{This and That}

Hi there!  We had a productive start to our school year last week (very few tweaks needed!), and this morning we are on to Week 2.  After a few weeks testing out our schedule, I'll be ready to share it all here.  But if you'd like a sneak peek...

That up there is our Average Day Chart, a la Brandy.  We don't have many "average days" around here, but I found that the practice of making one was well worth my time.  I'll chat more about that when I share our plans.  Lots more to come, including how I'm handling our Form I rotation with Cate (Year 2) and Xavier (Year 1).

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Speaking of planning:

I'll be talking with Mystie tomorrow afternoon in a live webinar on planning for smooth days with little ones underfoot.  If you'd like to sign up to join the chat (or get the replay link afterward), you can do so here.  I get a lot of questions about this topic via email and comments -- so if you have questions and would like to brainstorm together LIVE, you can join me over there!  I'd love to see some familiar names in the chat box. :)

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I already mentioned this on Instagram, but last week I had the great pleasure of attending an Introduction to Nature Journaling class with John Muir Laws.  He lives locally and gives free workshops every month, but this was the first time it was close enough for me to attend -- about a half hour away, and definitely worth the drive!  You probably already know what a fan I am of his book and videos.

Which brings me to the CMI Western Conference, where he'll be giving something like two plenaries and three workshops, all in one day (!).  I'm all registered and can't wait to immerse myself in lots of nature journal goodness.

Will you be there?  If so, please leave a comment here.  I'm trying to get a mental list of which friends/readers I can expect to meet. :)

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I am not a handicraft person.  Technically I am proficient at some traditionally "crafty" things, but I don't actually enjoy them all that much.  Or perhaps it would be more accurate to say that I used to enjoy them before I was trying to teach them to young children while chasing the littles around. ;)  But my kids really enjoy handicrafts and I see their many, many benefits, so I try to schedule them into our days as best I can (which is not always that well).

To do that, I often use craft kits and instruction books for learning a new skill. They are open-and-go, and now that my Big Kids are old enough, they can even do them on their own much of the time!  So in the past year, handicrafts have gotten much more doable.

I recently ordered some Woolpets kits.  (They are a bit pricey, but I was able to buy them through our charter.  I do think they're worth the money if you are clueless like me, though, and they'd make a nice gift for an older child)  I have never tried needle felting but was intrigued.  Turns out it's a bit fussy and yes, a challenge to do with littles around.  But it's pretty neat to sculpt with fibers!  We're doing this first one "together" (which means I'm doing it and my older four are watching me -- LOL) and then I'm hoping they'll be able to do the next kit side by side with me. And I have a feeling I'll eventually be buying roving to design a project of my own -- so many possibilities!

almost finished -- just needs the eyeballs and mouth!

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Some good reading:

Students Will Forget What You Teach, But So What?

Little Women is our scheduled free read selection this year.  Here's part of the reason why.

I've always taken a more subtle approach to habit training (mostly because to do otherwise has felt artificial to me in light of CM's writings on Authority and Docility), so I was pleased to read Nancy Kelly's The Habits Pendulum.

I so appreciated Melanie's thoughtful look at book discussions: What the Book Really Means.

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We've had some chilly but fun mornings at the beach lately...

watching the mole crabs

a split sand dollar, revealing its middle

the siren call of driftwood -- build, build, build!

building a log cabin "like Pa"

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We got our First Communion pictures back from our parish, which included a family photo with (almost) everyone looking and no one obviously scowling!!

miracles do happen

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See you tomorrow at the Live Chat!