I'm back-

So a lot has happened since my post 3 years ago! 

We moved to a different state.

We had a baby girl.

We bought a house on 5 acres.

K is in 4th grade and E is in 2nd, we are still homeschooling:) B is almost 4 years old, and this is our baby....

Meadow

She is wearing this beautiful sweater I bought on etsy

We are still choosing a name for our lil' farm/homestead so for now I will use this blog to document our happenings on the homestead as well as what the kiddos and I are up to.

I'm looking forward to blogging again! It's so much fun to look back, especially since my memory is horrible!

1st grade waldorf homeschooling

 We started 1st grade for K a couple weeks ago. He will be 7yo in Nov. E is 4yo and joining us in circle time and other activities. I'd like to blog once a week about what we are doing and thoughts on 1st grade. If you are blogging about homeschooling your 1st (or 2nd) grader PLEASE let me know!

We have curriculum from A Little Garden Flower and I have the Earthschooling kindergarten  curriculum that I use a little also, not to mention lots of ideas I've come across online. I am basically following ALFG but changing out some of the stories and making a few of my own stories. 

So far it has been really fun! Circle time has the magical ability to put me in a good mood! Maybe it's all the singing!?

             

We started with the letter R, story of Rapunzel. I did modify the story a little, mainly at the end:)

This week we did the letters M and V. For M we used a modified version of Mount Semeli and for V I made up a story about the Valley of The Apples.

I really like some of the Grimm tales, but I can't handle some of the violence and darkness. I know that my interpretation will be much different then a childs but if I'm not comfortable with a story I'm not telling it:) I am also surprised at how easy it is to basically remember a story. I though there would be no way I could memorize it! I usually read it 2x, once to myself and once out loud usually to my husband. Here is a great site with all the Grimms stories.

I'd like to get into what we have done so far and our almost-fall circle time, but I really should be sleeping! I'll be back soon, good night!!

Baby Bodhi

I haven't posted in a long time! We've had a new addition! We welcomed Bodhi to our family on June 21st:)He was born quickly at home in a birthing tub. He is now 2 months old. The boys love him and I am adjusting to being a mom of three boys:)

WIP Wednesday!!

A Work In Progress Wednesday! It's been a long time since I've posted!! Here is what I am currently working on.....

I recently finished these socks. I love making kids socks they go so fast! These are for my almost 6yo. Actually, they are dirty, he wore them today with his rain boots! His favorite color is green and he picked out the yarn for both these projects.

This is a hoodie sweater for Kylan with a Roo pocket (is that what it's called?) It is knit in the round which is my favorite. I can't even tell you how many times I have redone this project. I am not a perfectionist, but I'm trying hard to not just leave mistakes because I'm impatient and want to finish as fast a possible!! Kylans 6th birthday is coming up and he somehow is under the impression I am making him a quilt for his birthday, so I really need to finish this and start the quilt!!! What are you working on?

Our Solstice (better late than never)

I am still finding traditions for our family and every year we do a little more. Here are just a few pictures from our Winter Solstice.

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In the morning the boys woke up to find gifts the Solstice faeries left. Here's Evie hugging his new doll:)

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We made some treats for our hungry birds and squirrels. We simple smeared peanut butter on pine cones and rolled them in bird seeds. We also scattered seeds around our yard.
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We also went to a Solstice potluck that evening and brought dinner rolls...shaped like stars:) Pared great with the pumpkin curry soup a friend made! We played, lit a bonfire, and read poetry at the party! We also burned notes in the fire of the things we want to let go of or leave behind.

The kids eagerly watched as the birds quickly discovered their Solstice treats!

*Welcome Winter*

look what the solstice faeries left!!!

Our Newest Additions!!

This year the solstice faeries left DOLLS! The boys love them & have been taking care of them nicely!! I need to get some better pictures of them, but here they are! I plan on posting more about our winter solstice activities, but for now I just wanted to share these sweet dolls!

I custom ordered them from Duck Duck Goose Toys, check out her little shop on etsy! They are perfect and she went way out of her way to get them to me by the Solstice!!!

Now I need to get busy making some doll clothes!!!

O Christmas Tree

Oh, HI!! I haven't posted in a while! I really miss blogging, I take so many more picture when I do and I love looking back at what we did in previous years. So I need to catch up a little!

We went to Johnson Tree Farm, a beautiful local tree farm. We could have spent the day there (or moved in)! We hiked around and cut down our tree, played on the slide, playhouse, and vintage tractors, bought things from their wonderful gift shop, checked out the goats and chickens, and the owner was super nice! I didn't take many pictures, but there are a few-

Johnson Tree Farm will definitely be a yearly tradition for us:)

so much to do, so little time:)

I have been busy and our schedule has shuffled quite a bit lately. I have been watching other children on and off since Kylan was a year old to try and make a little money from home. I haven't had much regular work for a while. Now I watch a 3yo girl 2 mornings a week, I have several 'on call' families and more often do 'nights out' for parents. Starting next month I will be watching 2 children 3-5 days a week as well.

In addition I have started cleaning houses and have 2 accounts:) I don't mind cleaning and it's always funner to clean other peoples houses! I even get to help one family de-clutter and re-organize which I LOVE! and best of all I get paid for it!!!!

I finally have a very clear picture of our monthly budget and track everything. I am very motivated to get some necessary stuff done on our house which we could not afford if I were not making money. So, I'm feeling very optimistic, but also hoping the job I start next month works out.

Meanwhile, I also am trying to do the normal cook, clean, crafts at my own house. In some ways I feel more motivated the busier I am. I'm hoping to find time to blog a little later this week.

Tomorrow is the first day of Autumn! We made apple gingerbread this morning and read autumn books. I have a couple things planned for tomorrow to celebrate. Did I mention I want another baby? now. But we need to wait a year for logical, practical reasons...but I don't wannna, waaa. But I know I need to. Ok, I'm off, many blessings to everyone and have a happy first day of fall!!!!

quick picnic

The other day our plans fell through at the last minute and Kylan really wanted to go somewhere (he always does), so we went for a very last minute picnic at a beautiful park about 10 minutes away from us. I think we will be doing this more often;)

Hope you are enjoying the last week of summer!

*many blessings*

1st day of homeschool

Our first day of pre-k 'home school'!! (Waldorf is non-academic before 1st grade, so it's more like a loosely organized preschool plan) I changed my mind on this weeks theme at the last minute. Since we are going to the Ohlone Day festival this weekend, I thought it would be fun to do some native American tales. I found a book with 3 animal tales from the Indian of this area that were very age appropriate for him and not too long. Kylan loved the first one we read! We did our first circle time (more on that later) and read one tale, then drew from the story. Kylan was so eager and really liked the tale. He will love the festival, can't wait to go!

In the background is my first try at chalk board drawing. I will change it every week or two to go along with our theme or the season. I really can't draw at this point, but I'm eager to learn too!

Don't know why, but these would only load sideways!? We both drew from the story (birds on a tiny mountain top during a flood) The top one is mine, it was so cute that he tried to draw the same, I was a little surprised! His is so cute:)

Geoff made 3 chalkboards with large frames we had in storage. We put one down low in our living room so the boys could draw on it:)

Tomorrow we will read the second story and bake cornbread and maybe '3 sisters harvest stew':)