Today seemed like a good day to go yard-salin'. So I woke Bard, got dressed, said goodbye to my dad and the kids, and headed off to find some bargains.
My main goals were to look for a sofa, some end tables, a couple of night stands, some bookcases and a set of beds for Sweetheart and Baby.
The first stop was a Mennonite woman's home who homeschools. She had a lot of boxed curricula and I wasn't really interested in most of it. I did, however, find some good dress-up clothes and a train set which I think is called a Whittle Train or something like that. The tracks are a base that are in the shapes of large squares that hook together like puzzle pieces. There are also little pieces that are used to create little shops and buildings. Cute!
The other thing I found was something called Learning Seeds, which is a file box filled with all kinds of activity cards in different subject areas. The goal is to provide a springboard for learning when children can't think of anything to do, so that they can turn to this creative outlet as opposed to turning on the TV. I haven't given this a very in-depth look, but I'm going to check it out further. I do know that I found a source for it online, and while I paid $4.00 for a brand new box, the site lists the price at $39.95!
Bard found six hockey pucks, which they'll use for ice hockey this winter. Up until now, they've been using a street hockey ball. The woman who was having this sale forgot to ring up my Breastfeeding and Natural Child Spacing book by Sheila Kipley, so she gave it to me for free. :-)
I found an unused Wilson's black leather vest, with tags, for $2.00. A perfect accessory for Edison's magic shows. I need to find him a nice top hat and a pair of black dress pants.
Bard and I spent a lot of time laughing about Homestar Runner today. I have to admit that I now think it's pretty funny. I had to swallow my pride and admit that to Bard, which was good, because we then spent the rest of the afternoon making silly Homestar Runner references and cracking ourselves up.
I couldn't find any beds or other furniture at any of the sales, so I headed for one of the local used furniture stores, where I found a set of twin beds for Sweetheart and Baby. They'll need to be sanded, painted and gussied up, but they'll be really fun when they're done. We decided to spend this weekend finishing up Sweetheart's bedroom, which means painting the floor and possibly creating a fun pattern with the paint. I'll try to post photos.
Bard was a joy with whom to share a day. She's clever, witty, and just generally funny. I'm really glad we got to spend the time together. We talked about books, what makes a book a classic, why some classics are so stupid (she recently read Catcher in the Rye and hated it) and whether or not her favorite books will be stupid when she's an adult.
Tonight, we filled the cracks in Sweetheart's floor and will prime and paint it in the morning, after I hit a couple more yard sales. The kids watched South Pacific on DVD and then watched a bunch of Homestar Runner shorts. Monet, of course, made a book of drawings of all of the characters. He's a very motivated artist! I'd love to get him plugged into a good class, if I could find a good teacher who would be willing to come to our home and wouldn't charge an arm and a leg. I know it's worth it, but I don't have it!
Tonight, Bohemian is teaching Bard and Edison how to play an electric bass. Edison started fiddle lessons about a year ago, but his teacher, who was also homeschooled, went to college at age 16, so we kinda lost out. Bummer. Bard seems to be picking up the bass very well, and has learned to tune using harmonics, which Bohemian taught using a short physics lesson. They're using a video called Ultimate Beginner's Series: Bass Basics. Bohemian is going through it with them step by step. They all seem to be enjoying it. :-)
I was able to contact a few local homeschoolers and find out about a support group here. There will be an informational meeting in about two weeks, and I think I'll attend, since it sounds like there are about 60 families who belong. I've been e-mailing with these ladies and hope to make some contacts that will lead to new friendships for the kids and me!
For now, I think it's time for bed. I'm hoping to get up early tomorrow morning, get breakfast down the street, and head for a couple more sales.
Thanks for a fun day, Bard!
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