Some Days, Homeschooling Is Awesome

My biggest homeschooling hurdle right now is getting school done amidst the chaos, noise and distraction of toddlers.

Even when those little people are outrageously adorable, they still bring a lot of chaos that has a way of being unendingly disruptive of any sort of school schedule.

In spite of that, I have noticed that often "school" has a way of happening anyway.  I'm so thankful.

For Jonah, for right now, we have chosen a fairly loose, "free-range" form of school.  We have structure, we have a daily, family routine that includes "school time", we have a lot of learning.  But it doesn't always look like school in the traditional sense (actually, um, rarely to never).  Academic requirements are almost non-existent, but learning is an all-day pursuit.  I'm not saying that this is the best way to educate, or that every kid would do well with this.  I'm just saying that this is what we've chosen for now, for our life, for our kids, for what we know of them.  

I love that our school day can begin with a measuring lesson while learning to make oatmeal (I'm gearing up to have Jonah able to prepare breakfast for himself and his brothers when Mommy gets a little busier pretty soon with a new baby) and then go on to "yes, you do have to go out and feed the chickens again today because the chickens have to be fed every day", followed by some time outside learning to provide for the family by helping Daddy stack firewood (not to mention the hands-on physics and good exercise), then back in for a Bible story and a history story about Queen Elizabeth I, after which Jonah will decide to spend an hour alternately reading Peanuts and drawing a giant panoramic World War II scene.

He could have spend all that time sitting at a desk trying to pay attention and waiting in line for lunch.

I love seeing that natural spark --the joy of learning-- that seems to come standard-issue in kids.  I am terrified of blowing out that little flame.  My main goal as an educator right now is to encourage that love of learning and not to squelch it.  The little guys certainly have it, and so far it's still going strong in Jonah.  So far, so good.   I really like to keep the "Seven Keys of Great Teaching" in mind as I think about ways to make learning a joyful experience instead of drudgery.

I have a huge advantage with Jonah in that he is a precocious reader.  That just makes my job so much easier.  He can teach himself so much.  We make lots of trips to the library for books (okay, not actually enough trips, considering the books we took back yesterday were due three weeks ago.  Thank the Lord for  a forgiving, small-town public library!), but I am discovering that it's really important to have a good home library as well.  Every single day, Jonah browses and selects books in a seemingly random fashion, but he's often circling around whatever his current interest is.  Lately, believe it or not, it's been math.

I like to have a variety of math things available, and he does a little here and there, with or without my encouragement, depending on the day.  We use Math-U-See, Life of Fred, Mathtacular, Sudoku, various math games, and his latest favorite is watching Vi-Hart videos on Khan Academy.  The videos led to an interest in Pythagoras, about whom he has drawn pages and pages of comics. No, of course he doesn't understand the Pythagorean theorem --not even remotely!-- but so what?  He's interested, and he'll circle back to it and get more later.

So a few days ago, he found something in an kid's encyclopedia-type book about the abacus.  The entry included instructions on making and using your own abacus.  Ever since, he's been begging for the materials to make one, and today we finally capitulated and got the stuff together for him.  Of course he needed help and instruction, so instead of working on a pile of sewing I need to do, I spent naptime learning about using an abacus.  It's always been a complete mystery to me, but then, I never felt the need to find out about it, either.  So we learned together and it was a very enlightening experience, from both a child-psychology aspect as well as a math aspect.

Once we figured out how to use the puzzling thing (somewhat), Jonah decided he needed to use it to do his Math-U-See page instead of using the set of math blocks that he would normally use.  I was quite dubious of this idea, but went along with it to see how it would go.

And it was HUGELY challenging for both of us.  The abacus requires a very different way of thinking about the numbers and manipulation of them.  At first, there are actually more steps to solving a math problem, but I can see how the brain could learn to make the logical leaps for those steps with enough practice.  It was very challenging for me to figure out how to solve a math problem, and then teach Jonah the steps involved.

But Jonah ate it up, and a few hours after finishing the Math-U-See page, he brought me a sheet of paper and asked me to write out more problems for him to solve.  So I cooked supper while coaching abacus problems and trying not to trip on toddlers and their detritus.

So did we do any history or geography today?  Um... no.  Come to think of it, we didn't even read a Bible story or work on our Easter hymn that the Sunday school kids are learning for church, and usually those things are what I prioritize.  Also, I don't think we've done any math for several days.

But today, we did a lot of math.

Some days are like that.

Late Winter Days...

 ...are good for lots of reading...

...always better with a buddy.

And these late winter days are good for gathering maple sap...

...which is good for teaching boys to work.

I heard recently that some people hang milk jugs on the trees to collect the sap.  I thought that seems a little silly since you'd have to empty them multiple times per day when the sap is running well.  Nathan replied that he has heard several adults complain about that job when they were children... emptying the jugs over and over each day.  Our boys should be thankful we have buckets!

So far the temperatures haven't been good for making the sap run well, but we're still praying it'll get better.  

And Strawberry picked a good late winter day to have a baby!

