Return to Homeschooling

     Wet on dry Viking ship painting

What an adventure--we are homeschooling again! Our family fully supports and embraces a variety of educational opportunities for our children, including public school, private Waldorf school and homeschooling.  This year, we have decided to jump back into the homeschooling realm with Wilson. What a pleasure it is for us to have Wilson at home, growing up with his little sister Linden, actively involved in the home, and enjoying the exciting 4th grade curriculum.

Ceramic Celtic letter tile

We have not been blogging as much lately.  Thanks for being patient with us!  The past two years have been fabulous...a new baby, a new home, and our wedding business has grown three-fold.  So thankful, and so blessed.  

Fractions - Castle story math

Our Syrendell time has been focused on workshops, consulting, private lessons, custom orders for our Etsy shop, our newsletter, and keeping in touch via social media: Facebook, Pinterest, Tumblr, Flickr and Instagram.  Now, we promise to start blogging more again! Please follow us through social media and sign up for our quarterly newsletter.

Form drawing

Enjoy some samples of Wilson's homeschooling adventures this year!

Trip to Lake Solano to observe river otters, geese, peacocks and squirrels and to sketch trees

             Spanish and German months of the year 

Trip to Baldo walnut farm in Rumsey, CA - squeezing our own pomegranate juice

        Violin lesson and learning how to play musical saws at Baldo Farm

Trip to the Maidu Museum and exploring Native American petroglyphs and grinding rocks in Roseville, CA

Autumn nature table

     Wet on dry watercolor of sea turtles

                   Visit to Cache Creek Lavender Farm in Rumsey, CA

Clay runes

              Hike in Stebbins Cold Creek Canyon outside of Winters, CA

 Scandinavian lucetting

       Wet on dry watercolor of a horse

        Homeschool ceramics class at the Davis Art Center

        Needlefelting a Thanksgiving cornucopia with the whole family

Ceramics

       Trip to Sutter's Fort in Sacramento, CA

     Interacting with baby animals at Impossible Acres Farm in Davis

Momix performance at the Mondavi Art Center at the University of California, Davis

Learning about energy and recycling at the Utility Exploration Center in Roseville, CA

  Weaving a Native American-style pine needle basket

   Perimeter of shapes

    Painting and folding a lantern for Martinmas

            Crayon drawing of Miwok Native Americans

Sketching and watercoloring the state of California

Sea animals - Crocheted an octobpus finger puppet and created a play

German retelling of Hansel and Gretel

Fractions tree

Entomology - Metamorphosis of a caterpillar in German

Marine Animals - Trip to the Monterey Bay Aquarium

Ornithology - Kiwi bird

Trip to the San Luis Obispo Mission

Tap dancing

Trip to the Sacramento Capitol building

Major scales on the piano

Compass Rose

Geocaching and Letterboxing around Davis

Wet on dry watercolor of a jellyfish

Waldorf Homeschool U

Waldorf Homeschool U is here! Click the picture below to register. Every homeschooling family will want to be a part of this wonderful event.

Living the Waldorf Life

As a conscious parent your goals are to nourish your child as a whole individual, give them confidence to express themselves in their unique way, nurture creativity balance and independent thinking, allow them to focus on what interests them, cultivate a love for learning and more important- allow them enjoy being a child. “Living the Waldorf Life” by The Waldorf Connection, gives parents the opportunity to learn within a structured program that will guide but not overwhelm. It lays out the main elements to providing a simplistic, natural lifestyle for your family.

Complete with real life examples, tools, handouts and resources, this course 
will clear away the confusion and replace it with understanding. It will allow you 
to say, “Yes! I can do that.” It will show you how.

Wherever you may be on this path, “Living the Waldorf Life” will meet you there with practical nuts-n-bolts solutions, guidance and a chance to buddy-up with other parents just like you.
There is great cultural pressure to “hurry” our children into… everything. Academics, sports, classes, and basically a scheduled life.

This course is designed to provide you with tools to gain family & friends support as you take the path less traveled, so to speak. The course is simple to participate in, easy to implement, and affordable.


Check out all the details by clicking here!

Dye and Fiber Retreat

Samples of our work from 2012: woven baskets, handspun yarns, knitting, crocheting, glass pebble bowls, sprang, embroidery, space-dyed roving, tie-dyed clothing, plant-dyed ribbons and silks, copper-etching

This year's Dye and Fiber Retreat, hosted by Griffin Dyeworks will be on June 14-16 near Castaic, CA (just North of Los Angeles). Spend three blissful days camping, eating (there is a camp cook!), dyeing, knitting, spinning, weaving, and more. Classes and demos in a relaxed atmosphere. To register: www.griffindyeworks.com. Jennifer will be teaching the basics of freeform crochet and Tunisian crochet.

