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Tuesday, April 26, 2016

A spring walk in the woods





















Last week I took the kids for a walk up the Bald River Falls trail in the Cherokee National Forest. The weather was warm and perfect for a day in the woods. Four years ago Rodrigo and my Dad got a contract with the forest service to build the steps along the cliff at the beginning of the trail. The kids are always thrilled to cross those steps, informing anyone nearby that their "Daddy built these steps" People are usually suitably impressed! ;-) The wildflowers are just hitting their peak around here and we had to stop every few feet to identify new (to us) varieties. Matthew spotted a water snake sunning on a rock, but when we tried to get a little closer for a better picture it slid off and disappeared between the rocks under the water. Violet got tired of walking a few miles in, so I used the sheet I had brought for our picnic blanket as a baby carrier, and tied her onto my back Guatemalan style for the trip back down the mountain. She rested and slept on my back for a bit over 2 hours. By the time we made it back to the car, everyone was ready for a nap! It was a very quiet trip home, as all of the kids fell asleep before we had even made it out of the park. I stopped as soon as we reached the first town for a cup of coffee and listened to an audio-book all the way home, without a single interruption! That's a rare thing in our home!!! After such a long wet winter it feels so good to be outside enjoying the warm sunshine and the beautiful green mountains! 

Psalm 96:12

Let the fields be jubilant, and everything in them;

    let all the trees of the forest sing for joy.


Friday, February 12, 2016

A tea party and cu'capes












Today we had a tea party with some of our favorite friends. My mom gave Claire a set of 4 matching antique teacups and saucers for her birthday in December. We decided that Valentine's Day would be an excellent time to invite some friends over and share our pretty things. There were cookies, cupcakes, fresh raspberries, cheese and crackers and two different kinds of tea. The big brothers stopped by the table occasionally for snacks, although they declined to sit and giggle with a table full of mostly little girls. :-)

Violet ended up under the table with her "cu'cape" before it was over. I love this age, when they really start communicating well, but still have cute little words that they use for some things.

Tuesday, January 12, 2016

A Custom Doll








A custom doll for a dear reader's little girl. She is 12.5 inches tall, made of organic cotton Swiss jersey skin fabric, firmly stuffed with 100% organic wool. Her face was sculpted using a combination of traditional waldorf doll making techniques and needlefelting. Her hat is made from softest, cuddliest 100% cashmere, and her blond hair is from 100% organic lambswool. Her eyes (which are quite beautiful, if I do say so myself) took forever and a half to embroider! Her wardrobe consists of a pair of tiny bloomers edged in vintage lace, a dress made from coordinating cotton fabric with a matching bias neckline, and a sweet little linen/cotton blend pinafore with a matching pocket. I have to finish up a few tiny details, and she should be heading for her new home in a day or two!