Halloween

Yes, the days are getting shorter now and so have our usually long, (almost) daily walks in the woods or trips to the playground.
It is colder, too, and the leaves are covering the ground.
In the celtic tradition today would be the last day of the year. Halloween or Samhain. As Christians we celebrate All Souls and think of the people that have passed away.
We carve out pumpkins and dress up as scary creatures, we light candles and think of the year that has passed and the winter ahead.


We enjoy the cosiness of the home and make the most of the last rays of sun to get the garden prepared for next spring.
The season of candle-light, warming cups of tea and wollen jumpers has started.
Makes me think of good books to read, the smell of cinnamon and vanilla, cuddling up on the couch to watch a film, baked apples with vanilla sauce,


dressing up and building dens, Spekulatius and hot chocolate,...

We didn't celebrate Halloween this year. Somehow it didn't happen and nobody is sad about it. Lisa was thinking about going to a Halloween Party and also for 'trick-or-treat-ing' but her heart wasn't really in it. The whole idea stopped at trying to get dressed up...there wasn't the right costume, and she didn't want to make one with me. And then she lost her interest.
We didn't carve any pumpkin, either. We simply forgot about it.
But - we did get some sweets for the other kids that might knock on our door.
In the end there came three, and the rest of the sweets were for our tummys. :-)

The juicer

We are going to be so healthy this winter season...


because Jamie is making us fresh juice! :-)

Not that he cares about the vitamins and minerals or the healthy side-effects of his work. What counts is the noise, the button to be pressed and something quite cool is happening. You stick a carrot or apple into the top and wow!! juice comes out at that side bit. It's thrilling! The machine is moving so fast - and makes his little boy's heart beat even faster with excitment.

I love it. And I love the juice. :-)

Freiwillig Mathe? (2)

Gestern Abend knobelte meine Große weiter an ihren Matheaufgaben. Diesmal schwieriger und nicht auf einem Blatt Papier. Sondern am PC mit dem 2. Klasse Programm 'Lernspass 2. - im Zauberwald'. Es wurden Zahlenflaschen sortiert und im Hunderterbereich plus und minus gerechnet. Aufgaben wurden sortiert, und Kettenaufgaben gebildet und gerechnet. Alles auf spielerische Art und Weise.
Manchmal brauchte sie meine Hilfe, aber meist wollte sie die Lösungen selber finden. (Und ich konnte in Ruhe meinen Stoff zuschneiden :-)
Irgendwann war es aber doch Zeit aufzuhören. Während der Schulzeit ist es besser früher ins Bett zu gehen, auch wenn man noch so gern weiter rechnen würde. ;-)

Wie wir sonst noch 'Mathe' spielerisch lernen:
- beim 'Kniffeln' (Würfelspiel)
- beim Umgang mit Geld/beim Einkauf
- beim Kochen und Backen
- beim Bauen und Konstruieren
- beim Legen von Geometrischen Figuren (gibt da sehr schöne Spiele im Handel)
- mit Montessori-Material
- beim Basteln (Zuschneiden, Abmessen, Länge berechnen, etc.)
- in Knobel- oder Rechenheften; nach Schulklassen sortiert, extra hergestellt zur Förderung der Kinder :-)
- beim Ausprobieren des Zirkels, Taschenrechners, Lineals, Rechenschieber, etc.
- das Leben bietet unendlich viele Möglichkeiten - fallen euch noch mehr ein?

Freiwillig Mathe?

Kinder wollen lernen. Kinder interessieren sich. Kinder haben einen offenen Geist und wollen die Welt kennen und verstehen lernen.
Keine Schule der Welt kann dieses Interesse fördern oder fordern - nur das Kind selbst.
Wir lernen am besten aus eigenem Antrieb, und am besten das, was auf irgendeine Weise gerade wichtig für uns ist.

Lesen, Schreiben, Rechnen...
Viele Eltern haben Angst, wenn sie von Homeschooling oder Unschooling hören, dass die Kinder 'keinen Bock' auf soetwas haben. Wer interessiert sich schon für Mathe.
Das ist doch nicht cool!
Leider gehen wir von längst beschulten Kindern aus. Wir kennen ja auch keine unbeschulten. Wir kennen keine Freilerner in unserem alltäglichen Leben, und können deshalb auch kein Vertrauen in unsere Kinder haben, dass sie OHNE Schule auskämen.
Das ist sehr schade und furchtbar traurig.
Denn nichts ist schöner, als Kinder zu beobachten, die frei und selbständig und mit FREUDE lernen. Jeden Tag, jeden Augenblick.

