Life is Sweet

Apr 6, 2011

This afternoon we went on a field trip with another homeschooling family, to one of the Edmonton Public Libraries! We had such a GREAT time and I am sooo pleased we went!! Because there were only four children, they got so much attention and were given goody bags as well as plenty of time behind the scenes to have tries with the book sorting machine and on the book trucks (the carts that they move the books around on).

We were also given an online tour of the EPL website by the librarian and she showed me soooo many online resources that I had never heard of before - designed for teachers and kids - that will be sooo useful for us!!

The lady that showed us around was so enthusiastic and really inspired a love of the library in the children. Abigail had not been too keen about the trip to begin with as she had thought she knew everything there was to know about the library - but she REALLY enjoyed it!! All the kids loved the book sorting machine and had great fun taking turns putting books and dvd's into it and then trying to guess which bin they would end up in - and racing along the line of bins to watch them fall :)

I was especially proud of Sam, who was the first to answer almost every question asked about childrens books/ alphabet etc....I have not pushed him to read until he has been ready for it, and suddenly in the last few months he has been really keen to learn....always writing and loving to sit and read with me, so I was really proud and pleased when he knew the answers and called out the right letters etc...

His favourite book at the moment is The Three Little Pigs, and his favourite part is when the wolf falls into the pot at the end :) Although he DOES love to yell out that the Wolf was 'bad and he was mad'!! and various other well known parts from the story :)

The children are off to the main library downtown with their dad this weekend and next week we have more library plans - including heading back to our own AMAZING library!! We are sooooo lucky to be surrounded by so many wonderful libraries here - they offer so much more than books these days and once you have your library card much of their services/ programs etc are free!! :)

Our morning...

This morning Sam was colouring in a book he has on The Prince of Egypt...it lead to us talking about Moses and 'Moses Baskets'....and then we looked online for the story of Moses...we read an online picture book all about the story of Moses from his birth all through to when he left Egypt with the Hebrews....to the burning bush and the ten commandments. We then looked at an activity where we had to make our own stone tablets and think of our own list of commandments for getting along with people...Sam was good at thinking things up like 'sharing' and 'being nice'....

We aren't a religious family, but I do think these stories are good stories for the children to know and understand and I do think the commandments are mainly good moral codes to live by.

The picture above is of the children colouring in their books. At the time Abigail was colouring in her Rainforest book - once it is coloured in, she can pull out separate parts and build it into a 3 dimensional rainforest full of all the animals - and each animal she colours has information beside it all about that creature and the part it plays in the Rainforest....or some interesting fact about it.

I had to laugh though as they were busy colouring and Sam turned to Abigail and said "Do you think you could colour more quietly"? Hahaha I guess pens can be quite noisy ;)

Abigails story - Alice the Black Cat.

Alice the black cat.

Once upon a time there was a black cat named Alice. She lived in a small town named Canmore. Now in Canmore everybody thought black cats were unlucky. So poor Alice had no home. But one sunny morning a girl named belle came in she was from America. and she loved cats but of course alice was the only one in the shop. so belle picked her, before she was taken out of her cage she got spiffyed up it was her big day. When alice got to her new home she was amazed she’d never seen anything like it before. A few years past and she met a male had a kittin and the rest of her life forget about she was the most popular cat around.

The end

I hope no one was listening....

Last night I went out for supper with my friend Sharon - we hadn't seen each other since before Christmas, so it was great to catch up!!!

We had such a great evening - shared a couple of starters, and enjoyed an amazing dessert each. We even got the desserts for free because we ordered Sticky Toffee Pudding and they didn't have any - so the Manager said he'd give us our desserts on the house!! :) PERFECT!! :)

We also shared some hilarious conversations and some of them were rather *blue*.....and I wonder still if anyone from the booths either side of us could hear hahahaha! lol....it was a funny night - so many topics covered and so many smirks and giggles :)

Thanks for a great night Sharon - lets not leave it as long next time :)

xxx

Our Tuesday....

