Painting by Roland Lee

One of the many things I love about homeschooling is being able to go on really great field trips. Our most recent field trip was to Mesa Verde, Co. We did a unit study on Native Americans last year, and had planned to visit Mesa Verde immediately after. When we found out that my father-in-law, Roland Lee, had been invited to be a resident artist for two weeks in October, 2011, we decided to wait and go at the same time.

It was a quick trip with a lot of driving, but it was worth it. We left early on a Wednesday morning, and drove to Green River, Ut. where we visited the John Wesley Powell Museum. It had some good information, but sadly, the layout was very confusing. It was difficult to follow the exhibits chronologically. As a result, the kids wandered for a while looking at interesting things, but didn’t really see the big picture. Too bad, because he was a fascinating man.

We jumped back in the car and drove a couple more hours until we reached Monticello, Ut. We stopped here to stretch our legs and take a walk around the Monticello LDS Temple.

The kids and I at the Monticello Temple

Back in the car we enjoyed the beautiful Colorado countryside and dreamed of building a house right in the middle of those rolling hills of long grass. Ok, and there was some whining and “when are we going to get there?” talk going on, but for the most part the kids all did well. We eventually got there around 2:00 that afternoon.

Grandpa had scouted out all the ruins, and had advice on which tours/hikes were most worth our time. We decided to go get a peek at Cliff Palace before taking a tour of the Balcony House. The view from the overlook was incredible!

Cliff Palace

After enjoying the view for a few minutes, we headed over to the balcony house for our tour. Before I continue, I should mention that this tour involves very tall ladders, and I don’t do well with heights. I was nervous, but I found it very empowering to go on this hike in spite of my fear.

This is the view  from the trail and the first glimpse of The Ladder.

and the ladder up close:

The Ladder

Here are the kids starting the climb:

Going up

And me. Happy to have made it to the top alive. Little did I know I had not yet climbed the tallest-or scariest-ladder.

The view from the top

Our tour guide was a great story teller, and had so much information to share about the history of the balcony house. They say a picture is worth a thousand words, so I will let the pictures tell the rest!

Some people found crawling through this crevice more frightening than the ladder, but not me!

The Kiva, where sacred ceremonies took place. This is also where the people kept warm in the winter.

Exploring all the nooks and crannies.

I don’t have any pictures of our climb back up the cliff, however, I will say I am grateful not to have been one of the native women who lived here. It was terrifying enough on a ladder. I cannot imagine climbing up the rock face with a baby strapped onto my back and a water jug on my head. After our rather harrowing exit, we visited one more cliff dwelling called Spruce Tree House. Beautiful!

The kids and their Grandpa, who took a few hours away from painting to hike around with us.

After dinner with Grandma and Grandpa, we checked into our hotel. I don’t usually post pictures of hotel rooms, but the Holiday Inn in Cortez, Co has an amazing kid suite. We had nine people in our suite. Everyone had a place to sleep, and no one felt crowded. Our kids especially enjoyed “Fort Holiday”.

"Fort Holiday"

And the swimming pool:

On Thursday, we drove to Durango to see the Silverton Durango Railroad. We toured the museum, where we enjoyed watching the model trains, and climbing all over old rail cars. Our little guy is a train lover, and he was absolutely in heaven.

Checking out the trains in the yard

Watching the model train

Admiring a beautifully decorated parlor car

Later we enjoyed attending an art lecture featuring Roland Lee. We always love learning about his art and seeing his new paintings. After a full two days we headed home Friday morning. Our family had such a good time, and learned so much. Our kids are still talking about it. We are excited for another field trip next month. In the mean time we will be studying about the western movement (especially the gold rush) in preparation for our visit to a ghost mining town; and about different forms of energy before we see the Hoover Dam. We are hoping for a tour of China Lake as well. I love that our field trips will help reinforce what we have been learning in history and science. Can’t wait!

1) Nine people can live in a 3 bedroom/1 bathroom house and live to tell the tale. In fact, we have decided we don’t want or need a big house (not to mention the accompanying house payment). I should mention here, however, that our favorite thing about being home is having THREE bathrooms. Absolutely divine!

2) We don’t need all the stuff we have. Since we knew we were going to be living in a small house, we put about half of our possessions in a storage unit. Guess what? We didn’t miss a single item. In fact, when we moved back, we left it there and added more to it. We also donated or threw things away. We have discovered what we love and use, and what is just added clutter in our lives. Downsizing feels  so liberating. Who knew?

3) Unplugged is the way to be. Have you ever wondered what it would be like to be without cell phone service? Well, let me tell you. After the initial shock and adjustment period, it is wonderful. Life is so much quieter and more peaceful without a cell phone ringing all the time. It has made life just a little more peaceful. Although we had internet (my husband’s “real” job involves computers and internet, so it was needed), we chose not to have television. We did watch Netflix movies now and again, but not satellite or cable. Again, it was wonderful. We also limited computer and gaming time. We actually started this before moving to the Ranch, and it is something we will continue. The kids have time to play on the computer, ipod, ds, etc. on Saturday. Even then it is just for a short time. Unplugging has allowed us to focus more on life, and on each other.  You should try it.

