5 minute Mom

Mediated Blog Update

2011-11-28T19:47:00.001-08:00

Those of you who regularly read my blog may have noticed that my blog has not been so regular lately.
Sorry about that.
The long and short of it, is that I have had to take on a job for the present. I am still able to homeschool during the day, but the demands of working outside the home, keeping up the house and pouring into relationships are about all I can do right now.
So, the blog is temporarily on hold.
However, because I am committed to Mediated Learning and all that it offers us as homeschooling parents, I am keeping it up for those of you who still use it as a reference or for ideas on how to mediate certain things.
I encourage you to use the many resources here on this site.
Keep checking back every once in a while.
I will not be in this season forever and once it is done, I will have a lot to write about.
And a lot more time to do so.
Blessings to you.

MATHtermind

2011-10-19T21:29:00.000-07:00

Well, it's happened.
Just as it always does.

Remember my little post about us going back to our last spot of success in math and picking up from there.
Well, a few days of games and what not and my girl decides she's ready to tackle the multi-digit multiplication again.
Her father and her have a tet-a-tet about the basics of this complex approach to math.
And within a few minutes, she's off and doing the math problems as happily as can be.
Solving them correctly and humming while she does!

Mark my words.
Write them down.
Tattoo th- --nevermind.

If you are having trouble in an area of learning with your child, go back to your last place of success. Camp out there for a few days. Remind your child how competent they are. Give them confidence to face the next step. And when you are ready for that next step, break the problem down into smaller pieces. And tackle it one bite at a time.

Go back to go forward.
Quote me on it.

Just don't use it as words on my tombstone.
It will make no sense.

I Just Want My Program Plan to End

2011-10-17T20:27:00.000-07:00

I have been trying to write my Program Plan for three weeks now.
Remember my little post back in the day where I made Program Plan writing sound like something any clown could pull off.
Well, stick a red rubber nose on me and send me to the circus because, apparently, I should take up juggling.
It`s easier than writing Program Plans.
(But I`ll refuse to work for the circus as a clown...because look at the shoes that come with the job. Puh-lease. A girl has got to have some standards.)

Anyway, here is my stumbling block.
It`s the actually GOAL Planning part.

I decided that tonight was the night.
The final performance at Cirque de So-Crazy-Mom.
``Tonight,`` I declared to myself, ``I finish my Program Plans.``

To get started, I distracted myself by listening to my favourite Luke Bry*n song: I don`t want this night to end.
Wrong choice, my friends.
I should have took the tune to be foreboding and telling.
Because....after writing and tweaking and pulling up every possible word I can use to describe the methodology of learning at my house, I am most certain of one thing:
Luke Bry*n--I want this night to end.
In fact, I want my two hours back.
I can`t pull this thing together.

It`s not that I don`t have goals. It`s just that they are all character based. And I don`t really have academic goals. I mean, I unschool. Everything is about learning unfolding at my child`s pace and following their interests. We don`t use curriculum, and for the first time I wished we did. Just so I can write:
The goal of this year in science is to Finish Book A of the Amazing Curriculum Book of Science.

I am floundering, my friends.
I am panicking.
I have my hands up. And it`s nothing like Luke Bry*n`s song.
It`s not a happy dance.

I realize that putting this out there sounds like I`m certifiable.
Or misguided.
Or just plain not very good at the paperwork end of homeschooling.
I`m ok with that.
I have alternatives. Just start the trapeze show and buy yourself a bag of popcorn. Me and my red nose will be right there.

So, if anyone knows how to write goals for those who don`t follow curriculum then leave me a comment.
Teach me.
I`m sure all that is involved here is me unlearning the `school-y` ways of doing things and approaching this from a different angle.
And if you can teach me, I promise that you will get a front row seat when I perform a unicycle ballet to Luke Bryan`s song at my next circus performance.

Thanks!

Going Backwards to Move Forwards

2011-10-16T21:13:00.000-07:00

We brought out the math books lately.
I've learned (FINALLY!) that we should go back to our last place of success.
For us, our last success was double digit multiplication.
When I brought it out, we started looking at the problems. Everything was rusty and slow moving for my eldest. So I went back to the beginning of multiplication tables.
And it was there that my daughter realized, "Maybe I need more practice with the 1 to 12 multiplication tables."
So we made a goal to practice and play games for the next two weeks and re-master the multiplication tables.
And that's what we're doing.
I'll let you know what happens in two weeks.

A Much Improved Mind

2011-10-13T20:23:00.000-07:00

I was reviewing my old blog today and found this post.
This post was written before I learned about Mediated Learning and critical thinking skills. It takes you deep into the caverns of a mind that was not fully understanding the many roles that cognitive functions play.

This is a journey into my mind four years ago. I am much improved now.
I think.
It's a hard call. I'm typing this while avoiding the laundry pile's staring eyes.
Enjoy!

Almost daily, I feel as though I spew out the mantra: "SuperGirl, come back here please and finish what you started." Day in. Day out. Same song, same audience. Every time I walk into the room and see a heap of stuff on the floor, bed, bathroom sink, or entryway I start my familiar aria.

My house has gone to pot...but this time it is my own doing.

I am a walking contradiction to my daily tune.

I blame the heat...because if I couldn't blame the heat I'd have to admit that I am not a tidy person and the A type personality inside me would never let me say such things out loud, so, it's the heat's fault.

I have proof:
Can't sleep at night.

I have no air conditioning and last night it was a balmy 17 degrees at 1 am! 1 am! I may have the fans going and every window in this apartment open but I'm still wide awake at 2am because the place won't cool down! There I am listening to the whirring sound of the fan and wondering about the person who said that white noise will help you sleep (Complete load of bullocks in my situation).
So, lack of sleep.

A complete and total point against me. That's one.

When I did get to sleep, I woke up at 5 am to the birds singing and my bedroom/living room/kitchen (I live in a one bedroom apartment) blazing with the glorious light of dawn.

Of course, all of this was courtesy to the open windows.

Windows that had to be open, may I remind you, so that I could sleep at night.

So, I wake up exhausted and unable to think straight. That's two points against me. And this is how this whole "house going to pot" got started.

Started putting away the dishes as the girls ate breakfast, suddenly realized that I was starving and knew that I couldn't face my day without...hanging my laundry out on the line. Came back downstairs and checked the weather. 8:25 am and it is 25 degrees out and heading towards 37 degrees!
I start putting the dishes away (again) and realize that this is the best time to change plans and go to the lake and sit in the water.

Start packing up to go and remember that my children's fingernails need clipping.

I get the nailclippers and immediately understand this to be the perfect moment to blow bubbles outside while I empty out the van to clean it.
It would seem that these two particular activities don't mix all that well.

I bring in screaming, pouting children who are wounded over the fresh loss of bubble juice to the heat scorched grass. I'm scratched and reminded that I need to clip their nails. I set them down and realize that I have not called my friend who has just had a surgery. But ten minutes later, I'm back to the realization that my wildcat children need their fingernails clipped as I am literally clawed off the phone.