Yesterday Abigail was up early and wrote a story on the computer. Then we went into town and ran a couple of errands before heading to Michaels for their free make and take workshop - making Easter chicks out of plastic eggs :) It was just a sweet little craft but fun!! :) I joined in and we had a good time chatting with the girl who was running the class. Sam refused any help and got busy with the scissors and foam etc....

Sams chick is yellow, mine is blue and Abigails is green. While at Michaels we stocked up on a few things we needed - Abigail needed some really thick yarn for finger knitting - she had been researching ways to improve it on youtube and one girl said to try really thick yarn. We got talking to one of the sales staff there and chatted with her for ages...and we also found a punch art kit reduced from $17. to $3. Not something we have ever tried before, so we bought the kit and need to find a tool somewhere as they had sold out. Abigail is excited to try this new craft!

We got glue and Sam bought a canvas to paint.

In the afternoon we met some friends at Kidz Quarterz. We haven't seem them for a LONG while, so it was great to catch up. They are fellow unschoolers - their first year unschooling, and the kids had a blast burning off some energy and finding endless tokens and toys (???) while J and I talked education, ideas and homeschooling all afternoon :) Oh and we also talked over a few business ideas and about art journaling and crafts etc etc - a love we both share....

All in all it was a great day!!! And anyone who says that KQ is not an educational field trip is sorely mistaken - just watching these children all afternoon is amazing....watching them sorting out money, tickets, candy.....sharing things out, making decisions, compromising, ordering food, drinks, counting change, reading menus, caring for siblings, making new friends, dealing with bites (???).....playing games, taking turns...but at the end of the day they were there to have fun - and they did :)

As did I :)

Apr 5, 2011

Night night....sleep tight!!!

Apr 4, 2011

For today......

Outside My Window... there is no more dead deer....our poor little sweet visitor who came here to live out his last few days and then curled up in the sunshine where Charlie used to sleep, and died :( Wildlife and fisheries finally agreed to come out and get rid of it for me today :) They were actually really great about it. Yesterday I tried to move it myself, but it was heavy and the smell was too strong. This guy that came today just pulled it along with its leg and swung it up onto his truck - but omg the SMELL :( It was NOT good. I went out with bleach and water afterwards and washed down the area where it had been lying. Now there is no smell and no trace of it. Poor thing. The guy said that many deer didn't make it through this long winter - they starved - and he said he could tell that ours - which was a young fawn, had starved too.....the winter was just too much for them :( So sad.

I am thinking... that Laurence should hurry up and get his learners. I am letting all the children drive as much as possible. Chris always does the driving now whenever we go out together. He does really well - only the rare mistake or need to point something out - otherwise he does really GREAT!!! Laurence now drives the truck up and down the driveway all the time if recycling needs to go down etc...he will often get the truck out for me or park it back in the garage for me....and I will often swap places with Susannah when we get back to the driveway and let her drive up the driveway and into the garage. On her next birthday she will be allowed to drive on the roads so I want her to get as much practice and confidence as possible!!! Laurence is a good driver - he just needs the confidence to pass his learners. Once he gets his learners I think i'll get him to drive us out to Miquelon one evening for a walk...fairly quiet roads....good speeds to get up to....nothing too much to worry about....a good first drive. Before he heads into town with me. He already knows how to fill up the truck with gas, water, check the oil, fill up the washer fluid etc etc and jump start a car.... :)

