I’ve been meaning to post a picture of this for a while- Mary & Nathan spent an entire afternoon building this path that leads over to the fire pit. I think they did a great job!
New Shelves
February 16, 2011 — threelittlejewellsThese New Shelves were Made From……. RAIN GUTTERS!!!!!!
All Tucked In
December 9, 2010 — threelittlejewellsI love putting Lyra to bed for her naps or bedtime. There is something so satisfying about getting the baby all cozied up during cold weather. I read this excellent series of posts: Dressing Your Child in Cold Weather and was convinced to start always putting a onesie underneath her clothes (and to start using undershirts for Mary & Nathan and to tuck them in their pants/tights when possible). I always use the hand knit blankets she received for putting her down to bed. The green one was made by Aunt Barbara (Kip’s Aunt, married to Mel’s brother, Jimmy Jewell)- it is super soft and has large holes that she loves to lace her fingers through. The white one on top was made by Aunt Carolyn (my Dad’s sister) and has a gorgeous, nubby texture to it and is super, super warm.
Here she is, all tucked in with her favorite blankets and a few of her favorite toys.
I have a dear friend who has had to put her baby in day care and go back to work (and she very much does NOT want to do so but her husband is requiring it). Although the daycare is a premium, 5 star facility (and I used to work at this particular day care prior to having children so I do know what is like there)- still it’s loud, noisy, bright. They never turn the lights off or down in the baby room. With 8 babies, someone is usually crying or fussing. Babies are frequently sent in when they are sick or borderline sick. Even in the best of day cares (and this one is a REALLY good one by all standards), I still think it’s no place for a baby. Babies belong at home. And I’m so, so, SO thankful that I get to put Lyra down in her own crib every day. Her own freshly washed, soft, flannel sheets. Her own soft, cozy blankets. Her room is quiet, peaceful- sunlight streaming in but no harsh overhead lights. There is not a day that goes by that I’m not thankful that my husband is willing to provide this for me and for our children. The comfort of being at home during the day, in your own bed, with your own toys, with your Mom nearby.
Doesn’t this just like a place a baby SHOULD be sleeping during the day? Our nursery is certainly nothing fancy- it shares space with the guest bedroom. The little bluebird was the crib toy that hung on my crib when I was a baby. My mother stitched both of the pictures. The blankets are hand crocheted for Savannah (this picture was taken in 3/2009 when she still slept in the crib) by my Aunt Carolyn and my Aunt Karen.
School Room Tour
November 30, 2009 — threelittlejewellsI spent the weekend thoroughly cleaning and reorganizing the school room. I thought that while it was clean, I should take some updated pictures. 
The view when you enter the room, standing in the doorway.
Standing by the window, facing back towards the door.
Again, standing at the window with a view to the right side of the room.
CLOSE UP PICTURES
When you enter the door, looking to your left is the piano and Savvy’s shelves with *quiet* toddler toys.
Continuing around- then Nathan’s fire station and our large Year Calendar that I made. The “theme” of our circle time this year is learning the seasons, months, days of the week, weather. Every day they put a sticker on the calendar to mark the day.
On the far left is the corner of our timeline- somehow that didn’t make it in the picture. The big year calendar is immediately to it’s left. Next up is the “seasons” calendar on top and the weather chart below it. Our “fireplace” and my chair. The basket of books on the left is our current read alouds for the week and the one on the right is the extra read alouds. The large basket under the weather chart is full of blocks.
To the right of the window is the shelf that holds most of our school stuff and the tv/vcr for watching our Math-U-See videos.
The top shelf is divided by subjects. Second shelf is Language Arts, flashcards, manipulatives and extra art supplies. Third shelf is all math- counting blocks, pattern blocks, logic games and math puzzles. Bottom two shelves are puzzles.
Our BIG table- 8 feet long x 4 feet wide! The map on the left is our pin map- we put up any postcards we get from my Dad’s travels and have marked the birth place of various friends & family who are from other countries.
Mary’s art caddy on the left. Other than the globe, the rest of the stuff is my teacher stuff. Supplies that I need handy and the stack on the right is their daily work.
To the right of the table- our USA pin map where we’ve marked our home and where various family members live. Extra desk. Underneath desk is the bin for our listening station- it contains books on tape, headphones, books to go with the tapes, etc. Basket is Savvy’s board books and then leaning against the wall is a stack of Nathan’s current favorite books. He loves to curl up on the bean bag chairs in the hidey hole and pore over these books.
To the right of the bean bags/hidey hole- Mary and Nathan’s shelves (mostly). Math balance and tape recorder for listening to books on tape. Lots of books. Magneatos, Indian playset, farm animals and farm.
Refreshing the Toys
November 27, 2009 — threelittlejewellsI spent last week cleaning the living room and reorganizing the toys. I find that oftentimes just moving the toys to a different place can spark their interest in that item again. I moved the kitchen over to this wall and got our kitchen basket out of the toy closet- put away a bunch of stuff and set out some new food items and voila! It’s a new kitchen to them again.
These six shelves contain the only toys that are out downstairs. (except the hotwheels track in the dining room).
On the left hand side are their Little Golden books (most of which were mine when I was a kid!) and a basket of dinosaurs.
Next shelf down is Savvy’s basket of toddler toys and her basket of board books.
Bottom shelf is my steal of the summer- vintage Little People house with a basket of accessories next to it. That thing was selling for $90 on ebay! I paid 50 cents!
On the right- the kids current read aloud books, next shelf down is their Little People Manger set and on the bottom Nathan’s rocket ship and basket with accessories. The red box has their Haba blocks and Savvy’s balls. Everything else is kept under lock & key in the toy closet.
Mary and Savvy’s baby dolls and cradle. To the left of the above shelves. And two play silks that they use to dress up as Indians.
