7 Unschooling Snippets ~ the end of life as we knew it

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Why the end of life as we knew it?  Our second student is officially done with school at home and ready to graduate.  Most of our energy has been focused on preparing for prom and graduation, as well as transitioning from winter activities to summer activities.

~1~

This is one of Princess's favorite times of the year - PROM!  Which means lots of pictures of girls in pretty dresses to take.

~2~

Flower Child had her first day at the archery range with 4H.  Total hit!  I had to put my foot down when she wanted to buy the camouflage bow - I can see it getting left in the middle of the field and lost forever since it will blend in.  She'll be getting the bright orange one instead. :)

~3~

First day as a volunteer at New Beginnings Therapeutic Riding stable!  This is an incredible opportunity and right in line with Flower Child's interests.  Sadly, she also learned all about thunderstorm protocol the first day as a storm moved in and two of her three classes were cancelled.  Besides helping in the stable, she'll also be working as a 'side walker' where she'll walk beside the students during their lesson.

~4~

We had an awesome day at home on Tuesday.  All day at home.  I can't remember the last time we did that!  Some packing up of bedrooms (girls are switching before Princess heads off to college), some math, a little chemistry, and a lot of computer time.

~5~

Hamlet!  We've had the most awesome chance to participate in a Hamlet class with other homeschoolers led by a mom who obviously loves Shakespeare.  We've all learned so much over the last few weeks.  Personally, I'm still processing Patrick Stewart as Claudius.  And The Doctor...  as HAMLET?  (Actually, I really dig this version and can't believe I'd never seen it before.)

~6~

Designing graduation announcements, picking out pictures, typing up address labels. Shopping for pink shoes.  Visiting with a friend headed off to boot camp.  Taking a last chemistry test.  Thinking about food for open house.  Orientation for summer life-guarding job.  Hanging out with lifeguard buddies.  Editing prom pictures.

~7~

Wedding!  Blueberry pie.  Sleepover.  Dancing.  Packing up bedroom.  Playing piano. Mall  World.  Taking care of new baby chicks.  Boring.  Youth group. Riding. 

Confirmation ~ April 1, 2012

Pastor Toopes, Aislin, Mollie, and Noah

Pastor Toopes, Aislin

Mollie, Aislin

WEEKLY WRAP-UP ~ The Third Week of Advent

Nothing spectacular going on - just PREPARATION. I love, love, love Advent and the message of preparing for Jesus' birth. I love Advent hymns especially with their haunting melodies. This week was an exceptional week for preparation - slow, time to rest, pray, and prepare - thanks to a brief illness that forced me to slow down.



Princess had two games this week - a win and a painful loss - and a chance to scout a team they will be playing in January. She also used the extra time at home to clean her room. Very important to my borderline OCD girlie, but sometimes life gets in the way and the little things, like dusting the corners, don't get done. She also did a chapter in Chemistry - more school than usually gets done in December! :)  The senior high youth cooked dinner (breakfast for dinner) again on Wednesday and she got to do her favorite thing - make and eat pancakes.

With a 40% Off coupon from Hobby Lobby, Flower Child bought the ink pens. She is in love and has spent most of the week experimenting with them.  Oddly, her interest in ink as a media started with a black india ink pen she found somewhere.

This isn't the best picture, but I wanted to share it because I thought the color was so cool.  She was experimenting with the colors when she drew this. One wing without anything attached.  Sometimes I worry she'll never finish anything...
I struggle with letting her go, letting her spend hours playing with paper and ink.  But with her computer gone, math just isn't a possibility! :D

I thought this picture was funny.  I got her a new sketch book to go along with the pens - normally she likes to use composition books (don't ask me why, the lines drive me nuts!) but the paper is too thin and ink bleeds through.   Some day it will be a testament to the year Mama Lost Her Mind and 'gave up' on school.

Flower Child also STARTED cleaning her room. New clothes for her birthday necessitated the chore. She had to clean up the floor before she could get to the closet and start thinning the old clothes. :p Wish I would have taken a before picture!  It's always a struggle because she finds lost projects and starts working on them again when she should be cleaning.

The Weekly Wrap-Up is taking a break until after Christmas, but I think this might be my last entry. I'm thinking of trying to write more daily updates as a journal of what the girls are doing. I tend to change my mind often, though, so who knows?

That's what we've been up to here in Wingfield. For a peak at what other homeschoolers are doing, check out the WEEKLY WRAP-UP at weird, unsocialized, homeschoolers.

A Day in the Life...

What does unschooling look like in Wingfield?

