good + happy day

Summer 2012 Buckets

2012-07-01T16:08:00.001-04:00

We've been working on our Summer 2012 List for a few weeks now and finally completed our project. Putting together our summer "bucket" list is one of my favorite activities to kick of the summer months. We loved last summer's craft sticks so much that we used the same idea this time, only with smaller sticks and using actual buckets.

Also, we have not one, but two lists and two buckets. One is for the bigger outings, trips, ongoing learning, and activities that require some planning and time.

The other is a list of home-based or quick activities we can do any time we're bored, on rainy days, on days when it's too hot to leave home or during Maya's naps. It includes playing games, quick and easy art projects, reminders about craft kits and toys the girls might consider when they feel like there's nothing to do, baking activities, reminders to work on our library challenges and summer workbooks. There's always something to do!

Maya painted sticks too this time!

Here's some of what's on our list:

Fly a kite
Go berry picking
Go to Nature Center classes
Roast marshmallows and hotdogs at night
Stargaze
Make a picnic basket and go on picnics
Learn to ride a bike (Sabrina)
Learn to swim (CC)
Visit National parks
Make rhubarb recipes
Make plum recipes
Write poetry
Visit the Washington monument
Go to see outdoor movies
Go to local beaches
Go to concerts
Visit a butterfly show
Learn about whole foods
Visit a working farm
Shop at the farmers' markets
Make masks
Have a Beatles dance party

Dots and Stripes for Playful Learning

2012-06-25T07:30:00.000-04:00

Hello! I'm so very excited to share that I'm now a contributing blogger for Playful Learning, a blog and enterprise that I've long admired. When Maria Bruehl put out a call for contributors I couldn't resist sending her a note even though I have so much on my plate right now that my own darling blog reflects none of the good + happy stuff going on these days. But, I thought, this is probably just what I need--working with someone as inspiring and committed and successful as Mariah will surely get my blogging creativity going again. Lucky me, she accepted my offer to write a few times a month. My first post is for a sweet bandana that has gotten plenty of use already and will surely be a proudly worn accessory on July 4th. I hope you like it and all the other great ideas on Playful Learning!

Creating Together

2012-01-18T16:00:00.001-05:00

Lately I've been making an extra effort to sit with the girls while they make art. At least once a day, and especially if I've prepared a special project for them, we sit together and all work on the same thing. It's no longer just CC and Sabrina while Mommy works on the computer or makes dinner and Maya scootches under the table or stands on tiptoe trying to squirrel away a sticker or marker for herself. Now we're more often than not at the art table all together.

I totally enjoy this relaxing creative time where I'm not just directing the process but actually participating in it... and it makes such a difference in the way the girls work too. They stay at the table longer. They take an interest in each other's work. They ask me to teach them. They offer compliments. They ask each other questions. I feel as if we have a true little artist's atelier going in our dining room.

Here we continued our work with paper and collage materials, this time using little red dot stickers and markers to make family portraits. It's funny that Sabrina in a moment of irritation made CC all frowny, and it's sweet how CC teaches herself to draw things by partly copying my work. And then there was Maya, chubby little fingers working so hard to peel those stickers and hold the markers! I think in the end she was proudest of all.


Sabrina's collage


CC's collage

Maya's collage

My collage

Paper

2012-01-16T10:30:00.001-05:00

We've been following our plan to focus on one art material or technique at a time. Throughout November, December and the first weeks of January we worked with colored pencils, crayons, markers, though we remained flexible and incorporated other holiday crafts and added materials as necessary for a specific project.

Now we're getting started on paper as our material of choice. Scissors, glue, tape, and simple stickers are always on hand as is a big stack of colorful construction paper and white drawing paper. So many possibilities in paper... folding, cutting, tearing, crumbling.

So far we've practiced some simple origami folding and made collages using contact paper. I imagine cutting snowflakes, making paper chains and working with tissue will make their way into our time using paper, and, as has happened with each unit, I expect this one to extend well beyond the week we originally allotted for each material.

Look who is beginning to participate in art projects!

Snuggles and Gerald, CC's class guinea pigs, were with us for the weekend and Sabrina created this wonderful collage portrait of them.

New Year's Morn

2012-01-01T20:01:00.000-05:00

So fun waking up to last night's rainbow of decorations and enjoying them in the bright sunlight of late morning. We all slept in a little longer than usual, with Maya being the first up. So she and I put together a simple brunch for everyone to enjoy. Berries, bacon, balloons, oh my. And even a little left over New Year's Eve cake.

