Charlotte Mason Homeschooling - Combining Home and School in A Small Space

I don't post much!! Maybe one day I will post more. MAYBE.

My twin girls (age 7) are currently in form I, year 1, of 1A. That is so much to write but that is where we are aka... "2nd grade". I also have a year 0 little boy (age 4). We have been CM'ers since the beginning, but I am learning more and more every day.

I have read Volume 1 (fellow CM moms you should too), and I'm currently reading Vol. 2 with a great group of ladies online. I recommend reading the volumes with others interested in the Charlotte Mason philosophy. I am a wannbe purist, but of course, I am not. I am happy to say that I FEEL like I'm apart of the recent CM resurgence, and am elated that more and more moms are choosing Charlotte Mason's methods to homeschool their children.

When it comes to the details of building our cirriculum, I am blessed beyond words by the ladies at ADE or A Delectable Education. In addition to ADE, and since we are a Catholic family, I frequent the wonderful Mater Amabilis website when putting together our plans. Lastly, I will always take recommendations from Jennifer Mackintosh, Karen Andreola, Art Middlekauff, and Celeste Cruz. Those are my people. Every Charlotte Mason family has their "circle" beyond Charlotte herself, and I couldn't me more blessed by mine.

Every year before we start a fresh new school year, I get into super planning mode. I read books and blogs, I hang out in my favorite facebook groups, Charlotte Mason Soiree and Mater Amabilis, get inspired, and then I go to work! When I'm finished and ready to start, which is literally two days from now, I always want to share.

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This post is all about learning spaces and organization in a small area. Combining home & school. I do not have a big house, and somehow I have the challenge to acheive a beautiful atmosphere for learning and living. I am blessed that Charlotte Mason said, “Education is an atmosphere, a discipline, a life.” Still it's a puzzle that we are all trying to figure out, especially those of us with limited space.

I can honestly say after much planning, sorting, thinking, organizing, and working; I feel like I've put our puzzle together for this school year. I wish you luck in doing the same. Have fun!

feast table

The feast table. This is an idea taken from Jennifer @ the blog Wildflowers and Marbles. I've read what she has said about a feast table helping you to rebuild culture, learn about the liturgical year, and just to have a holy space in your home to pray. This is a small table that I had to find the "perfect" place for. A place that would be seen and noticed, but yet was also out of the way.

My favorite parts of my feast table:
Picture Frame - to be able to change out art prints
Ribbon - I'll change the color to go with the liturgical season
Box - I found a small box and recovered it using one of our favorite golden books. We had two of them so it didn't break my heart to cut it up! I couldn't figure out what to do with all of the beautiful prayer cards we've been blessed with. This solved my problem.
Salt lamp - I've been looking for a place for my salt lamp and this seems to work perfectly. I love the soft glow it gives off for the table.

Science and Nature Study Nook 

This is our science and nature study area. I had two open shelves below my kitchen island, so that is what we are using! I love that all of these items have their own place. The kids have spaces for nature collecting, nature journals, and for supplies like paints and and colors. 

1A Books and Supplies

Here is how I've organized the supplies for my twins! The top photo is all of thier books for the year and specific ones for term 1. I've divided them by subject with plastic dividers that I ordered on Amazon. I have to be able to visually see our different subject divided, especially since we have so many subjects, so this really helped me to do that.

The middle left picture are two baskets. One is for all of our math supplies and the other is for our drawing books, handicraft supplies (this term we are doing clay sculpture), and paper sloyd supplies. The basket on the left is one of two baskets, for each of my girls, and the bottom picture shows what's inside!

One note, I have vowed this year..... NO LOOSE LEAF PAPER in our house. (unless a particular craft requires it).

What's in each of their baskets? (from L to R)

Timeline - we are using our same timelines from last year. These are in a binder. I may convert mid year to a timeline book that we will be able to keep for longer. I just have gotten to where I don't really like 3 ring binders, but since it's already made and has plenty of space we will go with it!

Small nature notebook - this pocket notebook is for them to draw whatever they find on their own time. I give them no direction in this notebook. All I ask is that they draw in it every day we are home, and they draw something they observe in nature.

