Inviting Fall: Paper Tree

I was immediately inspired when I saw this post on my favorite children's craft collective, The Crafty Crow. It was a nice, slow process. The boys helped me cut branches from paper grocery bags. The tree stayed leafless for a couple of days, then we took out the watercolors and painted a handful of coffee filters I had stashed in the craft cabinet.

The next day, when the coffee filters were dry, we folded the filters in half, then in half again, then cut a leaf shape out of them, leaving a very cool star in the center of each.

I love our new door art! The leaves don't really change much where we live, so creating a bit of color brings the season that much closer. Looking forward to more cinnamon and pumpkins and apples and hay and all things autumn!

Inviting Fall: Pinecone Wreath

Wednesday's Autumnal Equinox came and went without my planned seasonal fanfare, as our four schedules left us all passing ships in the night, with barely enough time for nutrition, homework and hygiene, let alone crafty ritual. But this morning was just right for it. A cool breeze, a slow pace, and nothing on the agenda but enjoying each other's company.

On our annual Labor Day trip to south Georgia, we went on a pinecone hunt, and gathered a bagful to bring home for fall decorating.

We pulled it out this morning, along with a styrofoam wreath form I've had lying around for way too long, and Big B and little b had fun sorting the pinecones into just the right arrangement. The real fun began when I told them I'd let them use the hot glue gun. The reverence of that tool held their rapt attention for the entire project.

I wrapped the wreath form with autumnal fabric, then let the boys take turns with the hot glue gun, gluing their pinecone of choice to the fabric, bottom side inward.

I glued small rust colored ornaments and cinnamon sticks between their pinecones as we worked. With the leftovers, we made a welcoming basket for the front hall table.

We all felt so proud to hang our welcoming wreath on the front door, inviting more cool breezes, cinnamon smells and warm, rusty colors. I immediately went into the kitchen and made butternut squash bisque! We wholeheartedly welcome you, autumn, and all your gracious gifts!

The Sketchbook Project

Introducing the coolest thing Papa and I have made together in a long time. (Well, except for Big B and little b, of course). The Sketchbook Project from Art House Co-op.

As students together in college studying architecture, we carried sketchbooks everywhere, and prided ourselves on our improving drawing, composition, and conceptual communication skills. Now that we are juggling full-time careers, non-profit work and two very active boys, neither of us find the time we really need to nurture our own creativity--let alone each other's. Then this project came across my computer screen one day and a lightbulb went off!

Here's how it works: for a small entry fee, the Art House Co-op will send you a small and lovely Moleskine sketchbook and a theme, either selected by you or randomly generated, with which to fill it. We will send in our finished sketchbook, and it will join many others on a tour of libraries and museums nationwide.

Of course, I chose a random theme, and was overjoyed with the serendipity of it all when we received our book:

Our theme: Boys and girls. How perfect is THAT? We thought about it, talked about it, and came up with a way to treat this theme that we think will be fun for each of us while allowing us to see from the other's perspective. Rather than making each page "about" boys and girls, we decided to each take half of the book. On a given night, we pick a topic, and we each interpret that topic as we see fit. We talk about our interpretations, it's not secretive, not competitive, just...fun.

For our first topic, we did the old open-the-dictionary trick, and landed on the word PALM. These are our entries:

BOYS:

GIRLS:

I look forward to each night we are able to work on this project together. It's date night + creative outlet + being a part of something bigger than ourselves--and that's just fabulous.

Creatures, Big and Small

We spent Labor Day weekend in South Georgia, and much of our time there was spent in the woods, on the trails, exploring, wondering, admiring. We marveled at every animal we saw, big and small, common and rare, tame and wild. These are a few of our encounters.

Look! Deer tracks!

Can you spot the spider?

A seed pod opened up by...?

A rat snake, who had just swallowed something very big...

A five (plus) foot Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake, my first encounter...

This very grateful dragonfly we rescued...
A caterpillar...
A butterfly...

Grandma's beloved kitty cat...

And Magnus. This might have been Magnus's last trip to Georgia, and we are so grateful he was able to join us. He enjoyed himself so much, and rested in the sunshine to his heart's content.

He even made a few friends.

Wedding from a Two-Year-Old Viewpoint

How do you keep a VERY inquisitive two-year-old busy at a wedding? Give him a camera. I've blogged about children and weddings before, but I've never been able to try this tactic with little b...until now. These are some of my favorites from quite a lovely collection.

New Traditions: Good Morning, Beach

Little b began preschool this week. My heart has been in my throat for three days straight. As much as I love the school, the teacher, the children, the families...he's gone, and I miss him. Sure, I'm able to work more. Sure, the house is cleaner. Sure, I can have a phone conversation. But I feel like part of my body is gone. And with Big B now in first grade, on these preschool days the house is just so...quiet.

To help us both with the transition, little b and I have started a morning ritual. After dropping Big B off at big kid school, we head south to little b's school. The trip puts us there about ten minutes early, so we stop at a quiet beach nearby and say, "Good morning, Beach!" Little b finds flowers and shells, and I watch him, secretly wrapping him up with love and hoping it's enough to carry him through the day.

This is really, really hard.

Sending Summer Off in the Sunset

The end of a great summer is so bittersweet. As this was the first summer which truly embodied a break in routine for our family, I am proud to say we embraced it fully. I am excited beyond words for the new experiences Big B and little b face this week, but there is a lump in my throat that holds the memories of beach days, field trips, lazy mornings and explorative adventures.

Many of the families in our village felt the same way, so we gathered at a favorite beach spot yesterday evening to enjoy the sunset, one last time. (For a little while anyway.) Us mamas and our babies have been so incredibly blessed to grow up together, but these gatherings with our partners are truly special. We are able to witness the harmony of our community and the common thread of parenting we all share: LOVE.

We played...

We gathered...

We laughed...

Our children worked together...

And explored in solitude.

And us mamas? We watched, fully soaking up these last moments of summer,

Until they were going...

going...

...gone.

And we have enjoyed every minute. Here's to the next adventure!