4 full circles

Today we celebrated my sweet and tender boy's 4th full circle around the sun. It was a spectacular day in every way, and I am so very grateful. We spent the day by the river, the same place where we celebrated Kaleena's 3rd birthday 4 years ago, I was with a big belly then and gave birth on our living room floor to Keenan a month later. Today we were blessed with a perfect day filled with sunshine and bliss. The children played in the water, with mud, in the trees, on the rocks. There was gathering of sea glass, a birthday cake, building of rock houses and making of mud muffins. The children were at one with nature and frolicked in the sunshine that shone warmly on this october day. 

In these moments, these precious moments at one with mother nature, I am always deeply aware of our connection with everything and of the peace that comes our souls when we take the time to BE in nature.

We ended the afternoon soaking in the warm minerals baths of Hotsprings.
A lovely day indeed!

~with love and gratitude~

Handmade Birthday

Keenan's 4th birthday is almost here, and besides practicing form drawing with Kaleena, and teaching her to knit, I have been busy getting Keenan's presents ready.

I made a big basket full of blocks for him. Blocks are of his favorite indoor toys, and I have long been wanting to make some more home made ones.

I found some Black Locust logs as well as some Wild Cherry branches and cut them into different sizes and shapes. Then I sanded them all. This was a big job, loud and dusty. Last time we made blocks I sanded them by hand, but this time I had too may to do it like  this and used a hand held power sander

I added a coat of all natural Linseed oil to help protect the wood, I love how the Locust comes alive with the oil, the locust is really my favorite and they will last forever, the wood is so extremely dense.

I also really love all the odd pieces, I know these will be some of the favorites

and here is the basket full of blocks, for his birthday I will drape a silk over it.

I think he will love them!

I am also making him a Birthday Banner, it is not quite finished yet, I still need to sew it together and add beads, perhaps tonight:)

Keenan was very fascinated with the pencil holder I made for Kaleena, so I thought I would make him one and put some new crayons in it

and of course the Birthday Book, here are just a few pages of the one I made for Keenan.

So now with both birthdays taken care of, I can get started with the christmas presents:)

~a lovely evening to you!~