morning love

I know I wrote about my morning love before, but since I treasure this time so much I have to mention it again. A few mornings ago I had my camera on hand. It was one of those beautiful mornings when the sun was just coming up, illuminating tree tops, and letting their colors shine.

The quiet, the beauty, my own tempo, all in all a treasured picture!

the cat in the hat and company

Yesterday at school my friend and colleague and I turned into Thing 1 and Thing 2 from the Cat in the Hat story by the great and fabulous Dr. Seuss.

Theodore made a surprise appearance as the Cat in the Hat. We just hat too much fun! ;)

More Halloween celebration tomorrow and then I think I should be on to more regular posting!

joyful fall

(these two beauties are sitting on our yellow bench outside, smiling at us;))

Happy first day of fall. Even though the change is not as obvious here in California, I love to know that it is here. Every season has its magic and the change that comes with each new season is so very welcome. The change of pace and awareness I love.

With my class I have gone now on morning walks, noticed little changes, felt the wind on our faces, and counted colors around us.

Yesterday the class made homemade apple sauce. The smell of cinnamon and sweet apples filled our classroom. For the rest of the week we will continue to celebrate, discover and learn about our new friend, the fall season.

I am at home today nursing my little sick man. He came down with the croup again. But he is happily on my lap, singing and joyfully sipping his tea. Catching a cold and then relaxing with a cup of warm tea, sweetened with Agave might just be part of our fall celebration. ;(

May you all find comfort and warmth at heart in this new season.

bags

And the fall shopping continues. I am in search for a nice bag that helps me carry my work related items to and from school.

Here are some I found that would do the trick.

loving this

The new Magic Cabin catalog just arrived in the mail today. This store reminds me very much of my childhood surrounded by Waldorf and the like.

It would be fun to get this for Mateo for Easter:

And how about these pretty lights for big girl Sophia:

The garden certainly would need a fresh look as well, mmh perhaps with these (we could all have fun spreading them in our garden)....

Sophia was looking though the catalog with me and realized that she can buy hardly anything because most everything is over $10, which is roughly how much she has saved in her piggy bank right now. This store is pretty expensive, but I do love some of those items they have!!!

leaves are decorating our window/blaetter schmuecken unser fenster

Today Sophia and I enjoyed this delightful art project, of making wax paper leaves. We used little pieces of crayon, and she spread them all over on wax paper. We placed a second sheet of wax paper on top and ironed it really well. We both were leaning over and were in aw at how beautiful and in interesting ways the colors shaped themselves. I traced a big leave on the paper and she cut them all out. Yes, all seven of them.

The biggest surprise yet came once we placed them in the window. They were shining and sheer laughing in our window!

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Heute haben Sophia und ich dieses Kunstprojekt genossen. Wir haben Blaetter aus Wachspapier gemacht. Wir haben Wachsmalstiftraspeln genommen, sie auf dem Wachspapier verteilt, eine weitere Schicht Wachspapier drauf gelegt und dann fleissig gebuegelt.

Wir haben uns beide ueber die Arbeit gelehnt und bestaunt wie die Farben verflossen, in alle verschiedenen Formen. Ich habe dann Blaetter aufgemalt und sie hat sie alle ausgeschnitten. Ja, alle sieben!

Die beste Ueberraschung kam dann als wir sie ins Fenster hingen. Sie leuchteten uns regelrecht entgegen!

fall is here with all its colors/ herbst ist hier in allen farben

Oh busy day! Many projects and errands happened today, and so I needed to stop for a moment and notice the colors around me, to breathe and enjoy yet another gorgeous fall moment!!!

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Ein voller Tag! Heute hatte ich viele Projekte und Einkaeufe zu erledigen, und somit musste ich mal kurz eine Pause machen, tief einzuatment und die wunder schoenen Farben um mich herum zu bewundern!!!!

At school and at home this week we read Frederick by Leo Lionni. A truly wonderful book about savoring the moment and using our imagination to create beautiful spaces.

At school the children and I went on walks this week. We noticed the different colors, collected fall leaves, and at home we invited more light into our lives by making this pretty lantern.

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In der Schule und zu Hause haben wir diese Woche Frederick by Leo Lionni gelesen. Es ist ein wirklich schoenes Buch, in dem es darum geht den Augenblick zu geniessen und die Fantasie zu behutzen um schoene Umgebungen zu gestalten.

