First Grade!

Wow!  I can't believe the first week of first grade is behind us!  What an exciting week it was!  Full of lots of new discoveries.  Rebekah and I started each day with a nature walk around the neighborhood.  Some days it was just the two of us, sometimes a sister or two would joins us or a few of the little boys I watch.  We had a great time collecting items for the nature table.  Some of this weeks find were a cool puzzle rock, pine cones, wildflowers and a black feather.

Form drawing is a Waldorf thing.  I don't know of it's use in any other educational model.  Rebekah loves it.  She was introduced to the straight line and curve.  We found them all around the room, out in nature, walked them (here on the jump rope) drew them on each others back and modeled them out of bees wax and yarn before drawing them in the main lesson book.

The first of many black board drawing to guide us through the year.  In the morning it was covered by a beautiful blue silk.  Rebekah couldn't wait to see what was underneath.  Twice a week there will be a new picture with a secret message hidden in it.  This is how the letters will be introduced along with a story.  Such fun!

More form drawing - this time making the forms with bulky yarn!

Rebekah made her jump rope at the farmers market a few weeks ago.  It was a both set up by our local Waldorf School!  She loves it and is getting really good!  During circle time she jumps her little heart out.  I just love her smile!  First grade is definitely agreeing with her.

Painting and exploring with colors!  Such fun!  We both painted yellow next to blue and then yellow next to green.  This exercise comes directly from Steiner himself.  It was interesting to see how each of responded differently to the contrast between the two.  Painting is part of a weekly rhythm.  We will paint every Tuesday!  It is a day everyone looks forward to.

What a fabulous first week!  We did so much more than this, but I just couldn't leave the fun to snap pictures!

Yarn Along

Joining in the fun of the weekly Yarn Along hosted by Ginny over at Small Things. In Ginny's words:

~ Two of my favorite things are knitting and reading, and the evidence of this often shows up in my photographs. I love seeing what other people are knitting and reading as well. So, what are you knitting or crocheting right now? What are you reading? Take a photo and share it either on your blog or on Flickr. Leave a link below to share your photo with the rest of us! ~

So good to be back knitting, reading and sharing with this wonderful community.  I finally figured out my issue with the Hetty and now am moving right along.  It is hard to see the detail in the photo, but I am really loving the  seed stitch accent.  The next section is straight knitting to get the length and should go quite quickly if I can carve out the time to knit.

I've also managed to get back to hitting the books after letting my studies laps during Sarah's play.  I am excited to get back to it.  I love learning and herbal medicine is something that I am growing more and more passionate about. This unit is one vaccination, a subject that had always interested me.  I wont get into it here as it is a big and hotly debated topic.  What I will say is that I wish both side would stop using scare tactics and really present the facts.  I truly hope parents do their research as well as know and understand their options when it comes to vaccination.


The Teenage Liberation Handbook is more for Sarah than for me.  She is such a creative, talented and alive soul.  I love how the world is opening up to her and she is discovering herself.  I want her to keep growing and searching to find her true self and not who society says she should be or how she should get there.  I firmly believe that education is a journey in and of itself and should NOT be the ends to a means.  I want these high school years to be a time of self discovery propelled by interest driven learning and self education, and not the "required" subject list.  Did any of us really love those required courses?   Ok, now I'm hoping this book is all that it has been cracked up to be.  I'll be sharing more soon.


Don't forget to stop by the Yarn Along to see what everyone else is knitting and reading.  There is always an abundance of inspiration.

The Raccoon and the Bee Tree

Rebkah and I have been loving her "schooling" so far. After circle time had become part of our daily rhythm it was time to add a story telling time. Rebekah was excited for this, it was I who was as little apprehensive. Waldorf stresses that you tell the story, not read the story. I have always read to my girls, read lots. But tell a story. A story teller I'm not. Luckily there was lots of advice to be gleaned about ways to make story telling easier on me and better for Rebekah. But how to be a better story teller is a post for another day. Today I want to tell you about our first story, The Raccoon and the Bee Tree. This is a sweet story from the Earthschooling curriculum. I had never heard the story which made telling it harder, but I persevered. It is a nature story about a little raccoon who sets out to look for his dinner. He doesn't catch any birds around the pond, steers clear of the skunks, and can't lure the squirrels out of the tree. However honey seems free for the taking until the bees come to protect their golden sweetness. The poor little raccoon is stung all over and falls from the tree. Being covered in honey he ends up covered in leaves. When he cries for help another raccoon comes to the rescue but is frightened away by the scary leaf covered beast. Finally the little raccoon is able to wash himself off and return to his hollow tree to lick his wounds and nap.

