This is going to be a short post, but I am trying to get into the habit of at least posting a blog a week. We had a wonderful Valentine's Day, the boys and I exchanged homemade Valentines and they enjoyed special pancakes and popcorn. We visited one of the local retirement homes and handed out Valentine's to the residents with the Scouts. I loved watching the boys hand out valentines, it was a blessing to see how happy we made them! Unfortunately, I did not take any pictures because I was holding Connor most of the time.
It has been raining like crazy this week, which instead of driving the boys indoors, has the opposite effect on Connor. That kid is a little water baby, he loves the rain! He sprints out before I have a chance to stop him and tries to catch raindrops on his tongue.
Aiden turns 6 this weekend! I cannot believe how fast the time has gone, how is my baby 6? I have been in full party prep mode for almost two weeks, I hope it all comes together in time!
I think that in life it is important to have a variety of goals, things that you can check off your list today, tomorrow and also ten years from now. I am happy to say that I have accomplished one of my goals this week: folding a fitted sheet. That may seem like a small goal to many, but to me it has been a long time coming and finally victory is mine!
The boys and I have had a lot of fun this week in "school." We did our very first "official" science experiment. My parents gifted Aiden a science set for Christmas, and this week we broke that baby open. We went over the differences between solids, liquids and gases. The boys enjoyed going around the house and categorizing all of the items the could find. I explained what a solution was, a chemical reaction, acids and bases. Do I think they completely understand all of this? Of course not, but it is a good introduction and one has to start somewhere. In our experiment we made carbon dioxide, which was super cool and I got to explain about that being what we breathe out. The boys cannot wait for our next science experiment, and that is exactly what I want for them. I want them to be excited for learning!
It has been awhile since I have shared videos with you, so this week you get 2! I just could not keep this latest dance party to myself. These two kids crack me up!
I know that there are some out there that may not agree with my choice to homeschool my children, they think that I am robbing them of a "normal" education. It is true that my children are shielded from some things a little longer than others, and I am perfectly okay with that. One of our local elementary schools went on lockdown this week for a bomb threat, the kids had to be bussed to a different location. That is both scary and a detriment to those kids education. They already only attend school four days a week, so every day matters. Arizona is one of the lowest ranking states in education, passing kids all the way through high school without the ability to read, write or do basic math. I want my children to flourish, I want them to love to learn and I want them to be able to explore this wonderful world without fearing for their life. I don't want their mindsets to be narrowed into only what the teacher has time to teach, I want them to be able to pursue their passions and interests. I want them to be well-rounded individuals, to be contributing members of society. I want them to know how to take care of themselves and others, how to be kind, generous and loving. I want them to know that anything worth doing takes hard-work, commitment and perseverance. I want to teach them to never give up and to always do your best. Maybe they could learn all this in a "normal" classroom setting, I am not saying that it is impossible. But is it really something that is worth the gamble? Or should I do everything in my power to do the best I can for my children to become the best versions of themselves? For now, homeschool is the best option for our family, and I am enjoying every crazy, wonderful minute of it.