So, happy new year! Last year was a good one that answered many questions for our family and put us on a path on which we are confident and happy. For 2011 I am grateful, but I like the sound of twenty twelve and the gentle turns I anticipate in the path ahead even better.

New Year's Eve

2012-01-01T19:49:00.001-05:00

25 white balloons, 14 glassybaby votives, party hats, bead necklaces and maracas for the five of us, a Magic 8 Ball to help us predict the year ahead, 12 grapes each and a Nutella cake covered in sparkler candles. That's what New Year's Eve looked like for our little clan. We first walked to our favorite neighborhood restaurant to feast on Japanese food and toast with sake. Then back home to ring in 2012 at... 10 pm! Yes, we set the clocks forward a bit so the girls could participate without being too tired. This is the second time we opt out of leaving our home to celebrate and instead make our own little romance right here at home, and it suits us so, so well.

Christmas Dinner Party

2011-12-26T12:20:00.002-05:00

After a day of playing and lounging in our nighties we hosted a little Christmas dinner party for family. For some years now we've had a tradition of cooking pulled pork barbecue and all the delicious sides that go with that for Christmas. It is always a hit with children and adults and keeps things fun and informal.

The food did not keep us from dressing fancy though. With three girls in the house we never miss a chance to dress up, put bows in our hair and spread glitter from our sparkly shoes all around.

For dessert I continued my tradition of making one very outrageous holiday treat and served a triple-layer candied pecan buttered pear bourbon cream cake. It was indeed pretty outrageous!

We exchanged gifts with our guests and sent them home with little pouches of chewy peppermint sticks and Sabrina's spontaneously assembled goodie bags of clemetines, candy canes and chocolates. It makes me so happy that my girls really enjoy welcoming people into our home... they loved preparing the house, setting the table, welcoming everyone and treating them with warmth and generosity. What a nice thing for a mama to witness of Christmas day.

Christmas Morning

2011-12-26T11:35:00.000-05:00

Dolls! Tea set! Charlie Brown Cyclopedia! Sno cone machine! Tintin books! Strawberry Shortcake! Ornaments! Barrettes! Fancy dresses! Wagon! Ear muffs! Play food! Then, a sweet breakfast on this luminous Christmas day and a morning of play and discovery before the fire.

Fourth Sunday of Advent

2011-12-19T10:37:00.005-05:00

As far as dinners go, ours are unpredictable. Some evenings we have thoughtful, peaceful talks and eat our food happily and mind our manners. Other evenings we whine about everything, bicker, eat very little while making an inversely proportional mess.

Sometimes taking the focus off food and manners is the best solution, and since I wanted our dinner on the fourth Sunday of Advent to be on the peaceful side, I wrote little questions about the holidays for each of us to talk about during the meal. Nothing profound, just questions about favorite holiday treats, songs, books, movies and activities.

Each of us (except Maya) answered each question and it made the meal fun and pleasant... and we learned a few things about each other as well. I often feel like a big part of my job as a mother is to seek out clues to the mystery that my children are so that I can better honor and nurture them. So I relish getting those sweet glimpses into their little hearts and minds.

I found out that CC's love of Cindy Lou Who is greater than we thought. And that Sabrina likes Christmas music you can dance to like Feliz Navidad. Also, that Sabrina's favorite Christmas stories are from the Bible. I myself was reminded of one of my favorite movies, Miracle on 34th Street, which I haven't watched in years and surely will this week. For each answer we had to also answer, Why? And so our conversation got a little deeper and really captured what the holidays are about for each of us.

By the end of the dinner I saw I might have started something very good here... maybe a Sunday dinner tradition where we discuss a topic through personal questions like these. It would be a sweet way to end the weekend for sure.

Gingerbread

2011-12-18T09:56:00.000-05:00

Rolling out dough in our nightgowns. Big mommy and daddy cookies, medium big girl cookies and adorable tiny baby cookies. The sweet gingery smell of baking filling our house. Getting flour all over the place, including our hair! Watching Maya discover a new flavor. Arranging cookies into the families we know.

It was a wonderful morning that almost did not happen because I couldn't get my hands on the ideal recipe I just knew was out there. In the end, we used a boxed mix that tastes very good. It was the two hours we spent baking together that mattered and will be held in our memories.

