Art With Dad

We had a wonderful day yesterday visiting LP and OR. When we came home though KM noticed that there was one thing left on the schedule that didn't get done, so after dinner:

KM had had these shirts in a drawer just waiting to be drawn on!

They were very creative!

And of course as with every art project CJ does:

Jenna the Jeep had to make an appearance!

I must say that he is the art & I am the craft - (in more ways than one really)!

I am great at making things and am soooo not at drawing, coloring and painting. Just another way we fit together to make the whole!

New Favorite Quote

I’ve seen the village, and I don’t want it raising my child! - Anonymous

This quote has been appearing everywhere I turn lately and I love it!!!
I have tried to research where it came from but have not been able to find out. If anyone knows please share!

Here is a great article that was sent around today and it also has this quote so I thought it would be fitting to share!

http://homeschooling.about.com/od/gettingstarted/a/homeschoolrise.htm

Nice Diversion

Some days a change of pace is all that is really needed!

We have been spending Mondays with our local group hiking, but the weather was far to iffy and windy as the trail today was right on the ocean and we had SC. Now don't get me wrong we have completely loved the hikes, but it was nice to kinda go off the track. We got work done very quickly this morning, SC took a very short nap (OF COURSE), so we decided to run some errands and have a nice lunch out. We went to KM's favorite little restaurant for chowder and sandwiches. I had forgotten how much people LOVE babies. All the older customers were coming over and talking to SC. She is such a happy little bugger, but she is LOUD!!! Luckily no one minded that she was screeching like a little monkey. I honestly think that one of the best gifts that homeschooling has given our family is the wonderful connection that these two little cousins have with each other. KM adores SC and vice versa. They are so funny together and they would not have seen each other for more than an hour or two each week if she was in PS still. We are going off track tomorrow as well - the 3 of us are going to visit LP and my other little niece OR! This should be interesting to see what the 18 month old decides to teach the 11 month old and how the 10 year old will deal with 2 of them running around. I will let you know how LP & I survive the 3 of them!

Just wanted to send wishes in hopes that every mom has a wonderful day of feeling fully appreciated!!!

Sad Moments

This can be a difficult time of year for so many around me who have lost their mothers. It is a horrible club to be part of, but know that you are not alone and they are always watching out for us! I came across this quote and I thought it was very fitting for how I feel the day before Mother's Day.

Because I feel that in the heavens above

The angels, whispering one to another,

Can find among their burning tears of love,

None so devotional as that of "Mother,

"Therefore, by that dear name I have long called you,

You who are more than mother unto me.

—Edgar Allan Poe

When my mother got sick 2 years ago, we all thought she will push through, she will get better. She started the treatments and she was so full of fight and life, we thought there is no way this is going to take her down. Quickly we saw that was not the case. Within 3 months she was gone. All of our lives were so changed over that very short timespan. We will never be the same family without her here, but we try. We barrell through! We see her face whenever my neice smiles ~ Noni would have loved her so. We think of her so often, of the things she would have said, what she would have done, how she would have fixed things. My sister and I not only lost our mother that day - the only true mother either of us ever had - we lost our best friend, the only person we felt ever unconditionally loved us, the one that we could say how much we hated her and she would say nothing but "I Love You too!" She knew all of our secrets. All the stories that held all of us together. She was not perfect, she made her fair share of mistakes as we all do, but I hope one day my daughter will have half the love and respect for me that I hold in my heart for her!

We Love and Miss you every minute Noni!

A great day to meet new friends!

We had the first meeting of the environmental club KM wanted to get going today.

We had less attendants than we thought we would, but things happen & it turned out to work out ~ much easier to get 5 kids to agree rather than 10 without a doubt!

They even had plenty of time for some fun!

Thanks to all who could make it and all who tried!

Great blog article!!

You have to read this fantastic blog article I found tonight:

http://boremetotears.blogspot.com/2008/05/its-all-starting-to-make-sense-to-me.html

I love finding blogs like these!

