Santa Claus Came To Town

Our beautiful Christmas 2014. A few Santa Claus shots  Pictures say it so well.

Granpa Santa Mike brought the unicycle

Granpa Santa Mike Brought the Slack Line

Thanks Uncle Scott for the lego trains!

Thanks Uncle Scott for the Microscope!

Community and Connection and Celebrating Winter Solstice Waldorf Advent

Tonight we celebrated the winter solstice/Waldorf Advent with a couple other homeschooling families. We had fun Christmas Caroling and the children placed the feeders out for the animals and played. It was very moving to watch the shift in the boys (6 boys and 1 little wee girl in the group) from rowdy to reverent.

Steiner says:	At Waldorf Advent Spiral we see:
"When Christmas arrives, a turning point is reached. The light increases, days grow longer and nature reawakens. So the birth of the light at Christmas time has been celebrated since the times when the light became the symbol of revelation in the world and man." ... Read full context	...a candle in the center of the spiral, and the light increasing as the flame of each child's candle is lit.
"One spiral of the sign of Cancer indicates the end of the Atlantean culture; the other, the beginning of the Aryan culture. Our ancestors thus perceived in the heavens the outward sign for the rise of the new Aryan culture." ... Read full context	...the outward form of a spiral laid out in pine trimmings on the floor
"Whenever an important event occurs in the world, whenever one stage of evolution is superseded by another thereby bringing something new into the world, two such spiral movements intertwine. One spiral of the sign of Cancer indicates the end of the Atlantean culture; the other, the beginning of the Aryan culture." Read full context	...children walking a double spiral: they walk the spiral in, and they walk the spiral out

Christmas, Catapults, Castles, Creativity and Cocoa

We've been in the midst of Christmas and creating all week. With a visit to Santa (we love this guy - he's always so kind and talks with the kiddos - Dax wrote he wanted a "real live kitten with all the things it needs for care" Santa tactfully said he'd have to talk to Mom about that one.

I snagged a family portrait as I realized we don't have any together from this year. But the boys were sports and it only took a few minutes of interruption from their Munchkin Zombie game (ugh - but they love it and play it daily with their dad)

Horse Back Riding with Ryder coming in to his own and loving every minute. Dax tolerates it mostly but has improved with his focus and centering.

Today we had the lovely pleasure of meeting with a new Waldorf Home School Group where many adventures unfolded. Followed by a new library with a wonderful Home School Program. They learned about Castles and made catapults and used them to save the princess from the dragon.

We ended the evening with lots of cocoa, Kid Fit at Cascade Athletic Club and returned home with a new present from Uncle John on the doorstep.

Dax and art. Now he has his own beautiful art set.