The Open Home

{Daughter Diaries} #56

March 20, 2019March 20, 2019JessicaLeave a comment

Daughter Diaries 56 | The Open Home

Dear Blossom, earlier this week you spontaneously announced “I love nature!” and it made my homeschooling heart sing! Learning through nature is something I’ve prioritised in our homeschool and I’m delighted you share my enthusiasm for the changing seasons, these weekly nature walks in our favourite spot are definitely not wasted on you or me. Dear Bubbles, despite a tough week for you and a tiring one for me we managed to venture out on the weekend and I’m so pleased we did. Not only did the chilly air shake off the week’s cabin fever but we were rewarded with the sight of our favourite pink tree in blossom. So thankful that we didn’t miss this natural wonder and that you’re now fighting fit again, and with no hospital intervention this time too! Dearest Daughters, may you always find beauty in the small things for this is the key to a full and happy heart.

Happy first day of Spring! What do you love about nature?

{Ten on Ten} March 2019

March 11, 2019March 11, 2019Jessica2 Comments

The Open Home 1198 — New school supplies.

I did my Ten on Ten on the 11th again because if the 10th falls on a Sunday I simply just forget! The 11th turned out to be another glorious day for a Ten on Ten though. After a productive start to the school day we got out on the south coast cliffs with our fellow Nature Explorers for a few hours and I was reminded once again that nature really is the best playground.

What beauty did you find in the ordinary today?

{Winter Nature Study}

March 6, 2019March 6, 2019JessicaLeave a comment

Winter Nature Study 2019 | The Open Home

“Why be indoors when you can rightly be without.” – Charlotte Mason

Winter can be a challenging season for exploring nature and if I’m honest my enthusiasm for it was lagging a little at the start of this year.

We persevered though and kept going outdoors and in the process discovered that beach combing and rock pooling really is the perfect nature activity for the cold winter months. Honestly, when the trees are bare, the birds are still south and the fields have few flowers, the sea shore makes for a wonderful playground.

We’re feeling ready for our spring nature study now though and have been excitedly searching for hints of spring since the start of the year!

Here are some of the snapshots:

Winter Nature Study 2019 | The Open Home — Pebble games on Fermain with our fellow Nature Explorers.

What do you enjoy most about nature this Winter?

{February Gratitudes}

February 28, 2019February 28, 2019JessicaLeave a comment

Gratitudes February 2019 | The Open Home — For blue skies and happy hearts.

These are the inserts from our gratitude journal during February, reminding us that God is good and we are blessed.

What have you been thankful for lately?

{Daughter Diaries} #55

February 27, 2019February 24, 2019JessicaLeave a comment

Daughter Diaries #55 | The Open Home

Dear Blossom, what a privilege it is to be your teacher. Well truth be told, I don’t really consider myself your teacher more of a facilitator of education and I have to admit that helping you learn to read was something that this facilitator of education once felt quite daunted by. In practice though it has been a positive and empowering journey, both for you and me, made all the easier by your cheery disposition and eagerness to devour books. Dear Bubbles, I really enjoyed our special morning together last week. Writing out our “lovely day list” was a sweet moment for this list making mama and I’m delighted we got to tick off every single point. Kiss – check! Cuddle – check! Smooch – check! Read books – check! Do puzzles – check! Go to the airport – check! Thanks for sharing a chocolate muffin with me as we watched the planes fly in. Dearest Daughters, simple pleasures and sweet moments really do make for the best of memories.

What would you put on your lovely day list?

{Ten on Ten} February 2019

February 12, 2019February 12, 2019JessicaLeave a comment

I did my Ten on Ten a day late on the 11th, but it was a positively glorious day thanks to sunshine and poems, journaling and friends. It’s days like these that remind me why I love home educating and days like these that make me thankful for this island home. Needless to say it was pretty easy to spot the beauty in the ordinary.