I am thankful for...the people I have met through Soul Restoration....having plans and dreams and people who encourage me.....still having a child little enough for cuddling up with to enjoy stories. We read 'The Three Little Pigs' tonight. :) And a story about a Rooster who had overslept, named Rick. lol!! I am thankful that I have trust and faith in my children - even more than they have in themselves - because I can see how amazing they are and how talented they are. I don't worry that they don't do well in a social test or don't like to write by hand.....because I KNOW that my children have amazing imaginations, amazing ambition when it comes to the things interests them....and I KNOW they will find their own paths :) Abby whipped up a batch of cupcakes this afternoon with NO HELP at ALL....she set the oven, got the ingredients out, mixed them all up following a recipe from a book....baked them - checked they were ready, took them out, decorated them.....and even made sure we ONLY had two each until Laurence got hoe, so he had some too!! :) There aren't many 9 year olds who are as independent as Abigail...who can converse with adults the way she can...who know about art quite like she does - and I don't mean art history -although she has done that in classes and on art gallery trips....but hands on art with adult art supplies, canvases, alcohol inks, collages, following adult online classes with me that teach proper techniques with individuality...art journaling.....how to be free on the page....I'm rambling...I'm also thankful for Spring - for the added energy it gives me, for not having to layer up to go outside, for puddle splashing and the joy on Sams face - even the extra laundry as he changed his sock and pants ten times a day when his boots flood :) and the sound of snow melting so fast it sounds as though it is raining everywhere :)

From the kitchen...baked potatoes. EVERY. SINGLE. DAY. Susannah is a little obsessed with them at the moment and it is all she wants to eat. Thankfully we all love them and they are SUPER easy :) and salad and cheese etc go so well with them....tuna, chilli....baked beans....so I'm not complaining :)
Cupcakes....oh and Safeway has such amazing deals on at the moment - buy one get one free is soooo great that I went a bit crazy on cereals and a few other things.....and stocked up - but you can't say no to FREE!!!

I am wearing...blue jeans, grey loose fitting top that is tight at the waist. I love it :) From Urban Behaviour. Socks and Undies. And my DC tanning lotion which I can still smell from when I tanned earlier and I can't shower off until morning...

I am creating...wonderful memories with my children :) A beautiful home. A future for us...different than the one I had planned on, but one that I am excited about and happy about. Canvases, mini albums, new friendships with some amazingly strong and wonderful women :)

I am going...to be busy for the next week!! Every single day we have field trips, dates with friends, workshops...something going on!!!! Such a fun week ahead of us :) I feel extremely lucky and I am so glad the children are well enough to finally get back out there with their friends again!!
I am reading...Firefly Lane by Kristin Hannah. A couple of homeschool magazines/ articles...and all my Soul Restoration coursework again!!

I am hoping...for good weather this weekend to enjoy hiking and rollerblading. I am hoping to cross a few more things off of my list tomorrow. To go and see Sandy one day next week and get THAT sorted out ;) To sleep well tonight and have energy to get through my LONG day tomorrow :)

I am hearing... silence....no sounds at all apart from me tapping on the keys of my laptop. Everyone else is asleep and the house is absolutely silent. There is no wind outside tonight. Rosie isn't snoring...the occasional big sigh from her but otherwise silence.....not even a coyote in the distance!!

Around the house...Things are looking more ready for Summer - I worked hard to clean up the deck last week and now there is no sign of winter on it :) It's clean and ready for sunbathing - and eating at the table....which we did again today!! Sam, Abby and I had snacks and juice out there today :) I have packed away anything 'wintery' inside and now all of my Spring and Summer decor is out...I don't decorate for Easter, but I do have more Summer like colours of dishes and vases, plants etc etc....

One of my favorite things...lying on my sunbed on the deck in the sunshine cuddling Sam. He won't be little for much longer, and he is still so very cuddly :)

A Few Plans For The Rest Of The Week...a field trip to look around the library and see behind the scenes. A workshop at Michaels to make Easter crafts. Meeting friends for a playdate. Meeting a friend I haven't seen in AGES for supper tomorrow night....or maybe coffee/ dessert which is what we normally do. Meeting a friend for breakfast at IHOP or Ikea.....heading to the mountains with Rosie to hike for the weekend :) So grateful to my friends who are coming up to stay and look after my house for the weekend - they get a free hotel and I get free housesitting :) Perfect!!!