Wonderfull (Full of Wonder) Wednesday

Looking for the wonder in everyday life! 

I'd love for you to join me on this journey. 

If you find wonder along the way, please leave a link in the comments,

so others can share in your wonder!

Weeks after we thought our Creek Days were over for this year, we were blessed with a couple of days in the 70s and 80s!  Not being ones to miss out on such an opportunity, we surprised the children with a Creek Day! 

They were so excited!!! What a wonder-full gift!

And four days later.....

I am drying woolens in front of the window,

looking out on the snow dumped on us by the effects of Hurricane Sandy!

Sharing With:

It's Playtime

All Year Round Blog Carnival: Autumn

Eco Kids Link Up

He Teaches

Without lesson plans, without textbooks, without a scope and sequence, he teaches.  For as long as I can remember, he has been one of my main "teachers".  History, Science, Gardening, Life Skills such as hunting, tracking, perserving food, living off the land... these are just a few of the "lessons" he taught me.  From attending his Civil War reenactments, to learning how to start a fire with flint and steel, to butchering chickens, to helping him sew leather to make his authenic clothes for the Mountain Man Rendezvous he participated in for several years, the list goes on and on.  He has taught me many, many "lessons". 

And he still teaches... me. The Hubs. My children. and even the playschool children.

This summer, he planted loofa seeds.

After letting the gourds dry, he peeled them and showed the children a loofa sponge!

  

A few minutes later he is in the garden doling out pieces of rhubard to the children.

Some love it. Some... not so much!

Some pretend they do even when their faces give it away!

Every visit is a "field trip". He is a student of life. And he just naturally shares his knowledge, his wisdom, his experiences. Education at its best! No doubt, my Poppaw is one of the best teachers!

Plus....they adore him!

Shared at:

Unschool Monday

Happy Family Times

Eco Kids Link Up

The 1st Annual Family Fall Fun Fest

The Hubs and I had been racking our brains, trying to figure out what we would do or wouldn't do to celebrate Halloween. I know that a lot of Christians will have nothing whatsoever to do with Halloween. I also know many that celebrate it full force. I believe it is a personal choice and do not judge either group.

However, for our little family, we wanted to find a happy medium. I don't want my children to feel like they missed out on getting to dress up and have fun, when neither dressing up nor having fun are bad things.  On the other hand, I feel like Halloween is one of those holidays that is candy centered and we do try to limit junk in our house. So after much discussion, we came up with this:

~The 1st Annual Family Fall Fun Fest~

This year's fest included cider making...

Pumpkin carving...

 (Bunny was a bit unsure about gutting them)

Baking pumpkin seeds, and decorating oranges to look like pumpkins.

Then we got all dressed up...

A squirrel and a woodland fairy

Wolf Man and Red Riding Hood

And delivered goodies to Mommaw's and Poppaw's house.

Then Nana's and Pap's and Katie's house.

Sort of a reverse Trick Or Treat.

We all had a good time.

When we got home, we watched It's The Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown 

while we ate pumpkin seeds and drank warm cider.

Then off for baths and bed. 

I am sure we will fine tune it over the years, but I loved our simple celebration.

Shared with:
Mama Moments Monday
Mommy Moments
All Year Round Blog Carnival-Autumn

Teach Me Tuesday
Happy Family Times
Waldorf Wednesday

It's Playtime
In the Kitchen Thursdays
Show Me Your Pumpkins!
Friday Nature Table

Sunday Parenting Party

An Enchanted Childhood Playschool: October 22nd - October 26th: More Fall Fun!

Fall is our favorite season.. I think! Crisp cool mornings, warm afternoons.  Gorgeous blue skies and trees ablaze with beautiful leaves.  This week we did some of our favorite fall activities.  We read We're Going On A Leaf Hunt, a favortite of the children, as well as The Best Gift of All .

Monday, the children painted coffee filter leaves. 

The older children used eye droppers to drop water with food coloring onto the "leaves".

The younger children used brushes.

The results were gorgeous!



During TableTime, the children were able to practice making letters!

We also did leaf rubbings.  This is a yearly tradition for us!

We lightly taped a variety of leaves to cardstock, then clipped a sheet of paper on top.  The children used crayons (trying to remember to use the sides of the crayon) to color all over the paper.

On Friday we used the same cardstock with leaves taped on to sponge paint over. 

After the children were done painting, we carefully lifted the leaves and look at the results!

We had such great Outside Times that I am going to have to make some extra posts, over the next few days, just to be able to share all the pictures!  But for now, here are a few!

With a cold front coming from the west and rain from Hurricane Sandy coming from the east... this might be last picture of leaves ON the trees.

Sharing with:
Country Kids
Link and Learn
Sharing Creative Ideas
Sharing Saturday
Show and Share
The Sunday Parenting Party
The Children's Bookshelf
Montessori Monday
Made by Little Hands
Learning Laboratory
Tuesdays Tots
All Year Round Blog Carnival--Autumn
Show and Tell
(tot school tuesday)
tip-toe thru tuesday
Mom's Library
Kids Crafts
Waldorf Wednesday
Super Linky Party
It's Playtime
Preschool and Kindergarten Corner
Read. Learn. Explore.
For the Kids Friday
Friday's Nature Table
Mama Mar's Activity Corner