School Year to Date

I take photos of school activities and household happenings pretty often.  Unfortunately they usually float to the bottom of the black hole that is my phone's memory or if lucky enough to be downloaded to the computer, just another black hole to call home.

So I'm trying to work up to posting more on my blog.  It really is my favorite hobby and actually therapeutic at times.  So why do I avoid it?!  Probably like a lot of things in my life, my perfectionism gets the best of me and I don't know where to start.  If it won't be "perfect", why try?  Well talking it over with Matthew (my hubby) tonight, the new direction is just jumping in with something.  Last year my New Year's Resolution was "Something is Better Than Nothing".

Tonight seems like a good night to blog so the winning idea is a quick overview of our home school year so far.  We have been using My Father's World's Rome to the Reformation curriculum for history and science.  Just added art this semester using Big Books of Things to Draw from Usborne Books.  And field trips are always a welcome addition!  Now to walk down memory lane.

Jello "cells" for science

Hard at work on clay mosaics

Field trip to Roper Mountain Science Center

Gotta teach the preschoolers about the color wheel.  I always love doing this because making a mess is part of the process and then the colors turn and the kids are amazed!

Family field trip to our state capitol.

This is where state law is made, people!

No senator or congressman this cute in the SC State House.

The Corinthian columns were awe-inspiring in person and fit perfectly in our ancient Roman history lessons.

That's my bunch.

Family field trip included a hotel pool.  Can we call that home school P.E.?

EdVenture added to our study of the human body.

They are inside Eddie's head!!

Learning about our insides.

Preschool mind at work.

Our school room after Christmas vacation.  All tidy to welcome us back after a few weeks off.

I decided to take birthdays off this year.  Well public schools got this day off too!

The birthday boy was glad to receive snow as a present from Jesus.

Our first attempt at art... doodling with paint and ink!  Not bad for some amateurs.

Preschool math.

We've only had this for a year on a shelf!  Let me just saw WOW!  We are having a blast learning Spanish.

"Stained glass" coloring sheets. 

We have our own Medieval church window!

And our own Medieval castle!

Complete with court jester.

Winter sports involve Upward basketball.  We cheer for #4!

And the cheerleading program has been great fun for our girls.

More preschool math!!!

Food is always a great part of school.  Chopsticks lessons from Daddy for...

homemade shrimp fried rice to go along with learning about ancient Japan.

Seeing a group of photos like this strung together is always encouraging to me.  We are giving our children a well-rounded, quality education.  Days when there is abundant whining and arguing, I almost second guess our decision.  But then the Lord reminds me that He has called us to this and just because it is hard, that doesn't mean we've chosen the wrong path.  God first and family second.  I can definitely say those are two elements of our home school education and I wouldn't trade it for the world.