Organic Trash Farm

Spring is right around the corner, and I for one am very excited. Excited to get outside. Excited to plant my garden, my flower bed, and get our chicks. I love working outside. I wish I could be a yardmaker instead of a homemaker. The kids are anxious too. Gracie is talking about all the berry bushes she wants planted so she can eat them while she's outside playing. Caleb is really excited about the chicks and asks me every day if we're getting them. So now that the weather is getting nicer, we've been taking the opportunities to start some of our outside projects.

Our first project is to build the chicken coop and run. But before we can do that, we have a lot of yard clean-up to do. One of the things that drew me to homeschooling was the increased opportunity to teach my kids real-life skills and work ethic. They have chores to do every day, and are expected to help out with projects when they can. So I took them outside this morning to help clear out the spot. They were excited to do it,  because it meant we were one step closer to getting the chicks. They got busy picking up sticks and raking leaves, (sort of).

 

I knew we had some work ahead of us, but about 15 minutes into it, I started getting really overwhelmed and discouraged. There are window frames, stovepipes, bumpers, license plates, netting, assorted rusted metal.

                                                                               


And glass. Lots and lots of shattered glass. We did notice some of the glass when we first moved in. We kept showing each other, and commenting how weird it was. I don't know if this property used to be the dump, or if someone was just really lazy, but there is junk everywhere in the woods, and the glass keeps multiplying. As I was walking back I noticed some glittering and started raking it up. The more I raked, the more glass I found, until I had a big hole, and then a wheelbarrow, full of glass. Some of it was bottle necks.Why in the day and age of trash pick up do you need to bury bottles in the yard? Thanks a lot!

                                                                            

I cleared that section of the glass, but I know there's more in other spots. It makes me really mad, because for one the kids can't go barefoot, two, I'm going to keep running into it when I try to garden, and three, I don't want my animals getting hurt on it either. And I only scratched the surface. There's still more junk out there that was too big for me too move, like these pipes.

"100% Organic Chicken Eggs. Free-Range. Glass-Fed". I feel so frustrated! I envision my fat chickens eating bugs while the kids collect huge brown eggs. I picture rows of mason jars, filled with bright colors, like pieces of tasty art on my shelves. I dream about getting up at dawn to milk the goats before the kids get up (well Caleb will be up) and experiencing the satisfaction of knowing where my food came from. But what I have right now is car parts and shards of glass.

I know nothing worthwhile is easy. I didn't expect it would be, I just didn't expect so much  junk. It will literally take years until we can get rid of all the debris and clear out some nice areas. I guess in the end it will make all our efforts more rewarding, but in the meantime, I'm still trying to figure out where to build the chicken coop, and hoping that, someday, we will find the last piece of glass.

                                                                    

Bible Memory

Growing up I was blessed to attend a church that had a great AWANA program. There were hundreds of kids and so many dedicated, enthusiastic volunteers, I looked forward to it every week. We played crazy games and earned dollars to spend at the Trading Post. But most importantly, we memorized Scripture. I attended AWANA from Cubbies to Chums and memorized hundreds of verses over the years. And I still have them hidden in my heart.

So when I realized my kids were not memorizing Scripture, I felt pretty ashamed. We read the Bible every night before bed and study the Bible as part of our homeschool curriculum, but we've never made a point of memorizing Bible verses. We don't have an AWANA program to fall back on, so if my kids are going to memorize Scripture, it's up to me.

The first thing I did was go to the AWANA website to order the books. But guess what? You can't order them! You can only order with a church account. Then I tried to log in as a church Why?! Why don't they want people to buy the books? I don't know. But it sent me on a mission to find our own Scripture memory program.

I realize I could just open the Bible and write a verse on an index card, but I wanted something a little more fun and crafty. So I did some google-ing and will share with you the links I found useful.

