Science Class

You know your a homeschool mom when you get an email that says... Hey want to come over and dissect owl pellets?  And all us moms reply back "YES!" 

What are owl pellets?  Owl Puke!  Looks like a fur ball and the kids job was to dig it apart and see what kind of bones they found.  Then take those bones and see if they could figure out what kind of animal the owl ate.  I know!!  Good stuff!!  The kind of thing that is so much more fun when done with your most favorite homeschool families!!

The pellets were wrapped in tin foil so here is Mallory opening hers very cautiously because she has no idea what to expect.

Then there is my fearless hunter who wears camo every single day of the week.  He thought we were going to actually watch an owl puke out the pellet!  He thought it was gross and didn't really want to go!  Then he thought he would just look and see.

He actually found something!  Some sort of leg bone of a rodent.

I am totally the mom who is screaming, "Grossss!" every time one of the kids makes a discovery.  Then I am right there with my camera capturing the moment.  The other moms were digging in and doing some discovering themselves.  Shall we watch my friend, Jenn, find a skull?  We shall!

Can you see the teeth?!  Yuck!! 

Here are all the kids working away.

Here is the skull that Jenn found. 

I was surprised by my kids that Mallory was more into this then Max.  Mallory wanted all her bones in a baggy to bring home.  Max wanted nothing to do with keeping them. 

New Sledding Hill

It started back in late October when Jesse got an itch to start looking for a spot out in the country.  We took a whole day and drove around looking at properties.  There was one in particular he really wanted to see and we were not able to find it.  It took us forever and then we stumbled upon it.  Drove in and instantly went "This is it!"  It just screamed Jesse!  We drove in and looked out over what appeared to be an old sand/gravel pit.  A river to one side.  A big open field with round bales on it.  It was us!

We drove away and the dreams just started flying.  How could we make this work.  This is perfect.  Then we slowed down and went back to our tried and true method... prayer!  We took 2 months and just prayed about it.  We were also doing things to try to help us get this land.  Jesse picked up another job and he sold his beloved first jeep.  Now guys that was a super hard one!  I did not want to sell that jeep!!  Probably more then him!  Our first vehicle we ever bought brand new.  We bought it in Oregon and we toured Oregon in it!  We have so many memories in our first jeep!  Our kids loved that Jeep.  When we thought practically though... we did not fit in it as a family.  We only used it once or twice a year.  It was time to let it go so we could move onto the next adventure.  The jeep sold instantly and without even a question on our price.  It sold to a computer/techie guys.  Someone totally not into jeeps, but wanted his cool status back!!  He was pumped we were heartbroken.  Not going to lie... I cried a few tears when we drove away and left that jeep. 

December comes and we have sold our jeep.  Jesse got this temporary job and now we are feeling like hey, lets give this land a shot.  Its still for sale.  We set up a time with the relator and we went out and looked and fell more in love and made an offer the following week and it was completely accepted without questions again!!  Beginning of January we closed and it is ours!  Eeep! 

We had drove out to look at it so many times with the kids and they noticed the sledding hill instantly and wanted to go sledding so bad!  Sled down the side of the sand pit essentially.  Last week were suppose to go out to Forest Springs sledding with the RVA, but it was canceled due to lack of snow and being too warm.  We decided to take them out to our land and sled instead.

They loved it!!  I know my pictures don't make it look like a very steep or a big hill.  But it is.  So much so that Jesse and I were taking turns of who was going to the bottom to help bring Melanie back up.  At one point both of us were done and we made her pinky swear she would come back up on her own.  She did it!!!  It took her about 5 minutes but she did it!!  When she got to the top she flopped right into my lap. 

After some sledding we ventured off into the woods to find the river.

 

The kids loved the hiking part!  Looking at the animal tracks... carrying sticks... exploring... throwing snowballs into the river...thinking up imaginary stories and talking non-stop!!

