Homeschooling at Our House

Our home renovations are in full swing. But it hasn't affected our homeschool schedule.



Unlike the traditional classroom, where a teacher is constantly calling for quiet, life for homeschoolers just goes on around them.

The Carrot Cake

This is a birthday morning at our house. I don't know how it started, but the tradition is to come out to the breakfast table while the whole family looks on.


Sawyer picked out candy Maynards to give to Greyson with a homemade card.


Part of the tradition is choosing their cake flavor. The trouble with choosing marshmallow fudge frosting, is that it goes on a hot cake.
Cakes fresh from the oven will melt a birthday candle instead of holding it nicely in place, leaving candle wax potholes behind.

Never mind how I know this.

There is a way to solve this dilemma.....


Buy birthday candles mounted on plastic toothpicks,
and push the picks into an edible item that can spear a cake and not look ridiculous.

I couldn't think of something that wouldn't look ridiculous so I settled for utilitarian. Utilitarian is my default. No, it's my lifestyle. It helps me survive as a mom.
Chocolate-Marbled-Hot Fudge-Marshmallow-Carroted-Cake Wallah!

Makes you wonder if some of our greatest discoveries yet to come might not be made by moms on utilitarian mode.

Seven More Videos and I'm Done...

You'd think from the content lately that this was a Circus Blog.

Some families missed the day, so they wanted to see what they will sign up for next time.
And relatives needing a black sock fix may view their progenitor in various and precarious feats of wonderment.
I give you---
Tristan doing rope:




Kiki doing rope, eclipsed by a plea for lunch oreos:




Greyson doing rope:




There were as many ways to flip as there were to do rope.
You could flip off a horse:




You could flip off a tramp:





And you could be real excited about it:
(i like to play this 3 times fast. i wish we all still displayed thankfulness like this over simple accomplishments. it could almost lead to a world without war).



And lastly,
They had a ball...(collective groan)
Don't mistake these for those large, soft-sided fitness spheres. These were HARD. And they needed to be for this:

How To Do Circus Day

Start with warm-ups.



Then a few cart-wheels.
Or valiant attempts at them.



Get brave on the trapeze.



Offer chocolate.
Reluctant bravery responds well to this.



Acclimate yourself to spinning at 35 mph. It's one of those skills you can always pull out of your back pocket later in life.



There are so many ways to use the ring.



But of course, we all know it's destined purpose as demonstrated here.

Wish't I Was Little...

It was Circus Day!
I found a great place for a homeschool field trip in our own town. A former Cirque du Soleil and National level gymnast opened her own Circus/Gymastics school. It's in an old church and her family runs the business.
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What do you do on Circus Day?
Jump HIGH on a professional trampoline.



Jump madly off stacked mats.



Dash haphazardly through a demonstration. (watch closely)

Martin was our instructor. He patiently helped each kid through all of the skills.
We were also very thankful he had quick reflexes, and thankful that Sawyer still has a head.

What else do you do on Circus Day?


Contemplate your near headlessness.



Hang upside down.


Be proud.


Wear black socks.



Wear black paw prints.



Juggle.


Try to spin plates.



REALLY try to spin plates.


Be bound and determined to get up on a unicycle that's too tall for you.
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Use your resources.


Crawl through a hole.



Wait with a friend.


Wait with two friends.



Try the trapeze.



Kiki, did you like Circus Day?
We all agreed we'd come again. The kids had the grandest time.
We took SO many videos, twenty-seven! I think I'll have to post a few each day.

Convenience in a Carrot

Kiki found a new way to feed Scooter carrots.
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He's so cute, I almost can't stand it. If you're having a bad day, you can just rub your face up against a soft Scooter face and stress melts away.
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And who can have a bad day after watching this?
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Life should be as simple as eating your carrots. He's so content. So present in the moment.

A wise woman once told me: wherever you are, be all there.
Now I have a visual.

A Tale of Two Brothers

Although this may look like a surprised face, this is a working face.
Tristan, what are you working on?
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Hmmm. A crowbar and some old wood.
You must be....
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Pulling out old nails!
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I see Greyson is working too.
Why the sour face, Greyson? Are you upset that Tristan
is infringing on your territory?
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But Tristan is such a hard worker. Can't he help you?
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I see you are working hard too. Surveying the situation.

Greyson prefers to work sitting down.
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It's a contest now. Who can fill the bucket first?
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Who knew that pulling nails could inspire such enthusiasm?
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Greyson was waylaid a little later in the day.
He was forced to take a break.
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See this?
Doesn't this just scream Tetanus?
My mother's heart told me it was going to happen.
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And it did. Despite everything I could do to prevent it.

Sister added the loving touch with the post-it note.
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Greyson is going to get a tetanus shot today.
It's been 10 years since his last one.
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How do you feel about that, Greyson?
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There's a lotta rusty nails out there in the world. It's a constant quandary for a mom--avoid the risk or let them try their skills?
The only thing I know for sure is that they'll do better with really hard-soled shoes.

Funny Things I've Found in My Purse

I put the bacon in my purse. I didn't discover it until the clerk at the hair salon was waiting for me to pay. I always feel like I'm wasting their time so I try to scramble for my wallet quickly.
"Where is my wallet?" I mumble as I shuffle through my purse. "Let me just get this out of the way." Plunk. Down goes the greasy 2 pound package on the counter. I'm already not cool enough to use this salon. Why not affirm it?
Flashback to this morning. I'm parceling out enough bacon to cook for breakfast, while having a conversation with 3 people at once. "Yes, circus class is tonight, no, I don't need the van today, and yes, youth group is this Friday and I can drive, and can I do Costco on the way home? Yes." Is it any wonder I neatly wrapped the bacon and placed in my purse stored beside the fridge, instead of opening the fridge and putting it where it belonged?
But I'm not going to explain all that to the bored-faced-perfectly-made-up-cool-person manning the salon cash register. I'll just take my bacon and be on my way. Leaving a lovely aroma behind me.
I kind of like to think I made a small difference in the lives of the next few people who visited that counter. Bacon has a homey comforting smell. QUITE unlike the persona of a beauty salon.

He's Figured It Out For Us...

He thought long and hard on the deck plans.
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And he finally figured it out for us.
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And if you follow the plans exactly....
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You can get something like this. See?
Easy as pie to interpret.
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The upper deck is already being used.
They could be drawing up their own architectural plans.
They could be composing great and glorious prose.
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But in reality, they're making Christmas lists. Sawyer is free from that burden, he already made his. Want to see it?



He came to me with these drawings and I wrote them down as he told me what they were.
I like the "pet". He was non-specific on this one, but I'll be looking for something along these lines: three toes, smiles a lot.

All His Dreams Come True...

Hey, Sawyer, what are you so interested in?
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What's that guy doing?
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OH! Is he working on a skateboard?
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Is it your skateboard?
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Wow, Sawyer, you've only asked to ride Tristan's skateboard 50 million times. Now you'll have your very own!!
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I think you're a little mesmerized by the skateboard guy.
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After all, he does have the skill to make all your dreams come true.
I'd say that worth mesmerization.
Is that a word? I just make them up as I go.
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Tristan and Greyson were content to wait behind the counter for their skateboards.
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Amazing, how they can stand rooted to the spot for as long as it takes. Give them 2 minutes in the Women's Department at Kohls, however...
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This is the hat Sawyer thought was cool. He didn't know the backside had an uncool security tag attached to it.
I'd like to see that on a Highschooler in the mall one day. Their definition of perfect mortification, I imagine.