tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-41353327701019172232024-02-06T20:25:47.626-08:00A Joyful JourneyJourney of a home school familyUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger23125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4135332770101917223.post-35169324796869643062014-11-14T11:56:00.001-08:002014-11-14T11:56:25.222-08:00A Slow WeekThis past week we took a slow week. I was feeling under the weather and took the time to relax, regroup, and reflect. We got out of our rhythm and it felt wasteful. We also got a fair amount of snow, so between sickness and change in the weather we were rocked. After a week of keeping it slow and trying to rest, I added our walk back in, we normally don't do a lot of academics on Fridays, so most of the remainder of the day was normal. It felt so good, nurturing to the soul to get back into the missing rhythm and to set us up for a strong week next week. I hope to continue to refine our rhythm so that even if something is off there is still a clear path to follow. Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4135332770101917223.post-68713475217564493382014-10-22T14:39:00.002-07:002014-10-22T14:39:10.205-07:00RhythmOne of the best things I have done for our homeschool is to work to develop a daily and weekly rhythm. What is rhythm you may ask? Rhythm is having a pattern or an ebb and flow to your routine. It is the opposite of chaos. Rhythm can work for all types of people from unschoolers, to families with infants, to executives. We all live with some kind of rhythm in our lives, but the trick is using it to make our lives better and easier. Rhythm can be daily, weekly, monthly, and yearly. Most of us follow a very similar yearly pattern that corresponds to the calendar or the seasons. We celebrate holidays, do Spring cleaning, etc. Everyday, you may wake up, exercise, shower, eat breakfast, etc.<br />
<br />
Our current daily rhythm looks like this: <br />
Wake up<br />
<br />
Eat breakfast<br />
Tidy up (boys make beds, get dressed, brush teeth)<br />
Family walk<br />
Circle Time<br />
School Work<br />
Lunch<br />
Daily chores<br />
Free time, errands, or activities<br />
Prepare dinner<br />
Eat<br />
Clean up<br />
Family Walk<br />
Bedtime routine<br />
<br />
I began with the rhythm written down and posted so I can refer to it often, but we are going on our 7th week and I don't really need to look at it much. I really like making lists and checking them off, so having it all written out works great for me. If you are not type A or this just seems too daunting for you, just choose 3 things and do them everyday in the same order and once you have them down, choose the next 3 things, until you have your rhythm down. The rhythm helps everyone know what is coming next and really helps my children be calm about the day and do things (like school work or tooth brushing) without giving attitude or defiance. The only downside I can say is that whenever we have to abandon our rhythm for any reason (special events, guests, holidays, etc.) we get more of the old undesirable behavior (craziness, bouncing off walls, tantrums, meltdowns). Since these behaviors happen so much less now it is much easier to respond gently and with understanding. When we fall off track for whatever reason, getting back into our rhythm feels so good. It's like going on vacation: coming back to our rhythm feels like home. It is good to be home.<br />
<br />
How I brought a clear rhythm into our lives: Start small! Most people wake and eat around the same time most days, use this as a starting point. This was something I have always had, but had to be a little more strict with myself since having kids (no skipping breakfast or snacking through lunch). Most parents have probably heard the benefits of a good bedtime routine. We have had a regular bedtime routine since our oldest was about 2.5 years old (I recommend starting earlier!). This was the first component to our family rhythm and has been adjusted many times as we added two more children. The next thing we added in was family walks with a brief tidying up of the house before hand. We added one in the morning to get ourselves going for the day and to expend some of the kids energy before having them sit for circle and school. Simultaneously we added one in at night after dinner to get the last of the wiggles out before the bedtime routine. We practiced the walks and tidying up for two weeks before we even started school. Finally, we added in our circle time followed by school work. <br />
<br />
Sometimes we don't get out the door for our morning walk until just before lunch! Other times we just go so late that we miss our night time walk. I try to focus on the parts that are the most important (eating and school) and just take things one step at a time. This routine is what we always come back to and it works for us! <br />
<br />
A final note on developing rhythm: There is a component to Steiner's work that talks about 'breathing in' and 'breathing out' activities. I am not very well versed on it, but the basics of this is focus should alternate between being inward (sitting type activities) and outward (movement or outside activities). I try to take that into consideration for our rhythm and during our circle time I try to alternate between the two as well. <br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4135332770101917223.post-58829274944661959302014-10-10T07:58:00.004-07:002014-10-10T07:58:27.401-07:00Week 4-Reflections on Waldorf<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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I’d like to write a little about what I love about Waldorf
and what I would like to bring into our homeschool program.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Right now I am loving how much I am learning
about things I hadn’t given much thought to before.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have long been a fan of simple living and
minimalism.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I dislike clutter and
hoarding things, but there is some aspect of Waldorf education that is very
simple in nature.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Limiting toys, media
exposure, and even books is encouraged.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
didn’t understand why one would ever limit books, but am discovering that too
much information is just as detrimental as too many toys.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As an adult I can definitely relate to
information overload and how it contributes to my overall sense of well-being.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What I would like to take from this is not
that I have to have all things waldorf in my home, but to really look at how
the things we have in our home affect us.</div>
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<br /></div>
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I have had a ‘teaching wall’ up in our house since H was
about 3 years old.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It started out with
pictures he drew and then I added a calendar and map and it eventually
progressed into a full-fledged school room bulletin board complete with fun
seasonal boarder.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He is almost 7 now and
I know all the kids are rather fond of the posters of the human body and other
charts that I have up, but I think it is time for these things to go.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One of the things I am learning more about as
