Happy Birthday, Hobo!

 This little guy turned 2 yesterday!

 So handsome in his birthday bandana!

He got an early birthday treat from the dog show last week.

 He got some new toys, got to play bubbles, and had turkey burgers and cornbread (from here) for dinner.

 He loved it!

He's gotten extra treats this whole week because Jack made no bake dog treats for his 4H presentation and he made several batches as practice!

Happy birthday, Hobe!

Spring Break

 It wasn't really my intent to take a real spring break, but the weekend started off with sickness and carried into the beginning of the week, so there was a lot of sleeping in going on.

 Tuesday we went to a show at the planetarium and then played with friends.  The weather was perfect!

 Wednesday we went to lunch with our neighbors.

 We had sewing for 4H.

 And the kids took a sewing class, too!  (There's been a lot of sewing going on around here lately!)

 Thursday we went to see Great-Gran and Jack gave her the bag he made in class.

 We went to lunch and the kids hit it big in the prize claw!

 After PE, we stopped for green ice cream for St. Patrick's Day!

 Then it was back to 4H for more sewing.  (I told you there was a lot of sewing going on!)

 We also had our traditional rainbow jello!

 Friday we went to a dog show!

 We've never seen anything like this in person and we had a great time!

 We wrapped up Friday with skating.

Hopefully our regular week will not be so exhausting!

Basketball Season

 

 We made it through basketball season!

 Monday night they had an awards ceremony where the kids got trophies and there was also a clown.  I'm just telling you about the clown so I can post the next picture.

 Jay and I were having the best time watching Alice crack up at the clown.

 Team selfie!

 In Alice's division, it's still okay for the coaches to coach in the middle of the game.

 

 And they move a lot slower, so moms can get much better pictures.

 Alice really enjoyed it!

 Jack was playing full court with mostly kids who had played quite a bit before, but he really did a good job!

 He improved a lot over the season and became a pretty good defender.

 Most of my pictures of his games are blurry, though!

 They won their last game 42-17!

 We celebrated at Coney I-lander!

Thanks to all the family and friends who came out to see the kids play!

Bon Jovi

First Professional Recording

Runaway

 You Give Love a Bad Name

 

Livin' On A Prayer

 Bad Medicine

I'll Be There For You

Born To Be My Baby

 Bed of Roses  

It's My Life 

 Who Says You Can't Go Home 

Till We Ain't Strangers Anymore

Because We Can

Saturday Night Gave Me Sunday Morning

Zoo Day

 Friday the kids had zoo class again!  The weather was so nice, so we got there early to walk around the zoo before class started.

 We lucked out and got there in time to feed the giraffes!

 So fun!

 Turtle vets!

 The zoo hospital opened last fall, but this was the first time we've visited.

 Checking out slides

 This was a fun exhibit where you read a medical case and tried to diagnose the animal.

 Did I mention how great the weather was?

 And of course, we visited some of our favorite animals.

 Really, there's not much that can beat hanging out with your babies at the zoo on a sunny afternoon.

 The kids' classes were about invertebrates.

Stealing a peek at his favorite turtle!

Next month I think we're going to try the homeschool zoo snooze--I'm feeling brave after the night at the science museum!

Truth, Beauty, & Goodness

Any homeschooler will tell you they have doubts.  If they tell you they don't, they're lying.  It's impossible to take on your child's entire education all the way through high school and say with confidence that you're doing everything right.  Or sometimes, even that you're doing most things right.

So, of course I have doubts, especially after the last year and a half of craziness that has been our lives and especially with Alice, who, as the younger child, has had much less one on one instructional time and much more being dragged along with whatever someone else is doing.

If she were in a classroom, would she be reading bigger words?  Reciting her math facts more quickly?  Writing stories on her own?

Maybe.

The other night we went to a planetarium show on the Sistine Chapel--a show aimed at kids 12 and up, but of course, she went along.  The narrator described each section of the ceiling as it was shown and she sat quietly and listened.  When the picture of Adam's creation came up, the narrator said something about how Adam was limp and lifeless and God was full of power and energy and just about to give Adam all of the good things he wanted most.  Alice crawled up next to me and whispered in my ear, "Isn't God so good?!" and then got back in her own seat and watched the rest of the show.

And I sat through the rest of the show and thought about what she had just said.  My six year old, who adds with her fingers and still calls the letter Y "V with a stick" gets it.  For all the facts I haven't taught her yet, she's been soaking in the Truth and goodness and beauty all along the way.  

I think that if she had been in a classroom for the last two and a half years, she might be a more independent reader, but I also think that there's not much chance she would see things on a regular basis in the classroom that would inspire her to reflect on the goodness of God giving life to his creation.

The last year and a half hasn't been wasted.  We'll keep on.  She'll learn her math facts and W will become W, not just upside down M.  And we'll continue looking for Truth, goodness, and beauty that you can't find in a traditional education.