Rock Band Camp!

Devin is very excited today because he just signed up for a week long Rock Band Camp!

It is a day camp, for 5 hours a day. The faculty members will work with the students to prepare a culminating concert and short recording. The students will get a taste of music theory, learn skills for improvising, and experience a private lesson on their instruments during the course of the camp.

He will be one of the youngest kids at this camp, but he doesn't care. He is just thrilled to be able to learn more about playing in a rock band, which is one of his dreams in life.. I am so happy that we can help facilitate this passion of his in another way.

Nature Rubbings

Today we explored a new outdoor project.

We created nature rubbings!

We used white paper and crayons to rub the texture of things like bark, leaves and rocks. The kids really enjoyed this activity and we used their finished rubbings to create unique works of art.

Certainty

Tonight I told Joe I was going for a walk. The kids were all playing happily with Daddy, so I ventured off down the street to the path that led to the forest.

It was over 2 years ago since I was there last.. It was then that I hiked to the river and sat on the bank with the sun shining on my face.. I sat alone enjoying the sound of the water raging over the rocks. I was suddenly overwhelmed with the need to have another baby. It was a strange experience. It was like something *asked* me to be my child. It is really hard to explain, but I said *yes* and then got up and walked home to tell Joe that we needed to have another baby. Orion asked to be my son before he was even conceived. I know it sounds totally "out there" and I have no idea how to explain the experience. All that I know is that I have never been through anything like it before. It was then I knew that I would have another son...

Today was much like that experience. I slowly walked down the path that led to the same river. I picked flowers as I walked, smiling as I smelled them, checking out the details of the petals and leaves. I listened as the sound of the river got louder and louder. As I entered the forest, something had changed.. It was completely logged. No trees were left standing in the place that I once wandered with my children picking berries, exploring ant hills and footprints of deer and bears.. The forest was no more, but the river was still in the distance.

I walked in awe of the changed surroundings until I stepped upon a familiar area. The area where Orion asked to be my son.

I sat on the bank of the river, hoping to tap into that same energy or feeling that I once did not so long ago. I closed my eyes and raised my arms at the slowly setting sun.

I said out loud, "Should we move to Texas?"

I was overwhelmed with a knowing within me that our time here in New Hampshire was coming to an end. I knew as I walked out of the forest that it was the last time that I would walk through that sacred place. I looked at the cleared land, trees laying on the Earth all around me and it was very symbolic to this time in our lives.

Change... Growth.... Rebirth.....

I left the forest with a certainty about our move that I have been waiting for..

We have outgrown the collective consciousness of the area, of the resources, friends and choices that are offered here...

My walk to the river represented change and seeing how the land was changing, but still thriving and adapting gave me a new confidence for what lay ahead of us.

I thanked the trees, the flowers and animals from the forest as tears streamed down my face. I listened, smelled and tasted the air as I took in everything around me in utter gratitude for this place as it housed the creation and birth of our family.

I also honored the fact that it was time for change and growth and my heart swelled with a new kind of *knowing* for our future together as a family.

This was no ordinary walk through the woods. It was a profound life experience that I will never forget.. It was an answer to my question to the Universe.. It came from the trees, the river, the insects and flowers. I trusted all of the living things around me and knew that we were on the right path with our lives once more...

Young Euntreprenuers

The weather is warm here in New Hampshire and the kids wanted to make some money on their own. We decided to have another lemonade stand after last years success. This year we added fresh popcorn to their "menu".

One way in which my children never cease to keep me in awe is their ability to handle money. None of the kids ever had any kind of math lessons or workbooks, quizzes or instruction, but yet they have learned how to make change!

Last year I helped Tiff make change for people. This year she asked me not to help. No matter how much money someone would give her, she would know what to give them back. I thought this was so cool! Ivy and Devin helped her out, even though it was kind of her gig this year and the three of them were the cutest sight ever waving and smiling as cars drove by...

I am sure this was one of many lemonade and/or popcorn stands that they will have this year, but this one was special. It was a glimpse into their personal growth and ability in such a unique way.

Fire Play

Devin has been focused on fire lately. He wants to build fires everyday... sometimes three times a day! Luckily we have a lot of extra scrap wood that he can use.

Cultural voices scream at us from every direction that a child shouldn't be "playing with fire".

Devin has a primitive, natural, passionate curiosity toward fire and I we really want to nurture that.

I trust my son. I have seen the respect he has with fire and I know that even if I am inside he will be responsible. I am no more worried with him building fires than I am with anything else he chooses to do. Sometimes he will invite me outside to check out the fire he built. Today was one of those days...

I love the smell of smoke on his clothes after a day of fire building. I hold him close and hug his strong man-child body against mine and breathe in the scent of his passion.

My fear of him playing with fire is gone and the trust of his abilty with "dangerous" things such as fire is ever-growing. I look forward to soon hearing, "Mom! Come check out the fire I built!"

Book Success

Our book, "Radical Unschooling: A Revolution Has Begun" has been more successful than we had ever dreamed after only a week..

The response has been so overwhelmingly positive and I am so grateful to be able to bring this message to the World about the rights and respect of children.

I have had some great reviews on Amazon that I would like to share:

A monumental contribution to the evolution of parenting intelligence, June 19, 2009
By Barbara A. Lundgren "always rethinking" (colleyville, tx usa) - I loved this straightforward, wisdom-laden book of loving, respectful, intelligent parenting advice. Taken to heart, the information in this book will indeed revolutionize the way our culture views and treats children, and peace, empowerment and self-ownership will become the happy result.

Jennifer A. Croce "jencroce" (Billerica, MA) - I am new to unschooling and found this book to be exactly what I needed to help me know I am on the right path. Dayna is straightforward, honest and genuine. She helps you see the joys of unschooling and makes it seem completely natural. She also explains some of the obstacles and how to work through them. I highly recommend this book even if you don't live a radical unschooling lifestyle, anyone who reads it will benefit from it.

jilli - I just finished reading this and would definitely recommend it to anyone. I've read most unschooling books that have been written and i really think this book does a great job of explaining radical unschooling. It would be a good read for a seasoned unschooler or perfect for someone just learning about unschooling.

Excellent book about a free life, June 17, 2009

As an experienced Radical Unschooler I enjoyed this book VERY much. It rekindled the spark and passion in me that I have for living this life. An excellent peak into the real life of a Radical Unschooling family demonstrating that it is possible to live a joyful life with our children respecting them as human beings with idividual desires and dreams that they have a right to not only pursue but experience NOW. I recommend this book to everyone!! It totally opens the mind to the possibility that we can all be free and all of our citizens have the right to pursuing of their desires, not just those 16 and older. The ripple effects of having the opportunity to live this life are tremendous. Thank you Dayna for writing this book! You lay it out in an easy to read format that will inspire veterans and new comers alike!

I am so grateful for the wonderful reviews!

~Dayna

Discovering Great Artists

Today we all explored the many different Art Styles throughout history.

We learned about the Renaissance and Post Renaissance time period and created some lovely pieces that are now hanging in our home..

Tiff loved Picasso. Devin loved Da Vinci.. Ivy enjoyed learning about Van Gogh..

We have been very creative lately with all of the rain in New Hampshire and our home is brimming with beautiful art inspired by many artists throughout history.

I highly recommend the book, " Discovering Great Artists: Hands-On Art For Children in the Styles of the Great Masters" by MaryAnn Kohl and Kim Solga.

This is a fabulous book which shares the techniques of so many artists throughout history.

Replanting Herbs

Today my friend Lynette came over and brought us a bountiful assortment of herbs.. We had a great afternoon replanting them in big pots. Sage, Lemon-Thyme, Dill and Oregeno... Ivy was very excited to have fresh herbs for her cooking ventures and really enjoyed repottting these! We spent time researching what reciepes we could use them all in.. The kids are all excited to use them tomorrow for our meals..

Ivy's Passion

Out of all of our kids, Ivy loves to cook. She watches cooking shows with me, and asks me everyday, what we are making for meals.. Lately she has taken to role of the Martin Family Chef.. Even though she is only 4, she creates the most amazing meals!

Last night just topped them all! Sweet and Sour Pork, Corn on the Cob with garlic, chive butter, zucchini and summer squash with tomatoes and rice...

I am so in awe of her cooking abilities and passion at such a young age!

Here is a picture of the meal that she made entirely by herself.

She looks so very serious in all of her cooking glory.. She's focused on all that she is doing... I have embraced this part of her in every way.. Everyday we look through cookbooks and visit websites about cooking.. I plan on buying her her own child-sized utensils soon..

After she tried her pork she said, "This meat is so good... I would marry it!". She cracks us up!

Natural Math

Math and Numbers aren't something we every have to "teach" our kids. Numbers are part of our life and very useful tools to help us get what we want. They aren't separate from it.

Workbook pages and quizzes are never necessary, because I know that my kids learn about Math through living life rich with numbers..

Today Tiff wanted to know how many days until her birthday in October..

Joe sat down and created a graph of numbers so that she could figure out how many days, weeks and months it was until her birthday. They spent a long time talking and working through the numbers and because it had meaning for Tiff, she was doing addition, subtraction and multiplication very easily.

Internal Motivation is the Key to Learning.... This activity proves how easily a child can learn "math" because it isn't taken out of context. It has true meaning to my daughter.. and in turn, she learned so much...

Math isn't separate from life.... Math is part of Life!

Joyful Work

We had over 200 pre-orders for our book,

"Radical Unschooling: A Revolution Has Begun"

Since the books came in, we have been busy as a family signing, packaging and mailing them all.. It has been a really fun new chapter in our lives!

The kids have learned so much through the process of me writing a book. Through working with agents, editors and publishes, the kids have been by my side asking questions with interest. They have learned about perseverance and hard work. They have learned about the perfection or details necessary during the final process. They also helped to choose the cover photo...

The entire project was embraced and worked through with my whole family part of it. Completing the book was like giving birth to my 5th child... I am so grateful for the entire experience.

Slingin' Dreams

I can't belive that Orion is almost 18 months old! The time flies by and we are all growing and evolving as a family. I really want to capture this time in our lives as a family, where Orion is my last baby.

Today Orion was sleeping in the sling. Tiff took a picture of us. I will miss the last 10 years of slanging' babes.. I am rarely seen without a baby on me.. I can't imagine life without a babe-in-arms.. I do know however, that life will only get better and better....

