Yesterday, Kana put on a dress up outfit (ballerina leotard with tutu attached) and wore it all day. She wore it on the wagon ride around the neighborhood, played outside and inside, out to the garden store to get compost and flowers, and the whole time we dug and planted. It is now smudgy with dirt and waiting to be handwashed. I so wish I had a photo of her in her tutu out in the garden. But we were so busy and she got cold and I didn't get a chance to photo her because she needed to come in and get in the warm shower. We both had black hands. It felt so good to connect with the earth! I love the smell of the dirt and ground.
Last night Kana said that she now understood why I didn't want her to pick flowers from my garden. (I remained silent with my thoughts when she said this as I DO let her pick flowers from my garden, but do ask that she not pick them all because I like to look at them. That is why I thought she might like her own garden where she could plant and pick whatever she wants whnever she wants - and it might be fun to have her own garden.) She continued, "Because now I don't want anyone to pick flowers from my garden."
Thursday, April 15, 2010
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
The Girls in the Bangor Daily News re: SCA Event at Discovery Museum in Bangor
Here's a link to the Bangor Daily News article that has Makana and Katie's name in it. It is from a SCA event at the Maine Discovery Museum held a couple weeks ago. And by the way, we stopped at Border's and bought the calligraphy set on sale and with a teacher discount for about six bucks! Katie used it that very night!
http://www.bangordailynews.com/detail/140466.html
http://www.bangordailynews.com/detail/140466.html
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
The Peanut Butter Family Homeschool by Bill Butterworth
A few weeks ago, my friend Sue reminded me of a book I gave her a few years ago that she finally finished. It was called The Peanut Butter Family. I didn't remember it, so I ordered it from the library to reread. Here is one of my favorite parts.
page 63 - "From my point of view, excitement is half the battle in education. If students become motivated about a particular subject, they'll do whatever it takes to gain mastery of that subject."
Note: Because we unschool, there is no "battle" (nor should there be if someone is interested and excited to learn something)- but I agree about kids being excited and wanting to do and learn until they gain mastery sufficient to satisfy themselves.
This is a very easy to read, uplifting book about traditional, Christian homeschoolers. Although we are not "school-at-home" homeschoolers and we don't homeschool for religious reasons, I absolutely loved rereading this book and would recommend it to others. I felt that Bill Butterworth was a little condenscending toward his wife and daughter in it, but only because he was likely brought up that way and he didn't think of it as negative. He was a very loving and supportive father and husband. As a matter of fact, that is what I loved most about this book: their family's love for each other spilled out of the pages. I felt so happy after reading it. I also think Rhonda (the mom) would love unschooling if she had known more about it and could trust her kids more. She did read some Holt (so it says in the book). That is pretty cool that she was already reading that back in the 80's.
At the end of the book, you find out that Bill surprises Rhonda with furniture for their house (it was something they never got around to doing). I must have been riding that vibe, because the day after I finished reading it, my thoughtful and caring husband surprised me by washing the minivan!
PS. Sue thought Bill Butterworth came across as a bit goofy and Rhonda Butterworth as an overachiever/type A. I agree, esp about Bill as seeming goofy.
PSS. I remember how we wore those collars down into our sweaters in the 80s - just like Rhonda's on the cover photo of their family. I don't recall anyone in my area wearing suspenders though. Maybe they did that just for the photo?
page 63 - "From my point of view, excitement is half the battle in education. If students become motivated about a particular subject, they'll do whatever it takes to gain mastery of that subject."
Note: Because we unschool, there is no "battle" (nor should there be if someone is interested and excited to learn something)- but I agree about kids being excited and wanting to do and learn until they gain mastery sufficient to satisfy themselves.
This is a very easy to read, uplifting book about traditional, Christian homeschoolers. Although we are not "school-at-home" homeschoolers and we don't homeschool for religious reasons, I absolutely loved rereading this book and would recommend it to others. I felt that Bill Butterworth was a little condenscending toward his wife and daughter in it, but only because he was likely brought up that way and he didn't think of it as negative. He was a very loving and supportive father and husband. As a matter of fact, that is what I loved most about this book: their family's love for each other spilled out of the pages. I felt so happy after reading it. I also think Rhonda (the mom) would love unschooling if she had known more about it and could trust her kids more. She did read some Holt (so it says in the book). That is pretty cool that she was already reading that back in the 80's.
At the end of the book, you find out that Bill surprises Rhonda with furniture for their house (it was something they never got around to doing). I must have been riding that vibe, because the day after I finished reading it, my thoughtful and caring husband surprised me by washing the minivan!
PS. Sue thought Bill Butterworth came across as a bit goofy and Rhonda Butterworth as an overachiever/type A. I agree, esp about Bill as seeming goofy.
PSS. I remember how we wore those collars down into our sweaters in the 80s - just like Rhonda's on the cover photo of their family. I don't recall anyone in my area wearing suspenders though. Maybe they did that just for the photo?
