Peaceful Moments

I really relish moments like these during our homeschool days.

On this particular day I was sitting on the couch reading when the kids joined me on the couch.  Logan was on one side reading scriptures and Annie and Alex on the other side reading scripture stories together.  I am so grateful I get to have so many moments like these with my awesome little people.  Sweet.  Peaceful.  Wonderful.

Cooking Curriculum

A couple of weeks ago I had an 'aha' moment.  Logan and Annie are mature enough to cook!  They aren't quite tall enough, but with our genetics we can't wait for that!  :)  They were very excited when I told them that they'd be learning to make meals by themselves.  We aren't doing it every day (because it takes a lot of patience for this Momma who dislikes cooking), but they've each learned to prepare a few meals already.  I'm teaching one kid at a time in order to preserve my sanity, and it has been wonderful!

Logan had the first lesson.  He made scrambled eggs 100% by himself.

He was so pleased with himself.  :)

 Annie's first meal was also scrambled eggs.

She also made breakfast hash that day.  I wish I could have recorded her excitement when she realized she was going to use a sharp knife to cut the tomatoes (which took a very looooong time).

Logan's second meal was a basic pasta and veggies with sauce.  He chose all of his ingredients and was incredibly pleased with the result.  He even made sure we saved some for Jim to try after work.

We've had a few other lessons since.  They love it and are sure to tell me who's turn it is to cook next.  I'm thinking I need to start a book or box for each of them to keep the recipes they've learned in.  I'm loving that they will be able to help more in the kitchen soon.  Already, Logan has made lunch for us one day withOUT my direct supervision.  It was heavenly.

Times and Seasons

I've been frustrated lately with how little time I'm finding to blog.  Not only do I use these blogs as family journals/ scrapbooks, but I want to record my own education and musings on this one.  I can't count the number of posts I've written in my head that have stayed there. 

So I'm reminding myself that busy motherhood is the season of life I'm in.  My blogs very accurately show that.  The kids are my daily focus right now.  While I may squeeze in some fantastic reading, or have profound thoughts and conversations on the side, the children consume most of my time.  Thankfully, that's as it should be.  One of these days, I'm going to write one of my 'thinking' posts, though!  :)

Spring Break?

With the snow finally melting, I was literally ready for a spring break last week.  I wanted to break out of the house!  So even though we'd already had one field trip, we took a second one a couple of days later.  This one was to the children's museum we have a membership to.

We practically had the place to ourselves which was so nice.

Abby had so much fun playing this time, and the kids even ended up on video.  A student from the local university was doing a project about the museum and he wanted to show kids enjoying the exhibits.  When he said 'movie' the kids were more than happy to accommodate.

I discovered a flyer while we were at the children's museum that was advertising dollar admission for all sorts of things this week.  It's too good of a deal to pass up, so it looks like we might be having an official spring break this week after all.  :)

Yesterday I took the kids to a children's science museum.  I'll say this.  For three bucks total, it was worth it.  For $13 an adult and $8 a kid, it is a huge rip off.  I'm so glad we went on a dollar day.  The exhibits themselves are mostly a lot of 'push a button and see what happens'.  The scientific explanations are written out with each thing, but kids don't generally read those.  $3 fun, yes.  $29 fun, no.  The best part was the combustion demonstration we watched; that really was interesting AND neat to watch. 

This was the most hands on thing.  Logan enjoyed trying to build a robot.

There were a few animals (mostly small snakes, frogs, and turtles) plus this big python.  

They were so funny about this picture.  I wanted them to stand in front of the snake, but they didn't want to be close to it with their backs turned.

Abby enjoyed crawling around a little baby area.

True to form, Annie found reading material, and spent quite a while reading.

After the science museum, we went to a children's theatre which was another dollar admission event.  I didn't know what to expect, but it turned out well.  It was a humorous recitation of several nursery rhymes complete with audience participation.  Any children who wanted to act were pulled onto the stage and given parts.  The boys enjoyed watching only, but Annie participated in one of the skits.  She thought it was pretty neat to be on stage. 

Today we had plans to collect sap at a nature preserve, but a naughty child changed that.  Tomorrow and Thursday we're going to have play dates with friends who are out of school, and Friday I think we'll see what the other dollar admission places have to offer.  Spring break?  I think so.  :)

Fire Station

We had a fun field trip to a fire station last week with some friends.  It's been several years since we visited a fire station, so it was quite the novelty for the kids.  Alex was super excited about the trucks.

Annie and Logan climbed in and through the fire truck twice.  Alex refused to get up there without me, and then he made me hold him the whole time.  Funny kid.

This fireman was really good with the kids.

As we were wrapping up, the ambulance pulled in, so they were able to check that out as well.

Yay for field trips!

Book It Rewards

We've redeemed the kids' Book It coupons twice in the last few weeks.  The first time we had the bonus of Jim meeting us there for his lunch break.  It was fun to go out as a family in the middle of the day.

Abby really enjoyed the pasta from the lunch buffet, and she had her first taste of pizza.

I love these silly kids.

This picture is actually from the second time, although it's hard to tell because Abby just so happens to be wearing almost the same thing.  She's so funny.

Speaking of books, check out the awesome haul we made at the bookstore last weekend.  Yes!  I can't recommend that 'My Book House' series highly enough.  They are wonderful!

Speaking of books a second time, we read the encyclopedia around here.  Ha ha!

Every Day Stuff

 Logan, "I don't ever want to go to school, cause that would take away from my reading time."

When Logan was a baby, we received an offer in the mail for a free 'Top Secret Adventure' from Highlights.  So we cashed in on it and set the adventure kit aside.  As I was FINALLY unpacking our school closet this week (it needed doors before I was willing to empty those boxes) I came across the kit and realized that the kids were finally old enough for it!  Woohoo!  They were quite excited.

The first part was an envelope containing a puzzle that revealed their 'mission'.

Then they were able to open the case file.  It included a world map, cards of the suspects, a guide to Greece, and a book of puzzles/ research questions that would help them solve the mystery.

They worked at it for hours, Annie on one page, Logan on another.  In this picture I think Annie was decoding something, and Logan was answering research questions.  I've decided that I'd be willing to have more of these kits, but I'd never pay full price for them.

One afternoon I realized I hadn't heard Alex in a while so I went looking for him.  He was in the bathtub!  Funny guy.  If it weren't for the fact that he constantly plays in water, I would have let him stay there with the books.  I didn't want to run that risk with our 'water boy'.  

I've already shared this picture on our other blog, but this beautiful baby has caught the book love disease.  She is constantly flipping through books (and occasionally tearing them too) and has a favorite shelf to unload.  We've moved the more sturdy books to that shelf now.