Nature Table: end of July

Here is our current nature table, enjoy!

A day of watercolor..

Yesterday we had a day of watercolor ing and water play. While Audrey worked on painting strips of paper for a growth chart, I painted a picture as a gift for a dear friend.

Here is the completed growth chart:

It's interesting to have a visual interpretation of her growth and to see that she grows 6" a year and now stands 40" tall nearing her 3.5 birthday, we plan on celebrating next month with homemade pancakes and a walk on the lakefront.

Flashback to "Nola"

Work has taken us many places and today I was reflecting upon my experience in New Orleans Parish, Louisiana. In a perfect world I would absolutely love to buy a home and live there for a couple years, mostly because there is so much rich history and the city has an energy that I have never seen before... sadly I am completely allergic to everything there, the bugs, the plants and sometimes the food.

Aside from the California grown allergies to Louisiana, I firmly believe that everyone should visit Nola at least once in their lifetime. It's almost indescribable the amount of "life" that is still there, despite the tragedy of Katrina, I can only describe it as a place that is starting new and building on what they little there is left and now is a great time to see the progress it is making. 

3 year old favorites

Now that it has become dangerously hot outside (I had a bit of heat stroke the other day), we have been spending lots of time at home. I have been observing AE and noticing what she is drawn to and what keeps her attention, which is mostly her imagination, as I usually hear her talking non stop around our home about castles, princesses and babies. Besides that I do see certain items constantly reappearing on our antique coffee table in the living room...

Currently her summer days consist of coloring paper, cutting paper, going to castles with princesses, making "cake" for new doll May and making tea for her wooden dog. 

Items from:

                                           

 

                 

Two corners of my home

This is inspired by other blogging homeschoolers that I follow. I was in a cleaning mood today and was  so overcome by the warmness the rearranging brought, I hope this leaves you with a feeling of inspiration.

...Dining room corner...

...Bedroom corner...

Star for you to wish upon, and a kiss from me...

Audrey resting with her dolls Mimi and Alice. Truthfully, May arrived a couple days ago, but AE is loving the dolls she has so much now, I am enjoying the time she spends with them. We are planning a trip to get some "gifts" for May, so the day will be extra special, whenever that may be. 

...on another note, I am planning on beginning our preschool home study/ unschooling with a weekly craft that I know we both will be excited to do. Aside from that I am looking forward to making a couple mini road trips to schools nearby, who are holding public events over the summer. 

homeschool curriculumn

So far, I have liked the feel of "Little Acorn Learning". They have samples to look at, which I need to go through, and give you lots to do for each week, which gives you many ideas to pick and use others for later.

Little Acorn Learning

blackboard ideas

After looking around and getting ideas, I thinking we may get a piece of plywood, prime it to match the decor, which is a coastal feel, and then using painters tape to make a border.

While searching country living, one of my favorite magazines, had some very cute ideas:
Country Living Crafts

*Decided on a 23x 35" "Board Dudes Chalkboard w/ oak frame" at Amazon.com.

The very beginning

So begins our path of homeschooling, which will officially begin in the fall, I have already begun to accumulate articles pertaining to my teaching style of choice. Next step is to order a few books from Amazon within the coming week. I will also begin to research how to construct a chalkboard for the dining/ learning area of the house.

Right now we are looking to find "transparency paper" to make window stars to help add warmness to our new home.

Aside from all that, I'm here to help those, living primarily in suburban areas, discover confidence in finding resources all around.