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Playgroup Camp-out

Posted by Carolyn on July 27, 2017 Leave a Comment

Earlier this month we rented a whole group campsite for our playgroup. It’s the perfect place for so many small people. It is a place to run, to get toes wet, to roast things over a fire, to sing songs, to play on pirate ship logs, to stay awake too long, and to make some fun memories.

Two other families ended up joining us for the camping, while two other families camp up for the day.

I have loved watching these kids grow up together. This fall, a huge number of them are starting kindergarten and that’s sort of unbelievable and really exciting.

Playgroup Pumpkin Patch 2016

Posted by Carolyn on October 24, 2016 Leave a Comment

This was our 5th Annual Playgroup Pumpkin Patch trip!

Oh my, how we’ve grown!

This year we were back at Northern Lights Christmas Tree Farm, but it didn’t feel the same. For one thing, they more than doubled their prices, so we ended up not doing the hayride at all. We were lucky with a warm, non-rainy day. It was also Henry’s birthday, so we all dressed up and had cupcakes. It was fun, despite the fact that we didn’t get to do the hayride.

I have already gone on and on about how much I love these people. Let me just say that I’m so incredibly happy to have them as my tribe and how happy I am to have my girls grow up with these fantastic kids.

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Playgroup Pumpkins

Posted by Carolyn on October 5, 2015 6 Comments

Our Fourth Annual Pumpkin Patch Playgroup. I could write a lot about this, but I’d basically just say the same thing I’ve said before (here, and here, and here, and here, and here, and here). I won’t put you, the reader, through that again. I’ll just say that I love raising my kids with these people.

Before I post the photos from this year, let’s take a little trip down memory lane, shall we?

2012: So many Ergos, so few people. This was one of our first organized outings. We have grown in families and children. Most kids weren’t walking yet. Leia and I were almost pregnant, but this was it! Seven kids in this photo!

2013: Quite a bit bigger. A few pregnant moms, two new babies, eleven kids. andthenthey pumpkin 2013 2014: Even more! More families, more babies, more pregnant moms! Just more! Fifteen kids (I think!) andthenthey pumpkin 2014 2015: Wow! So many kids! So many people! No pregnant women (as far as I know!) Nineteen kids! Today was one for the books. We were planning on going to our usual, traditional farm. Someone (Jane I think) checked their website and saw that they didn’t open until noon. We were all on Facebook discussing what to do. My family was already in the car, ready to go, so I suggested a change of venue (after changes of time and other ideas had been thrown out there). Everyone agreed and spread the word. It might not sound impressive, but it was quite amazing to watch 10 moms discuss and agree and mobilize all within about three minutes. I told you this playgroup was special. I love these people.

Hayride, pumpkin picking, corn mazing, fun, fun, fun. It was an oddly beautiful day. I love these sunny, crisp days, but I have to admit, I’m getting anxious for the rain to come (and stay for a while). Call me crazy!

Apple Picking, Autumn 2015

Posted by Carolyn on September 15, 2015 Leave a Comment

One of our play group’s annual traditions is to go apple picking in September. We go to my favorite orchards and spend the morning picking apples, playing with the farm stuff, tasting cider, feeding the goats, and welcoming Autumn.

As is evidenced by this gif, this year was fun. Thanks Hannah (from The Lighthearted Life of HMV) for being so lighthearted and fun!

This year was also warmer than it should have been if you ask me. Last year was sort of drizzly and that was much more Autumnal. I love this event because it assures us that Autumn is, in fact, coming. Even when it’s 80 degrees and the day before was over 90, the apples on the trees are a promise of cooler weather, and darker skies. And nothing beats biting into a crisp, juicy apple picked directly off a tree in a century old orchard. I can pretend that there’s a crisp breeze blowing down the rows of trees, if only for a moment.

My camera was doing strange things, and it turns out that the only photos that were in focus (or mostly in focus, anyway) were of Alma, Harriet, Rory, and Poppy. I swear that there were lots of other people there! In fact, I think it was one of the best turn outs we’ve had at a playgroup lately – nine out of the ten families! As I’ve said many times before, I love our little tribe of families in this group, and all our traditions. Next month is our 4th Annual Pumpkin Patch trip, a perennial favorite!

