A New Year...an organized school room.

Its a new year...and a snowy one at that. We survived the blizzard with minimum interruption to

normal life. DH had to wait for the snow plows to remove a 10 foot snow drift in the road on our

hill before he could go to work, and then he spent almost the entire day shoveling heavy wet snow off the roof of the clinic (definitly don't want a collapse!)...and he only got half done. Guess I know what he will be up to tomorrow.

Anyway, life is going well here. For the new year, I decided to reorganize the school room, add some whimsy (check out the stars and the comfy reading pillows) and reassess my goals for this year. I want our school/learning to be more relaxed. While I want to make sure A is learning what she needs, I want us to have a more peaceful rhythm, taking the time out to explore whatever strikes our fancy...for after all, that is one of the joys of homeschooling. Ansley has been learning on her own for her whole life, there is no reason that should stop. While I am not an unschooler so to speak, as I do believe some things just need direction or at least introduction, I love the freedom and creativity it entrust to the child, the same freedom and creativity I have seen from A throughout the years, and that I continue to see in her play. I want to make sure I do nothing to stifle the out of the box thinking that I so admire in her. That is my goal for the new year.

So now that you have seen the pics of our organized school room and have heard one of my new years resolutions, I guess I should let you in on the rest of them LOL.

1. Be a calmer, more present, and gentle parent.

2. Follow A's lead more often, and not see her interruptions as interruptions, but as moments to live and learn and laugh.

3. To eat healthier (we already do eat pretty healthy, but I am planning on baking almost all our own breads thanks to the bread machine I received from my mom for Christmas, working on eating more fruits and veggies, putting more whole grains in our diet, less refined sugar...and gulp...less diet coke...this one I am not doing great with so far.)

4. Getting up earlier and having a more organized start to the day. I am so not a morning person LOL.

5. Breaking the paper towel habit...yep, still working on that one.

We shall see, we shall see LOL.

Night all. Have a beautiful Tuesday!