I love you, Charlotte Mason!!

Wow!! My second year of home schooling is upon us! I cannot believe how quickly the time has passed. Even more, I cannot believe the vast differences in my life brought about by home schooling. Yesterday public school teacher assignments came in. It was hard for me this year, because most likely Mermaid would have received J-Bob's angel of a teacher from his kindergarten year. Mermaid and I vacillated back and forth over whether she would in fact attend kindergarten this year. I knew she'd have an excellent teacher, and I hated the idea of robbing her from a kindergarten experience. To our surprise, OA put his foot down (see above statement about vast differences!!). In hindsight, I am so thankful. Mermaid isn't being robbed of anything. In fact, she had one of the most amazing early kindergarten experiences last year, and in an effort to not encourage her growing up too quickly, I am going to do a more focused gifted kindergarten again this year (she is so smart that we did a type of K last year just to keep her brain occupied).

Anyhow...all of this to lead up to this...some Charlotte Mason quotes on habit training. THIS ladies and gentlemen is why I home school. These values, ideals are the very reason my life home schooling is so much easier (almost hate to use that word...but let's face it...it is the truth) than my life before!

"The mother who takes pains to endow her children with good habits secures for herself smooth and easy days."

"The habits of the child produce the character of the man."

"Every day, every hour the parents are either passively or actively forming those habits in their children upon which, more than upon anything else, future character or conduct depend."

If you are interested in learning more check out Simply Charlotte Mason. They offer all kinds of free e-books! They just released a new one today!

just in case you were wondering:

• almond milk, agave nectar, and coffee have to be the welcoming drink at Heaven's gates...

• even meat eaters should only get about 7 to 9 oz of their protein from actual meat...

• kids enjoy cleaning with their mama...beside them enjoying it, too...and music makes it even more fun!

• i have a big pot of assorted soup beans simmering on the stove...makes me feel like a "real grown up"...

• on my night stand right now: scandalous freedom (highly recommend this book...not for the faint of heart...i'd say it's very much for those who struggle with legalism...but it's just as much for those who struggle with legalists), nutrition book for class, marathon book, running and fitness book, stitch 'n bitch (i have been dying for this book and the library finally had it on the shelf...it's a fun approach to knitting), and 101 designer one skein wonders (because when you are poor...you must learn to do more with less...one skein for the non-knitting readers...is basically one ball of yarn), oh and of course the ever present Charlotte Mason Companion (this is an amazing book for anyone who home schools...but especially for those of us doing the CM method).

• we dab lavender essential oil under mermaid's nose to calm her and to help her "nose work"...it's one of the first things she asks for in the morning and last thing she requests at night.

• i am shamefully addicted to spin class...i think about it way more than any normal person should...but we all know...i am far from normal!!

tadpoles and food cravings

today we met our home school social group at the local park. it was instantly wonderful. it ended with some of the children wading through the small creek and collecting tadpoles in my coffee mug! we borrowed my mom's aquarium that has been absent of life for several months. my hippie skirt was privy to old fish juice, creek water, tadpole sloshing, and mud...i was as much in Heaven as the kiddos! we gathered some rocks and greenery from the creek and purchased some spring water. j-bob's room is home to our latest additions. i cannot remember what the kiddos named them...but i seem to recall they were all star wars related! i am thinking we have four little tadpoles...here's to our first exciting science lab!! i am trying to follow Charlotte Mason's philosophy of education...that's for an entirely different blog post...i HIGHLY recommend anyone with children to read: For the Children's Sake. it was incredible and has given me words to the lifestyle i dream of...well...besides homesteading or mission work in africa...

anyhoo...i haven't been running...OH...and did i mention that i have two...yes...TWO...half marathons back to back in oct. GEEZ...how do i get myself into these things. if i survive those...i plan to run my first full marathon in dec. we shall see...right now i can barely pull off 3 successful miles. it is quite possibly the fact that i am eating my weight's worth of...anything starchy...sugary...junkish...my fridge is spilling over with fruits and veggies...and all i can dream of is spicy curry and delectable cheese dip...what is WRONG WITH ME!!?? i have even allowed my children to eat skittles...several times...and i do mean several...this summer. my evil friend: red40 aka "the devil"...yes...those adorable rainbow colored fruity flavored circles are gfcfsf but NOT free of dyes...sigh. i can only be so perfect. i plan to start a detox...soon. i have gone far out of control...speaking of out of control...has anyone tried the new snickers dark:
AYE AYE AYE!! how's a granola supposed to heal her body....when such temptations flirt with me at the grocery aisle checkout!?