The girls big gift for Christmas this year was a wooden playstand set. I decided on getting a double set since it seemed the best value. You receive two playstands and a play silk, so the potentials for imaginary play are endless.



They fit wonderfully as a canopy near the indoor slide & play area downstairs. They really have added life to the area.



It will be interesting to see how these items evolve as they grow. They are very well made, and could be used indoors or out.

The girls received dolls & doll clothes/accessories for Christmas this year. I was really happy to have obtained most of the accessories handmade – either from family & friends or via the handmade artists on Etsy & Artfire.



There is something so special in having items lovingly made for the girls to play with. It has inspired me to add making doll accessories for my “learn to do” list this year! I inherited my mother’s sewing machine after her death & have not sewed since I was a teenager; so I look forward to giving it a try.

I snapped these shots about three weeks ago. Sophie started asking me if I would tie one of the play scarves so she could carry her penguin just like she has seen me carry Ava many, many times (and her before that!). So on one occasion I had to get some photos. I thought it was so cute, esp. how she gazed lovingly at the stuffed animal, like mama with baby. I will have to get her a Waldorf Doll very soon. Her birthday is coming up in September so maybe then. The current doll she has is too small for this :)

The penguin is from a recent trip to the New England Aquarium. Needless to say we don’t leave home without him. :)

…thus far, anyway…



Not sure if this is record breaking temperatures, but this is about as hot as I have ever experienced it (in this country, anyway -particularly with the humidity!). Since moving here to Québec, the summers have been relatively lack lustre. I can hear all my neighbours with pools (which is everyone except us according to Google Earth – HA!) heave a huge collective sigh of relief that it was worth their while to pay for extra water fill their pools this year. ;)

My little friends care not about the heat. Life is still carefree, esp. in a nice airy sundress! :)





The cats however – our other little friends – may think otherwise. ;)

Each morning, we partake in a nature walk…with a one year old and a two year old, walking around our quaint little property does the trick! Mostly we gather flowers for our nature table, and any other gifts that may be given to us by nature (the other day we found a bird’s feather to add to our table).

We have been slow at planting crops in our two square foot gardens this year, ironically enough – considering we have had stellar weather this past spring. One crop that is doing nicely is the small patch of strawberries. Yesterday we gathered an extra special treat on our small trip of discovery: juicy red strawberries, that taste even sweeter than the organic ones up the road!





A small garden for your little ones is highly recommended.

Summer seems to have come back – early – once again, so we have been conducting many of our daily activities in the sunshine.



Darling Ava is out to play in her adorable sun hat by NanaBrowns! I have several hats for different seasons by Nicole, a sewing mama from Canada whom I found just poking around on Etsy! :) (Shirt is organic cotton, Made in the USA – from Essere Organics – actually a hand-me-down from Sophie’s smaller days.)



Sophie uses the soccer ball like a basketball: there is a hoop on her playhouse. We didn’t show her – she just has a good time doing her own thing!



Snacks are better outside! The favourite baby snack these days is kamut puffs and raisins!



What’s Sophie cooking?