Getting into the school swing

I homeschool my children, which means for me constant change. Every year sometimes even multiple times a year I change up what I am doing and how I am doing it. If a certain textbook is not working I find something new. If a certain way  of teaching is not working I find a new way. Each one of my children is so very different from the rest. That means constant change. what works for one may not work for all of them.

That means lots of work on my part. I do not just buy a box curriculum and follow along daily nor do I use an online school. I write my own lessons, come up with my own ideas and that means lots of work and change. I spend countless hours searching pinterest, my favorite art blogs and the library for just the right things I am looking for.

Why? because my kids are worth it. When they remember things is great detail from years before I know I am doing it right.

This year is the first year we have taken a pretty long break.When I added baby #5 to the mix and bought a farm at an auction spur of the moment it really set me back. Baby Canary is now almost 18 months and we have lived at the new farm for about 7 months. We usually school year round but I found that impossible to do when the house was in boxes and we were still working on getting the old house ready as well as getting the new house livable. So much went wrong at first: We ripped all the heating out and found our new heating was not working, we had to dig a new well, so many things went wrong the list is soooo long.

I am still unpacking we are STILL remodeling, painting and shufflings things from room to room, we still do not even use every room in the house yet because they are not ready - baby steps we are moving forward.

My homeschooling stuff is finally ALL unpacked and sorted through well mostly so now I am excited about teaching the kids because I will be able to actually find what I need.

Back to schooling- back to lesson plans -learning is fun!

When are we starting school? Not sure, I hope to be ready next week *if all goes as planned*

Hot July!

"Hot July brings stormy showers

Lemonade and Lazy hours" ( not so much the lazy hours here!)

Well it brings lots of rain, we have had a record amount of rain this year. I feel like I am in the rainforest.

I do love the rain and big windy storms!

Now that the ticks are dying down the mosquitoes are CRAZY, TERRIBLE this year, we almost cannot go outside it is so bad.

Yummy Blueberry mint Lemonade (fresh squeezed of course)

Homemade Popsicles- the only way to eat them and know they have wholesome ingredients. Mostly they have been yogurt and fruit, next week I am making carrot, beet, strawberry and apple-kale popsicles.

First real swim in the pond this year, it has been too cold or rainy

Canary loved watching everyone else play but did not want to go in today.

Canary chasing chickens.

Trying to feed the dog pine chips.

Now trying the chickens.

The babies in their not quite finished home. They will be trapped in there for 48 hours so they get acclimated to their new home and want to go there at night to roost instead of the crammed brooder in the barn.

Hmmmmm, both eggs from my chickens they all free range the same 15 acres and have access to the same feed. One seems to be a much better forger than the other.

When boredom strikes build your own slide from debris on the farm.

Papabird off to TSC