July 27, 2026

Category: Developing Self

A Mind Wide Open, CDE Standards Reference, Developing Self, Fine Motor Skills, Knowledge Base Expansion, Lils, Math Discoveries, Numeracy, Self Esteem

Farkle Math

A game of Farkle is perfect for simple and more complex arithmetic. Addition is necessary to keep score, subtraction is necessary to gain points, along with division and percentage related to determining odds. Estimation, assumption, ordering, quantity value, and value set recognition are also an integral aspect of the game.

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A Mind Wide Open, Developing Self, Lils, Self Awareness, Self Esteem

Barbie?

From Bethany Sells, FB – Whole Life Unschooling: “People with daughters, discuss barbies, monster high, bratz, etc and body image. Thank you.” A tough and significant topic for me… Lily and I have had many conversations about this one.. I had barbies. I had good examples. I had supportive parents and friends. I didn’t start to look […]

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A Mind Wide Open, Artistry, CDE Standards Reference, Confidence, Construction, Creative Solution Generation, Culture Appreciation, Developing Self, Drawing, Engineering, Exploration, Fine Motor Skills, Global History, History, Lils, Questions from Lily's Brain, Responsibility, Science Discoveries, Sculpture, Self Awareness, Societal Studies

The Year She's Carved Out

This is the first year Lils has had refined enough motor skills to manage the various tools necessary to carve a pumpkin independently.  How excited she was yesterday, and again today, as she got to tell her friend all about her carving adventure. Last night she came bopping down the stairs, pumpkin in arms, lit and […]

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A Mind Wide Open, Art, Artistry, CDE Standards Reference, Confidence, Developing Self, Drawing, Engineering, Fine Motor Skills, Imagination, Language, Lils, Literacy, Playing, Self Awareness, Self Esteem, Storytelling / Recollection, Writing

Cecily, the Author

Watch out MO!! Lily’s on the trail! – Rebecca Lily decided yesterday, after playing the Stickman game (browser version), to write her first book, “A Big Hotdog”! Today, she wrote her second book, “A Mermaid”.  Both are of her “Stickman” series.      

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A Mind Wide Open, Art, CDE Standards Reference, Confidence, Creative Solution Generation, Developing Self, Economics, Empathic Awareness, Fine Motor Skills, Imagination, Kindness, Lils, Literacy, Self Esteem, Social Development, Writing

First Tangible Letter – Mailed

Lils brought this picture she created for her grandma to me today, folded in an envelope, hoping to send it off to Denver (where Grandma lives).  I worked with her to create a second envelope for mailing, as her first had her image folded into a fully 4 dimensional object. I explained the machines, sorting, […]

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A Mind Wide Open, Beautiful Curiosity, Biology, Bugz & Her Explorations, Care & Nurture, Compassion, Construction, Demonstrating Empathy, Developing Self, Earth Science, Economics, Engineering, Geometry, Imagination, Invention, Lils, Literacy, Math Discoveries

Lily Sees $$

A few days ago Lily and I explored US currency.  We also explored the amazing power of ZERO! Yesterday, as we were discussing her age, and how many months vs a fraction of year she has accomplished (using hair bands no less), she demonstrated her understanding and complete comprehension of adding with single digits and then […]

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A Mind Wide Open, Beautiful Curiosity, Biology, Botany, Care & Nurture, CDE Standards Reference, Compassion, Construction, Developing Self, Empathic Awareness, Engineering, Geometry, Imagination, Invention, Lils, Math Discoveries, Movement & Coordination, Physical Development, Playing, Responsibility, Self Awareness, Simply Nature

Houses, Castles, & Questions

I’ve decided that to best keep track of my own mind, as well as attempt to record the finer points of Lily’s development and her day, that I really have to just leave a post window open all day long. I see it, I write, I add pics, whatever… Today began with Lily showing us […]

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