North America

We are almost three weeks into school now... I wish you could sit in some time on our morning chaos. :) Actually I don't. Some things are better kept private. :) I am learning each day -- and I hope the girls are, too! We are figuring out our routine, what works, what results in anarchy, what subjects need quiet concentration and when it is okay to grab our books to study in the grass.


We spent a week traveling the U.S.A -- learning a little bit about the country we are blessed to call our own. We browsed Lynn Cheney's awesome book about the 50 states (if you are a Fancy Nancy fan, you'll love Robin Priess Glasser's intricate illustrations). We colored flags, classified some common animals, learned about the Statue of Liberty (and enjoyed Jane Yolen's book Naming Liberty), and enjoyed some decadent graham cracker, cream cheese frosting, and berry edible flags. We also read How to Make a Cherry Pie and See the U.S.A and learned some lessons about grace and forgiveness in the ensuing mess of cherry-pie-making. In other areas, we studied Day One of Creation and talked about light and darkness. We spelled. We read. Sadie learned the letters M, N, and O and went on bear-hunting adventures. Elisa can now count to 100.
Our journeys then took us to Canada. We learned that 90% of the population lives in the southernmost 100 miles of this vast country. We read about hockey, and snow, and "loonies." The girls loved learning the word "toque." We sang "O Canada!" Thanks, Jill, for teaching me the lyrics 10 years ago on my first visit to Saskatchewan! We made snowshoes from posterboard and ate "poutine" for dinner. I don't recommend french fries covered with cheese curds and brown gravy as a nutritional meal, but it was fun!






An ice sculpture - made after reading about the Hotel de Glace in Quebec.
Poutine! For my sweet Canadian friends - I know it is probably not any where authentic. I actually used mozzarella cheese instead of cheese curds due to availability and cost. Funny - the kids actually wouldn't eat it. I guess they like good ol' ketchup.

In the midst of the bright spots of learning and laughing, I changed dozens of diapers, settled fits, comforted a fussy baby, cleaned pattern blocks off the floor three times a day, vacuumed messes, swept cocoa powder that Raina had dumped on the kitchen floor, let toddlers play naked in the kiddie pool so Elisa could finish her reading lesson, and, for some reason, allowed Sadie to wear cross-country ski boots and walk around jabbing carpet with her poles. :) It really is chaos. But I am so thankful for the chaos!

Labor Day found us camping again -- this time, with no tent! A new adventure, sleeping under the stars. We had a fabulous night out.

I forgot to add that I ended up downloading another geography curriculum from Confessions of A Homeschooler to get some craft ideas and I am so thankful for the extra help in organizing each country's study!