Big Ideas

Nora Lee has Big Ideas.  These Big Ideas involve many things, most of which are not possible or desirable to actually do for many reasons.  These ideas often originate as something we will turn our house into - an art gallery, a live theater, a place for her band, a clubhouse, and most recently, the location of a festival we will put on to make lots of money to give to the people who cut down trees so that they wont have to cut down trees anymore.

I must pause now to exhale.

Let me start by saying that I absolutely LOVE that Nora Lee is a big thinker and in general each concept  relates to a way to make the world a better place - WHICH IS TOTALLY AWESOME.

That all being said, it can be totally exhausting because her mind and mouth can go a million miles an hour for long periods of time.  In an effort to support her creativity I decided to make no promises about what we could actually do, but to continually say, "Let's just focus on the planning stage right now.  Dream it all up and then we'll talk about it down the road.  I'm not sure what we are actually going to be able to make happen but keep creating!"

Some of the ideas have passed without ever needing to come to fruition, but this most recent idea has been going strong for several weeks now.  She wants to talk about it A LOT.  And Now she wants to go beyond the dreaming phase and into the notifying other people phase.  Now, we have conversations that go something like this:

NL:  So, I was thinking that Toby would be the security guard at the festival, which he is really excited about.  Mom, you will be selling the tickets.  We need to talk more about costumes.

Me:  (Silence)

NL:  Mom, why are you just quiet when I talk with you about this festival?  Aren't you so excited?

Me:  No, I'm not excited.  This is your thing and I'm so glad you're enjoying planning this but it's not my thing and I'm not sure how much I can talk about this anymore.  I'm starting to get worried that we wont be able to make happen what you're hoping will happen.

NL:  Mom, I know you don't like having strangers in our house but we'll keep them in the back yard.

Me:  (Loud Sigh)

Today Matt helped me out with some ideas about ways to address Nora Lee's desires.  He suggested that we get a group together and volunteer at a tree planting day here in Los Angeles.  Perhaps she could sell baked goods there or could sell baked goods at homeschool parkday or someplace else and donate the money to helping the trees.  Perhaps even Matt and our friends could play music.

She was very satisfied with these ideas and so was I.

Peace is now restored.

Nora Lee's Cookies

Last night while Nora Lee was lying in bed awaiting sleep, she dreamed up a cookie recipe.  This morning she told me about it and wondered if we could try it out.  I said sure.  I fully expected this recipe to be a dud, but thought it looked pretty close to what might work, so I thought, what the heck?

Nora Lee's Cookies
2 cups flour
2 eggs
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 cups almond milk
2 Tb apple sauce (this was my suggestion)
2 Tb white sugar

She did all the prep work and covered them in sprinkles.  We cooked them at 350 degrees for 12 minutes.  When we took them out they looked good.  She tasted one and thought they were pretty good.  She ran into the bedroom to give Matt a taste.  I could hear him say, "Oh, well, what do you think of them?"  This was my hint that the experiment hadn't gone so well.  "Next time use less flour,"  was Matt's advice.

I came into the bedroom to join them and Nora Lee started to tell me something.  "You still have cookie in your mouth Babe,"  I said.  "Finish it first and then tell me."

"I can't swallow, it's stuck in my mouth," she said.

I died laughing.

Sequoia National Forrest

When I first began dreaming about becoming a homeschooling family three years ago, the trip to Sequoia that we just had would be the epitome of everything I had hoped homeschooling would be.

Matt, Nora Lee and I left about 11am on Friday morning and headed 5 hours away to meet up with 14 other homeschooling families in the Sequoia National Forrest.  The drive was smooth and easy and we listened to music and books on CD to make the time even more pleasurable.

We arrived at camp in the early evening and were immediately awed by the magical woodland.  Our site was clustered with friends and we were along a gorgeous mellow river bed with lots of rocks to climb and crystal clear water.  The water would pool in perfect little pools for tiny kids and big kids alike to play safely.  Our tent was among the huge trees.  We had fresh drinking water that was easy to access and clean bathrooms.  Seriously, what more could we ask for?!

