Overcoming distractions and finding a nest full of eggs

C is for cat. Practicing upper and lowercase c was more productive today. It's interesting how a task can be dragged out to last a couple of hours, however when attention is held, the very same task can be completed in under 10 minutes. I'll have to admit that I get easily distracted. This is one trait I wish Creed hadn't have inherited. After zipping through c, we practiced writing four and five and then headed outdoors to pick more blackberries. Creed says we're going to make blackberry jam. First we picked the ones within the fence and then headed outside the gates to get the ones that were poking through to the other side. We stopped to break a small oak branch full of leaves for the first caterpillar of the season. 

Northern Mockingbird nest

On the way back I noticed a nest. I called Creed over to look at our newest discovery. A beautiful twig nest full of bluish-green brown speckled eggs. What a treasure! I wondered what kind of bird laid those eggs. Then as I went back to take a photo, I caught a glimpse of mama bird sitting on the nest. As soon as she heard me she flew away (unlike their territorial nature so I've read) and I noticed how the branches swayed in the gentle breeze. What a wonderful serene setting for soon-to-be baby birds. From what I can tell our fine feathered female friend is a Northern Mockingbird, which I found on the "Nifty-Fifty for Louisiana." The Northern Mockingbird is a conspicuous, slender gray and white bird. This bird may sing day or night and continues to make new songs as they grow older. This well-known vocalist may know as many as 200 different songs and can imitate the sounds of many other birds as well as man-made noises. The mockingbird nest is a bulky cup of twigs and stems lined with leaves, bark, grasses and sometimes trash, usually placed three-ten feet high in a tree or thicket. The eggs usually number three-five and are bluish or greenish with marking of brown or reddish. The young hatch at about 13 days and leave the nest in 12 days, but continue to associate with the adults for some time. At the beginning of spring I put out a bunch of fuzzy yarn strings in a net pouch to encourage the birds to use them in their nests, so far no takers. There's a second bird nest being built in the pear tree behind our house. Soon we'll hear the baby cheeps. How exciting!! There's so much to learn in our own backyard. For more about the "Nifty-Fifty for Louisiana" and Northern Mockingbird look here: http://www.birdzilla.com/nifty-fifty/louisiana.html.

 

Tonight will be another adventure with "Jesse Bear What Will You Wear?" by Nancy White Carlstrom, the first book on the reading list from "Before Five in a Row," by Jane Claire Lambert. Jesse Bear enjoys the thought of stars overhead and moonlight streaming through his window, so tonight we'll pull out the telescope we've been saving for such a special occasion and explore the nighttime sky.

Why Oh Why Are Deserts Dry?

We started the day outside working on upper and lowercase b, after which Creed played in the rocks. He spent a looooooong time talking about writing the letter b, instead of doing much work this morning. So, we took a break, ate some snacks and had art class. I watched as Creed told me a story while painting a picture. With every color and every brush stroke, his imagination let loose - beautiful arches of rainbows and dark rain clouds with rain drops. Near the bottom he painted a lion with one leg and a tail that beat the rainbow. It all made perfect sense to him and as he described it, it made perfectly perfect sense to me as well. It was nice to relax and listen before a quick bath, promised by a longer bath later this evening, where we washed off the ruckus from the rock bin, before nap time.

Talking about writing the letter b.

One of the books we read gave us much pleasure in learning, "Why Oh Why Are Deserts Dry?" by Tish Rabe, one from the series The Cat in the Hat's Learning Library, that I didn't know existed until this afternoon. I've always known "Cat in the Hat," and the silliness that ensues, but really delighted in this edition. We learned that a mesquite tree has roots that reach 40 feet down for water, how plants, insects and animals survive in the desert. One of the most interesting facts was about the crowned sandgrouse. This bird flies miles and miles to find water. He soaks his feathers until they are wet and his babies, upon return, drink from his feathers, which dry soon and then he must take to the sky to find water again. We learned how sand dunes were made and the crescent shapes they leave in the sand. Did you know that in the Mojave Desert, there are lilies, primroses, and sunflowers? We also read of mirages and oasis'. An interesting fact is that not all deserts are hot! You'll find ice and snow in the Gobi desert. Where there's also a Bactrain camel with two humps, which store fat, not water. They can drink 30 gallons of water and then go an entire week before drinking again. The longer they go without eating or drinking the smaller the humps get. Surprisingly Antarctica is the largest desert of all. For anything and everything Seuss visit www.seussville.com. It's amazing what's available there from books, videos, games & activities, to everything you've ever wanted to know about Dr. Seuss, plus a link for parents and educators and of course, everything imaginable Seuss paraphernalia. I've been reading so many Dr. Seuss books, I'm thinking in rhymes.

