Fall doesn't slow us down

Ahhhhh.... waking up to fog, cool temperatures and such lovely colors bursting all around us! As usual for us, we're still exploring the outside as much as possible. Getting out in the rain or fog, enjoying some hot cocoa and hot soups. Fall is my favorite season indeed!

We enjoyed a happy afternoon in the pouring rain. I really appreciate that I can share my love of the rain with my kids. It's true - I think I liked it a lot more when I wasn't the mom trying to keep everyone warm, keep the mud off the floor or off the car, but still, rain holds a certain amount of appeal that I just must share with my littles. 

We've also spent mornings bundled up but determined none the less to enjoy being outside! 

The fog feels wonderful with a cup of hot something. I'm in the mood for cider!

With all this cool weather... we're enjoying soups a lot more. Yum!

Soup isn't the only thing we're enjoying.... I'm feeling in the mood to declutter my home! 

Look at all that SPACE .... and I really don't care at all to fill it. 

Sigh...... What's next? Hmm.. I think a day like today calls for fresh warm bread and some loud music dancing around my living room with kids. 

What's in the journal?

As previously posted, its obvious we have seen some awesome things every Tuesday! It's a weekly ritual that we have done for 6 weeks in the sun, heat, wind or in last weeks case.. rain!

What are we learning? That's easy. Ask my kids. Since you might not be near them at the moment... here is a peak into the amazing journal from my 5 year old :

We have had so much fun and learned so much this past month! 

Ready? Set. EXPLORE!

Ahhhhhhhh... I cannot believe over 6 weeks of 'school' has gone by. Where oh where did that time go? Well, every Tuesday has been absolutely fantastic in this house - or more accurately - not in the house at all! We are exploring nature as our science/community exploration curriculum this year.

I bought some great books that I read through to give me some ideas, but mostly, we just allow our children to explore and find their own wonder in life around them. 

Our school calendars reflect our adventures even.... 

So what exactly do we DO? Well.... first off, we come prepared. Our girls have back packs. Each of them is responsible for keeping their own lunch and water bottles, then for our walks we also have each of them with a journal and a pencil box each. The pencil boxes have crayons, scissors for trimming a leaf or two respectfully, and glue to glue in feathers, leaves and other debris they collect. It's perfect!

We usually try to be up and in the car by 9:30. It's actually worked out great!

Some of our best moments are explained best not by words, but photos.. 

I think Moose really thought he was going to catch a goose. 

Daunika learning about how to count how old a tree stump is. 

Even Declan has a nature journal. Why not? He absolutely participates right along with us in his own way!

A lot of the time is spent just sitting and writing, drawing, gluing feathers in this case. 

And well... more time is spent like this!

We've explored with friends and family...

And have seen some amazing peaceful animals... 

And have seen some pretty neat colored bugs! 

More in next blog post....... Part 2 coming! 

Exploring: Valley Ride Bus System

Several years ago in Seattle, my darling family decided to enjoy a day with Grandma Leslie (my husbands mom) and we took the bus system. It was a great day. We explored Pike Place Market, little shops and fun stuff - but that day, Daunika did not remember anything but the BUS! Ever since that trip, she has wanted to ride on the bus system again.

Boise hasn't had a great bus system long. It's fairly new and I'm not the most familiar with buses - in fact, I found it a bit unnerving thinking about taking my kiddos by myself on a bus trip when I don't have a lot of experience with routes and all that jazz. But surprisingly, it came back quickly and I remember loving riding the bus when I was younger myself.

Yesterday we decided to spur of the moment take the bus down town. Originally we had planned to take the bus to our Nature Walk Tuesday - our science exploration this year, but instead we decided to join Damon for a trip to city hall! He needed to go down to city planning again and we decided to tag along :)

We drove down not far at all and waited for our bus!

We sat at the very back of the bus and the kids were thrilled!!! 

Exploring City Hall was pretty fun too! 

Fabulous picture of toddler wearing :) 

Going inside! 

Why must my kid find the most dangerous thing in the plaza to gravitate to? 

Much better!

And a picnic lunch on the steps of city hall before we catch the bus home. Fun!! 

On the way home we learned - don't eat on the bus, whoops. And Moose slept like a baby the whole way home!

It was fantastic and I can't wait to do it again. I think using our bus system will be a regular thing. I want our kids to become familiar with it and utilize it as they gain independence. My husband and I both were allowed to ride the city buses at young ages (compared to driving age), and we are confident our children will be doing the same! 

I am already planning where to go next! 

Would you like a Cookie?

Cookies. 

Yes. Cookies. I think they are a staple for childhood don't you? I think there is so much fun to be had with little ones helping make something they really want and I love the memories that I get to create with them. Of course, we cook normal food - but cookies are funner! 

Here are my awesome happy helpers! 

Start out by creaming the butter and sugar together. We use NO electronics while making cookies - its all muscle power! 

