* Exploring *

Our current Home-study block has us working on all things S.T.E.M related.  I have one child who loves science and I have another child who loves math and engineering.  This last week we decided to take advantage of "Kids Free October" and check out the Birch Aquarium.   

We snatched up our baby cousin and he did not seem to mind.  The kids really all have so much fun together.  One of their highlights was being able to look at and touch real shark eggs.  The toddler is obsessed with "Baby Shark" and needless to say all things shark!  

All the kids loved the water zone so much.  They worked together to make a path for boat races.  

It was such a fun day, the weather was nice and the Aquarium was not crowded.  I'm so glad we ventured out and checked off Science from our Home-Study to do list.  

* A mommy and a Teacher *

Hey mama! It's almost teacher appreciation week! I'd like to think that all of us mom's are in many ways our child's first teacher. We are the ones who spend time carefully and slowly sounding out "mama" so our sweet baby can repeat and say their first big important word. We teach our children manners, faith, compassion, to be respectful and to be advocates for themselves.

As a home-schooling mama, I can appreciate the phrase "Teaching Tiny Humans is Exhausting." I have to find humor in the sometimes chaos that proceeds home-schooling. On a good day, I have planned and prepped all that we are going to be working on and everyone stays on task. Some days I seriously just wing it and hope for the best. Whether you home school your little's or send them off to school, YOU mama are always their number one teacher. I'd say the most important teacher they have! YOU will teach them those life skills and how to be good humans.

Mom teachers and school teachers, our jobs are important. What we teach matters. It's exhausting and rewarding all at the same time. Let's take some time to appreciate all the teachers in the life of our children, including ourselves mama's. How cute are these teacher gifts and travel mugs from The Mom Culture?

To all the teachers teaching in a classroom, to the mama's who home-school and to all the mama's who teach the ultimate life skills, we are in this together!

* The Artist Bundle *

This week we got to be a part of one of our favorite annual school activities, the student Art Gallery. Every year the students showcase a project that they made based on an artist that they studied.  This year my kiddos chose to research and learn about Charles Schulz.  I know that there must be some correlation between us recently getting Knott's Berry Farm passes and their artist choice.  Check out some of the wonderful art work displayed! 

The Peanuts gang seemed like a fun and simple subject to learn how to draw.  Although trickier than it looks, the kids did a great job on their pencil and pen drawings.  Here is a picture of how Sam's turned out 

We popped it in a frame and he even signed his name on the bottom right.  We all love the sarcastic humor of the Peanuts gang, so it seemed fitting for Sam to make a small cartoon with his favorite character.   This was the last big project and gallery for the school year and can I tell you a little secret?  This mama is super excited and counting down the days for summer break!   Until then, we count down the days left of school.   That's 20 more to be exact.  

Simple, Intentional & Meaningful Christmas

I always get a little bit overwhelmed with the madness of Christmas.  Not in my home, but it happens to me when I'm out and about.  It feels busy and materialistic.  I still don't know how the Christmas light people stay in business every year.  I mean how many lights could you possibly need for your home? don't they last a few years?  yet there are rows upon rows of just Christmas lights at the store every Christmas!  

People continue to buy more and more decorations each year.  Why? I love Christmas and I love decorating my home but I try to keep the decorations simple.  I want my decorations to become meaningful and traditional.  I can't change my decor each year, I want it to become classic and timeless for my family.  I want my family to one day look back at our quirky Christmas tree with the same old ornaments we have used for the last 13 years of our marriage.  I want the things in my home to be simple and ours.  I don't want to continue adding things and stuff just because. 

Gifts are so much fun to give but people get crazy! Am I alone on this? 30 presents under the tree for each child that you have? seems a bit excessive to me.  I know I sound super "judgy" right now but hear me out.  I love handmade gifts.  One of my favorite things about Christmas is that my mom usually makes us all a handmade gift.  I look forward to it.  It isn't in the store, there aren't 5,000 of those things being sold.  It is meaningful and it's valued more than any store bought item.  

What's even crazier is that people are out AFTER Christmas buying more "STUFF".  Oh my goodness, we a small family of 4 produce so much trash in one day! I don't know what I would do with more extra "STUFF" and things.  More to keep track of and clean up I guess.  

