sage Community School, as they bring their school to life. We hope that you enjoy reading about the development of this Waldorf-inspired Charter School. “I think it’s fine for the little guys, but I’m not so sure [...]

Across the Generations :: Fostering Inter-Generational Relationships

“Will you take my picture with the girls?” My grandpap asked this question often. He always followed it up with, “I don’t know when something is going to happen to me, and I want them to see their great-grandfather and know that I love them.” I would set my happy girls on his lap, and [...]

Getting Out There — On Our Own

I love to spend time outside. Before I became a mom I spent all of my free time hiking and paddling or meandering along a forest trail with my dog. The same was true of my work life–all but six months of my time as an employee was spent predominantly out in the fresh air, [...]

Story Page Blocks

Toddlers love to play with blocks. They also like to be read to and to look through pages of story books, taking in all of the vibrant pictures that help to bring each story to life. If you have an hour, you can bring these two loves together into a simple puzzle project. Materials A [...]

Turning Around the Mistakes We Make as Parents

How we deal with our own slip-ups can teach our children about self-love and compassion. As parents we can sometimes be consumed by a fear of judgment from relatives, peers, or even strangers. We can be hard on ourselves, and this makes us more vulnerable to real or perceived judgment from the outside. It’s fairly [...]

To Consider the Flowers and Live

I took my children to the park today, six of them. Leaving the eldest at home, knowing when spring ends and summer passes by he will be entering a new phase of life, moving from the comfort of our home to a new state, to college. I told myself I need to begin again too. [...]

Clearing Space for Rhythm

After several cold months spent largely within the walls of my home I have been feeling the need for a good spring cleaning. The walls have begun to close in, with bits and pieces and toys and books crowding in and on top of all available surfaces. This urgency to purge and renew my space, [...]

A Lenten Path :: Creating a Visual Journey through Lent

In the Christian tradition, Lent is a time of repentance and reflection, preparing our hearts for Easter, life, and renewal. Nature too follows this course as the barrenness of winter leads to spring, bringing birth and growth. I love to help my children understand the changes that take place during this season in visual ways. [...]

Dirt Cups :: A Recipe

In another article in this edition of Rhythm of the Home, I waxed poetic about my family’s love of spring dirt and worms. It’s only natural that I’d extend that passion to the kitchen, right? I love keeping a variety of no-bake seasonal desserts on hand that my kids can help prepare. Dirt cups are [...]

Life Lessons from Little Women

Every few years, I feel the need to re-read Louisa May Alcott’s Little Women. I discover something fresh in its pages each time I do, and without fail come away sorry to have finished it, but better for having read it. I cannot think of any work of fiction that has had the same lasting [...]

Storytelling with Moving Pictures

Do you remember, as a child, hearing adults tell you stories? Perhaps they were fairy tales that took you to far off places to meet mystical creatures, or perhaps they were family stories that took you back in time. While much of our world has changed since we were children, the magic of storytelling has [...]

Small Scale Maple Sugaring :: Make Your Own Syrup

Little House in the Big Woods is a book that changed the season of spring for our family. Two years ago my boy and I shared reading this wonderful tale, and we both really enjoyed it. I forgot just how great those books that I read as a little girl were. I remember when my [...]

Hanging Paper Mache Egg Diorama

We’ve had some really precious spring crafts shared in the issues of Rhythm of the Home over the years. Our Associate Editor Julia decided to come up with a craft project to highlight some of those crafts by creating a diorama to hold and display those pieces. You could also use this egg as [...]

A Spring Cup Cozy

This coffee cozy pattern is eco friendly, and super cute too! It will keep your drink from being mistaken for another’s, and your hands won’t get burned from those toasty cups of tea, coffee, or chai! The size in this pattern will fit a standard disposable coffee cup (from 10-20 oz. sizes). Materials Hook : [...]

Spring Adventures

We gratefully accept the presence of the thawing warmth of spring with gratitude and open arms. The early signs of nature waking give themselves away in the increasingly brown puddles on the mudroom floor. Spring is celebrated with absolute delight in our family, and I’ve included here some of our most beloved spring projects [...]

Simple Knitted Cuddle Doll Pattern

Materials Skin tone yarn in sock weight about 30 yards, or 1 oz or so Fingering weight silk or merino blend yarn 100 yards Knitting needles straights US size 3 Darning needle Embroidery floss in eye tone and lip tone Embroidery needle Approx. 10 yards of fuzzy mohair yarn in hair tone Approx. 1 oz [...]