We resumed the upper and lowercase b in the afternoon, taking turns making b's, also going on to the number 4, shapes, sequence recognition and finally games. Tic, Tac, Toe isn't as much fun, turns out, when you can't tell the other person where you plant their target! It's all about learning the game, and mostly having fun.

We drove the tractor around for a while before retiring to pick some plump blackberries. Creed's getting a hand at the wheel and quickly learning to maneuver left to right. While we picked berries, I asked him if he remembered why we didn't pick all the berries and he said, "Because we leave some for the birds." "That's right," I agreed. "Do you know who takes care of the birds" I asked. "God," he replied. "Yes," I said, "God loves the birds so much he makes sure they're taken care of. Can you imagine how much he must love us, if he takes care of the birds so well!" "God also told the people not to pick all the grapes, vegetables and grain, so people visiting would have something to eat when passing through. That's how God takes care of us," I added. We walked along the path moving to another blackberry bush. "It's getting dark," I said. "Let's get some of these berries and get in before the bugs start biting." "Do you know what kind of animals are out at night," I asked. "Nocturnal," Creed answered. "Can you tell me some nocturnal animals," I asked. At this point he started naming the ones listed in the Dr. Seuss book we had read earlier, owls, foxes, bats, coyote, rabbits, mice, deer and kangaroo rat. Just when I'm not quite sure he's really listening he parrots something back that stumps me again! I love it.

First caterpillar of the season.

We came back inside and enjoyed some blackberry and chocolate chip muffins we had made last night from the berries we picked yesterday, before the long promised bath. He wanted to hold the caterpillar we had found before reading our night time stories. And so begins another life cycle of a butterfly or moth. We so enjoyed them last year. We've never seen the eggs or larva, but have found plenty of caterpillars. 

The last BSF (Bibles Study Fellowship) meeting we had the speaker told us how disciples are learners and how we are to disciple others. I looked up the definition and behind a personal follower of Jesus, the second meaning said a follower or student of a teacher, leader or philosopher. Creed's a great imitator, especially things I don't realize he's taking in, which is everything! He looked at me one day and said, "Mama I crack you up!" and started laughing. I say that a lot to him. Every day now I think, have I talked to him about Jesus today? I'm very aware of getting the word into his heart, while we walk by the way, sit in the house and lie down at night. If this is all I ever do, it would be a life well lived. Deuteronomy 6:5-9

Jesse Bear, What Will You Wear? and Spring/Gardening Reading List

"Jesse Bear, What Will You Wear?" by Nancy White Carlstrom, marks day one of return to Itty Bitty Homeschool from Spring Break. First on the reading list from "Before Five in a Row" by Jane Claire Lambert, "Jesse Bear, What Will You Wear," the first of Carlstrom's Jesse Bear books, rhymes along from page to page describing Jesse's day to day activities, especially what he will wear. 

"Jesse Bear, What Will You Wear?" by Nancy White Carlstrom,
illustrates loving relationships within the family dynamic.

Before Five in a Row is a treasury of creative ideas designed to help gently, consistently prepare children for the life-long adventure of learning. We're following this "non-curriculum" this summer, plus supplementing additional learning activities, while I marinate on continuing with Five in a Row or move into another direction altogether. The book is devided into two parts. The first section contains hundreds of simple ideas and activities developed around 24 books. Activities are built around each selection, designed to cultivate intimacy with your child while building vital learning-readiness skills. The second section is a rich resource, filled with specific ideas designed to help prepare children for learning through simple, everyday activities. You'll find ideas for bath-time, bed-time, in the kitchen, at the grocery store, etc., basically everyday life. The way it works is you read the same book for five days in a row selecting an activity for each day such as Language Arts, Loving Relationships, Colors, Patterns, and Combinations, Fine Arts, Literature, Poetry, Science and so much more. For additional information visit www.fiveinarow.com. 

