Busy December Days

It's been a while since I wrote here again.  And it's been BUSY! Austin is drawing all the time!!  Look at this great picture of a tree with fountains under it! 

 The kids had their gymnastics showcase.  They are all really enjoying this and we plan to continue it in January after the winter break!

 The same night was the Santa Float!  There's a great barbershop quartet that comes and sings and they invite the kids up for Rudolph and Jingle Bells! 

 Santa's helpers are there too enjoying the kids and promising to pass on messages to Santa what the kids want for Christmas.  I didn't get the pic of us with Santa on my phone, but it was the best yet!! 

 We took our kids to Disneyland for the very first time!  They had so much fun!  So much great observation on their parts which has lead to many great conversations since.  Hearing them talk about what they saw, or how something worked or looked or felt....  just blissful to tell you the truth!  To see it from their eyes for the first time has been amazing! 

 It was also Mark and my 8 year anniversary!  He went out and got me these beautiful pink roses!!!  They are still going strong 6 days later!!!  LOVE YOU MARK!!!!

  And then we are back to traditional homeschooling as you know it.  But you know what?  Everything else we did, including Disneyland, was homeschooling.  There's learning EVERYWHERE.  No matter where we go or what we do, our kids are learning.    Here's Austin in his quest to COLOR EVERY COLORING PAGE HE CAN FIND.  Yes.  He is coloring all the time right now, and cutting out many things too.  And all this is strengthening his hands for writing skills.  It enhances his eye for color and patterns.  It is giving him quiet time to absorb thoughts and experiences. 

 He had to show it off with great grandma.  Please ignore the wall behind them.  I'm working on it. 

 We got a new laminator!  I found a website to print the kids names in printing practice format.  This one is double sided with Audrey on one side and Underhill on the other.  While writing your last name is a first grade skill, I'm letting Audrey decide when she wants to work on it.  Or I can offer it to Austin when I need him to work on it.  Using dry erase markers makes this a great activity they can do over and over and over!

 Silly Cody.  LOL  He was working on his fine motor skills using markers and stickers to make a picture. 

 Look at that concentration!!!  New math workbook since the other one went missing.  He did 8 pages and got 8 gold stars in this one!

 Lastly, today was all about science.  We planted some Paperwhite (Narcissis) bulbs, and then we made buckeyes!  Cooking is science and math!  The kids measured almost everthing themselves and I did the mixing, but they rolled every single one of the balls!  DELICIOUS! 

Have a beautiful and blessed evening!