AWANA verses
This site is cool because it lists the AWANA Cubbies and Sparks verses and includes print-outs with cute pictures and a word-scramble game.


easy Bible verses
This one had some cute coloring pages.


childrens chapel
Here's a long list of verses with coloring pages.


Scrapbooking Bible verses
This site had some really cute printouts, but I felt the verses were a little long for my kids. This would be a great resource for older kids.

I also checked out the "Hide 'em in Your Heart" CDs by Steve Green. I was a little worried there would be excessive cheesiness, since it's from the 90's (80's?) and it's Steve Green, but when I listened to the sample I realized I knew most of the songs, I guess from school. Then I felt all nostalgic and decided to download the MP3 at Amazon. You can too.

cheestastic Scripture memory songs you know you love

I personally am going to start with the AWANA verses and use the other sites when they correlate with our curriculum or the seasons. I plan on using file folders to glue the verses into so the kids can make "books"(I know Caleb particularly will like this.) Then we'll put them into binders so they can go back and review them. We're starting tonight, so I'll post pictures of how they turn out at the end of the week!

Outside

The past few days we've been blessed with great weather. It's been a loooong wet winter and we've been going a little bonkers stuck in the house. It's been awesome to get the kids outside for some fresh air, sunshine, and exercise.

Days like this I don't stress schoolwork too much. I would rather my kids spend their time outside than inside working in books. Some people might think this is negligent, or lazy, but I view it  much differently. In my opinion, there is a wealth of learning that happens outside.

When you step outside, it feels like your mind automatically clears. All the things that were weighing you down inside suddenly seem lighter, and you can see things with fresh perspective. There's less stuff vying for your attention. Outside there's no TV or computer, no phone ringing or radio playing. The only music is the birds singing, the wind blowing the leaves and the occasional percussion of a barking dog.

Outside my kids stop and notice tiny little bugs. They watch what they do, how they move. They try to guess what kind of bug it is. They give it sticks to see if it will climb, and dirt to see if it will dig. They listen to bird song and try to answer it. Then they look in the trees to see if they can spot it. They notice tree leaves and different kinds of bark. They find deer prints and acorns and pine cones and rocks. They play pirates and horses and dogs and farmers. They run and jump and climb without any Phys Ed class to tell them when and how. Outside they never fight and they never need me to tell them what to play.When they come in they are dirty and tired and very, very happy. We get baths and some lunch, then naps for the little guys. Then Gracie sits with a book and reads, and really focuses and thinks, because her mind is cleared from playing outside.

I think being outside is one of the best things about homeschooling. While other kids are inside a stuffy classroom, mine are running wild out back with no bells or lines or rules. Outside is a gift I can give them while they are young and need it most, one I hope they will always remember.

Someday

Gracie is running around outside on a plastic horse-head-on-a-stick named Blackie. The past few weeks have been filled with horse talk, out of nowhere- a sudden, insatiable interest in horses. I've tried to figure out what triggered it, if we read a book, or saw a show, but the kid can't help it. It's in her blood.

I was the horse-craziest girl you ever met. My grandfather died before I was born but was still a figure in my life through the stories I heard. He was an avid horseman and the barn at my grandmother's old house was filled with old saddles and halters, pieces of tack hung on the walls, and even some spurs, which were just for show. He loved his horses too much to use spurs. Inside the house was more evidence of his love for horses in photos and artwork. When he married my grandmother, her father, a farmer through the Great Depression, thought it inconceivable that anyone would own an animal that didn't work for them. But his horses were legendary, particularly a beautiful palomino which tragically hung itself by its halter. When my grandfather found him in the stall, he stayed in bed for days.

In addition to my grandfather's horses, my mother had her own ponies. One of my favorites stories was about a little Shetland she had that was so gentle she would ride him with only a halter, using twine for reins. She was riding him all over as young as 4 years old, but nobody worried. She knew how to ride, and he knew the way home. These family stories- combined with summer trips to Chincoteague, Black Beauty, National Velvet, My Friend Flicka, The Man from Snowy River, Wild Hearts Can't be Broken, The Saddle Club series-made growing up on a 50x100 lot in Rio Grande unbearable.