It's a rainy, gray day here in Kentucky which means sleeping in - we get up with the sun and tend to sleep in when it isn't shining. This morning that meant 8:00am for me. Thirty minutes checking email and thirty minutes showering and getting dressed, then I head to the kitchen to make my to-do list and think about breakfast. I do the handful of dishes that are dirty all while giving thanks that Princess and I did the big pile of them last night. Did NOT want to wash dishes before bed, but it paid off this morning. :)

Einstein Bros Winter Blend in a pretty Christmas mug

At 9:45, I mention to the girls how late it is. They've both had a nagging cough for over a week, so I figure the extra rainy day sleep is a good thing. They get up and do their chores - litter box cleaning, bunny feeding, chicken feeding and egg gathering, switching the clothes to the dryer, etc. - while I start breakfast. Irish Oatmeal! Yum! With leftovers for oatmeal pancakes tomorrow morning. (Happy times!)  As the oatmeal is cooking, I make coffee (no idea how I forgot to do this earlier :p) and start the next load of clothes.

We sit together for breakfast and talk about the day. Nothing big on the agenda today. When life is less rushed, we will do our morning devotion right after breakfast. Sadly, I haven't got back into the routine since I got back from staying with my mom. Everyone washes their own dish today - normally I would do it, but the only dirty dishes are our oatmeal bowls.

Flower Child and I clean out the wood stove. It really doesn't need it, but I decided to take advantage of our 70 degree weather and let the fire go completely out yesterday. It's MUCH easier cleaning when the coals aren't hot. Princess pops out of her room to sweep the floor when we're finished.

I decide to make Pioneer Woman's White Chili for tomorrow's dinner. Okay. I admit it, I *have* to make it today because I forgot to freeze the chicken thighs I bought at Sam's Monday. First, I sit and play advent hymns for about ten minutes. Flower Child reads the new Back Home magazine and asks me a million questions about tar and mortar, few of which I can answer. Princess is hiding in her room working on her DIVE Chemistry. I'm sure there's some texting and FB happening, too.

Flower Child helps me with the chili and also makes chicken noodle soup for her lunch with my leftover broth, some chopped celery, a handful of the chicken, and egg noodles. I show her how to chop the celery smaller after it's already partly chopped. In the middle she stops to play piano for a bit. After I fold the towels, finally, another cup of Winter blend and Facebook! While I'm writing this blog post Flower Child folds the load of lights. (The girls take turns each load, I fold the towels because I'm *cough* rather fastidious about how I like them folded.)

Flower Child decides to make Christmas cards from scrapbook paper and cardstock. She was inspired by a homemade card sent to us by one of my e-maginary friends. I'm desperately trying to finish this post, talk to the husband who arrived at 1:30, direct lunch making, finish the chili, and talking to everyone who keeps interrupting me. (Argh!) Princess needs the wrap changed on her splint and I need to change out of my grubby clothes and into basketball spectator attire!

At 2:30 pm, we'll pack up and head out to Columbia, Tennessee for Princess's basketball game. In the car, she and I will eat lunch (dad and Flower Child have already eaten) while she talks with her dad about the game. Flower Child will read and often we'll listen to music and sing along. Three games tonight - Boys JV, Girls Varsity, and Boys Varsity. We'll leave around 8:30 pm and look for somewhere to eat dinner.

Drive home. Chores. Crash.

Start all over again tomorrow!

WEEKLY WRAP-UP ~ more Life School!

It's beginning to feel a bit like winter here in southern Kentucky. Cold. Gray. Rain. Time to break out my WINTER mug! (I also have a Christmas mug... I'm sure it's picture will pop up here soon.)

Cough and congestion came to visit this week along with the rain and cold weather. On top of that Flower Child's hard drive bit the dust, so no computer for math, science, or playing on the internet. More life school!

Because of the above, Flower Child read this week. A lot. Terrier, Bloodhound, and Mastiff from The Legend of Becca Cooper series, Clockwork Angel, and Real Lives: Eleven Teenagers Who Don't Go to School Tell Their Own Stories. Her iPod Touch has been glued to her hand, sometimes even when she's reading.

Funny truth. Real Lives is required reading at our house. Rest assured I do see the irony in ASSIGNING as required reading a book about UNSCHOOLING. :)

Princess had her usual basketball games and practice. Heartbreaking loss on Tuesday. Tonight she's playing against her long-time rival. I'm praying for a win! She's spent her week hanging out with her friend - home from public school after having her tonsils out, editing senior pictures she's taken, and baking cookies.

Last night we Austin FINALLY put up the Christmas Tree. Granted, it's not decorated. We're thinking we may not decorate it until just before Christmas. Two kittens in the house. Need I say more? It's a start. My November 'vacation' has really messed with my coping ability.

Speaking of Austin, he is LOVING his job. It's hard, dirty work, but he loves how every job is different and presents new challenges. My dad was able to see 'art' in his bricklaying and now my son sees 'art' in HVAC ducts. Pretty cool.

That's what we've been up to here in Wingfield. For a peak at what other homeschoolers are doing, check out the WEEKLY WRAP-UP at weird, unsocialized, homeschoolers.