4) Clutter doesn’t just refer to things. Clutter can also come in the form of too many activities. The Ranch was about 30 minutes away from the nearest town, and most sports practices were held before the kids in town went to school. The early hour combined with icy roads, not to mention gas prices made the decision not to participate in sports an easy one. Our extra curricular activities generally consisted of church activities, scouting, playing with friends, piano lessons, and for a few months dancing lessons for the girls. We have decided to limit the amount of clutter in our lives by not over-scheduling. It feels good.

5) There is life without Wal-mart. And Target, Old Navy, a mall, and a real grocery store. As I mentioned before, we lived a little way from the nearest town. That town had a population of about 500. The grocery store was small, more like a big convenience store. The prices were high and the selection low. It was a place to shop in a pinch, like when we were out of milk. We learned to plan ahead. We learned we can get by without all the things we usually made a quick trip to the store to buy. It was great for our budget-which was tight. It has been easy to slip back into the habit of running to the store for every little thing, but we are trying to be a little more frugal. We are trying to make do with what we have.

6) We love working, playing, and serving with our kids. We spent so much time together cleaning, mowing, shoveling, emptying endless garbage cans, washing and folding mountains of sheets and towels (Clear Creek is a guest ranch),  helping people find where they needed to go, and whatever they needed  to be comfortable when they got there. If they needed a toothbrush, blankie, cup of sugar, or just a friendly smile, we did the best we could to help them get it.  We canoed, swam, roasted marshmallows, played on the giant slip and slide, went on atv rides, hikes, and met wonderful people from all over the world. And we did it all with our kids! We want to continue to work along side them, play with them, and look for ways to pitch in and help in our community.

These are the highlights. I could go on, but it’s time to tuck the kids in, so I won’t. ( : Life goes on through all the changes life brings, and we are enjoying it all, remembering the lessons we learn along the way. We are so grateful we had a chance to refocus on things that are important, and do away with things that are not. Truly a blessing.

The Ranch

Fall Clean up

The pond

Canoeing

Singing around the campfire

Sunset

It’s beautiful, and a wonderful place to live and homeschool. We think it’s pretty close to heaven. We especially enjoy being right in the middle of nature. We are constantly seeing new wildlife, and running to look them up in our field guide. Here are a few things we have seen (of course we didn’t need to look most of these up):

Big Horn Sheep

Bald Eagle

Deer

Buffalo

Black necked stilt

California Condor

The California Condor was especially exciting. How often do you see one of those in your back yard?

Besides the move, we have discovered adding a new baby and a kindergartner have completely altered the dynamics of our homeschool. This year was like our first year all over again. Well, maybe that’s not true. Our first year was much easier.

In the last six months we have learned a lot. One of the main things we have come to realize is that K12 is not compatible with our lifestyle here. One reason for that is that we live out in the boonies  where internet/electricity/phone are not the most reliable. We have frequent outages which disrupt our online courses. Besides K12 not working with what we are doing here,  I truly just don’t like it. It’s a pity to spend so much time in front of a computer when there are so many things to see and learn outside. In my search for better things I have found some amazing resources that I am very much looking forward to using. I will post about each one in the next few days…unless I get sidetracked by life again!

As Part of our U. S. History studies this year, we will be working on earning The Great American Award. Here are the requirements:

1. Match the 50 states and capitals.
2. Label and correctly spell the 50 states on a map.
3. Recite from memory the Gettysburg Address.
4. Recite from memory the Preamble of the Constitution.
5. Write from memory, in cursive, the Pledge of Allegiance, with perfect spelling and punctuation.
6. Sing or recite the first verse of the Star Spangled Banner.
7. Recite from memory, in order of presidency, the Presidents of the United States, first and last names.
8. Complete the Citizenship Test.

We started learning where each state is located today, and the kids had a lot of fun. Each of these items are great things for kids to know about their country!

Let me start out by saying that in general I am not a huge fan of worksheets. I do not think they are the best way for students to learn.  However, I find them very helpful in some areas. For example, after the multiplication concept has been grasped, I think math homework is much less painful if the times tables are memorized. I think worksheets are helpful in geography as well. Plus, the education major in me still gets a little giddy when I come across a good worksheet or two! I’ve been looking for some math fact worksheets, geography/mapping worksheets, and spelling lists. I have not been impressed with most sites I have come across. But then I found a website that has most any worksheet you could imagine. Check out  superteacherworksheets.com.  Your inner education major will feel like she has struck gold!

http://sporschool.blogspot.com/2010/07/teaching-your-child-not-to-learn.html

I have been very impressed with the For Kids Series. Along with interesting and detailed subject matter, there are also beautiful photographs and pictures, and fun activities. I will be using these books as bases for my Native American, American Revolution, Civil War, Slavery, and World War II units.