With new, short nails, my children purr and play as I frantically stuff the necessities of beachware into my bag (take 5 minutes to reconcile whether rubber boats and a raincoat would be overpreparing. Settle on not taking them but leaving them on the growing pile of things I'll do later tonight once the kids are sleeping).

We go to the beach.

It's great.

It's sand.

It's sun.

It's summer fun.

Yay Beach Parties!

I reminisce about my fave day last summer spent on a beach in Arkansas with my sister's family, a close friend, my girls and my mom. Ahhh, this is summer.
Then I return home, I open the door and a bomb has gone off in my house...almost literally.

There are signs of every place I've been today:
dishes not put away and put away in peculiar places (cups in the cereal storage bin, huh?)
nail clippers on the kitchen table
At least 4 glasses of water that are half full (or empty) evidence that at some point I thought that if I hydrated myself I may think clearer
a spilled over laundry basket with clothes on the bed. A clever little reminder I set up for myself so that the moment I got home I would remember to take my hanging underwear off the clothesline
left out condiments used to make the beach picnic
a growing pile of things I imagine I will do once:

a) I regain my sanity

b) make the decision to refuse to add anything more to the pile and

c) realize that somewhere deep inside the pile is my frying pan that I put away absent-mindedly this morning somewhere between hanging laundry and being starving

This is ridiculous.

I haven't finished anything today.

It's a miracle I've made a complete sentence come together and end in a conclusive way.

What kind of role model is this?

How can I be an example if this is my thought process?

How can I survive this heat if I have to wade knee-deep through my house?

How can I --oh, is that a chip? I would really like a chip right now.

Several, in fact.

But before I do, it would seem like now is the perfect moment to work on that scrapbook I started in 2001.

The Blue Car

2011-10-13T20:08:00.000-07:00

I wrote this poem a while ago and found it today. I feel like sharing:

The Blue Car

Burnt, charred embers
leave marks on my hands
Easily washed off
with the grit of the sand
that stood under your feet
as you stood on my soul
Helpless and lame
Completely unwhole

Rhonderdons blooming
Stars shining the same
Blues music was booming,
To a tune that was slain...
eking a place in my head
For the swallows to sit
For the swallows, a bed

Drip-drops of the coffee
that I never drink
Sing songs of the melodies
that I never think

Questioned the running of time
through the land
of wheat that blows grandly
while slips through my hand

Wondered at silence
Why nothing was said
Sealed up like drum
That beat in my head

Rhythms stopped rhyming
And moods stopped their sway
Time hands stopped ticking
The moon slipped away

Frayed ribbons
Black hats
Scuffed shoes and dark shades
Under the blue car
that drove far away

Thanksgiving fun

2011-10-09T08:14:00.000-07:00

Some turkey-lurkey-doo type of fun of late:

A mom and son turkey handprint painting

pumpkin patch faces

Nature walks and our findings

Crazy gourds

A Turkey Gourd

HAPPY THANKSGIVING

Pirate Cake

2011-10-06T22:12:00.000-07:00

This is the cake that I thought had a conspiracy against me.
It's a pirate cake. It was hard to make. It was not as easy as it looks.
It was devoured in mere moments...delish!

Workshop 3- A Focus on Reading

2011-10-05T06:34:00.000-07:00

If you have recently attended Workshop 3, here are some things to get you off to a quick start:

Remember the Core & Criteria

(click here to read a post on the CORE)

(click here to read a post on the CRITERIA)

Use Process Questions

(click here to read a post on Process Questions )

(click here to read a post about an experience using process questions)

Remember the Phases of the Mental Act (Thinking)

Click here to read about the Phases

Focus on strengthening the following Cognitive Functions

* Exploring a New Learning Situation

click here to learn about this cognitive function

*Defining the Problem

-click here to read a post about DTF

*Data Gathering-

-click here to learn about DG and how to mediate this cognitve function

*Select Relevant Clues

*Elaboration of Cognitive Categories

click here to learn about ECC and how to mediate this cognitive function

*Perception

-click here to learn about Perception and how to mediate this cognitive function

*Mental Field

The ONE thing you can do to improve your child's chances of reading

click here to find out

Remember that Reading Problems can be caused by:

-environmental causes

-physical causes

-perceptual: dyslexia

-detecting reading problems

TOOLS TO USE

Items found in your workshop notes to help:

Observation Sheet

Process Questions

(click here to review the Process Questions)

Human Figure Drawings

(Click here to review a Human Figure Drawing)

Reading Placement Test

Detecting Reading Problems

Review Videos

Attend Future Workshops

Dynamic Assessment

Recommended Reading and Resources

BOOKS

The Gift of Dyslexia

How the Brain Learns to Read

WEBSITES

icelp.org

FOR YOURSELF

*Believe that change is possible

*Make an honest commitment to become mediational

*Be willing to put other things aside in order to mediate

Something about today

2011-09-29T22:32:00.000-07:00

Something I said today: I think this cake has a conspiracy against me.

Something I heard today: Oh, you can't hurt my feelings. I only have one left and I'm saving it for a special occasion.

Something I did today: Reprimanded a friend for buying cigarettes

Something I smelled today: the night air, sprinkled with stars and filled with crisp life

Something I tasted today: My daughter's birthday cake

Something I read today: the final pages of the novel Joy for Beginners

Something I remembered today: That I haven't written a post on goal setting

Something I offered today: Links on past posts to appease my readers

Quick! Look busy, Louis is coming!

Using Luke 2:52 as a guide to goal setting-pt. 1

Using Luke 2:52 as a guide to goal setting -pt. 2

Enjoy

It's 1 am, foo', I ain't posting no post

2011-09-28T00:15:00.000-07:00

So, that whole Goal Post I mentioned yesterday that I said I would write. It ain't happening.

There. I did it.

I broke blog etiquette and didn't write as promised.

Last I checked the world was still intact.

All things considered.

Perhaps tomorrow.

No promises ;)

The Skinny on the Big Fat Program Plan

2011-09-26T19:38:00.000-07:00

For those fortunate enough to live in this area, you need to complete a Program Plan.

This is a plan that outlines what you will do for the coming school year in your home.

Dear Government,

Here is my Program Plan:

Life...as it unfolds.

Thank you,

5 minute mom

A great idea but, in reality, we all need to have goals. And so, it just makes sense to have a Program Plan.

Last week, (King) Louis and Joyce, facilitator's extraordinaire, put on a workshop on the HOW-TO basics of How to Write a Program Plan. I was very grateful for this because I handed mine in last March.

It was due at the end of November.

Let this mean nothing to all of you about how efficient and on top of things I am.

A mere blip on my map.

Really.

Honest.

Well, anyway, for those of you building your FIRST EVER Program Plan I will attempt to divulge the secrets.

For those who want something really elaborate and amazing, you should probably go over to Cindy Rushton's website and hear an audio or two about pulling your life together. I can't offer that here.

Instead, I present to you: THE BARE BONES ESSENTIAL TO PROGRAM PLAN WRITING

Now, word on the street is that the first thing you need to have is a FAMILY VISION statement.

What that is translated to mean to me is a long conversation with my husband about what we want our family to look like.

This is a two hour conversation at my house.