I explore Waldorf is the child taking the learning into their being.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That is the best way I can describe it right
now.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is not just learning the
alphabet and math facts and that these letters make these sounds, but actually
forming a relationship on a deeper level with learning concepts.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For example, each letter of the alphabet is
taught with a story and beautiful illustration of the letter and words that
start with that letter. So that when they see the letter M, they are not just
seeing that letter, but it has become part of them through the story.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ll admit that I am just beginning to
understand this concept<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>and am far from
truly knowledgeable, but I can really see the value in this kind of
learning.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So piece by piece I am
removing the ‘meaningless’ letters and numbers and charts from our walls to
make space for a deeper learning to take place.</div>
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Another thing that I am loving about Waldorf education is
the concept of rhythm.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have developed
a family rhythm and we have been practicing for about 5 weeks now and it is
wonderful.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Somehow all on their own the
children have almost entirely given up on television since the rhythm doesn’t
really have any space for it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That is not
to say that they do not have free time, but they have chosen to use their free
time for play rather than passive television watching.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Though with Halloween and Christmas right
around the corner (plus cold weather), I am interested to see how this plays
out through the winter.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We do love to
snuggle up and watch our holiday movies (on repeat).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The concept of rhythm is so great (both vast
and wonderful) that I will definitely explore it in more detail in the future,
but suffice to say it has been life altering and quite meaningful for us. </div>
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The biggest struggle I am having with family life right now
is struggling with living up to the Waldorf lifestyle.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is so easy to get caught up in the thought
that my homeschool needs this or that to be complete, especially when the few
little things I have done have produced such great results.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is important for me to remember baby steps
and that there is not ONE way to do things.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Also important is to realize that Steiner developed his ideas nearly 100
years ago and while many of the aspects of Waldorf education are still valid
and valuable, some things may not be as important or applicable as others.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4135332770101917223.post-83538511815869446632014-10-10T07:53:00.003-07:002014-10-10T07:53:56.920-07:00Not Back to School 2014Well hello there, long time no see. We have (finally) started our homeschool year after a September that started off with a ton of appointments and other 'life stuff'. I feel so blessed that we were able to delay our beginning to a time that worked best for us.<br />
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To recap: Last year was our first 'official' homeschool year since H was in Kindergarten, though I did purchase a preschool curriculum (that sat unused) for him the year before. We used Math U See Primer, a workbook that I bought at Sam's Club, and BOB books. I tried to do an unschool approach with lots of social activities, playdates, parkdays, etc., but unschooling just doesn't vibe with my teacher-y personality (part of my inner work, I suppose). It was a great year and busy, but H often complained of the 'doing school' part when I had him sit down for BOB, workbook, and Math. We eased up on the reading because it was becoming a battle and the last thing I wanted was for him to dislike reading. I told him we would try something different this year. However, Aaron and I agree that math is very important to us to do in a sequential manner and that we should not bounce around on math curriculum, so we have chosen Math U See for the long haul.<br />
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This year I was really looking at using the Oak Meadow curriculum which is very gentle and uses a lot of drawing, crafting, nature, and story-telling, at least that is my understanding of it. I just couldn't get myself onboard with the price tag though, so I was on ebay trying to score a used copy and losing bid after bid. It just wasn't meant to be I guess and to make a long story short, I got a slammin' deal on Waldorf Essentials lifetime membership and decided to go with that. I also found a few wonderfully supportive facebook groups that have been an amazing source of inspiration and information on how to make the Waldorf experience at home. I think this program is EXACTLY what we need as a family. It comes with a parent curriculum too and I feel so positive about working on myself in regard to mothering and teaching. So, I have H using Waldorf Essentials first grade and Math U See and A is using Sonlight P4/5 (the aforementioned preschool curriculum I purchased for H and never used). So let me tell you how it went!<br />
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One of the most valuable things I have seen in Waldorf is the concept of rhythm. I actually started working on our family rhythm 2 weeks before school, trying to establish a routine that included regular clean-up times and walks and very little outside of the household routine. This involved LOTS of planning and lists which I loved, but I suppose other personalities could do this without the lists/planning. I could see already that this is going to be a very good thing for AJ who struggles with transitions and going out. <br />
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So by the time we were finally ready to begin on Sept. 15 I would like to say our rhythm was pretty solid, but really the idea of how it should be was solid, we are still working on keeping our rhythm (at least the expectation is there). We began our journey with a Rose Ceremony which I will describe in another post. Then dove right into the programs. By Wednesday H was asking to go back to our old program, but mostly I think he was struggling to adjust to the change in what 'school' looks like. AJ is doing very well with his program and doing a great job with his drawings. Though his week was not without struggles including walking away from circle time and complete disinterest in certain stories.<br />