Daunika has been working really hard at cracking eggs. 

 This time, she wasn't successful with the second egg. It was REALLY devastating to her and I just happen to have the camera in rapid picture mode to catch this moment on camera. Poor kid. 

 But, when you fall off a horse you get right back on. I specifically cleaned it up quickly without much fuss and handed her another as if nothing had happen. I think she was waiting for me to scold her for the mess... but I just didn't care. She was worried enough, why add grief? 

The third egg was perfect just like the first :) 

Moose stirred the eggs in! 

 Of course - Moose helps in special ways... He eats hand fulls of chocolate chips when I turn away. 

 And I cannot believe I caught him. No, I didn't let him eat it, but the silly kid tried several times! Goober. 

But all is well when you can pack these in your lunches, send them with Damon when he works and eat them warm with a cup of milk. Yum :)

Gratitude and Grumpiness.

I am grumpy today. 

I was ungrateful for my moments shared today. 

I was not practicing what I wanted to show others. 

*SIGH* ... I think this might mean I am human? Darn it. I knew I would have that come up again. This morning I just didn't want to get out of bed. In fact, I think I considered how I could make the world swallow me whole. I worried "Am I depressed?", and if I am how could I clearly see it? 

I think I have determined - I just need to let my principles into my practices better. Nothing is wrong that cannot be easily over come. My marriage is solid, I love my husband passionately and I feel loved completely. My children are happy and healthy - and they know they are unconditionally loved by their parents. My faith is strong and my path is bright. My business is blooming and booming all at once. I have much to be grateful for. 

We have a tradition in our home. We say our 'Thank Yous". Before each meal, instead of a prayer, we take a moment to each say what we are thankful for. Something meaningful and relevant. This is a tradition I love. Even our little man signs and says "Thank you" when asked "Declan are you thankful?". It's darling really. As I listened to my children think of their thank yous tonight over grilled cheese and smoothies - I realized that I hadn't been a great model to them today. I was a grump. I was rude to my husband, I was cranky with my kids, I was just not nice. 

I had reasons, sure. I was stressed because our car broke last night and today we had to spend an unexpected 200 dollars on it. Of course, it didn't break down until 11 pm last night and I made a mistake which doubled the time in helping my dear exhausted husband get home to rest. I was upset that after so much training, others were choosing to do poorly in their work and their integrity was seriously lacking. I was sad because I attended a family church event yesterday and watched others dance with their hubbies while I longed to just hug mine for a moment in day light. I was sad that I missed church today because I really wanted to go. 

Small things on a global scale, really. 

So what were my thank yous tonight at dinner? 

I had such a hard time verbalizing what I failed to say all day. I was thankful for everything! I was so stinkin thankful for the wonderful husband who worked so hard to give our family everything we want and need. I felt loved and humbled that he wanted to spend his day with me and it filled my soul. I was thankful for my happy goofy kids that made messes and got into mischief. I was thankful for my creative spirit and our great budgeting system that allowed our car to be fixed immediately! I'm so grateful for the ability to hunker down and read some really important books this summer. I grew immensely and feel fabulous. 

I am filled with gratitude. 

First week of our school year!

I have no cheeky pictures with my kids all dressed up with back packs and standing waiting for a bus, or piled into a carpool... Our week was not filled with new routines, new set ups - but more a gentle flow of questions, answers, explorations and fun!

Aurora is working on writing. She is very motivated to learn to write like her older sister. She has several work books and focuses very hard on writing. I love seeing her dedication and internal motivation!

We started last week with a trip to the library. The library offers our children wonder, knowledge of anything and everything. And sure enough - they came home and read for a long time!!

As part of our goals before the end of the year - we want to have our kids know the seasons and the months of the year. Mostly Daunika, but Aurora really loves singing along with us and I firmly believe you teach to the older and the younger kids WILL learn right along with them!

Daunika understands that the days fit into months, and she understands there are 7 days of the week before the week restarts - but she was trying to figure out what a year was, how one month moved to another. So, together we made some Month tags on the wall and when it's visual as a reminder it seems to help so much. To help cement the concept - we made a Family Timeline together!!

This was a great project because the girls got to cut, glue, choose colors, hang up things on the wall, and recognize the different things in life they understood about our family.

First the girls got to make the year markers along the timeline. It was great for them to See all the years their parents have been together. Our family started with Damon and myself. So - our timeline starts in 2000.

Then the kids created tags of life events - these included things like "Mom and Dad met each other" "Mommy and Daddy got married!" "Our cat was adopted" "________ was born!"... etc. They loved this project!

And our finished Friday project was beautiful. It makes me smile every time I walk by it and I cannot tell you how amazing its been to teach Daunika how the months rotate just like the days of the week - and each full rotation moves us to the next year! FABULOUS!

I hope your beginning school year week goes as fantastic as ours did!!