Another great source of books is our local thrift store. I try to go every month or so, and each time I have come home with a big stack of books for about $20.00. Again, a lot of books I can use next year and a lot of classics. I found others that are just fun read aloud books.

I have also found that talking about what I need is helpful. My mom and sister actually had some books I needed that they didn’t need anymore. They were happy to share. I also have family and friends that are on the lookout for me. A few weeks ago my mother-in-law was talking with our aunt who has been a school teacher for many years. This aunt mentioned that since she got a district job she didn’t need a lot of her books anymore. She is moving to a new house and will only be taking her favorite books. My awesome mother-in-law told her what I needed and Aunt LuAnn was very happy to share. She said that even though she needed to downsize her collection, she hated to get rid of them; but knowing someone else had a need made it easier for her to part with her books. Now, I am not saying we should all  go door to door begging for books, but if people know what you need they can help you find a lot of great books for little or no expense. With a little help and a little looking around I have a much better book collection than I did a couple of weeks ago!

• For my 6th grader:

Teaching Textbooks 7

K12 Science

Rosetta Stone Spanish

For writing we will be using How Writers Work, and A Writer’s Notebook by Ralph Fletcher

K12 grammar and spelling (next year I hope to be free of K12 language arts! If anyone knows of a good program please share!)

Art and music with our homeschool co-op

We will be combining our history and literature together. I am a firm believer that good historical fiction, biographies, etc. help kids get a solid grasp on what they are learning in history. I hope to also add some science into the mix. For the next two years we are studying American History. This year we will cover up to the Civil War. Specifically we will cover Native Americans, Explorers, Colonial America, the American Revolution, the industrial revolution, westward expansion, immigration, slavery, and the Civil War.  I will be using The History of U.S., Native American History for Kids, The American Revolution for kids, The Underground Railroad for Kids, The Civil War for Kids, Smokestacks and Spinning Jennys: Industrial Revolution, Kids on Strike, Homeschool in the Woods Time Travelers CDs (lots of great projects,  notebooking/lapbooking activities, and history text), along with a lot of reading. (I have posted a reading list at the end of this post.) I have collected some great biographies and historical fiction.

• For my 4th grader:

K12 math (or teaching textbooks if the new k12 math doesn’t work out)

K12 science

K12 spelling and grammar

For Writing Writing Magic by Gail Carson Levine, How Writers Work, and A Writer’s Notebook

K12 spanish

Art with our homeschool co-op

Literature/history same as above

• For my 2nd grader:

K12 math (or teaching textbooks)

K12 science

K12 spanish

Language Lessons For the Elementary Child

Art and music with our homeschool co-op

Literature and history same as above (with age appropriate literature selections)

• For my kindergartener:

K12 math

K12 science

Hooked on Phonics for reading (we are on the second level)

Handwriting without tears

art and music with our homeschool co-op

sign language (“Signing Time With Alex and Leah” with accompanying lesson plans)

literature and history with the older kids (with age appropriate literature selections)

• For my preschooler:

Language Lessons for the Very Young

lots of reading

alphabet recognition and sounds

numbers and counting

colors and shapes

Reading lists:

For the older kids: Pedro’s Journal, Voyage of the Half Moon, Christopher Columbus, We will be checking out biographies of various explorers from our local library, Ikawa of the Mound Builders, The Mesa Verde Cliff Dwellers, Brother of the Wolves, Southwesern Indian Tribes, Southwestern Indian Ceremonials, The Enchanted Moccasins, Truth is a Bright Star, Indian  Chiefs, The Beaded Moccasins, Ben Franklin Boy Printer, Thomas Jefferson, George Washington, Colonial Voices: Hear Them Speak, The Founding of a Nation, Johnny Tremain, The Riddle of Pencroft Farm, George Washington’s Socks, The Constitution of the United States, The U.S. Constitution and You, The Declaration of Independence, Sarah Plain and Tall, Little Britches, Little House on the Prairie,  George Washington: Spymaster, Tom Sawyer, Shades of Gray, Two miserable Presidents, Sojourner Truth, Runaway to Freedom, Abe Lincoln and His Boys…Of course we most likely won’t read all these books this year, but the kids will pick from these. I am still collecting titles for our Slavery and Civil War units. So many wonderful books, so little time!

For the younger kids: Pedro’s Journal, Voyage of the Half Moon, Squanto’s Journey, Southwest Indian Tribes, Sitting Bull, Sacajawea, Night Bird, The Birchbark House, Pilgrim Stories, A Lion to Guard Us, The Matchlock Gun, Ben and Me, The Courage of Sarah Noble, George Washington, Phoebe the Spy, Liberty or Death: The Story of the American Revolution, Let it Begin Here!: Lexington and Concord: First Battles of the American Revolution, Katie’s Trunk, George the Drummer Boy, Sam the Minuteman, The Adventures of Mumford: The American Revolution, The Secret Soldier, American Girl Books, The Little House on the Prairie, Sarah Plain and Tall, True Tales of the Wild West, Abraham Lincoln, A Ballad of the Civil War…I will add to/take away from this list as I go along.