Curriculum Clean Out - a Giveaway

I'm starting to do some Spring Cleaning around here and was inspired to tackle the homeschool bookshelves first, thanks to The Curriculum Clean Out at The Curriculum Choice.  As part of the cleaning out fun, different bloggers are going to be giving away homeschool items as they clean up ... passing them along to new homes.  What a great idea! 

Here is what I am going to give away:


- one gently used copy of The Heart of Learning by Oak Meadow (this is an older copy, originally purchased by me second-hand on ebay).  This book is part of Oak Meadow's K-3 Teacher manuals.

- one copy of One-to-one: A Practical Guide to Learning at Home Age 0-11 (a book so nice, evidently I bought it twice! So, I'm putting my extra copy into this giveaway.)

Want to add these to your bookshelf?  Just leave me a note in the comments.  I will send them both to one winner. 

One winner will be drawn at midnight on Sunday using Random.Org and I'll announce them here on Monday the 22nd.

Good Luck!

Crocus, Crocus

Crocus, crocus waken up

And catch a sunbeam in your cup.

- M. Meyerkort

Wynstones Press Spring

Finally. 

"Finally" everyone keeps saying.

Finally Spring is here.

Finally the light can be seen at the ends of certain tunnels.

The road is still long, but the sunshine makes the path seem happier. Easier to walk.

My babies are growing as quickly as the green and purple shoots popping up in all of our flower beds.

Last Spring's chubby baby boy is this year's long-legged child.

The shy baby on my hip is now the toddler running in the yard.

My oldest girl in these flickering moments where she is more reserved, stops her play to come and sit with me, laughing at the littlest two together .... manners and expressions surprising me with a maturity I hadn't expected just yet.

I'm relieved when she joins back in the running, giggling, and bubble blowing.

Oh, my heart.

It is Spring and everything is growing.

Don't grow up too quickly, my flowers.

Catch the sunbeams!

I want to bask in every moment of your bloom.

Part of Steady Mom's 30 min. Blog Challenge

Total Time: 16 minutes

Spring Reading Thing 2010

I have decided to take part in the Spring Reading Thing this year. The idea is a simple one:  make a list of books you want to read between March 20 and June 20.  Go and visit Callapidder Days to link up your post.  Then, pile up your book and read 'em!

I plan to do some reviews and tell you what I think of what I'm reading as the Spring goes along, but on June 20th I will give you a wrap-up of how the Reading Thing went overall.

Kara's List

• Pride and Prejudice - I have my mom's copy from college w/ her notes in the margins and I like to re-read it every couple of years ... this Spring seems like a good time to pick it up again
•  My Family and Other Animals by Gerald Durrell 
• Less is More: Embracing Simplicity for a Healthy Planet, a Caring Economy and Lasting Happiness I just read about this collection of essays in the Mother Earth News newsletter this week and I want to pick up a copy and read it now, too
• Your Four-Year Old, Your Two-Year Old, and Your Eight-Year Old by Louise Bates AmesThis series is recommended by Carrie of one of my favorite blogs The Parenting Passageway. I want to read ahead  to prepare for Max and Lucy's upcoming years and I need to finish the one on 8 year olds.
• Rhythms of Learning by Rudolf Steiner I've been reading this for months now.  It is a deep read and one where I have to read a few pages and then go back and figure out what I just read...
• UnCommon by Tony Dungy My mom gave this to Chris and now it is my turn to read it
• The Omnivore's Dilemma Young Readers Edition by Michale Pollan  We're pretty new on our Real Food journey and much of the original version of this book went over my head.  This book is easier to digest (sorry, couldn't resist!)
• Nourishing Traditions by Sally Fallon After reading about this book on just about every cool blog I read, I finally got my own copy.  I've been reading it.  Now I want to try and apply it to our kitchen.
• Making a Family Home by Shannon Honeybloom
• and, finally, I want to catch up on my back issues of Mary Janes Farm magazine this Spring

 What about you?  What are you planning for this Spring?

Weekend Links

A few suggestions for your Weekend Reading ...

•  5 Gardening Basics for Beginners ::: Simple Organic
• Whole Foods Grocery Store Deals & Shopping Strategies ::: Bargain Briana
• Birds on a Wire (Jillian is showing off her's up above) ::: Frugal Family Fun Blog
• Printable Color Wheel Activity ::: Mama Jenn (hat tip to Confessions of a Homeschooler)
• Wonderful Whimsical Wizadry Wands in Seven Steps ::: Se7en
• Get Your Kids Creating ::: Clean
• Building with Packing Peanuts ::: Sorta Crunchy
• Grace ... Heap it on Yourself ::: Simple Mom

And what have YOU been up to this week?  Have a great link to share?

Happy Weekending!

Lucy, 22 months

Remember this Little Sister?  

This is Lucy Cupcake, my baby,  in her "Little Sister Dress" that I made for here way back in November 2008 (at 6 months)

And this silly little girl of many moods is Lucy today at 22 months old ...

and the Little Sister Dress still fits!

(although as a top these days)

Pattern: from Knitting A Lot

Original Ravelry page is HERE (I made the 6 months size)

Never have gotten around to putting buttons on it ....