We survived our first official year of homeschool...barely

Last week I wrote a long blog post summarizing our school year.  I never did finish it or hit publish.  I'm not really sure why other than feeling absolutely burnt out with anything to do with school work...including writing about it.   Maybe I'll write another post sometime when I've recovered a bit from our first year of home based education.  I haven't even put away or sorted through our school books...I don't even want to look at them yet. At some point I need to compile an assortment of their tests and school work to send into the School Division as proof that they did learn something.

We have basically wrapped up our school year.  Aili has a few pages left in her math book that she is slowly procrastinating her way through.  Roman is finished for the summer.   My ulcer is feeling better already.

We didn't take much for breaks this winter so we are very very ready for a long summer break.
One of the perks of homeschooling is we get to choose when summer break starts and ends.

The kids have been enjoying playing outside, visits at Grandma and Grandpas house, and time working with Dad on the farm.   I love that they have this time and freedom to be able to do those kinds of things.  Not too many kids get to go to work with Dad on a weekday morning, in June..or anytime for that matter.

We are planning on using this month to enjoy some  moderately "educational" family activities like trips to museums, a rodeo,  the library, a weekend of camping , some hiking and sailing. Our only criteria is cheap, and close to home.    At this point I'm totally fine with them  spending hours digging holes in the back yard while I desperately try to rediscover my sanity, and catch up on weeding my garden.

 It has been so nice to take off the pressure and just have some fun with the kids the last few days.  They are probably learning nearly as much playing games, and exploring anyway.

Our 'new' (50 cents at the thrift store) Pizza fraction game.

There are about 6 different games that can be played learning different levels of skills but the kids mostly enjoy just playing Pizzeria.   Silas may know fractions by the age of 5 just by ordering fake pizza.  :)

Play-doh.  A household favorite.

We spent a couple hours this week at a local small town museum.

It had a lot of really creepy plastic people.

This was the hospital exhibit.

The zombie Canadian regimen soldier.

This little pioneer heritage museum was pretty cool considering.  It had lots of antiques, local history and old buildings to walk through.

We were literally the only ones there, other than the young lady at the front desk.  

It was nice to just explore and take our time.

An old school house completely furnished.  

Farming old school.  A grandfather of our modern combine.

This week Aili set up a little road side bakery.

It's been something she has begged to do for years.   A dream come true for this girl.

She schemed, dreamed, planned and marketed her baked goods.  

"Fudge brownies and Blueberry muffins."

She ran her little shop all by herself and  sold most of the items.

She made a nice little profit.  We had calculated ahead of time what the baking supplies cost (perfect math class) and she subtracted that from her total.  She also borrowed and paid back a "float", the money to make change with.   There were all kinds of lessons to be learned. 

She has already designated and stashed the money away for summer camp.

To any one in our little village who bought her wares...thankyou.  

You made her week!