learning from play

Yesterday at the homeschool track and field day, they set out one of those play tunnel things for the little ones.......Sam didn't get around to playing with it until the afternoon, but then spent quite a while there.....I watched him with it and loved seeing how much he learned from it. Watching him watch others first, then walk over and move it about, bend down and look through, walk around it, analyse it......then he got down and crawled through, looking very pleased with himself! Then he would get out and walk back around and go through the exact same way.....it took him quite a while to work out he could go through either way...then he figured out he could sit at one end and stop others going though....then he worked out that it could roll......

It's wonderful watching ou little ones learn....it doesn't just stop at those first steps...it goes on and on for life...why on earth do we hand all that magic over at the magical age of 5 or 6 to a school????

Homeschooling....and especially unschooling, is allowing us to see up close the magical learning experiences our children are making on their own....at their own pace...through their own will. Its wonderful and I want to be a part of it all...I don't want to miss another thing!

Life Learning Magazine

www.lifelearningmagazine.com

R gave me a pile of Life Learning magazines last week, so every spare moment I have had since, has been spent curled up reading them.....what a wonderful magazine although some of the 'advice' is a little extreme if you ask me......that Naomi woman hasn't got a clue lol!!!!! Which planet is she4 living on????????????

Definitely great magazines for inspiring you when you need it!!!

Track and Field Day

Yesterday was the homeschool groups sports day. It was soooooo much fun!

We were up early as CHris also started work at the museum yesterday. He looked so smart in proper shoes and a shirt :) We dropped him off just before 9am (very early start for us!) and as we had an hour to spare before homeschool group, I took the younger 4 to McDonalds for a surprise breakfast at the play place! We don't eat much fast food so it was a REAL treat!! When we walked in we ran into a Mom of Susannahs friend. She is also a teacher at their old school and is very nice. We chatted for a while and told her how excited we all were that it was Track and Field day and we were having a picnic etc...I think people are still surprised to hear that the homeschooling community is so big and so sociable...I think people still feel all we do is 'school at home'......it was a good day to run into her as the children were sooooo happy and bubbly and excited about homeschooling!

After breakfast we headed off to the homeshool group. The weather was perfect...warm and a little windy but not too hot and not rainy! We set everything up out on the field......there were races for all the different ages and us Moms joined in too......relays, sack races, egg ad spoon races, three legged races, bean bag toss, tug of war, and we even decorated frisbees for a frisbee throw........ there was a tube to crawl through for the little ones and face painting for everyone too.....

We stopped at 12pm for a picnic lunch together before more fun and games until 2pm when we tidied up and gave out treat bags. I took LOTS of pictures.....over 600!!!! And emailed some to the local paper in the hope that they will print some.....my favourite pic was one of C's little boy in the sack race!!! It was a great pic and I hope they print it! The older children aren't in the group picture as they had to go somewhere else at that time.....but there are quite a few older pre-teens in the group who took part in the races.

We headed home after the sports day. Abby fell asleep on the sofa just after dinner, and Sam didn't nap all day so fell asleep just after 6pm.....all the children were so tired from their fun day! It really was so much fun! I even joined in with the egg and spoon race....

Lloyd picked Chris up after work...his first day 'on the job' went so well...he is being given so much repsonsibilty and is learning so many things about archiving and protecting antiques and old papers etc etc... he is doing data inputting and helping create the museums website, working as an interpreter and giving tours to school children.....I think this job and experience will be a wonderful thing and I am so glad he is enjoying it all so much.

Yesterday I was buzzing from how happy I am that we have been homeschooling for a whole year. I love homeschooling here in Alberta.....the community is great and there are so many choices.....I love the life we are leading and I love how happy and alive my children are since they came out of school...I love the future I see for us....for them.......even if they were to go into school next year, I can see nothing but benefits to this time we have spent together.

Almost up to date!!!

On Monday the boys had their last Homeschool Gym class until the Fall. They really enjoy going. Chris was supposed to have an exam on Monday morning but wasn't feeling great so we postponed that, and Lloyd took them to their gy class and took the younger three into the indoor playground for a while. I stayed home as I still wasn't feeling great, but I didn't much like being 'home alone'. I am so used to having the children around that it was really quiet and I was bored without them. I fell asleep upstairs though and didn't wake up until they got home.....so I must have needed the sleep!

Laurie cut the grass out at the front...he loves riding the tractor and he did a great job and was really sensible so has earned Lloyds trust definitely!!! I think that can be his job in future if he wants it :)

Playing catch-up!