Homeschooling year around fits in our family like a long lost relative. I put a lot of thought and planning into it while we had this last break. We're following the religious calendar, so for us it looks like this: off March and April for Lent and Easter "spring break," off two weeks in June for "summer break," and starting the first Friday before Thanksgiving off until January first, which is observes Thanksgiving and the birth of our Savior, "winter break." I was happily surprised that it equals the 180 days, that aligns and is required for public school. While we were off for Lent and Easter, we still had fun learning all about Spring, planting the garden and writing the alphabet.  

So we've read and we've read a lot during break. Addition to the Bible and Creed's reading time, Mama read, "Balancing It All," by Candace Cameron Bure, "Harvest for Hope, A Guide to Mindful Eating" by Jane Goodall, "Growing up Duggar" by Jill, Jinger, Jessa and Janna Duggar, and "The Strong Willed Child," by Dr. James Dobson, plus a couple of homeschool magazines (more on that later). Interesting, cleaver, informative and eye-opening, these books were so much fun to read. Of the books Creed and I read over the break I compiled the best into a Spring/Garden reading list appropriate for three-years-of-age and older.

Itty Bitty Homeschool Spring/Garden Reading List

It's Spring by Samantha Berger and Pamela Chanko

Quiet Bunny by Lisa McCue

The Three Trees by Angela Elwell Hunt 

Arty Facts, Plants and Art Activities by Crabtree Publishing

The Curious Garden by Peter Brown

A Green, Green Garden by Mercer Mayer

Flip, Float, Fly, Seeds on the Move by JoAnn Early Macken

Let it Rain by Maryann Cocca-Leffler

Jo MacDonald Had a Garden by Mary Quattlebaum

Planting a Rainbow by Lois Ehlert

What Makes a Rainbow by Betty Ann Schwartz

And the Good Brown Earth by Kathy Henderson

How a Seed Grows by Hdene J. Jordan

The Ugly Vegetables by Grace Lin

Dirt, the Scoop on Soil by Natalie M. Rosinsky

It's Moving Day by Pamela Hickman

Tillie Lays an Egg by Terry Golson

Farming by Gail Gibbons

An Edible Alphabet 26 Reasons to Love the Farm by Carol Watterson

Mended: Thoughts on Fear, Love and Leaps of Faith

You may cry, you may laugh but you will surely relate. "Mended: Thoughts on Fear, Love and Leaps of Faith," by Anna White, is a collection of essays inspired by the Japanese art of beautiful repair. 

Kintsugi is based on the idea that broken things can be repaired, and once that process is complete they are even more beautiful than before. 

Follow the author, Anna White, as she takes us along on her inspiring journey, one that is beautifully broken, like us all. I don't know anyone who's not broken in some way. We can recognize the author's brokenness through our own. Feeling the pain of this earthly life, walking in flesh and bones, where our bodies limit us. This deep feeling, this angst tortuous need for something more was created by the Savior, written in our hearts - we are not at home. Home lies in the heights of heaven. This longing will never be satisfied until we meet our maker. Through transparency we see the words comes off the page as real and familiar, like a kindred spirit. And then - the work circles around again into a brand new limitless light. If this is truth - let it be brutally honest. The only unbroken soul was Jesus Christ. This is true. Yet he broke his to save all of this broken … beauty, his creation as he saw us and loved us, the ultimate love story. Does she write what we are all thinking? If our voices were one would they be hers? If we were all female, in which the only perspective I can draw from - I dare to say its true. I think we have all felt foreboding joy as the author so carefully discusses. If there ever was a name for it, it would be called "the enemy." The one who comes to steal in the night and whispers intrusive thoughts of despair and unholiness.

There is something truly poetic in the "staying" the author mentions. I want to find this place she describes as as a thin place where God hovers. I want us all to find it. Perhaps … it's within our hearts. White states, "I am a writer," then asks if she can truly state it. I answer, a resounding yes. She may say that as much as she may say she is also an artist. Clearly she is - though White needs no label as she is enough, exactly the way she was created. 