My desires were somewhat gratified in the form of riding lessons. I didn't fit in at the stables. All the rich Cape May girls boarded their horses and wore real breeches and boots and their own helmets. I wore jeans and boots from K-Mart, and I used a stable helmet I had to spray with Lysol when I was finished. But I didn't care.Their snobbery never bothered me, because real boots or no, I belonged there. I excelled in the sport, because it wasn't just fun-it was my life. I didn't just ride. I studied horses. I ate, slept, and breathed horses. I had a passion and a longing for them that I've never felt for anything else.

But the lessons weren't free and after a few years my family just couldn't afford it anymore.We went once in a while, and finally, not at all. I missed it, but somehow it made the longing easier to bear. The more I rode, the more I wanted my own horse, and when I stopped riding I was able to tuck the feelings away. I went to college, then got married, and the feelings became fond memories.

Now Gracie is asking for lessons, so I called around to some stables. $40 an hour. $50. Yikes. So I said what every parent says when they don't want to break a little heart. Someday. I heard that a lot when I was a kid. Now I know how my parents felt, watching me ride and study, knowing they could never give me a horse on our 50x100 lot.

I remember one morning a few years ago when we still lived in Port Republic. Jeremiah and I were talking about our to-do list around the yard, when suddenly, all the horse longing came bubbling up. I started crying. I felt guilty, and ungrateful. But I cried out to God anyway. "Lord I love it here. I'm so thankful I have this house, but please, let me have a farm someday!"

You know what? God cares. I have 10 acres now. So maybe someday Gracie. Maybe both our somedays will come.

Babyproofing- Part Two

You're glowing with excitement as you ask your husband to sit down with you. You did your hair and put on a little make-up. You've just enjoyed an extra-special dinner, and now, you're ready to tell him the big news: You're having a baby!!! After the initial shock wears off, you start thinking of names and planning your dream nursery. This new baby-world is so crisp and fresh and clean. Little blankies and dust ruffles, mobiles and valances.

No one ever tells you it won't look like this for long.

Keeping your kids from destroying your house is an ongoing battle challenge. As they grow both physically and intellectually, they are constantly getting into more stuff. At the time I am writing this, I have a 10 month old who has just figured out how the latch on the baby gate works. He's not quite tall enough to push it all the way open, but in a few more weeks I'm sure I'll be pulling my hair out once again. While I don't have all the answers, I'll share with you some things that have helped.

Baskets
Baskets are your friend. They are really useful for storing odds and ends that you need handy but out of baby's reach. For example, remote controls, game controls, books you don't want shredded. I keep things like that in baskets up on shelves or bookcases. It looks cute, organized, and you don't get drool on your fingers when you want to watch The Office.

Speaking of bookcases, you can no longer keep books on the bottom shelves or they will be ruined, and you will be forever wondering if Elizabeth married Mr. Darcy (she did). But it looks terrible to have two shelves of books and then emptiness. I solved this by filling the bottom shelves with baby toys and books. Now Luke has things to pull down and a storage spot for his toys. It looks cute, like it's supposed to be that way.

Electronics
I remember finding Caleb cramming pieces of plastic food into the VCR. Why? he was cooking. Now we mostly use a DVD player. Luke loves to watch it open up, and pushes the button so he can grab the tray the disc sits on. He also like to teeth on DVDs. Our TV stand has cabinets, so we installed locks on them so he can't scratch anymore discs. You can also get a plexi-glass cover to protect the DVD player, or make your own with plexi-glass from Home Depot.

As for the computer, if you know how to baby proof it, PLEASE tell me! All the wires, buttons, switches- it's the most un-babyproof thing in my house. The only solution I can come up with is keeping it in an area that's gated off.