Spring Fairy Party

One of the great unexpected joys of parenting is watching my children play. My daughter, Fiona, is so imaginative, weaving intricate stories with her dolls and animals. Leading up to her third birthday, many of her stories centered around the adventures of her finger puppet fairies. For her birthday party, I wanted her imagined world [...]

On Dreaming, Doing, and Loving to Learn

It started in college, responsible only to myself, away from home, with some idle time. I remember vividly flipping through the phone book yellow pages and seeing a half-page ad for a “discovery flight”– one hour of flight instruction at a discounted rate at the local airport. I remember looking at the image of the [...]

Homeschooling Across the Ages

I had the desire to home school my children long before they even arrived in our lives. I had wished and prayed many times for my mother to home school me, and passion for individualized education had been a seed that was planted early on in my adult life. Homeschooling is a tough choice, by [...]

Fabric Mache Nest Bowl

This spring, we have been studying birds and their nests. We made a simple fabric mache nesting bowl to show the process of nest building, piece by piece. Materials 40 strips of fabric, cut 3/4 inch wide and at least 2 inches long 1 cup of Elmers school glue A bowl to use as a [...]

Vanilla Bean & Lemon Pudding

Spring is a beautiful time to combine the fresh flavors of lemon and vanilla together. This pudding is light, creamy and the perfect anytime dessert. I created this recipe in homage to the eggs we collect from our hens. You can read more about them in this issue of Rhythm of the Home in my [...]

Chicken Rhythm

Most things that we seek deeply are found nearby. That was the case with my search to create rhythms for our family. At the tender age of three, our daughter Dane craves the feeling of predictability. Her growth is bursting at lightning speed and I can see her reaching for rituals that she can lean [...]

Guided Imagery :: The Spring Fairy

When my three year old daughter gave up napping I tried to find alternative ways for her to relax during the day. We would look at books, do some quiet activities like drawing or just snuggle up under a blanket together. However, one of her favourite ways to relax is by listening to a guided [...]

Play Rainbow Swiss Chard

At the first signs of spring weather, my family is quick to get our Swiss chard planted – we love this crop for its hardiness, beauty and functionality in our diets. We especially love rainbow chard with its vibrant stems in pinks, reds, oranges and yellows. To celebrate the beauty of this crop, I designed [...]

Your Child :: The Budding Photographer

These days it is fairly common to see youngsters carrying around a camera. Technology has made it both simple and affordable for our youngsters to record and share their memories. Sadly, most of the photos our kids take are less than stellar. More often than not they’re off kilter, out of focus and poorly composed. [...]

Spring Is Here — Let’s Play Outdoors

I have found in my many years of teaching young children, and in my years as a mother of young boys, that most children are happiest at play outdoors. Young children are close to the realm of nature because they are still very natural beings. Because their consciousness is not yet separated from the environment [...]

Egg Love :: A Recipe and Craft to Celebrate Eggs

Spring and eggs simply go together. They are intimately connected by a shared promise of new life, rebirth, growth, and change. As the cold, slow days of winter fade, and signs of spring emerge, I find myself craving eggs. I want to eat them, but I also long to look at them. I love to [...]

A Lenten Journey :: The Joys of Keeping a Lenten Garden

We follow Lent to follow Him A time of sacrifice and prayer We give up something we desire That His example we might share. -Excerpt from a Lenten poem by Elena dal Friuli My family has been on our Waldorf journey now for three years this coming Spring. Since then, we’ve added a new member [...]

Make a Music Banner

I am guilty of hoarding musical instruments. I can’t help it. Whenever they show up at thrift stores or garage sales I just have to pick them up. This may have something to do with my secret fantasy of starting a family band and traveling the country, but the immediate benefit is that my son [...]

The Community Work Party

Photo by Karli Feser We arrive at Michael and Virginia’s a few minutes before nine o’clock. A handful of families are just getting to work, donning work gloves and gumboots and chatting in the spring dawn. Others are unloading rakes from the backs of cars, or sporting pot-luck dishes draped in tea towels. One of [...]

A Spring Simplicity Detox

Once upon a time I would flush my system out with a deep herbal cleanse at the first sign of spring. I would chug down maple syrup and cayenne pepper cocktails for a week while fighting back nasty cases of the dizzies as I envisioned myself frolicking through meadows of wildflowers donning squeaky clean pores [...]