Each day we ate meals, talked, played music, and went hiking.  The kids were in heaven and none of us heard one complaint or the classic, "I'm bored" during the entire trip.  The rocks, stream, and woods provided endless fertile ground for them to explore.  Many of the kids got to learn how to use small Swiss army knives safely and learned how to whittle wood (be sure to check out The Nora News at www.thenoranews.blogspot.com to hear her perspective.)

Some of the highlights for me were: listening to hours of music played by the talented fathers - guitar, banjo, and fiddle; having Nora Lee fall asleep in my arms in front of the campfire, hearing 14 families sing "Imagine" at the campfire, watching Matt sing at the talent show with Nora Lee playing the shaker (she has great rhythm!); walking through the sequoia trees and feeling an incredible sense of calmness come over me.

There was no cell or Internet service where we were and I cant remember the last time we spent four days without these two conveniences.  It was such a relief.  Matt and I were so present in each moment of the experience because there was nowhere else to be.  Matt went to sleep at 9:30pm which NEVER happens!  We ate when we were hungry, slept when we were tired and went down to the river to relax when it called to us.  We didn't even have a watch so time didn't boss us around either.

We entered a magical space out in those woods of community and friendship, of conscious parenting and playful adventure.  We were abundant because in the woods, 3 whole bags of marshmallows is serious abundance!

It was quiet and calm and nature's sounds were the background noise to each day and night.  This sense of rhythm and the freedom to choose our own rhythm is a big part of our decision to homeschool in the first place.  Even though, here back at home, things are busier and faster, we get to choose each day what to participate in and what to skip.  When Nora Lee has lots of energy, we head to the beach or to a "park day" for some hard play.  On days when rest is needed, we can read books, watch movies, sleep in, bake muffins and take it easy.  These simple pleasures and the freedom to choose them is what this path is all about for me and what is deeply fulfilling.

Nora Lee and I were two of the only people in the group that didn't see a black bear during the trip.  We were told that this experience was not frightening at all but was quite special.  I was sorry we didn't get to see one.  Many saw a mama bear and her cub walk across the valley next to our campsites.

The families in this homeschooling group are all secular homeschoolers, some use a curriculum but most "unschool" which means that they use life as a curriculum.  Many of them studied black bears in depth before coming on the trip, or researched Native American stories about how things came to be. Families visited the Sequoia museum to learn how fire is necessary to the health and growth of the Sequoia trees.  There is no delineation between "learning time" and "non-learning" time.

One of the things I love about homeschooling is that I get to observe many interactions Nora Lee has with other kids that I normally wouldn't get to see.  This was wonderful for Matt to experience also this weekend.  We watched as one kid was a bit rude and challenging toward Nora Lee while another of his friends stuck up for her.  In general, I've found kids and families in this community to be very well mannered and kind.  Every once in a while an issue comes up and its always a balancing act figuring out when to intervene and when Nora Lee needs to experience it on her own.  I've learned that just because I am around to intervene doesn't mean that I should.  She holds her own very well and will come ask for assistance if she needs it.

She is still madly in love with poetry and on a daily basis plays with improvising poetry.  She loves how words rhyme and the pattern of a good poem.  She will frequently make up a word to ensure the rhyme happens.  At the campfire she improvised a poem that said something like, "The green trees, the brown on the ground, everything is simple here, everything is just as it should be." It was pretty profound actually!

So far her interests lean heavily toward language, vocabulary, writing, storytelling, performance, and theater. It's so fun watching it unfold!

After four days of heaven, we hopped in our car and headed back to our sweet house in Los Angeles and our beloved dog Hogarth.  Perhaps next time, he will come too!

Brian and Claire have been our friends for 14 years and they decided to homeschool their 3 kids the same summer we did.  It's incredible to share this journey with them.  

This beautiful meadow is surrounded by a forrest of Sequoia trees.  We hiked a big loop around the meadow.
We hoped to spot bears here but no luck!

One of the clear, cold pools below our campsite

One evening a big group climbed this huge series of rocks.  Matt took Nora Lee to the top.

Watching the Talent Show

Nora Lee started off the show with her talent which was 6 cartwheels.

Brian and his daughter singing a duet

Nora Lee and Toby on their endless exploration

Inside a Sequoia Tree!

Deer would graze right below our campsite