Another Beautiful Day and other things....

I'm sitting here quietly thinking about how thankful I am for this life I lead, not perfect by any stretch of the imagination but still pretty wonderful.
I'm listening to my girls in the shower, instructing each other on the fine art of conditioning your hair while singing random song lyrics...opps someone just got soap in her eye....

...aaaaaaand I'm back. they have a way of resolving things for themselves before I can even get there to help them!

I got up fairly early this morning (not living on a farm early, but early enough) and Isaac surprised me by being awake as well. He was so hungry he couldn't sleep so I fried him up an egg before I headed to the pool and he informed me that this was his favourite time of day to do his math. He's not awake yet you see, and it's over before he's even aware it started. Youngest Son is VERY good at math. I need all my faculties about me to tackle even the most basic of tasks in the math world.

By the time I got home, he was in my bed fast asleep...still is actually. The beauty of homeschooling!

Hey take a peek into a random ordinary day at the Speilschool house.....
The kids found my rag bag and asked if they could sew.

Notice my poor sad inadequate machine in the background? Well it gave up the ghost this day so...I need to get a decent one! Silly thing!
Hey. See if you can guess where we're spending our vacation money this year???

If you guessed in Isaac's mouth, you'd be close but we're also dedicating a bit to this child (we wouldn't want to be unfair at all!)

This one is up next if she doesn't quit with the nighttime thumb sucking....(sigh)

I really could be worse though right?! And look how happy they are as they cut things up into ity bity bits :)

And if you're thinking, but doesn't she have 4 kids? Why don't we ever see the oldest one? I do actually. Thanks for asking. It's because he's going to school this year for the first time. He loves it! Or tolerates it as much as can be expected (he is an almost 14 year old boy so...)
...Oh look, I found one. Here he is about a month ago heading off to Vancouver Island on a ball hockey tourney. He really does have a great life too!

It can be about my perspective on things. I could look around the house today and notice the dirty floor and the stacks of unfolded, clean laundry and think about the supper that needs to go into the crockpot and the shopping that needs to be done and feel overwhelmed OR...
I could hear the joy in my girl's voices and they sing and play, and the peace that surrounds our home as we learn to just rest in His promise that He never gives us more than we can handle. This is the life I'm privileged to lead. I'll try to remember that as I stand in the checkout line at Superstore explaining to my girls why I will NOT be buying them gum today.

" Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world girves. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid" (John 14.:27)

Levi's trip to Mexico and some talk about homeschooling...

I need to post these but I'm kind of low on pithy things to say. I always get like this by the end of summer. I feel a bit wrung out. It's been a wonderful fun filled summer full of visiting and eating (and running so I can keep eating) but I'm just...tired and ready for the season to change.

This year will bring some new beginnings for our family. Levi (our oldest) is heading to school for the first time. No he's not 5...he's 13. I know but we are homeschoolers so this is a big step at our house. It's a small private school in our neighbourhood so it will be a gentle transition for him (and me). He's nervous and excited.

The smaller peeps and I are staying here to explore the world. I've been reading about the Charlotte Mason Method of teaching/learning/facilitating exploration of our world and I'm wondering..."why did I wait so long to read these books?!" It's speaking to my heart! WOW!

This is the book I'm reading right now and here's a quote from the Chapter "What is Eduction?"

"We, as persons, are not enlightened by means of multiple-choice tests or grades, but rather by the other people in our lives that we come to know, admire and love. We are educated by our friendships and by our intimacies. For instance, think how the actions of someone you admire influence your behaviour. Similarly, think also of how a boy's interest is sparked by a hobby he loves, and to which he devotes all his time and trouble. Whether it be gardening, keeping house, or governing a state, love of work - like love of people- teaches things that no school, no system, can. " Karen Andreola Charlotte Mason Companion

This could explain my own love of this whole blogging thing too and is obviously not exclusive to homeschooling. I'm feeling my passion for this whole journey returning. Let me be honest, the last two years have been a challenge. Let's just say, we're all pretty excited to start again...again:)

Here's the biggest event in son #1's life this summer:

Levi and Kevin went to Mexico with a team from our church. They built a home for a couple of single mom's and their kids. It was an amazing learning opportunity for Levi and I've seen a bit of a leap in his willingness to help around our home AND his thankfullness. He commented on how little these people have and yet how thankful and happy they are. Pretty cool AND a bit of a reminder to us all.


Starting the build...

Levi and his little shadow. this kid LOVED him!

Working on the house....

Ladies washing and chatting with their new home in the background....

The whole team....

Celebrating their new home!

Working on crafts with the village kids...

goofing off...

Hanging at the campsite...

One day off at the beach...

Flying home...


Well look at that, I did have quite a bit to say after all. Like I wouldn't?! hee hee.

