Whenever I hear that "No School" land, I think by golly people must think we are just a bunch of lazy ignorant no good ..............LOL.  Nevermind, we won't go there.  I always say, no comparisons.  Don't get caught up in that trap, no sireeeee.

But it is so hard not to compare.  I think it makes us feel secure or something.  When we compare up, but not when we compare down.

So today, let me tell you what we were up to in NoSchoolLand.  Actually, I think I need to change the name.....hmmmm.  Let's see, how about InquisitiveMindLand?  Or SevenYearOldsAreBusyLand? Or, MyGirlsLoveToCreateLand?  Or LearnTheBasicsThenGoForItLand?

Gosh, I guess I am getting a bit silly.  But if you are visiting my blog today, it might be because I volunteered to talk about unschooling on the HSB Company Porch on Thursdays, and if you read my little ditty today, you may have then jogged over here to see what else I have to say.  OR you are just a friend who stopped by to say hello.  Either way, it's fine with me.  I just want to make it worth your while to be here!

You know, I just want to feel peace about my homeschooling efforts more than anything.  When the peace is there, then the joy is easier to rejoice with, and the discovery is eaisier to discover, and the mundane is easier to endure, and the mess is easier to .......well, ignore mostly.  I want to have peace in knowing that my kids are able to accomplish what they want to, and that they have a place to do it, and they don't give up to easliy if it gets a bit hard.  And I want to have peace in knowing that I am capable of helping them learn, and that they are capable of acheiving their goals.  Peace knowing it will be fun sometimes, peace knowing it will be miserable at other times.

I don't want life to be perfect, and sometimes perfectionism paralyzes homeschooling Mothers.  How many of you have a resource, a book, a project or something that has been there for months, even years, that you won't get out and do because you just know it won't work out for whatever reason?  You are afraid it won't turn out right, you don't have the right work space, or whatever.  Well, just get it out and do the crazy thing and have fun!  Just Do It is a great motto.

After years of letting my Kono's timeline sit on the shelf, I finally put it up a year or so ago, and it's been so much fun!  I kept thinking I had to have the wall painted or something, or I didn't have enough space, or whatever.  Finally I just put newsprint all over the walls and stapled it up there!  And we have had so much fun adding to it and seeing our timeline grow.  Kids are visual, and it's a good thing to do stuff like that.  Put stuff on the walls. 

And all those neat collections you have packed away, for goodness sake take them out and let your kids see them.  Let them explore them.  We have had all kinds of fun with stamps this week.  The kids have looked at them through the microscope,  have figured out where they are from, and my 7 yo found George Washington on an old 2 center and brought me the book of the presidents and showed me how it looked just like the General!  Let them DO stuff.  Keep them challenged.

So here I am telling you what to do, after I just told you it's not a good thing to compare.  But what I mean is it is OK to get ideas from other moms.  Wow, you know I have found some of the neatest ideas here on HSB?  I am especially excited about some of the neat things I have seen for preschoolers!  Now, if I only had one left.....all my preschoolers grew up on me!

Ok, well, now it is pretty late and I have this inkling that I may not be making a lot of sense.....so let me just give you a quick run down of our day:

Got up late, crazy daylight savings time has got us ALL messed up.  Thank you Benjamin Franklin.  Out of all your wonderful ideas, I think this one stunk big time.  :)

Did some dicatation with my darling daughter who loves to do academics.  A model student.  I have been doing these dictation and spelling sentences with all the kids, and I am so pleased with how they are doing!  We haven't been real stringent with this, pushing them yet.  And I wasn't really keen on this, because I like to teach them "in context."  I would rather that they write Grandma a letter, than copy Dick and Jane.  So, back to the dication book which is by Susan C. Anthony.....well, it's pretty boring.  I really like this lady, but believe me, if my daughter didn't push me to read her the sentences, I wouldn't.  I told her that I wish it were a little more relevant.  I would rather they practice writing great quotes, or perhaps, just perhaps, Bible memory verses!  So, Lo and Behold, when I went to the website just now to get the link......she has downloadable BIBLE dictation sentences to go with her spelling lists!  Halelluja!  Isn't that super???  I can't wait to tell my daughter tomorrow.  Be sure to check out Susan's website.  She does have some really neat things.  We also own Facts Plus.  Now, is does have some billions of years stuff in it so spit out the parts you don't agree with and appreciate the great assets.

Then I worked some on an article that is staring me in the face.  Worked on some Civil War stuff with my son who is writing a book about it.  He has been completely inspired by Bob Farewell and "Gettysburg, the Second Day."  Then my girls had piano lessons, and the baby worked on his new hobby, Philately. 

The girls made dinner, chicken and biscuits, and a friend came by for a visit.  And Dad has his second "owie" in two days.  He is a carpenter, and I told him I am about to confiscate his power tools.  (right.) 

And so it goes.  Can we find peace in all this?  Yes, I believe we can.  Even in the midst of all this, there is peace.

Galatians 5:22  "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law."

Homeschooling Is Life!

Nancy