The changing weather has given us lots of fun outdoor activities. We are making our own syrup and taking walks outside again. The other day Adrian fell into a mud puddle up to his waist. Today they broke the ice off of those puddles and played with the ice sheets!
Author: Joyce
Glorious Morning
Did you get a chance to really look at the frost this morning? It was beautiful!
The children called it “spikes” but it is really hoar frost. These pictures are of air hoar frost, frost on objects above the ground! We were able to explore and enjoy it for awhile until the sun came out.
Maple Syruping
Learning to read and do math is important. Learning by doing and experimenting is so important too.
God designed boys to work. Learning to work hard while enjoying their work and improving on their best is a lesson too few of today’s boys ever learn.
As a friend said, “You can read about how to maple syrup, or you can make your own.” If you want to see how we made our own, please check out Mark’s blog. Learning to make maple syrup is a lot of work, but the end result is delicious!
Winter Fun
My favorite quote this week was when I heard Adrian talking to Mark after Mark threw some snowballs at me. He told Mark, “I love my Mommy. Don’t hit my Mommy”. Of course, Adrian was perfectly okay if he was hitting me with snowballs!
Snowflowers
My children call these the Wedding Flowers. When Mark and Andrea where little, they would pick them and pretend to get married. Even dried out and covered with snow, they are beautiful!
Winter Beauty
Yesterday we were taking a walk for a science art project we were doing. We were looking for pretty things to make a collage out of. I took my camera just in case…and look what I found!
These red breasted birds are not Robins, but Bluebirds. I was told that they will stay around over the winter if they can find a warm home and food.
Walking in the Woods on a Snowy Day
The older children had Science Sleuths today. It was cold, but a beautiful day out, so Adrian and I took a walk at the park. We had not gone far when we noticed the first deer.
We watched it for awhile before realizing there was another deer with it. After exploring the park, hearing and finding a blue Kingfisher by the lake, throwing sticks into the water and writing in the snow, we saw our deer again. Only then did we discover there were at least five hidden in the bushes. Unfortunately for us, there were to many brambles to get all their pictures.
What a wonderful gift from God! Going for a walk in the “dead” wintery woods and seeing so many of his creations.
Pinewood Derby
What is more fun then watching the car you designed and built with a little help from your dad compete against other cars? Watching your son’s face as he realizes that he might just have a chance to place. Even better is knowing that he is with terrific friends who are excited for him too.
Mark’s first car was very simple. He refused to add weights–and came in very last in his race! Learning a very important lesson, he decided that his goal would be to build a better car each year. After years of trying to improve his speed, Mark’s car came in third place today!
His car has been “impounded” so he can race in “District” the first weekend in May.
Sledding
One of the nice thing about home schooling is the ability to do fun things with friends. After one of the kids classes, some friends met us at the park–during school hours– for gym class. We spent a few hours enjoying the fresh snow and sledding with friends.
Over the weekend when we went to check out the sledding possibilities, the slopes were very crowded, but today was just us on the hill.
Christmas Memories
Mark has been fascinated by The Nutcracker since he first heard the music and watched the ballet. The first time he watched it on television –I think he was three– we thought he would be bored and fall asleep. He stayed up till midnight watching it!
We go to see the ballet when we can. Unfortunately, we could not go this year. But we will enjoy the music a few times before Christmas.
Since the first year the church decorated with this Nutcracker, we measure the children’s growth each Christmas by it. Of course, Mark was the one who asked to take that first picture.