Calling homeschoolers!

Help!

Okay. Short version: B has said that with three kids, we could conceivably afford to purchase a curriculum package each year with the intention of keeping it to use for the younger kids (yes, we would have to go back and order the earlier grades that the Elf has already done). We can't afford it Right Now. But it's a good time to start looking, right? Maybe with all this looking we'll decide not to purchase a packaged deal. Who knows.

The help I need is this: what do you use? What works for you and your kids? What have you tried and disliked?

My heart loves Waldorf. But my head acknowledges that we aren't those people. We don't sing, we don't rise with the sun and put our kids to bed at 6pm. We don't have baking days. I cannot make myself joyful about all of our daily tasks (scooping cat litter is not something I can do with a smile on my face). I don't have the time (or capacity at this point) to memorize stories to tell to the extent that it would seem I need to. So I don't think I can do a pure Waldorf curriculum. That seems to rule out Live Ed and A Little Garden Flower.

We are not Christian. So I don't want anything religious (it seems silly to pay for a package that I need to ditch half of). I'm not entirely sure what that rules out.

I love the idea of a nature-based curriculum. Summers here are intense and it's often hard to go outside. Think deep winter in some places, only hot instead. And winter? Not so much. Yes, it gets cold. But my kids don't really understand what snow is.

The Elf (since I can't yet speak for the younger two) isn't all about the worksheets - at least not an endless stream of them though he does enjoy some. He also isn't enthused about reading straight texts. He reads above his "level" but is.. picky.. about what he wants to read. He's stubborn and willful and.. well, almost nine. But he's extremely smart. He asks the most amazing questions. At the same time, he doesn't always know the days of the week in order. He can't tell the difference between cities, states, and countries. He gets confused about the difference between months and seasons. I'm still not sure he knows the alphabet in order completely.

I'm looking at Ambleside Online because it was suggested to me by the lovely Wool and Chocolate. It's a lot to look through, so I haven't made much of a dent yet.

I'm open to any and all suggestions. B ideally wants to buy whatever we buy used (or extremely cheaply). I just want to make the right decision.

Thanks in advance! I'm positively drowning in uncertainties.

Things are looking up. I've tried my very best to heed every one's excellent advice. I feel as though I've been almost *lazy* in fact. Which is odd to think since I've probably gotten much more accomplished these last few days than I have in weeks. I think the key is that I've allowed myself to relax without feeling guilty (it's also possible that having stayed home the majority of the weekend helped). Over the weekend I spent a great deal of time knitting. I'd have photos of the longies/board shorts that I finished. Only the script I use to dump the pictures, properly named, from my camera to my computer is.. not working. These things happen when I consent to B updating things on my computer.

I feel so grateful for the outpouring of love and compassion in the comments (and private emails) of my last post. I cannot find the words to express my gratitude for knowing such amazing people.

There has been some drama at our house, as well as the calm. We have homeschooled the Elf since Kindergarten. Over the years it has become a literal battle to get him interested in anything. Anything at all. We wanted to unschool. We wanted to trust that he'd learn all on his own. And he does. I guess. But if the words "learning" or "schoolwork" or "educational" ever come near him, he breaks down. He doesn't want anything to do with history, English (beyond reading comic books and writing his own), science. Really, all he does is play with Star Wars toys or Legos. Or complain about video games.

We've tried workbooks. I researched Waldorf (and cannot fathom having the time or concentration to put together my own curriculum nor can we afford to buy one). I've read parenting/teaching books. Nothing ever seems to work for him. It all came to a head last week. He doesn't seem to understand that he has to learn - at home or at school. There is no third option.

It's possible that over the last few days I've finally gotten through to him. I've found that he needs much more one-on-one attention when it comes to "schoolwork." In any course, sending him to school has been discussed. I don't want to. I really don't want to. But I also cannot spend so much energy fighting this same fight. As you can imagine, this does not lend to a calm mind.

And this is me being distracted by Pride and Prejudice in the background (I love this movie!) and thoughts of yummy iced coffee.

