The Mindful Homeschool

• Peace in the world
• An end to injustice, poverty and abuse
• A printer that works
• A writing house/retreat
• Ability to travel to Japan, France, Italy, etc. en famille
• Vacation to the ocean en famille
• Betsy-Tacy books
• More time to myself
• Feng shui in my home
• Financial security
• A happy, healthy family
• Good food on the table!
• Good health into our grandparenting years and beyond…
• Regular mini-vacations
• Music to feed the soul
• Health coverage for all
• Wisdom, esp. in parenting
• Good art to surround me and my loved ones
• Laughter all around…
• Daily yoga practice
• D’aulaire books on Greek mythology, Benjamin Franklin
• More classes with great yogis
• Charlotte Mason books on HS
• The wardrobe of a hip, French woman!
• Regular one on one time with children
• More organized living
• A really clean kitchen with nary a dirty dish in sight

We found some more great books to read today.  I finally read the book, Zen Shorts, by Jon  J. Muth.  It’s a wonderful children’s book filled with short little Zen stories.  I had read about it on someone’s blog the other day and had to get it from the library and I am so glad I did.  It deals with sharing, good luck and bad luck, and anger among other things.  I cannot do it justice by trying to describe it so I will stop and say, “Just check it out.  I think you will like it.”

Then tonight we played the concentration/memory game again with Le Petit Prince cards.  I mentioned something about the book from which the illustrations came.  C said she didn’t know there was a book.  ???  So then I had to find my old, used copy that I bought used at some garage sale somewhere a long time ago and started reading it to the kids.  It was so delightful and the kids seemed to get it.  I had read the book before but I am pretty sure I did not enjoy it as much as I did tonight.  The book is funny, sweet and very touching.  Once again, I cannot do it justice by telling you about it.  Just get it and read it!  I read the first 5 chapters or so and will continue reading tomorrow.

The kids and parents are tired after a day of swimming at cousin T’s birthday party.  It will be an early one tonight.  Zzzzzz…

Today was another day of Harry Potter’s The Goblet of Fire, art, hanging out with friends and playing games.  A typical unschool day.

The older kids spent the morning hanging out in the bedroom listening to and reading the fourth book in the Harry Potter series.  H-man spent some quality time in the bathtub preparing himself for swimming himself silly at his cousin T’s birthday pool party tomorrow.

After lunch we drove C to her art class where she learned all about Alexander Calder, an artist who was known for his mobiles and stabiles.  C and the other children in the class made sculptures out of wire and colorful shapes.  C’s finished work was a bird perched under a wired arch.  (Note to self:  Must take photos.)  The teacher complimented C on her work and said that she worked well independently.  This art class has been a lot of fun for C, not only because she gets to hang out with one of her best friends, but because she is loving all the art she is doing. 

Two weeks ago, when she took her first art class with our homeschool group, she came home with wonderful, creative pictures that were similar to the type of paintings Marc Chagall is famous for.  For that class they used an oil pastel/mixed media drawing to achieve the right effect.  Each week the children study a particular artist and then do art in that particular artist’s style.  It has been a great way to end the week and learn something more about art.

After class, we went with our HS friends to a local coffee shop where we had something to drink and saw…more art!  The coffee shop was opening a store that specialized in earthy, local art.  It was a beautiful gallery and we were all oohing and ahhing and saying at the same time, “I love this place!”

When we got home the older kids went back to their Harry Potter reading.  W is determined to read/listen to the fourth book and not be outread by his sister.  She finished reading the book yesterday, the same day we picked it up from the library, but is now attempting a second read.

Papa John picked up a new tent for H-man which he enjoyed immensely.  It is now set up in our living room and is a cozy place for the kids and adults (although not all at the same time, silly!)  It fits about 2 people comfortably but you could fit more in if you really wanted to!

Later this evening the children and Papa watched a PBS special about parrots in Austrailia and then watched a show on the Parthenon in Greece.  Even W didn’t want to step away from the TV and miss the show.  The night ended with C, W and Papa playing an exciting game of concentration with Le Petit Prince cards, a gift from Aunt L.  C won, narrowly beating her brother.  She hadn’t played this game in such a long time and it was nice to see everyone having so much fun with it.