Learning never ends ...

So, I gather from the school buses on the road and the SLOW speed limits around 3pm that school must be back in session for lots of folks.

What does that mean around here?  

Well, same old, same old, really.  

We're taking a different approach these days.  
  One that makes life about learning and learning about life.  
    One that doesn't separate the two as if they are two different things. 
      Because, really, isn't life supposed to be about learning?  

So, we aren't doing a "First Day of School" thing this year.  
  I mean, if the girls want to mark things, officially, somehow, I will most certainly oblige.  
    
Maybe we can fill in those All About Me things we've done the last two years ~ see what has changed about them ... my guess is that the Princess would say the same exact things ~ horses and pink.  She would just be a bit taller and weigh a bit more.  I wonder what would be different on the Hippie's?  Maybe we will do that. 

The reason we're not doing a First Day of School thing this year is that I wouldn't know when to do it.  I mean, we've been "doing school" all along.  I only started taking note of what all the girls were doing a few weeks ago, but the list is HUGE. 

Just this week ...
  

• The Hippie put on another cooking show for me (with play dough this time)

• The Girls have played with our kittens CONSTANTLY.
• They've made them toys and clothes and "crates" (baskets) and collars.
• We've had some mediation and talk about feelings and how to treat each other.
• We've talked about feeling overwhelmed.
• We've read books galore.
• We've been to the farmer's market and the playground.
• We've been to the library.
• We've practiced reading (the Princess) and have started reading words all over the place!
• The girls have been surfing and improved.
• The girls have been practicing cart wheels and round offs & walk overs (no gymnastics class. just plain fun).
• The girls have been cooking with dirt and leaves.
• The girls have practiced running a restaurant (serving Daddy and I said dirt).
• The Princess (of course) draws horses daily.
• The Hippie's drawn a perfect replica of the Titanic & many Mermaids.
• The Hippie has continued reading her Emily Windsnap books (she is on the 4th one).
• The Hippie has read 3 Ivy & Bean books (each in about an hour or so).
• We've played outside.
• We've walked to pay the water bill.
• They've collected pine cones of all sizes and made a family out of them.
• We've added fractions ... 1 1/3 cups is the same as 4 scoops with the 1/3 cup.
• We've studied Picasso and Mary Cassatt. 
• We've studied Frida Kahlo ... did you know she was married to Diego Rivera? 
• We've listened to classical music ~ and the Hippie recognized a Mozart and the Nutcracker.
• The Princess has started writing her Thank You cards all by herself ... as neat as she can.
• They've tried to play our flute along with a part of a Trevor Hall song.
• We've made granola and soda bread.
• The Hippie played secretary and wrote down our brainstorming for upcoming birthday gifts.
• The Hippie has worked with clay ... starting on said birthday gifts. 
• Both girls made their Uncle Scott a card; the Hippie made him a "bolt can" (he's a mechanic).
• The Hippie did more math ~ bake 15 mins per 1/4" thickness; measure it; how long for 1/2"?
• We've talked about the Titanic a lot and how important it is to learn from history.
• The Hippie has looked through the 20 or 30 Titanic books we have from the library.
• Momma's rekindled her interest in Titanic, sharing what I know.
• Momma's watched a 2 hour documentary on the Titanic.
• The Hippie's also read about Pompeii. 
• We've read aloud.
• Momma's reading for pleasure for a change (The Help ... LOVE IT).
• The Hippie and I have spent an entire morning outside reading, side by side. 
• Momma's read in the hammock while the girls played some make-believe world.
• They've watched their cooking show, Giada at Home.
• They've decorated their scrap books for this year's HAP.

You get the idea.

So, when do we start school?  
  When do we STOP? 

How are you learning these days?