Menschen, die gegen Homeschooling und Freies Lernen wettern und argumentieren, haben sich nie direkt mit dem Thema auseinandergesetzt. Sie haben überhaupt keinen blassen Schimmer, wogegen sie da überhaupt sind!
Fast alle dieser Menschen kennen auch keine Home- oder Unschooler persönlich, erleben nicht ihren Alltag, ihre Fortschritte und den Lernerfolg.
Sie haben nie ein Buch über diese Art des Lernens in der Hand gehabt, wissen nicht von den endlosen Möglichkeiten, die dieser Weg bietet.
'Wir' sind nunmal gegen alles, was wir nicht kennen. Unbekanntes verunsichert und schürt sogar die Angst. Nein...lieber am alten festklammern. ;-)

Für uns ist die Befreiung aus dem Regelschulsystem ein wahrer Segen.
Ich bin froh, dass meine Kinder nicht den ganzen Tag stillsitzen müssen, dass sie lernen können wann und wo sie wollen, und dass niemand ihr Tun bewertet.
Zur Zeit möchte Lisa, dass ich ihr Rechenaufgaben ausdrucke. Sie hat gerade Spaß am Rechnen und füllt ihre Zettel zügig und meist fehlerfrei aus. (Jeder Zettel wird auch mit Namen beschriftet. Nicht ihr eigener, sondern die, die ihr gerade gefallen *lol*)
Sie schreibt manchmal an Geschichten oder fragt mich, ob ich ihr Schreibschrift beibringen könnte. Sie malt und malt und hat keine Angst davor 'falsch' oder schlecht zu malen.
Vielleicht wird sie nicht mit der gleichen Quantität an Wissen täglich bombadiert, wie Regelschulkinder. Aber inzwischen wissen wir ja, dass Quantität nicht gleich Qualität ist, und das wir (die wir zu normalen Schule gehen mussten) einen Großteil dieses Wissensbombardements sowieso vergessen haben.

One full day

After a day of caring for the baby doll...


drawing and colouring numerous pictures...


after looking at books and listening to stories...


and after the elves have gone riding...



we are all ready for a good night's sleep. :-)

Lots to do

Yesterday, Lisa went to her Grandma's house for the weekend. She was very excited about going off and sleeping over for a couple of nights. She loves visiting other people and I remember how I used to love that as a kid, too. :-)

The flat was much quieter after she had left with my Mom and I felt like I was on a vacation, too.
Somehow when one child is not here it seems like having 'a day off' to me.
The little ones went playing in the living room, building dens, slipping into different characters and I was left to myself, reading, thinking, drinking tea.

In the evening we played a couple of card games (Jamie loves 'Black Peter')and snakes and ladders. Somehow Jamie kept winning and winning. Something must have been wrong with the dice, I'm sure. ;-)
Jamie is getting better with the numbers and I am very glad he can learn this by playing simple board games. Playful learning is the best, isn't it?
After that we spend some pre-bedtime-moments in the kids' room, building houses and dragons with DUPLO, me also knitting Amelies mittens.
I have to say...since Lisa is gone Amelie hasn't cried or screamed much.
Which of course has nothing to do with Lisa, but with the fact that Jamie plays with HER when Lisa isn't around and I am much more relaxed because there is hardly any sibling rivalry happening. There is much more attention for Amelie available and I think that helps.

Today we went outside only for a brief bit. The weather wasn't that inviting. It was drizzling and quite chilly. Jamie was watching spiders and I collected some more leaves whilst Amelie was riding her learning bike. (oh, not to forget, we also bought some chocolate!)
We kept it simple and relaxed today, there were no 'exciting' plans planned or things happening. But still the kids are busy, playing, building dens for themselves and brick stables for the toy animals, looking at books, playing alphabet domino with me, listening to music and audio plays (which Jamie recites to me whilst we are having dinner *g*), and on it goes.
Rainy week-ends can be fun and creative, too! :-)

...and Lisa seems to have great time at my Moms house. I had her on the phone today and found out that she's been outside a lot, went shopping with my sister and also painted pictures with her (acrylic on canvas). She is looking after the dogs, was baking a chocolate & cherry cake and made some chocolate coated bananas.
Tommorrow afternoon they are going to see a play performed by a local theatric group.
Sounds like a lot of fun! :-)

