july, part 2

It really was a busy month. And right in the middle of it, on a Friday evening, Jameson reminded me of Founders’ Day, a local reenactment event. I’d told the kids we would try hard to get there, since we’d been reading about the French and Indian War over the summer, and this would help bring it to life. Ryan said, “You should go.” And so, in spite of all of the grown up things that needed my attention at home, the kids and I packed water bottles and granola bars and drove all the way to the St. Lawrence River. “That’s it?”, they said when we arrived. After driving to Maine the previous week, they were thankful!

And I was thankful we went. It was a truly lovely, peaceful, quiet, interesting, I-love-to-be-with-my-kids kinda day.

*****

Long days that stretch into the night mean little time with Ryan in this season. We were so excited when one Sunday afternoon, he said, “Let’s pack a lunch and all go to a beach!” The kids talked about swimming with Daddy for days and days afterward. He is the star around here, you know. I’m so thankful for this guy!

catching up

the baby

She’s six months old. Already heading towards seven months, twelve months, childhood. She rolls. Chews. Laughs. Verbalizes in an attempt to do what she sees us all doing. Cries at dinnertime every night. Wakes up early, thus ending my season of early morning walks alone. Ushering in a season of mornings with Fiona.

our days

Several days of not getting outside together have happened lately. I notice. I read about maintaining hardstops in your homeschooling days — times that, no matter what is in the middle of happening, every stops and gathers. For us, right now, those times are morning devotions and going outside after lunch. We may spend every single moment of the day together, but those times are together. I notice when we miss it. It’s good for my soul to just put the rest on hold and take a breath, recalibrate, see these people and hear the Holy Spirit.

We get ants-in-our-pants this time of year. Don’t we all? After being outside for a long trek two weeks ago, I packed up already-dressed kids and headed to the library. “Does anyone remember the #1 rule of the library?” Nope. It’s been that long. We left with the most ridiculous pile of books and days of excitement over new stories to read and pages to turn and worlds to discover. Thank You, Jesus, for dropping that idea in my head.

speaking of…

For history, we’ve been using Beautiful Feet Early American history. I was excited to have a curriculum that I could just do when there wasn’t time or energy to be creative, but also would allow for creativity and extras when appropriate. I love history, I love reading, and I love bunny trails, so literature-based unit approaches are the ticket. Of course, there is no perfect curriculum. What works now won’t work then, or for them, or for you, or whatever the variables may be! I’m the teacher. Curriculums are tools to use as I see fit. (Thanks, Mom, for modeling that!) We’ve very much enjoyed adding plenty of titles to our studies, as well as making up writing assignments and art projects and character studies (which sounds so official, but it’s just 2nd grade and K!) So far, some favorite additional titles have been Living Long Ago, A Viking Adventure, Exploration and Conquest, Blood on the River, and Our Strange New Land. We are, at last, about to leave Jamestown behind and plow ahead to 1620! Speeding right along. ;-)

still about books

One of the first ships carrying women and children to Jamestown was shipwrecked in the Bermudas, and its story inspired Shakespeare to write The Tempest. Well, you can’t just breeze over that fact! So we looked at William Shakespeare. I borrowed this book from the library, but thought it was really shooting for the moon. A 7 and 5 year old boy, sit and listen to a Shakespeare play? Really?

Really! They were on the edge of their seats! Clearly, he was a great playwright! At any rate, I recommend that series for an intro to Shakespeare.

Totally unrelated, I borrowed this book from the library. I mean, come on. Who could pass up those illustrations?

We read it. We talked about the paintings and the emotions they evoke. Then we listened to the Queen of Jazz. All this while eating pb&j around our kitchen table at lunch. Homeschooling doesn’t always feel like magic. But it’s incredible.

also

Jameson loves jazz. He wants me to buy him a jazz piano book. Mean Mama says not yet. Read that music, boy, and then we’ll talk.

Jameson also split his chin open and got himself some bright blue stitches.

Beatrice sings every song from The Sound of Music. Also, Little Bo-Peep has lost her sheep. All day long. While she twirls in her dress up skirt and does ballet. She quite genuinely thinks she’s the boss, but she’s learning.

William quietly is flying through his kindergarten math work. He loves every opportunity to better his reading skills. He cares for Beatrice and Fiona with tenderness.

There is the usual slacking off with chore diligence, heightened propensity toward bickering, and general end-of-winter troubles. Funny how life will routinely provide you with opportunities to deal with the sin inside. We’ll be happy when grass is growing and all, but right now is a chance to look at ourselves frankly and say, “Lord, change me.”

day by day

Routine days. The kind you crave come mid-August, the kind that can drive you mad by March. And not just routine; in my life, in this season, routine also means little. Chats that don’t get much deeper than cool battle scenes in Star Wars and what color socks are your favorite and you’re responsible for the arm that just jumped out and hit your sister, even though you swear it did it on its own. Tasks that are not much more demanding then deciding if the aqua dress is light enough to slip in with the whites, or the slightly more complex balance of screaming babe while toddler calls for you after falling in deep snow. Beauty that is as simple and sweet as a perfect freckle and toes that are pink and the sounds of harmony rather than bickering.

