Weekly Wrap-Up: Camping & Hands-on Schooling

      We have had a blast this week! First, Mount Cheaha in Alabama & then F. D. R. State Park in Georgia. The week has been filled with fun. Tomorrow it all comes to an end, back to home we go.
Here are a few picts from our week.

 Sarah & Matthew Welcoming you to Mt. Cheaha State Park in Alabama.

 Here they are at the highest point in the state of Alabama 2,407 feet.

 This is the Doug Ghee Accessible Trail which is a boardwalk that ends at an overlook.

 The boardwalk is about 1/4 mile long & is very well built & maintained. This is a pleasant walk in the mist of nature.

 Breathtaking scenery from the overlook. We saw Redtail Hawks & other birds. Awesome spiritual meditation!

 There are several places you can get off the boardwalk & follow hiking trails or giant stones for picnic tables like the one we used.

 Matthew was in charge of preparing the meat for our Hobo Burgers.

 Sarah was over the red potatoes.

 Here is one of four Hobo Burgers going on the grill for chef Matthew to cook.

 On the highest point is the CCC Tower.

Clowning around in the tower windows.

 As we were leaving Cheaha we visited the Indian Museum by the gate. Our little indians were on the warpath. Now we are on our way to FDR State Park & Warm Springs, Georgia.

 Our children checking the warmth of the spring water that stays a constant 88 degrees. They only fill the three pools two times a year.

 This is a scale model of the Roosevelt Museum & Pools.

 We are standing in front of the Little White House in Warm Springs.

 This is the servants quarters.

 Sarah at the fountains.

 Matthew at the fountains.

 The museum held many Roosevelt treasures. Here pictured is 1 of 107 walking sticks or canes, all very unique.

 Lots of exercise on this trip. Many hiking trails at FDR State Park.

 The children enjoyed the Jr Ranger challenge for patches.

 A short rest stop & forward we go.

Mama's short meditation time on a log while hiking.



    We haven't done any paper work this week, but have learned so much from our adventures. Sarah & Matthew have been doing hands on geography by navigating our travels with a map. Plotting the roads and calculating mileage between towns. Oh, yeah, we did do a little paper work this week. They have been working on their Jr. Ranger badges, & they also did a scavenger hunt answering questions about different things at F. D. R's Little Whitehouse.
     I think I am the one that has enjoyed the week the most. I wanted to go to Warm Springs for my 10th aniversary, but was not able. So this week has been a treat to me.
     It has been a bit nippy in the mornings for us southern folks. We have survived it though.
I suppose this about summarizes our week. If you would like to read other's weekly wrap-ups just hop on over to Kris's blog for all of the others. Happy homeschooling!!!

Camping Again!

Ok, I told you guys I just didn't have it out of my system yet. We are back camping, yea! We went to a homecoming at a church about 5 hours from our house so we just decided to camp our way back home. How fun is that!
We did not bring any books other than writing materials for stories and nature journals for naturing. Oh, and our favorite, audio books. I'm the teacher so I suppose that will be ok, he he he.
Sorry I haven't gotten around to any of your blogs lately. I am planning on doing that while we are out this week. Hope all of you are having a wonderful year.

Life Is An Education

     Just a few more picts & updates on our camping. Here's a few things the children did while we were camping.

Sarah & me collecting rocks from the creek bottom. We also did a bit of Geology study.

Matthew & Sarah wading the creek searching for special rocks.

Matthew playing around in the water, finding a rock now & then.

    I know this is cruel, but Matthew did an experiment with a minnow & oxygen. He put the minnow & a bit of water in a 3 liter coke bottle & put the top on it. It did not take long & the minnow was turning loops in the bottle. First hand experience of how a person would react with out oxygen. (Boys will be boys)
The children had a blast parading up and down the creek.

Our children tried to take it to the extreme when they rode their bikes in the creek.

Sarah & Matthew rode bikes up & down almost every road & trail they could find.

There they go again, riding off in the distant on another adventure!

    Lots of exercise was accomplished between riding bikes, swimming, & just running all over the camp grounds, hiking here and there.

    All good things must come to an end though. So back to the regular drawing board we had to come.
We're home now & back in our books. After being outdoors & feeling so free, we haven't totally returned to our books. Even I am having to just ease back in to things. I'm like the children, I would rather be back at the camp grounds.
    Other than trying to get back in the groove of things, that's about all. So, Happy homeschooling to all of you!

