Wiffle ball

 I've been coaching Wiffle Ball for homeschooled 5-9 year olds.  We made our team shirts. (Sharpies and rubbing alcohol)

While we're doing wiffle ball, the big kids are doing baseball. Thankful for homeschool sports options. Inclusive, encouraging and fun.  

That's a wrap!

 

The faces of kids who finished their school year.  2nd, 6th and 8th are wrapped up.  We'll have a bit of a different schedule during these warm spring days, but keep the school parts we like the best. Once it gets uncomfortably hot in July, we'll gear back up with another year of homeschooling. 

We also wrapped up our homeschool co-op.  I taught Little House to Anna-Kate's class and she had music and movement.  Audra had Etiquette, Police Academy and Viral Science.  Adrian had Leatherwork, Geography baking and Spirobot robot building.   We coordinated an end of the year art show and had a rocking good time. 

Now the gardens are beckoning us! 

A regular day

 This morning was a normal school morning, which we all look forward to.  I read, the kids created.

At bedtime tonight, I asked the kids what I should read tonight. 

The consensus was that anything I read today for school would be a good choice for night time reading. I even got complimented that I choose really interesting books.  

This feels like the best type of high five. 

Game School

 Last week, I canceled all of our individual work and announced we'd instead play monopoly. Bonus was cocoa out of Maine mugs.  I think these are the days we will all remember. 

Stop the Bleed

 

These two completed the "Stop the Bleed" program and Audra updated our vehicle first aid kits with the supplies she obtained from this program.  They both said if there was some sort of event that help was needed, they would feel confident stepping in to help.  Hopefully skills they never will need, but I'm glad they are learning. 

Homeschool Co-op Wrap Up

 Ironically, although I'm the one who does all the work for our homeschool co-op, there are no pictures of me with my kids, only my husband.  He did frequently get to come to our weekly co-op this year, so that was a bonus.  

Fall Semester Classes: 
Adrian, Grade 8:  STEM, Public Speaking, Home Repairs
Audra, Grade 6: Book club, Modern Art, Survivor Skills
Anna-Kate, Grade 1:  Book club, Gym, STEAM
Mom: I did book club for 1st/2nd and 5th/6th, taught Entomology to the highschoolers and led the community service club. 

We're on break until the New Year.  Thankful for our Homeschooling pals. 

Beach Classroom

 When the Maine temps rise to the high 70s in October, we move school to the beach.  Even if everyone complains that mom drags them to the beach too much, I commit.  Despite the initial grumbles (and let's be honest, who feels sorry for the coastal homeschoolers having go to the beach on a random Monday? No one!) it was truly a magical day in a most glorious classroom. 

Books and Apples

 We're back to our regular school mornings and we all are thankful for them. I have one doing a puzzle, one stitching her Halloween costume and one drawing a truck.

However, one morning a week we continue to schedule in weekly apple gleaning with the Master Gardener Volunteers. We took a couple hundred pounds just this week to distribute. Our family has made several deliveries to the food pantry, homeschoolers,  restoration house and churches. We are just one carload of several who pick and disperse. Thankful for the two family orchards who support this happening: McDougalls and Smiths. 

Back to School, Sort of...

Another year of homeschool is the plan.  Although it's not really the start of the school year since we school year round.  It's the first day the buses go by. We'll wave to our public school friends and count our lucky stars for school choice.

8th, 6th and 2nd. 

Homeschooling

 We have always schooled year round, for multiple reasons.  1: I aim for education to be a lifestyle.  2: Flexibility the rest of the year. 3: Nature study, particularly because we live in a coastal town.  So much happens over summer in the wide outdoors, we don't want to miss it.  

Below are the girls collecting Hermit crabs and other treasures.  We are always learning about something new in these salty waters.

Home Sweet Schooling

We wrapped up the last of the Maine homeschooling requirements for the year a little over a month ago. Education is a lifestyle for us, we school year round. We've been taking more days off as of late to do things and having less homeschool days. Yesterday the kids said, "Mom, can we just have a typical homeschool day? We've been so busy."  Yes, that's right.  They ask for our morning routine.  What's the routine?  They create, I read aloud.  It was two nights in a row that I had meetings and didn't read them their nighttime read aloud.  They requested that too.  Yes, in case you're wondering, I have three readers.  They can read their own books.  But what we do as a family, what pulls us together are the books we read together.   I collected a few months of pics 'round the table for our morning routine.  The simple, the ordinary, the expected, the comfort.  Thankful to have created schooling they run to instead of run from.  

Play Ball

They've never really been into sports, but here they are, trying new things this spring.  Thankful for the homeschool sports network.  Adrian said, "I thought I'd feel dumb not playing before, but it's all very encouraging."  Thankful. 

Papermaking with pals

 Today's adventure was papermaking with some pals at the nursing home. Pals= fellow homeschoolers and nursing home residents. What joy it is to have an activity that all ages can enjoy. 

(Photo below from Catherine, thank you!)

Math at the Atlantic

 I post all the good on the blog because I want to reflect on the celebrations when I look back. The truth of the matter is there is a pervasive obstacle that takes much of our day, lately almost everyday.   I try to make the ocean a priority, it's such therapy. Thankful we homeschool and moving math to the beach is possible.

The blackback gull wants me to send a letter of intent to homeschool their peeps too.

Science Lab Extravaganza

 This was SUCH a fun event!  Each participant did a science experiment. Public speaking, science, friendship. Truly a fascinating and enjoyable time. I love when the kids shine! 

2022-23 Childhood of Books

 These are the books from the 2022-23 school year. Morning books, evening books and some audio books. Picture books aren't here and some of the library and audio books aren't here.  

This is year 4 of keeping track of books with a visual, not just a booklist. 

2021-22
2020-21

2019-20

This year's book pic: 

Anna-Kate's Faves: Kerplunk (which is an adult book, but hilarious. I censored some), Uncle Wiggly's Friends and Mercy Watson series.

Audra's Faves: Rifles for Watie, Lyddie, Watsons go to Birmingham and  Book of Virtues.

Adrian's faves: Wonder, Henry Reed Inc (we've read books 1 and 2 of the 4 part series), Little Britches (we've read books 1 and 2 out of the 7 part series) and Zane and the Hurricane (hurricane Katrina) .

For the first time, they got me to tell my favorites.  Then Sings My Soul (hymn stories), Sing Down the Moon, Listening for Lions and Anne of the Island.  All the chapter books are re-reads for me, I like them that much. I'd agree with all my kids' choices too. 

It's a hard choice because there were SO MANY good ones.