For Me?

My birthday was last Saturday. I received many thoughtful and generous gifts. But this is my very favorite gift. Behold the Flower Castle Nuk Box, constructed by Eleanor and Brendan (with some help from their babysitter Nora).

I don't know how I lived life without my Flower Castle Nuk Box. No more searching the house for pacifiers when it is time for Colin to nap -- now I know to simply look in the box.

Genius.

i got an iphone

There she is. Isn't she a beauty? I got it for Christmas (thank you, thank you Bethany). It is a great gift because, although I have coveted it for awhile, I would never have bought it for myself because I really don't need it (and isn't that the benchmark for all great gifts, really?).

I don't really know how to use it -- although Eleanor showed me how to take pictures (she apparently learned her iphone skills from her babysitter).

I hope that I will use my calendar, email on the go, expand my itune collection, check the weather in various locales, and keep current on the stock market.

More likely, I will use it to take blurry photographs of my children and makes an occasional phone call.

So much fun to be had.

Almost Turkey Time

Yesterday's post was such a bummer (and Ellie does seem to be intact . . . and happily home with me today) that I feel compelled to post something new in the spirit of moving on.

First up: Do you love this turkey hat? Wouldn't Brendan look adorable in this hat? (Note to self: must devote some time to learning new skills after holiday craziness dies down). Check out this crafty gal's blog if you are inclined to attempt a cute hat like this. She has been kind enough to share the pattern.

Second, if you are getting into the Thanksgiving mood (and wondering how to keep the wee ones busy when they are home with you for the long day), take a peek at my thoughts on Turkey Day with the kiddos.

And tomorrow . . . I have something really good to share.

Waldorf Birthday Rings

My kids' birthdays are more than five months away (and trust me, I am going to need that time to improve upon the dreadful birthday cakes I made for them last year). But I came across a great item that I hope to incorporate into our family birthday celebrations.

These are called Waldorf Birthday Rings, a tradition from the Waldorf theory.

Here is how they work (courtesy of My Three Sisters Toys site):

Traditionally, on your child's first birthday, you place one candle on the
ring and fill the rest of the holes with figures. On each consecutive
birthday, you replace one figure with a candle. Place the unused figures in
the center of the ring to signify the child's previous years. Finally, on
the twelfth or sixteenth year (depending on the ring you choose), the ring
will be fully illuminated. . . . You may choose to create your own
variations on this tradition, perhaps placing figures that represent events your child experienced during the year since the last birthday or using just one number decoration to represent the child's age along with the corresponding number of candles.

I love the idea of taking time on each birthday to acknowledge your child's growth and accomplishments that year. FYI . . . I found the above-pictured rings at The Wooden Wagon, Three Sisters Toys, and Magic Cabin.

Matroyshka Dolls

The Matryoshka dolls have arrived . . . all the way from Vancouver.

Lidiya on the left and Polina on the right.

Lovingly handmade by Ella Pederson. Beautiful work by a talented artisan.

I am saving one for Ellie for Christmas and giving the other to the daughter of a cherished friend. So hard to choose . . .

I love the idea of a little girl having a special doll that was made for her. Something all her own.