Our great unschooling day
Shannon Rizzo
As others have, I wanted to share our great day. We have our best friends
visiting from the SF area this week. All of our kids and their kids are
into Webkinz, so their kids brought their Webkinz toys down. Yesterday
afternoon they decided they were going to have a Webkinz party. My oldest
daughter Heather, 11, made a yellow layer cake from scratch, a Cooks'
Illustrated recipe, and they spent the evening planning.
This morning they arranged an intricate party, all of the girls dressed up
in floatie dresses (skirts hiked up to their armpits and bound with various
silks). Heather made a veggie tray, a fruit tray, and a cheese tray, and
punch, and dusted her frosted cake with powdered sugar. My 9 yr old
daughter created a "pin the tail on the cat" game and a collage for the
partygoers to assemble. They of course arranged all of the stuffed animals,
including mine (they got me two Webkinz for xmas so I can play with them).
There was an impromptu break in the middle of the party for them to all go
run around outside. We live on a small 2.6 acre farm and the sunroom that
the party was in overlooks an acre of pasture that I guess was too inviting!
Then they were back in for cake and punch. Elvis was, of course, playing on
the CD (we are the ones who made the trip to the Elvis Quiz Show last
month). All of the six kids paired off and were dancing to some of his
slower songs - my oldest daughter with my 4 yr old son, my daughter Isabella
with my son Luke (in itself amazing as they were intensely engaged in
sibling rivalry six months ago), and our guest boy and girl.
After playing outside on our boulders (a 30' wonderful plateau) and then
inside for the next couple of hours, they all found themselves gathered on
the front pasture again. I had bought a bag of grass seed designed for
horses, and they decided to go throw the seed on the pasture. Since the CA
storms are past and the ground is damp it's a perfect time to spread the
seed. I was in the kitchen making stew for supper and enjoying the sight of
them darting about the pasture. Our guest's daughter had a white gauzy
skirt/dress, and she looked like a sprite dashing down the hill.
The girls came inside and took a shower (all 3 together), then put on sweats
and were back outside with the boys. The next thing I saw they were all
log-rolling down the pasture, over and over.
I put some apple cider on the stove to heat up, and when it got dark they
all trooped in, got a mug of cider, and sat down to Shrek 3. Of course more
miscellaneous playing and Webkinz play happened until they all were tired.
It just seemed like "The Best Day Ever" - a day filled with fun with their
best friends.
Shannon R
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Checked by AVG Free Edition.
Version: 7.5.516 / Virus Database: 269.17.13/1214 - Release Date: 1/8/2008
1:38 PM
visiting from the SF area this week. All of our kids and their kids are
into Webkinz, so their kids brought their Webkinz toys down. Yesterday
afternoon they decided they were going to have a Webkinz party. My oldest
daughter Heather, 11, made a yellow layer cake from scratch, a Cooks'
Illustrated recipe, and they spent the evening planning.
This morning they arranged an intricate party, all of the girls dressed up
in floatie dresses (skirts hiked up to their armpits and bound with various
silks). Heather made a veggie tray, a fruit tray, and a cheese tray, and
punch, and dusted her frosted cake with powdered sugar. My 9 yr old
daughter created a "pin the tail on the cat" game and a collage for the
partygoers to assemble. They of course arranged all of the stuffed animals,
including mine (they got me two Webkinz for xmas so I can play with them).
There was an impromptu break in the middle of the party for them to all go
run around outside. We live on a small 2.6 acre farm and the sunroom that
the party was in overlooks an acre of pasture that I guess was too inviting!
Then they were back in for cake and punch. Elvis was, of course, playing on
the CD (we are the ones who made the trip to the Elvis Quiz Show last
month). All of the six kids paired off and were dancing to some of his
slower songs - my oldest daughter with my 4 yr old son, my daughter Isabella
with my son Luke (in itself amazing as they were intensely engaged in
sibling rivalry six months ago), and our guest boy and girl.
After playing outside on our boulders (a 30' wonderful plateau) and then
inside for the next couple of hours, they all found themselves gathered on
the front pasture again. I had bought a bag of grass seed designed for
horses, and they decided to go throw the seed on the pasture. Since the CA
storms are past and the ground is damp it's a perfect time to spread the
seed. I was in the kitchen making stew for supper and enjoying the sight of
them darting about the pasture. Our guest's daughter had a white gauzy
skirt/dress, and she looked like a sprite dashing down the hill.
The girls came inside and took a shower (all 3 together), then put on sweats
and were back outside with the boys. The next thing I saw they were all
log-rolling down the pasture, over and over.
I put some apple cider on the stove to heat up, and when it got dark they
all trooped in, got a mug of cider, and sat down to Shrek 3. Of course more
miscellaneous playing and Webkinz play happened until they all were tired.
It just seemed like "The Best Day Ever" - a day filled with fun with their
best friends.