I am on a deadline and so I schedule a talk for next week and get on with the planning....because here is a little unknown secret that I am going to give you for free.

I'm not even going to make you give me your email address in order to get it.

Are you ready?

Plans can change.

Plans are adaptable.

Plans are FLUID.

Yes, I wrote FLUID. Write it down because in about six months it will replace "iconic" as the new catch phrase that is tossed around on the net and in benign interviews with celebrities commenting on their co-workers.

You heard it hear first. Got that?

So, the point here is this:

If you can't squeeze in a chat with your main squeeze right away, go ahead and make the plan. You can always go back and adjust the plan to suit the Family Vision.

Just Make the Program Plan.

Don't use the unwritten Family Vision as an excuse not to get something in writing.

I find that it is more productive to make up the plan and share it with my husband. He then offers insight, affirms decisions and points out new goals.

We work better when he has something concrete in front of him to base the discussion on.

Make the changes once you have your Family Vision and then SUBMIT the final copy.

Easy-peasy-lemon-squeezy

What I am about to unveil to you is not the actual plan that Louis and Joyce presented...this is how I interpreted it. This may work for some of you. For others, you may wrinkle your nose in disgust and head on over to Cindy Rushton's to find out who she is.

THE BARE BONES ESSENTIAL TO PROGRAM PLAN WRITING:

Start by praying and asking God for wisdom, then

1. Pick a child who is currently being homeschooled

2. Write down their strengths and weaknesses and abilities

3. Looking at the weaknesses, identify the character issues that need to be strengthened (diligence, initiative, excellence, etc.)

4. Take stock of what it is you need to be successful? What IS keeping you from being succcessful? How can their strengths be used to fortify the weaknesses?

5. Pick your subjects. Or, in my case, categories. I don't like seperating subjects because all of our learning has smudged edges that blend together like a charcoal drawing.

I choose categories like: Literacy, Numeracy, Nature, Community, etc.

You can chose Reading, Writing, Arithmetic, Spelling, and all the other subjects, if you are so inclined.

6. Under each category write down your goal and the resource materials you are going to use.

7. Assess- write down how you will assess their learning (observation, tests, performances, etc)

TA-da. that's it. Seven steps to a new Program Plan.

In the words of Inspector Gadget, "Wowsers!"

Join me tomorrow when I will be discussing Goals and How to Recognize One.

Although, I'm sure by then, it will have a snazzy title.

Ciao!

Survey

2011-09-20T14:57:00.000-07:00

Hey Everyone,

In an attempt to make this blog better for you, I've put together a quick survey for you to fill out.

It's 3 questions and can be done in less than 3 minutes.

I'd appreciate your input.

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/JVH9GHH

Thanks!

FAILED. Foiled. Fueled.

2011-09-19T05:18:00.001-07:00

I started our new season of learning with a bang!

And then the bang fizzled, sputtered and eventually died out.

Leg surgery can really knock a girl out.

Along with an unexpected stomach virus.

Bah!

Any plans I had of taking off with great speed this year failed.

Instead, it was a week of audiobooks on CD.

One good thing came out of it, though. When I asked my son what color my legs were he learned a new colour: purple.

Apparently the doctors aren't kidding when they say your legs are severely bruised after varicose vein surgery.

They didn't lie about the pain either.

I sat in my chair feeling low.

And then dizzy.

You think you feel bad recovering from surgery, but the truth is, you don't know bad until you are recovering from surgery AND have a stomach virus.

And let me just describe it to you in the most verbose way I have available at 6 am: it was bad.

I'm sure that clears everything up for you.

On Tuesday, I looked at my watch. It was the 13th of September.

Last year, this time, I was flying high with how much fun we were having in our new school year. My kids and I had come home singing, "Where are you going charming Billy?" after a day filled with fun at the Wisdom Home School BBQ. We tumbled through the doors of our home only to find a message that told me my husband was in a work related accident and in the emergency room.

Has it really been a year?

I looked down the hall and watched my husband walk into his office to study. He's endured months of physio, a surgery, re-training and more physio. Now he waits for word on his next surgery.

It has been a long year.

I wanted this year to be different.

Last year was a blur. I don't even know if we learned anything other than how to get in and out of a car to drive to physio. I looked over my daily learning photos and realize that somehow in the midst of the craziness, we did learn something.

My attempts to start this year seemed foiled, somehow.

I am drained of physical energy, low on enthusiasm and thinking of the year ahead has made me take another painkiller.

Seriously?

This is not the way to begin a new year.

I lay on my bed and talk to God. "Tell me about interruptions," I ask.

I am reminded of the story in Luke 8:40-56. Jesus was headed over to heal a sick girl whose father's name was Jairus. But on the way, He stopped and said, "Who touched me?"

It was revealed that a woman with a issue of blood had dared to touch Jesus, and in doing so became healed. Jesus told her that her faith had made her well. While this exchange went on, Jairus' servants came and told them to not bother coming--the daughter had died.

Jesus was not to be interrupted. He told them, "Don't be afraid, just believe and she will be healed." Jesus went in to see the girl, admidst mocking and laughing from those who thought the situation was impossible. He told the girl to get up and immediately her spirit returned to her. She was alive!

Jesus set out to see Jairus' daughter, but was interrupted. The interruption brought healing to a woman who was in desperate need of restoration. The interruption suddenly seemed to have been time wasted when the servant announced Jairus' daughter had died. Jesus didn't think so. He went about continuing the work He set out to do and raised the girl from the dead.

Maybe interruptions are just a detour of a healing work God is doing in our lives.

And maybe they are actually setting the stage for something more spectacular. Perhaps they are even the prelude to an event that will grow your faith like never before--even resurrecting something that everyone thought was dead.

Suddenly, I don't feel so off track with our new school year.

I actually feel full. Ready to embrace the journey no matter the shape it takes.

I'm fueled up for the ride ahead.

Bring it on!

Starting with a Bang: The Orchard Year

2011-09-19T04:32:00.000-07:00

Remember when I wrote about creating Power Moments for your kids? Here's how it went down at our house this year to kick off the new school year.

I like beginnings to be marked. I love the anticipation of events just about to begin. I love the feelings evoked from the moments just before a race or a game. Beginnings are important. They mark the start of change.

Even though we unschool our kids and most of our learning just feels like life unfolding naturally, I still like to mark the beginning of a new season.

This year is The Orchard Year at my house. An orchard is a piece of land set aside for the purpose of growing fruit. We have decided, as a family, to be set aside for God to allow Him to develop the Fruit of the Spirit in our lives.

This was a theme that needed to be introduced with panache. It needed a celebratory tone as my husband and I were introducing some goals, disciplines and new changes to our lives. It seems a spoonful of sugar would help our new "medicine" (change) go down well.

All we needed to start was a ball of string.

The string was unwound all over our yard, creating a maze that travelled through haphazard obstacles, wound its way through garden paths and weaved around the entire yard.

I sat the kids down and told them to observe the string in the midst of our huge yard. What did they see?

The yard was big. The string was relatively small compared to the yard. You couldn't really see where the string was going because it was small.