Readers: You want to be on this journey. You've gone through it yourself and may even recognize yourself reflected within the pages of this book, as each chapter flows seamlessly from one page to the next. The authors one intention this year: Continue. In a reference to Stephen King she writes his only job was to not break the chain (writing every day) and the only advice she offers readers is pick a small thing and carry it on. Let it change your life. 

The "monkey mind" she speaks of reminds me of our devided selves, trying to break away from our sinful unwanted nature to be what we are called to be. The "monkey mind" is a tangled layer in itself. Some many things compete for our attention. For instance, we can't simply go grocery shopping without interference. Even if we've made a list, there is aisle after aisle of confusion, with too many choices. We've got some many distractions in this earthly life, no wonder it's so heavy.

As the words washed over my mind I thought, "Have you taken a page from my diary? Have you been reading it all along?" I found comfort in this book. I found sisterhood and womanhood and invite you to also. "I was wrong," White writes, "He (God) was showing me the light so on the worst days I could remember that the sun was still out there and that somehow, eventually, I would feel its warmth again." 

This collection of essays focuses on the struggle of living with anxiety and depression, and how to also live with grace and faith in the midst of darkness. It is raw and honest, and does not provide any easy answer or gloss over the pain. It is a narrative of struggle, but also of prayer, of hope, and of rescue. View the author talking about the book in a short video here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T22frgtigoI To download a kindle edition for $2.99 visit: http://www.amazon.com/Mended-Thoughts-Fear-Leaps-Faith-ebook/dp/B00IWDXYPK/ref=sr_1_5?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1394902839&sr=1-5&keywords=mended To obtain your own copy for $10.70, (I will never fall out of love with the written word. I love going back and forth writing notes in the margins and highlighting areas I know I'll need again) visit: http://www.amazon.com/Mended-Thoughts-Life-Leaps-Faith/dp/1496150147/ref=sr_1_6?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1394903444&sr=1-6&keywords=mended

About the author: Anna White is an author, artist, and recovering perfectionist. She has a M.A. in Psychology, and understands the struggles of fear, anxiety and faith through personal experience. She and her husband Ryan, live in Louisiana with their two children. She's emotionally attached to her art supplies and loves making old things new. Connect with Anna online at www.2dayichoose.com or on Twitter @annawhiteartist.

Other works include, "Soul Rest: Retreating to the Heart of Life," pre-release available April 20 for 99 cents; "Decoding Etsy SEO: How to Get Your Shop Seen by the People the People Who Want to Buy Your Products," also 99 cents, and "You are Irreplaceable. You are Loved. You Matter. Heart Affirmations for my Sisters in the Dark," which is completely free! Visit Anna White's page on amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Anna-White/e/B007P7BEQK/ref=sr_tc_2_0?qid=1394904941&sr=1-2-ent

"I've been broken. I know what it's like to feel shame at my weakness, to starve myself to be worthy, and to want to sleep forever. If I had to guess, I'd say you might be a bit broken too. But being broken is not the worst thing. We can be mended. Our cracks can become beautiful. We can be even better than new." - Anna White

"April showers mama"

Root-Vue Farm Garden Laboratory

Did you know that the American badger is a pretty clever hunter? First, the badger hears it (a ground squirrel) then follows his nose to creep toward the opening of the squirrel's den. The badger has an important skill he uses as his next move. As he gets closer to the entrance, he circles around and finds some of the exit holes that the squirrel has created. The badger cleverly fills the escape routes with dirt or rocks and then moves to the entrance. In and instant the badger is plowing his way toward the squirrel with perhaps the most powerful hunting tool - its claws. - From Creation Illustrated, in nature, in scripture, in living Winter 2014 Vol. 20, No. 4 magazine.  To find out more about Creation Illustrated go here: http://www.creationillustrated.com

The badger is often referred to in literature for the creature's composure and wisdom. Isn't it interesting how unique everything is. From human, to animal, to bug, to plants, etc. It's all so intricate. The maker is amazing! The badger can dig three times faster than three humans with shovels! In less than a minute a badger can have a hole dug for hiding, big enough to turn around and face his attacker! Unless a badger is bitten on the nose, it seems to be immune to the snake's fatal poison, which still affects them but not like humans. This is the last I'll say about the badger, though it's really interesting … at least to me: This shield that the badger uses to resist the poison of the snake illustrates how we should use our own shield of faith to resist the venomous lies of the world. Romans 12:2 clearly states that we are not to be "conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. - pretty great magazine, and I'm only on page eight. For a free issue go here: https://subscribe.pcspublink.com/sub/subscribeformtrial2.aspx?t=JWB203&p=CRTE

Flower press and scissor skills

Filling our spring garden.