I haven't posted for a few days so I have so much to say!!!

Last Friday we spent the day relaxing at home. Chris watched Braveheart on dvd while the others watched home videos on the computer. Susie sent some emails to Lloyd and Grandma and Terry etc etcChris phoned Lego and managed to get them to send hima free copy of the Lego moviemaker cd rom he needs!!! Abby sat on my bed naked except for a winter hat, watching treehouse for a while! I read her some books including reading 5 Little Monkeys to her and Sam..... Chris read to Sam too for a while and I took pictures. The kids did some crafts, played a long game of Risk and walked the dogs....the trampoline seems to be very popular still too!

In the afternoon my Nan phoned - I was really surprised as she doesn't phone often...maybe once a year or so......she is 95 almost I think...and a few weeks back she fell and broke her hand.....I sent hera card and letter and a few treats......her nurse arrived while I was on the phone and I heard Nanny tell her 'I'm talking to my Granddaughter in CANADA...so proudly :) so we were talking about bears and coyotes and the chickens (she used to keep chickens too) and the children etc etc...I could tell the nurse knew wll about us...she even asked after Sam! It was lovely to chat with her too and I guess it just made me sad to think I probably won't ever see her again. She kept apologising for not sending parcels to us any more but because of her health she can't go shopping...I told her not to worry at all!

Lauries friends (the twins) slept over. On Saturday morning after waffles for breakfast I drove them home into the city. Laurie decided to spend the day at their house, so we left them all there and Chris and I went to the mall for some gifts for Lloyd for Fathers Day. On the way home we stopped by the museum for Chris to meet his new boss! They were having a pancake breakfast for Fathers Day....They gave us a tour of behind the scenes in the museum and we filled in all the necessary forms. Chris will be volunteering there all day every Tuesday...he's thrilled...

Saturday afternoon Susie went to J's birthday party. J lives in the house behind our old house. It was a tropical garden party (sadly the weather wasn't great) so Susie wore her swimsuit and a grass skirt! She looked great! We picked Laurie up after the birthday party.

In the evening we all curled up and watched the Oilers beat The 'canes in game 6 of the Stanley Cup finals. It was fun!!!

Sunday was Fathers Day. I made Lloyd coffee in bed (a rare thing!) and the kids came in and gave him all their gifts and cards. As I was drying off after my shower, I was watching the girls out on the trampoline....the window was open and I was listening to them take it in turns to sing pop goes the weasel as they jumped around the trampoline together giggling and trying to make each other bounce......I love seeing how close they are now they homeschool.

Lloyd and I went out for coffee in Starbucks and a stroll around Chapters. We stopped off at Blockbusters and bought 5 dvd's from their pre-viewed selection! We got some great ones! War of the Worlds, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Fun with Dick and Jane, Xmas with the Kranks and Yours Mine and Ours.

On the way home we saw a young deer not too far from the road by the Whitemud exit. We have seen a lot of deer around lately. There was one in the back field on Monday as Lloyd was driving home but it changed its mind about going out into the road.....

We went for a walk on Sunday afternoon and found that our grouse family has grown by 4!!! 4 baby grouse living in the woods here :) We spent some time sat out on the porch too - Abby drew a hopscotch court on the porch with chalks and played for ages - her favourite game lately. Chris got the chickens out and the kids sat with them on their laps for ages!

In the evening we curled up and watched Harry Potter all together. I wasn't feeling great so it was a nice relaxing way to spend the day.

too funny

I even made a typo in my post about typo's!!!!

Ha!!!!

typo's

I am a good speller but I notice I make soooo many typos....I type too fast and never spell check or preview........

...so forgive me but I time is precious and I can't be bothered to go back and edit ;) So forgive me my mistakes :)

Liquid therapy

There must be quite a few things a hot bath won't cure, but I don't know many of
them

. -Sylvia Plath



I am feeling better now....I soaked in the bath with some of the unschooling magazines R gave me and relaxed...now I'm out and Lloyd has made me a mug of ovaltine to help me (hopefully) sleep better tonight.

We went to Costco this evening. I really wasn't in the mood but we went anyway. While Lloyd was paying I walked to the exit and sat by the door watching the veay rain....it hasn't rained that hard in a long time and it was wonderful.

Driving home in it wasn't so much fun - you could hardly see in front of the car. Nasty!

