School Update

So, it occurs to me that I have not done a homeschool update for some time. So, here goes. First off, I am happy to say, I have found a fantastic curriculum that I positively LOVE. It is from a little home-based Christian company called Homeschool in the Woods. It is primarily focused on history, but also includes a few science experiments, penmenship, writing, etc. The kids and I are having a ball with all the many hands-on projects! And I love it, because we can go at our own pace without worrying about trying to stick to a daily schedule. (AND it's only $30 per unit--on CD, plus your cost of printing!)

We are currently doing a unit on New World explorers. The top two pictures are of the kids tasting lime juice. As probably most of my readers are already aware, one of the best ways the old sailors avoided scurvy was to squeeze limes and drink the juice. For that reason the sailors were called "limeys." We have also enjoyed learning how the sailors slept--in their "hamacas" and testing one out (which I had picked up at a yardsale for a couple of bucks), tying various knots (which the kids tested out on poor unsuspecting Enoch), cooking Spanish empanadas and spice cookies, making our own boat (with a cardboard box), making a captain's log, and taste-testing various kinds of foods the sailors would have eaten, such as "salt horse" (jerky), dried fruits, and hard tack (Mom's homemade wheat bread--Maile kept referring to it as "heart attack." Not sure how I feel about that.)

Anyway, that is all in week one of this curriculum's schedule (which actually took us about two weeks.) So much fun. I love how laid back school and our schedule has become. I feel like I am learning a lot too! For math we usually do a couple pages a day, and same with letters and numbers for Maile. I have decided since we are spending so much time on history, we are going to take an entire week every month and a half and focus on science and English.

We continue to go to museums here and there, and listen to lots of books on CD. We just finished Hatchet and Dr. Doolittle.
Life is good!