Wednesday, November 2, 2011

Home Schooling Highlights - October 2011

October Highlights

Despite all the rain we managed to make the most of this month. Usually a glorious month in Niagara, October was very wet this year.

We are settling into more of a routine this month. We've set strict rules on TV and media usage and it's helped alot. The boys really like to play and are getting along quite well there obviously are arguments and squabbles, but they are fewer and a lot less dramatic.

We're enjoying more peace in our home and Chris and I have benefited because there's less going on outside of our family to distract us from each other. We talk more and laugh more together and it's just so good.

The boys are plowing through their math each week. We've begun a history component with History of the World. They've really enjoyed that too. Language Arts is still a bit of a struggle, but I've relaxed a bit, and they seem to be doing better. My goal is to have more Bible this month, with a focus on Character Building. The boys really enjoy Awana and it's a night off for me. Carter gets one day a week with Stephen and Julie - some really great friends (Julie is Stephen's mom and provided Carter's care when I was a working mom) He really enjoys spending time with them since Stephen is in school 3 days a week.

I have to improve the situation for Carter I think, even today he told me he still wanted to go to Beacon (the boys' old school). He was really looking forward to sharing this experience with them and I haven't figured out how to make it up to him. He would have probably done the best of all the boys in school - but who knows?

We are looking foward to Gym Day this week, and of course love our hikes - even the impromptu ones. Yesterday we went on a hike at a park not far from home, it was great and the kids all had a riot. We've scheduled a hike every other week, but I'm loving the ones we throw in just to enjoy the sunshine.

Of course the boys' favourite is "field trips". Here's the run down of October's events:

1. Bryanne Farms Pumpkin Patch

The boys loved the talking scarecrow, the corn maze, the barn animals and the "muck" that was everywhere. It made the hayride extra special.

2. Cheeky Monkeys

On a rainy day we were supposed to hike, it was way too soggy so we opted to go to an indoor play gym. It's a bit pricey, but they have offered to give us a group discount for future visits. This will be great for the frigid days of winter - if only they had a pool.

3. Hiking
Balls Falls

The salmon were running in the streams (this far inland?
- crazy I know, but they were. The kids loved seeing them jump out of the water
upstream to lay their eggs - so did the moms)

I love that Niagara is FULL of hiking trails and parks!
Here's a few of our other treks from October:
Millennium Trail Phase One; Heartland Forest and Fireman's Park

4. NHEA Parents Night

Personally, this has become one of my favourite parts of the month. Connecting with other homeschooling parents is VITAL to my sanity. It encourages me on so many levels and I've loved meeting and chatting with other parents who've been at this so much longer than I have. Chris came with me this month, it was good to see him sitting at the dad's table and talking with other men about this journey we're on. It's also pretty cool to know that 3 Brock University professors are part of NHEA and they homeschool :)

5. Ontario Sledge Hockey


My cousin Eric plays on the Ontario Sledge Hockey Team. This was the first time we got to see him play and it was alot of fun. The boys also loved the experience and we're inspired again to learn how to skate this year.
6. Heaslip Harvest Hoorah

I shared this in my other blog here. So I won't elaborate much more. I just wanted to include this because its a fun event we do with family friends in the fall.

7. Other Special October Events in Canada

Canadian Thanksgiving - a weekend of international guests, family, hiking, Niagara Sightseeing and feasting in a spirit of Gratitude.

Skywheel - It was the first time we took the boys and two of our three international students on the Niagara Skywheel. Here is our Columbian Daughter Camilla with the boys.

Halloween 2011 - A Badger, A Zebra and a Cowboy-Firefighting-Vampire

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