New England Love

I (usually) really love living in New England.  I love the change of season, the many hiking trails, the closeness to our families, and our picturesque, family-friendly New England town.  I admittedly, however, was in such a funk after returning from Florida.  I missed the warm weather, the sandals, the spending hours outside playing without worrying if the kid is getting too cold.  The first few days after coming back were cold.  As my husband would say (he looks for opportunities to use this phrase), "It's colder than a witch's tit in a cast iron bra."  So cold I was about to start job hunting for organist positions in the south.  About a week later, though, New England and I reconciled our differences.  We got a few snows and spent the next few days behind the local ice cream parlor using their awesome hill as our sledding playground.  It was Asher's first time sledding and he loved it.

The very end of the month has been unusually warm, however, and despite our lovely snow days we are very much enjoying the sun.  Yesterday Asher and I were throwing rocks in the stream for about an hour, coat-free!

February is looking to be an exciting month, a month full of learning!.  I'm taking an online course in rhythm in the home, and so far it has been wonderful.  I've been thinking so much more about how and when we do things at home.  I've already gotten some great advice on meal planning and organizing.

Even though we have a few years, I've alsobeen doing a good amount of reading and research on homeschooling and various methods/curriculum.  As it stands, I know I want to use both a Christian and Waldorf focus. The Windsor library has many books on homeschooling, and as a result there is a foot-high stack of homeschooling books next to me right now.  I've read one book so far, and I'm sure this month I will be learning lots of great information about homeschooling.

January!

Yeh, fell off the wagon again.  But got back on!
January has been an interesting month. Asher and I went to Florida to see his Great Grandma!

 On Monday, our second day there, I came down with the stomach flu and we had to spend much of the day inside, but thankfully got over that quickly! 



With the new semester work has started up again for all of us.  Even Asher is now "working" at our local nursing homes on Tuesdays.  I take him and sing hymns/play the piano, and Asher does all his little nursery rhymes for the residents.  They love him!!!!  It has been such a wonderful, fulfilling opportunity.  One of our biggest goals is to teach Asher to put other people before himself, but it is difficult to do as he is so little and there are not many volunteer opportunities out there for toddlers.  Bringing him to perform and visit with the residents has brought so much joy to their lives, and he knows it.  We are so thankful for all our blessings, and so happy to be able to give back.

Third Times a . . . ?

I've been meaning to start a blog for awhile.  Had a few failed attempts at it within the past year or so, mostly because I would just stare at the initial blog naming page and could never come up with something cute and creative that I liked at the time, so just closed the internet down and never got further.  But, finally, found it:  magicdragonflies.  Fitting?  I say yes.
My goal is to have at least one weekly entry.  Asherbebes is growing so so fast and learning more everyday.  I never want to forget this.

Rather than a post covering the past week, this post will be for this past month of September.  September is such a wonderful month there's no reason to jip it just because I've been lazy on getting this blog started!

Where we are in life:  S still has all his normal jobs, school, church, and numerous gigs here and there.  I have been doing a good amount of church work, plus school has started up this month.  And Asher has been becoming such a little man!  A few weeks ago his language just took off!  Now he says everything!  It's still mostly single words, but once in awhile he does attach colors to objects when speaking, i.e. Black Meow Meow, Blue Ball, Red Car, etc..

Asher loves playing outside.  We go for walks every day and spend lots of time on the nature trail near our home and the playground.  We do frequent trips over to Strattenbrook Park, Tullmeadow Farm, the playground at OSA, and many other places around the vicinity. Recently, we've been going over to Elizabeth Park a lot to feed the ducks.  He loves it and is totally unphased when the ducks get out of the pond and walk right up to him hoping for that next piece of bread. 

Here are a few September goodies:

 Hanging out and watching commotion of the town's craft fair.

Playground!

I just scored him this "Irish" shirt for 50cents. 

Elizabeth Park.  Checking out Mama from behind the tree.

Playing at Elizabeth Park.

I'm so so lucky to be your Mama, little boy.  I love you so much!