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I am still working on developing our circle time. One thing I read by the creator of Waldorf Essentials was that crafting the life we are striving for takes time and is a bit like painting where new ideas are continually painted, layer by layer, onto the canvas of family life. This really resonated with me and so I am working on adding new elements a little at a time. Overall I am very happy with our first week. It was a struggle, but at the end of the week, we took lots of family walks, drew some beautiful pictures, and spent lots of time together. Next week brings the fall equinox and we will be including some dragon activities in preparation for Michaelmas. It is sure to be a fun-filled week! <br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4135332770101917223.post-1688436586580373462013-04-02T14:02:00.000-07:002013-04-02T14:02:20.313-07:00Leprechauns and Spring, Part 2We didn't get around to making the <a href="http://www.housingaforest.com/shamrock-crystals/" target="_blank">shamrock craft</a>, but I saw a similar one with rainbows that could be done anytime. We had some new older friends over and made play dough. I was trying for <a href="http://www.baby.co.uk/life_and_home/20130503zingy-orange-play-dough-recipe/" target="_blank">this</a>, but it didn't smell good at all. I think I could have added more zest. As always, it was a hit, I let them add glitter, which they loved. We also tried this <a href="http://www.bloombakecreate.com/2011/05/bleeding-tissue-fun/" target="_blank">tissue bleeding</a>, the only color that worked was purple and the boys weren't too interested in it, upon further review (actually reading the instructions instead of just looking at the pictures), apparently I was supposed to try this with fabric, not paper, LOL. I had 2 kids doing the tissue bleeding and the other two doing <a href="http://www.playcreateexplore.com/2011/03/marble-painting.html" target="_blank">marble painting</a>, which I thought was awesome, but the kids quickly lost interest in. We played Monopoly and Sorry, made some progress on our hole to the other side of the world, and found 2 garter snakes in the yard (half dead, unfortunately). Fisher started sucking his thumb, Hudson can count by 10s and 5s, AJ can count to 10. Read this <a href="http://www.rageagainsttheminivan.com/2013/03/lets-bring-holidays-down-notch.html?spref=fb">http://www.rageagainsttheminivan.com/2013/03/lets-bring-holidays-down-notch.html?spref=fb</a> and was reminded to chill out. Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4135332770101917223.post-71705282859763313162013-03-18T21:01:00.002-07:002013-03-18T21:01:32.472-07:00Leprechauns and SpringThis week at our house we will finish celebrating St. Patrick's Day and jump into Spring full force. Our caterpillars have also arrived, so I have a few ideas to learn about them.<br />
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<a href="http://pinterest.com/search/pins/?q=leprechaun+traps" target="_blank">Leprechaun traps</a>, leprechaun rocks, and Shamrocks <br />
We were a little late to make our <a href="http://pinterest.com/search/pins/?q=leprechaun+traps" target="_blank">leprechaun trap</a> (we did that Sunday night). H was super interested, but dad kind of diverted it into making a squirrel trap. So we ended up with 2 traps, both half effort. But at least they were excited and doing something together. Then they went to bed and the leprechaun left a note saying they would have to be more clever than that to catch him. That naughty leprechaun also left green pee in the toilet and a pile of <a href="http://www.giftofcuriosity.com/2013/03/03/magic-leprechaun-rocks/" target="_blank">leprechaun rocks</a>. The boys spent the morning 'washing' their <a href="http://www.giftofcuriosity.com/2013/03/03/magic-leprechaun-rocks/" target="_blank">leprechaun rocks.</a> Later we plan to make these:<br />
<a href="http://www.housingaforest.com/shamrock-crystals/" target="_blank">http://www.housingaforest.com/shamrock-crystals/ </a><br />
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Caterpillars and butterflies<br />
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We checked out a bunch of books at the library. I want to do this life cycle craft this week. <br />
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Playdate<br />
Our home school friends are coming over this week to help us get our garden going. We are going to be putting in some sunflowers along our fence and reading the book <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tiny-Seed-World-Eric-Carle/dp/1416979174/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1363665381&sr=8-1&keywords=the+tiny+seed" target="_blank">The Tiny Seed by Eric Carle</a>. <br />
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Its a busy week here and I am watching a couple extra kids for Spring Break...all boys!!! Wish me luck!<br />
I'll try to post an update at the end of the week and let you know how it all went, with pictures of course!<br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4135332770101917223.post-15313848931274611842013-03-13T21:26:00.002-07:002013-03-13T21:57:44.530-07:00We're Baaaack!Follow me on Pinterest <a data-pin-do="buttonFollow" href="http://pinterest.com/leahmro/">Leah </a> <br />
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Oh, it's been so long. I had almost given up on this whole blog thing...<br />
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But I like to write, I like to document all the fun stuff we do, I miss it. So...to catch everyone up the past few months we: had a baby, celebrated Thanksgiving, Hanukkah, Christmas, New Year's, King's Day, Candlemas, Valentine's, Suess Day, and took a trip to the aquarium (2 hours away...what was I thinking?!). I am sure there was a bunch of other stuff in there too, we are busy people. We also switched to gluten-free and are working on giving up sugar. So while I would love to share all that catch up stuff, let me just post a few pics of the baby and jump in fresh from here, mmmkay.<br />
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Baby J<br />
Birth story summary: Born December 7 at home (2VBAC), 13 days late, 1.5 hour labor. Midwife arrived when his head was already out...LOL, she almost missed it. 9lbs 8oz.<br />
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Birth</div>
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Birth</div>
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Birth</div>
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1 Week</div>
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1 Month</div>
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2 months</div>
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3 months</div>
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I am not sure if he is the sweetest baby yet or I just Love him so much because I am more experienced with how fast they grow. I'm just really enjoying him and being home with all my kids and daycare kiddos too! I feel quite blessed lately to have so many wonderful friends, family, and kiddos in my life. <br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4135332770101917223.post-60232485197100547692012-11-06T13:51:00.000-08:002012-11-07T11:11:20.136-08:00On Reading and Writing<br />
One of the biggest challenges to homeschooling for me is trying not to push too hard. I am a natural teacher and would love to just sit down and instruct my kids on how to do this or that, but I realize that is not the best way to teach…especially not when you are trying to teach your own because inevitably some head-butting and resistence will come up. I know kids can learn to read as young as 3 with rote practice and memorization, but for me I want so much more than for my kids to know HOW to read. I want them to LOVE to read. I know my kids will learn to read eventually and I have a great respect for the hardcore unschooler who can just let go and wait for their child to unlock the mystery of reading on their own. I have decided that we will have reading instruction, but when the kids ask for it or express an interest. The good news is I don’t think I will be waiting much longer!<br />