We got home and unpacked the groceries and then I climbed into the bath....

I haven't figured out my feelings about this mornings news yet. I'll write about that tomorrow.

The good thing about days like today is that I know that tomorrow is another day...tomorrow will be a better day. Tomorrow I will be my happy usual self again....

And tomorrow is friday :) the start of the weekend and Lloyd will be home early :) another week closer to his time off!!!

.............And life goes on ;)

Is it really only lunchtime?

Its been a looooong morning. It's 12:30 but feels more like 5pm....Lloyd won't be home for hours yet and it's grey and rainy outside too........fab day - NOT.

I phoned my Mum to tell her about Mervyn...thought she'd want to send a card or something........

The girls have been making more paper bag puppets.....and also Fathers Day cards. The boys watched Trinidad play England in the World Cup. Maybe it was fate that Trinidad played England on the day Mervyn died. Actually a shame they lost.

When someone dies you are supposed to feel sad for them and for those left behind....which I do of course....but you are also expected to think nice thoughts of the person who has died....and that is what I struggle with. I don't have much good to say about Mervyn. The only good thing that I could maybe mention is that he introduced me to the idea that no one has ever landed on the moon........and also that he used to bring me sugar cake.

I haven't told the children yet...so thats hanging over me like a dark cloud. I have to tell them but something is stopping me and I don't know how to tell them or what to say or how they will react. My head hurts and I feel crappy and I am sooooo tired from several nights of no sleep......and I just don't know how to tell them their Grandad has died. This isn't like me at all...I'm normally such a together person.

Mervyn

I just heard my FIL died from complications in surgery this morning.

Not sure how to sort this out in my brain. Feel like I have been slapped and not sure how to react or what to do.

Very weird.

Will write more later.

Yes! Go Oilers Go!!!

Woohoo, the Oilers are going to win this @#$^#@^$ - yay in overtime they scored!!!! Which means they are heading back to Rexall for another game against the 'Canes......and there is NO WAY we can let them win the cup in OUR town :)

My tiredness just got worse and worse through the day and this evening I feel horrid.....I've been curled up on the bed watching the hockey match. Lloyd brought me a cup of tea and a bar of Toblerone to make me feel better (love him so much!) but I still feel yucky. I have Susannahs cold now.....Laurie thinks he does too and poor Susie has gone through a box of tissues this evening! I hope we didn't give our germs to R and family! I think Sam is feeling ill too as he has been soooo miserable all day and hasn't slept at all!

We had a lovely afternoon. I took Laurie to the store to get soem cookies and treats for everyone. We saw two geese with their babies crossing the road.

Our local store is AWFUL.....it's a tiny country store......sells the basics at ridiculously high prices...so high that no one buys anything ...which means everything goes out of date...you HAVE to check every date on the things they sell.....They only had 5 packets of cookies (not 5 kinds but 5 packets!!!) and 4 of those were out of date!!!! Like March this year!! Lloyd picked up a packet fo cornflakes there a couple of months back dated summer 04!!!!!! Anyway, I spent $6 on a packet of grotty oatmeal cookies.....a brand I've never seen before...but they were the only ones not out of date.

R came over with her three children. We got the playdoh out, they made paper bag puppets and played on the trampoline, watched some of Chicken Little and just pottered about while R and I chatted and played playdoh :)

Laurie spent the day pottering in the workshop taking his bikes apart and building things.....Chris arranged his voluntary work at the museum......he also arranged his training program for his voluntary work at the library.

R and I were discussing whether you should buy hard backed books or paperbacks (paperbacks for fiction and hardbacks for non fiction OBVIOUSLY!!! lol!) and whether you should read magazines in the bath! (Yes!!!)

She also told me that her DD has been calling everyone 'Idiot'. I was thrilled to hear this!!! My child is NOT the only one after all :) Abigail spent last summer calling everyone an idiot.....we had a gate between our yard and our neighbours yard so that the girls could go backwards and forwards to play......but Abby would call their DD an idiot constantly so would get sent home.....she'd wait a while and go back but five minutes later get sent home again :)

She grew out of it thankfully....although now has just learnt to talk to people as if they are idiots rather than actually calling them idiots lol! She gets that from her oldest Brother I'm sure ;)

Well, Lloyd has finished driving the garbage down to the end of the driveway so I can go and collapse in bed for an early night hopefully......and please please let me get a GOOD LONG nights sleep!

