Habits

Habits- the wonderful things that bring peace to family life, and happiness to the mother. But lo, it is the mom that often needs to be working on those habits!!

I have noticed lately, and for a long time, that I am not a follower: not a list follower, routine follower, fashion follower, etc (ask my parents, actually, maybe don't). But I so need to set some routines down. Not that we don't have any routines, we do. They are a little harder to see in the summer, but they are there. But oh it seems so easy for me to just go on about my days in the summer, and forget those 'pegs' to our days- to get busy with this or that project and let the day slip away. I have realised that some of this is what I love about summer- but by about the third week of this low tide time we all crave for a few more routines- enough to pull us together.

In the realising of this need for routines in the 'low tide' times it has been a bit of a rocky path- me lamenting about the lack of responsibility of my flock, lamenting (nice way of saying complaining) about the house work all falling to me, lamenting about the sibling rivalry...you get the point. Then I got a good sleep- it is amazing what that can do for your mind!! I felt refreshed and ready to see everything in a better light- yes, we have let some things slide- but changes can be made. We read the Bible at breakfast than the kids did some chores. At lunch I pulled out the poetry books and then I even think I got dinner on the table before 7! Boy I felt better, and so did we all I think.

I don't know if this is making much sense, but to me it is helpful to look at these different seasons and to accept them as this: seasons. There are times when things flow more, when spending hours reading makes more sense (like when it is -45 out). This is all part and parcel of the ebb and flow of our days here. At times I have not accepted this as I should, thinking all the chores/routines/musical practices/reading times etc. all have to be nicely humming all the time instead of seeing the ebbing and flowing. Writing this post has helped though, and I am feeling much more at home and positive about it again!!

But what about the title 'Habits'. How is this post all coming around to that?? I am not totally sure, all I know is that those pegs, those parts of our days which we count on and come together around, bring a nice routine that lends itself to the formation of the aforesaid 'Habits'.

So.... the next post will continue (hopefully more directly) with Habits.

The Peace and Joy of Growing Things

It's summer, and the days are long and full. Summer always begins with a little bit of an adjustment here- later nights, later mornings and that getting used to a new routine.

When spring hit here, after a long winter, we entered more of a 'low tide time'- we couldn't get our hands, muscles, and our beings out of the yard and the developing garden. We had just moved into this house at the onset of the cold snowy winter and were so excited to DIG. Yes, we love to dig here.... and then watch the fruits of our labor grow.

Yesterday as I was working in our humble urban vegetable patch, Hannah, my 10yo, noticed not one but two large cucumbers. This was enough to send her into ecstasy for the day. The said cucumbers were sliced, salted, and devoured.

This warms my heart, makes me grin very wide, and relax. My spirit connects with the Father in his creation, it always has. So, it always leaves me with a wonderful peace to see my children communing with growing things, especially in this fast paced technological age. Actually, if I think of what I want for my children as they grow, what I consider the most important bricks in their formation/education, I would have to say that this connection with nature, whatever that would look like for each child, would be very near the top of the list, definitely in the top 5. I am sure many writers could say it much more eloquently than I could, so I will leave it to them.

Next up looks like the zucchini......

Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow

As summer approaches, spring calls, and we are outside more I always begin to reflect on last year, plan for what comes next and often read and read. This year it is a bit different though- in that I don't have a burning desire to purchase and plan. I definitely have been enjoying seeing what neat books are out there etc. but am more apt to go right onto the public library site from there and see if they have the said neat books. Part of this is the budget, lots I think is the fact that I have learned that while I love to plan and write out notes I never (yes never) follow them or even have the same sets of ideas as when summer hit. I guess this would be the learning curve, and oh it can be slow with me!! I think part of it is also the whole idea of simplifying- multum non multa.

As I add more kids into the mix, as new readers begin and old ones dive into more complicated studies I find that to keep (guard) the down time, the time where one can enjoy one's interests and think and play and cook dinner etc., I need to really look at what each child needs and what we need together: what juices us, what suits us, what do we need to work on as a family and individually, what can I personally handle (this is where the types of materials come in). By the end of this year I seemed to be able to streamline more, although there were days when I was sure that we needed alot more of X and Y and they were dutifully added, for that day.

So this year I am trying to find...
-used Henle Latin level 1
-some good titles for our history topics:
Rome
Middle Ages
A Modern era Biography (Ex. We read ones of Gandhi and Mother Theresa this year)
-a new (from our great used bookstore) Poetry Anthology
-a new calender for Fine Art (or set of prints)
-a globe and/or a good quality laminated map (we need a new one every year it seems!)
-someone who feels it is their life purpose to clean up lego for free (just joking,well maybe)

We generously used The Baldwin Project this year for many topics. It is amazing how much my children enjoy ants after hearing 'Uncle Paul' tell about it. We will use alot of titles as the year goes on I am sure.

I also want to study a Shakespeare play again: any favorites out there?? The children have still not had the chance to see one, so I hope to get a video and also to check out the outdoor Shakespeare theatre this summer.

Well, this is alot of posts for my first day of this new blog (my family blog and old blog are looking on enviously)
Peace,Kristie

Declensions with Dog

The Peace of Wild Things

Here is a poem- a little early for Poetry Friday- but something I could have reflected on in the heat of a somewhat 'wild-day'. Wendell Berry is my all time favorite author, tied with Tolkien!!

The Peace of Wild Things

When despair for the world grows in me
and I wake in the middle of the night at the least sound
in fear of what my life and my children's lives may be,
I go and lie down where the wood drake
rests in his beauty on the water, and the great heron feeds.
I come into the peace of wild things
who do not tax their lives with forethought
of grief. I come into the presence of still water.
And I feel above me the day-blind stars
waiting with their light. For a time
I rest in the grace of the world, and am free.
— Wendell Berry

Spring!!!

Spring here comes after 6 months of winter- yes, six months. We enjoyed our prairie winter this year: I love to knit and now we have three knitters in the family (the other one's read all the time).


With the arrival of spring came a new rhythm- sort of like a spring break that lasts all spring!!
Here is a favourite image of nicer weather....
by Emily Carr

An Introduction!!

As a bit of an introduction I feel as I should tell you something about us. We have been at this parenting thing for 12 years and have four beautiful children: 12yo, 6yo, and 4yo boys and one wonderful 10yo girl. We have lived in many different places, all in Canada, but are staying put here for a while on the prairies (though the mountains are always calling!!).

As far as homelearning, we have done many things: most fairly relaxed. Most frequently we have done things with a Charlotte Mason flavor. We love to study fine art, love books, thoroughly enjoy poetry, love books, drool over history, love books, all need the 'wild' out of doors for sustenance, and all enjoy math!!

We have tried so many of the approaches out there: classical, interest led, unschooling, CM , but always returned to a sort of relaxed/CM/Classical with loads of free time for hanging out and personal interests. This is what I've discovered I am most comfortable with, and gives enough structure with lots of personal breathing room. I cannot stick to a schedule, but we live by routines instead. A regular day here would involve a handful of things in the morning and then a late lunch followed by life- one of these regular days does not happen every day here!!

This has gotten long....
Have a Great Day
Kristie