Another August

I've been watching all the parents and kids preparing to go back to school in the next week or two. It feels odd watching all these preparations.  We're not starting until the first week of September.

Yup, I do indeed plan to blog again.

So where have we been?

Here

Unschooling!

Yes, unschooling!  I put it all away and let the girls learn what they wanted... with a little tweaking here and there.

I have a new-found respect for this method when its used wisely.

It was good for us.

Aidan's brain, I think, suffered a bit because she wasn't receiving the stimulation she needs... but she compensated by finding other things to concentrate on... like starting her own series of books "The M & J Adventure Co." (Madison and Jameson), reading the entire juvenile fiction's section of the library (or nearly), quickly becoming a mini chess pro (she beat 2 grownups), trying to break a hula hoop record or learning how to start an online selling business. Yes, she can post photos of things and list them for sale like a pro. LOL

Ainsley blossomed! She spent her time bonding with Mommy and Grandma, playing, imagining and enacting all her dramas and she learned to read.... like really read. Soon we will be starting the Junie B's together.  (Ah Junie B! Such an ISSUE)

And lately I've been busy signing the girls up for all their socializing.

Aidan will be in  Level 3 Gymnastics, Art classes, Brownies, and *hoping for* Spanish.

Ainsley will be in Soccer, Drama classes, Daisy Scouts, and *hoping for* Spanish.

This will be such a busy, event-filled year!

No, we are not continuing with Unschooling. It served its purpose for last year but now its time for "real" school. Schedules and notebooking and all.

Oh my!

Dear Aidan on turning SIX!!!

Oh my Aidan!

Are you really SIX? Are you sure you're not 16? Lady bug, you are amazing. My heart swells when I look at you. I know that at six, you're mostly formed and I am so so so so proud of who you are. Your heart, your intelligence, your goofiness, your sensibleness, your responsible nature is so wonderful. Sometimes, I admit, it drives me crazy how careful you are with things and how long it takes you to do things. You, my sweet girl, are a perfectionist. You also are a mini John. No one could ever doubt that you're your Daddy's child. But! I truly do love your personality.

About you...

You no longer are a lover of red. I'm somewhat sad about this... it was your favorite color since you were a baby. But now you love purple and blue.

You have your nose in a book all day long. Everywhere we go you bring a handful of books. You are voracious in your appetite. I'm having a hard time finding enough series and books to keep you occupied. Some days you read 3 or 4 books.. and I'm talking about chapter books... not storybooks. In this, you are like me. Yay! I have something to claim in you!

Sometimes you're a little too bossy with your sister and you treat her likes she's a lot younger than you. Which, really, you need to get over because ya'll are only 15 months apart.

I let days go by where we do "nothing" and in that nothing you enact the most elaborate plays and scenes with your sister. I'm quite happy to let ya'll do this for long, uninterrupted hours. It is wonderful to see this especially since imagination seems to lacking in most kids these days.

My Aidan, you try to be an adult. Sometimes its not too bad but often you cross a boundary and become "mouthy." You talk back ALL THE TIME. Perhaps your Aunt Bridgett was right... I shouldn't have given you such leeway to share all of your thoughts and feelings. I think perhaps it has backfired on me now. LOL.

Everything you own is so neatly kept by you that its freaky. Speaking of freaky.... you remind me of the little brother in the Jodie Foster movie "Freaky Friday"... you're as neat and tidy as he is. Everyday you wake up and make your bed, brush your teeth, and do random chores without being told. I caught you cleaning the toothbrush holder the other day "because it was dirty." You meticulously took everything out, laid them all out in order on the counter, cleaned and then dried the holder and then carefully replaced everything. That simple thing is soooo YOU.

Your awareness of people and their emotions is strong. Life is tough for us right now and your sweetness and fairness is so beautiful to see and to experience.

Lately, you've been feeling insecure and have been needy. You also have been retreating back into that shell of yours. You're becoming shy again. It burdens my heart to see this.

