as cozy as spring

Fall Harvest

 All activities are cancelled this week and I am home, home, home!  I'm planning a fairly thorough house cleaning which extends to such terrifying places as under the beds, into the depths of all the closets, and the garden.  My fall gardening was a success if one is to judge only by the amount of bell peppers I picked this morning.  My tomatoes never ripened, due to a cool and wet September and October. However,  I do plan on pickling the handful of green pear tomatoes I plucked from the vines.  The "meatball herbs" (parsley, oregano, and chives) are thriving and usually continue to do well throughout the winter.  The dreaded pruning of the roses needs to happen before I lose all my motivation.  My husband planted all the pansies and kale last week. 

I forced myself to think beyond Christmas just for a bit last night and stuffed my refrigerator drawers with paper bags full of tulips, hyacinths, and purple alliums. Inspired by a little sachet of lavender my sister sent me, I've finally decided on a quiet herb garden for the tiny corner of the yard near our bedroom.  That space needs to be cleaned and prepped as well.

Lots to get to today, thankfully I have no where else I need to be!  I know I already said that, but it deserves repeating.  Happy Monday!

My Binder System

Friendly commenter Denise asked to hear more about my planning system that is working so well this year.  It's a bit simplistic and I'm far too tired to take photos, but here is a summary.  And for new readers, we are more or less classical/Latin centered homeschoolers.

I have gone the route of planning everything quite rigidly, printing out a year's worth of lessons, but they were abandoned when we missed a week due to illness etc.  So that didn't work.  What did work was for me to print out blank lesson plan sheets with all of our subjects listed.   I printed out 40 or so and placed them in the front of a binder.  There is a space to fill in the date and week at the top and a place for seasonal studies at the bottom. This is the first section in my binder.  I have sections for about 10 other subjects.  In them, I placed all of the needed templates for the year; copywork sheets, templates for our latin and spelling exams, proposed memorization work, and our state notebooking pages*.  This is embarrassing, but having these items printed out and in order meant we accomplished so much more.  Last year, if we didn't get around to our weekly latin quiz it was because I couldn't find the quiz sheet, or my printer was out of ink.  This really simplified our lesson time.  Obvious, I know.  When my daughter completes a page, it goes back into the specified section of the binder and record keeping is that much easier.  

I fill in the lesson sheets on Sunday afternoon.  I note what we accomplish as we go.  My binder and all of my daughter's school books are placed in a small crate in the corner of our dining room/sewing room/office/school room.  We don't have an elaborate and beautiful space for school.  But our simple crate stays neat and handy.    

I know this all sounds very basic, but it's not some grand plan that makes it work, it's the tiny details (like investing in a 3 hole punch) that made it all come together.  I was quite anxious for the last few years over whether I would ever be able to keep our school work organized.  I'm happy we found a system that works for us.

*Margaret: I used CHC's Geography Bee - it's not the most beautiful approach, but I knew if we got into card stock and stamps etc, we'd never actually do it.  This worked very nicely.

Wrapping up the year

We're ending the first half of our school year which begins in July (ish) and ends on December 6th.  It's been a good, productive few months:

• We finished most of Latina Christiana I 
• Completed lessons 1-19 in Math U See Gamma
• Profiled all fifty states in a notebook
• Studied in a very thorough way the European discovery of the Americas and the colonial period (have some to wrap up there)
• Started a US history timeline
• Completed about half of Language of God and My Catholic Speller
• Read Anne of Green Gables and King Arthur by Benedict Flynn, any number of American Girl books, Squanto, and lots of other books I can't remember right now.
• Read most of Little Women.  I hope to finish that up very soon.
• Began praying the Liturgy of the Hours together, thanks to a very thoughtful gift from my sister (Ha, I saw a link for 'The Divine Office for Dodos' - I could use that.  I'm never 100% sure if we are praying the right passages, but alas, it's all prayer in the end)
• Raised and released several monarchs and other hands on science pursuits while using a text in a haphazard sort of way

There are a few loose ends to tie up.  Changes for the new year:  I'm investing in the Latina Christiana DVDs.  I think we've reached the point where we would both benefit from proper instruction.  My background in Latin (class in high school hastily dropped after the first day) isn't providing her with a good foundation.  We'll move on into the American Revolution and return to the Greeks (on audiobooks) in a supplementary way.

