Although I’ve always known we’d be on the path to homeschooling, this year we really got down to business and made a commitment to this way of life and we’re so glad we did! Our kids Luca (age 8), Rose (age 5) and Remi (age 3) explore life and learn every day through reading, imagination, play, and time spent together and with our community. We are documenting our experience here. Enjoy!
And suddenly April has come and gone like the wind! Around here April is a birthday month, so there were lots of lovely celebrations going on – most notably Luca’s 8th birthday and my Mom’s surprise birthday celebration in Colorado that Luca and I travelled down to. Sandy held down the fort with Remi, Rose, Phoebe and the chickens. Easter was celebrated in Canada and Colorado and the Easter Bunny made the rounds!
Luca and Rose sorted our ever growing cupboard of board games and puzzles. We have a vintage copy of Masterpiece, a wonderful art world auction game that was one of my favorites growing up.
We played Sleeping Queens card game in CO and it quickly became a favorite at home too – especially for Remi! He has probably asked to play it every morning, after breakfast, every afternoon and before bed for about two weeks straight. I may have hidden it for a brief period. But it is a great game and with such cute illustrations too!
This month’s sewing project was a Jedi Cloak for Luca
Luca and his buddy Quin love creating these Jedi/Sith battles on paper – I love their squiggly creations! They will spend hours working on these layouts and playing the battles between good and evil.
Rose working on some Easter egg creations for her friends – she does a lot of these little friend envelopes… unfortunately not all of them actually get to her friends, but I think it the process of making sure each friend receives a little drawing and envelope with their name on it that she really loves. Now it is my job to help them too follow through… that is the hardest part somehow.
Rose’s rain clouds
One lovely sunny afternoon the kids made a Nature Store out of the lemonade stand
While turning over straw bales in the garden we found a beautiful little toad
This month our read-aloud bedtime book was The Tale of Despereaux
Rose enjoying some quiet drawing time in the hammock while the chickens wait for worms to be tossed through their fence
This isn’t a very good picture, but this is Luca’s favorite climbing Variegated Willow beside our house. I love how he gets lost in it’s thin little branches and is in a world of his own making. It’s nothing elaborate, no giant tree, but just right for a young boy and his imagination.
Luca lost another tooth and found this little note with a $2 coin under his pillow
Remi was all smiles during his first haircut!
Having some one-on-one time with Papa
We attempted shaving cream and food color Easter eggs, but they were a little underwhelming. The best part was playing in the smooth cream and creating peaks and twists of foamy color
My beautiful mother had a fancy birthday this month and the family surprised her with an extravagant trip to Denver, dinner out at Acorn and a lovely night at The Brown Hotel! Isn’t she lovely!
Luca and I on our way to Colorado – It was a rare treat for me to travel with just one child!
Family dinner in the back yard at my sister Betony’s. Betony is my sister-in-crime in all things homeschooling! And as often as we long to be just blocks away instead of hundreds of miles, we talk on the phone almost every day and share ideas, triumphs and tears of the day with 3 and 4 kids… and every moment I’m so grateful that she is my sister!
One of my favorite places – in the kitchen with my sisters Betony and Willow!
Betony and her fourth little one – all-smiles-all-the-time Arlo!
Luca putting together his birthday present – a Star Wars rebel ship
Easter morning with the cousins
Funny faces at an Easter egg hunt photo booth
The annual Easter egg dying
Documenting this fourth little person inside! About 28 weeks here
Growing up it was always a special treat when mom got out the Ukrainian egg decorating kit. Delicate wee tools are used for scooping up bees wax, heating the little wands over a flame and then letting the wax flow out of the tip and onto your egg. After every pattern of wax you dip your egg in dye and do another layer of wax. After all the layers are done you gently heat your egg over the flame or in the oven and melt off all of the wax. What’s left is so delicate and your whole house smells like bees wax!
My dad and Luca working through all of the levels of Camelot Jr. – a lovely little wooden strategy game where you try to make a pathway with the knight to the princess
The beautiful lobby of the Brown Hotel in Denver
Denver city art
On the grounds of the Denver Art Museum
Mask making display inside the museum
My dad explaining the evolution of life to Luca
Double Mocha Cake following our family tradition for my birthday – complete with a kid-decorated top!
Luca and little Harriet enjoying a quiet game playing time at the coffee shop
He is a monkey!
Last night in CO celebration with Old Fashioned Sodas!
Luca’s big bike birthday present!
Working on light saber favors for Luca’s party!
It was an epic birthday battle that lasted about two hours!
Little helper bringing out the cupcakes
Blowing out the candles on Apple Hand Pies – with sprinkles of course!
And lastly a goodnight picture – what many of our pre-bedtime evenings look like