I was reminded of Voltaire's observation: do not let the perfect get in the way of the good. The holiday season seems like a very good time to live by this!

CC's Holiday Party

2011-12-14T06:37:00.006-05:00

Yesterday we hosted a little holiday play date for CC's friends that was so much fun. I learned a few things about hosting and enjoying your own party and making guests feel welcome and entertained from CC. First, run around the whole house with each guest that arrives and show them all your favorite things. Second, look your guests in the eye smiling then giggle a lot for no real reason. Third, when it's time to eat or do an activity, instantly ignore your guests and plunge head first into the task at hand enjoying it as much if not more than everyone else. Fourth, don't worry about spills, messes, anyone touching your stuff or snooping in strange places--in fact, encourage it. Fifth, if things start to slow down, change locations by calling out "everyone to my bedroom" at the top of your lungs. And finally, be smiley and full of energy till the very end--if necessary eat more candy to maintain your mood.

Preparing for the party is always part of the fun of course. CC and I spent time the previous day putting together the party's activities, which was a nice way for us to spend her "at home" day (she has no preschool on Mondays).

CC is a very social child and loves having people over, so she was very excited, chatting about the friends who were coming and how the party would evolve. She was eager to help with all the preparations too. Together we made gingerbread houses out of graham crackers and painted bottle brush trees with snow. We also had to wash jars and shop for candy. It's so nice to have a little companion to work on these things with and run ideas by.

The party was a success and hit just the right balance between activities and free play, healthy snacks and candy gobbling. I loved having a house full of little ones running around, snacking, working, exploring and playing while their moms and I got to catch up and relax. As I did that, kept an eye on the party's progress and tended to Maya, I also got to watch my special girl feel just a little more special all afternoon, and that was maybe the best part of all.

I am Collecting a Collection

2011-12-10T12:04:00.000-05:00

I come from a family of collectors. My parents and everyone on both sides of my families have several collections, some finished, some still growing. Art, ceramics, carved wooden figures, silver boxes, enamel boxes, ducks, vases. Following in their footsteps I have in the past started several collections, but was never passionate enough about any to continue tending to them. So I decided that when the time was right, the thing I wanted to collect would present itself.

Some years ago I came across glassybaby, a small company that makes only one thing: exquisitely handblown and colored glass goblets. I fell in love with the look of the glass, so timeless and modern at once, so simple and uniform yet full of the infinite variety that handmade things offer. I also fell in love with the many uses for the goblets. They can be votives, vases, drinking glasses, containers for pencils, candy or just about anything in between.

As a lover of symbols I decided that I would grow my collection by buying glassybaby to mark special times in my life. I match the color or name of the goblet to the occasion. Sometimes it has been a reward for something I pushed myself to do, sometimes a mark of celebration, sometimes a sweet reminder of a good moment.

So I got the green "Fertile" when I found out I was pregnant with Maya. "Dream" marked the start of Good + Happy Day Studio, a dream I had been holding for years that materialized last summer. I recently got "Cream" as a little present to myself for nursing Maya for over a year, something that was at times very difficult but that I miss so much now that she's been weened for a few months.

I also receive glassybaby as gifts, and love being surprised with a color or concept and finding out why it was chosen for me.

I love arranging and rearranging the goblets, as do the girls. Sometimes we do a rainbow, other times pattern or something more unexpected. To add to our holiday decor I separated out the white, green and red ones and kept only those on the mantel. I love the effect. And even more I love that my glassybaby collection is lovely and useful and endlessly adaptable.

The title for this post is from Charlie and Lola, one of my favorite cartoon shows.

Christmas in the Bedrooms

2011-12-08T10:48:00.001-05:00

We have little touches of Christmas in the girls' rooms. Tiny trees, simple garlands, sweet ornaments hanging on doorknobs, red ribbons on their favorite stuffed animals. I still haven't put anything in the master bedroom, though I should because as a family we probably spend more time in the big bed than any other place! Maybe some twinkling lights and a wreath over the bed?

St. Nicholas Was Here

2011-12-06T10:55:00.000-05:00

St. Nicholas always leaves us little things to help celebrate the season. This year, winter nightgowns with matching ones for dolls (or bunnies), Christmas books, beautiful chocolate coins and clementines and a soft little bear for Maya. You can tell in these pictures how sleepy and bedheady the girls were--I woke them early so we wouldn't have to be rushed with school preparations after the excitement of checking our slippers. Such sweet faces, this is how they look most like themselves I think.