Furniture
My couches have been spilled on, peed on, jumped on, and barfed on. I think they're in pretty good shape considering. When buying new, look for fabric that's easily cleaned. Ours is like a tweedy-kind of woven fabric that I can scrub pretty hard without ruining. I use a cleaner called "Simple Solutions" that I get at PetSmart. It's all natural and works on just about every kind of spill you can think of. It doesn't smell awesome but it does a good job, and it doubles as a laundry pre-treater. I also get my couches professionally cleaned once a year.
A lot of people have furniture and carpets scotch-guarded. I try to stay away from chemicals and have never had it done. You know your baby is going to eat stuff off the floor, so why risk them ingesting toxins? I have a little saying- "God made dirt, and dirt won't hurt, but chemicals can kill you". People freak out about babies eating organic matter- dirt, dog hair, grass. I'd rather my kid eat that than who-knows-what in cleaners.
If the couches you already have are not kid-friendly fabric, you may want to look into slipcovers you can toss in the wash. They're a little pricey, but cheaper than new couches should yours meet up with a Sharpie marker.

When we moved into this house, we finally had room for tables in our living room. I shopped around- and bought the absolute junkiest set I could find.
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Because they're going to be ruined in a few years! I didn't want to put money into a gorgeous set when I knew it was going to be climbed on and scratched up. Maybe when my kids are older, we'll save up and buy a really nice set. But for now, I don't have a mini-stroke every time Caleb drives his trucks on the coffee table.

Carpets
Just like the couches, spills happen to carpets. So do muddy shoes and leaky diapers. In addition to having them professionally cleaned, I invested in a Bissell carpet cleaner. I've had it about five years now and it was definitely worth the money. I really don't worry about messes anymore, because I can pretty much clean up anything with it. I consider this a must-have for parents!

Little Artists
Our house is a designated No-Crayon zone. It sounds cruel, and creatively stifling, but it has to be that way. Even Gracie was guilty of coloring on the walls and furniture as a toddler, and Caleb actually left small gouges by scrubbing our walls with a pencil. We finally had enough, and the art supplies were confiscated. Now they are all in a box in a top kitchen cabinet. The kids have to ask for them, and when art time is over, they put them back in the box to be put away.

A Safe Room
It's almost impossible to live a normal life and not own anything that isn't babyproof. We've found the best way to cope is to keep one room a "safe room", where you can keep all the things you don't want ruined.In our house, it's the master bedroom. We keep nice books, pictures, photo albums, and nick-knacks in there. The hallways is gated, so Luke can't get in there, and Gracie and Caleb don't bother with it too much. At the end of the day, it's nice to have an area to relax in that isn't quite so "babyfied".

Sometimes babyproofing to keep your house safe can be discouraging. We all have a certain way we'd like our house to look, and kids can make that almost impossible .Just remember, people are more important than things, and giving your baby room to explore is much more rewarding than living in a Pottery Barn showroom. One day they'll be grown, and we'll laugh about all the things they got into. Until then, good luck!

Babyproofing- Part One

I consider myself to be somewhat an expert in the area of babyproofing. I'm sure there are other moms out there who would like to challenge me on the credentials of my expertise, and for them, I present Exhibit A:

 This is Caleb, ripping the trim off his window at about 16 months.

It just got worse from there. Case in point:

Luckily, Caleb has outgrown much of his destructive behavior. For a few months, we were able to kick back, relax, and open our cabinets with ease. But now that I once again have a cruising baby, I find myself on Round Two of babyproofing.

Wait...she said Round Two... I thought she had three kids? Yes. I am only on Round Two, because Gracie was such a gentle, obedient, thoughtful little child that I didn't need to babyproof. All it took was a raised eyebrow from Mommy, and she left it alone.

Then I had two boys.

I have jokingly said that someday I am going to start a babyproofing business. Until then, I will share my wealth of knowledge with you, and some products I've tried, all of which are available at Babies R Us, Target, or OneStepAhead.com.