Motherhood Rocks! This last decade has been the greatest, most empowering time of my life.

Nurturing Brother

Since Devin became a big brother for the first time, he has always been very nurturing to his sisters.. Devin loves caring for them and brushing their hair. Ivy told me that she likes Devin brushing her hair more than me, because he is much gentler..

Brotherly love is so sweet to witness. He interacts with his siblings with such care and love. I love to see them just *being* together.. Tiff waits for her turn when Devin is in a brushing mood.. He picks them out cute clothes and the girls embrace his choices. Devin is so adored by his 3 siblings!

Toe Jam!

Orion usually hangs out on the kitchen table when we are eating meals. This morning his little foot got smushed in my toast. It was so funny when Joe called it, "Toe Jam" We all started laughing.. I know that most parents wouldn't "allow" their kids to sit on the table, but for us, we know that Orion feels empowered at eye level with us. He wants to sit where all the action is, and we embrace this about him.

Like Father, Like Son

Devin stays up late with us after the other kids fall asleep. We love our one on one time with him watching movies and eating late night snacks.

We all get really punchy late at night and I can't tell you how many funny memories we have in the wee hours of the morning.

The other night I was cleaning the kitchen and Joe and Devin came in looking like this. I just about died laughing... I had to post a picture of them.

I love my hairy men!

Soul Sisters

Have you ever met someone that you just fell in love with? I don't mean in a romantic way. I mean in a friendship, adoring way. From the first conversation with my friend Barb, I knew we would become close friends. Barb is 20 years older than me, but I have never had so much in common with anyone before.

Last week Barb flew from Texas to New Hampshire to spend 3 days with me and our family. We had such a nice time! Barb brought the kids awesome gifts, which included a cool memory game, farting salt and pepper shakers, stickers and many other unique little fun things. She made Joe and I very cool, personalized coffee mugs with inspirational sayings and images. I use mine everyday.

It isn't often that someone comes into your life and really enriches it like Barb has mine. She is genuine, and kind and thoughtful. I admire her very much. She is a mentor to me. She founded the Rethinking Education Conference and has 3 grown children who were Radically Unschooled.

During her visit, we went out for Indian food, which was so delicious! We also visited a nice Mexican restaurant where we enjoyed chips and salsa and a few margaritas and beers. I wish we could do it all over again! It was rainy for most of her time here, but I liked the feel of being able to lounge around the house, cook, talk, enjoy a nice cup of coffee and just relax together.

At night, after the little ones were asleep, I would go over to the guest room in my jammies and climb into bed with Barb and we would talk and laugh. It was very special and a time I will never forget. I feel like I have known her for much longer than I have.

I am so grateful for my sweet friend. I cried when she left and felt an emptiness in my heart. I haven't felt that kind of pain for a very long time. I look forward to moving to Texas to be able to see Barb regularly. With our combined energies there is no telling what we can do or accomplish together!

Texas Freedom

Our family has made a big life-changing decision this week!

We are moving to Texas! The Dallas area to be exact.
There are many reasons for our move and some of which are:

• The homeschooling laws are much more *Free* in Texas.
• Our children have outgrown this area and their needs are changing and growing. We want to give them a bigger, richer world of options, resources and community.
• We have many friends in Texas who we can't wait to spend time with every week. There is a large Radical Unschooling community there, which is very important to us.
• The weather in Texas rocks!
• The home prices are sweet! We have outgrown our home in NH and we really want a 5 bedroom home.

The list continues to grow and so does our excitement!
This move will bring our family to another level or freedom and happiness.
We are following the light and the road that is being created before us.
The evolution of our life continues to amaze me.

"Everything is bigger in Texas" and I can't wait to give my kids a bigger, richer world there with others who embrace *Who We Are* Look out Texas!! The lone-star state is about to get *Sparklier*!

Bold TV Interview

Here is my latest interview on BoldTV. I was actually asked to host my own show during the program, which is very exciting!
Details to come!

Join The Revolution!

I am happy to announce that we are taking pre-orders of my book, Radical Unschooling: A Revolution Has Begun.

The book will be carried on Amazon.com and in various book stores worldwide both online and brick and mortar, in a few months.

In the meantime, we are taking orders and will ship a small batch of books by June 8th, for the first 100 people that pre-order.

Are you ready? Order yours today!

In Joy & Gratitude, Dayna

Nurturing Powerful Creators

One important aspect of living this joyful Radical Unschooling life is that we understand that learning happens in all that our children do in life. I know that my kids interests and passions are the nucleus of their learning and joy, so I feel it is our job as parents to nurture this.

I feel so connected and in tune with my children when I am exploring and interested in what they love. Tiffs current passion are Webkinz. She loves the game and she loves to talk about them and visit Youtube to check out other kids collections.

I am very involved in my kids interests, in fact all of our lives are so intertwined that Devin even knows which book I am reading in the "Twilight" series. He is interested in my interests too. Our home is a swirling of passionate, excited energies from day to day as we discuss and experience one anothers joys with enthusiasm.

Our kids interests are at the top of our priority list and we find many different ways to bring more of their current interests into their lives. Even if we can't afford a new Webkinz for Tiff at any given time, we find ways to make the ones she has more enjoyable to her. Joe recently built her a Webkinz display case.

We researched Webkinz history and discovered that there are very rare Webkinz. The rarest of the rare ones are errors where the company sewed on two magic "W's" on the bottom, rather than the one. Once Tiff learned this she knew that she had to find one of these very rare critters.

She is a very powerful creator and she has a way of always manifesting whatever she wants in life very effortlessly. She basks in the feeling of already owning something, rather that living in the space of "lack" for not having it yet. This is her secret.

Joe and the girls were picking out my birthday present at Borders and were looking through the Webkinz bin. Sure enough they found one! A blue Rhino with 2 "W's"...

Joe called me and asked if I would look up how much one was worth. It was worth $90! Of course Tiff didn't want to sell it, but she was excited to find out how much it was worth "on the streets".

Life is magical. There are no limits on what we can have and what we can achieve. My children show me this everyday. We are never done. We are always growing and flowing and wanting more. I am so grateful for our path and our life.

Our New Toys

Our lives are a never ending stream of joyful adventures and activities. This year I wanted to add more fun stuff for us all to do outside together.

I jumped on Craigslist and found us a really nice trampoline for $150. I then found a great 90 foot zip line for the kids to soar fast through the air. They are so happy we added these fun additions to our yard. It has been non-stop fun for days for all of us!

Here is Ivy on the zip-line. We tied a rope to the handle so Ivy could reach because it is pretty high. Also, here is Joe catching some air our new 16 foot trampoline! I love this picture.
Our next adventure will be building an amazing tree fort! Any resources would be greatly appreciated.

Woodworking Days

Over the last few days Joe and the kids have spent a lot of time in the workshop.

Devin designed and made a gorgeous hanging shelving unit with closing door on the front. He wanted it to look old and had the idea for the pieces of wood screwed on the front with many black screws to give it a antique feel. I love it! He put some pegs on the inside to hang his necklaces too. Devin collects cool necklaces as souvenirs wherever we travel.

Tiff made a Hannah Montana box for her jewelery and Ivy made a colorful wooden sculpture.

The kids really fine tuned their woodworking skills over the last few days. They have a new confidence with the tools and it was fun to bask in their bright passion of creation!

Flowertopia

We collected many different types of flowers on our property yesterday. We were putting them in vases all over the house. Our home is filled with the scent of Lilac and Narcissus. I love that in the spring we can run outside and pick our own bouquets of flowers anytime.

Tiff had a creative idea! I looked over and saw her taking all of the flowers of the stems and layering them into a vase.

I told her how beautiful I thought her vase of colorful flowers were. I asked her what her creation was called.

She said, "Flowertopia!"

We all made Flowertopias after being inspired by Tiff.

My children inspire me everyday, in every way!

Endless Learning

Today was a typical day. We were all outside a lot. After such a long winter we are loving having more space to play and run around. We picked flowers, jumped on the trampoline, had good food, played games and relaxed together. Joe worked for a few hours and we were all out there much of the time, just hanging out in Willow Toys workshop.

Joe taught me how to drill holes for one of the wooden kitchens that we sell. I have never done that before and it was really challenging, but fun. It was very physical! I can appreciate what Joe does on a different level now.

Ivy & Orion had fun transferring scraps of wood from one bucket to the next. Tiff had fun playing in the kitchen boxes.




It was a day of new experiences and activities, and we never left home!

Christiane Northrup Endorses My Book!

When I was deciding who to send my manuscript out to for endorsements, a few people came to mind.

Dr. Christiane Northrup has been an inspiration to be since before I even had children. Her book, "Women's Bodies, Women's Wisdom" made history and helped millions of women understand their bodies in a way that had never been approached before.

Later, when I was pregnant her work and advocacy of natural childbirth led me down a path of advocacy myself...

I believe that Dr. Northrup had much to do with who I am today.

I sent her my book, knowing how busy she was. I trusted she would totally get Radical Unschooling, if she could only read about it.

Boy, was I right! She sent me back a letter and an incredible endorsement which I am not revealing until the book comes out. She read the whole book, and loved it!

I am so honored to have her endorse my book, along with John Taylor Gatto.

How could I have possibly received two better endorsements?

Today, I am in utter bliss and basking in gratitude...

Ice Sculptures

Tiff and Ivy wanted to build an ice city to play on with their Littlest Pet Shop animals.

With this idea I thought it would be intersting to freeze several different containers of various shapes and sizes.

We had so much fun with this activity!!

Ivy's Babies

No, you are not looking at the props for the next Stephen King horror flick...

These are Ivy's beloved babies. No matter how many stuffed animals and various dolls she aquires, she always returns to her beloved baby dolls. She has had these dolls for years and just adores them.

She wanted to take a picture of them and add it to the blog tonight...

Natural Reading & Writing

Learning to read and write looks very different than traditional reading instruction when you are living a Radical Unschooling life.

We were raised to believe that we have to learn so much before we can learn how to read. We are led to believe that it is extremely difficult to learn. We are told that we need to learn all about nouns, verbs, sentence structure, punctuation, long and short vowel sounds, just to name a few things that are drilled into our heads as little children through worksheets and tests.

