Holy crap, what am I doing??

Oh my. I just came across this site when skipping around some homeschooling stuff. Take a look at her Kindergarten plans. Wow. Holy organized, and holy prepared.

I'm so not like that. I have a vague idea of what I intend to teach Chloe this year, and I have a vague idea of what general Kindergarten standards are. Mostly, she has already achieved those standards, we're really moving on into first grade at this point. But I'm nothing like that mom, who has every single lesson for every single day planned out!

Our average homeschooling day goes like this: breakfast with phonics review using magnets on the fridge. Somewhere along the way we say our phone number, address, days of the week and months of the year, and talk about what day it is. At some point either I ask if she wants to do a page of her workbook, or she asks to. We work on some math or grammar/reading stuff. Occasionally I get all inspired (or start panicking about my LACK of schooling her) and I come up with some great educational activity for her to do.

And that's about it.

And at five years old, she can read as well as a first grader, she can count and write numbers to 100, she can add and subtract with manipulatives, she can explain in basic terms photosynthesis, she can tell you anything you want to know about pretty much any living creature on the earth including where it lives, what it eats, and what it's classification is (mammal, reptile, etc.) She can point out a handful of states on a map, and can tell you about several different cultures - Mexico, Ireland, Japan, China, Singapore, Africa, France. She's fascinated with the "Wild West" and knows all about cowboys and indians and what it was like at the turn of the century in the western US. She can bake cookies with just a little help, knows exactly how things like yarn and thread are made (from personal experience), can successfully mail a letter, and can communicate and socialize well with anyone from infant to elderly.

It takes making little lists like that to remind myself that I'm probably doing alright, even though we're not organized, we don't have a plan for each day, and I don't make her sit down to learn things for hours each day.

We're not unschoolers. But we're not traditional homeschoolers either. I guess we're just doing what works... kind of like every other part of my parenting career, I suppose.

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In other news...

Deb asked for b-day pics. (I turned 26 yesterday. My, how time flies.) Honestly, I don't think there was one photo taken of me on my birthday. I'd like DH to do a quick photo shoot of me though, for scrapbooking purposes, so if it ever gets done, I'll post them here. My mama did make me a German chocolate cake (from scratch) and it was WONDERFUL. And hubby got me exactly what i wanted for my birthday - a real set of kitchen knives, subscriptions to two of my fave magazines, and the A-Z Organic Growing Guide for Vegetables.

26 is nearly 30. And 30 is OLD. Not really... but it seems that way. Like the Deanna Carter lyric "I remember when 30 was old". I sure don't feel 30. 30 is definitely grown up. Right now, I'm still mostly a kid. But only for a few more years! When you're 30, you have to start shopping in the "ladies" section of the department stores. No more cute Juniors' halter tops and flare jeans and mini-dresses. You can't get away with nights out at the bar as easily, and sure as heck can't wear a bikini (not that I would these days anyway.)

I'm not ready to be old yet. :oP

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So Cora is pretty much over her cold. Unfortunately now, she's cutting two teeth. Diarrhea, low-grade fever, and lots and lots of fussing. Poor baby. She keeps grinding her teeth and whimpering. I finally gave in and rubbed a bit of whiskey on her gums. (I can see the gawking and gasping now. Hey, it works.) I was hoping to knit the night away, but t looks like I'll be snuggling Miss Fussypants instead. :o)