Sweeney Todd ~ Opening Night!

Yes, that's my grumpy boy, Taller Than Me, about to be shaved by Perrelli....it's later when Sweeney, the deadly barber, gives him a very close shave. Either way...I don't know if I'm gonna like this one.
I've gone to every play he's been in, but I've never seen him be murdered on stage!
Wish me luck.

Soon we will return to our regularly scheduled programming with this blog. I have been sooo very busy this summer, posting has been few and far between.
Next week is my birthday and a little bird told me I may get a new camera!
That will make things a whole lot easier.

Right now I am focusing my energy on book writing/illustrating and meeting those very important deadlines. I have also been writing a Montessori toddler curriculum that I'm VERY excited about. I can't wait to share it with you all!

School starts soon!
Hugs to you all,
PEACE
Jennifer
Photo credit: Scott Smith

Locks of Love

'Taller Than Me' is home!
(Fast sketch...Quinn and Maddie smilin')
I am still looking for my camera. I can't wait to show you my Air, Land and Water mat. But I'm keeping busy making dolls and working on books for children.
PEACE to all~

Please tell me it's SUNNY where you are? We here in mid-coast Maine have yet to see a summer day!
I cut my hair yesterday, I couldn't take it anymore. I am way too LOW maintenance for long hair. 'Locks of Love' now has a ten inch braid of my hair. I think I like it...it's still too early to tell. I like that it is not snarly.
:)

If he can make it there....

"Taller Than Me" is on his way to New York City! He has raised the necessary funds to attend the summer session of the Lead America's theater program. To raise the money he put on a variety show that he was the MC for as well as a performer. (It actually was considered his final for his drama class as well)

It has been told to me that folks with allot of money send their teens away to Lead America programs without a blink of an eye at the $3,000 enrollment fee. I don't know if this is true or not but I do know we are not 'people with money' and when the costs were made known to us, my husband and I looked at one another and winced. How would we afford this?

Taller Than Me was not going to miss this amazing opportunity to visit the heart of the theater world. He began planning ways to raise the money, "I could mow lawns, have a car wash..." he said. Then the idea of the variety show came to him and he and his friends put allot of energy into making it happen. It was big success and he raised all the funds needed to go!

We are very proud of him. Monday morning he's flying away to the big apple.
I am presently battling strep throat and saying a prayer that he will not get it while in NY. I don't have much energy to help him pack. I keep thinking about the way things just seem to work out. I can't help him pack, I can't go with him on the plane...this is his journey. He's almost 17 years old. I know I have to let go, and I know this is practice for when he leaves for college. But I worry when I think of the responsibilities placed on me at 17 compared to what he has had to do.....

When I was 17 I was a parentified child, I already was an adult. My mom became disabled when I was 16, I ran the household after that. I took care of my brothers, did the grocery shopping, cleaned house, cooked all the meals, drove family members (including my mom) to doctor's & dentist appointments, I balanced the check book for the household (because my mom had always done that) I made sure bills were paid, everybody had their lunches for school, clean clothes to wear....etc.

'Taller Than Me' has never had to do very much for himself, it's true.
I mean yes, I am a Montessori Mama and sure he is an independent young person; he has many useful skills. He's bright and capable and I did teach him how to do his own laundry, cook, vacuum....but we live in rural Maine, not NY city. I don't think he's ever been on a subway or any public transportation actually.

This is a Mama ramble of worry. I know he'll be fine and learn allot and come back even taller than me. I just can't believe this young man was once my little baby. And now he's almost old enough to go out on his own. I know he is blessed to have not been forced to grow up and I know that his journey is his story and this experience will help shape him into the man he will one day be.

I've just always been responsible for him, for everyone. And I pray that his Dad and I have given him enough tools, information and spunk to survive:

a solo plane ride

NY city

three weeks on his own

and not knowing anyone

And I hope he remembers me when he's a famous actor on Broadway.

He-He (Now you know where he gets his dramatic side from).

Thanks for reading, as always,
and please stay healthy ~ strep throat rots.
in PEACE to you and all your BIG and little ones,
Jennifer

So you say it's your birthday?

