Fall Homeschooling

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I think I hear about it much more often from others during spring. The beautiful weather, need-to-get-outside, distracted and can’t-get-school-work-done issue. But boy do we tend to have that at our house in the fall! In fact, some of our very best family memories are made in the fall. Those times we just take off for the outdoors or build our learning around the changing leaves.

See, the mosquitoes are a little more scarce, the temperatures are cooler. It’s beautiful outside and there are SO many wonderful things to do!

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So watch out, this is a big catch up sort of Collage Friday/Weekly Wrap because of our Art for All Ages 10 day series. In no particular order and in hodgepodge fashion…

Nature Walks – are the best part of fall homeschooling I think. Outside in God’s beautiful creation! We made our annual trip over to Cheaha State Park, Al. It’s the highest spot in our neighboring state. The trees reflecting in that beautiful lake make for awesome scenes (as shown in our top photo).

Hodgepodgedad took the day off, we packed a picnic and took off for the rolling hills. (Checking out the stream, above. And the younger two carry backpacks for their epipens wherever we go).

Local hikes – We also hiked around some giant boulders just down the road from us. It was a fun trek (and climb!) with our homeschool friends.

Plus, Nana helped us capture these fall walks in chalk pastels!

Pumpkin Patch – another Saturday we took a detour to the local pumpkin patch to select a favorite for our front step. We didn’t know they’d have a hay ride! We got to see a deer scamper across the field. And we also took home a bag full of pink lady apples – a favorite!

Afternoons for History and Science – we are studying the early 1800s with Tapestry of Grace. The Star Spangled Banner, the War of 1812 and more. One of our favorites was watching the movie Amazing Grace – the story of William Wilberforce. We’ve also been continuing our Apologia Marine Biology studies – whales, seals, walruses, sea lions, manatees – oh my!

Evening learning – All the boys of the family gathered around a couple nights a week. Evening Lessons with Hodgepodgedad (Homeschool Programming Kid Coder and Teen Coder). Review coming!

Cold Snap and Firewood means Homeschool PE – one lunch time in the last week we spent stacking firewood in prep for the big cold blast. Then, of course, a fire in the fireplace makes it cozy and comfy to do our lessons close by. (please note the transitional fashion of socks with sandals).

A fun family read aloud –  We are having the best time in the evenings as Hodgepodgedad reads 

aloud – complete with accents and voices! And it won’t be long – just a few weeks until we start our advent reading of the Jotham’s Journey trilogy. This year we are reading Bartholomew’s Passage again.

Celebrations – Destination Birthdays! A friend had a birthday and invited Lil’ Buddy for A Day Out with Thomas! At the very same park…

The friends also got to explore tanks and planes from wars of the 20th century.

Last week we enjoyed lunch at Chickfila with our fellow homeschooling church friends. All organized, with many thanks, by our preschool and children’s ministers!

Taking Care of Those with Allergies – Lil’ Buddy had an egg allergy challenge last week. That’s french toast soaking in egg, above. We were very much hopeful that we might be able to start enjoying food with egg baked in it (e.g., muffins, pancakes, breads, cookies). He ended up not eating that but the allergist added egg protein powder to yogurt. He reacted on the first dose and they were ready. He received Benadryl and was watched under close care for two hours. We do know what and how to avoid what he is allergic to. But we also know that he can eat many things without egg and nuts.

We also edited Littlest Girl’s Saxon Math 2 for allergy friendliness. Thanks SunButter®!

Family weekends and worship – We had a regular sort of Sunday where everyone sat on the pew together for little while! Littlest Girl was singing in big church with her children’s choir. Usually Hodgepodgedad and Eldest Boy are out and about the church doing computer and server maintenance. Then they run the sound and lighting for the second service. And one weekend evening we had them all piled up watching Veggie Tales.

Continuing education for mom and dad – Oh! and I never got to share with you that Hodgepodgedad and I attended Blogging Concentrated right here in Atlanta a few weekends ago. Guess who we shared a table with? Yes, Collage Friday hostess Mary Prather of Homegrown Learners and her husband Hal (top photo). This time of learning was like iBlog times 10! Plus it was such fun to be with these fellow blogging friends (like Lacy of Catholic Icing there in the bottom right photo). I highly recommend Blogging Concentrated – which may just be in a city near you.

Of course all the regularly scheduled subjects continued on. Boy am I grateful for Teaching Textbooks for my older three. Sure makes things more enjoyable for all of us all around! Whew!

News? Our Sunday Savings cookbook (how to save $1500 a year eating Sunday dinner at home + recipes) is amongst these great ebooks in this week’s Kitchen Essentials bundle! We also have a Christmas chalk pastels ebook coming very soon! More on that next week. We’re so excited to share!

Many thanks to our Friday hostesses!

• Collage Friday with Mary at Home Grown Learners
• Weekly Wrap-Up with Kris at Weird, Unsocialized Homeschoolers
• Homeschooling High School with Connie at The Daisy Head

Now that was one, big catch up after three weeks! Busy, blessed, challenged, stretched, loved and soaking up fall. How about you?