The Art of Spring Cleaning

Well! We certainly wasted no time upon reentry of our 10 day holiday to dive right in and create mayhem in our home. These past few days have been warm and quite Springlike so we threw open the windows and inch by inch tore up the stacks and stuffiness of the back of the house (which inevitably means the rest of the house, too).  It all started with these shelves.......

 

These are my craft supply shelves. Over the past few months I haven't been the best at keeping things organized and when I am afforded the time to create I usually just leave everything laid out on our dining room table. Of course, we have to eat so everything gets quickly shoved into where ever it might fit. Ironically, these shelves still haven't been straightened! LOL

 

This is where we chose to begin. The closet. This 8'x10' room was a closet for 5 people! Me, Lee, Charlotte, Kiki and Seraphina. Utilizing dressers, shelves, and a homemade armoire we somehow (kinda) made it work. There is no door to this room so we  hung a curtain in the doorway to keep visitors eyes from drifting too deeply inside. We very rarely could keep it neat; clothes would easily pile up after being laundered, baskets captured most of the dirty clothes, and a myriad of other non-clothes items would find their way into this space simply because we lack the storage and space in this 1000 sq. ft., one floor, home.  Needless to say, I'm glad we made my craft shelves wait.

 

This was an in between shot. Partially finished but with plenty more yet to do.

 

This is what happened to the bathroom.....yes, that's a ton of stuff just piled into the bathtub!

 

This is Bella's room. The poor Dear had just cleaned her room and we took full advantage of the space while she was at her riding lesson. She just about cried when she saw this picture. I assured her it would be back in order before she went to bed, at it was......more or less!!!

 

This is the laundry space. Just stacks and stacks and stacks. Oy! I dreaded getting in here because a.) I couldn't just close a door and hide it, this space is right in our hallway. There was no way to avoid it and b.) all of the storage that exists was currently being used for other stuff. Where and how the heck was I going to somehow make room!!!

 

 

In the end, it was all well worth the suffering.

 

This is our finished bedroom. Just to give you an idea of why this is a monumental moment, my husband and I had shared a room with the 3 littles. A 10'x10' room that held a queen size bed, bunk beds, a dresser, a shelving unit, a co sleeper, a micro book shelf, and the cozy corner. Cozy in every sense of the word. For the first time in 7 years, Lee and I have our own room, we do share it still with Seraphina but we still feel like grown ups! Big people! It's just so nice.

 

 

This is my side of the room. Heaven!

 

 

This is now the "somewhat organized, at least manageable, I can reach what I need" laundry space. That huge black case to the left is my massage table. I'm finding that even though I'm not in school anymore (you can read more about that here) I'm still finding use for it, however obtrusive, it'll have to stay there for now.

 

 

The bathroom is back in order except for some shelves that need some minor organizing. For now, it's manageable. In case you were wondering, NO, there is nothing hiding behind the shower curtain!!!

 

 

 

This is Charlotte and Kiki's room. Where the long dresser on the right sits is where our bed used to be. Their room is largely acceptable. We still have clothes piles to contend with but they can be assimilated slowly and at a more leisurely pace.

 

 

This is a view to their bunks. Just out of bed but so much more room to jump into from bed. They have a huge bit of space to play in now, thank goodness. Next in here will be a new floor and some minor details like silk curtains and taking those stickers of the bed!! Those stickers used to go on our car window (we were those people!!!) I'll have to figure out another way for them to keep their prized "visit to the bank" stickers.

 

 

Now, I just have to clean off the dining room table and.......

 

 

.....reinvent this corner. This used to be Rosco's window. His bed was right under the window and gave him the perfect spot to watch us from his resting spot. The window will get spruced up, the radio in the corner will be moved, along with the stash of boxes from various trips to the basement that never got returned. My hope is that my craft shelves can fit here, those drawers can stay and be used for homeschool supplies and the like and a few really beautiful plants can sit atop the dresser  and soak up the sunshine from the south. For me, it feels really important to make that space a beautiful one to look at. I miss my boy everyday and to leave his spot empty just reminds us that his little body is gone. Gotta bring some life back into his space, make it a shared space.

