melody*made

.:Autumn Natureschooling:.

We're so fortunate to be able to go out into nature whenever we wish to...

Today was especially beautiful as the weather is becoming cooler and the air is crisp~ It is especially heart-warming to see my 4 year old & 9 year old holding hands as we all took a walk in the woods.

So grateful for their close relationship and all that our life has to offer our family.

 

 

 

 

.: Rainy day inpiration :.

It's been raining a lot over here, so we've been taking advantage of the cooler weather and getting  inspired by the change of season. It's amazing how the fall weather seemed to hit us all of a sudden and we notice the leaves falling... So we made some warm drinks, baked bread, and did some leaf rubbings with our beeswax block crayons~

I then made a felt leaf streamer after being inspired by this blog.

I just love love this season, and we're all looking forward to the fall fair at the local Waldorf school next weekend!  ~Happy Autumn, everyone~

 

 

 

 

{perfect moment}

I'm savoring this perfect moment...

Baby snacking happily, brothers playing peacefully out back, and mama gets a moment to soak in the goodness of this amazing life~ So full of hugs and kisses and messes;-) 

~ LOVe it so! What's your perfect moment?

.: Natural Learning & Socialization :.

I'm fondly observing how quickly my two younger ones are growing... Ryker, who turned four this summer, spontaneously wrote his name on a blackboard last week. While I went to get the camera, he drew a border around it:-) I love how he wrote the "E" as it's very organic looking. It's amazing how he's coming into the world around him and naturally wants to understand the written word that surrounds him. I've noticed that his older brothers both wrote their names at age four on their own. If feels good to know that learning happens naturally, contrary to what schools try to tell us... 

We had a couple of friends over (ages 14 and 11) and were about to have snack. Ryker volunteered to pour water for everyone. It's beautiful to observe the pure pleasure he gets from serving his friends... Yes, he whole heartedly believes that they're his friends as he's not segregated by only his age group. He's very blessed in my eyes because I see the love and patience he receives from older homeschooled friends, and in turn, Ryker gets to be kind and gentle with those younger than him. There was no crying over unshared toys or conflicts during this playdate!

Oh and my littlest angel is moving about very quickly and busily;-) He's pulling himself up and following his brothers around. I think he'll be going up those stairs very soon! 

And the cute nakey pic is after a bath where he kept crawling away before I could dress him! There's never a dull moment around here!

 

 

.: harvesting korean sesame leaves :.

Had fun harvesting some Korean Sesame leaves at a friend's garden. We ate them for dinner as wraps. So yummy!

 

{this moment}

.: apple season has begun :.

 

 

 

 

 

.: happy Labor day :.

Happy labor day~ We went to a park on this beautiful day with the entire family...what a treat!

As you can see, I had fun with some photo apps on my iphone:-)

 

We tried out the wooden boomerang we brought back from our Australia honeymoon 16 years ago! We had so much fun as we threw it in the air and watched it soar~ And then, it hit something hard...and broke. But that's ok, I'm not so attached to things... The time we shared with it was much appreciated and treasured...

So then we moved onto the football:-)

 

 

 

 

 

 

{ this moment }

 {this moment} - A Friday ritual (inspired by Soulemama). A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. 

Wishing you a safe weekend!

.: yummy cheeks :.

Can't stop kissing these yummy cheeks:-)  

When I'm holding this little one, I can't help but to be fully present. It's not just for the sheer necessity of keeping him safe, i.e. making sure that he doesn't fall off my lap and roll down the hill (LOL). But, also because I know how fleeting this moment is. One thing I learned from being a mama for the fourth time is how very very short this babyhood really is. Having a teen at the same time can also be a great reminder to appreciate the simple sweet time such as this:-) 

Having a wee one can take a toll on you for sure. You may not have time to eat or sleep, let alone shower or use the bathroom!:-) But, they do let you know what they need, don't they. They love to be held and be close to you. And for the most part, you're all they need...

And all too soon, they'll be running off exploring the wonderful world around them as they should. Their need to stay in your lap and be cuddled endlessly will become less and less frequent... 

So I'll just enjoy these yummy cheeks a bit longer and savor the moment, thank you!