My son is making his way through Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons.  After several false starts, he is learning to blend his sounds well.  My daughter learned to read very, very easily.  My children's different learning styles has both delighted and troubled me.  Honestly, it's almost all good.  I enjoy approaching my son's education in a more creative way and success is much sweeter.

This doesn't cover everything, of course, and it has been a very rich first semester.  The biggest victory on my part was that I was able to keep track of lesson plans and all our paperwork in a binder.  I always abandon my planning system after a few weeks, but I finally found a system that works well for us. 

 

Blooming right now among the bright autumn leaves. :)

Handmade Christmas Gift #1

I showed this to my sister this morning, so I can post it here now.  It's a little doll quilt for my niece who is, objectively speaking, off the charts cute.  This quilt was made from the tiniest of scraps I collected over the past few years and that makes it all the more special (in my humble opinion). 

 The scraps were so loved that even if I had only a tiny, odd shaped portion remaining, I couldn't part with it.  The pink and red polka dot strip in particular - a fat quarter my daughter chose one day - the thin strip is all I had remaining and I'm so glad it found a home amongst the squares.

I love, love, love it and I hope that doesn't sound terribly conceited.  I hope it ends up safely in England and doesn't get "lost in the mail" or worse "return to sender".  Wouldn't that be dreadful? :)

Handmade gifts still to go:

• A knit vest for my son and a knit cardigan or cape for my daughter.  I promised myself I wasn't going to start a Mrs. Weasley handknits for Christmas tradition, but my resistance has faded.
• Another doll quilt
• Several doll dresses
• A doll itself for my little girl, after much angst over corporate vs. handmade I am opting for handmade (for now - I reserve the right to change my mind every few minutes and agonize over the decision to the only friend who will grudgingly listen to my dithering.  If she would only return my phone calls...)
• A Nutcracker bag for opening night (yes, she made it) (!!!!!)
• Anything else I can squeeze in!

My husband is off this weekend, yay, and has taken the children to the grocery store so I need to get sewing (and quilting bee, friends, you are on the sewing list too!  I will catch up, I will, I will....)

Vanity

It seems I don't have a skin care category, but no matter.  Here is a completely unsolicited product review.  I can't say I care that much about how I look.  Fashion doesn't interest me and I wear only a tiny bit of makeup.  I don't even care that little wrinkles are starting to appear around my eyes.  But there was one thing that did bother me.  After many many year of being both a runner and a gardener I had some sun damage around my eyes, despite wearing sunscreen daily since I was thirteen.  Just a few little darker spots that bugged me to no end.  They were particularly visible in the review mirror while driving.  I looked into a product or two at Origins and ordered a product or five from Mario Badescu.  I tried a little kit from Philosophy but nothing ever helped OR was far too pricey.  

Two weeks ago I picked up Neutrogena Ageless Intensives Tone Correcting Moisture with spf 30 at Target.  Based on the Rear View Mirror Cringe Factor, this stuff really works.  In only two weeks, I've seen a noticeable lightening of those tiny spots.  I held off on judging too quickly because I thought maybe it was just because it was cloudy.  But there has been a dramatic decrease in cringing in all types of light and without any makeup at all.  Yay!  I can't believe it actually worked!

And to complete the random topics how cool is this swiffer resuable cloth pattern?  I can't tell you how long I've simply been shoving towels into the little swiffer slots which is clearly not the best way to go about it.  I'm so excited about this.  