Story time begins with lighting our story time candle and saying our verse that helps the little one settle in for a story and keep her hands quiet. We followed the three day story rhythm: On the first day I introducing the story, telling the whole thing myself. the Rebekah draws a picture from the story in her main lesson book.

On the second day Rebekah wore a raccoon mask I made for her and she helped retell the story. It was easy to tell what parts of the story spoke to her. Then we went on our nature walk to collect leaves just like the little raccoon had been covered with.


We brought our leaves home and made a leaf print shirt. Rebekah loved designing her shirt just the way she wanted it.


We covered it with wax paper and hammered the leaves until they left an impression on the shirt. Now Rebekah could be the little raccoon covered in leaves.


On the third day we told the story again. It always surprises me how many time a young child can hear the same story and not tire of it. Of course I got better and better at telling the story as well. Then we made buttermilk biscuits and had them with some honey comb from a friend's hive for snack. We got to eat honey just like the little raccoon did.

Thanks to Earthschooling and a few other Waldorf groups I have Septembers stories and activities planned out. Hopefully all of them will go as smoothly as this one. And hopefully I will be come a better story teller.

Hands On Learning

Hannah has really been enjoying school so far this year. We switched curriculum and have found it to be a great fit. She is using Oak Meadow and studying American History. I love how the curriculum focus on head and heart. It is hands on with an appropriate amount of writing and little to none fill in the blank. As you can imagine Hannah loves the hands on part.


One of her first projects was to make a boat. Wood, tools building with dad are all some of Hannah's favorite things to do. So the boat project was a total success. Above you can see the boat. She is painting the sails, which she later starched. Now she is planning a trip to the pond to sail her boat.


Moving on to Jamestown. She was asked to build a diorama of the fort. Between stormy days she went about collecting a whittling sticks for the walls surrounding the buildings. Then she built building out of Popsicle sticks complete with thatched roofs.

The finished fort after it survived a storm.

Science has included lot of fun hands on as well. We had a trip to the frog pond while learning about ecosystems. We caught a few frogs, counted lots of tadpoles and were glad to see the pond thriving with little signs of pollution.

There has been measuring and converting us standard to metric system.

I think the constructing the wetland model and seeing how wetlands filter water has been the most fun. Hannah even added "pesticides" to the water to see how/if the wetland would filter them out before the water reached the pond.

Not sure what's up next, but I know Hannah will have tons of fun building and creating as she learns. It is a great journey to be on with her. Sometime I think I learn more than the kids. How did I miss all of this in school?

Bekah's Circle Time

Rebekah is four and a half entering this school year. And the time has come for her to have a special school time of her own. I strongly believe in childhood and not rushing into academics, so I was stuck for a while about what to do for Bekah. Having two older sisters who are studying at the high school and middle school level, Bekah "knew" about school. So of course she wanted to read books without pictures and write essays in her school. How true it is that young children imitate what they see. And while books without pictures and essays are appropriate for the older two, I was not ready for my baby to go there.

Thank goodness for a few good friends and the Internet who opened the door into Waldorf education for me. Waldorf's gentile style that encompasses the whole child - mind body and spirit was just what I was looking for. Waldorf kindergarten is a time for imagination and play, a time to learn the work of the home, a time to develop a personal rhythm while discovering the rhythm of the earth. All the while developing a strong foundation upon which later academic learning will flourish. Beautiful!

So I started reading and researching. Bekah and I visited the local Waldorf school for a peek at a day in kindergarten. I stumbled onto some wonderful Waldorf support groups on yahoo Waldorf inspired blogs and free webinars as well as some curriculum suppliers. I'll be honest, I didn't purchase much but gleaned so much from samples and descriptions and have tucked away tidbits for the future.