This idea of learning to read would be the equivalent of making a child learn all of the inner workings of a bicycle, from gears to chains, to tire pressure, to how the bike was painted to how the seat was made...... all before they learned how to ride a bike. It is just unnecessary.

Natural reading is such a different process than most would picture it. It is very much like natural weaning vs. forced weaning. There is such a huge range of times when a child is ready to read, just like weaning. Anywhere between 5 and 15 years old is all on the range of normal when it comes to learning to read.

Our kids learn to read because reading is a useful tool to help them get what they want in life. Our kids have learned to read simply by being surrounded with the written word. They have learned through immersion in a world of letters. We are there to read and write things for them whenever they ask. We read books together when they want to.

I have always trusted that my kids would learn to read when they were internally motivated to do so and when their brains were ready.

Right now Tiff is really into Webkinz. She loves to go into the trading room and barter her goods. Over the last few months she has learned to read and and write dozens of phrases. Her vocabulary is growing and she is reading, Joyfully and confidently.

Our kids have never had formal reading lessons of any kind, but can read...

How do ya like them apples?

Announcing "Radical Unschooling - A Revolution Has Begun"

This is the official announcement that my book, "Radical Unschooling, A Revolution Has Begun" will be out in less than a month!

It has been in the works for over 10 months and it is finally complete and ready for mass distribution!

I know that many people have been waiting for this and it is finally time to bring it....

I will be taking pre-orders for the book soon and you can email me at jd3martin@adelphia.net if you are interested in purchasing a copy. The website will be up soon and so will links on our other websites.

Thank you from all of us, for all of your support, encouragement and love... The Sparkling Martin's!

Here is a picture of the back and cover. This is a dream come true and a book that will make history as the role of parenting evolves and a shift in human consciousness takes place in regards to the rights and respect of children.

"Radical Unschooling - A Revolution Has Begun" will be available to purchase through various websites and Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk in the upcoming weeks.

~In Joy & Gratitude , Dayna

Honoring Personal Style

I've always honored what my children are drawn to for personal fashion and style. All of my kids love expressing themselves through what they wear and they are all so different. When I bring them shopping I ask them what they like and what they are drawn to. When we try things on and they look in the mirror, I discuss the way the fabrics feel and if their clothes make them feel good about themselves.

Clothes shopping is really enjoyable for my kids. Adorning our bodies with beautiful fabrics and jewelery has always been part of our personal self expression.

When we went to Canada all of the kids loved shopping... We had fun checking out dozens of shops and Canada has the best shops for very unique fashions! We can't wait to go back!

Love & Flowers

I love this picture. The kids and I were holding hands around a tree in New Jersey and looked up at the flowers at the same time. The trees in NJ were beautiful and very different than we have here in New Hampshire.

There seemed to be flowering trees everywhere we looked! I never knew that New Jersey was so beautiful!

Fugitive Daddy

One our way home, crossing the border from Canada to the U.S., Joe gave our information/paperwork to the official there.

All of a sudden an alarm went off, police circled our vehicle, some with their hands on their guns.... Joe was asked to "put his hands where they could see them.... step out of the vehicle slowly......" They then proceeded to handcuff him and push him up against the car.

Tiff started screaming and crying... Devin started crying and my mouth is just agape, feeling like I was in a dream.... Tiff was begging the officers " to not take her Daddy to jail!!!" and the officers asked me to calm the kids down...

To make a long story short, they had the wrong... Joe Martin....It seems there are 17 Joe Martins "wanted" in the US right now... Crazy Shiznit!

One of the officers came over and apologized after Joe was released and explained everything to the kids in great detail. They listened intently to every word. I thought that was nice. He shared what "Routine Procedures" were and also why they hand cuffed Daddy. He also shared that he had two kids 7 and 10, and they too, would have been mortified if that happened to their Daddy. He was kind and respectful, which was interesting to see after his very different way of interacting when he was cuffing Joe.

It ended up being an opportunity which led to much discussion, learning and growing for the kids. Everyone was so grateful and relieved that the contrast after fear and intensity led to extreme Joy, silliness and relaxation for the rest of the trip home. I am grateful it happened.

The police let us know that it may happen again when we return from England, so to prepare and explain that to the kids. We have and they understand that it may happen again because, "Daddy has a very common name."

Our life is never boring...

Rockin' Conference Shots

The Great Big Happy Life Conference was so much fun... It was a great opportunity to connect with other Radical Unschoolers and to share what this life is all about...

I did the opening ceremony speech and I got a little choked up when I was sharing that it was so nice to be somewhere where we were totally understood and embraced. To be with others living an Unschooled life was so joyful and relaxing.

Here are some photos from the conference...

O Canada

We had the most incredible time in Montreal, Canada!

It was so much different than what we thought it would be. It was much more like Europe than America. Everything was in French, from the TV programs, to the food in the grocery store.

It was a complete immersion into the French-Canadian life.

We are very grateful to our friends Bea and Tobias for enabling us to experience life in another county. Tobias brought us everywhere, from playgrounds to ice cream shops, to Tim Horton's. It was a wonderful vacation thanks for our dear friends... The apartment was gorgeous and met our every need. The back veranda was delightful to relax and have morning coffee and the shower was like visiting a spa. It was heaven!

I've come to believe that travel is one of the greatest ways to embrace diversity and learn about other cultures. You can read about far away places in a book, but until you actually go there and smell the air, smile at the people, eat the food and touch the flowers and old buildings, you can't fully understand where it is you are reading about.

Living a free, joyous, Radical Unschooling life, we are able to accept offers to travel at a moments notice. I am so grateful that we are not tied to an institution that we have to ask permission to remove our own children from and explain orselves to anyone. Those with kids in school do not often see how much the institution controls their lives. I am so graeful that we are truly free, in the purest sense of the word. I wish everyone could know such freedom.

When we travel as a family, we love to learn everything we can about the culture. We researched the countries specialty foods before we left and tried everything we could get our hands on when we were there. From Poutine, to croissants, to gellato and pastries, we took it all in enthusiastically.

Devin wanted to spend time in Chinatown while we were in Montreal, so we made a day of it and tried all the food we could there. Bea introduced us to Dim Sum, which was delicious. We visited all of the shops and bought Devin a pair of authentic Chinese jammies. He loves them so much.

We also visited a famous bagel shop in Montreal. Montreal bagels are very different from NY style. They are cooked in a brick fire oven and we were able to watch how they were made. They were so yummy!

It was a great trip and one our family will remember forever.

We Love You - John Taylor Gatto

One of the highlights of my conference experience was spending time with John Taylor Gatto.

I enjoyed listening to most of his conference talk before Tiff needed me to help her with something and I left. Luckily we recorded his talk, so I can listen to the whole thing soon.

John is a very inspirational person who has helped so many learn the history and hidden agenda of schools. I was moved to tears when he was introduced, because his mere presence is that of royalty to many of us on this path.

John has been an supportive advocate and friend for a few years now. We appeared on Fox News together in 2008 speaking about Unschooling.

John is one of Joe's favorite writers and his book, Dumbing Us Down was so inspirational to him early in our parenting journey.

Thank you John, for your friendship and for your relentless inspiration for so many. Thank you for opening the eyes of the World so we can understand the institutionalizing of children today.

Great Big Happy Life Conference

The Great Big Happy Life Conference in New Jersey was so much fun.. We loved meeting with old and new friends. Danielle Conger, Ken & Marla Briggs and Cameron Lovejoy, among others, were a blast to spend time with!

Here are some pictures from our adventure. The first is the kids near the huge bell at the camp. I call the photo, "Unschooling: Let Freedom Ring!". The second is of me taking part in a drum circle on the last night after being handed a drum from Ken.

It was a very special conference with good friends, food and more opportunity for connections and personal growth.

Sad Passport Photos

Have you ever been told not to smile for a photo? Well, this is just what we had to deal with taking our passport pictures. The passport agency was very specific about not smiling. I am not sure why. All I know is, we had a blast trying to get some photos with serious looks on our faces. It was really funny. We had to take so many to get one without a smirk, or smile. Ivy just couldn't look serious, as much as we tried to explain it to her. Hopefully they take it anyway.

I told Joe his looks like it should be on a "Wanted" poster. How sad looking, huh? We

Bye-Bye Shoes!

The snow has finally melted. The flowers are blooming and my kids shoes are no where to be seen.

Who can resist those adorable little toes?! Call me weird, but I love my children's little dirty feet at the end of the day.

I wanted to share this interesting website about the *Truth* of allowing children to go barefoot.

"Your feet walk upon the Earth and through this your spirit is connected to the universe. Our feet are our contact with the Earth and the energies that flow through it. " Cherokee "Moonmaiden" Jenny Wallace

The Sparkling Road-Less-Traveled

The other night I was talking with Devin as he was playing his new game on the PS3. I asked if he wanted to bring it with us on our upcoming trip to NJ and Canada. He said, "No, thanks." When I asked if he was worried something would happen to it and he said, "No. I just know I wouldn't play it. When we travel I love to meet new people, learn the language, try new foods and do new things. I can play games anytime. When we go somewhere new, I have to soak it all in."

As a speaker and writer, we travel a lot. We are traveling once a month for the next six months in fact. Sometimes I am asked, "Do you ever travel without your kids?" I respectfully reply, "No. We are a package deal." Joe calls us a "6-Pack!"

I am so grateful that our children love to travel as much a we do. The girls have been packed for 3 days and Tiff was so excited that she vacuumed the car out yesterday to help get ready to leave.

Our kids learn so much from traveling. I love to look in their eyes as we drive through a huge city, or try new foods, or visit a cool museum or little shop. They get excited about statues, and bodies of water, new insects and animals. They are passionate little people and I am so grateful that my dreams in life involve my children's dreams and interests. It is the perfect merging of desires.

Our next adventure... The Great Big Happy Life Conference, then Montreal, Canada.

Our Orion

Here is a picture of Orion at 15 months enjoying chips and salsa, one of his favorites....

He is so loving and sweet, I just had to share a cute picture with family and friends to see how big he has grown!

I wish I could keep my little man bald forever!

The Decade of Devin

Today was Devin's 10th Birthday!

It was an exciting day which included a visit from his two buddies from Vermont, Xan & Elliot. They arrived last night and spent the night with their Mom & one of my best friends, Josha.

They woke up this morning, complete with wild-boy-bed-heads, and ran downstairs to watch Devin open his presents, which included a Playstation 3!