 

 

This mess is our home.....and even though it feels so good when it's not quite as messy, it's doesn't feel any less like home even when it's the messiest.

 

Are you spring cleaning? How's it going for you?

 

New Year, New Rhythm

We humans have been shaped over the millennia bt the rhythmic rotation of the earth, by the diurnal dance of day and night. We have been formed by the rosy shadings of light at dawn, and by nightime's reply as scarlet and violet descend into velvet black. We have grown and evolved in Earth's slow journey around the sun. Day by day our world shifts imperceptibly, moving inexorably from spring's first blossom toward a world glittering in ice diamonds. Both the rapture and the travails of this cycle have formed the human psyche. Although our modern life is far removed from this earth-based consciousness, still our fundamental shaping has been in a rhythmic pattern. Our children, who live closer to basics than we do, are profoundly affected by the life rhythms we determine for them.

~ excerpt from Heaven on Earth by

Sharifa Oppenheimer

 

 

New beginnings have begun in our home. I've been seeking the right rhythm foundation for our home life and lately it's been a bit of a challenge. Seraphina came to us in June of last year and with her came a bit of a whirlwind. I could barely focus let alone try to keep a healthy rhythm alive in our home. Some days I was successful. We'd follow the rhythm that I'd begun prior to baby's arrival (you can read about that here) but between feedings, naps, piles of laundry, sickness (too much sickness), night school......well, I could go on! Needless to say, I've been spinning my wheels for a while and it hasn't felt very good. I can see where my littles are lost and feel like fish out of water. Anyway, the good news is we've begun to move out of the newborn haze (and hopefully the "everyone is sick again" phase) and are working new rhythms into our daily life.

 

Today we started Ring Time. We've done a bit of this in the past but I was at a loss for verses and the like. I've since acquired many lovely books (Wynstones, Waldorf Book of Poetry, for example) to help create our story of poems, finger plays and movement. We had great fun today and I was largely inspired for our winter Ring Circle by Lisa from  Celebrate the Rhythm of Life . I adapted it to fit our needs and boy! We sure had fun! There was laughter, smiles galore, and just pure and simple joy. I loved every minute of it and the littles have requested that we do it again and again! This inspired me to really sit and plan ahead our Ring Time for the year. My intention is to do the same circle for an entire month, that way it can be seasonal and kept appropriate for the holidays and such.

 

We've also begun our home school with Charlotte. She's just turned 5 and she has been asking and asking for more in the way of lessons. We've been having a more "unschool" atmosphere since September, focusing our day around our creative activity for that day (seasonal craft/activity, painting, drawing, baking, and handwork), reading and playing. I was able to purchase an Oak Meadow Kindergarten Syllabus so with that in my arsenal along with a few great nature study guides and the rest of our daily routine we should be in good shape! Kiki participates too. She follows along the day and when Charlotte sits down for her studies I set her up with us at the table to play but eventually she'll wander off and go bask in the glory of having the toys all to herself.

 

 

We have tasks that we "should" be completing everyday.......it's been my lack of initiative and motivation to keep on task BUT! It's a new beginning, right......I'll try harder. Our home runs so much more smoothly when I've got my head in the game and lately, I've been sitting under the bleachers ;) I spent this entire past weekend gutting each and every room, cleaning and reorganizing. The laundry that piled up as a result of a months worth of sickness has been washed, folded and put away. All the little things that have been eating away at my confidence as a homemaker have been defeated! (insert heavy sigh of relief here!!). It's wonderful and it makes it so much easier to keep on top of the load when it's actually manageable without needing the National Guard for assistance! This list above is a new addition to our other daily tasks. These are things I would usually just do on my own while having a little stand by and watch me, and usually, they are asking to help. To be honest, most

 times I would say "No, thank you". It wasn't because they were incapable, in fact, all of my children are wonderfully capable and help out in wonderful ways. I'd say "No" because I was too buried among the work aspect, the lack of joy in my work, the burden, that I would just lump it alone. There really is no reason to do that so it's shifting. The littles and I sat this morning and had a grand time folding laundry and Charlotte can not wait to sweep!!! Works for me!!