In der Schule bin ich mit den Kindern viel spazieren gegangen. Wir haben die vielen verschiedenen Farben wahrgenommne, haben Herbstblaetter gesammelt, und zu Hause laden wir mehr Licht in unser Leben mit dieser huebschen selbstgebastelten Laterne.

Of course in this country fall brings the celebration of Halloween. I still have to get used to the scary, spooky part of Halloween. I do love the magical, whimsical part of Halloween however quite a bit! So, while I tended to making the children's costumes (more on that soon!), Sophia completely independently carved this happy pumpkin.

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Hier in den USA gehoert natuerlich Halloween zum Herbst dazu. Ich muss mich immer noch ein bisschen an die erschreckende, und angsteinagende Seit von Halloween gewoehnen. Aber mir gefaellt die verschmitzte, und zauberhafte Seite an Halloween doch sehr. Somit, waehrend ich Kostueme genaeht habe, hat Sophia ganz selbstaendig diesen Kuerbis ausgehoelt und ein froehliches Gesicht hinein geschnitzt!

stained glass windows/ bleiglasfenster

Once a week I teach an after school craft class. I am enjoying this time. Since only about five children participate, some of them are older, more independent (compared to the children I teach in the morning) it is a fun time for more complicated and more elaborate projects.

Last week we worked on this fun project, making "stained glass windows", using contact and silk/tissue paper. We taped the contact paper on the table, and then started making designs, with the colorful tissue paper on top. Another sheet of contact paper was added, and to give the works a more finished look, we framed the pictures with construction paper.

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Einmal die Woche unterrichte ich eine Kunstklasse. Es macht mir total viel Spass. Es nehmen nur ungefaehr fuenf Kinder teil und einige davon sind schon was aelter, was heisst sie sind schon selbstaendiger, als die fuenf jaehrigen in meiner Klasse. Es ist eine schoene Zeit fuer mehr schwierige und langwierige Projekte.

Letzte Woche haben wir "Bleiglasfenster" gemacht. Wir haben Seidenpapier auf klebriges, durchsichtiges Papier geklebt und dann wieder eine Schicht durchsichtiges Papier darauf geklebt. Um es noch schoener zu machen haben wir das ganze mit Papppapier umrahmt.

It was a big surprise for the children once they held their artwork against the windows. Many "oohs" and "aahs" could be heard. They really did turn out beautiful. Now I am tempted to try them with my whole class? ;)

I am glad Sophia is in the class, so that now we have one hanging in our window at home as well!

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Die Kinder waren ganz ueberrascht als sie ihre Werke ans Fenster hielten und die Farben leuchteten. Viele bewundernde Laute waren zu hoeren.

Sie sind wirklich schoen geworden. Jetzt ueberlege ich doch ob ich sie mit meiner ganzen Klasse machen soll...???

Ich bin froh dass Sophia in der Klasse ist, denn somit haben wir jetzt auch eins zu Hause im Fenster haengen!

groupings/gruppierungen

Lately it feels more like fall here too now, as the wind is rustling in the trees, the squirrels are busy collecting their food for the winter, and leaves are beginning to turn to various colors. Inside things needed to change too, to go with the season, and settle more in quiet and reflection.

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In letzter Zeit merkt man auch hier dass der Herbst hier ist. Der Wind raschelt in den Baeumen, die Eichoernchen sammeln fleisig Ihr Essen fuer den Winter und die Blaetter verfaerben sich in den verschiedensten Farben.

Drinnen musste sich auch etwas aendern, um sich der Jahreszeitn von draussen anzupassen, ruhiger und reflektierter zu werden.

The result.... some new groupings of objects in our house. I enjoy grouping things together and notice how they complement each other.

Candles were certainly one thing I added, as candles are a must to be cozy and comfortable inside when the wind is blowing outside.

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Das Ergebnis..... neue Gruppierungen von Gegendstaenden in unserem Haus. Ich stelle gerne Dinge zusammen und bemerke wie sie sich gegenseitig komplimentieren.

Kerzen mussten auf jedenfall dazu, denn fuer mich zum Gemuetlichsein gehoert einfach das Kerzenlicht dazu wenn der Wind draussen blaest.

I love the summer, and the freedom it seems to bring, but then I am also always glad when fall arrives, and life seems to calm down more.

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Ich liebe den Sommer und die Freiheit die immer mit zu kommen scheint, aber dann freue ich mich doch immer wieder auf den Herbst, wenn das Leben langsamer zu gehen scheint.

May this be a fall filled with joy and deep inner reflection.

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Das dieser Herbst viel Ruhe und tiefe Besinnung bringen wird!