Right Now - not a Yarn Along

Well. It's been more than a week and it's taken days of talking myself into it to just sit down and open a "New Post" screen.

Right Now:

- the Beast is better. We think it was Roseola (I keep wanting to say Roselia - can you tell that I have Pokemon addicts around here?). He had a fairly high fever for three or four days and then a rash for two days after. He seems to be back to his usual self (he even had a case of the giggles all yesterday).

- I'm still knitting the Playground Shirt. I don't think I care for the yarn. At least, that's my excuse for letting it collect dust as much as I am. I've started a new pair of longies (more likely, board shorts) in a lovely Noro. I'll probably put them in my Etsy shop because we could really use the money (sad, yes?).

- I feel scattered. Unfocused. Lost. Confused much of the time. I've always had very minor dislexia but recently I've had.. episodes where it's worse. Reading the credit card number to the pizza place over the phone was a nightmare two weeks ago. My mouth was saying numbers but my brain wasn't sure if I was reading it correctly. I forget things - not just forgetting.. it's.. hard to explain. I feel like I'm going crazy. B tells me that it's likely just exhaustion, that it will pass if I find a way to get more sleep. I have my doubts.

- all three boys are sitting happily at the table playing. Star Wars toys are tap dancing and they (the boys, not the toys) are coloring with soy crayon rocks - though the Beast really wants to eat the crayons.

- there are half a dozen cardinals on our tree right outside. Not one of them will go near my tea cup feeder. It's been out for days. Even the titmice and chickadees ignore it. Maybe they can't perch on it? Maybe it's too exposed? Bah.

- I'm trying, I really am. I'm not sure that anyone sees it. Sure, the laundry is piled up and I'm way behind on dishes. The bills are a little late. Emails are rarely written (because really, who wants my response a month late?) and posts rarely made. Dinners have been sad - French toast last night? Not my best moment there. But I'm trying. I will climb out of this emotional hole that I've dug for myself.

Weekending.

Joining Amanda today.

This weekend. Wow. Sunday, 5am I woke up to a fever-hot baby next to me. We've been battling his poor temperature since. I know that his fever is doing a service. I know that it's necessary. But I can't make myself let it be so high. I've spent the last 28 or so hours trying to keep my little Beast from cooking himself.

Did we do stuff before 5am Sunday? Yes, it's likely. Though, until typing an entire paragraph after this, I could not recall a single thing. Now, of course, I can. Friday we went in search of tea cups and saucers to make these. Saturday was another trip out to score a long handled spoon from a Goodwill across town. I had plans to go to a hardware store and nursery Sunday, but it fell by the wayside. I've cleaned the kitchen at least three times, made delightful Indian food, washed my brand new batch of diapers, made the yummiest mint-tarragon soda, and nearly finished reading Dead Reckoning by Charlaine Harris.

The weekend could have been better. It could have been loads worse. Mostly I just want my little Beast to feel better.

(late) Yarn Along!

I decided to participate in the Yarn Along I've read about on several blogs. You can be a part, too. Stop by Small Things to read about it.

I'm behind on everything (as anyone expecting an email from me knows), so here's my day late Yarn Along post. Since the epic sweater fail I haven't been focusing on knitting as much. I have worked a bit on the Playground Shirt for the boys. And I'm reading The Lightning Thief at the urging of my oldest, the Elf.



Here is what I've mostly been focusing on: part of my Four Seasons Exchange swap.



See that tree stump? Embroidery. Let's just say that I've discovered that I'm not patient enough for embroidery.



The flower gnome has a little sleeping sack thing. I was half thinking root child, but this is supposed to be a summer swap not spring.. so.. it's a sleeping sack.



I'm not happy with the cap. Sewing it together, stuffing it, having the pieces not exactly fit. The perfectionist in me is crying. I think I may just try needle felting the edges down and see how I feel about it then. Of course, the stabilizer inside might not like that too much. Oh well.