Today I am thankful for:

1. The Oilers winning and getting another chance to bring the cup home!

2. The space ship S made for Sam!

3. A fun afternoon with our guests :)

4. A cooler day than the 27 they forecast this morning.....although we could have done without the grey skies!

5. The wonderful pile of magazines I was given today...can't wait to have time to curl up and read them all!

6. Tea and Toblerone in bed this evening :)

7. Not having to cook tonight :) Lloyd picked up a rotisserie chicken, some potato wedges and a bag of salad :)

8. Bedtime......I need sleep!

Rocket Man!

R's Daughter S brought a gift over for Sam today....a rocket ship!!!! She had made it out of a cardboard box!!! Sam thinks its very cool and has been playing in it a lot since! At first he got in backwards but I think he was a little nervous about flying into space so preferred not to look out of the windo and see all the planets!!!

Firey skies and white tailed deer.

The first week we lived here I got up and went to make coffee in the kitchen. As the kettle was boiling I looked out of the kitchen window and there on the grass outside, about 2 metres away, was a beautiful white-tailed deer.....it was chewing the grass and then slowly walked around the house and down the hill to the pond. It stopped for a drink in the pond and then walked off into our woods. It was wonderful! Lloyd was in a meeting so I couldn't call him - so I called Mum in England instead and she was as excited as me :)

The other pictures are of the amazing sunsets we get at the front of the house most evenings and also of one of the old gates that are dotted about our land.....I think they are lovely and when we take the fences down I will keep the gates and grow things over them.....

My favourite place to be.

This is Capeside. Our home for 8 months already...but it feels so much like home that I feel like we have been here forever.....it felt like home as soon as we walked through the doors....or even into the driveway! These are quite old pictures really...from the Fall and winter......

Our house from the road...through the Fall leaves.

A close up of our house taken last October.

Our house from the driveway in the Fall as the leaves started to turn...this slope is actually steep enough to be a pretty good sledding hill in winter!! At the bottom is our pond...we find coyote foot printes across the ice in winter and in summer it is filled with life....and noisy frogs :)

Our home in the snow......it was so pretty!

This black and white picture is one I named 'The Divide'.....its taken at the rear of our land and is the fence between our land and our neighbours land.

Too little sleep

I didn't sleep very much at all last night.....I can barely keep my eyes open this morning....I ache all over and feel about 80! I was so hot and couldn't get comfortable...my stomach hurt and my mind wouldn't switch off.......at 3am I was fed up so I was sat in the bedroom window looking out to see if Lloyds apple core had gone.....he threw an apple core out last night to see if it would be gone by this morning...

Lloyd has been emailing me throughout his meeting this morning...I love that he has his blackberry now and we can chat so much :)

Christopher stayed up late last night and finished Tuesdays with Morrie....he said it is a book that has changed him....which is a good thing....until he said he isn't interested in money any more....of course Laurie and I laughed - obviously the WRONG thing to do.....Chris is over tired and decided we are all horrible and mean to him....oops.....bed early tonight!!!! He's now watching the World Cup soccer matches on tv.

R is coming over this afternoon with her three children. S is around the same age as Susannah and they get on really well. The boys school friends have stayed in touch but Susies haven't so I know she needs new friendships to grow.......she likes S a lot.

I hope I wake up more before they arrive...when I'm this tired I'm a little brain dead and can't think what to say.....

CK magazine was good this month and has made me want to scrapbook again...maybe I will do some tomorrow. Maybe a trip to the scrapbook store is in order....it's been months!

It's supposed to get to 27c today but it's grey and cloudy right now as we are on the edge of storms to the south of us....maybe it will warm up later...we still haven't had a really good thunder storm yet this year......

Laurence has been in the workshop all morning taking apart his two bikes....switching tyres etc etc and taking apart the old video recorder...Lloyd said he could have anything in the barn and take it apart and build whatever he wants......

The girls are building things with Lego...elevators and penguins and various things.....they were out playing with the dogs earlier.....and heard coyotes so Abigail came in and drew a picture of a coyote.....she asked me how many legs they have and said she is bored with drawing animals that have four legs...so she gave the coyote 8 legs instead.......

I think I need breakfast. Most week days I have dry oatmeal (uncooked) mixed with two pots of apple sauce and 3 tablespoons of hemp hearts....I love it and it stops me getting hungry for ages........and the hemp hearts give you energy.....in fact maybe I will have an extra tablespoon today...I could do with some extra energy today ;)