On to Christmas!
by Mrs. Mallard
Hello! I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving. We had a lovely dinner with my side of the family. I decided to go out on a limb by making a batch of my grandma’s family-famous refrigerator rolls from scratch. I’ve been working on my bread making skills lately, so I was optimistic that they would turn out. They did! The ones pictured above are a little too browned, but I only got a picture of that sheet after my mom suggested I take a photo to show my grandma.
And now, on to Christmas! Slowly. I would like to be very deliberate about our activities this season. As far as preparations go, we pulled out our fake tree that we’ve used for many, many years and I just didn’t want to put it up. I let the kids put it up and decorate it in an out-of-the-way location. I would love to have real tree this year decorated with real food. Does that sound odd? Look at these lovely fruit ornaments from the Magic Onions, though. I love the apples and cinnamon. I would also love to do orange slices and gingerbread boys and candy canes. If I can figure out how to keep my dogs away from the tree, I may be able to pull it off.
School-wise, we are on our last blocks before the Christmas break, two weeks of North American Geography and one week of Botany for my fifth grader, and a Saints and Heroes block for my second grader. I am reading Steiner’s The Education of the Child right now and find it very interesting. It is bringing to mind many thoughts about what Steiner’s actual indications were for education, versus what has become Waldorf culture and dogma. Melisa Nielsen has written about this on her website.
What is occupying your days this coming month?
Warm Wishes,
Mrs. Mallard
Hey Rachel,
I’m trying to slow Christmas down as well. I am currently only allowing Christmas carols to be played in the boys’ room. They have extended this by turning on the radio in my car (when it is parked in the driveway) and taking their knitting out there.
I love your handknits ideas. We went to the yarn store yesterday. The boys got a skein each. They are knitting hot and heavy right now. Any good book or pattern suggestions for boys? I need to look on ravelry, but I am so intimidated by it (especially as someone who doesn’t like to knit!)
I love your food tree idea – although I have to say – the button garland on the MO is in my sights now. It is so pretty!
Glad you guys are well.
Sheila
Haha Sheila! I love that they are using your car stereo. Too cute! As far as ideas go for the boys, my son knitted a plain square washcloth for each of his two grandmas a couple of years ago. My daughter made a bird by knitting a square, folding and sewing it into a triangle and stuffing it, then embroidering on some eyes and a beak. Melisa probably has patterns in TFW, too (did I see that you are a member?), and there’s the First Book of Knitting for Children, which I don’t own, but have heard good things about. xo-Rachel