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Last week I took the kids to the library and H had an immediate interest in books with a certain urgency he has not expressed before. I am not exactly sure how to describe it, but basically he was interested in a specific book that he heard about on some TV show and had absolutely no interest in working on the computers (which is usually what both children rush to). It had been at least a month since we had been to the library. He wanted picture books, comic books, and readers; he was all over the kids section just exploring and looking more intently than before. We picked out several books and came home. We read quite a bit of one of the comic books he chose and then I asked him if he wanted to read a <a href="http://www.bobbooks.com/" target="_blank">BOB book</a>. He agreed and he did it! He read the first book through twice and then wanted to read the second book. Then he was so excited to share his new accomplishment with Dad and Grandma. I was so proud of him and hope we can continue on this reading road and not have this just be a peek into the world of reading. <br />
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Reading and writing go hand in hand and a few days after our reading excitement H made a big writing jump too! Grandma was reading the newspaper and the boys took an interest in the toy ads. So she took the teachable moment to have them write a wish list and encouraged H to write his own. I heard what was going on and unable to resist the opportunity to ‘teach,’ I came in to assist him in making his list. It has been over a year since H has taken ANY interest in writing, refusing to even write more than the first letter of his name. But on Sunday he sat down and wrote a list of about 6 things he wanted. I helped him sound out and spell the words and pointed out the letters on a chart for reference. I also helped him with the letter S because I know that making the curvy shape takes some muscle memory and practice (that he hasn’t had). <br />
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I’m so happy and proud, though since he just turned 5 I find myself having those ‘he’s growing up so fast’ moments way too often now. <br />
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A little info on our reading background: <br />
We have practiced <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I190o_z0HCI" target="_blank">Zoophonics</a> off and on for about 2 years, so he has a good basis of letter sounds and he knows the names of all of the letters. The <a href="http://www.bobbooks.com/" target="_blank">BOB books</a> are set up so that only a handful of letter sounds are used in the entire book and the text is heavily based on the simple pictures, so they can use the visual clues to decipher the words. I created a fishing game to practice the words in the book and words in the same ‘word family;’ in this case –AT words. <br />
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The fishing game is: fish shaped index cards with the words on one side and a face on the other and uses paperclips on the cards to attach to a magnet on the pole. <br />
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Also came across this great link for some BOB printables on Pinterest today: <a href="http://www.inlieuofpreschool.com/2012/11/free-bob-books-printables-for-beginning-readers-Mat-Sam.html">http://www.inlieuofpreschool.com/2012/11/free-bob-books-printables-for-beginning-readers-Mat-Sam.html</a></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4135332770101917223.post-28356829266361038902012-08-26T11:25:00.000-07:002012-08-26T11:25:12.850-07:00Smelling SpicesToday we had a spur of the moment smelling and tasting project. AJ took a particular interest in a container of curry spice I had left out, so I let him smell it. He seemed to really enjoy sniffing it, so I pulled out about 12 spices from the cabinet that I thought would be mild smelling/tasting. Both boys had a blast taking a whiff of the spice, pouring a tad onto their paper and tasting it. H got a nose full of ginger spice which was pretty funny; I pulled out some coffee grounds for him to sniff after that to ease the ginger-y pain. (That worked well, until AJ stuck his hand into my coffee grounds and took a big taste…it was NOT decaf). When we finished, AJ was ready to do it all over again, he really enjoyed it. I think we will end up doing this activity again using herbs. A word to the wise...cloves smell really good, but taste VERY spicy. LOL<br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4135332770101917223.post-87054562697935344302012-08-26T06:59:00.001-07:002012-08-26T07:45:05.691-07:00Alphabet Pretzels<br />
Today we started our <a href="http://www.zoo-phonics.com/">zoophonics</a> program. We started with the first 5 letters of the alphabet, focusing on their phonetic sounds instead of the name of the letter. The kids had fun learning the names of the animals and the sounds they make. Then we did an alphabet walk, laying out the entire alphabet from A-Z and walking along singing the alphabet song. Then I removed a few of the letters and handed one to each child to relocate into the alphabet. It was short and sweet, but we are easing into our program. A little while later we extended the activity by making alphabet pretzels. They were delicious!<br />
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Ingredients: <br />
¾ cup warm water<br />
2 teaspoons sugar<br />
1 teaspoon active dry yeast<br />
2 ½ cups flour<br />
1 teaspoon salt<br />
2 tablespoons butter <br />
2/3 cup baking soda<br />
10 cups water<br />
Sea salt<br />
Cinnamon/Sugar mix<br />
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Directions: <br />
1. Combine water and sugar in a small bowl. Sprinkle yeast on top and let it sit until foamy (about 5 minutes)<br />
2. Add flour, salt, melted butter, and knead dough until it is no longer sticky.<br />
3. Transfer dough to oiled bowl and let rise for an hour.<br />
4. Separate into four to eight sections. Using your hands, shape the dough into ‘snakes’ and allow the children to create their favorite shapes. Challenge them to create a traditional pretzel knot. <br />
5. Transfer pretzel to a baking sheet lined with parchment and sprayed with cooking spray. <br />
6. Preheat oven to 450 degrees<br />
7. Bring water and baking soda to a boil, and drop a pretzel in one at a time, boiling for approximately 30 seconds (great chance to practice counting).<br />
8. Remove pretzel and transfer to baking sheet. Repeat with remaining pretzels. Top with a bit of melted butter and sea salt or cinnamon/sugar mix.<br />
9. Bake for 12 to 14 minutes. <br />
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Zoophonics Video from You Tube...I'll try to make our own, once they have it down. :)<br />
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<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I190o_z0HCI">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I190o_z0HCI</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4135332770101917223.post-69200660092694087302012-08-20T06:23:00.001-07:002012-08-20T06:23:23.843-07:00Last week at our houseThe week in pictures: <br />
