{This Moment}

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

If you're inspired to do the same, leave a link to your 'moment' in the comments for all to find and see. Inspired by Soulemama.

Life Learning

"There is no difference between living and learning... 

it is impossible and misleading and harmful 

to think of them as being separate.” 

~ John Holt ~

Reece should have started school on Tuesday morning. He didn't. We have chosen to keep Reece home for school, yes, we are homeschooling. I much prefer to call it Life Learning.

We knew before Reece was born we would homeschool. At first this looked very much like school to us - lesson plans, curriculums, math, printing, spelling, and so on. Bascially it was going to be school at home. All of that has changed.

I began reading about homeschooling, brain development and our current education system. I talked with other homeschooling families any chance I had. I read blogs about homeschooling families. The more I read the more my view of homeschooling shifted.

Something else happened too. I witnessed Reece on his journey, leading his own way and succeeding along the way. I watched him explore and play. I watched him grow and develop. I watched as he learned to walk, talk and use the potty, all without my direct assistance. Yes, I was there to facilitate and guide, but the "learning" was all him.

I began to trust Reece and I began to trust myself, to let it all unfold organically, as he wanted it to be.

So here we are, enjoying our days...playing and exploring, crafting and reading, swimming and skating, cooking and cleaning, hiking and gardening, tending to chickens and walking the dog. These are life lessons and within them we learn, both Reece and I, every day.

We may not be learning as the system says we should, be we are learning in our own way and enjoying every minute of it.

Yarn Along

I have been working away on the Milo for Reece. I am using an alpaca/merino combination and it is lovely to knit with. I love that I can knit it right in front of him and size it up against him and he has no idea it is for him. I think this will be the last year for this, so I will enjoy the ease of it, next year I will be knitting in hiding.

I took some time this weekend to knit up another little bowl. I absolutely love knitting these. They are an easy knit and take very little time. I sat down at 9pm on Saturday night, cast it on, knit away and by 10:30pm was sewing in the ends. It is really nice to have a quick little project to go to when you need a little bit of instant gratification. It will get felted this week and I will share it next week.

Still focusing on the doula reading at the moment, trying to get as much read as I can. I have just slightly cracked open John Holt's How Children Learn and am enjoying the little bit I have read.

What are you knitting and reading this week?

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Linking up with Nicole at Frontier Dreams for Keep Calm Craft On

Linking up with Ginny at Small Things for Yarn Along.

Gratitude

Right now I am grateful for...

:: time spent outside enjoying the great outdoors

:: a harvest that will see us through the winter

:: random hugs and kisses from my little man

:: cool nights, signaling a shift in seasons

:: little reminders not to take life too seriously

:: quiet moments in my day which allow me to breath and reflect

:: a return to routine after a summer of going with the flow

:: our decision to trust our little man and let him be the leader of his journey

:: a wonderful community of people, online and in person, who make this path we have chosen a little more fun to travel

What are you feeling grateful for today?

Enjoying the Outdoors

This weekend was about one thing...being outside. We wanted to enjoy the last long weekend of the summer by being outside as much as we possibly could be. And we did just that.

With Reece tucked into bed for the night, I enjoyed the rising of the blue moon on Friday evening. With my bare feet touching the earth I looked up, breathed deeply and let the magic of the evening fill me.

Saturday was a lovely little hike, just my little man and I. We hit one of our favourite spots, Lynde Shore Conservation Area. We feed the birds and the chipmunks and said hello to the ducks. We hiked down to the lake to enjoy a lovely lunch on the beach, alone. We dipped our feet into the water, Reece threw some stones, we enjoyed our lunch and we laughed, oh did we laugh.  We then packed up and hiked back out. It was amazing. Two things amaze me every time we hike here...the first, birds and chipmunks eating from our hands, that never gets old and second, we are always alone on this lovely little beach. I can't believe more people don't venture this far on the trails, it is beautiful and so peaceful.

We got home late in the afternoon, picked some tomatoes, kale, basil and onions. We made pesto and pizza dough. We lite a fire on the back deck and enjoyed a lovely homemade, garden fresh pizza for dinner.

Sunday morning was a lovely trail run for this mama and a little sit spot time. Then home to make carrot zucchini bread and cookies with my little man. Later in the day we took some time for tea with my parents and a little visit to my brother's to wish my nephew a happy birthday.

It was a great weekend, and we still have today, Monday, to enjoy a little bit more of it. I will be heading out for a little solo hike early this morning. It has been quite some time since I have been out on my own for a hike and it is just what I need. Don't get me wrong, I love sharing hikes with Reece, but sometimes it is just wonderful to head into nature alone. There is something about being alone with Mother Nature that fills me with hope, inspiration and love.

And once I get home, no big plans...just chilling at home, roasting some more tomatoes (I feel like we are surrounded by tomatoes right now), maybe a little garden work and just enjoying time together.

Wishing you a lovely Monday.

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Linking up with Naturally Crafted Mama for {into nature}

Linking up with Barefoot Five for Touch the Earth

Happy Weekending

 

"Quit hanging on to the handrails . . . 

Let go. 

Surrender. 

Go for the ride of your life. 

Do it every day."

~ Melody Beattie, "Finding Your Way Home" ~

September Sponsors

I would like to introduce you to Mothering with Mindfulness’s September sponsors.
 I am so happy to be sharing this space with them.

Wean Green

~ modern glass storage for the entire family ~

Mariposa Forest
~ tales from a forest, to your mailbox,
enter our world and let your child’s imagination run free ~

Cubits Organics Living

~ rare, heirloom and organic seeds ~

Olive and Owl

~ a urban homesteading, baby wearing, make it from scratch,

kind of hippie, a whole lot of green kind of blog ~

So Fawned

~ a mama, a doula, a tea lover, a dreamer ~

I am grateful for their support.

Please take some time over the next few days to visit their sites

and find out just how wonderful they are.

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If you are interested in sponsorship with Mothering with Mindfulness 

please contact me for more information.