Morning Time...

Here is one routine from Cindy- I would like to organize my Morning Time so it doesn't become 'WHOLE DAY time' , which is lovely , but not everyday....

Let's See...

Some rambling comments on the day....

Breakfast (at a stunning 9am- who created that time change anyway (this is my yearly complaint- see archives for details!).....oatmeal with raisins and heaps of salt, yes, salt! (Bad idea to shake it right out of the box!), supplemented with toast and yummy jam and a glass of OJ

Dressed and chores....Ar. garbages and toilets, H. vacuuming, C. table and folding, Aa. sinks etc, me- made bread and frittered away time on the computer

Math for Ar. and C. and Aa- I taught Aaron how to use the '9 sucks' rule. I was pretty impressed with his progress with it.... did a dictation from the poem 'Cats' with Hannah.... (somehow forgot prayers in here- for reason see the end of the former point!)

Caleb here went and started beautifully playing with Aaron. Who could disturb this? So that was his job for quite some time.... Hannah played some piano, then I got her to read Our Island Story on the computer (she had read Pride and Prejudice and Macrina in bed). An informal narration followed....Ar. still on the Algebra

Snack (Lunch??)- fried dougnuts and lots of sugar and tea with honey (can you say possible STRUNG out kids later in the day??)...we read some poems about spring and then I sent the kids outside to find some signs of spring to draw for their nature journals and I tidied up...

Nature journalling by the older three went very well and Aaron did some drawing as well....I read aloud from Comstock's book a wee bit about trees and growth then a couple chapters of the Princess and the Goblin and one more poem....

Hannah moved onto Algebra and was delighted with the prospect of drawing a diagram to explain some complicated thing involving sandpipers outdistancing an airplane and wind resistance etc. (how creativity and math meet in this child!)....Caleb went up to 'read' (this should read play with Aaron).... then he came down to Read- he got through a bunch of Black Ships Before Troy with and informal narration, and then some Hobbit....

Aaron did some sight cards and aced most of them the read out of Mouse Tales to me- fantastic job...Ar read The Young Carthaginian, the Bible, and Secrets of the Universe (which he claims today he Loves and is so glad I required him to read it- who would have known with the cheasy 70s cover?)...

At this point Violin and Irish music were put on the back burner for the Wii game that arrived in the mail today- all children are now glued down there in the basement playing and I can hear them loud and clear up here!

Me, I am off to the yarn store to grab a new round needle for the beautiful sweater I am beginning for H.'s birthday (can't link or I will spoil the surprise.)

Dinner tonight: Black beans, salsa, basmati, corn and a salad (fresh bread as well)

This seems probably dull as anything, but it is good for me to look back to at times.

Have a great day,
Kristie

Read Alouds From Last Fall Until Christmas 08'

The Return of the King
The Borrowed House- to Hannah
The Endless Steppe- with Hannah
Over Sea, Under Stone (LOVED this)- listened to in the car on the way to the coast
A Little Princess (audio)
Winnie the Pooh- to the little boys
I, Juan de Pareja- a definite winner
I-Ville to You-Ville- another winner
Harry Potter 3 (not quite finished)
Taren Wanderer
East of the Sun and West of the Moon- D'Aulaire (the kids loved this)
The Wheel on the School (technically only half way so far...)

And heaps of fabulous picture books, as well as the entire Asterix series many times over I am sure.

Books, books, books

Around here they are my main way of decorating, purposefully or otherwise.

On people's stacks these days

Aaron
I am reading him Charlotte's Web- just him and me, together with some tea. I would not trade it for the world.
Asterix- more than I will list here

Caleb
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
The Hobbit
Random Books on Chemistry

Hannah
Pride and Prejudice
Macrina the Elder (by gentle, ahem, persuasion)
The Dark is Rising (audio)

Ariel
The Prince and the Pauper
The Lightening Thief- the whole series (except the last one)
A Ginormous stack that just left his room on the way back to the library (too numerous to list)

Me
A World Lost- Wendell Berry (by far, my favourite author...and this one is a gem. A whole host of stories from the Port William Membership)
The Incarnate God- working through the major feasts of the Liturgical year
The Brother's Karamazov

I will be transparent with my own list and admit that I read the first two Twilight books and the third (and probably fourth) would be touching down on my bedside table, if not for the fact that the line up at the library is ridiculous, and I refuse to pay hardcover prices for a book I will read in a few hours and definitely never again- entertaining, yes. Enduring, no. Don't even think I can move on to number three for a bit now- not after Wendell Berry.

Morning Time Readings...

We had a nice slow and lazy 'Morning Time' today. Here are the books and poems we enjoyed together...

The Children's Orthodox Bible- Finding a Wife for Isaac

Saint Innocent of Alaska- a few chapters

The Story of Icons- what an amazing book, so engaging and informative. We read about the 'War of the Icons' today.

The Wheel on the School

The Harp and Laurel Wreath- two poems from the Rhetoric section with the questions. Discussed alliteration again.

Read a paragraph about Storks from our animal book (The Wheel on the School is about storks)

Beyond the Sea of Ice: The Voyages of Henry Hudson- we read about the Third Voyage. This is a great, informative picture book that we can all access.

East of the Sun and West of the Moon (D'Aulaire)- we read The Princess on the Glass Mountain, another story of the humble hero Cinderlad (no blood in this one though).

Now it is off to get dressed, tidy up and look towards lunch. It was a lovely morning and the children kept themselves busy while I read- first with breakfast, then Ar and Aa played lego and built some great ships, H. finished painting her still life (a Christmas present for Nana) and started working on her Lord of the Rings crosstich, and Caleb painted a great canvas complete with mountains, lightening , a storm, and a lush green valley (possible prompted by our many rememberings of our home in the mountains!).

Good day to you all!

I was reading on Willa's blog and thought I would try this blog analysis....I would call it sort of accurate. I think I was much more this way pre kids.

ISTP - The Mechanics

The independent and problem-solving type. They are especially attuned to the demands of the moment are masters of responding to challenges that arise spontaneously. They generally prefer to think things out for themselves and often avoid inter-personal conflicts.

The Mechanics enjoy working together with other independent and highly skilled people and often like seek fun and action both in their work and personal life. They enjoy adventure and risk such as in driving race cars or working as policemen and firefighters.

The Nativity Fast...

Tomorrow begins the feast of the Nativity.

As our family makes this transition to Orthodoxy this will be the first major fast we will go through together, with the children doing what they can.

I am so grateful for the loving guidance we have had, and continue to have, in this process.