Wild Life

There have been a couple of times this week that I've wanted to take pictures, but just couldn't seem to find my camera. Well, this morning I asked Mara if she knew where it was. She said (a bit sheepishly) "Oh, yeah, it's in my Diego explorer backpack. I was taking pictures of wildlife." This is one of pictures that she took.

Today, we did P.E. at the park. I was aiming to get the majority of Gabe's work in before we left, but the kids were just getting too crabby and needed to get out of the house. That's one of the challenges of homeschooling with smaller, less self-sufficient kids in the home. I find it's best just to roll with what comes and sometimes break up the school day.
At the park we had a soccer match and ran a couple of drills. Afterwards they played at the park. For Bible lesson we read Genesis chapter 19:1-29. This is the chapter when the angels destroy Sodom and Gomorrah. Lot' wife is turned into a pillar of salt because she looks behind to see the city as it is destroyed.
Gabe also did math flashcards. We still have to do Spelling, Language Lesson, Phonics, Writing, and Math. It sounds like a lot, but is actually kind of fun and passes by quickly. Yesterday we did our usual lessons, plus we read a chapter out of a book about anacondas.

I am realizing that there are so many teaching opportunities during the day that go beyond book learning. For example today when we got home from the park, we had chicken salad sandwiches and a fruit of their choice. We were able to talk about what types of food are protein; and how we need protein to build muscle and fresh fruits and vegetables to give us vitamins and energy. This led into lots more questions of course about muscles and bones. Tomorrow we'll go to the library and check out some new books. I think I'll pick some up on nutrition as well.

This is what homeschooling looked like today: unkempt but productive. I asked the kids if they wanted to draw while I read to them Chapter 15 of Genesis. The drawing turned into painting and stamping. So I read to them and asked them questions along the way. Today we read about God establishing his covenant with Abram and then changing his name to Abraham. When I asked them what Abram's new name was Mara exclaimed, "Hamabram!" In this chapter God also tells 99-year-old Abraham that he would have a child in a year and naturally Abraham laughs. When I told the kids that that was like Great Grandma and Grandpa Eikum having a baby they laughed.


Gabe and I did addition flashcards, Spelling, Phonics, 2 Math worksheets, Language Lessons, and Writing. I am really enjoying our writing book by Susan Wise Bauer. She uses excerpts of classical literature for copy work and narration exercises. At night Aaron is reading "The Voyage of the Dawn Treader" by C.S. Lewis to Eve and Gabe. I think he and I enjoy it sometimes more than the kids.

St. Patrick's Day crafts

Today the kids cut out hearts that I traced and glued them into the shapes of shamrocks. We talked about how St. Patrick used the shamrock to help the Irish understand the Trinity.

We also read chapter 15 of Genesis while they continued to decorate their shamrock pictures with colored pencils. We're slowly making our way through Genesis. I read to them and then after I ask them questions about what we read. It's amazing what they retain. Mara remembered that God told Abram that He would be Abram's shield. I'm happy to teach the kids about God's character. Sometimes the job of teaching our kids about the things that God has done seems overwhelmingly complicated. Then I read to them a little from the bible and I realize that's the most important part. In 7th grade, my teacher Mrs. Utting, told us that reading the bible is important even if you don't understand it. She asked us if we could remember what we had for breakfast and said that it doesn't matter if we can remember what it was, it still nourishes our bodies. I remember thinking then that I would start to read the Bible to my children when they were still babies.

The picture with "St. Patrick's Day" written in purple crayon is Mara's. We've been working on her writing and she's doing very well.