Fun With Friends

We had a couple of really fun beach days this past summer with our school group. The children have been blessed with some really nice friends in this group.

Levi and Garrett had fun building sand castles with the other boys.

Paige loves the beach and is a little to brave for my liking.  She swam out to the surfers and was hanging with them for a while before we noticed.  The life guards about had a fit that she was out so far and it didn't do my heart any good either.  However, she very easily swam back in, while doing flips in the waves on purpose.  The life guards were very impressed with how strong a swimmer she is.

Here she is after she swam back in.  She is telling me "But mom, I want to go way out there, I'm fine."  She is such a stinker:)

Amelia really loved the beach also.  She was so good.  I think she is our best baby ever!

She strolled around visiting with all the families.

Here she is with her little friend Maddie.  They are about nine months apart in age.

Maddie's mom brought a pool for them to play in.  What a smart idea!

Catching some rays!

Still busy working on their sand castles.  Paige loved to annoy them by running through the middle of their creations.  She just didn't understand what the big deal was:)

My handsome boy who will turn 8 in just two weeks.  He is so excited for his first ever birthday party!



Garrett was such a good helper playing with all the kids for me.  They had fun digging for crabs also.



And here is my sweet girl, Samantha, who makes my life so much easier.  She is always willing to lend a hand and does so much without me ever having to ask.  I am so thankful for her.  We have so much fun going on field trips together with the other kids and she is always there to count heads with me and make sure we don't leave anyone behind.  I really don't know what I would do without her.  I'm sure I don't thank her enough for all she does.  So, thank you, Miss Samantha.  I appreciate you more than you could ever know.

I think we may go apple picking today after church.  It is suppose to be over 100 again today and it will be nice to go up to the mountains and cool down a little.  I was going to get my fall decorations down but it's kind of hard to get in the mood while you are sweating up a storm.  Come on cool weather!  We are waiting for you!!!!



Soccer Fun

Levi is really enjoying his soccer season.

We really have not had any problems with Levi's language barrier.  His English is coming along wonderfully and everyone we have met has been so supportive and loving towards him.  The boys on this team have been great at explaining things to him if he doesn't understand the first time.  He feels very comfortable which is so great for him.

He has a wonderful coach also.  Overall the first four games have been great. 

We aren't sure what he is doing in this picture.  For some reason he felt the need to restrain his fellow team mate.  I think he may have been trying to run the wrong direction:)  Levi definitely has leadership tendencies which is fantastic.  However, it leads him to believe that at the ripe old age of almost 8 HE KNOWS EVERYTHING.  Anyone else have a child like this?

His game tomorrow got cancelled due to a water main break.  He was very sad.  His mom was very sad when they told her it was rescheduled for the day of his first ever birthday party.  Guess we might have to move that.  He won't be happy about that either.  It's a no win situation:(

 Luckily he is a really happy kid who gets over things quickly.

Here he is running off the field to hug his Dad after the game.  They have a really special bond.  Levi told Dave that he likes soccer but baseball is still his favorite.

Dave went to bed with a big smile on his face that night.  They sneak in pitching and hitting between soccer practice.  They are definitely two peas in a pod.  So fun to watch!

A New School Year Begins

The end of August brought the beginning of a new school year for us.  It also began our third year of homeschooling.  We have an 11th grader, 9th grader, 6th grader, 2nd grader, 1st grader, a college freshman and one very active 20 month old who already says "Me school too!". 

I am really excited for this school year.  I think I am finally feeling comfortable in my homeschooling skin.  The kids were really ready to start school and so was I.  Here is a look at what our home school looks like.

Samantha and Tyler (9th and 11th grades): My two High Schoolers are taking a class at a classical academy for five hours on Tuesdays.  The class actually covers three subjects: Literature, American History and Theology. I love that they are reading all of our countries original documents and really talking about what visions our founding fathers had for our country.  The class has also given me a reason to read all the great literature books again.  We had some great conversations about the Scarlett Letter.  Samantha and I loved the book, Tyler thought it was the most ridiculous things he had ever read.  It was really fun to get his male perspective on Hester and her challenges.

Here is what their schedules look like:

Samantha:
Literature (classical academy)
American History (classical academy)
Theology (classical academy)
Latin (done with another family)
Physical Science (done at home)
Geometry (done at home)
Foundations in Finance (Dave Ramsey class at co-op)
Theatre (co-op class)

She is a very busy girl but that is how she likes it.  Last year she was bored.  She definitely is not bored this year:)

Tyler's Schedule:
Literature (classical academy)
American History (classical academy)
Theology (classical academy)
Physics (co-op class)
Foundations in personal Finance (co-op)
Beginning Game Design (Community College)

He is really loving his game design class at the college and we are thinking his senior year will have him taking several classes at the Junior College.

