Preparing the spirit...

“I think the human spirit is like a daffodil bulb, preparing for the spring by refreshing its roots, so it can bloom again when the time comes,” the poetic musings of Stafford Whiteaker

I'm back to reading poetry with my babes and enjoying the hibernation part of winter... January was a difficult, challenging month for my emotional well being, my mental state and my spiritual health... I am definitely ready for renewal...

"The best way to cheer yourself up is to cheer somebody else up" ~ Mark Twain

What a wonderful thought and theme for February.  Immersing ourselves in act of spreading joy will fill the buckets of others and in turn fill our own buckets.  Here's to hygge thoughts, feelings and actions this February... we raise a cup of cheer to you♥

Happy Candlemas♥

Happy Candlemas and ground hogs day!

Let us nurture the spirit of renewal and

embrace the light of the lengthening days.

  If Candlemas be fair and bright,

Come, Winter, have another flight;

If Candlemas brings clouds and rain,

Go Winter, and come not again.  

We are ready to snuggle up for a cold February

with a polar vortex moving in by the hour.  

 

We have some wonderful reads for our long winter

and a hygge roaring fire to warm ourselves by...

Welcome Candlemas and the remaining six weeks of winter♥

A piece of quiet...

In the morning, when kiddos are off to their individual journeys for the day; I find myself sitting with my cuppa in quiet contemplation.

Sitting peacefully in the moment enjoying the now.

 Peace and quiet...

I've always felt the saying should be a piece of quiet.

A time for peace and sitting in the quiet to hear your own thoughts.

It's not always been easy for me to enjoy the now with the "what's next" to accomplish on my list.

I find this time of quiet reflection grounding.

Helping me gather my thoughts, myself for the "what's next".

There will always be a lengthy list of expectations,

of the "things" I "need" to get done.

There will always be a hustle and bustle to the world around us.

Take time to sit and contemplate alone with your cuppa,

or with your dear ones.

Wake up earlier to carve out time for your kids to sit in calm,

quiet reflection before they start their day.

There is so much to be said for this grounding and hygge activity:)

Our poem today...

Brew me a cup for a winter's night.
For the wind howls loud and the furies fight;
Spice it with love and stir it with care,
And I'll toast our bright eyes,
my sweetheart fair.
~ Minna Thomas Antrim

 

Displaying words for comfort and inspiration,

is a beautiful way to gather thoughts for reflection.

They were written and photographed by the lovely

Susan Gaylord and hung in her crab apple tree.

The kids and I love this inspiring tree and think the words should be hung on bunting for an interior display.

They enjoy revisiting past projects of meaning and cringe at the thought of their work being left out to the elements.

Have a blessed and wonderful day my friends.

It's a bright new morning of possibility♥

New challenges... thankfulness for simple pleasures♥

 

We have started the new year with new

reading challenges and gratitude journaling!

Gratitude means counting our blessings, thankfulness, acknowledging what we receive... Noticing those simple pleasures in our lives and

our shared journey...

It's been a very hygge way to start the year!

Stay tuned for all our great winter

reading challenge reviews...

the kiddos are so excited to share

their journey with you♥

Even in our greatest challenges ahead,

we aim to remain thankful for

all the little blessings we have...

life is good and we are truly blessed♥

Birding in January...

Country living at it's best... even when it's too cold to go out on one of our adventures... we feel the benefits of nature submersion♥

 

How can our love go wrong if... we start the New Year right...

 

Here's how we set up a rockin' 

New Years Eve 

for a house full of kids:D  

 Starting the new year right!

The dining room set up with provocations to engage the kiddos in cooperative play or individual challenges:)

Here's one of my kiddos super proud to have completed the marble maze... it's a challenge to get all three balls through little holes from the outer rings to the inner rings:D
The new foosball table was a family gift this year and has had a lot of action...
 The kids often switch up the rules of the connect 4 game to make up their own games with patterns etc. for open ended play.
 This labyrinth was a new acquisition this year as well and no one has completed it yet... love a new challenge:)

 

 The Color Match Wheels Puzzle is a challenging matching game.  It contains 7 wheels and on each wheel there are 6 different colors dots. The objective is to place all the wooden wheels back into the box in a way that all the adjacent dots have the same color.

The honeycombs and the wood dominoes are both matching games that require all adjacent pieces to match as well... two different levels for the different ages of our kiddos.

These cups get set up in many creative ways... playing the classic game of "cups", sculptures in cups and today... there was also cups set up in pyramids for soft dart target practice;)

These bright, beautiful crackers made me smile when I found them... a nice tradition I like to carry on from year to year...

  

   One minute to midnight,
One minute to go,
One minute to say goodbye,
Before we say hello.
Lets start the new year right,
12 O’clock tonight,
When they dim the lights lets begin.
Kissing the old year out,
Kissing the New Year in.
Lets watch the old year die,
With a fond goodbye,
And our hopes as high as a kite.
How can our love go wrong if,
We start the New Year Right.
~Bing Crosby

 

1942 Bing Crosby - Let’s Start The New Year Right 

Observing Romjul... It's a wonderful life...

 This has been another peaceful day of Romjul...

It has been lovely... the kids playing in the snow... drying the cloths by the fire... sipping hot chocolate... so hygge... drying the clothes by the fire always reminds me of the scene in one of my favourite movies, It's a wonderful life!

Romjul (middle Christmas), is a Norwegian term 

for the period between Christmas and New Years Day.  