There are two kinds of babyproofing: the kind that keeps your kid safe from your house, and the kind that keeps your house safe from your kid. In this entry, I'll talk about the first.


The Living Room

If you have furniture with pointed edges, cover them with foam corner guards. Cruising babies and running toddlers can fall on them, poking their eyes or splitting their lips. They look bad on your furniture but it's worth it.


Install anti-tip brackets on all bookshelves and cabinets. Don't forget the TV! Kids have been crushed by them. Most people have flat screens now, which are lighter but still dangerous. If you can mount yours to the wall that's even better.

If you have a woodstove or fireplace, a gate is a must. Don't count on teaching your kid "no" to leave it alone. That's important too, but what if they trip and fall into it?
A woodstove gate was the hardest thing for us to find. Every hearth is a different size, so we couldn't find one that perfectly fit ours. Jeremiah ended up constructing an iron one with his dad. It took some trial and error though. When we first set it up, Caleb was able to squeeze around the back, so we had to bolt it to the wall. After that, he shoved his head sideways through the bars to climb inside. We solved that by running wire between the bars.
The closest I've seen to ours was available from One Step Ahead.

Make sure your baby can't get tangled up in curtains or blind cords. Just the other day my kids were spinning around with the curtains over their heads, wrapping themselves up like burritos. Consider cafe-style curtains or even just valances. You can also purchase cord covers for the blinds to prevent strangulation.

Keep electrical cords out of reach and put covers on your outlets. I have seen Caleb try to stick a fork in them. No kidding. Bundle cords together with zip ties and tuck them out of reach.

Consider a window guard if you have a climber. When Caleb was about 15 months old, he climbed up the back of our couch and fell out the window behind it. Luckily the window led to our enclosed porch and not the ground outside, but it was still a nasty fall.

The Kitchen

Cabinet locks are the most useful kitchen item, but some are better than others. I found the inside mounted ones that you push down left just enough space for little arms to reach in and grab what they wanted. I prefer the "pretzel" shaped ones that loop around the handles if they are next to each other. Even though Caleb knows how they open, his fingers aren't strong enough to push on them. These are also good for the refrigerator. If this kind won't work for your cabinets, there are also magnetic ones that require a "key" to open them, and can be used on drawers too.

Install an anti-tip bracket on your stove. At first I thought this was pointless. Even if my kids stood on the door, the stove couldn't fall on them, so why bother? Then when we had our house on the market, the home inspector pointed out that while the stove itself wouldn't fall on the kids, anything hot on the stovetop would. Duh.

Don't forget the stove guard too. I have had many a little hand come popping up while I was stirring a pot. I usually just crack 'em on the knuckles with a wooden spoon (I jest..sort of). I found the plastic stick-on guards to be completely useless. The heat from the stove loosens the glue and it just falls off. OneStepAhead makes a metal one that sits on top of the stove and looks like a little medieval fortress.. It retails for about $35, which is cheaper than the ER  co-pay for a burned hand.

Keep all sharp utensils in a crock out of reach on the counter or up in a high cabinet. That way if your kid figures out how to beat the drawer locks they can't seriously hurt themselves.

Keep your cleaners LOCKED UP. Also, know what is in your cleaners and what they might interact with. Better yet, switch to non-toxic. I use a line called Biokleen for every room in my house. It's 100% natural and it does a good job. I can even spray it on Luke's high chair without worry. And it smells like oranges.

I know it can get tedious having everything in your kitchen locked up. If that doesn't work for you, consider installing a baby gate to prevent kids from getting into the kitchen. But keep the locks on the cabinets with cleaners and knives, just in case. Also, keep a few drawers and cabinets "kid friendly", full of tupperware and plastic measuring cups, and pots to bang on. This satisfies their need to rip everything apart and you don't need as many locks.

