Sea World Homeschool Day

We were so excited to check out Sea World’s Homeschool Day.  The tickets were very inexpensive and the place was PACKED!  We had a good time, but I’m not sure we’ll be going back next year.
We made a quick trip through the aquarium and spent some time at the seals.

The highlight of our day was finding Ms. Missy in her department.  The kids loved the hands-on opportunities away from the crowds.
First, we met Wilson, the armadillo.


Then we met this cockatoo and had turns holding her!  Ellie’s courage increased as the picture-taking went on.

Reef didn’t need any coaxing.  He is his father’s child.

Jonas didn’t want anything to do with the bird.  Ms. Tiffany wanted a turn too.

Then we checked out the lemurs and got to feed them too!



Jonas liked them but still didn’t want to feed them.  Maybe next time we visit.

Thanks, Missy, for making our day great!

Jonas’ Bike Riding Date

Jonas really wanted to do a Sea World date just like Reef.  Well, Troy and he drove all the way over there only to find that it didn't open until noon that day.  It was 10am.
So, the alternative was to buy a new bike for him since he just learned to ride without training wheels.  After picking the perfect bike, they headed home to gear up for a bike ride, just the 2 of them.




He had so much fun that when they got home, Jonas insisted they repeat the ride with Reef!

Reef’s Sea World Date

In case y'all were wondering, we were able to complete all of the individual dates with the kids in 2013.  It was a challenge to squeeze them in, but I know the kids looked forward to their one-on-one time with us.
In October Reef and Troy had a Sunday date to Sea World.  They left right after church and stayed until Life Group!
Reef wanted to ride the Steel Eel all summer and finally got his chance!

 Dad always buys a special treat!  The kids ask for ice cream every time we are at Sea World, and I always say no.

Stingray Cove. 

They even got to feed and touch them!

I know special memories were made that day!

Late Summer Swimming

One of the joys of living in Texas is that we can swim pretty much all of September!  Who am I kidding?  The kids would probably swim now if I'd let them!
This girl is quite the fish with her life jacket on.

These 2 make me nervous.

Lachlan has done so good with his swimming and is actually pretty good even without his life jacket.


Underwater pic.  Nailed it.

Aren't they cute!

Thanks, John and Babette, for the generous use of your pool!

Co-Op Fun!

This year we have started a co-op with some homeschool friends from church.  I cannot tell you how excited we all are about this!  The boys, especially Reef, are loving the time with their peers each week, and I am enjoying the time with other homeschooling moms.
At our house the first time, we did Simon Says art.  It was fun to see how different their paintings were when they all got the same instructions.


For science, we did an egg drop experiment.  They packed their bags with different materials and predicted if the egg would break.

Bombs away!



We had a great morning, and I can't wait to see these friendships grow!

A Downtown Saturday Morning

One weekend we had a Saturday totally free!  It seems like this nevernever happens, so we decided to make the most of it with a trip to the Guenther House for breakfast and a walk throught the Pearl Farmers Market.
The kids enjoyed looking at the water while we waited for food.


Look, even I made it into a picture!

The infamous giant cinnamon roll!

They loved it.


We also enjoyed a walk/run through the King William District.

Look at that train, they yelled.

I was surprised this train wasn't just for looking at, and the kids were thrilled to climb up and semi-cooperative with a few pictures.

Owls Art Project

I really want to do more art projects in school this year!  For the first one I chose an owl drawing.  Reef was all about it, following the instructions step-by-step.  Jonas was a little more hesitant but pleasantly surprised me with his participation.

The finished products.  Please excuse the gum; they never get gum and were enjoying the novelty.

Jonas chose to use watercolors instead of crayon.

I think they turned out great, and we were able to give them to our neighbor Babette, who loves owls!

Chick Fil A Field Trip

Ok, y'all, it is time for me to get back on the blogging wagon!  All of the posts coming up are very old, but it was our life and I want to remember those fall months!
Sara and I were able to squeeze one homeschool field trip in during their crazy fall!  We headed to the beloved Chick Fil A for their kitchen tour.
It came with free breakfast for all 10 of us!

The kids were pretty shy and, honestly, the kitchen at CFA is pretty cramped, but we all enjoyed seeing the chicken in all its phases of cooking.
After the tour, they posed in their fancy CFA hats and badges!


This is a tour we will definitely try again, maybe with our co-op friends.