Fall brings many changes...

The weather cooled off, but kicked back up... it's been 80s - 90s most days for two weeks! School is in full swing. This school year has started very smooth! I'm hoping it's not the calm before the storm. I read an amazing book this summer about homeschooling younger children. Between the tips in that book and joining our new co-op, we are feeling confident and having fun!

Memory Board: Each week, we put up new information to memorize and learn about,

in addition to math, reading, and writing.

Hobo spider we caught... I learned afterwards it was a hobo spider. *shudder*

We have since sprayed our home with a homemade concoction. We plan to buy a powder to sprinkle around our home and put screens over the two exhaust holes that go between the laundry room and the outside.

We decided to take a break and play in the rain after math. 

Spokane Fair 

Yummy fair food! 

Rides 

Motorcycles for sale... I couldn't stop Rilie from climbing on, so I took a picture. 

Look at these horns! 

How did I manage to get everyone looking! I guess they did that, huh? 

Rodeo Time! My boys had never seen a rodeo before, it was a lot of fun. Rilie and Jackson lasted 1.5 hours. I was very proud of them. 

Rodeo Queens 

Spokane Rodeo Queen. 

Her horse is 35 years old and galloped around that ring like it was nothing! 

Fall Harvest

Rainbow Chard, I like it with lots of butter, salt, and pepper.

Picking cucumbers. 

We remembered gloves this time and it went much better!

Corn... too bad the squirrels ate ALL of it!!

Beautiful sunflowers.

Baby cucumbers.

Harvest.

Cucumbers ready to be pickled. 

Tomatoes. Alex loves eating tomatoes right from the plant. 

Alvin not so much, but he does a great job picking them.

Jalapenos

Chickens!

Rilie likes to try tomatoes, then spits them out. 

Daddy and Jackson

Strong like bull!

Brothers

Chris pureeing tomatoes.

Jackson loves passing a ball back and forth. 

 

Men talking shop.

Blowing Rilie on the trampoline.

Canning Pears

First Day of School

Alvin and Alex started their co-op. 

Rilie started preschool.

Happy kid!

Pirate face, "Argg!"

Pirate face again!

  We keep finding crickets around our home.

Another school year is beginning...

Summer is wrapping up and school is beginning. We have been weaning into the new school year. We've started math and writing, soon we'll start reading, memory work, and Fun With A Purpose. Memory work covers tid-bits from science, math, history, Latin, and English grammar. Fun With A Purpose is where we explore something intentionally and in a fun manner. We could expound on something from our Memory Work, Cub Scouts, or another interest.

It has been quite the journey finding balance, not only between responsibilities, but between how and what I know about educating kids, as well as continuing to learn. I know strong academics are needed, but I also know kids learn through play. This summer, I read a book called, The Core by Leigh Bortin (not to be confused with Common Core). She home schooled four boys and this book is geared toward families classically educating children 12 years old and younger. It has been the balance I've been looking for. 

With everything going on, I haven't been diligent with taking pictures. There aren't any of Alvin! It's okay, he still exists and I will have pictures of him next post.  

Jackson's new way of sampling the cereals. 

After he dumps them, he spreads them out with his hands and feet. 

Jackson climbs up in Nick's chair, puts head phones on and begins clicking on his mouse. 

Rilie climbing a rock fire place at the park. 

He is the one at the bottom.

They play really well together... most the time.

Alex was happy to jump in.

Jackson enjoys slides. He can go down by himself, 

but he enjoys his brothers helping too. 

Alex enjoys climbing to the top of play structures... like his dad. 

I don't have pictures, but we have also picked pickling cucumbers, tomatoes, corns, and beans. We have made pickles and freezer salsa. It's been fun having so many yummy treats on our table and in our pantry.