Romjula is...

a peaceful time...

home sheltering...

 holiday activities...

quietly working on projects...

school free...

special family visits...

holiday foods...

enjoying family time...

tranquil living...

reflection♥

 

Outdoor activities are followed by hygge to gather together in comfort and warmth. 

We prepare for Romjula ahead of time by stocking up on the foods and comforts of the season.

Even the Christmas presents we exchange also go to support the period of Romjul, such as clothes, candles, blankets, beverages, books, games and more recently, electronics.

 

Bread... that this house may never know hunger.

Salt... that life may always have flavor.

And wine... that joy and prosperity may reign forever.

~Mary and George Bailey

... and now we are warming up near the fire... sipping hot chocolate... eating mandarin oranges with baked goods and enjoying family time...  It truly is a wonderful life♥

Finding Hygge in the everyday...

I hope you have been having a wonderful time celebrating the holiday...

with your family and friends or quietly by yourself !

Our plan today was to pull out the toboggans and take the kids sledding... 

We skipped straight to the hot chocolate in these frigid, arctic temperatures!

The chocolate was delicious and the sparkling,

fluffy snow out the window made me feel incredibly happy!

  I've taken out books from the library by Tasha Tudor.  

She also wrote one of my favorite Christmas books called "Take Joy".  

I've added some of my favourite titles by her to my wish list on Amazon for some future occasion...

I want to impart some of the wisdom I've gained from her musings...

 Take Joy!

Take Joy in time with those you love...

Take Joy in everyday moments...

Take Joy in this beautiful life!

 Hygge for me has always been in finding the extraordinary in the ordinary...

There is so much to enjoy in simplicity♥

The stockings were hung by the chimney with care♥

Twas the night before Christmas

By Clement Clarke Moore

'Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house
Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse;
The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,
In hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there;

The children were nestled all snug in their beds,
While visions of sugar-plums danced in their heads;
And mamma in her 'kerchief, and I in my cap,
Had just settled down for a long winter's nap,

When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter,
I sprang from the bed to see what was the matter.
Away to the window I flew like a flash,
Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash.

 

The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow
Gave the lustre of mid-day to objects below,
When, what to my wondering eyes should appear,
But a miniature sleigh, and eight tiny reindeer,

With a little old driver, so lively and quick,
I knew in a moment it must be St. Nick.
More rapid than eagles his coursers they came,
And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name;

"Now, DASHER! now, DANCER! now, PRANCER and VIXEN!
On, COMET! on CUPID! on, DONNER and BLITZEN!
To the top of the porch! to the top of the wall!
Now dash away! dash away! dash away all!"

As dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly,
When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky,
So up to the house-top the coursers they flew,
With the sleigh full of toys, and St. Nicholas too.

And then, in a twinkling, I heard on the roof
The prancing and pawing of each little hoof.
As I drew in my hand, and was turning around,
Down the chimney St. Nicholas came with a bound.

 

He was dressed all in fur, from his head to his foot,
And his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot;
A bundle of toys he had flung on his back,
And he looked like a peddler just opening his pack.

His eyes -- how they twinkled! his dimples how merry!
His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry!
His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow,
And the beard of his chin was as white as the snow;

The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth,
And the smoke it encircled his head like a wreath;
He had a broad face and a little round belly,
That shook, when he laughed like a bowlful of jelly.

He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf,
And I laughed when I saw him, in spite of myself;
A wink of his eye and a twist of his head,
Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread;

 

He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work,
And filled all the stockings; then turned with a jerk,
And laying his finger aside of his nose,
And giving a nod, up the chimney he rose;

He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle,
And away they all flew like the down of a thistle.
But I heard him exclaim, ere he drove out of sight,
HAPPY CHRISTMAS TO ALL, AND TO ALL A GOOD-NIGHT!

Happy jólabókaflóð!

Today is a Hygge day...
cuddling with Christmas stories...
setting up our table for Christmas dinner on
Christmas Eve...
Togetherness is such a blessing♥

 

Here are some of the wonderful titles
I find so comforting year after year♥








 

A tradition of and passion for reading is
something I love sharing with my kiddos...
We love the Icelandic tradition
of the Yule book flood where you give your 
 loved ones books to read on Christmas Eve!
Happy jólabókaflóð!

Happy Yule!

Yesterday, we celebrated the Winter Solstice by giving back to nature. This lovely gift is hanging in our lilac trees above our bird pub.  It's a fun tradition to decorate a tree outside with edible treats for wild life.  This morning we woke to a thick covering of a lovely blanket of fresh, white snow! 

Happy Yule!  

This day celebrates the rebirth of the sun to the earth after celebrating the longest night of the year (Winter Solstice). 

It is a time of leaving any regrets in the past and awakening to new goals.  The best time to plan resolutions and carry them through the new year♥

It's the Winter Solstice♥

Our home is celebrating the Winter Solstice by giving back to nature. This lovely gift is hanging in our lilac trees above our bird pub.  It's a fun tradition to decorate a tree outside with edible treats for wild life. 

 Going for a solstice walk is a great way to spend this astronomical event.  Talking about the longest night and it's significance as we explore the newness of the winter season is a pleasurable way to spend the day.  A little further down is the science activity we share with the kiddos, along with some winter solstice poetry.  Embracing the darkness and celebrating the return of the light, we wish you love, peace and joy this Winter Solstice♥

 

 Winter Solstice science with our kiddos:)

Winter Solstice is the first day of winter in the northern hemisphere with the fewest hours of daylight.  

The North Pole is tilted the farthest from the sun.