February Goals and Rhythm

If you have not followed this blog before these monthly planning pages lay out a general structure for the month, including a theme and seasonal table, a way to wake, a table candle blessing, a couple of projects and a verse for going to sleep. These are goals the follow up varies from great to imperfect but having the plan helps it to happen and helps bring rhythm to our days!

February Festival /
Themes: Red! Olympics / Valentines / Chinese New Years
OK February and Canadian Olympic Fever is in full swing! We hung a few flags on the house and stuck some in the window boxes! I have shirts, scarves and pennants ready for my Dad's momentous torch bearing run on the 11th and any Olympic community events we are attending. So it looks like February is red, red, red.. Olympics (red for Canada - Believe!), Valentines and Chinese New Year (Feb 14th with Valentines this year - year of the Tiger). A strong start to 2010!


Seasonal Table - Red
We usually have a red February nature table full of cut out paper hearts, red roses and Chinese paper decorations from China town - this is a must see time of year for any China Town - decked out in red and gold paper decorations - fabulous in any city! 2010 sees the addition of some Canadian and Olympic flags to our table, maybe a few maple leaves - it all works together magically!

Breakfast Verse
We are sticking to one verse a month to simplify; this since December actually. Found a great author June Cotner! She compiles books of poems, prayers, blessings, toasts in her many books - check her out, interdenominational, a great resource for this type of thing!

"May this house be filled with joy in the morning and sweet dreams at night. Blessings on our meal today."
Welsh Blessing author unknown. From House Blessings by June Cotner

Love these simple napkin Valentines!

Waking Song
This is a catchy tune from teh song "Beautiful Day" by teh Boo Radley's, 1980's I think. Find it on itunes.

"Wake up its a beautiful morning, the sun is shining for your eyes.., Wake up its a beautiful morning.."

So many souces! Explore pop songs from your teens,twenty's, and use wake up lines; Us, James Brown, you'll be surprised! Depending on the ages of your children, consider campfire songs, girlguide songs, nursery rhymes! There's lots out there!

Bedtime Verse
sung, and there are more verses I just do not remember. This is my son's choice, from their younger years.

"The evening is coming, the sun sinks to rest, the crows are all flying straight home to their nest
Caw says the crow as he flies overhead, it time that we all were going to bed"

My son's Canadian Valentines!

February Project 1 Valentine Cards
Time to pull out the Valentines ephemera, images, doilies, red, pink and white paper, ribbons and bows, ruffly scissors, glitter, beads etc. Put it all-out on the craft table and let the kids go to town. Simple handmade valentines are really appreciated by other families these days. Our children love making them! They usually cut small square of pretty card stock and fill it full of decorations. Our English tradition is to sing Love ? a fun game and makes it easy to do several! This has become a tradition in our neighbourhood now. Secret Valentines appear on our doors and in our mailbox, even by snail mail every year! All ages participating, kids and seniors who live on our street in particular! Here are my son's Canadian Valentines!


February Project 2 Going on a holiday - so probably no project 2!