Before my husband and I had children, we discussed how we planned to handle various aspects of holidays. We aren't Christian and don't celebrate Christmas, so it only seemed natural to me that we wouldn't bring the commercial aspect of Santa Claus into our home for the Solstice. It wasn't something I would miss. Not only... Continue Reading →
My husband grew up with an Advent Calendar. Every day his mother would dole out butterscotch candies that were pinned to it. A few years ago, he mentioned it to me, saying that it was a tradition he enjoyed and missed. We don't celebrate Christmas, so we needed to come up with something that would... Continue Reading →
We've been helping our children make gifts for their siblings this year, and I have to admit that I am extremely pleased with the results - not necessarily the physical results of their hard work, which admittedly are lovely, but the results of the experience. The first step for each was to come up with... Continue Reading →
As we gather nearer to the Winter Solstice, the darkness presses in closer, leaving us with an ever decreasing amount of daylight as we go about our lives. This period of darkness is when our family celebrates Halcyon. The word halcyon is used to depict a time of peace and quiet reflection, stemming from the mythical halcyon... Continue Reading →
When our oldest child was 2 years old, I designed a wooden play kitchen. My husband and I built it and the kids loved it. Unfortunately, it did take up quite a bit of space, and we eventually sold it. Lately I have been thinking about it, as my younger two children are growing. Our... Continue Reading →
With six people in our family, one of whom has some obsessive compulsive tendencies with regard to possible germs, we wash hands a lot. We used to go through quite a bit of soap. Afterall, it's fun to play with soap and water. In an effort to conserve some money, I began making our own... Continue Reading →
With the birth of our fourth child last April, our van began to feel wonderfully full. We can't squeeze another carseat into our van. Our older two kids are in Britax Regents in the backseat and our younger two are rear-facing in Evenflo Triumph Advances in the captain's chairs. Yes, that's right. Our eight and... Continue Reading →
When my older two children were little, we saw some adorable ghost trick or treat bags at Pottery Barn Kids. Being me, I decided to make them. I went home and designed the pattern. I made them with white felt and lined them. Hand-stitched accents just like Pottery Barn Kids made them that extra special... Continue Reading →
My son wanted to be Indiana Jones for Halloween. He already had tan cargo pants and a shirt he could wear, along with his explorer's bag that I had made for him a few years ago. He needed a leather jacket and fedora to make the look complete. We looked to see what was available... Continue Reading →
As with many other holidays, companies have managed to turn Halloween into a consumerist Photo by Yaxzone product. Emphasis is placed on the purchase and distribution of mass amounts of candy, over-priced cheaply made costumes, and non-environmentally friendly packaging. When we celebrate Halloween by taking our children trick-or-treating, it's easy to fall into this mindset.... Continue Reading →
living peacefully with children 