FIELD TRIP - HENRY DOORLY ZOO

Today was perfect weather to visit the Henry Doorly Zoo in Omaha. Laramie loved the carousel. The brightly colored animals made it difficult to choose which one to ride on.

The llama did not seem to be too interested in us and certainly did not seem to appreciate my attempts at finding words that rhyme with llama. (Silly momma!)

The baby goats were adorable. Just two months old. Laramie was fascinated at how they ate straw right out of her hand.

PARK IT

Warm spring days can be hard to come by in Nebraska so when a sunny, calm day presented itself the books went on the shelf and we headed to one of the neighborhood parks.

One of the many gifts of homeschooling is not only the flexibility of our schedule but the flexibility to learn in many different ways.

An afternoon at the park brings so many opportunities to meet other people, learn about nature, weather, conservation and just about any subject can be incorporated.

Some days the best thing about being a homeschooler is not always having to school at home!

ALOHA

I bought this dress last year at Old Navy on sale for six bucks. I was so excited and thought it was cute. Laramie would not wear it. Would have not a thing to do with it. I almost threw it in the Goodwill box but then thought that it might still fit her the next year. (Good thinking Mom!)
We have been learning about Hawaii and volcanoes this spring. When warm weather hit we got out the summer clothes box and I brought out the dress. ''Look! A Hawaiian dress! " I asked her to try it on and told her we would read her favorite volcano book again. It worked like a charm. She loves the dress now.

No School Today?

If any of you who read this have ever been pregnant you might have experienced boundary disordered people who due to brain stem injury, lack of oxygen or IQ points equal to the amount of times the Cubs have won the pennant think it is within reason to touch your protruding stomach or pepper you with questions in a manner more suited to maceing a mugger. When are you due? Do you know if it is a boy or girl? Do you want a boy or girl? Unless you are using their DNA or they are an OB/GYN how could they possibly think it is any of their business? Once I was done having children I thought this annoyance was a thing of the past, thankfully never to be revisited.
Then I began homeschooling.

Who knew there were so many educationally inquisitive store clerks?! My children and I simply cannot experience an outing without someone questioning why they are not in school. Granted it does not take a great amount of physical energy to answer a question or two (or three, sometimes four!) but it does require more patience than I seem to have to keep answering the same questions when really it is no one’s business why I homeschool. Whether we are getting an oil change, buying shoes, grocery shopping people feel compelled to question us. Not a simple exchange such as ‘’No school today?”
‘’No, we homeschool.”
“Oh, very nice. Have a good day.”
I could handle that.
Perhaps I am still in a snit because the education specialist masquerading as a store clerk at the Fareway today practically grilled my six year old and even had the audacity to ask if she had done any school work today. Thankfully I am not prone to violence but if I was it could easily fulfill a Health/PE requirement for my children to learn First Aid and tend to the people I wallop when they ask me stupid questions.
I could make a badge that says ‘’Homeschool Field Trip” or get a t shirt made that says ‘’ Tell me your weight and I will tell you why I homeschool’’ but that would only be effective on some of the offenders.
If I was the first homeschooler to grace the face of the Earth I could understand but there are approximately two million homeschooled children in America surely others must have heard of this phenomena before.
Meanwhile I will hold my breath and count to ten next time we are asked “No school today?”

Ready For An Adventure???

Homeschool discount tickets are available for Adventureland Park in Des Moines, Iowa . Read my Examiner article http://http://www.examiner.com/x-5395-Omaha-Homeschooling-Issues-Examiner~y2009m4d2-Homeschool-discount-tickets-to-Adventureland-Park-available

I am considering taking the kids on an adventure to Des Moines. A theme park sounds great and Des Moines also has a water park, zoo, miniature golf and the National Balloon Museum. Sounds interesting!

Sure, it isn't a Disney vacation but with the recession maybe it is a good thing to show the kids how to have fun on a budget and stay somewhat closer to home than Florida or California.

A New Book For Laramie

I love books and I love to buy books about as much as I love to buy shoes. For those who know me, you know what that means! It is no surprise when I come home from the store with books or get (yet another) box from Amazon but the book we received in the mail today was special. Rain Fordyce's I AM LEARNING ALL THE TIME.
It was special because it is different than any book we own. It is for Laramie and it is the story boy who is homeschooled.
When I told Laramie what the new book was about she stopped in her tracks and wanted it to be read to her. I told her I was saving it for bedtime but she wanted me to read it to her NOW. She paid attention to every word as I read to her about the central character Hugh who is homeschooled. Hugh's story unfolds much like Laramie's from people in stores asking why you aren't in school and having just a twinge or two of envy that other kids get to ride in the big yellow school bus. It has scenes common to probably most homeschoolers such as playing in the park with their other homeschool friends and vacationing during other parts of the year.
When I finished reading it Laramie said ''Ok, you can send it back now.'' Surprised at her reaction I asked her why she wanted to send it back. She replied earnestly '' So all the other homeschool kids can have a turn reading it too." What a sweet heart she has. I told her it was ours to keep and she skipped to the bookshelf and put it with her other books.
I Am Learning All The Time is very true to life so if you homeschool or know a homeschooler I highly recommend this book. I ordered it from Rain's website at http://homeschooladventurebooks.com/ . Rain also has another website that is rather interesting http://www.authentictimes.com/.
Enjoy! Tell me what you think of it. Have you read any books with a homeschooler as a central character? I would love to hear about it!

Omaha Homeschooling Issues Examiner: Homeschool conference and curriculum fair

Omaha Homeschooling Issues Examiner: Homeschool conference and curriculum fair

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