The one where I actually talk about homeschooling...

I am a homeschooler. I know I mentioned it in my profile but if you're like me, you don't read it first thing. I usually remember after I've read a post or two. When I'm thinking, "now, how many kids does she have? Where did she say she's from?"

Anyway, I am.

I'm not one of those outwardly militant, jumper wearing homeschool mama's but that side lurks somewhere in me. (well maybe not the jumper part but I can get a bit militant on an off day). People usually tell me that my kids and my self don't seem like homeschoolers. I'm not sure this is quite the complement they mean it as. OR it could be a serious put down to other homeschoolers. What does that mean anyway?

When I start hearing things like, "Oh wow. You homeschool. I could never do that." Seriously, it's the craziest thing to say really. Like any of us feel we're equip for anything our adult lives have thrown at us. We usually just do the best for our individual families with what we have.

I usually say," I don't feel like I can do it most days either." I'm thinking all sorts of snarky, sarcastic things at them though cuz, that's just the way I roll. I'm not mad really. It's just fun to think up smart alec responses to stupid comments. Try it. It's so fun! I wish I was so quick in real life but then people would not think I'm so nice after all:)

We meet with a teacher once a semester. I guess the government has to check to make sure we aren't actually using our kids for manual labor on the sly or something. My meeting is tomorrow. I'm a bit stressed about it for a couple of reasons.

Number one: I have a ton to do tomorrow and don't really want to take the time to meet with said teacher. I want to run, help a friend celebrate a birthday, hubby is away and I just don't feel like it :)

Reason number two: For those of you who don't homeschool, this will make NOT sense to you but for those who do....

..... how to show what my kids have been learning. What I've found in my years at this gig is that real learning has very little to do with the stuff kids put down on paper. Why is this a problem you wonder? Well, the only way people, like myself who come from the institution of public education, have to measure learning is by the stuff kids write down on paper. Mostly fill in the blank, story writing type drivel that non of us remember anything about now that we're not in school but for some reason was crazy important to have studied and re-studied for years and years. Well we don't do a whole lot of that as you can imagine. Mostly because it's not fun and has very little long term value. I have to admit it does look cool though AND so fun to show people! My girls seem much more inclined in that direction so maybe I will have some "hard copy" to show people in years to come.

Here's an example of what the boys are up to:

The boys have created a panorama for their Warhammer game (It's okay I'm not sure what warhammer is either. It's about painting little figurines and war, no hammers are involved though so, not sure about the name.)
It's a massive thing created out of Styrofoam and paint. This took countless hours and is totally self directed. Cool eh?!
They started with this piece of styrofoam:



painted and carved and glued:


and viola! They still want to add to this but here it is so far...


I think it's out of one of the final scenes from The Lord of the Rings. It's the black gate I believe.
Here's a better angle:


Can you see how this is a tad hard to represent in a paper answer type form?

Lucky for me they both do well at math and we have bucket loads of that.

Do you think I can get girl #1 to read novels by tomorrow? No. Me either. I guess we'll just keep going along at our own merry pace then.

I love the lifestyle we get to lead as homeschoolers. The relaxed way the kids get to approach life and their relationship with one another and the joy they can take in exploring their world.

I don't like having to prove that they are learning and the second guessing that comes with all of that. There's a lot of faith involved in raising children, multiply that by 10 when you homeschool.

I know I need to spend more time in prayer....

Hello from the crazy house!

So many of my friends find blogging cathartic that I thought, "I must try this". I am desperately in need of finding my own voice these days.

I'm a 34 year old stay at home mom to 4 beautiful, healthy, energetic and very messy children. I love them dearly even on those days when I hide in the bathroom just to get a moment alone. I had so many ideas of myself as a mother. None of them included me yelling or crying on the phone to my husband in the middle of an endless day. Yikes, should I reveal this about myself the first time you "meet" me. Maybe not! I home school too. Did I mention that? It's wonderful and terrible all at the same time, much like parenting.
I love watching their eyes light up with new knowledge or watching my eleven year old son take his 3 year old sister by the hand and show her how to do something. I love that we can go to the ski hill all day every Tuesday. I hate feeling like I'm failing them, that they may not get to adulthood with all the skills and knowledge that they should have. What if I forget something? Or I don't know something? This is one of the reasons I love my super logical husband, who says things like. Ask the kids to help you! or you've never seen a 10 year old wearing diapers. He is wonderful and my rock!

Oh and I ramble, hence the title of my blog. I think maybe I've found my forum. The more rambling the better it seems and most likely noone will even read it so it's just for me:)

Well off to make Valentines cookies and candy with my 5 year old that I'm going to try not to eat. I'm on Weight Watchers week 1. (yes it had come to that!)

Leave a comment if you do come by:)