Planting seeds.

Creed and I started our first crops of the season last week. As we rounded up winter's reading list, we've moved on to looking for books on spring. So far I saw one about the spring equinox, which explained many different ways different cultures celebrate spring with traditions and religion. At first I wasn't sure whether or not to read it to Creed, but there's no harm in diversity. I wanted to explain what spring means to us and furthermore what Easter means to us. As Creed was watering the few sprouts that popped above the soil he kept saying, "April showers mama." I found a root view system that we used to plant carrots and one mung bean. 

We're also experimenting with a leaf and flower press. I received one when I was young from my mother, a gift to use on my 4-H project about wildflowers. I found a brand new one at Goodwill for 99 cents. Now Creed has one to use along side mama. When the daisies started to droop from the Valentines bouquet from daddy, Creed carefully cut the ends off while I stacked them in the leaf and flower press. We also hung some upside down to see which one works the best. For more information on the Root-Vue Farm Garden Laboratory Kit: http://www.hearthsong.com/Fun-with-Education/Rootvue-Farm-Garden-Laboratory-Kit.htm?aff=10051&utm_source=Google&utm_medium=PLA&utm_campaign=PLA&utm_source=Rootvue+Farm+Garden+Laboratory+Kit&gclid=CLnehO2b4bwCFUhp7AodBXAAWw

After trying several different toddler scissors, we've finally found one that's comfortable for Creed. The School Smart Loop Scissors are eight inches long and are connected by a loop. Designed for those with physical disabilities or coordination problems, it's perfect for the toddler with handle gripping difficulty. The easy loop handle makes cutting easy for little ones and the blade re-opens automatically. Adventure after adventure and experiment after experiment, we've been learning side-by-side.

"If you'll be my friend"

"If you'll be my friend," replied the five-to-six-year-old fair of face young girl, to my three-year-old son, Creed, who asked if she would play with him, insisting actually, asking again and again. Creed's first lesson with the ladies, yes, it starts young. Not romance of course, but manners, manners in humanity. You know, that age old golden rule, "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.," taken rightly from one bible passage, Matthew 7:12 "So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets." We're living this out, walking through it daily whether it be with mama and daddy or a new friend, even Bella, our husky Siberian Husky. 

Quietly, and sometimes impatiently, there was a life lesson taking place last evening on the floor of the local library in the children's section. Creed loves to play with the wooden dollhouse, he especially loves to play with the dollhouse when there's someone else playing along with him. First Creed and I played and when he lost interest he moved over to the computer. He only gained interest again, when a young girl started playing with the dollhouse. From his seat, with his headphones on half-looking at the computer he was telling her how to "play" with the dollhouse. Finally, he got up and joined her and she immediately left. He came over to me asking why she left and I said you'll have to share. Why don't you take one of these dolls over to her and ask if she'd like to play with you. There was only one computer working that night so she had taken his place and the above conversation began. She gracefully accepted the wooden figure and they started to play together. With a watchful eye, also studying my lesson, I listened as Creed tried to tell her how she was going to play with the dollhouse. She tired of the direction and joined her sister at a nearby table. Once again, Creed came to me asking why she left. "You were being bossy," I replied. "What does that mean?" he asked. "That means you were telling her what to do. How to play with the dollhouse." I said. "You must be kind." He went to her table watching her playing with the puzzle and said, "Excuse me. I have something to tell you." She didn't respond and ignored him completely. "Excuse me" he said again, "I have something to tell you. I'm going to be kind." Just then a voice came over the intercom stating the library was closed and patrons were to make their way to the exists. Creed gasped so loudly both her sister and her looked up from their puzzle. "The library is closed!" he said. We made our way to the counter to pick up one last book.

Pages from "Over and Under the Snow," by Kate Messner

We've been reading as many books about winter and snow as we can find. Among the lot of them we've found some beautiful treasures. So with this in mind, I'm going to share our "so far" winter must-have reading list, all of which you can find at your local library. 