Rebirth

I am standing outside in the garden with my bare feet in the earth for the first time in six months. I am watching my daughters peel off layers—sweaters, boots, socks, leggings. They put their hands in the soil and drag buckets up the hill, filled with water. Water is sloshing over their toes. Cold, [...]

Creativity with Alphabet Glue

Here at Rhythm of the Home, we believe in bringing projects to our readers that cultivate a sense of creativity in our children’s educational journey. We believe that in order for our children to become innovators, they need to learn young that their creativity is valued. Rhythm of the Home is happy to include a [...]

Spring Festivals and Celebrations

Spring is a time for renewal and rebirth, and the festivals celebrated around the world reflect this seasonal shift. Festivals help bring communities together to share the joy of the season, and to look forward to times to come. The following are spring festivals to many cultures and faiths, and include a list of resources [...]

A Spring Reading List for Families

As the snow begins to melt, and nature begins to wake from its slumber, we gather around the open windows and budding trees to a collection of spring stories. We hope that you enjoy our list of spring books, gathered from the love of so many families in our community. The Reasons for [...]

Crafting a Healthy Home Rhythm Starts with Being Teachable

The other day, someone told me, “If Dr.Wayne Dyer can be called the father of intention, then Melisa you are the mother of rhythm an the guardian of the will.” Maybe I am. It sounds a bit silly. I have written about rhythm so much over the years that it becomes second nature to talk [...]

Living Room Nutcracker :: A Free Sparkle Story

David and Lisabeth with Sparkle Stories continue bringing a story to life each season here at Rhythm of the Home. “Living Room Nutcracker” is a holiday story in the Martin and Sylvia series. Christmas is always a festive time at Martin and Sylvia’s house. Family and friends come together to enjoy candle-lit walks, [...]

Winter Family Reading List

Here at Rhythm of the Home, we know how important reading is to you and your family. Children are natural lovers of stories, and sharing seasonal books and poems with them can create traditions that can be passed down for generations. A few of our readers recently shared their favorite winter reads with us, and [...]

Winter 2012 Index

Inspiring Projects to do With Little Ones Rustic Birch Bark Vases and Votive Holders Simple Waldorf Doll Shoes A Shared Journal Being Saint Nicholas Powerful Princesses for Boy Hula Hooping:: Adding a Little Spice to Your Life A Tree for Many Seasons Mason Jar Snow Globe A Boot Rack Scavenged Natural Materials Ornaments A [...]

Simple Waldorf Doll Shoes

My sister and I have been selling patterns for and making Waldorf-inspired dolls for a few years. Our dolls, like many other Waldorf dolls, have a unique feature in that each f00t of the doll is constructed by folding up the end of the doll’s leg and stitching the fold into place. This makes for [...]

Winter 2012 Contributors

Cindy Wallach lives aboard a 44-foot catamaran on the Chesapeake Bay with her husband and two children. She can’t knit, bake, carve, or cook, but she can rebuild sailboat winches, repair a marine toilet, and raise the anchor with a toddler on her back. She blogs about homeschooling, sailing, and their life afloat at [...]

Rhythm of the Sea

When my family moved aboard our 32-foot sailboat a year and a half ago, I was worried about all the wonderful things my children would miss from our Waldorf-inspired lifestyle. Our move meant abandoning a life rooted in the earth, our small patch of vegetable garden, and our dreams of chickens and fruit trees. It [...]

The Beauty of Winter

Most of the year when my family and I are out and about, I bring my point-and-shoot camera along to capture our adventures. In spring and summer, our photos are full of the deep saturated color of flowers, the lush green of kale and broccoli in our garden, blues and pinks from sidewalk chalk, and [...]

Homeschooling in Winter

Since the Autumn Equinox, the earth has been falling slowly into its slumber. As Winter Solstice approaches, the time of darkness and reflection is upon us. As spiritual beings we come inside ourselves after a long season of reaching out and expanding. The sun is reborn through the winter solstice and light returns again to [...]

Celebrating Wintertime

Every season is special to me: the awaking life in spring, the sounds and smells of summer, the colorful fall. But wintertime has always stood out, ever since I was a child. For me winter is about opposites; light and darkness, warmth and cold. It is the season when life slows down, the center of the [...]