Losing Interest

I realized last night ~ when I choose to fold the laundry while listening to my MP3 player ~ that television has not been holding my interest AT ALL! Even when I have it on lately I am not really paying attention to it, it is just on for the noise. I have been watching some movies here and there, but the shows that I LOVED last season, just aren't holding my attention. I have rekindled my attraction to all things Jane Austen as PBS has had her movies on lately. Really it is an infatuation with all things British. CJ hates it, but of course he has been working a lot lately so maybe that is why I have been headed back in that direction. I also have been "DVRing" ~ I know it is not a word, but what else do you call it ~ a lot of the Independent Lens documentaries. They are always on at really strange times like 3am, ~ does anyone really watch them then? ~ but they are usually really good! So anyway I was just wondering if it was just me or if anyone else has been feeling this way. Is there a show that has kept your interest?

I feel so appreciated!

She spent about an hour picking just the right ones!

Happy Teacher Appreciation Week!

Happy Teacher Appreciation Week!

There are tons of sites giving away free things this week for Teacher Appreciation Week, but the best one yet is the Learning A-Z group of sites here is the info -

Learning A–Z Open House Starts Today
Teacher Appreciation: Try One Learning A–Z Website a DayThe Learning A–Z Teacher

Appreciation Open House begins today—Monday, May 5. That means anyone, anywhere can get free access to one of the six Learning A–Z websites each day of the week. Today our gift to you is Reading A–Z. Enjoy your choice of thousands of resources: leveled books, lesson plans, and worksheets; poetry books; high-frequency word books; phonics and alphabet worksheets; and reading assessments.

Access Thousands of Books, Lessons, WorksheetsThe websites will be open on the days indicated below, from midnight to midnight Central time.
Monday, May 5: ReadingA-Z.com

Tuesday, May 6: Raz-Kids.com

Wednesday, May 7: WritingA-Z.com

Thursday, May 8: VocabularyA-Z.com

Friday, May 9: Reading-Tutors.com

Plus a bonus day—Monday, May 12: ScienceA-Z.com

Sign-up Today, and Benefit All Week If you are not already a registered user of one or more of the Learning A–Z websites, just register for Open House (www.learninga-z.com/openhouse) then visit your My Account page each day to activate the free pass for the appropriate website.
A registered user of any of the Learning A–Z subscription websites can go directly to the My Account page to collect free passes.

Thank You!Most importantly, enjoy your free time at the Learning A–Z websites and your access to thousands of materials for differentiated instruction. Sharing these resources to help you meet the needs of every student is the best way we know to honor your contributions to children’s education. Thank you for all you do.

Sincerely,
The Learning A–Z Staff

This is a fantastic opportunity to check out these sites before you commit to a subscription or to grab a few free downloads here and there. I personally plan on filling my jump drive!

If you hear of any great freebies going on this week please feel free to share and check back for updates and additions!!!

Me Time!

Two months ago I received my initiation in the First Degree of the Usui System of Reiki Natural. Since then I have tried several times to sit and go through the paperwork and books to prepare myself for the Second Degree training, but it seemed that every time something happened ~ the phone rang, SC woke up, KM needed help with something, the dryer buzzed - you know the inevitable something that causes every parent to not take time for themselves. This evening - after my sister called 5 seconds after I sat down with my books - I shut the ringer off, blocked out all other things and went over my notes.

I did not get anywhere near as much done as I would have liked, but it felt good to really engulf myself even for a few minutes in something other than next year's curriculum, pre-revolutionary America, 5th grade math or board books. It is often difficult to find time for oneself, but you have to or you are no good to anyone.

You must create a sanctuary for yourself, even if it is just a corner of your room, where you can recharge your own energy. Now this often means different things to different people ~ reading "girl" magazines, doing spa-at-home treatments, scrapbooking, meditating, listening to an audiobook, getting outside and being in the sunshine ~ but whatever your "thing" is, do it!

I have a meditation area in my room that is about 6 by 4 and nothing else is done in that area, but the thing is that I have not done any more than step through the area to grab a book in months! I must get back to my practice to balance things out again. I have bumped my yoga up to two classes a week, I am getting back to my regular daily yoga routine as well and I have scheduled my first shamantic-angelic-reiki session.

I am trying to remind myself on a daily basis that a burnt out mom - leads to a burnt out family!

