Fairy House Lane

Behind our house there is a magical little place. There are ferns carpeting the ground and vines that wrap around the pine tree. There is a mystical face in the tree and a canopy of trees overhead. We can this place, Fairy House Lane.
For years, every fall, we make fairy houses. Devin was really into it for a few years, but his interest has died off a bit. Tiff is the one who loves making them this year the most.
When the kids make fairy houses they sometimes leave berries out for the fairies and make them nice little beds. The fairies "thank" the kids by leaving little pretty gems and stones during the night. When the kids wake up they run out to see what the fairies left them.

It's been a tradition of ours every Autumn for 7 years now.
Building Fairy Houses is such a creative project. Fairy Houses are made out of items found in nature. Our land is covered in wild flowers, little stones, milkweed, shells that we have collected, feathers, leaves and bark... We have 43 acres of forest to build Fairy Houses. By the end of the season we have many on our land. We love to watch the first snow fall cover them with a white blanket.

In the spring thaw it is exciting to see the fairy houses again. Some are missing walls and stones, but there they ready to either take down, or rebuild. We use the same materials every year and add much, much more.

Here is Tiff's first Fairy House of the year.

Another year, and the tradition continues.

“We learn simply by the exposure of living, and what we learn most natively is the tradition in which we live.” David Gartener

Joyful Garden Art

The girls and I were feeling crafty today so I pulled out the clay and began creating!

I had the idea of making decorative plant stakes for our garden.

We simply made shapes and designs out of self-hardening clay. We then slowly and gently pushed kabob skewers through the bottom of our clay pieces. Finally we painted the stakes with water color paint while the clay was still wet to give a nice glazed look.

I plan on making these for Christmas gifts for family and friends this year!

I am grateful for creative ideas that are born in the moment of connection and Joy with one another!

Mud

We had a fabulous weekend with some friends of ours who came for a visit from New York. Our friends, Marla, Ken, Amy and Lily hung out with us, ate good food, laughed and just connected as families.

Every year in North Conway, NH, there is a Mud Football Championship. It's a really big thing around here. One of my children's favorite aspects of Mud Bowl is being able to use the football field full of mud for weeks afterward.

Yup, we brought the Briggs family to a giant hole of mud during their visit! They loved it!

Life With No Chores?

My children have never had chores. We have never had charts hanging on our fridge with certain household tasks for them to take care of with stickers as rewards.

Yet... Devin, Tiff, Ivy and Orion all help with the housework, because they want to.
How is this possible?

For one, when I clean and do the little tasks that I find necessary to keep our house organized throughout the day, I do so *Joyfully*. I never slam things around or get frustrated that toys are on the floor, or dishes are in the sink. I don't huff and puff and talk under my breath about being everyone's "slave". Who would want to help if I was obviously hating when I cleaned?

I truly feel *Gratitude* in my heart every time I clean or pick something up because I feel such love and happiness for having my family and for all that comes with having children. I see the little scraps of paper on the floor, or books strewn about and see the story behind them. I see the craft project that Ivy did, or the books that I read to Tiff and how much she loved them. I pick up or clean whatever needs to be done in the moment, unconditionally. I bask in the gratitude of our life together without feeling that they are responsible for the "messes" they make.

I value my relationship and connection with my children over the cleanliness of our home.
I think many times parents can think they have no choice but to coerce, reward or force children to do chores to instill "responsibility". I feel very differently about this. I feel that my children will naturally be responsible for what they feel a partnership in. Our home is their nest. It is a place that they feel is theirs as much as it is mine. They love their home. They see cleaning as just something to do that makes sense.

Last night the kids were all cleaning until almost midnight. Ivy and Orion cleaned windows and inside the fridge.. Devin mopped floors and Tiff vacuumed the whole house, including the stairs! It was a fun night of housework with music crankin' in the background. No power struggles. No threats. No punishments or tears. Just pure, authentic connection and fun as we clean together as a family.

Rockin' Rethinking Education!

We just got back from a week in Dallas, Texas where we attended the famous Rethinking Education Conference. I was honored to be a Featured Speaker this year.

Here is a video that Joe created to share the highlights of our amazing, experience!

Learning Music Naturally

A few weeks ago, we were attending the Northeast Unschooling Conference. Part of the weekend was a performance by a musical group, "Fishing With Finnegan". The performance was fabulous and I was so impressed with this joyful family of four siblings who play Irish, Scottish, English and American Folk Music.

After the show I was talking with their mother and she shared that none of the children had ever had music lessons. They always had instruments lying around as part of their lives and environment. She inspired me so much!

Just like we choose to surround our children with the written word, we also choose to surround them with music and instruments. We recently acquired a piano. From the moment Devin sat down in front of it, he began playing. I mean really playing! Joe and I looked at each other in amazement. He truly has a natural gift. He has no interest in music lessons at all. He is just enJOYing the experience of playing in his own way. His music is so unique, so beautiful and perfectly *him*. I would never want to rob that from him by having an "expert" tell him how and what he should be playing, unless it was something he really wants to do.

I love the beauty of *Trust* living this life. We never have to rely on "experts" to perfect our skills and talents, even in such areas as music. All of my kids will continue on their own paths of musical growth in the way that they choose to. Seeing this amazing band reaffirmed my inner-knowing of what we are humans are capable of. Musical talent isn't something "taught". It is something inside of those who choose to release and nurture it.

Preserving Babywearing Memories

I am one of those sentimental Moms who have a hard time parting with things from my children's babyhood. One item that I am very emotionally attached to my children's slings. They represent so much to me.

The first sling I ever bought was when Devin (who is almost 11 now) was only a few months old. I bought is used on eBay for $14. From that moment on, I have never been without a sling. It is the only baby item that I ever needed that wasn't already part of my body.

I had an idea to be able to transform my children's slings into something they can use for the rest of their lives. Last night I created a pillow for Devin and embroidered the years he was *worn* on it. It was a quick, easy project and one in which anyone could do. I used a sewing machine, but you can easily sew this by hand. Devin wanted his pillow very simple, but Tiff wants hers with fancy fringe and hearts and iron on transfers.

As I was creating his pillow, Devin came down stairs several times to see if I was done. He loves his new *Sling Pillow* and he slept with it last night. He is just as attached to it as I was. It was so Joyful to give it to him as a symbol of our connection and love together as mother and son. When I handed him this precious new creation, I hugged him, looked into his eyes and told him how much I loved the years I wore him all day on my body. He smiled and gave me a long hug and sweet kiss. He said, "Mom, thank you. I love you".

Babywearing is so much more than an easy way to carry our babies and children. It goes deep into who we are are women and as mothers. This transition from having our babies growing inside our bodies to wearing them on the outside of our bodies is natural and beautiful and a part of motherhood that I will always cherish.

Here is Devin with his new *Sling Pillow*.

I will be making one for Tiff next. She can't wait and wants to help with the project.
Ivy and Orion are still worn, so it will be a few years before I can transform their slings into such sweet keepsakes. Until that time, I will cherish every moment that I wear them.