Monday, April 5, 2010
Monday April 5, 2010
This morning was kind of stressful here. We were finally leaving the house to meet Rosie and the boys at Cedarworks and I was grateful to be on our way. On the drive, I saw a couple of girls walking home from school and said to Katie something like "Sometimes I wonder if you would rather be one of those girls happily walking home from school rather than have a morning like we had." (Honestly, it wasn't *that* bad, but I felt pretty down and just had alot of negative thoughts. And who knows, maybe they were happy to be out of school for the day after a hectic day of being told what to do and when!) She said, "No way. I love being unschooled. If I never had a bad day once in a while, I'd never know what a good day was! I would rather have a morning like we had rather than spend my day in a prison." Well, I sure started feeling better! Thanks, Katie!! (She has no idea how uplifting she is! Such a wonderful person! So glad she is my daughter!!)
Friday, April 2, 2010
Who are we?
Okay - this is weird! I am holding and nursing Kanoa while checking email. I read some posts on the AU list about who we really are no matter what we call ourselves. Then I began to read other emails that came in. I have always been interested in the 5rhythms dance sessions held locally and was looking over one of those newsletters when Li (who had come downstairs and was playing his DS on the couch nearby) said "Who are you?" to his DS as I was simutaneously reading these words:
"A quote from Adyashanti...
"What am I, really? The beautiful thing...is nobody can tell us what we are. Nobody can really tell us. Not in a way that's going to be satisfactory to us. Our true nature is self-authenticating. When we bump into our true nature, it authenticates itself. Something inside us knows. This...is what has been sought for, longed for, looked for. This is it. Usually, it's not what we expected..."
Come dance and uncover more pieces of who you are, what you are... It may not be what you expected!
Blessings.
Anna and Kari"
How bizarre and interesting! Something I will think on for a while.
"A quote from Adyashanti...
"What am I, really? The beautiful thing...is nobody can tell us what we are. Nobody can really tell us. Not in a way that's going to be satisfactory to us. Our true nature is self-authenticating. When we bump into our true nature, it authenticates itself. Something inside us knows. This...is what has been sought for, longed for, looked for. This is it. Usually, it's not what we expected..."
Come dance and uncover more pieces of who you are, what you are... It may not be what you expected!
Blessings.
Anna and Kari"
How bizarre and interesting! Something I will think on for a while.
Dad's cat video
Here's what I sent to my dad yesterday - Everyone just saw the video (except Jim who is at work of course) and thought it was so funny. Makana looked at me with uncertainty and asked, "Is Pop Pop a cat now?" I laughed and said no and told her that you used the cat graphics just because they were funny and she agreed that they were funny and we both laughed! I swear, she really wondered there for a minute! Love, Laurie :)
March 24th thru March 31st 2010
3/24 - 
Makana's drawing with wet fingers or the special marker on the Dora drawing pad. This pad is so cool....you just use a special wet marker to draw and the picture stays until the water evaporates. So you can use it again and again. There is also this truck that follows the wet lines you make. The kids have lots of fun with this toy.
3/25 - Katie and Kanoa watch something on the computer. See Makana in this photo too. Probably Elmo??
3/26 - This is the card I sent to Neil for his birthday. I know I made him a bit wide here...did the best I could. Jim and I laughed as he suggested that I make it right by saying something like "This is how you'll look after you eat all that birthday cake!" Neil liked it and knew exactly which picture I modeled my drawing after. Yeah!
3/2010 - This piece of art I thought was so cool. It got ripped though. Kana stuck a piece of leftover sticker background on a paper and Li made this creature (dragon?) out of it. Really cool imo!
3/29 - What is this? It's Makana's super hiding spot that Katie and Li didn't find her in when they played Hide-N-Seek! Can you see her head?
3/31/2010 - Rowan Walauski
Rowan Blaiklock
Rowan and Sebastian Blaiklock acting out a scene from their play.
Just look at those expressions!
Even the seal pup got dressed up.
The gang created some movies and put three of them on youtube. They were proud of themselves and my kids look often to see how many views their channel gets. http://www.youtube.com/user/ShortFunnyMovies
Makana's drawing with wet fingers or the special marker on the Dora drawing pad. This pad is so cool....you just use a special wet marker to draw and the picture stays until the water evaporates. So you can use it again and again. There is also this truck that follows the wet lines you make. The kids have lots of fun with this toy.
3/25 - Katie and Kanoa watch something on the computer. See Makana in this photo too. Probably Elmo??
3/26 - This is the card I sent to Neil for his birthday. I know I made him a bit wide here...did the best I could. Jim and I laughed as he suggested that I make it right by saying something like "This is how you'll look after you eat all that birthday cake!" Neil liked it and knew exactly which picture I modeled my drawing after. Yeah!
3/2010 - This piece of art I thought was so cool. It got ripped though. Kana stuck a piece of leftover sticker background on a paper and Li made this creature (dragon?) out of it. Really cool imo!
3/29 - What is this? It's Makana's super hiding spot that Katie and Li didn't find her in when they played Hide-N-Seek! Can you see her head?
3/31/2010 - Rowan Walauski
Rowan Blaiklock
Azure Walauski
3/31/2010 - Quinn and Rowan Walauski acting out a scene from their play.
Rowan and Sebastian Blaiklock acting out a scene from their play.
Just look at those expressions!
Even the seal pup got dressed up.
The gang created some movies and put three of them on youtube. They were proud of themselves and my kids look often to see how many views their channel gets. http://www.youtube.com/user/ShortFunnyMovies
They all had alot of fun dressing up, making up skits, taping them and watching them. Cool!
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