Shannon R
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Checked by AVG Free Edition.
Version: 7.5.516 / Virus Database: 269.17.13/1214 - Release Date: 1/8/2008
1:38 PM
[email protected]
Hi Shannon,
As I read you post,it took me back to the days of of playing with my cousins on the farm. thank you so much for sharing it.
Oneida
Shannon Rizzo <shannon@...> wrote:
As others have, I wanted to share our great day. We have our best friends
visiting from the SF area this week. All of our kids and their kids are
into Webkinz, so their kids brought their Webkinz toys down. Yesterday
afternoon they decided they were going to have a Webkinz party. My oldest
daughter Heather, 11, made a yellow layer cake from scratch, a Cooks'
Illustrated recipe, and they spent the evening planning.
This morning they arranged an intricate party, all of the girls dressed up
in floatie dresses (skirts hiked up to their armpits and bound with various
silks). Heather made a veggie tray, a fruit tray, and a cheese tray, and
punch, and dusted her frosted cake with powdered sugar. My 9 yr old
daughter created a "pin the tail on the cat" game and a collage for the
partygoers to assemble. They of course arranged all of the stuffed animals,
including mine (they got me two Webkinz for xmas so I can play with them).
There was an impromptu break in the middle of the party for them to all go
run around outside. We live on a small 2.6 acre farm and the sunroom that
the party was in overlooks an acre of pasture that I guess was too inviting!
Then they were back in for cake and punch. Elvis was, of course, playing on
the CD (we are the ones who made the trip to the Elvis Quiz Show last
month). All of the six kids paired off and were dancing to some of his
slower songs - my oldest daughter with my 4 yr old son, my daughter Isabella
with my son Luke (in itself amazing as they were intensely engaged in
sibling rivalry six months ago), and our guest boy and girl.
After playing outside on our boulders (a 30' wonderful plateau) and then
inside for the next couple of hours, they all found themselves gathered on
the front pasture again. I had bought a bag of grass seed designed for
horses, and they decided to go throw the seed on the pasture. Since the CA
storms are past and the ground is damp it's a perfect time to spread the
seed. I was in the kitchen making stew for supper and enjoying the sight of
them darting about the pasture. Our guest's daughter had a white gauzy
skirt/dress, and she looked like a sprite dashing down the hill.
The girls came inside and took a shower (all 3 together), then put on sweats
and were back outside with the boys. The next thing I saw they were all
log-rolling down the pasture, over and over.
I put some apple cider on the stove to heat up, and when it got dark they
all trooped in, got a mug of cider, and sat down to Shrek 3. Of course more
miscellaneous playing and Webkinz play happened until they all were tired.
It just seemed like "The Best Day Ever" - a day filled with fun with their
best friends.
Shannon R
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Checked by AVG Free Edition.
Version: 7.5.516 / Virus Database: 269.17.13/1214 - Release Date: 1/8/2008
1:38 PM
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[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
As I read you post,it took me back to the days of of playing with my cousins on the farm. thank you so much for sharing it.
Oneida
Shannon Rizzo <shannon@...> wrote:
As others have, I wanted to share our great day. We have our best friends
visiting from the SF area this week. All of our kids and their kids are
into Webkinz, so their kids brought their Webkinz toys down. Yesterday
afternoon they decided they were going to have a Webkinz party. My oldest
daughter Heather, 11, made a yellow layer cake from scratch, a Cooks'
Illustrated recipe, and they spent the evening planning.
This morning they arranged an intricate party, all of the girls dressed up
in floatie dresses (skirts hiked up to their armpits and bound with various
silks). Heather made a veggie tray, a fruit tray, and a cheese tray, and
punch, and dusted her frosted cake with powdered sugar. My 9 yr old
daughter created a "pin the tail on the cat" game and a collage for the
partygoers to assemble. They of course arranged all of the stuffed animals,
including mine (they got me two Webkinz for xmas so I can play with them).
There was an impromptu break in the middle of the party for them to all go
run around outside. We live on a small 2.6 acre farm and the sunroom that
the party was in overlooks an acre of pasture that I guess was too inviting!
Then they were back in for cake and punch. Elvis was, of course, playing on
the CD (we are the ones who made the trip to the Elvis Quiz Show last
month). All of the six kids paired off and were dancing to some of his
slower songs - my oldest daughter with my 4 yr old son, my daughter Isabella
with my son Luke (in itself amazing as they were intensely engaged in
sibling rivalry six months ago), and our guest boy and girl.
After playing outside on our boulders (a 30' wonderful plateau) and then
inside for the next couple of hours, they all found themselves gathered on
the front pasture again. I had bought a bag of grass seed designed for
horses, and they decided to go throw the seed on the pasture. Since the CA
storms are past and the ground is damp it's a perfect time to spread the
seed. I was in the kitchen making stew for supper and enjoying the sight of
them darting about the pasture. Our guest's daughter had a white gauzy
skirt/dress, and she looked like a sprite dashing down the hill.