"No Two Alike," by Keith Baker.  Are two snowflakes just alike? Almost, almost … but not quite. Join a pair of curious birds as they explore how everything everywhere is unique - from leaves and trees to forest friends of all shapes and sizes. It's an affirmation of how we're all one of a kind. 

"It's Snowing!" by Gail Gibbons. A story of snow flakes falling and people enjoying skiing on it, but what exactly is snow and how does it form? This book is an introduction to one of winter's wonders - snow. The author describes how it's formed in beautiful illustrations. Snowflakes have either six sides or six points and falls on all seven continents. The last page shows some pretty neat facts and history of biggest snowstorms. 

"Tracks in the Snow," by Wong Herbert Yee. There's a mysterious set of tracks through the snow, but who do they belong to - a rabbit, a duck or perhaps a woodchuck? You'll follow one little girl as the mystery unravels. "Tracks in the snow. Tracks in the snow. Who made the tacks? Where do they go?"

"Over and Under the Snow," by Kate Messner with art by Christopher Silas Neal. This book is so beautifully illustrated I want to buy two just to frame the pages. Over the snow, the world is hushed and white, but under the snow is a secret world of squirrels, snow hares, bears, bullfrogs and many other animals who live through the winter safe and warm. 

"Winter Trees," by Carole Gerber. A boy and his dog take a walk through a wintery forest, using their senses of sight and touch to identify seven common trees. Wonderfully expressed through poetry and art, there's additional information about trees and their life cycles in the back. 

"The Snow Tree," by Caroline Repchuk. About a bear cub celebrating the splendor of nature comes a story in the joy of friendship and sharing. The woodland scenes are wonderfully embossed as well as colorfully illustrated by Josephine Martin. 

"Where Fish Go in Winter and Other Great Mysteries," by Amy Goldman Koss. This book asks 14 great questions and answers them in funny, interesting poems that you'll want to read again and again. Learning is much more fun when there's rhyming involved - I think. An excerpt from the book, for example:

When lakes turn to ice

And are covered in snow,

What becomes of the fish

Who are living below?

It's not so exciting

Down under the ice,

But fish find it restful

And really quite nice.

It's dark and it's cold,

But the water's not frozen.

In fact, it's just perfect

For fish to repose in.

They breathe very little.

Their swimming gets slower.

Each fish makes his heart rate

Go lower and lower.

And except for occasional

Lake bottom treats,

The whole winter long

The fish hardly eats.

"Not a Buzz to Be Found Insects in Winter," by Linda Glaser. When the weather is warm, insects are everywhere, but in the winter, where do they go? This book shows 12 different insects and how they survive in winter's chill.

Not on the winter's list, but more than worth mentioning is another gem by Nancy Tillman, "The Crown on Your Head." From the New York Times Bestselling Author of "On The Night You Were Born," comes a heart-warming story of how we each have a crown that's unique, which reminds me of the crowns we'll receive when we get to heaven.  

My house couldn't contain all the books I'd love to own, so I'll have to settle for the library. If I could live anywhere it'd be in the majestic library shown on Beauty and the Beast. Oh the joy of the written word, especially the words of my Savior, Lord Jesus Christ. I find that I'm coming to know him more and more or he's revealing a little more and a little more. Either way, it's a beautiful relationship - a romance, quite sure.

Creed's job: "salting the snowflakes"

nicely salted "snowflake"

Let the magic begin using pipette to drip different colors

Raised Salt Painting
http://www.oneperfectdayblog.net/2012/04/27/kids-art-raised-salt-painting/

To take our newfound fascination with snowflakes even further we tried our hand at raised salt painting. Here's the basic instruction if you're interested in this neat arty project: http://www.oneperfectdayblog.net/2012/04/27/kids-art-raised-salt-painting/

Basically I drew snowflakes with pencil and traced with glue, but Creed and I did some free-style as well. It was Creed's job to cover the glue with the salt. Although we used a tray for the salt sprinkling it proved to be a grainy mess, fun nonetheless. After the papers were glued and salted next we mixed some colors again using the fizzy tub colors first making the primary colors and then mixing the secondary colors. Next Creed practiced using an itty bitty pipette he received in one of our Kiwi Crate boxes, and I carefully used a dropper from the medicine cabinet. (For more information on Kiwi Crate, visit http://www.kiwicrate.com/our-crates/)