A Photographic Journey :: Your Photos from Autumn

As many of you are aware, we here at Rhythm of the Home have extended an ongoing invitation to members of our community to share the rhythm of their own daily lives and families with one another through photographs posted to our Flickr group. These photographs are submitted by our readers and contributors, and are [...]

A Cooperative Farm Experience

As I look around the blog world, Pinterest or Facebook, I see a common theme: a return to the land. Small farms all around the world are being purchased and transformed. Families who had been on the same land for hundreds of years are releasing their tenure, and handing the soil over to someone else. [...]

Mason Jar Snow Globe

If there were a singular emblem of the DIY aesthetic, it would have to be the Mason jar. Beyond their intended purpose of food preservation, they make excellent coffee mugs, lanterns, flower holders, pin cushions, decorative storage containers…the list is only limited by the imagination of all the crafty folks out there who like to [...]

Dark Days and Warm Souls

The first snowfall ushers in excitement of the adventures to come: the first afternoon spent tobogganing down a hill, the first snowman rolled on the front lawn, the first time you come inside with frosty eyelashes, anticipating a hot cocoa. In the Far North, this initial excitement can fade quickly, as we prepare for a [...]

Cream of Tomato Soup (Basil Optional)

As the colder months approach, I find myself switching out the family menu from cooler meals to meals that are a bit heavier and piping hot when presented. Goodbye Caesar salads, until next year’s garden again provides us with crispy romaine lettuce. Hello hearty soups and stews! I love tomato soup and so does my family. As [...]

Creating a Blessingway

When a woman enjoys a peaceful, supported pregnancy and looks forward to a pleasurable birth, there is no doubt that a sense of bliss will create the optimal mental and emotional state for a new mother during labor. Supporting our beautiful, blooming mommies-to-be is a special commitment. Offering positive energy, stories and blessings is a [...]

Hula Hooping:: Adding a Little Spice to Your Life

The fascination began at a Willy Nelson concert. My husband and I had not been out much in the past few years, busy with four young children, occupied by infants, diapers, sleepless nights, and all that comes with raising a herd of children. Then, an opportunity arose for us to ‘get out of town’ and we [...]

Carve Your Own Rubber Stamps

My children love making cards, scrapbook pages, note paper and even homemade wrapping paper using rubber stamps but it would cost me a small fortune to purchase all of the great ones that we see when visiting the local craft store. So I thought — why not try making some myself? A quick visit to [...]

Felted Sweater Garland

Last winter my family of four lived in a bus ten hours from our home for my husband’s work. We had about 400 square feet of living space that included our beds, bunks, bathroom with a shower, small kitchen, and couch space. Needless to say, we had a tiny tree come Christmas. It was four [...]

Bark Worth Biting :: 5 Unique Recipes for Homemade Chocolate Bark

We all need a quick, easy, and yet impressive handmade gifts now and then. Homemade candy, especially homemade barks can be just the thing and can be done simply with no special equipment or molds required. Bark provides tasty treats with endless customization possibilities and makes a great activity for kids to participate in. Bark [...]

Felted Wool Farm Playmat

The trees are bare and the winter snow is falling, and as beautiful as it is, maybe, like me, there is a little piece of you still holding onto summer, or anxiously looking ahead to the first digging you can do in your spring garden. Celebrate both seasons by creating a felted wool farm playmat [...]

Nature Treasures Mobile

I remember the sound of the eggs plucked from under the hen that morning sizzling in the skillet as I stared with wonder at all of the treasures in the Tennessee farmhouse kitchen. My great uncle would invite us to stay for the weekend several times a year, and my entire family would depart from [...]

Powerful Princesses for Boys

There are so many great book lists out there: ‘the best chapter books for four year olds,’ ‘20 great adventure books,’ ‘100 books you must read to your child’. If you want a list of great book ideas, somewhere out there is a list for you. With the cold months of winter here, and the [...]

Creating A Cookie Club

“What are we doing for our grandmothers for Christmas?” This is always a difficult question at our house. In the past several years, our grandmothers have downsized from houses they’ve lived in for decades to small apartments. After twice participating in the ensuing sorting and selling of possessions, my husband and I vowed to make [...]

Being Saint Nicholas

I still remember reading about Saint Nicholas Day for the first time almost two decades ago. I was spending the weekend at my parent’s farm and I happened upon a copy of a book entitled To Dance with God: Family Ritual and Community Celebrations by Gertrud Mueller Nelson. It has since become dear to me [...]

