Fall: Apples and Pumpkins, Oh My!
In New England it is a tradition to go apple picking, and we definitely take the opportunity to enjoy this tradition. We think that it is really important that the kids see how apples grow and experience picking them on their own. We love the beauty of the foliage and the apple orchard, too. We wouldn’t miss the chance to make memories like these! If you can, try this out with your family.
Since I knew that we were going to the orchard, we started talking about apples and pumpkins a few weeks ago. In anticipation of our favorite season, we attempted to grow pumpkins in our garden this year. I’m not sure that we will ever get pumpkins, but the flowers on the plants did bloom. We have great plans to follow up on this trip, too.
Apples:
- We will bake an apple pie together. All of that measuring, pouring, peeling, and cutting is great for kinesthetic and tactile learners to learn about math and science.
- We’ll cut an apple in half along the equator. There is a star shape in the middle of the apple. We’ll use that as a stamp with paint.
- We will learn about what oxidization is by cutting an apple and watching the color change.
- We will also read the book, How to Make an Apple Pie and See the World, and make a lapbook to go along with it.
Pumpkins:
- Of course we will carve our pumpkins. This is a great kinesthetic and tactile learning experience. We will learn what the seeds are like inside the pumpkin, and see if one pumpkin has more seeds than another. After we’ve cleaned the seeds, we will group them by 10’s to count them. We’ll roast them, too.
- We have the book called Pumpkins by Ken Robbins. It has beautiful photographs of pumpkins. It tells how pumpkins are grown and gives some information about how they tie into the season.
- We will bake pumpkin pies with fresh pumpkins. (Pies made with roasted pumpkins are so tasty!) This is another opportunity to teach math and science.
If you have never gone to an orchard during the fall, I encourage you to look into it. It is worth the experience!
Filed under Lesson Plans | Comments (3)Family Traditions
My family has survived planning and hosting yet another birthday bash - this time for a two year old. We really had a great time at the party, though! This whole process got me thinking about family traditions. We are a relatively young family, and we’re still developing our family traditions. I can’t help but think of one of the many talks that I have heard at Mom-to-Mom, a local ministry for mothers, about this very topic. Jo-Anne, the administrator, has spoken about how families form traditions and create memories along the way. I hope that the traditions that my family establishes now will make a life time of memories! There are a few family traditions that we have established that are worth mentioning.
Fall is our favorite season, and every fall my family goes to Stowe, VT to see the foliage. My husband and I actually started this tradition when we got married as we went there for our honeymoon weekend. We just love visiting this quaint town and taking some time to enjoy God’s creation. The cooler weather is great for hiking and biking. We love the slower pace of the area, too. We also take our family apple and pumpkin picking in the fall. We have a particular farm we visit every year that has animals and great picking. It is also centrally located so that many other families can join us. I love how the kids see the reality of where their food comes from. I love watching them try to find the best fruit and how they love climbing high up with Daddy. My father and nephew also join us on the adventure. The kids eat apples in the wagon and we scurry to finish filling the bags. My dad loves the apple pie there, too! We spend time baking and freezing our apples, too.
Then there are Christmas traditions that we are trying to build. I must say that we have not perfected the Christmas season like we have the fall season! We do pick out our Christmas tree at the same place every year. I never had a live tree growing up, so I really want this for my own family. We also take our extended families to church with us for Christmas performances and on Christmas Eve. We have tried several scenarios for Christmas day, and when it works out perfectly, I’ll let you know! One tradition that I am trying to keep is to read the Christmas story together every year. I have the complete story printed out in a little booklet so no one has to leaf through the Bible to find the scriptures. I think that this act speaks volumes about what Christmas is actually about, the birth of our Lord and savior, Jesus Christ.
That brings me to the birthday traditions that are so important to me and the whole reason for this particular post. Birthdays are a celebration of life, and I really want my family to feel like we are living life to its fullest. For every birthday I bake a cake related to the theme of the party. I am not a trained pastry chef. I have never taken a cake decorating class. I use a box mix for the cake, but the decorating is the part that I spend time on. I think that the cake is the most memorable part of the party for kids. I want my children to remember that Mommy made the cakes that they wanted. It is an expression of my love. I also want the children to be surrounded by their closest family and friends. A birthday only comes once a year, and I want each child to feel like a star on that day! We try to do everything possible to make that happen. The parties are carefully planned with the components that each child wants included. I try to get extended family involved in the party in some way, too. My dear husband also takes millions of photos to commenmorate the day. This particular party had a garden theme. My dad and I made homemade games to fit the theme: butterfly bowling, pin-the-petal on the flower, catch the bubble, paint a butterfly magnet, & garden hopscotch. Kids filled their own goody bags with bugs, flower rings, and/or ladybug stickers after playing each game. I made a flower shaped cake out of cupcakes, and the kids decorated their cupcakes. The day was fun for us and the kids. I know that we made some very special memories at that party and in preparation for the party.
