About Me

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i am a stay-at-home mom living, learning and loving by the bay!I love to take pictures. I love to crochet cozy things for my family and friends.

July 8, 2013

Time to say goodbye...

 
 
Well, after lots of thinking and agonizing I have finally decided to stop posting here on Goose and Binky. 
I haven't posted regularly in at least a year.
And I really want to focus on my second blog, Crochet Crowe.
I am sad but I am looking forward to a new chapter in
our lives.  We are still homeschooling, but after this coming school year,
Goose will be going to high school and Binky will be in the 7th grade.
The kids are busier than ever and this school year will be our busiest yet!
I have loved every minute of blogging here and will continue to follow all of my favorite blogs.  I am so grateful to have met some wonderful people!!
Thank you for following along!
 
 

May 20, 2013

art and greek mythology

 
 
Painting by Goose.
Reminds me of Georgia O'Keefe.
 

 
 




 
Greek mythological creatures by Binky.
 

 
Poseidon's Trident by Binky.
 
We are studying Greece and Greek mythology right now.
Binky read the Percy Jackson and The Olympians series by
Rick Riordan.  He LOVED it!!  So, we are learning all we can about the greek gods and
goddesses.  He has created files for many of the gods and mythical creatures.
Rick Riordan has a great site for learning about this time period and series.
This week we will be listening to The Iliad and then The Odyssey on audiobook.
I love audiobooks.  I love listening with the kids and being able to do other things, like art or
crochet.  It is very relaxing! 
It is already warm and sunny at 10am.
I was hoping to take the kids to the pool, but
they aren't open during the week yet.  So annoying!
Don't they know we homeschoolers like to swim, too?!
 

April 4, 2013

Botanical Gardens


 
I love this moss!
It looks so soft and inviting.



 
 
 
 
 


 
 
I am fascinated by these lichen podentia!
They are the fruiting bodies erected for spore dispersal.





 
My favorite shot of the day!  I love fiddleheads!!






 
This guy was so quick!  I was lucky to get this shot.
 



 
 
 
It was such a beautiful morning.
It is always so relaxing for me to walk around with my camera and listen to
the birds singing, the bees buzzing and the creek babbling. 
I could do it all day long!
I must try and make it a weekly thing.
Relaxation is always a good idea!
 
 


March 22, 2013

Hearts, Boats and Faeries

 
 
Another busy week!
Binky drew this heart diagram for our human body study.
We watched some youtube videos by Bill Nye The Science Guy.
We love him! 
 
 
 
 
More boat building class.
I love that Binky works on boats in his top hat!
 



And, the play!
We are finally recovered from two days of performances.
Goose was a beautiful and perfect Peaseblossom.
She had so much fun!
 

 
Here is the full cast.
I had so much fun working with all of these kids.
 
 
 
My Peaseblossom!
Goose is becoming a young lady.
I can't believe she is going to be 13 this year!
Thirteen!
Watching her love being in this production with all of her friends
was such a gift.  She enjoyed every moment!
Seeing her giggle with the girls and watching the boys watching HER was
quite an experience! I hope both Binky and Goose will be in the play
together next year, as it will be Goose's last year at our
charter school.  We still haven't figured out what we are doing for
high school.  There are a couple of schools we want to check out.
I am looking forward to a nice calm weekend.
Some housework, crocheting and maybe some long walks.
What about you?
 
 
 
 
 

March 17, 2013

Faeries, Pi and Weekend Fun!

 
 
So, I mentioned in my last post that Goose is performing in our charter school's performance of
Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream.  And, on top of lots of other writing
assignments, all the kids were required to turn in some sort of project relating to
Shakespeare or this particular play.
And since Goose is playing the faerie,  Peaseblossom, she chose faeries as her
subject.  I am in love with this project!!! 
 
 



She studied the history of faeries and made this beautiful display,
complete with real faeries!  She used battery-operated tea lights with cotton over them to make
them glow.  I also love the faerie door at the base of the tree.  I am so proud of her!  She did it completely on her own.  She is also very proud of herself! 
 
 
 



Of course, we had to make pie on pi day!
Apple pie, as requested by Binky.  We also listened to some very funny youtube
songs about pi.  Binky and I also drew some circles, measured the diameter, radius and
found pi! And we finished the pie the next morning for breakfast.
 
 



Today was beautiful!
We all hopped in the car, with Cody the dog, and headed to the bay.
The water was warm and very shallow.
Cody loved it!
 
 

 
Is that a happy dog face, or what?
 

 
Daddy, Goose, Binky and Cody had a great time playing
Frisbee in the water.
While I was watching them playing, I thought to myself,
"This is our moment."  It was a wonderful feeling, living in that moment!
We played, laughed, snacked, ran, played catch later with a friend at the park.
Goose and Binky didn't argue once all day!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
It was the perfect day. 
Now back to the week ahead. 
 

March 11, 2013

busy week

 
 
 
Binky is taking a boat building class on Friday mornings.
Their first project was to make their own paddles.
They tested them out in boats made by other students.
Binky is loving this class!
By the end, he will have his own boat.
Very exciting!
 



Goose is performing in our school's production of
A Midsummer Night's Dream.
She is playing the role of Peaseblossom, which is the role she wanted! 
 I am sewing on all of these little
blossoms to her cape and skirt.  Goose is very
excited!  This is her second Shakespeare performance.
She was in Twelfth Night two years ago.  Our charter school
does a Shakespeare performance every year.  We usually alternate
between tragedy and comedy.  I am excited to see all
the hard work these kids have put into this performance.  I am so impressed with
how hard they work and how familiar they are with Shakespeare.
There are two performances on March 20.
 
We are also busy with writing group, martial arts 4 days a week, French group,
art group.  I know there are other things to add to this list, but I can't think of them right now.
We are loving the weather here by the bay right now.
It is so nice to get outside every day and be active.  The bees are very active, too,
right now.  We listened to a very interesting show on Science Friday about bees.
Here is the link.  If you don't listen to Science Friday on NPR, you must
give it a try!  We love it! And we are always sad when we miss it.  But you
can always go to sciencefriday.com to listen any time.
What are you busy with right now?
 


March 4, 2013

cooking

 
 
Goose has been spending a lot of time in the kitchen.
She made citrus chicken with kale and rice the other night and it was
delicious!!  There were no left-overs. 
She is always asking to bake something.  Cookies, cake, whatever we happen
to have the ingredients for.  She turns on the music and
gets into her zone.  I can see how it relaxes her. 
It does the same for me!

February 12, 2013

Peg Dolls and Blog Tour


If you don't know Margaret from We Bloom Here, please check out
her blog and her new book, Making Peg Dolls.
Her dolls are whimsical, fun and playful!
Margaret is having a blog tour and today's stop is Art is A Way.
This is a gorgeous blog, if you don't know it.
And Elsa is having a giveaway, one Making Peg Dolls book
to a lucky blogger who leaves a comment!
Stop by, if you can and leave a comment.
Have a great day!

February 11, 2013

2013

 
 
 
A new year.
I am trying to have a new outlook on life, as well.
I am a worrier.  Always have been.
But now I am trying to worry less and live more in the moment.
I have been using Reiki on a daily basis again. 
Every morning, and throughout the day, I repeat the Reiki principles to myself.
 
Just for today, I will not anger.
Just for today, I will not worry.
Just for today I will be grateful.
Just for today, I will do my work honestly.
Just for today, I will be kind to every living thing.
 
Of course, these all sound easy to do.
But the worrying is my struggle. 
So, 2013 is my year to let go of the worrying and live in the moment!
What are your goals for 2013?