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Magnet play (cut up pipe cleaners and paper clips in jar)<br />
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Bean shapes (I drew shapes, they glued beans)<br />
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Mud baths<br />
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Gak revisited with dadUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4135332770101917223.post-65530496336352892392012-08-20T06:18:00.002-07:002012-08-20T06:25:26.487-07:00Homeschool ChoicesI’m so excited to enter into our first year of really homeschooling. Last year we did a local program called HIPPY (Home Instruction Preparing Preschool Youth). It was great. A teacher came out and gave us lessons once a week and all the materials were provided. Unfortunately, they had to put Hudson in the 3 year old curriculum because his birthday is at the end of October and he didn’t really care for the program too much; I think because it was below his level. We also had some scattered goals like count to 100, identifying numbers, and beginning phonics. I purchased some books recommended for his age level and did a lot of considering and trying out an <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unschooling" target="_blank">unschooling philosophy</a> (<a href="http://sandradodd.com/unschooling" target="_blank">more here</a>). We also have been involved with some social activities with local homeschool groups. My conclusion is that something more organized than unschooling would be most fun for all of us and better suited to my personality at this point, but may be something worth considering when Hudson has a grasp of the basics and more self-direction in the future.<br />
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The kids were so excited to get the first half of their homeschool books. <br />
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They both settled down to read, but I only got a picture of AJ.<br />
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This year we have settled on the <a href="http://www.sonlight.com/" target="_blank">Sonlight</a> program for his core academics. It is a literature based Christian program, but I feel like I can work with the Christian part and incorporate some <a href="http://www.unity.org/" target="_blank">Unity</a> concepts and skip over the parts I don’t like (specifically, “it makes God sad when you….” And things like that). For math we have chosen <a href="http://www.mathusee.com/" target="_blank">Math-U-See</a>, a sequential and hands-on program (so I’m told) and will probably throw in some ideas from <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Family-Math-Young-Children-Comparing/dp/0912511273/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1345468154&sr=8-2&keywords=family+math" target="_blank">Family Math</a> since I have heard good things about that too. I feel really comfortable teaching reading, so I will be doing my own thing with that, beginning with <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I190o_z0HCI" target="_blank">Zoophonics</a> and moving onto <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Bob-Books-Set-Beginning-Readers/dp/0439845009/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1345468264&sr=8-1&keywords=bob+books" target="_blank">BOB books</a> and word games. Perhaps H will be reading in the Spring? Who knows? We will continue our social events with the homeschool group and I will be alternate hosting group ‘class’ days with other homeschoolers. I have purchased tickets to several shows at the arts center for some enrichment and both boy’s will be doing soccer this fall and probably spring. We are still trying to figure out some music lessons though; we would love to get our hands on a decent piano, but may have the opportunity to get H some violin lessons, so we may start there. <br />
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It is kind of tricky figuring out what will work best and of course is an ongoing process. I really liked the Sonlight program and they had great catalogs that were easy to see what I was getting. I am also very interested in <a href="http://www.oakmeadow.com/" target="_blank">Oak Meadow</a>, but found their materials to be less accessible and possibly not as structured as I am. My thoughts are to try Sonlight this year and possibly next because I really like their Kindergarten books as well, but maybe move into Oak Meadow or something different in the future. I really want to get our family to a big homeschool conference this year sometime and have a chance to look through some different programs. It is such a fun and exciting journey to be taking with the kids; I’m really looking forward to it. <br />
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If you homeschool, what program do you use (if any)?Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4135332770101917223.post-33426148613265434622012-08-14T11:47:00.000-07:002012-08-14T11:47:14.464-07:00Chores: Finding Peace in Everyday ActivitiesHave you ever read the book <a href="http://www.amazon.com/One-Thousand-Gifts-Fully-Right/dp/0310321913/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1344968332&sr=8-1&keywords=1000+gifts+by+ann+voskamp" target="_blank">One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp</a>? It is about finding the magic or God in everyday things and really appreciating everything around you fully. She is brilliant with words, you can get a taste of her writing here: <a href="http://www.aholyexperience.com/">http://www.aholyexperience.com/</a><br />Anyway, there are a few chores that bring me peace, including:<br />
<br /> • Sweeping: I love the rhythmic nature of it and can easily get lost in my thoughts. I especially like sweeping outdoors. <br />
<br /> • Hanging laundry: I love hanging my laundry. I feel like it is almost a priviledge that I live somewhere where I can hang my laundry outside on the line. I love the look of the clothes or sheets billowing in the wind. I especially love when all the little boy’s shorts are lined up together, it makes me feel very nostalgic and appreciative of my little men. I LOVE MY CLOTHESLINE. <br />
<br /> • Folding laundry: I know some people HATE this chore, but I don’t mind it . I usually save it for the end of the day and sit with the kids watching a movie or something while I fold. Honestly I have actually given up the ‘folding’ of most of the kids stuff, since it doesn’t get wrinkled and they just rifle through the drawers anyway. Giving up folding was actually difficult for me because I like things to be orderly (at least a couple times of year I happily organize all the drawers folding underwear and matching socks, lining them up like in the movies-seriously weird and OCD, I’m trying to put an end to it). <br />
<br />Okay, maybe that is it. <br />
<br />Less than peaceful chores: <br />
