Home School Days and Family Vacations

Every day has elements of learning it, but some days are a bit more memorable than other days.  Here are a few things we have enjoyed with home school this fall.

 Some days I wonder how we can get it all done.  We seldom get it ALL done, but some days we get quite a few accomplished, and we are experimenting with learning while doing other things.  Grace read out loud while John ate the apples we were preparing to dry.  Reading on the kitchen counter is becoming a norm around our house as I prep a meal or do the dishes one of the kids will sit beside me and read.

 John likes helping with the school projects.  Everyone has a good time....even if there is a whole lot more clean up!

Anne recently finished a history unit on Ancient Egypt. To celebrate we spent the day getting ready for our Egyptian party.  The day included  art lessons, jewelry making, dancing to traditional music and preparing lots of food.  

Dad made it home for dinner.  He didn't get dressed up with us, but he sure was happy to take our picture!

For our local home school outing we went to a pumpkin patch and enjoyed the afternoon at the corn maze.

We all learned mom does not like corn mazes, John can't swim despite his head first plunge into the creak, and a pregnant lady should not carry a naked, cold wet toddler through the muddy pumpkin patch because she will assuredly fall into the muck, leaving both mother and baby filthy and cold. 

 The kids came home with giant pumpkins and I think Edwin had fun with the older kids out in the pumpkin patch!  We'll be back next year!

Our best buddies, Tally and Seamus came over for an evening and made traditional Halloween cupcakes with us!

It's a Roman Feast!  Grace has been studying Ancient Rome.  We decided to host a toga party and even dad joined the group for barley stew, olives, home made pitas, and grapes.

History has never been so fun!

We took a trip out to NH to see my grandfather.  Mostly I think we went so Grandpa could play cribbage with Edwin and the girls!  We enjoyed two full days at the table playing cards and chatting.

Here we are together before we bid our farewells.

James 4, Jen holding John 19 mo, Grace 7, Anne 6, Grandpa Ray, Grandma Evie

My Uncle Steve and his wife Vikki met up with us for dinner one night. 

Life at Aunt Shanna's while the ladies were out shopping, Uncle Ben was resting and Edwin and Kevin had to man the house for an hour!

Happy Halloween!  James is a green snake, Seamus is our local ninja, Tally is a Monarch Butterfly, Anne is a black cat, and Grace is the Mad Hatter from Alice in Wonderland. The local  businesses on Main St give out candy after school for trick or treaters.  The whole community shows up in their costumes and have their pictures taken by the news crews.  Since many people make it out for the community trick-or treat festivity it makes for a quieter evening in the neighborhood. I purchased way too much candy for this year!  Anyone want to come eat M&Ms with us?

Edwin spent the afternoon with the kids carving pumpkins.  I think they all turned out splendidly!

The large pumpkins are from our pumpkin patch adventure.  The small pumpkin Grace is holding was grown in the garden.

  I think we are done traveling since the weather is sketchy at best, and I'm getting to the stage in the pregnancy when I just want to be home. This winter will be full of snowy days, lots of hot chocolate, and school festivities.  I bet there is a fair bit of baking involved too.