Creed told me how much fun he was having and it really warmed my heart. Making art and spending time together is so precious to me. Being artistic is something we share and connect on a different level. After our beautiful masterpieces were made, along with our beautiful messes, it was tub time where we dumped the rest at bath time. The leftover salt was a large bowl size and I brought it into the bath. Pouring some in the bowl I asked Creed if he wanted to feel it. At first it was like wet sand and with more added water it was a slightly different result. Finally all of it was dumped in the tub and I told him it was salt water like in the ocean. He said it was sad water. :-( Not really sure what that was all about. Sometimes he stumps me like they say on Cat in a Hat, I'll stump you next time!

If you're interested in some handmade educational wooden games and toys visit www.TreeHopperToys.com. I recently received an envelope with a preview of fun homeschool curriculum, books, offers, magazines, etc. and this was one of the fliers. I was pretty impressed when I went online. Non-toxic, handmade in America using sustainable American hardwood, 100% safe, 100% wind powered workshop - these are the things this mama loves to read. I ended up getting a set of Match Stacks, in Woodland Animals, one of the 11 themed sets. For 25% off use coupon code: CFS214, which expires 3/30/14. This is a $5 off coupon, that basically pays for shipping which is $4.99. 

Itty Bitty Snow Angels

Keeping the tree house nice and tidy

Monday we went to homeschool co-op. I was really disappointed. For Creed's age group the parents were required to stay and I was really happy about this to begin with, however it proved to be a huge distraction, at least for Creed. First class was music, second class was letters and third was supposed to be gym/snack time, but we didn't make through the second class before I decided that it wasn't for us at this time. Creed learns way more at home during a non-school day than at the co-op. The whole point for us attending the co-op was for the well-discussed "social skills" everyone freaks out about. There just wasn't any structure and when one of the teachers asked if there was anything the parents could think of for the children to do 20 minutes until the next class was scheduled, that pretty much summed up our experience. BSF (BIble Study Fellowship) is completely structured. The pre-school curriculum is based on the lessons the adults study. It lasts the same amount of time and mama is able to learn, study and discuss the bible as well. I was pretty impressed with BSF from the beginning. I've got really high hopes for the Montessori handwriting workshop in July.

After we left homeschool co-op, Creed and I spent some time at the library. He played on the computer for a little bit, while I researched books about winter for homeschool. He lost interest and started playing with the wooden dollhouse and before long another child joined him and they played as if they had known each other all along. Be still, my beating heart, listening to the conversation between each character they both beheld. He's socializing all on his own. I really want to get him a wooden dollhouse, one that's more boyish. Plan Toys makes really nice ones, one even looks like a tree house.

Creed knows what coins are, especially quarters. They are his favorite. His first love affair with them started last December 2012 when daddy received a four foot gum ball machine for Christmas. He quickly found out that even if you didn't have a quarter if you jiggled it just right, bumping it up against the wall, you'd get an ample amount of candy - for free. In addition to counting the circles on really big foam dice, Creed learned how many quarters (really cool much like the real thing plastic quarters from Teachers Aide) make a dollar and how many "dollars" (paper) he had. We took turns rolling the dice, each sitting beside our own dinosaur coin bank. Creed took the initiative to roll both of them at once and added them together. I love it when he does this sort of thing. It really seems if something is his idea, it's much more of a game than homeschooling. In fact, we've been playing a lot of games lately. I found a really awesome game at goodwill that teaches sizes in small, medium and large, (Mama and Papa Bear and Baby Bear) colors and counting. From Learning Resources, it's called Bingo Bears Game. We've played it countless times and have only had it a few days. It' fun for me too. 

I was all jazzed up to make snowflakes using raised salt painting, but could not find the salt, so we bundled up and played outside instead. Creed wasted no time climbing up the side of the side of the tree house before whooshing down the slide through the little snow/sleet that accumulated. He asked daddy to make him a snowball and then hurled it at him. Jumping on the trampoline with snowy-sleet underfoot proved a little tricky, but a perfect opportunity to make itty bitty snow angels.