A Fall Picnic

The first day of Fall dawned beautifully cool!

So I had no choice but to take my children to the park for a picnic!

We brought lunches.  Emma's favorite part were the pink cookies.

Mmmmm.

A nice picture taken by Sam.

And, of course, Ben had to have a turn being the photographer.

Feeding the ducks.

A nice beautiful day outside.

My Little Yard Guy and Potato Soup

 A few Saturdays ago, I decided to clean up our yard.  Ben was right out there with me, helping me pick up.  When I got out the blower and told him he could use it, he was thrilled.

 He did a pretty good job, considering it is almost as big as he is.

 I was proud of him!

 That night I made one of the best pots of potato soup EVER!!  I've made this before, but I used raw milk this time, and it was so creamy and rich.

 I used to throw out the skins, but then one day it hit me.  We pay good money for these in a restaurant, why not throw them in the oven with a little cheese and bacon?  And ever since, when we have potato soup, we have potato skins.  I think I'd have a mutiny if I served one without the other.

This boy ate more than his fair share of soup and skins.  I think it was all the hard work he did that day.  What a kid!

School Days, School Days....

 Emma and Ben are learning how to draw a map of the world by tracing the very beginning shapes of continents. 

 It's hard work when you are 5 and 3!

 Emma was very proud of her map- and she did a pretty good job also.

 Ben's roller coaster of dominoes.

 It almost worked.

 Ben made a collage of the days of creation.

 He was extremely proud of that.

 Isn't it cute, with the backwards 3, that I didn't notice until I hung it up?

 Our dining room/school table gets pretty messy during school time.

Sam working on math.  His work is a bit harder and a bit more intense this year, but he has done great.

First Day of School at Home

We had our first day of school at home on September 4th. It was a little later than what I had hoped for, but it took this long for me to feel ready.  (or should I say ready enough?)

Benjamin is starting his Kindergarten year and he is more. than. ready.  He loves school!

He also loves chocolate donuts!

Samuel is starting 3rd grade and does very well.  However, he is not as excited as Ben is.  (and he has a hard time not taking a cheesy photo)

He loves white sugar donuts.

Emma is in Pre-K.  Or in other words, she participates pretty much only when she wants to.  She actually loves doing school and insists on having her own work.

This was before her haircut.

My class with their first day of school donut breakfast.

A little better photo of Sam.

Silly girl.

This cat watched us the whole morning.

The view from my end of the table.  It's chaotic at times to keep everyone doing what they should.

Working on his geography.  He knows a lot about geography and learns new places each week.  Our focus this year is European geography.

She cut, colored and glued for about an hour.  I never could find the paper she was working on.  I think she cut it all up into little pieces.

He is very intent on his schoolwork and always asks for more to do.

 Cute chubby hands.

 

It was a successful first day.  It's certainly not what it's going to be, but it was a good start.  Hello 16th year of homeschooling.  :)

 

Random September Pictures