Little One is three!
Ah...happiness is a birthday walk celebrations with your school friends, followed by a family pizza party in the park, with some of your big brother's friends and your very favorite (also three years old) girl Stella, ice cream cake and plenty of room to run!

Thank you to all who sent birthday wishes and love our way! Little One had a perfectly wonderful third birthday. We are both blessed.
I can't believe it's been three whole years since he came to be.



My little sunshine. Happy Birthday Little One.

Mother's Day Tea

Today was our Toddler Mother's Day Tea Party. Not one spill, nothing broken! I will admit I did have anxiety. In the first photo a friend is putting together a fruit kabob.

The second picture is of the children's wrapped (in fabric pieces) and ready to be given Mother's Day gifts (flower pots with a felt flower pin). [For instructions on how to make your own felt flower pin....stay tuned, I hope to post about it Saturday]

The third photo, Little One and me, our first Mother's Day TEA together. He was so proud!



Happy Mother's Day to all of you (a wee bit early).
In loving PEACE,
Jennifer

So....
'Little One' hasn't felt like eating lately.
Trying to be creative, I attempted to make something he would enjoy for breakfast this morning. This is what I made and this is his reaction. He didn't like my fruit face. Instead he he ate a cookie monster waffle from Earth's Best. ALL he wants to eat is CARBS and dairy!!! I'm going a little bit nuts over this. I think he has a yeast infection/issue/problem...I'm not sure what to call it but he seems to like foods that feed yeast. He has bright red cheeks, chronic chapped lips and a diaper rash. If you have any ideas/suggestions I would appreciate you sharing them. Thank you!
In PEACE
Jennifer

I'm Leaving on a Jet Plane...

My husband and I are packing tonight. We leave Thursday for New Orleans! The AMS National Conference and great blues music. I am so excited! My book arrived today, here are the author's copies the note read. This is truly...well, I don't even have words. I mean it's not like I saved a life or helped anyone in any way, yet it is an accomplishment I'm proud of.

I hope other people enjoy it too. IF my scanner or my camera was working I would share a photo with you. Hopefully, Mallory will send me a picture for me to post soon. Hint, hint Mallory, luv you.

My mother-in-law is visiting to look after the boys, this will be the first time I've left Little One. And for Montessori Papa and I, this is our first trip away in seven years! I think we are due.

At the conference I will be signing copies of my book, any ideas on what I should write? I only just now thought of this. I'm wondering, do I simply sign my name or should I ask the person their name and then say something corny? If anyone has a suggestion I'd love to hear it.

Today:
I made another pie. Peach & apple, the combo was delicious. (again insert imaginary pie photo here) I'm thinking of starting another blog about pies.

'Taller Than Me' suggested I get my own Face Book page...I did, please visit me if you so desire. I feel so old! It's crazy getting on there and seeing all of these people you once knew and now know nothing about but still they hold a place in your heart and mind. It's revealing about how our memory works, isn't it? These people we meet as children, a time when our brains are growing rapidly. Their faces and voices are imprinted in our memories, then life continues and we meet new faces and hear new voices and those people from our childhood shift; gone but not forgotten. Then one day during a snow storm your teenager says, "Why don't you have a face book page Mom?" and before you know it, your knee deep in memories! And it feels like just a day ago we were all sitting in Algebra class waiting for the bell to ring.

So, obviously I'm rambling and it's getting late. The house is clean, the bags are packed, love notes all written....hopefully I'll have a photo of the cover of my book to share with you tomorrow. Thanks for reading as always.
PEACE to you and yours,
J

'Periwinkle' a hand-made doll for my niece Emma.
This hand-made Christmas is turning out to be allot harder than I imagined!
Phew! One doll done, three left to make. Wish me luck.

Last night was our Cornerspring Staff Christmas Party. It was lots of fun, the kids made candy houses and as always we exchanged gifts with the Yankee Exchange. I appreciated getting a chance to talk with the other teachers I don't work with on a regular basis. Monique's house was a dream for a big party and the food was wonderful! Sure 'Middle Man' had a crying moment,(typical of most large gatherings he is part of) but for the most part all went well.

