Fancy Pants

I don't know where this gal gets her fanciness from...it's certainly not her mommy...but she loves beautiful things and being fancy!

We're working on talking about inside beauty as much as outside beauty and noticing beautiful character traits.  She still likes to doll up, though, and that's ok.

Her joy is certainly getting the money out of this little organic mineral make-up set.

I love how long her pig tails are getting!

Field Trippin'

We had a beautiful fall field trip yesterday to a local university farm.  It was originally scheduled for Tuesday but our host was sick, and while it was a bummer to postpone it, we lucked out because Tuesday was rainy and yesterday was cool, crisp, sunny, and gorgeous. 

The biggest downfall of this trip is that we divide into two groups so we don't get to see everyone, but that is the only downfall.  It is an absolutely wonderful experience.
We max out the trip with 50 occupants, so two groups of 25. 

Our group started with a hay ride to the horses!

The children got an opportunity to brush and pet the horses and learn about their care and safety.

 

Then we got back on the hay wagon for a little ride and walked to the corn maze.  I don't think I took a single picture because I was trying not to lose my very adventurous and brave 2 year old in the corn.  Ha!  At one point, both Mike and I thought the other person had him and neither did.  Thanks, Tabby, for being our extra eyes!  They loved the maze.  After we successfully got out, the kids all got to pick an ear of corn to shell.

He's showing me his strong muscles after he successfully shelled his corn!

After we shelled corn, it was off to make apple cider!

Every child got a turn at pressing an apple...

then the college student pressed it down and the cider ran out!

We couldn't taste the unpasteurized cider we made, but they had a delicious jug of cider and all the kids got a glass. 

Yummy!

Then it was back outside to try the obstacle course.  Have I mentioned that the university goes all out for this field trip?  And that it's a blast!? 

Lastly, back on the hay wagon one last time to go to the pumpkin patch to choose a pumpkin.

Our co-op is growing and expanding with new friends and it's a blast getting to know everyone.  These two silly girls have been buddies since her mom and I started doing a Bible study together, but forging the bonds deeper through homeschooling has been a huge blessing.  Both of these blondies have a stubborn streak, sweet voices, and big hearts.

punkin' pickin'...got one, Mama!

It makes me so happy when Mike is able and willing to take PTO to come on field trips with us.  It doesn't always work out, but when it does we all have the most fun.  He's such a committed homeschool principal.

This little lady is also in ballet with Natalee, and we are enjoying getting to know her and her family!

Chelsie snagged a family picture for us!  Thanks, Chelsie!  First one in a long time, and in our matching B.L.I.S.S. Academy shirts, too (thanks, Nannie!). 

After the field trip we went to the park with friends for a picnic and to play. 

Last night I got a snapchat from a friend and she said "today was a great day."  Mike and I had just been talking about the same thing - what a truly fun day it was, surrounded by friends, our children, and the beauty God gives.  We are so thankful for the opportunity to homeschool and experience life with our kids everyday.  It's worth every sacrifice we've made to have these moments.

First Co-op of the School Year

We had our first co-op meeting of the school year on Sept. 18th.  We have so many new friends and families to get to know - it's such a joy to see the co-op thriving and growing when I was afraid this was going to be a slim and lonely year!

We tried a new location kind of midway between 2 towns that have many participating families.  The building was adorable - an old restored school house - but wasn't big enough to meet all of our needs.  PE was able to meet outside for this gathering, so it suited us okay for this month, but we're seeking other avenues for the future. :)  What a blessing to need a bigger space!

Ready to go!  We were on time!

We divided the children into 3 ages groups.  PK-1st, 2nd-4th, and 5th-8th.  Both younger sections had around a dozen children, and the oldest group had 4-5!  The youngest 2 groups did a 3 class rotation that were 45 minutes long each...music (taught by a homeschool graduate), art (planned by me), and PE (led by a husband/wife team who were troopers - it was steamy outside!).  At the end, all of the groups got together for 15 minutes of sign language introduction.

When I plan art, I try to plan something that involves and allows for the following:

• paint, because I don't get it out enough at home and kids love it
• light instructions
• introduction of a new medium or technique
• self-expression

It's funny that I kind of love planning art, because I'm not an artist.  When it comes to actually teaching art techniques, that's better left to other friends with more experience and expertise.  I do love to make a good mess, though, and have fun with kids.  I also try to plan more than I think is necessary because young children move fast!

For the PK-1st grade group, I did finger dot paint hot air balloons, and straw blown fall leaf trees.  For 2nd-4th grade I planned pumpkin texture rubbing and had intended to do painter's tape splatter paintings BUT so many of them loved the other groups hot air balloons when they were drying that I let them vote and balloons won out so we did it instead.

PK-1st were to draw a hot air balloon or have help from an adult, and then use a variety of paint colors and one finger to fill the balloon with beautiful colors.  It was so sweet to watch them work.  Some made lines of colors - a red line, a blue line, etc., some worked slowly, some worked quickly, some wore a lot of paint, some were very careful.

Zayden didn't understand to dot, but it was nice because he was still able to participate.

I really like for art to involve choices and self expression.  One little girl was totally unable to stick her finger in the paint.  That's ok, dolly, here's a paint brush!

The next project involved drawing a tree with branches and blowing globs of fall colored paint with a straw to make the leaves.

This was fun to watch!

I started the 2nd-4th grade off with pumpkin rubbing.  I had each child draw a large pumpkin on their paper and then showed them how to take 'naked' broken crayons to different surfaces around the building to experience different textures.  After they were done with that, I let them move on to hot air balloons.

We chose a favorite of each child's art for the day to display on the refrigerator...

Ameliya's fall leaf blowing skills were on point.

Xavier used his texture lesson to add a sky background to his hot air balloon picture.

Natalee worked hard to find a lot of different textures for her pumpkin.  I loved the heat grate that she used for the green ground!

Since I was busy teaching art, I didn't get a lot of other pictures.  I snagged a couple of the group sign language lesson.  

 

It was bittersweet that Zayden was a big boy and pretty well participated in the other 2 classes even without me along.  He went out to PE like a big boy, although when the teacher gave him an instruction he did tell her "I'm only 2."  LOL. He did follow through, though, with a little prompting!  

We stayed for a carry-in picnic lunch so we could visit with our friends before heading home!  It was a really great morning!