Let the field trips resume!

So, school is back in session! And for me that means trips! We did a lot this summer.{but to be able to go without mass crowds is like a totally better realm! } The kids and their pals went to lots of movies together (I really think I might have lost brain cells at one of them!lol) and we also went with some pals to two of the three NC Aquariums.

No, they were not told to stand in order of height, they just did it naturally!

 

 

 

We went to Quantico,VA for about a week while my husband had work to do there. We went to the grainary and distillery at Mt Vernon. It was fantastic. And not busy!

 

We used to live 30 min outside of DC...but it was SO busy at this time of year (August) that it was not too fun for me to drive in, and the lines were longer at exhibit. So we did a car tour of the city, then went to a park in Prince William County! The weather was so much better than where we live.

 

 

Then for Memorial Day we went to Fort Macon. We had not been with my husband yet. It POURED rain, so we just did the interior museum. We hope to go back again to finish it out with him.

 

Picnic in the rain! We had a light snack we had packed after the museum. It was rainy, but a covered area made it fun! We almost always eat out on these trips lately, so this was a great way to try to simplify...pack our food!

 

 

I look forward to seeing where we will land this year. We usually try to go to as many places as we can so the children get exposure outside of the textbooks.

 

Homeschool Upgrade

As my children get older, I am seeing how even Home schools must adapt and grow with their students. I guess I thought only the content would change, but we have climbed one mountain and now see there is a new one to ascend! How wonderful!

I upped the ante this year a little. I attempt to do that every year at least once. Get them used to and ok with one work load, then add to it when they are ready.

My 2nd grader finished her ENTIRE math curricula for this year~ JUMP 2. It is January. She began the same curricula on  the 3rd grade level. And she will soon begin (God Willing) Teaching Textbooks in addition that (3rd grade level on that) So........we are now having more and more things on the computer.

We are not believers in allowing young children to have most of their schooling on the computer, nor do we want that to be where all of their schooling comes from (just our current preference). But I now see as they get older how handy it is.

This is what we are looking at for the 2nd semester for the computer. I would like to upgrade as far as our computers go (our laptop recently crashed!) so we can have at least two for them to use.

1) Teaching Textbooks Math --Grades 3,5,6
2) Critical Thinking ~ all three grade levels
3) Typing~ all three grade levels
4) Russian Foreign Language~ Rosetta Stone~ sixth grade
5) Spanish Foreign Language~ Rosetta Stone~fourth grade

My youngest uses Starfall too currently, so that is one to add to the list I suppose. I have Muzzy for the little girls and Spanish, so I can use that on the TV.

It is funny how things change~ I might have said years ago I would never let them be on the computer for so many things!

So I am excited they can learn things like Russian (I am not fluent in that!) and am thankful for the computer to give them such opportunities that they desire.

Fun! Fun! Fun!

Sometimes we just gotta have fun! Homeschooling affords us a lot of time for fun opportunities! Here are some from the past few months.

A while back we got to take a fun field trip to Fort Macon. It was fantastic.

And my girls went to a Super Hero Party. Too cool!

My son had the wonderful experience of speaking for the first time at Church!

My three oldest got to go to Aquarium Day Camp. Hands on learning!

We bought a Science Bag of fun things to do..this is not our school ones, so that makes it even more fun!

The children made a gingerbread city with their Grandma.

We went to a planetarium, Science, and Nature Center

The children got to go to their first Ballet...the Nutcracker

We made a trip to see the Grandparents. It was a bit after Christmas (In January), but they were kind enough to leave the tree up until we got there!

Some fun time with Daddy scootering on Base

His eyes are shut on purpose! He does it to see if the camera's sensitivity can pick it up! lol

All four kids got to be in the Christmas Play!

Toys for Tots Race

A great side effect of home education is allocating our time for unique experiences for our children. We get to go to many museums and historical sites (we did a lot of these also when they were in traditional school, but this just gives us more opportunities). So recently my son was able to run a race to support Toys For Tots! I was thrilled he got to do this with his daddy (something that we treasure because he travels extensively for work). He completed the race & had fun! The girls and I sat this one out and just watched. I am so thankful for he had this opportunity!