Apple Picking

Yesterday for our Nature Group Day, we went up to North Georgia to pick apples at an apple orchard. The fall foliage was beautiful, and the apples were nice and ripe.

Our silly Nature Group... plus some littles.

The orchard with the foothills in the background... so beautiful!

We came home with pounds of apples, so now I have to figure out how to use them all. I see lots of apples crisps and pies in our near future, and I'm OK with it.

Field Trip at the Farm

This year, we are fortunate enough to be a part of a Nature Group with some friends and fellow homeschoolers. Every Friday afternoon, we get together and spend some time outdoors for Nature Study. We usually have a short nature lesson, sketch in our nature journals, and spend the rest of the time playing / exploring. 

Last week, we had a special Nature Group day at a local organic farm. We learned about everything from pollination to composting, and we got to meet some sweet animal friends as well...

Lucy and Alice got to brush a pony...

...and pet a sweet donkey.

We had a great time with our Nature Group at the farm, and we are excited to go back next year!

Back to School

Whew.

We have been back in school for two weeks now! The first week of school was tough, as all transitions are, but this past week went a lot more smoothly.

Here is what's going well, so far...

Our day is split up into two parts, morning lessons and afternoon lessons. During morning lessons, we cover the bulk of our subjects: Reading, Math, Science, Geography, French, History, etc. In the afternoon, usually when Esme goes down for her afternoon nap, we have our afternoon "lessons", which are a lot less structured. Typically, the girls have a snack and make an entry in their Nature Journals while I read aloud to them. We always read some poetry and then rotate classic literature (Monday, Wednesday), historical fiction (Tuesday, Thursday), and Biography / Nonfiction (Fridays). Currently, we are reading The Wizard of Oz as our classic lit. selection and Little House on the Prairie for historical fiction. Our biography / nonfiction selection this week was a Robert McClung book called Buzztail: The Story of a Rattlesnake, as we are currently studying snakes in science. 

We also managed to squeeze in a field trip last week. We went to our local Nature Center to observe some snakes and other reptiles. Esme was also along for the ride, and she was thrilled about it.

Lucy's memory drawing of "The Thankful Poor", a painting by Henry Ossawa Tanner

We are using a curriculum called Charlotte Mason Alveary. Originally, I was hesitant to use a curriculum because they are expensive, and also, I am a control freak. But, since this is our first year of "official" school, I wanted to make sure I was covering everything that needs to be covered. And man, I'm so happy with this decision. There are some cool subjects - like Art Study - that our curriculum covers that I would otherwise have no idea how to teach. 

So, what's not going well?

I've had to make some adjustments along the way. Originally, I had planned to include Alice more in school. With a July birthday, Alice would be on the young end of the spectrum if she were in PreK at a traditional school. One of the reasons we have chosen to homeschool is because we want our children to enjoy their early childhood and have more time to play independently. That being said, at age 4, Lucy was asking me for more structure - she wanted to read all the books and learn to write letters, etc. Alice at age 4 does not seem interested in "school". She knows her letters and she loves to listen to picture books (and chapter books), but she does not need structure in the way that Lucy did / does. This is just further proof that all children are born persons, and each one is so unique. I am so thankful that homeschooling will allow Alice the freedom to have so much unstructured play time, while at the same time giving Lucy the structure she craves. I had originally created some structured activities for Alice during school hours, but I have since decided to hold off on those indefinitely. 

Another hard thing is that homeschooling is a big time investment. Between breakfast, morning lessons, lunch, afternoon lessons, ballet, piano, nursing Esme... there is not a lot of extra time. Housework, Nature Study, and Lucy's piano practice are usually the first casualties of this time deficit. I have been trying to think of creative ways to get the kids involved with housework. As far as Nature Study goes, we have been squeezing it in where we can. Thankfully, we live in a great, wooded neighborhood with abundant wildlife. Some days, the most we can do is go out in the yard and observe a spider spinning its web. And that's OK. 

In spite of these challenges, I am still so thankful for the privilege and freedom to home educate. Our days are crazy, but they are also filled with so much adventure and curiosity and wonder. And it's only the third week of school!

Homeschool Planning

It's that time of year again! Back-to-school prep time. With homeschooling, that means: creating our schedule, writing and printing lesson plans, gathering books and supplies, and organizing our school space.

Lucy's weekly checklist

What is it about rainbow tabs that makes me SO excited? (I'm a nerd.)

These are only a few of the books Lucy will get to read this year... There are so many!

