Mohaus Schoolhouse Week 8

Last week was Fall Break for our local public schools so a lot of our friends were off. We ended up doing a blend of playing with friends, school work, and field trips. 

Monday was Columbus Day/Canadian Thanksgiving so the boys and I followed my tradition of baking a homemade pumpkin pie. 

Our field trips included a morning at a park and a trip to Old McDonalds farm with friends. 

<Mom Fail: We waited in line to go on a hayride to get pumpkins today. I carried the pumpkins back to the car and set them on the bumper. And promptly put the kids in the car and drove off without the pumpkins.>>

To end the week, our family went camping in the North Georgia mountains where we visited Hillcrest Orchards...

and Burt’s Pumpkin Farm. 

The boys competed in an STRA youth trials event on Saturday where Jack got first place in his division...

and we also hiked at Tallulah Falls.

All these visits to farms and orchards meant we got to go on three different hayrides. On the last one, Jack was observing the tractor and asked us what would happen if the coupler broke. Daniel said he was wondering the same thing and a discussion ensued on what would happen.

Last week Jack wrapped up his Singapore Math (first grade course) from last year and we will get started on Beast Academy (second grade) this week. I’m interested in discovering how he does with the new style of curriculum. 

We are really enjoying The Same Page podcast. We start with it the first thing in the morning as it briefly covers scripture, excerpts from Shakespeare, a poem, and facts about presidents. Jack told me that the excerpt from “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” was his favorite. It was mine too.

We are about halfway through “Little House in the Big Woods” and the “The Mysterious Howling.” We have also been listening to an audio of “The Wizard of Oz” and Jack informed me that the scarecrow was actually pretty smart and the lion wasn’t that scared. I love seeing him draw these conclusions on his own. 

We also started reading a book called “What If?” This books answers ridiculous questions like “What would happen if all the people in the world stood shoulder to shoulder and jumped up and landed at the same time?”

Last week was our second full week since our trip out west and we are still finding our groove (and it still wasn’t a typical week). This week will probably be a little more on the normal side for us.

What Our Homeschool Looked Like in October:
Week 7 (Sept. 30-Oct. 6)
Week 8 (Oct. 7-13)
Week 9 (Oct. 14-20)
Week 10 (Oct. 21-27)
Week 11 (Oct. 28-Nov. 3)

Ocoee Whitewater Center

For some time, Daniel and I have been kicking around the idea of taking our kids to ride the Virginia Creeper Trail. With Jack teaching himself to ride his bike this summer (and then taking him on an 11-mile ride while on vacation this summer), we felt like we could totally handle the experience.

But, as happens more than we like, life got in the way. By the time we got around to planning our trip, our lodging options were limited because we put off finding a place. Then we talked about camping somewhere like Big South Fork, where we could still bike and hike, but we kept putting off committing to an actual plan.

Last minute plans are not Daniel's favorite, but I was determined we would do something fun for the long weekend... and then I came down with a stomach bug. Thursday afternoon, I collapsed on the couch and I didn't end up really getting off the couch until Sunday.

It was a miserable weekend, but it turned out that not having planned anything was for the best.

By Monday I was feeling like a human again and Daniel had the day off so I suggested we take a drive and go to the Ocoee Whitewater Center in Cherokee National Forest (about an hour-and-a-half from where we live). At the last second we decided to throw Jack's bike in the back of the car.

My initial plan was that we would walk/bike on the Rhododendron Trail #332. This was supposed to be a flat 1.6 miles, one-way, from the Whitewater Center to Powerhouse #3. But in the end, we just did about a mile stroll around the Olympic course at the Whitewater Center.

It was a gorgeous day and after a brief walk/ride, Jack hopped off his bike determined to explore the gorge itself. So we let him.

I had brought extra clothes for the boys, but didn't bring swimsuits or towels – it's October and I hadn't really considered that the kids might want to get wet.

Well, get wet they did! Jack ended up climbing around barefoot, in shorts, wearing his bike helmet for protection in case he slipped on the wet rocks.

Isaac was determined to get in. Without a swim diaper, we opted to let him skinny dip (not a first). This little one of ours is so ready to be big. He insists on tramping around, not wanting to hold our hands, completely unconcerned about the water that is swift and too deep for him. He is unbothered by rough terrain, he just wants to go. He wants to be where his big brother is, doing what he is doing. Truth be told, he was not a fan of being stuck in his stroller for most of the day, but I think he still had a good time.

Jack had a blast. He started out rock hopping, but soon was waist deep in the water. He found little areas that he could slide on the rocks, letting the current push him through the shallow waters – what was too deep for his little brother, was perfect for him. And when he wasn't playing in the water, he was biking as fast as his little legs would let him – often just out of our sight.

I love that our boys both love the outdoors and exploring, being immersed in nature. We are excited that while we can do fun things with them now, once Isaac is a little older, we will be able to do even more. And that is a lovely thought.

Monday was Canadian Thanksgiving and I was thinking about my family, spread all over. It's been a long time since I truly celebrated this holiday (I normally try to at least make a pumpkin pie, but with being sick that wasn't going to happen), but nonetheless, I am thankful for my family and that I got to spend the day with Daniel and our boys.

Crow Creek Pumpkin Patch 2013

One of my favorite things about being parents is that we do stuff that we would never consider doing when it was just the two of us. 

Last year was our first year to go to a pumpkin patch (we actually visited two, Crow Creek and Burt's Farm) and this year we decided to use Daniel's day off for Columbus Day to go back to Crow Creek.

I kind of hope that going on Columbus Day becomes a tradition, 1) because Daniel has the day off and the farm wasn't very crowded and 2) it was nice to do something on a day that also happens to be Canadian Thanksgiving. I hope that as Jack gets older we are able to celebrate this Canadian holiday even if it is in a smaller capacity.

The pumpkins at the farm this year were kind of small, but we still enjoyed the experience. The Crow Creek Pumpkin Patch includes a hayride out on the farm to the pumpkin patch to pick up your pumpkin as well as a corn maze, a small petting zoo and several play areas.

Jack wasn't so sure about the animals and was actually nipped by one of the donkeys. If I recall, I got nipped last year. Overall I think he enjoyed the experience.

I am looking forward to growing our traditions as Jack gets older. 

For dinner tonight, Jack helped me make a pumpkin pie. I wanted to have something that reminded me of Thanksgiving. I am looking forward to going to Canada this weekend for my cousin's wedding and seeing a lot of my relatives. 

On a sad note, three different people I know lost loved ones today; including my Nana whose brother, my Great Uncle Dean Hotchkiss, passed away. He is the first of my Nana's six siblings to pass, so she and my other great aunts and uncles are on my mind today.