Actually, it was the middle of the night.  A short night-- the night that we changed the clocks for daylight savings.  And her one big buck kid wasn't quite in a good position to be born and needed a little help getting out, but we managed, and he made it just fine.

Poor cute, little, stubby-eared guy.

We were all very disappointed, actually, that he's not a girl.  We wanted a doe kid to keep, but he's the only kid we get this year, so I guess he won't be staying long.

Aaaaand this is Strawberry's opinion of my paparazzi efforts.

Or, maybe she just wants this late winter to turn into spring, too.

Creative Impulses, Plus a Belly Shot

It's Still Winter (aside: that's an official season in Michigan, hence the capitalization.  All the seasons are Almost Winter, Winter, Still Winter, and Road Construction) and we're fighting The Crazy, as I've said before.  I'm using whatever energy I can find to accomplish my small spring cleaning projects, but I get kinda bored with that, so I've added in some creative projects as well.

Today I started seeds for the garden (tomatoes, peppers, onions, cabbages, broccoli, leeks, and nicotiana, so far) because it is that time.   How I'm going to keep them alive and safe from toddlers for 2-3 months, I have no idea, nevermind how I'm actually going to get them in the garden when I'll be giving birth any day. And I tackled a dinky creative project and sewed up a small stack of cloth napkins from remnant fabric because my boys' paper napkin consumption has been appalling.  If one actually needs a napkin, then they all need three.  And since I hate to buy things to throw them away, we're going cloth in that department, too.

But I also have Big Plans.  Curtains, baby books for Evan and Andrew, a springish wreath, scarves and swaddle blankets (post about that upcoming).  I'm making stuff.

That includes a new person.  A new little person who will be joining us soonish.

So for a special treat for you, my dear reader, I present a 30-week belly shot!  Aren't you lucky!  Self-photography is not my strong point, which explains why I heavily doctored this photo.  I took the photo originally to show a friend a maternity top that I altered with elastic ruching because I didn't like being made me look like I was wearing a dumpy bag.  Aaaand I guess you can't really see the alterations in the photo, what with the heavy doctoring, but that's okay because I'm not showing you that, I'm showing you the basketball growing under my previously-dumpy-bag shirt.

Eh-hem.

That is all.

On February

I'd like to hold a vote to cut the month of February from the calendar.  Yes, even though my birthday is in that month (and the birthdays of lots of other people I know), I would still be happy to see it go.

Mostly.

Winter is really not my thing, but I have made some degree of peace with winter.  Probably as much as I ever will.  Now with the rest of the year so terribly busy, the slowdown of winter is kinda nice.  It's good to have a bit of a break.  But by February, it never fails that I am just over it.  And I still have March to go.  We're in the house, all the time, and we're stir crazy, for sure.

We read, we do school, we bake, we fight, we clean, we squabble, we make epic messes.  Sometimes Mama looses her cool all over everybody.

I'm ready to go outside now.  And the blowing snow and the howling wind is not what I have in mind when I say that.

Legos reign supreme.  Whether building complex robots and ships, or stirring them in jars with screwdrivers, or spreading them all over the floor, those things provide endless entertainment.  Those and the trains (and often the two together).  But you read the part about "epic messes", right?

And what better to do when you're stuck in the house than eat yummy things?  For Valentine's Day, Jonah and I made chocolate peanut butter sandwich hearts for a treat.

And today, just for fun, I made doughnuts.   Why on earth do I undertake complicated projects with so much chaos in my house and little people under my feet?  I dunno.  I get a little nuts in February.

February will end.  And then March will come in like a lion.  And then things reeeeally get crazy.  So I try to keep reminding myself to enjoy the slow (but nuts) time right now while it's here.

Yeah.  That.  But for now, I have more legos to step on.

Sunset Snow

We had the most amazing sunset snowstorm a few days ago.

The sun shone through the dusky clouds, heavy with snow.  It was beautifully eerie, a glowing orb dripping gold.  The whole atmosphere was still and waiting.

Then the snow flew and the clouds broke up.  The sunset showed all it's splendor even while the snow continued to swirl down.

Even gray, cold February has it's bright spots.

Snuggles

In my kitchen there is a stuffed, towel-holding, decorative snowman that someone gave me.  He's a cute little winter decoration, if not very practical.  I mean, he holds little kitchen towels, except that he doesn't, because the towels are always scattered around the kitchen by little munchkins.

A few minutes ago, I saw Evan pick up the snowman from his perch and cuddle him in his arms.  Evan started to croon to the snowman in the sweetest little voice as he walked into the living room: "Hi, Sowman!  C'mere, nice Sowman.  Awwww... Come sit on couch.  Ah suggoh [snuggle] ah me..."

...and he climbed up onto the couch and found a pillow and blanket...

...and snuggled up with his new little friend.

Evan LOVES to snuggle, and asks for  "suggoh couch" repeatedly every day.  I guess when Mommy's busy, he can always find someone else...


Andrew likes his snuggles, too.  He has chosen the only baby doll in our house --an ugly, naked little thing-- to be his baby.

I say, "Find your baby, Andrew!" and he searches for her, snuggles her in his neck, gives her some big sloppy smooches...

...and chucks her back in the toy box.

At least she seems to take her parental neglect with good humor.

So We Vacated. And Then We Came Back.

After so much work and worry to get ready to go to Oregon, I really was glad to just "vacate" as much of real life as was possible while still being The Mom.  The time flew by (that was two weeks?) but I really do think I savored every minute.  Yes, I still had to keep dealing with the sickness we've been experiencing, and the 24 hour mommy-ing, and waaaay too much crying on the part of my little guys, but that was fine. I do that at home anyway, right?  And it was nice that Nathan was there the whole time to tag-team with me.  In fact, he worked pretty hard to make sure I was rested and cheerful (he really is a gem, ya'll).  I actually slept better than I have in a long time, and had almost no obligations to attend to, and lots of loved ones to catch up with and it was... really fun.

The plane rides were really not fun (takeoffs and landings were thus: Evan crying loudly about being so scared and Andrew needing forceful bodily restraint while howling his protest at having to stay in one place.  SO glad Nathan was flying with us.) but we survived and so did all the other passengers (who may have contemplated compromising the survival of my children, and I can't really blame them).  Yes, once again, we were that family.

And now we're back, trying hard to settle back into real life, with probably more than a few tears shed.  Jonah has been repeating that he really just wants to move to Oregon and live at Grandma's house.

To get back into the swing of things and get some things checked of my endless list, I made a resolution for the month of February--  to tackle one cleaning/organizing task myself, and give one to Jonah, each morning before schooltime. That does not include the daily usual work, rather, this involves things like washing walls, sorting through boxes, or cleaning a cupboard, drawer or shelf.  When I think of one, I write it in my planner as part of a particular day's to-do list, so that it doesn't just languish on the endless "someday" list.  One thing per day.

Today, I chose to declutter some surfaces that have gotten piled with this-n-that during all our busy-ness, while Jonah dusted the cobwebs from the ceiling corners.  I didn't get all the surfaces done, unfortunately, but I made some good headway/  I was very absorbed in my task and was just getting to a stopping point when Andrew stumbled into the kitchen whining in distress.  When I looked at him, his pants were just covered with... something... orangish... wet.... gooey... no, not that, as it wasn't coming from in his pants... what the heck is that stuff?  His socks... he was tracking it all through the house... what on earth.... I asked Jonah where Andrew had been and he pointed to the mudroom.  I opened the door and there was Evan saying "Eh-dew! Zhe boke it! A MESS, Eh-dew.  Mess, Mommy!  Oh, no!"  He continued to blame Andrew (Eh-dew) and I guess I believe him since, while they were obviously together, Andrew was covered and Evan didn't have a spot on him.  Either Evan was telling the truth, or he's very, very clever.

Anyway, it was tomato sauce.  A whole quart, the jar broken on the concrete floor, and tomato sauce covering all the shoes, boots, hats, and gloves littered nearby (because no, of course those things weren't put away, arg).  Andrew had slipped in it, so it was streaked across the floor, and I thanked the Lord that he still had on the thick socks I had put on him (he prefers to be barefoot, and usually makes sure to take his socks off).  He did not get any cuts from the broken glass mixed with all the sauce.   Also, I was thankful that my pretty, new, clearance-rack boots (one pair in my color and size and cheap!), though sitting right next to the mess, were behind the open cabinet door and thus shielded from the horrible tomato massacre.

How on earth does one go about cleaning up a mess of tomato sauce, glass, footwear and toddler?  This is one of the things that mystifies me about motherhood.  How do those kind of messes get cleaned up, anyway?

So horrified was I by the sight of all this, that I completely forgot my Mom's rule of "camera first, clean-up after".  Somehow I managed to get it all taken care of and no one got cut, while Evan continuously proclaimed Andrew's sole guilt in the whole matter.

Sigh.  As I said, back to real life.

So how about I end this with some photos of our trip?  We were having so much fun that I honestly didn't take many pictures myself, but I made sure to get others' photos on a thumb drive before we left. (Besides that, my camera is really starting to limp.)

Evan got lots of attention, and never missed an opportunity to have someone read him a book (unless of course, someone else felt brave enough to lend him an iPhone.  iPhone trumps books, I'm afraid).

And there was plenty of cousin-love to go around.

We spent an awful lot of time messing up Mom's kitchen-- food is always necessary.  We also observed that our best conversations seem to happen there.

Oh, and the late-night speed tournaments came only after a wholesome game of Pinochle.  But Pinocle was too much to think about at 2 o'clock in the morning, and speed can be played with any amount of whiskey in your bloodstream.

 (Also:  staying up until 3:30am?  Is for 20 year olds.  I?  Am not.)

Andrew got his first hair cut!  He looks so handsome....

...but I admit that I miss his cute little "ear wings". 

More cousin-love, but a different sort for the bigger ones.

Oh!  And I was thrilled to meet my brother's lovely fiance!  We even had a bridal shower for her!

...and had a girls' day out at a local tea room!  Such fun!