(Side note: Some of these book titles are very old and contain outdated terminology; however this does NOT reflect the content of the books, which CELEBRATE other cultures with sensitivity and respect.)

It's a lot of work, but I am so excited to get started. Our first day of school will be Monday, September 9... a little less than a month away!

Homemade Butter

This morning, Lucy made homemade butter. It was surprisingly easy and fun!

Here's what she did:

1. Fill a mason jar halfway with cream and pinch of salt.

2. Screw a lid on the jar and shake for about 15 minutes. (Lucy's arms got tired after about 5 minutes, so I had to help her.)

3. Remove the lid. Cream should now have a thick consistency.

4. Strain excess liquid from jar using a clean paper towel or cheese cloth. 

5. Spread and enjoy! (Refrigerate leftovers.)

Alice was a big fan.

For lunch, the girls enjoyed the homemade butter spread on some fresh, brown bread. I don't eat dairy, but I was very tempted to have a taste. Both Lucy and Alice said it was scrumptious!

Phenology Wheel Updates

Remember our phenology wheels? We have been making some great progress, if you'd like to see...

Lucy's phenology wheel

My phenology wheel

Drawing does not come naturally to me. In fact, it is really difficult for me to not be critical of my own work. Fortunately, developing artistic ability is not the point of keeping these phenology wheels (though growing in this area might be an added bonus). The purpose is to be more intentional in our observations of nature. I used to have only a vague idea that I always heard the peepers in early spring, but I didn't know exactly when. Same with the blooming of the daffodils in our neighborhood, the blossoming of the Japanese magnolia trees, and the first fireflies of the year. Doing this exercise along with Lucy has helped me to pay attention to the calendar of the natural world, and maybe my drawing will improve in the process. At least, I can hope this will be the case!

Best Beginner Reading Books

Lucy has been reading up a storm lately. During the school year, we had daily reading "lessons", alternating between learning phonics and sight words. Now that Lucy has more confidence and skill, she is ready to read independently. She started asking me for books that she could read on her own, but like so many other moms, I was uncertain what books to give her. A lot of books that claim to be for "beginner" readers are not appropriate at all. It was frustrating, to say the least!

While visiting the library one day, I stumbled across some books by Margaret Hillert. Her books are perfect for young readers who are just starting to be ready for independent reading. Many of them are adaptations of classic fairy tales and fables, so Lucy was already familiar with the stories. Some of our favorites are The Three Bears, Fun Days, The Cookie House, and The Magic Nutcracker. Hillert's books come with a word list in the back, so you can introduce words that your reader may not be familiar with yet.

Once Lucy had read every Margaret Hillert book she could get her hands on, I began to look for other books - a step up from the Margaret Hillert readers, but not quite intermediate books. Here are some of my suggestions for best beginner reading books:

1. Dick and Jane books: These are classics for a reason! Yes, they are very 1950's with traditional gender roles and complete lack of diversity. But for a new reader, they are excellent. The little stories are short and simple, and the illustrations are beautiful. 

2. Let's Read and Find Out Science books: These are so great, especially if you can get your hands on some vintage copies. We have started selecting these based on whatever we happen to be learning about in Science, and Lucy LOVES them. Just make sure you get the Level 1 books to start out; Level 2's can be a bit advanced for beginners.

3. Little Bear by Elsa Holmelund Minarik: Another classic-for-a-reason. But seriously, this is such a great book for new readers! The little stories are relatively short and simple. Some of the words are challenging for new readers, but in a good way! This book is a nice step-up from Margaret Hillert's books when the child is ready.

Lucy has already devoured the Dick and Jane Treasury and all of Little Bear. Thankfully, there are more Little Bear books and plenty of Let's Read and Find Out Science books to keep her busy until she starts First Grade in the fall!

School's Out for the Summer... Sort Of.

Yesterday was the last day of our spring term. We celebrated by going to one of our favorite local spots for popsicles.

Our school year is divided into three terms with breaks in-between. So, technically, we don't take summer off. BUT, we do get a nice, little break for a couple of weeks, and we will take another break in late August / early September before Lucy starts first grade (or, in Charlotte Mason terms, form 1b). And also, since it's kindergarten, we keep it very light anyway - still lots of great books and time outdoors. 

I am still processing everything I have learned so far this year. Homeschooling is extremely challenging in some ways, but it is also deeply rewarding. I am so thankful for the time this year has allowed me to have with my children, watching them grow and learn. They really are such extraordinary people!