Now I just have to figure out what else to make and send for this swap.

A lot of things.

It has been a very up and down day today. This morning we headed out to town and stopped by a shindig in Midtown where local businesses were peddling their wares with a focus on moms and babies. I'd wanted to stop by because Ecological Babies was going to be there and we are in desperate need of some new diaper covers. Nearly every booth was pink and frilly. Dresses, hair bows. What's a mother of boys to do? My oldest son pointed out a tent full of wooden toys. The name of business sounded familiar. Lo! They have an Etsy shop: Natural Wood Toys. A lot of their items looked familiar - especially a Three Billy Goats Gruff set that I fell in love with (I've been looking for one for ages). Happily, B decided to let us buy it. So now, we're the proud owners of this:



When we got home I checked the Etsy shop. And what do you know, I've had it on my favorites for a while now! The Elf fell in love with a T-Rex figure they have. Unfortunately we didn't have enough cash (or, you know, the budget) to buy it at the shindig. I suspect he'll be getting one for his birthday this year, though. They have the sweetest foxes and manatees. It's great to see some Florida wildlife in there. The shop owners were the nicest people, too. So head over there and give them some love.

And the the downside of today. After knitting on my sweater for nearly two weeks I finally got to the the row below the arms today. I put everything on appropriate waste yarn to try it on. What's that? It's too freaking big! How does that work? I'm not a small person. Turns out my gauge was off. By a quarter of a stitch per inch. Sigh. So yes, it's all been frogged. Nearly six hundred yards of lovely silk yarn is now back into nicely wound balls.



Needless to say, I will not be restarting it just yet. I'm too mad at myself. Instead I'll be focusing on the shirt I started for the boys and working on my Four Seasons Exchange swap.

Right. I also have swap pictures (received) to post. But it's late and the Beast is yanking on my power cord. Perhaps I'll get to it tomorrow!

Yarn Along - Attack of the sweater!

I decided to participate in the Yarn Along I've read about on several blogs. You can be a part, too. Stop by Small Things to read about it.



I think I'm being overambitious. Pictured here: this sweater in Araucania Chaiten (100% silk and all for me!), this shirt in Jojoland Rhythm (superwash wool in camouflage), and a small leaf in dishrag cotton (for a swap). Oh. And the book that I'm reading Chickens in your Backyard by Rick and Gail Luttmann.

The sweater is what I'm working on primarily. The yarn is thinner than what the pattern calls for, so I'm using a larger needle to get gauge. It'll be a breezy summer sweater. Okay, a spring and fall sweater. Summers here are too hot for anything long sleeved. The book is daunting. I'm not sure I'm up for raising chickens - it seems so very complicated. Of course, we aren't planning on chickens for several years anyway. There's time for me to read more and ease into it.

I've also been dyeing yarn. I wanted to post pictures of it but I'm too lazy to slough through the 500+ pictures that I've recently dumped from my camera. I've dyed six hanks of Wool of the Andes Bare (worsted) a pale orange color. I'm hoping to knit the infamous Shalom cardigan. It'll take some finagling since it's sized for a not huge person like me - hence my enormous amount of yarn (which I'll be knitting doubled anyway). So yes. I'm happily drowning in yarn.

More shorties!

(Ravelry details here.)

These are why I didn't play along with the Yarn Along yesterday. I was too busy knitting to stop and take a picture! Whew! These medium/large shorties are now listed in my Etsy shop. I love the colors in this yarn. It reminds me of mossy stones and mushroom forests. I have just enough left for another pair.

Next up.. well, I'm not sure yet. I need to figure out how to adjust the Shalom Cardigan pattern so that I can possibly join in with a Knit Along. I also have enough of my lovely silk yarn for a sweater/top for myself.

Can you imagine? Me knitting for myself? Crazy, I know.

Operation Opossum Rescue!

