{In a Week} :: Late Fall

Some favorite moments from a week of school in our home...

Notebook work with Form 1 and 2. Holling's Book of Indians has been a true delight for all of us. It is one I have had on the shelf but have never officially scheduled.

Brush drawing on this week's model. (Full disclosure: the flowers were a treat to myself because my husband was out of town, but I claimed them as an "educational expense." ;))

We are loving our term composer, Benjamin Britten. The Big Kids and I used to listen to the Children's Introduction to the Orchestra all the time when they were small with these cards, but I hadn't pulled them out in ages. Thanks to the CMEC for the reminder to revisit it!

Skype call with Grandma and Grandpa down in SoCal! (If the kids look posed, they kinda are: they have to arrange themselves in rows while we chat so everyone can see and there's no bickering. LOL)

My first grader is very enthusiastic about her math! I love this age.

Sand tray work is always a favorite.

And then we had a wonderful nature outing to cap off the week. Welcome, fall! (Finally.)

they were so excited to be "twins"'!

our favorite vernal pond didn't dry up completely this summer

We have been watching the decomposition of this deer ever since we first found it last spring, partly submerged and bloated along the water line. Since then, the water has receded, and it has been exposed to the elements for the past few months. At this point, it is several feet from the water line and mostly bones with a bit of fur here and there. Those teeth are still solidly set, though, and the hooves are beautiful.

One of the boys found a dragonfly nymph! Perfectly timed with our Arabella Buckley reading this term...

And Bridget was the frog whisperer that morning. They seem to be getting ready to hibernate because they were quite sluggish and very happy to hang out on her hand. We just read a chapter on amphibians preparing for winter in Countryside Rambles, so this was an especially happy connection.

a rare photo -- me and (half of) my crew

And this is how I spend every morning before lessons. Blessed.