Every time I looked at Devin today, I remembered ten years ago, when I became a Mother for the first time. I'll never forget touching his warm, wet head as I was pushing him out. It was a profound moment. My life had such purpose and I felt a wholeness that I had never felt before. The love I have for him is indescribable.

Life has only got better and better every day, every month and every year since that moment.

Today was not only Devin's birthday, but the Anniversary of the day I was born a Mother.

What a day to celebrate!

Rockin' the World with Charlie Turtle!

Last year, at the Rethinking Education Conference, they had an area where you could take apart and rebuild new toys. I thought this was genius and such a creative way to recycle old toys!

At the Conference, Joe created our family mascot happily named, "Charlie Turtle". (He is made from two toys, a Ninja Turtle and a Charlie Brown figure.) He has been with us on every trip in the last year and Joe takes great delight in documenting Charlie's adventures.

If you ever see us on location, you can ask for Charlie's autograph.. He'll be happy to give it to you...

My favorite is at the Japanese restaurant. Our chef, Tom (yes Tom!) laughed at Charlie as he prepared our meal. You get a few looks when you are travelling and place a toy down in front of something to take a photo.

Yes, Joe has a twisted sense of humor and this is one of the many things we love about him.

So Ya Wanna Be a Rock Superstar?

Today I am very pumped, because I have learned that Guitar Hero has released....Guitar Hero Metallica!

I am so excited to get this and rock out to my old and new favorites from the most incredible band that ever walked this Earth.

I was 14 when I first heard them, from that moment, I was introduced to something to incredible, so powerful, my life would never be the same. Metallica was my intro into a whole new World of music. They were my jumping off point for learning to play guitar and for my passion for Heavy Metal music.

I want to thank them for always being true to themselves. They are the perfect example of how when something is new, it is rejected and blamed for the evil's in the World. In time, they have become cherished as a rock legend.

James, Kirk, Lars and Rob, (and Cliff & Jason), thank you. I know you had something to do with who I have become in life. Rock on my brothers!


















Dayna - Age 18

Creamy Sweet Potato Soup

Sweet potatoes where on sale this week for .49 cents a pound! I bought about three dozen of them. It was fun to get creative and try out some new recipes.

This soup was so easy and delicious that I just had to share! My kids loved it and I've been sharing it with friends who stop by to visit.

Creamy Sweet Potato Soup

Ingredients

2 Tbsp (1/4 stick) butter

1 cup chopped onion

1 large garlic clove, chopped

4 or 5 large sweet potatoes peeled, cut into 1-inch pieces (about 5 cups)

4 cups chicken stock or canned low-salt chicken broth or 4 boullion cubes (use vegetable broth for vegetarian option)

2 Tbsp cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 cup milk

2 Tbsp maple syrup

Celery leaves for garnish

Method

1 Melt the butter in a large, heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Add the chopped onion and sauté for about 5 minutes. Add garlic and sauté 2 minutes.

2 Add sweet potatoes, chicken stock, cinnamon, and nutmeg; bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer uncovered until potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes

3 Remove cinnamon stick and discard. Working in batches, puree soup in blender until smooth. Return to pot.

4 Add half and half and maple syrup and stir over medium-low heat to heat through. Season soup to taste with salt and pepper. Enjoy!

Reality Blogging

When I add blog posts, it is often done in stages.
I usually wait until Joe is here, because I usually do not have much time during the day to add anything because we are busy living our fabulous lives.

Orion is usually on my lap, nursing while I blog. All of the kids help by picking out or taking the pictures to add along with my entries. Our "Sparkling" blog often turns into a family activity.
The reality of blogging with four kids, living an Unschooled life, is that I never know when my next blog post will be and that is okay with me. I trust that I will add more when I can, and when I have the inspiration to. My blog posts are never consistent, or something I get stressed about. I never plan what I am going to add. It is an organic, joyful process for me.

This blog is a sacred place for me to share my life with my family and friends. Thank you to those who continue to support and inspire me. The comments that I receive daily mean so much to us.

~In Gratitude, Dayna

Karate Gratitude

Last week I posted about our families "negative" experience with a karate class. I received an outpouring of support and love which I am so grateful for. It felt so nice to realize how many people care about us.

Since that time, my awareness of the situation has shifted. My inner process has led to reevaluate the experience and see it with new eyes.

I feel that I was riding low on the vibrational scale that week. I manifested the experience, which my sweet friend Elizabeth pointed out to me. I was fearing the situation and fearing that my kids wouldn't be respected and that is exactly what I experienced.

Today, I feel that I could have seen the whole thing so differently. Bringing my kids to a karate class with a karate teacher who was in the military for 7 years, was maybe not the best choice. It would have been like me bringing my kids to school and getting upset that they were being asked to do school work while they were there and feeling a victim for that.

The karate teacher called to me to apologize for singling Devin out and making him feel bad. She was having a hard day herself and was also riding low vibrationally. I know that she was volunteering her time to offer the class to the parents in the group. She also had very specific training to teach kids a certain way. It was a "tough love" kind of approach and this was the only way she knew how to lead the class. She did the best she could with what she knew. I still do not feel that the way to create kind, loving beings is through demmanding obedience, but I know that not everyone shares my belief about this.

The other mothers talking were just blown away that I would not force my child to stay in class. It wasn't about me. It was about them. I was showing an option that maybe they didn't consider before. Maybe because of my actions, they will have the courage one day to do the same for their child.

Sometimes we have what I call, "back-steps" on this Journey. It is easy to sometimes find yourself in the cultural mindset of victimization, especially living a life like this, because so few people parent this way. Our "back-steps" however, are usually followed by enormous leaps forward.

I am still very grateful to have respected my kids choice to leave. I will always support them in ensuring they receive respect. I am grateful for another opportunity to grow, learn and realize that the only person who can make me feel like a victim is myself.

Manifesting Travel

The combined intentions of my family are powerful!

We all love to travel. It is such an exciting part of our lives and something we can do anytime learning and working in Freedom.

The law of attraction is pretty mind-blowing even to me at times. Here is a little peek into what is possible when you set the intention and live a Joyful life...

We are speaking at the Great Big Happy Life Conference in NJ in two weeks. The conference is from the 28th-May 1st. Two nights ago, I received an email from a Doula client and friend, who invited us to come to Montreal, Canada for a week and stay in a fabulous furnished apartment! They rented it for the month for family, who aren't arriving their until the 10th.

Now, here's the incredible part, she offered it to us for.... May 1st! There are no coincidences! The very day we are leaving NJ! This blew my mind how seamlessly this who trip will flow. We will leave NJ and drive straight to Montreal where we will stay for a week in the most amazingly gorgeous apartment right in the heart of the city.

Our whole family is so excited to travel to Canada. We have never been and what an opportunity! The language the culture, the learning and growing and expansion that travel offers is like nothing else.

So, thank you to my friend, Bea and thank you Universe for another incredible travel opportunity!

Just when think that life couldn't get any better, BAM! The Universe kicks it up a notch!

Look out Canada... The Martin's are on their way!

Easter Joy

We had such a wonderful Easter. We woke up at 10am and followed the kids downstairs for and basked in the Joy of a sleepy-eyed egg hunt. Orion didn't really know what was going on, he just followed everyone around screeching happily.

We had a lovely turkey dinner, took naps ate turkey again.... It was a great day.

Here is what is left of the Easter Basket Cupcakes that I made for everyone.

Learning Clapping Games

I remember being on the playground at school and we had 20 minutes to do whatever we wanted for recess. One of my favorite activities were clapping games. I so enjoyed connecting with other girls in this way. It was great fun to see how fast we could get going while chanting clapping rhymes.

Devin, Tiff and Ivy have shown interest in learning the games I played as a child. I found a few websites which bring me back to the day when we were let free, outside in the sunshine after sitting at a desk for hours. I love passing these childhood rhymes down to my kids.

Here Ivy and I are sitting on the kitchen table clapping and chanting to "Miss Mary Mack".

Miss Mary Mack Mack Mack

All dressed in black, black, black

With silver buttons, buttons, buttons

All down her back, back, back.

She asked her mother, mother, mother

For 50 cents, cents, cents

To see the elephants, elephants, elephants

Jump over the fence, fence, fence.

They jumped so high, high, high

They reached the sky, sky, sky

And they didn't come back, back, back

'Til the 4th of July, ly, ly!

Late Night Easter Eggs

Coloring Easter eggs is a yearly tradition. I hard boiled 48 eggs and we created some beauties at 10:30 the other night. I love being able to do things together as a family into the wee hours living this Joyful, Free life and then sleeping in together until 11am...

The Sparkling Skydivers

To mute my blog background song, scroll down to the purple playlist on the right and mute.

Goodbye - In Arms Phase

Orion is the newest member of our family. He has been "in-arms" for a year now, and such a part of my body.. He hasn't ventured off on his own very often. The other day when we went to the Museum of Maine, it was so fun to see him interested and excited about so many things! He loved the water exhibit and the "Touch Tank" where he got to touch sea weed and star fish..

I can't belive how fast he is growing! Being my 4th child, the time is flying. Here is Orion checking out the water exhibit..

He had so much fun. I was so in awe of him as I watched him run from exhibit to exhibit.

We have plans for the kids to swim with the dolphins in Bermuda in a few months. Orion will be part of that excitement and Joy... I love that he is old enough to do so many new things.. He has began to separate from being in observing mode in the sling.. He is living and learning and growing... An incredible time for an Attached Mama!

Lockers!

Living this life with our kids, the only thing that they know about school is what they see on TV. Terms like, "Detention", "Recess" and "Test" are not part of their lives, so seeing this in real life is really interesting to them.

The other day we went to the University of Maine to visit their Planetarium. We walked around with our friends checking out all of the cool displays.. As parents we were all excited about the ocean life and solar system exhibits.. We looked into the glass cases in awe checking out the amazing specimens...

Where were our kids? Looking at Lockers with the same awe... and the same interest, because they are so far removed from an institutionalized life. Devin asked, "Do kids really put their stuff in there?". It was so intriguing to observe our kids.....observing school.... something so foreign to anything they know.

Passions of the Universe

I have so many interests as a woman and as a Mother. Most people know me as an Unschooling and Birth Advocate, but I have many other things that I am passionate about.