Singing and Recitiation booklets - I'm super excited about these! I like to take books to be bound. I did this with their spanish books as you can see above. I also spiral bound one of their tree books. However, I get tired of taking books to be bound at the copy store. So I came up with this idea! I printed their songs and recitiations, stacked them up, stapled the top together with a whole row of staples, then covered it with washi tape to make it look prettier. It was easy, and I love them.

Small drawing notebook - this notebook is for drawing. Drawing lessons, drawn narrations, drawing anything to avoid loose leaf paper.

Copywork notebook - this notebook is for all of their copywork. It's a spiral bound book with wider lines that I found on Amazon.

Spanish book - printed and spiral bound their spanish book.

Grid paper notebook - math notebook. All of their written math work will be done in this notebook.

Not pictured - nature notebook where they do their watercolor paitings. These stay in the science nook.

Pre-K Basket & space

This is kind of neat! Above is Silas' pre-k basket. He's 4 years old and will be in year 0/prep level this year and next year. This year for him... it's all about learning fun and lots of experiences. His seatwork will be limited to what he wants to do, but I will be reading to him. All of the Beatrix Potter books are on the docket & we will venture into the hundred acre wood. I have Foster's, My First Oxford Books of Poems, and Children Just Like Me, his geography book. I have a beginning handwiting book for fun and one of my favorite additions is a bucket of 250 little wooden letters. He loves to paint with his sister's and each day he'll paint a new letter. We'll work on it's sound and words that start with that letter. I also have his own paint set, play dough, a drawing book, his nature notebook, and a tray for him to use in his basket.

It's really cool doing this the second time around. I feel so relaxed, and am really going to enjoy our special learning time each day. He also chose his own place to do his "work" at. I love that he picked it and is already spending time in his black chair working on projects, painting, and learning. I know he won't stay in that chair much, but I do think it's a great anchor for his energetic spirit.

This last picture is of my own personal space. Last year I didn't have this. I kept most of my things with the kids. I'm sure I won't be sitting here most of the time, but it's nice to have found a place that can be my own. What's even better is that this little counter top really didn't serve a purpose anyway. It's just been our catch all, not anymore! 

On the far left, I have our daily schedule, which changes each day. We're involved in a lot, so I've made one general schedule for each day of the week M-F. I'll change this out each day so the kids know what we are doing....all day. This isn't a school schedule just the gereral morning routines, school, lunch, co-op, afternoon occupations, evening routines, dinner, children's hour, etc. 

Then I have my computer, a couple of magazines I'm reading, Paterson's The Bible For School & Home, pens, and then of course all of my planners. This year I created my own planners. I did use a few pages from My Humble Kitchen to get my weekly planner started, but I added in lots of other parts. Last year I tried combining a daily and weekly planner. That was just too big, so I split it up. I may do a planner post in the future becuase so far, I've been using this system for two months now, and I'm loving it. There are quite a few reasons, too many to list. I'm confident that my two planners, coupled with the general daily schedules, that the kids can all view, will serve us well. 

Below is our school basket. Each night I'll take a few minutes to look over the next days schedule and pull the books we will need from the shelf in the living room into this basket. Then at the end of the day I'll put those back and refill it for the next day's work. 

The last part of this area is our prayer board. Anytime someone asks us to pray for them, or if we have specific prayers we need to be praying for we add them to this board. We've had it up for a couple of years now and love having it in our home. 

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In closing, I'll say that between our dining area, living area, kitchen, and outdoor spaces we are ready to learn. Last year I was mentally confining our homeschool to our dining area. I called it our "school room". The problem is, it isn't a school room. It's our dining room and my husband missed having a dining room. We all did! So this year we are spreading out! I have more chairs, more blankets, more spaces, that will ALL allow for learning.  

We have a beautiful home that looks like a home. I don't think that anyone walking into our home would think "school" yet all of the learning spaces, school supplies, and school books are there if they were to look closer. I feel I've created an atmosphere that Charlotte would approve of. My family sure does! 

If you are like me and face the challenge of combining home and school in a small space, I encourage you to take a closer look. Think it over, pray about it, and work up a plan. It won't happen overnight, but with effort and the Holy Spirit's help you will create a beautiful atmosphere to live and learn in too. 

Charlotte Mason Planner: DIY Step by Step Instructions and Files

Thanks to all the great feedback in the Mater Amabilis facebook group. It seems appropriate to share all of the details on my Charlotte Mason planner, since I spent so long figuring it all out!! So many people have helped me get started in this journey, now it's my turn. 