The Bathroom

The main issue in the bathroom is cleaners, just like in the kitchen. Medicines are also a concern. Keep them out of reach, in a locked cabinet, in childproof bottles. Discard any that are expired! Many people don't do this. This goes for vitamins too. Those colorful gummy bears are fun to eat, but vitamims contain iron which can cause a fatal overdose. When kids are old enough, talk about medicine with them. It tastes too good nowadays! When I was a kid it was torture; now it tastes like bubble gum and Gracie ASKS for it. That worries me, so I make sure to talk to her about it, when she really needs it, and to never, ever take it herself.
This is also something you might want to talk about with your parents. Older people take more medicines and forget what it's like to have a kid around. Ask them to put it away.

Put the toothpaste away too. It contains flouride, which contrary to what your pediatrician will tell you, is poisonous. Visit flouridealert.org for more info.

This goes without saying, but never leave your kid in the bathtub alone. Not even for a second. Don't run to the phone. Don't run to your three year old. It can wait, or you can take the little one out of the tub.

A friend of our family had a two year old boy in the 1970's. She was playing outside with him when the phone rang in the house. She thought it wouldn't hurt to run in and answer it, and she only talked for a minute. When she came outside she couldn't find her son. He had wandered down to the creek and drowned. It only took a minute.

Burns can also be an issue in the bathroom. Always check the water before your kids get in. Don't assume it will be right. I have turned it on to the right temperature and had it fluctuate while the tub was filling up. Turn the thermostat on your water heater down so that kids can't scald themselves if they play with the knobs.

Put an anti-slip mat in the tub to prevent falls, and put a cover on the faucet to protect little heads from nasty bumps.

Don't store razors in the tub. Put them up in a cabinet after your shower.

Use a toilet lock to prevent Thomas the train from going swimming or even from Junior sampling the water. Hey a kid gets thirsty destroying your house!

The Bedrooms

The bedrooms are similar to the living room. Install outlet covers, and pay attention to curtains and blinds. Anti-tip brackets too. Kids like to climb into dresser drawers. Don't keep bedside lamps in a young child's room. They can burn themselves on the bulb, get tangled in the cord, or break it and cut themselves.

Use age-appropriate bedding and skip the bumper. Babies can get their faces trapped under them. Use the new breathable kind if your baby bumps his head.

Babygates

No two babygates are created equal. The wooden, tension mounted ones do an ok job, but they are a pain to constantly step over. These work well as temporary road blocks. If you need a permanent fix, such as for stairs, you may want to spend more and go for a metal gate that bolts into the wall with a section that swings open and locks. We have used a metal framed one with netting, thinking it would prevent head bumps. As you can see from the pic above, the netting was quickly ripped open. We have also tried plastic, which was also destroyed. Our gate works well, but just so you know, after about two years old, your kids will learn to open the lock himself.

Miscellaneous

Consider a home security system. We have a door chime I can hear anywhere in the house that lets me know when Caleb's decided to go walkabout. We also have vents on the window that will sound an alarm if it's moved. Now Gracie can sleep with the window open and I don't have to worry about the unthinkable.

Install a carbon minoxide detector in addition to smoke alarms. This is especially important if you have a woodstove.

Keep firearms unloaded and locked out of reach.Store the ammo separately!  Teach your kids to respect them.

If you have a pool, have an alarm installed to tell you when the water surface has been broken. Don't keep toys in the pool where kids will be tempted to reach for them.

Take an infant and child CPR and first aid course. These are available at community colleges and hospitals. Sometimes they're advertised as "safe sitter" courses.

Always follow the age guidelines when purchasing toys. If you have older kids, teach them to keep their toys away from the baby. They usually don't mind doing this. :)

Get your child's bloodwork done for lead screenings. Your house may not have lead paint, but toys from China do!

Consider replacing any interior doorknobs that lock. Caleb has locked himself in several rooms. If you still want privacy, install an eye-hook out of reach.