Family traditions are special since they provide activities that involved the entire family. Everyone looks forward to (or dreads, I suppose!) those special traditions. Traditions also define your family, so when your children look back on their growing up years, they will remember those times the most - even if they don’t continue those same traditions. Make a few memories this year!
Why Homeschool?
My hubby and I were watching the season finale of “So You Think You Can Dance”. (I am so incredibly behind on my tv shows these days, and thanks to Tivo I am catching up). Nigel Lithgoe was dancing with a group of children, and there was some genuine camaraderie between him and the children. I began reminiscing about my days as a classroom teacher. That particular moment reminded me of what I had always wanted as a teacher - to have a group of kids that I truly felt a special bond with. I wanted to be one of those teachers who changed the world one group of kids at a time like the teacher in the movie Stand and Deliver. Nigel’s moment with those kids stirred that memory for me for some reason. Why did I let that go?
In the middle of my dreamy state I realized that I have something better than that kind of experience now. Instead of bonding with someone else’s children for just one school year, I have my own children to bond with for a lifetime. Instead of being limited to a certain curriculum and schedule, I can decide with my children what we will learn about. (Yes, I do mean “we”. I learn along side of my children.) We can take our time to learn. I can take my kids on field trips to any place that I feel is educationally worthy. And in the middle of it all, I am able to spend time with my children. I am making memories with them, and I am enjoying them while they are young. I am influencing my children. I am giving them the greatest gift I can think of - the love of Jesus. Why wouldn’t I homeschool them?!
My struggle with the idea of home education is that sometimes it feels like a burden to me. Being the parent and being the teacher is a lot of responsibility. Deciding on our curriculum is a big responsibility. Staying organized and committed to doing work every day is difficult. The burden of explaining why I am homeschooling and how my children benefit from home education makes me uneasy. Then I read about everything happening in California with homeschooling and read up on the presidential candidates’ opinions of home education, and I get overwhelmed. Why would I homeschool my children?!
When I see myself doubting, I have to remember what I want for my family. I want my children to love God and to feel loved. I want my children to have great memories from their growing up years. I want my children to grow closer to each other. I want my children to have positive role models and to be safe at school. I want my children to know their parents and see how we navigate life in this fallen world yet still love Jesus. Who else can give them that? Why wouldn’t I homeschool?
My little pep talks usually get me back on track.
I think again about my goals for my children. I remember how I know that my children imitate me - whether the behavior is good or bad - and they imitate people they look up to. I want to be the model that they follow, not someone else who does not have a lifetime invested in them. I want to be the person they ask about the big questions in life, not someone else who doesn’t understand our values. I know that teachers have the best intentions and do wnat what they think is the best for their students. However, they are employees of the school system they work in. They have to comply with the school’s goals. They want the best for my children, but they are not my children’s parents. They will not care nearly as much about my children’s well-being as I do despite their best intentions. Why wouldn’t I homeschool?
My head spins when I think again about the responsibility. It would be easier for me to allow the schools to educate my children, and if we need something, then I would be able to say that the school has to help us. As a homeschooler, I have to be more vigilant about my children’s needs and take a different role than a typical mother. Talk about intimidating! Then I remember that I do not have to go it alone. God is ultimately in charge, and if I believe, I will see Him do the impossible. (Jeremiah 32:27) I do not have to educate my children on my own. God is right here. Nothing is impossible for God! I can offer my life as a living sacrifice (Romans 12:1) and watch Him do the rest! Why wouldn’t I homeschool?
I can be like the teacher in “Stand and Deliver”. I can have that special bond with my own children and change the world one group of kids at a time. Why wouldn’t I homeschool?
Filed under Homeschooling Life | Comment (1)Motherhood: Long Days, Short Years
Tonight is a monumental event in our house. We have taken down the crib, and everyone is now in a “big kid” bed for the first time. They have been eager to make this move, and my nearly two year old sped up the process by climbing out of the crib. This is an exciting moment for the children, but a sad one for Mommy. Besides the fact that switching sleeping arrangements tends to undo all of our hard work to make bed time go smoothly, now I don’t have a baby in my house. No more swaddling, rocking, and soothing. No one completely adores me just for being me. This is a particularly difficult change for me.
I am watching my babies grow up so fast. Someone told me that motherhood is full of long days and short years. This statement didn’t make sense to me when I was on the cusp of motherhood with a baby growing inside of me, but now that I am on the front lines of motherhood, I find that it is so very true. Things change at lightning speed with children, yet they need constant repetition to learn those important lessons. The mundane things that are so much a part of mothering seem to overwhelm us and prevent us from taking a step back to see the whole picture. We often keep our noses to the grind stone and forget to look up to see what is happening right now.
