Weekly Wrap-Up

It’s hard to believe that we hit the last days of August this week. August was one very hot, very long month here in Wingfield yet I can’t believe that it’s over! We started September off with a trip to Vanderbilt Sports Medicine because Austin broke his heel a couple of weeks ago. The Klimt [...]

Read Full Post »

Basic Science for the Creatively Challenged

After doing a little research, I’ve discovered that Austin only needs three years of science but only one with lab. That does take a little of the pressure off of me so I’ve decided to try something different – more out there – for science this year for both teens. At graduation, Austin will have [...]

Read Full Post »

NOT Back to School Blog Hop ~ Curriculum Week

Our plans for 2010-2011 are still a work in progress!  But, my curriculum plans are ALWAYS a work in progress and always written in pencil.  Somehow I’d thought that by the time I had high school students we’d be somewhat set in our ways.  I was very wrong! Flower Child (12) is entering 7th grade. [...]

Read Full Post »

Bedroom in Arles, 1888 ~ Copy in oil pastels by Flower Child

Bedroom in Arles, 1888 This kid LOVES Vincent van Gogh and couldn’t wait to try her hand at the whole picture.  It was SO hard for me to just let her go rather than make her follow the assignment.     Next week, or maybe later this week, I’m going to encourage her to do a [...]

Read Full Post »

And we're off!

Flower Child and I started our summer schedule today. She’s read about mosquitoes and is drawing a Van Gogh in pastels. LOL! Yes, she’s already doing things in her own order. We’ve been listening to Handel’s Water Music for the last week, specifically the Masterpiece Theater… oops!… Allo Hornpipe selection. I got a late start [...]

Read Full Post »

Charlotte Mason and Summer Fun!

In an effort to get back to the basics – the Charlotte Mason basics, that is – I decided to use Harmony Art Mom’s summer nature, music, and art studies with Flower Child for the next eight weeks.  Should be fun! Looking forward to learning about Vincent Van Gogh and George Handel.

Read Full Post »

Call me an unschooling drop-out!

Interestingly, Sharon Astyk blogged about unschooling this week.  She does touch on some of the things that were troubling me. I still like many of the ideas about unschooling, but it just doesn’t ‘feel’ right in our home school. Maybe it’s about me and my control issues and maybe that’s not a bad thing. I [...]

Read Full Post »

Our Story ~ Year 2

If our first year was the year of Speed Racer, our second year was the year of Molasses Slow. After being warned by many homeschool ‘experts’ that it is impossible to find the perfect curriculum during your first year, I decided to use The Well Trained Mind for the older two and send Flower Child [...]

Read Full Post »

Finding the New Normal for 2009

Okay, there are a LOT of ‘new normals’ at our house.  I honestly don’t know if we are the insane minority in the world of home education or if everyone else is like this and just doesn’t talk about it. Goals have been discussed.  Lessons have been planned.  Books have been burned set aside for [...]

Read Full Post »

Getting Started with Charlotte Mason

One of the benefits of blogging is that rather than hash out something that’s already been said you can just post a link to what you’d say if you weren’t too lazy to write it all out. Higher Up and Further In ~ Getting Started with the Charlotte Mason Method

Read Full Post »

Flashback Friday

Looking back, one of my favorite years of homeschooling was the year we lived near Starved Rock State Park.  We’d overcome a few hurdles and I had matured into the confidence that we were doing the right thing for our children.  We’d also settled into a very comfortable routine based on Charlotte Mason’s methods using [...]

Read Full Post »

Charlotte Mason Mecca

I’ll be honest, living here has not been the idyll that I had assumed it would be. BUT, I have to admit this is the most beautiful place I’ve ever lived in my life. Even in winter. Our nature studies have become so much more fun because we have a plethora of places to hike [...]

Read Full Post »

Why not education for “personal growth and enrichment”?

Yesterday I read a post SOMEWHERE – don’t ask where, because today I can’t seem to find the discussion again – about the return to vocational education. It was on a message board, not on a blog. And I don’t even really remember exactly what the original post said, it was something to do with [...]

Read Full Post »