have you washed your hair?

Yesterday, my daughter woke up and promptly asked me if I had washed my hair.  In her arms, she carefully carried a large mirror, brush and a dish full of hair accessories.  Like any young girl, my girls love to play hair salon.  They know that if my hair is dirty, they can do anything they want to it.  Freshly washed curly hair does not get brushed -- mostly because it takes too long to fix.  I had to laugh when my girl knew to ask about the condition of my hair before she asked to play hair salon.  Thankfully, 2 of my girls have straight hair and can brush it all the time without frizzy consequence.

it's time

As their little silhouettes appear at the door to marvel at the lights, I can't help but feel warmth and delight inside my chest.  There is something so incredibly magical about this time of year with children.  They are filled with indescribable wonder that fills this season with so much hope and joy.  

May the light of this season find its way to you too!  Happy holiday season preparing!

time for s'mores

Yep!  It is time for campfires at dusk, the woodsy smell of Pinon wood, curious on-seekers, sticky fingers and sloppy S'mores.  The cooler weather has finally set in and Friday nights are the perfect time for S'more treats around an outdoor campfire in the backyard.

My big kids enjoy holding their marshmallows over the coals to achieve a perfectly roasted marshmallow for their s'more sandwich.  Most of the time, they get a lot of help from their Daddy to find just the right spot for their marshmallow to roast without catching fire.

Little sandwiches are made out of the roasted marshmallow, a Hershey's chocolate square and 2 graham crackers.

It is the perfect Autumn treat!

a pirate, pochantas and a mermaid

This year, there was no coaxing everyone to dress the same or within the same theme...they all had their own distinct ideas of what they wanted to be for Halloween (except the baby).  The costumes were fashioned by their Grandmother who can make anything their hearts desire.  Thankfully, no one changed their mind the week of Halloween!  They dashed from house to house with their little cousin in tow and a herd of neighbor kids.  The buckets were full quickly which meant the counting and sorting lasted far too long for a school night.  Nevertheless, it was a memorable night for a mermaid, pirate and Pochantas!  Hope your Halloween was fun!

almost time...

It is almost time for my excited little ghosts and goblins to dress-up in their homemade costumes and parade around the streets long after their normal bedtimes.  They found the calendar this morning and anxiously counted the days.  

We've done all our usual autumn activities at home and around town to learn about this beautiful time of year.  Homemade applesauce has filled the crockpot on the few cool days we've encountered and one of our pumpkins was prematurely carved on a warm sunny afternoon.

They all tried the pumpkin seeds that Mommy burned in the oven because they know how much I love pumpkin seeds.
Sugar cookies have been cut into bats and pumpkin by little helpers in the kitchen.

Flowers were harvested from a local pumpkin patch.

Autumn adventures have been fun but they are all awaiting the big night to come!

Happy Halloween Week!

a walk in the woods

I have to admit, sometimes I feel like me third spends most of her days in the carseat.  We drive here and there dropping off and picking up her sisters.  This past week I felt so bad.  Each time I went to put her in her carseat, she arched her back and screamed with frustration.  {I know this is most likely a phase but I felt horrible about it all week.}

I decided when we had a free hour together that we would go for a woodsy walk near our home.  We would enjoy the morning sun, fresh autumn air, sounds of nature and the abundant growth {from all the recent rain!}.

We took that walk on a chilly morning and enjoyed the time together listening and discovering the outdoors.  It was a refreshing change from our daily driving, napping and eating routines at home.  I have vowed to make it part of our weekly plans.

After our walk in the woods, she was happy to get into her carseat for our afternoon pick-up rounds.  I was extremely grateful.

A little fresh air does wonders for us all!

more

I remember the day each of my children learn to sign more with their hands rather than scream and cry for more food.   I more vividly remember the day each one of them transferred the sign of more to something other than food.

For my first babe, it happened on a warm spring day on the lake.  We had been boating and when we all decided to stop for a break, she proudly turned to us and signed for more.  We were delighted and the boating went on all day.  

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My second is a bit more fuzzy of a memory clouded by many sleepless nights, but I do remember her love of swinging on our backyard swing.  She enjoyed swinging so high for a little toddler of just a year.  We would stop the pushing and she would come to rest on the swing and then quickly sign for more.  She swung high and fast many afternoons.  

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My third girl just did it tonight.  It brought such happiness to me to watch her communicate her wishes to me through signing for something other than food.  We sat in the rocker together before bed and I began to sing some lullabies before putting her to bed.  As we rocked and I sang, she gently put her head down on my shoulder.  By the time the song was over, I thought she had fallen asleep.  Just as I stopped rocking to get up and put her to bed, she jolted upright and starred me in the eyes.  I then noticed her little hands signing more.  I was overjoyed to know she wanted me to sing more.  I continued to sing through my repertoire of songs and she kept signing more at the end of each one.  It was a delightful exchange I will never forget.

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This wonderful little transitional time between signing and talking is ever-so-sweet.  I am enjoying it more than ever with No.3.  Perhaps, it is because I am aware of how sweet but fleeting this beautiful time is, plus the memories of No.1 & No.2 pop up and accompany No.3's experiences and add to all the joy. 

Go ahead and ask for more.  I am excited to communicate with you, my dears.