Thursday, May 24, 2012

As the Garden Grows: May 19-25


What a fantabulous week!

All the determined (and sometimes EXHAUSTING) discipline consistency and firm reminders of behavior expectations have paid off! Our Saplings have had MUCH more pleasant, helpful dispositions this week. And better moods make for a more relaxed, enjoyable times together!

Balsam Fir's To Go Lunch: Brownie Bites,
Pineapple Chunks, Pasta Salad with Pepper
Slices, Carrots, Peas, Cucumber Slices,
and Turkey-and-Cheese Pinwheels, and a
Peppered Hard-boiled Egg
My To Do Lunch: Pineapple Chunks, Cucumber Slices, Crushed
Honey Chex to top Non-fat Organic Strawberry Yogurt, Turkey
Scraps, Peppered Hard-boiled Egg, and Brownie Bites
Stacked and Ready to Drop into the Cooler
with Ice Packs...Names Written on Top Since
Meals are Customized

So, what DID we do this week?

We rototilled! Well, BLUE SPRUCE rototilled! LOL While he was tearing up the yard, I was off at our group portfolio reviews. Another year has officially ended! Let Year 9 commence! My assessor even stayed 1 1/2 hours after reviews ended to talk - ((GULP!)) - homeschooling high school with me.

Front of House View: Fenced in Garden, Chicken and Ducks
and Corner of Square Foot Garden Bed
Back of House View: Fenced in Garden, TENT and Hammock,
and Chicken Coop

And we loaded up the back of a friend's truck with compost several times from the Transfer Station to add to the garden. Isn't it cool that our TRASH DUMP composts?

Moving Compost

Balsam Fir discovered the weed whacker. That boy with tools! But at least he's a HUGE help around the yard, huh? I think he's weed whacked for 4 hours? 5 hours? this week. Weeds be gone! LOL

The Saplings and I spent Sunday afternoon at the educational farm ORIENTEERING. Did you know that I'm "directionally-challenged"? Sugar Maple, too. Anyway, Wikipedia defines Orienteering as:

Orienteering is a family of sports that requires navigational skills using a map and compass to navigate from point to point in diverse and usually unfamiliar terrain, and normally moving at speed. Participants are given a topographical map, usually a specially prepared orienteering map, which they use to find control points.

International Orienteering Symbol

I was a little disappointed that we didn't learn COMPASS skills though. Someday I'll have a better understanding of using one! I'd like to say that I completed the course with the kids, but I didn't.  Perhaps next time? ((wink))

A View at the Farm

On Wednesday we visited the farm AGAIN, but this time for ICE CREAM MAKING. Yum! Sadly, it was the last day of our family pass until the winter. (Summer and fall are just too busy to add in farm activities too.) We then spent the afternoon wondering around the wildlife park with friends.

Some days we completed just a little bit of our "summer studies", but mostly we followed our own interests. White Pine fenced in and planted his newly 'tilled and composted garden. Sugar Maple practiced her clarinet and created crafts. Balsam Fir built a "water house". Using wooden planks, he created the floor of a "house" that allowed the brook to flow under and through (because MOM was worried he would dam the whole thing up and make a pond in the yard). There was some dirt-flinging and "chicken chasing" and movie watching and bike riding. And the kids went swimming in the lake. Brrrrr! No way, no how for me! LOL

 

Now, my plan is to do some of the fun, hands-on "stuff" for learning that I've pinned from Pinterest this summer. This week we did some Math coordinate learning, but I'll be creating a post JUST for our hands-on fun soon. Check back for it! How do YOU use Pinterest in your schooling?

I hope to join up with the Daily Outdoors Challenge at Cultivated Lives next week. Our goal is to spend at least an hour outside EVERY SINGLE DAY. Wanna join? Click on the link!

The Daily Outdoor Challenge

Oh, and check out my friend from 3 Crazy Monkeys latest blog giveaway for Fiber One Chewy Bars here!

I'm a little tired from this week though. LOL How about you?