This last photo cracks me up. “Ummm… mom, why are you putting us in boxes?”

Forgive me, children, Autumn is coming. I can make no excuses for my silly ideas. You will just have to get used to it.

Playgroup Novruz 2015

Posted by Carolyn on March 24, 2015 Leave a Comment

I’ve written about our magical playgroup before (here and here and here and here), so you understand how much I love this group of kids and their parents. I’ve also written about Novruz before (Here and here and here and here and here), so you understand how much I love this holiday.

This year we had a beautiful, sunny day to have Alma’s (and Harriet’s) friends over for some egg-dying, fire-jumping, egg-cracking fun.

Obviously, we took a lot of photos.

We started with eggs. It was much less frantic than last year. Partly because it was nice enough to dye outside, so I wasn’t as worried about spills. I still felt like I had to keep a careful eye on Harriet. She wanted all the eggs.

We used our backyard eggs this year, and I love how the brown eggs turned out. They are beautiful, right? Muted and moody and earthy.

Next, we went out to start the fire and do some jumping. Jesse and Anthony (and Aster) were our fire-masters and got a good fire going. We need to remember marshmallows next year!

When the fire had died down a little bit, we got to the jumping going. It’s fun to see the kids get into this. I also love how we can get a whole group of people saying Ağırlıgım- uğurluğum bu odda qalsın! It’s so great to share a bit of Azerbaijan and our time in the Peace Corps with our friends. Hello Peace Corps third goal!

Aren’t those some joyous faces on those fire jumpers? Love it.

Next came the egg cracking game. I’m pretty sure Hannah won this year. Is that right? You can see her below studying the strategy so she could swoop in and win it all.

After eating eggs and Azeri baklava, the kids had a great time dancing and playing while the grown-ups enjoyed some adult conversations. I love these people.

Alma’s 3rd Birthday Party

Posted by Carolyn on January 13, 2015 Leave a Comment

This year, we decided to have a joint birthday party for Alma and three of her friends. This was an amazing idea because, not only did it cut down on all we had to do, but I also got to have some fun planning sessions over drinks with some of my favorite ladies.

We decided to have a simple play-date type party with a loose ballet theme. So, last weekend we had a big ballet birthday bash with Alma and all her friends from our playgroup.

B A A M's Birthday — The best invitation ever, right?

We had eight 3-year-olds, but a smattering of little siblings. We made 11 tutus for the walking-aged kids. That 325 yards of tulle. More than three football fields. No joke.

It was a wild, hilarious, fun, lovely party! It’s so fun raising our kids with these other families. This next series of photos really gets me. I knew all three of these moms before we were moms. I met Leia and Natalie in our birth class, and Shannon in our breastfeeding class. I am blown away by the fact that we now have three-year-olds. I feel like it was just yesterday that we were spending out Tuesdays at Baby Clinic, talking about how hard and amazing our tiny newborns were. Seeing these sweet kids, so excited for their cupcakes, knowing that they once were those babies, seems impossible. Beautiful, but impossible. I can’t imagine what they will look like at their joint 18th birthday party…

We are so lucky.

The kids felt pretty lucky to have some amazing cupcakes. These kids (and photos) crack me up.

Pumpkin Patch 2014

Posted by Carolyn on October 4, 2014 1 Comment

We are super lucky to have an amazing community of families. We do play groups once a month, and October is always a favorite. We head to Northern Lights Christmas Tree Farm for their hayride and pumpkins. It’s not a super crazy place for pumpkins, so it’s perfect for toddlers and their little siblings.

This was the third annual trip to the pumpkin patch. Our group has changed quite a bit in the past three years! We’ve added families; families have added members.

2014 - Not the best group shot... the tractor was about to take off! — 2014 – Not the best group shot… the tractor was about to take off!

There was recently an article about playgroups that went around the internet, talking about the magic that these groups can hold. Some have it, some don’t. Ours has it. I know that even when our kids are scattered and in different schools, we will still have our community. Even if we only get together once a year (likely with the annual pumpkin patch trip!), I know these families will always be a part of our lives.

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