Sometimes all it takes is a nice walk.

To make you appreciate the time you have, the things you can see and the conversations you have along the way.

Walking the dogs for an hour along a lane we've spotted interesting creatures, amazing birds, played musical grass, checked we like butter and talked science and nature all along the way.

And the sun came out!

No photos of the Buzzard or Red Kite, but what we think is a type of mite (and amazingly red), a butterfly with amazing camouflage in the cow parsley and us happy to be out in the sunshine.

Monday Morning

The house is quiet. One of us gone off to work, a couple of littles up and pottering. The two bigs asleep in bed teenagery hormones dictating their sleeping rythmns. And as I think about getting up and organised someone hops into my bed and starts playing with my iPad.

It all makes me think about how different our life is from how it used to be. And I feel very grateful that we have been able to make this decision and that it works for our family. I hear cars going off, a loud beep off an impatient parent waiting in a car. And look down at my little companion making cartoons and choosing the music to go with her pictures. I smile.

In many ways i think we must look like a crazy version of a Judith Kerr picture book to lots of people. We are a mummy and daddy! Even to our 20yr old daughter (I'm not sure how that happened). Daddy goes out to work and Mummy stays at home cooks, cleans and home educates the children.

Of course nothing is that simple. I rarely clean for starters. And we run our own company which means its most often Daddy that has to get up and get out of the house. There are days where he is the one working in bed having just read a story to someone with another doing something alongside him. They know that I also have work to do and sometimes we all sit together or we have a meeting at our home.

When the niggles of worry about examples of good behaviour and modelling and suchlike pop into my head (especially when still lying in bed!) I remember that we are encouraging our children to follow their dreams, passions and interests. That there are days when we all have to be up and out of the house early and ready for a long day, but there are others when you can relax. Where you can absolutely work in your PJ's, all day long if you want to. That nearly everyday can be different and when you want something you work hard to achieve it no matter how tough it feels at the time. Like playing your instrument and the same piece over and over to pass an exam or cracking telling the time so you can play out with friends.

That's a pretty good message to give and an excellent start to a Monday morning. So thats my message from bed kids, writing and French practice has been happening here. That's not lazy, right!!!

: : This Moment : :

A single moment, no words, captured from our week.
Joining up with soulemama.com

Am I learning?

Nope don't think I am. I think I'm in a slump. And the weather is surely not helping. We should be perky and picnicking and heading to the park. I am not feeling perky at all. I am fretting. I am internalising. I am on the verge of an almighty "oh my goodness will someone just write something in a stupid workbook before I get arrested " rant.

I have a house full of kids completely happy to ignore all the lovely educational goodness strewn (though not purposefully!) about our home. Ready to inspire and inform them, maybe help with a project idea. Completely happy to ignore educational subscriptions to online worlds ready to help them with their maths and magazines designed to encourage their writing and the books piled everywhere.

But then, they have the tree.

Only recently realising it's climbing potential it now has them in its leafy grip. Walking the dogs? in the rain mummy? No thank you. A walk to the library? I'm good thanks. But a clamber in the hotel for twigs, yes please, especially if it's tipping it down and super slippery.

So are they learning?

Well, we can but hope! Surely negotiating wet branches and balancing over a brook is real P.E in a Ray Mears style. Whittling is woodwork and you need to understand forces and trajectory to make your arrows fly so well. Also the booking system, guest management and receptionist skills needed for the hotel would definitely see you on your way to a travel and tourism degree, though I've yet to work out who is staying there. Snails probably or as its name suggests just the twigs!

As with all these phases where I feel we're doing nothing, recording nothing, achieving nothing, they've happily built themselves a whole world of wonder in which they can push boundaries that feel good to them.

When I look the younger two are really filling their time outside and what's not to love about that. Aware of all the things growing and the birds, animals and insects emerging around them. Friends can come and play in a world the adults cannot enter. Mr 12 1/2 and not hitting puberty ever but showing all the signs, is able to dip in and out. Play when he feels like playing, sleep a little longer when needed and step away to read or work quietly. In the tree he can be whatever his imagination desires for 20 minutes or 2 hours and he's allowed. Of course, Mr big can come and inspect, admire and offer building advice in his biggest brotherly way. Taking the opportunity to come and chat with me while the others are out in the tree. Knowing that his choice of 20minutes math followed by a day of guitar playing or poetry writing or documentary watching with not be frowned upon.

So, maybe I am learning. Because I'm letting it happen. Without fuss or fretting to them. And well, I guess this just enforces those who believe me to be a crazy hippy mama. Now I'm a crazy tree hugger too. I'm embracing the tree!!!

Yes, we have "done" St George!

But what do I have to show for this? No pictures of a Saint or a Dragon, but discussion aplenty about what the dragon was a metaphor for. Because there wasn't really a dragon Mummy. Doh!

Much rummaging in the dressing up box and a realisation that were are pretty low on roman soldier gear! Concluding in a rant about how little the cub scout leaders actually knew about St George last year and how that led to Ollie's deciding it wasn't for him.

Okay that's maybe the simplified version but in essence that's what's happened over the last two hours. And now they're done and I know plenty more about St George. I did also mention that on this day Shakespeare was born and died but they weren't really bothered. In fact they've decided that for now they'd just like to have a snack and listen to some Harry potter in my bed.

I'm happy to oblige!

Feeling gratitude

Because sometimes its crappy.
Because everyday there are moments when you forget to hold your tongue.
Because you get tired and overwhelmed.
Because it is hard to find space and time for quiet and for you.

But I'm grateful for the choices. To be able to make this decision and have the time with my children. To have a family life so filled up with love and laughter and shouting and sharing.

It's good to write it down and remember that our table often looks like this and it's good!

But now we're going out because it's not really about "home" education and we need to go to the library.

Bothering to Blog.

It's true, I haven't been.

I have been thinking about it though. Wondering why I haven't, working out if I should. I try not to ramble for the sake of it! Though I know in the past I have. So perhaps now I feel the pressure less to record and recite our days.

It's been three years. Three whole years now of jumping off the normal train and hiking off into the wilderness of unknown home Ed territory. Only it's not really a wilderness at all, there are lots of people out there doing just the same as me. And we haven't got lost or been pulled back on the tracks by the hand of "proper" education. We've zigzagged on a path of individualism and child led learning. Climbed up and down mountains of worry and doubt. To reach a point of trust and calmness from which we will continue to explore.

If the giant head in the sky, who bothers me less now, came to call, we would chat happily about our choices. Secure in the knowledge our children are happy and articulate. Knowing we have good days and bad but that it is no different to any home, any child, being educated any way.

So today I am blogging with a reason. To celebrate our choices. This is who we are loving our life. Loving our children's choices to pursue exams or T.V marathons or crafting for days on end. Loving them waking in the morning with a barrage of questions and finishing the day in just the same way. We are supporting them every step of their way, it's a different way but it feels good. Definitely worth blogging about.