A little about us... 

My twin girls are 6 years old. We are moving into MA Year 1B / AO Year 1 / Form I. We use a combination of Mater Amabilis, Ambleside Online, and for history I love all of the podcasts over at A Delectable Education. The ladies who write at the following blogs have truly inspired me...  Wildflowers & Marbles, Sage Parnassus,  Living Soul Deep, Joyous Lessons, Moments With Mother Culture, and A Delectable Education! I am beyond thankful to the curriculum writers at Mater Amabilis and the advisory at Ambleside Online. 

That being said I couldn't find a planner that was an exact fit, and so I knew I had to create my own. Through lots of prayers, research, and energy this is what I came up with. I wasn't planning on sharing, but I felt compelled to, and now here I am typing up this how to guide. I really hope it helps or inspires you to create your own planner, if like me you haven't already found the perfect fit.

Planner Overview Video 

I just took some time to flip through the planner and show you each section that I have in there. 

Step By Step:

Step 1: Nail down your schedule

I spent lots of time here and feel what I have is close to what CM would have done in her schools. My biggest aim was to have, as she recommended, the subjects alternate daily so the students would never have the same exact day M-F, but how do I keep track of that with so many subjects?! We have this beautiful feast to spread but we have to keep track of it too. With the weekly schedule from MA & AO before me, and a few other resources for content, I began to form our weekly/daily schedule by looking at Charlotte Mason's daily time-tables. After that I spent lots of time looking at Form I and Year 1B schedules online from various sources. Google was my BFF for a while. Then I finished by taking some time to read and apply what Charlotte Mason presents in her programmes that accompany the times-tables. Those were the missing links, for me, in building our daily schedule. 

This is a general layout of our week. A snapshot of subjects. I plan to write in the books being covered on this page, but save page numbers and more detailed information for the daily schedule. I am going to copy what MA or AO has laid out for the 36 week lesson plan (including any adjustments/additions I've personally made) onto these pages. 

This part of the planning was not about what books to use and cover each week. Mater Amabilis and Ambleside Online, along with some recommendations from a few seasoned CM moms (see blog list above), had that knocked out for me. Thank you! This part of the process was about how to actually organize it all - daily. Kind of like putting the puzzle together. I had all the pieces, just needed to make them fit logically and most like Charlotte did. That's why I need a planner, so that my day flows and I don't have to think about it. 

For this part you can copy what I have created, create your own, or purchase BLANK files and edit them yourself. In the Etsy bundle I have included the blank files for weekly, daily, front, and back cover for $10. You can download them right away. One of my favorite and easiest ways to edit is to take a JPEG file PLACE it in a google drawing (see google docs online and find drawings) and edit! You can place text boxes wherever you want all over the JPEG!! It's super easy. When you're done save it as a PDF for highest quality and then PRINT. That's it!! You could also just print the blank files to add to your planner and write everything in throughout the year. Last you could use the files in another design program like Adobe InDesign to create your personal schedule. I'm sure there are other ways too!! 

HERE IS A LINK TO THE FILES ON ETSY!

Daily has larger blocks on the left to write in more detailed information.
Page numbers, what was actually covered, etc. Extras, etc. 

Step 2: Print your weekly and daily schedules

Once you've figured all that out....Print 36 weekly files. I color coded these and used card stock versus regular weight paper. I printed 12 pink for 1st term, 12 green for 2nd term, and 12 blue for 3rd term. Print 36 Mondays, 36 Tuesdays, 36 Wednesdays, 36 Thursdays, and 36 Fridays. Print back and front when you can to save space and paper. I printed these in black and white (you could print in color) on white regular stock paper. This planner is 8.5x11 in size so that I could use my at home printer for some of the printing. I ended up printing the bulk (daily schedule) at my print shop. Cost was about $12.  I printed the weekly pages at home. Set all of this aside. Now you have the bulk of your planner complete - weekly/daily schedules for all 36 weeks! You may notice I don't have a daily anything for Saturdays and Sundays. That may be something you'd like to include. I am just planning on jotting down weekend events on my monthly calendar. 

Step 2: Collect the other files that will make up your planner. 

A. Calendars 

I printed an academic year overview and vertical monthly calendars. My year is running from August to July. You can make yours however you like. I used CalendarPedia for all of my monthly calendars. Download, save, and print the PDFs that you choose. Print them on cardstock. I chose a bright yellow to print these on. I printed these at home. set aside. 

