Happy New Year!

Well, no pictures got posted of the lovely cards we made because they were given away or mailed before we thought of it! I'll be making cards throughout the year this year, though, for various occasions. I will post them as India reminds me, since she will be helping me.

My husband was home for 2 1/2 weeks over Christmas. He took his vacation, then since he didn't take much during the rest of the year! So, while dad was home, we didn't do much "official" educating. I've decided to stop calling it "school work" since the idea of school is what we are trying to avoid. We educate, we do not school. There is a difference...just ask John Taylor Gatto.

I read some of Gatto's writings when I very first started homeschooling and my oldest was about 5 (she is 13, now). I have looked at his stuff off and on since then. Recently I reread his essay, Against School. http://www.johntaylorgatto.com/hp/frames.htm

Every time I read that it knocks me over the head. What I feel and have always thought, he puts into written word. If only the rest of society wouldn't bury their heads in the sand while the school system goes to pot, but rather stand up for the EDUCATION of America's children, perhaps our society wouldn't be in the turmoil it is in today. The family wouldn't be deteriorating so immensely with each new generation. Perhaps our government wouldn't, either, since people would actually grow up into educated people who don't follow the herd, but rather think for themselves.

That has been my goal all along: to raise children who can think for themselves and don't mindlessly do and think what everyone else says they should just because that is what is considered "normal". That is where society gets into trouble. When people do not stop and question, but they follow along instead. Even when they feel and know deep down inside that it things are wrong. Very wrong.

Anyway, we try hard, as parents, to instill this in our children: Think for yourselves! Discover for yourselves! Don't just follow the herd!

OK, stepping off of soapbox, now.

Well, dear husband went back to work yesterday. So, we are back to educating! It is the New Year, also, and we are doing some re-evaluating. Yesterday we still had cousins visiting, so I let the kids play in the snow all day. They don't get snow very often, after all! They had great physics lessons as they went sledding over and over down the road. They also had a bike ramp that they had to get in just the right spot in order to jump it, which was fun for the big 12, 13, and 14 yr. old kiddos.

Today, however, we are doing some other things. This morning we watched an episode of that show about people climbing Mt. Everest. I don't know the actual name. The kids chose it from Netflix, which we are streaming to our TV, now. Later today, I am having my older two do some research on the Himalayas. One of them just informed me that their Wordly Wise lesson is about Mt. Everest, so this is working out perfectly. The younger boys will look up where it is on the map and learn about the people who live there.

Since the Netflix streaming is new for us and we were excited to use it today, we also streamed an IMAX film called Hurricane on the Bayou that was in our queue. A few years ago after Hurricane Katrina, my husband took a business trip to New Orleans. Our youngest was only 4 at the time and we didn't want to leave him, so he and I traveled with my husband. We stayed near the Spanish Plaza at the Hilton. Our youngest and I would take walks downtown and ride the trolley downtown each day. I took him to the Audubon Aquarium there, and we wanted to watch this IMAX film and could never catch it. Today we did. It was about the disappearing wetlands in Louisiana and the effects of that. The wetlands are Louisiana's natural speed bump for hurricanes. This film fits in with our weather study we are starting on. We'll be learning about all types of storms on the earth.

I've been sitting with my youngest teaching him about money today. Also, we practiced his reading. Now, he is working on puzzles.

The older three are working in their books.

Later today, we will have a history lesson. We are just beginning Story of the World volume 3, which covers world history "from Elizabeth the First to the Forty-Niners". We are excited to cover this time period. We have been on ancient and medieval history for a while. I'm learning so much right along with my kids. I really love this history curriculum. The author tells history like a story, which is what it is. This is far from the dry lecturing and dates memorization that I had in school. They do projects, map work, and the younger boys have coloring pages for each lesson.

So, my break is now over. Back to educating! More to come. This is going to be a great year!