Homeschooling through October

I feel like we've finally hit our homeschooling groove. Not at 100%, but we've figured out our new routine and we're doing pretty good. I just try to tell myself that public school teachers don't hit their groove until about October, too. There are so many routines and things that it's just normal. But we've had some great homeschooling moments. Most of them are small and quiet, in the laughter during a math lesson or under a cozy blanket while reading a book. But some of them get photographed and remembered more easily that the others.

-There is something special about being in an orchard in the middle of Fall. Picking an apple or a peach right off the tree, then sitting down in the shade and eating your hard-earned fruit? It's just SO special. We hit up an Orchard with some other homeschooling friends and the only words I have for it is magical. (I need to find another word to describe that sunshine feeling of happiness and contentment - but that's the only one I've got right now.)



Being SO excited about your new books that you can't even wait while mom checks all the books out and you sit right down to read next to the checkout station.


Homeschooling life skills is one of my favorite things. We have the time to take our peaches (that we picked), and learn how to blanch, peel, and cut them for peach jam. They may not remember the steps or the process of making jam as they get older - but they will have the confidence to work in the kitchen. (And hopefully this translates into confidence in other ways, too.)


I loved the orchard so much that we went back with David and Melissa & Blake for a Family Home Evening. It was exactly what my homeschooling heart was needing.







-We hit up Cornbellies. I had told the kids we weren't going to Cornbellies this year, so they were extra thrilled and I feel like it was mom-win for me! I wasn't sure that I would be able to manage it with all four kids by myself (Lucy is still just so little and I wouldn't be able to take a stroller.) But we try to do a field trip each week and I decided just to do it. Another homeschooling mom had set up a field trip on a Thursday so we played hookey from school. Having the flexibility to do something like that is just so nice.  The kids loved it although they all wanted to go down the big slide (which wasn't open for field trips). Caleb snuck away from me, ducked under the blockades and started up the giant set of stairs before I could grab him - but for the most part we were able to stay together and have a really nice time. 

-One of the biggest blessings of homeschool this year is that we've been able to spend every Tuesday afternoon (leaving our house about 1130 and getting home about 530) at Cal and Sue's house in West Jordan. The kids love it there, and I'm just so grateful that they are able to spend the time with their grandma (and as a bonus, their Uncle Bruce, who is living there for a while). That's been such a blessing to all of us and it just wouldn't be possible without our flexible schedule. Again, the blessing of homeschool is really TIME and Relationships.



Another example of the blessing of TIME. Just being able to play, read, be a kid, enjoy each other, learn how to be bored, learn how to have quiet time, learn what things we like and don't.

Most of the pictures I post are pictures of Lydia. But Austin is a huge part of our homeschool. His schedule was pretty heavy when we started school: Monday- Spanish, Tuesday/Thursday - Preschool, and Wednesday-Speech Class, plus Upstart (computer preschool) every day. It was a little too much for our introverted boy and he recently stopped going to spanish class. He doesn't LOVE his preschool class, but he DOES love riding his bike to and from preschool (which is just down the street). Most of the time we walk with him, but sometimes I drive while he rides his bike. That's the highlight of his day. I feel like it's important for kids to just be able to PLAY at this age and so I try to give him most of his time to be creative and enjoy his childhood. He is great at doing his family economy jobs and getting done all the items on his checklist so that he can just play. (His favorite is using the hot glue gun and craft sticks to make things.)


Painting. I've been REALLY working on making sure we incorporate art in addition to the other subjects in our schedule and it's been fun to learn and create together.




This is what our book haul from the library looks like on a fairly regular basis. #homeschoolmom



My mom is a great addition to our homeschool. Honestly, we've been so blessed with love and support from all of our family members and I'm just exceptionally grateful.


We had a tomato that was on the edge of going bad, so we decided to do a science experiment for "How many seeds are in a tomato?" It was fun and different. We incorporated math and science and it was just really fun.




And to end the month, we hosted a small Halloween/Fall co-op get together. We made a snack, read books, and each child took a turn reciting a Halloween/Fall themed poem in front of the group. It was low-key but fun. And I feel strongly about poetry and memorization and so providing this forum is important to me. #socialization


This is actually from Nov 1, but it correlates to Halloween so I thought I'd add it here. You know you're a homeschooling family when the morning after Halloween is spent counting and graphing your candy. Making predictions and then analyzing the results! I loved this.