Winter weather in time for Advent!

I must admit that I was enjoying the delayed onset of snow and cold this year. It is just so much easier to get a class full of pre-schoolers outside to play, with minimal outer wear. Well, on Dec 2, just in time for the start of the Advent Season, the snow began. It turned my play-yard into a spectacle of beauty.
That was a rough day. There was something in the air that directed poor communication and ill moods, which threw me into an emotionally disrupted mess. The day began terribly with mystery man, I had miscommunication with my sister, and a care-giver who dropped off and picked up one of my students. Additionally, 3 out of 5 of the children came unprepared for the frigid weather with thin, pointless gloves, inappropriate footwear, and even lack of hats and other snow gear. My plan to play outdoors half of the day was foiled by tears and miserably chilled hands and feet. This was the gateway to further tears and tantrums as the day went on. I was ever so glad when all the mamas took them home for the day. The following week was much improved, so looking back, I realize that there will be bad days. That one was a doozie.

I worked so hard on my advent spiral festival! Several parent volunteers did as well. The event was on Dec. 6. It was beautiful! The spiral was fragrant and gorgeous, adorned with crystals, seashells, holly and green velvet in addition to the juniper and other evergreen branches. My friend Susan played flute and guitar, and helped me sing. Some of the more confident parents also filled in the songs with their voices. My eldest son made the most angelic advent angel, sweetly helping young and old alike to light candles and place their apple lanterns on a gold star along the path. When everyone had a turn, I called to the children to follow me into the story room, where they watched a puppet show about St. Nikolas taming a vicious pine marten. While they were engaged with my story, St. Nikolas secretly stopped in, leaving a gift of a tangerine, a honey stick and a golden nut in their shoes, all tied up in a cloth sack with pretty ribbon. At the end, they left in magical wonder and a spirit of happiness. Seeing their lit up faces made all of the work so worthwhile.

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WE LIGHT ONE CANDLE SHINING CLEAR, ETERNAL LIGHT MAY ENTER HERE. THAT SHINETH IN THE WINTER NIGHT, TO MAKE US CHILDREN OF THE LIGHT.
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Today, the children showed up to school much more equipped for the weather. The parents listened to my rantings from the week before and provided water-proof and insulated mittens, good snow boots, warm hats and coats, wool socks, etc. Yay! We went sledding after preparing and eating our veggie soup and muffins, and they were warm and happy. It was a good day. My little daughter is obsessed with climbing right now. Here she is having climbed up onto the play-school table after we finished cutting our soup veggies. Little rascal- she won't let me stop her, and does it over and over and over again.