I love summer time! It is so relaxing. There's no pressure to make

sure math lessons are done. There isn't a stack of papers that

need to be submitted to the school district.

Not to mention, it is just beautiful outside! I love to look at all

of the green meadows and leaves on the trees.

My kids couldn't wait for "vacation". So, how are they

spending their free time???

Reading!!! We are reading, "On the Banks of Plum

Brook," as a family read-aloud. The kids are constantly

reading on their own. They read out of their McGuffey readers,

library books, and even encyclopedias!

My eleven year old just asked me this morning if she could go

to the library.

Nature notebooks have been another favorite. The kids love

walking outside and identifying all of the flowers. They collect

everything to add to their notebooks. Snake skins, feathers, robin's

eggs, turtle eggs, leaves, and of course all of those flowers.

They absolutely love to draw. The art notebooks are always in use.

Summer is also a fun time to do science experiments.

Everyone has been working on the family garden. That is always so

relaxing. The funny thing is that this year almost all of the kids decided

to plant their own gardens too. They have been soooo excited.

They have been identifying plants, distingushing between weeds and plants,

and learning the names of the part of the plant we eat. They even did some

experimenting. They planted seeds "upside down" to see if they would

really grow towards the sun.

One of my favorite things that they have been learning is how to set

up alternate power.

Summer vacation???

Well, it makes everyone feel good to call it that!