nature study.

The week has begun and ended with school.  School at home.  Again.  I have signed up again to attempt to school my children at home.  Call me crazy.  I do.  I call myself an "accidental homeschooler."  It's not something I ever thought I'd do, had no intention of doing, and didn't really want to do.  At first.  And, now, it has become part of my life that I'm beginning to really enjoy. 

Because it's becoming more "me."  When I started I had no idea what in the world I was doing, so I just did what the curriculum guide told me to do, not really knowing why I was doing it, and not really sure it's what my kids needed or what I liked.  But, I've grown in confidence over the years, and I've realized curriculms/methods that I do like and others I absolutely do not like at all!

It's been a journey.  In some ways a journey that parallels the rest of my life--one of figuring out who I am, and living out of that place.  It's not easy and takes a lot of work. 

 

One of the things I do love about homeschool is that I get to learn with my kids about the things I am passionate about.   One of them is nature!  I probably enjoy it more than anyone else, but incorporating nature study into our year has been so fun.  We took a field trip to Merrit Island National Wildlife refuge last winter.  We saw lots of things there--typical Florida gators, Spanish moss, migratory birds, and also this spider.  I've forgotten his exact name, but I call him the "Freddy Krueger" spider.  His face is scary!

This year we are studying "Botany."  I have learned so much already about plants that I never knew before.  Below, is a photo of some lichen that was growing on a tree in my backyard--it's a non-vascular plant (meaning it does not have veins/tubes to absorb water through roots).  It grows in very wet environments by absorbing water from the air (hello, Florida!)  

There are also many things I do not love about homeschool.  One of them is the fact that I can not seem to plan meals to save my life while school is in session.  Yesterday, upon my friend Sarah's recommendation, I signed up for E-Meals.  It's brilliant.  You get a meal plan and a shopping list every week.  And, there is a sale on Groupon right now.  Score!

 Fall is always a time of transition--I just have to remind myself that it takes time to get into the routine of things, and that after a few weeks or so, we'll settle into our new normal.  Little Z will eventually begin to entertain himself and stop erasing the white board while I am in mid-sentence.

In the meantime, I will "Keep Calm and Carry On."