I talked about how following God and growing in God is very similar. Life can be a huge place and you could go all over, venturing into places unknown or even places forbidden. Learning to follow God and His voice for your life was like the string. It required focus, attention and a fair amount of holding on tight. I asked them to start following the string.

The string led them on a bit of a wild chase. Shortly into their walk, I asked them to stop and look around them. Hanging off a plant, I had a paper cherry with the word LOVE written on it. I asked them to pick the fruit.

We talked about how as we follow God ( the string) we will grow in His character. I told them to be on the look out for all the 9 ways we could grow in the Fruit of the Spirit. The adventure was on as they began to climb over obstacles and crawl under chairs following the string and hunting for the different fruit.

Finally, they arrived at the end. They managed to find: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, faithfulness, goodness, gentleness and self-control. They brought all of the fruit with them to the end of the string.

At the end of the string, I had a poster board of a tree. The tree had fruit candy taped to it. I gave each of them a candy and asked them to describe it. It was the strawberry candies that have the wrappers that look like strawberries. My children said that the candy was sweet and tasted great. They also noted that it lasted a long time.

We discussed how following God and allowing Him to develop our character will produce good things in our lives and that it will last a long time. We talked about whether or not following the string was easy or difficult.

"It wasn't too hard if you paid attention to where it was going. Sometimes you could run ahead of the string and then have to go back to where the string was actually taking you."

More discussion on following God and how the path He leads us down is straight, narrow and sometimes seems to be filled with obstacles. Even the parts that had lots of obstacles were easy to get around if you followed the string.

When the candies were done, I talked about how it was a gift to others to be a fruitful person. Then I told them they better look on our kitchen table and see if there were any gifts for our new season of schooling.

They bolted into the house. I see that our "patience" tree is going to require some growing this year!

Unwrapping new art supplies, books, and science gadgets was filled with fun and mayhem.

Then we prayed as a family and dedicated this new growing season to God.

I'm excited to see where this new year leads.

Don't Let a Block(ed) Parent Drive the Bus

2011-09-12T20:01:00.000-07:00

Being a Block(ed) Parent:

A book on Mediating Learning and Blocking

by 5minutemom

illustrated by: M* Will3ms

(with apologies to M* Will3ms and his fabulous book "D*n't Let the Pig3*n Drive the Bus!"

from where the illustrations have been taken from. Without permission.

I hope that's ok,

Maybe your next book can be called, "Don't let the blogger take photos of the bird".

Has kind of a best-seller ring to it, don't ya think?)

Dedicated to:

Parents everywhere who deal with a blocking attitude when instructing your child

to children everywhere who deal with parents who get blocked from your blocking attitude

FOREWORD:

This book is great!

I loved it and it changed my life.

Pretend to read this book with a British accent. It will add to the humour.

-anonymous important expert-like person

PREFACE:

This book is about working with your children when they have a Blocking Attitude. An attitude that clearly suggests that they aren't interested in learning.

Mediated Learning techniques can help you and your child move from a Blocked Attitude to an Attitude that is willing and ready to learn.

Often times, we, the parent, throw our hands in the air and say, "Let's just forget this right now!" when we encounter a blocking attitude.

tsk! tsk! That's not a very successful place to end things is it?

But what is to be done?

First, let's identify if you are, what I like to call, 'A Block(ed) Parent'.

No, I'm not referring to being a safe house for kids who are lost. I am referring to your attitude when you come up against a challenge.

A challenge that has your child saying to you, "This is dull (stupid, moronic-- or for you classical reader families--This is extremely tedious and non-sensical)"

How you RESPOND makes all the difference.

Let us begin our journey and discover if you are a Block(ed) Parent.

CHAPTER ONE: Have you done your math question yet?

The parent asks how math is going and the child grunts, puts down his pencil and mumbles something that closely resembles a noisy muffler on a car.

Parent asks, "What's wrong?"

They say,"I hate this. Why do we have to do math anyway? I want to go outside."

CHAPTER 2: Begging is what dogs do

Parent: Come on! Let's give it a go. None of this attitude today. Please try again.

Child: crosses arms and looks indifferent

Parent: Please.

CHAPTER 3: Two Can Play This Game

Parent (crossing arms and glaring): Son, you need to finish these questions before you go outside. Now, read the question out loud and we'll go from there.

Child feigns deafness.

CHAPTER 4: Motivational Techniques in a Nagging Form

Parent: Come on! I know you can do this! It wasn't that hard last week, so pull up the boot straps and get to work. We still have geography and history to cover.

CHAPTER 5: Desperate Homeschool Mom

Parent sinks to the low blow of bribing child to do work.

CHAPTER 6: Perhaps Increasing the Volume Will Help

Parent, losing their own self-regulation, starts to take out their frustration about the situation on the child (in a loud, yelling-ish tone): What's the big deal? Why can't you just do this so we can get on to geography!!!

CHAPTER 7: The Future Looks Bleak

Parent sees no hope for the situation and starts to imagine the worst possible future, doubting her own sanity and questioning if she can possibly homeschool for another day.

Thoughts of her child ending up unemployed and living at home when they are 35 flit across their mind.

CHAPTER 8: Meltdown

The parent loses it.

CHAPTER 9: Guilt sets in

Child is forgotten by parent. Parent starts to madly clean her house in order to deal with her high level of frustration over her child's lack of interest in math.

Parent is convinced that she is crazy for homeschooling and starts to question her sanity on a deeper level

I was once a parent like that.

I had meltdowns over math questions that went no where.

And if you have acted like that crazy ol' bird in the book, start over.

Here's how you get your chid to UNblock.

Ready....

drumroll.....

Ask questions.

In particular, ask Process Questions.

As you ask questions, watch to see which criteria is coming up.

Is your child afraid of a challenge? Do they need to self-regulate and focus?

Is it competence? Can you provide an optimistic alternative?

Can the problem being broken down into smaller pieces?

Is it lacking meaning for your child? Can you bridge to a past experience that relates to this one?

As you listen to your child, you will start to see where they are blocked in their learning.

Here's a tip.

Go back to their last success in this particular subject. Show them what they have done and how they can build on their last success with this challenge. Be willing to offer an optimistic alternative.

Most importantly, leave them in a place of success.

But whatever you do,

Don't Lose Your Cool and Become a Block(ed) Parent!

THE END

Keep This Mummy Under Wraps

2011-09-12T17:28:00.001-07:00

I am a Mummy.

Officially.

My legs are wrapped in tensor bandages from toe to hip.

Both of them.

Such is the result of varicose vein surgery.

So...for now.,,,

I'm under wraps.

I will re-appear on this blog as soon as the pain medication wears off.

Which can be loosely translated as some time next week.

Til then...

Cheers!

Interview with a five year old

2011-09-11T13:01:00.000-07:00

I saw this interview over at Ordinary Life Magic and wanted to try it with my gang.

Here is the interview with my five year old.

1. What is something I always say to you?
Hmmm. I don't know. That question is really hard to answer.
Take some time to think about it.
"I need tape! I need tape! That's what you always say, "I need tape!" (Raises her hands in the air dramatically)

2. What makes me happy?

uhhhh...when I make you feel good.

