One Day at a Time...

Sometimes life doesn't always turn out the way we expect it to. I don't mean the little things life throws our way, that we throw a temper tantrum over temporarily, and move on...I mean something BIGGER happens, and it changes much. Much that we hadn't anticipated. That's okay though. I accept this truth. This reality. However... If the things that have occurred in my life in the last couple of years, had happened to me ten or fifteen years ago, I don't think I could have handled them as well. I have learned to take things in stride. Take things one day..no...one moment at a time. With each moment, I am able to cope with that change, right then, and things don't pile up inside of me. No clutter. No worry. Rely on God. I urge you all to clean out the clutter in your hearts and minds. Live life simply, but fully. Appreciate the little things. The tiny miracles. Blessings. Beauty is all around you. Quit thinking so far ahead. Fretting. Analyzing. Take time to literally smell the roses. Read a good book in the shade of a tree, and let the breeze whisk away your worries and cares. Rely on God. You are not in control anyway. 

Ten things to do starting today:

1. Breathe. No, I don't mean to just breathe. I mean to breathe deep. Slow down.

2. Listen. Be slower to speak, and listen all around you. Listen to the birds, and hear their joy in song.

3. Accept. Accept the life right before your eyes. Accept you. Accept your kids...your home. The grass truly is just as green where you are. Create your own paradise right where you are!

4. Simplify. 

5. Slow down.

6. Read a good book.

7. Get out in nature. Take time to see things you normally overlook. 

8. Be kind to others. Random acts of kindness can really make a difference in someone's day. Just a little something extra, even in your own home.

9. Smile. Let your light shine!

10. Show gratitude...in all things.

Gratitude and snakes~~~

Snakes, valentines, snowflakes and gratitude. What a plethora of topics! Ay? But, you'll find them all in our home for the rest of this month and next, well, except the gratitude bit...that'll be here all year and then some...along with lots of reading and real life learning!

Snakes~

  With this being the year of the snake on the Chinese zodiac calendar & with the Chinese New Year beginning February 10, I decided to do a snake/China study with the girls. We love learning about animals, nature and other cultures and every year we celebrate the Chinese New Year in our own special way.  I might also mention that I'm a snake in the zodiac, which makes it all the more interesting, as I have researched the snakes personality traits, and interestingly, I fit the description almost to a T!

 As always, we decorate the ceilings with Chinese lanterns that we make with construction paper. There are many sites that instruct one on how to do this if you haven't already in your home. This year, we are adding some paper chain snakes to the decor. Quite adorable and easy too!

 Always lots of resources on hand, either from around the house or checked out from the library. Internet research and anything with the theme of snakes or China will be floating around here for a while!


Valentines~

 Well, this is pretty obvious! We always celebrate this day of love...but not just because it's Valentine's Day, but it's also my mom's birthday! All the more reason to decorate the home with hearts and write out love poems here and there!

 SO much you can do with the subject of LOVE! The history of the holiday is cool too.

Snowflakes~

 No two are alike! And we love the wintertime! Just wish we could see some more of these around here!
 SNOWFLAKE BENTLEY is a terrific book and can really be used again and again. Don't know why I haven't bought this book already, but it's on my long list of books to purchase.
 That is just one in a hundred gazillion books to read and learn about the science of snowflakes. Of course there are plenty of books out there that are just plain fun on this subject and snowflakes are interesting specimens!

Gratitude~

 I think this is self-explanatory as well, but what we are doing is this:

  We all made our own gratitude journals with folders and decorated the covers with anything that brings us peace and happiness. Could be a picture of cherry blossoms, or birds. Family, pets, a poem, etc.
  Each day we read a quote about giving thanks and copy it, or write down five things we're grateful for that day. I've also tried to come up with unique projects for self-discovery. For example, yesterday we wrote down two scents that make you feel relaxed and two scents that make you feel happy and two sounds that make you feel relaxed and two that make you happy. Deep thinking takes place as we all go in to this. We then each switched papers without announcing whose paper we had, read aloud the answers and we all had to guess whose was whose based on how much we knew about their tastes! Really  a lot of fun hearing every ones answers. For example, Lucy put splashing water (think pools in the summer!!) as one of the sounds that made her happy. Suzy put oatmeal as one of the scents that make her relaxed! Zoe likes the sound of horses trotting on the concrete, and one of Jilly's relaxing sounds was rainfall. Those are just a few of their answers to give you an idea.
    One day we had to write out five things we like about ourselves. Or, write down five positive things about something you DON'T really like. Say, like rainy days, or being sick.
 There are lots of ways to show gratitude and we are learning them through: the reading of good books, short stories, poems, music, meditation, yoga, mindful eating, etc. Finding beauty in everything and appreciating what we've got!