These have been my days.

Trench-digging, stone-laying. Sometimes muddy and mucky and awful, sometimes with pretty rocks that fit together without even trying — but still. Foundations. Being faithful day in, day out.

Seeing past the surface and confidently giving yourself completely to the silly chats and mundane tasks and simple treasuring, because it’s about loving people made in the image of God. More, calling hearts to Christ and shaping arrows to fly true.

*****

Football fans with their daddy, watching the Superbowl. I had no idea 5 year olds could watch for 4 hours. But they can.

Sun that shines so often here in the frozen north.

The Susan Constant and Jamestown. Sometimes learning is a bit messier than a textbook and pencil. But so much more fun.

My girlies watch while I do my little morning exercise. Some day we’ll be drinking coffee together in the wee hours, three women serving Jesus. For now, they’re my little princess babes.

Watching and waiting for our paperwhites to bloom. Hurray!

That awkward hour before dinner. All four gathered and entertained for at least a few minutes. (Don’t worry; I’m watching Fiona, although she just doesn’t move much yet, in true Sinclair fashion.)

Always something to amuse: Jameson dusted the table and turned our family of elephants into “shrimp cocktail.”

A snowy day yesterday meant fresh fields of sparkling diamonds today.

Snow forts are the thing.

This one. Growing every day. Reminding me that all of these days really do add up to Time.

revamp

Another tip: change it up.

This January, as we “hit the books” (in our 2nd grade and kindergarten way!), there was the need for something fresh. A new book wasn’t gonna happen this time around, so a tweak to the schedule it would have to be!

And so we did.

Earlier, quicker breakfast means earlier start to devotions means earlier start to our chore hour means MORE TIME BEFORE LUNCH! Last semester, we only spent an hour or so doing math and English/handwriting/reading before lunch, and then did history and science in the afternoon. Except that I’m at my absolute worst by afternoon. I need to just schedule “Mama totally crashes” into the day around 3pm. It’s all over. Dinner can make itself, because I’m just looking at bedtime. So, with all of those morning tweaks, we now have time to all meet at the table around 10am for a fun, energetic history lesson! We have a nice long hour to read, color, write little reports, look at globes, and whatever else we have that day. Then we have still another hour for the other stuff (stuff that also allows me to bake granola, take a shower, clean my bathroom, or whatever tasks need my attention.)

We all eat lunch, and then, for the best part of our new routine:

EVERYONE goes outside! The boys rush through lunch and clean up, because they know that Mama is coming out with them! We check the thermometer to determine how many hats and socks we should wear, but otherwise, no excuses! That’s the plan, anyway. Fiona slips into the Ergo, and Ryan’s big down-filled coat fits over both of us just perfectly. Beatrice is the trooper-est of a two year old — she’ll tromp through woods and frozen-over swamps and under branches and over fields for the better part of an hour. Altogether, it’s just the right thing to do in this season of our lives.

We come back inside with pink cheeks, exhilaration, and joy — and a hankering for hot cocoa! (Not every day, but as often as it seems okay!) Beatrice gets quickly whisked off to bed for her nap, and then the boys and I have been settling into our sun-warmed family room for a chapter or two of Narnia. I actually can get through a bit of reading without falling asleep mid-sentence, thanks to a good romp in the snow.

Thus ends the “structure” of our days. The rest of the day gets filled with piano practice and lessons, dinner prep, coloring or letter-writing, and good old-fashioned play.

****

Simple days.

So simple that sometimes you have a nagging thought, “I am doing something, right? Right?”

Yes. Yes.

Sometimes it’s as special as seeing them just eat up the exhortation their father shares during morning devotions, their hearts in their eyes, hanging on every word about Jesus. Sometimes it’s taking away a Lego Star Wars book because it’s causing friction in their relationship and we have to love one another. Sometimes it’s reminding a two year old to sit like a lady. Sometimes it’s standing at the counter and not slamming your fist on it, but instead, taking a very long breath and staring at the ceiling and begging for the Holy Spirit to come.

It’s feeding and clothing and nurturing and educating and training and enjoying, and doing all of that while pointing to Jesus. He’s that awesome, that relevant, that needed.

this week

There were cousin cuddles, sister cuddles, fires in the hearth with a babe sleeping by its warmth, first snow and first hot cocoa, first apple [free form] pie, and Viking lessons-turned-dress up.

Hi, I'm Danica.

Post Category → home schooling