How do you make me feel good?

Well, sometimes I make you food snacks and bring them to you.

Yes, that does make me feel good.

3. What makes me sad?
When you cry, that makes you sad.
What makes me cry?
Well, you cry out in pain when you stub your toe. Or when someone dies or gets kidnapped, that makes you sad. And that's all I know.

4. How do I make you laugh?
Tickle me. Like when we play Pickle. *** (see bottom for instructions)
5. What was I like as a child?
I don't really remember.
I've told you some stories, what was I like in those stories?
Now that's a good question Let me think for a moment. (she pauses). One story that you told me was that you would run down your driveway and go down the sidewalk and jump into the creek at the end of the driveway. That was really funny.

There are no sidewalks in the country. I grew up in the country, remember?

What? There's no sidewalks in the country? You are kidding my eyeballs out!

Nope, not kidding. No sidewalks.

You will have to show me that sometime.

6. How old am I?
32. Are you?
Yes.
I knew it!

7. How tall am I?
30 feet.
Not quite.
Let me measure you then.

(using her fingers she measures me to b e 18 pinches)

8. What is my favorite thing to do?
Be silly

9. What do I do when you’re not around?
You be sad.
Am I sad because you aren't with me.

That's right!

10. If I become famous, what will it be for?
Mommy, there is something I am trying to reach. Now,I can't speak right now because I am busy, busy, busy. I just need to try and get this thing.

Did I interrupt you?

Yes, you did.

I'm sorry. I didn't realize you were busy.

Could you ask me later once I'm done?

You bet.

Later...If I become famous, what will it be for?

Painting.

11. What am I really good at?
You are good at snuggling me.
"How do you know I'm good at it?"
Because you are soft and warm.
"Is there anything else I'm really good at?"
Making spaceships, and you are very good at sleeping.

12. What am I not very good at?

Not very good at sword fighting.

Anything else?

Walking with a cane.

13. What do I do for a job?

Go to the store in town. That's easy to answer.
What's my job at staying home?
um, laying down?

14.What is my favorite food?
Maranatha peanut butter and honey sandwiches
Like the ones you make for me?
Yeah.

15. What makes you proud of me?
Because you pretend to eat me.
When I pretend to tickle you?
Yeah.

Maybe I can phrase the question differently. What do you like about me being your mom?

You tickle me.

Anything else?

Nope.

16. If I were a Robot on the movie ROBOTS , who would I be?
Aunt Fanny. But you wouldn't have the big bum that she has!

17. What do you and I do together?
Have special dates, snuggle, tea parties with my dolls, pray

18. How are you and I the same?
We're not the same.
Are we alike in any way?
I don't know what that means, so I can't answer that.

19. How are you and I different?
Different voices, different eyesight--you need glasses, I don't. We dress differently. We have different coloured hair. We don't read the same books everyday. We don't use the same toothpaste. We look different. We have different looking ears from each other.

Now that you know how we are different. How are we the same?

We like some of the same songs. Well, you have necklaces and I want them. (haha!)

I know something that is the same...the toy kangaroos belong to both of us.

Sometimes we make the same faces. Sometimes the same smiles.

20. How do you know that I love you?
Because you do!

By telling me, hugging me, kissing me, playing with me, snuggling me, by keeping most of your promises, and hmmmm....

Any other ways that I show you I love you?

Because you say, "I love you" and you give me a kissing hand*** when we can't be

together.

Kissing Hand

Taken from the book, the Kissing Hand by Audrey Penn.

How to Play Pickle

Sit your child down and tell them that you are going to tickle her/him.

When they want you to stop they need to say "Pickle."

Start tickling them.

Your child will say "Pickle."

Then you say, "Tickle? Did you just say tickle? Ok. I'll tickle you!"

That usually makes them say Pickle louder, so that means you tickle harder.

And so on and so forth until vast amounts of merriment have taken place and your child is begging you to stop.

Counting Laundry Bottles for Jesus

2011-09-07T14:37:00.000-07:00

" Lead me to those who need You today, Jesus. Bring across my path anyone who is the least of these and let me love them with Your love."

This is the prayer I pray every time I walk to work.

It's led me to have some interesting encounters.

Today was no different.

At ten o'clock in the morning a little girl wandered into the store I work at. She was without supervision. We started talking. I learned that she was seven, that she was walking around down town by herself and that she was supposed to be in school but didn't want to go.

I called someone over and explained what was going on. They said they would take care of things. A grandmother was called, words were exchanged and someone planned to come and get her.

I invited her to stock the shelves with me. We played math games.

"If I put one laundry detergent bottle on the shelf and we started with six, how many do you have left?"

She looks up at the ceiling...thinking. "Hmmmm. Five?"

"Yes."

We play like this for twenty minutes or so. We high-five her brilliant deductions, we celebrate her sounding out letters on the name brand labels and we smile when we empty all the boxes.

And then it was time for her to go. I walked her to the door and told her that she was the best shelf-stocker I had worked with in a long time. She smiled and waved goodbye.

As I walked back to the boxes, I heard God whisper, "Thank you."

I stopped. "For what, God?"

"For loving Me today."

I wanted to shake that thought away. I didn't change this girl's situation. I didn't even tell her about Christ. We simply counted laundry bottles together.

"I was hungry and you fed Me. That little girl wanted attention today, she wanted to be told she was smart and was helpful. So I sent her into the store today because I knew you would show her My kindness. What you did for the least of these, you did for Me."

I wanted to cry.

It would be okay. I am in the aisle where we stock Kleenex.

I think about this for the remaining two hours of my shift. I think about how God's kindness leads us to repentance. How we can be kind to others and it can lead them to knowing God's love.

And sometimes, showing His kindness to others leads us to repentance. It is ourselves who find the need to repent.

Repenting for times lost when it only takes a moment to love and we passed it by.

Repentance for thinking that doing the great, big flashy deeds only count as serving God.

Repentance for judging all of the outside of a situation, but forgetting that at the core is a little girl who needs some kindness.

I want to be known as someone who showed others God's kindness.

And in the process, let it find me on bended knee, claiming Christ as my saving grace and only strength.

I included the version with lyrics on screen. The chorus rings true for today, non?

Not a Lame Excuse

2011-09-06T22:55:00.000-07:00

My camera is in intensive care right now.

And that is why the Great Big Post on How I Started Homeschool with a Bang will be put on hold until one of the following happens:

1. My camera is miraculously cured

2. My handsome man, Jeep, who is a phenomenal photographer, will take the pictures for me. Please, pretty, please, oh husband of mine?

Until then, just know...that is was WOW! A great moment.

But I forgot the balloons.

But still, very WOW-ish!

I know that you are wondering how I could have a WOW moment without balloons, but it can happen friends. It can happen.

Until then....

I Accept Being Great with Great Humility

2011-09-06T21:55:00.000-07:00

Seems that I've won myself a blog award! Yahoo for me! Yahoo for you because really without you reading my blog this would just be a journal that I published online that no one read.

Oh wait...it kind of is that.

