Life

Sorry for the lack of posting....life is happening around here.

• The weather has turned cold and has driven me inside, the kids still go out.


• I have been finishing up some last minute projects.


• We have Grands arriving tomorrow!!!!!


• We are still adjusting to new school curriculums which require quite a bit of my help.


• Not much else happens on school days except: school, laundry, cooking and kitchen clean up, and general picking up at the end of the day.


• We have been so busy between moose hunting, school and life that we have a brand new computer sitting in the box. I dare not attempt to take apart the old and try to get the new started. My husband will get around to it in the next few days as he is off for a few days to visit with the Grands.


• My husband took an extra day off(tomorrow) and we haven't told the blessings yet, they will be so excited when they wake up in the morning! And sad when they have to leave for piano right after breakfast and leave Dad home(he has some at home projects so three hours alone will be good for him).


• I am enjoying our school days for the most part. I made some different choices for this year. I need to post about our curriculum...soon, maybe after it snows?

Fall

Fall here in Alaska is early and short and this year we have had the blessing of a warm fall. It is the third week of September and I am still wearing short sleeves during the middle of the day. Jackets are needed early morning and evening.

The kids had fun the other evening playing in our small leave pile, which has since grown due to more fallen leaves.



Throwing the leaves, this was thought a hilarious thing to Benjamin. He loved it! I enjoyed sitting out taking picture after picture of the leaf  throwing, raking and jumping activities. I am so glad my children love being outside.

This was one of those storybook evenings. Even with all the leaves in my hair.

We tried to do a group shot but as you can see we didn't get a great one, between closed eyes, uncooperative dog, busy toddler---it just didn't happen.

Edible Cells

As part of our Exploring Creation with Human Anatomy and Physiology Science the girls made edible cells.





The "cells" were made with jello and candy. Pretty neat!

Moose

Anyone who has read this blog for any length of time knows that our main source of meat comes from our wonderful moose. My husband and the hunting crew have spent the past week and a half out looking for a moose for the freezer, finally, on Monday, a moose for the freezer became a reality! The moose had to split between three families but it will fill the freezer and the little bellies around here until another moose hunting opportunity.

And can you believe it that I did not take one picture of the process yesterday? Not one.

I am one thankful lady for all the salmon, halibut, shrimp and moose in the freezer.

Whew!

Last week was warm and this week has been unseasonably warm! We have been getting our school work done and out to enjoy the late afternoon/evening out of doors. School is going well, I still have some schedule issues to tweak but it will come together when it comes together.

My wonderful husband arrived home tonight from moose hunting and the guy he was hunting with got a moose. Glad to have my husband home!!!!!!!!!

While he was moose hunting, I finished painting the dining room. I still have a little touch up to do here and there but it doesn't require the moving of furniture or anything major like that so it can be done by and by.

One of these days I will get around to posting our curriculum choices for this year....

Clay play

The girls emerged from their room the other evening with these clay creations. I think they are quite wonderful!

Blanket Play Time

So, what do you do when you have an active one year old and need to still educate your other children?

You train your one year old for blanket playtime. And it works!

He has to stay on the blanket and play. Very rarely does he attempt to escape.

I also use blanket play time when we are at piano lessons for one hour and 45 minutes. He and I stay on the blanket and play, keeps him out of things at the piano teacher's home and keeps me from being exhausted by the time piano is over.

What does school look like around here?

Well, everyday around here seems to be a little different.

Since starting school I have been waking the big kids up for breakfast and now they are all pretty much used to it because everyone was up and at 'em to tell Daddy good bye before he left for his moose hunt this morning.

After breakfast the kids get themselves ready for the day (morning chore pack).

Then, we all gather for what I have begun calling MORNING MEETING. In which we read the Bible, pray and practice our memory verses.  During this time our little adventurer (one man wrecking crew!) sits on my lap. After we finish, I read our History lesson and any read alouds.  Little fella has "blanket play time" while I read aloud.

After this the kids begin working on their individual school work. We should be able to start using our workboxes next week if I can do some work over the weekend.

Working in her new timeline notebook. Okay, after looking at this picture, this is not her book, she was looking at a siblings book.



By 11:30 Benjamin is getting hungry and sleepy so I get him eating lunch and down for a nap. The big kids do their household chore pack before lunch, then lunch and a little free time.

Then they finish up any unfinished school work.

We have some scheduling kinks to work out still.