Today was awesome! The trip to Roger's Farm to pick strawberries was about an hour and a half, but it was the quiet back roads that made the drive so peaceful. The boys enjoyed picking so much that I had to ask them to quit. They would have stayed and filled buckets for hours had I allowed them. It is nearly impossible to walk past a beautiful red ripe strawberry and not reach down and pluck it. At a $1.25 a pound, we brought home 17 pounds. After picking 31 pounds last year, I understand that the picking is not the hard part. The real work begins at home when strawberries cover every inch of counter space and they must be put away.

The best part - how do we eat them? Many will be frozen and used for smoothies, but what I'm craving is not the healthiest way to eat them. I'm dreaming of a pound cake smothered with crushed berries, and a little whipped cream to top it off. mmmmmmm

Pick your own

Do you love to pick various fruits & vegetables? One of my favorite web sites has a list of places (even outside US) where you can go and pick your own fruits or veggies. The site is very user friendly. Simply click on your state, scroll down the list of farms, organized by county, and find the one that offers the produce you love most.

My favorite fruit to pick is strawberries. The children love them so much that it is sometimes difficult to get them to STOP picking. It's an all around fantastic experience to share with the kids.
Go ahead, give it a try and pick your own. http://www.pickyourown.org/ The site is also a wealth of resources for related topics: canning, freezing, and jam making.

Please share any advice or info you have that would be helpful to others who are planning a field trip to a farm. What's your favorite fruit or veggie?

Language Arts

Which Language Arts curriculum would you recommend for students ages 10 - 13?

Language Arts is a subject which I believe is critical to childrens' education. In all aspects of our lives we use these skills, though for many students, it is a subject that does not bring pleasure, nor fun. Consider for a moment the number of daily tasks which require reading and writing. For me, it is almost constant. That's something I learned the day I had my eyes dilated and could not read for several hours.

Last year we used the Learning Language Arts Through Literature curriculum. As a first year homeschooler, I thought the program was terrific because it focuses on a specific piece of literature for each lesson, while teaching grammar. The student book presents the lessons in an easy to understand way, while the teacher's manual guides the parent in understanding how to assist the child with the lessons. It was rather easy to use and the boys did not complain about their assignments.

In our second year homeschooling, I kept my 5th grade son in the Learning Lang. Arts Through Lit curriculum, but I wanted more challenge for my 7th grade son in writing. I've switched his curriculum to Learn to Write the Novel Way. He will have a completed novel when he's finished all the assignments, but it's been a challenge because it is focusing on writing without necessarily teaching the grammar skills.

In a desperate attempt to find the perfect language arts curriculum, I have jumped on board with other homeschool moms who are making the switch to The Institute for Excellence in Writing. Two other moms are already using the program with success, and several of us are currently attending weekly workshop meetings to learn how to implement the program. So far, I am impressed with the method it uses to teach note taking and summarizing and am looking forward to using the program after we've completed the current, Learn to Write the Novel Way.

Do you have a favorite curriculum you have used in Language Arts?

Spring Break

The awesome spring weather, along with the changes in flowers and trees, has caused an infectious need to be outside. The boys and I have taken a break from academic studies for a few days, while we visited family in Pensacola, FL for Easter. Pictured are my mother and one brother with his family. And my husband having fun on one of their toys.

It was a blessing to see my mother and brothers, and for the children to connect with their cousins, but anytime I have been away from home I feel like I need time to be still and enjoy the peace of returning to our sanctuary...so, I feel like each good vacation deserves a recovery vacation. After returning from our trip to Pensacola, we have taken a few more days away from academics for free time. Hehehe, I guess I can't say it has been a quiet, peaceful past few days. Two days ago I went to an optometrist for my first ever eye exam. Having never had my eyes dilated, I didn't know what to expect. I did not expect to pass out, but that's exactly what happened and anytime a person passes out for no good reason, the doctor is going to want to do tests. So, my peaceful spring break has turned into clinic visits. I prefer History lessons over being probed. Can't wait to return to our regular academic studies.

Today is Friday. We will be meeting friends at a nearby park for a short art session and fun. The children have been meeting with a mom in our homeschool group for informal art lessons. Before we release them for their wild park adventures, they will sketch any subject of their choosing. It's a beautiful place set on the St. Johns River with lots of interesting scenery.