So as the start of school grew near I felt sure that I had a plan for Bekah. Now to implement it. And the big question - how would Bekah react to school with no books, no letters, no school like her sisters? Well, I have to tell you it was a HUGE success, not initially mind you! At first she was still looking for the lined paper and big books. But after just a week she was hooked. Every morning after family breakfast the big girls head off to start their independent work and Bekah and I head to the living room for her circle time.

Circle time is 20 minutes of songs, verses, finger plays and movement. We start by lighting our circle time candle. Bekah really loves this part. It makes it special. We then open with a morning song that the two of us made up. We then have a verse to welcome the day. Next a counting song about ladybugs. From there we move on to a rhyme with hand clapping and knee slapping. Lot of great work on patterns and coordination. Then we had a finger play about animals. Some bean bag exercises got us moving. Finally we ended with a verse that had us stretching. Bekah would blow out the candle to end circle time.

By this time Bekah felt like she had had her school time with mom. She would move to the kitchen table where she would work on the task for the day. Monday - coloring in her main lesson book with beeswax crayons. Tuesday - modeling with homemade playdough. Wednesday - wet on wet watercolor painting. Thursday and Friday - Dad is home and Bekah is his shadow and helper. Some days we do these tasks together other days I get her set up and she is content to work independently while I then teach Hannah's lesson.


I have to tell you again how thrilled I am with Bekah's response to circle time. At first she told me it wasn't school. But working on my will as well as hers we stuck with it. Now she asks for circle time. She knows the rhythm. She has everything - candle, verse book, and bean bags - out and waiting for me. the Waldorf approach is meeting her just where she is. She is thriving. She is learning. No worksheets. No watered down over explained lessons. Just organic learning!

We will work on the same circle time verses for the entire month. Each month I will pick verses that I hope will speak to Bekah, that will open her eyes to the world around her. Verses that will introduce rhythm and rhyme. That will develop a love a language and song. Ones that will lay math foundations. And actions that will build inner strength, coordination and balance.

So I have spent the last week reading and selecting verses for September. I put them together in a book, the cover of which in a water color painting that Bekah made. I am trying to have all of the verses and songs memorized as that really is the best way to bring them to a child. However, many of them are new to me. So the book is my little cheat sheet as well as a keep sake. By the end of the month both of us should have the verses and songs memorized!

{this moment}

{this moment} - A Friday ritual inspired by Amanda, aka Soule Mama. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

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In gratitude this week for:

A bounty of fresh goodies from other's garden.

A co-op delivery. Lots of bulk in the shed for winter!

Lots of wild blackberries picked before Irene hits.

Another fun and fabulous week of school finished!

Wishing you all a glorious weekend!

First Day of School

I can't believe it but we have started school! The girls were excited to begin and didn't have a problem getting a jump on the school year even though most of their friends are still enjoying the rainy summer weather. With Sarah entering her first year of high school and Bekah joining the mix we changed things up this year. All the girls are doing their own thing. It seems strange not to be teaching them together, but it was definitely time to let them go their own ways.

Sarah is using Oak Meadow for English, History, Biology and a few electives. She is staying with Math U See for Algebra and using Rosetta Stone for Spanish. We're only on day two, but she seems to be thrilled with her classes and choice of curriculum. But boy is the work load different. Her days are long, but she is excited and really linking how things are going so far.

Hannah is also using Oak Meadow and Math U See. We are also supplementing with a bunch of Earthschooling blocks. We are learning the Choroi flute together as well a incorporating handiwork and home economics. So far so good and with Hannah that is amazing. She keeps telling me she is liking everything, but knows that it can't last as school can't be fun. Her words not mine.