Weird Unsocialized Homeschoolers3Boys&aDog DEALS!Favorite Resource This WeekScience SundayThe Things We Find InsideHip Homeschool Hop Buttonabc button
Magical Mouse SchoolhouseChestnut Grove Academy

21 comments:

  1. Orienteering, so cool!!! We did it growing up in Finland in PE, would roam the woods with a map & a compass, and I've tried to describe it to others here before, and they had no idea what I was talking about. It is orienteering, yay:)

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  2. Your lunches look awesome! Homeschooling high school does seem like a daunting task! Have a great weekend.

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  3. I am totally going to hard boil some eggs for lunches- why haven't I thought to do this before? A great snack! Thanks for sharing...our lunches needed some inspiration. Popping by from the TGIF Linky. I blog over at http://thehandleyhome.blogspot.com/2012/05/tire-swing.html

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  4. I am totally in love with your lunch boxes and what's in them!!! I have missed you guys :) It looks like you had a wonderful week and I totally agree on swimming in the lake. It's still too cold for me!!! ;) Have a great weekend!!

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  5. I love the lunch boxes!! Great idea. I am trying to learn how to use a compass also. My youngest wants to learn how so we are trying together. Orienteering sounds like something she would love!! Thanks for sharing.

    I would love for you and your family to join us in "30 Days of Prayer for Our Nation." I am using the prayer guide for history/Bible to teach the girls that we need to pray for our country and its leaders. http://prayingforournation2012.blogspot.com/

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  6. Those little lunch boxes are perfect!

    I have been using Pinterest for a lot of my homeschool planning for upcoming weekly themes. If I know ahead of time that we will be eventually doing a unit on the solar system, or penguins, or the olympics, I create a board just for that theme and add to it whenever I find something. That way, by the time that theme comes around, I have a wealth of information at my disposal...printables, craft ideas, lunch ideas, experiments, hands-on learning. I love Pinterest!

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  7. Wow, your posts make me feel that I've done nothing! ;) Well, actually I did very little so that's to be expected! :) Hope you have a great weekend and coming week.

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  8. Wow, I am getting tired just reading your post! What a great week! Orienteering sounds like a lot of fun. I am directionally impaired, as well, lol. :-) We need to get working in our garden once the weather begins to cooperate. Your guys did so much work with the rototilling and the compost! Can you all come here? :-) Hope you have a fabulous weekend!

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  9. You are one busy person! Your lunches look great and I am exhausted just from reading about your week. Thank you for including the link to the Outdoor Challenge. I am trying to get my summer planning/goals organized before my son is out of school next week. I use pinterest as a place to organize all of the wonderful ideas I find on blogs.

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  10. Great lunch ideas! I also love the chicken house. wish mine looked that nice. stopping by from the Hoggatt house via HSMJ link-up.

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  11. Love the lunches!

    Peter Pan on audio book is such a big hit over me trying to read it aloud. Of course, it having Jim Dale as the narrator helps - he's awesome!

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  12. Wow you have been busy, we to love being outside once it warms up for the year, the kids learn so much from it! I also love your lunch ideas! Hope you have a wonderful weekend!!

    Nicole
    Mama Of Many Blessings

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  13. I think I will need to utilize the lunch idea! We're starting our summer schedule next week, so that will really come in handy.

    I always love reading your blog, you have fantastic ideas, so creative and hands on. :)

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  14. I love the lunch box ideas! The farm looks wonderful too!

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  15. The orinteering class sounds like a great one! I need one of those! Love what you said about consistent discipline; in our house too...that always makes the biggest difference :-) stopping by from HMJ :-) katie

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  16. New follower from TTWFI hop! You have alot of great info on your blog. Looking forward to following. Love for you to follow back when you get a chance..

    http://naptimeshopper.blogspot.com

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  17. Great idea!!

    Have a great week!

    Wendy Vandenbrande

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  18. Sounds like a busy week!!!

    Thanks for linking up with the I Love My Online Friends Monday Hop. I am now following you via GFC. Hope to see you again next week.

    Tami

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  19. What a great week! Just reading it makes me tired. Congrats on finishing the year with a bang. I love your bento lunches. They always look so good!

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  20. I'd be tired after that too. Looks like a great week!

    Thanks for linking up to Science Sunday!

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  21. Thanks for sharing with BTT! Love the lunches and the orienteering!

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