There was also a quote within my notes that I felt compelled to share:
"Energy can only ground on the one who sends it out, and your job now, each one of you, is to measure carefully your own choices in interaction and step away from those who continue to participate in the darkness and negativity. Love, honesty, and kindness may now need to be tempered with a sense of finality when those in your life do not behave with honor, or choose to stay locked in negative behavior patterns. Justice is taken care of in the flow of energy itself, and will leave you free to move on to better days and wonderful new relationships when you make the choice to walk towards greater peace that you claim for yourself. Like attracts like." - Elaine Read-Cole

Feel free to share your ideas on how to recharge by leaving a comment!

Yoga Card

At the end of each yoga class the teacher - one of my very, very good friends - has each of us choose a card from an affirmation deck. It always amazes me how accurate to the moment the cards can be. My card this last night was:



On the reverse side it reads: "I am not restricted by old, limiting beliefs from my family or from society." Quite perfect for any new homeschooler really!

Funtastic Day In Boston!

We headed back into town again today to the circus!

* I first want to say that the following pics are not spectacular - mostly because of the lighting - I took 80 pics total and these were the only ones that I could even tell what they were. They get the lights just right so that you can't get too much details in your shots, if any at all.

We have been to many shows on vacation, but KM had never been to an actual circus before.

I am so glad that we waited to see the Big Apple Circus!
Over the last 2 weeks we had gone over the study guide that the circus provided to learn about the history behind the circus - which totally enhanced our experience. Through the show she kept saying - "Remember we read about that" - "That part was just like in the book" - "They are so classical" - It was fantastic!!!

The Clowns were hysterical -

Gramma was KMs favorite clown of course!

The horses were so beautiful and quick! We thought for sure they were going to run right out of the ring. KM couldn't believe they could be trained so well.

The mini-horse was so funny - they just look odd!

The rope walker was incredible -

When he was handed the unicycle I thought for sure he was going to fall!

The acrobats were my favorite!
In case you can't tell what is going on in these pics here is the low down:
1. One man is on stilts balancing on a bar held by two other men while the first man is also balancing a chair atop a pole.

2. A fourth man is catapulted into the air, flipping along the way ~ you can see the blur of him just above the chair
3. He lands perfectly in the chair - we were all holding our breath!

This really was an incredible show!

We then went over to a restaurant where I knew KM would fit in perfectly!
Dick's Last Resort!

She was much more tolerant of the waiter than I thought ~ she even went back and forth with him a few times -he remarked that she should come back to apply for a job there in a few years!

Across the way was a Build-a-Bear!
KM was so thrilled as she had never been to one that had the Sweethearts Dolls before!

It was terrific - we had the WHOLE store to ourselves!

We have been studying the pre-revolutionary period, so she was happy to see the statue of her favorite "Son of Liberty" Samuel Adams!

We had a wonderful day in Boston!

If you are thinking of attending the Big Apple Circus I highly recommend that you use the study guide they have located here: http://theorganization.bigapplecircus.org/About/StudyGuide/

Apples are great for teething!

I forgot how great a peeled and cored apple could be for a little one's teething gums!


She sat in the chair with that apple for nearly an hour!!!
She was laughing and soooo happy to have an apple like her big cousin!

Finding New Insight

An author, Paulo Coelho, was recommended to me by my favorite librarian this past week and while I was looking up some info on him I came across two quotes that I really connected with and wanted to share my thoughts on.

"We can never judge the lives of others, because each person knows only their own pain and renunciation. It's one thing to feel that you are on the right path, but it's another to think that yours is the only path." - Paulo Coelho
~I think this is something that a lot of people should make a conscience effort to remember. It gets difficult at times for many reasons - as you want to be right, you want to share your wisdom, you want others to be able to feel the happiness that you feel. However you have to remember that what makes one person happy could make another sad, what tastes good to one person could cause an allergic reaction to another. We each have a right to our own path, so you have to find the line and not cross it when it comes to sharing and not pushing. We also need to remember that you cannot know what goes on in another person's home. No matter how many stories you hear, how many fights you witness or how many perfect report cards you hear about.

"Waiting is painful. Forgetting is painful. But not knowing which to do is the worse kind of suffering." - Paulo Coelhomy
~This made me think of my previous post - "Toxic or Not?" When is enough really enough? How do you make the decision to forget what has happened and move on or to forget and let go? IMO - Indecisiveness is the worse feeling. I would rather make a decision and deal with the consequences than sit and ponder and ponder until my head feels like it is going to split in two.

~Have a favorite quote that you would like to share? Please do in the comment section.