Snowflake the Elf

Flying high on a paper airplane

The night she came to stay with us.

We didn't know elves are supposed to come on Dec 1st so our 

elf showed up the first weekend of the holiday season,

 right after Thanksgiving!

Gloves must be used so that she doesn't lose her magic.

Snowflake had her very first sleepover when Nova came to stay the night.

Her selfie game is surprisingly good for an elf!

 Snowflake didn't come to spy on Kindred and report back to Santa...she came to make mischief and magic! We loved having her here and we can't wait until she's back next year! Safe travels back to the North Pole, Snowflake! We will miss you!

Merry Christmas

 We began playing the Christmas tunes early this year. An elf named Snowflake came to stay. I think this was the least stressful and most enjoyable Christmas we've ever had. Even the tree was perfect. I know there are hardships and loss everywhere around the globe right now...and I am pinching myself over our good fortune...we are so blessed. Missing loved ones we didn't get to celebrate with but grateful for their health and happiness, just the same. 

My mantra this holiday season: Thank you Thank you Thank you. 

Partying At Grocery Pickup

How To Catch A Cam

 Throw down a tapestry, in a little bit of sunshine.

Add flip-flops so I know my people have been here.

If you need me to stay awhile, play the Grateful Dead.

I'll still be there when you come back.

Easter

Naiya's Wave Parade

When a child finishes chemo, loved ones typically celebrate with a 

'No More Chemo' party, but in these strange Covid times,

that was off the table. So, we planned out a wave parade.

There were classic cars, service vehicles with sirens, & lots of well-wishers.

And, once again, Naiya was on the news!

 Sending out so much gratitude for Naiya's healing of leukemia and for the love that surrounds her every single day. 

Our Little Classroom

We have a smaller sized bedroom which made the perfect little classroom for Kindred! At first, I wanted to do a nature or classical literature themed room (hence, the DIY giant chalkboard) but that is just not Kindred. She is sparkles & rainbows mixed with giggles & energy! So, we scrapped those plans and went with color! We purchased the alphabet line, the white board, & the posters from Amazon.

The garland was also from a local thrift store, 

although there are so many available on Amazon and Etsy.

Her desk and chair are from a local thriftshop and Berg painted them.

The second desk, the one-piece, is Nova's and was found at a summer yardsale.

The beanbags are the mermaid and the unicorn from Target.

The scratch-off map is from Newverest and we will use it to track states Kindred has visited.

The black and white poster in the lower middle off the wall is a 6-generation genealogy chart.

The magnetic or hanging daily calendar is her favorite thing
and has been my biggest headache! It is so cute and comes with male & female
child and lots of outfit choices...
BUT,
the magnets do not want to stick and slide down the board.
I added little self-adhesive velcro dots to keep everything in place.
AND THEN,
the calendar itself keeps buckling from the string it hangs from!
So, I had to reinforce it with strong tape on the back of it.

I have an Amazon wishlist for the things I want to add to the classroom but I am trying to pace myself and choose wisely since we are limited on space. I will update and add to this post as it evolves. 

Happy Birthday, shug!!

Love you, Ash!!

Happy Birthday, Bob

I miss you every day...

Today

🌈👧👧👧❤️

Goes To Nashville Once

DIY Chalkboard

We built a giant DIY chalkboard for Kindred when we first started home educating. I could just see this nature-inspired, technology-free classroom with classic literature & illustrations...and then I saw the brightly colored classroom of The Moffatt Girls and I said 'Okay, that is definitely more Kindred." So, I hauled the big chalkboard into our kitchen hallway, apologized fifty times to my husband for changing my mind two days after the project was completed, and started over.

We grabbed a 5x6 board from Lowe's, 3x3s for the trim, and a miter box to cut the angles. 

We used a primer spray on the board.

Rust-oleum chalk board paint had the best reviews on the different DIY blog posts I consulted.

This is after the first coat. We did three coats and it still dried a little funky.

If I were going to attempt this again, I would use a different type of board than the one we used.

I would also have my dad cut the trim with his saw as the miter box either malfunctioned,

or my husband was just a little off in his measurements.

He says it was the miter box.

This board is very solid and quite heavy. The girls are using it to draw almost daily and they are so creative in their artwork!! I'm happy with how it turned out. 

Zoolumination: Chinese Festival of Lights

Last night, our family went to see Zoolumination at the Nashville Zoo. It was the largest lantern display in the country and it was absolutely magical!!

Most of the animals were put up, as the temperature was dropping quickly, and it was past their bedtime. But, the lantern animals were just as fascinating to Kindred.

We talked about the meaning behind the festival and Kindred was excited to learn more about Chinese culture.

We are so grateful to all who brought this festival to our lives and hope it returns next year!!