Updates

Today I offer little bits of what has been taking place in this little corner of the world.

Overheard in the car while travelling to the city:

Athena: "I'm the luckiest girl in the world."
Mama: "Why is that?"
Athena: "'Cuz I'm a country kid AND I'm home schooled!"
Note: Since being out of school, she got her Belly Laugh back. I am so pleased.

Paul is away the entire week. Ughhhh! He has Business Excellence meetings in Calgary for the first part and Fire Chief Convention for the last part. He comes home Sunday. I am so so tired of him being away. Enough said.

It snowed again overnight and rained most of the day today. Athena and I went to walk to get the mail as we always do. Round trip takes us about 45 minutes to an hour, depending on our rabbit trails. I found out today the my down filled coat is NOT water proof. Athena held the umbrella and was high and dry. I was soaked about 20minutes in. Not fun. Brrrrr.

And on a final highlight, I am finished choosing my curriculum for First Grade. I feel like a huge weight has been lifted off of my shoulders. I have been researching and investigating for two months and have finally come to this conclusion:

I am really drawn to Classical Education focusing on teaching the Trivium. Grammar, Logic, Rhetoric. I like some aspects of Charlotte Mason, Unschooling and Waldorf but I think that Classical Education will be a good method for us, with a bit of the others thrown in as well. I will not be teaching Bible as a subject. I would have heavily focused on that with my older children when I home schooled them, but I have changed since then.

I am going to use First Language Lessons for the Well Trained Mind
and Phonics Pathways for Language Arts, Spelling, Grammar and Reading. We will also be using Handwriting Without Tears for penmanship.

For Math I have chosen a comprehensive study that will include addition, subtraction, measurement, telling time, identifying, comparing and sorting.

For Science we will use The Handbook of Nature Study and the Kids Nature Book as well as child directed unit studies.

For History, we will begin with Ancient History, as put forth in The Well Trained Mind. We will use the books The Story of the World and its workbook.

Moving on to Art, I have selected Drawing with Children and Discovering Great Artists. And I also bought this book for myself. (And you don't like to color?)

We will do some music study too. Listening to Classical music for 15 minutes per day. She already asks for me to put in on the CD player for her. Her favorite so far are the Nutcracker and this CD that my Mother got her for a Christmas gift. I may start teaching recorder or piano as well. I have not decided.

Most of all we will spend as much time outside in Nature. After all, kids should be outside playing, imagining, discovering. Should they not?

I got some wonderful advice from Tara, Dawn and Sarah who told me to just decide and stop looking for other options. So thank you ladies. And I will.

So if you have used other curriculum or have other ideas PLEASE do not tell me. I have ordered and decided and it is a done deal. (Just kidding, I welcome comments)

Wheelin' and Dealin'

So yesterday, Paul goes to call on several Hutterite colonies. Shrewd business men the lot of them. Anyway, at the last colony John (yes, many of them are named John), who obviously wants a deal on his system is trying to butter Paul up.

"So Paul, you want some chickens." (Read all quotations with a Low German accent)

Yes, he does.

"How many do you want?" says John the Hutterite.

He ordered 6 he'll take six.

When they are alone with the "chicken man" John says "Now how many do you really want?" , offering to throw in some extras for free.

"And do you want some ducks or geese?" Says John.

No my wife would never eat those.

"How about potatoes?" John asks.

Yes we'll take some.

"And strawberries? Buns?" John says.

"And Paul, take some wine." he adds.

Paul asks what kind of wine and why two bottles.

"The small one is for your pocket Paul" John whispers. "Have a few nips on your way back home."

And you thought Hutterites were pious Christian folk who would never do anything that wasn't on the level didn't you?

PS We got a 50lb bag of potatoes, a few pounds of strawberries, 2 dozen farm fresh eggs, some buns, 2 bottles of wine (more like Port Paul says) and 7 chickens.

PPS We only paid for 6 chickens. Each are about 7lbs and we paid $6 a piece AND they are the most tender, juicy chickens I have ever eaten.