Rebekah is just so excited to have her own school to do. For her I am putting together a Waldorf inspired kindergarten. We will do this for two years. I am using the wonderful FREE files at the yahoo group Waldorfhomeeducators, Earthschooling, and a lot of my own research. After family breakfast, Rebekah and I have her circle time while the other girls work independently. She really enjoys lighting our circle time candle, singing our morning song, reciting verses and more. Right now we are working on counting with a ladybug poem and rhythm with clapping games. Our circle time also includes some stretching and movement activities. We close with a verse and blow out the candle. Then we head to the table were Rebekah draws in her main lesson book. She chooses something to draw from one of the verses in circle time. Then each day we have a different activity-painting, play dough, baking, etc. The rest of her day is spent in creative play and helping mom around the house. We also try to get outside and explore the amazing world around us.

Rebekah working with homemade play dough.

Potato print lady bugs. Five of them just like the poem she is learning.



Hannah and Bekah working on Hannah's first science project.

Sarah's first biology lab.

The only class we are doing together at the moment - Geometry! We had a bunch of fun outside in the rain making circles. And then brought it inside to construct and dissect circles.

This is the first year I've had to teach all three. And so far so good. I worked hard at establishing a daily and weekly rhythm and it is paying off, at least so far. Of course this could all blow up by the end of the week. However for now all the school work is done, the house is rather tidy with laundry and dishes caught up and all the kids are asleep and it isn't even 9:30! So now I have a little time to knit, read, correct today's lessons and get ready for tomorrow.

Yarn Along ~ More Socks

Joining Ginny in her weekly Yarn Along. In her words:

~ Two of my favorite things are knitting and reading, and the evidence of this often shows up in my photographs. I love seeing what other people are knitting and reading as well. So, what are you knitting or crocheting right now? What are you reading? Take a single photo and share it either on your blog or on Flickr. Leave a link below to share your photo with the rest of us! ~

Life has been very busy and not much knitting has gotten done. Seems I have kind of lost my rhythm. But my fingers are itching to get back in the grove. And I better hurry as these socks have a deadline. I am loving how the blues and greens are melting together in this yarn. They are definitely very Spring. Which is just what I need right now as I woke to more snow, just flurries mind you but it was still snow. Oh how I am ready for SPRING!

As for reading, I have been hopping between quite a few books lately. Many of which were recommend by the wonderful ladies participating in the yarn along. However, then Rebekah's curriculum for next year arrived and I haven't been able to put it down. Even though I have been homeschooling for 10 years now I am still learning so much about teaching, learning, childhood, myself and so much more. Homeschooling has been such a wonderful journey for our entire family.

Don't forget to stop by the other Yarn Along participants for some fiber inspiration and a great reading list.

Oliver Twist

The girls were so blessed to be part of another wonderful Children's Stage Adventure's production. I am still amazed at what two hardworking actor/teachers can do with 50 children in five days. If you aren't familiar with Children's Stage Adventures you really should visit their website.

This years play was Oliver Twist. And of the five productions the girls have been in with Children's Stage Adventures, I have to say it was the BEST!

Hannah was cast as a Londoner. I just think she is so cute in her cap and floor length dress. I was so proud of her. She isn't the actress in the family ans at first wasn't sure if she wanted to participate. However, even after the first day she was all smiles, learning the songs and practicing her lines.

Sarah was cast as Nancy the heroine of the story. She was so excited about her part and did a wonderful job. She loves the theater and it really shows. She has come a long way since her first performance in Princess and the Pea four years ago.

Truly everyone of these children did an amazing job. It was a long but wonderful week. A big thanks to the mom's that made this happen for our kids. You are awesome. Can't wait till next year.

And for those of you who didn't make it to the show, we will have a DVD of the performance soon. so just let me know if you'd like to see it. I think we will do a showing at some point too.

Apple Days

Autumn just wouldn't be autumn without a trip or two to the apple orchard. We headed to Hatch's Orchard with a bunch of our homeschool buddies for a day of picking, learning, and picnicking.

The trees were loaded with apples! And when I say apples I mean APPLES! Not only were there tone on each and every tree but they were big, beautiful, juicy, sweet apples. Hannah could have stood in this one spot and easily picked her basket full.

Rebekah was thrilled that she could reach the apples this year. She was so serious about her picking. Looking for just the apples she wanted. And then she was so careful to pick is just the way Mrs. Hatch had taught her too. Did you know you need to be careful not to break off next year's blossom? Yes it is already there and if you break it off no apple next year.