It's Wednesday and I'm in the bedroom nursing the Beast to sleep (it works for us, don't judge) for a nap in the middle of the afternoon. The Elf comes running in (which is strictly against the "rules" when babies are trying to sleep). He informs me that there is a baby opossum outside eating the food I put out for Constantine (a neighborhood cat - the litter mate of one of our rescues). Now, we're used to opossums and raccoons eating leftover cat food. But in the middle of the day? That's weird. So I think to myself that clearly there is something wrong, but that the Elf is probably exaggerating - we get smallish opossums sometimes, but not *baby* ones.

Eventually I give up on trying to get the Beast to sleep. Cynddl, our lab mutt, is whining in the hallway, the older kids are excitedly exclaiming about the opossum. I get up, instructing the Elf to watch his brother. The Imp and I venture outside. And there, next to our front door, is the tiniest opossum I've ever seen. Small enough to cup in one hand. It was obviously terrified - opening it's little mouth and making these not-growling noises at me. After trying to climb the side of the house, it crawled along the edge of the house and disappeared around the corner.

I love opossums. They are sweet, beautiful creatures. They get a bad reputation for all manner of reasons. Some can be justified. Others are just.. stereotypes and misinformation. Either way, we welcome wild animals into our yard. But we don't touch them, we don't interfere with them. However, this little guy was clearly much too young to be on his own. But I couldn't go running off after him. He was scared and I had kids to take care of.

That night, it came back. Perched on our front window ledge it seemed to be trying to cuddle up to one of our cats through the glass. The older two boys were already in bed and the youngest was working his way there. B did some quick research online and we decided it would be best to try and catch it so that we could take it to a wildlife rehabilitation center. While I nursed the Beast to sleep while sitting on the couch, B readied the cat carrier and went outside armed with some towels. Apparently, the teeny, terrified opossum just let B pick him up (in a towel, of course). Opossums are extremely docile. They look terrifying with their pointy jaws and tiny, sharp teeth. But they're so calm. We got it settled in the carrier, gave it food and water (B even fed it water from a dropper) and put it (and the Beast) to bed in our room (on the dresser where the kids can't reach).



I woke up a great many times during the night to the sound of scratching and bar rattling. In the morning we checked on it and it had wrapped itself into a teeny ball inside of an old shirt. It had eaten and defecated, so we knew it was at least relatively healthy. After the center opened, B drove to St. Francis Wildlife Association with the opossum and the Imp. The people there confirmed that it was indeed too young to be on it's own - needing at least five more weeks of care before it could really survive on it's own.

That's our opossum story. Thanks to my lovely and compassionate husband we were able to help an orphaned baby have a better chance of survival. B is an amazing person. He rescues mice from our cats, stops in the middle of streets to move turtles from the road to the grass. He let me adopt and rescue nine cats (okay, seven - two I had before I met him) and two dogs (one of which, sadly, does not live with us anymore). He generally catches bugs to move them outside rather than kill them. He helps corral birds and butterflies off of our dilapidated "screened" porch (that is *covered* in spider webs). I love this man - he is my hero.

{this moment} - baby rescue!

A Friday ritual inspired by Soulemama. A single photo – no words – capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment to pause, savor and remember.



(Yes, there will be a follow-up post with the story behind this. I cheat, move on.)

Yarn Along - Headband failure!

I decided to participate in the Yarn Along I've read about on several blogs. You can be a part, too. Stop by Small Things to read about it.



Blergh. I worked so hard on this thing. I wanted a headband thingy because the one I bought about three years ago from a trendy store in the mall keeps getting misplaced. I took this picture this morning - fingers tired and aching. All those yarn overs and knit-two-togethers. And the stupid thing is too big now that I've finished it. It's lovely and I'm thrilled with the way it looks. But I'd need a giant-sized head. Literally. It'd make a great neck warmer/cowl/whatever. But I live in Florida - home of the hot. I don't do neck warmers. Boo. So now I've cast on this and if we're being honest, I think it's going to be too small. No, I can't win, why do you ask?

I'm reading The Jefferson Key by Steve Berry. It's an advanced reader copy I got through LibraryThing. I've been a bit slow reading it and getting it reviewed, though - it was officially available in stores yesterday. Oops.