My little Baby

Last year at this time Amelie started to go through a phase of extreme frustration, screaming and crying. It lasted for a couple of months or so - I was very exhausted. And when it finally disappeared I felt relieved and thought 'Now, this is over. Hope it never comes back again.'
Little did I know that it seems to be a seasonal thing with her. ;-)
Shortly ago it started again. Frustration, crying, screaming on end.
It's hard. It's hard on my ears and my nerves and my patience, and it is also hard for her siblings to deal with.
But...these things happen. Every child's different, every child develops in a different way, and I try to just see how hard it must be for HER.
Still - I am just a human being. My nerves are no steel ropes, these days they rather feel like thin threads.
But...yes, I try to breath in deeply and relax.
And no...that doesen't always help.

What does help is when Amelie comes up like last night, presses her face against mine, wraps her arms around me and rocks me from side to side and says: "Oh Baby, you are so sweet and cuddly. I love you so much!" (I call her 'Baby' often)
That is like healing balm for my nerves, lifts all the stress of me (at least for a while ;-) and makes me smile again.

Making things

Remember those leaves we brought home from our walk?
We pressed them and they turned into:


* an autumn wreath *


* a table lantern *


* autumn lanterns (for the windowsill)


* a little house which Jamie made for me :-) *

Learning-News

Lisa:
- sometimes reads to me stories whilst I am knitting.
- draws so many pictures, mainly horses, but My little Ponys, too
- helps a lot in the household: washing up, drying, hanging up washing, helping to bake bread/cake, etc. (She was negotiating about 'earning' some pocketmoney ;-)
- loves listening to Grimms' and Andersen Fairy Tales on end
- builds little worlds for her Schleich animals.
- Likes playing 'Kniffel' (a dice game) with me

Jamie:
- is typing away on the typewriter
- loves memorizing audioplays just for fun
- constructs robots that can change into cars, tanks or planes with LEGO
- loves pillowfights with me :-P
- enjoys painting with watercolours
- plays Memory often (and well)

Amelie:
- plays role-plays all day. Her imagination is huge. She talks with different voices - so funny!
- loves painting with watercolours
- likes to watch telly very much at the moment. She watches 'Was ist Was'-DVDs mainly
- practices hopping on one leg :-)
- likes comparing big and small (the big object is the mother and the small object is the child)

Me:
- trying out new sewing patterns, trying to make up my own.
- learning to knit Teddys and clothes
- learning guitar-songs with original tabs (found on the net)
- food-preserving
- getting into painting with watercolours alongside my kids

Unschooling

"Unschooling would be helpful to all children:
It's not one particular way of learning; it's learning at your own level, in your own interest, and at your own pace. What child wouldn't benefit from a learning experience like that?"

from 'the unschooling handbook' by Mary Griffith

Isla's Daybook

For today...a beautiful warm autumn day

Outside my Window...it is raining now. It is also dark as it is late in the evening.

I am thinking...it is time for a new Daybook-post. :-P Once a month, I promised. But I almost forgot.
I am also thinking about how life always seems to bring the things I need in order to grow as a person, to gain valuable experience and to broaden my horizon. Yes, sometimes situations seem hard and difficult at first. I struggle, I pity myself, I want to give up. But somehow when I change my perspective and try to learn something even from the bad situations I can move forwards. Sometimes in a great leap. Sometimes slowly but surely. That gives me faith. I feel that life is challenging me. And if we accept the challenges instead of fighting against them we can truly grow and succeed.

I am thankful for...the strength of my oldest daughter, the thoughtfulness of my son and the humour and wit of my little one!

From the kitchen...what shall I say...? There's a washing-up pile waiting for me, pears that want to be turned into compote, and apple's that will soon be puree. :-) My dehydrater is humming away and I am looking forward to those dried pear and apple pieces!

I am wearing...cordoroy trousers and an orange long-sleeve shirt.

I am reading...The Three Investigators and The Creative Family by Amanda Blake Soule. Very nice book! I recommend everyone to read it.

I am hearing...the rain, and Lisa watching 'All creatures great and small'. It has become our nightly ritual to watch at least on episode whilst drinking a mug of tea (and me knitting).

