2 Week Family Excursion :0)

Today was our first day back from a 2-week long Spring break! Did you hear that... 2 weeks! This was not really in my plans, I had us set out to go full speed through the end of our year but life presented the opportunity to just enjoy time and so we accepted. I have been researching so many curriculums that I feel would fit us this next year. I have decided to kind of slide Superman into the "third grade" according to curriculum, I feel he is able to very easily go right into it and in some areas he is already there so it will be a very smooth transition. We will continue to use God's Design for Science along with Nature Study and Horizons for Math along with more living math books.

We jumped back into our typical day give or take a few things here and there. It is always such a struggle to get back into our habits when we have neglected them for so long. Some habits I had just started to inforce around here and now must start all over again. It was a really good day! We enjoyed ourselves dispite the obstacles we were forced to climb over and we actually accomplished everything that was set out in my mind to accomplish. I am about to visit Barb to see about our Green Hour Challenge for this week and hope that the rain will stop so that we can venture outside to enjoy His creation.

I do have a lot of pictures to share of some Nature walks we were blessed to take and some observations from Maw Maw and Be Be's houses.

Green Hour Challenge #4

We have been unable to get outside and have a time for nature study recently. We finally got outside to participate in the Green Hour Challenge. I am not going to say a lot about it other than how exciting it was to find a focus area to examine for 6 weeks. We decided after walking outside to focus on birds. We have seen some exciting visitors around our house lately and we have been fasicinated to watch the little birds build their nest, the big unidentified odd black bird search for food in our front yard, the doves observing from obove, the Red Robin singing and searching in our backyard for bugs and the Wood Pecker scavengering for bugs high in the trees and many other birds just coming and feeding from our bird feeders. I am excited to learn more about these busy creatures. Here are some beautiful birds that we have been blessed to catch in the moment, enjoy:

I was particularly fascinated with this one. I heard an unfamiliar bird call and looked up to find it and found him and a few friends. I was intrigued by him, isn't he beautiful? Interestingly enough I accidently stumbled upon a site that identified him for me as a Cedar Waxwing. (not the orinal site I found him on, lost it somehow)

Visit Barb for more Green Hour Challenges!! I am late with this post, sorry.

Unexpected Excursion

Don't underestimate the power of nature. It has taken hold of my children and intrigued their minds. They find themselves yearning to be in her presence surrounded by her mystifying and entrancing beauty and it isn't just enough to simply enjoy her with eyes of wonder they are overtaken by their curiosity to touch and feel and learn more about her. Last week while out doors at a local park just enjoying some nice weather they became quickly bored and unsatisfied with the superficial created structure they played on and found themselves drawn to their natural surroundings. They ran off away from the colorful structure meant to fullfill all their playful desires and into another world. I was suprised by this spontanious excursion and felt very proud as we ventured off.

I could not have predicted this little spontaneous adventure. My children's natural curiosity with nature is growing into a true love. I was truly amazed and excited to see them run into the arms of nature as she embraced them and they enjoyed eachothers company.

We all really enjoyed ourselves. The boys enjoyed gathering up acorns and using them as "bombs". T-Rex found a little "sleeping" snail in the dirt...

and on our way back to the car we found this, what appears to be a dog skull or possibly and more excitedly maybe a Coyote skull or something altogether different, we haven't examined it much since we got home.

Nature study is obviously not going to be any kind of a problem in our communion with Charlotte Mason and I knew that already. I am excited about the learning experiences that are going to be found in this aspect of the CM method, we have already learned so much and it has already brought so much to our school room.

Thinking thoughts

I am wondering where we are going here... my mind is in some kind of catastrophic phase of thinking that is terrorizing the interior walls of my brain and I have lost complete control. Okay so it isn't that severe but I really can not seem to stop thinking about all of the different ideas I have chasing eachother. I will reveal something about myself. When I become overtakened by an idea I enjoy "thinking" and fantasizing about it for a long time but lack the skills in going much further than that mostly because I am a copier, a follower and not a leader. Something here that I am trying to stray away from is conforming to other peoples molds of how they have chosen to use the CM style. I want us to create our own unique mold that fits us. I am so amazed at how hard it is for me to organize all of the things that I am learningn even with the amount of motivation and enthusiasm I have stored up with in me. I think that I struggle with the fear of not doing it correctly and some how failing completely at my attempt to create the perfect school of "delightful" learning molded just for us, is that possible?

I also fear that I am not capable of the path I am begining to walk down because I feel it is one that requires a lot from me. I feel like this path isn't exactly marked out for me so that I can "follow" and instead I am having to "make" our own path but then isn't that kind of what I wanted to do in the first place, create my own mold? I guess what I am understanding now as I type this is that I am having a difficult time stepping outside of my comfort zone with following the well marked out path and setting out my own. So, are you as confused as I am? :0)

To be continued...

On a journey to: Perfect Harmony

I read an article this morning on Homeschool Methods titled "Planting Your Garden" by the Parker Family. It basically dicusses 2 methods, the Classical and Charlotte Mason, and how they can ultimately be harmonized. It was very encouraging for me as I think through these 2 styles of education. I am in love with Charlotte but still cling to the Classical. I feel a kindred spirit with Charlotte Mason and a noble companionship with Classical Education.

Harmonized... "Both Charlotte Mason and Classical methods of instruction have the capacity to be the flame that ignites a love of learning and kindles the essence of a true liberal education;we believe that if we keep their common goal in view,we can more surely hit the mark with techniques drawn from both camps." Parker Family

As of right now I am describing our Homeschool like this: We are Growing Minds of Wisdom down the flourishing path of Classical Education walking closely in communion with Charlotte Mason as we are daily guided by the Light.

Just thought you might want to know :0).

Spring is Coming..

Heart of Harmony is hosting the Charlotte Mason Carnival this month titled Spring is Coming Edition! I am excited to begin diving in all of the thoughts from so many wonderful minds.

Enjoy!