<br /> • Dishes: In her book, there is a whole passage where she discusses the beauty in washing the dishes and looking at the bubbles glistening. Honestly I think if I had a window in front of my sink so I could look outside while washing, then I would be able to find a lot more enjoyment. As it stands now, I loathe doing dishes and it seems like the thing I do most. I have found one way that makes doing dishes and kitchen work easier and that is having a little helper. If I have one of the kids (Especially H though), ‘helping’ me wash dishes in one sink while I wash in the other and load the dishwasher, it is so much nicer. I like to lean over and kiss his fuzzy head while I scrub the dishes. Maybe it is just the feeling that I am not doing it alone. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1H3YENyS2uKq_wxTBs9892c4L-EQjCbdr5EF3W0W8HjOuD2qp4eeUKwpk-Um1ogBiYpB8m781B63atolDbWR-F9MwU8LoJOBkuVNEg45Ddtmez1fOA8rcUTLhcxwxly-EiUH3NbJaVZVi/s1600/006.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1H3YENyS2uKq_wxTBs9892c4L-EQjCbdr5EF3W0W8HjOuD2qp4eeUKwpk-Um1ogBiYpB8m781B63atolDbWR-F9MwU8LoJOBkuVNEg45Ddtmez1fOA8rcUTLhcxwxly-EiUH3NbJaVZVi/s400/006.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
Hudson putting away silverware, AJ doing dishes<br />
<br /> • Scrubbing: Floors, windows, showers, etc. I don’t like scrubbing, maybe I just hate hard work. I have found an awesome game that I like to call ‘spot detective.’ I give each kid a wet rag and have them look for spots on the floor, when they find one they yell, “Found one!” and then scrub it and yell, “Got it!” The kids also will ‘scrub’ the shower walls if I give them a sponge while they bathe.<br />
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My 'spot detectives' (a little blurry, they were running around so fast the camera couldn't focus)</div>
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Painting the tub with colored shaving cream (followed by scrubbing with sponges)</div>
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<br /> • Picking up: My dislike is probably just because my back hurts and the repetitive bending over to pick up toys or bits of paper-y trash aggravates it. We have a daily clean-up time every night before bed, where we pick up the toys and dishes from around the house. It requires a lot of adult guidance, but it gets the job done. <br />
<br />Even if the kids may not do the work at the same ‘level’ that an adult would, I think it is important that they are contributing and learning that they are a valuable part of the family system. It also makes me feel better because I am not doing everything by myself. Also, it is so adorable to see them ‘working.’ I read a really great article on children and chores here: <a href="http://www.authenticparenting.info/2011/07/if-not-chores-then-what.html">http://www.authenticparenting.info/2011/07/if-not-chores-then-what.html</a><br />
I would really like to avoid setting up a rewards system for something I feel like they should be doing anyway. Also, if I teach them that they should be rewarded for doing it, will they see the joy in it? <br />
<br />How do you find peace in everyday activities? What do you love and hate? What chores do your kids do? Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4135332770101917223.post-71484617482774800912012-08-07T15:01:00.002-07:002012-08-07T15:01:49.859-07:00Gak!For this week's playdate we made Gak (a gooey playdough like substance). There were just 3 kids here for this experiment and they were ages 2-4.5. I would say that this project was fun for all the ages, but the end product was most fun for H (the oldest). It was a simple enough project found here: <br />
<a href="http://www.cometogetherkids.com/2010/08/gak.html">http://www.cometogetherkids.com/2010/08/gak.html</a><br />
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Ours didn't come out that stretchy, but I think I just added too much borax too quickly. H is still playing with his a few hours later. The good news is, it also doesn't seem prone to stick in things like carpet or pets fur, make sure the little ones keep it out of their mouths though. I would even try this again to see if I could make it come out more stretchy. <br />
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H with his Gak!<br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4135332770101917223.post-14332967597536071622012-08-07T14:50:00.001-07:002012-08-07T14:50:46.472-07:00Magnet BoardI have been noticing that my kids have been a bit restless lately and especially wanted to make something that AJ would enjoy for some hands-on learning play. I came across the idea of a magnet board (<a href="http://servingpinklemonade.blogspot.com/2009/06/magnet-board-storiessongsactivites.html" target="_blank">here</a>). I use a white board that is about 12x20inches, but the fridge would do just fine too. I printed out some characters that I liked and used colored pencils to draw the extras. Then I had them laminated ($2.00 for 5 pages) and put magnet tape on the back. (Print on cardstock for extra durability)<br />
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I made:<br />
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5 Green and Speckled Frogs (<a href="http://www.free-clipart-pictures.net/animal_clipart.html" target="_blank">Click here for Clipart</a>)<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIwDkJm4dxs-DXOp9Skbwhyphenhyphen_lxS-2X3WHUInKLx2b04vH4zhVbRqFwjoc6eAD5Gnja9FfRnOkSTXhHQk2tjE17K609GszDnoOWQmxun3pWpZnivdHKvm4T1QLqF0-uc-dSKpFB9Wki0PKC/s1600/020.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIwDkJm4dxs-DXOp9Skbwhyphenhyphen_lxS-2X3WHUInKLx2b04vH4zhVbRqFwjoc6eAD5Gnja9FfRnOkSTXhHQk2tjE17K609GszDnoOWQmxun3pWpZnivdHKvm4T1QLqF0-uc-dSKpFB9Wki0PKC/s320/020.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
5 Little Ducks <a href="http://lds.about.com/library/gallery/clipart/katesklipart/animals/blkatesklipart_animals1.htm" target="_blank">(Click here for Clipart)</a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv8L-SAhCrzOwa_hbYon7SPpeob_ORxRo1z8dzcUFR8EkU94HYCJsbqVDjW8KEfIAACmxqmFI0MVoVipkzlbkwc53f6p8HyqMxiK5EwoMashGnLa1MUbNqVyBThUfjAsPzMs7a9PL2tViQ/s1600/021.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv8L-SAhCrzOwa_hbYon7SPpeob_ORxRo1z8dzcUFR8EkU94HYCJsbqVDjW8KEfIAACmxqmFI0MVoVipkzlbkwc53f6p8HyqMxiK5EwoMashGnLa1MUbNqVyBThUfjAsPzMs7a9PL2tViQ/s320/021.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
There was an Old Lady who Swallowed a Fly (<a href="http://www.marcias-lesson-links.com/I%20know%20an%20Old%20Lady%20who%20Swallowed%20a%20Fly-pull%20through.jpg" target="_blank">Click here for Clipart</a>)<br />
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5 Little Monkeys (<a href="http://www.free-clipart-pictures.net/animal_clipart.html" target="_blank">Click here for Clipart</a>)<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdq-yHWdcJuZNMb7sVyru4AeWXFWUrT0nH1-qjRZerF_2nrTrmzpXU5oLT3S0UdCxRknlyRNShGpUPTYrCFIxwPPwmM1jNwcvhCtB7JYNW3LhscQpQvBK65SlfjAO-H88ZPuGOlYQrJ2XL/s1600/019.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdq-yHWdcJuZNMb7sVyru4AeWXFWUrT0nH1-qjRZerF_2nrTrmzpXU5oLT3S0UdCxRknlyRNShGpUPTYrCFIxwPPwmM1jNwcvhCtB7JYNW3LhscQpQvBK65SlfjAO-H88ZPuGOlYQrJ2XL/s320/019.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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I sang the songs with AJ and taught him how to move the pieces around accordingly. He seemed to enjoy it and I hope soon that he will be able to play with the pieces independently while H and I do dishes or cook meals. H also enjoyed the activity, though I feel it is a little immature for him and he will tire of it more quickly. Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4135332770101917223.post-70594121255762324772012-08-07T14:18:00.000-07:002012-08-07T15:02:24.034-07:00Doctor's VisitsSorry for the lack of posts last week. It was a very appointment full week for me. I had a doctor’s appointment 4 out of 5 days last week. I guess that is what happens when you don’t go to the doctor for the first 6 months of your pregnancy. We will most likely be using a midwife for this pregnancy and choosing another homebirth. I dislike the whole hospital and doctor part of giving birth and it is so much more peaceful afterwards to be at home and in my own bed. I do plan on having this figured out by next week or so and beginning my regular midwife visits and hopefully some chiropractic visits will be in the not too distant future. So, for those of you that haven’t heard (and no one has yet seen)<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpx3AONQSTBPyCSzW-B2c5qCzfolcvErF_y6ZLznKEfaH1BvaGFYQxm-qZHRm9b5lfZx1MffETf1BODCKYmqCYCA4RykyC75WqX-J0Eu2-a2MWYAvwpqSLstQLmv7r6jVWWLvFy83Pb4YM/s1600/ultrasound+3+001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="464" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpx3AONQSTBPyCSzW-B2c5qCzfolcvErF_y6ZLznKEfaH1BvaGFYQxm-qZHRm9b5lfZx1MffETf1BODCKYmqCYCA4RykyC75WqX-J0Eu2-a2MWYAvwpqSLstQLmv7r6jVWWLvFy83Pb4YM/s640/ultrasound+3+001.jpg" width="640" /></a>It’s a boy!!! Baby boy number 3 due November 24, 2012. </div>