A Tree for Many Seasons

As I write this, fall is finally starting to tease its way back in to the Pacific Northwest and my children are quickly reminding me that Christmas is coming. They are already plotting out what to make each other for gifts and counting down the days, much to my dislike, as I have much to [...]

Teach Your Daughters Wailing :: The Power of Mourning Women

It is Winter. The waters are frozen. The trees are bare. The heart is still as the season of death descends and the sound of grief echoes in the quiet sleeping garden of the soul. Winter is characterized by water, the healing water of tears. We invite the ancestors in the Fall and in the [...]

Marking Special Moments with Henna

Marking the moments of intense joy in our lives has been a tradition for most of human history. Welcoming ceremonies when our children are born, baptisms, baby showers, weddings, festivals, birthday parties, etc. are just a few of the celebrations that have stood the test of time. For many families who are welcoming a new [...]

Fabric Gift Bags

I will be the first to admit that I used to be a wrapping paper junkie. As a girl I loved gift wrapping so much that my mom used to let me wrap all the gifts for our family including my own, trusting that I wouldn’t peek. In college I worked at the gift wrap [...]

Solstice Sun Tree Topper

From as early back as I can remember, the day after Thanksgiving was a very special day for us. We would pull out all the dusty boxes from the attic, put on some music, make a warm drink, and begin the process of decorating our tree. As I grew up, the ornaments I put on [...]

Designing a Winter Day’s Rhythm

I once saw a picture of me as a baby, tucked inside a bassinet that was placed on a piece of frozen tundra. I was decked up to my rosy cheeks in a ball of snowsuit and scarf topped off with a huge grin on my face. It looked like I may have been on [...]

A Mother’s Winter Reflection

The rush of the holiday season had ended, the days became unbearably cold, and our spirits were restless, waiting for the warmth of spring. Winter was a time of quiet reflection, a time of enjoying our precious six month old son. Yet our family of three was anxious to warm our hearts with the closeness [...]

Red Lentil Curry with Pumpkin and Kale

While much of the garden is deep in slumber at present, it still continues to nourish our family through these dark winter months. Some crops – such as garlic, onions, and winter squash – were harvested in fall to keep for winter cooking. Others, like the kale, continue to produce out in the garden all [...]

Holiday Toddler Bonnet

As the colder months approach, a stack of warm wear including hats and sweaters (both handmade and gifted by friends) have grown into a full wardrobe for my littlest boy. This sweet bonnet is a quick and fun crochet pattern that would be perfect as a beginner project. It is sized to fit a baby [...]

Celebrating the Winter Festivals

Here at Rhythm of the Home, we value the joys that celebrating the season’s festivals can bring. We build traditions, create memories, and journey together as individuals, and as a family through these beautiful times. In honor of the winter season, we have gathered together a list of this year’s festivals and sacred moments, as [...]

A Shared Journal

I see a young lady emerging before my very eyes. Somehow after that tenth birthday arrives, everything begins to shift. Each of her siblings before her have handled this change in their own way, and I expect her to do just the same. I watch her become her very own self. Like sweetpeas in early [...]

Scavenged Natural Materials Ornaments

In my home, there is a designated space where collections of natural treasures are lovingly put on display for all to handle, admire, and explore. They seem to naturally rotate with the seasons, though it is not uncommon for many of these seasonally scavenged prizes to become quite sentimental. I’ve found that we collect a [...]

Celebrating Saint Nicholas Day

As the days continue to shrink the hustle and the bustle of pre-holiday preparations continues to build. And I find that despite my best efforts, my list of ideas to make and do is ever increasing, distracting me from truly waiting well for the Light that comes during the holidays. As the Christmas decorations seem [...]

Bewitched by Winter’s Magic

Six faces plastered to window as snow began to fall, white angel down, and six faces ranging from 1 to 26, I, the one 26, and six pairs of eyes which had never before gazed upon the majestic beauty of snow falling against a glowing winter moon. The majority of my 26 years had [...]

Boot Rack :: A Woodworking Tutorial

My family finds ourselves situated in a foggy climate near the coast, with a chicken coop nestled our urban garden. Therefore, having boots has been necessary, and keeping them dry outdoors has been a challenge even when it isn’t raining. I was inspired to borrow the concept of a boot rack during a tour of [...]

