For Bannon's copywork, from our reading and because it just fits me right now :
"When you are a Bear of Very Little Brain, and Think of Things, you find sometimes that a Thing which seemed very Thingish inside you is quite different when it gets out into the open and has other people looking at it." House at Pooh Corner
Making paper autumn leaves
Playing with rice 
leaves are hung!"We know well that 'Education is an atmosphere, a discipline, a life.' In other words, we know that parents and teachers should know how to make sensible use of a child's circumstances (atmosphere) to forward his sound education; should train him in the discipline of the habits of the good life; and should nourish his life with ideas, the food upon which personality waxes strong." Charlotte Mason, School Education
In so many ways I love and appreciate Charlotte Mason's writings. She was very wise. I have changed somewheat since the beginning of my homeschool years. I used to be against certain books ("twaddlish"), television, and music not classical in their education.) While I am aware this has been a help in many families, basically I needed to be a (Insert my last name) and married to my God fearing husband Jeremy, and parenting my 8 folks that God gave me. It has caused my journey to look a little different than some of my favorite homeschool moms (or shall I say home-cool, because I REALLY THINK THEY ARE!!! :), but it has worked for us. And dare I say it? God has helped me find my way through the forest because I have asked Him to.
Charlotte reminds moms and teachers of the above thought. Children are educated by their environment, relationships and habits. I see this happen all the time with the kids. Just yesterday Bannon and I were reading the Among the Forest People book for nature and we were reading about bees and the kingbird. Because we had visited the local nature center where they had a bee colony that you could look at through the glass, and he had watched a television program on PBS kids that talked about bees, he was already enlightened in so many ways about them. I don't know why, but being a part of a child's education like that...is well...amazing. I LOVE it. Getting out there and living life, cracking open a book to read for 10 minutes together, today we'll draw it hopefully, reading House at Pooh Corner where Pooh Bear is always on the hunt for honey, and me feeling like Pooh is one of my understanding friends right now :) is all an education in this FAMILY'S life. All of us. It affects all of us.
The girls have been gathering their stuffed animals and playing Poohish interactions, the big guys away at their academies make us feel, and them as well, much like the Hundred Acre Wood folk who hunt for Christopher Robin because he has gone missing in the day. We know where he is at (school), but we understand the lost and missing feelings of the Hundred Acre Wood animals. We miss all of our own Christopher Robins. Of course, I made one of my teen young men tear up by singing a song from the movie they watched when they were little, Pooh's Grand Adventure. He won't ever admit it, but it is true.
"Forever isn't long at all, when I'm with you." Pooh to Christopher Robin
Oh my goodness, and I teared up too, cause I can see the tender, tender heart! I love what you are doing with your family! You are growing such well rounded, well behaved ( ok they ALL have their moments), and well educated children! You have done such a great job with getting your first three ready for public school, and seeing how they excel amongst their peers, that I am sure when these young ones get to make that transition to their high school, the teachers will be looking forward to meeting the next round of the Moore children!
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