We don't know the future or how this is all going to work out with this new chunk of land.  We have lots of dreams and ideas.  Oh the ideas swimming in my head are so fun!!  I just have to figure out how to get them out and into production.  I am thinking apple orchard... mega garden... fresh eggs... produce boxes!!  I mean I can already picture the brown paper bag with my dreamed-up farm name on the side spilling apples over the side!!  I can also picture a house out here too!  It took me awhile to get use to the idea of selling this current house that we brought home all our babies too.  We put so much sweat into this house and have touched and remodeled every single inch of this house.  I now love this house and now we have to leave it!  I am too attached!  I did not know how attached I was to stuff until we started talking of moving!  I am going to be working on my attachment issues a lot the next few years!!

Melanie Mae: 2-1/2 Years Old

Melanie

Mennie

Mini

She answers to all those names.  I really really really wanted Lanie to stick... but the L just didn't flow in our family of M names.

Melanie has quickly fallen into the baby of the family role.  We all jump to whatever she yells about.  She gets away with just about everything.  I can't even hear her yelling or crying anymore. 

She repeats EVERYTHING.  Tonight at supper she said "I want more chips!" no less 10,456 times!!  I am positive I only heard 56 of the times she said it.  I tuned out the other 10,400 times.  ((No, she did not get more chips!))  For the most part she speaks very clearly and in full sentences.  She talks a lot.  I find myself saying "Mennie please stop talking."  "Mennie.  I heard you.  Please stop talking." 

Today she had to have a time out during school because her demanding and whining got out of control.  "Get me a pencil!" So when I went back to get her after her 2 minutes and we are having our chat of "Why is Melanie in time out?"  I tell her she is not the boss and I ask her who is the boss.  She tells me "Maxie!"  (She calls Max... Maxie.)  No!  Max is not the boss.. I am!  She tried to argue about it. 

Melanie has these eyes that just turn you into mush.  She looks at you and before you know it you are doing whatever crazy thing she just asked you to do.  The other day she had me crawling around the kitchen being a cat.  I don't like cats!  She had my Mom looking up pictures of cats on Pinterest.  If there is anyone who doesn't like cats more than me it is her.  Then when my Mom went to use Pinterest again it was loading it full of pictures of cats!!  Gross!!  Only this girl can get us to look at pictures of cats!!

One last Melanie story... A few weeks ago all the kids were in bed and Jesse & I were still up watching TV.  I can hear Melanie yelling for me.  I go in there and she says to me, "I want my Dad."  Well thanks for calling me in here, why didn't you call for your Dad then.  I come out and tell Jesse she wants you.  He goes in there and she says to him, "I want my Dad."  Jesse says, "I am your Dad."  She says, "No!  I want my Dad downstairs!"  Jesse then comes back out to me and wants to know if I have something I want to tell him.  I have no idea what he is talking about and then he tells me "She wants her Dad downstairs." I start laughing.  It takes me a few minutes to figure out what she is talking about it, but she meant her Prince Charming Barbie that was downstairs.  She calls Prince Charming, Dad.

So now we have Jesse walking around here with a bit of a chip on his shoulder thinking he looks like Prince Charming.  ;)

Movies & Books

Since Jesse had worked all weekend he took Monday off.  I suggested that the kids hurry up and do school and then we go watch a movie.  We haven't all been to a theater since the year of Frozen... I think.  Its been a long time is what I am getting at. 

Now, I have 3 kids.  I know the drill.  Take them to the bathroom right before you walk in.  We do.  Jesse gets us a big bag of popcorn, nachos & 2 sodas.  We snuggle into our reclining seats!  Reclining seats!!!  It was the best!!

During the movie I reached over to grab my soda and tossed the bag of popcorn right onto the floor.  It emptied the bag right out!!  Big pile of popcorn on the floor!  Then Melanie had to go to the bathroom.  Then Melanie was asking for popcorn and I had to tell her that I spilled it.  So she started eating popcorn off the floor.  Then she had to go to the bathroom again!  Finally it was over!!  A 2 hour movie!  A 2 hour kids movie!  Whew!  But it was a fun little change of pace for all of us and the kids thought it was fun!!  We went to see Sing. 

Then today I had planned to go to the library and introduce Melanie to Story Hour.  We have gone to a million story hours, but never for Melanie.  This was the first one where she got to participate!!  Well it was a snow storm.  But I thought, I am a Wisconsinite I can do this!  So out we went! 

