Life Returns to Normal

Fruit cups.  My Aunt used to make these.  I think they are a very creative way to serve fruit without it costing a fortune!  Use what your have!  For 5 fruit cups, I used 1 banana (sliced), a very small handful of raisins and walnuts for each cup, 4 frozen strawberries a piece, a few pieces of pomegranate, a hefty sprinkling of dried coconut, and a dollop of coconut cream (I buy cans of coconut milk and put them in the fridge, I used maybe a 1/5 of a can total for the cups).  Add a splash of juice (orange is delicious) and voila!  (Michelle, this is for you.)

SpringRock, 1948.  I saw this on one of my drives and had to stop for a closer look.  As I was taking pictures, an elderly gentleman approached our car and gave us a little history lesson.  This is the site of a natural spring that flows all year long.  The spring feeds the watering trough a constant supply of fresh water and the overflow flows under the road and off the embankment of the other side.  A 74 year old man that lives down the road built this with his father when he when he was 10 years old.    

The nitty gritty of homeschooling.  I was sitting in my chair during the children's rest time with my crocheting and this was my view.  This is just the seatwork portion of our homeschooling.  Honestly, it isn't very exciting but it is necessary on two accounts.  First, I have to accept my limitations.  I have 5 children, my oldest is 7.  I have a high energy toddler and a nursling baby.  I simply don't have time to devote to creating the curriculum of our dreams nor teaching it.  Second, there is a pencil to paper aspect of learning.  I like it to be a short segment of our education but it does need to be present.  As time goes on, as children become independent readers and writers, as we spend more time doing school related activities, I hope to have pencil-paper work look a bit different.

I think what I enjoy so much about homeschooling is the education that happens outside the "school hours".  Truthfully, we only spend about an hour a day specifically on reading, writing, and math but we spend a good 12 hours a day together, living life.  In every season there is something new but always we talk, we read, we play, we have spontaneous school type lessons, we have responsibilities and chores, and we learn to live as the Lord wants us to - with right attitudes and obedience to His Word.

Our perspective on education has changed so much since having children.  Instead of focusing on the academics, we are trying our best to focus on our children's hearts.