Anyway, the reason I am most excited about winning this award is because....it means I actually have someone reading this blog. Someone who is other than my friend Christine. Christine reads my blog faithfully. So, as you can see, it is a happy day for me...I have two readers who read my blog.

Two down...rest of the world to go.

Now on with the award show.

In order to fulfill this award I have to say seven things that I like and pass on the award to other blogs that I like.

First things first,though. Since this is my award, I can accept it however I like.

Let's imagine that I have my hair done up and I'm wearing that black dress and diamond outfit that Audrey Hepburn is famous for. Eyelashes included. Long, fake unnecessary cigarete thing is optional.

Here is my speech, written as though Jane Austen would have said it.

Anne Therese, it is with great delight, and with somewhat of a surprise nature on my part, that I most humbly accept this blog award from you. You know far better than I do what lovely things are out there in the world, That I am considered among them flatters me a great deal and leaves my heart thankful for your friendship and kind manners. In parting, it must be said that your own creative way of blogging has most profoundly effected me for the two minutes that I read it. I leave changed. A better woman. Wiser, as well. It should come as no surprise that since we both adored the BBC film version of Emma starring Romola Garai that we are, in short, of the same heart, mind and opinion on all things that are lovely and in good taste. I, too, enjoy washing dishes and therefore have concluded that we are Loveliness personified. Thank you all. Good night.

Now here are seven things that I like:

1. I like water. I grew up beside water. Water and I are like this: (imagine two fingers crossed showing a perfect example of being really close)

2. I like poetry. The Gowden Locks of Anna by Robert Burns is one of my favourite poems. (Click here to hear it in song form)

3. I like to eat peanut butter from the jar

4. I like having staring contests with my husband

5. I like to smile

6. I like the synergistic blend of cheese and salsa on nachos

7. I like to drive down the highway really fast to the song "Leavin" by Paul Brandt, especially at the part where it sounds like the song is accelerating. I accelerate and drive really fast and pass all the cars by yelling "Here I Go!" with the windows rolled

down. Weeeeeeeeeee!

I am supposed to award the blog to 15 others. But I don't read that many blogs.

I only read a few.

So I will nominate two of them.

1. SE7EN-If you want to learn about homeschooling, you learn from a mama of se7en+1 kids. She has it all. Plus she does all my web hunting for me. Every Friday she provides me with oodles of links and I look at them because she likes them. She also got me hooked on PinInterest and so I am forever indebted

2. The Lumberjack's Wife

I love her blog because she gives away meaningless points, she says BOO! when things go bad, her son always breaks his glasses (and when I say always, I mean always) and she always posts the same picture of her father-in-law. I could say more but I think the photo of her father-in-law says it all.

see what you are missing? Go check out her site!

Creating Power Moments

2011-09-02T21:07:00.000-07:00

5...4...3...2...1 HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!

The shouting begins, strains of Auld Lang Syne strain to fill the air over the shouts and well wishes of everyone. Let the kissing begin. Letting the pretend singing of Auld Lang Syne happen where everyone mumbles the words while that one Aunt belts out the words clearly because she actually knows them. Raise a glass. Tell yourself this year will be different and smile at your friends and family.

When you read the above...did you feel it? Just for a second, did you find yourself back in time wearing a ridiculous hat and swaying to the overused song.

If so, I'll tell you why it happened.

It's because Happy New Year, at some point in time,was a power moment for you.

A moment infused with energy, emotion, and enthusiasm.

A power moment usually has music or colour and lights or flamboyant gestures. It stands out from among the rest of the moments that happen because you connected emotionally with the moment. All 5 senses were engaged and you were truly present in the moment.

School begins next week at my house. And I love to start things off with a Power Moment.

I think it sets the tone for the year. It gets us all excited that we are heading in a new direction as a family.

And we get to wear corny hats.

I am being hush-hush quiet and not posting for the next few days because I don't have a shop full of elves to do all my dirty work. It must be pulled together and pulled off by yours truly and her handsome sidekick Jeep.

So, until Tuesday, friends.

Tell me...what are you doing to start off the new year of school with a bang?

Monday August 29 2011

2011-08-29T19:10:00.000-07:00

Drawing

Building Towers

Making Jell-o

Playing with Neighbors

Reading the Diggingest Dog

Listening to the Mixed Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. F???? something or other

Playing store complete with money and bags

Collage art

wounded memory card that can't take pictures

Harvesting herbs

Gathering tomatoes

Getting ready for next week's start of the new learning year

Thursday August 25 2011

2011-08-29T18:13:00.001-07:00

Today began lamenting the fact that the pool was closing today. So we made a plan to spend as much time as possible at the pool.

We wanted to thank our lifeguards for the amazing job they did this summer. And because it is National Banana Split Day we decided to make up "Banana Split To Go" Bags. We packed candies, nuts, and coconut into their bags. They just needed to add ice cream.(If you do this idea, we wrapped up nuts seperately and checked with each life guard for allergies first before we added them to their Banana Split bags)

Gotta love our tag line: Thanks a bunch...written on the bananas!

Then off to the pool where every feat imaginable was performed

and every goofy trick

And then it was time to go home and eat dinner so that we could...

Come back for more swimming!

Five hours of pool time today and the hope that we've saved up enough of it to last us until next year.

Sniff! Weep! Goodbye pool!

And now that the pool is closed my official mourning over Summer's End has begun.

When summer ends it puts one more year between me and my childhood. And that makes me grieve the passing of the season.

But I'm easily cured when I see edible things...

It was time to celebrate National Banana Split Day!

Yum-OHHHHHHH!

Ahhhh! A really fun way to end August 25th

What I Will Miss About Summer Mornings

2011-08-29T17:22:00.000-07:00

Early in the morning I would swim lanes...

...and pray...

and breathe....

I will miss my mornings

Our Vehicle

2011-08-22T22:43:00.000-07:00

This is my vehicle.

This is my ride.

This is how we get around town.

In a one-vehicle family you have to get creative.

The benefits of this vehicle.

Multi-storage--many bags can be put on the the handles for easy towing convenience

Seatbelts-usually the arms of a sibling who will allow you to sit on there lap

Scenery-you walk everywhere, you see more. Spiderwebs, lost coins, the odd shoe here and there

Parking-take it with you

Natural-when it rains, you get wet. Get in touch with nature or be touched by it.

Low maintenance-light cleaning required

Obviously, this is the vehicle alternative for a one-car family

Monday August 22 2011

2011-08-22T20:19:00.000-07:00

Basketball games

Sandbox play with neighbours

Walk

Lunch on the go.

Before: the strawberry jam meets the muffin

After--jam muffin-wiches

picnicking never gets old

sweet treats

wheee!

enjoying the trees swaying against the sky

and we loved--LOVED!--the height this kite took. I love flying kites...can't believe it took us this long to do it!

played with helicopter seeds

books--what else?

felt play-- Goldilocks is upstairs and the three bears are downstairs. Approaching conflict....

home to play with neighbours

make chicken fingers

and chase a basketball down the street

sunset watching

Friday August 19 2011

2011-08-21T20:26:00.000-07:00

WE went hunting for benches. Our town has a Bench Quest going on right now and we were trying to find them all.