Oh my goodness!!  The cutest!!  She sat on her little carpet square and listened to the story and played the games, did the craft, ate the snacks!!  Ahh!  She did amazing!  She didn't cling to me at all!!  Typically she doesn't do anything without me right by her side. 

When we left I may have been stuck in my parking spot.  There was so much snow!  I just kept doing the forward... backward... forward... backward thing.  I had a crowd of people watching me as I was inside laughing!  It was not a dangerous moment, so it was super funny to me.

Long story short.  We made it home.  Safely.  In one piece. 

The highlight of the library is getting to come home and look at all the books we brought home while I make lunch.  They looked so cute sitting here I had to grab a picture!!

No Mallory does not need to wear glasses.  She was just doing it for fun!  Isn't she so super cute though?!!  Melanie never keeps socks on her feet.  Just yesterday she was wearing her flip flops still.  Maxwell is trying to teach me all about Star Wars.  I am so lost!!  I know nothing about this world!!

Sledding At Grandma's Cottage

Jesse had to be gone for a long weekend to take some classes.  I am not good being left alone on the weekends so the kids and I packed up and went to Grandma's Cottage.  Our plan was to go sledding, however when we planned we were not expecting below zero temps!!

We waited until 1pm and then we just went for it.  It wasn't going to get any warmer.  I think it was about 4 degrees. 

Grandpa had to catch us at the bottom of the first hill.  Otherwise they would of went all the way down to the river... which is great fun.  But hiking back up is not. 

While Melanie waited for her turn, Grandma tried to give her a ride in the sled with the rope.  By holding on to the rope and then just pulling her back up.  Melanie would not walk back up, someone had to carry her.  That got old real fast.  So we found this sled and pulled her back her up.  Sometimes we gave her short little rides while she waited for the big tube. 

Well she got going a little too fast and when she reached the end of her rope she tipped out.

Goodness.  She was not impressed by that.

Big sister Mallory to the rescue!  She took her on a safe ride.

And got safely pulled back up in the taxi.  We kept telling her to run and catch the taxi.  She would run back jump on the sled and Grandma pulled her up.  Grandma had fun watching and she got a workout! 

You don't come to the cottage without getting a fire.  All the kids had to throw sticks on too.

Then they had to try out the big snow cushion on the swing.  Melanie kept eating the snow!

While the kids were sitting here we watched Grandpa fill the bird feeders.

Right before dark we learned what was eating the bird seed. 

Melanie and Grandpa watching the deer.

Maxwell watching the deer.

Before we left we decided we need to come back for another weekend before the snow melts! 

Homeschool Update

Frey Academy Year 3!!

Year three brings us a 2nd Grader and a Kindergartener!!  Oh and a two year old toddler!!  Not going to lie I was starting to have some freak out moments about being able to teach two kids at the same time two different curriculums.  How is that possible.  When does the mom get a mental rest.  It was starting to look like most of my summer was going to be consumed with research, planning & school prep. 

It took some convincing but Jesse finally was able to talk me into taking a completely different route with school and going with the RVA (rural virtual academy).  The RVA is like a charter school for homeschoolers that runs threw the public schools.  Technically my kids are enrolled in a public school, but I am their teacher and they learn from home. 

I wasn't okay with this at first because I don't want to be a quitter... and it felt like quitting by going to the RVA.  Then I learned that they are using A LOT of the same books I am already using.  It is still a homeschool curriculum - not a public school curriculum.  I chatted with them and I was sold in an instant.  They tested the kids to see where they fell. 

Mallory at the end of her 1st grade year was reading at an 8th grade level!!  I started first grade with her barely reading and I was feeling defeated on the reading front.  To end at an 8th grade level... mind blown!!  So giddy!!  That right there is a homeschool mommas bonus check!!  She tested high in everything else as well except spelling.  She tested at a first grade speller.  I feel this is my fault because I was so focused on reading with her that year - that I completely spaced spelling. 

Maxwell at the end of Preschool was testing high as well!  He averaged a first grader!! 

