Seven Quick Takes: CM Linky Parties, Loppy the Christmas Miracle, and More!

:: 1 ::

Are you aware of all the new Charlotte Mason linky parties going on? These are going to be fantastic resources, I just know it. Here’s a list:

• Keeping Company: Hosted by Joyous Lessons, this is a place to share details of the notebooks you and your children are keeping. If you are just getting started with Charlotte Mason notebooks, this will give you a glimpse of how different families do their notebooking.
• A Mother’s Feast: Hosted by StrongHaven, this is the place to talk about your own self-education. At Scholé Sisters, we call this scholé {hence our name}. In Charlotte Mason circles, this usually goes by the name Mother Culture. Regardless, if you are looking to share your studies and get some inspiration, this is the place for you.
• Handicrafts: Making Things: Hosted by Crossing the Brandywine, this is the place to show others your current handicraft projects, or go to get ideas if you’re currently out of them {which I seem to be, ahem}.

 

:: 2 ::

A quick reminder about the Simplified Organization self-paced course. This month, Mystie is giving away one free copy of Paperless Home Organization to everyone who purchases the Simplified Organization self-paced course. If you’re in the market for an organizational course {which I talked about in more depth here}, buy it in this month so you get the freebie! Also, the discount code livelovely will give anyone 20% off through January, and you’ll still get PHO free as well!

Some of you mentioned you were going to buy it, so I wanted to make sure you got your freebies and discounts.

 

:: 3 ::

Here’re some of my favorite links from around the web this week:

• Charlotte Mason Book Club – Start Here —  from Reflections from Drywood Creek
  • A great review of Start Here, and it was a delight to see it printed out!
• Narration: an Introduction — from Expanding Wisdom
  • A taken on narration from a more classical perspective. Loved this.
• All You Need to Know About the ‘Learning Styles’ Myth, in Two Minutes — from WIRED
  • The important thing to understand is that it’s a myth.
• Why Preschool Shouldn’t Be Like School — from Slate
  • I’m thinking school often should be like school, either, but maybe that’s just me.

 

:: 4 ::

Now, I shall tell you the story of Loppy the Christmas Miracle. You see, we had a bit of drama over the holidays. On the Friday night before Christmas, Q-Age-Seven’s rabbit, Loppy, escaped from his cage. He is a runner. He always has been. So, naturally, he was nowhere to be found. We looked high and low, but could not find him. We drove all over the neighborhood. We put up posters on the mailboxes. Daughter Q. even went door to door handing out cards asking people to call her if they found him.

And there were tears. Oh, were there tears!

All this time, E-Age-Twelve quietly insisted that everything would be fine. Loppy would be found on Christmas Day.

“How do you know?” I asked him.

“I have faith,” he said.

On Christmas Eve I pointed out that Loppy was not back, and he reminded me that he had said Christmas Day.

We got up on Christmas Day. We celebrated with the cousins. We went to Gran’s house. We came home, and I made dinner. The sun was down, and Loppy was still nowhere to be seen.

And then the phone rang.

“Hello?”

“Hi. I think my son found your rabbit?”

And he had. And Loppy came home.

It was a Christmas miracle, for sure.

 

:: 5 ::

What are you doing for scholé these days? Are you learning and growing yourself? One exciting thing I’m doing right now  is taking a homeopathy course called Good Gut Bad Gut from Joette Calabrese. I have successfully treated a number of acute conditions with homeopathy, but this is the first I’ve ever studied the care for chronic conditions. We’re only two classes in, but it’s fascinating.

A group of us from my CM group bought the class together, and we’re studying together. It’s been great fun so far.

 

:: 6 ::

A-Age-Nine would like to give you a book suggestion. She doesn’t usually recommend books because she’s quite critical of most the titles she reads, but finally a book has passed her mysterious test. It’s The Ordinary Princess by M.M. Kaye.

Daughter A. happens to approve of ordinary. She doesn’t like attention and she doesn’t do fancy, so this book was perfect for her. She found it refreshing to hear of a princess who wasn’t that interested in fancy, either.

 

:: 7 ::

Last up, I have an announcement about the Newbie Tuesday newsletter. The focus is going to mainly be on Mom, yes. I originally defined Mom as the newbie — she has a need to understand Miss Mason’s philosophy and practices in order to implement a CM education with her children. But the question came up a couple times about students who are new to Charlotte Mason and their transition from textbook-style learning. I’m excited to share that Kathy Wickward and Tammy Glaser have agreed to share the writing of a monthly column that specifically discusses transitioning older students {which I defined as about nine and up} to Charlotte Mason.

Don’t forget to submit your topic requests and subscribe!