I love Astronomy and Science and I am a self-proclaimed sky junkie. I love anything to do with the stars and the Universe. It is such a part of Who I Am and my roots of becoming a Mother and Wife. I even won an award in college for my work in an Astronomy. It's funny because back in those days I was petrified of public speaking and almost passed out on stage accepting the award. I couldn't manage to say much of anything except quickly thanking Joe for helping with the housework while I studied.

I am in an utterly Blissful Place when I am exploring the Universe and I love hearing about the vastness of space and I get goosebumps when I hear about light years, or space time.

Tonight our family visited the Planetarium... We saw a special film on Black Holes.. Devin and Dakota enjoyed it, but the narration was a little complicated to follow. I was glued to the screens as I listened to the booming voice sharing about how black holes are formed, from dying stars. They collapse upon themselves and bend light. Amazing. One of my dreams and I have it on my vision board, is to visit the Very Large Aray in New Mexico.

Here I am in front of the am in front of the Incredible Star Projector at the University of Maine's Planetarium.

I loved being there, honoring my inner geek.

Here is a site that I love to visit if anyone is interested. It is the Astronomy Picture of the Day.

Free Time

Today Joe and Devin went for haircuts. (Yes, they still have long hair, but got their dead ends trimmed.. )

While they were there, they asked the hairdresser is her kids knew about Webkinz, (one of my kids current passion). She told them that her kids knew about it, but didn't have any "Free Time" to be able

explore what it was all about.

When they came home and told me about this, it got me thinking... Isn't the term, "Free time", contrasting to restricted or controlled time?

How has "Free Time" become a luxury?

Shouldn't we all have time to ourselves to do what we want and pursue or interests?

The idea that this 9 year old didn't have any "free time" was so interesting to me.

Our kids do not know the concept of "Free Time". There time is always, inarguable Free.... Their lives are their own, without having living someone else's agenda...

I am so proud that the term, "Free Time" isn't part of our vocabulary....

Life is Free Time...

Here is an image of what Devin does with his "Free Time", which is every waking hour of his life.

Sparkling Skaters

Every Saturday the kids go with Joe to the Ice Skating Rink. They usually get a pizza and enjoy skating to loud rock music... Orion and I enjoy a quiet evening home toether.

Ivy has especially enjoyed ice skating this year. She asks everyday how many days until skating.

Ice Skating with Daddy has proven to be a night of delight and connection with him. The snow is melting and the kids are excited about being outdoors more, so I am sure that ice skating will fade away for another year, but the kids and and Joe will have their special Winter memories.

The Babywearing Project

I started the Babywearing Project , featured on Mothering.com four years ago and I still give out baby carriers to those in need along with information and support about the benefits of babywearing. If anyone has a gently used baby carrier that they would like to pass on to another parent who can't afford one, please send it to:

Dayna Martin

c/o The Babywearing Project

196 East Madison Road

Madison, NH 03849

Joyful Easter Projects

Today the kids and I made some really sweet projects to celebrate Easter!

We first made birds nests out of clay and twigs. The we made sparkle eggs. We blew the insides out of the eggs by punching holes in either end of an egg and then blowing the yolk and white out of the egg. Then we painted the egg whites on the outside of the hollow egg and sprinkled on glitter to make them extra special.

This was such a fun project and I am so glad that the kids had another opportunity to celebrate the upcoming holiday!

Down With Obedience!

Let’s review the obedience model, which purports that something is wrong when a child is not obedient or conforming. So much so, that our culture resorts to drugging a child into obedience. This is stunningly disturbing that a school or parent would change the chemistry of a child’s brain to meet its own parental needs…the epitome of narcissism. Children are forced through punishments and rewards to act in a manner that is easy for parents. Such coerced behavior meets parents’ needs, but rarely takes into account the children’s needs. We need to look deeper and realize that we are not here to train our children to be obedient. We are here to raise free-thinking, strong, confident individuals.

As parents living the Radical Unschooling philosophy, we focus on the needs under our kids “behavior.” I put behavior in quotes because I feel the word itself is demeaning. I wouldn’t say to my husband, “Honey, I didn’t like your behavior at the store.” This doesn’t feel respectful to me and sounds like terminology used for dog training. For the sake of clarity, I will use the term in the following discussion.

Traditional parenting focuses on a child’s behavior. Living the unschooling life infers that we choose not to focus on how our child is expressing their needs or their behavior. I don’t judge behavior because I trust that our kids are doing their best through self-expression at any given time. Because parents stop a child’s behavior through punishment, they may feel that their job ends at that point. However the child’s need underlying his or her behavior was not met. In fact, correcting a behavior rarely meets a child’s need. We don’t listen to our kids. We just silence them and make them behave.

An important point to remember and internalize is that a child’s unmet need does not go away. Silencing the behavior does nothing for the child and only meets the need of the parent. The child’s need is still there, present, not getting met. How overwhelmingly frustrating for a child, or any human for that matter!

Do you know how maddening it is to ask someone for something you really need if you were tired and grumpy, only to have him or her say, “I don’t like the way you asked for that. Sit there for 5 minutes and be nice!” Moreover, they walk away and leave you. Can you feel that frustration build within you? Parents treat children this way every single day, and it warps them internally so much.

Again, the unmet need doesn’t go away. Often, the need morphs into another symptom like stuttering or nail biting or something more distressing. Then, we drug kids or bring them to therapy to do away with these troubling behaviors that WE caused! Their need does not go away because you force them to stop expressing it. If only their need was heard in the beginning. If only a child could truly have the basic human respect to be heard, this vicious parenting cycle would never have started.

You cannot punish children’s need out of them. Whatever inside of them needs to come out will do so if suppressed. The point is to notice the need, and when the need is met, then notice the child’s growth: “Wow. She did not scream for her juice that time. She asked me politely. That was awesome.” Just notice and be authentic. Be in the moment and be grateful.

~Dayna

Living With Balance

Traditional parenting focusing on controlling kids behavior and training them to be obedient. It is important to realize that the most important things for parents in a traditional paradigm is how their children appear to others and how convenient the child is to live with.

The traditional authoritarian parenting paradigm of solely meeting the parents’ needs, as marketed by the media, in books, and on shows like Nanny 911, are the norm in our culture. People coming to this way of life from the norm think that the pendulum must swing all the way in the other direction of being devoted to meeting the child’s needs only. Not so! Parents have needs, too. This is a big reason why I have heard parents say, “Unschooling didn’t work for our family.”

All that most people know is power ruling, rather than balancing and respecting equally the needs of everyone in the family. These parents surrender their own needs in place of running around meeting the needs of their children, while ignoring their own. They get burnt out quickly and in doing so, give up thinking that what they just did was Unschooling. Not so. They were only half way here! It is so important to take the responsibility to meet your needs. Modelling this self care and self love to our children is how they learn to honor their own needs and yours as well.

We live in that wonderfully balanced place where parents’ and children’s needs are met in harmony. I look at our lives as a little microcosm of world peace. Living this life means we are sharing how it is possible to be partners with one another. Everyone in our family, in our lives, matter and are important.

Midnight Butterflies

I was laying in bed last night, as I often do, awake with my thoughts.

As an advocate for the amazing life of Radical Unschooling with the Law of Attraction, I feel so much excitement about the future of parenting.

Almost every night, I wake up for some water. As I lay back down in bed I think about the upcoming day before me. I get so excited about what is before us, that I feel butterflies in my stomach. I never knew I could be so happy. I am so grateful for being on the path that we are.

At 5:30AM, I lay in bed, watching the sun peek through the curtains, and I thought to myself, I can't wait until everyone wakes up and we have another day together, pursuing our passions and exploring our interests..

I love our life so much.... I am in utter Gratitude for discovering the Secret to life and the Secret to Happiness for myself and for my children. Freedom, Connection and Joy as the priority, with everything else falling into place.

A huge shift in consciousness is happening and I am happy to help lead the way...

Forts of Joy!

All of my kids just love to build forts. For as long as I can remember they have used blankets and sheets to create their own little comfortable spaces. I am often pulled into the task of helping to construct their tiny dwellings.

Yesterday we built an enormous fort over in our playroom together. I love when I can get so into our task that I have just as much fun as the kids do. Time flew by and we created a fort with 5 rooms and used many blankets, play silks and sheets.

After we were done, the kids crawled into our tee pee and took a much needed cuddle together. Then we ate lunch in one of the rooms. We live life in the slow lane, enjoying our days together. It was so much fun connecting with them in this way.

Clarity Through Contrast

Over the last few years I have learned to embrace contrast. The concept took my some time to fully understand. One way that we gain clarity in what we want from life is to experience what we don't want. Contrast gives us the gift of clarity.

I notice when I am feeling contrast and through doing so, the contrast turns to clarity and then to *desire*. I have learned to use this tool in my everyday life which turns experiences that others would view as "negative" into opportunites for Gratitude.

I was talking with Devin, Tiff and Ivy today about contrast. We were talking about being grateful for contrasting feelings, contrasting experiences and contrasting emotions.

One way in which I decided to explain the concept to the kids was to share about contrasting colors. We spent a few hours exploring what contrasting colors were through art. Ivy, Tiff and Devin created their own projects where they experienced contrast, hands on, which tied perfectly into what we had been talking about.

I shared with the kids that being able to appreciate their health when they are sick is one way to experience contrast and truly feel gratitude for their healthy minds and bodies. Without contrast how would we ever appreciate anything in life?

Here is Ivy sharing the pictures that she created, with Contrast as the focus of her artwork.

Us Time

Our lives are inseparable from our kids lives. We are all together all day, everyday. Devin visits friends on occasion now that he is older, but for the most part, if you dropped by our house, we'd all be here to greet you!

One day last week Joe and I were feeling like we would love to have a quiet, romantic dinner together.

Having 4 children, and meeting their needs as well as our own takes skill and balance. We normally have some alone time after Tiff, Ivy and Orion go to bed, but lately everyone has been staying up late.

Getting an hour to ourselves to connect sounded heavenly.

After talking to them about our need to have dinner alone, we asked them how they would feel about us going out while they stay with family. Devin was fine with it, the didn't want us to go.

I think that most people wouldn't think anything of it to drive away leaving crying kids begging them to stay. I've seen the normality of this portrayed on TV and with friends. Everyone always says, "They'll be alright... just go..." This has never felt right to us. If our kids don't want us to leave them, we respect that. We've never left them somewhere if they didn't want to be there.