One of my favorite things...Walnut-Marzipan-loaf. Soooo yummy!

A Few Plans For The Rest Of The Month...
well, maybe I shouldn't be too ambitious. Most of last month's plans didn't work out.
I still don't have a bike and my car got sold...I hardly wrote and I didn't finish my BabyBorn-knitting. At least I practiced some new songs and got new strings for my fiddle. :-)
This month I'll keep it simple. My plan is to go day by day, enjoy my children, be creative and get done what I can get done.

A picture I'd like to share with you...

* We built a little house for the gnomes. That was fun! *

Äpfel

Heute waren wir das letzte Mal - in diesem Jahr - Äpfel pflücken.
'Unsere' Apfelwiese liegt oben auf dem Berg am Wald und ist einer der schönsten Plätze hier in der Gegend...naja, für mich jedenfalls. :-)
Es war richtig warm heute, fast schon schwül. Hat mich ja gewundert, und ich hätte glatt noch mit einem Gewitter gerechnet. Aber die schwarze Wolkenfront hat sich dann doch noch verzogen.
Wir saßen dort oben im Gras, blickten über unseren Ort und stellten fest, dass es hier irgendwie immer ein bisschen wie 'im Urlaub' ist.

Da wir...nagut, hauptsächlich ich mich zur Zeit für das althergebrachte Konservieren von Obst und Gemüse interessiere, habe ich uns einen Dörrapparat bestellt.
Tolles Teil! Es steht jetzt in der Küche, ist gefüllt mit leckeren Apfelscheiben und summt so vor sich hin.
(Zucchini-Chips haben wir auch schon hergestellt - ganz lecker!)
Der Rest der Äpfel wird...
richtig: Apfelmus. :-D (Jamie isst das einfach zu gern.)


* Kein Kommentar :-P *


* ...auf der Apfelwiese *


* Jamie hat fotographiert *

Autumn Joy

Autumn used to be my favourite season of the year.
It still is...somehow...though I love all four of them for one reason or another, autumn has something very special. The transition of lots of outdoor time in summer to more indoor-time in autumn, hot days to chilly ones, drinking ice-tea to sipping hot chocolate, eating ice-cream to enjoying a hot bowl of soup, and not to mention the change of the green summer foliage to the multicolor autumn scenery is enchanting and magical.

When I was a teen I used to love this season. I remember taking our dog for a walk, in the evening darkness and quietness. Walking out of the village to the open fields. Wrapped up warm and cozy. Clear starry sky above me. The fallen leaves rustling under my shoes.
The atumn air smells damp and aromatic and even if the rain is falling, the sky is grey, the wind is blowing and it is nippy outside - autumn for me has something very romantic and special.

I wonder how my kids feel about this season. I haven't asked them but I can see their excitement when they are gathering conkers and collecting hazlenuts, running and playing in those leaves and sending maple seeds flying, when they are looking with amazement at all the different colours in nature and are discovering mushrooms they have never seen before.
It's magical! :-)


* by the pond today *




* Lisa on a tree. Jamie climbed on one, too. And yes - he did fall into the water. But only one side of him got wet and he didn't drown, thank goodness.;-) *

Learning about the past

...this is a great book we found in the library. All three kids like it because of the wonderful illustrations. Also it gives more insight about the seamen and discoverers we learnt about in a kidsfilm we recently watched. (Es war einmal...Abenteurer und Entdecker)
For Example we found out that really the first Europeans (recorded) that travelled to North America were Vicings. The sons of Eric the Red who had settled on Greenland travelled to the west and discovered Canada.

Also, I found this man very interesting:



He cycled around the world on this bike! Wow - how could he even ride it? Here's a Wikipedia-link to find out more: Thomas Stevens

We got ourselves busy, haven't we?
I decided to venture more into food-preservation lately. We got so much fruit and veg given I was anxious it would get spoiled. As it is organic garden produce I would find it even more sad to let it go to waste.
Therefore I made Chutneys, Applepuree, Applejam, Curried Courgette and I will also preserve beens, cauliflower and cabbage turnip.
I do have to admit that it is a lot of work! Our ancestors really had lots to do :-) ...but as it tastes much better than bought stuff and also there are no additives or preservatives present I think it is worth taking the time.


This is also a great book I can recommend: "Natürlich einmachen" by Anna Spreng and Margrit Bühler


* some of my jars. *