 In fact...I'm grateful for all the things mentioned above!! But mostly just having the opportunity to grow and learn alongside my precious children.  What about YOU? 

Back to school. What does that mean for us?

Hello all! Well, here we are again entering another school year. Autumn is approaching and soon we'll be donning our hoodies and toboggans, enjoying the changing leaves and sipping hot mulled cider & pumpkin lattes. Days will begin to get shorter, the cicadas will quiet down and preparations for the upcoming holidays will begin to unfold. So, what does all of this mean for our family? Well, I'll tell you what it means. It simply means that we will continue to learn daily, as we have every other time of the year, except we all absolutely ADORE fall, and there will be lots more to do in the great outdoors! I honestly don't understand why it is that some people think that you have to be "doing school" in order to learn!

When I first began home education, I'll have to admit, I was a bit nervous & uncertain of myself. I mean, after all, I had been educated in the public school system and this was the only way I knew it could be done! After a year of "playing school", so to speak, and lots and lots of research, reading lots and lots of great books written by experienced/veteran "been there and done that" home educators, I found out that I was quite wrong.


I discovered that learning/education takes place ALL OF THE TIME and what's more, you don't have to order a TON of expensive curriculum to do it! Education is an atmosphere, therefore, you are not required to sit behind a desk with a stack of standardized textbooks for 8 hours a day in order to get a "proper" education! In fact, you don't NEED textbooks at all! I mean, if you enjoy using textbooks in your homeschool, then by all means, use away, but you will probably end up using many other resources to teach with as well, I'm certain!


While I'm on the subject of school, I have to share with you something that I find most absurd and annoying. It seems that most people are under the impression that school is miserable! Imagine that! I say this because every time that I'm checking out at the grocery store and the attendant asks my children if they're enjoying being back in school and they respond "we're homeschooled", the automatic response is, "Oh, well then you NEVER get a break do you?"!!! Firstly, I would like to say that while some might think that doing school year round would be fate worse than death (as would I if it were institutionalized), it's really not THAT bad! IF and ONLY IF you find education/learning to be a natural part of your daily repertoire! We are learning every day of our lives as a family! Secondly, yes, we DO get a break! But, not from LEARNING! It's just natural.

Now, before you think that we sit in our home and do absolutely nothing and that there is absolutely no table work involved in our home learning, then stop right there! I DO teach my children. I DO use books, and quite often at that. I use books, REAL BOOKS aka "living", whole books, for EVERYTHING just about! Reading is fundamental! It is the best way to learn. The kids read independently and we do a TON of read aloud. The library is our favorite place to be, apart from the great outdoors or being piled up on the couch reading to one another!

History, art, music, geography, math, spelling, vocabulary, grammar, science, poetry, comprehension etc., can ALL be learned/taught through the reading of GOOD books! Lots of meaty discussions come about after reading, as well as furthering the research of a particular topic, on the web, or any other resources available.

So, in all of this, essentially what I'm trying to say is this: there is no "back to school" in our "homeschool", because well, we never left it (school)!

TTFN! Happy homeschooling!

Stay tuned~ upcoming posts on what a day in our homeschool looks like, a list of books I highly recommend for parents considering home education, and a list of books/resources we couldn't live without!

A conversation on dress

Today I would just like to share my opinion on the subject of dress. This is just my own personal thoughts, of course, and many won't agree with them I'm sure, but that's expected. As a mother, it's quite grueling going into a department store with your daughters to find decent clothing, only to find fragments of cloth on hangers  that wouldn't cover hardly anything. Then, to pass other moms who are happily purchasing these items whilst wearing similar clothing themselves!! 

