Homeschool
Celine has been sewing up a storm these days. To hear the sewing machine humming, to provide feedback for her design ideas and to see the quality work she's producing is such a blessing to this mama's heart. I feel a sense of deep satisfaction as she makes this learning her own, knowing that the way we've chosen to homeschool has given her the time she needs to pursue her own goals and dreams.
Sigh... I am a happy homeschooling parent.
One of Celine's recent projects was to sew a sock monkey for her cousin, who turns two years old the beginning of next month. This was a paid commission from her aunt to create a handmade toy that the parents (Celine's aunt and uncle) could give to their son as a gift.
I am so proud of Celine for accepting this project and following through. Damien and I encouraged her to take on the project and offered whatever help she needed. But ultimately the choice to make it and the work was done by her.
We took her shopping to buy an appropriate pair of socks, helped her find a pattern, read through the instructions with her and at the very end helped her sew on the eyes and mail the finished product. But that was it, the rest was her doing.
In case you are interested in doing a similar project this is the pattern Celine used, found at Craftbits.com. The instructions are straightforward and Celine was very pleased with the end result.
But more importantly Celine was pleased with the process. This girl loves to sew and I couldn't be happier for her. These are Celine's own words for how she feels when she's sewing, "I'm in my element!" Music to a mother's ears.
I'm taking a little breather from the final sorting of the girl's stuff to share with you this week in homeschooling.
March has been a lovely month for the kids and I as we've settled into a steady late winter routine. In reality though we're experiencing an early spring but I haven't been out too much (the kids have) to take advantage of it. I just can't wrap my head around spring in March. I still have too many projects that I had planned to do indoors this month and once those wrap up I will embrace this next season. At which time we'll probably have a snowstorm!
Some of our learning has been outdoors: hikes and play dates at parks with homeschooling friends, a visit to the farm and backyard science.
Other activities have been indoors: a symphony orchestra concert, setting up marble works (like every other homeschooled kid this week who watched this amazing video), drawing lessons, making crystals using the kit Laurent got for his birthday and Celine sewing. Always Celine sewing.
It was a good week. Most days I really enjoy being home with my kiddos (honestly). But this week I especially felt that way. Enjoying these last days of winter (that are suspiciously warm) before the intense activities of yard clean up, gardening, bike riding, trampoline jumping and everything else that spring holds in store.
You'll find my monthly post published today at Simple Homeschool. I've written about two things we enjoy very much; reading and the outdoors. The combination of these is a post titled, Great Books for an Outdoors Education.
Reading is something that inspires us to get outdoors more; to experience this great, wide and beautiful world we've read about. Then, after we've been outdoors and want to research what we've discovered for ourselves (ie: identifying the bugs, leaves and forest floor wildflowers) books are where we turn to find our answers.
Just this morning I read Henry David's House to the kiddos. Reading this very edited and richly illustrated (oh I just love children's picture books) version of the American classic Walden, or Life in the Woods by Henry David Thoreau inspires me to follow my dreams for simpler living, leaves me pining to return to the woods (only 4 more days till our next hike) and has piqued my curiosity to read the original.
If you'd like to find more outdoor/nature type books to read with your children you can check out my nature study shelf at Goodreads.
This winter Damien upped the nature-book ante by reading outdoor adventure books to our family during the evenings. These are stories about people truly being in the outdoors, not just studying it from the comfort of their heated living rooms or well equipped science labs. He's got a booklist going also at Goodreads that you can see at the bottom of the AdventureinProgress mainpage.
Have any of you read Walden, or Life in the Woods? What did you think? Would you recommend it?
PS. I know there's been a lot of posts lately on FIMBY about the outdoors. This blog reflects my life, it's not an abstract writing project, and we've been reading about, talking about and spending lots of time outdoors. And we hope to do more. It's a good thing but I do plan to post about other more "homey" subjects. Maybe hopefully spring gardening, with some pretty photos.