And all Quest and no play, makes this family dull...so off to the slides

And look at these cool toys at the park. Is it just me or is this a huge step up from the one metal slide and set of monkey bars that I grew up with

Stopped at a war monument and had a good discussion

walked along the fence post

pool time

My kids decided that they were making dinner tonight and they made tacos!!!!

Then we played some games of Mancala and called it a night

Wednesday August 17 2011

2011-08-17T20:06:00.000-07:00

sculptures to start off the morning

the morning had us harvest our garden

My eldest set out a blue blanket for the ocean. The laundry basket is her ship, the basket tied to the laundry basket is holding the bag that she meticulously packed this morning while announcing she was headed off to sea...to see....

Treasure Island, of course.

We worked in the garden and yard while listening to the tales of Treasure Island.

And painted some chairs

and studied our bug friends

while basking in the sun

And later I went through a box of homeschooling stuff to get ready for the new year. See my Mediated Learning binder on the right there-- Essential to me for planning a new year.

Getting Ready for the New School Year

2011-08-17T12:24:00.000-07:00

For those of you who read my blog, you may be wondering why I am writing about Planning for the New School Year.

My photos of daily learning clearly show that if we were to define how we homeschool it would fall into the Natural Learning or Unschooling column.

So....what do I do to get ready for the next year if I let learning unfold naturally? Do I set goals?

Well, shocker...yes I do.

Here's how I get ready for the new school year.

I pray.

I ask God for wisdom and direction for our new year.

I usually use the scripture from Luke 2:40 to set my goals. This scripture talks about how Jesus grew up.

And the Child grew and became strong in spirit, filled with wisdom; and the grace (favor and spiritual blessing) of God was upon Him.

Amplified version.

I once read about a mom who broke this scripture down into four areas of growth.

1.Growing (physically)

2. Growing in wisdom and knowledge

3. Growing in favour with God

4. Growing in favor with man

I pray and ask questions regarding these four areas.

1. Physically

What can we do this year to grow healthy and strong?

Do we need to look at our food and diet differently?

What things will we incorporate into our diet this year?

What areas of hygiene need more attention?

What kind of exercise are we getting?

How often are we getting outside?

2. Growing in wisdom and knowledge

What areas are we curious about this year?

What ideas, basics of learning, principles need to be introduced this year?

How can we stretch our brains?

What books can we read?

What skills can be acquired?

3.Growing in favour with God

What scriptures do we want to memorize this year?

How can we increase in our love for the poor?

What does our prayer life look like as a family? as individuals?

What parts of the Bible do we want to learn this year?

What does worship look like?

What does serving look like this year?

4.Growing in favour with man

This is our INTENTIONAL character plan.

What areas of character need to be worked on?

How can we serve others?

What friends will we be making intentional effort with?

What area of family dynamics do we need to focus on (communication, conflict resolution, etc.)

I ask myself those questions.

And I pray some more.

I set up character and spiritual goals for the year.

I have a few educational and personal relationship goals.

I include my family in on this discussion, but Dad and I have final say so as to what we do.

Then I break down the goals month by month.

There aren't many goals. Just a few important ones.

And of course, as plans and goals go, they are adjustable and flexible with the unfolding of life.

What questions do you ask yourself?

Tuesday August 16 2011

2011-08-17T08:19:00.000-07:00

Geoboard designs

Friends arrive and we head out for a nature walk!

and discover things great and small

glittering beetle in the center of this pic

finally! The Swamp!

We got our hands wet

and went exploring in the mud

We discovered many snails, slugs, worm, bugs, striders and all sorts of swamp nature.

then my batteries died

We headed out to the bridge and played Pooh Sticks (Think House at Pooh Corner boat races) and cherry bombs!

Then headed back home where we served a delicious meal of sammies.

The moms sat and listened to Cindy Rushton's audio show on homeschooling and was greatly encouraged.

cowboy art

long walk

library stop

Pool play

longer walk home

farewell, farewell,farewell

and then more Treasure Island audio listening

Friday August 12 2011

2011-08-12T21:16:00.000-07:00

This morning we went to town.

When we go to town, the day is always filled with activity.

Today we went early.

Early is defined by me as a time before I get makeup on.

Thankfully, I can apply my makeup at high speeds...while my hubby drives! ;)

Also, early means that I break down and attend a fast food restaurant. So my children are treated to a MacDonald's hot cakes meal.

And then we head to an early morning nature walk.

And we are greeted by a garter snake

And then made quiet by the lush green of the forest

We went birdwatching...and there is a bird in the tree there. (truly, there is)

We loved seeing the woodpeckers, wrens, sparrows and many other birds we didn't identify but we know are real birds ;)

ahhhh!

Over to the nature center to learn a few things about trees

We made a quick stop at the library...because our library system is so cool. They offer free...FREE!..passes to the museum. I am all about no cost adventures, so we picked up our pass and headed to the museum.

And we explored the museum. I love this museum because there are a lot of "hands on" opportunities for the kids. Of course, time to play with the dolls.

And we practiced zoning a city

learned about the zoo

used a coal miner's bunker

studied old school readers

found the souvenir shop where all the candy was located

And thought about stopping for tea! But we couldn't, because we had to get Daddy and jump in the car and zoom away to the magical land of ....

the LAKE!

We played wildly for an hour or so and then our friends showed up. Followed by a sweet surprise of more friends! Yay! Party at the lake!

We got busy doing the basics of lake time:

eating

sitting in lawn chairs

watching kids tow seaweed

swim and float

toss water

catch minnows

And then....

off to another park for my best friend's birthday.

For 6 years, my friend Miss LoLo B has wanted to go to tubing down the river. But either she's been pregnant or just had a baby or the weather has been awful. But not this year. This year...this year we conquered the river (even though we nearly lost our sanity driving and working out car arrangements, even though we got covered in mud and nearly lost our shoes, even though we hit the slowest lull in the river and almost prompted a husband search and rescue team...after all the drama, we finally fulfilled the forever dream of conquering the river)

Happy Birthday, Girl!

Thursday August 11 2011

2011-08-12T21:06:00.000-07:00

Among all the goofiness of the day, we found time to listen to Call It Courage and King Arthur.

And once we got tired of staring out the window in fascination at the dark skies and the lightning, we decided to make jam.

Sweet, bottled red deliciousness.

Wednesday August 10 2011

2011-08-10T18:27:00.000-07:00

Stunning flowers to color up the day

off for an early morning visit with our dear friends from Africa

play at the park and ate a whole plate of cookies

Ran around doing appointments until we got away on horseback and escaped to a farm

where we tried the make shift zip line

and started picking strawberries

looking for the red ripe ones

discovering big, juicy fruit

And on the way back to the car a mud puddle attacked the youngest member of the clan

Eating the spoils of the day make up for it though.

off to the pet store. Seriously, this is the cheapest entertainment out there

That grey fish has it's mouth against the window. It was weird. You had to keep watching it like an accident on the side of the road. You just had to find out what is going on.

