My friend Lynne’s musical family is featured in this article in the Sacramento Bee. (I hope one of those links works! The first has the pics) Lynne and I have been on the same little homeschooling list for over a decade now.  I can proudly say I knew her when she had just a wee, bitty family of say, less than half a dozen kids. : )  She is amazing – truly.  She is an incredibly gifted, creative woman who loves children and trusts them to learn.  Lynne has been my inspiration for a lotta years. <g>  You go girl!  Great article!

Hey all, I know some of you are wondering about whether your comment was posted or not. By and large the answer to that question is a resounding yes. Just not right on the spot. We have enabled comment moderation.  While one is free to say pretty much whatever one would like to in one’s own space, they are not free to say just anything in this space. Discussion is welcome, unpleasantries are not. Expletives are deleted without reservations. We are here to share our journey with family and friends, not looking for an argument. If something here is helpful then by all means enjoy. If it is not, then we understand that too. Let’s agree to disagree. : )

We just don’t like to come home and discover nasty mail from those who do not value children, bottom line. So please bear with us and please continue to share your thoughts. They have been a blessing, time and again. Thanks!

Donna asked what few resources I would recommend.  I like the Oak Meadow Teacher Process bk a LOT. Kind of does for Waldorf what Hainstock does for Montessori – the reader’s digest, no frills (ie no mysticism) version.  I like the OM book because it stresses teacher frame of mind. Its a bit heavy on the psychobabble but the principles – making smooth transitions, setting yourselves up for success, being fully present in the moment – are all valid and vital. Its also a one-stop shop for directions for painting, knitting, crochet, voice, and storytelling. Don’t buy it new. There are some good OM yahoo groups and the book is easy to come by there.

I have some pseudo-Waldorf materials that are working here.  Form drawing is written about in rather esoteric terms on Waldorf sites. Personally I think Donna Young’s exercises are darn good and free. : )  Fearon has a series of Perceptual–Motor Skills Development books we are collecting. (all separate titles linked there).  The materials can be made at home and they are ready to go.

Block study really is unit study or thematic study. There are lots of resources for that on the net. Any good book which highlights feast days and recurrent festivals for one’s faith work fine. For us that would be things like the Catholic Mosaic or A Year with God from CHC. CM nature study like I said.

Watercolor is a staple of Waldorf schools and for me the best help thus far was this image collection coupled with a stack of paper and paints. Trial and error.  More sample work from various subject is found here. A curriculum overview here gives a quick summation of grade school topics. There are a plethora of Waldorf inspired toy sites with some lovely wooden toys. We are keeping an eye out at the thrift store. Melissa and Doug (sidebar) toys are the same type.

That would do it for me right now. I don’t like to wander off into the spiritual aspects, nor can I spend a bunch, but I do find the gentle parenting guidance to be exceptionally good. I am finding that the nature appreciation is extending to homemaking here and the whole thing is having a calming effect as we move into fall. We have incorporated more earthy tones and natural fibers. Dried floral arrangements are more appealing to me than silk.  I would like to pick up some pine cones and some twig balls for display. But I digress…. ; )  Seriously it is more about slowing down, embracing what is natural and REAL. Real food, real materials, real books, real interaction, real life. Don’t spend a lot. Did I mention that? <g>

Elizabeth has linked to more here. She includes all of Lissa’s Waldorf thoughts at Lilting House – which pretty much articulate my own.

On Monday Aug. 20 we are hosting the Living Lives of Loveliness Fair. This fair focuses on the Loveliness of Back to School Supplies and Lesson Planning. Whether you are a detailed daily planner or a serendipity driven homeschooler we would love to get a peek into your "office" this month!  What is on your school shopping list? How do you envision your days this year? What worked well last year and what will you be doing differently? What are the old standby’s your family returns to over again? Are you a Montessori mom? A CM-er? A unit study family?  A traditional bunch?  Unschoolers? No two families are alike and no two homeschools either. It will be a treat to see what your family will be up to!

Please send your posts to me at kimallenf@elpasotel.net by Sunday Aug. 19 if possible. I will compile and post with the Ranch Hands’ plans on that Monday morning.

Since I am in and out this week I am sharing links

Bottle Biology – way cool stuff I found via the Playschool list.  Almost makes me wish we drank soda ; )  Alas I will have to track down some bottles!