So, we talked with the kids and told them that we really wanted to be alone for dinner. Tiff had the idea to watch a movie in the living room and keep an eye on Orion while we ate so we could have the time we wanted.

It worked out perfectly! We had such a nice romantic meal and because we respected the girls need for us not to leave them, they in turn respected our need to be alone for this one hour.

Respect Begets Respect

Joe and I were very grateful for the creative way that we all worked together to have our needs met. It was a very special dinner. We know that there will come a time when the kids are ready to be left alone with others joyfully. We also know that once they all move out we will have the rest of our lives for quiet dinners alone. In the meantime, we will continue respecting their needs as much as our own. This Trust between all of us is the basis of our Joyful, Connected life.

What Recession?

I have many people email me about how Joe and I are coping with the Recession and ask if we use the Law of Attraction during these desperate times. My answer is always, "What Recession?"

Joe and I understand the natural ebb and flow of prosperity and flow with it. We are still steadily selling things through our business, Willow Toys, but we choose to lower our prices to reflect the economy.

This is important, because if you have a business and don't do this, you won't sell as much and hence feel lack. It's important to surrender and go with the flow. For example, a wooden kitchen that we normally sell for $250. we are now selling for $199. Don't be afraid to lower your prices. It helps everyone out. Do it Joyously!

Also, Here are a few tips to help shift your feeling during this time when most people are feeling lack.

1. Be grateful. You don’t want to do anything for an ingrate and neither does the Universe. Say thank you for what abundance and blessings you have received in your life and focus on them.

2. Be abundant. In interactions with others, give your heart to them. Love them. And love people you don’t even know that well, someone you have no ‘organic’ feelings for either way. An easy way to tap into those feelings is to think of the person that you love most in the world. Be happy for others success as if it was your own.

3. Give back. It’s different for everyone. Some people write, some cook, and some volunteer. Create. Creation is one of the most important parts of receiving abundance.

4. The Law of Conservation should be maintained. There is nothing wrong with trying to cut costs during a recession. Just do it from a place of abundance, rather than fear and lack. If you decide to cancel Nexflix for a few months, revel in the happiness of having that money in your pocket every month, rather than thinking about the fact that you don't have Netflix anymore and feeling lack from that.

Our Business and Our Family want to encourage you to not get swept up in the negativity and lack that many are feeling during this time in our economy. Trust the process. Know that it is normal and natural for the economy to ebb and flow in such a way. Prosperity and Abundance is everywhere.

Peace & Love, Dayna

Kickin' It With Paint

Feeling creative when we woke up, the kids and I decided to pull out or craft books and try something new today.

We found a cool painting project which came out beautifully!

Painting on to a piece of paper, we used water colors (I would recommend the tube kind, they came out better) to cover the entire sheet. Then we covered it in plastic wrap, let it dry and when we removed the plastic, pushed down and crinkled it a bit and Wow! What a beautiful work of art!

The kids enjoy taking on new projects often and I am so glad that we have such a huge library to draw ideas from.

Syrup Season

We are maple sugaring on our property this year! The kids are very interested in the whole process of making maple syrup.

Living in the White Mountains means lots of maple trees and luckily we have some friends with a sugar house. They tap our trees, we enjoy the benefits of free, fresh, delicious maple syrup, and the experience of watching how it is all done.

Today we learned how to tap a tree and also that it takes 30-40 gallons of sap to make only one gallon of maple syrup!

Drum Baby Drum

Throughout our vacation in Florida, we researched ways to facilitate Devin, Tiff & Ivy's interests. We went to many shows and took in a wide range of experiences with all of our passions as the center of our trip.

In Disney's Animal Kingdom, Devin found his bliss. There was a large area dedicated to many different kinds of African drums. Devin, being a drummer, wanted to spend a lot of time there. Devin tried all of the different drums, many times over, while I enjoyed a thick chocolate shake. (one of my passions ;)

While exploring this deep interest, he was so in the moment. So *Present*. I could see his Joy overflowing. Watching him doing something he loves reminds me that this is what we are here on Earth to do. Joy, Passion, Pleasure. Life is supposed to be all of these things, everyday!

On the ride home, Devin told us how grateful he was that we went to the drum area three times during our trip. He said he will never forget it.

Gratitude & Abundance

The ability to live in gratitude and abundance isn't something I was born with. I have learned how to reprogram my mind from 30+ years of cultural conditioning of living in lack and fear.

We don't realize that how we live and think is an option. We don't realize that we can change everything in our lives by learning another way to *Be*.

My kids know about the Law of Attraction, because they live it consciously. Words like *gratitude*, *manifest*, *reality* and *choice* are part of their regular vocabularies. Our children are part of the shift that is taking place right now.

I choose to live in abundance and I know that nothing new can come into my life unless I am blissfully grateful for what I already have.

Every morning when I wake up I say, "Thank you.. thank you" for my life and all that I have. Gratitude is a constant state for me, and because I am alignment with it, I am on a vibration to easily create more and more to be grateful for. It's that simple!

"Abundance comes only to those who already have it. It sounds almost unfair, but of course it isn’t. It is a universal law. Both abundance and scarcity are inner states that manifest as your reality. Jesus put it like this: “For to the one who has, more will be given, and from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away.” - Eckhart Tolle, “ A New Earth – Awakening to Your Life’s Purpose”

Rockin' Conference Gigs

A fabulous part of our lives as Radical Unschooling advocates pioneering this movement, is traveling, and speaking at conferences. The kids love it and I am so grateful that our passion is shared by our whole family.

Some of our upcoming Sparkling Martin 'tour' engagements, where I will be a featured speaker are:

The Great Big Happy Life Conference- April 28- May 1, 2009, Lebanon, New Jersey

London Unschooling Conference - July 25th, London, England

Northeast Unschooling Conference - August 27 - 30, Wakefield, Massachusetts

Rethinking Education Conference - Septmeber 4th- 8th, Westlake, Texas

Unschooling Adventure Cruise - October 24th-29th, Bermuda

Unschooling Freedom Cruise - Feb 14th-21st, from Galveston, Texas to Cozumel Mexico, Caymen Islands, Jamaica

Come meet our family...

Become Inspired...

Learn how to Live the Dream...

Mobile Passion

Ivy loves to lay in bed and look up at her ceiling and gaze at the mobiles above her bed. Every since she was a baby she has had a fascination with them. She never slept in a crib, in fact we've never owned one, but once I learned that she loved mobiles I hung them over our family bed.

Over the years, I have found fun ways to feed her passion. We make mobiles out of anything we can think of. Tiny little stuffed animals, colored pasta, Littlest Pet Shop animals. We've even made a few together out of felt that we have hand sewn.

Every night before she goes to sleep she says goodnight to her mobiles and greets them when she wakes up.

I don't know how long this passion with burn within her, but for as long as it does I will be by her side, creating mobiles together in Joy.

One With Nature

Every year we enjoy growing flowers and vegetables. Last week we bought a little greenhouse to enjoy the process of the seeds sprouting and flowers blooming inside. Once the snow melts they will be ready to plant outside to watch them thrive in one of our gardens.

I love to create a life where our children have an environment rich with activities and projects all around them. Growing flowers is one of the many projects we have going right now. Every morning we wake up to check out how much the seeds have grown.

I love this about our life... Being part of the natural rhythms of the seasons, ever changing, ebbing and flowing and growing... Nothing is more connected to nature, and more joyful for me than to give my family a home where there is always something to learn from and enjoy.

Life Without Limits

Most people who aren't familiar with this new parenting paradigm would never believe that if a child has the freedom to have as much candy as they want, that they wouldn't eat it all in one sitting.

Our children do not have an affinity with candy. They know that they can have it whenever they want. Some may think that this means our kids eat candy all day long. It is quite on the contrary. As an adult, do you eat candy all day long because you have the freedom to do so? I'm guessing not. It is no different for children who have the freedom to choose what to put in their bodies.

When a child has the true freedom to eat candy when they want, they find a balance with it, much like an adult would. It may be hard to believe, but it is true.

Our kids each have candy available to them whenever they want it, and because they know we trust them, and that they won't have it taken away, they are so balanced with their consumption. They might have a piece or two a day. There is no power over the candy. They do not view it any differently than they would any other food option.

Here is a picture that I took of Dakota's candy this morning. She has it in a bag in her room. She was sorting through it this morning when I became inspired to share this aspect of our lives.

Trust your kids. Know that they will make good choices for themselves. Know that freedom to choose changes everything.

Honoring My Hands

When Joe asked to marry me 16 years ago, my aunt gave him a ring that belonged to my grandmother. It was her engagement ring and when she died, she wanted it passed down to me. Our wedding rings were chosen to match it perfectly.

When I got pregnant with Devin my rings didn't fit anymore, and every time I had a child, I couldn't slip them on. I actually had them cut off with my pregnancy with Ivy because they got stuck on my finger. Just a few months ago, I brought the rings in to be repaired and re sized.

When I got them back from the jewelers they were shining and perfect and as I slipped them on, I felt a completeness, and wholeness as I realized that I would never have to take them off again. It was a very moving moment, and the jeweler stared at me as I was frozen in time, looking down at my hand with tears streaming down my face.

Shortly after I got home, I was taking a bath, alone and it was quiet. I was looking at my hand with my beautiful rings and my heart filled with such gratitude for this part of my body. I thought about all the amazing things my hands help me do through the day. Holding my children's hands, prepare nourishing food for them, putting a band-aid on a boo-boo, drawing, cleaning our home, playing music, writing my thoughts about our amazing life.

My hands are my song, my mothering, my creators of so many great things...

My friend Marcelle, game me a lovely Mango, warming hand lotion while we were at Disney World as a gift. I massaged it slowly all over my hands as I thanked them for aiding in my life so much. I gave them each a kiss. Ivy was watching me and she smiled. She looked down and kissed her own hands. She never asked any questions. she simply ran off to play. I know that she learns from all that I do.

Everyday now, I take time to be grateful and give them special care. As I rub them with luxurious lotion, I honor them for their starring role in my Joyful life.

Our Sparkling Snow Party

The other day I was leaving the grocery store and a man walking by said to me, "Can we get any more snow? Can it get any colder?". He was so disgruntled and huffed off.