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To quote Hudson, “What am I going to do with another brother?!” He was a little disappointed, as was I, but I have warmed to the idea now. I can’t wait to make them shirts. I am thinking 1,2,3 and “If you think I’m cute, you should see my brothers.” Everything looks good with this baby and I am doing well. </div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4135332770101917223.post-42580149124952907552012-07-30T13:44:00.002-07:002012-07-30T13:44:26.074-07:00Harvesting Basil SeedsI’m a little disappointed in myself. I purchased a basil plant this spring, so that I could have fresh basil. This wasn’t my first time, so I knew I was supposed to trim the buds off so that the plant would continue nourishing the leaves. Alas, I failed. The plant went to seed and I used maybe a handful of my fresh basil leaves before then. The heat of the summer has dried the blossoms and it occurred to me that I could probably harvest the seeds. I figured it was the least I could do after my epic failure to tend the basil adequetely. <br />
<br />So, I set out to harvest the seeds. If you are interested here is a video explaining how: <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pEQNDWJeSG4">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pEQNDWJeSG4</a> <br />
<br />As I sat at the table picking the seeds out, Hudson came to see what I was doing. He wanted to help, so I set him up a little napkin and showed him how to remove the seeds. He helped me for a bit and we talked about seeds, big and small, and what we are going to do with these seeds. We also talked about the cost of fresh basil vs. basil plants vs. seeds. I learned how to harvest the seeds, but would probably never do it again since the cost for a package of seeds is less than the amount of time/effort it took to harvest them. BUT It was an invaluable teachable moment and made the effort all worth it.<br />
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The Seeds The Dry Blossoms</div>
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The total harvest</div>
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4135332770101917223.post-56825669056492513852012-07-29T07:48:00.000-07:002012-07-29T07:48:09.715-07:00Haircuts!Well, it was a ‘momentous’ day in our house today. Little AJ has been wanting a haircut; I started asking him because his bangs were growing over his eyes. So, we decided to give him his first haircut and low and behold H wanted to cut his hair too! H’s last haircut (a buzz) was in May of 2011, about 14 months ago. He said, “I’ll cut my hair on my birthday.” (October). The birthday rolled around and he said, “I’ll cut my hair on my next birthday.” Okay….so it grew and it grew and it became such a part of him and his personality. We (Daddy and I) became attached to it, we stopped asking because we didn’t really want him to cut it. Somewhere in there it became not about his hair, but about honoring him. <br />We were honoring his choice to have his hair how he wanted it and to decide on his own when he wanted to change it. It gave us a chance to respect him and his growing personality. About three months ago he started to get called she or her occassionally, but he didn’t really seem to notice and we didn’t point it out. Daddy even had a little conversation while helping a little boy about 3 at the park because the little boy was sure he was a girl, but Daddy Mro assured him that he was in fact a boy with long hair (H was on the other side of the playground). I will admit I was proud to have a son who pushed the gender stereotypes (ever so slightly). Anyway, it might not seem like a big deal, but it was special to us. <br />
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More food for thought: <br />About a girl pushing gender roles: <a href="http://www.princessfreezone.com/pfz-blog/2012/7/11/youre-her-motheryou-can-say-no.html">http://www.princessfreezone.com/pfz-blog/2012/7/11/youre-her-motheryou-can-say-no.html</a><br />
<br />Boys have long hair too blog carnival: <a href="http://glitteringmuffins.com/2012/05/21/boys-long-hair-blog-carnival/">http://glitteringmuffins.com/2012/05/21/boys-long-hair-blog-carnival/</a><br />
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Day before haircuts<br />
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So this is what a haircut is about<br />
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Happy Boys after haircutsUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4135332770101917223.post-59214446036150113332012-07-24T15:53:00.001-07:002012-07-24T15:53:42.553-07:00Shaving Cream Painting PlaydateShaving cream painting playdate (<a href="http://www.growingajeweledrose.com/2012/07/summer-sensory-play-shaving-cream-and.html">http://www.growingajeweledrose.com/2012/07/summer-sensory-play-shaving-cream-and.html</a>)<br />
I know I said pictures, but I forgot again. This playdate was not super eventful, the shaving cream painting was moderately fun. I thought it was going to be a lot more fun using the colored ice, but it was very similar to just plain shaving cream play. The kids enjoyed the sensory experience of it, but the use of color didn’t add anything. We swam, played bubbles, ate popsicles and treats, and had a mini tea party. I think next week we will have a tea party playdate (H’s request), but still do a project/activity. Pretty soon our playdates will change a little as we gear up to do a more <br />
‘co-op/school’ experience. <br />
Since this playdate wasn’t super eventful and I don’t have any pictures for you. I am posting some of the kids in the kitchen. <br />
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Washing Dishes<br />
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Making Sandwiches<br />
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Yummy!<br />
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Making Smoothies<br />
(word to the wise....keep your blender unplugged until ready to blend)<br />
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And a bonus....our favorite smoothie recipe:<br />
3-4 handfuls of frozen strawberries<br />
1 banana (fresh or frozen)<br />
3 cups of yogurt (soy)<br />
2 TBSP ground flax seed (Omega 3s!)<br />
1 cup spinach (any greens)<br />
3 probiotic capsules broken open (not really necessary depending on yogurt type)<br />