I love the idea of giving 2 gifts to each of my kids.  They end up with more because of family and friends, but really I hate the idea of giving my kids a bunch of presents that will no longer be fun or interesting a month from now.  I certainly have the Charlie Brown syndrome every Christmas. "They've gone commercial!"  I hope I don't sound like a Grinch.  (as much as I love him) 

I do still love Christmas and I try my best to slow it all down, keep it simple, intentional and meaningful at home each year.  After all,it is all about Jesus and knowing that he came to bring us HOPE for our future.  

What are some of your favorite Christmas traditions?  What are some things that can get you a bit overwhelmed during this season?  How do you keep the focus on Jesus?  I would love to hear from you.  

I will end this very long ramble with this adorable picture of the kids.  

I hope that your Christmas was a fun one! 

 

Spring Break and Snow

When my husband suggested that we visit Sequoia National Park and Yosemite for spring break I wasn't too thrilled.  I was really content spending a few days at our community pool or perhaps visiting one of our local beaches.  The more he talked about taking our family up to the mountains though, the more I began to desire to be around them.  I am so glad we went! This was my favorite place.  I fell in love with Sequoia, the forest seemed to be enchanted. 

The redwoods were covered in moss and it was such a lovely thing to see among the beautiful snow covered ground.  It was a treat for us to enjoy the snow since we didn't get to during the winter.  

My littlest adventure seeker enjoyed every moment.  She sloshed around in her snow gear and I tried to capture it all in my mind but also on my camera.  

 Sam made a football shaped snowball and had a blast throwing it back and fourth with his dad.  

It was such a fun way to begin our visit to Sequoia.  I was not a fan of the altitude and the slight snow storm we drove through to get to the top.  It was worth it though.  

Once we were nice and frozen we headed back down the mountain to find a warm place to eat and to seek out adventure near a small river we spotted on our way up. 

We had lunch and this was the view out of our window.  So lovely!

I kept singing.."We're going down to the river, down to the river, down to the river to pray"  just because I am cheesy that way.  They liked it.  I think.  

There was a suspension bridge to cross one side of the river.  My people were brave and went across, I stayed behind safely behind my camera lens.  

Look! proof that I was there.  I loved that everything was such a different and bright shade of GREEN!  All the rain we have had lately sure did this land good.  

I need Jacaranda tree's in my yard now.  I am in love.  Spring break and snow, I am now a fan! 

* Friday Science *

Today the kids wanted to work on a new science experiment.  We decided to try turning milk into plastic.  We found this science experiment from a pin on Pinterest.  

Supplies needed;  milk, vinegar, measuring cup, measuring spoon, strainer and some paper towels. 

Directions:
1.  Heat milk for 1 1/2 minutes
2.  Stir in 4 table spoons of Vinegar for 1 minute into the milk 
3.  Strain milk
4.  Pat it dry with a paper towel and let it sit out for 24 hours  

Here is Samara pouring the vinegar in to a cup.  

 Sam stirred the vinegar into the milk for one minute.  

This is how the milk looks when you strain it.  The protein and fat from the milk has been separated by the acid in the Vinegar.  

 The last step is to pat the "plastic milk" dry on a paper towel to make sure that there is no liquid left.  

We are curious to see how this will look and feel tomorrow.  You can also add food coloring to it during this step.  I would love to know if you have tried this before or will be trying it out with your kiddos.  Thanks for reading!  

* Sand vs. Snow *

Our family tried going to the snow TWICE this month.  The first time my car stalled right as we got the bottom of the mountain, we didn't even get close!  We decided instead (since my car turned back on) to visit the Rock Maze out in Hemet.  It wasn't as thrilling as playing in the snow but we enjoyed a short walk and looking at the beautiful sky above us.  I took my new camera and got a few good pictures of the kids exploring.  

  

The following weekend, we decided to try and find snow again.  This time we would drive my husband's car to avoid any car trouble.  It didn't rain much and so we were out of luck in finding snow up the hill.  Since we live in California, we did the next best thing!  We headed out to Carlsbad for a day in the sand.  (Gotta love January in California)  The kids enjoyed playing in the sand and getting their feet wet in the freezing cold water.  I loved watching them laugh and play.  

With all the rain we have had lately, we might still make it to see some snow soon.  For now, I am grateful for these small adventures, these treasured memories and God's redirection of our time together.  All the planning in the world does not compare to God's plans for our lives.  His ways are better anyway!