Wishing For Pine Needles

Our Twelve Days of Christmas.....Gingerbread Fun at School

third graders + graham crackers + mountains of frosting & candy = total gingerbread house mania!!!

10 days to go...what kinds of things are you making???

The Makings of a Prairie Girl - Part 2

Hours after Lena's arrival into the world, my oldest girl got to spend a day back in prairie time.  And being the fantastic dad that he is, Dan left me and our new babe to go and spend a couple of hours with Rylen and her classmates...with explicit instructions to snap a few pictures for mama!

Her grandma packed her an honest to goodness lunch from the 1800's (thanks, mom!), complete with a leather satchel that Rylen made herself.

(You may have seen the first part of her dress here, but I finished the pinafore and you can get a small glimpse of it above even though she is sitting down.)

The children spent the morning at an authentic pioneer cabin....

 

 

...and then after lunch headed back to school for a prairie sing and dance a-long, a corn husk doll craft and some good, old-fashioned butter making.

So glad my girl could have this day to experience and learn, and to live out her inner prairie girl.  Don't we all sometimes wish we could?!

 

 

 

 

a School Days Decision...

This decision is one that practically had a mind of its own!  There was no agonizing over it, no second guessing it, and no turning it about in my mind until the wee hours of the morning.  It was surprisingly easy, painless, and peaceful.  Things fell nicely into place, just the way they needed to.

What started as a casual, theoretical, on-vacation type of conversation between Dan and I quickly moved into a much deeper, this-might-actually-happen conversation.  After we found ourselves on the same page, no time was wasted in developing a plan of action into which we dove head first.

And then it was time to talk to the kids.  There were mixed emotions, as we suspected there would be.  There was surprise at first, followed by a quick question and answer session, followed by a glow of excitement as the idea began to "sink in."

Girls, how would you feel about going back to school????

We again had the opportunity to send them back to a school that we love!  This is the same school where Rylen attended kindergarten and first grade....the one we pulled her out of to homeschool her for second grade.  It's a Christian school that uses the classical model of education and does the most fantastic job of it.  We were thrilled at the prospect of having both of our girls there!

 

 

 

The hardest part of this decision was, of course, making the mental shift from homeschooling.  I loved having all of my kids with me during the day and I enjoyed our adventures and great multitude of conversations.  I truly will miss them.  (I already do!)  But the many benefits my children will receive from this special school are ones that I couldn't possibly give them here.  I'll even admit that throughout our novice year as homeschoolers I couldn't get this small-but-mighty school out of my mind!

 

Just as I am thankful for the freedom to be able to homeschool my kids, I am equally thankful for this school that has become dear to us.  It is a true blessing to be back!

(And both girls are having a fantastic time!!!)