rainbow bridge things & filling yourself up

 Here are some pictures I've taken the last few weeks from our Rainbow Bridge class at the Eugene Waldorf School, which I've written about here quite a few times before, as our time there always brings new inspirations.

 Bracken with our teacher, Ms. Marion.

 Catching Bracken in a spacey moment of reverie before we left class and headed outside to the playground.

 This week he wore his bear hoodie to class.

 An autumn inspired doll. I love her bonnet and cape. 

She goes very well with the pumpkin in the center of the table.

 All  those dolls sitting on the table are inspiration for our handwork projects right now.

 We're making dolls. I chose a flower print for the body. I'm making a grandmother. They had fun fibers to choose from for the hair and I loved this grey goat fiber with curls. My little doll is going to have an updo, but I'm still sewing the hair to her head before I pull the rest of it up. 

I love the handwork projects during our classes.

 We've been singing a song in class lately, called Yellow the Bracken. Of course we were really excited the first time we sang it because it has Bracken's name in it. It's a really beautiful song and it's been stuck in my head all the time. Ms. Marion gave us a copy to bring home. (I learned how to read music when I was young, but have since forgotten and keep forgetting the melody to this song.) I tried to find a video online to share here so you could hear it (and to remind me of the melody), but I didn't find one. The songs we sing in class change season to season and our autumn songs lately have been filled with pumpkins, apple trees, hazelnut trees, falling leaves and other such fall things. Bracken will often request songs over and over when we get home.

In class on Tuesday, Ms. Marion brought up a topic during snack time. She talked about Rudolph Steiner's ideas about children taking vital force from their parents. That the younger the child, the more physical energy they take from their parents. Then she talked about ways to regenerate and build that energy back up. She mentioned three ways. First, spending time in nature. Second, creating artwork and making things with your hands. Third, music and most especially making music yourself. 

I've certainly found truth in that. All of those things really fill me up. She spoke about how important it is to take the time to fill yourself back up so that you have energy to give to your children. How it's best for ourselves, our children, and everyone when we do. It was a good reminder and her words have stayed with me.

rainbow bridge again :: fall session

 Rainbow Bridge started up for us again last week at the Eugene Waldorf School. We had missed it and are so happy to be back. What makes this fall session even more fun for us is that our dear friends are in our class with us. We live not far from each other and have been carpooling. Bracken is delighted to have his buddy in his class and sitting next to him during the car rides. And I'm delighted to get to spend time with my buddy too. Mama to mama chats on a regular basis are a great thing for both of us.

This morning the boys were so excited for class they ran to the front door. I got a picture of them with their lunch baskets right before we went inside.

 The room is cozy and welcoming to me. I walk through the door and take a deep breath, being filled with a sense of peace and some relaxation. I know for the next while I'll be able to work on a handwork projects, sewing and chatting, while the kids play. We'll have circle time with songs, a snack, and then story time. And I'll have a nice little break to recharge and energize, coming home with renewed inspiration.

 P.S. Blurry, but too cute not to post.

P.P.S. Super blurry as well, but also way too cute not to post. Holding hands on the ride home.

his imagination

I took this picture a few weeks ago. Jeff gave Bracken this little colorful dreamcatcher that was in his workroom because Bracken kept admiring it. I saw him playing with it and then later he held it up and told me to say "cheese." He turned this dreamcatcher into his camera. He goes around taking pictures with it and then he tells me about his pictures and shows them to me on the "screen" (like on a digital camera.) He usually tells me he has taken pictures of people, of family and friends.

 Sometimes he wants to play "baby puppy" where he crawls up on us and tries to lick us and we're supposed to say "get down puppy!" (Like he says with his grandma on the phone, in preparation for when we visit. She'll ask him: what do you say if Ole starts to jump up? "Get down Ole!" He thinks it's great fun.)
Whenever Bracken is in the kitchen (if he's not being King of the Sink) you can usually find him at the kitchen table making meals for us to try. He informs me his pans are hot and he's cooking some food up on his stove. In the living room, he likes to go to farmer's market and then he brings his bounty over to Jeff and I to enjoy, telling us what it is each time. "Blueberries!" "Tangerines!" (which he calls Nanoo.) "Carrots!"

