Blogging...Feedback please...

             Well I am still learning all of the ins and outs of being a new blogger. Not to mention one that isn't all that computer savvy! 

            I started this blog partly because I found so much valuable information in other blogs that I wanted to be a part of that sharing community, partly because I love writing, to me writing is somewhat therapeutic, partly because I wanted to journal our homeschool journey, well I could go on but I think you get the picture, I have a plethora of reasons for blogging. My blogging journey has evolved from just writing, sharing, and learning about homeschooling to also sharing my photography which I also have a passion for! Maybe once I feel that i have this somewhat down I'll start a separate blog for photography.

            So as I've said my blogging experience has been a learning experience all the way around. I added DISQUS to my blog to better track my comments and be able to reply easier and all of my comments disappeared from my blog :/ Hmmm...very curious. Someone more computer literate I'm sure would know why, but I am somewhat perplexed. Maybe in time I'll figure it out but for now....

            I've figured out how to add other blogger's buttons to my site, which is really great! I read something I like and feel that I can also share through my own blog! My son even figured out how to make a pretty button for my blog as well, although I'm not absolutely sure that it's operational! 

            What I really need is to take a blog course, but that whole "time" thing gets in my way, so I'll just trudge along and figure it out as I go :) In the mean time I wouldn't object to helpful advice :)

Wordless Wednesday....Gotta Love the Magic of Fall!

We have been watching and enjoying the transition of this tree.  Fall is so magical :)

Happy Fall!!!

7th Annual Homeschool Blog Awards

            Just a quick reminder that nominations for the 7th Annual Homeschool Blog awards are still being accepted until October 21st! Don't forget to nominate your favorite blogs! Also, hop over to the Ultimate Homeschool Blog Roll at Hip Homeschool Moms to check out some of the many blogs out there!

            Just click on either link in this post or the buttons in the side bar to access either link!

Fossils, furry friends, and monsters....

            With the weather so crazy and unpredictable in our little corner of the world (the week started with shorts weather and ended with coat weather) we try to embrace every nice day we can and get out in it! What that means is lots and lots of field trips! So last week consisted of nature walks, finding fossils, playing in leaves, and going to the zoo (the kids take a class there once a month). Fossils, rocks, and minerals are a bit of a hobby for my hubby so going to dig at a fossil quarry was right up his alley.

This isn't the first time that we've taken the kids on a "dig". We've gone out to dig in Wyoming at Tynsky's fossil Quarry as well. The one's there were a bit more impressive than the fossils that we found in Ohio, but the experience was still invaluable!

And to coincide with our prehistoric journey we are trying to hatch Triops. We even found some great educational material to help us study our Triops.

Another educational tool that we're using for fossils is the Smithsonian Handbook- Fossils.

            Heading back to present day we headed to the zoo to learn about the African Savannah. We found educational material compliments of the Staten Island Zoo and the Toledo Zoo to aid us in our journey. As well as our "old faithful" Enchanted Learning.

While at the zoo we saw more than the African Savannah, we had a great adventure as well.

Then we ended the week with my daughter wanting to save a butterfly from a modern day miniature monster;

Mr. Praying Mantis!

         

Wordless Wednesday....Sometimes the best field trips are right outside your front door...

To deviate or not to deviate...

            I say deviate!
            Toward the end of our week we were trying to somewhat play catch-up from having taken a week basically off. I had an agenda of what we needed to get done. I start a lot of thoughts this way so what's one more...One of the best things about homeschooling is that we don't have to follow the agenda if we don't want to, yet we can still find an educational adventure in almost everything we do. So we started out on the catch up path then deviated by watching this great show called growing up Gorilla on Animal Planet just to take a break. This lead into a great discussion on Gorillas. So we found a report diagram at Enchanted Learning and looked up various Gorilla facts on line. One of the sites we used that we liked was Gorilla's World. We filled in our diagram and thoroughly enjoyed the lesson. It wasn't on the agenda, wasn't planned, but fun and educational none the less!
            Deviation #2 came while peering out at an amazingly beautiful fall day! We read the book Leaf Man, then set out in search of our own Leaf Man.

Then we headed across the street to admire an Egret.

And ended the day by inspecting grasshoppers in the "wild"...

I didn't have the heart to correct my daughter when she said, "look, it's a baby on it's mother's back!"

None of it on the original plan for the day, but an educational adventure that I wouldn't trade.

What do you do when it's just been a long week?

            It has really been a very long week. I must say for good reasons though. My mom came into town last Wednesday and just left today. I love having my mom in town. She lives about 3000 miles away from me so I appreciate and absolutely enjoy every minute that we get to spend with her. You never know what tomorrow will bring so we have to embrace the gifts that we get today. For the past week that gift for us has been having my mom out to spend time with.
            What comes along with my mom being in town is a full house. I couldn't love it more....except the dishes of course. Every day is filled with activity and great food. I think I've gained about twenty pounds, but it was well worth it.
            The weekend consisted of watching a homecoming football game that my niece cheered for in the freezing cold rain, to watching a youth football game that my son played in and my daughter cheered for in sunshine but still relatively cold wind,

to celebrating two birthdays (my second daughter that just turned 22 and my mom who will forever be "29" in my eyes), to warm and cozy brunch where everyone wore jammies and played cards.
            This week started with beautiful sunshiny mild fall weather that we couldn't resist being out and getting dirty in in! Especially my little grand-baby.

One of the most amazing things about living where we live in the Midwest is that the weather can change in nearly an instant, as well as the remarkable colors those changes bring.

Another great appreciation that I have for where we live is the stunning scenery found outside almost every door that is so inviting for us to want to savor.

The photo above is of my daughter relishing in that very beauty.  

But alas, all good things come to an end. My mom left today and I had to think about the things the week didn't consist of....like school work. We did do a very little bit stressing the words very and little. 

I personally wouldn't change it for the world given the fact that I think the lessons of family and friendship that we experience when my mom visits are more valuable than any "socialization" skills learned elsewhere. 

So my question is this: If you homeschool, what do you do when family is in town? Do you take the time off from "school" or keep a routine? 

Over here in Casa Chaos, we always leave room for chance and change in every day.