 Firstly, I don't and never will agree with the phrase "if you've got it, flaunt it!". To me, it's not always clear what "it" is, because what's attractive to some, may not be to others, and in that sense, let's just assume that it's best to just keep "it" hidden and we'll all be on the safe side! That's not the purpose of dress anyway.

 Seriously though...I do understand that silly phrase, but I think in our society, filled with pedophiles, rapists, and so on, we should keep a modest wardrobe for our daughters and... OURSELVES ladies...and fathers if you're reading! I mean, even if the streets weren't filled with such grotesque, perverted people...we should still have more decency and morals about ourselves, and consider hormonal teenage boys and onlooking men! I do realize most people DO consider these things, and that's their whole intent, is to attract the opposite sex...but why do it that way? Really! 

 The sad thing is, most people don't think anything of it. 

 I am not a summer person, not only because of the wicked heat and humidity, bugs, high electric bills from running fans and A/C non-stop, longer days and shorter nights, just to name a few! LOL,  BUT...I can't leave the house without having to be exposed to half naked people everywhere. It's quite disgusting to have to see what some people consider to be clothing out there. Honestly, it's hot, but you don't have to expose yourselves in that way to keep cool. 

 I don't like my young girls or my son to be exposed to this every time we go out somewhere. It just makes every outing awkward. I understand, adults can make their own choices about what to wear and unfortunately, they don't choose well, but PARENTS! COME ON! Let your children be innocent children while they can. Let little girls be little girls. Feminine and lady like. Mothers and fathers, teach your children by way of example in your own daily attire. Modesty isn't a bad thing. Leaves something to the imagination. 

 It's very distasteful to dress that way. I have better luck finding cute clothes for my girls at yard sales, really, than at any department store these days...It's a rare occasion to find something cute and decent anywhere. I suppose I'm just old-fashioned. 

  

Autumnal Equinox: Celebrating Autumn

Well, it's finally here! Autumn! In all of it's splendor! 

I simply love this time of the year and all that it has to offer!

The colors of the leaves, the smell in the air, the foods and drinks associated with the season. Warm, spicy aromas filling the house from baking, soups, or fall-scented candles!

I love cuddling under a warm blanket and reading a good book/books! Wearing warm sweatshirts and hoodies. Taking nature walks with the kiddos. Journaling what we see. Leaf collections, or rubbings. Apple tasting is fun! An autumn unit study is fun and can be as extensive as you want it to be. You can focus on so many various things, be it weather, trees, apples, pumpkins, animals, birds, migration, hibernation, football, pilgrims and Indians, leaves, autumn around the world, nocturnal animals, etc. There are a plethora of books to choose from covering all of the above topics and just simply "fun" autumn books that aren't really focusing on anything in particular, that we've read again and again. 

 I love going to fall festivals. There's the annual Pumpkin Festival we go to each year in our state. We also enjoy going to the Bob Evans Fall Festival each year. 

Carving pumpkins is a family favorite too! Making apple butter and hot mulled cider! YUM! I'm not really a fan of football, so that's not something you'll see on the television in our house too often. I do love Halloween, and so do my kids. So many parents are against this holiday, as they associate it with evilness. I know that all holidays can go either way. You can make it whatever you want. It can be innocent. We have lots of fun trick or treating and going through our candy when we get home! The best part is designing our costumes! Decorating the house is a must. My house is totally "autumned out" right now! I have orange lights strung in every room. Leaf garland, hay bales, scarecrows, pumpkins, crows, candles, vases filled with colorful leaves, owls, etc. 

We have a lot of fun visiting our local state forest/park and walking on their various trails and taking pictures! 

We usually pack a picnic lunch and sit under a big tree on a bench and enjoy the sights and sounds all around us while we eat. Then the kids pile up the leaves and jump in them until it's finally time to pack up the van and go home. 

The girls always pick out a pumpkin of their own and carve it close to Halloween. I like sitting them around the house beside pots of mums on the porch until then. 

We have so much fun learning together during ALL seasons, but it seems we tend to enjoy autumn and winter (Christmas) best. 

If you wish to have a list of the fall books/poems/resources I've read/used in our home, comment below and I will send you a list, or a link of my listmania list on Amazon of "Favorite Fall Books". 

HAPPY FALL YA'LL!

