All That a Sunday Should Be

We had a really wonderful Autumn Summer day today. We attended Mass at a different parish to share in the celebration of Baptism of a new baby in our homeschool family of friends. Then we met up with some other friends and headed to the apple orchard.

 After picking and tasting some yummy apples, we headed to the play area for an afternoon of fun.

We ended the day with a lovely backyard cookout at our friends' home.

Mmm! S'mores!
My cutie patootie god-daughter in her precious apple outfit!

The boys learned how to play "Red Rover"

 

It was such a fun day... so nice to spend the day relaxing and enjoying family and friends. This is what Sundays should be!

Thank you God for family and friends and days to spend relaxing and enjoying your creation and one another. We bask in the glory of your creation and we give thanks for all your good gifts. Amen.

Some Recent School Projects

Time flies when you're busy with lots of learning. Here are a few of our recent school projects ---

 

 

Seasons Flap Books

 

 

 

Seasons of an Apple Tree Painting Project

 

(Yes --- they always take their shirts off when we paint!)

Adam "read" a 304 page book!

It took him several weeks and he needed lots of help,

but he was determined to read this great big book... and he did!

Practicing Sight Words and Spelling Words with Sidewalk Chalk

 



Learning About Lines and Creating Line Art

 



We've also recently wrapped up our Ancient Greece unit, learned number words and season names in Spanish, read American Tall Tales, reviewed basic elements of music, and written letters to our pen pals. We're finally settled into a pretty good school routine.... working hard and learning lots.

'Tis the Season...

Soccer Season!

 

 

The boys are again playing in a rec center league. This year they are on the same team... The Flyers! They had their first game today... actually a double header. They tied the first game 0-0. They won the second game 2-0.  The weather was great and they enjoyed playing. We can't wait for more soccer action over the next six weeks.

 

 



Ancient Greece

We're knee deep into a study of Ancient Greece. I must confess that I am learning as much as the boys. I honestly don't remember learning this stuff. Ever. It's been interesting and fun.

This is our "Mount Olympus" ... right on top of our TV. ;)
We've read the stories of the gods and goddesses and then made
stand-up cards with coloring pictures on the front and information on the back.

Ray's Grecian Urn
Watercolor and Sharpie
The picture shows Zeus petting Gloria.

Adam's Grecian Urn
Gloria and Mari are fighting in the middle.

Last night we had a "Greek dinner" ... sort of. ;) Not gyros and baklava exactly. We just had the boys taste some foods that come from Greece. We had white grape juice, almonds, olives, hummus, pita bread, Greek yogurt, and Greek pizza (with feta, zucchini, tomatoes, and olives).

 

 

Check out this "Greek cutie" complete with olive branch wreath!

Ray's favorite part of our "Greek" meal was the chicken nugget kebab.

For dessert we followed a recipe found in one of our school books and made "honey fritters."

Some Greek writing

 

Next week we'll be learning more about Alexander the Great, the Parthenon, the Olympics, and Greek Myths.

Young Entrepreneurs

The boys and I were sitting on the couch finishing up some reading for school at about lunch time on Monday. Through the open windows we heard the local high school marching band rehearsing. The boys asked if they could take their musical instruments outside and have their own marching band. That sounded like a good idea to me.

So out they went. I began preparing lunch. Ray came in to look for a hat. I was impressed that they were really getting into this. Through the window I saw and heard them making music. How nice. After a few minutes I went outside to see if I could join their band. Somehow the marching band seemed quite stationary.

When I inquired about the band, I was told that they were not actually a marching band. They had decided to become street performers! The hat was laid on the sidewalk so that people could put money in it!

I laughed and played along, getting some change and dropping it in the hat.

 

 

I went back inside and within a few minutes Jon was standing in the kitchen with quite a funny look on his face. He had come home early for lunch only to find his children peddling for money on the street. We laughed so hard! He of course had to question my homeschool methods (in a joking way). He gave them some money.

 

They persisted. Really, they were engaged with this endeavor for quite awhile! There were no passersby in the middle of the day on our residential street. However, they went back out after lunch and then my mom pulled up for a visit! She gave them more money!

 

After dinner, Adam was back at it again! He knew that my friend Becky was coming to pick me up for a meeting. He waited there and played his music. Sure enough, he got some change from her as well.

It would have been funny.... if it had ended there. However, the next morning I was awakened at 7:00am with Adam asking if he could go outside and "street perform." :) He wanted to "get the kids walking to school and the people out exercising." I spared them and the neighbors! When I told him no, Ray suggested that they sell things. He said to Adam, "Let's go down and see how many apples we have. We could sell those!"

Although I love seeing a budding entreprenurial spirit, I've squelched the performing and selling of goods on our front lawn.... for now.

A few days before this incident, Adam initiated a chore chart system for our house. We drew up some chore charts and negotiated terms for their first allowances. So far, so good. I asked Adam why he's so interested in money all of a sudden. What is it he wants to buy? New Wii games. Sigh!!!

"Mommy and Daddy"

It's us.... Lego us!

By Adam

 

 

I love this for many reasons,

not the least being that I am skinnier than Jon for once!

:)