Picnic Table Talk

One of the blogs I follow, ABC and 123 (which is a super place full of ideas for teaching your little ones) is celebrating summer with Picnic Table Talk. One of the first topics of conversation, beyond introducing yourself and your blog, is picnics and picnic food. Since I JUST blogged about our picnic table and our picnic today, I thought I would join in. Scroll on down to the next post to read about "picnic-y" things.

I am trying to do this quickly and don't want to look for a more recent picture of our whole family; this one was taken last summer on vacation in Seattle.

Introductions: We are a homeschooling family of five. My husband and I met in college, and we have been married over 11 1/2 years. We both taught school for two years before starting a family. I've stayed home ever since, and he had to move on to the corporate world. (boo!) My husband is a very good man and a very good dad. He just may be even more creative than I am. I can always count on him for great ideas and support.

I enjoy the topics of parenting, vegan food, homeschooling (I think I could run my own school with the amount of curriculum, books, manipulatives, etc. that I own. I have to stay away from the teacher supply stores. And my Discount School Supply catalog is dog-eared to death right now with all the many things I can't wait to order. I would most describe us as "unschoolers," yet maybe "unschoolers who love curriculum" - can we just be that? I have an elementary ed degree, and it's all too ingrained within me.), scrapbooking, blogging, missions, books, Friday Night Lights (my current favorite show), health, adoption (have never adopted a child; I just find it all very interesting), travel, and conscious living (which, for me, involves living in a Christ-directed way and considering how my actions and life affect the earth)...and I don't know, tons of other things - my brain isn't working too well because it's late; I do have an embarrassing interest in "celebrity news," but I'm trying to cut back :). I am so glad I don't strive for perfection because I'd be falling way short...but I like my life and with God's help, I hope I am not too far off the path.

"Tornado" is almost 9 and is a JOY to home school. He loves to learn. He just eats it all up - books, lessons, projects, whatever. He also likes comic books and computer games. And holidays and occasions - thank goodness, because I am all for the celebrations.

"Dash" is the sweetest, smartest little 4 year old BOOGER. Left to his own devices, he can and will wreak havoc of many proportions...cuddle up next to him or play a game with him (We really like Guess Who?), and he will melt your heart. He likes dinosaurs and being active outside.

"Sissy" is 2, and she likes to be with her Momma. She does really enjoy playing with her brothers and at some points in the day, she'll wander off with them for awhile, but she mostly wants to do what I'm doing. She's sweet and helpful (although a typical 2 year old and sometimes demanding and stubborn.)

I love my kids.

I was quickly looking for a "homeschooling" picture that I haven't already used. Here are a couple of Tornado from...I think FOUR YEARS ago. Good grief, he's getting old. Back in the olden days, at our previous house when we only had 1 or 2 kids, the doors in the hall were covered in all our many fun activities. Here, during our Farm Unit, he is singing along to the "The 12 days of Farming" pages, which he illustrated. And yeah, I think his underwear is on backwards. Some things never change.

And during our Space Unit, putting the post-it stars in order.

I haven't blogged much yet about specific "school" activities we do, but here are a few "learning" related posts.

Culminating our ocean unit with a party

How we keep track of all our little craft supplies

Devotion books we really enjoy

Planting activity

a fun field/road trip we took

Cinco de Mayo fun here and here

What are our summer plans? We don't run by a "school year" so - more of the same. I hope we get to take a few really fun vacations and learning field trips; I have a few things up my sleeve. My husband and I are in "how to make life simpler and more productive" mode so I'll be sharing more of our journey toward that. And I am all about, this summer, going swimming. There just aren't many places to go swimming where we live, and we always end up making it through the entire summer, having only swam a handful of times. Not this summer, by golly.

Okay, I feel like I need a "conclusion," but I really am tired now. Therefore, I conclude. For now.