Learning with Index Cards

Recently I decided to use index cards in our homeschool for short lessons, as recommended in Charlotte Mason's books about educating children~ homeschooling or otherwise. I bought several packages of index cards, in various colors, labels, filing compartments, and mini boxes for individual use.
 This is no new idea or anything. In fact, I've read other testimonials from parents, in homeschool articles, on how well this worked for them.
 Keeping with the idea of short lessons and doing mostly reading for each subject (using "living" whole books: not textbooks), I have devised a plan to use these index cards with my girls for penmanship, vocab words, written narrations, copywork, geography, nature/science, math lessons, artist study, foreign language, etc. 
 For example, let's say I'm doing a lesson on Van Gogh. I might have them copy his name in their neatest handwriting and write down the name of the painting we are studying, along with a bio of him (depending on age of child). I have also purchased unlined/blank index cards of a larger size for artwork. Perhaps I may have them sketch a drawing of the work we're studying, say Sunflowers, and place in our box. That, along with the book I'm reading on him, and the painting we're studying would conclude the lesson.
 I feel like the index cards aren't so intimidating as a huge piece of notebook paper lying before them on the table, and they can feel accomplished once they are done with their work.
 I like the idea of short lessons on each subject. They seem to stay more focused and retain more from the lesson we are studying this way.
 Another example of this technique is: Let's say I am reading a book aloud to the children and we come to a word in the text that they've not heard before. After I've finished the passage I'm reading, I would go back and after having made note of the words in question, have them copy the word on their index card, labeled vocab words, or color coded, and the definition, and perhaps use it in a sentence the next day on another card of the same color.
 With younger children, this really shouldn't be required. Simply discussing the words together, or by using the surrounding words in the sentence, ask them if they think they can figure out the meaning of the word.
 This can work well when learning about individual states, using a different colored card for each state, with the state's facts. In foreign language, writing down the new word we learn, or phrase of the day. They can also make their own "flash cards" for math lessons. The ideas are endless. 
 We shall see how this goes. I love the flexibility of homeschooling. If this doesn't work, then we can always try something new! 

Spring Reading and Nature Journaling

 With the season of Spring upon us, I'm reminded of all sorts of animals coming out of their winter hiding to once again explore the world around them. Recently I've spotted quite a few of them in our yard, along with lots of birds. I so enjoy waking to the sound of birds chirping outside and doves cooing their love songs. I've put out a variety of seeds in our numerous bird feeders to lure them in! A playful squirrel was spotted grooming his tail just yesterday, and a large family of deer, or possibly two families, made their way down the hillside to cross the creek a few days ago.
  Bunnies are some of my favorite little critters to watch at play in our yard. One book collection I couldn't live without is: http://www.amazon.com/Beatrix-Potter-Complete-Tales/dp/072325804X/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1301293164&sr=1-1. We have read these stories over and over again and never tire of them! Beautiful illustrations and rich text about all of these beloved critters! Any book by Jim Arnosky is good. James Herriot's Treasury for Children is another must have http://www.amazon.com/James-Herriots-Treasury-Children-Creatures/dp/0312085125/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1301293341&sr=1-1.
    Raccoons are plentiful around here. I have pictures of a mama raccoon with her two young, climbing and eating from our bird feeders last late Spring.
Chipmunks visit our porch quite often. It's so sweet watching them stuff their cheeks full with as much seed as they can!
 I have journaled about all of these and more. Keeping a nature journal is something I enjoy tremendously. It's fun for the whole family. "Keeping a Nature Journal" by Clare Walker Leslie http://www.amazon.com/Keeping-Nature-Journal-Discover-Seeing/dp/1580174930/ref=pd_sim_b_2, is a book I highly recommend. In it's description it says~ "You can experience a spirited yet tranquil exploration of the living world by creating your own nature journal. In any season, in any weather, and any place, nature journaling compels us to slow down, observe, reflect, and once again, embrace our connection to the living mosaic that is our environment."
 Another good book, http://www.amazon.com/Wild-Days-Creating-Discovery-Journals/dp/1576360733, is called "Wild Days: Creating Discovery Journals".
 Really, all you need is some paper, pencil or pen, crayons, or just whatever you choose, and the great outdoors!
 Have fun! Start a new adventure!
Happy journaling, discovering, and reading!!!!