It excites me greatly to see how willingly life can shift when you can get your head out of your heart and just allow things to unfold as they may. I am much more at peace and I know for sure that my children are too!

 

In like a lion, out like a lamb

by Lorie Hill

March roars in like a lion

So fierce,

The wind so cold,

It seems to pierce.

The month rolls on

And Spring draws near,

And March goes out

Like a lamb so dear

It isn't quite March yet but I can already see the signs that winter is holding on. After several months of a 'non' winter (hardly a flake of snow and mild temperatures) here in New York we received a significant cold snap with ice, snow, and bitter winds! Needless to say, the children were thrilled! With just 3 inches of snow the children were out exploring, decked in snow pants and layers upon layers to see what this new world looked like dressed in white! My husband was just as eager and spent the afternoon hiking the hills with the children in search of skinny fallen trees to use in our garden as 'ribbon trees'! With these preMarch winds the ribbons blow beautifully and add such an etheric feeling to our barren  garden. The faeries will be delighted upon their return!

In response to this 'lion's roar' I spent the weekend crafting. I've discovered that needle felting is like breathing to me. I love it and it brings me no greater joy than to make little treasures for my children to use whilst they create their world around them. In their experience, watching Mama turn pieces of wool into something else was pure magic! They couldn't wait to see what would come out of the wool next! Their imaginations went wild and they cherished each and every piece that came to us.......I love childhood! We also created the first of our gnome family, Mama and Papa Gnome. They each are lovingly dressed and Papa even has a goatee just like our Daddy! Our little wooden figures that are awaiting their clothes are still held and played with and included in whatever adventure Mama and Papa go on.

On another note, we will be welcoming another little into our family in June. We are over the moon that another little soul has chosen us to love and guide them through this earthly life. We have so much love in our home......our cup runneth over! To that end, I have become a little apprehensive at the prospect of having a preschooler, a toddler and an infant at home! Three children under five years old......at one time...... plus our 12 and 10 year old (however the big kids are at school during the daytime and are extremely helpful and supportive when they are home)! I have only ever experienced being home with two, about 23 months apart. I'm sure it will all be fine, however it's been a real eye opener and all of a sudden I'm realizing that we've had quite the 'footloose and fancy free' existence. Not to say that this not a good thing, I've just become worried that my two littles who I am home with now will really flounder in a home with a newborn and Mama being distracted, sometimes largely distracted, with the care and attention an infant deserves.

Several weeks ago I spent a few days dreaming up how our home might run smoother, being influenced by Waldorf inspired rhythms, I created a chart on our large cork board that has hung in our dining room as a means to display an array of art projects. This is what I came up with::

(I saw a similar chart posted on Chocolate Eyes, a beautiful Waldorf inspired blog I follow).

Our chart consists of the major parts of our day. There aren't any times attached to our rhythm chart although I do try to have meals at set times to regulate hunger etc., it simply flows naturally with the transition of time throughout our day. Here is a little explanation to how our day might go::

1. Breakfast! We wake up and complete our morning routine (get dressed, brush teeth, etc.) and sit down together and enjoy our morning meal.
2. Our Morning Blessings! This time begins after breakfast has been cleaned up. We go outside and visit out sheep friends, check the bird feeder, go for a walk, play in the sandbox.
3. Inside Playtime! This is a time for the children to breathe in a bit and focus on some free play.
4. Lunchtime! Together we prepare our food, wash up, set the table and enjoy our afternoon meal.
5. Breathing In! This is our creative expression time. With every day we have a special project to focus on:: Monday is a seasonal craft, Tuesday is modelling with beeswax or play dough, Wednesday is painting/drawing, Thursday is baking, Friday is handwork, Saturday is house chores, and Sunday is our day to rest and do.......or not do!
6. Time to Rest! After our activity we slowly make our way to a resting spot and take an hour or so to snuggle in and read a story or two and maybe (hopefully!) nap! If the littles are resting comfortably without needing me close by I use this time to get some other quiet chores done; sweeping, dusting, laundry, etc.
7. Afternoon Blessings! This is a breathing out moment. We come together and have tea and a snack and then make our way out of doors, tidy up the play space, etc.
8. Dinner! Together we prepare and/or get the dining room ready to receive all six of us for our evening meal. Since our dining room has multiple uses, it's important that everything has it's place and that everyone knows where that is so dinner time can come with ease and as less stress as possible.
9. Bedtime! After dinner we usually have an hour or so of breathing out, so the littles (and even the big kids) can get their 'ya ya's' out, as my husband says! Then we move to bath and stories and then sleep.