Splash of orange juice or almond milk for easy blendingUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4135332770101917223.post-45461008040048318862012-07-24T15:25:00.003-07:002012-07-24T15:25:52.290-07:00New Kitty!We have a new family member! The animal shelter was giving away free kitties this past week and we just had to go and get one. H has been wanting a kitty for some time now. We had one about 6 months ago that disappeared (I think he was taken) and was an awesome cat. He was with us for about a month or two, so H got a taste of having a kitty and taking care of it. I think H is much more of a cat person (like me) than a dog person. AJ on the other hand is a dog person, but he is also very fond of animals in general. So we talked about what our new kitty would really need like food, litter box (he is already trained), treats, a couple little toys, etc. then we headed to the pet store, where we also purchased treats and a bone for the dog so she wouldn’t feel left out. <br />I think having a pet is a valuable learning experience for a child. They can learn responsibility and empathy, as well as learning about the specific type of animal they have. H is 4 (almost 5) and his responsibilities will include cleaning the cat box daily, giving the cat food, and giving the cat water. Having a cat was something he was very interested in and I hope both boys learn a lot from him. As of right now, we have not named the cat. <br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4135332770101917223.post-68874837019436527632012-07-23T06:17:00.002-07:002012-07-23T06:18:07.679-07:00Friday Field TripWe had a fun field trip with friends (how do you like that alliteration?) We went to the mill and learned how they mill the flour. Of course the adults were way more fascinated than the children, but I remember things being that way when I was young. I figure, as long as I am being passionate about something then they will learn that passion and one day be fascinated by things their kids are less than interested in. We had lunch, which was practice in patience on my part. Then we headed down the road a bit to the park’s visitor center. <br />
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(AJ peeking at the water wheel through the window)<br />
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The visitor center was beautiful. I didn’t really know what they would have since I have been in some visitor centers that are basically cabins, but this was more than I hoped for. They had a wonderful learning center with all the animals of the region represented and a ‘Please Touch’ table with bones and hides and all kinds of interesting animal/plant items. They also had a ‘play area’ with books, blocks, puzzles and other toys. The boys got to practice using some real binoculars too. Then we attended a snake talk. H was pretty interested/involved (considering it was his first time in a ‘class’ setting), but did not want to touch the snake. I had to keep AJ entertained by taking him out, but when the lady pulled that snake out to touch, he was all ready and excited to go up there and touch it. This is definitely a place worth visiting again and next time I will take more pictures.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4135332770101917223.post-38974807228097171482012-07-19T06:34:00.005-07:002012-07-19T07:09:30.230-07:00Just a Wednesday<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Took the kids to the library, made pizza with AJ, swam in the pool, picked up the house as a family, cleaned the garage. I’m proud of myself for all the good I did today (I try to always pat myself on the back and not focus too hard on the hardcore TV days, hopefully good days will multiply and ). Let me talk a little about pizza making: AJ helped mix the dough for the crust, he loves this because he can actually stick his hands in the dough (unlike other baking projects). Then I gave him his second knife wielding lesson. He helped me chop tomatoes and garlic for sauce before losing interest. <br />
I think it is good to allow kids in the kitchen and let them practice using knives correctly, with lots of supervision, hand over hand showing them exactly now to handle the knife. When the kiddos are babies I give them little (silver) butter knives (they aren’t even cerrated, a playset from IKEA) and let them chop bananas. When they are older (around 2) we use knives that are not super sharp, so if they touch the blade or even hold the knife upside down and push on the blade it won’t break their skin. I also start them with softer things to cut (i.e.: not carrots, that are too similar to little fingers). I show them for a little, then let them practice while I sit nearby correcting any missteps and always being very vigilant about knife safety (no flinging the knife about like a crazy person). H (at age 4.5) can help me chop vegetables safely now without correction, I still sit by him and supervise, but he knows what he is doing and I am super proud of his concentration and ability. <br />
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(This is an picture of H from a few weeks ago, I didn't take any of AJ helping.)<br />
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Oh, we checked out a wonderful book at the library. It is called <em><strong>In the Town All Year 'Round</strong> by Rotraut Susanne Berner</em>. It is kind of like Where's Waldo, but has several pictures of the town through each season. At the beginning of the season there is a page of people and pictures that appear in the subsequent pages, some have questions like: "who is the mystery motorcyclist?" The kids will look through the pages and figure out the answers. Some things are simple like, 'this is Cassie the cat, she travels through the town, can you find her in each picture?' (I changed the wording slightly). I like how it uses recall skills and shows all kinds of pictures of the seasons, there are a lot of questions you can ask like, "How can you tell it is still Winter in this picture?" Here is a link:<br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/In-Town-All-Year-Round/dp/081186474X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1342706193&sr=8-1&keywords=in+the+town+all+year+round">http://www.amazon.com/In-Town-All-Year-Round/dp/081186474X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1342706193&sr=8-1&keywords=in+the+town+all+year+round</a><br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4135332770101917223.post-33224755755103105042012-07-19T06:25:00.000-07:002012-07-19T06:25:19.077-07:00Ice Excavation PlaydateTuesday we hosted our playdate and darn it, I forgot to take pictures! I froze some small plastic toys in blocks of ice, so the kids could do ice excavation as found here (I love pinterest): <a href="http://chasingcheerios.blogspot.com/2011/08/excavating-toys-from-ice.html">http://chasingcheerios.blogspot.com/2011/08/excavating-toys-from-ice.html</a> <br />This was a good crowd, 7 kids and 4 adults total. We only had one hammer which was the tool of choice for this project. H promptly broke his toys free with a few well placed bangs and was pretty much done with the project, then he passed the hammer on so the other kids could have a shot. I found it to be great fun to watch how each kid handled the project a little differently, some tackling it with more gusto than others, but all remaining engaged. Then we had some free play and pool time. This pool has been a great source of fun for the little ones, I am so glad we got it.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0