I learned upon returning home that my Dad had fallen in the shower and broke some ribs! We are traveling home in a few days, and we will see him but, I wish I could magically transport myself to him just this moment. I feel so badly for him! I would like to give him a big hug. Gently of course. Say a prayer for him.

Today we are all home together, there is a blizzard brewing outside and I am baking cookies. I love days like this, when we don't have anywhere we HAVE to be. And of course I LOVE cookies! Just wondering, what is your favorite Holiday cookie?

Hot Cocoa wishes,
Montessori Mama

Yoga With Toddlers

Before nap, we stretch like cats.



We curl up and make our bodies small and still like pebbles on the beach.


We feel peaceful and we go to sleep.

Well not every day....and not every child. My son, pictured here, refuses to nap on a regular basis, yoga or no yoga. But he likes the yoga.
We are finding that most of the children really enjoy it and are quickly learning the positions. Do any of you use yoga with toddlers?
PEACE
~MM

Shoe Box Doll Houses

My Assistant Mallory created these shoe box houses for our toddler friends to play with. I adore them and so does Little One! This little boy (in photo) took the toy house to a table with some wooden animals and became completely engrossed in his play. He was unaware of me snapping photos of him.

YES! I found my camera! Oh happy day. I have allot to share but am running out of time to share it. Life has become increasingly busy these days. I know you can all relate. Working full time, three kids, creative aspirations...

Mallory made this gem by painting a shoe box inside and out. She made one box for each season. This one is summer. Isn't she amazing!? I am so blessed. And so are the kiddos in our class. Thank you Mallory for being you!

Last night was Opening Night for The Sound of Music at my oldest son's high school. He had a small part in this year's production but he did very well in it. I was proud of him and so impressed with ALL the kids involved. The star of the show was the young lady who played Maria, she was fabulous! I briefly spoke with her mother during intermission and it was really very sweet. She was beaming and rightly so! I wanted to be near her to soak it all in, her pride in her daughter's efforts, her joy for her daughter's shining moment. It was beautiful.

Middle Man is still sick with a fever/sore throat virus and is expected in rehearsals for Wind in the Willows this afternoon. Send him a healing hug please.
In PEACE
~MM

What We've Been Up To: Practical Life

Here's a quick pic of Little One washing the door to our classroom. So often the windows, mirrors and doors are covered with hand prints and mouth marks (mostly from Little One). Today I thought I'd ask for helpers to help me clean these surfaces; several of my young friends were more than thrilled to oblige me. Tomorrow I think we will scrub the chairs. Purposeful work is very satisfying, especially to this two year old.

Other practical life activities my busy boy is 'into' presently are:

Feeding the birds (this involves carrying a large bin of bird seed from one end of the classroom to the other...which is his favorite part of the process)we are very fortunate to have a bird feeder that is attached to the glass of one of our windows. Our classroom is on the second floor and the window is just above floor level, so the children can lay on their tummies to watch the hungry birds to enjoy our daily offering. More about this soon...

Pushing Pipe Cleaners Work
There are 55 holes in the top of this seasons shaker ($1.89 local discount store). There are 55 pipe cleaners (27 cut in half + 1 half) provided (various colors). Lots of concentration is required to stay with this activity to its completion, most often one child will begin it and many others will follow adding a few colors here and there(some not-yet-two friends will remove the pipe cleaners).
Happy Creating!
PEACE
MM
PS I hope all had a happy and safe Halloween.

Montessori Mama Where Are You?

