field trip...what is that?

Some of our best memories as a home school family are going on field trips. If we don't take advantage of getting out behind the desk (kitchen table) every now and then I think we miss out on great learning experiences, SEEING what we are reading about and just re-enforcing that learning is fun and is all over life!

Well, with one in highschool on a traditional schedule, offering me less flexibility, my 3rd and 5th grader have been a little cheated.

I am going to play some catch up with Matt and Bria over this last quarter and get out more. We plan a Legoland day, Balboa Park day, a visit to the Inland Valley symphony and Huntington Library...'cause those are just a few of my favorite places :)

A few weeks ago we took off to Forest Lawn in Glendale. My first visit and I never knew that the "builders creed" for this memorial includes the idea of bringing the beauty of our historic world to the lawn. The mosoleum has replications of several Michalangelo sculptures and Leonardo's Last Suppper on stained glass. Our visit included a show featuring the two artists in costume talking about their lives in Italy and what was going on when creating their most famous works of art. Well worth the trip. It is an excellent presentation they do throughout the year.

After meeting Da Vinci in real life, I gave Matt a little kit and he was able to build the artists version of the flying machine.

Since we were in the LA area we took the chance to eat at the German deli Schreiners in Montrose.

Over half of Bria's sausage went home to big brother!

really?

yep. there we go - that is the way to make this homeschool mom feel good about taking the week off!

Veritas History Class - mummies part II

Here they are!





We take history VERY seriously...

Veritas History Class - mummies part I

We are studying MUMMIES! There are so many great books with excellent pictures and descriptions of mummification. Our class is going to try the process on our little game hens.



These were taken several weeks ago.... the kids each have a small hen to liberally salt and season in a large ziplock bag.



They took their hens in a bag home and were told to freeze and salt them (each week) and bring them back about 6 weeks later.



Well, today is six weeks later. Today in class we get to do the fun part - wrapping and stuffing the little guys with linen. Then, we will put them in our decorated, gold and glittery coffins.

Veritas History Class - salt relief map

The salt relief dough was sticking stuff! - and I barely had enough. But, I think they turned out great. The kids are now adding labels of each body of water, Upper and Lower Egypt, The Great Pyramid at Giza and anything else they want to as they study Egyptian history. If I was to do it again, I would stick toothpicks where I wanted lables before it dried.

Fun project!

Veritas History Class- creation art work

I have the privilege of working with this group of students every Wednesday!

As a way of reinforcing what they are learning studying history (Egypt, Greece and Rome) we will be getting together to do fun projects and review our facts.

This first week we are starting from the beginning - creation. The kids had artistic freedom to illustrate the days of creation and as they colored we talked about the awesomeness of creation and God's perfect, scientific thinking. What a super fun group of kids. So looking forward to this year!

puritan picks

We do Netflix and we really love it. I saw this on Tim Challies' twitter and went to check it out.

Puritan Picks - HOW GREAT IS THIS! Christian DVD's (not just "Christian" movies like Fireproof, etc., but cool stuff like "meaty" conferences and lectures by theologians too) available, by mail, like Netflix, for $4.99 per month.

I just signed up to give it a try. Poor family. As if my history documentaries and George Grant DVD's did not bore them enough already. Now I can bring full on theology packed conferences to my home!

a day at the aquarium of the pacific

I love Long Beach! It was such a beautiful day. Just a lot of pictures showing off the cute kids and some favorite underwater creatures. It was great for the kids to see all the different underwater life that they have been studying this year in science. So much to touch...and you gotta feed those birds and get pictures of them on the kids - they loved it!

I Heart Saturday AND....homeschool bloopers

We are studying Roman history. After a stunning lecture of the story of Julius Caesar's highs and lows and and his triumphant cry "Vini, Vedi, Vici" ( I came, I saw, I conquered).....

We played a game where the kids could earn chocolate if they answered correctly.

Mom: "Who can tell me what Caesar's famous phrase "Vini, Vedi, Vici" means in English?"

Both kids stand up excitedly and Mom calls on Matt...

Matthew: "I came, I saw, I vanished!"

Homeschool Essentials

While doing school with Matt and Bria, I have to include and be prepared with some little "extras". For example, when Bria has a question, but I am working with Matt, she can look at the magazine, do a puzzle, color or eat popcorn. I like to change the "extras" around each day, but keep them on the table at arms reach, so no one has to get up! Once they get up from the table, I am doomed :)