The girls came inside and took a shower (all 3 together), then put on sweats
and were back outside with the boys. The next thing I saw they were all
log-rolling down the pasture, over and over.
I put some apple cider on the stove to heat up, and when it got dark they
all trooped in, got a mug of cider, and sat down to Shrek 3. Of course more
miscellaneous playing and Webkinz play happened until they all were tired.
It just seemed like "The Best Day Ever" - a day filled with fun with their
best friends.
Shannon R
No virus found in this outgoing message.
Checked by AVG Free Edition.
Version: 7.5.516 / Virus Database: 269.17.13/1214 - Release Date: 1/8/2008
1:38 PM
Yahoo! Groups Links
---------------------------------
Be a better friend, newshound, and know-it-all with Yahoo! Mobile. Try it now.
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Dory
--- Sounds like a blast! Thanks for sharing. dory
In [email protected], "Shannon Rizzo" <shannon@...>
wrote:
In [email protected], "Shannon Rizzo" <shannon@...>
wrote:
>friends
> As others have, I wanted to share our great day. We have our best
> visiting from the SF area this week. All of our kids and theirkids are
> into Webkinz, so their kids brought their Webkinz toys down.Yesterday
> afternoon they decided they were going to have a Webkinz party. Myoldest
> daughter Heather, 11, made a yellow layer cake from scratch, aCooks'
> Illustrated recipe, and they spent the evening planning.dressed up
>
> This morning they arranged an intricate party, all of the girls
> in floatie dresses (skirts hiked up to their armpits and bound withvarious
> silks). Heather made a veggie tray, a fruit tray, and a cheesetray, and
> punch, and dusted her frosted cake with powdered sugar. My 9 yr oldthe
> daughter created a "pin the tail on the cat" game and a collage for
> partygoers to assemble. They of course arranged all of the stuffedanimals,
> including mine (they got me two Webkinz for xmas so I can play withthem).
>all go
> There was an impromptu break in the middle of the party for them to
> run around outside. We live on a small 2.6 acre farm and thesunroom that
> the party was in overlooks an acre of pasture that I guess was tooinviting!
>playing on
> Then they were back in for cake and punch. Elvis was, of course,
> the CD (we are the ones who made the trip to the Elvis Quiz Showlast
> month). All of the six kids paired off and were dancing to some ofhis
> slower songs - my oldest daughter with my 4 yr old son, my daughterIsabella
> with my son Luke (in itself amazing as they were intensely engagedin
> sibling rivalry six months ago), and our guest boy and girl.then
>
> After playing outside on our boulders (a 30' wonderful plateau) and
> inside for the next couple of hours, they all found themselvesgathered on
> the front pasture again. I had bought a bag of grass seed designedfor
> horses, and they decided to go throw the seed on the pasture.Since the CA
> storms are past and the ground is damp it's a perfect time tospread the
> seed. I was in the kitchen making stew for supper and enjoying thesight of
> them darting about the pasture. Our guest's daughter had a whitegauzy
> skirt/dress, and she looked like a sprite dashing down the hill.on sweats
>
> The girls came inside and took a shower (all 3 together), then put
> and were back outside with the boys. The next thing I saw theywere all
> log-rolling down the pasture, over and over.dark they
>
> I put some apple cider on the stove to heat up, and when it got
> all trooped in, got a mug of cider, and sat down to Shrek 3. Ofcourse more
> miscellaneous playing and Webkinz play happened until they all weretired.
>with their
> It just seemed like "The Best Day Ever" - a day filled with fun
> best friends.1/8/2008
>
> Shannon R
>
> No virus found in this outgoing message.
> Checked by AVG Free Edition.
> Version: 7.5.516 / Virus Database: 269.17.13/1214 - Release Date:
> 1:38 PM
>
Lisa
It sounds like a wonderful day! Don't you just love the days that
make you say to yourself "given the chance and unlimited funds I would
do nothing different from what I am doing this moment!"
I love the "best day ever" comment.... My highly intense 6 yr old son
says that 4 or 5 times a week (along with "you're the best mom ever!"
) it really reminds me of how little "stuff" kids need and how much
"us" they do need! Most of his "best days ever" are simple days
filled with simple things where we are all engaged in being together
and just enjoying life!
Lisa B
-
make you say to yourself "given the chance and unlimited funds I would
do nothing different from what I am doing this moment!"
I love the "best day ever" comment.... My highly intense 6 yr old son
says that 4 or 5 times a week (along with "you're the best mom ever!"
) it really reminds me of how little "stuff" kids need and how much
"us" they do need! Most of his "best days ever" are simple days
filled with simple things where we are all engaged in being together
and just enjoying life!
Lisa B
-