"A child is a person in whom all possibilities are present - present now at this very moment - not to be educed after many years and manifold efforts on the part of the educator."

- Charlotte Mason 

Living Books

As I've mentioned before, we home-educate using Charlotte Mason's philosophy of education. One of the core tenets of this philosophy is the use of "living books".

Charlotte Mason said, "The selection of the first lesson-books is of grave importance, because it rests with these to give children the idea that knowledge is supremely attractive and that reading is delightful."

As someone who grew up reading textbooks in school, memorizing facts and information, it is so refreshing to read these "living books", which are filled with beautiful, "living" ideas. This particular book, Houses from the Sea by Alice E. Goudey, contains the same information about shells that a textbook would, but it is presented in a beautifully-written narrative. Lucy was captivated the entire time I was reading it and has asked to read it many times since. Unsurprisingly, we both learned so much about shells, and we can't wait to take these "living" ideas to the beach with us next week. 

"Give your child a single valuable idea, and you have done more for his education than if you had laid upon his mind the burden of bushels of  information." 
- Charlotte Mason 

Our School Room

Today I thought it might be fun to show you around our "school" room. It is not very clean or organized, but it gets the job done. Our school room is actually a sun room / mud room right off our kitchen. There are plenty of windows, so it is a very bright, happy room.

We are currently renovating our house, so eventually this room will get a fresh coat of paint and new light fixtures. But for now, this is what it looks like. We have a huge table that we inherited from my brother and sister-in-law. If you look in the back of the room, you can see our IKEA chalkboard (where Lucy's sight words are written) and the bunny hutch (this has now been moved out to our screened porch). There is some twine and clothespins hanging across the windows, so that I can display Lucy and Alice's artwork. In this photo, we still have our Valentines and snowflakes up, but I just took those down to make room for our spring projects. And in the back corner is Alice's play kitchen, so that she can "cook" while Lucy has her lessons.

On the opposite wall, we have all of our storage! These wire drawers contain some of our school supplies...

... and this bookshelf contains everything else. In the bottom shelves, I keep toys for Alice to play with during "school". The top shelves are for Lucy's books and lessons. I use the wooden trays to set out her "lessons" each day. There is a tray for Reading and another for Numbers / Handwriting (we have each every other day). The trays allow her more ownership of her assignments; she can go to the shelf and get her work all by herself and then put it away when she is finished. 

And this is where we spend most of our days! We do so much more in this room than have "school". We play in here, eat lunch in here most days, do art projects, read... It's usually an epic mess, but I love it all the more for that.

Signs of Spring

The other day on our Nature Walk, we went looking for signs of spring. Spoiler alert: they were everywhere!

All of the Japanese Magnolia trees in our neighborhood are starting to bud and bloom. They are so beautiful!

The girls found a tiny violet down by the creek. Lucy was so proud of this discovery.

the "shy little violet"

The weather was so warm and sunny for awhile, but it's back to cold and rainy. Hopefully our flower friends will survive these last, cold days of winter!

Life in a Day

I thought it might be fun to record what daily life looks like for us in this current season (with a 5-year-old, 3-year-old, and a tiny baby). There may not be anything exciting or noteworthy, but it is real life. Which is better than the glossy, pretty-but-staged content of blogland IMO. 


*I happened to choose a day that was unseasonably warm, so we spent more time outdoors than is typical this time of year. Also, it just so happened that I didn’t have any errands to run or appointments, or anything else that can disrupt our daily rhythm. But overall, I’d say this was a pretty typical Thursday.

7 a.m. Alarm goes off. Morgan usually gets up first to make coffee, while I nurse Esme. Morgan and I *usually* get some time together to drink our coffee in peace and quiet. But this morning, Alice came upstairs around 7:30 to “help” me get Esme changed. She is our morning person.

8 a.m. Lucy, who is not a morning person, got up. Because Alice woke up hungry for breakfast, I did not have time to sit with my coffee this morning. Morgan also had an early meeting that he had to rush out for. Normally, he helps me cook breakfast and leaves for work as we are starting “school”.

Today, the girls wanted granola, which I make from scratch every week. Sometimes, we have a hot breakfast, like eggs or oatmeal, but the girls were apparently starving this morning and couldn’t wait for something to cook.

Not a morning person.

Loves the morning!

After breakfast, Lucy and Alice are supposed to get dressed and make their beds. Morgan left for his meeting, and I put Esme down for her morning nap. Some mornings, while the older girls are getting ready, I have time to dress myself and make my own bed. This morning, everyone needed help with different things, so I barely had time to brush my hair and put on deodorant. My bed did not get made, either!