Keep pet food out of reach. We all have funny stories about eating dog food as a kid (what? you don't? this is embarrassing...) but it can harbor Salmonella. Our dog food was actually recalled last year. Have older kids wash their hands after they feed Fido.

Speaking of Fido, keep him up-to-date on shots and check-ups. He can harbor parasites that are transmissible to humans, such as pinworms.

Don't even bother with a cat.

Ok, if, like me, you live with psychos known as "cat people", keep them UTD as well and keep the litterbox locked away. It carries the risk of toxoplasmosis, an airborne disease caused by inhaling spores in cat feces.Rest assured, it's pretty uncommon in indoor-only cats as it's picked up by cats eating rodents.

Remember, cats will steal your baby's breath. Well, that's an old wives tale. But, there is a small grain of truth to it. Cats like warm bodies, and will climb in the crib to snuggle with baby and could lay on his head. Never, ever let your cat sleep in the room with your baby.

If you have any tips I left out, share them below! Next time I will cover how to keep your house safe from kids like mine.

Hitting Our Stride

Things are going really well right now. We've been pretty busy with quite a few activities and ongoing projects, and I feel like I've finally made it to where I want us to be- a place where "school" and life blend into one continuous learning adventure. Some people call this "unschooling", but I'm wary of that term as I think it evokes images of kids sitting around in pjs playing video games all day. I kind of think of it as "parenting on purpose". I'm doing everything I normally would as a parent- teaching my kids new skills, helping them find information, reading to them about interests. But instead of saying, "Yeah, in a minute, I just have to make one phone call...finish these dishes...fold some clothes... I commit the time to interact with them, and make sure they are learning, but in a relaxed, fun way.

We still have a set curriculum for Bible, Math, and Language Arts, but for everything else I've been going with a child-led approach. Right now Gracie is really interested in birds, so instead of trying to follow a curriculum about weather, we're learning about birds. She received a field guide for her birthday, and she reads it (voluntarily) all the time. Last week I sent her outside to play and she took it out with her so she could identify birds in our yard! We learned about Eastern bluebirds and compiled a book about them, and this past weekend Grammy took her to the Forsythe Wildlife Refuge where the Audubon society was doing a lecture on how to participate in a backyard bird count. Now we've moved onto owls. We're reading a bunch of good books about them, including one fictional story called "Owl Moon" by Jane Yolen about a young girl who takes a late night owl-walk with her dad. (Great book. Makes you feel all warm and fuzzy and full of wonder.) We'll also make an owl book and next week it's back to the Forsythe Refuge to dissect an owl pellet!

I also signed her up for a four-week pottery class. If anyone has ever tried to live vicariously through their kid, it's me with pottery right now. I have always wanted to try it, and a few years ago I looked all over for a class and couldn't find any. So when I heard about this one I signed her up without even asking her... I wanted to go! I knew she would love it though, and she has. She's made a pinch pot, a box with a lid, and a turtle. Next week she'll paint them all. And, as a bonus,the studio also has adult classes so I'm signing up for them :)

In addition she also attends a once-a-month class at the Wetlands Institute (I think I mentioned it before), weekly piano lessons, and we just started going to Bible study at another church. We love our church, but it's still growing and we really wanted the kids to be involved in some sort of mid-week program. We visited a few, had some encounters with former teachers *shudder* and finally found a good fit. Gracie already had a friend there, they have a group for Caleb and Luke, and Jeremiah and I can go to adult study at the same time. We help with nursery and Sunday school a lot at our church and sometimes we aren't able to sit through a message, so it's really been a blessing for us to just sit and listen.

So overall I'm really happy with the progress we've been making lately. It took a few months, but like I said, I feel like we've hit our stride. I think Gracie is getting a really well-rounded education. We learn the basics at home, and have had great opportunities to supplement with music and art classes, as well as field trips.The kids are able to interact with friends at classes and Bible study, so no worries about "socialization". Not that I really had any with my kids- they talk to everyone, everywhere!