There are so many little things he does every day that delight me and I'm constantly in awe of his imagination.

modeling beeswax

Last week Bracken's best little bud had a party to celebrate his 3rd birthday. I had an inspiration for something to give him and Jeff liked the idea too. Usually we make handmade gifts, but I had been hearing about modeling beeswax and it sounded like lots of fun. We ordered a 12 piece set for Bracken's friend and also one for Bracken, here from Nova Natural. It said for age 3 and up. We gave Bracken's set to him right away. I thought about saving it until his birthday, but I'm glad we didn't because he has been having so much fun with it. The beeswax has to be warmed in your hands before it can be worked. It can be a hard for little hands to work, so it's helpful if parents can warm it up in their hands first and perhaps start with smaller pieces. Older children would have an easier time working with it, but it's still fun for younger kids too. Bracken's not the only one who has been enjoying the modeling beeswax, Jeff and I love it too! Jeff made some little creatures for Bracken out of it and Bracken has been playing with them. The great thing about the modeling beeswax is that you can use it again and again. The beeswax feels good to work in your hands, it's soothing, and I enjoy it every time Bracken wants to get them out. We found a little tin to keep it in and we put it away every time we're done, so it doesn't end up on the floor and get too dirty. I want these to last a long time. I realize now as I'm writing this, that I don't have any pictures of the modeling beeswax after we took it out of the box and started working with it. Oh well. I can share some in a future post. I wanted to share about it here for those of you who hadn't heard of it.

These next pictures don't have anything to do with the modeling beeswax, but are from the party at the park. Bracken chose a tall slide he wanted to go down and was a little more hesitant than usual. He slowed himself down with his feet a few times along the way and wanted people to hold his hand. Luckily he had many helping hands to do so. I just thought the pictures were cute, so felt like posting them.

spring session

Spring session of the Rainbow Bridge class at the Waldorf School in Eugene started back up today. Bracken and I went while Jeff stayed home (most of the time he comes along and runs errands while we're in our class, but this week is too busy.) Having the house to himself, with all the "baby gates" down so he didn't have to be doing hurdles to get to and fro, he was able to get so much accomplished. On the drive there (it takes about an hour for us to drive to Eugene) I had some fleeting thoughts like: "with market starting back up again, do I want to be driving to Eugene twice a week?" and "what about all the gas money?" and so on. But even while I was wondering these things, I already knew in my heart that going to these classes is really good for us right now and just feels right.

We walked in the room and saw familiar friendly faces. We learned new spring songs at circle time (that Bracken has been requesting again and again.) I admired the table decorated for spring and we started a new handwork project I'm excited about. It feels good to be back.

ladling water

When we go outside, Bracken heads for a favorite spot. He turned a log into his table and sets containers on top. (This time it was his blue watering can and little blue pail.) Then he takes out his ladle and sets to work ladling all the rainwater that's accumulated in the pot next to his table, into his containers. Pouring water from one container to the next has always been one of his favorite things to do. One day Bracken got a hold of a ladle in the kitchen and had a blast pouring with it, so we got him his own ladle next time we went to the thrift store. It seems a good ladle makes the joy of pouring water even more fun. Who knew spending a few bucks on a ladle from the thrift store could bring so much entertainment?

making moonbabies

 Today I finished my handwork project at our Rainbow Bridge class at the Waldorf school. These moonbabies were such a fun project to make! I showed mine in the earlier stages in this post. Last week I stitched on the little silk blanket and filled it with wool and lavender. Today I added the final touch of the little stars and put a loop on the top to hang it from.

I love how nice and snug these babies look, cradled in the moon.

 Bracken not only likes the baby and the moon, he's quite fond of the little blueberry on the fabric of the bonnet. hehe. Big surprise there.

P.S. I thought this coat rack in the classroom was adorable. 

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::Linking up with Nicole's Keep Calm, Craft On.::

hootie & henry

 Bracken has two favorite wooly friends named Hootie and Henry. I wanted to be sure to write about them here so that someday I can look back and remember these little things about our days that bring me a smile. 

Hootie was a birthday gift to me from my sister, from a sweet Etsy shop called For My Darling. She saw I had "favorited" the adorable owls made from repurposed sweaters and surprised me with one. Henry was a Christmas gift to Bracken from Jeff and I. We picked him out at the Holiday Market (where we sell our art) from Eliel's Felties. Bracken was in love with Henry from the very beginning, he's always had an affinity for dogs. When Bracken wants Henry he says "woof woof" and when he wants Hootie he says "who who." Henry and Hootie are always with Bracken at bedtime. Sometimes he left them in bed throughout the day and would see them again at night, but lately he has been bringing them downstairs to have around throughout the day. He hugs them. He tucks them in to bed with a blanket. He pretends to feed them. He treats them so gently and seems comforted when they are near. This little duo is very special to him. 

Recently a new wooly friend was added to the mix when I made Bracken a wooly doll. Now with the addition of "baby", Bracken has a trio he adores. And they adore him too.