Lucy help Alice with her bed.

9 a.m. We try to start "school" around this time every morning. First, we read a story from The Jesus Storybook Bible and say a prayer for our day.

Then we do the Flag Salute (which even Alice has memorized). They take turns “leading” it. Today, it was Alice’s turn to lead.

*As a side note, Alice is not required to join us for “school”. She usually wants to participate, so we let her. But she is free to come and go as she pleases.

After Flag Salute, we do our Daily Calendar. We write down the day of the week, month, date, year and season. Lucy also looks out the window and observes the weather, and we record the temperature.

Next we read a nursery rhyme or sing a song. We have been going through a Mother Goose treasury.

Lucy then has her reading lesson. She has been reading through The Princess in the Forest by Sybille von Olfers. If she comes across a word she doesn't know, I write it down on her slate, and she takes a mental picture of the word. She then builds the word with her wooden letters from memory. Once she's done this, I have her copy the word in her own hand. Then we go back to the text, and I have her read the sentence (including the new word) again. As you can imagine, it is slow-going. In a 10-minute reading lesson, we might get through only one or two sentences. But slow and steady wins the race!

Next comes Geography, which Lucy will tell you is her favorite subject. We have a little map, and we color in all the countries that we "visit". Right now, we are learning about Russia, so we read a Russian folk tale. 

Esme usually wakes up from her morning nap sometime during “school”. I feed her while teaching, so we don’t have to stop and risk losing the student’s attention. ;) This morning, she woke up as we were finishing up with Geography.

We rotate Numbers and Handwriting. On Mondays and Wednesdays, we have math. Tuesdays and Thursdays, we have Handwriting. We use Handwriting Without Tears, and Lucy usually does a page or two in her workbook. Alice sometimes works on her own "workbook" (with her dot paint markers), but this morning, she played with her toys instead.

Last of all is science. This month, we are learning about animals in winter, which is funny considering how warm it has been lately. We read Where Do Insects Go in Winter? by our favorite Nature Study author, Millicent Selsam. 

10:30 a.m. Morning lessons end, and the kids are dismissed to go play. The weather was so nice today, with highs in the 70's. I had dirty dishes in the sink and laundry to fold and put away, but I could not bear to be cooped up indoors on such a beautiful day. I strapped Esme into the Ergo carrier, and we went outside.

The girls rode their bikes and scooters and drew with sidewalk chalk.

11 a.m. Lunch time. Today, the girls wanted to eat outside. Morgan's lunch meeting got canceled, so he came home for lunch, which was a welcome surprise. After we finished eating, we decided to take the dogs for a walk. Esme napped in the Ergo.

Signs of spring were everywhere! We could hear frogs and songbirds singing. On our walk, we spied some robins and daffodil shoots.

When we got back from our walk, it was time for a little rest. The girls and I cuddled up on the couch with our current chapter book, Betsy, Tacy, and Tib by Maud Hart Lovelace. I nursed Esme while I read aloud. No one fell asleep, but it was nice to sit and rest for a little while.

3 p.m. Esme went down for her afternoon nap, and I had some time to get housework done. Alice helped me fold and put away laundry. Lucy was playing with her Legos. 

Esme woke up from her nap, and I fed her again. The girls headed back outside to play, while I got started on dinner. 

Since the girls have a swim lesson on Thursday evenings, I always try to make a quick, easy dinner. We eat relatively early (between 5 and 5:30), so that they can get out the door by 6. Tonight, we had leftover roast pork and vegetables. I made a fresh green salad and toasted some sourdough bread to go with it. 

As soon as dinner was over, Morgan took the girls to their swim lesson at the Y. I had a little time alone with sweet Esme. I got her ready for bed, fed her one more time, and we read some books. She is just starting to become interested in the pictures, which is really fun.

After I put Esme to bed, I washed the dinner dishes and cleaned the kitchen. By then, Morgan and the big girls got home from swim lessons. They changed into their PJs, brushed their teeth, and we read some bedtime stories.

8:30 p.m. Lights out for the older girls! After Lucy and Alice go to bed, I always tidy up the school room and prep the lessons for the following day. Then Morgan and I relax! Lately, we have been watching Downton Abbey. We try to get to bed by 11.

And that's our day!

It's not perfect, but I wouldn't trade these precious days for anything in the world.