Latest Lluvismos

Lluvi: (eating quiche) Did you make this?
Me: Yes
Lluvi: You're a good maker!

Earlier in the day
Lluvi: Do you know how to jiggle?
Me: (lying) um, no
Lluvi: Don't you remember that day you were jiggling with balls?
Me: Oooh, juggle.

Food for thought on the education of children

I came across this quote in a book I was reading, and it was a good reminder of the big picture as well as a bit provocative:

As far as the education of children is concerned I think they should be taught not the little virtues but the great ones. Not thrift, but generosity and indifference to money; not caution but courage and contempt for danger; not shrewdness but frankness and a love of truth; not tact but love for one’s neighbor and self-denial; not a desire for success but a desire to be and to know.

-from The Little Virtues, by Natalia Ginsberg

Race cars

Sometimes you would never know that Lluvi's first language is English. Here is what she said while playing with toy race cars:

If they take on speed, they can run out of control.

Our new house motto!

I love how this sums it all up in a nice kid-friendly rhyme:

Use it up, wear it out,
Make it do, or do without!

Solstice Lizard

On the winter solstice, Lluvia found a tiny toy lizard with no tail at the laundromat. She really loved it and it became her best friend and had all kinds of adventures with it, including getting it stuck in her jacket zipper when we were trying to get out the door and falling asleep with it in her hand (it was really hard to find in the morning). Here's a pic of another situation she put it in!

Holiday gifts by hand

I made Lluvi some pink slippers. The tops are scraps of fleece from her pig costume and the soles are felt from the holiday stockings we made. Those little dots are puffy paint so they won't be slippery. They aren't perfect, but I thought they were pretty cute. Did Lluvi love them? No, she did not. Will they keep her feet warm from the cold floor? Yes, they will. Which is their purpose, after all.

My mom made her a book and she made my mom a book :)

Too girlish

After buying some new pink shoes with bows on them, Lluvia is proudly walking out of the store with them on when she stops and says to me, "Take the pink bow out of my hair now. I might look TOO girlish."

Sioux Indian Prayer

"O Great Spirit, let me walk in beauty, and make my eyes ever behold the red and purple sunset. Make my hands ever respect the things you have made and my ears sharp to hear your voice. Let me learn the lessons you have hidden in every leaf and rock."

My new workspace

My new workspace is done. Finally the computer can get off the kitchen table! After many setbacks and really weak sheetrock, it's functional. I'm sure it will never look this uncluttered again, but isn't it cute, tucked into a corner?

Pregnant woman

After drawing this, Lluvia said, "This is a pregnant woman. See, she has a baby in there -- that's the head poking out."

Yes, that circle between the legs is the baby's head :)

Painting at Papa's house

Solstice Activities

At our co-op, I told the winter solstice story, and then we drew pics of the sun to hang in the window and call the sun back. It was a really nippy day, too, so perfect for talking about winter. Then we made a sun cake (carrot cake with cream cheese sweet potato frosting).

Next week we'll make a fire and some wreaths.

"The bird of paradise alights only on the hand that does not grasp."

Storytelling

Pic of big belly

Decorating for the holidays

Here's what Lluvi and I have been making for the holidays

Latest projects

Here are my latest projects:

A skirt for Lluvi

A fleece poncho for Lluvi

A knitted hat for Lluvi

A knitted scarf for me

Rocking a little toy squirrel in her arms, singing "Rockabye baby" with the word baby replaced by squirrel every time.