Homeschooling: Out and About

There are two MAJOR blessings in the life of my family. First, is that because my dad flies up and down California for work so much, he earns a ton of free flights through Southwest AND a free companion pass for my mom. This is awesome for us, because even though we live 3,000 miles away, we see my parents 4 times a year for at least 2 weeks at a time!!!! They live in our girls' room 24/7 and we LOVE it! Second, is that because we homeschool, Sarah and Daniel aren't trooping off to school every day that my parents are here and missing out on any time with them!

While my parents are here we try to go and do some fun things. A year ago we spent one day at the Magic Kindom and we have visited different museums and restaurants. This last January visit we went to the Florida Power and Light Nuclear Power Plant where the scientist lit his hand on fire with "Hollywood" technology and discussed why his hand didn't even feel hot-COOL! Afterwards we took a yummy trip through our favorite drive-in: SONIC and tried to find some Manatees along the Intracoastal waterway in Ft. Pierce. My "providence" continued as I have yet to see an actual Manatee in Florida in the wild. Another day we took the youngest 3 to Busch Wildlife Sanctuary while the oldest were at their Latin class and piano lessons.

One of the things I love about homeschooling is the more opportunities my kids have to do some things than they would if they were on a 30 kid field trip. Take some of these pictures, for instance. My kids decided to pose and be statues on the grass my the Manatee observation tower. If they had been in a class of 30 they would have been practicing how to stand in line and keep off the grass. With us they get to be statues if the desire hits them. I know there are good things to learn by standing still in line, but I couldn't help but be thankful they were just being kids.

In the top picture Jacob poses by some birds in our old Disney on Ice hat that Daniel wore when he was 2 1/2-so fun! I love the mermaid picture of Sarah and Lizzy because you can see Sarah's backside since I didn't zoom in close enough! Lizzy looks hilarious as a "merman!" We attempted to take a picture of my parents with the kids but the older ones got silly and Leah decided to wrestle my mom.

Since my parents left mid-January we have had our heads to the books trying diligently to work with perseverance. The kids and I have been memorizing 2 Peter 1:5-8 and Sarah was able to recite it tonight for Daddy at dinner! The older kids and I have been enjoying reading aloud Ginger Pye, playing Blokus, and studying history at the time of Christ. In science we have started a section on the human body and Sarah feels "grossed out" by the whole thought. Guess I'll continue to save certain discussions for later . . .

Jacob and I like to play Imaginext Castle or Little People. He is into his shovel right now and always having his fingers cleaned! Jacob and Lizzy have been out in the backyard during "play together time" making homes for ants and "exercising" our dormant Box Turtle "Franklin." Lizzy is 6/10ths of the way through her reading lessons and doing great! Our current read aloud book is the Milly-Molly-Mandy Storybook. A hilarious title for a girl name Mildred Margaret Amanda!

Leah continues to get into everything. The other night as I was bathing Jacob and Leah, Leah decided to "drop one" into the water. Thankfully I had washed both of their hair already so I grabbed them both out and started draining the water. As I dressed Jacob in the McQueen jammies he had picked out, Leah somehow walked away with the top to his jammies, dipped it in the poopy bath water that was draining, hugged it to her dry jammies, thus making them wet, and dripped it thoroughly through the bathroom, hallway and into the living room. What a mess! Poor Jacob couldn't wear his McQueen shirt and I had to Clorox the bath and toys before anyone else could use it.

Motherhood sure is an adventure, but I must say, it is a very fulfilling career!