Modern Country (blog)  The only thing more fascinating than American country decorating is Euro-country decorating. I am on a rabbit trail these days since Shayne proposed an intercontinental magazine swap (thankyouthankyouthankyou!!!)  This site struck me especially because I was an exchange student to the Netherlands one summer in high school and stayed in Northern Holland which is where this blogger appears to be.

Lilinath is a French blog.  I have no idea what she is saying : )   Nice pics though!

Aidan: Hey Mom?  Was everything gray when you were little?

Me: No, dear.

Aidan: Oh, because on tv the old movies are always gray. And the pictures in the albums are gray too.

Me: That’s because they didn’t know how to make color pictures yet.

Aidan: Oh.  Well did you hafta have candles and stuff?

Me: No, dear. We had electricity.  ((Thank you Mr. Edison. ; ))

Aidan: Oh, Well, were the dinosaurs still alive then?

Me:(hurrumphing) Um, no, dear. They died out just a smidge before Mommy.

Aidan: Oh.

Aidan:Hey, Mom?

Me: Yes, Aidan?

Aidan: Are you losing weight?

Me:(really hurrumping now) Ummm, what makes you ask? (she says with her breath held)

Aidan: I think you are.

Save. ; )  I guess we’ll keep him.

Sherry says so. ; )  Actually our summer days tend to feel like a slow waltz  but you get the idea.  Sherry was nominated for the Rockin’ Girl Blogger, as well she should be ’cause, girls, she DOES rock! 14 kids keeps you hoppin’. <g>  Sherry manages to keep her composure and posts grace-filled, inspiring thoughts over at Lady of Virtue blog.

I am supposed to list 5 other blogs of Rockin’ Girls I know so here goes:

Ironically one of the rockin-est bloggers I know is not a blogger at the moment (though you can still read the archives). It may seem incongruous to nominate a blogger who is no longer a blogger but the message here is crucial.  The most impressive thing we can do with our blogging is to keep it in its place. Home and vocation come first. If the blog enhances those things, fine. If not, then really the coolest thing a girl can do is give it the heave-ho. 

Next come the Jen’s – or Jen and Gen to be more specific.  Jennifer writes about their wild ride homeschooling and moving around with the US Air Force. I have watched Jen pull this off with style for 13 years now. She never ceases to amaze me. Plus it just seems fitting that this week when we celebrate our Independence we celebrate these families behind the scenes who are enabling our troops to do their job.

Genevieve’s dh is a civilian yet they are just as mobile. Gen and I started to be phone friends three years ago when my dh was deployed. Has it been three years now Genevieve??  I think it has! Her flexibility and detachment to the world and all its trappings is admirable to me. She has repeatedly helped her family transition to new places and new adventures.

The Longest Year blogger is a new favorite. She brought back my own struggle over the years to keep it going when Allen was on the other side of the planet – wherever that happened to be at the time. She coped like I coped – through art and with good friends and neighbors. Get a glimpse of the inside story here.

Theresa at Lapaz Farm is amazing. She is a master homeschool teacher and at the moment is touring Alaska with her clan. If that doesn’t rock, nuthin’ does! You will want to check out her notebooks and be sure to see the nature journal entries done by her as well as the ones her kids have done. Theresa is an accomplished artist who does not realize how gifted she truly is.

And because I have historically had trouble following directions I will add a 6th – Cathy Zielske, scrapbooker extraordinaire and a real life rocker chick. Her Declaration of Independence from Generalized Expectations is hysterical.  Let’s be real here. You owe nobody in cyberspace a thing. Blogging is fun, it is inspiring, it makes you laugh and sometimes cry. But we are not owed a blog entry from anyone. She says it all about accountability right here, "I have only three (people to whom she is accountable) and those are, in fact, the people I live with."   Like I said at the start, Family First.  Blogging?  Somewhere waaaay down the list.

Elizabeth has posted the schedule for the Summer Loveliness Fairs.  The first is Monday! Please visit us here at the ranch on Aug. 20 for the Loveliness of Back to School Supplies and Lesson Planning.  To tell the truth I am already thinking about those things here and cannot wait to share all the exciting things we are working on!  Hope you all are having a similarly inspiring summer!

Come on, admit it, it IS funny.  ; D

I am catching up on my Bloglines and just realized that Kim at Large Family Logistics delivered her baby at 27 wks.  Please say a prayer for this little man!