Like the Energizer Bunny...

... going, going, going!

We try NOT to succumb to the frenetic pace that seems to be pervasive these days, but it is critical to our progress that we keep going. So here are a few reflections on "going."

* We are totally excited because Grandma NanZ and Grandpa Bob are officially GOING on a mission! They'll begin in June serving in Salt Lake City, UT, in the Family and Church History Mission. We'll be visiting them there sometime this year -- can't wait to get vacation plans GOING!!

* Jelly & Doodle are taking piano classes. Once a week, they are GOING to Patrick's School of Music. They've had two classes so far and they are loving it! Their teachers are both fantastic, doing a great job of engaging the kids - making music fun while also imparting some good basic foundations in theory and appreciation as well as keyboarding skills. Thank you so much, Poppa!

* We've missed GOING to Liahona - our local homeschool support group. Yesterday, though a still-stuffy Doodle stayed home with an equally-stuffy Woody-Daddy, Jelly and I were able to go to park day and reconnect with our friends there. Not only was it nice to be there, but it confirmed that I truly am fully recovered from last summer's medical challenge - driving to the park yesterday for a day out with Jelly was the first time I've driven anywhere since my hospitalization last July. There'll be no stopping me now! ;o)

* Our newest unit study, on Ancient Rome and all things connected, is GOING very well. The Learning Adventures curriculum really does work well for us. It isn't really necessary, because there is already more than enough, but we add more hands-on with lapbooks and a way-cool pre-assembled history kit. We notebook, too. Today we'll be updating our Book of the Centuries (timeline a la Charlotte Mason), spelling notebook (mostly rules and examples), and vocabulary dictionary (roots, prefixes, suffixes, etc. - their origins from Greek, Latin, etc., and their meanings). We're also going to make an edible model of the earth. Yum!

Better get GOING for now. ;o)

Newspaper Craze

For years now, there have been no subscriptions to any newspapers in the Woody household. We weighed the pros and cons, and the trees won. That was then.

Currently in our home can be found the following periodicals:
1) The Wonderwood (published by Jelly, fairly regularly)
2) Doodle's Daily News (published whenever she feels like it)
3) The Daily Prophet (which arrives once a week via owl post)

The Wonderwood, editor - Jelly Woodyette, is an 11" x 8 1/2" three-column format. There is usually a color-scheme coordinated to whichever holiday is closest. This newspaper contains a variety of articles written by Jelly and also by guest writers ("Mama, Daddy, Doodle, would you please write an article for the Wonderwood?" - and how can one refuse those baby blues and dimples?), illustrations, puzzles, games, contests, and even "links" to online news.

The Daily News, editor - Doodle Woodyette, is published in a 5 1/2" x 8 1/2" two-column magazine format. So far it is only black and white, but with many pencil illustrations. Again, some articles are written by the Doodle and others are solicited contributions. The mix tends to be a bit more ecclectic than that found in the Wonderwood, but is always equally entertaining.

The Daily Prophet, as previously mentioned, arrives each Saturday by owl post. It is in 8 1/2" x 11" two-column newsletter format, printed on parchment paper, as used by wizards and witches at Hogwarts, naturally. The girls each have their own subscription, because each is a contributing staff writer. Jelly's articles usually contain reports of the escapades of a small witch called Nanzy. The Doodle, again, is more ecclectic in her writing. Her last article was a report on a nature center, where creatures of all kinds (magical and muggle) can be seen and studied.

We are "ecclectic" homeschoolers, with a preference for unit studies adapted to the Charlotte Mason style, with a classical twist. The child-led learning evident in this newspaper craze is a happy addition to our curriculum.

Apparently the number of writers in the family has now officially doubled. ;o)