Finding Center and Letting Your Heart Lead the Way to Peace

At the center of your being you have the answer; you know who you are and you know what you want. –Lao Tzu Do you notice that as the holidays approach, it’s so easy to get swept away by the stress and chaos that oftentimes comes with it? How many gifts do I have to [...]

Rustic Birch Bark Vases and Votive Holders

The holidays are a time of celebration. Frequently these celebrations take place around a table eating yummy food while visiting with loved ones. Coming up with a centerpiece is always a tricky thing in our house; usually we end up filling the table with bowls of food and glasses, leaving little room for anything decorative. [...]

How To Nurture Creativity in Children

It’s all over the news: creativity levels in children are dropping at an alarming rate. Nearly every article I read about creative drain in children pointed a finger at public school. It’s easy to place blame in one direction, but certainly it would be more productive for parents to actively nurture creativity at home. Drains [...]

10 Steps Towards Getting the Break You Need, Tired Mama, Without Relying on TV

It’s Fall. It is the season of dying leaves and of the ancestors. Everything is winding down and moving inward. As we shift into this contraction of the seasons, there is also a move inside. We start moving inside the classroom, inside the house, inside the body. It is a time of connection and community, [...]

Notes from an Allergen-Free Kitchen :: Coconut Caramel

When my daughter was diagnosed with celiac disease last year, we expected that the landscape of our family’s relationship with food would shift. Celiac, an autoimmune disease that causes damage to the small intestine when gluten is consumed, is a genetic condition, and it runs along my husband’s side of the family. When my daughter’s [...]

A Walk with Willy Wonka

Like most families reading Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl, we were mesmerized and enchanted by the adventure into Willy Wonka’s chocolate factory. As my family closed the book for the third time on Charlie and Willy, as they’ve become known here, a litany of questions followed. “Mom, can we please jump into [...]

Hearty Potato Leek Soup

This soup has become a staple in our diets in the chilly months. A thick, creamy soup full of vegetables that sticks to our ribs and warms us from the inside out. When in doubt of what to make, we frequently make this as a quick dinner for a family of three very chilly souls. [...]

Mermaid Tails for Summer Doll Play

This year my children and I have been drawn to read stories about mermaids. We’ve been through traditional fairy tales and several contemporary books, including one very beloved series. As the fascination with mermaids and mermen hasn’t yet dwindled, I came up with this 10-minute project to satisfy my son and daughter’s desire to transform [...]

To Market, To Market Play Money

Late one night last week, as I tucked a few coins in a wee envelope with a tiny missive from the tooth fairy, I reflected on the fact that my daughter would still be more excited about three nickels than one quarter. I cannot recall when I first learned the value of each coin and [...]

An Interview with Amanda and Steve Soule – Authors of The Rhythm of Family

Amanda Soule, the author of the blog SouleMama, recently published her third book The Rhythm of Family with her husband Steve and their children. Rhythm of the Home co-creator Heather Fontenot was invited to contribute a piece to the book on yoga and meditation for children, and she recently interviewed Amanda and Steve on the [...]

Tiny Trinkets Travel Tote

Recently I had the opportunity to fly with both of my young children for the very first time. We’ve traveled many times together, but it has always seemed more practical to take road trips, for one reason or another. I’d grown accustomed to the freedom of packing a big crate (or two) of toys and [...]

From Mother’s House to Mine

I never thought the day would come. I knew, theoretically, that traditions are often passed down from one generation to the next, and altered and enhanced with each new bearer. I knew that this was the cycle of family rhythms, but still I never thought the day would come when the decades-long tradition of hosting [...]

Autumn Sewing Needle Book

This sweet little project combines knitting and sewing, and makes a lovely seasonal gift. Or simply make one for yourself and bring a touch of autumn color to your handwork. Materials DK Merino yarn, I have used a naturally dyed yarn that has been dyed with Peach Bracket Mushrooms. 4mm straight knitting needles Wool sewing [...]

How to Pay Attention: Intuitive Storytelling as a Parenting Tool

Tucked in our back bedroom, we could see and hear the hurricane make her way through our yard. The power was out, the tub was full of water, and candles were illuminating the rooms of our small home. Outside, old man Hickory, our tallest tree, was waving like a metronome in the intense winds while [...]

Elderberries to the Rescue

There’s a bit of crispness in the air these days, even when the warmth of summer is still hanging about. Plants all rush to finish their growing season, offering a multitude of food and medicine for us. Now’s the time to harvest and put away medicines for winter use. Elderberries are ripe and dripping from [...]