Hey Everyone,
I'm still here. It's been a busy week and now I am away (for the long weekend)with Montessori Papa, celebrating our 14th wedding anniversary. Even on vacation, I'm an early riser, so as I type this he sleeps. He would tease me for blogging on vaca, if he were awake. We are having a lovely time and enjoying our kid-free days. It's been really wonderful to connect with him and just 'be' together.
In other news...
The original paper cut design of the Little One Reading (pictured on my side bar)has sold! It has been up in the children's room of the public library for a few weeks now and interest has been peaked! I wanted to share because my Etsy shop has never gotten up and running and many have emailed me requesting this image. I will continue to sell the image but the original is no longer for sale. Until we are able to get high speed internet (like the service provided by the hotel I am staying in) at home, my Etsy shop is on hold. It is so difficult to upload images and without them nothing can be viewed (obviously). Anyway, I apologize for that and ask those of you interested in making purchases to contact me directly via my email address spirals@gwi.net
Thank you!!
When I return home I will attempt to post some photos of works and activities from 'The Nest'.
What we've been up to:
We've been washing, rolling, painting and comparing gourds. We've been dancing with scarves pretending to be trees with colorful leaves. We've been celebrating Fall! How blessed I feel to be living in an area where there is so much Autumn color. We have been rubbing leaves, crushing leaves (the fallen ones) for collage work, matching like colors, and creating new images with leaves etc. in nature. Have I mentioned that I love Fall?

While surfing the web this morning I saw many lovely blogs sharing Fall crafts, here are a few of my favorites:
Super Fun Mama and her adorable little girl explored many different leaf activities!
Creative Kismet doing October up right! Wow! My boys will love those monster cup cakes! Thanks for the inspiration!
Next visit The Van Klan for a beautiful lesson on creating a centerpiece...I can't wait to make one!
Playful Learning inspired me and Papa Montessori (who teaches elem. and is now up reading the paper)and we look forward to creating our own leaf people with our classes. I'll let you know how it goes.
I hope all of you have wonderful weekend!
In Peace,
Montessori Mama

Happy Fall!

Little One, his Papa and big brother all marched in the Church Street Fall Parade. Two flowers and one pooh bear (not pictured) I face painted street side and watched the crowd.
This was the highlight of my weekend for sure, face painting at the church street festival! But really, if I am being completely honest, my most favorite moment was when Middle Man (my spirited child) who participates in the annual cake walk again and again and NEVER wins, WON a cake for the first time. As the music started to play and he anxiously stood on his 'lucky number' 3, I felt my stomach and jaw tighten anticipating the let down tantrum that would follow when yet again, he did not win a cake. Can I just stop here to say this: he doesn't EVEN like to EAT cake!!!
It's the winning or rather the loosing that hurts him. Again and again, year after year....but thankfully NOT this year!
It was a much more enjoyable experience this year, I'll tell you.
Little One was photographed for the local paper and enjoyed chasing his best friend Stella around a big tree, kicking leaves and dancing. Montessori Papa I'm pretty sure could think of 10 other things he would have rather done, but in the end had a good time. Middle Man is still talking about it (and I will note* The uneaten cake still sits on the kitchen counter, like a shrine to the day).
Ahh....Middle Man, you certainly keep me on my toes! I love you so. To all of you with children who did NOT win a cake this year, I hope your child has recovered from the disappointment. Who invented the CAKE WALK anyway?
So tell me, how was your weekend?
Happy Fall to one and all!
~MM
Now back to our regular scheduled Montessori programming...

Dancing with the Dolly....

When I was a little girl, my mother used to pick me up and spin me round the kitchen floor. We would dance and she would sing,
"Dancing with the Dolly with the hole in her stocking, knees keep a rocking, hole in her stocking, dancing with the dolly with the hole in her stocking, knees keep a rocking oh my!"
Dancing is one of my favorite things to do. Dancing with my boys, dancing with my husband, dancing with my girl friends...
Lately we have been doing allot of dancing with our toddlers at Cornerspring. Here's a picture of Little One with a rainbow ring to twirl. We were dancing to Frank Letto. What are YOUR favorite children's CDs? Please share!

Some of my favorites are:
Frank Letto
Raffi
Sweet Honey In the Rock
Buckwheat Zydeco

Dance like no one is watching!
MM

Bye Mom, It's Off to School I Go

Well here he is, Little One, not so little anymore, off to "MY school". Everything is "MY" this week. He's happy and aside from some occasional transition issues, he's lasting until just about lunch time before he starts asking for Middle Man (his favorite person in all the world) his big brother. Lunch is tricky, but I think it will get easier next week when other children will stay too. Tomorrow is the last day of Phase-In.
Montessori Papa is hanging in, his first week teaching 6 to 12 year old children in a Montessori classroom. Middle Man is one of his students. This should be an interesting year for our family. Little one with me, Middle Man with Papa, Bigger Than Me a sophmore in high school! Yesterday was his birthday, he is now 16!!!
Where does the time go? Bigger Than Me was once upon a time, Little One and it seems only Middle Man's age for a moment! Tonight I signed his permission forms for Drivers Ed!!!!!
Next week I'll post about the classroom works. Some of you have been emailing me for details. The MOST popular activities in the toddler room right now are:




