Unschooling James and Adam

I invited the boys if they would like to learn some life skills or help me with some chores. James helped me with some cooking. He made canned meatloaf (Maling) with canned Pork & Beans. We don't usually have this, but I always have some canned goods in stocks just in case we have lazy days like this one. Adam swept the floor after lunch without any prompting and then I offered to teach him how to use the washing machine. I also asked him if he could hang some of his clothes. My energy levels have been fluctuating since I had my thyroidectomy, so I greatly appreciate some help, big or small. I am not sure if the boys have been aware of this because they have been pretty helpful whenever I ask them to do something. They chop and peel vegetables, fry eggs, make their own drinks in the morning, wash some dishes etc.

Our family love cooking and eating and one of the dishes that we enjoy making is mini pizza. We make our own dough from a recipe we found online and create our own versions of "mini pizza" using our favorite ingredients.  Here, Adam topped his pizza with tomato sauce, pepperoni, pineapples, and cheese while James had tomato sauce, bell pepper, pepperoni, pineapples, onions, and cheese. Our "customized creations" allow us to choose our toppings based on our preferences. This food is so unschool-y!

We bought our tickets a day ahead to minimize possible stress and enjoyed a twirl-all-you-can treat. Flying with Toothless and other dragons, the smell of fire, the wind and smoke... are just some of the added effects we don't usually experience in a movie house. Thanks to Tay (grandpa) for the treat!

     People from different cultures celebrate Easter for different reasons and in different ways. However, for our family, this Easter Sunday happened to be Daddy's birthday and the first day embarking on our adventures in Oriental Mindoro.      Everyone was excited for this trip, I guess too excited that we had forgotten breakfast at home! We made a stop to look at Naujan Lake from the town of Socorro, giving us an amazing view from the top of the mountain. It was just a perfect place to have our first meal and then pfff! We realized noone picked up the pot of rice with some hard-boiled eggs. My hubby asked me if we're going to bring the pot and I assumed that he picked it up on the way out after I said yes. We were so frustrated with this setback early on our trip, especially because we were already hungry and we had already imagined having a warm bowl of rice with our weird favorite, mashed eggs mixed with cane vinegar. Plus, we had to cook rice for...

     Right after James' 7th birthday, we started our pursuit to learn more about organic farming, so this post took a little less than a year of delay. But as they say, it's better late than never! This time, I really think it is, because it is worth sharing. This was a Ninjago Party we (my husband, mom, and siblings) lovingly prepared for our special celebrant, James.      Traditionally, 7th birthdays in the Philippines mark a significant milestone for a child. I think because it's the school-age for most children and it's a time to say goodbye to being a little girl or boy. Typically, parents who can afford elaborate parties would celebrate this stage in the life of a child with catered food, magic shows, and around a hundred guests in expensive party places. Some would avail party packages in fast food restaurants instead, to avoid a stressful and time-consuming preparations.      But as whole life unschoolers, we tend to go against th...