Now, don't think for a second that this goes effortlessly and perfectly all the time, because sometimes it doesn't. Some days we want to stay in our jammies longer or someone might be ill so we rest lots. Other times we might have errands to run, grandparents to visit or play dates so our day would look a bit different. That's the beauty of refraining from rigid schedules.......a natural rhythm exists between the child and caregiver, it just needs to be identified and acknowledged. A gentle rhythm, one that holds the caregiver accountable for how the child expresses them self, eats, rests, and spends time out of doors is all that is needed to create a vision for how the day will go. Think about your days with your children, even if you work and your child spends time with someone else during the day, think about the time you do spend.......how does it feel? Does it feel hurried and rushed? Does your child spend a lot of time crying for your attention? Does your child spend a lot of time watching programs on the television instead of quality time in child's play? What I discovered is that following and really using the natural rhythm that already existed between us my children spent less time saying they were bored, less time arguing, less time wanting a movie on, and have easily come to realize what comes next in their day! That is exactly what I was hoping for. This way, when new baby arrives we are already set in a healthy, gentle rhythm, that the girls can feel and move through throughout their day and feel safe and supported. *sigh* I encourage you to try it.......even if a new baby isn't on the way, having an expectation to the day is so crucial for our littles so they can have a sense of understanding and a bit of structure on their day!

Here are our morning and evening rhythm charts, the ones the littles use to wake up and start their day and begin the bedtime process. They are the same chart, just flip it over to the correct time of day!

What I love about this rhythm chart is even our two year old KiKi can understand what comes next thanks to the picture descriptions! It's really very sweet, she'll run to the bathroom door, look at the chart and go down the list! For me, it's a real sense of comfort to know that they have a bit of control and say in their day.......I believe it will help a lot once baby arrives!

There are so many wonderful ways to establish a healthy rhythm in your home. One great resource comes from Eileen at Little Acorn Learning. Not only do they offer monthly guides with weekly activities but they offer monthly Afterschool Enrichment Guides, a Caregivers Calendar, Menus, and all sorts of E-courses to help you along your creative journey. Another wonderful resource (and one of my personal favorites) comes from The Wonder of Childhood. This is a rich resource with a bounty of connections for living, parenting, celebrating, education, stories.....you name it! Rhythm of the Home is a delightful blog full of inspiration for creating a beautiful home life and genunine experiences for you and your littles. The ideas flow with the seasons and provide you with a rhythm that flows through the year, from one season to the next!

These are just a few of the many wonderful resources available on the web. I encourage you to think about what a rhythm in your home looks like.......maybe you'll find some of these suggestions useful in your creating!

Blessings for peaceful and loving transitions between your moments today!

Congratulations go to........

Melissa B. and Sherlie M. for being chosen as the the recipients of our Mrs. Meyer's Clean Day giveaway! Thank you for sharing your thoughts on spring cleaning and what works best for you! We're also happy to have inspired your future cleaning endeavors!

Please send an email to rhythmicsilence@gmail.com with your mailing address!

Wishing you both a lovely Spring ahead!

New Post on DO

In preparation of what lies ahead our posts this week will focus on how we can prepare our homes and hearts to celebrate and allow the Light in. We will focus on and offer suggestions for a good spring cleaning, lantern making, candle making, art projects, planting seeds/sprouts, and recipes that will help make this Candlemas a week long preparation and celebration! So to start......let's get cleaning!

Click Here for our New Post on DO

There's also a little incentive to get you cleaning........I'll leave a little hint!