I have been really happy with how well they both have managed their schedules and taken care of what they needed to.  I can see their relationship getting closer as they have taken several classes together and are working together on their studies.  That has been really fun to watch.

Garrett is in 6th grade this year and in preparation for him moving up to Junior High next year we have given him more responsibility in getting his work done on his own.  So far he has done great.  This is what his day looks like.

Math U See Epsilon
Early American History (Beautiful Feet Publishing)
Zoology 3 (co-op class)
I.E.W. Writing (Institute for Excellence in Writing-co-op class)
Bible (co-op class and home study)
Guitar

Garrett really loves to write so he gave up the Guitar class at our co-op to take the writing class again.  Now I am trying to find him a private Guitar teacher and am hoping that next semester the two classes will not conflict.

Levi and Paige are in first and second grade and do most of their work together.  We are working on phonics and reading, Math U See Alpha which they love because it is the math the "big" kids use, they are taking a class about the Romans at our co-op and Levi is in Garrett's Zoology class at the co-op as well.  They are using Apologia's Land Animals of the Sixth day and we are all really enjoying this book.  We have learned so much.

My favorite thing I am using with Paige and Levi is Five In A Row.  This is a literature based program that teaches all subjects.  I am primarily using it for reading, geography and art.  We are having so much fun reading all these wonderful books together.

We are also in a Nature Study club called Roots and Shoots.  Last year we went to the beautiful L.A. Arboretum where we would learn about nature and take our sketch books to draw and sketch tree's, bugs, or anything else the children wanted to.  This year we are also taking some side trips to the Huntington Library and a small zoo to do some sketching.  I have been surprised at how much my kids have loved this.

O.K., I hope I have answered the questions of those of you who have recently asked what curriculum I use.  As you can see it is kind of an eclectic mix, however, it seems to work for us:)

Our first field trip of the year is always to the L.A. Fair.  We went yesterday and had a wonderful time.  Here are a few pictures.  This first one is with a bunch of other families in our homeschool group.  I think the kids were trying to look like "dorky homeschooled kids". Ha.

Amelia was so happy to get to be one of the big kids in this picture. 

Here's Levi with his BFF.  These two boys have really hit it off.  So fun to watch!

Paige had a great time at the pretend grocery store.  It was really cute.  First the children had to pick fruit or gather eggs, then go and sell their goods, they were then given money to spend at the grocery store, would pick out their goods and then go and pay for them at the check stand.  This was a huge hit with the little kids.

Samantha and her friends had some fun with this also.  They were great sports and very helpful keeping all the little kids from wandering off.

It wouldn't be the Fair if we didn't go to the Pig Races.  However, I think it is just wrong that they give away free bacon after the races.  Poor little piggies! 

Amelia really liked the pig races.

This year Garrett decided to milk the fake cow.  They thought the real one was to gross.  To funny!

We brought the wagon along as well as the stroller so Amelia could stretch out and take a nap when she got tired.  It worked like a charm.

She was such a good girl.  Nine hours at the fair would wear anyone out!

Thanks so much to my friend Missy for taking all these pictures.  I was so busy packing the car I forgot the camera.  I need to just keep it in the car.  When will I learn?

Lastly, I was very proud of Samantha who braved the mechanical bull with a few friends.  She did great but is very soar today.  I think she lasted about a minute and the guy was really bucking that thing towards the end to get her off.  I think she might have hurt her back a little.  However, she looked totally cool, and when you are a teenager is their anything really better than that??????

Good Bye Lazy Days Of Summer......

I am so sad that our wonderful summer has come to an end.  We start school tomorrow, and while we are all excited for the new school year to begin, we are sad that the lazy days of hanging by the pool together have come to an end.

Levi has impressed us all with his ability to quickly learn new skills.  He is an awesome swimmer after just a few months in the pool.  It is so fun to watch him and Paige do flips and dives into the deep end. 

Garrett turned 12 yesterday and Dave took him to the pet store to pick out a pet.  In our house 12 is the magic age when you get to have a pet of your very own.  Zach got his dog, Sydney, Tyler has Mr. Fluffy Bottoms, his bunny.  Samantha has Jo Jo the wonder dog and now Garrett has Ricky Bobby.  That is the name he has given his baby corn snake.  I cannot believe I have a snake in my house.  All year I have said no way but then when the time came I had a hard time not letting him get the pet he wanted.  I actually think he is cute, however, I will have nothing to do with feeding him.  Of that I am very very sure!

Tyler and Samantha are attending a classical academy one day a week and our local co-op one day a week also.  Tyler is also taking a computer design class at the Junior College.  They are both very busy with all their school work.  They actually started school two weeks ago, the little kids start tomorrow.

I can't believe we are starting our third year of home schooling.  Our family has had so many changes over the last few years.  Changes for the better.  I am so thankful God gave us the courage to adopt and also to start homeschooling.  Both have been such blessings to our family!