B. Meal Planning 

I researched and settled on these to use. I printed them back and front in black and white. Print enough to cover each month. I also included a grocery list. I used this (should be able to use the file below) and also perforated them, so that I can just tear a list out before going shopping each week. That tool is about $3 at a craft store. 3 per page single sided (or you could double side it for more writing space). I put in two pages so I have 6 lists for each month to use. 

C. Blank Monthly Dividing Pages & Tabs 

I didn't use this in my current planner but probably will next year so I can place my tabs on these and open directly to the month. I was trying to cut down on as much paper as possible, since it's so thick already! But if you want to, I would just use most likely the same yellow paper, or whatever color you choose, to place in front of your monthly calendar. You will adhere the monthly tabs to these pages. I bought my monthly tabs on Etsy. There are many to choose from! I got mine from i Smooch Planner These cost about $12. 

D. Front and Back Cover

Design, print in color, laminate. 

I have this included with the weekly and daily files that are available for download, so I can customize it for you if you go that route. 

Set all of these files aside and tabs aside. 

Step 3: Assemble/order your planner. 

Start with your front cover, yearly overview calendar(s), then start with your first month or blank file page. In my planner, I then put meal plans and grocery lists. Next comes the weekly overview and then M-F daily schedules. I put the correct number of weeks that followed that are school weeks for the month. You could do this however YOU like!! :) If at the end of the month there were three leftover days and two on into the next month, I just kept that as a full week together. I know at the beginning / end of a few months I may have to flip back or flip forward into the following or previous  month, but I'm okay with that. If you want to try and break it up more exact that would be up to you since it's YOUR planner! Think about it and lay it out how you like. I used all 36 weeks up and my planner was done. We only officially are going to "school" for a week in December, so that's all I put after my December monthly calendar. I will use my monthly calendar to write down events and appointments. So December's calendar (the vertical one in yellow) may be a little more full but that's okay with me! I only use my daily calendars for school. That may or may not work for you. If it doesn't you could easily create a general daily page to insert where you aren't doing school. (spring break week, holidays weeks, weekend, etc.)

Step 4: Bind your planner
I took my ready to bind planner to my local print shop and had them spiral bind it for about $4. You could put it in a 3 ring binder, bind it yourself, or however you want to do it.

Step 5: Enjoy and be proud of your work!! 

Many blessings! ~ Amber  

Comfort and Play

Getting ready for bed and just noticed this grouping. These items keep me going and bring comfort to me each day. My planner, a favorite CM book, my commonplace journal, my binder, my computer, and most of all my picture of Mary, from my Mema, watching over it all. What a comfort to have the Blessed Mother's hand in everything we do. I'm so thankful Mater Amabilis weaves together our Catholic faith with Charlotte Mason's philosophy to create such a lovely curriculum. These past few days I've been able to find the quiet I've so desperately needed. They've been quiet moments between the hustle and bustle of our days. With the children! When I have these days I wish I could bottle it up and pull it out for the stormy days! That's not possible but at least I can be truly thankful for the peace when it's here.

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We're almost finished with our second term of Kindergarten and it's flying by. We've accomplished much and I'll share that next week. Term one was fresh and new, two has been both difficult and beautiful. Difficult due to our busy holiday schedule and beautiful because of Advent and Christmas. I think our last term is going to he fun and rich.

I find myself in somewhat of a struggle everyday to provide my children with just the right amount of book time and playtime. I'm so blessed to have chosen a philosophy of education that supports me! Short lessons with limited twaddle allowing plenty of time outdoors. Charlotte Mason knew what she was talking about!! My school age twins are 6 years old and my son will turn 3 soon. These days are just so fleeting. The days for imagining, the days for pretending, the days of innocent fun and creative play. I adore more than anything watching them run, build, create, act out, and play together. I see their minds growing and learning in amazing ways. I am teaching them to read, write, and count. I am teaching them about children in other countries and people in history. I am teaching them about art, poetry, music, and nature. I am reading the best children's literature to them daily. Most importantly I am teaching them about their Creator and their soul. I am providing a "feast" for them the best that I can. Some days are more beautiful than others. It's all important; however, right now I feel the Lord is highlighting that true play, uninterrupted and with limited interference, is the most important part of their education. It's a gift to be able to accomplish a full day of school and still give them hours in the day to play. 

