learning period 3: 2018-2019

I have posted previously about how our charter follows learning periods. (Here is my post from learning period 2, which links to learning period 1 as well as other posts.) I shifted into posting monthly at the start of 2019, but since I was specific about subjects in these learning period posts and I started the school year this way, I am going to do both to finish the school year. (Note: I am writing this at the beginning of March, having forgotten to share about learning period 3, December 2018 and January 2019, so will back-date this to post it chronologically!)

December and January were what I would call heavy on learning but light on academics. We had a number of appointments lasting into December, the holidays, the move of the kids' beloved occupational therapist, high school applications, and some deep stresses and anxieties all affecting our homeschool. There was joy and learning (you cannot stop it, even if you try), but less documentation.

Social studies: We continued with our American Girl history project, had a fabulous hands-on field trip to a Native American history site, and during this learning period, we watched a number of documentaries that lead to a lot of big conversations. (I subscribed to Curiosity Stream when there was a $1 per month deal and we also really enjoyed the Netflix series Tales by Light.) Towards the end of this learning period, the kids began classes through our charter school. Both chose to participate in the Shakespeare class being offered. As part of this class, there are weekly homework assignments and a history research project.

Math: Teaching Textbooks for Brown Mouse, Khan Academy for Lala Bug, games, and Key To... series workbooks for both kids. We are more consistent with math this year, but it still seems to be slow going.

Language arts and Writing: This third learning period, both kids joined a weekly book group offered by one of our charter teachers. They read Shakespeare's Twelfth Night. This was a non-required precursor to the Shakespeare performance class I mentioned above. I used Brave Writer ideas as we read through Nine Gnome Nights by Sieglinde de Francesa of Teach Wonderment. Lala Bug is getting weekly support from a teacher at our charter school and Brown Mouse is still working through a reading and spelling support program called REWARDS, which he is having success with.

Science: During this learning period, much of the science we covered was through our nature studies; overwintering ladybug beetles, migrating birds, weather, earthquake exploration, and some chemistry.

Onward into learning period 4 already!

gifts by the kids

I have not been sharing much about the creative part of this blog, Creative. Light. Less. Actually, I haven't written much about the light or less part of it lately, either! The creative part has been in full gear, full steam all of this time, but I haven't taken the time to edit or share photos. Mike's and my creativity and DIY spirit has definitely passed on to our children, because these days, I don't have much of my own to share, and instead want to share the amazing talents of my kiddos.

Here is a sampling of what the kids made and gave for Christmas 2017.

 

Lala Bug gave her Nonno some of his favorite things for his morning time; sudoku, coffee, and chocolate, but she wrapped multiples of them all nestled in layers of crepe paper. You can see a puzzle being revealed in his hands below. There were also instant Starbucks Via packets, small packets of sugar for the coffee, mini Kit Kats, and in the center, a plastic Easter egg (to give it its initial shape) full of Hershey Kisses that said Ho Ho Ho. It was very clever and cute. She got the idea from a ballet classmate a year ago, who gave each girl a gift wrapped like this after their performance.

Brown Mouse carved wooden butter knives for his Nonno and Grandma and for his Uncle S. He made his first independent one (which we use daily) in his outdoor summer camp.

Lala Bug embroidered this sweet collection of images (from Doodle Stitching) and then, using a pretty bird fabric for the back, made a pillow for her Grandma.

Lala Bug made "shakes" (herbal blends for fish, pizza, popcorn, etc.) with a variety of herbs and spices. She made her on unique blend first at her herbal medicine summer camp.

Both kids worked together to make a tea wreath each for Grannie, Uncle S, and their great aunt and uncle who often come for Christmas.

After we had so much success with our backyard bird feeders a few weeks before Christmas, the kids decided to make feeders as gifts, too. They made these for their great aunt and uncle.


And toffee. A holiday favorite. Lala Bugs helps make (and eat) this now.

This was a gift they made and gave in 2016, because I never shared it! Beeswax sand candles and essential oil scented bath salts.

Here is to a creative 2018!

52: 12

52 weeks of photos. A special moment during the week of March 19, 2017

366: catch up

late April, early May, 2016

Well, I began this year of laughter and humor full of determination to post daily and I haven't even come close! Life and homeschooling are good, however. Full of growth, change, adapting, learning, connection, and laughter. Here are some photos to catch me up just a little bit.

366: 17

January 17, 2016

Lots of rain today. We started with sewing projects, playing with cars, trucks, and marbles, had a little campfire out back. We went to the space museum with friends from out of town. And we ended with a trip to the after hours clinic, because the sewing project resulted with the machine needle going straight through Lala Bug's finger nail and finger. Poor baby is okay, but we are a worn our tribe tonight.

making

We've been crafty around here again lately. Every time I worry about not fitting it all in, I need to remind myself it comes in spurts; the handwork, sewing, cooking, drawing, painting, woodworking...
We do it all, but we don't do it all at once!

 

Lala bug made hand knit slippers. (She's cheering me in making some for Little Brown Mouse for his birthday? Christmas?)

 

 

Bug really wanted to sew for special time. She wanted to do it all herself; measuring, cutting, sewing. So she did and she made something incredibly useful. 

 

 (The tipped letter was part of her design.)

 Little Brown Mouse wanted to get in on the sewing, so he made a pillow bag out of one of Dada's favorite, worn out Hawaiian shirts and he made a massive bean bag. He was so proud.

 

 Making a birthday tart for Grandma.

to Barbie or Not to Barbie

This post originally appeared on my first blog, Which Name?, on January 21, 2010. My Grandma, "Nonna A," mentioned in the post below has since passed away. In addition, I believe some of the clothes pictured below that I once thought were hand-made, are not, but many of them were. I am re-posting this on August 26, 2017, to link to a new post.

to barbie or not to barbie?

recently, my mom handed over a bag full of doll clothes. these aren't just any doll clothes. each item in this full sack is a handmade family heirloom.

the clothes are amazing. dresses, petticoats, coats, sweaters, skirts, pajamas, pants...
each and every item was made to fit a barbie-sized doll.


so here i am, torn. we have avoided all things barbie, princess, disney (except the kids' loveys, eeyore and tigger, which were a.a. milne before commercialization, and which i think lala still doesn't know belong to a bigger material world.) i am not keen on what barbie stands for.

but i want these clothes to be used again and i don't think a barbie will turn lala into a self-conscious growing girl. i think she will see barbie's big breasts and want to find a baby to nurse on them.

so i turn to all of you. does anyone knows of a less-barbie like doll that might be similarly slender enough to fit these gorgeous clothes, but not have all the "issues" that poor barbie has?

if not, i might re-name and let her have one of my old barbies. (yes, i had them and i didn't turn out twisted as a result.) she has already played with them at friends' houses and loved dressing and undressing the dolls and doing their hair. i am okay with this. perhaps it is all the plastic accessory "stuff" that comes along after the barbie that i have more of a problem with?

i am curious and eager to hear what others have to say about the bodacious barbie.

(if you know us and this post has you thinking you should go out and buy her a barbie, please don't.)

these two sweet dresses were crocheted by my great grandmother on my mom's side.


and each of the items below (as well as everything in the bag in the first photo) was hand knit or sewn by nonna A, my paternal grandma. (she reads my blog. hi grandma!)