May 24-29

I have to say we have learned from our winter… get those kids OUTSIDE!!!

And on Sunday we joined Matt, Fran and their twins at a local park to have a full on BBQ…

Park…

Lake…

S’mores…

(and dinner)…

We had it all!

And on the Monday we were back to Geocaching… we have had some amazing journal entries regarding our experience with some VERY creative hiding ideas.

We had a lovely print out for a scavenger hunt (HERE) to have the kids looking everywhere for their nature objects.

And a break with snacks and park fun while the twins and Ken hunted that last cache.

Tuesday was much more our work work work on the schoolwork day! We had a rather interesting experience learning about Legends and Pecos Bill. We are working on understanding the difference between true factual stories and what a legend really is. The kids just keep quoting back at me – EVERYTHING IS BIGGER IN TEXAS and then giggling.

We got back into our classic Treasure Island. I am not sure which book we will read next. BUT we are working on a plan to get us storytime every day.

We are working through our dinosaurs that were in our Texas book… of course links to all of this will be in the Texas resource page (eventually).

And then right back out to burn off the energy… so much discussion of spring, teaching of siblings on the outside toys… so much fun!

On Wednesday I changed it up. Before the mosquitoes can take hold we drug the whole classroom outside to enjoy our grassy backyard. Once we found an ant free spot that is!

Great fun and we didn’t get too badly eaten up.

We fulfilled another additional Scout thing by driving down to a local small airport and checking out the planes. The kids all took turns spotting planes and talking about the different kinds. Family favourite is the seaplane. Though everyone was quite put out they land in LAKES not SEAS.

From there it was on to a park for a Geocache and play about in the sun.

Goofs!

Add in some Texas themed story writing and I think we succeeded with an interesting mid week.

Thursday was another special outside day. Echo had a preschool assessment to go to at our church so she and Ken dropped us off half way with some schoolwork.

A snack…

and a park! It was just really too bad that her session was delayed, we were there over 2 hours in the end and rather warm and cranky. BUT we met some wonderful little kids with their dads and enjoyed a perfect spring day.

Miss Echo did wonderfully with her assessment though they did reinforce that we should get her hearing tested to rule out anything extra in regards to her lisp (not total word forming… lazy girl!) which of course we already had scheduled for later in June.

Spring has sprung and so have we… out into the sunshine!

With super high water levels EVERYWHERE

Can you spot the neighbourhood white squirrel?

October 14-15

The beauty of Minnesota

It feels like education come to roost… Sunday marked our first true Minnesota homeschooling fieldtrip and we managed to share that experience with another family (granted NOT a homeschooling one, but a good match anyway!), the Novaks. The local nature center (like 10 min from us) had an apple cider (well more juice) celebration type event. 

But first… a walk with the cousins and grandparents before we head out (without the napping Echo)

As has been the norm it was Darcy, Ken and myself with the kids though this time we left Echo at home with Nana and Baba to nap. Definitely a good choice. 8 kids at once was a handful and the trails were not really Echo or stroller friendly. We all got there around the same time and headed into the center itself to see what all was going on. 

Walking to the center

Ken and I (note another of my crocheted hats!)

There was actually a few things to see and do at the center. We started with the crafts in the basement… There were three stations:

Apple stamps… where you painted half an apple and then used it much like a potato stamp on a piece of paper.

Stamping apples

Leaf rubbings. We let whoever wanted to run out to grab fresh leaves. I think this is one we will repeat with our leaves in our yard as well. Then the kids could do some rubbings and send some examples of Minnesota to their pen pals. 

Leaf rubbing

And then some squirrel colouring pages and mazes. I had to sit down and colour Trinity a purple squirrel… she approved!

Colouring

Checking out a sand table

After the crafts it was time to peek through the critters and play room… snakes, turtles, lizards and a full out beaver dam to play in.

A beaver dam full of kids!

Once we enjoyed all there was to see inside it was time to head outside and taste the apple cider/juice…

Ken and Darcy share some of the same sense of humour

And then learn how to make it AND assist!! 

After the apple cider we picked up clip boards and headed out along the trails to do the nature scavenger hunt. We had kids running and looking, smelling and listening to the world around them… oh and climbing trees! 

On the portable dock

Aidan found the VERY elusive pinecone, there is like ONE tree in the entire place!

Watching all 8 kids go go go was rather amazing. They had so much fun and really listened and behaved really well. The area was lovely and the walk very reasonable. I am so glad that the Novaks (minus big Andy) could make it! I love sharing these sort of experiences with another family. 

Isn’t our godson a looker!

I have to say having a chance to go out and run and play and be together with a good friend and laugh with our kids… this is something I really needed! Thank you so much Darcy for coming with us!!!

All 8

And all 8 again