Summertime School

While we don't do a ton of school during the summer, I do want their brains working a little. We try to do school three days a week. It's like a condensed version of what we do during the year. This is our chance to brush up on our skills and review before we move on to the next year. Also, I am getting ready to order our curriculum for the following grade level. This gives me time to look through and see if I need to prepare for anything. I don't want to have to rush through, so I can have plenty of time to look at each child's materials. Usually, I do this while they are doing some school work. This limits the distractions for all of us. On another note, I turn the ringer off on the phone while we are working. This has been crucial for me. If I treat their school as if it is my work...I don't get taken away by other tasks.

Of course, we also have fun the other times and the kids get to play and run around. We only take about an hour or two for school. One summer we decided to skip this and it was a disaster twhen school started again. For our family, some routine is important. Each homeschool family has to decide what works for them.

This weekend, we took a field trip to Fort Delaware in Narrowsburg, NY. It was only $20 for a family of four and they have a picnic area so you can bring in lunch and snacks. The staff were great and very informative. They really stuck to their period and the kids had a great time. Seeing the way the militia and their families lived made us appreciate our modern conveniences. I would recommend this tour to anyone in the area.

Off to play. Happy Homeschooling!

Staying Motivated

So much for my blog taking over the world. In the back of my mind, I keep telling myself to get writing. Sadly, that has not been the case. Summer has arrived and I don't want to be at the computer. I do, however, want to keep progressing with this blog and learning how to add more features. That won't happen if I don't keep working.

Since I mentioned summer has arrived, our garden is actually producing a little. When I say a little, I mean the kids picked two strawberries yesterday. Yeah, two. They each got to savor one baby strawberry. I felt sorry for the puny little strawberries. They didn't get a chance to grow up. It was funny how excited the kids were to run out and pick them. It was their first taste of victory for picking buckets of rocks to clear some room.

My daughter's next big wish is to uncover a woolly mammoth in our backyard. Dream Big Baby! So, the kids researched woolly mammoths and have begun excavation. On the week of this decision, there was a lady in Michigan who actually discovered bones while digging for a pond. What a thrill. So, while I am not all for the idea of creating potholes all over the yard as dig sites...who am I to crush a dream? Boy, I'd love to post those pics.

On another note, has anyone ever been to the PA Grand Canyon? It's in Wellsboro, PA. I didn't even know there was such a thing. The pictures look beautiful. If the rains ever stop, we'll be planning a day there. The kids want to look for Bald Eagles and they should be able to spot them at certain areas.

Thanks to all you consistent bloggers for keeping me motivated(at least in the back of my mind).