Posted in Books and Reading, Learning, Mothering tool kit, Playing/ Free Exploration, Uncategorized on Dec 8th, 2011
The children are really enjoying this book. It’s those days where we have “nothing to do” that the kids engage in deep, meaningful learning on their own terms.
This week we’ve been playing a lot of card games (Bea’s favorite), which reinforce cooperation, strategy, addition, subtraction, memory recall for the girls, and help Hal ( age [...]
Posted in Books and Reading, Changing Seasons, Learning, O Come, O Come Emmanuel on Nov 29th, 2011
In this season, we add Advent readings, reflections and songs to our homeschool day. Some way we are enjoying this season of anticipation:
reflecting with an Advent prayer book from Ascension Presbyterian
reading from The Jesus Storybook Bible
celebrating with Family Hymns from Kortney at One Deep Drawer
playing with some of our Nativity sets on the nature table
creating [...]
Posted in Books and Reading, Homemaking on Apr 4th, 2011
Things are crazy busy here at the moment, so I’ll just drop in to say that there’s an interview with me and some other ladies (including author Harriet Fasenfest) on the topic of Radical Homemakers in this month’s Metro Parent (you can read the article for free by following the link – we’re on page [...]
Posted in Birding, Books and Reading, Homemaking, Learning, Locally grown on May 5th, 2010
After a flurry of chicken-planning activity this winter/early spring, we have our long-dreamed for chicken flock (the three hens, plus three new Speckled Sussex chicks, and three more chicks on order (2 Australorps and a Buff Orpington)). And the chicken run is mostly complete (needs a little gussying up, and a grape trellis up the [...]
Posted in Books and Reading, Changing Seasons, Learning, Working the earth/harvesting its bounty on Feb 24th, 2010
The girls are listening to Daddy read The Mousehunter at bedtime, but our daytime book selection reflects the unusually sunny, warm weather that has us all thinking of anything except the tail-end of winter.
We just finished listening to Animal, Vegetable, Miracle (Which is why we’re starting an asparagus bed - Little Hen was fascinated by [...]
Posted in Books and Reading, Learning, Playing/ Free Exploration on Feb 9th, 2010
This photo pretty well sums up our morning literary activities of late.
First thing this morning, we had to get a bit pot of chili blanco going on the stove, and batch of brownies in the oven, since it’s our turn to bring dinner to our homegroup. While Firecracker helped measure out the spices and crush [...]
Posted in Books and Reading, Learning on Dec 13th, 2009
A lovely, chilly December Saturday – the icy weather kept us in the house, delving once again into the world of Greek Mythology. We made mugs of hot mint tea, and listened to Daddy read from our current Percy Jackson book.
It’s wonderful to share a passion with your children – there’s not much we [...]
Posted in Books and Reading, O Come, O Come Emmanuel, Playing/ Free Exploration on Dec 12th, 2009
The dolls hosted a little Christmas tea party for their sparrow, cardinal and swan friends yesterday morning. Pretend mint tea, fruitcake, gingerbread, and bird seed were served under the Christmas tree.
The girls were inspired by my favorite childhood Christmas book – Tasha Tudor’s, A Doll’s Christmas. If you haven’t read it, I highly recommend it. [...]
Posted in Books and Reading, Crafting, Giving, Moderation and Economy on Dec 9th, 2009
The weather here has been bitterly, bitterly cold (we are eagerly anticipating our annual Christmas trip to Florida next weekend!!). The past few days, we’ve built a big fort out of chairs and blankets in the living room. We’ve been spending our mornings snuggled under it, reading Christmas stories (like this collection of short stories, [...]
Posted in Books and Reading, Knitting, Learning on Nov 15th, 2009
We are feeling a bit like hermits, cooped-up in the house for days and days – the little ones are still wrestling with sickness, and we had to miss church again this week. Little Hen, still healthy, escaped to Grandma’s house for the weekend (a BIG thank-you to Grandma for inviting her up!).
After homemade pecan-chocolate [...]