The Tree

2011-12-05T10:13:00.004-05:00

This year we've done something a little different with our tree. We have a smaller, potted spruce that we've put on a table. It reminds me of trees I've seen in vintage storybooks and, from doing a little research, I learned that this what indoor Christmas trees used to be like.

After the season is over we'll be able to keep it outside and then in the springtime plant it. I like that our tree will continue to have a life after we've enjoyed it. I also like that without a giant tree taking over our livingroom the focus is shared with some other holiday evergreens like a garland over the dining room doorway, tiny trees in the girls' rooms and several wreaths throughout the house. Even though at first the girls missed a big tree like we've usually had, they warmed up to this one as soon as a few lights and ornaments went up. Especially Maya!

Facebook

2011-12-05T06:51:00.001-05:00

Just a little note to say that Good + Happy Day has its own Facebook page. If you'd like to be part of my Facebook community, participate in some great conversations, get more inspiration and information, then just hit the Like button on the sidebar of this blog. Thank you and see you there!

Second Sunday of Advent

2011-12-04T19:41:00.001-05:00

Today is the second Sunday of Advent. We lit two candles on our wreath and Patrick said a prayer:

During this Advent, let your light of peace and love shine in our world. Give us eyes to see the signs of your presence in the world. Help us to prepare our lives and our homes to receive the One who said, “I am the light of the world.” Amen.

There is nothing more lovely than dear faces illuminated by candlelight.

Cozy Holiday Evenings

2011-12-03T19:32:00.003-05:00

Here's a recipe for a perfectly cozy and relaxing family evening. A favorite holiday movie or several shorter holiday shows. A tray of yummy and mostly nutritious snacks like popcorn, clementines, nuts, cheese, bread, and gingerbread. Milk for little ones and wine for big ones. No other dinner required. Enjoy and repeat over and over as needed throughout the month.

Stocking Up

2011-12-02T19:31:00.002-05:00

A favorite holiday ritual for me is sneaking off with my sister on a weekday morning to visit IKEA and stock up on Swedish holiday goodness. I like shopping at IKEA for simple and inexpensive tableware, textiles and accessories for entertaining during the holidays. I also always find lots of cute holiday decorations and basic toys during this time of year.

Today's loot included cute toys to donate, sweet wrapping paper and baking cups, a cozy sheepskin rug for the girls' bedroom and some tiny LED lights for the dollhouse.

The trip is not just about shopping--my sister and I get to chat uninterrupted, inspire each other with whatever catches our eye, and plan for and anticipate the meals and celebrations ahead, which we always spend together and take turns hosting.

On the First Day...

2011-12-01T20:53:00.001-05:00

Just like last year we marked the first day of the holiday month with gingerbread, holiday books, candy canes, and the opening of the advent calendars. It's an after school affair, and reading the books goes on all afternoon and evening. Of all the things we haul out of the attic for the holidays, I think our growing collection of Christmas books is the most anticipated and enjoyed. This year we added three new titles, one for each girl to unwrap: The Polar Express, The Sweet Smell of Christmas and The Spirit of Christmas.

December

2011-12-01T19:10:00.001-05:00

Happy December! It's the first day of the month and we have plenty of time to set the tone for the holidays ahead and make them a reflection of what’s important to us. So review your values and set your intentions. Do only those things that support your true wishes for yourself and your family.

This year I am particularly committed to keeping the material aspects of the holidays simple so we can focus on the more complex emotional and spiritual significance of this time of year. I want our decorations and activities to be symbolic of our beliefs and I want my children to understand their meaning.

So we are focusing on greenery and light and stars as our main motifs. We are celebrating advent and following the liturgical calendar and honoring celebrations like Saint Nicholas' Day and Epiphany. Every step of the way I try to explain to my girls that we do what we do because of our faith and that the sweets and gifts and beauty of the holidays do not stand alone but are symbols for something much larger and more lasting than this season.

Do it First

2011-11-30T19:10:00.000-05:00

During the holidays, is there something you always leave for last and then get really stressed out about? For me it's usually getting the photo card made and mailing gifts out. But this year I'm tackling both things early and it feels so good! What can you take care of now that will lighten your mood later?

