Pianafiddle

The kids and I have an upcoming opportunity to see these guys in person. Thought I'd share.

Books, Unschooling, & Family

I love books. I love visiting the library and checking out as many as I can carry, loading up my backpack and my arms to overflowing. If I had a lot of money I would buy books constantly (but the library saves me a fortune). I've bought many from used book stores and yard/garage sales, I love a good bargain =)

Anyway, now you know about my obsession with books. Favorites? I can't say as there are so many I haven't read yet. A lot of people get into critiquing authors but I just like to enjoy the stories. I haven't read too many I didn't like, it all depends on my mood and stage of life to decide what sounds good at any given time. I love learning new things, all the time. I'm an information junkie and so is Kirk, so are the kids. When Kyle was born we constantly brought home as many books as we could and read and read and read to him, he would sit in our laps for hours. Noelle didn't do this early on but grew to love books as much as the rest of us.

Imagine our joy with the internet! Whatever new interest (book) we are into gets an even bigger information explosion there. The most recent gold nugget that Noelle and I are enjoying is on butterflies. We found this site and will explore it for the next couple of days I'm sure.

I love unschooling! Instead of being slaves to someone else's opinion on what should be learned when, we are free to explore, learn, and grow in our own way.

I so enjoy having the kids at home with me. When people find out we homeschool (I really don't like that word but it beats explaining what we really do) I am amazed at how many of them say, "I think what your doing is great but I could never do that." After a little more conversation it usually comes down to not really wanting to be home with their kids all day. That is so sad. Why have a family if you can't wait to get away from each other? They are missing out on so much joy with their kids. Society has twisted what God intended for good -- families.

We love being together so much the kids have asked if they can live at home and do college online. You bet they can! I hope that we will always live close by us. But if they don't, Kirk and I have already told them that we will move and follow them =D

Life's Delights

My mid-morning treat. Coffee and chocolate chip cookies! Oh, and its Friday, how much better can it get?

Let's see...



*


*


*


*


*


*


*


*



Maybe living somewhere warm?

=D

New Direction

Kirk and I have been doing a lot of talking and praying as well as listening to the kind of preaching that actually challenges and convicts us where we need it. I still believe in child-led learning because the Lord created us as unique individuals with gifts that glorify Him. We can't neglect that as parents. What is changing for us is how we operate as a family so that it lines up with scripture. God was speaking and leading us in this direction before we heard the sermons/teachings of Paul Washer and Voddie Baucham Jr. What they say echos how we have been feeling about the church in America.

I am not asking that you agree with me, it wouldn't matter if you did or didn't anyway. I'm writing this down so that I will know the day I commited myself to this new adventure with Jesus. I don't want to stand before Him one day and have Him say, "I knew you not." I want to hear "Well done, good and faithful servant!"

A Kid's Blog

As an unschooling mom I try to model learning for my kids and Noelle has dabbled in blogging herself because I do :) She loves to write stories and has many many notebooks full of them. Typing is much slower going for her but I know the more she does it the better she'll get. She also does her illustrations using Paint (many many of these on an old windows 95 computer that she alone uses). I know she would love comments of encouragement (my plea, not hers) and if you must critique, please be gentle so as not to discourage her enthusiasm for writing. I think she does a great job but then again I'm just a little prejudiced ;)

Flutterfield (old blog no longer in use)

My Storeez (new blog)

Note: She uses the alias Ivy so please remember that if you comment.

Let the scrapbooking begin

I finally got the rest of the supplies I needed today. Bought a trimmer (mine's black), a pen for journaling, and some double sided tape. I have a nice blue 12" x 12" expandable scrapbook with side loading protectors (got is many years ago and can't even find any like it now but the top loadable ones will fit in it). It also came with some solid and patterned papers, stencils, photo tabs, and decorative edge scissors.

I have a dear friend who has made many scrapbooks in regular photo albums (and does a really nice job) who wants to do this with me. We're going to get together one night a week to do it. What a great motivator for a new hobby, adult girl time!

I do still have a lot of photo organizing to do when at home, as well as removing photos from old magnetic photo albums that the majority of my pictures are stored in. Please say a little prayer that none of my pictures get ruined while being removed.

Winter

We got a lot of snow yesterday and I think the guys are sick of shoveling but they do a good job.

Learning to Knit

I tried to get Noelle interested in knitting a year or so ago but she got too frustrated....

Over the holiday break while having fun at a friends house, she realized that a couple of her friends knew how to knit. When we were at the library a couple days later, she found a book called Kids Knitting and checked it out. When we got home she asked me if she could have some yarn and needles to learn to knit. After several attempts to follow the book she asked for my help. We snuggled up in a big chair together and struggled through some intense moments (she's working on her patience ;) I decided to "start" the scarf she wanted to knit for her American Girl doll so we could concentrate on just the stitches themselves. She stayed up knitting in her bed and now loves it!

She started this project herself and I caught her in the act this morning.