Solidarity

My son was tickling me and it was getting old, so I snapped at him after several warnings.  My husband muted the TV and turned to him and said, "Hey, when when your mother says stop it, you need to stop it right away.  Because otherwise she does that screeching thing and it makes the hair on my arms stand up."

I so appreciate the way he helps me discipline the children. ;)

Falling

We snuck in a visit to the botanic gardens today and hid ourselves away in a little wooded area with a quilt and our battered copy of Little Women.  Somewhere we couldn't hear the cars, per my daughter's instructions.  I don't think I've ever been in such a shower of brightly colored autumn leaves.  A magical and twirly downpour.  It was breathtaking.  We sat and just laughed and smiled and hoped that we would remember those few moments for the rest of our lives.  I can't remember feeling more peaceful.  

Audio

Audio books we've enjoyed this year:

King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table (still our favorite)

The Children of the New Forest  (I hadn't read this, but found it surprisingly beneficial to our studies of American colonial history, though in an indirect way.  Otherwise, it's a bit too boyish for my daughter and a bit too mature for my son, but still a good audiobook)

Ballet Stories (I would highly recommend these stories especially prior to taking a child to the ballet.  It's so much more enjoyable if they know the story and you can download individual titles on the Naxos website)

The Legend of Sleepy Hollow (Librivox - We liked Chip's voice for this story.  I hadn't read it in years and was a little squirmy about a section or two, but the descriptions of autumn in New England were lovely.)

I am a bit partial to the Naxos productions.  There are so many titles available and I tend to like the readers.  There's no other reason than that.*  Now I used to be absolutely opposed to abridged anything, but I think I'm going to have to look at it one title at a time.  For example, they offer Anne of Green Gables abridged and I could never buy that.  The writing is one of the very best parts, as I've mentioned here before.  But as a way of sparking interest in a story we wouldn't otherwise read, I might be able to talk myself into it.  My daughter flat out refused to open a Little House book until we read our way through the picture books, so in certain circumstances I can see it as helpful.

My insistence on audiobooks for the car has been wholly good.  Not only are we making the most of time that would have otherwise been spent listening to Coldplay, the children's behavior is much better when they are engaged in a story.  (Meaning I'm not yelling at them to just "Be quiet already! I'm driving!")

We will listen to A Christmas Carol (unabridged) coming up in December.  I'm rather frightened of the new movie.  I can't tell you how many great books were spoiled for me because I didn't like the movie or show.  So I think some stories should remain in a child's imagination.  If you have a favorite audiobook of this story, please let me know.  I still need to look around.  We very much enjoyed reading it last winter.

*I see it has become common on blogs to specify whether the reviewer has received free materials or other compensation.  I have not. But if Naxos wants to send me a giant box of audiobooks, I will happily provide my shipping address. ;)

I was going to post about audiobooks and/or turkey but I saw this on Michele's facebook page and I had to reprint it as I so heartily agree. Hope you don't mind Michele! 

 Whenever applause breaks out in the liturgy because of some human achievement, it is a sure sign that the essence of the liturgy has totally disappeared and has been replaced by a kind of religious entertainment. --Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger (Pope Benedict XVI) The Spirit of the Liturgy

Urban camping

We are so dreadfully busy lately with extracurricular activities.  I hate it.  I like staying at home where I can take care of the housework and children properly.  I've spent the last several weeks feeling anxious and tense and stressed and worried and (let me check the thesaurus...) OK, you understand. 

Enter: My best idea ever.  I had my husband take out the back seat in our minivan and converted it into a little playroom!  I spread a couple of quilts on the floor, some cozy pillows, a tent lantern and plenty of picture books.  During ballet, my son and I curl up....

..and read or cuddle

 

Or have funny noise making contests and discuss Star Wars.  Proper little boy activities.

 

It's so cozy!  My son excitedly asks if we get to "Go to ballet today!?"  And I end up feeling far more relaxed and composed at the end of the day for that little bit of peace and quiet we've found in the middle of a parking lot.