Turn, Turn, Turn

Fall is here and the weather is decidedly cooler. Goodbye backyard pool days & flip flops, Hello chai tea, pumpkins, & knit sweaters! Fall is a favorite time of year for me. I got engaged in the fall. I got married in the fall. It's safe to say I more than like it.

In an ode to warmer days that have passed, I wanted to post some pics of the kids enjoying the sunshine.

One of our favorite things to do as a homeschool family is learn OUTSIDE. There's something about Creation. Even worksheets can be done in the great outdoors, especially on a gorgeous day.

Must.have.snacks. :)

I also wanted to share a classic song that's fitting for these days of seasonal change. It's an oldie but a goodie, and based on some Bible verses from Ecclesiastes. :) Enjoy!

Bending with the Wind...

Today was rainy. And dreary. And windy. And rainy. And outside the norm. (Is there a norm?)

Today was a classic example of the need to be flexible in homeschooling. This is definitely something that is still a work in progress for me. I like regularity. Predictability. Don't get me wrong. I'm pretty laid back with a lot of things and I'd guess that most people wouldn't view me as Type A. Because I'm definitely not. (My close friends are laughing out loud right now.) I like order, but I'm not nutso about it. (Not that there's anything wrong with that!) ;)

If you're a mom, you know all about having to deal with interruptions. And if you're a homeschooling mom, it can be a double whammy. If you let it be. Me? I'm learning to let go and bend with the wind. Go with the flow. Roll with the punches. Literally. My third born is very aggressive and likes to tackle. But I digress.

Today, I had to head over to our church to prep for co-op. We have a homeschool cooperative at our church (it's fantastic! -- more about that in another post) where the kids take classes once a week, and I had to get the preschool class in order and setup for the first day of school on Thursday. Which meant hauling the kids with me and putting our schoolwork on hold. Lydia and I had started our day with Bible and reading, doing what the curriculum assigned. Usually this would be done in the afternoon, after seatwork in the morning, and then whatever else was on the agenda...including Silas's school time, some outside time, and possibly a craft. But I had other things that had to get done. And I had to switch it up a bit. So we had to bend. The kids had a great time playing with the toys in the classroom while I organized, and it was actually a really nice change of pace for them.

For me, the key to days like today is, I have to get home and get back on track. I can't let the day slide away. Even if I want to. Like today.
It was rainy. It was dreary. It was windy. Did I mention it was rainy? Yeah.

So...we ate lunch. Then we got back to work! Silas even asked to do his school sheet! (Say what??!!) Lydia didn't ask to do hers. No shocker there. But it got done! And we had a great day... bending with the wind.

Here are some pics from last week and today:

Learning about how vegetables grow!

Fun with (washable) paint

He's become very serious about his school

Con-cen-tra-tion.

Let the Games Begin!

It's a new school year! Which means I will actually blog!

Last year, I didn't fully commit to journaling my experiences. Now, I want to make sure I write it all down as I take it all in. Mostly for myself. But, if someone wants to read my ramblings, that's cool too. This is my homeschool forum: documenting the good, the bad, the ugly, and everything in between... I'm going to try and be consistent!

First week of school? Successful overall, thankfully. Partly because I was prepared and knew what to expect. Mostly because of God's grace. Kindergarten was a good learning ground and we had a lot of fun, but I'm finding this year to be a bit easier already. Naomi is older and Silas is a better communicator. I'm finding it easier to engage all three of the kids because they're able to do more. 

Another HUGE help? Daddy not working nights anymore! Woohoo! It was difficult last year homeschooling during the morning while Tim slept. I'm realizing that now. There was lots of, "Ssshhhhhh....let's be quieter. Stay downstairs while daddy sleeps. Keep your voice down." What a change! Is this what homeschool life is like when your husband works during the day?! Wow. Over 4 years of night shift really made our lives different from most. Now, Tim gets home in the early afternoon and our mornings are soooo much easier. The kids can learn and play all over the house at any given time, which is awesome. My stress levels are lower too as a result, which is good for the kids! Shocking, right? ;)

Silas has really developed an affinity for building and exploring by himself, which means lots of LEGO creations. We do a worksheet a day and also review his numbers and letters through songs, flashcards, and crafts. I try to keep it limited though since he's only 3 and picks up a lot just from watching and listening to Lydia.

Naomi enjoys just being around Silas, which is nice. Most of the time. Except when she tries to destroy his masterpieces. We're working on that. 

She likes crib time, and it keeps her contained for part of school time. I give her LEGOs in there, and she's surprisingly good for an 18 month old! Dry beans are a big hit, too. I lay a big sheet down under a plastic bin and she goes to town, scooping and shoveling.

My biggest hiccup this last week has been making sure I'm rested enough and up early enough to be ready for school.  Today I was tired from the weekend and had to really force my brain to engage fully. This morning, especially, I was glad we start each school day with Bible time. It's God's very necessary way of resetting my mood/attitude/outlook as I teach my children. 

Here are some pics from our first school week: