Hermione specifically requested that we read a story about a river this week and learn about where rivers come from and where they go to. Should have been easy enough but it hasn't really happened. I feel bad about that as she rarely asks for us to do anything specific so when she does I generally try to respond quickly.
In my defence we have read The Little Red Lighthouse and the Great Gray Bridge by Hidegarde H Swift and Lynd Ward a couple of times. It is a FIAR text which is loosely connected with a river. It's a wonderful story with delightful illustrations. Ordinarily we could have turned it into hours of discussions and activities but this week we have only managed to ascertain that rivers don't flow up hills and generally speaking always flow towards the sea.
With all my oooomph and enthusiasm on unauthorised leave I decided today that I didn't want to pick up any more felt tips with no lids on (they seem to breed around here), I didn't want to do 'lessons' and whats more I didn't even want to cook. I called a home ed friend and arranged to meet up for lunch.
We had a nice leisurely lunch (that is till Miles decided to be down to investigate the restaurant Christmas tree) and then headed on to buy some more crayons and coloured pencils. I accept I will still have to pick the crayons and pencils up but at least I won't spend so long trying to remove their marks from the white skirting boards and cream leather sofa *sigh*.
Back home Nana headed off to Rainbows with Hermione while I stayed true to my 'no cooking' vow and made a raw chocolate cake. It's one of my own concoctions and probably not to many people's taste but it's chocolate in a very nutritious form - which can't be bad. One big slice with a handful of berries is like a meal in itself!
I made it by blending 250 g of raw cacao nibs, 250 g of dried shredded coconut and almost 200 g of raw dehulled hemp seeds. I then mixed them together in a bowl adding a generous tablespoonful of mesquite meal, three tablespoons fulls of honey and two tablespoonfuls of rice syrup. Mixed thoroughly, pressed into a spring form cake tin and refrigerated for an hour.
So all in all I've had a 'day off' - or as close to one as ever happens. Some would no doubt say this is a downfall of home ed - there isn't the option of calling in a supply teacher/cook/dinner nanny/playground attendant. Personally I think it's been an interesting day. A change is as good as a rest and I certainly feel quite rested now sitting here with my chocolate cake to one side and glass of chardonnay to the other - the children are sleeping soundly, Craig is home and I am having a day 'off' after all!
6 comments:
We're spending this week 'tying up loose ends' ie things taht did'nt get finished when everyone (inc me was ill!) You never really get a day as a home-ed mum, but the beauty of home ed is that you can slow the pace down . I've never tried raw chocolate cake, it looks lovely though.
ARgh... that should read 'day off'!!!!
"Try as I might I just don't seem to have been able to 'get it together' over the last couple of days."
I have felt that for a fortnight:) Combi of illness and moving house. I keep thinking I know there is something we ought to be doing but I can't remember what it is. The boys loved the Little Red Lighthouse and the Great Gray Bridge. We went on to Beacons of Light and Keep The Lights Burning Abbie and did a lapbook of the Little Gray Bridge. We do FIAR when they need time to just be. They love it.
Oooh, I'd love to hear more about the lapbook. Will I find it somewhere on your blog?
I don't think it is but I may have photos somewhere. I have vague recollections of it being lost cos we lost 5 others at the same time. I packed them and now I can't find them. If I find the piccies I will put them up:)
I am glad you had your "day off." Although your chocolate cake sounds yummy, it would still be classified as "cooking" in my mind, even if no heat was involved! The chardonnay sounds heavenly though.
I really admire homeschooling families. My two oldest attend a very small Montessori school, but sometimes I am so happy to see them go off to school in the morning, that I really feel like I must be lacking some sort of "homeschooling gene!"
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