Even though the kids tested high in everything the teacher and I decided it would still be best to keep them at their current grade... not to bump them ahead.  Build their confidence!

The RVA offers three different curriculum choices and I went with BookShark.  It is a literature based program.  Lots and lots of reading.  We learn over here at Frey Academy from a good book!!

Mallory is doing Level 2 BookShark.
Maxwell is doing Level K BookShark

We started out doing all separate subjects for a few weeks until I couldn't do it anymore.  I need to combine the History & Science.  I took Mallory down to the Level K History & Science and they do those 2 subjects together.

We are a full 15 weeks into the program and I am loving everything about it.  BookShark is so fun.  The books we get to read have been so good.  So much history they are learning and learning it in such a fun way!  A bonus... it is only a 4 day a week curriculum!!  4 days!!  That has been so nice!! 

The RVA has been amazing.  The kids get to do so much.  The field trips... painting clay, snow tubing, swimming and so much more to come!!  They get to participate in online classes put on by the teachers.  Right now they are doing story hour, Lego club & cooking classes!!  It is never a dull moment!!  Lots of opportunities for the kids!

Outside of the RVA the kids did choir again!  They completed the first semester and had their Christmas performance.  Every time they blow me away.  I cried so much during this concert!  The last song of the night was amazing... goose bumps... tears... left me wanting to yell "MORE! MORE!"  Gosh some talented kids are in the group!! 

We are also involved in the local co-op which was broken up into Sports, Drama & Cooking. 

Awana is a Wednesday night favorite too. 

A typical day for us looks like this...  9:00 school starts.  Mallory gets to work on all the things she can do herself {handwriting, phonics, reading, calendar, extra math sheets}.  While Mallory is working is when Max gets his one-on-one time.  I have to do everything with him side by side.  Melanie is either playing playdough or sitting on my lap and listening in or making a gigantic mess.  If Max has completed his tasks and there is time I work with Mallory on her language, creative writing and spelling.  This takes to us about 11:00.  We break and do chores, lunch & free time.  At 1:00 we read Melanie a couple stories and send her to bed.  Then the big kids and I do our read aloud books, history & science.  Mallory then gets her math lesson for the day.  Which takes to us about 3:00.

Some days go really fast!  Some days I am begging for the clock to move!  Some days are super fun!  Some days I want to go back to bed!

One Little Word - 2017

This is my second year of picking a word to focus my year on.  Last year my word was contentment.  It really worked for me.  I prayed all year to be content in being a homeschool family.  It wasn’t until August of this year that I truly became content in it.  However I still ended the year fully content with it! 

This year my word came to me immediately.  Joy.

Now that I am content in this homeschool lifestyle.  I need to have joy while doing it.  I don’t want to do the motions and check off the boxes and get the books done.  I want to have fun while we do it.

I have stepped out of my comfort zone and started co-leading our co-op and teaching drama!  Drama!  Um.  Not me.  I don’t lead.  I don’t do drama.  But I am loving it!!  I get so dang proud of these kids when they do it and do it so well!! 

I am also volunteering again in Awana.  Except I have to come home happy.  So many times last year I went and came home a bear.  I am trading my kids in for other peoples’ kids!  Then I have to drive an hour home with my ramped up kids because they just had so much fun and they need to tell me every single detail about their night.  This isn’t fun!  I am exhausted!  I went to school to be a paralegal not a teacher!  Why can’t I be the mom who gets a few hours to herself on a Wednesday night?  It is the not the option for my life and I accept it now.  Now I need to have joy!

I am still in charge of our church’s nursery.  I have tried a handful of times to get out of this position.  My main excuses were I don’t have time for this and I live too far away.  God won’t let me go of this one either.  Every time some thing came I grumped and complained and want to throw in the towel.  This year… I need joy while I do this.  Joy!

Joy!

My one little word for 2017!

How about more blogging too?  Gah.  How I love looking back and reading all Mally & Max’s goofy stories.  Melanie has soooo many silly stories and I will never remember them unless I start journaling again!  Not to mention all the crazy Mally & Max get into too!!