Today was almost perfect and they played outside for hours. My heart was happy. They are still little, so I will let them be little. I'll let them work a little, play as much as they can, and I will watch them 

flourish.

Plans For The Year, Paper Dolls, and Sunshine

Today

We are so happy today. After many cloudy days the sun has come out! It's still a cold January day, but we got out of the house for a long walk. When we got back the kids painted the rocks they found, we made grilled cheese sandwiches, and then Silas went down for his nap. The girls and I got out their flower fairy paperdolls to play with. They are dressing them for a flower fairy ball now. Tonight they start 12 sessions of swimming and tomorrow they start choir and bells! Lots of new beginnings in 2015. You may want to scroll and skip to pics now!!! What's below is a special yearly post and it's super LONG. :)

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I've decided to do a "Plan For The Year" post this year. This is really a place for me to easily come back to anytime to check in on how my "plans" are going, to find tidbits of information I may have included here, and a place to come back to at the end of 2015 and see how things stacked up for our family. What changed, how I changed, and just a place of focus for me. So it's long and personal - not a normal blog post. Scroll past the pics if you're interested. 

I plan to blog more this year about the kids, what they are doing in our homeschool, and our activities. My goal is to share with the few family members who may be interested and more so than that to use this blog as sort of a record of what we're doing. I'm trying to move away from so much facebook and blog more (2015 goal)! Ultimately I'd love to turn our blog into a book for the kids to have later in life. 

I've been working on this post for over a week now. I'm taking my sweet time with it. (Taking my time in everything I do is another goal for 2015.) I've been stuck in this mentality of a go-go-go lifestyle. There are reasons why I think this happened, but I won't go into that here. I'm just trying to slow down now. Live in the moment, focus on what we're doing and WHY we are doing what we're doing. :) I want the kids to learn to take their time in life, not rush around. I need to be the example. I've noticed by slowing down things are just overall more authentic and memorable. This is isn't rocket science... I should know this, but "education is a life" and I'm surely learning everyday. 

I've had this quote on my fridge now for months. Literally months of looking at it everyday. I'm going to write it here now, and erase it today. It's time to use that dry erase board for other things. 

"Prepare, plan. Resist rushing about the day: hurry has ill-effects. I desire to be peacefully going about doing the next thing." 

Another quote I just fell in love with, thanks Ruth! 

"Life is not an emergency. The dirty underwear, the bowls with dried oatmeal hardening by the minute, the dusty lightbulbs… it will all remain for any old time. The daffodils and forsythia blooming right now, along with my children… the chance to hunt for birds’ nests being built, or watch the peas pop up from the dirt… that stuff will be gone tomorrow." ~Ruth 

It reminds me of this quote

2015 Generalized As Much As I Possibly Can:

Brian continues to work at LGM. I will be homeschooling Eden & Pryscilla using a combination of Ambleside Online Year 0 and Mater Amabilis. The girls officially start Kindergarten in the Fall of 2015, which for us just means continuing AO Year 0/MA Prep Level, which we are currently doing. We also plan to join the Holy Trinity Co-op in the Fall, which meets every Thursday for classes. We are blessed because the co-op in influenced by MA, a catholic Charlotte Mason curriculum. So even our co-op will match up to what we are doing.

Silas will keep on learning and playing right along with us. In addition to dance 2x a week with me, the girls have started 12 swimming sessions with Brady and PGM Bells and Choir! I'm so excited about both of these new activities for them.

I'll continue my work at Preemie Prints and graphic design work for Texas Fit Chicks. I'll continue teaching my dance classes two times a week until May. I also have a looming map project for Oakhorn ranch to finish (I want this done by end of February). I was well into it and had to start over during the hectic pace of December due to a change in maps. I'm very behind and want this map to be done exceptionally well, since it will hang in a very prominent place at our ranch. I think I'm a little intimidated by the project, but am challenged and inspired. I know it's going to turn out to be really great! Although, it's taking lots of time it will eventually be done and hang on our wall for years to come.

