Transitioning into Homeschool for the Year

Despite the fact that summer is over, summer things in NC last at least until October. Even our pool stayed open until the end of September, so our last couple of months have been a strange combination of transitioning from summer activity to fall.

Swimming with Aunt Hannah and Uncle Christopher at the swimmin' hole on the Eno River.

Alden has lost teeth left and right recently. He's way too irresistible with that smile. 

Working on the model Wright brothers glider that Grandpa bought for us when we vacationed on Hatteras Island. Wally really enjoyed the new biography about them.

Buy me some peanuts and cracker jacks and soft pretzels and water for $30. Alden's Trail Life group went to a baseball game. We all went, and this was the kids' first. They had a blast. 

Saturday chores. So far EVERYONE hates dusting. It's Alden's turn for a couple of months. He's been pretty good about not complaining though. Of course, he knows if he whines too much about it, Saturday Minecraft gets cut. But I truly think he's been able to have a good attitude without that threat.

Corwin's chore: Washing cabinets and walls. Especially since it is his little feet and hands that make much of the mess on them!

We found a writing spider in our front flower bed. Corwin is trying to touch it with a piece of grass. 

Checking out a swallow tail with tattered wings. I so love zinnias and am so thankful that we successfully grew some this year. The past couple of years all of my sprouts got eaten by slugs. For some reason this year they managed to survive. They just  make me happy, and I love that they last from summer through a good part of the fall. 

At Huntington Beach State Park camping with cousins Mary Ruth and Ezekiel. It was the end of August and HOT the first couple of days, but cooled off after a nice rain. I figure I get lots of points for doing this pregnant...not sure who gives me those points, but I claim them.

This is the first year that Alden was able to successfully dig large holes and trenches all on his own. Wally found two awesome spades at the dump or maybe the cash for metal place that no one wanted. So these came to the beach with us. 

It's the first year I've seen proof that child labor actually can accomplish big things whereas before I've always been mystified as to how it ever makes sense to try to make children work adult type jobs. Sadly, child labor, forced and unpaid, is a huge reality in our world, on farms and in factories. I'm not one of those people who think kids should never work on their family's farm, but I do certainly oppose overly dangerous labor, forced labor, and labor not appropriate for the age. While I know some of those things are difficult to define, I think it is our job as consumers to do that and to advocate for these children who often supply our nation with things like cocoa, coffee, and clothes. Congress is defunding efforts that they previously funded to help end child trafficking and child labor, so if this is something you are interested in seeing supported by Congress, click here to contact your representative. 

Well that was a big aside...back to the beach trip...

Uncle Brooks brought his awesome boat raft and took the kids out to ride the waves.

Mary Ruth and Corwin enjoyed floating in shallow water in it too. It was really THE favorite toy at the beach this year. Thanks, Uncle Brooks, for making the effort to bring it and use it!

Boogie Boarding.

Wally skimmer boarding. This is his favorite activity at the beach. He would do it rain or shine. 

A rainbow over the ocean! I think this was a first for me! I know SC needs a reminder of God's promise that He does care for this earth. Brooks and Clara, who live in Columbia, have helped many neighbors pump out their homes and clean up during and after all of the flooding.

They actually saw an alligator on the alligator walk!

We attended some of the nature programs at the park, and Corwin loved this boat. He still remembers that it was called the "Stewardship". 

Getting ready to touch a stingray with Grandmama.

Feeding shrimp to a horseshoe crab with Grandaddy and Ezekiel looking on.

Looking for marsh-life.

At Atalaya. If you were wondering if this week at the beach was counted as homeschool, the answer is yes. Just think what kind of an awesome field trip this would be: outdoor skills, camping skills, seafood sampling, weather patterns, tides, marsh animals, ocean animals, historic homes, food webs, ecosystems...etc. YES, this is hands-on learning in a small class size in an immersive environment. Totally counts.

Trying their hand at sculpting with clay at Atalaya. I thought they would get bored in this home in about 5 minutes, but they lasted longer than I did. They loved its passageways and arched doors and dark basements and the icebox and did not want to leave.

Found a geocache. 

Decorating pancakes for Ezekiel's birthday. Totally fun plan by Aunt Clara!

S'mores with these awesome square flat shaped marshmallows just the right size for graham crackers. Grandmama found them and decided they were worth a try. 

Alden certainly approves!

On our way out we stopped by for a very brief visit with Great Grandpa and Jamie. Grandpa was organizing a movie viewing which was about to start, so we did not stay long.

Overall a great but exhausting vacation and a nice way to transition into homeschool for the year! Camping is a LOT of work. Thankfully, Wally is great at improvising AND trying to keep us all happy and comfortable. I have a wonderful husband who comes from a wonderful family.