In Which The Girl Scout Troop Get Waldorfy

 

Grace taught the Girl Scout troop the art of window star making today! These stars came out gorgeous! Well done, girls! xo 

Wordless Wednesday::Grace's Autumn Tree

 

The Advent Spiral

This past Sunday was the Advent Spiral at our church. We love how much our faith community loves and looks forward to this tradition each year. This year, we had decided to do two walkings of the Spiral. One at 4:00pm (for those that would like an earlier time) and one at 5:00pm. However, with the first snow storm of the season starting that afternoon (and lasting until mid-afternoon Tuesday) we decided that we'd push the time to 2:30pm lest there be an outcry if we canceled it. None of us were sure how many (if any) would come with the time change only being announced at worship that morning. Needless to say we were thrilled to have twenty people attend! Sure, this is a decrease from our usual amount of 60-80 but still an incredible turnout none the less! The Spiral wove it';s magic around all of us as it always does, and the snow softly falling outside only added to the magical feel. Such a beautiful and peaceful way to begin Advent and the busy holiday season. Looking forward to next year's Spiral already. xo 

Summer Crafting

 The summer box from Happy Hedgehog Post was full of so many absolutely incredible projects that I think it's safe to say that this one is our most favorite one yet! Normally, we get a monthly "envelope", thought it's really a package, full of all sorts of projects and the materials to complete them, but since Samantha (the creator of HHP) was nearing the end of her pregnancy she decided to do one summer bundle so that she could focus on her baby rather than the envelopes that needed to go out. What a smart mama (and what lucky customers we all are)!

 The first project the girls chose to do was wet felting soap. The most luscious smelling cucumber melon soap was included, as well as all the roving that would be needed. While we've needle felted before wet felting was new for us!

 Emma's completed soap (I forgot to get a picture of Grace's). It came out beautifully!

Since there is a pretty strict water ban in our town this summer we decided to forgo our usual vegetable garden. We're so sad to not have one this year, but we've all agreed it was the right choice. We were thrilled to see that there were materials in the summer box to grow a little window herb garden! It was the perfect way to still include that part of our summer rhythm but on a much smaller scale.

 A backyard bird list to check-off as they see each bird. It's like Happy Hedgehog Post knows us!

And as if this box couldn't get any better there were lots and lots of fairy house making materials! The girls divided it up and went out to scout out locations in which to build their fairy houses.

Our window herb garden today. The girls clearly chose the right place for this sweet garden to grow! It's clearly very happy in our bedroom window!

There are still a few more projects left to complete, too! I figured I'd hold on to them for a while longer so that we can have a few more things to do throughout the rest of the summer. We truly cannot thank Donna and Peter enough for this wonderful subscription to Happy Hedgehog Post! It has been such a treat and is so very looked forward to each month! xo

{This Moment} Nine

{This Moment} - A Friday ritual. 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. If you are inspired to do the same, leave a link to your 'moment' in the comments section for all to find and see. We wish you a lovely weekend! xo

Nine Candles On Her Cake

Her day began with Emma being the first to wish her happy birthday (one of the many perks of sharing a room with your sister/best friend) and then the surprise of discovering the birthday ring in our room! I wish I could have captured her reaction when she walked in and saw it there. Totally unexpected and a lovely way to start her birthday! 

As is the tradition birthday gifts were given first thing in the morning.  We've always done this before David leaves for work so that the birthday girl (and her birthday sister) can have a whole day to enjoy the new treasures. 

Gretchen wasted no time making herself at home in the gift bag! 

This year was the first year that we went blueberry picking on Grace's birthday! The weather was simply incredible, the fields quiet (except for some chirping birds) and the blueberry bushes were absolutely dripping in berries. We even saw a few dragonflies (one of which we helped free from the blueberry netting). We didn't do our big picking today, having decided early on that we'd pick just a couple of quarts- enough for blueberry pancakes for breakfast and snacking on throughout the day. 

When we returned home Grace opened her lovely gift from Alice. She was so very surprised to have a gift from her friend, and even more surprised to see that it was a book that had taken out of the library recently and absolutely adored. Thank you, Patricia and Alice, for this most lovely gift! 

 Our lovely and dear friend Jane invited us to lunch at the tea shop today and then to her house for a walk in her labyrinth. 

While we waited for David and Emma to return with dinner (Chinese food as requested by the birthday girl) she decorated her cake. Usually we bake a cake from scratch (especially on birthdays) and we were all set to do so until Grace laid eyes on this gorgeous cake at Wegmans yesterday. She decided that the cake we were planning to make for today would be saved for her tenth birthday and that we should buy this cake instead and decorate it with sunflowers to make it just a little more festive. 

The butterfly and the nine are the new additions to the ring this year. At first glance the butterfly looks like a large colorform (remember those?!) but I can assure you that when you look closer you can see that it is indeed hand drawn. My dad truly never ceases to amaze us! With so many lovely ornaments in the set we may need to see about second ring so that we'll be able to continue to use them as the girls get older. 

Finally, it was time for the birthday ring ceremony. Such a sweet tradition and one that we all look forward to each time one of the girls is celebrating another trip around the sun. 

 And just like that she's nine. Nine trips around the sun have been completed and number ten is just getting started. It's hard to believe that this time next year we will be celebrating a decade of Grace. Happy birthday, Grace Elizabeth! We love you to the moon and stars and back and cannot wait to see what this next year brings! xo

Morning, Noon And Night

Morning, noon and night...three little peeks into our day today. 

Morning, 10:30am

Afternoon, 3:00pm

Night, 5:00pm.

If you would like to play along leave your link in the comments section so I may stop by for a visit. xo