A Few Specifics for the months ahead: 

February - complete map, Ash Wednesday is on the 18th which will begin Lent. I'll be preparing activities for the girls for this liturgical time of year.
March - Silas and Grey's 2nd birthday - we plan to have a party in Kingwood. Complete our St. Lucy wooden peg dolls for the Saint doll swap we're apart of.
April - is a big month. Easter. Brian and I will celebrate our 10 year anniversary and my sister and her hubby will celebrate 5. We want to do something special to celebrate. Not sure what. Party? Getaway? Not sure... have to think on this. This month is also the Holy Trinity information meeting. Very important for me to attend.
May - we will have a small dance recital and I'll need to prepare for this show, Volbeat on May 28th.
June - family vacation
July - LER trip? Oh how I would love to go!! Most likely not this year but you never know!
August - school, dance?
September
October - LM5K and Halloween at our house
November - Thanksgiving, Brian's birthday, and the twins 6th birthday at the ranch this year. Also would like to get more shopping done this year in November.
December - Celebrate Advent and Christmas, anniversaries, and more birthdays!
This year we are having a New Years Eve party at the ranch, since it falls on a weekend!! YAY!

General Family Goals - Pray more, read more, cook more, eat healthier, exercise more, be more organized (already ahead on this. I've organized almost all of the places that needed it. Still have a little more to do though).

Have more ME time! This year in between all of the things listed above and below I want to take more time for myself. I've already gotten two massages this year, been out with a good friend for drinks and dinner, and have made time for personal reading. So I think I'm on a good track!

Homeschooling Research - Now & In the future
I've started reading Charlotte Mason's volume 1 "A Home Education" and I'm really enjoying it. Ive already read a few books on her methods written by other moms, including: Charlotte Mason Companion,  For The Children's Sake, and Consider This. All three of which I would highway recommend. I'm so glad to have read those first before tackling CM's writings. I feel I have a really good base in understanding her philosophy already, so its making the reading easier and more enjoyable than maybe it otherwise would have been. After I finish volume 1, I'm going to take a break from CM's writings and move to reading The Living Page: Keeping Notebooks with Charlotte Mason and When Children Love To Learn. After I finish those, I'll delve back into Mason's writings. I have lots of other non-CM related books on my education-research list as well. I personally feel they all are still in some way linked to the CM Philosophy, but not directly. This year I just hope to finish volume 1 and Keeping Notebooks along with 1 or 2 from my list. I'm not sure it will happen this July, but attending an LER retreat is on my to-do list as well. 

For Me Personally
I've joined a book club with some local friends which is just for fun! Friends, books, wine, and cheese. Some things I want to do this year... for me ... go to see Volbeat in Houston. I love concerts and haven't been to one in forever. I can't even remember really. That's too long to forego something you love so much. Plant a garden. A real garden. Last year I started with a few potted plants but now I want a real in the ground garden. I have a good friend ready and willing to help me get this going - just need to prepare. I have the planter built. Need dirt and a compost pile. Having a garden will also be a wonderful learning experience for the girls, science at it's best! I also want to celebrate my 10 year anniversary by going to stay at a neat place in Texas that's on my bucketlist. (Texas travel bucketlist post to come). Will link here. :)

Home
I am almost done redecorating my room. Lamps, rug, decorations, all done! I need the painting to go above our bed - Driftwood by Winslow Homer and a chair. Also two cut glass pieces for our night stands. Get organized. I'm already on a good track! We've organized multiple closets and made lots of progress in the garage. I don't know if we'll get to it this year or next but a deck to extend our back patio is on the horizon and a screen door (maybe the door will happen this year!). 

Family and Homeschooling
After the holidays we all seem to be getting back into our schedule and its comforting! We are all eating better, exercising, and school is back in session. Well a little school anyway, really we mostly just play. But we are starting a few new things when it comes to our little homeschool. You can learn more here (coming soon) about what we will be doing from now until August of 2016. (Aug of 2016 we will be officially start AO Y1/MA 1B - which is 1st grade and our 1st official school year) Until then we're focusing on routines, habits, spending lots of time outdoors, reading the bible, reading great stories, and a little structured learning each day. We're using alpha phonics (we're finished with lesson 1 and 2), we've started the Winnie the pooh book series, we'll continue to do some fun nature studies, a little handwriting, lots of fun painting, and some counting, pattern, and number activities. We've also squeezed in a science and history lesson in the past week. We've cooked together, had dance classes, visited the library, and have spent much time outside - as much as possible in the cold anyway! 

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