By the way...I used Grammarly to grammar check this post, because with a baby nursing in my lap, and children, cats and bunnies needing my attention (three litters born this month!), I have to type more quickly than ever!

Ricky learning how to make a drop spindle

Jennifer, Joey, and Linden selling supplies and teaching crochet

Our camping tent at the retreat.

Wilson learning how to space dye

Rick, Ricky and Joey weaving baskets

Global Waldorf Expo 2013!

Do you need guidance and support to help you in your homeschool planning, rhythm & parenting? Are you ready to receive practical ideas, guidance & inspiration for your homeschooling lessons and family rhythms?

If you said YES! I would like to invite you to the 4th Global Waldorf Expo, an amazing virtual conference so you can be on your way to increasing your level of knowledge with ease. By attending this event, YOU can take away nuggets of wisdom helping you make an even bigger difference in the lives of your children & family.

The 3rd Global Waldorf Expo will run May 17-19. Join 14 of the Top Teachers & Experts in Waldorf Education and Parenting for this No Cost Virtual Online Event. Creating Your Own Curriculum, Planning Your Block Rotations, Introduction to Waldorf, Storytelling, Music,

Building Character through Education and more.

Ready to reserve your seat? It’s Totally FREE. 

Here's the link:

http://thewaldorfconnection.com/dap/a/?a=8&p=www.globalwaldorfexpo.com/2013

Fixing up an old Waldorf Doll

Many of us think about either making or purchasing a Waldorf doll for our children. Another option to consider is accepting a hand-me-down doll and fixing her up!

Our niece Sydney had a much-loved Waldorf doll named Kiki for years. She had a beautiful wood wardrobe and a variety of clothes sewn and crocheted. Sydney is now 13, so the doll was passed down to her cousin, Linden.

The body was in great shape. There were dark spots on the face and hands that were cleaned by hand with soft soap and a wet wash-cloth. We let the doll dry and lighten up in the sun for a day.

The hair was ratted and removed easily. Instead of blonde, we made her brunette. The hair was first created by crocheting a wig cap, and then looping strands of wool, silk and mohair boucle along the edge.  The hair is long enough to put into a ponytail or two pigtails.

We then sewed new olive green eyes over the previous blue embroidery threads.  Thus, her new name, "Olive"! We also sewed some darker pink threads over the light pink mouth.

We are enjoying playing with Olive and crocheting her new shoes.  She is so loved!

(knitted hat and sweater by Mama Judes on Etsy)

Learning Anatomy Through Art

Learn the cross-hatching technique as you draw muscles and bones of the human body! Dr. Rick Tan shows you how in a video available in our Etsy shop and at the Bearth Institute.

Appropriate for grade 8 Waldorf on up, although artists, homeschoolers, and those interested in anatomy will enjoy it at a variety of ages. The picture featured here is from our 8th grade daughter, Joey.

Easter

This year, we will celebrate Easter with extended family for a yummy brunch and egg hunting.

To prepare, we dyed eggs with natural ingredients: onion skins, turmeric, beets, madder root, grass and spinach, tea, blueberries, red cabbage.

Wilson and Mommy felted an egg for each child's Easter basket. The felt is cut open, awaiting to be filled with candy!

Our Ukranian-dyed eggs are hanging from the Spring nature table tree.

Happy Easter!

Weddings at Syrendell

UC Berkeley Arboretum Redwood Grove - Sylvia Vizcaino Photography

Yes, we do weddings! We officiate, play music and host weddings. Being a part of such a joyous, amazing day is a pleasure for us. We want to share this special part of our life with some beautiful pictures on our blog.

Empire Mine State Park in Grass Valley

Both Jennifer and Rick are ordained ministers and musicians. Jennifer plays flute, and Rick plays harp or piano. We have been officiating weddings, vow renewals, memorials and other ceremonies for 10 years, and playing music in ceremonies for over 25 years. All types of ceremonies...all over Northern California and other destinations. Our business is called Reverend Tan.

England-Shaw Vineyard in Winters - I Love That Glove Photography

Vineyards, hotels, beaches, private homes, parks, resorts, golf clubs...and sometimes, our favorite weddings are the sweet elopements and small weddings in the greenbelt near our home! More pictures and some reviews and information on our blog and our Facebook page. 

Citizen Hotel in Sacramento - Kris Holland Photography

Courtyard D'Oro in Old Town Sacramento - Jessica Stout Photography

Pt. Reyes, overlooking the ocean -- just the couple, photographer, and Jennifer

Catta Verdera Golf Course in Lincoln

Dante Club in Sacramento - Kris & Dee Photography