School's starting!

Well, school has started for everyone else so we decided that we would start also. But...we started last week. We did a whole three days of Math and English before we took our back-t0-school trip with our home school group on Friday. The kids just needed to be brought back into structure and schedule slowly and...we aren't done having fun this summer so we still are not on a early bedtime routine. That's what I love about homeschooling. We can start when we want, do as much as we want, and cater our schedule to what fits us best. So we will start full force, all subjects in September but right now we are just getting use to what this year will be about, how long each day will take us, and how to fit everything in productively.

Here are my kiddos on their first day of school in front of the school house.

Bare foot and all :)

Princess is ready for second grade!

Fourth grade here we come!

On Friday, we took our back-to-school trip with our home school group to Lubbock. We started the day (early!) at an apple orchard where we got to pick fresh apples, eat fresh apples, and buy fresh apple products to bring home. YUM!

Our group is growing! We had two new families join us this trip and it's so exciting to see new faces that are choosing to travel down this same road.

Since we were in Lubbock and public schools had not started yet, we asked a cousin that lives in Lubbock to join us for the day. She came home with us and spent the night too!

Princess and Gracie getting ready to go pick some apples!

Here is our guide telling us all about how they started this orchard and what their plans are for the future. He was super nice to the kiddos and was very welcoming when we wanted to just pick the apples right off the tree and snack. :)

The transportation for our tour was a hayride. Unfortunately, it didn't fit all of us! But that's okay, some of us moms and dads were more than willing to walk. It was so hot that day and I'm pretty sure I sweat off any sugars and or calories that I took in.

After the apple orchard and cooling off during lunch, we went to the Science Spectrum. Our visit started off by watching a movie on Storm Chasers on their I M A X screen. It was very cool. Then we just let the kids explore and discover as much as they wanted until it was time to leave.

The moms got involved in discovering too...of course!

Little Man spinning around and around and around....

Gracie and Princess spent a long time at this exhibit. You put sand into the pendulum and when you released it, there would be a design made from the sand pouring out. They tried making all kinds of designs and had such a good time together.

This has always been one of Little Man's favorite exhibits. It is ping pong balls going through different paths and directions making cause and effect reactions that are precise and exact. He is always mesmerized by this and I won't be surprised if he ends up with a smaller version of it after his birthday. :)

We spent almost to closing time at the science spectrum and then headed for home. It was such a wonderful day and we made good memories. It made it even more special to have a cousin with us that we don't get to see very often.

When we got home, I came out to unload the car and this was the view from the driveway. God can do some amazing things ya know? :) Notice the moon right at the top of the picture. It was just magnificent!

After some much needed rest the girls woke up very ready to play, giggle and do all the things that little girls do. They fixed hair, painted nails, played school and got along every step of the way. That is a huge blessing to have another little girl for Princess to play with and get along with. We don't have enough that are close enough so it was so fun to just sit back and watch them play.

They even let Little Man join in on some fun and played in the water on the trampoline. Memories!!

So even though our school year has started, I've tried to teach the kids that it doesn't mean that our fun and living our lives to the fullest has to stop. I feel like that they are my mission field right now and I pray that God helps His love and respect for them shine through me. I love my life!!