Again, I ask... are you sure you're not turning 16? For your birthday, you got your ears pierced, had a mani pedi, and went shopping for jewelry and shoes. I love it! Me, a daughter of a girly girl!!

Aidan, I promise you, that you will be loved and protected for always. You are a very much loved little girl.

I cannot wait to see who you'll become this next year.

Love love love,

Mommy

Learning to Sew

Homeschooling Group Class

Today, the girls started their 1st Homeschool Group class. This one meets once a month at a local Bamboo Farm. They'll be learning about plants and gardening. Both of them were nervous but super excited. Aidan was especially excited because she sometimes mourns the fact that she will not attend "real school" where she can interact with teachers and other classmates. 

 She was picked as line leader and LOVED it. (Can you tell?) During the whole class she worked hard to become "teacher's pet" and learned the hard lesson that to the teacher... she was just another kid and that the world did not revolve around her.

 Ainsley was a little unsure about everything... especially when Aidan wasn't near her... but every time she noticed me looking at her... she'd flash a big grin and wave.

Umm... Ainsley... that's WAY too much dirt!

Planting Sunflowers

The class ended in the organic garden where the gardener walked them around and told them facts about plants and how to care for them. See where A & A are? They both stuck like glue to the teacher so they wouldn't miss anything. My little brown nosers!  :-)

JOY

 Finally!

First Day

 

My Kindergartner and my 2nd grader! 

(Well, I have to declare them as something)

Ainsley was so excited that she continued

 to work during her "Free" times.

 Aidan loves her schedule. She followed it exactly and kept exclaiming "I'm so happy we're finally doing school!"  From this first day, I know I'll be tweaking the schedules a little but for the most part.... they worked well. I just underestimated Ainsley's attention span and I need to add things to Aidan's.

A Little Taste of Unschooling

A & As' newest interest...

One of the many reasons why I love homeschooling is because the girls haven't learned to think it "uncool" to learn about things. In museums they actually read signs and ask questions. 

To them, that's what's "cool". 

Snapshot of an Almost 6 year old

What? When? How is my baby nearly SIX?

Our New Toy

Inspired by Play At Home Mom I've been wanting to make a light box for the girls for awhile. However, it was just a want... everyone has many... and I didn't really think I'd get to it. Well, it so happens that John and I have been updating our home. Our home is older and has older fixtures such as this light........ 

We took this down and replaced it with a chandelier (this light was over our dining room table) and I put it in the garage, intending to throw it or donate it.

Until inspiration struck!

 So we took it apart....

 We added 12 inch lights (3 not 2)

TA DA!!!  This table is extremely bright!

 I took this picture in a dark room... this table lights everything up!

The girls quickly figured out that they could use it as a tracing table. 

A definite HIT!

What Aidan is Reading

This is all I can remember her reading this week. I don't really keep track because some days she sits and reads book after book. She chooses anything and everything. The only consistency she has is that she does tend to favor mysteries.

Snapshot

Ice Age 4

We love 3D!

Jump Start

Since we're starting History from the beginning, to correlate, we're starting Science with fossils and learning about dinosaurs. This Friday.. as a cool jump start into our studies.. we're going to see the "Discover the Dinosaurs" exhibit. Both John and I are such nerds that we're super excited about it. 

The Next Taylor Swift? *lol*

Ainsley tells me that she's going to learn to play the guitar and when she grows up, she is going to be a STAR! I took out John's old guitar and she proceeded to carry it around, strum it, and tell John that it was now going to be her guitar. Of course, the thing is bigger than she is.... but how cute is this picture?

On order....

Yay! More curriculum for my collection! Shelves of curriculum make me so happy!
Perhaps I should see someone about this?  ;-)

Anyway, while doing a general search, I ran across another blog where the Mom was using these books. They look AWESOME. They also are cheap. (Which is always lovely.) I haven't planned on using an actual grammar/spelling/writing curriculum but if these are as cool as the samples online make them seem... I may just use the whole series.

http://www.growingwithgrammar.com/

*I'm not sure what level to start Aidan with so I'm just going to order a couple of levels.