PPPS Don't even know if Paul gave him a deal on his water system or not.

Happy Weekend!

You'd Think

You'd think I would have it somewhat together by now. I am 44 (almost 45) years old for Pete's sake. You'd think that after all of these years as a Mother and after all those previous years of Home schooling that I would be able to put something together for Athena for first grade. You'd think I could do it easily. You'd think.

My head is spinning! Math U See, Saxon Math, History, Phonics, Spelling, Reading,Science. Not to mention Art and Music. AAAAAAAARRRRGGGGHHH!

Whatever it is that is making me so indecisive, so confused, so CRAZY, I wish it would stop. I need to clear my head. Think logically. Calm down. Collect information. And then I just need to choose and go with it. See what happens.

But then again, maybe its menopause. Good grief.

Road Trip

On the way

That was one of the quickest long weekends I have ever experienced! We crammed so much into so little time. We headed to Regina on Saturday morning. We went directly to one of our favorite stores that is only operational in Regina. Sears Outlet. I love that place. In fact, we have boots and winter outerwear for Athena for the next several years. Where else can you get a sweet pair of Sorrel boots for $15. I'll tell you, no where. I am an expert at scouting for linen. An expert I tell you. In fact, within minutes I had in my hands two linen skirts. $10 each. (oh yeah)

Spring Snow Goose Migration

After that we went to a restaurant called The Willow overlooking Wascana lake. The food was good and the wine... well, lets just say that Napa Valley wines are excellent.

View from the restaurant

After quickly checking in at the hotel, we went to my daughters house for a couple of hours, to Paul's sisters for a quick glass of wine and then out for supper with my Mother. Thanks Mom. After supper it was back to my Mom's for my sisters 39th birthday. Most of my family was there, even Patrick was up from North Carolina for his baseball draft. Good to see everyone.

Next morning, back to my daughters to make my contribution for the Easter brunch at Paul's sisters house. We stopped at Tim Hortons for coffee on the way. Tim Hortons is an iconic Canadian coffee shop. Believe it or not, in all of my 44 years, I have never had a cup. So, Paul documented my experience. Let me say, I don't get it.

Here I go!



The Verdict


Again, almost his whole family was there. Good food. Good times. It is so nice to catch up with everyone. Jen asked me why I "had a small grin on my face." I just love it when family is all together. It is nice to have most of the families in one city but it makes for a lot of visiting crammed into a small space

Rain clouds gathering

And on the way back, we took our time and just enjoyed the quiet. When we got home, the sky gave us a beautiful show to end the weekend out perfectly. It was a Happy Easter indeed.

Out the back patio doors

Last three pictures taken by Paul

Holiday Weekend

It has been a busy month. Full of the unexpected. Full of frantic planning. Full of single parenting. When your husband is in the groundwater business you basically live alone most of March and part of April. I really need this long weekend.

Athena is going to visit her Grandparents in Moose Jaw. They'll come pick her up Friday morning. Paul is off work, as I imagine most people are. We get to have the day and evening all to ourselves. We need that too. Time to reconnect. Time to laugh. Time to just be with each other.

We are heading to Regina on Saturday to visit family and we'll pick up Athena Sunday morning and visit more family. We'll be back home Sunday for dinner. I am hoping to really relax and enjoy.

My Inside Out e-course starts on Monday and I am really looking forward to it. I need that too. I have been having some small anxiety issues and if you know me at all, that is not ME at all. The anxiety is NOT connected to home schooling. In fact, that is the one thing that I know is I am doing right. But I need to step back. Re-evaluate. I found some time the other day and slipped into my yoga room for a short half hour practice. I feel more like myself than I ever have when I am on that mat. The course has yoga and meditation in it too. I am hoping for great things from it.

I need to cook. Paul has been away every day for dinner this week and we have been eating scrappy meals. I need to make some soup.

I am hoping to come back from this little break renewed and refreshed. And even though I am no longer a practicing Christian, isn't that what Easter is all about? New life.

And thank you all for all of the encouragement you have left in the comments. Very much appreciated.