The Nields in valentine and doll form

It continues to be all Nields all the time in our house.

This week, I've got a self-serve valentines-making buffet set up in the studio.  Like all the kids, Lucy is making lots of valentines for her friends and family.  But hers have a special twist: they all feature The Nields.

A few days ago, we read the liner notes inside Rock All Day; Rock All Night, and we learned a wonderful story about Katryna and Nerissa having the chicken pox as children (combining Lucy's favorite topics: childhood stories, The Nields, and sickness).  So Lucy's recruited the other children to take parts in the drama of a miserable, moaning Nerissa, unable to hold her new baby sister, while Katryna (Lucy) holds her tenderly.  She adores this game, and we play it again and again.

And of course, it's spawned many drawings of spotted people, including this valentine card:

(Katryna's on the left, separated by a piece of plywood from Nerissa, who's in bed--all details from the CDs notes.)

Also today, there was a Nields concert on the coffee table:

(My favorite part?  Those two old grey-haired matching-clothes ladies represent Andi and I.  "They're old, so you know it's you.")

Happy Valentine's Day!

6:45 am:

Later:

Breakfast:

(and just so you don't think it's all sweetness and light all the time, this offering was greeted with a wail of "I didn't want that!!" She will be three tomorrow, after all.)
8:00 am:

(valentine's boxes)
Morning snack:

10:00 am:



Lunch:

Here's hoping your day was full of love, too.

Just-right Valentine's books for preschoolers

I know it's a bit last-minute, but if you happen to be at the library this weekend and want to pick up some wonderful books for Valentine's Day, you might enjoy these three wonderful ones we've been reading this week:


The Day it Rained Hearts by Felicia Bond
I think this one is my favorite. This week, the kids wanted to know how to cut out hearts. I gave a little mini-lesson, and then read this book to them as they practiced. Since then, we've read it over and over. It's the sweetest story about a little girl who gathers up hearts that fall from the sky one day. She studies them and thinks about the possibilities for each one, then works to make individualized valentines for each of her friends: a collar of strung hearts for a dog, a holey-like-swiss-cheese heart for a mouse, etc. I love the emphasis on creating, and on thinking about what would be most appreciated by each friend.


Somebody Loves You Mr. Hatch by Eileen Spinelli and Paul Yalowitz
Mr. Hatch leads a boring and solitary life--until the day a box of Valentine's chocolates arrives in the mail with a note from a secret admirer. Who could it be? The idea that somebody loves him changes Mr. Hatch's life, and soon he's become friends with everyone in the neighborhood and his life is full of joy. But then the postman returns with the news that he'd mistakenly delivered that package. Now what? You should see the relief and joy on the children's faces when the neighborhood pulls together to convince Mr. Hatch he's loved. I love the sense of community here, and the idea that a little love spreads from person to person.

One Zillion Valentines by Frank Modell
Marvin and Milton are talking about valentines, and decide to make a zillion and deliver them to everyone in their neighborhood. They have some left over, so they sell them--and then Marvin uses the proceeds to buy a box of chocolates for Milton. Again, I love the emphasis on creating (rather than buying) valentines. And I love the child-friendly idea that "valentines are for everyone," and especially that they can be shared between two good friends who happen to be boys. Looks like this one is out of print. Snatch it up quickly if you see it used!

Happy reading!

Yarn Along 12

I'm still reading and crocheting the same things as last week, so rather than take an identical picture, I thought I'd share some of the most-requested children's books of the week. (See my tiny heart there on Katy? I'm getting better at them...)

Lucy and I have been reading Nancy Tafuri's Snowy, Flowy, Blowy over and over. As always, we love her illustrations, especially of animals. And this book is of particular interest to Lucy right now because it's about the months of the year. It's almost Lucy's birthday, and she loves talking about when all her favorite people's birthdays are. So when I read "February; flowy," she says "me in February!" and when I read "March; blowy," she says "Mommy in March! Me remember!" etc.

And, of course, we're reading Katy and the Big Snow right now, as our town gets covered in snow much like Geopolis. If you don't know Virginia Lee Burton, run out to the library right now and get some of her books! They're treasures. There is so much to discover in the details and margins of the illustrations, and so much to talk about. I look forward to reading them over and over as she grows, because there's much more to discover and discuss later, though the story is engaging and beloved right now too.

Yarn-along participants should especially enjoy Five Little Foxes and the Snow, by Tony Johnston and Cyndy Szekeres. It's a sweet story about a family of foxes who want to go out to play in the snow, but Gramma keeps them inside because "your paws will be cold," suggesting other pastimes "while I knit--click, click--by the fire." In the end, Christmas arrives, with new mittens for all the foxes, and out they go to play in the snow. I love the illustrations of their cozy nestled-in-tree-roots home, the play and reading and painting and baking going on, and of course, all the knitting! (That's not an affiliate link; just trying to find it somewhere to show you.)

Last is Charlie Needs a Cloak, by Tomi dePaola. Again, perfect for those who love yarn! Charlie the shepherd needs a cloak, because his sheep have nibbled his to shreds. So he sheers, washes, cards, dyes, spins, weaves, sews, etc., until he has a beautiful new red cloak. We love watching the whole process, laugh at the sheep's reluctance to share their wool, delight in watching a mouse sneak off with many small objects from Charlie's home, and giggle to see the sheep start to nibble the new cloak right away. I think this is one of the best see-the-process books I've come across.

Check out other books and works-in-progress at Ginny's Yarn-Along!

Yarn Along 11

If you haven't yet joined Ginny's Yarn Along, today's the day to do it; she's hosting a giveaway!

A few weeks ago, Ginny's yarn-along post reminded me of these hearts I'd wanted to try since last year. I tried one, and really struggled with the tiny scale; it came out nearly unrecognizable as a heart. So then I tried this pattern, with more success. That gave me the courage to try more super-tiny ones, and this time, they came out pretty cute. I'm thinking the larger ones will become a valentine's day garland for my kitchen window, and the smaller ones maybe for my mirror.

And I'm still reading One Thousand White Women, and highly recommend it!