San Salvador

Began a new unit study; learned a bit about Christopher Columbus. Girls are creating artwork depicting vacationing in San Salvador. When I asked them to describe what they imagine life to be like on a tropical island, they pretty much described what it's like to live on Hilton Head Island (minus the tropical fruit trees, haha:D) 

Creative Outlet Adventures...Halloween Crafts

Creative Outlet Homeschool (partial;) project of the week

the girls have created the artwork that will be photo transferred onto canvas trick or treat bags....they had a blast....final results to be posted next week!




 

 

somedays we homeschool.....

and many days we have turned into total unschoolers....and I can't even begin to tell you just how wonderful that is!  It is all flowing so very naturally now; and these girls are really, and I mean REALLY flourishing in learning and creativity.  Yesterday I received two unexpected custom bracelet orders.  And our printer had run out of ink (We need the ink to print our project pages for "Moving Beyond the Page")....yes, the two are related, as they both led to my decision to let the girls BE yesterday.  This is happening more and more...not out of laziness, but because it really works for all of us.  They are both reading very well now...and they both LOVE to read....because our house has always been surrounded by books, and because I never "forced" them to read (other than quick little phonics books when I was teaching them...but they enjoyed that).

We will never be total unschoolers, I'm much more comfortable with an eclectic approach...it's all about balance.  I want them to be strong readers and more importantly, to have a love of reading...always.  I want their natural curiosity to never be diminished.  I want their natural creative drive to always be fun and to carry them through life.  I want them to have a good solid foundation in math.  I want them to be good at expressing themselves, both verbally and written.  And most importantly, I want learning to always be natural and fun!  I think we've got an excellent start!

So, as I was saying, yesterday turned into an unschooling day.  I completely left them alone, while I worked in the bling studio, etc.  And this is some of what transpired.  They decided to play school :)  Yep, that's right, school:)

This is what they've decided to do today..... Thus far, they have used our online version of our math curriculum (Math U See) to help quiz themselves and memorize their multiplication facts (not because I'm "forcing" it...because they are choosing it!)...and in this photo they are reading all about Shetland ponies, and their origination and history (I don't even know what book that's in, but they found it).  I can honestly say, that in the 18 plus years that they will be here, many of which we'll be homeschooling, I don't think it EVER would have occurred to me to talk about Shetland ponies with them! 
 
And now they are painting fruit bowls (or something) that they sketched.
 
 

Later, I heard them writing a story or a report together, about the stars:)

We aren't unschool purists, I balance it out with carefully chosen materials, that we all love....but when left to their own devices, they continue to create, learn, and thrive!  I've actually come to realize that balancing in creative/unschooling days is a VITAL part of our homeschooling experience; it will carry them MUCH farther than me directing their every day!  THIS is how they will discover their own true passions in life!  I think it's a lot harder to do, when you are busy cramming in school work and homework and activities all the time.  BE time and CREATE time are a vital part of life.....and in my eyes, they are probably MORE vital than the academics!  Kids want to learn, and they DO...when they are given the opportunity and given the gift of freedom to choose!

Homeschool Adventures at Creative Outlet---collage day!

Apparently their morning at Creative Outlet was very inspiring .... Back at home, straight to the art studio;) 

we built pseudo snowmen (sort a ;)

Discussing forms of precipitation ...since we can no longer build snowmen, due to lack of snow and all, here's what we came up with :)  If the truth be told, we were supposed to make our mini snowmen out of marshmallows, but it appears they are missing in action?  hmmmmm, I wonder would ever became of our marshmallows? ??????


now, we actually do have snowman experience, from our previous life.
This is Little Angel's very first one...well, what happened was, mama didn't want to go out that day (yes I know, bad mama), so I sent her out to try to build her own (she was about three in this photo) and she came up with this adorable snowface!  isn't it sweet?!!
 
and here's a later version, that her daddy assisted with (she was SO proud, it was SO sweet!)
we used to sled in our very own backyard!  it was the perfect slope for toddlers/preschoolers!
we could even eat it (as long as it wasn't yellow:O)

Art Journaling: Mixed Media

First of all, let me premise this by saying, I am NOT an artist!  In fact, I'm one of those rare kids who detested art class!  The last official art class I took, was the manditory elementary school art class in 6th grade.  Sad, isn't it.  But, I do enjoy crafty things, even though I'm not all that crafty either....but I want to be!  That said, ALL children (except me:) LOVE art...right?  And my older one seemed to always have a natural talent in it.  So, other than a few arts and crafts projects I come up with for them, they don't have much and are pretty much being deprived (ok, they have lots of freetime to create, which is more than most traditionally schooled children have...and they do....)  But, I wanted to incorporate something a little more ongoing and formal, where we can take it in any direction to suit us at the moment...so, (after doing research on custom designing pendants due to very "non standard" requests in my Dragonfly Inspirations bracelet business...the pendants story shall come later)...I came up with the idea of having the girls and I keep art jouraling in the format of Mixed Media (meaning, we can do whatever the heck we want, right;)?  

So, today was our first go at the art journals, and the girls had a BLAST!!!  I can definitely see us incorporating some of our unit studies into this as well!  

and, the pages were totally up to them.....

Little Miss Angel's First Journal entry:




Fairy Girl's First Journal entry:

 

  and, just because....

It's Just Another Manic Monday

I do NOT like to over-schedule my girls.  I do NOT like to over-schedule ME.  That said, some of MY rules are meant to be broken, on occasion;D

Backtracking (not related to the "over-scheduling":)

Grandma and Grandpa were here! 

 and the girls had a knitting lesson with Grandma (**the note is to further assist my little leftie...apparently it is challening for a right-handed knitting teacher to teach a leftie;)

 We shopped!!!  (Fairy Girl received her very first gift card/ shopping spree!  this took awhile...Target has a LOT for a 7 girl to choose from you know.)

We dined....

It was ITALIAN!!!!

Ok, so we dined...lots, until we ran out of food or food inspiration...and when I stopped feeding the grandparents, they took off (to quote Grandma J: "if you stop feeding the strays, they leave:D"

We cheered on the Pack

AND THEY WON!

!!

So, as I was saying, when we stopped feeding the grandparents....they left:D
And then we met our homeschool group for an equestrian field trip.  Here's the cool thing: on Friday we went to Hilton Head to hit the Farmer's Market (where we plan on having our own stand!!  As soon as I can build up some bracelet (and other goodies, soon to be announced;) inventory!  It's amazing that I'm not keeping up with the demand!  It's all good...working on my craft "studio" as we speak, so I don't have to share with the homeschool room, and keep setting up and putting away....photos to follow......
Well, anyway, I digress.....when we were at the farmer's market, Fairy Girl kinda sorta got bit...by a horse:/

 the story of MANIC MONDAY:

And ironically, today, we had a field trip to an equestrian farm with our local homeschool group.....but, no life-long fears, as you can see she jumped right in and is brushing the horse.  (Little Miss Angel, on the other hand, kind of steered clear;)

We were starving, so we hit Panera's, something different for us;)

there was a pumpkin cookie!!!!!!!

After the pumpkin cookie, there was  our weekly yoga class...(not pictured, as mom participated:D) 

 But I DID get a shot of their Chinese Ribbon Dancing!

 

And then there was art class, with a professional artist.

And they created these adorable bags!

And then they went to their very first ballet class! 

(they will be in leotards soon....this sort of just came up:D)

They will perform in the Nutcracker in December!

first glimpse of our NEW bigger camper!!!!  (ignore the mess, was in the process of transferring our goods from our old one)

RIBBIT....RIBBIT

Carryon