My girls have never been good a posing for pictures. But that's okay I think they look great. After the apple picking we headed up the mountain behind the orchard for a picnic. We've done this before, but I am always still amazed by the view.

And then there was the crowning of the Apple Queens and Apple Kings. These were the children who got BINGO first during the apple class Mrs. Hatch gave.
Then it was home to eat and cook all those yummy apple treats we love. First up was an apple crisp. My husband is still in search for the perfect apple crisp recipe. He and Hannah made this one and it came close. I think it needed to be in a shallower pan with more crisp topping. But that is just my two cents. Do you have a crisp recipe you love? We'd love if you'd share it.

Of course there was applesauce, apple pie filling, dried apples, and the most delicious dessert creation made by Sarah. We have named them apple pastry rounds. Simply put Sarah took a peeled and cored apple and cut it into 1 1/2 inch slices. She then placed the apple slice on a round of pie dough. Next she filled the center with brown sugar and cinnamon or maple sugar. Wrapped the dough around the apple slice leaving a little hole in the top for a vent. As a finishing touch she sprinkled the top with cinnamon sugar or maple sugar and popped them in the oven. They were so good I couldn't even get a picture. They were gone that fast. They were the perfect size! I know she will be making them again and I will be sure to have my camera ready.

Here are just a few of our goodies. I love putting up food for winter. It is comforting to know that we will be able to enjoy our harvest all winter long.

{this moment}

{this moment} - A Friday ritual inspired by Amanda, aka Soule Mama. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

~~~~~

~~~~~

In gratitude this week for:

• a healthy family
• beautiful fall days
• the gentle rhythm of school
• returning to this space
• the second and third of four Christmas sweaters almost finished

Wishing you all a glorious weekend!

This Moment

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

Inspired by Soule Mama

4H Sewing Class

Hannah and her friend James along with six other kids had their first 4H sewing class today. They seemed to have a great time and already started their first project, a bag. I couldn't get many details because it is going to be a surprise. What I do know is it is denim fabric with straps. They should finish the bag at next weeks class.

They have 5 classes and then the teachers of the class hope to start a 4H sewing club. The kids are so excited. Hannah has always been crafty and sewing is something she has dabbled in a bit. We just always seem to run out of time. Well, anyway, after one class she is already planning to ask for a sewing machine for Christmas. Seems she liked the purple and white one she got to use in class.

Stay tuned. Hopefully I will have pictures of the secret bag next week.

Homeschool Skating!

We are right in the middle of a month of homeschool skating at the local ice rink. It has been an awesome time - lots of friends and exercise to boot. This past week we had over 40 homeschoolers on the ice. I wish I had gotten them all in the picture.

A few the kids are just learning, and doing great! I just love all the little ones in the picture below.

The teen pack!

We ended the day with the Zamboni! Boy is there a lot more to that machine then I realized. Next week we are going to get a tour of the refrigeration rooms! Too cool!

4H County Activities Day

I posted earlier that the girls have joined a local 4H group. We are still learning the ins and out of 4H and having a grand time doing it.

This Saturday was County Activities Day. The girls didn't really know what it was all about and were hesitant to enter. Sarah finally got up the nerve and enter two photographs she had taken. One last summer - a tree with the sun streaming through it. One this winter - a view of the icy river from a bridge. You'll hear more about the photos later.

The action exhibits were a lot of fun. the kids above are playing a livestock trivia game, much like jeopardy. Of course this city girl didn't know the answer to any of the questions. I did lean a lot though.

Hannah had a great time learning how to clean an English saddle, another one of the action exhibits.


Mary is making slime. This was a big hit with all the kids.

But for Rebekah, the best part was the cows. She is convinced that she can have a cow if these kids can. She thinks we need a papa, mama and six little cows. I think cows would be great too. But I don't think anyone else is on board.

The day ended with the awards. Sarah received two blue ribbons and an invitation to State Activities Day for her photo of the the River in Winter. So I guess we will be heading to UNH in June. She was so excited and we were so proud.