Mellisa and Doug's wooden veggie cutting
the one to ten teddy bears
the pink tower
and
the five little ducks language book basket

I'll share more soon.
As always,
Thanks for reading!
PEACE
Jennifer

Happy Birthday Emma

My beautiful niece turns 3 today!
I wish I lived closer and we could play today. I am amazed by you and so proud to be your Aunty. Happy 3!

Mystery Bag by Montessori Mama

Hello Everyone,
As I mentioned I recently took a long car trip with my boys. While traveling (with Montessori Papa at the wheel)I made use of the time to sew this Mystery Bag.
The fabric was wrapping paper around a birthday gift, given to me by my friend Angela for my 30th b-day, colorful spirals because I LOVE spirals, and bright colors because I almost always wear black and she wanted to give me something "cheery".

This Monday it was my 35th birthday. It occurred to me that for five years this fabric has sat under somethings on a shelf. I've passed by it and admired it but that's all. I wanted to make something with it that would get enjoyed often.
And so, I made a Mystery Bag from it! My kiddos have always loved playing with our classroom mystery bag, I am confident they will love it even more because of the cheery colors and of course, the spirals.

I had the most wonderful birthday by the way, I was asked by a friend to attend the birth of her first child! I have always wanted to be a Doula (birthing assistant) and for my birthday this year my wish came true. It was one of the most amazing, miraculous, phantasmagorical experiences of my life! Baby Lydia was born at 2pm on August 12th, even though her incredible Mama had been in labor since 6am on August 11th!!!

Lydia weighed nine pounds 11 oz!!!! She was born with a full head of curly dark brown hair and long fingernails (she was almost two weeks late). I will never ever forget the past two days. To take part in the beauty, intensity, and love that filled those hours of labor...I feel honored and blessed to be included in it all.
Thank you Lydia and family for the BEST birthday gift I've ever received.

PEACE to all, enjoy your babies (big and small).
~MM

Montessori Papa is HOME and off we go!

Papa Montessori returned home to us on August 1st, since then we have been traveling to visit family AND having allot of much needed fun along the way. Here's a shot of my four guys at a children museum. I got allot of inspiration for my classroom from this trip and took a ton of photos. I can't wait to get started!

With Papa Montessori home to bounce ideas off of and my Director Paula for support and encouragement, this should go smoothly, building a classroom from scratch. This morning I inventoried some supplies that were recently delivered. Little One tried to climb in the box with the packing peanuts and close the lid! He's been a wild one since returning home! That's what happens when THIS toddler's routine is interrupted.

It's nice to be home!
I'll post again very soon.
Thanks for reading everybody.
If you have any toddler classroom items your toddler can't live without, please share! I'm curious if I've thought of everything? Ha-Ha...I KNOW that's not possible but being me, I like to try. :)
In PEACE,
Montessori Mama

Near and Far

Near



Far









Teaching concepts with the whole body!
I'm at work on a concept book:
Where is Little One?

Using photos of my two year old and his friends (stuffed animals, our two cats, his big brothers, me and Dad) I have taken photos to illustrate concepts and put them together in a 5 X 7 size board book. (When it is complete I will post more photos.)
The visual discrimination concepts I have included are:
Near and Far
Up and down
In and Out
Over and Under
Open and Closed
Asleep and Awake
Tall and Short
Big and Small

It has been fun coming up with photo ideas and Little One has enjoyed being part of the process. I encourage you all to give it a try. It's an easy way to share concepts with your toddler AND because the photos are of familiar people and objects it is sure to become a favorite!
As always ENJOY one another,
In PEACE
~MM

While the Wild One Napped...

While Little One napped I finished a pen and ink of small hands that have found a treasure.
Enjoy
~~MM