Stingrays!

a very serious looking fish

coral and stuff

a black and white polka dot fish

reptiles

a ssssssnake

This is a sloth. You can't tell because the sloth wouldn't pose for me. Imagine that. A non-cooperative sloth. Huh? Who knew? But, rest assured, it is a sloth.

yellow birdies

A cat. I hate cats, just for the record.

awww...sleeping puppy

waterfalls inside the store

home just in time to watch a storm

and hide from the hail!

wrestling Daddy and tickles galore

haircuts and snuggles

g'night!

Tuesday August 9 2011

2011-08-10T18:03:00.001-07:00

Puppy love at a friend's house

playing baseball and other antics

moms have tea...blessed tea

riding on the tractor!

being introduced to kohlrabi

sprinkler games

admiring gardens

home to make cookies for neighbours

spontaneous baseball game with neighbour starts up

all is well with the world

Cinderelly, Cinderelly

2011-08-09T23:32:00.000-07:00

Something you may not know about me is that I am a Cinderella freak.

I LOVE the story of Cinderella.

I *HEART* it.

Really. I have almost read every version of it. I have watched almost ever movie version made of it (except for cheap youtube knockoffs. A girl has GOT to have some standards!)

I love Cinderella.

There's just something about it that reminds me about my relationship with Jesus.

I was a broken mess. Fatherless and alone. Believing lies about myself. But then I met this Prince of Peace and had a radical encounter with Him that made me desperate for His love. And nothing could keep us apart. The end.

I just love Cinderella.

And so it will come as no surprise that now that there is a new version of Cinderella emerging, I am excited and stoked.

I have listened to this song (see video below) over a dozen times in the last hour. I many be approaching PATHETIC on the meter that gages COOLNESS.

This song is from the new film A Cinderella Story: Once Upon a Song.

Monday August 8 2011

2011-08-08T20:52:00.000-07:00

Things that I said today:

No, we won't be having ice cream for breakfast today or any day, unless its Saturday and you catch me in one of my goofy moods.

Thank you for this Christimas gift. I always wanted a Hulabaloo game. Did you wrap this yourself?

No.

I should call Corrina.

Yes, your birthday is more than 30 days away.

Die, weed die!

Anybody want some ice cream?

I need to call Corrina.

Don't pee on the plants, please.

No.

Yes, gardening can be tough work some times. But the food makes up for it.

I was just talking to Corrina.

No.

The pool isn't that cold. Actually, it is that cold but I'm forcing you in here just the same.

Yelling the chorus lyrics to Leavin' by Paul Brandt out the window:

In a truck, in a train, in a car, in a bus
Change my luck, can't stay, going far, in a rush
Got that getaway feeling
I'm Leavin' Hey!

And don't forget to moisturize your neck. The neck never lies. If you don't moisturize your neck it comes back to haunt you in your fifties. Then you start wearing turtlenecks...in July.

I'm going to kiss the kids while their sleeping. Be right back.

Really? A remake of Dirty Dancing? No one says "No one puts baby in the corner" the same way. You can't remake that. First, they redo Footloose, now this. Don't even get me started on how no one should mess with the Kevin Bacon classic. You just can't recreate Holding Out For A Hero. They are going to mess it all up with flashy movie stuff that's used today. Now I sound old.

I'm this far away from waving my hands in the air and blaming everything on Trudeau.

Goodnight.

Weekends in August 2011

2011-08-08T08:43:00.000-07:00

picnics

throwing rocks

blowing bubbles

building sand castles

taking in beauty

chalk grafitti on the rocks

Swimming!

Slurpees

And reading one of my favourite blog posts evah!!!! click here to read it!

Friday August 5 2011

2011-08-05T18:25:00.000-07:00

This morning we wrote multiple thank you cards

and then made ice cream in a bag

After 8 minutes of work--it was ready and delicious!

outside for a tour of our flower beds

inside for drawings and reading stories

off to the pool--our 2nd home

Cannonball!

Flannel boards at the library

books, books, books

A walk

reading our new books: Green Noses, Emma's Eggs, Stuart Little, Curious George and Curious George goes to the movies

Drawing

Fort making for our camp out in the living room

And movie night

Watching the thunderstorm come in

and reading more books by twinkly lights inside the cozy fort

Bon nuit!

August 4 2011

2011-08-04T21:12:00.000-07:00

Swimming

under

the

blue

sky.

Eating

peas

from

the

Farmer's

Market.

Great

talks

with

friends.

Summer

bliss

August 3 2011

2011-08-04T21:01:00.001-07:00

On August 3 and four

we walked outside our front door

And went into the leafy trees

to spot the flowers, creeks and bees

a nature walk for the pair of us

where we found wild asparagus

and a bridge that arches over water

that made us wish we brought your father

Laughed with new friends on our walk

spit cherries from the green bridge dock

raced home to eat a feast

while listening to audios by Jim Weiss

Still life drawing for the afternoon

Reading books about the moon

playing games and neighbour talk

out again for another walk

Dinner, stories and bird song choir

Eating ice cream by the fire

Lights are out, sky is dark

Home is happy, content this heart

Tuesday August (!) 2 2011

2011-08-02T19:05:00.000-07:00

August is here....time to soak up the sun!

The day is bright and we're off for a nature walk

A trot across the bridge

Sighing at the water

Hooray for saskatoon berries

A walk in the fields

And a swinging time at the park

making sand creations

Back home for a picnic lunch

and a run to the pool

some new books from the library

--yay! More Jim Weiss!

Restaurant games

And real ice cream:

Vanilla and saskatoon berries

vanilla and balsamic vinegar and strawberries

Yum!

And then out for a community game of soccer-baseball

August is going to be a good month!

Friday July 29 2011

2011-07-29T16:39:00.000-07:00

Today we had some friends over to play Pinaqua...

which, as you can see, is a water-filled pinata!

Then we ran through the sprinklers

drove trucks

made forts

played dolls

chased eachother around while eating peas

made clay gargoyles from Notre Dame

had a mud bath

And then jumping in the mud puddles

landing in a splash

and becoming a total mud mess!

Wednesday July 27 2011

2011-07-29T16:09:00.000-07:00

We worked on a multi-coloured drawing of a tractor

while listening to Galileo and the Stargazers

I was caught playing hide and seek with my crew

Qwirkle

Then we received a whole bunch of boxes from Greyhound via Grandma!

And inside there were tons of goodies. Like....

...my Grandmother's wedding dress and veil.

I had to try it on, obvs.

The buttons on the sleeve! Individual button loops!

I just love the sleeves on these. Aren't they stunning?

And my mom sent my old stuffie from childhood, Bryan the One Eared Dog! Now I can sleep at night.

We received some water toys--fake fish tank! My son is in love!

An old cd of mine from my youth.

Come on everybody--do you want a revolution,wooh,wooh. I said, Do you want a revolution?

No? Nobody gets that?

Come on. It's the album Bono sings on. Still, no? Ok.

I still love your music Kirk.

Click here to see the music video. for Revolution

(And for the others who do get it, my other two fave songs by KF: Hosanna, and September. I always end up dancing. Especially the chorus of September.

Weaving toy

And, what else...but a dinosaur that grows to 12x it's size!

Thanks Mom!