:: 1 ::
So I broke my toe. It was really very stupid. I was trying to kick a laundry basket out of a room, and I kicked the door jam instead. I have no clue how it happened. I mean, my aim was wildly off, which is strange, because I am in the habit of kicking laundry baskets. I put this in the category of freak accidents.
I’ve been thanking God for Arnica montana 30! That stuff is better than Tylenol.
:: 2 ::
Exactly a year later, the original book arrived in my mailbox! I have no idea where it had been for twelve months. The postmark was definitely from the previous year, so I know the sender wasn’t lying. Isn’t that crazy? I contacted the sender, marked the book received … and I’ve had two copies of the book ever since.
I thought it’d be fun to give one away, seeing as it’s a good book and all. Contest ends at midnight on 2/23/15 and I’ll announce the winner in the entry widget below shortly thereafter.
:: 3 ::
The biggest flaw I saw in my card plan is that you need to have a lot of different colors of thread or yarn, and I don’t have a stash. I was imagining having to spend a ton of money just to get enough colors to choose from.
Lucky for me, I discovered the concept of bonbon sampler yarns. I’d seen these on Amazon, but forgot to order some, so I was glad my local craft store had a big selection. These were perfect because, honestly, I don’t want to store a ton of yarn in the house, at least not until I know we’ll really use it. This was a great way to feel like I had a stash, but all small enough to fit in my little craft drawer.
:: 4 ::
Speaking of crafts, some of you have inquired about my Pinterest boards. You can follow me on Pinterest, of course. For those of you who wanted to know about my boards specifically designated to craft ideas {not to be confused with boards for decorating certain rooms, which may or may not have craft ideas for those specific rooms of the house}, here they are:
If any of you have handicraft idea Pinterest boards, feel free to share links in the comments!
:: 5 ::
This week’s links collection:
- How One Woman Makes Almost $1 Million A Year On Etsy from Fast Company.
- So your daughter comes to you and says, “I don’t want to go to college; I want to knit.” I’m not saying this is what will happen if you agree, but it’d be nice.
- The Republican Party is not Your Friend from The Federalist.
- After the Republican victory, my father said, “Just keep in mind that this was a Republican victory, not a conservative victory.” Articles like this do not surprise me in the least. The history lesson was fascinating.
- Don’t Vaccinate to Protect my Cancer Kid from The Thinking Mom’s Revolution.
- It’s good to understand the concept of shedding and how it can threaten those who are weakest. I do think she’s speculating with her cancer hypothesis.
:: 6 ::
My only complaint so far is that the characters are rabbits. I find it distracting, but we’ll see if I get used to it as it goes on. So far I get really into it, and then suddenly a breeze blows on the little girl’s {yes, I’m picturing her as a girl, which I know is a mistake} facial fur and I’m jolted out of the story.
Part of this is probably because I actually own and raise rabbits. They are nothing like the story. Other books that employ this sort of method effectively tend to be respectful of the true character of the animals {here I’m thinking of Watership Down, Wind in the Willows, etc.}, even though they manage to personify them as well. It’s a hard balance to maintain, I think. So far, my take is that The Green Ember is an almost — that it would have been better to invent a people, like hobbits. But we’ll see if my opinion changes in time. We’re only four chapters in.
By the way, I’m keeping this take to myself. The children are enjoying it, and I’m certainly not going to question it in front of them.
:: 7 ::
Some questions you’ve asked:
- Question: How does CM differ from unschooling?
- Answer: Well, that’s an easy question. Ha. We could probably discuss this all day, so I’m just going to try and answer here what I think the core difference is. The curriculum in a Charlotte Mason education is designed in a standard way. Miss Mason insisted that learning was personal, yes, and also that the child make his own connections — that the child himself build direct relationships with what he is learning. But my understanding is that in unschooling, learning is supposed to be child-initiated — the curriculum is child-led, meaning that it focuses on whatever the child was interested in. Miss Mason, when she wrote her curricula, chose to spread a broad and generous feast, covering a multitude of subjects and topics, and let the child take what he wanted to.
- Question: CM add-ons for non-white children? Lol. I wish someone would write about this b/c I adore CM, but every book I’ve seen so far is about white children…with perhaps an occasional slave thrown in. Of course, CM wouldn’t have included this, but I’d love to know about living books with some heroines that my kiddos can identify with. Is there a way to “multiculturalize” some of CM?
- Answer: I think this is an excellent question! I don’t have specific books to suggest, but I do have a strategy idea for you. We are Californians here, and I really want my children to understand the geography, government, and history of our state. I do different things along the way to make that happen. Sometimes, I substitute books. For example, I might take out an AO geography book and replace it with a book on California. I might take out a history biography and replace it with one that is California specific. Or, I add California-specific titles to the free reading basket. So while we do AmblesideOnline, it is definitely tailored to be Californian. I think you can do the same in your family, for sure! The hard part is finding the right books, of course. Maybe ask on the AO Forum to start? And then, naturally, you need to start a blog telling us about all the books you’re using! If anyone has good book suggestions, please leave them in the comments.
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