Up too late again!

It's past 1:30 AM, but I felt the need to post. We have been up really late recently what with our 2007 Homeschool Fundraiser. We sold double the cookies this year and made over $500! We are using part of the money to go to a conference the Kalahari with the Unschoolers! I am sooo excited. I have benefited (sp?? weird, because I think it's spelled right, but phonetically to make the i 'short', it SHOULD have 2 t's... ) :) so much from the wisdom they hold to.
My relationship with my children is reaching new levels, and I am seeing them in new ways. I am also seeing sooo much learning going on that the untrained 'traditional educational' eye I used to have may not have seen. Savannah is doing something more 'educational' lately... she's pursuing her interest in 'plussing' as she likes to call it. (She knows it's called adding, but likes to call it plussing.) Today we sat down and wrote out/talked about how multiplying is just faster adding. I showed her a few simple ones like 2+2+2=6/2X3=6, and 4+4+4+4+4=20/5x4=20. She got it, and then wanted to move on to drawing. I don't push anymore, because I know that they mentally shut down when you push. The other day, when she found out that we had to wait an hour to go to Grandma's for Christmas, she asked to do Math. She actually got out her textbook, and found something (interestingly in the middle of the book, not the beginning) that she wanted to work on. Tonight she wanted to calculate how many hours are in a year. That's what got me to showing her how to multiply to shortcut adding.
She also likes to bake a lot, and make soup, which gives a lot of learning about fractions... that's almost 'cliche' to mention, though... :)
Aaron (who turns 6 today) is still very much interested in spelling, and is reading better and better. The video games he likes, and playing his Webkinz on the computer give him excercise in reading. He just likes to read words and spell them to me, like JEEP off the back of one driving in front of us. He'll also be thinking, and then come out with, Hey MOM! I know how to spell candy! C-A-N-D-Y!
Jesse (my 11 year old ds) is an avid gamer. He rivals his 10 year old brother in this. His latest conquest is to buy a PSP, which he achieved through selling some of his old DS games, and Pokemon cards on Ebay... Lots of real world learning there! He also had some help from his grandparents through a gift card at Christmas. Now he'll be doing more learning in the area of real world values of things through shopping on Ebay. The other day he came up with a question about locks that was interesting. He asked, how did his little sister lock my desk drawer without the key? Weren't there any tumblers in the lock?
I wanted to know how he knew what tumblers were. He said (of course) video games! :)
He has a favorite author now. He has read two VERY long novels by Christopher Paoulini. He mentioned that he is learning a lot about commas and the like through reading it. He said that the author also mentioned that he never would have gotten the novel written without the help of a friend who knew English well. Good for Jesse to see that all that is important in the real world.
I think it's really starting to sink into my head through watching my children that learning really does take place 24/7 with kids no matter WHAT they are doing. I no longer think of it as 'wasted time' to see them playing video games or reading fiction.
Travis is my artist. He draws beautifully.
He sat and edited his younger sisters' post to the UWWG Kids and Teens message board the other night, and caught many of her mispellings, comma places, and capitalization errors. It was reassuring to see that he hadn't forgotten a lot of that.
Jaidyn isn't actually 'school age' yet... although 3 and a half might be preschool age, but she is learning her numbers and shapes through everyday living. She told me the other day that something was in the shape of a circle... I had no idea that she even knew what a circle was! :)
She ABSOLUTELY LOVES to talk on the phone. This has led to learning her numbers, and even memorizing a phone number! It's her cousin Marks', who is 10 months younger than her, and is her BEST (friend she means). :) She recently potty trained (with no spanking involved!), for which I am truly thankful.
Nathan my littlest sweet one is training me to pay just as close of attention to his elimination needs as to his intake needs. I am very much enjoying EC'ing with him! He looks so cute running around in his little thermal long john pants with nothing else on!! I REALLY need to get some pics put on this blog...
Well, I'm gonna regret being up this late, but I just wanted to post again on my wonderful life with my children. I am sooo thankful that I have a husband who not only understands, but wholeheartedly supports my desire to be at home with my kids. He supports us all mentally and physically. Thanks my love, for your unconditional love.