Swaps!

I've been knitting like crazy lately. First I finished up a doll for Belle + Bee.









I used this hair tutorial for her hair. I suspect it takes practice, because I don't think I did it very well. It looks okay, but it's just not the sort of coverage I was going for. So I made her a headband - which spurred me to start one for myself, too (which I'll try to post about for tomorrow's Yarn Along).

And then, I finished up my items for the Wings of Spring Bird Swap. I started out with some owls (pattern here). Then I added some lovebirds (pattern here). While helping the Elf learn to fold paper cranes, I decided to throw in a few of those. And then the whole thing looked like it really needed a nest. So I made some (pattern here).





And here are the Elf's cranes for the kids' bird swap. We've had to ship them flat (and folded in half!).

Life, the Universe, and Yarn.

The past two weeks have been craziness. The Beast's birthday, B's birthday, free comic book day, Mother's Day - not to mention that B was home from work for more than a week! Whew. Craziness. Now B has gone back to work (unfortunately) and things are slowly sliding back to normal paces. Except that the Imp woke up vomitting at 6:30 this morning.

A few good things:









- B made a kite with the older boys out of slick paper, bamboo, hemp twine, and a can tab. And tape. Lots of tape. It didn't fly, but they had fun trying.

- Yesterday, while getting the mail, the younger boys and I discovered hydrangea blooms in our yard (from a neighbor's bush that has grown wildly out of control). We decided to pick a few (we knew she wouldn't mind - especially since she hasn't lived in the house for nearly a year and her yard is going crazy). The Imp kept wanting "more! more!" He even requested that I take a few steps over the property line for the oh-so-beautiful blue ones. Amazingly, the cats haven't tried to eat these (as they usually do with anything remotely green that I bring in the house).

- Sonya gave me some yarn once upon a time. It's been sitting on my shelf, waiting for a project. I decided to dye it (with easter egg dye - safe for kidlets) for doll hair. The orange was supposed to be more of a variegated yellow/brown - oops. The blue should have been more blue and less green. But I like it.

- The doll I'm making for Bell + Bee is finally coming along. I'm trying out a new (to me) way to add the hair. I'm using this tutorial, though I don't think I'm doing a very good job of it. It looks okay (I've added more hair since this photograph), but I think I'll keep looking for another way to do it.

Yarn Along!

I decided to participate in the Yarn Along I've read about on several blogs. You can be a part, too. Stop by Small Things to read about it.

I didn't get around to taking a picture for the Yarn Along until this evening. And then, within an hour, I'd completed my knitting project. So here are the images.






Ravelry notes are here. I didn't block them (because I don't know how) and my arms are a bit too big for them. They were made for the lovely We Bloom Here in return for a catapulting pixie game she made for my boys (and some aromatherapy oil and an adorable peg faerie).

I'm reading Dead Witch Walking by Kim Harrison. Again, my book was elsewhere when I was photographing things. Oops.

I'll leave you with one of the very few pictures ever taken of me that I don't mind. B took it from the top of a staircase at Wakulla Springs on the Beast's birthday (we're both loving our new camera - can you tell?.

First Birthday!

Today my little Beast finished his first journey around the sun. It's really hard to believe that he's only been with us for one year.



But now, after a long day and a trip to Wakulla Springs, he's finally asleep. And I think, as it was 365 days ago, I'll go join him.

Yarn Along, Swaps, and More.

I decided to participate in the Yarn Along I've read about on several blogs. You can be a part, too. Stop by Small Things to read about it.

I've been terrible about posting. About, well, everything. B and I came down with some body-ache-flu-thing and we've been cleaning like crazy people for his mother's visit. She's arriving today and I still don't feel that things are up to par.

I didn't get a picture of what I'm reading. I'm actually waffling between books. First I picked up The Amazing Maurice and His Educated Rodents by Terry Pratchett. Then I picked up Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen - which I've already read. This morning I picked up a book about Bach flower remedies by Stefan Ball.

