A Friday ritual. A single photo - no
words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special,
extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. If
you're inspired to do the same, leave a link to your 'moment' in the
comments for all to find and see.
Wednesdays are always an adjustment...dad going back to work...us going back to our somewhat normal schooling routine..I also take more time off on Mondays and Tuesdays from work so that we can all be together as a family so there's much to catch up on by Wednesday. But that's the beauty of homeschooling and working from home- the flexibility- we make our own schedules. Kids were up really early - the baby roosters who are now nearly grown are crowing quite proficiently now- so every morning- even before the sun comes up there they go- an alarm going off and its noisy. 6 roo's outside in the yard in pens- yeah I'm sure our neighbors none of which have chickens much less roosters just love us to death! But we love them. One little boy even surprised us by jumping up on top of the chicken nesting house which just so happens to be an old doll house and claiming that as her crowing perch- quite comical as this is the tiniest guy of the bunch (they are all bantams). Enough about the chickens....after our morning animal chore ritual our daughter got caught up on her voice lessons she takes online and her Japanese lessons. Our son and I read about Bugs and building Bug Houses then we decided to go on a 'field' trip before diving into a science experiment we found. So we let Sis finish her lessons, she packed up her conversational Japanese book and he packed a bag complete with nature study book, pencils, magnify glass, bug box, bug book, gloves, tweezers, baggies- all prepared to hunt out some buggies. We ventured to the river- it was the most beautiful day. We sat on a blanket, feet in the sand, in the cool water- we read, we talked, we played.
Getting home we ate lunch together then went back to E is for Explore website - solar-energy-balloon-blow-up experiment. We have been studying all types of electricity and power this year and so we pulled out our How Things Work book and read about Solar Power once again before doing this experiment.
After reading about a 'Bug Box' that was partly made by bamboo shoots- he collected some at the river and brought them home to cut and use in his project.
More bug reading...this one had some very interesting and disgusting facts. The kids both were saying 'eww' multiple times...
The afternoon wrapped up with our daughter laying in bed immersed in a book while I gave our son a piano lesson from my old beginner books as a child. Even though he can play by ear he has made the decision that he wants to know how to read music well...so that is what we've been doing for about a week so far- a lesson a day. He is doing well- he is very patient, a good listener and smart....I'm a proud momma.
A beautiful day- outdoors and indoors getting caught up on this Wednesday!
I can finally say that this week is starting out feeling normal once again! Hubbie is feeling well, the kids are feeling well, everyone is healthy, happy and rested from illnesses. Last Friday we even ventured with friends to the park, had an outing to the library. Over the weekend we worked hard on animal chores- divided one of our large chicken pens in two making room for other birds and started to spring clean/deep clean the house. Yesterday on dad's day off we enjoyed a lazy day, raking in the yard, watching a movie, cooking dinner together, daddy showing his son how to clean a pistol and teaching him about the cleaning materials/brushes then playing video games with his daughter in the eve while this momma caught up on some computer work. There is nothing better than hearing happy children's voices enjoying time spent with their daddy- his days off are much cherished around this house! Today, this morning we set off to go fishing, explore, enjoy the sun, the beautiful day together, have a picnic lunch then prep the house and materials for 4H meeting in our home tonight with friends.
Over last weekend...we made cinnamon muffins for breakfast, our daughter found a bow tutorial and crafted and our son and I started his bug books and explored the yard then he played outdoors while this momma enjoyed the sunshine, reading two books checked out from the library.
Sheep/Goats...someday...but for now just reading.
Today...some studies before heading out to fish.
Happy chickens.
Perfect fishing weather.
Happy Spring beautiful week to ALL! Hope it finds you outdoors exploring and soaking up that sunshine!
While there's been a lot of laying around on the couch this week, there's been much interests and learning going on too. In researching and reading online this morning, early with my cup of coffee, getting in those few sweet quiet moments before starting my work, I ran across one mom's blog and in reading a typical day for her it touched to my heart- so similar as ours- interest-led. Read about her day here: Eclectic Parent- Unschooling. There are about a million ways to homeschool- no one does it the same- because let's face it we are all different and our kids are all different but it truly makes me smile to connect with those with similar styles and on the same token it is just as wonderful to pick up idea's and concepts from those who are completely opposite. Be open, open minded, open hearted to everything and everyone- you never know what you may learn.
Hubbie now sick from what germs the kids were breathing into the air and me feeling on the edge once again with headaches and body aches the couch seemed like the best place to be other than bed the last few days.
We did get outdoors to sit in the sun every morning this week. We did yesterday afternoon when it looked like rain work hard, covering, tarping tools, animals making sure everything was prepared.
The kids are wanting next week to venture into the Solar Energy Balloon Blow Up and Root Beer Science (I personally think they just want to eat it!) Fun stuff- love when we come across new websites and the kids just devour them asking me to book mark everything and asking what can we do first, what can we make NOW!
Watching documentaries on Netflix and searching out neat video's on you tube...
Dive into The Blue Hole in Belize
Nat Geo: Owls The Silent Killers
Our son also decided to have me help him on writing and spelling this week...we reviewed math...our daughter started writing a novel and finished up reading three books, we all talked about the year going by so very quickly, what we've learned, what adventures we've been on, anything we feel we need to finish up, do the next few months to wrap our year up...thoughts on next year already coming up- thoughts on summer definitely we are excited for. Our learning never truly stops- vacation, summer time or not.
With hopes that the weekend would bring two great feeling kids when that didn't happen we settled in and stayed indoors on the couches with blankets, naps, snacks, books and movies to make sure come Monday and Tuesday on dad's day off everyone was well. Not well yet but definitely on the mend we ventured out for a trip to Home Depot...oh how we can always find things that go onto our someday list from there...nice paints, thoughts of remodeling, gorgeous gardens...its a nice daydreaming store. After there we had heard about a new feed type store in town- well according to hubbie a Tractor store- and the cashier laughed as she said its mostly men who are giddy- and this time it was me- hay sold by the bales instead of expensive bags for our small animals- I was truly happy..to the point I'm pretty sure our daughter was wanting to be anywhere but near me but luckily the store wasn't crowded! :) Saving money, and a lot of it makes this momma very happy. So a bale of hay we bought after wandering isle by isle of western clothing, boots, toys, bags of feed, medications, supplies, chicken coops, magazines on homesteading and animals and plants then of course a line of tractors that had hubbie really drooling! A fun looking trip. I'm pretty sure we'll be back soon!
Today, not yet into our school grove from vacation and being sick we spent the morning in the gorgeous sunshine- me reading then taking breaks to converse with the kids- our son and I bird watched, made bird feeders then he designed and drew contraptions out of sticks, marking each stick with a number then labeling the corresponding drawing on his paper to come back later and turn these sticks into usable objects. Love the imagination. Our daughter read several books, her more congested still than our son...she ventured out for a few moments of sunlight then went in to take a morning nap. An afternoon movie of the Croods- but this time our son watched it is Spanish stating it was time he learned a foreign language- where does he come up with these things!? GO FOR IT! And into the eve we will go to 4H, spend time with friends discussing animals and projects and having a bit of fun too! A nice few days off with dad and blessed the kids are finally on the mend from their illnesses.
Special moments in every day...seek them out, cherish them forever.