Camping for Schooling

      Hey, guys, we are having loads of fun, just not enough time for me to get everything on my blog. Two weeks of weekly wrap up are in the making, just haven't had time to post. But, we are having fun.
Here's a few picts of us while we are camping.

This area were I snapped the pictures was very high up over the wide beach. Up top was three pavillions, bathrooms, showers, laundry, snack machines, playground and many picnic tables. You can sit at the tables and easily watch your children play or swim in the water.

Theres a volley ball net on this end of the beach. The creek keeps winding its way back into the woods for several miles, great for canoeing! That's a hovercraft that was being tested while we were there.

Me blogging! My children are off swimming, riding bikes, rock hunting or hiking somewhere around here everyday.

Looks like Matthew and Sarah are panning for gold. They were looking for rocks on the bottom of the creek.



Me with my cellphone attached to my face! Notice behind me all the modern conviences of home.

Sarah's helping me cook bacon and pancakes for breakfast.


     Oh, I had forgotten how great Smores tasted! M--m--m, we made them around our camp fire the first night & they have been a hit each night since. Mama has looked forward to that each night. OOPS, did I say that? The children are suppose to be enjoying those aren't they.
     We met another homeschooling family here. How awesome that was! That's twice we have gone camping in September and made friends with other homeschoolers. We met the first family about 4 years ago & have kept in touch, sending little gifts back & forth to the children. They have been some great friends.
     Well, my computer time is up so more later. Happy homeschooling this week!

Blue Indigo Bunting in the Neighborhood

    Ok, we have found us some wonderful nature that we are going to study for a few days or so. While we've been walking to try to get fit, I kept hearing a bird that I wasn't familiar with its sound. I told my husband I would like to know what kind of bird that was. So yesterday while we were out walking my husband and children saw it, kept easing up to the tree where it had landed, took some pictures, and observed for about 20 or 30 minutes. They came to the conclusion it was a Blue Indigo Bunting.
    When we got home they got on the computers and did their research. Sure enough it was an Indigo Bunting. They are suppose to be in our area, but no one ever sees them. It's so rare that you see them, one of the ladies in our home school group almost fell out her window at her home trying to sneak a picture of one without scaring it off.
    We have plans to study its habits for a while, etc. And of course, take as many pictures as possible.

Here are the pics my children took.

    We could see it with our eyes to identify that it was an Indigo but our little camera doesn't have enough zoom.

Here's pic's from the internet.

　This beautiful watercolor was done by Louis Agassiz Fuertes around 1912. The Blue Indigo bunting is male & the Brown Bunting bird is female. 

I'll keep you all updated on how our study is coming along.

Spending Time At The Gulf of Mexico

     We are having a wonderful time spending our spring break at the Gulf of Mexico this week. I have enjoyed taking in the breath freshing air and some reading while the children have enjoyed the water, sand, and cousins. Well, I suppose I have enjoyed the sand also this week. It has been so cool feeling to my feet as I have been walking in it and I've also have enjoyed playing in it with the children.
     I thought I'd share a few more pics with my blogging friends. We had gone walking down the beach and discovered some sand art that some one had done. Immediately, my children were ready to go back to where we were staying so they could create in the sand. Here's a few pics of our creations and others:
　

 A gator created by unknown artist.

A sea turtle by unknown artist.

An octopus by unknown artist.

A fish by unknown artist.

A dog laying down by unknown artist.

Homeschool artist Traci, Daniel and Landin at work.

Sand artist Sarah creating her masterpiece.

 Artist Matthew's dolphin.

Matthew's octopus eating a fish.

Artist Traci working on her turtle, between phone calls. LOL

Traci's sand art turtle.

Artist Sarah's smiling starfish.

 All children playing in the condominiums swimming pool.

Traci sitting by the pool with laptop sharing her homeschooling adventures to you.

     Sand art wasn't in the books for our lesson plans, but it has been done now and they had a blast doing it. Honestly, I didn't have lesson plans for this week due to our spring break, but I've seen my children learning and observing things this week that could be used for schooling. Homeschoolers don't get vacations. Our minds have been opted in to learning mode and we don't know where to stop.     My husband and I wasn't suppose to stay at the beach this week. We were to get my library organized. My sister kept at me until we did stay for two days. We have come home for two days and will go back again tomorrow to stay for two more days. So, that means that very little has been accomplished on my library being organized. All in due time, that's what I'm telling myself, it will all be organized in due time.     Well, got to go for now so until next time, everyone have a happy homeschooling.