Homeschool January

These homeschool posts are kind of funny, because it's such a SMALL snapshot of what we actually do each day. It would be impossible to capture everything, but I hope that catching these few pictures help us remember the mornings spent on the couch reading books, the math lessons completed by tossing balls between math facts, the scriptures/poetry memorized, and the overall feeling of being together as a family - learning and growing.

(I also hope that it helps us remember the good things while minimizing the rough days: the days where schoolwork doesn't want to be done, where all the kids want attention at the same time, where messes are made and never cleaned up.) 

Online Watercolor painting lessons:

Pizza night with Lydia's basketball team for winning "Best Sportsmanship" award.


I had Lydia clear out her carseat in the van and she ended up digging out like 8 books that she had been keeping in there. This girl LOVES to read. She doesn't believe in being in the car unless there is something there that she can read. I love this picture of David and her reading together in bed. She comes by her love of reading honestly.



This is one of the most hilarious things of our life right here. We have a "friend" that comes to visit on super sunny days. His name is "Dot". (insert cry-laughing face here). It's a reflection off my watch-face that reflects up on the wall. I don't usually notice, but every once in the while I'll be walking (or doing the dishes or wiping the counter) and the kids will yell "DOT!!!" and start chasing it around the walls. We then spend the next 15 minutes with me standing in just the right spot and waving the little spot of light all over the walls/ceiling while they laugh and chase it. (Lydia knows what it is, but it doesn't stop her from happily chasing it around.) I love this about my kids right now.




Homeschooling in Morgan is made up of reading books with my mom and taking a woodshop class (making wooden puzzles) with my dad. I will say it over and over again. I'm so grateful for all of our extended family members who are supportive and loving of our decision to homeschool. It makes the world of difference. David's parents are so kind and supportive and my parents, too. Always jumping in offering to do things to enhance our learning (and our lives).

One of the biggest things that people worry about with homeschooling is the socialization factor. I've never been really worried about that. I'm typically far more concerned with the over-socialization of the children of our society. I believe that nurturing the family relationships is vastly important, and teaches all of the things that people hope for when they refer to "socialization", without pulling kids away from their family units. However, I am incredibly grateful for the groups, classes, and activities that Lydia has the opportunity to be a part of. 

One of those is BRAND NEW for Lydia this year. Because of the changes with the age advancements in the church, Lydia got to start attending Activity Days in January. She's in with a group of great girls and they meet twice a month. One of their activities was to go ice skating and I was asked to tag along. (I love ice skating.) I loved it and so did Lydia. I'm proud of the kind, caring, funny girl that she is. She was careful to keep track of several of her friends, both the ones that could skate as fast as she could - but also the couple that hadn't ever skated before and had been having a harder time. She is an excellent ice skater and a really good friend. 

This is the best kind of socialization.



I put Lydia and Austin in a kickball/soccer PE class at the Dimple Dell recreation facility. Why? Because Ali Middleton had her kids in that class and invited us to tag along. Sold. The only thing better than homeschooling is homeschooling with the Middletons. (again #socialization)



Austin's FAVORITE part of homeschool is our Thursday poetry treat times. Austin is a great sous-chef and he really enjoys helping me make, well really any food but especially treats for our poetry treat time. We make pink lemonade in our teapot (that Melissa, my sweet sister, found for us at a thrift store because she knew I was on the hunt for one), eat a treat off of our china plates, read a few poems, and usually read a story from a children's storybook compilation. It's a good piece of our homeschool.



Lydia's current favorite part of homeschool, getting to choose to go to the Puppy Store for a field trip (every other week at most). They let her look at all the dogs, answer all of her questions about the different breeds, then they let her pick one dog to bring into a little play area and she gets to play with the puppy. She loves it. This girl knows SO much about dogs. She knows breeds, and care tips, and history, and what kinds of dogs make the best service dogs for different types of work/service (therapy vs rescue vs assist). She reads books and books about dogs (both fiction and nonfiction) and just really really loves them.


Building some "inventions". (Problem solving, creative thinking, use of materials, construction.)



And last but not least, we spent a day at the children's museum in Salt Lake City. It was a nice afternoon but I only took this picture. Ha.


Our first month back into homeschooling from the holidays. Not as much hygge as I had hoped, but still a good month.