A Fresh Start

2011-11-29T19:06:00.005-05:00

Start the holidays with a nice fresh slate. Before bringing anything new into your home, declutter, clean and tidy. Make it so candlelight, holiday greenery, good food and meaningful decorations can be the focus of your space in the month ahead.

I started with the big girls' room, where clutter and knick-knacks build up like nowhere else in the house. It was so refreshing to restore the room to its original state. White walls, inspiring art, happy bedding, many books, and simple toys. Any anxiety I had about clearing their space without them was assuaged after they returned from school and didn't notice the change except to play a little more peacefully than usual.

Next, I'll clear the nursery, and this will be harder for me than Maya. Baby toys--the rattles and handlers and quiet books--are so sweet. And yet Maya rarely plays with them anymore... she's on to dolls and board books and blocks. I am still not sure if I'll give away the baby things or hold on to them for this or another generation.

And all day long I clear the rest of the house... I use the word "clear" because it's different from tidying or cleaning or even decluttering. I'm seeking clarity here, a state in which my home is balanced, efficient and calm. A space where things have their rightful place and utility. Where meaningful vignettes and inviting corners beckon us to do the things we love.

Good + Happy Holidays

2011-11-29T18:56:00.005-05:00

The holiday season can be a time of stress and anxiety when it's meant to be one of reflection, peace and intention. I'll be posting regularly here and on Facebook to help me and my family and all of you fill the upcoming weeks with peace + joy.

So now let's pause for a few days to consider what we want for our family's holiday season. My intentions are for calm, simplicity and joyful wholesome living in the days that lead to Christmas. Also, for our activities and environment to be meaningful reminders of the season's spiritual meaning. Keeping these intentions in mind will help me navigate the many options this time of year offers and choose what is best for my family. What do you want for your family?

One at a Time

2011-11-11T08:43:00.003-05:00

Lately the girls seemed to have hit an artistic funk in which they began project after project both simple and ambitious and never finished any. At the end of a weekend day or rainy afternoon the art center was a splendid mess with little more than scribbles, quick drawings and crumbled sheets on the floor to show for it. Lots of wasted paper, art materials and much frustration resulted from this, especially when two little girls were asked to please clean up. There was also some bickering and jealousy over art materials and I started to notice that instead of focusing on their own work each girl would look to see what the other was doing and switch gears or just want what the other was using. This was not the creative, peaceful, harmonious art experience I envisioned for my family.

I started to miss those wonderful first experiences creating art at home. Discovering crayons, markers, chalk for the first time, learning about scissors and glue, treating each new art tool like a magic wand of sorts. The afternoons spent working on one single art project together and the final product, something to be proud of.

Over the years we've explored and collected many materials, designed a well-stocked art center for the girls to keep everything organized and accessible. I really wanted them to feel ownership of their art and inspiration and be able to create anything they wanted on a whim. I wanted to help them be more than art students working on projects, I wanted them to be independent artists able to listen to and follow their own muse. And to a great extent this has happened. Each girl has loads of wonderful work created without any prompting or adult guidance, each has been free to explore and favor mediums and develop their own vision and style, to linger in a phase or quickly move on to the next.

But also, for whatever reason, having twenty different mediums and a variety of paper, three different types of crayons and markers in dozens and dozens of colors, suddenly became a bit paralyzing. Too much choice sometimes hinders creativity rather than fueling it. It can be confusing and stressful not to have any boundaries. It results in unfinished work, big messes, discontent.

So, back to basics, and back to me being the curator of our home environment, a role I love. I proposed this: that we would work with one medium at a time for a whole week and store everything else away so it wouldn't distract us. I knew immediately this was going to work because of how excited the girls were to clean, weed, scrub their art center and help prepare our first materials. I chose coloring pencils first because we have hundreds from various sets and the girls almost never use them. We spent a good part of the afternoon sharpening them to pretty points and then, with the rest of our art supplies neatly stashed in the laundry room, the girls sat at their clean art table each with a new sketch journal, the tub of pencils between them. They drew peacefully, focused and quiet, only talking to share what color they were using next. Success!

We've made a list of what we have that we'll focus on going forward. Crayons, markers, stamps + ink, watercolors, chalk, glue + paper + scissors, tempera paint. I am so excited to give each medium its own time in the sun and see how my girls rediscover it. I'm thinking I will also find one special lesson or project for each medium that makes its particular qualities stand out. Also, I'll ask the girls to use each medium to represent the same thing so we can compare the work. Simplicity is not always the answer, but so often, it is.