I would have done the same !

Today while working on her Martin Luther King project , Aideen told myself and her dad that like the famous Rosa Parks (the woman who was arrested for sitting on the "whites only" section of the bus) that she too would have done the same...and knowing Aideen we both agreed that yes she would have ! I cant explain why , but at that moment an unspoken pride of our usually very quite and timid girl passed between us...maybe we`re getting this parenting thing right after all :)
Hope wherever you are that you are too wet with the snow thawing ! By the way Aideens working really hard on her next set of pictures thanks to all who commented , it made her day !

il neige (its snowing)-BY AIDEEN

I hope you all enjoy my first group of pictures , I love taking photographs ,my mam and dad gave me there old camera and i bring it with me everywhere , some of my pictures are a bit wonky but mam said that make tem nicer. il neige meand "its snowing" in french. Love from Aideen

But, why ?

Wow , with the snow having closed the public schools , Aideen feeling a bit "put out" that her friends have no school but she has, so we decided to do someting REALLY fun today...and it was Aideen herself came up the answer...she is going to (using our camera) make a short film in the homeschool room...so movie lovers watch this space :0) we havent a camcorder but my camera allows small vidoes to be made , so shes really excited !
Also today we started studying about Martin Luther King , Aideen loves the history of it all , BUT being such an empathic person she kept asking "but WHY" mam , whyin te first place could the black and white people not get along , how could one person be so horrible to another...out of the mouths of babes...makes you think !
Daisy has a new fascination...stickers :0) and while I was busy studying in my office today she ws busy "making art mam" on the floor...nice ??? She thought so :0)
Another project this month is "where our food comes from" , we are tracing all our groceries every week to their original destination , as much as we can...and it led Aideen to start a "thank our farmers" report !
So although as the song says "teh weather outside is frightful" in Scoildai "its been delightful" :0) Hope you are all warm and safe wherever you are ! Don`t forget to look in on old neighbours and also to keep the birds fed !

Back to the books

Aideen worked so hard today , no messing about she just got straight back to it ! This morning she wrote a report on New years eve , and how she celebrated it, and her plans for the year ahead...then this evening she read a beautiful "Snowflake" poem and also read an essay entitled "Snowmen" and answered (written) questions on the essay...I think thats a great start to the new year... :0)

A brand new Year !

WOW , does`nt time fly ? A whole new year ! WHAT wonderful conversations we`ve been having together and with friends , about everything and anything ...for example, tonights dinner table conversation was about how the climate change has become SO noticable...and we`ve gotten a little over the radiator airer for the homeschool room as drying clothes is hard in the cottage , every available space counts :0)
Also , of her own accord , Aideen made a list of New Year Resolutions...and this very morning , she got her baby sister up , changed and fed her , lit the fire and let me and her dad have a wonderful lie-in !!!!! Some gifts just cant be bought !
We want to wish all our friends and family...Lewis, Maeve , Ger and Nora very speedy "feel better soon" , all have had nasty accidents in or on the dreadful ice , so they`ve been in our prayers xx
Well , off to bed , "early to bed earlt to rise..." as tomorrow sees not on a start back at the "books" for Aideen , but also myself...
So goodnight nd keep warm from us all at Scoil Dai !

Thankyou notes...

Here at Scoil Dai , old-fashioned though it may seem , we believe strongly in manners...they cost nothing , but mean SO much ! Aideen spent the last 2 days writing her "thankyou" notes to friends and family for their kind and thoughtful gifts , and Daisy coloured in pictures to send...also we have been walking a lot in all kinds of weathers ... cold but fun ! We think we`ll probably go back to the "books" next week as everyone is getting bored of tv and lazing on the couch , as they say "too much of a good thing". Also we made Victorian pomanders...very easy , but worthwhile...simply push cloves into an orange , decorate and hang up . lovley wintery smells :0)

Winter excercise...

Hello friends and family from us all here at "Scoil Dai" ! Well , despite the winter chill , everyone has to excercise so we wrapped up well and headed to the local playground...we were the only ones there ! As you can see the kids were fine running around, but the teacher and principle had to cuddle up to keep warm ;0)
Also Daisy is very busy "posting" , well everything this weather , we had to nip it in the bud when we found some of our cards in the oven so we made her a "postbox" , very simple just a cereal box with a slot cut in it , makes for hours of fun , so she`s happily drawing and writing "letters" to post !
Also we`ve started reading a family favourite, reading around the fire , ( a chapter a night after dinner) , of "The night before Christmas" by Alice Taylor , of an Irish country childhood Christmas from days past...
and weve been cutting out paper snowflakes , this is Aideens speciality she has a great eye for patterns ! And of course the paper chains made from old magazines :0)
Today we had a great surprise in t`he post , lots of lovley educational pressies from dear Papa gene and Daisy Lila in the USA , they are the girls adopted grandparents and also sent lovley material for a wall-hanging for me ! (THANKS GUYS xx)
So , its busy but fun here in "scoil Dai" with the usual visits to the library and walks around the town to see the wonderful colours of he winter skies and the sillouttes of the branches...
hope you are all enjoying the winter wonderland wherever you are , till next time ...