I just don't know what I'm in the mood to read.

Knitting. I'm still knitting a doll - I didn't take a picture of it though. I'm also knitting fingerless gloves for a swap with a friend. The picture doesn't do the yarn justice. And the cables look funny when not stretched as though being worn.



Here are some things I've made recently.



A leaf washcloth. It doesn't look great, but it feels lovely.



Wee peg gnome hats. These are for a swap hosted by One Hook Wonder.



A rainbow bird. B and the Elf told me that it looked like a Beluga whale or manatee before I added a beak. Hrmph. Boys.





These are flower gnomes and acorn babies (that look more like acorn capped Tibetan monks to me!) for a Yahoo group swap.

And now! The swaps I've received but have been horribly remiss in posting about!

First, the peg doll swap that We Bloom Here hosted.



And the lovely (and well loved already!) doll that Belle + Bee sent for my boys.



He can also be a knight! (The Elf loves this costume - though we've misplaced the belt at the moment)



And a super hero! (The Imp's favorite!)



There. And now I need to get back to prepping the house for company and the Beast's first birthday (can you believe he'll be one this Friday?!).

Complete!

The hair that wouldn't end - it's done! Over! Finally!



She done and listed in my shop.

Now I can finally focus on the copious number of swaps that I signed up for.

Yarn Along - Doll everywhere!

I decided to participate in the Yarn Along I've read about on several blogs. You can be a part, too. Stop by Small Things to read about it.



I couldn't fit all of my knitting into one photograph (though I suppose the doll hair isn't properly *knitting* exactly). Right now I have three sets of needle occupied. Crazy, right? Starting on the top and going clockwise: Doll-in-the-round in Sawya, doll shorts in Blue Sky Alpaca organic cotton, doll-in-the-round in Spud and Chloe's sweater. I'm nearly done reading Twilight's Dawn by Anne Bishop. I still need to write a review of The Circle Cast for LibraryThing, though (and then I'm passing it on to a fellow blogger - if I ever get around to emailing her back *falls over*).



And the doll hair that wouldn't quit. Believe it or not, she has a bald spot and needs more bangs. I had to run to the yarn store yesterday because I ran out of her hair (210 yards and I need more?! There has to be a better way!). Lucky for me they had one hank left of this colorway. With luck I'll get her hair done today or tomorrow, give her a trim, and then focus on her clothes. Whew. And then she'll be off to the shop.

That's a lot of hair.

Every time I work on this (temporarily armless) doll, I hear that line from Tangled: That's *a lot* of hair.



Can you believe that? There's more yarn on her head than in her entire body! In fact, I ran out - 210 yards and I still need more. Bleh. There *has* to be a better way to do this. I've ordered a tutorial for long hair form Adirondack Patterns. I'm hoping the technique is something other than what I'm already doing.

So. This weekend? Yeah. It was all hair all the time. Except for a trip to EarthFare where I indulged in The Best Soda Ever. I don't generally like soda. It's too sweet, too thick, too.. ick. But this. Yummm! Lavender soda! Just sweet enough and ooooooooooh so good.

The Sewing Bee

Go visit The Sewing Bee over at Happiness Comes in little bits... - this is my first time participating!

I was intimidated by this. Sewing, to me, brings thoughts of ironing, pinning patterns, sewing machines. Ugh. I am not a fan of those things - and they aren't terribly crazy about me, either. So there I was, working on some playmats for my Etsy shop when it hit me. I was sewing! Handsewing, but sewing all the same! So I thought I'd jump into the fun.





I had a little Imp helping to test the stability of my tree (with a bee and Howl's Moving Castle figures by Mamaroots). Both mats are done now. And I have to say that I'm quite pleased. It's amazing how addicting it is to sew these things - though that tree did give me some trouble. I even used pins! The dreaded pins! And used my limited quilting knowledge to stabalize the batting inside. Sheesh. Who knew I'd enjoy *this?!*