Home Schooling Fun

I mentioned earlier that I am homeschooling Elise this year.  We chose a curriculum called Calvert and are doing it through a virtual school in Leavenworth (about 30 minutes away).  So far, she is doing so well with it and even though we've both had days where we wish she was in school with her peers, we're really enjoying the one-on-one time together. 

The virtual school has meetings every Friday with all the other home-schooled children where they all get together for PE and other fun learning type activities; and one Friday each month there is a field trip.   So far, we have visited the Deanna Rose farmstead where, some of what she was able to do were to, feed baby goats, pan for gems, milk a cow and be in an old late 1800s schoolhouse - complete with the school marm; we've been to an old house in Leavenworth where Buffalo Bill Cody once stayed; and this past Friday we learned about how government works (the 1st two hours were L-O-N-G!). Luckily, there was some walking around to see the emergency mobile unit, bomb squad van, inside the county jail, etc. 

With some days granting more time than others, Elise is learning to make clothes for her baby doll, sew a quilt, plant a fall garden, make cupcakes from scratch and other fun science experiments.  We hope to learn to knit together, but we haven't put it on the schedule yet. 

Elise has a group of friends that we've hung out with since she was 3.  Her friends Janie, Sarah and Kennedy are all homeschooling.  Kennedy and Elise are in the same grade and are both doing the Leavenworth Virtual School.  

The very aggressive snake we found on our hike.

Finding snails.

A "fort" that was by the river which the kids ate lunch under.