I smiled and began remembering all the times when I have heard people complain about the weather up here in the White Mountains. Snow in on the ground about 6 months out of the year. It is part of our lives here and something we should be celebrating and honoring! I really wanted to live in gratitude about it, rather than complaining and suffering through it. Then I had an idea...

A Snow Party! In a matter of just a few minutes, I had a party with our Unschooling friends planned. I love this about our lives so much. We have the Freedom and flexibility to pull a sucessful party off in a matter of hours.

Last night was such a fun celebration! We roasted hot dogs and veggie dogs over the open fire. The kids colored snow and we had an ice cube spoon race. We made snow toffee and listened to upbeat music outside while we all enjoyed one another and the beautiful snow that covered our lives. I am so grateful to have such wonderful Unschooling families, who we can call in a moments notice and say.. "Come over! We're having a party!"
Thank you Jill, Caitlin and Joe... love you guys!

Bangin' Threads

Do you ever have one of those days when the creative juices flow right through you? Those amazing days when the thread seems to have a mind of it's own?

Today was just that kind of day for me. Outside we were getting a huge snowstorm.. I made cookies, Ivy and Orion were asleep and Devin and Tiff were playing SIMS Castaway...

I had extra time on my hands..

I listened to sweet, flowing music and began to create...

In the evening I had a call with a Doula client and during that call I finished my project. I didn't know what it would be, I just went with the energy of it all...

I call this, " Unschooled Life: Peace, Joy, Free".

Props to Compleat Mother

I came upon this hilarious image while visiting one of my favorite magazine, websites. The Compleat Mother has been part of my life for over a decade. Ivy and Tiff love when the magazine comes in the mail usually with images of nursing babes and kids.

This particular image is from Mutha Crafter, a hip Etsy shop.

Check out Compleat Mother Magazine where my friend Jody McLaughlin brings so many fringe topics about parenting to the World.

I give the Compleat Mother props for the role this magazine has played on my own Journey.

In Gratitude, Dayna

Snow Toffee

What do you do after a snowstorm dumps two feet of snow on the ground?

Make Snow Toffee! This has become one of our snowstorm traditions, which, living in the White Mountains, happens quite often during the winter months. It is so yummy and the kids love the whole process, from gathering the snow to joyfully eating it the day after a blizzard.

Ingredients
1 cup brown sugar
1/8 lb butter
1 teaspoon vanilla

Directions
1. Go outside to collect fresh snow on a cookie sheet or a casserole dish (or two). Make sure that the snow is very clean! Set aside for later use.
2. Bring all ingredients to a rolling boil in a heavy pot.
3. Boil till mixture is at the hard ball stage (when dripped into very cold water, it turns into a firm ball).
4. When the mixture has reached the desired temperature, drizzle it over the collected snow. The mixture will cool and harden very quickly.
5.This toffee can be eaten within a few minutes or stored in a cool dry place for a few days.

Skydiving Babe!

Being facilitators of our children's interests we are always looking for ways to bring more of the World to them. We thrive on new adventures and experiences. One of the many adventures of our trip to Florida was visiting Sky Venture Orlando, and trying indoor skydiving. The kids absolutely loved it! Devin called his buddy Liam right after and he said, "Dude! I was flying! It was the coolest thing I have ever done in my entire life!"

Here is Ivy enjoying her first Skydiving lesson. Our instructor told us that it is exactly like real skydiving and in fact, it is where skydivers do all of their training. I was surprised at how difficult it was, which made me even more impressed that Ivy did so well!

It was nothing like we have ever done before and we are all very grateful for the experience. Absolutely Mindblowing!

A Child-Friendly World

I recently started a program in my community called, Child-Friendly Valley in which I visit local businesses and share how they can become more child-friendly in various ways. As a mother of four, there are many times in which I notice that bathrooms, for example, do not accommodate children. I also educate about greeting and treating children respectfully like adults in local businesses. It is one of my passions to promote and educate about the rights and respect that children deserve and what better way than to promote this in my own community?

This is one reason why we fell in love with Disney World after the first time we visited. It is like a magical world where kids are respected and honored and every where you go, there is child-sized toilets, sinks, silverware, tables and chairs. We love this about Disney and I don't know any other place on earth filled with such reverence for children.

Here is a picture of a child's sink in the bathroom at Boma, in the Animal Kingdom Lodge, which is just one of thousands of locations where kids were people too.

Radical Friendship

We lead a very unique life which includes having friends in every state and many countries all over the World. We are invited to visit friends often, which feeds our soul and desire for connection with other Radical Unschooling families.

During our trip to Florida we met with my friends, Josha, Marcelle and Robin and their amazing families. Devin and Tiff were in their bliss playing games, sharing hugs and simply *Being* with others who live life like they do in such a free and respected way.

Traveling Sleepers

Traveling for 3 weeks in an RV is quite an experience. You get used to the smaller spaces and an RV is truly a second home for us.

The kids are just as comfortable and at home in the RV as they are at their home in Madison, NH. It's really great because you can bring everything you want because there is so much storage space.

The kids take naps on the road a lot. I guess it has to do with the motion of the motor home as it's cruising down the highway.

I am so grateful for our RV and the places we've visited and people we have met. As it says on our RV licence plate, LYFROKS (life rocks)

Orion's Disney Birthday

There is nothing like celebrating a birthday at Disney World! Orion had hist first birthday there with all of us by his side, enjoying such a special day...

My Mom bought him a cute pair of Baby Mickey ears.. No trip to Disney would be complete without them!

Happy 1st Birthday my sweet boy!! We love you so much!!

Ivy's Birthday Princess Makeover at Disney World

My Mom wanted to give Ivy a Princess Makeover at the Bibbity Boppity Boutique at Disney World for her 4th Birthday. Ivy loved every minute of being pampered and made into a princess. It was a really special experience for her and one of the highlights of our trip.

Kitchen Science Rocks!

Ivy loves being in the kitchen. In fact, as I write this she is at the sink adding salt, pepper and oil to a bowl of soapy water just to see what happens.

The kids have so many fun activities that they ask to do over and over again. This is one of Ivy's favorites. We always have some kind of project or creation in the kitchen at any given moment.

Ivy wanted me to put this on the blog so some of her friends could try it:

Take two cups and add water with different color food coloring in each. Add leafy celery stalks. In only a couple of hours, the celery draws the coloring into the leaves.

Very cool indeed!

Sparkle World!

Living this Radical Unschooling life, means to facilitate our children's passions and interests. I love finding new and creative ways to do just that. Movies, books, computer games, road trips to cool destinations....there are so many ways to learn more about things that interest us.

We love magazines! Joe and I get everything from Time, to Smithsonian to Fortune. Devin has been getting Lego Magazine for a few years now.

So many kids magazines that we have come across have underlying, ulterior motives to create obedient, conforming children. We've found that the popular kids mags give mini "lessons" about cleaning, listening to your teacher and "behaving". These mainstream values are not something that we share as priority in our lives.

We prefer to bring things into our children's World that are respectful and honors their autonomy. My kids are sensitive to things that sound condescending to children. We try not to buy into things that represent someone else's agenda for what they think my kids should learn or what they think will be good for them. My kids know what is good for them and what they like. I trust them before anyone else.

Sparkle Magazine (love the name!) brings Dakota so much Joy in life. It has characters she loves, posters, songs and stories that are just plain fun! I am so grateful that she found a special magazine just for *her*, that she looks forward to receiving every other month.

Dayna's Rockin' Whole Wheat Sugar Cookies

I love to experiment and create healthy, new recipes for my family to enjoy.

Today, Dakota and I made up a new, yummy recipe we wanted to share! They are so moist and delicious! I can't stop eating them...

Enjoy!

Dayna's Rockin' Whole Wheat Sugar Cookies

A healthful, delicious recipe. 10-13 minutes

2-1/2 dozen cookies

1/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp margarine or butter

3/4 cup sugar

1 fresh large egg

3/4 tsp vanilla

2 Tbsp lowfat milk

1-1/2 cups whole wheat flour

3/4 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp ground all spice

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

Roll cookies in:

2 Tbsp sugar

1 tsp ground cinnamon

Preheat oven to 375 F.

1. Using an electric mixer on medium speed, cream margarine or butter and 3/4 cup sugar until light and fluffy.

2. Add egg, vanilla, and milk and mix for one minute until smooth. Scrape sides of the bowl.

3. In a small bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, all spice, and cinnamon. Add dry ingredients gradually to the creamed mixture; mix on low speed for one minute until well blended. Scrape sides of the bowl.

4. Portion dough by rounded teaspoons onto lightly greased cookie sheets.

5. Combine 2 Tbsp sugar and 1 tsp cinnamon and roll cookies in mixture before putting on cookie sheet.

6. Bake for 10-13 minutes, until lightly browned.

Cool on wire rack.

Snow Joy

Today, I surprised the girls as we were getting ready to go outside to play. I put food coloring in some spray bottles and shared with them that we could go out and color on the snow. They had so much fun and so did I!

Here is a tree that the girls colored. I thought it looked so beautiful I wanted to share.
We hope that everyone is enjoying this beautiful winter season.

I know we are, but I am looking forward to head down to Florida next week for some warm weather.

Evaluations for Unschoolers?

Devin took a series of private drum lessons before Christmas. He learned a lot, because it was something he was interested in and wanted to do. He is thinking about taking another series once we are back from our road trip to Florida.

Just yesterday we got an evaluation for his classes from his drum instructor. We didn't even know that they gave those out after a series.

Being an Unschooling family we do not get things like this about our kids, ever, so it was interesting to read for me.

As I was reading it to Devin, I said, "You did excellent in everything it says here Dev." he shrugged his shoulders and said, "Oh really." He wasn't excited, or motivated to *Be* or *Do* anything different than what he already was within himself. No evaluation was necessary at all because he held no value in his own self-worth or experience from what someone else felt about him.

As a kid, I would have felt a "high" from receiving that! I would have shown everyone in order to prove my greatness!. I would feel good because someone else thought that I was "good". So much of who I was back then was tied up in what others thought about me. Back then, I was told how I should feel about myself through things like evaluations.

It's interesting walking this path and seeing what our children living a rich, free life find exciting and where they hold their self-worth and self esteem. I absolutely love that Devin loves himself and doesn't need someone else to tell him his *Greatness*. He already knows, in a peaceful, self-love, matter-of-fact kind of way. This Evaluation meant nothing to him. He didn't like it or dislike it. It was just someone else's opinion, but it held no *Truth* for him about his own accomplishments.

