About face

 Some days are peachy, some days are not.  Today, the morning was terrible. No one was getting along or listening. I hadn't even cleaned up breakfast before it was time for lunch. 

After lunch, I hurled a snack at each kid and told them to disappear with a book until I told them it was time to get in the car.  

Audiobooks in the car kept everyone quiet. Ocean and library were our destinations.  It was a great way to give our day an about face.

This picture below says a lot. Audra in the water (in Maine in April...I don't get it either), Anna-Kate running much ahead and Adrian as far as possible from everyone to get some space.  

My little naturalist collected some kelp

Razor Clams

And European green crabs. 

Wearing a mama made coat and dress. 

Her fave spot at the library, picking all all the books we have on this chart.

And another favorite spot.

Sweet dreams

While I (mostly) appreciate the busy of the day, the silence of the night is the so magical. 

Weekends...

Weekends are for...

Counting eggs. 

Pretty hair. 

 Stitching with friends. (I led a 4-H sewing workshop).

Handmades

And treats.

What a lovely family day. 

Homeschooling

 

This crew has officially wrapped up the required amount of instructional days for 2021-2022 according to Maine homeschool law.  3rd grade and 5th grade portfolios are next on our list to complete to officially wrap up the paperwork for the year.

But, this is all on paper. In reality, our school year is perpetual because education for us is a lifestyle. We're year round homeschoolers. Not a set number of days. Not a set number of hours. Not to check off the requirements and be done.  Each season ebbs and flows with different subject areas and our rhythm changes. Spring will pull us outside in our gardens, Summer abounds with nature study, Fall is the best time for field trips, Winter we cozy up by the fire and do more sit down work. Most important to us, the good books just keep coming because that's one thing not one of us wish to take a break from. 

  

Homeschool gathering

 I've been leading the nature studies portion of our spring homeschool gathering. We've been exploring one square foot of space in different habitats and nature journaling our findings. We've truly been finding the very best classrooms.  

Spring

We've been waiting and watching for the first blooms. FINALLY today there were two and a half crocuses bloomed.   

Zippy has been spending more time outside.

 

Kids have decided that if the sun is shining that it's basically spring. Although they have ditched their coats, long sleeved and shoes, I will keep my wool socks and sweaters a bit longer.

I do have vegetables under grow lights, more sprouting on my heat mats and I just for the first time ever potted dahlias to start them inside.  Hoping for a longer picking season.

So thankful for my sweet neighbor who took the kids for a bit this afternoon so I could run annoying errands without my entourage. Everything takes a fraction of the time when it's just me. I managed a few minutes with the still waters and gulls this afternoon before I picked them up. So thankful to live in a neighborhood with neighbors we love and so thankful for living where there are seasons. 

Home grown

 

Our (nearly) everyday breakfast: Our eggs. Applesauce from our apples that I canned last fall. Toast from bread I made. Local fresh milk delivered from our milkman everyday Tuesday.  Sometimes new things are good, sometimes the steady wins.  Maine food for my Maine children.