Then there are moments that make us take notice, like tonight. My little one was nervous about sleeping in a toddler bed, so my four year old said, “Just remember that I am always here. (They share a room.) Mommy is always here. Daddy is always here. And remember this…God is always with you. All you have to do is pray. You are safe and sound.” My heart just melted! Yes, all of that repetition, all of the hard work, all of that prayer is paying off! Someone - my dear God - is listening to me. “Thank you, God, for the encouragement! Tonight I desperately needed it.”
My kids have finally settled down to sleep after much fuss about the new sleeping situation. (It took both of us to settle them down and figure out that the little one only needed a new diaper and not comfort. Go figure!) Now I am going to take a deep breath, take a sip of my cup of memories, and enjoy the fact that my babies are growing up in amazing ways. I will always have the memories of my babies, but now they are blossoming into people who love each other and, most of all, who love God. How incredible is that!
Filed under Homeschooling Life | Comment (0)Blueberries for Homeschoolers
Homeschoolers, are you looking for a family afternoon activity this month? August is blueberry season! It is really a short season, so get out there and pick some blueberries! We had such a great time when we went blueberry picking the other day. We learned a few things about blueberries along the way, and that has inspired us to use that as a theme for learning.
While we were picking, the children discovered that blueberries grow on bushes, and ripe blueberries are blue. Don’t pick the green ones! Smaller blueberries are sweeter than the bigger ones. We also learned that it takes a long time to fill a two quart container. It’s fun to sample a few blueberries while you pick, too! It was such a special afternoon for our family to spend together. We were able to just chat about the happenings in our life. We laughed and played in and amongst the bushes. It is an experience that I will treasure because of the memories I hope we are creating for our children.
We also borrowed the book Blueberries for Sal by Robert McCloskey on cd. I read the book to the kids, and they listened to it on cd several times. This is really a charming book that the kids really enjoy. This book is inspiration for the other things that we will learn and do together. (That’s another blog post on the way!) I think that having the experience of blueberry picking helps the children make connections to the story while we read and ultimately understand a little more about the book.
I hope you take advantage of the short blueberry season!
Homemade Puzzles
Here is another great idea for extra photos for those of you who have boxes lying around your house like I do. Let’s make some puzzles! You and the kids can make a few memories while practicing fine motor coordination and working on spacial relation skills. It is also a great rainy day activity.
This project is so simple and really fun for the kids. This particular project was done with preschool kids. Older kids can help you make the puzzles for the younger kids. All you need is scissors, a pen, baggies, photos, and a little time to spend with the kiddos reminiscing. I gave the kids a pile of photos to choose from. Then I cut the photos into two, three, or four parts. I marked the back of each puzzle piece with a number (or you could use a color instead) to distinguish between the different puzzles and put the individual puzzles into baggies (or envelopes if you like). You can also make old Christmas and birthday cards into puzzles. Once the holiday is over, you can still enjoy the cards. You will reignite memories every time you put together your homemade puzzles!
Personalized puzzles are more fun than the ones that you buy in the store, and if one gets lost, it isn’t a big loss. Try out this rainy day idea with your kids and see how much fun it can be!
Dance, Music, Memories
My family loves music and dancing, so I incorporate both into our school day as much as possible. We are always singing, and I can’t stop dancing! I guess we have a rockin’ home school!
Dancing is a great way of burning some energy on days when we are stuck inside. In order to make things a little more interesting, this past week we went to the library and borrowed some great dance music. We listened just for fun a couple of times first. Then on a day when we were stuck inside, I put on some Latin music and taught the kids the basic step for salsa. We danced for about 20 minutes. It was a really great workout for me and loads of fun for the kids!
What is it about music that brings such joy? “Let them praise his name with dancing and make music to him with tambourine and harp.” (Psalm 149:3) God created music for us, and He wants to sing and dance to praise Him. Why not enjoy this gift with your children? It is so uplifting to move your body, so when you and the kids are in a sour mood, try putting on your favorite tunes, and dance up a storm!
Dancing is a great way to enhance your physical education program as well. Starting a unit on dance will change things up a little bit, and maybe your children’s coordination will improve in the process. It is always great when you can take part in the activities that your children engage in, so learn some different dances together, especially ones that will come in handy at weddings and the like. You can also study the different cultures that the dances come from.
Music plays an integral part in dancing as well. You can teach your children about the rhythm, the particular instruments used in the music, and a little about music theory (if you can get your hands on a copy of the sheet music). Learning about the particular style of music opens a window into a culture, too. You can also study the lives of different musicians or composers known for a certain type of music. Maybe you have a budding musician or composer in your home!
Families all have something that makes them special and unique. In my family growing up dancing was that something special. My mother always wanted to be a dancer, so dancing was her passion. I have great memories of dancing with my mom. We laughed and had so much fun. It was just something that defined my family, and I cherish those memories today. Why not make a few memories with your kids?
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