By nature we are supposed to love ourselves and know our greatness. I believe that it is our cultures focus on praise and "Good Job" that deteriorates a child's self-worth over time because kids are conditioned to think that others are supposed to let them know how they are doing rather than *knowing* it themselves.

When someone says that someone else is "needy" in a relationship, this is often what it means, essentially. By praising someone growing up, which is well meaning, but damaging, they become dependant on others that to tell them their greatness.

I am so glad we are shifting consciousness in the understanding about what children need from us as parents. Kids instinctively know their greatness. We don't need to praise for the purpose of motivating. They need us to Trust that they already know how great they are and just be happy with them as partners in life.

In the end, even though Devin thought his Drum Evaluation was "kind of weird", I still hung it on the fridge and smile when I look at it.

Look Out London!

Over the last few days I have been corresponding with a conference coordinator who contacted me to see if I could be the Headlining Speaker at the first ever Unschooling Conference in Europe!

I am so honored and excited on so many levels about this. I can't believe that I will be travelling over there with my family to spread the word about Radical Unschooling. This is a dream come true for us.

Also, my Mom lives over there and my children have never been over to see her home to visit her, so our whole family is beside themselves with gratitude for all we are manifesting in our lives right now. To be able to spend time with my Mom will be incredible. I have never seen her house. I could cry thinking about all of this.

The conference is called, The London Unschooling Conference and will be held smack in the middle of the city of London, England this July. I hope to meet some of my online friends while I am there!

Devin is so excited to go to the Tower of London to see all of the medieval armor and to tour castles. Dakota can't wait to see my Mom's home and her kitties. The kids love and miss their grandmother so much.

Thank you for everyone for believing in me, in this Radical Unschooling movement and living this amazing life with our families and as a community. The shift is picking up momentum and great things are happening... for all of us.

Update 2/16 - The London Unschooling Conference website is up! Visit the site and register here!

Gifts From Friends

We had the most fabulous Christmas!

We are still basking in the Joy of the season while getting together with friends. I wanted to share a few handmade gifts that we received because we thought they were so beautiful, thoughtful and creative! All of these items were made by the people who gave them to us.

Natural Mom's Talk Radio Rocks!

Here is my latest interview for Natural Mom's Talk Radio. It was really fun to discuss my passions and personal path of advocacy and inspire others. I shared natural parenting, breastfeeding and about the Birthing method that I have developed called, "Attraction Birthing". I have been working on the many details in creating and promoting it and it will be available to learn about through DVD and a really cool workbook journal this spring.

Our website http://www.attractionbirth.com/ will be up and running as soon as we are ready to take the world by storm with this incredibly empowering way to have an amazing birth!

We will be offering Childbirth Education Teacher trainings all over the country in the future.

Brussel Junkie

The whole concept of living a life in a partnership paradigm takes a while for most people to grasp. We were raised to think that control, no matter how subtle, is the way to raise children. Living a Radical Unschooling life proves that there is another way!

I was in the grocery store the other day in the produce section with the kids. Ivy grabbed a bag and started filling it with brussel sprouts. She was proclaiming her love for this food that many adults have a strong aversion to. There was an older woman standing watching us in amazement. Ivy squealed with delight and was singing, "I love my brussels! Ya, ya ya!"

I could see that the woman wanted to say something to me, so I said, "Hello". She said, "Wow, you sure trained your kids well!" She was in awe that a child would eat brussel sprouts voluntarily and wondered how I made her like them. That somehow it was my creation having a child adore brussel sprouts. Some strange form of Jedi mind control or something. She said, "What's your secret?"

I told her quite matter-of-factly that I just loved them myself and my daughter wanted some of that Joy. I told her she was never made to eat them and wondered what all my enjoyment was about. The woman looked puzzled at my response, but smiled.

It is amazing to most people that through living a truly free life, our kids have so many more opportunities and options available to them. When someone is living a life being forced to live someone else's ideals, their future is warped because they loose true choice. Choices are made from a point of a power struggle, and becomes about you/vs them, not the actual thing someone is being forced to to, or eat, or live.

I believe that so many people hate brussel sprouts today because they were forced, coerced and bribed to eat them as children. Just the sight of a brussel sprout brings people back to that place of having no choice or control over their lives. By nature we so want to "win" that power struggle and are making a huge statement of our own power by not eating certain foods as adults.

Ivy loves brussel sprouts because she has always had the freedom to choose. I love them too and I never eat them in enjoyment with the ulterior motive to get my kids to also. This is something that many coming to this life need to understand. Living life in the present, authentically is so easy once we can get rid of all of our cultural armor. Most of us were raised with ulterior motives of subtle control, so this perspective isn't coming from a place of "a new, tricky way to get our kids to do what we want".

The best gift we can give our kids is just to live an authentic life. Communicating respectfully and kindly while shedding the cultural ideas that we must have ulterior motives to "train" our kids can be so freeing and joyful. We have to find *True* happiness and Clarity and then feel it in our body, mind and soul. Once we do, our kids can't help but want in on some of our *Bliss*. Ya, there are ups and downs in life, but no longer are we "in pursuit of happiness".. We are living it in the *Now*. How cool is this life?

~Ivy's Roasted Brussel Sprouts Recipe~

Heat oven to 350'. Melt 1/8 cup of butter in roasting pan. Remove pan and add as many brussel sprouts (rinsed and with ends trimmed) as you'd like and roll them around in the butter.

Add generous amounts of salt and dash of pepper.

Roast for about 20-30 minutes, or until tender and golden brown...

Enjoy! ~Ivy

Sky Venture Here We Come!

We just booked an amazing experience. We are going to try Indoor Skydiving when we are in Florida next month. We are all going to try it, even Ivy, who will be just turning 4 when we are down there. She is really excited about it... All the kids are. I can not wait to see what it feels like experience something new and adventurous.. We want to live everyday as if it was our last day on Earth.. Life is short... Make it Rock!

Update: SkyVenture sent us a Christmas Ornament and a letter confirming our upcoming adventure. We can't wait to fly!




Turn off our blog song in our playlist player on the right hand side of our blog to listen to the video.

Photo Collages

Joe 's Birthday is almost here! The kids wanted to give him a couple of his gifts early. I thought these were so cool so I wanted to share them. I had 2 different photo collages made and he absolutely loved them! They are such nice quality and like nothing we have ever seen before! (You can get them on Walmart.com. in the photo department)We are going out for Chinese food on Sunday to celebrate his big day! We love any excuse to go out for Chinese food! The kids think the Pu-Pu Platter with the flame and the fancy drinks is like the coolest thing ever! I love Crab Ragoons! MMMmmm

Homemade From the Heart

We have begun making Christmas gifts for those we love. Today the girls and I made these pretty soaps. We grated Ivory Soap in the food processor. Then we added food coloring and some Rosemary essential oil. We formed them into balls and then I wrapped pretty pink netting around them and finished them off with a bow. They are designed to be used in the netting. The netting not only looks pretty, but holds them together. It also exfoliates! How nifty!

We are going totally homemade this year for family and friends. The kids will get many exciting gifts and toys from Santa, but everyone else on our list will get heartfelt things that we make together as a family.

Our First Quilt

Living this life means not being afraid to try new things. It is so important as Radical Unschooling parents that our children see us learning all the time. I want them to know that learning is just part of life and we never stop this amazing journey of self discovery and exploration of everything that interests us every single day.

I got a new sewing machine and decided that I wanted to make Orion a quilt.

I never thought I would enjoy sewing because I am so not into measuring and pinning and all of the little details that I thought it took to create a quilt. Once I got started, I just banged it out Joyfully. I had a lot of help and everyone sewed the squares together with me and as we did this, we all learned to use a sewing machine and sew together! We didn't need a book or classes, we just needed to do it and make mistakes and just keep trying!

In the end, we all learned to so much and it wasn't difficult or painful. It was fun and easy!

Here is a picture of our finished quilt and with our combined effort, we not only made Orion a cool Christmas gift, we gave ourselves the gift of learning a new skill together as a family.

A Few Favorite Radical Things

I have decided to share a few radical, Sparkling things that have entered out home this week!

The first is the children's book, "I Am Learning All The Time" by Rain Fordyce I loved the positive, joyful perspective that this book shares about the Unschooling life.

The second is these awesome Hugalugg leg-warmers that I bought the kids from http://www.stinkerbells.com/ ! Ivy and Orion wear them everyday. They are so adorable and this time of year we need something to cover that little space between my babies knees and ankles. Really affordable too! Sometimes it is the only thing they have on!

Third is the awesome book by Scott Noelle, "The Daily Groove". I love the quality and easy to digest "Grooves" that he has on each page.. Very cool.

Comin' At You Live!

We've just finished putting the final touches on my Live CD from the Rethinking Education Conference! This is a very exciting opportunity for people to hear all of the conference sessions that we held at THE Unschooling Conference in Dallas, Texas a few months ago.

If you are someone who would love to see what an Unschooling Conference is like, this is CD for you! I have put all 6 of my sessions, this is over 10 hours of inspiration and passionate explanations of all of the aspects of Radical Unschooling. It is like attending a conference but without having to spend the money and travel!

This is the perfect gift to give to doubting family or partners to help them learn more about Unschooling. It can be listened to anywhere at anytime. There is even a session that Joe and I led together called, "Respectful Partnerships". Very cool if you are trying to help your partner understand this unique, Joyful life.

For more information visit here

Devin's New Drum Set

Reminder: To listen to this video scroll down and pause the music on my black Playlist player on the right.

Devin just got his new drum set in the mail! I cleaned out my office so Devin could use it as a "Music Studio." It was important for him to have a place to keep his drum set where he could lock the door so his little sisters couldn't get to it if he didn't want them to. I plan on painting the music notes or something cool on the walls in there soon. His Studio is a small room off of our playroom/my childbirth teaching studio which is above Willow Toys Workshop. It isn't in our house so he can go out any time he wants to rock out.

Nurturing our kids interests in such an important aspect of our lives. When they are passionate about something we dive right in with both feet and do everything we can to give them as much support and encouragement as possible. I love that Devin can spend hours a day doing everything he wants to do.