Showing posts with label Zoo. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Zoo. Show all posts

9.02.2010

A day of homeschooling







Our day of learning included some singing, dancing, playing with ducks, playing with friends, honking swans and a cute baby [haha]. Mr. {D} has started his second year of homeschooling. We are currently studying habitats, specifically forest animals. A trip to the zoo was in order to see a few of these animals first hand. Did you know a timber wolf [averaging 175 pounds] is more than twice the size of the smaller Mexican Wolves?

I love the freedom to learn "how" we want with homeschooling. I just finished a whole lesson plan for a year with a focus of photography for {D}. He would never have been able to take photography lessons in first grade in a traditional school. It allows him to flourish, be creative and incorporate letters, text, reading, science, art & design all at the same time. Lots of fun projects in the works-so perfect for him. So be prepared to see a few of his pics throughout the next year.

The only little hitch with homeschooling this year, is having Miss {M} enrolled in a traditional elementary school. We lose 1.5 hours a day to travel. In the car, outta the car, to pick up and drop off with 4 kids takes quite a bit of time [and a few meltdown from our resident toddler]. -sigh- Just the lunch making and shoe finding in the morning is exhausting. I'm tired and it's day 3...4? Of well, I guess it will work itself into a rhythm over time. I'm just excited to still share my day with my oldest son. A piece of my heart leaves every morning with my daughter, as she bounces into her school. I don't think it gets easier, you just get used to it.

11.30.2009

Zoo Lights

We visited the Columbus Zoo for our annual zoo lights trip over the weekend. The trip had a rough start this year! Our van has been running poorly for weeks, but we decided to take a chance and drive to the zoo [about 25 minutes away]. Everything seemed to be going fine until we got about 10 minutes from the zoo. The traffic was so bad that it took up over an hour to make it to the parking lot from this point. It was inch by inch driving, {L} was screaming and the bigger kids whining away! Then the van started running SUPER bad and I was sure it was going to break down right in the middle of traffic causing a riot among the cars trapped behind us. In my head I pictured people yelling at us with anything, but Christmas spirit.

Luckily, that scene only played out in my head and we arrived, a little frazzled, but there! The kids had the greatest time. The zoo had several brand new displays this year and it was like being a kid again for me. {L} was so excited to be able to walk around like a big boy with us[not buckled into the stroller] that he didn't even try to run away once-a first for him!

All three children decorated cookies with Mrs. Claus, the highlight of the trip. The cookies were actually pretty gross tasking, but the kids said they were DELICIOUS! Lots of sprinkles and globs of frosting always equals tasty to kids!